Footwear Having Adjustable-Height Heel and Method Therefor

Abstract

An article of footwear has a height adjustable heel. A heel assembly is coupled to a toe assembly. A sole assembly is disposed over the heel assembly. A hinge assembly joins the sole assembly and heel assembly at a junction with the toe assembly. The hinge assembly has a locking mechanism, which allows the sole assembly to pivot with respect to the heel assembly to adjust a height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly when the locking mechanism is disengaged. The height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly is fixed when the locking mechanism is engaged. The heel assembly has a first inner support and the sole assembly has a second inner support. A pin coupled to a sprocket engages and disengages the first inner support and the second inner support to adjust a height of the sole assembly with respect to the heel assembly.

Description

CLAIM TO DOMESTIC PRIORITY

The present non-provisional application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/138,449, filed Dec. 17, 2008.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to footwear and, more specifically, to footwear having an adjustable-height heel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Footwear is an integral part of the utility and fashion of clothing accessories worn by people. Footwear comes in a myriad of styles, shapes, colors, functions, and other attributes. In women's footwear in particular, each of the above attributes is important in the mind of the consumer. Depending on the occasion, women may choose to wear heeled shoes. The height of the heel can range from say 2 to 4 (or more) inches. High heels are considered functional and fashionable. The high heel of the shoe improves posture and increases the woman's overall height, as well as accenting the pants or dress she is wearing. For example, many pants are cut to be worn with high-heeled shoes.

Most shoes have a fixed-height heel. That is, the height of the heel cannot be adjusted. Yet, the fixed-height heel can present comfort and convenience problems during a typically wearing cycle or period. For example, the woman may want to wear high heels at work, but have a long walk to and from the workplace. Since the heels are fixed, she must decide either to wear more comfortable shoes during the walking phase and change out to high heels once in the office, or simply endure the discomfort of walking a long distance in high heels. The contact portion of the heel to the ground is typically small so high heels tend to wear-out quickly when walking long distances.

In another scenario, the woman may have varying activities during the same day. A first activity, such as shopping, involves significant standing, walking, and carrying of heavy bags. She may choose to wear low-heel shoe during the first activity. A second activity during the same day may be a social event in which she wants to hear high heels. Again, the woman must plan for a different pair of shoes for each activity, or deal with the discomfort and inconvenience of wearing the same shoes for both activities.

Some shoes have an adjustable heel, for example as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,464,126 and 4,416,072. The shoe has an external adjustment mechanism to increase the height of the heel. The external adjustment mechanism is readily apparent to the casual observer and detracts from the aesthetic nature of the shoe.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A need exists for an adjustable heel footwear having an easy to operate, hidden adjustment mechanism. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the present invention is an article of footwear comprising a heel assembly coupled to a toe assembly. A sole assembly is disposed over the heel assembly. A hinge assembly joins the sole assembly and heel assembly at a junction with the toe assembly. The hinge assembly includes a locking mechanism, which allows the sole assembly to pivot with respect to the heel assembly to adjust a height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly when the locking mechanism is disengaged. The height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly is fixed when the locking mechanism is engaged.

In another embodiment, the present invention is an article of footwear comprising a heel assembly coupled to a toe assembly. A sole assembly is disposed over the heel assembly. A lockable hinge assembly joins the sole assembly and heel assembly. The lockable hinge assembly provides pivotal movement and height adjustment of the sole assembly with respect to the heel assembly when the lockable hinge assembly is disengaged and fixes the height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly when the lockable hinge assembly is engaged.

In another embodiment, the present invention is a method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising the steps of providing a heel assembly coupled to a toe assembly, disposing a sole assembly over the heel assembly, and joining the sole assembly and heel assembly with a lockable hinge assembly. The lockable hinge assembly provides pivotal movement and height adjustment of the sole assembly with respect to the heel assembly when the lockable hinge assembly is disengaged and fixes the height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly when the lockable hinge assembly is engaged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates footwear or shoe with adjustable-height heel in a retracted position;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the toe assembly, sole assembly, and heel assembly taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the shoe with adjustable-height heel in a raised position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the toe assembly, sole assembly, and heel assembly taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the hinge assembly taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 with the locking mechanism in an engaged position;

FIGS. 6a-6b illustrate an exploded perspective view of the locking mechanism taken from first and second angles;

FIG. 7 is an isolated perspective view of the locking mechanism in an engaged position;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the hinge assembly with the locking mechanism in a disengaged position;

FIG. 9 is an isolated perspective view of the locking mechanism in a disengaged position;

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the footwear with adjustable-height heel and lockable hinge assembly;

FIG. 11 illustrates further detail of the lockable hinge assembly of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the shoe with adjustable-height heel in a raised position;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the toe assembly, sole assembly, and heel assembly of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the hinge assembly and locking mechanism;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the hinge assembly with the locking mechanism in a disengaged position; and

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the hinge assembly with the locking mechanism in an engaged position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described in one or more embodiments in the following description with reference to the figures, in which like numerals represent the same or similar elements. While the invention is described in terms of the best mode for achieving the invention's objectives, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents as supported by the following disclosure and drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates footwear or shoe 10 including sole assembly 12, adjustable-height heel assembly 14, and toe assembly 16 in a lowered or retracted position. Shoe 10 can be implemented in a variety of styles, colors, materials, textures, and functions. Shoe 10 can be opened-toed, closed-toed, slip-on, string-laced, buckled, and strapped, just to name a few styles. The shoe materials can be leather, rubber, foam, polymer, canvas, suede, and other natural and man-made durable materials. The shoe functions include evening wear, business, special occasion, casual, and orthopedic.

In one embodiment, adjustable-height heel assembly 14 is integral to toe assembly 16, i.e., continuous body or rigidly fixed together. Alternatively, adjustable-height heel assembly 14 is moveable with respect to toe assembly 16. Sole assembly 12 includes at least heel portion 18, back end 20, upper sole 24, and lower sole 26. Toe assembly 16 has toe portion 28 and front end 30. Vamp 32 extends laterally and arcuately over toe portion 28. Vamp 32 is secured at opposite side locations 34 of toe assembly 16. Heel strap 36 extends laterally and arcuately over upper sole 24 across heel portion 18 of sole assembly 12. Heel strap 36 is secured at opposite side locations 38 of sole assembly 12. The foot of the wearer is received on upper sole 24. The instep of the foot is received within vamp 32, and the heel of the foot is held within heel strap 36. The weight of the ball and toes of the foot are borne by toe portion 28, and the weight of the heel of the foot is borne by heel portion 18.

A hinge assembly 40 is incorporated in shoe 10 at the junction between sole assembly 12, adjustable-height heel assembly 14, and toe assembly 16. Hinge assembly 40 extends laterally across the junction between the opposite side locations 34 and provides pivotal movement between sole assembly 12 and adjustable-height heel assembly 14. Hinge assembly 40 changes the orientation between heel portion 18 and toe portion 28. In some embodiments, hinge assembly 40 also provides pivotal movement of adjustable-height heel assembly 14 with respect to toe assembly 16.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along lines 2-2 for further detail of sole assembly 12, adjustable-height heel assembly 14, and toe assembly 16. More specifically, sole assembly 12 includes upper sole 24, lower sole 26, inner support 42, and heel padding 44. The inner support 42 has a hinge end 46 and distal end 48 extending under heel section 18 of sole assembly 12. The adjustable-height heel assembly 14 includes inner support 50 within body 52 and durable outer material 54 such as leather or dense rubber for contacting the walking surface such as a floor, concrete, or natural surface. The inner support 50 has a hinge end 58 and distal end 60. The adjustable-height heel assembly 14 has heel lift 61 as a leverage point to adjust the height of heel portion 18 with respect to toe assembly 16. Toe assembly 16 includes inner support 62, upper toe layer 64, lower toe layer 66, toe padding 68, and durable outer material 70 such as leather or dense rubber for contacting the walking surface. Hinge assembly 40 includes locking mechanism 72, which is described in more detail in later figures.

The inner supports 42 and 50 are embedded in sole assembly 12 and adjustable-height heel assembly 14, respectively, to provide a rigid supporting platform while concealing the inner supports from casual view and maintaining the aesthetic appeal of shoe 10. The inner supports 42, 50, and 62 are made with strong, rigid, resilient material, such as plastic, steel, aluminum, wood, cork, or the like. Alternatively, inner supports 42, 50, and 62 can be fastened exteriorly to sole assembly 12, adjustable-height heel assembly 14, and toe assembly 16, respectively, with adhesive or mechanical fasteners, such as glue, screws, nails, rivets, or the like.

FIG. 3 illustrates shoe 10 in a raised or extended position. Push button 76 is located on an exterior surface of hinge assembly 40 to engage and disengage the locking assembly in order to raise and lower adjustable-height heel assembly 14. To raise sole assembly 12 with respect to toe assembly 16, the wearer presses button 76 to release locking mechanism 72 and rotate hinge assembly 40 by lifting on heel portion 18. The hinge end 46 of inner support 42 pivots with respect to hinge end 58 of inner support 50 to separate adjustable-height heel assembly 14 from sole assembly 12 as shown by double arrowed line A. An alignment guide 78 on heel assembly 14 is withdrawn from notch 80 in sole assembly 12. The sole assembly 12 rotates away from adjustable-height heel assembly 14 around the pivot point of hinge assembly 40 to raise heel portion 18 of shoe 10. In the raised position, heel section 18 is angled upwardly with respect to toe assembly 16 so that inner sole 24 forms into an angular foot-receiving surface like that of a high-heeled shoe.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3 taken along lines 4-4 for further detail of sole assembly 12, adjustable-height heel assembly 14, and toe assembly 16 in the raised position. The locking mechanism 72 locks hinge assembly 40 to create a fixed separation between adjustable-height heel assembly 14 and sole assembly 12. When locking mechanism 72 is disengaged (by pressing button 76), hinge assembly 40 is free to pivot and permit movement of sole assembly 12 with respect to heel assembly 14 to set the height of heel section 18 with respect to toe section 28 and heel lift 61. When locking mechanism 72 is engaged, hinge assembly 40 is fixed in position to make shoe 10 rigid and suitable to support the weight of the wearer under normal conditions. Accordingly, locking mechanism 72 can be set to give sole assembly 12 any degree of lift with respect to heel assembly 14, say between 1-4 inches. The height of sole assembly 12 over heel assembly 14 thus is selectable by the wearer.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along lines 5-5 for further detail of hinge assembly 40 and locking mechanism 72. Push button 76 is coupled to or integral with pin or rod 84. Push button 76 and pin 84 can be aluminum, steel, polymer, graphite, composite material, or other strong, resilient material. Push button 76 can be the same color and texture as vamp 32 to blend in with the vamp, or covered with a decorative or protective covering or sheath for aesthetic appeal and functional operation. A blank cover or button 82 matching push button 76 is placed over vamp 32, opposite push button 76, for symmetry. One or more compression springs 86 are coiled around pin 84 and disposed in cavity 88 formed in hinge assembly 40. Compression string 86 is held in place with locking pin 89. The distal end 85 of pin 84, opposite push button 76, is rigidly coupled or welded to gear or sprocket 90, which contains a plurality of teeth 92. Pin 84 is movable in reciprocal directions in cavity 88 as indicated by the double arrowed line B between engaged (locked) and disengaged (unlocked) positions. Sprocket 90 is moveable within cavity 94 formed in hinge assembly 40 to engage and disengage locking mechanism 72. Pin 84 extends through adjacent hinge end 46 and hinge end 58 of inner supports 42 and 50. The hinge end 46 is disposed between sprocket 90 and hinge end 58, and hinge end 58 is disposed between hinge end 46 and cavity 88. The hinge ends 46 and 58 each have an opening for receiving an intermediate portion of pin 84 between push button 76 and distal end 85 for pivotal movement of inner support 42 with respect to inner support 50.

FIG. 6a is an isolated, exploded view of locking mechanism 72 as taken from a first angle of view. FIG. 6b is an isolated, exploded view of locking mechanism 72 as taken from a second angle of view. Locking mechanism 72 operates to lock hinge ends 46 and 58 of inner supports 42 and 50 and further to unlock hinge ends 46 and 58 of inner supports 42 and 50. Pin 84 is placed through compression spring 86 and opening 102 of hinge end 58 of inner support 50, and through opening 100 of hinge end 46 of inner support 42, to be rigidly coupled to sprocket 90. Locking pin 89 is placed through hole 106 to provide an anchor point for the end of compression spring 86 near push button 76. The teeth 92 of sprocket 90 mesh with teeth 96 formed in hinge end 46 of inner support 42. The teeth 92 of sprocket 90 also mesh with teeth 98 formed in hinge end 58 of inner support 50. The corresponding alignment between teeth 92 and teeth 96 and 98 define incremental engagement points between hinge end 46 of inner support 42 and hinge end 58 of inner support 50.

FIG. 7 shows locking mechanism 72 in the engaged position. The teeth 92 of sprocket 90 mesh with teeth 96 of hinge end 46. The teeth 92 of sprocket 90 also mesh with teeth 98 of hinge end 58. The interlock between teeth 92 of sprocket 90 and teeth 96 and 98 maintains a rigid connection between hinge end 46 of inner support 42 and hinge end 58 of inner support 50. Accordingly, inner support 42 remains positionally locked with inner support 50 and sole assembly 12 remains positionally locked with heel assembly 14 in either the lower position, raised position, or any intermediate position.

In FIG. 8, push button 76 is pressed into cavity 104, e.g., by the finger of the wearer, to disengage locking mechanism 72 and permit adjustment of the height of sole assembly 12 with respect to heel assembly 14 in shoe 10. Pressing push button 76 moves pin 84 and compresses spring 86. Sprocket 90 is moved to the left, further into cavity 94, away from hinge end 46 and hinge end 58 by the same distance as push button 76 is pressed into cavity 104. Teeth 92 are extracted from teeth 98 of hinge end 58 to disengage locking mechanism 72. The hinge end 46 is released with respect to hinge end 58. The inner support 42 is free to pivot with respect to inner support 50. Sole assembly 12 is free to pivot with respect to heel assembly 14.

FIG. 9 shows another view of the disengaged position of locking mechanism 72. The teeth 92 of sprocket 90 are extracted from concurrent engagement with teeth 98 of hinge end 58. The hinge end 46 is released with respect to hinge end 58. The inner support 42 is free to pivot with respect to inner support 50. Sole assembly 12 is free to pivot with respect to heel assembly 14.

The wearer adjusts the relative position between sole assembly 12 and heel assembly 14 as desired. For example, shoe 10 can be set to a low-heeled shoe as shown in FIG. 1, or a high-heeled shoe as shown in FIG. 3, or any intermediate position selectable by the wearer. The incremental alignment between teeth 92 and teeth 96 and 98 defines the selectable height positions available to the wearer. For example, sole assembly 12 can be moved with respect to heel assembly 14 to change the position of specific teeth 92 relative to specific teeth 98. Each next relative mating tooth position incrementally changes the distance between sole assembly 12 and heel assembly 14. Accordingly, shoe 10 has a functional adjustable heel while maintaining ease of operation and aesthetic appeal. The adjustable features of shoe 10 are hidden and out-of-view to the casual observer. The locking mechanism 72 is internal to hinge assembly 40. Push button 76 appears as a decorative feature of vamp 32, inconspicuous to its true function and operation. The heel adjustment can be applied to any type of shoe, even those demanding a high level of style and aesthetic appeal. In addition, one shoe can be adjusted to a different height compared to the other shoe for orthopedic applications.

Push button 76 is released to re-engage locking mechanism 72. Compression spring 86 forces pin 84 to the right in cavity 88 and forces push button 76 to its normal position outside of cavity 104 to engage locking mechanism 72. Sprocket 90 returns to its engaged position with teeth 92 meshing with teeth 96 and 98 of hinge ends 46 and 58. Locking mechanism 72 is engaged. The inner support 42 is held rigid with respect to inner support 50, preventing movement of sole assembly 12 with respect to heel assembly 14.

Compression spring 86 operates as a bias against pin 84 and sprocket 90 to hold teeth 92 meshed into teeth 96 and 98. Compression spring 86 maintains locking mechanism 72 in its engaged position to prevent slippage of sole assembly 12 with respect to heel assembly 14. Additional springs can be positioned to exert a pulling or pushing force to apply the described bias to locking mechanism 72 and maintain teeth 92 of sprocket 90 concurrently engaged with teeth 96 and 98 of hinge ends 46 and 58.

In an alternate embodiment, FIG. 10 illustrates shoe 110 similar to FIG. 3 without a locking mechanism within the hinge assembly. Shoe 110 including sole assembly 112, adjustable-height heel assembly 114, and toe assembly 116 shown in a raised or extended position. The adjustable-height heel assembly 114 is integral to toe assembly 116, i.e., continuous body or rigidly fixed together. Alternatively, adjustable-height heel assembly 114 is moveable with respect to toe assembly 116. Sole assembly 112 includes at least heel portion 118, back end 120, upper sole 124, and lower sole 126. Toe assembly 116 has toe portion 128 and front end 130. Vamp 132 extends laterally and arcuately over toe portion 128. Vamp 132 is secured at opposite side locations 134 of toe assembly 116. Heel strap 136 extends laterally and arcuately over upper sole 124 across heel portion 118 of sole assembly 112. Heel strap 136 is secured at opposite side locations 138 of sole assembly 112. The foot of the wearer is received on upper sole 124. The instep of the foot is received within vamp 132, and the heel of the foot is held within heel strap 136. The weight of the ball and toes of the foot are borne by toe portion 128, and the weight of the heel of the foot is borne by heel portion 118.

A lockable hinge assembly 140 is incorporated in shoe 110 at the junction between sole assembly 112, adjustable-height heel assembly 114, and toe assembly 116. The lockable hinge assembly 140 extends laterally across the junction between the opposite side locations 134 and provides pivotal movement between sole assembly 112 and heel assembly 114. Hinge assembly 140 changes the orientation between heel portion 118 and toe portion 128.

A scissor assembly 142 extends between sole assembly 112 and heel assembly 114. Scissor assembly 142 includes weight bearing support members or arms 144 rotatably secured to sole assembly 112 and body 145 of heel assembly 114. For example, support members 144 can be secured to sole assembly 112 and heel assembly 114 with moveable rivets. Support members 144 are joined by locking mechanism 146.

FIG. 11 shows locking mechanism 146 implemented with plate 148 containing teeth 150 and plate 152 containing teeth 154. The teeth 150 of plate 148 interlock with teeth 154 of plate 152. A screw 158 holds plates 148 together in the locked position. The interlocking teeth 150 and 154 prevent slippage under weight. The wearer can adjust the height of sole assembly 112 by loosening screw 158 to disengage plates 148 and 152 of locking mechanism 146. Sole assembly 112 becomes moveable with respect to heel assembly 114. The wearer selects the desired heel height by moving sole assembly 112 with respect to heel assembly 114 and then tightens screw 158 to re-engage locking mechanism 146.

FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment with footwear or shoe 210 including sole assembly 212, adjustable-height heel assembly 214, and toe assembly 216 in a raised or extended position. Shoe 210 can be implemented in a variety of styles, colors, materials, textures, and functions. Shoe 210 can be opened-toed, closed-toed, slip-on, string-laced, buckled, and strapped, just to name a few styles. The shoe materials can be leather, rubber, foam, polymer, canvas, suede, and other natural and man-made durable materials. The shoe functions include evening wear, business, special occasion, casual, and orthopedic.

In one embodiment, adjustable-height heel assembly 214 is integral to toe assembly 216, i.e., continuous body or rigidly fixed together. Alternatively, adjustable-height heel assembly 214 is moveable with respect to toe assembly 216. Sole assembly 212 includes at least heel portion 218, back end 220, upper portion 222, and lower portion 224. Heel assembly 214 includes support member 226. Toe assembly 216 has toe portion 228 and front end 230. Vamp 232 extends laterally and arcuately over toe portion 228. Vamp 232 is secured at opposite side locations 234 of toe assembly 216. Heel strap 236 extends laterally and arcuately over upper sole 222 across heel portion 218 of sole assembly 212. Heel strap 236 is secured at opposite side locations 238 of sole assembly 212. The foot of the wearer is received on upper sole 222. The instep of the foot is received within vamp 232, and the heel of the foot is held within heel strap 236. The weight of the ball and toes of the foot are borne by toe portion 228, and the weight of the heel of the foot is borne by heel portion 218.

A hinge assembly 240 is incorporated in shoe 210 at the junction between sole assembly 212, adjustable-height heel assembly 214, and toe assembly 216. Hinge assembly 240 extends laterally across the junction between the opposite side locations 234 and provides pivotal movement between sole assembly 212 and adjustable-height heel assembly 214. Hinge assembly 240 changes the orientation between heel portion 218 and toe portion 228. In some embodiments, hinge assembly 240 also provides pivotal movement of adjustable-height heel assembly 214 with respect to toe assembly 216.

FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 taken along lines 13-13 for further detail of sole assembly 212, adjustable-height heel assembly 214, and toe assembly 216. More specifically, sole assembly 212 includes upper portion 222, lower portion 224, and inner support 242. The inner support 242 has a hinge end 246 and distal end 248 extending under heel section 218 of sole assembly 212. The adjustable-height heel assembly 214 includes support member 226 and durable outer material 254 such as leather or dense rubber for contacting the walking surface such as a floor, concrete, or natural surface. The support member 226 has a hinge end 258 and distal end 260. The distal end 260 of adjustable-height heel assembly 214 is a leverage point to adjust the height of heel portion 218 with respect to toe assembly 216. Toe assembly 216 includes inner support 262, upper toe portion 264, and lower toe portion 266 such as leather or dense rubber for contacting the walking surface. Hinge assembly 240 includes locking mechanism 272, which is described in more detail in later figures.

The inner supports 242 and 262 are embedded in sole assembly 212 and toe assembly 216, respectively, to provide a rigid supporting platform while concealing the inner supports from casual view and maintaining the aesthetic appeal of shoe 210. The inner supports 242 and 262 are made with strong, rigid, resilient material, such as plastic, steel, aluminum, wood, cork, or the like. Alternatively, inner supports 242 and 262 can be fastened exteriorly to sole assembly 212 and toe assembly 216, respectively, with adhesive or mechanical fasteners, such as glue, screws, nails, rivets, or the like.

Returning to FIG. 12, pull tabs 276 are located on an exterior surface of each side of hinge assembly 240 to engage and disengage locking assembly 272 in order to raise and lower adjustable-height heel assembly 214. To raise sole assembly 212 with respect to toe assembly 216, the wearer pulls tabs 276 to release locking mechanism 272 and rotate hinge assembly 240 by lifting on heel portion 218. The hinge end 246 of inner support 242 pivots with respect to hinge end 258 of support member 226 to move adjustable-height heel assembly 214 with respect to sole assembly 212. The sole assembly 212 rotates away from adjustable-height heel assembly 214 around the pivot point of hinge assembly 240 to raise and lower heel portion 218 of shoe 210. In the raised position, heel section 218 is angled upwardly with respect to toe assembly 216 so that inner sole 222 forms into an angular foot-receiving surface like that of a high-heeled shoe.

The locking mechanism 272 locks hinge assembly 240 to create a fixed separation between adjustable-height heel assembly 214 and sole assembly 212. When locking mechanism 272 is disengaged (by pulling tab 276), hinge assembly 240 is free to pivot and permit movement of sole assembly 212 with respect to heel assembly 214 to set the height of heel section 218 with respect to toe section 228. When locking mechanism 272 is engaged, hinge assembly 240 is fixed in position to make shoe 210 rigid and suitable to support the weight of the wearer under normal conditions. Accordingly, locking mechanism 272 can be set to give sole assembly 212 any degree of lift with respect to heel assembly 214, say between 1-4 inches. The height of sole assembly 212 over heel assembly 214 thus is selectable by the wearer.

FIG. 14 is an isolated, exploded view of the components of hinge assembly 240 and locking mechanism 272 along axis 278. Locking mechanism 272 operates to engage or lock hinge end 246 of inner support 242 and hinge end 258 of support member 226. Locking mechanism 272 further disengages or unlocks hinge end 246 of inner support 242 and hinge end 258 of support member 226. Female spline 280 slides into opening 282 of hinge end 258 of support member 226. Notch 284 of female spline 280 aligns with slot 286 to prevent movement of the female spline with respect to opening 282. Female spline 280 includes teeth 288. Female spline 290 slides into openings 292 of hinge end 246 of inner support 242. Notch 294 of female spline 290 aligns with slot 296 to prevent movement of the female spline with respect to opening 292. Female spline 290 includes teeth 298. Male spline 300 are inserted into female spline 290 and further into female spline 280 with teeth 302 mating with teeth 298 and 288. The corresponding alignment between teeth 302 and teeth 288 define incremental engagement points between hinge end 246 of inner support 242 and hinge end 258 of support member 226.

Pin or rod 304 is routed through male spline 300 and secured with anchor spline 306, stop nut and o-ring 308, and low profile heads 310. Pull tabs 276 and pins 304 can be aluminum, steel, polymer, graphite, composite material, or other strong, resilient material. Pull tabs 276 can be the same color and texture as vamp 232 to blend in with the vamp, or covered with a decorative or protective covering or sheath for aesthetic appeal and functional operation.

FIG. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 taken along lines 15-15 for further detail of hinge assembly 240 and locking mechanism 272 in the disengaged or unlocked position. Pull tabs 276 extract male spline 300 from female spline 280 and permit adjustment of the height of sole assembly 212 with respect to heel assembly 214 in shoe 210. Teeth 302 are extracted from teeth 288 of female spline 280 to disengage locking mechanism 272. The hinge end 246 is released with respect to hinge end 258. The inner support 242 is free to pivot with respect to support member 226. Sole assembly 212 is free to pivot with respect to heel assembly 214.

The wearer adjusts the relative position between sole assembly 212 and heel assembly 214 as desired. For example, shoe 210 can be set to a low-heeled shoe as shown in FIG. 1, or a high-heeled shoe as shown in FIG. 12, or any intermediate position selectable by the wearer. The incremental alignment between teeth 302 and teeth 288 defines the selectable height positions available to the wearer. For example, sole assembly 212 can be moved with respect to heel assembly 214 to change the position of specific teeth 302 relative to specific teeth 288. Each next relative mating tooth position incrementally changes the distance between sole assembly 212 and heel assembly 214. Accordingly, shoe 210 has a functional adjustable heel while maintaining ease of operation and aesthetic appeal. The adjustable features of shoe 210 are hidden and out-of-view to the casual observer. The locking mechanism 272 is internal to hinge assembly 240. Pull tab 276 appears as a decorative feature of vamp 232, inconspicuous to its true function and operation. The heel adjustment can be applied to any type of shoe, even those demanding a high level of style and aesthetic appeal. In addition, one shoe can be adjusted to a different height compared to the other shoe for orthopedic applications.

FIG. 16 shows locking mechanism 272 in the engaged position. The teeth 302 of male spline 300 mesh with teeth 288 of female spline 280. The interlock between teeth 302 of male spline 300 and teeth 288 and 298 maintains a rigid connection between hinge end 246 of inner support 242 and hinge end 258 of support member 226. Accordingly, inner support 242 remains positionally locked with support 226 and sole assembly 212 remains positionally locked with heel assembly 214 in either the lower position, raised position, or any intermediate position.

While one or more embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, the skilled artisan will appreciate that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a toe assembly;

a heel assembly coupled to the toe assembly;

a sole assembly disposed over the heel assembly; and

a hinge assembly joining the sole assembly and heel assembly at a junction with the toe assembly, the hinge assembly including a locking mechanism allowing the sole assembly to pivot with respect to the heel assembly to adjust a height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly when the locking mechanism is disengaged, the height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly being fixed when the locking mechanism is engaged.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the toe assembly includes:

an inner support;

an upper toe layer disposed over the inner support; and

a lower toe layer disposed under the inner support.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the heel assembly includes:

a body; and

a first inner support disposed within the body.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein the sole assembly includes:

a second inner support having a hinge end pivotally coupled to a hinge end of the first inner support by the locking mechanism;

an upper sole disposed over the second inner support; and

a lower sole disposed under the second inner support.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4, wherein the locking mechanism includes:

a pin disposed in a first cavity of the hinge assembly, the pin passing through an opening in the hinge end of the first inner support and passing through an opening in the hinge end of the second inner support;

a push button coupled to a first end of the pin and exposed from an exterior surface of the footwear; and

a sprocket coupled to a second end of the pin, the sprocket having a plurality of teeth meshing with teeth formed in the opening of the hinge end of the first inner support and further meshing with teeth formed in the opening of the hinge end of the second inner support when the locking mechanism is engaged, the teeth of the sprocket being extracted from the teeth of the hinge end of the first inner support when the locking mechanism is disengaged.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5, wherein the push button is pressed into a second cavity of the hinge assembly to move the pin and sprocket and extract the teeth of the sprocket from the teeth of the hinge end of the first inner support permitting the sole assembly to pivot with respect to the heel assembly.

7. The article of footwear of claim 5, further including a spring coiled around the pin to bias the teeth of the sprocket against the teeth of the hinge end of the first inner support and teeth of the hinge end of the second inner support.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes:

a first female spline disposed within the heel assembly;

a second female spline disposed within the sole assembly; and

a male spline inserted into the first and second female splines when the locking mechanism is engaged and extracted from the first female spline when the locking mechanism is disengaged.

9. An article of footwear, comprising:

a toe assembly;

a heel assembly coupled to the toe assembly;

a sole assembly disposed over the heel assembly; and

a lockable hinge assembly joining the sole assembly and heel assembly, the lockable hinge assembly providing pivotal movement and height adjustment of the sole assembly with respect to the heel assembly when the lockable hinge assembly is disengaged and fixing the height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly when the lockable hinge assembly is engaged.

10. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein the heel assembly includes:

a body; and

a first inner support disposed within the body of the heel assembly.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein the sole assembly includes a second inner support having a hinge end pivotally coupled to a hinge end of the first inner support by the lockable hinge assembly.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the lockable hinge assembly includes:

a pin disposed in a first cavity of the lockable hinge assembly, the pin passing through an opening in the hinge end of the first inner support and through an opening in the hinge end of the second inner support;

a push button coupled to a first end of the pin and exposed from an exterior surface of the footwear; and

a sprocket coupled to a second end of the pin, the sprocket having a plurality of teeth meshing with teeth formed in the opening of the hinge end of the first inner support and further meshing with teeth formed in the opening of the hinge end of the second inner support when the lockable hinge mechanism is engaged, the teeth of the sprocket being extracted from the teeth of the hinge end of the first inner support when the lockable hinge mechanism is disengaged.

13. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the push button is pressed into a second cavity of the lockable hinge assembly to move the pin and sprocket and extract the teeth of the sprocket from the teeth of the hinge end of the first inner support permitting the sole assembly to pivot with respect to the heel assembly.

14. The article of footwear of claim 12, further including a spring coiled around the pin to bias the teeth of the sprocket against the teeth of the hinge end of the first inner support and teeth of the hinge end of the second inner support.

15. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the locking mechanism includes:

a first female spline disposed within the heel assembly;

a second female spline disposed within the sole assembly; and

a male spline inserted into the first and second female splines when the locking mechanism is engaged and extracted from the first female spline when the locking mechanism is disengaged.

16. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:

providing a heel assembly coupled to a toe assembly;

disposing a sole assembly over the heel assembly; and

joining the sole assembly and heel assembly with a lockable hinge assembly, the lockable hinge assembly providing pivotal movement and height adjustment of the sole assembly with respect to the heel assembly when the lockable hinge assembly is disengaged and fixing the height of the sole assembly over the heel assembly when the lockable hinge assembly is engaged.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the sole assembly includes:

providing a body; and

disposing a first inner support within the body.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the heel assembly includes a second inner support having a hinge end pivotally coupled to a hinge end of the first inner support by the lockable hinge assembly.

19. The method of claim 18, further including:

passing a pin through an opening in the hinge end of the first inner support and through an opening in the hinge end of the second inner support;

coupling a push button to a first end of the pin and exposed from an exterior surface of the footwear; and

coupling a sprocket to a second end of the pin, the sprocket having a plurality of teeth meshing with teeth formed in the opening of the hinge end of the first inner support and further meshing with teeth formed in the opening of the hinge end of the second inner support when the lockable hinge mechanism is engaged, the teeth of the sprocket being extracted from the teeth of the hinge end of the second inner support when the lockable hinge mechanism is disengaged.

20. The method of claim 16, further including:

disposing a first female spline within the heel assembly;

disposing a second female spline within the sole assembly;

inserting a male spline into the first and second female splines when the locking mechanism is engaged; and

extracting the male spline from the first female spline when the locking mechanism is disengaged.