REMOVABLE HEEL CONNECTOR APPARATUS

Abstract

A removable heel connector apparatus comprises a shoe, a heel connector, a heel, a heel release. The heel connector includes a bolt to connect the heel against withdrawal from the shoe. The heel may be withdrawn from the shoe by depressing the heel release. The heel connector also includes a torque balance providing strength and durability in use to a shoe with removable heel as if an ordinary shoe without removable heel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to shoes and more particularly pertains to a new removable heel connector apparatus.

Description of the Prior Art

The use of shoes with removable heel is known in the prior art. Known prior art shoes include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,953,836; 8,112,908; 8,505,218; 8,657,110; 8,832,968 and 9,009,990.

While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, they are generally weak in strength and not durable in daily use. The aforementioned patents do not disclose a new removable heel connector apparatus providing quick and simple mechanism of locking and releasing the removable heel against withdrawal from the shoe and providing strength and durability in use to a shoe with removable heel as if an ordinary shoe without removable heel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In general the present invention is directed to a wholly unique removable heel connector apparatus. The structure of the present removable heel connector apparatus comprises a shoe, a heel connector, a heel, a heel release, a release cover and two springs. The shoe comprises a top shoe sole and a bottom shoe sole having a protrusion, a connector opening, a thrust surface and a connector cavity. The heel connector includes a bolt having a slot and a tilt surface and includes a torque balance having an enforcement portion. The heel includes a button opening, a sole cavity having a bolt cavity, a cover ledge, a thrust wall and two screw holes. The heel release includes a push button and a detent plate having a plate opening, a detent and two spring recesses. The release cover includes a bolt opening and two screw openings having screw recess.

In relation to the assembly of the removable heel connector apparatus, the connector opening and connector cavity provide a fixed assembly relation between the shoe and the heel connector. The protrusion and the sole cavity provide relative assembly relation between the shoe and the heel. At full insertion of the bolt into the heel, the thrust surface contacts with the release cover and provides stops limiting the insertion of the bolt into the heel.

The heel connector is the key feature revealing novelty and non-obviousness of this invention.

The first role of the heel connector in this invention is to connect the removable heel against withdrawal from the shoe. During the insertion of the bolt into the heel, the tilt surface interacts with the detent and depresses the spring in a tilting manner. At full insertion of the bolt into the heel, the detent plate of the heel release is projected outwardly by the bias of the spring thrusting against the heel at thrust wall and against the detent plate at the spring recess urging the detent to interlock the bolt at the slot. This illustrates the mechanism of locking the heel against withdrawal from the shoe. The heel may be withdrawn from the shoe by depressing the push button. It depresses the spring and moves the detent out from the slot to unlock the heel from the shoe.

The second role of the heel connector in this invention is to balance the stress acting on the heel from the ground and the stress acting by the user's foot on the walking shoe. The heel connector should be integrally cast or machined from relatively strong and durable material, such as metal or steel. As the heel connector starts from the toe area of the shoe and ends inside the heel, it provides strength and durability in use to a shoe with removable heel as if an ordinary shoe without removable heel.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a removable heel connector apparatus in accord with the present invention

FIG. 2 is a full cross section elevation view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1

FIG. 3 is a detail cross section elevation view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the mechanism of locking the heel against withdrawal from the shoe in the removable heel connector apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross section elevation view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the mechanism of locking the heel against withdrawal from the shoe in the removable heel connector apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a detail cross section elevation view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the mechanism of withdrawing the heel from the shoe in the removable heel connector apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross section elevation view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 showing the mechanism of withdrawing the heel from the shoe in the removable heel connector apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a full elevation view of the shoe without assembling the heel connector and the heel.

FIG. 8 is a full elevation view and a full bottom side view of the heel connector.

FIG. 9 is a full top side view of the heel and a full cross section elevation view taken on the line 9-9.

FIG. 10 is a full top side view of the heel release and a full cross section elevation view taken on the line 10-10.

FIG. 11 is a full top side view of the release cover and a full cross section elevation view taken on the line 11-11.

FIG. 12 is a full cross section elevation view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the forces acting on a walking shoe of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings and with particular referring first to the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a removable heel connector apparatus 100 embodying the invention is illustrated. The heel connector 300 is relatively fixed in its assembled relation in the shoe 200 while the heel 400 is selectively removable upon depression of the heel release 500. As will be seen, upon insertion of the bolt 320 of the heel connector 300 into the heel 400, the heel release 500 locks the heel 400 against withdrawal from the shoe 200. At full insertion, as seen in FIG. 2, the shoe 200 and heel 400 are interlocked by means of a detent element and the detent element, on depression of the heel release 500, releases the bolt 320 and allows simple withdrawal of the heel 400 from the shoe 200.

By reference to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the mechanism of locking the heel 400 against withdrawal from the shoe 200 is best understood. The release cover 600 is relatively fixed in its assembled relation with the heel 400 and provides working cavity for the heel release 500. The release cover 600 also provides stops limiting the insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400. The bolt 320 of the heel connector 300 is shown fully inserted into the bolt cavity 421 of the heel 400. The bolt 320 and the heel 400 are connected together against withdrawal by the detent 522 of the detent plate 520.

During the insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400, the tilt surface 322 interacts with the detent 522 and depresses the spring 700 in a tilting manner. At full insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400, the detent plate 520 of the heel release 500 is projected outwardly by the bias of the spring 700 thrusting against the heel 400 at thrust wall 423 and against the detent plate 520 at the spring recess 523 urging the detent 522 to interlock the bolt 320 at the slot 321. This illustrates the mechanism of locking the heel 400 against withdrawal from the shoe 200.

By reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the mechanism of releasing the heel 400 from the shoe 200 is best understood. The push button 510 is relatively fixed in its assembled relation with the detent plate 520 so that as the push button 510 is depressed it depresses the spring 700 and move the detent 522 out from the slot 321 to unlock the bolt 320 so that the heel 400 may be freely withdrawn from the shoe 200. This illustrates the mechanism of releasing the heel 400 from the shoe 200.

FIG. 7 illuminates the formed construction of the shoe 200. The shoe 200 comprises of a top shoe sole 210 and a bottom shoe sole 220. The bottom shoe sole 220 includes a protrusion 221, a connector opening 222, a thrust surface 223 and a connector cavity 224. The protrusion 221 provides relative assembly relation between the shoe 200 and the heel 400. The connector opening 222 and the connector cavity 224 provide a fixed assembly relation between the shoe 200 and the heel connector 300. At full insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400, the thrust surface 223 contacts with the release cover 600 and provides stops limiting the insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400. The top shoe sole 210 may be may be integrally stamped from resin sheets or cardboards. The bottom shoe sole 220 may be integrally cast or injection molded from metal or resin. Accordingly, the top shoe sole 210 and the bottom shoe sole 220 may be colored or ornamental and shaped as desired to satisfy external aesthetic requirements. After assembling the heel connector 300 with the bottom shoe sole 220 by insertion of the bolt 320 into the connector opening 222 and insertion of the torque balance 310 into the connector cavity 224, the bottom shoe sole 220 may be assembled with the top shoe sole 210 by way of irreversible assembly method, such as by heat stamping or by application of glue.

FIG. 8 illuminates the formed construction of the heel connector 300. The heel connector 300 comprises a torque balance 310 and a bolt 320. The torque balance 310 includes an enforcement portion 311. The bolt 320 includes a slot 321 and a tilt surface 322. The enforcement portion 311 may be a short rib protruded from the torque balance 310 or whatever features enhancing the strength of the shoe.

During the insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400, the tilt surface 322 interacts with the detent 522 and depresses the spring 700 in a tilting manner. At full insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400, the detent 522 interlocks the bolt 320 at the slot 321. The heel connector 300 should be integrally cast or machined from relatively strong and durable material, such as metal or steel.

FIG. 9 illuminates the formed construction of the heel 400. The heel 400 comprises a button opening 410 and a sole cavity 420. The button opening 410 includes a thrust ledge 411. The thrust ledge 411 provides stops limiting the depression of the heel release 500. The sole cavity 420 includes a bolt cavity 421, a cover ledge 422, a thrust wall 423 and two screw holes 424. The sole cavity 420 and the bolt cavity 421 accommodate the protrusion 221 of the shoe 200 and the bolt 320 of the heel connector 300 respectively. The protrusion 221 and sole cavity 420 provide an assembly relation between the shoe 200 and the heel 400. The cover ledge 422 and the two screw holes 424 provide an assembly relation between the heel 400 and the release cover 600. The thrust wall 423 provides reaction force acting on the depressed spring 700. The heel 400 may be integrally cast or injection molded from metal or resin.

FIG. 10 illuminates the formed construction of the heel release 500. The heel release 500 comprises of a push button 510 and a detent plate 520. The push button 510 is relatively fixed in its assembled relation with the detent plate 520. The detent plate 520 includes a plate opening 521, a detent 522 and two spring recesses 523. The plate opening 521 allows the insertion of the bolt 320 of the heel connector 300 into the heel 400 irrespective whether the heel release 500 is depressed. At full insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400, the detent 522 interlocks the bolt 320 at the slot 321 as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The spring recess 523 accommodates the spring 700 as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6. The push button 510 may be integrally cast or injection molded from metal or resin. The detent plate 520 may be integrally cast or injection molded from metal.

FIG. 11 illuminates the formed construction of the release cover 600. The release cover 600 includes a bolt opening 610 and two screw openings 610 with screw recesses 621. The bolt opening 610 allows the insertion of the bolt 320 of the heel connector 300 into the heel 400. The two screw opening 610 and the two screw holes 424 provide an assembly relation between the heel 400 and the release cover 600. At full insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400, the thrust surface 223 contacts with release cover 600 and provides stops limiting the insertion of the bolt 320 into the heel 400. The release cover 600 may be integrally cast or injection molded from metal.

• a. The heel connector 300 is the key feature revealing novelty and non-obviousness of this invention. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the first role of the heel connector 300 in this invention is to connect the shoe 200 and the heel 400. The second role is to balance the stress acting on the heel 400 from the ground and the stress acting by the stress at the user's foot thenar on the torque balance 310 when the shoe is worn for walking. As the heel connector 300 starts from the toe area of the shoe and ends inside the heel 400, it provides strength and durability in use to a shoe with removable heel as if an ordinary shoe without removable heel. The enforcement portion 311 further enhances the strength of the shoe.

Having thus described our invention, other skilled in the art will readily perceive variations, improvement and modifications within the skill of the art and such variations, improvements and modifications are intended to be included herein limited only by the scope of our hereinafter appended claims.

Claims

1. A removable heel connector apparatus comprising:

a shoe comprising a top shoe sole and a bottom shoe sole having a protrusion, a connector opening, a thrust surface and a connector cavity;

a heel connector including a torque balance and a bolt having a slot and tilt surface;

a heel including a button opening, a sole cavity having a bolt cavity, a cover ledge, a thrust wall and two screw holes;

a heel release including a push button and a detent plate having a plate opening, a detent and two spring recesses;

a release cover including a bolt opening and two screw openings, one screw opening having one screw recess;

two springs being accommodated at said spring recesses;

two screws being assembled at said screw holes;

said sole cavity accommodating said protrusion;

said bolt cavity accommodating said bolt;

said opening allowing the insertion of said bolt into said heel irrespective the depression of said heel release;

said release cover being relatively fixed with said heel and contacting said thrust surface at full insertion of said bolt into said heel;

said tilt surface interacting in a tilting manner with said detent and depressing the spring during the insertion of the said into the said heel;

said spring thrusting against said heel at said thrust wall and thrusting against said detent plate at said spring recess at full insertion of said bolt into said heel;

said detent plate being projected outwardly by the bias of said spring and interlocking said bolt at said slot at full insertion of said bolt into said heel;

said push button being relatively fixed with said detent plate; and

said detent unlocking said bolt as said push button is depressed.

2. The removable heel connector apparatus of claim 1, wherein said torque balance includes an enforcement portion.