Widened heel

Abstract

A shoe for a wearer may include a sole connected to the shoe for the wearer; and a heel connected to the sole. A portion of the heel may be offset extending from the sole by a predetermined amount.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to shoes and more particularly to a heel for a shoe.

BACKGROUND

Traditionally, heels have been placed on the sole of a shoe in order to provide a degree of height to the rear portion of the shoe and to provide stability to the shoe. The heel has been sized to correspond to the sole of the shoe.

SUMMARY

A shoe for a wearer may include a sole connected to the shoe for the wearer; and a heel connected to the sole.

A portion of the heel may be offset extending from the sole by a predetermined amount.

The heel may include a curved section being offset from the sole a substantially uniform predetermined.

The heel may include a curved section along the sides of the peripheral surface aligned substantially with the sole and the back of the peripheral surface being offset from the curved section of the sole a predetermined distance.

The heel may include a curved section having no offset from the curved section of the sole, and a side linear portion of the heel may be offset a predetermined distance.

The heel may include a side linear portion has an offset that increases from the front to the rear of the heel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the shoe of the present invention; one

FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom view of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a bottom view of the heel of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom view of the heel of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of the heel of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of the heel of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of the heel of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 9 illustrates a bottom view of the shoe of the present invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates a back view of the shoe of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A shoe 100 is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while the wearer is doing various activities. Shoes 100 are also used as an item of decoration and fashion. The design of shoes 100 has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function. Additionally, fashion has often dictated many design elements, such as whether shoes 100 have very high heels or flat ones. Contemporary footwear varies widely in style, complexity and cost. Basic sandals may consist of only a thin sole and simple strap and be sold for a low cost. High fashion shoes 100 made by famous designers may be made of expensive materials, use complex construction and sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars a pair. Some shoes100 are designed for specific purposes, such as boots designed specifically for mountaineering or skiing.

Traditionally, shoes 100 have been made from leather, wood or canvas, but they are increasingly made from rubber, plastics, and other petrochemical-derived materials. Though the human foot is adapted to varied terrain and climate conditions, it is still vulnerable to environmental hazards such as sharp rocks and hot ground, which shoes 100 protect against. Some shoes 100 are worn as safety equipment, such as steel-soled boots which are required on construction sites.

The basic anatomy of a shoe 100 is recognizable, regardless of the specific style of footwear.

All shoes100 have a sole 102, which is the bottom of a shoe, in contact with the ground. Soles 102 can be made from a variety of materials, although most modern shoes 100 have soles 102 made from natural rubber, polyurethane, or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compounds. Soles 102 can be simple; a single material in a single layer; or they can be complex, with multiple structures or layers and materials. When various layers are used, soles 102 may consist of an insole, midsole, and an outsole.

The insole 104 is the interior bottom of a shoe 100, which sits directly beneath the foot under the footbed (also known as sock liner). The purpose of insole 104 is to attach to the lasting margin of the upper, which is wrapped around the last during the closing of the shoe during the lasting operation. Insoles 104 are usually made of cellulosic paper board or synthetic non woven insole board. Many shoes 100 have removable and replaceable footbeds. Extra cushioning is often added for comfort (to control the shape, moisture, or smell of the shoe) or health reasons (to help deal with differences in the natural shape of the foot or positioning of the foot during standing or walking).

The outsole 106 is the layer in direct contact with the ground. Dress shoes often have leather or resin rubber outsoles; casual or work-oriented shoes have outsoles made of natural rubber or a synthetic material like polyurethane. The outsole may include a single piece, or may be an assembly of separate pieces, often of different materials. On some shoes, the heel of the sole has a rubber plate for durability and traction, while the front is leather for style. Specialized shoes will often have modifications on this design: athletic or so called cleated shoes like soccer, rugby, baseball and golf shoes have spikes embedded in the outsole to improve traction.

The midsole is the layer in between the outsole 106 and the insole 104, typically there for shock absorption. Some types of shoes, like running shoes, have additional material for shock absorption, usually beneath the heel of the foot, where one puts the most pressure down. Some shoes may not have a midsole at all.

The heel 108 is the bottom rear part of a shoe. Its function is to support the heel of the foot. They are often made of the same material as the sole 102 of the shoe 100. This part can be high for fashion or to make the person look taller, or flat for a more practical and comfortable use. On some shoes the inner forward point of the heel is chiselled off, a feature known as a “gentleman's corner”. This piece of design is intended to alleviate the problem of the points catching the bottom of trousers and was first observed in the 1930s. A heel is the projection at the back of a shoe which rests below the heel bone. The shoe heel 108 is used to improve the balance of the shoe, increase the height of the wearer, alter posture or other decorative purposes. Sometimes raised, the high heel is common to a form of shoe often worn by women, but sometimes by men too. The upper 104 helps hold the shoe onto the foot. In the simplest cases, such as sandals or flip-flops, this may be nothing more than a few straps for holding the sole in place. Closed footwear, such as boots, trainers and most men's shoes, will have a more complex upper 104. This part is often decorated or is made in a certain style to look attractive. The upper 104 is connected to the sole 102 by a strip of leather, rubber, or plastic that is stitched between it and the sole, known as a welt.

Most uppers 104 have a mechanism, such as laces, straps with buckles, zippers, elastic, velcro straps, buttons, or snaps, for tightening the upper on the foot. Uppers 104 with laces usually have a tongue 110 that helps seal the laced opening and protect the foot from abrasion by the laces. Uppers with laces also have eyelets 112 or hooks to make it easier to tighten and loosen the laces and to prevent the lace from tearing through the upper material. An aglet is the protective wrapping on the end of the lace.

The vamp 104 is the front part of the shoe, starting behind the toe, extending around the eyelets 112 and tongue and towards back part of the shoe.

The medial is the part of the shoe closest to a person's center of symmetry, and the lateral is on the opposite side, away from their center of symmetry. This can be in reference to either the outsole or the vamp. Most shoes have shoelaces on the upper, connecting the medial and lateral parts after one puts their shoes on and aiding in keeping their shoes on their feet. In 1968, Puma SE introduced the first pair of sneakers with Velcro straps in lieu of shoelaces, and these became popular by the 1980s, especially among children and the elderly.

The toe box is the part that covers and protects the toes. People with toe deformities, or individuals who experience toe swelling (such as long distance runners) usually require a larger toe box.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a heel 200 of the present invention which may be positioned on a sole 202. The heel 200 of the present invention may include a top surface 210 which may be opposed to a bottom surface 212, and the heel 200 may include a peripheral surface 214 which may extend around the periphery of the heel 200. The peripheral surface 204 may include a linear section 214 and a curved section 216 which may be substantially U-shaped and may extend from one end of the linear section 214 to the other end of the linear section 214. The top surface 210 is used to contact the support surface, and the bottom surface 212 is connected to the sole 102 of the shoe 100.

FIG. 3 illustrates that the curved section 216 corresponds substantially to the curved section of the sole 202.

FIG. 4 illustrates that the curved section 216 is offset from the sole section a substantially uniform predetermined distance for example between ½ inch and 1 inch.

FIG. 5 illustrates that the curved section 216 along the sides of the peripheral surface 214 aligned substantially with the sole 202 and the back of the peripheral surface 214 is offset from the curved section of the sole 202 a predetermined distance which may be ½ inch to 1 inch.

FIG. 6 illustrates a another embodiment of the heel 200 of the present invention where the curved section 216 has little or no offset from the curved section of the sole 202. The side linear portion of the heel 200 is offset a predetermined distance for example ½ inch to 1 inch from the sole 202.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the heel 200 of the present invention where the side linear portion has an offset that increases from the front to the rear of the heel 200.

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the shoe of the present invention, and the sole of the shoe extends medially, laterally and posterity for example ½ to 1 inch.

FIG. 9 illustrates a bottom view of the shoe illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 illustrates a back view of the shoe illustrated in FIG. 8.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.

Claims

1) A shoe for a wearer, comprising:

a sole connected to the shoe for the wearer;

a heel connected to the sole;

wherein a portion of the heel is offset extending from the sole by a predetermined amount.

2) A shoe for a wearer as in claim 1, wherein the heel includes a curved section being offset from the sole a substantially uniform predetermined.

3) A shoe for a wearer as in claim 1, wherein the heel includes a curved section along the sides of the peripheral surface aligned substantially with the sole and the back of the peripheral surface is offset from the curved section of the sole a predetermined distance.

4) A shoe for a wearer as in claim 1, wherein the heel includes a curved section having no offset from the curved section of the sole, and wherein a side linear portion of the heel is offset a predetermined distance.

5) A shoe for a wearer as in claim 1, wherein the heel having a side linear portion has an offset that increases from the front to the rear of the heel.