U.S. patent application number 12/141260 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-08 for high heel shoe of improved comfort.
Invention is credited to Scott Montgomery.
Application Number | 20090007455 12/141260 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40177958 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090007455 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Montgomery; Scott |
January 8, 2009 |
HIGH HEEL SHOE OF IMPROVED COMFORT
Abstract
In a high heel shoe the heel seat is angled upwards
approximately 3-5 degrees. The insole follows the natural shape of
the inside long arch of the foot so that the medial arch of the
foot is raised higher than the lateral arch of the foot in order to
support the natural angle of the calcaneus, the navicular, the
medial cuneiform and the first metatarsal. The angle of the heel
seat is more acute relative to the ground looking from the lateral
side of the shoe. A triangular dome bump on the insole of the shoe
has one corner behind the second metatarsal head, a second corner
behind the fourth metatarsal head and the final corner near
mid-foot. Material is added beneath the sole of the insole so that
the greatest thickness is beneath the metatarsal heads and tapers
to zero at the end of the insole toward the toes.
Inventors: |
Montgomery; Scott;
(Winnipeg, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ADE & COMPANY INC.
2157 Henderson Highway
WINNIPEG
MB
R2G1P9
CA
|
Family ID: |
40177958 |
Appl. No.: |
12/141260 |
Filed: |
June 18, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60947702 |
Jul 3, 2007 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
36/91 ; 36/108;
36/35R; 36/43; 36/92 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 13/37 20130101;
A43B 7/223 20130101; A43B 13/40 20130101; A43B 7/1445 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/91 ; 36/92;
36/108; 36/35.R; 36/43 |
International
Class: |
A43B 7/22 20060101
A43B007/22; A43B 7/16 20060101 A43B007/16; A43B 23/00 20060101
A43B023/00; A43B 21/26 20060101 A43B021/26; A43B 13/38 20060101
A43B013/38 |
Claims
1. A high heel shoe for receiving the foot of a wearer, the shoe
being shaped for a left or right foot with a medial shape which is
different from a lateral shape and comprising: a shoe outsole,
outer shank and a shoe heel for engaging the ground; a shoe insole
on which the foot of the wearer is placed including a heel seat
extending from a rear of the shoe to a break line across the shoe,
an inner shank extending downwardly and forwardly from the break
line to a ball line across the shoe and a forefoot in front of the
ball line; wherein the heel seat of the insole is arranged such
that, with the shoe resting on the ground so as to define an
imaginary horizontal line across the heel seat from the lateral
edge of the shoe to the medial edge of the shoe, the upper surface
of the heel seat on which the heel rests is angled relative to the
imaginary line so that the medial edge of the heel seat is lifted
upwardly relative to the lateral edge of the heel seat.
2. The shoe according to claim 1 wherein the heel seat is concave
between the medial and lateral edges.
3. The shoe according to claim 1 wherein the lifting of the heel
seat at the medial edge is obtained by providing a thickening of
the insole at the heel seat.
4. The shoe according to claim 1 wherein the medial edge is lifted
relative to the lateral edge to define an angle which lies in the
range 3-5 degrees.
5. The shoe according to claim 1 wherein the medial edge is lifted
relative to the lateral edge to define an angle which is less than
10 degrees.
6. The shoe according to claim 1 wherein the medial edge of the
heel seat is raised along the length of the heel seat from the rear
of the shoe to the break line.
7. The shoe according to claim 1 wherein the arch support of the
insole defines a medial line adjacent the medial edge and a lateral
line adjacent the lateral edge each extending from the break line
to the ball line where the medial line is raised relative to the
lateral line so as to follow the natural shape of the medial long
arch of the foot in order to support the natural angle of the
calcaneus, the navicular, the medial cuneiform and the first
metatarsal.
8. The shoe according to claim 7 wherein the medial line commences
at the break line at a height greater than the lateral line at the
break line created by the elevation of the medial edge of the heel
seat.
9. The shoe according to claim 1 wherein a raised dome is provided
on the shank of the insole with the dome being spaced inwardly from
the lateral edge and outwardly from the medial edge with the dome
commencing at or adjacent the ball line and extending upwardly
along the shank to a position underlying the base of the
metatarsals.
10. The shoe according to claim 9 wherein the dome is generally
triangle shaped in plan tapering upwardly and inwardly from the
ball line.
11. The shoe according to claim 9 wherein the dome extends across
the ball line from one apex located behind the second metatarsal
head to a second apex behind the fourth metatarsal head.
12. The shoe according to claim 9 wherein the dome is in the range
0.3 to 1.0 centimetres in height.
13. The shoe according to claim 9 wherein the dome is formed of a
resilient material applied on top of the insole.
14. The shoe according to claim 1 wherein the insole is of
increased thickness at the ball line relative to the forward end of
the insole.
15. The shoe according to claim 14 wherein the increased thickness
at the ball line extends in front of the ball line and tapers
therefrom in thickness gradually toward the forward end of the
insole and extends rearwardly into the shank and tapers gradually
rearwardly into the shank.
16. A high heel shoe for receiving the foot of a wearer, the shoe
being shaped for a left or right foot with a medial shape which is
different from a lateral shape and comprising: a shoe outsole,
outer shank and a shoe heel for engaging the ground; a shoe insole
on which the foot of the wearer is placed including a heel seat
extending from a rear of the shoe to a break line across the shoe,
an inner shank extending downwardly and forwardly from the break
line to a ball line across the shoe and a forefoot in front of the
ball line; wherein the arch support of the insole defines a medial
line adjacent the medial edge and a lateral line adjacent the
lateral edge each extending from the break line to the ball line
where the medial line is raised relative to the lateral line so as
to follow the natural shape of the medial long arch of the foot in
order to support the natural angle of the calcaneus, the navicular,
the medial cuneiform and the first metatarsal.
17. The shoe according to claim 16 wherein the medial line
commences at the break line at a height greater than the lateral
line at the break line created by an elevation of the medial edge
of the heel seat.
18. A high heel shoe for receiving the foot of a wearer, the shoe
being shaped for a left or right foot with a medial shape which is
different from a lateral shape and comprising: a shoe outsole,
outer shank and a shoe heel for engaging the ground; a shoe insole
on which the foot of the wearer is placed including a heel seat
extending from a rear of the shoe to a break line across the shoe,
an inner shank extending downwardly and forwardly from the break
line to a ball line across the shoe and a forefoot in front of the
ball line; wherein an arched raised dome is provided on the shank
of the insole with the dome being spaced inwardly from the lateral
edge and outwardly from the medial edge with the dome commencing at
or adjacent the ball line and extending upwardly along the shank to
a position underlying the base of the metatarsals.
19. A high heel shoe for receiving the foot of a wearer, the shoe
being shaped for a left or right foot with a medial shape which is
different from a lateral shape and comprising: a shoe outsole,
outer shank and a shoe heel for engaging the ground; a shoe insole
on which the foot of the wearer is placed including a heel seat
extending from a rear of the shoe to a break line across the shoe,
an inner shank extending downwardly and forwardly from the break
line to a ball line across the shoe and a forefoot in front of the
ball line; wherein the insole is of increased thickness at the ball
line relative to the forward end of the insole.
20. The shoe according to claim 19 wherein the increased thickness
at the ball line extends in front of the ball line and tapers
therefrom in thickness gradually toward the forward end of the
insole and extends rearwardly into the shank and tapers gradually
rearwardly into the shank.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35
U.S.C. 119 of Provisional Application No. 60/947,702 filed Jul. 3,
2007.
[0002] This invention relates to a high heel shoe which is shaped
and arranged to improve the comfort of wearing for extended
periods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] While many women wear high heeled shoes for fashion and for
the attractive appearance, they are accepted by the wearers to be
very uncomfortable over extended periods. Despite this renowned
discomfort, little attention has been given to trying to improve
the comfort and it appears merely to be accepted that the pain is a
by-product of the desire to wear such shoes.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,015 Dananberg issued Jul. 21, 1998 but
now abandoned and related Design Pat. D535,811 issued Jan. 30, 2007
appears to represent one of only very few attempts to ameliorate
the problem. This technology is sold commercially under the trade
mark "Insolia" and is used in shoes sold by DKNY and JC Penny under
the trade mark "Ipanema".
[0005] Cole Haan has recently made attempts to collaborate with
Nike using air spring insert technology arising from sportswear
shoes but this does not attack the problem from the foot structure
point of view.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is one object of the invention to provide a high heel
shoe which is shaped and arranged with the intention of reducing
the level of discomfort suffered by the wearer.
[0007] According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a
high heel shoe for receiving the foot of a wearer, the shoe being
shaped for a left or right foot with a medial shape which is
different from a lateral shape and comprising:
[0008] a shoe outsole, outer shank and a shoe heel for engaging the
ground;
[0009] a shoe insole on which the foot of the wearer is placed
including a heel seat extending from the rear of the shoe to a
break line across the shoe, an inner shank extending downwardly and
forwardly from the break line to a ball line across the shoe and a
forefoot in front of the ball line;
[0010] wherein the heel seat of the insole is arranged such that,
with the shoe resting on the ground so as to define an imaginary
horizontal line across the heel seat from the lateral edge of the
shoe to the medial edge of the shoe, the upper surface of the heel
seat on which the heel rests is angled relative to the imaginary
line so that the medial edge of the heel seat is lifted upwardly
relative to the lateral edge of the heel seat.
[0011] Preferably the heel seat is concave between the medial and
lateral edges.
[0012] Preferably the lifting of the heel seat at the medial edge
is obtained by providing a thickening of the insole at the heel
seat.
[0013] Preferably the medial edge is lifted relative to the lateral
edge to define an angle which lies in the range approximately 3-5
degrees.
[0014] Preferably the medial edge is lifted relative to the lateral
edge to define an angle which is less than 10 degrees.
[0015] Preferably the medial edge of the heel seat is raised along
the length of the heel seat from the rear of the shoe to the break
line.
[0016] Preferably the arch support of the insole defines a medial
line adjacent the medial edge and a lateral line adjacent the
lateral edge each extending from the break line to the ball line
where the medial line is raised relative to the lateral line so as
to follow the natural shape of the medial long arch of the foot in
order to support the natural angle of the calcaneus, the navicular,
the medial cuneiform and the first metatarsal.
[0017] Preferably the medial line commences at the break line at a
height greater than the lateral line at the break line created by
the elevation of the medial edge of the heel seat.
[0018] Preferably an arched raised dome is provided on the shank of
the insole with the dome being spaced inwardly from the lateral
edge and outwardly from the medial edge with the dome commencing at
or adjacent the ball line and extending upwardly along the shank to
a position underlying the base of the metatarsals.
[0019] Preferably the dome is generally triangle shaped tapering
upwardly and inwardly from the ball line.
[0020] Preferably the dome extends across the ball line from one
apex located behind the second metatarsal head to a second apex
behind the fourth metatarsal head.
[0021] Preferably the dome is in the range 0.3 to 1.0 centimetres
in height.
[0022] Preferably the dome is formed of a resilient material
applied on top of the insole.
[0023] Preferably the insole is of increased thickness at the ball
line relative to the forward end of the insole.
[0024] Preferably the increased thickness at the ball line extends
in front of the ball line and tapers therefrom in thickness
gradually toward the forward end of the insole and extends
rearwardly into the shank and tapers gradually rearwardly into the
shank.
[0025] According to a second aspect of the invention there is
provided a high heel shoe for receiving the foot of a wearer, the
shoe being shaped for a left or right foot with a medial shape
which is different from a lateral shape and comprising:
[0026] a shoe outsole, outer shank and a shoe heel for engaging the
ground;
[0027] a shoe insole on which the foot of the wearer is placed
including a heel seat extending from a rear of the shoe to a break
line across the shoe, an inner shank extending downwardly and
forwardly from the break line to a ball line across the shoe and a
forefoot in front of the ball line;
[0028] wherein the arch support of the insole defines a medial line
adjacent the medial edge and a lateral line adjacent the lateral
edge each extending from the break line to the ball line where the
medial line is raised relative to the lateral line so as to follow
the natural shape of the medial long arch of the foot in order to
support the natural angle of the calcaneus, the navicular, the
medial cuneiform and the first metatarsal.
[0029] According to a third aspect of the invention there is
provided a high heel shoe for receiving the foot of a wearer, the
shoe being shaped for a left or right foot with a medial shape
which is different from a lateral shape and comprising:
[0030] a shoe outsole, outer shank and a shoe heel for engaging the
ground;
[0031] a shoe insole on which the foot of the wearer is placed
including a heel seat extending from a rear of the shoe to a break
line across the shoe, an inner shank extending downwardly and
forwardly from the break line to a ball line across the shoe and a
forefoot in front of the ball line;
[0032] wherein an arched raised dome is provided on the shank of
the insole with the dome being spaced inwardly from the lateral
edge and outwardly from the medial edge with the dome commencing at
or adjacent to the ball line and extending upwardly along the shank
to a position underlying the base of the metatarsals.
[0033] According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is
provided a high heel shoe for receiving the foot of a wearer, the
shoe being shaped for a left or right foot with a medial shape
which is different from a lateral shape and comprising:
[0034] a shoe outsole, outer shank and a shoe heel for engaging the
ground;
[0035] a shoe insole on which the foot of the wearer is placed
including a heel seat extending from a rear of the shoe to a break
line across the shoe, an inner shank extending downwardly and
forwardly from the break line to a ball line across the shoe and a
forefoot in front of the ball line;
[0036] wherein the insole is of increased thickness at the ball
line relative to the forward end of the insole.
[0037] Thus the arrangement described hereinafter provides the
following features of importance in the modified design:
[0038] 1. MEDIAL HEEL POST not to exceed 10 degrees.
[0039] The heel seat is designed such that the inside of the heel
is angled upwards approximately 3-5 degrees depending on heel
height from level. The end result is that the inside of the heel is
wedged upwardly.
[0040] 2. MEDIAL LONGUTUDINAL ARCH SUPPORT
[0041] The shoe is designed so that the insole follows the natural
shape of the inside long arch of the foot. It begins by following
the line created by the wedge of the heel seat toward the mid-foot.
The net result is that the medial arch of the foot is raised higher
than the lateral arch of the foot in order to support the natural
angle of the calcaneus, the navicular, the medial cuneiform and the
first metatarsal.
[0042] 3. LATERAL ARCH
[0043] The angle of the heel seat is more acute relative to the
ground looking from the lateral side of the shoe. In an attempt to
offload some weight-bearing from the balls of the feet to the heel,
the angle of the heel seat is moved more parallel the ground.
[0044] 4. METATARSAL DOME
[0045] In an attempt to accommodate the parabolic nature of the
metatarsal heads in the transverse plane a dome bump is added to
the insole of the shoe. The dome is an irregularly shaped triangle.
One corner lies behind the second metatarsal head. The second
corner lies behind the fourth metatarsal head and the final corner
lies near mid-foot. The dome should not exceed 1 centimetre in
height.
[0046] 5. ROCKER BOTTOM SOLE
[0047] Material is added beneath the sole of the insole. The
greatest thickness not to exceed one centimetre lies beneath the
metatarsal heads and tapers to zero at the end of the insole moving
toward the toes. The effect is to move the contact point of the
forefoot back away from the metatarsal heads to the arch. A slight
rocker built into the build-up serves to move the wearer over the
metatarsal heads more quickly to minimize full weight-bearing on
the metatarsal heads.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0048] One embodiment of the invention will now be described in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0049] FIG. 1 is provided for the convenience of the reader to show
a plan view of a foot of a wearer identifying the components
mentioned hereinafter to define locations of the foot relative to
the shoe.
[0050] FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the shoe according to
the present invention showing in dash line the location of a line
along a medial of the shoe and in chain dot line a line along a
lateral of the shoe.
[0051] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the shoe of FIG. 2.
[0052] FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the shoe of FIG. 2.
[0053] FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the shoe of FIG. 2 showing
the insole only for convenience of illustration.
[0054] In the drawings like characters of reference indicate
corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0055] For convenience of the reader, FIG. 1 shows the bones of the
foot so as to assist in locating the positions on the shoe of the
various components of the shoe in relation to the foot of the
wearer. It will be appreciated that the size of the shoe will vary
so that it matches the size of the foot to which it is intended to
follow and therefore the locations of various components on the
shoe are related to the arrangement of the foot rather than
specific dimensions on the shoe itself.
[0056] Conventionally high heeled shoes comprise a shoe outsole 11,
a shoe shank portion 12 and a heel 13. These components form the
outer of the shoe which is intended to engage the ground.
[0057] In addition the shoe includes an insole generally indicated
at 14 which includes a forefoot 15 of the insole, a shank portion
16 of the insole and a heel seat 17 of the insole.
[0058] The shoe further includes an upper 18 which is shaped and
arranged to provide the attractive appearance required for fashion
shoes particularly high heeled shoes of the type of which the
present invention is concerned.
[0059] The present invention is concerned particularly with shoes
having a high heel which is defined for the purpose is a shoe
having a heel height greater than 2.0''. It is well known that such
shoes provide significant discomfort for the wearer but are still
worn by many wearers in view of the attractive appearance.
[0060] As best shown in FIG. 3, the insole 14 defines the heel seat
17 which is separated from the shank portion 16 by a break line 20
and the shank portion 16 is separated from the forefoot portion 15
by a ball line 21. The break line and the ball line thus form
locations where the insole changes angle from the shallowly
inclined heel seat 17 into the sharper inclined shank portion 16
and the generally horizontal forefoot portion 15.
[0061] Shoes also of course have a medial or inner side and a
lateral or outer side as shown in FIG. 3. Thus the shoe includes a
medial edge 22 of the insole and a lateral edge 23 of the insole.
An imaginary line adjacent these edges is marked on the shoe to
provide a medial line 24 and a lateral line 25 which are arranged
at positions to engage the foot of the wearer when placed on the
insole.
[0062] The conventional shoe as described above is modified in the
arrangement described herein in a number of ways to provide an
improved comfort for the wearer.
[0063] Firstly as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the heel seat 17 is
modified relative a conventional heel seat in that a wedge portion
17A is applied on the underside of the layer 17B forming the insole
itself.
[0064] It will be appreciated in this regard that the insole is
conventionally formed from a sheet of a constant thickness such as
leather or plastics material where the whole of the insole is a
single flat sheet which is shaped to form over the components of
the shoe and is laid as a strip over the outsole and the heel.
[0065] In the present arrangement the sheet forming the insole is
modified by the addition of additional components which form the
insole into the required shape as described herein.
[0066] Thus the wedge portion 17A shown best in FIG. 4 is applied
on the underside of the sheet portion 17B on the medial side so as
to extend from the medial edge 22 while tapering down in thickness
toward the lateral edge 23. At the same time the wedge member 17A
has a curved upper surface 17C so that the upper surface 17d of the
heel seat is concave across its width.
[0067] Thus a horizontal imaginary line 17E across the shoe at the
heel defines an angle 17F relative to a line 17G generally
following the shape of the wedge portion 17A. In this way the
medial side of the heel seat is raised by the wedge member 17A at
an angle of the order of 3 to 5 degrees first to raise the medial
edge 22 up by a distance of the order of 0.3 to 1.0 cm.
[0068] As shown in FIG. 2 the raised medial edge 22 relative to the
lower medial edge 23 continues along the length of the heel seat
from the rear edge 25 to the break line 20.
[0069] As also shown in FIG. 2, the medial edge 22 includes a
portion 22A at the shank 16 which is raised relative to the medial
edge portion 23A at the shank 16. Thus the line 24 which is the
medial line of the insole which engages the medial side of the foot
of the wearer is designed so that this medial line 24 follows the
natural shape of the medial long arch of the foot. It commences at
the raised portion 22B of the medial edge of the heel seat at the
break line 20 and it continues through the shank down toward the
ball line 21. Along this full length, therefore the net result is
that the medial arch of the foot is raised higher than the lateral
arch of the foot in order to support the natural angle of the
calcaneus, the navicular, the medial cuneiform and the first
metatarsal.
[0070] In addition to this inclination of the insole from the
lateral side increasing in height gradually toward the medial side
both at the heel seat and the shank, there is additionally provided
a dome 30 which is applied onto the inside surface of the insole as
a raised member having a height at its central location of the
order of 0.3 to 1.0 cm. The dome tapers outwardly to its side edges
so that its height gradually decreases. The dome is applied on top
of the inside surface of the shank portion of the insole. The dome
is generally triangular in shape having a first apex 31, a second
apex 32 across the ball line 21 where the dome tapering toward the
top apex 33. The dome is spaced inwardly from the medial line 24
and is spaced away from the lateral line 25. The dome is located so
that the apex 31 lies just behind the second metatarsal head of the
foot. The apex 32 lies just behind the fourth metatarsal head. Thus
at these locations the dome has tapered to a low height or zero
height and in between these two apexes the dome rises to a maximum
height along a center line 35. Thus the dome is arched across its
width. The apex 33 is located adjacent the center of the shoe so
that it lies underneath the base of the third metatarsal. This
arrangement provides support for the parabolic nature of the
metatarsal heads in the transverse plane. In this way the dome
provides support for the metatarsals of the foot of the wearer and
assists in maintaining the arch shape.
[0071] A further addition to the insole comprises of the addition
of a thickening piece 40 located at the ball line 21. This
thickening piece 40 is at its thickest at the ball line 21 and
tapers forwardly to a front edge 41 on the forefoot portion and
tapers rearwardly to a rear edge 42 on the shank. This thickened
portion extends across the full width of the insole. The greatest
thickness at the ball line is generally of the order of 0.3 to 1.0
cm and is located beneath the metatarsal heads of the foot and
tapers to zero forwardly and rearwardly. The effect of this is to
move the contact point of the forefoot away from the metatarsal
heads to the arch of the foot.
[0072] In practice the shape of the insole will be formed by
moulding the insole from a plastics material generally by an
injection moulding technique so that the various thicknesses
provided by the wedge 17A, the raised medial line 24, the
thickening portion 40, and the dome 30 are all part of a moulded
structure defining the shape of the insole. The insole itself then
can be used on a conventional last so as to be applied onto a
conventional outsole and heel to provide the required foot support
for the foot of the wearer.
[0073] Since various modifications can be made in my invention as
herein above described, and many apparently widely different
embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims
without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that
all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be
interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
* * * * *