U.S. patent application number 14/712818 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-17 for replaceable heel system for footwear.
The applicant listed for this patent is Andrew E. Weaver. Invention is credited to Andrew E. Weaver.
Application Number | 20160331080 14/712818 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57276374 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160331080 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Weaver; Andrew E. |
November 17, 2016 |
Replaceable Heel System for Footwear
Abstract
The problems of easily lost locking pins and lack of
compatibility with traditional footwear in providing replaceable
heel systems for the footwear are solved by a heel system
comprising a locking unit having a first bore and a shoulder in the
first bore; a heel unit having a second bore; and a locking member
in the first bore, wherein the heel unit is attachable and
detachable to the locking unit by sliding the heel unit, wherein
the locking member extends from the first bore into the second bore
when the footwear assumes ordinary orientations, wherein the
locking member is disposed into the first bore when the footwear
assumes out of the ordinary positions, and wherein the locking
member has a stop which engages the shoulder in the first bore.
Inventors: |
Weaver; Andrew E.; (Beverly
Hills, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Weaver; Andrew E. |
Beverly Hills |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57276374 |
Appl. No.: |
14/712818 |
Filed: |
May 14, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43B 21/48 20130101;
A43B 21/44 20130101; A43B 21/39 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A43B 21/39 20060101
A43B021/39 |
Claims
1. A heel system for footwear comprising: a locking unit having
defined therein a first bore and a shoulder n the first bore; a
heel unit having defined therein a second bore; and a locking
member in the first bore, wherein the heel unit is attachable and
detachable to the locking unit by sliding the heel unit, wherein at
least a portion of the locking member extends from the first bore
into the second bore thereby preventing the heel unit from being
slid when the footwear assumes ordinary orientations, wherein the
locking member is disposed into the first bore thereby allowing the
heel unit to be slid when the footwear assumes out of the ordinary
orientations, and wherein the locking member has a stop which
engages the shoulder in the first bore which retains the locking
member at least in part in the first bore when the locking member
is disposed into the second bore in the heel unit.
2. The heel system according to claim 1, wherein the locking unit
is attachable to a sole of the footwear.
3. The heel system according to claim 1, wherein the locking unit
has a shape that enables the footwear to take on a traditional
appearance when the heel system is attached to the footwear.
4. The heel system according to claim 1, wherein the heel unit has
a shape that enables the footwear to take on a traditional
appearance when the heel system is attached to the footwear.
5. The heel system according to claim 2, wherein the sole further
comprises a sloped surface and the heel unit further comprises an
upper surface, and wherein the locking unit has a thickness varying
in compliance with the sloped surface of the sole.
6. The heel system according to claim 1, wherein the locking unit
has a male beveled member and the heel unit has defined therein a
female beveled cavity, and wherein the female beveled cavity and
the male beveled member are coupled together by sliding one along
the other in such a manner that the locking unit is hidden inside
the heel unit.
7. The heel system according to claim 5, where the footwear has a
longitudinal axis and wherein the male beveled member of the
locking unit has a thickness varying along the longitudinal axis of
the footwear.
8. The heel system according to claim 5, where the footwear has a
longitudinal axis and wherein the female beveled cavity of the heel
unit has depth varying along the longitudinal axis of the
footwear.
9. The heel system according to claim 1, where locking member has a
proximate end and a distal end, wherein the stop of the locking
member is at least adjacent to the proximate end and has a
nailhead-like shape capable of being disposed by gravity adjacent
to the shoulder of the first bore and where the distal end is
capable of extending into the second bore when the stop is adjacent
to the shoulder.
10. The heel system according to claim 1 wherein the footwear is
mens footwear.
11. A footwear comprising: a sole; a locking unit being attached to
the sole, the locking unit having defined therein a first bore and
a shoulder in the first bore; a heel unit having defined therein a
second bore; and a locking member in the first bore, wherein the
heel unit is attachable and detachable to the locking unit by
sliding the heel unit, wherein at least a portion of the locking
member extends from the first bore into the second bore thereby
preventing the heel unit from being slid when the footwear assumes
ordinary orientations, wherein the locking member is disposed into
the first bore thereby allowing the heel unit to be slid when the
footwear assumes out of the ordinary orientations, and wherein the
locking member has a stop which engages the shoulder in the first
bore which retains the locking member at least in part in the first
bore when the locking member is disposed into the second bore in
the heel unit.
12. The footwear according to claim 11, wherein the locking member
has an adjacent end capable of being disposed into a position
adjacent to the shoulder of the first bore and a distal end being
opposite to the adjacent end capable of extending into the second
bore of the heel unit, and wherein the stop has a nailhead-like
shape and forms at least a part of the adjacent end.
13. The footwear according to claim 11, wherein the locking unit
has a shape that enables the footwear to assume a traditional
appearance when the heel system is attached to the footwear.
14. The footwear according to claim 11, wherein the heel unit has a
shape that enables the footwear to assume a traditional appearance
when the heel system is attached to the footwear.
15. The footwear according to claim 11, wherein the locking unit
has a male beveled member and the heel unit has defined therein a
female beveled cavity, and wherein the female beveled cavity and
the male beveled member are connected together by sliding one along
the other in such a manner that the locking unit is hidden inside
the heel unit.
16. The footwear according to claim 15, wherein the sole has a
sloped surface.
17. The footwear according to claim 15, where the footwear has a
longitudinal axis and wherein the locking unit has a thickness
varying along a direction of the longitudinal axis of the footwear
in conformity with the sloped surface of the sole.
18. The footwear according to claim 15, where the footwear has a
longitudinal axis and wherein the female beveled cavity of the heel
unit has a thickness varying along a longitudinal axis of the
footwear in compliance with the sloped surface of the sole.
19. The footwear according to claim 11 which is men's footwear.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Technology
[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of a detachable heel
for footwear. This application is for a replaceable heel for
footwear with a locking mechanism that provides enhanced
convenience and compatibility with conventional shoes.
[0003] USPC: 36/34, 36/42
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] In everyday life, heels for footwear usually wear out much
earlier than the footwear does so that heels of footwear are often
replaced several times during the life of the footwear. For
replacements of worn-out heels, conventional shoes require their
users to visit a shoe repair shop. To resolve such inconvenience of
finding and visiting a shoe repair shop, shoes with replaceable
heels are introduced so that users can readily replace the heels by
themselves. For example, Great Britain Patent Application
Publication No. GB191109282 A (hereinafter, referred to as
"Cooper") describes a slidably detachable heel for shoes with a
gravity locking pin, wherein the locking pin drops by gravity into
one socket or the other as the heel or shoe is moved upside down or
vice-versa.
[0006] Another application for conventional replaceable heels is to
enable shoes to change their functions and/or designs through
simply replacing their heels. For example, Tanya Heath, retrieved
from the internet
<URL:http://ww.tanyahealth.com/en/about-thp-shoes-heels.html>
offers multi-height shoes for women that can be worn with a range
of heels in different heights. The multi-height shoes worn with low
heels provide comfort when their user is, for example, actively
working, while the multi-height shoes worn with high heels may
provide an aesthetic feel when their user is, for example,
attending a social party.
[0007] Neither Cooper nor Tanya Health, however, solves the
problems of inconvenience in replacing heels. The locking pin of
Cooper, which has a cylindrical shape, is not held by anything but
merely contained in the socket in the fixed body of the heel. If a
user mistakenly drops his/her shoes when replacing the heel
according to Cooper the locking pin will fall out away from the
socket and thus can be easily lost. According to Tanya Health, in
order to unlock and remove a heel from a shoe, a user should press
on a button inside the shoe while simultaneously pulling the heel
out. Tanya Health's locking mechanism is inconvenient in that it
may be tiresome for a user to find and push a button inside shoe
and simultaneously pull out the heel each time he/she replaces a
heel.
[0008] Moreover, a shoe with the replaceable heel mechanism
according to Cooper would look different from conventional shoes
since both the heel base and the detachable part of the heel are
seen from the outside. As such, the replaceable heel mechanism
according to Cooper is not compatible with conventional shoes. Nor
is the replaceable heel mechanism according to Tanya Heath. Since
Tanya Heath's replaceable heel mechanism requires a button inside a
shoe, it cannot be used for conventional shoes.
[0009] Therefore, there is a need to provide more convenient
replaceable heel mechanism having compatibility with conventional
shoes.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0010] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a heel
system for footwear comprising a locking unit having defined
therein a first bore and a shoulder in the first bore; a heel unit
having defined therein a second bore; and a locking member in the
first bore.
[0011] In one embodiment, the heel unit is attachable and
detachable to the locking unit by sliding the heel unit.
[0012] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the locking member
extends from the first bore into the second bore thereby preventing
the heel unit from being slid when the footwear assumes ordinary
orientations.
[0013] In one embodiment, the locking member is disposed into the
first bore thereby allowing the heel unit to be slid when the
footwear assumes out of the ordinary orientations.
[0014] In one embodiment, the locking member has a stop which
engages the shoulder in the first bore which retains the locking
member at least in part in the first bore when the locking member
is disposed into the second bore in the heel unit.
[0015] In one embodiment, the locking unit is attachable to a sole
of the footwear.
[0016] In one embodiment, the locking unit has a shape that enables
the footwear to take on a traditional appearance when the heel
system is attached to the footwear.
[0017] In one embodiment, the heel unit has a shape that enables
the footwear to take on a traditional appearance when the heel
system is attached to the footwear.
[0018] In one embodiment, the sole further comprises a sloped
surface and the heel unit further comprises an upper surface, and
the locking unit has a thickness varying in compliance with the
sloped surface of the sole.
[0019] In one embodiment, the locking unit has a male beveled
member and the heel unit has defined therein a female beveled
cavity, and the female beveled cavity and the male beveled member
are coupled together by sliding one along the other in such a
manner that the locking unit is hidden inside the heel unit.
[0020] In one embodiment, the footwear has a longitudinal axis and
the male beveled member of the locking unit has a thickness varying
along the longitudinal axis of the footwear.
[0021] In one embodiment, the footwear has a longitudinal axis and
the female beveled cavity of the heel unit has depth varying along
the longitudinal axis of the footwear.
[0022] In one embodiment, the locking member has a proximate end
and a distal end, and the stop of the locking member is at least
adjacent to the proximate end and has a nailhead-like shape capable
of being disposed by gravity adjacent to the shoulder of the first
bore and where the distal end is capable of extending into the
second bore when the stop is adjacent to the shoulder.
[0023] In one embodiment, the footwear is men's footwear.
[0024] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a
footwear comprising: a sole; a locking unit being attached to the
sole, the locking unit having defined therein a first bore and a
shoulder in the first bore; a heel unit having defined therein a
second bore; and a locking member in the first bore, wherein the
heel unit is attachable and detachable to the locking unit by
sliding the heel unit, wherein at least a portion of the locking
member extends from the first bore into the second bore thereby
preventing the heel unit from being slid when the footwear assumes
ordinary orientations, wherein the locking member is disposed into
the first bore thereby allowing the heel unit to be slid when the
footwear assumes out of the ordinary orientations, and wherein the
locking member has a stop which engages the shoulder in the first
bore which retains the locking member at least in part in the first
bore when the locking member is disposed into the second bore in
the heel unit.
[0025] While the apparatus and method has or will be described for
the sake of grammatical fluidity with functional explanations, it
is to be expressly understood that the claims, unless expressly
formulated under 35 USC 112, are not to be construed as necessarily
limited in any way by the construction of "means" or "steps"
limitations, but are to be accorded the full scope of the meaning
and equivalents of the definition provided by the claims under the
judicial doctrine of equivalents, and in the case where the claims
are expressly formulated under 35 USC 112 are to be accorded full
statutory equivalents under 35 USC 112. The disclosure can be
better visualized by turning now to the following drawings wherein
like elements are referenced by like numerals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The disclosure and its various embodiments can now be better
understood by turning to the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments which are presented as illustrated examples
of the embodiments defined in the claims. It is expressly
understood that the embodiments as defined by the claims may be
broader than the illustrated embodiments described below.
[0027] FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view which illustrates a
preferred embodiment of the replaceable heel system.
[0028] FIG. 1B is a perspective cutaway view of the shoe of FIG. 1A
with the replaceable heel system according to a preferred
embodiment.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a top view of the replaceable heel system
according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1A and 1B of the present
invention.
[0030] FIG. 3A is a side cross sectional view which illustrates an
exemplary assembled arrangement of the present replaceable heel
system when the shoe assumes an ordinary orientation or heel-down
orientation.
[0031] FIG. 3B is a side cross sectional view which illustrates an
exemplary assembled arrangement of the present replaceable heel
system when the shoe assumes out of the ordinary orientation or
inverted heel-up orientation.
[0032] FIG. 4 is a perspective view which illustrates a locking
member according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view which illustrates a locking
unit according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 6 is a side cross sectional view which illustrates how
the stop and the shoulder works according to one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0035] FIG. 7 is a top perspective view which illustrates a heel
unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] It should be understood that throughout the drawings, like
reference numerals indicate identical or functionally similar
elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0037] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in
FIGS. 1A and 1B. As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the preferred
embodiment of a replaceable heel system, generally denoted by
reference numeral 150, includes a locking member 110, a locking
unit 120, and a heel unit 130. The locking member 110 is disposed
in an upper bore 122 of the locking unit 120. The locking unit 120
may be attached to a sole 160 of a shoe 100. The heel unit 130 may
be attached and detached to the locking unit 120 by sliding the
heel unit 130 in one or more directions relative to the locking
unit 120, which is screwed or bolted into sole 160 using through
bores 124 and fasteners (not shown). Heel unit 130 has beveled
receiving cavity 133 defined therein into which beveled locking
unit 120 is slid in a mating tongue and groove relationship. FIG.
1B illustrates a perspective view of the shoe 100 when the
replaceable heel system 150 is attached to the shoe 100. As
discussed above, the locking unit 120 is fixed to the sole 160 of
shoe 100, the locking member 110 is contained in the upper bore
122, and the heel unit 130 is slid into the locking unit 120. As
described in a pattern of diagonal lines in FIG. 1B, when the heel
unit 130 is fully slid into the locking member 120, the locking
member 110 and the locking unit 120 are completely hidden by the
heel unit 130 and thus not seen from the outside.
[0038] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of the assembled heel unit 130
and locking unit 120 of the replaceable heel system 150 according
to one embodiment of the present invention. The shoe 100 is omitted
in FIG. 2 for the sake of clarity of illustration. FIGS. 3A and 3B
illustrate cross sectional views taken along the line A-A of FIG.
2, while the shoe 100 is shown in a broken line. FIGS. 3A and 3B
illustrate how an exemplary locking mechanism according to the
present invention functions.
[0039] FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary arrangement of the locking
member 110, the locking unit 120, and the heel unit 130 when the
shoe 100 to which the locking unit 120 is fixed assumes ordinary
orientations. Herein, the "ordinary orientations" includes the
orientations that a shoe assumes when a wearer wears in an ordinary
manner. For example, while a shoe 100 is turned downward or heel
down, the shoe 100 may be considered to assume ordinary
orientations. Further, the "ordinary orientations" may include the
orientations that a shoe may assume while a wearer is involved in
ordinary activities. For example, while a wearer of the shoe 100 is
sitting, walking or running, the shoe may be considered to assume
ordinary orientations.
[0040] When the shoe 100 assumes the ordinary orientations, as
described in FIG. 3A, at least a lower portion of the locking
member 110 extends from the upper bore 122 into the lower bore 132.
Locking member 110 descends in bore 122 under the force of gravity
until a stop 410, extending in the shape of a radial shoulder or
lip from the upper end of locking member 110, comes into contact
with a shoulder 411 defined in the lower portion of the upper bore
122 as an inward extending ring. In the illustrated embodiment
locking member 110 is provided in the form of a heavy metal pin
which is freely movable within the upper bore 122. As discussed
above with reference to FIG. 1B, the heel unit 130 may be attached
and detached to the locking unit 120 by sliding the heel unit 130
in one or more directions, for example, from the back to the front
direction of the shoe 100 and vice-versa. When the locking member
110 extends from the upper bore 122 into the lower bore 132,
however, the extended portion of the locking member 110 extends
into the lower bore 132 and thereby preventing the heel unit 130
from being slid from the back to the front direction of the shoe
100 and vice-versa. In other words, the locking unit 120 and the
heel unit 130 are in an interlocked arrangement so that the heel
unit 130 cannot be detached or moved from the locking unit 120. As
such, accidental detachment of heel unit 130 from the shoe 100 is
prevented by the interlocking, while the wearer is engaged in
normal activities.
[0041] FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary arrangement of the locking
member 110, the locking unit 120, and the heel unit 130 when the
shoe 100 to which the locking unit 120 is fixed assumes
out-of-the-ordinary orientations. For example, while a shoe 100 is
inverted upside down, the shoe 100 may be considered to assume out
of the ordinary orientations. When the shoe 100 assumes out of the
ordinary orientations, as described in FIG. 3B, the locking member
110 is fully disposed by gravity into the upper bore 122. Depending
on the length of the locking member 110 and the depth of the upper
bore 122, the locking member 110 may fall into the upper bore 122
to lie below or at least flush with the surface of the locking unit
120. Then, the locking member 110 does not interlock or extend any
longer into the lower bore 132 of the heel unit 130, and thereby
allowing the heel unit 130 to be slid out relative to shoe 100. In
other words, the locking unit 120 and the heel unit 130 are in an
unlocked arrangement so that the heel unit 130 can be slidably
removed from the locking unit 120 and replaced.
[0042] In one embodiment, the locking unit 120 may have a thickness
varying along a particular direction. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B,
the locking unit 120 may have increasing thickness from the front
to back of the shoe 100. Heels and soles of traditional footwear do
not have flat surfaces. That is, a sole of traditional footwear may
have a slope and a heel has a surface that fits in the slope of the
sole. Therefore, the locking unit 120 attachable to the sole 160 of
the shoe 100 is needed to be angled to allow the upper surface of
the heel unit 130 to fit in the slope of the sole 160. Otherwise,
there would be a gap between the heel unit 130 and the sole 160.
One of the goals is to make a shoe to which the replaceable heel
system 150 is applied assumes a traditional appearance. As such,
the replaceable heel system 150 is compatible with traditional
shoes as well as applicable to a new type of footwear.
[0043] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of the locking member 110.
In this embodiment, the locking member 110 assumes a form similar
to a cylindrical pin. In one embodiment the locking member 110 may
have a stop 410. For example, a stop 410 may be formed at the
distal end 420 of the locking member 100 and have a nailhead-like
or disc shape.
[0044] FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of the locking unit 120.
In this embodiment, the locking unit has the upper bore 122. The
upper bore 122 may have a shoulder 411 which allows the stop 410 of
the locking member 110 to engage the shoulder when the locking
member 110 extends out of the upper bore 122. The locking unit 120
may have a male beveled sides 530. The male beveled sides 530 may
have a thickness varying along a particular direction, such as the
longitudinal direction of locking member 110, to allow the
replaceable heel system 150 attached to the shoe 100 to assume a
traditional appearance, as discussed above. The locking unit 120
may have bores 124 through which fastening members such as bolts
(not shown) are disposed so that the locking unit 120 is fixed to
the sole 160 of the shoe 100. The width 540 of the locking unit 120
may vary from the front to back. This feature may improve the
stability, durability and structural dynamics of the replaceable
heel system 150.
[0045] FIG. 6 illustrates more details about how the stop 410 of
the locking member 110 and the shoulder 411 in the upper bore 122
of the locking unit 120 interwork with each other. When the shoe
100 assumes ordinary orientations and the locking member 110
extends out of the upper bore 122 into the lower bore 132, the stop
410 of the locking member 110 engages the shoulder 411 in the upper
bore 122 and thereby retaining the locking member 110 at least in
part in the upper bore 122. With these features of the present
invention, the locking member 110 does not completely fall out of
the upper bore 122 in the locking unit 120. That is, the locking
member 110 will not fall out even when the heel unit 130 is removed
from the locking unit 120 and the shoe 100 is turned downward, As
such, the locking member 110 can be prevented from being dropped
from the shoe 100 and lost.
[0046] FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of the heel unit 130. In
this embodiment, the heel unit 130 has the lower bore 132. The heel
unit 130 may have a female beveled sides 133 which mates with the
male beveled sides 530 of the locking unit 120. The male beveled
sides 530 of the locking unit 120 can be slid along the female
beveled sides 133 of the heel unit 130, and vice-versa. The female
beveled sides 133 are formed in such a manner that the locking unit
120 is hidden inside the heel unit 130 when the locking member 120
is fully slid into the heel unit 130. As the male beveled sides 530
of the locking unit 120 may have a thickness varying along a
particular direction, the female beveled sides 133 may also have
depth varying along a particular direction to allow the replaceable
heel system 150 attached to the shoe 100 to take on a traditional
appearance. In one embodiment, both the male beveled sides 530 and
the mating female beveled sides 133 have a thickness/depth varying
along a particular direction.
[0047] Many alterations and modifications may be made by those
having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit
and scope of the embodiments. Therefore, it must be understood that
the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes
of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the
embodiments as defined by the following embodiments and its various
embodiments.
[0048] Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated
embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and
that it should not be taken as limiting the embodiments as defined
by the following claim. For example, notwithstanding the fact that
the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain
combination, it must be expressly understood that the embodiments
includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements,
which are disclosed in above even when not initially claimed in
such combinations. A teaching that two elements are combined in a
claimed combination is further o be understood as also allowing for
a claimed combination in which the two elements are not combined
with each other, but may be used alone or combined in other
combinations. The excision of any disclosed element of the
embodiments is explicitly contemplated as within the scope of the
embodiments.
[0049] The words used in this specification to describe the various
embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their
commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in
this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of
the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood
in the context of this specification as including more than one
meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being
generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and
by the word itself.
[0050] The definitions of the words or elements of the following
claims are therefore, defined in this specification to include not
only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but
all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing
substantially the same function in substantially the same way to
obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore
contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more
elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims
below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more
elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as
acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such,
it is to be expressly understood that one more elements from a
claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the
combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a
subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
[0051] Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as
viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or
later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently
within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions
now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are
defined to be within the scope of the defined elements.
[0052] The claims are thus to be understood to include what is
specifically illustrated and described above, what is
conceptionally equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and
also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the
embodiments.
* * * * *
References