Heel Enlarger

Abstract

A heel enlarger formed to receive the heel of a human foot for effectively enlarging the size of the foot, and for insertion with the foot into the heel cavity of a shoe to enable the wearer of the shoe to fill or occupy the space in an oversized heel cavity of the shoe. The outer surfaces of the heel enlarger generally conform to the inner surfaces of the heel cavity of a typical shoe, while the inner surfaces of the heel enlarger generally conform to the shape of the heel of the human foot. The top edge of the heel enlarger is shaped to the shoe by marking the portion of the heel enlarger protruding above the upper edge of the side wall of the shoe with a line coinciding with the upper edge of the shoe and cutting along the line.

Parent Case Text

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 121,477 filed Mar. 5, 1971, entitled "SHOE HEEL FILLER", and now abandoned.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the mass production of shoes the lasts on which shoes are manufactured are shaped to conform to the average anatomical shape of the human foot and slight variations thereof. Many people do not possess the average anatomical foot shape, especially in the heel portion of the foot where the heel can be very narrow by comparison to the remaining portions of the foot. The "narrow heel" foot prevents the normal size shoe from snugly fitting the heel of the foot and the oversized shoe is therefore inclined to rub and otherwise irritate the heel of the foot. Because of the wide variations in the width of the human heel with respect to the width of the ball or forward portion of the foot, purchasers of shoes frequently have difficulty in finding shoes that are properly sized in heel width as well as in ball width and overall length. As a result, many shoes are purchased and worn which do not fit in the heel portion and which are frequently uncomfortable and occasionally injurious to the heel of the wearer's foot.

Various devices have been developed and merchandised which are inserted into the heel portion of a shoe for purposes which include protecting the wearer's foot, elevating the foot with respect to the shoe, cushioning the heel portion of the shoe, and for filling the space in the heel area of an oversized shoe. While these various devices occupy space in the heel portion of a shoe, they generally have been deficient in fitting both the heel of the wearer and the inside surface of the shoe to properly fill the gap between the sides of the heel of the foot and the heel portion of the oversized shoe without unduly moving the foot forward in the shoe or elevating the foot in the shoe. Moreover, the devices previously developed have been deficient in that slippage or relative movement is encountered either between the device and the shoe or between the device and the heel, causing discomfort to the heel and deterioration of the shoe.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly described, the present invention comprises a heel enlarger which conforms in shape to the human heel of the wearer and to the inside surfaces of the heel portion or heel cavity of a shoe so as to effectively enlarge the human heel to properly fit the oversized heel cavity of the shoe. The heel enlarger is of unitary construction with smooth inner and outer surfaces and includes a thin relatively flat bottom shelf segment for placement against the bottom surface of the heel cavity of the shoe and for supporting the human heel, and an upwardly extending rear wall segment of approximately the same thickness as the bottom shelf segment. Upwardly extending side wall segments merge with the side edges of both the bottom shelf segment and the rear wall segment and include thicker wall portions which fill the space between the sides of the human heel and the side wall of the shoe.

When the heel enlarger is first fitted to the shoe and its wearer, the heel enlarger is placed on the heel of the foot and the foot is inserted in the shoe. A line is formed by a marking instrument, such as a ball point pen, on the heel enlarger along the upper edge of the side wall of the shoe. The heel enlarger is then removed from the heel and the heel cavity of the shoe, and trimmed with scissors or a similar cutting instrument along the line. When the heel enlarger is again placed inside the heel cavity of the shoe, the upper edge of the heel enlarger is substantially coextensive with the upper edge of the side wall of the shoe.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a heel enlarger which effectively enlarges the heel portion of the human foot so as to cause the foot to fit a shoe which is oversized in the heel cavity, and which makes the shoe more comfortable to the wearer and reduces the deterioration of the shoe.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the heel enlarger.

FIG. 2 is a top cross sectional view of the heel enlarger, taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front cross sectional view of the heel enlarger, taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side cross sectional view of the heel enlarger.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the heel enlarger.

FIG. 6 is a rear cross sectional view of the heel cavity of a shoe and the heel enlarger, showing the human heel and its stocking inserted in the heel enlarger and heel cavity of the shoe.

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the heel portion of a human foot and the heel portion of a shoe with parts removed for clarity.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the rear portion of a shoe heel with the heel filler and a human foot inserted therein, and illustrates the method of marking the heel enlarger.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the heel enlarger and illustrates the manner in which The heel enlarger is conformed to the shape of the shoe into which it is to be inserted.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSED EMBODIMENT

Referring now in more detail to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 discloses heel enlarger 10 which is of unitary construction and includes spaced side wall segments 11 and 12, rear wall segment 13 and lower platform segment 14. Side wall segments 11 and 12 extend in an upward direction from the sides of platform segment 14 and merge in their lower portions with the side edges of the platform segment 14, and rear wall segment also extends in an upward direction from platform segment 14 and merges at its side and lower portions with segments 11, 12 and 14. The upper edges 15 and 16 of side wall segments 11 and 12 extend generally horizontally away from the upper edge 17 or rear wall segment 13, and then curve downwardly and merge with the forward edge 18 of lower platform segment 14. The outer surface of heel enlarger 10 is generally rounded or convex and generally conforms to the inner surfaces of the heel cavity 20 of a typical shoe 21. The inner surfaces of heel enlarger 10 generally conform to the shape of a human foot 22.

As is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, lower platform segment 14 and rear wall segment 13 are of substantially equal thickness, and side wall segments 11 and 12 turn upwardly from platform segment 14 at a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of lower platform 14 and then progressively increase in thickness in an upward direction. The increased thickness of the side wall segments 11 and 12 begins near their respective junctions with platform segment 14 and continues until the outer convex surfaces 25 and 26 curve beyond the vertical at 27 and 28, whereupon the thicknesses of the side wall segments begin to diminish again toward the upper edges 15 and 16 of the side wall segments. Thus, the upper edges 15 and 16 of the side wall segments and the upper edge 31 of the rear wall segments are approximately equal in thickness.

The outer surface of heel enlarger 10 is approximately convex and the inside surface thereof is approximately concave. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the bottom wall segment is approximately flat while the side wall segments 11 and 12 and rear wall segment 13 are curved, each being curved upwardly and outwardly from the bottom wall segment 14 and then curved upwardly and inwardly above the bottom wall segment. The radius of curvature of the outer surfaces of the side wall segments 11 and 12 is shorter than the radius of curvature of the inner surfaces of the side wall segments 11 and 12.

As is illustrated in FIG. 6, the heel enlarger 10 is to be worn adjacent the human heel 35 with the stockings 36 pulled over both the heel 35 and the heel enlarger 10. From an appearance standpoint, it is desirable to have the heel enlarger 10 invisible when being worn in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6. It is also desirable to have the upper portion of the heel enlarger 10 positioned in the upper portion of the heel cavity 20 of the shoe 38 so that the heel enlarger contacts a large surface of the human heel and also contacts a large surface of the inside walls of the heel cavity of the shoe. The platform segment 14 of the heel enlarger is placed in juxtaposition with the bottom surface 39 of the heel cavity 20 with only the stocking material 36 separating these surfaces, and the side wall segments 11 and 12 and rear wall segment 13 extend upwardly in the heel cavity 20 to a level coextensive with the upper edge 40 of the heel cavity of the shoe.

As is illustrated in FIG. 8, when the shoe 38 and heel enlarger 10 are first being fitted to the foot 22, the heel enlarger 10 is inserted over the foot and the foot and heel enlarger are both inserted into the shoe in the manner illustrated, so that the upper edge of the heel enlarger 10 protrudes above the upper edge 40 of the heel cavity of the shoe. The clerk or the person wearing the shoe then marks the upper portion of the heel enlarger 10 with a ball point pen or similar marker 41 along a line 42 (FIG. 9) which is coextensive with the upper edge 40 of the shoe. The foot and heel enlarger are then removed from the shoe and the heel enlarger is trimmed with scissors 44 or a similar cutting device along line 42. This effectively removes the protruding portion of the heel enlarger so that the upper edge of the heel enlarger is coextensive with the upper edge of the shoe when the heel enlarger is properly positioned within the heel cavity 20 of the shoe. The upper edge formed by cutting the heel enlarger can be rubbed with an abrasive, etc. to remove any sharp edges, burrs, etc., which might be uncomfortable to the wearer.

As is illustrated in FIG. 7, when the heel enlarger 10 is worn with the shoe 38, it is normally worn inside the stockings 36 in direct abutment with the human heel 35, and the upper edges 15, 16 and 17 of the side wall segments and rear wall segment of the heel enlarger will be coextensive with the upper edge 40 of the shoe, thus causing the heel enlarger to be virtually invisible yet causing the concave interior surfaces of the heel enlarger to snugly fit and contact the ball of the heel and effectively grip the heel in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6 while maintaining maximum contact with the inside surfaces of the heel cavity of the shoe.

Since the exterior shape of the heel enlarger generally conforms to the inside surface of the heel cavity of the shoe, very little, if any, relative motion is experienced between the shoe, the heel enlarger, and the human heel during walking, etc. Thus, chaffing and other discomfort to the heel of the foot that would have been experienced by the wearer of the shoe having an oversized heel cavity is virtually eliminated.

The heel enlarger can be manufactured from various different materials, preferably from materials which can be molded and which will conform to the shape of the wearer's foot or to the shape of the shoe, and include thermoplastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylascetate, and polyethyleneterathyalate, molded resin, reinforced pulp, and leather. Moreover, the heel enlarger can be perforated with a plurality of small breather holes (not shown in the drawings) to dissipate the moisture from the wearer's foot.

While this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinbefore and as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. A heel enlarger of unitary construction for effectively enlarging the human heel to a size compatible to the heel receiving cavity of a shoe, said heel enlarger comprising spaced upwardly extending side wall segments, an upwardly extending end wall segment merging with the rear portions of said side wall segments, and a laterally extending shelf segment merging with the lower portions of said side wall segments and said end wall segment, said shelf segment and said end wall segment being of substantially uniform thickness, and said side wall segments each being of a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of said shelf segment and said end wall segment adjacent their mergers with said shelf segment and said end wall segment and being of increasingly larger thickness in an upward direction above said shelf segment and tapering back to a thickness at their upper portions substantially equal to the thickness of said shelf segment and said end wall segment.

2. A flexible heel enlarger for effectively enlarging the human heel to a size compatible to the heel receiving cavity of a shoe, said heel enlarger being molded from thermoplastic material and being of unitary smooth seamless construction and comprising spaced upwardly extending side wall segments, an upwardly extending end wall segment merging with the rear portions of said side wall segments, and a laterally extending shelf segment merging with the lower portions of said side wall segments and said end wall segment, said shelf segment being of approximately uniform thickness, and said side wall segments each being of progressively increasing thickness in an upward direction to a level above said shelf segment and then progressively diminishing back to a narrower thickness at their upper portions.