EP2838395B1

EP2838395B1 - Method for the production of a damped heel for high-heeled footwear, heel so obtained and footwear incorporating such heel

Info

Publication number: EP2838395B1
Application number: EP13725812.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roberto Duranti
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-04-19
Filing date: 2013-04-19
Publication date: 2018-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 2033-04-19
Also published as: EP2838395A1; WO2013156972A1; ES2705523T3; ITPD20120122A1

Description

The invention relates to a method for the production of a damped heel for high-heeled footwear, a heel so obtained and footwear incorporating such heel.
In the pertinent art it is known that resilient dampers housed in a cavity in a heel can be constructed in order to increase the comfort of wearing footwear. There are however some problems in the practical implementation of these devices when they are associated with high-heeled footwear. Constructing the damper is in particular laborious because it requires a large number of components that are relatively difficult to assemble. The reliability of the footwear during use is as a result uncertain.
An example of damped heel is disclosed in WO 2011/067726 A2 .
The object of the invention is that of providing a method for the manufacture of a heel for footwear structurally and functionally designed so that all the disadvantages mentioned in connection with the cited known art can be overcome.
A heel constructed using this method and footwear incorporating such heel is also provided.
Characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment illustrated by way of indication and without limitation with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view in cross-section of a heel and corresponding shoe manufactured according to the method of this invention;
Figure 2 is a view in cross-section of a detail of the heel in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a view in transverse cross-section of the detail in Figure 2.

In the figures, 1 indicates as a whole a ladies' shoe (illustrated only partly by dashed lines) of the high-heeled type, comprising a heel 2 containing a damping device indicated overall by 3.
Device 3 is predominantly embedded in the body 4 of heel 2, from the free lower extremity 5a of the same intended to face the ground when in use to an enlarged portion 5 through which heel 2 is connected to an upper 16 of shoe 1.
Damping device 3 comprises a sheath 6 of elongated shape consistent with the height of heel 2 and internally hollow, having within its longitudinal extremity a seat 7 for a resilient member 8.
Seat 7 and sheath 6 both have a cylindrical cross-section, seat 7 having a greater diameter than the diameter of sheath 6.
Between seat 7 and the corresponding extremity of sheath 6 there is an annular shoulder 9 comprising a first stop member for a plate 10. Plate 10 is dimensioned so as to move within seat 7 and abut against shoulder 9.
Plate 10 is attached to a first longitudinal extremity of a rod 11 moving axially within sheath 6; plate 10 acts as the second stop member as will be clarified below. A tip 12 which is removably inserted by pressure into an axial hole 13 of rod 11 in order to permit easy replacement is removably fixed at the opposite longitudinal extremity of rod 11. It will be seen that tip 12 projects with respect to sheath 6 and beyond the corresponding free extremity 5a of body 4 of heel 2 when the two stop members, plate 10 and shoulder 9, abut each other.
Resilient member 8 preferably comprises a block of elastomer inserted into seat 7 and dimensioned to be compressed between plate 10 and a contact surface 15 of a plug 14 which is applied to an opening 24 in seat 7 once rod 11 and resilient member 8 have been inserted into sheath 6 in order to close off opening 24.
Resilient member 8 is inserted into seat 7 in such a way that it is located between plate 10 and contact surface 15.
Plug 14 is held in place by riveting opening 24 of seat 7 and gives rise to an axial compression preloading of the resilient member 8.
In order to construct heel 2 required sheath 6 according to the height of the heel is located with plate 10 abutting against shoulder 9. In this first position tip 12 and preferably a final length of rod 11 project at least partly from the corresponding extremity of sheath 6 to allow rod 11 to move in sheath 6 towards a second position in which resilient member 8 is compressed between plate 10 and contact surface 15 of plug 14. In the first position the first and second stop members, that is shoulder 9 and plate 10, abut against each other, while in the second position shoulder 9 and plate 10 are at a distance from each other.
After plug 14 closing off opening 24 of seat 7 has been inserted and secured, the manufactured item so obtained is inserted in a mould cavity to be co-moulded with heel 2 itself.
Heel 2 is constructed by injecting plastics material or by means of another conventional method.
It will be noted that in all cases damping member 3 comprises an individually-manipulatable unit incorporating all the components necessary for its operation and is fully pre-assembled.
The invention thus resolves the problem set, allowing footwear to be easily and solidly constructed, in particular ladies' shoes, including those with high heels.

Claims

A method for producing a damped heel (2) for high-heeled footwear, including the following steps:
- providing an elongated sheath (6) consistent with the height of the heel (2) which has to be manufactured and structurally independent from said heel (2), provided at one of its longitudinal extremities with a seat (7) for a resilient member (8), a first stop member (9) being formed between the seat (7) and the sheath (6),

- providing an elongated rod (11) provided with a second stop member (10) and a tip (12) at a first and a second longitudinal extremity thereof respectively,

- pre-assembling a damping device (3), which is separated from said heel (2), by the following steps:
- inserting the rod (11) into the sheath (6), the rod (11) being configured so as to move within the sheath (6) between a first position in which the first and the second stop members (9, 10) abut against each other and the tip (12) projects from the sheath (6) and a second position in which the rod (11) is caused to move within the sheath (6) to enter at least partly within the sheath (6) and the first stop member (9) and the second stop member (10) are at a distance from each other compressing the resilient member (8),

- inserting the resilient member (8) in the seat (7), through an opening (24) thereof,

- applying a plug (14) having an contact surface (15) for the resilient member (8) to the opening (24) of the seat (7) in order to close off the opening (24),

- embedding the damping device (3) so obtained in a heel (2) for footwear so that the tip (12) projects at least partly beyond the heel (2).
A method for producing a damped heel for high-heeled footwear according to claim 1, wherein the damping device (3) in the heel (2) is embedded by co-moulding the damping device (3) and the heel (2).
A method for producing a damped heel for high-heeled footwear according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sheath (6) and the seat (7) have a cylindrical cross-section, with the diameter of the seat (7) being greater than the diameter of the sheath (6).
A method for producing a damped heel for high-heeled footwear according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the first stop member (9) comprises an annular shoulder formed between the seat (7) and the sheath (6), the second stop member (10) comprises a plate so dimensioned to abut against the shoulder (9), the plate (10) being fixed to the first extremity of the rod (11).
A method for producing a damped heel for high-heeled footwear according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the resilient member (8) is an elastomer.
A method for producing a damped heel for high-heeled footwear according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the plug (14) is fixed in the seat (7) by riveting the opening (24) of the seat (7).
A method for producing a damped heel for high-heeled footwear according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the tip (12) is removably associated with the rod (11).
A method for producing a damped heel for high-heeled footwear according to claim 7, wherein the tip (12) is removably inserted in an axial hole (13) of rod (11), the tip (12) projecting with respect to the sheath (6) and beyond a corresponding free end (5a) of the heel (2) when the first and second stop members (9, 10) abut against each other.
A method for producing a damped heel for high-heeled footwear according to one or more of preceding claims, wherein the plug (14) is held in the seat (7) by riveting the opening (24) of the seat (7) giving rise to an axial compression preloading of the resilient member (8).
A heel for footwear, particularly a high heel for ladies' shoes, obtained by the method according to one or more of the preceding claims.
Footwear incorporating a heel according to claim10.