GB2509548A - Shoe heel with a peak extending from the front face. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a heel 2 for a shoe having two sides 4 and 5 which are spanned by a front face 3. The front face comprises at least one peak Q extending therefrom, which is not at junction P or R formed between the said sides and front face. The invention seeks to decrease the likelihood of slipping by increasing surface area, while providing additional arch support and reduced accumulation of debris by the heel.

Description

DEVICE

The present invention relates to a heel for a shoe.

Shoe heels serve several purposes. For example, they raise the rear of the foot thereby elevating the wearer. They also provide a more comfortable position when the foot is on the ground.

A shoe heel effectively reduces the area of the shoe in contact with the ground and this can lead to problems such as an increased likelihood of the wearer slipping or reduced structural support and stiffness for the arch of the foot of the wearer.

Furthermore, a shoe heel creates a space under the foot of the wearer in which debris can accumulate. Despite these drawbacks being known for many years, the applicant is unaware of any substantial improvements in heel design and shaping which ameliorate them.

There is accordingly a need to provide an improved heel for a shoe which overcomes some or all of these and other disadvantages.

Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is a provided a heel for a shoe having two sides, the two sides being spanned by a front face, the front face having at least one peak extending therefrom, wherein the at least one peak is not located at a junction between the front face and either of the sides of the heel.

The presence ot a peak makes it more difficult for debris, such as mud, to accumulate in the space under the shoe formed by the heel.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is a shoe comprising the heel of the above first aspect.

For the avoidance of doubt, shoes encompassed by this second aspect of the present invention may comprise the heel as a component separate from the remainder of the shoe, which is coupled thereto, optionally using conventional means, such as adhesive, screws and I or nails. Alternatively, they may comprise heels which are formed integrally with the shoes, or components thereof, e.g. the shoe soles.

For the purposes of the invention, the "front face" is the side of the heel which, when the heel is attached to the shoe, faces the front of the shoe, i.e. it faces the end of the shoe at which a wearer's toe is located. Other references to orientation in this specification, such as "top" "bottom", "side", "forward" or "rear", are made with respect to the heel in its normal orientation when attached to a shoe and being worn by a user standing on the ground. The cross-section of the heel referred to herein is taken in the plane of the heel, i.e. in the plane parallel to the top and bottom surfaces of the heel.

As with most, if not all shoe heels known in the art, the heel of the present invention typically comprises a body having an upper surface which, in use, is placed against and fixed to the lower surface of a shoe, and a lower surface, which, once the heel is connected to a shoe, will be the surface which comes into contact with the ground.

The sides of the heel are typically spanned at the rear end of the heel by a rear face, the cross-sectional shape of which may be rounded, squared or of any other suitable shape. The sides typically extend generally parallel to the length of the shoe, and I or are generally perpendicular to the ground, when the shoe is in normal use.

The peak extends from the front surface of the heel. This arrangement increases the surface area of the heel in contact with the ground which makes slipping less likely.

It also provides additional structural support and stiffness for the arch of the foot.

The heel of the present invention preferably comprises one peak. However, embodiments including any number of peaks (e.g. 2, 3, 4 or more) are also envisaged.

The front face of the heel preferably comprises intermediate regions which separate the peak from the junctions of the front face with the sides of the heel, and / or from other peaks, if a plurality of peaks are provided. For example, in an embodiment where one peak is provided, there may be two intermediate regions which extend from either side of the peak to the junction between the front face and the respective sides of the heel. In an alternative embodiment, where two peaks are provided, there may be three intermediate regions namely one inner region which extends between the peaks and two outer regions which extend from each peak to the junction between the respective sides of the heel.

One or more of the intermediate regions may be concave (i.e. indented into the body of the heel) or convex. In a preferred embodiment, the intermediate regions which extend from the junction between the respective sides of the heel are concave. Such a shape is particularly effective at preventing the accumulation of debris in the space under the shoe formed by the heel.

The peak may be formed rearward of the junctions of the front face with the sides of the heel. Furthermore, the concave intermediate regions may have concave shapes of different depths.

Additionally or alternatively, at least one, some or all of the intermediate regions of the front face may be straight.

The front face may be perpendicular to the plane of the heel so that the heel has a constant cross-section through the thickness of the heel. Alternatively, the front face may be tapered so that the upper part of the heel has a larger surface area in cross section than the lower part of the heel, or vice versa.

The at least one peak may extend from the front surface along its entire thickness.

Alternatively, the peak may extend from only part of the thickness of the front surface.

The peak may extend forwardly in an elongate manner In a preferred embodiment, the height of the peak, as defined by the distance between its summit and a straight line extending between the junctions of the front face and the sides of the heel measured along an axis parallel to the length of the shoe is at least about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 75% or 100% of the length of the heel, as measured by the distance between said line and the rearmost part of the face of the heel measured along an axis parallel to the length of the shoe.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an underneath view of a shoe comprising an embodiment of a heel in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an underneath view of a shoe comprising another embodiment of a heel in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a heel according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a side view showing a heel according to the present invention attached to a shoe.

Figures 5a, Sb and Sc are side schematic views showing different shapes of heels according to the present invention.

Figures 6a and 6b are underneath views of a shoe comprising further embodiments of a heel according to the present invention in which the heels have different cross-sectional shapes.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a shoe 1 having a heel 2. The heel has a front face 3, sides 4 and S and a rear face 6. The front face is formed with a peak Q. The front face forms points of interface or junctions P and R where sides 4, S meet the front face 3.

Front face 3 is comprised of two intermediate regions 3a and 3b. In Figure 1 intermediate regions 3a and 3b are generally concave, i.e. they are indented towards the body of the heel. However, other shapes may be used. Concaved shaped regions 3a and 3b are defined by curves X and Y which extend from points P to Q and from points Q to R respectively. The regions 3a and 3b have widths a and b respectively. Curves X and Y have depths g and h respectively. In some embodiments of the present invention widths a and b, curves X and Y and depths g and h may be equal so that the shape of the heel is generally symmetrical about an axis parallel to the length of the shoe and passing through peak Q. In other embodiments of the present invention, widths a and b, curves X and Y and depths g and h may be unequal so that the shape of the heel is generally unsymmetrical about an axis parallel to the length of the shoe and passing through peak Q. Peak 0 is located forward of junctions P and R, i.e. peak Q is located closer to the front of the shoe than junctions P and R. Peak 0 is located forward of junction P by a distance c and is located forward of junction R by a distance d. In some embodiments of the present invention, distances c and d may be equal and in other embodiments distances c and d may be unequal.

The rear face 6 has a generally rounded shape, however, any suitable shape may be used.

Referring to Figure 2, there is shown another embodiment of the heel 2 of the present invention. In this embodiment, peak 0 is located rearward of junctions F and R, i.e. junctions P and R are located closer to the front of the shoe than peak 0 so that distances c and d are negative. Furthermore, peak 0 is more rounded in Figure 2 compared to Figure 1, i.e. peak 0 is less pointed. Peak 0 can have a variety of shapes and, for the purposes of the invention, the term "peak" is intended to refer generally to a projection along the length of the front face 3 excluding junctions F and R. Referring to Figure 3, there is shown a heel 2 before it is attached to a shoe. The heel 2 of the present invention may be manufactured by any conventional manufacturing method. It may be formed separately and then attached to the sole of a shoe or it may be formed integral to the sole of a shoe, e.g. by moulding. The heel 2 may be formed of one or more layers of leather, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), rubber or any suitable material. If the heel is formed separately and attached to the shoe it may be attached by any conventional means, for example, using an adhesive.

Referring to Figure 4, the heel 2 is shown attached to a shoe 1. Peak 0 can be seen extending forwardly, i.e. toward the front of the shoe, in the space created under the sole of the shoe by the heel. Extending the heel forward increases the surface area of the heel in contact with the ground, thereby decreasing the likelihood of slipping occurring. It also provides additional structural support and stiffening for the foot arch of the wearer. Furthermore, extending the heel forward at a peak prevents the accumulation of debris in the space created under the sole of the shoe by the heel.

Referring to Figure 5a, there is shown a heel 2 with a front face 3 which is arranged substantially perpendicular to the plane of the heel, i.e. substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom surfaces of the heel. Figures 5b and 5c show different embodiments of the heel in which the front face 3 is tapered. Figure 5b shows a heel in which the front face 3 tapers forward (i.e. the area in cross section of the upper part of the heel will be greater than that of the lower part) and Figure 5c shows a heel in which the front face 3 tapers rearward (i.e. the area in cross section of the lower part of the heel will be greater than that of the upper part). The shapes of the front faces of the heels shown in Figures 5a to 5c are only examples and the skilled person will recognise that other shapes may be used such as different angles or curves.

Referring to Figures 6a and 6b, there are shown heels 2 having different cross-sectional shapes. Figure 6a shows a heel in which the intermediate regions 3a and 3b of the front face 3 are formed as straight lines to form a generally triangular peak 0 which extends from each of the junctions P and R. Figure 6b shows a heel in which the intermediate regions 3a and 3b are concave shaped and the peak 0 is elongated, i.e. it extends forward of junctions P and R by a distance D. In some embodiments distance D may be at least 50% of the length L of the heel. As shown in Figure 6b, the length L of the heel is defined as the distance from the rearmost point of the heel to a straight line passing between junctions P and R measured along an axis parallel to the length of the shoe. Such an elongated peak increases the stiffness and structural support of the foot arch of a wearer of the shoe.

Claims (12)

1. CLAIMS1. A heel for a shoe having two sides, said two sides being spanned by a front face, the front face having at least one peak extending therefrom, wherein the at least one peak is not located at a junction between the front face and either of the sides of the heel.
2. 2. A heel according to claim 1, wherein the peak is formed forward of the junctions.
3. 3. A heel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one, some or all of the intermediate regions of the front face formed between the at least one peak and the junctions are concave.
4. 4. A heel according to any claim 3, wherein the peak is formed rearward of the junctions.
5. 5. A heel according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the intermediate regions have concave shapes of different depths.
6. 6. A heel according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one, some or all of the intermediate regions formed between the at least one peak and the junctions is a straight line.
7. 7. A heel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the front face is perpendicular to the plane of the heel so that the heel has a constant cross-section through its thickness.
8. 8. A heel according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the front face is tapered.
9. 9. A heel accordingly to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the peak extends forwardly in an elongate manner.
10. 10. A heel substantially as described herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6.
11. 11. A shoe comprising the heel of any one of Claims 1 to 10.
12. 12. A shoe substantially as described herein with reference to Figures ito 6.