US20170325542A1

US20170325542A1 - Heel Wedge Shoe Having Cushion Within Heel Wedge

Info

Publication number: US20170325542A1
Application number: US15/151,897
Authority: US
Inventors: Aubert Shepherd; Raghu Yalamanchili; Wendy Lin; Jenny Li
Original assignee: Cole Haan LLC
Current assignee: Cole Haan LLC
Priority date: 2016-05-11
Filing date: 2016-05-11
Publication date: 2017-11-16

Abstract

A wedge shoe includes a sole and an upper secured to the sole. The sole has a wedge member, a wedge cushion, and an inner sole member. The wedge member has an open top cavity. The wedge cushion is in the cavity of the wedge member. The inner sole member has a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion. The central portion has a central portion durometer hardness and the peripheral portion has a peripheral portion durometer hardness greater than the central portion durometer hardness. The upper is lasted to the peripheral portion of the inner sole member. The central portion of the inner sole member overlies the wedge cushion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention pertains to heel wedge shoes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the invention is a wedge shoe comprising a sole and an upper secured to the sole. The sole extends longitudinally from a sole heel end to a sole toe end and extends transversely from a sole lateral edge to a sole medial edge. The sole includes a heel region, a midfoot region, a ball region and a toe region. The heel region extends longitudinally from the sole heel end to the midfoot region. The midfoot region extends longitudinally from the heel region to the ball region. The ball region extends longitudinally from the midfoot region to the toe region. The toe region extends longitudinally from the ball region to the sole toe end. The sole has a wedge member, a wedge cushion, and an inner sole member. The wedge member has a top surface and a bottom surface. The wedge member extends forward from the sole heel end to at least adjacent the ball region. The wedge member tapers in thickness generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region such that the top surface of the wedge member slopes downward generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region when a user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface. The wedge member has an open top cavity. The cavity being in at least the heel region and the midfoot region. The cavity extends downward from the top surface of the wedge member toward the bottom surface of the wedge member and extends forward to at least adjacent the ball region. The wedge cushion is in the cavity of the wedge member. The wedge cushion is at least in the heel region and the midfoot region. The inner sole member has a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion. The central portion has a central portion durometer hardness and the peripheral portion has a peripheral portion durometer hardness. The peripheral portion durometer hardness is greater than the central portion durometer hardness. The upper is lasted to the peripheral portion of the inner sole member. The central portion of the inner sole member overlies the wedge cushion. The wedge shoe is configured such that the wedge cushion and central portion of the inner sole member deform sufficiently so that at least a region of the central portion of the inner sole member resiliently deflects downward into the wedge cavity when the user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface and applying a downward force on the central region of the inner sole member of forty pounds.
Another aspect of the invention is a wedge shoe comprising a sole and an upper secured to the sole. The sole extends longitudinally from a sole heel end to a sole toe end and extends transversely from a sole lateral edge to a sole medial edge. The sole includes a heel region, a midfoot region, a ball region and a toe region. The heel region extends longitudinally from the sole heel end to the midfoot region. The midfoot region extends longitudinally from the heel region to the ball region. The ball region extends longitudinally from the midfoot region to the toe region. The toe region extends longitudinally from the ball region to the sole toe end. The sole has a wedge member, a wedge cushion, and an inner sole member. The wedge member has a top surface and a bottom surface. The wedge member extends forward from the sole heel end to at least adjacent the ball region. The wedge member tapers in thickness generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region such that the top surface of the wedge member slopes downward generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region when a user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface. The wedge member has an open top cavity. The cavity being in at least the heel region and the midfoot region. The cavity extends downward from the top surface of the wedge member toward the bottom surface of the wedge member and extends forward to at least adjacent the ball region. The wedge cushion is in the cavity of the wedge member. The wedge cushion is at least in the heel region and the midfoot region. The inner sole member has a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion. The central portion has a central portion durometer hardness and the peripheral portion has a peripheral portion durometer hardness. The peripheral portion durometer hardness is greater than the central portion durometer hardness. The upper is lasted to the peripheral portion of the inner sole member. The central portion of the inner sole member overlies the wedge cushion. The central portion of the inner sole member is in contact with the wedge cushion.
Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the operation of the invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a wedge shoe in accordance with the present invention, the wedge shoe having an upper and a sole.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the wedge shoe shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the wedge shoe shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 taken along the plane of line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the wedge shoe shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 taken long the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an inner sole member of the wedge shoe shown in FIG. 1.

Reference numerals in the written specification and in the drawing figures indicate corresponding items.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of a wedge shoe in accordance with the present invention is indicated by reference numeral 20 in FIGS. 1-4. The wedge shoe comprises a sole 22, and an upper 24 secured to the sole. The sole 22 extends longitudinally from a sole heel end 22 a to a sole toe end 22 b (see FIGS. 1 and 3) and extends transversely from a sole lateral edge 22 c to a sole medial edge 22 d (see FIG. 4). The sole 22 includes a heel region 30, a midfoot region 32, a ball region 34 and a toe region 36. The heel region 30 extends longitudinally from the sole heel end 22 a to the midfoot region 32. The midfoot region 32 extends longitudinally from the heel region 30 to the ball region 34. The ball region 34 extends longitudinally from the midfoot region 32 to the toe region 36. The toe region 36 extends longitudinally from the ball region 34 to the sole toe end 22 b. The sole 22 has a wedge member 40, a wedge cushion 42, an inner sole member 44, and an outsole 46.
The wedge member 40 may be of BPU (bio-polyol polyurethane) foam or of some conventional generally rigid sole wedge material. The wedge member 40 has a top surface 40 a and a bottom surface 40 b. In the embodiment shown, the wedge member 40 extends forward from the sole heel end 22 a to adjacent the ball region 34. It is to be understood, however, that the wedge shoe could be a platform wedge (not shown) with the wedge member extending forward from the sole heel end to the sole toe end. In the embodiment shown, the wedge member 40 tapers in thickness generally from the heel end 22 a to adjacent the ball region such that the top surface of the wedge member slopes downward generally from the heel end to adjacent the ball region when a user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface. If the wedge shoe is a platform wedge (not shown), then the wedge member may taper in thickness generally from the heel end to only adjacent the ball region such that the top surface of the wedge member slopes downward generally from the heel end to adjacent to ball region, or the wedge member may taper in thickness forward beyond the ball region. The wedge member 40 has an open top cavity 48. The cavity 48 extends downward from the top surface 40 a of the wedge member 40 toward the bottom surface 40 b of the wedge member and extends forward to at least adjacent the ball region.
The wedge cushion 42 is in the cavity 48 of the wedge member 40. The wedge cushion 42 is at least in the heel region 30 and the midfoot region 32. The wedge cushion 42 has a top surface 42 a. In the embodiment shown, the cavity 48 is only in the heel region 30 and the midfoot region 32, but if the wedge shoe is instead a platform wedge (not shown) then the cavity could also be in the ball region and the toe region and the wedge cushion could also be in the portions of the cavity in the ball region and the toe region. In the embodiment shown, the wedge cushion 42 tapers in thickness from the heel region 30 to adjacent the ball region 34. Preferably, the wedge cushion 42 substantially fills the wedge cavity 48. The wedge cushion 42 may be formed into a particular shape and then inserted into the cavity, or may be poured or injected into the cavity and allowed to cure to form the cushion. The wedge cushion 42 may be of EVA or polyurethane.
The outsole 46 may be of any suitable outsole material, such as injection blown rubber having a durometer hardness of 60-65 Shore A. The outsole 46 is secured to the bottom surface 40 b of the wedge member 40. The outsole 46 extends generally from the heel end 22 a of the sole 22 to the toe end 22 b of the sole.
The inner sole member 44 has a central portion 50 and a peripheral portion 52 surrounding the central portion. Preferably the inner sole member 44 is a molded dual-density member. The central portion 50 and the peripheral portion 52 of the inner sole member 44 may both be of EVA, with the central portion having a central portion durometer hardness and the peripheral portion having a peripheral portion durometer hardness greater than the central portion durometer hardness. Preferably, the central portion durometer hardness is 30-35 Shore C, and the peripheral portion durometer hardness is 60-70 Shore C. Preferably, the inner sole member 44 extends from the sole heel end 22 a to the sole toe end 22 b.
The upper 24 may be of any suitable upper material, such as leather, vinyl, a textile material, etc. The upper 24 is lasted to the peripheral portion 52 of the inner sole member 44. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper 24 includes a peripheral edge margin 60. The peripheral edge margin 60 of the upper is sandwiched between the peripheral portion 52 of the inner sole member 44 and the top surface 40 a of the wedge member 40 generally in the heel region 30 and the midfoot region 32. The peripheral edge margin 60 of the upper 24 is sandwiched between the peripheral portion 52 of the inner sole member 44 and the outsole 46 generally in the ball region 34 and the toe region 36. The central portion 50 of the inner sole member 44 overlies the wedge cushion 42. The central portion 50 of the inner sole member 44 is preferably in contact with and bonded to the wedge cushion in both the heel region 30 and the midfoot region 32. The wedge shoe 20 is configured such that the wedge cushion 42 and central portion 50 of the inner sole member 44 deform sufficiently so that at least a region of the central portion of the inner sole member resiliently deflects downward into the wedge cavity 48 when the user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface and applying a downward force on the central region of the inner sole member of forty pounds. In FIG. 4, the solid lines of the central portion 50 of the inner sole member 44 represent a non-deflected position of the central portion, and the dashed lines 50 a represent a deflected position of the central portion of the inner sole member caused by application of the forty pounds downward force. The wedge cushion 42 has a wedge cushion durometer hardness. The wedge cushion durometer hardness may be in the range of 25-35 Shore C. The wedge cushion durometer hardness may be slightly greater than the central portion durometer hardness of the central portion 50 of the inner sole member 44, but is preferably slightly less than or equal to the central portion durometer hardness.
The wedge shoe 20 also includes a footbed 70. The footbed 70 is preferably in contact with an upper surface of the inner sole member 44 generally from the heel end to the toe end. Preferably, the footbed is of a molded latex, having a durometer hardness of 20 Shore C.
The wedge shoe 20 employs the dual-density inner sole member 44 instead of a conventional lasting board. In other words, the wedge shoe 20 is devoid of a conventional lasting board. The inner sole member 44 is preferably devoid of generally non-stretch materials, such as paper, and is preferably only of EVA. The wedge shoe 20 is also preferably devoid of a shank. The components and materials of the wedge shoe 20 make for a more comfortable shoe than conventional wedge shoes without sacrificing aesthetics.
In view of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the invention has several advantages over the prior art.
As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. For example, the wedge shoe may be any type of wedge shoe, such as a wedge sandal, a wedge pump, an open-toe wedge, a platform wedge, etc. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
It should also be understood that when introducing elements of the present invention in the claims or in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be open-ended and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, the term “portion” should be construed as meaning some or all of the item or element that it qualifies. Moreover, use of identifiers such as first, second, and third should not be construed in a manner imposing any relative position or time sequence between limitations.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A wedge shoe comprising:

a sole; and

an upper secured to the sole;

the sole extending longitudinally from a sole heel end to a sole toe end and extending transversely from a sole lateral edge to a sole medial edge, the sole including a heel region, a midfoot region, a ball region and a toe region, the heel region extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the midfoot region, the midfoot region extending longitudinally from the heel region to the ball region, the ball region extending longitudinally from the midfoot region to the toe region, and the toe region extending longitudinally from the ball region to the sole toe end, the sole having a wedge member, a wedge cushion, and an inner sole member;

the wedge member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the wedge member extending forward from the sole heel end to at least adjacent the ball region, the wedge member tapering in thickness generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region such that the top surface of the wedge member slopes downward generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region when a user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface, the wedge member having an open top cavity, the cavity being in at least the heel region and the midfoot region, the cavity extending downwardly from the top surface of the wedge member toward the bottom surface of the wedge member and extending forward to at least adjacent the ball region;

the wedge cushion being in the cavity of the wedge member, the wedge cushion being at least in the heel region and the midfoot region;

the inner sole member having a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion, the central portion having a central portion durometer hardness, the peripheral portion having a peripheral portion durometer hardness, the peripheral portion durometer hardness being greater than the central portion durometer hardness, the upper being lasted to the peripheral portion of the inner sole member, the central portion of the inner sole member overlying the wedge cushion, the wedge shoe being configured such that the wedge cushion and central portion of the inner sole member deform sufficiently so that at least a region of the central portion of the inner sole member resiliently deflects downward into the wedge cavity when the user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface and applying a downward force on the central region of the inner sole member of forty pounds.

2. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wedge cushion has a top surface in contact with the central portion of the inner sole member.

3. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 2 wherein the top surface of the wedge cushion is in contact with the central portion of the inner sole member in both the heel region and the midfoot region.

4. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 3 wherein the wedge cushion tapers in thickness from the heel region to at least adjacent the ball region.

5. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wedge cushion has a wedge cushion durometer hardness, the wedge cushion durometer hardness being not greater than the central portion durometer hardness.

6. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an outsole, the outsole being secured to the bottom surface of the wedge member.

7. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 6 wherein the outsole extends generally from the heel end of the sole to the toe end of the sole.

8. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wedge cushion substantially fills the wedge cavity.

9. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 1 wherein the upper includes a peripheral edge margin, the peripheral edger margin of the upper being sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the inner sole member and an top surface of the wedge member.

10. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wedge member extends forward from the sole heel end to only a portion of the midfoot region adjacent the ball region.

11. A wedge shoe comprising:

a sole; and

an upper secured to the sole;

the inner sole member having a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion, the central portion having a central portion durometer hardness, the peripheral portion having a peripheral portion durometer hardness, the peripheral portion durometer hardness being greater than the central portion durometer hardness, the upper being lasted to the peripheral portion of the inner sole member, the central portion of the inner sole member overlying the wedge cushion, the central portion of the inner sole member being in contact with the wedge cushion.

12. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 11 wherein the top surface of the wedge cushion is in contact with the central portion of the inner sole member in both the heel region and the midfoot region.

13. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 12 wherein the wedge cushion tapers in thickness from the heel region to at least adjacent the ball region.

14. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 11 wherein the wedge cushion has a wedge cushion durometer hardness, the wedge cushion durometer hardness being not greater than the central portion durometer hardness.

15. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 14 further comprising an outsole, the outsole being secured to the bottom surface of the wedge member.

16. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 11 wherein the wedge cushion has a wedge cushion durometer hardness, the wedge cushion durometer hardness being not more than slightly greater than the central portion durometer hardness.

17. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 11 wherein the upper includes a peripheral edge margin, the peripheral edger margin of the upper being sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the inner sole member and the top surface of the wedge member.

18. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 11 wherein the wedge member extends forward from the sole heel end to only a portion of the midfoot region adjacent the ball region.

19. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 18 wherein the outsole extends generally from the heel end of the sole to the toe end of the sole.

20. A wedge shoe as set forth in claim 19 wherein the upper includes a peripheral edge margin, the peripheral edge margin of the upper being sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the inner sole member and the top surface of the wedge member generally in the heel region, the peripheral edge margin of the upper being sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the inner sole member and the outsole generally in the ball region.