WO2012107712A1

WO2012107712A1 - Wedge shoe with concealed optional heel

Info

Publication number: WO2012107712A1
Application number: PCT/GB2012/000102
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeffrey Matthew ELDERS
Original assignee: Elders Jeffrey Matthew
Priority date: 2011-02-09
Filing date: 2012-02-01
Publication date: 2012-08-16
Also published as: GB2477853A; GB2477853B; GB201102206D0

Abstract

A wedged shoe concealing a single pivot fixed rotatable heel (1) of which the heel (1.3) is held in a stowed horizontal position by either magnets spring-loaded pin or a horseshoe style metal clip (1.7) when the heel is used it is held upright by a spring-loaded pin (1.1).

Description

Wedge shoe with concealed optional heel

The invention relates to a wedged shoe concealing a rotatable heel. A pivot goes through the heel to allow the heel to rotate out from the shoe.

The heel is held in a recessed stowed horizontal position by a magnet, spring-loaded pin or a horseshoe style metal clip holding heel near heel tip.

Women have the need for practical footwear while desiring a high fashion look. The lady's shoe is an important choice that they make in how they feel, think and are perceived on a daily basis.

Flat and low-heeled shoes are an everyday favourite essential for women's comfort and simplicity. High heels in contrast provide females the opportunity for personal expression, a statement of authority and empowerment as well as accentuating their form with the illusion of longer more slender legs. Available in a variety of styles and designs high and low-heeled shoes are sure to continue to be part of fashions future and a key accessory for every woman whether for work or social environments.

The use of high heels, however, can come at the expense of women's own physical discomfort over long periods of time and can make walking more difficult. Thus having multi-shoe alternatives has become more prevalent with the need to have flat and high heel variations at hand to accommodate every situation i.e. from commuting, to the working environment, social events and ultimate party wear. To overcome this the present invention proposes a dual-use shoe that combines both attributes of low and high heels without comprising visual appeal, practicality and comfort as a simple solution to adapt to changing daily use requirements.

This invention creates a shoe that retains the most aesthetically, desirable design as priority with the most simplistic solution and removes possible damage to the heel when not in use. Other shoes using similar ideas have not finalised the combination of aesthetics with workable product with the minimum compromise. The heel used in this invention is constant with the exception only of the part that fits into horizontal and stowed heel receivers. The heel does not change in shape, i.e.

continuous rod cylinder or rectangle. Typical heel is bulkier or bigger at top then narrows to bottom.

The heel has a single pivot point. The heel does not move vertically up or down prior to changing angle or after. The stowed heel makes no contact with the ground. The stowed heel is completely invisible when the shoe is in profile, or viewed from front back and top. The shoe has much larger ground surface contact area when not being used as a heel. Its form does not change at any point and when the shoe is flat resembles a wedge shoe not an adapted or transformable shoe. These statements relate to this invention outline not other parties' previous patents.

The heel is rotated by finger into a working position. By placing your finger against tip on heel in stowed position, the heel is pulled downward till upper section of heel makes contact with upright receiver pin. A spring-loaded pin pulls out using your fingers from the shoe base to lock the heel into position. The spring biased pin is located above the pivot point. As you pull pin out continue heel in same direction until upper section of heel makes contact with heel upright housing and can go no further then release pin. A portion of the pin passes entirely through the heel to lock it. When pin returns to its original position the shoe is useable as a heel. To return heel to stowed position pull pin to release heel from upright housing, then pull heel tip until heel firmly rests in horizontal heel housing. Using a concealed pivot that goes through the heel. The heel can rotate into an upright position. The height of the heel is determined by fixed length of the heel.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings which:

Figure 1 shows right foot underside of wedge, front of wedge to left in flat function

1.1 shows upright receiver pin end in normal position

1.2 shows upright receiver pin external to wedge

1.3 shows heel

1.4 shows top of heel

1.5 shows heel tip

1.6 shows stowed heel housing

1.7 shows horizontal heel receiver

1.8 shows pivot in shoe heel is cutaway to illustrate at this point

1.9 shows pivot washers either sides of pivot

Figure 2 shows top view of wedge right foot, front of wedge to left in flat function

2.1 shows upright receiver pin housing for right foot swap with 2.3 1.2 and 2.4 for

the left foot.

2.2 shows upright heel housing

2.3 shows upright receiver pin closed housing

2.4 shows upright receiver pin spring

Figure 3 shows 3 main stages of shoe changing from primary flat function to heel

3.1 shows ball and toe portion of shoe

3.2 shows where the sole will flex to allow movement and change angle of the shoe

Figure 4 shows 3D view from underside and right hand side of right shoe

4.1 shows heel portion of shoe base with slight concave offering lateral resistance to foot

4.2 shows toe and ball portion of shoe with slight concave offering lateral resistance to foot

Figure 5 shows impression of shoe in upright position

Claims

1. A wedged shoe comprising of a rotatable heel attached to the shoe by a pivot, the heel being locked in an upright, in use position by a spring biased pin located above the pivot point, a portion of the pin passing entirely through the heel to lock it; the heel being held in a stowed horizontal position by a magnet, spring loaded pin or a horseshoe style metal clip; the heel being solely movable from its vertical in use position to its horizontal, stowed position by rotational movement about the pivot point

2. A wedged shoe unit according to claim 1 that unifies all working parts within integrated unit

3. A wedged shoe unit according to claim 1 that does not require any additional parts to be added or removed to change function