Abstract
A high heel footwear including a top lift having any one or more of a securing feature, an anti-rotation feature, an alignment feature, and a cushioning feature. The securing feature secures the top lift to the heel of the footwear so that during usage, the top lift remains securely in place against the heel stem. The anti-rotation feature prevents rotation of the top lift relative to the heel, particularly when a twisting force is applied to the top lift by the footwear wearer. The alignment feature co-aligns the top lift to the heel, a particularly useful feature when the heel has an irregular or non-regular cross-section. A cushioning feature is also provided, for example, in the form of a honeycomb structure composed of a tire tread material and/or a top composed of a tire tread material having a tire tread pattern for added grip and traction.
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. A heel tip assembly configured to be coupled with a heel of a high heel footwear, comprising: a top lift portion having a top portion composed of rubber and a base portion configured to abut an end of the heel of the high heel footwear; a rigid shaft member extending away from the base portion and configured to be received in a hole in the end of the heel, the rigid shaft member having a threaded portion adjacent to a non-threaded portion with the non-threaded portion being proximate to the base portion; the rigid shaft member having a head within the top lift portion to provide an anti-rotation feature and a securing feature; a threaded insert configured to be inserted into the hole in the end of the heel, the threaded insert having a threaded portion including threads configured to threadably receive threads of the threaded portion of the rigid shaft member as the top lift portion is rotated until the base portion abuts the end of the heel to fully secure the rigid shaft member within a hole of the threaded insert, the partially threaded insert further having a non-threaded portion proximate the base portion, the non-threaded portion of the partially threaded insert being adjacent to the non-threaded portion of the rigid shaft member when the top lift portion is fully secured to the heel by rotating the top lift portion relative to the heel; and a first spring on or along the rigid shaft member, wherein the first spring compresses inwardly and extends outwardly as the rigid shaft member moves with respect to the threaded insert.
20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the first spring aligns the top lift portion relative to the heel to an orientation such that an irregular outer profile of the top lift portion co-aligns with a corresponding irregular outer profile of the heel at an interface between the top lift portion and the heel.
21. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the threaded insert threadably receives threads of a securing feature part as the rigid shaft member is rotated until the base portion abuts the end of the heel to fully secure the rigid shaft member within a hole of the threaded insert.
22. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the top portion lies on a horizontal plane below a horizontal plane of a bottommost part of a sole of the high heel footwear in an unloaded configuration to an extent such that at least a central portion compresses under a loaded configuration so that the top portion lies on the same horizontal plane as the bottommost part of the sole.
23. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the top portion has a tread pattern facing the ground.
24. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the insert is a hollow, threaded self-tapping insert tapped into the heel to form the hole.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example high heel footwear having a relatively narrow heel that incorporates a heel tip assembly according to an aspect of the present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example high heel footwear having a wider heel compared to the high heel footwear shown in FIG. 1, and which incorporates a heel tip assembly according to another aspect of the present disclosure.
[0031] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate two different sized heel tip assemblies according to an aspect of the present disclosure.
[0032] FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary elongated threaded insert having a hole or bore through the center of a threaded insert, which is inserted into a heel according to aspects of the present disclosure.
[0033] FIG. 4B illustrates an example threaded hole or bore formed within or tapped into the heel with threads to receive threads of a top lift according to aspects of the present disclosure.
[0034] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate two example implementations of a heel tip assembly having a top lift with a honeycomb or micro honeycomb pattern made from tire material.
[0035] FIG. 6A illustrates a heel having a threaded shaft 502 threaded into a threaded insert that is secured into a hole or bore of a heel.
[0036] FIG. 6B illustrates a heel having a threaded shaft threaded into the threaded hole or bore that is tapped into the heel
[0037] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate two examples of a heel tip assembly having a top lift including two types of honeycomb patterns.
[0038] FIG. 8 is an example of another top lift having a base portion made of a solid tire tread material.
[0039] FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate side and end views, respectively, of a top lift having rotation, securing, and alignment features.
[0040] FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate two additional implementations of a heel tip assembly according to the present disclosure, featuring a different anti-rotation and alignment feature than disclosed in connection with FIGS. 9A and 9B.
[0041] FIG. 11 illustrates a top lift having a screw-actuated anchor to secure the top lift within the heel of the top lift assembly.
[0042] FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate another way of securing a top lift to a heel of a wider heel, such as shown in FIG. 2.
[0043] FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate yet another way of securing any top lift into any heel disclosed herein using springs inside the heel.
[0044] FIG. 14 shows two example isometric views of the top lift disclosed in connection with FIGS. 13A and 13B.
[0045] FIG. 15 illustrates another example where a heel includes ball bearings to receive corresponding detents formed in a shaft of a top lift but lacks a square base feature.
[0046] FIG. 16 illustrates two exemplary regularly and non-regularly shaped top lifts having shafts with slots to lock into corresponding features in the heel.
[0047] FIGS. 17A and 17B illustrate how the top lift can be slightly longer than the outsole of the high heel footwear when no load is present in the footwear.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0048] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example high heel footwear 100 having a relatively narrow heel that incorporates a heel tip assembly 102 according to an aspect of the present disclosure. The term footwear encompasses shoes, boots, sandals, flip flops, and any other apparatus worn on the foot and designed or intended to be worn by either men or women or both. The term high heel has its ordinary meaning to those skilled in the art of footwear, and those of ordinary skill in the art of footwear will appreciate the dimensions and characteristics of a footwear item having a high heel. For example, stiletto type heels can have a heel height of about 4-6 inches or even higher. Squatter, high heel boots (including those worn by men), for example, can have a heel height of about 3-4 inches. According to some aspects, a minimum heel height to qualify as a high heel is about 2 inches. The present disclosure also contemplates so-called platform footwear, so long as there is a distinct outsole portion and distinct heel portion. As shown in FIG. 1, the various parts of a high heel footwear 100 are conventionally labeled as an outsole 106, a toe box 108, a counter 110, a breast 112 of the heel, a heel 114, a seat 116, a shank 118, and a top lift 120. The top lift 120 can variously also be referred to as the top piece, the heel tip, the heel lift, or the heel cap, and these terms are used interchangeably herein. The width of the top lift 120 can vary, from narrow in the case of a stiletto heel, to relatively wide as used on a boot or a platform shoe, and aspects of the present disclosure can be used on any top lift 120, from narrow to wide.
[0049] For reading convenience, the same reference numbers are used throughout this disclosure to refer to the same item or feature even though they might appear in different embodiments. Where that item or feature differs, a different reference number or an apostrophe is used to indicate that the disclosure is describing a different item or feature. The terms used in this description have their ordinary meaning as understood by those skilled in the art of footwear, tire technology, and mechanical devices.
[0050] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another example high heel footwear 100 having a wider heel 114 compared to the high heel footwear shown in FIG. 1, and which incorporates a heel tip assembly 102 according to another aspect of the present disclosure. The same reference numbers are used to refer to the same parts. The high heel footwear 100 has a thicker heel 114 compared to the heel 114 of the high heel footwear 100 shown in FIG. 1. The cross-section of the heel 114, 114 can be regular, such as circular such as shown in FIGS. 14 and 16A, or irregular such as shown in FIGS. 14 and 16B. Throughout this disclosure, for reading convenience, each heel tip assembly 102, 102 will be referred to with these reference numbers even though different embodiments may be described.
[0051] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate two different sized heel tip assemblies 102, 102 according to an aspect of the present disclosure. The heel tip assembly 102, 102 generally includes a securing feature part 300, 300, respectively. In this example, the securing feature takes the form of threads 302. Generally, a securing feature refers to a feature, such as a tangible feature, that permanently or removably secures one part to another in a manner that inhibits movement (by rotation, twisting, or otherwise) of the two parts relative to each other. The securing feature part 302, 302 also has a shaft portion those threads 302, 302 are threaded by rotation into a corresponding threaded insert inside the heel 114, 114 as described herein. In FIG. 3B, the top lift 120 of the heel tip assembly 102 has an irregular contour to match the contour of the heel 114 to which the top lift 120 is secured. As described here, an alignment feature can also be present to ensure that the contours of the top lift and the heel co-align. As the top lift 120 is screwed into place, depending on the alignment of the threads, the top lift 120 may have a tendency to stop rotating at a point where its outer contour is misaligned relative to the heel 114. To avoid this scenario, various aspects of the present disclosure describe alignment features that aid in co-aligning the top lift with the heel in a facile way during assembly or construction of the footwear 100, 100.
[0052] Turning now to the heel side of the footwear, FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary elongated threaded insert 400 having a hole or bore 402 through the center of a threaded insert 400, which is inserted through a hole or bore 410 of the heel 114, 114. The threaded insert 400 is inserted into the hole or bore 410 of the heel 114, 114 so that an end opening 404 of the threaded insert 400 can receive the securing feature part 300, 300 of a heel tip assembly 102, 102. The threaded insert 400 can be secured to the heel 114, 114 by glue or interference fit, for example. Alternately, in FIG. 4B, a threaded hole or bore 410 is formed within or tapped into the heel 114, 114 with threads 406 that are configured to receive the threads 302 of the securing feature part 300, 300.
[0053] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate two example implementations of a heel tip assembly 102, 102 having a top lift 120, 120 with a honeycomb or micro honeycomb pattern made from tire material, including a rubber compound and fillers such as fiber or textiles. Any of the honeycomb or micro honeycomb patterns or structures disclosed herein can be printed by a 3D printing technique, such as digital light synthesis. The top lift 120, 120 has a base portion 504, a central portion 506, and a top portion 508. The cross-section of the central portion 506 has a honeycomb pattern. The illustrations are not schematic representations of the actual honeycomb pattern. Indeed, the honeycomb pattern is shown for ease of illustration so that the reader can readily see the pattern; however, the size of the honeycombs can vary from the size actually shown. For example, the honeycombs can be made larger, or the walls of the honeycomb can be thicker. The honeycomb pattern allows the top lift 120, 120 to compress or deform slightly under load, and more so than if the top lift 120, 120 were made from a solid material such as rubber. The honeycombs of the pattern are arranged to so as to compress along a vertical direction when a load is presented at the top of the honeycomb, thereby providing a cushioning effect to the wearer of the high heel footwear. The top portion 508 (i.e., the part that contacts the ground surface) can be a tire tread material or composed of solid rubber having a tread-like pattern facing the ground to enhance the grip and friction coefficient relative to the ground surface. The base portion 504 can be composed of, for example, metal, such as the same metal as a threaded shaft 502 that extends away from the base portion 504, and the central portion 506 can be secured or attached permanently to the base portion 504 by an adhesive or any other conventional process to permanently affix the two different interface materials together. Another interface 510 is present between the exposed surface of the base portion 504 and the exposed surface of the bottom of the heel 114, 114 before the top lift 120, 120 is secured to the heel 114, 114. At this interface, an adhesive or other method of permanently affixing the base portion 504 to the bottom of the heel 114, 114 can be used after the securing feature in the form of a threaded shaft 502, 502 is screwed into the corresponding threaded insert 400 or threads 406 inside the bore 410 of the heel 114, 114. As the wearer walks with the heel top assembly 102, 102 installed in the footwear 100, 100, the honeycomb structure of the central portion 506 will compress and bulge outwardly, providing a soft cushion for the wearer and absorb and dissipate shock waves emitted each time the top portion 508 contacts the ground surface.
[0054] Example dimensions of the top lift 120, 120 are as follows. The length, width, or diameter of the top lift 120, 120 match the corresponding length, width, or diameter of the heel 114, 114 to which the heel tip assembly 102, 102 is attached so that the outer contour of the heel at the interface 116 matches the outer contour of the top lift 120, 120. Beyond the interface, the contour of the top lift 120, 120 can diverge from that of the heel 114, 114. For example, the top lift 120, 120 can flare outwardly or taper inwardly starting from the interface 116 toward the top portion 508.
[0055] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate two examples where the top lift 120, 120 has a top portion 606 made of a solid rubber material that is glued or otherwise permanently affixed to a base portion 604 of a heel tip assembly 102, 102. The base portion 604 can be made of the same material as the threaded shaft 502, such as metal, to form an anti-rotation feature and a securing feature for the top lift 120, 120. The outer contour of the base portion 604 and the top portion 606 matches the outer contour of the exposed end of the heel 114, 114 at the interface 116, 510 so that at the interface 116, 510, there is no perceptible discontinuity from the heel 114, 114 to the top lift 606. In FIG. 6A, the threaded shaft 502 is threaded into the threaded insert 400 that is secured into the hole or bore 410 of the heel 114, 114. In FIG. 6B, the threaded shaft 502 is threaded into the threaded hole or bore 410 that is tapped into the heel 114, 114 with threads 406 that are configured to receive the threads of the threaded shaft 502, which provides a securing feature and an anti-rotation feature relative to the heel 114, 114. This embodiment is particularly suited for thicker diameter heels, such as the heel 114 shown in FIG. 2.
[0056] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate two examples of a heel tip assembly 102, 102 having a top lift including two types of honeycomb patterns 703, 705, 706 such as shown as honeycomb pattern 506 in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The top lift has a central portion 706 made from a tire material and having a honeycomb pattern. On either side of the central portion 706, there are encapsulating portions 703, 705 also made from a tire material and having a denser honeycomb pattern compared to that of the central portion 706. Thus, the central portion 706 has more give under compression, whereas the denser surrounding encapsulating portions 703,705 have less give, thereby providing more cushioning against shocks and vibrations that would otherwise be transmitted up the leg of the wearer. The top portion 708 can be made of a tire tread material or composed of solid rubber having a tread-like pattern facing the ground to enhance the grip and friction coefficient relative to the ground surface and to provide a softer or quieter interface with the surface on which the footwear is traversing compared to conventional materials used for a high heel top. A base portion 704 fixed to the encapsulating portion 703 can be composed of, for example, metal, such as the same metal as a threaded shaft 502 that extends away from the base portion 704, and the encapsulating portion 703 can be secured or attached permanently to the base portion 704 by an adhesive or any other conventional process to permanently affix the two different interface materials together. The threaded shaft 502 is screwed into an elongated threaded insert 400 having a hole or bore 402 through the center of a threaded insert 400, which is inserted through a hole or bore 410 of the heel 114, 114, to form an anti-rotation feature and a securing feature. When fully screwed in place at the interface 116, 510, the outer contour of the top lift matches an outer contour of the heel 114, 114 at the interface 116, 510 so that no visual discontinuities can be perceived. The colors of the top lift and heel can also be matched to further the visual effect. The embodiment of FIG. 7B is identical except that the heel 114, 114 is wider and can accommodate a larger top lift and therefore more tire tread and honeycomb material.
[0057] The drawings shown herein are not necessarily shown to scale and some features may be exaggerated so that the various layers can be seen by the reader. The top lifts of the present disclosure can have the same dimensions as conventional top lifts used in high heel footwear.
[0058] FIG. 8 is an example of another top lift 120, 120 that can be used with any heel 114, 114 disclosed herein. Here, a base portion 804 of the top lift shown in FIG. 8 can be made of a solid tire tread material, for example, or of a material that includes rubber. A threaded shaft 802 extends from the base portion 804 and includes a head 803 having teeth 805 around a diameter of the head which prevent the shaft 802 from rotating relative to the base portion 804 when the threaded shaft 802 is screwed into a corresponding threaded hole or bore in the heel 114, 114. The teeth 805 provide an anti-rotation and a securing feature to prevent rotation of the base portion 804 and to secure it to the heel 114, 114. The head 803 and teeth 805 are embedded within the base portion 804 so only the threaded shaft 802 can be seen emerging from the base portion 804.
[0059] FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate side and end views, respectively, of a top lift 120, 120 having rotation, securing, and alignment features. A base portion 904 forms an alignment feature, which can have a non-circular cross-section to co-align the base portion 904 relative to the heel 114, 114 so that the outer contours of the base portion 904 and the heel 114, 114 match. The base portion 904 also forms an anti-rotation feature, preventing the top lift 120, 120 from rotating once fully inserted into the heel 114, 114. The top lift 120, 120 also includes a conical tapered portion 902 that tapers toward a seat or interface 116 of the heel 114, 114 as shown in FIG. 9A. The conical tapered portion 902 is inserted into a bore 922 through a hole 920 that has a corresponding section that receives the base portion 904 (seen in FIG. 9B), and has a width W that is slightly smaller than a width W of the widest part of the conical tapered portion 902 to form an interference fit inside the bore 922 of the heel 114, 114. The rest of the top lift 120, 120 can be like any of the top lifts disclosed herein; however, in the example of FIG. 9A, the top lift 120, 120 includes a central portion 908 having a honeycomb pattern made from tire material, including a rubber compound and fillers such as fiber or textiles. The cross-section of the central portion 908 has a honeycomb pattern. The top lift 120, 120 also includes a top portion 910 (i.e., the part that contacts the ground surface) composed of a tire tread material or of solid rubber having a tread-like pattern facing the ground to enhance the grip and friction coefficient relative to the ground surface. The base portion 906 can be composed of, for example, metal, such as the same metal as the conical tapered portion 902 as shown by the cross section in FIG. 9A. To insert the top lift 120, 120 into the bore 922, the top portion 910 can be tapped in, after aligning the non-circular base portion 904 with the hole 920 so that the (irregular) profiles of the heel and top lift match.
[0060] FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate two additional implementations of a heel tip assembly according to the present disclosure, featuring a different anti-rotation and alignment feature than disclosed in connection with FIGS. 9A and 9B. Here, a shaft member 1002 of the top lift 120, 120 includes a first spring element 1004a and a second spring element 1004b, which each protrudes away from an elongated surface of the shaft member 1002. The spring elements 1004a, 1004b form a securing feature part and are biased away from the elongated surface of the shaft member 1002. A base portion 1004 of the top lift 120, 120 is attached to the shaft member 1002, or the base portion 1004 and the shaft member 1002 can be a unitary, integral piece.
[0061] The heel 114, 114 includes a hole 1020 and a non-threaded bore 1012 having a first detent 1010a and a second detent 1010b arranged to receive the spring elements 1004a, 1004b, respectively, when the shaft member 1002 is inserted into the bore 1012 through the hole 1020. Because the spring elements 1004a, 1004b are biased outwardly, they will initially be forced inwardly against the shaft member 1002 until they snap outwardly into place within the detents 1010a, 1010b to form a securing feature but also an anti-rotation and an alignment feature. The rest of the top lift 120, 120 in this example includes a central portion 1006 having a honeycomb pattern composed of a tire tread material, and a top portion 1008, which can be composed of a solid tire tread material or rubber.
[0062] In FIG. 10B, the shaft member 1002 is threaded, and the threaded insert 1014 includes a threaded portion 1016 with threads and a non-threaded portion near a hole 1018 through which the threaded shaft member 1002 is inserted. The threaded shaft member 1002 is rotated into the threads of the threaded portion 1016 until the spring elements 1004a, 1004b click into place within the detents 1010a, 1010b of the non-threaded portion, to secure the top lift 120, 120 to the heel 114, 114, prevent it from rotating, and co-aligning the two parts so that the respective outer contours match around their entire circumference.
[0063] FIG. 11 illustrates a top lift having a screw-actuated anchor to secure the top lift within the heel of the top lift assembly. The screw-actuated anchor 1102 includes a first arm 1106a and a second arm 1106b that flare outwardly from a shaft member 1004 having threads. A base portion 1108 can be made of metal and includes a hole through which the shaft member 1004 extends and terminates at a head 1126 having a tool receiving portion 1128 to receive a tool that rotates the screw-actuated anchor 1102 inserted into the hole 1110. After the screw-actuated anchor 1102 is fully inserted into the hole 1110 of the heel 114, 114, a tool is inserted into the tool receiving portion 1128 of the head 1126 and rotated in situ within the hole 1110, which rotation causes the arms 1106a,b to begin to extend outwardly toward the inner surface 1112 of the hole 1110 of the heel 114, 114 until the arms 1106a,b press expand the width W of the hole 1110 to provide an anti-rotation feature, which prevents the top lift 120, 120 from rotating or becoming mis-aligned during usage of the high heel footwear. The top lift portion 120, 120 includes a hole 1124 so that a tool can be received in the tool receiving portion 1128. This hole can be plugged after installation with a material to match that of the top lift portion 120, 120, such as a tire tread material. The top portion 1122 can be made of a tire tread material. An insert made from the same tire tread material can be used to plug the hole 1124. The central portion 1120 can have a honeycomb pattern to provide cushioning as discussed above. The arms 1106a,b allow minute adjustments of the top lift portion 120, 120 within the heel 114, 114 to co-align the two parts perfectly while the final position is determined by forcing the arms 1106a,b apart as much as the material of the heel 114, 114 will allow without damage.
[0064] FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate another way of securing a top lift 120 to a heel 114 of a wider heel, such as shown in FIG. 2. A hollow, self-tapping insert 1200 (shown in FIG. 12A) is screwed into a base of the heel 114, which can be composed of plastic on its interior, making it suitable for receiving a self-tapping insert. The top lift 120 includes a base portion 1206, which can be composed of a metal material, a central portion 1208 having a honeycomb pattern and composed of a tire tread material, and a top portion 1212, which can be composed of a tire tread material having a tread pattern facing the ground. A shaft member 1202 having threads 1204 can be made of metal and is threadably received within the self-tapping insert 1200 installed in the heel 114, thereby providing an anti-rotation and securing feature for the top lift assembly.
[0065] FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate yet another way of securing any top lift into any heel disclosed herein using springs inside the heel. The top lift 120, 120 includes a shaft member 1302 having a first receptacle 1304a and a second receptacle 1304b formed along a curved surface 1305 of the shaft member 1302 and a non-circular base portion 1306 that forms an alignment and anti-rotation feature for the top lift 120, 120. The heel 114, 114 includes an insert assembly 1320 having a hole 1330 that narrows to a narrow portion 1322. The insert assembly 1320 includes a first spring 1328a and a second spring 1328b and a balls 1340a, 1340b that protrude from corresponding openings 1326a,b extending through a wall 1324 of the insert assembly 1320. The balls 1340a,b extend into the opening 1330 of the insert assembly 1320 until the shaft member 1302 is inserted through the opening 1330. When the balls 1340a,b align with the receptacles 1304a,b of the shaft member 1302, the springs 1328a,b allow the balls 1340a,b to compress the springs 1328a,b like a plunger element as the shaft member 1302 is inserted into the narrow portion 1322 of the insert assembly 1320 until the receptacles 1304a,b receive the balls 1340a,b and secure the top lift 120, 120 relative to the heel 114, 114. The non-circular base portion 1306 (e.g., square) fits into the non-circular opening 1330 (e.g., square) to maintain an alignment of the top lift 120, 120, which can have a non-regular outer contour, relative to the heel 114, 114 (shown in FIG. 13B).
[0066] FIG. 14 shows two example isometric views of the top lift 120, 120 disclosed in connection with FIGS. 13A and 13B. One of the examples has a regular profile (circular), whereas the other has a non-regular or irregular profile. A round shaft 1402 has detents 1404 to be received in corresponding ball bearings inside the heel 114, 114 as disclosed in connection with FIGS. 13A and 13B. A base 1406 has a square shape and can be made of metal along with the round shaft 1402. The top portion 1408 can include a honeycomb pattern composed of a tire tread material as disclosed above. The square base 1406 permits alignment of the top lift 120, 120 relative to a heel 114, 114 having a non-regular outer contour.
[0067] FIG. 15 illustrates another example where a heel includes ball bearings to receive corresponding detents formed in a shaft of a top lift but lacks a square base feature. The same reference numbers are used, except that the top lift 120, 120 lacks the base 1406 shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B. This implementation is suitable, for example, for a round heel 114, 114.
[0068] FIG. 16 illustrates two exemplary regularly and non-regularly shaped top lifts 120, 120 having shafts 1602 with slots 1604 to lock into corresponding features in the heel 114, 114 as disclosed above.
[0069] FIGS. 17A and 17B illustrate how the top lift 120, 120 can be slightly longer than the outsole of the high heel footwear 100, 100 when no load is present in the footwear 100, 100. In FIG. 17A, the top lift 120, 120 extends below the outsole by a distance, d, to provide a total distance from the base to top of the top lift corresponding to a distance D. However, under compression by a load 1700, the top lift 120, 120 as shown in FIG. 17B compresses to reduce the overall distance, D<D, so that the top lift 120, 120 is aligned on a horizontal plane 1702 with the outsole of the high heel footwear 100, 100. Because the top lift 120, 120 can compress, such as due to the honeycomb tire tread material, designing the top lift 120, 120 so that it is slightly longer under no compression allows the compression to keep the footwear level under compression.
[0070] Any of the top lifts disclosed herein can be used in connection with any of the heels, and any anti-rotation feature can be combined with any alignment feature and/or any securing feature and/or any cushioning feature disclosed herein. It is seen that the combination of these features contributes to the overall stability, wearer comfort, noise suppression, longevity, customizability or interchangeability, facile and expedient construction and manufacturability, and repairability or serviceability, to name a few benefits, of the high heel footwear, particularly over prolonged usage. The honeycomb pattern provides a cushioning effect, a tire tread top (facing the ground) provides a grip or anti-slipping feature while also suppressing the sound the heel makes when contacting a ground surface, such as a polished floor or tile, the various securing features provide a secure way of interfacing the top to the heel, sometimes in a way that is reversible, and the alignment features ensure that the outer contour of the top lift and heel at their interface match so that no visual artifacts are perceived. The alignment should be made blindly so that the manufacturer or installer can quickly secure the top lift to the heel without having to make minor adjustments to ensure co-alignment. The alignment feature also stands up to prolonged wear and tear over time, ensuring that the top lift and heel remain aligned. The anti-rotation features disclosed herein prevent rotation of the top lift relative to heel, which prevent twisting moments and misalignment of the top lift relative to the heel over prolonged use. The various materials used, such as tire tread material and metal, can be interfaced together securely or permanently by adhesive or any other technique for interfacing tire tread material to metal.
