Shoe heel cup protection device

Abstract

A shoe heel cup device including a ground contacting base portion and a resilient shoe heel engagement portion forming a unitary member, the resilient shoe heel engagement portion being a cup containing, but not limited to, at least live flexible equispaced projecting ribs within the inner surface together defining a bore for receiving a shoe heel therein, the entry of which is smaller in diameter to the base. The invention has been described in language more or less specific to the device features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims (if any) appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A unitary shoe heel accessory comprising: a base portion comprising a ground contacting surface and an opposing heel pad contacting surface; and a resilient shoe heel engaging portion which extends upwardly from the base portion and comprises a circumferential sidewall that defines a bore therein, wherein inner surfaces of the side walls comprise a plurality of equispaced resilient ribs projecting therefrom, the resilient ribs configured for receiving and retaining a shoe heel within the bore, wherein the heel pad contacting surface is centrally located at a base of the bore and wherein the base portion further comprises a plurality of furrows equispaced around the heel pad contacting surface whereby each of the resilient ribs extends upwardly from a floor of a respective furrow, and wherein each furrow is deep enough such that a lowermost shoe heel contacting portion of each resilient rib is deflectable by a shoe heel within the bore.

2. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, wherein a lower edge of each resilient rib is affixed to the floor of each furrow.

3. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, wherein a width of each furrow is such that the deflectability of a lowermost shoe heel contacting portion of each resilient rib is limited.

4. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, wherein each resilient rib extends from each furrow to an uppermost edge of the resilient shoe heel engaging portion.

5. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, wherein each resilient rib tapers inwardly towards the other resilient ribs as it extends away from each furrow.

6. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, wherein an uppermost edge of each resilient rib is curved to define a shoe heel entry guide.

7. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the resilient shoe heel engaging portion extends inwardly as it extends upwardly from the base portion.

8. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the base portion extends inwardly as it extends downwardly from the resilient shoe heel engaging portion.

9. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, further comprising a cushion portion located on the heel pad contacting surface at the base of the bore.

10. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, wherein the base portion is circular.

11. The unitary shoe heel accessory of claim 1, comprising five equispaced resilient ribs on the inner surface of the circumferential sidewall of the resilient shoe heel engaging portion and five corresponding furrows in the base portion and equispaced around the heel pad contacting surface at the base of the bore.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Various embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of a shoe heel cup device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a top view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the inside of the device illustrated in FIG. 1 taken along the line 3-3 shown in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a more detailed sectional view of the inside of the device illustrated in FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view of the internal base demonstrating furrows of the device illustrated in FIG. 1; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(8) According to a particularly preferred embodiment, a shoe heel support device 10 is provided. Referring to the drawings, the embodiment of the shoe heel support device 10 shown has a unitary configuration.

(9) The shoe heel support 10 illustrated in the figures includes a ground contacting base 12 and a resilient shoe heel engagement portion 14. The resilient shoe heel engagement portion 14 of the illustrated embodiment includes five equidistant ribs, shown generally as ribs 16, which together define a bore 18 for receiving a shoe heel (not shown) therein in an interference fit.

(10) As illustrated in the Figures, the device 10 has a cup shape. The ground contacting base 12 provided on the lower side of the device 10 extends over the lower end of the bore 18 to close the bore 18 such that when a shoe heel (not shown) is located correctly within the bore 18 and weight is placed on the shoe, the shoe pad (not shown) at the lower end of the shoe's heel (not shown) abuts the surface at the lower end of the bore 18, with the weight of the shoe's heel being transferred to the ground contacting base 12.

(11) The heel engagement portion 14 has a cushion portion in the bore 18 above the ground contacting base 12.

(12) The ground-contacting base 12 is larger in cross-sectional dimension than the shoe heel (not shown) in order to spread the load and to support the heel. As illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, the base portion of the bore 18 is a substantially circular plate member with five furrows or channels, shown generally as furrows 20, from which each of the ribs 16 emerge.

(13) The furrows 20 allow the ribs 16 to deform outwardly from the entry of the bore 18 (i.e. at the top of the device 10), along their entire length, including within the furrows 20 at the base of the ribs 16 in order to allow passage of the heel, and also grip the heel once inserted.

(14) FIGS. 3 and 4 show the resilient equidistant ribs 16 protruding upwardly from the base portion of the bore 18. These ribs 16 extend substantially from the top of the device 10 to the furrows 20 within the ground-contacting portion 12 of the device 10, with the rib 16 projection at the entry of the bore 18 being greater than the rib projection within the furrows 20 at the base of the device 10.

(15) The heel engagement portion 14 of the illustrated embodiments is a unitary member. Both the ground contacting base 12 and the heel engagement portion 14 is manufactured from a resilient material. As such, the configuration of the heel engagement portion 14 is biased inwardly to grip the heel once the heel is inserted into the bore.

(16) Adjusting the projection of the ribs 16 will typically adjust the degree of heel engagement and thereby increase surface friction with a shoe heel (not shown) and reduce the relative size of the bore 18.

(17) According to the illustrated embodiment, the device 10 resembles a faceted gemstone when viewed from the side.

(18) The bore 18 of the illustrated embodiment is substantially circular but it may be shaped differently as shoe heels are typically D-shaped in cross-section. Depending upon the embodiment, the bore 18 may have a continuous sidewall extending from the upper portion of the device to the ground-contacting base 12.

(19) The bore 18 and its associated rib like projections 16 has a larger dimension in a region adjacent to the ground contacting base 12 and a smaller dimension at an upper region to create the interference fit. In this manner, the upper region will act to grip the shoe heel whilst the larger dimension lower down allows clearance for the heel pad of the shoe (which is typically slightly larger than the shoe heel itself).

(20) The ground contacting base 12 acts as a bolster which when mounted on the heel (not shown) bolsters a substantial portion of the heel above ground level by inhibiting penetration of an upper portion of the heel into relatively soft ground. The bolster in use, is mounted to the heel at a selected distance from a base of the heel so as to facilitate a normal walking gait for a wearer (not shown) when walking on relatively hard ground.