GB2435604A

GB2435604A - Adjustable shoe

Info

Publication number: GB2435604A
Application number: GB0701627A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Erin Monk
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-01-27
Filing date: 2007-01-29
Publication date: 2007-09-05
Also published as: GB2435395A; GB0701627D0; GB0601663D0

Abstract

A shoe having a heel whose height can be adjusted. The height may be adjusted either by selective removal of parts of the heel. Alternatively, the heel's height may be adjusted by collapsing the heel so that one or more parts of the heel are inserted inside other parts of the heel. The first invention comprises a shoe body figure 6a, 6b which includes attachment means for attaching a removable heel figure 5a, 5b to the body. Other claims exist for other aspects of the invention.

Description

ADJUSTABLE SHOE

This invention relates to a shoe having an adjustable heel. The invention is suitable for use with shoes having either a detachable heel or a heel permanently attached to the shoe.

High heeled shoes are commonly worn by women. However, wearing high heels constantly for a long period of time can be uncomfortable and it is common for a woman to want to wear flat shoes after they have worn high heels. For example, after a day at work in high heels flat shoes may be desired for the journey home.

UK Design 3013766 shows a shoe having a stiletto heel which can be attached and detached from the sole of the shoe using a screw-like attachment at one end of the heel.

Whilst this allows a shoe to be easily converted from a flat shoe to a high heeled shoe, and back again, it also means that the heel must be safely stored somewhere and as it is a separate item is liable to be lost. Additionally, the means for receiving the screw in the sole of the shoe will be a hole, which unless covered by secondary means may store dirt and other substances which will need to cleaned out before the high heel can be inserted again.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a shoe including a shoe body and a heel, the heel comprising a plurality of segments, a first segment including a fastening means arranged to engage with a fastening means on a second segment the fastening means arranged such that the length of the heel can be altered.

Preferably the fastening means comprise a thread on a first segment and a complimentary thread on a second segment. The fastening means may, alternatively, comprise a projection on a first segment that is arranged to engage with a complimentary depression in a second segment.

The first segment may be arranged to be retract within the second segment. In this instance the fastening means may be arranged to secure the first segment within the second segment.

Alternatively, the first segment may be detachable from the second segment.

The heel may be detachable from the shoe body. In this instance the heel may be provided with a clip which attaches to a fastening means on the shoe body.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a heel for a shoe comprising a first segment including a fastening means arranged to engage with a fastening means on a second segment the fastening means arranged such that the length of the heel can be altered.

Figure 1 illustrates a shoe; Figure 2a illustrates a shoe heel in an extended state according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2b illustrates a shoe heel in a shortened state according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3a illustrates a shoe heel in an extended state according to the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3b illustrates a shoe heel in a first shortened state according to the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3c illustrates a shoe heel in a second shortened state according to the third embodiment of the present invention Figures 4a and 4b illustrate a retractable heel according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5a illustrates a shoe heel having attachment means for attaching it to a shoe body; Figure 5b illustrates a shoe heel having second attachment means for attaching it to a shoe body; Figure 6a illustrates a shoe body arranged to receive the shoe heel illustrated in Figure 5a; Figure 6b illustrates a shoe body arranged to receive the shoe heel illustrated in Figure 5b; Figure 7a illustrates a shoe heel having attachment means for attaching it to a shoe body; Figure 7b illustrates a shoe body arranged to receive the shoe heel illustrated in Figure 7a.

Figure 1 illustrates a basic shoe 10 having a shoe body 12 and a heel 14. The body of the shoe comprises a sole and an upper body. The shoe body 12 and heel 14 may be shaped in any appropriate way.

Figure 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment the heel of the shoe 14 is provided with two or more segments 16, 18, 20 as shown in Figure 2a. The segments, 18, 20 in Figure 2 are shaped such that one segment 18 may be manipulated such that it is inside a second segment 20 as shown in Figure 2b.

Preferably, the segments 18 and 20 are provided with suitable fastening means, not shown.

The fastening means will act to prevent the first segment 18 from freely moving in and out of the second segment 20. This is required so that the heel may be secured in position when the first segment 18 has been retracted into the second segment 20 as shown in Figure 2b.

Additionally, the segments should also be provided with fastening means that enables the segments 18 and 20 to be secured in the extended state shown in Figure 2a.

The fastening means could be any suitable means for securing the segments in position in a manner that will support the weight of a person using the shoes. The fastening means may be, for example, a clip fastener comprising a projection on one segment and a complimentary depression on the other segment which receives the projection when the segments are in the appropriate configuration.

In the second embodiment of the invention the heel may be extended or shortened by adding or removing segments as appropriate. The segments are provided with fastening means. The fastening means for the second embodiment enable segments to be detached from each other thereby elongating or shortening the heel.

The fastening means may be any suitable fastening means. For example, the fastening means may be a screw thread. The first segment may therefore have a screw thread on the outside of one end and a second segment may have a complimentary screw thread on the inside of one end, If the screw threads on the first and second segments are arranged to engage to hold the first and second segments together then the segments may be attached, to lengthen the heel, and detached, to shorten the heel, as required.

Alternatively the fastening means may be a clip mechanism with one segment having a projection and a second segment having a depression arranged to receive the projection.

Figure 3 illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention. In the third embodiment the shoe heel 14 is provided with hinging means 22 between a first 24 and a second 26 segment. The hinging means 22 enables the second segment 26 of the heel 14 to rotate between a first position, illustrated in Figure 3a, where the heel 14 is extended and a second position, illustrated in Figure 3b, where the height of the heel 14 is reduced.

The hinging means 22 may be any suitable means enabling the second segment 26 to rotate around an attachment point between the first 24 and second 26 segments. Preferably, the first 24 and second 26 segments are also provided with means for securing the heel in its extended state. For example, the segments may be provided with complimentary magnets.

The second segment 26 of the heel 14 may either rotate so that the first 24 and second 26 segments are adjacent to each other as shown in Figure 3b. Alternatively, the second segment may only rotate partially as shown in Figure 3c. If the second segment 26 only partially rotates then the first segment 24 should be provided with a recess into which a second segment portion adjacent to the first segment 24 can be received.

Figure 4 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the invention. In Figure 4 the attachment between the shoe heel 14 and the shoe body 12 is provided with a hinging means 28. The hinging means 28 may be any suitable means which allows the shoe heel 14 to rotate relative to the shoe body 14 between the extended state shown in Figure 4a and the recessed state shown in Figure 4b. Preferably, the first 24 and second 26 segments are also provided with means for securing the heel in its extended state, illustrated in Figure 4a.

For example, the segments may be provided with complimentary magnets The shoe body 12 is provided with means for receiving the shoe heel 14, for example a recess 30. When a user wishes to convert a high heeled shoe to a flat shoe they rotate the shoe heel 14 around the hinging means 28 until it is held within the recess 30. Any suitable means, for example, magnets or a clip fastener, may be used to secure the shoe heel 14 within the recess 30.

Finally, if desired the heel may be made completely detachable. This may be done using any suitable means. For example, the heel may be provided with a projection, as shown in Figures 5a and 5b, where the projection is received by a suitably shaped receiving means as illustrated in Figures 4a and 4b respectively.

It is preferable that the sole of the shoe is sufficiently flexible that the shoe can easily transition between the shape required for the sole of the flat shoe and that of a high heeled shoe. However, it should have sufficient rigidity to maintain the shape of a high-heeled shoe, thereby supporting a foot within it, when a heel is attached to the shoe body.

Optionally the sole of the shoe may be flexible and not provide support through rigidity. In this instance the projection from the heel should be of sufficient length that it extends within the sole until the point where the sole meets the ground when the heel is attached as illustrated in Figure 7a. In this instance the sole is provided with receiving means of sufficient length as illustrated in Figure 7a to receive the entirety of the projection. In this way the projection provides support to the foot.

If desired the projection may extend throughout the length of the sole. Preferably, the projection is in the shape that the sole of the shoe should take when the heel is attached.

Insertion of a projection in a non-flat shape can occur because of the flexibility of the sole.

Preferably the projection when used in this way has sufficient width to support the sole throughout its width. This means that the sole does not collapse under its weight near the edges thereby not supporting the user's foot.

Alternatively, the heel 38 may be provided on an external shoe sole 40 as illustrated in Figures 8a and 8b. The external shoe sole 40 can be removeably attached to the sole of a shoe 42. The external shoe sole 40 is preferably in the shape that the sole of the shoe 42 is to take when it is attached to the sole of the shoe 42 and extends across the whole area of the sole of the shoe 42. This is illustrated in Figures 8b and 8c.

The external shoe sole may be attached using a single attachment means, for example extending along the entire length of the soles. Alternatively, the heel may be attached using a plurality of attachment means. The attachment means may be, for example, two projections and receiving means as described above in relation to the heel, hooks at either end of the soles or any other suitable device for attaching the external sole to a sole on a shoe.

The receiving means may be a pair of grooves external to the sole, a pair of grooves flush with the surface of the sole, or internal to the sole such that a top layer retains the projection within the sole. The receiving means may be integral with the sole, made of the same material as the sole or a different material to the sole. If the sole is flexible then the projection should be made from a different more rigid material to the sole.

Claims

CLAIMS

1 A shoe comprising: (a) a shoe heel; (b) a shoe body; and (c) attachment means on the shoe body enabling the shoe heel to be removably attached to the shoe body.

2. A shoe as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the attachment means is arranged to receive a projection on the shoe heel.

3. A shoe as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the projection substantially extends the length of the sole.

4. A shoe including a shoe body and a heel, the heel comprising a plurality of segments, a first segment including a fastening means arranged to engage with a fastening means on a second segment the fastening means arranged such that the length of the heel can be altered.

5. A shoe as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the fastening means comprise a thread on a first segment and a complimentary thread on a second segment.

6. A shoe as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the fastening means comprise a projection on a first segment that is arranged to engage with a complimentary depression in a second segment.

7. A shoe as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first segment is arranged to be retract within the second segment.

8. A shoe as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the fastening means are arranged to secure the first segment within the second segment.

9. A shoe as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 6 wherein the first segment is detachable from the second segment.

10. A shoe as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the shoe heel further includes hinging means such that the first and second segments may be rotated relative to each other.

11. A shoe as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the heel is detachable from the shoe body.

12 A shoe as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the shoe is provided with receiving means for receiving a projection on the heel such that the heel is detachable from the shoe body.

13. A shoe as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the projection extends throughout the length of the sole such that the projection provides support for the shape of the shoe.

14. A shoe as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the heel is provided with a clip that attaches to a fastening means on the shoe body.

15. A heel for a shoe comprising a first segment including a fastening means arranged to engage with a fastening means on a second segment the fastening means arranged such that the length of the heel can be altered.

16. A shoe comprising (a) a shoe heel; (b) a shoe body; and (c) hinging means at a point of attachment between the shoe heel and shoe body, the hinging means enabling the shoe heel and shoe body to rotate relative to each other.

17. A shoe substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any combination of the accompanying drawings.

18. A heel substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any combination of the accompanying drawings.