Heel stabilizer

Abstract

The present invention relates to heel stabilizing technology that can be used on many kinds of footwear. This heel stabilizing technology can be incorporated during manufacture of the footwear. This heel stabilizing technology can also be manufactured as a separate component, and then added to many kinds of footwear. The heel stabilizer of the present invention increases the stability of the wearer when walking by minimizing the side-to-side teetering a person experiences when wearing flat heels to any height heel shoe, sneakers, boot, overshoe, galoshes or any combination thereof. Implementation of the heel stabilizing technology results in the heel of the footwear being set to a raised position and then flexed downward at heel strike. The resulting vertical stretch at the heel helps lessen side-to-side teetering of the wearer and thereby increases stability. The disclosed heel stabilizer includes at least one anchoring means, at least one heel lift means, a stretch segment, and a sole. An alternative embodiment includes an upper that conceals the structural features of the overshoe; a sole; a stay to center and stabilize the foot atop the shoe; and a well in the sole's heel to receive the high heel and the bottom of the stay component or, in an alternative embodiment, a hole in the sole so that the high heel and the bottom of the stay component penetrates the hole to form a watertight joint, the protruding heel cup then forms the visible sole of the overshoe.

Description

[0001]This application claims the benefit of 61 / 136,231 filed Aug. 20, 2008, 12 / 136,806 filed Jun. 11, 2008, 60 / 943,170 filed Jun. 11, 2007, and 10 / 982,923 filed Nov. 8, 2004, each hereby incorporated by reference in its respective entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to heel stabilizing technology that can be used alone, or incorporated within footwear including, but not limited to shoes, sneakers, boots, overshoes, galoshes or any combination thereof with flat to any heel height.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Women's rain gear has come into its own. Gone are the days when a raincoat, umbrella and rain boots are nothing more than a utilitarian way to keep dry. The contemporary equivalent of the British-inspired Wellington boot hit the U.S. market in Fall 2000. These “pattern wellies” or printed novelty rain boots were sellouts with their floral print designs. Now, other designers and boot manufacturers have followed suit by creating tall and short ra...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025]The present invention meets these needs; by utilizing heel stabilizing technology. Several varying embodiments are disclosed herein. In one exemplary embodiment, relatively stiff, flexing elements are used to both support the ankle and align it atop the heel of the shoe. These stays resist lateral ankle flex and heel toppling by translating any out-of-column lateral movement into tension and compression forces acting on the two stays. The stays are designed to resist this tension and compression loading, resulting in significantly greater stability and wearer confidence. In essence, the heel of the shoe becomes an axial (straight line) extension of the wearer's lower leg.

[0031]The heel stabilizer of the present invention helps increase the stability of the wearer when walking. This heel stabilizer minimizes the side-to-side teetering a person experiences when wearing flat heels to any height heel shoe, sneakers, boot, overshoe, galoshes or any combination thereof.

[0032]The heel stabilizer would benefit people of both genders and all ages. Women who wear high-heeled footwear would benefit from increased stability. A major cause of hospitalization of the elderly is having an event of loosing balance while walking and subsequently falling and breaking bones. Heel stabilization would benefit the elderly even when they wear flat-soled shoes, by increasing their balance. Yet another population that could benefit from the heel stabilizer is those in need of orthopedic assistance, be it from recent injury or a lifelong physical disability.

[0033]It is an object of the present invention to provide an overshoe having a flexible, waterproof upper that reaches above the user's ankle bone, and conceals the structural features of the overshoe; a flexible, waterproof sole, optionally having a high heel appearance and including a well in the sole's heel to receive the high heel of the user's shoe; a stay that centers and stabilizes the foot atop the shoe, by having a portion that straps to the user's upper ankle and is flexibly attached to the lower portion, the lower portion having features to laterally center the heel of the foot and to prevent lateral tilt of the ankle relative to the shoe sole by extending down to encircle and engage with the tip of the shoe's heel, the bottom of the stay component is received by the aforementioned well in the sole's heel.

[0034]It is a further object of the present invention to provide an overshoe, that when worn, the user's foot is firmly centered above the heel of the high-heeled shoe, and lateral misalignment of the shoe's heel relative to the ankle is strongly curtailed. In this way, the high-heel column essentially becomes an extension of the foot, greatly augmenting the users' stability. The stay allows the upper to have less of structural support role, allowing it to be extremely flexible to accommodate decorative shoe elements and to make it easier to put on and take off.

Problems solved by technology

However, when women dress in business attire or evening wear, accessorized with high heel shoes averaging well in excess of 1½″, the need for protective footwear for rain which provides both aesthetic satisfaction and physical functionality has yet to be adequately addressed.

In the past, overshoes have been regarded as a clumsy, low cost contrivance with little or no structure.

Further, falls among the elderly result in enormous economic and personal losses.

Often a fall for an older adult can result in a hip fracture or other serious injury, even death.

In addition, there are many whose mobility is threatened due either to advanced age, neurodegenerative disorder, or other disorder that effects coordination and / or balance.

Some may refuse to use walking aids such as a cane or a walker because the aid is seen as unsightly.

However, the overshoe of the '930 patent has a multitude of cumbersome fasteners, does not have a means for fastening the overshoe to the wearer's ankle or calf, and does not prevent or minimize teetering in high heel shoes.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,068,238 (the '238 patent) shows an overshoe that is waterproof, but that does not have the capability of protecting a shoe with a high heel.

However, the overshoe of the '422 patent does not have a slip-resistant sole, is devoid of any type of fastener, and does not minimize teetering in high heel shoes.

In addition, the disclosure of the '422 patent does not contemplate the flexibility / rigidity needs of the sole to provide shoe stability.

However, the overshoe of the '527 patent has a fastener only at the ankle of the boot which would not secure a high heel shoe inside the boot, and the overshoe does not have a means of minimizing teetering in high heel shoes.

However, it would be very difficult to insert a high heel shoe into the opening of the overshoe of the '336 patent and down the body of the boot.

Although the overshoe cover of the '336 patent can accommodate shoes with heels of unspecified height, has a slip-resistant sole and ankle fastener, it does not have a means of minimizing teetering in high heel shoes.

Further, the boot of the '336 patent is not disposable, the elastic band that gathers the boot material onto the arch of the boot could be hazardous if bulky gatherings get caught on an uneven slippery surface.

Additionally, the separate heel and sole portions do not provide the same amount of security as would a heel and sole constructed in the same piece.

Lastly, a tall, narrow heel such as a spike heel would not be strong enough to hold down the heel portion of the boot and can cause a tripping hazard.

DE 3,606,837 (the '837 patent) show an overshoe that has the advantage of being extendible in bootleg coverage, but it is not disposable or compact for carrying in a purse.

Furthermore, the soles of these overshoes, although they have tread patterns, do not provide for increased ground contact effectively making the wearer walk on snow and ice in high heels with treads.

The overshoes of the '556 patent and the '997 patent have extendible heels, are devoid of any type of fastener, and do not minimize teetering in high heel shoes.

The overshoe of the '240 patent is for indoor use, does not have a slip-resistant sole, does not accommodate high heel shoes, and does not have a means of creating tension at the heel to provide the wearer of high heel shoes with greater stability.

The '240 patent has gripping action on the interior surface of the sole of the overshoe, however, it does not provide for securing the overshoe around a front section of the shoe and on the leg so that the wearer's shoe is not positively engaged by any portion of the overshoe.

Although the overshoe of the '258 patent can accommodate high heel shoes and has a slip-resistant sole, the overshoe does not have a fastener at the opening of the leg shaft and does not have a means of providing tension at the heel.

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