Patent ID: 6578289
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: A43B

Abstract:
A heel assembly for a shoe, comprising:a first outer heel member having an interior compartment defined in part by a wall; a second inner heel member at least partially situated in said interior compartment, said second heel member being movable between a first position in said compartment providing said heel assembly with a first height and a second position in said compartment providing said heel assembly with a second height; a locking mechanism for selectively releasably locking said inner heel member at said first and second positions, including a pair of axially aligned first and second bore regions formed in said inner heel member opening onto diametrically opposed outer surface regions thereof; upper and lower pairs of axially aligned first and second cavities formed in said outer heel member, each of said first cavities comprising first apertures formed through said wall of said outer heel member situated at a first wall region thereof; and each of said second cavities situated at a second wall region diametrically opposite from a respective one of said first cavities; an elongate rod member including first and second pin portions at its end regions, said rod member having a locking position in which said first pin portion is situated in said first bore region of said inner heel member and one of said upper and lower first cavities formed in said outer heel member, said second pin portion situated in said second bore region of said inner heel member and the one of said upper and lower second cavities formed in said outer heel member to lock said inner heel member to said outer heel member in one of said first and second positions; said rod member having an unlocked position with said first pin portion situated outside of said first bore region of said inner heel member and said second pin portion situated within said second bore region of said inner heel member and outside of both said upper and lower second cavities; biasing means for applying a biasing force on said rod member toward said locking position; means for grasping said rod member for pulling the same in an axial direction from said locked position to said unlocked position against the biasing force of said biasing means; and a slot formed through said outer heel member wall extending between and opening into said upper and lower first apertures to receive a section of said rod member to permit movement of said inner heel member between said first and second positions when said rod member is said unlocked position.