Shoe with exchangeable heel

Abstract: An article of footware comprising a shoe having a removable and replaceable heel. Attached to the sole surface of the shoe's upper is a outwardly projecting shaft which is adapted to fit into an internal bore formed in the core of the shoe's heel member. A latch mechanism is provided for inhibiting unintended separation of the heel from the upper.

Description: I. Field of the Invention: This invention relates generally to footware, and more particularly to the construction of a shoe where the entire heel or a portion thereof may be readily removed and exchanged with a heel or a heel portion having differing style, color, height, width or other characteristics. II. Discussion of the Prior Art: In the field of footware, and especially women's shoes, a need exists for a more economical way to match the footware to the woman's wardrobe than having one or more pairs of shoes for each suit, dress or casual outfit that a person may own. For example, more casual ware tends to dictate a shoe with a flat heel while more formal dress dictates a shoe having a high heel. Furthermore, the shoes tend to be selected based upon color and style considerations such that they will be coordinated with the wearing apparel selected for the occasion. Obtaining and maintaining a collection of shoes to meet varying occasions can be quite expensive. Shoe styles are also dictated by the type of activity which the wearer is planning to engage in. If considerable walking is involved, a lower, wider heel is more comfortable. However, if an evening of dining and dancing is contemplated, a higher, more narrow and more elegant shoe style is desirable. When it is considered that to a large extent, the size, shape and color of a shoe's heel has a substantial impact on its overall appearance and comfort, an advantage exists in the ability to readily remove and exchange the heel portion of the shoe. In this way, it is not necessary to acquire a large inventory of pairs of shoes but, instead, the desired "look" and/or comfort factor can be achieved by merely substituting a new heel at a significantly lower cost. OBJECTS It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved shoe construction wherein the heel member or a portion thereof can be readily removed and replaced to effect a style change in the sole. Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe construction in which the style, color, and other characteristics can readily be altered. Still another object of the invention is to provide in a woman's shoe the ability to remove and replace the heel portion thereof in the matter of moments and without the use of special tools. BE-A-779863 discloses a shoe having an upper and a heel, the heel being attached to the upper by manually operable release means, whereby the heel can be easily removed and replaced. The heel is hollow and release means, comprising a resilient strip is secured to the upper and manually depressible to release an end portion of the strip from engagement with a shoulder within the hollow heel. The heel has a large aperture for access to a central portion of the strip to permit release. FR-A-1409019 discloses a solid heel with a recess to receive a shaped projection from the upper. A sprung detent is mounted on the projection and is biased to engage in a bore in the heel. Release is effected by inserting a tool in the bore to abut the detent and disengage it from the bore. The precharacterising part of Claim 1 is based on the disclosure of FR-A-1409019 and the distinguishing features of the invention are set out in the characterising part of Claim 1. To achieve a more positive lock, a latch mechanism is built into the heel for engaging the pin and precluding removal of the heel unless the latch is appropriately positioned with the user's thumb. When so-positioned, the heel may be pulled free from the pin without difficulty and without the use of special tools. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the heel itself may be segmented so that its height and width dimension can be changed by adding or removing a segment. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, especially when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals in the several views refer to corresponding parts. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a woman's shoe showing the heel portion separated from the upper; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken vertically along the sole and heel portion of a woman's shoe incorporating the present invention; Figure 3 is a further cross-sectional view taken vertically through a woman's shoe and illustrating a modification of the invention shown in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a front view of the heel portion of the shoe embodying the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the exploded view of Figure 1, there is identified by numeral 10 the underside of a woman's dress shoe showing a portion of the sole 12 and the surface 14 to which the shoe heel 16 is to be fastened. Suitably pin member 18 extending outwardly from a non-circular head portion 20. The heel 16, from the standpoint of external appearance, is quite conventional and would be shaped to conform with the style of the shoe's upper 10. However, formed internally of the heel is a recess 22 having the same shape profile of the head 20 affixed to the shoe upper. Extending downwardly from the base of the recess 22 is a pin receiving bore 24 whose diameter is only slightly greater than the diameter of the pin 18. Also, the dimensions of the recess 22 are such that the head member 20 fits therein in a predetermined clearance fit. It can be seen, then, that the heel 16 may be fitted over the pin 18 and the head portion 20 to accurately and firmly secure the heel portion to the undersurface of the sole 12. Referring next to Figure 2, it can readily be seen how the heel member 16 is secured to the shoe upper 10. The shoe's sole 12 is seen to comprise a multi-layer assembly including a thin layer of leather 26 comprising the shoe's insole lining and underlaying the layer 26 is a further layer 28, which may typically be fabricated from cardboard or other material conventionally used in the manufacture of women's shoes. Below the layer 28 is typically located a steel arch plate and laminated to the underside of the arched plate 30 is a further layer of leather which, in Figure 2, is identified by numeral 32. Completing the sole construction is the outer leather layer 12 extending from the forward edge 34 of the heel to the toe of the shoe (not shown). Extending rearward from the edge 34 to the counter-portion of the upper 10 is a fabric layer 36. A typical shoe heel includes a molded plastic core piece 38 which is covered on its exterior side surfaces with leather, patent leather or a suitable natural or synthetic fabric, here identified by numeral 40. At the bottom of the heel 10 is a rubber, plastic, steel or leather layer 42 comprising the heel pad. As is clearly illustrated in the cross-sectional view of Figure 2, the pin 18 has an enlarged threaded screw portion 44 integrally formed therewith. The screw is counter-sunk in the layer 28 and the threads mate with corresponding threads of a bore formed through the head member 20. In this fashion, the head 20 and the pin 18 are firmly and rigidly secured to the undersurface of the sole 12. As can also be seen in Figure 2, the head member 20 fits into the recess 22 while the pin 18 extends downwardly into the bore 24 formed in the molded plastic core 38 of the heel. To releasably lock the heel in place and to avoid inadvertent loss of the heel when being worn, the shoe construction of the present invention includes a latch mechanism which must be manipulated by hand to achieve release of the heel portion of the shoe from the upper. With continued reference to Figure 2, it can be seen that a second, substantially smaller diameter bore 46 also extends downwardly into the core 38 in a generally parallel relation to the bore 24 in which pin 18 is made to fit. Dropped into the bore 46 and disposed at the lower end thereof is a compression spring 48. This spring cooperates with a strip member 50 which is preferably formed from spring steel and which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the bores 46 and 24 in a slot 52 formed laterally in the core 38 of the heel member. The strip 50 has an aperture therethrough just slightly greater in diameter than the outside diameter of the pin 18. Hence, when the biasing spring 48 urges the strip 50 out of perpendicular alignment with the pin 18, its edge surfaces dig into the pin 18 and prevent the heel from being pulled free of the pin. However, by merely depressing the latch 50 against the force of the spring 48 so as to bring the strip 50 into perpendicular alignment with the pin 18, the heel can be readily pulled free of the upper shoe portion 10. Referring next to Figure 3, an alternative method of securing the head member 20 and the pin 18 to the shoe's upper is illustrated. Here, the pin 18 has an integrally formed flange 54 on the upper end thereof and molded about the flange 54 is the plastic head member 20. Screws as at 56 and 58 underlying the lining 26 pass downward through the sole layers 28, 30, 32 and 36 and through drilled holes formed through the block comprising the head 20 and through similar holes drilled through the flange portion 54 of the pin 18. The leather lining 26, of course, hides the heads of screws 56 and 58 from view. In Figure 3, the locking mechanism is quite similar to the construction illustrated in Figure 2 and already explained. However, in Figure 3 there is shown an arcuate slide 60 which is preferably molded from plastic and which fits into a guide way 62 formed on the front face 17 on the heel 16. A notch 64 in the slide 60 receives the forward end of the strip 50 and the front surface thereof is preferably serated to facilitate frictional engagement thereof by the user's thumb or finger. Figure 4 illustrates the front face 17 of the heel and the manner in which the slide 60 projects therethrough.

Claims: A shoe of the type having an upper (10) and a heel (16) attached to said upper and manually operable release means for coupling said heel to said upper for ease of removal and replacement, the upper having a non-circular head portion (20) which engages a recess (22) in the heel to prevent rotation of the heel, wherein said head portion (20) has a rigid member (18) projecting outwardly and generally perpendicular to the sole portion of said upper, proximate the location at which the heel joins the upper and said heel includes an internal bore (24) for receiving said member, and a laterally extending recess (52) opening into said bore (24), wherein said release means comprises a manually operable latch comprising an element (50) fitted into the laterally extending recess (52) in said heel with a portion thereof being located within said bore in said heel, and biasing means (48) for normally biasing said element to a position retaining the heel (16) on the member (18), the application of a force overcoming said bias positioning said element (50) such that the heel (16) is removable from said member (18), characterised in that said rigid member is a cylindrical pin (18) and said element is an elongate strip (50) having an aperture through the thickness dimension thereof, the pin fitting through said aperture, and in that said biasing means (48) biases the strip out of perpendicular alignment with the pin to prevent relative movement of the pin relative to the strip and hence of the heel (16) relative to the upper (10), the strip being movable into perpendicular alignment with the pin against said bias to permit movement of the pin relative to the strip and removal of the heel from the upper. The shoe as in Claim 1 wherein the non-circular head portion defines a nut (20) and said pin (18) includes an integrally formed threaded stem (44) on one end thereof, said threaded stem passing through a sole portion (12) of the upper (10) and engaging with the nut (20). The shoe as in Claim 1, and further including a slidable member (60) affixed to said heel (16) and engaging one end of said strip (50) for moving said strip between the positions of perpendicular and non-perpendicular alignment to said pin (18). The shoe as in Claim 1 or 3, wherein said pin (18) is secured to a sole portion (12) of said upper (10) by at least one screw fastener (56,58). The shoe as in any preceding claim, wherein said heel (16) includes a second bore (46) parallel to said internal bore (24) for receiving said biasing means (48).

Inventors: GOLDENBERG TZVIKA Y, GOLDENBERG, TZVIKA Y.
Applicants: GOLDENBERG TZVIKA Y, GOLDENBERG, TZVIKA Y.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A43B21
IPC codes: A43B21