Patent Publication Number: US-2013247412-A1

Title: Standardized Shoe Heel Attachment Mechanism

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     Prior Art 
     CITATIONS 
       
                                        US181109    Aug. 15, 1876   Improvement in heels       US1516355   Nov. 18, 1924   Detachable shoe heel       US1604826   Oct. 26, 1926   Removable heel       US2139885   Dec. 13, 1938   Removable heel       US2224476   Dec. 10, 1940   Footwear heel fastener       US2439310   Apr. 06, 1948   Detachable heel       US2707341   May 03, 1955   Shoes with convertible heels       US2852866   Sep. 23, 1958   Shoe heel mounting       US2943404   Jul. 05, 1960   Replaceable heel construction       US3266177   Aug. 16, 1966   Adjustable heel for shoes       US3782010   Jan. 01, 1974   Detachable heel for shoes       US3805418   Apr. 23, 1974   Adjustable heel apparatus       US4198770   Apr. 22, 1980   Device for fixing heels       US4219946   Sep. 02, 1980   Shoe with a interchangeable heel       US4443956   Apr. 24, 1984   Shoe replaceable heel kit       US4670996   Jun. 09, 1987   Womens shoes with flexible height       US4805320   Feb. 21, 1989   Shoe with exchangeable heel       US5079857   Jan. 14, 1992   Shoe having a detachable heel       US5133138   Jul. 28, 1992   Replaceable high heel                             US5309651   May 10, 1994   Fabulous Feet Inc.   Transformable shoe       US5347730   Sep. 20, 1994   Colon   Low heel shoe convertible to high                   heel and vice versa with an...       US5519950   May 28, 1996   Wang   Structure for engaging a heel to a                   shoe       US5524365   Jun. 11, 1996   Goldenberg   Shoe with exchangeable heel       US5615497   Apr. 01, 1997    Meschan   Athletic shoe with improved sole       US6021586   Feb. 08, 2000   Bucalo et. al.   Adjustable heel assembly and shoe                   including the same       US6023858   Feb. 15, 2000   Reflections Shoe   Two-piece shoe bottom system       US6711835   Mar. 30, 2004    Militello   Shoe and replaceable heel       US7168184   Jan. 30, 2007   Wallin   Shoes       US7185448   Mar. 06, 2007    Schupbach   Shoes with interchangeable heel                   members       US7578075   Aug. 25, 2009    Kemp   Collapsible shoe and methods for                   making and using same       US7770306   Aug. 10, 2010    Lyden   Custom article of footwear       US7877902   Feb. 01, 2011    Pieriboni   Footwear with variable                   configuration heel       US7954256   Jun. 07, 2011   Colella   Interchangeable footwear system                   and method       US8069583   Dec. 06, 2011    Simchuk   Shoe with replacement sole                   cartridges       US8112906   Feb. 14, 2012   NIKE, Inc.   Article of footwear with                   interchangeable heels                         Patents: Publication number               US2001/0052195   Blakey   Convertible shoe ensemble       US2004/0128860   Smaldone et.al.   Article of footwear having a sole               structure with adjustable               characteristics       US2006/0101670   Bucalo   Self stabilizing adjustable dihedral               heel assembly and shoe . . .       US2008/0184598   Handel   Adjustable height high heel shoe       US2010/0146817   Crispo   Footwear having adjustable height               heel and method thereof       US2010/0083537   Weirda et. al.   Sub-assembly for incorporation               into a shoe having an adjustable               heel                    
The above citations show references to related but not relevant patents granted for shoes having adjustable heels. I am unaware of any applications granted that closely resemble this one submitted herewith.
 
     SUMMARY 
     A standardized shoe heel attachment mechanism allowing a person wearing a pair of shoes with this property, to change the heel height of both shoes whenever they choose, and for whatever reasons, which may include comfort or styling. The styling of this shoe mechanism includes a low, medium and high heelpiece option. The alternate heelpieces may be carried in a customized pouch with the person for their ease of alternating the heel height at any moment of their day or evening. The mechanism functions with a push of a release button on the housing unit that disengages the heelpiece in use. That heelpiece is removed and the newly selected replacement heelpiece is placed into the dual opening chambers inside the housing unit with a quick and easy motion of insertion. 
     Advantages 
     
         
         
           
             1. The heels can be changed quickly and easily. 
             2. The heels can be changed without tools. 
             3. Different size heels can be used without changing shoes; i.e. low, medium and high height heelpieces. 
             4. The heels are small and easy to carry in a custom, fitted pouch. 
             5. The heels can range from flat to the currently fashionable 150 cm. 
             After considering the drawings and following description, other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparent. 
           
         
       
    
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
         FIG. 1A-1C  shows the overall view of the 3 varied height heelpieces with the housing unit engaged. 
         FIG. 1D  shows the housing unit with the release button pushed and in the dual opening chamber position. 
         FIG. 2A-2B  shows the singular heelpieces with the dual engaging and hooking feature for the high and medium heels. 
         FIG. 2C  shows a side view of the low heel engaged with the housing unit. 
         FIG. 3A  is a close up view of the front and topside of the housing unit in use with the low heel employed via the dual engaging and hooking feature. 
         FIG. 3B  shows a view of the housing unit from the bottom side where the heelpieces engage and hook with the button plate. 
         FIG. 3C  shows a view of the topside of the housing unit, the button plate and dual opening chambers as well as where 4 screws ( 32 ) attach the unit to the actual shoe. 
         FIG. 3D  provides a view of the inside layout of the housing unit, level 1 and level 2, without the button plate and the cover/base plate. 
         FIG. 4  shows another angle of the medium heel with the dual engaging and hooking feature. 
         FIG. 5  offers a view of the low heel with dual engaging and hooking feature. 
         FIG. 6  shows the design of the button plate, the location of the 2 springs for the spring-released button action, as well as the release button. 
     
    
    
     REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               10  cover/base plate 
               12  housing unit 
               14  button plate 
               16  dual engaging and hooking feature 
               18  release button 
               20  varied height heelpieces; a, b, c 
               22  level 1 
               24  cutout 
               26  springs 
               28  screws 
               30  level 2 
               32  screws 
               34  dual opening chambers 
               36  rest position 
               38  open chamber position 
           
         
       
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     This invention is a mechanism that allows the heelpiece of a shoe to be changed without the use of tools. The mechanism consists of six components, not including screws  FIG. 1A-C . The heelpiece, locked into the housing unit  12 , is released by pressing a spring-loaded release button  18 . The unit  12  contains the button plate  14  and  2  springs  26 . Items  20 . a ,  20 . b ,  20 . c  are the varied height heelpieces. The base plate  10  is a cover plate  10  on the unit  12  and acts to constrain the 2 springs  26  and button plate  14 . The button plate is seated in the unit  12 , level 1  22 . The button plate  14  will slide back and forth inside the unit  12 . The button plate  14  is shaped such that it has dual opening chambers  34  that receive the dual engaging and hooking feature  16 , attaching the heelpiece  20  and locking it securely into the unit  12 . The heelpiece  20  is made with a corresponding dual hooking and engaging feature  16  that is captured by the dual opening chambers  34  in the button plate  14 . The 2 springs  26  hold the button plate  14  in the locked, rest position  36   FIG. 1A-C . When the release button  18  is pushed, the heelpiece  20  is unhooked and can be removed from chambers inside the unit  12   FIG. 1D . A different heelpiece  20  is then inserted into the unit  12 . This action snaps the button plate  14  into the rest position  36 . The heelpiece  20  is now locked securely into the unit  12 . 
     Operation 
     A standardized shoe heel attachment mechanism is operated by holding the housing unit  12  in one hand and the heelpiece  20  in the other hand. The flat side of the heelpiece  20  will be aligned with the flat side of the unit  12  ( FIG. 1A-C ). By inserting the 2 pronged dual engaging and hooking feature  16  on the heelpiece  20  ( FIG. 2A-B ) into the corresponding dual opening chambers  34  ( FIG. 3B ) on the bottom side of the unit  12 , using an urging motion, the dual hooking feature  16  on the heelpiece  20  automatically pushes the button plate  14  to the rear of the unit  12  ( FIG. 6 ,  3 C). The button plate  14  is nudged and moved backwards automatically by the tips of the dual hooking feature  16 , becoming  2  fully opened chambers  34 ,  38  for the complete insertion of the dual feature  16  on the heelpiece  20 . Once the dual hooking feature prongs  16  are over, past, the button plate  14 , the heelpiece  20  is fully inserted into the unit  12 . The button plate  14  is thereby automatically released to slide back to its rest position  36 , which is also locking position. A snap back into lock position ( FIG. 1A-C ) occurs once the heelpiece  20  is fully inserted. To release the heelpiece  20  one pushes with one&#39;s finger the release button  18  ( FIG. 1D ,  6 ), which is protruding thru the cutout  24  of the unit  12  ( FIG. 3D ). It is one piece with the button plate  14  and is located on the flat side of the unit  12 . This action pushes the button plate  14  backwards, pinching the 2 springs  26  located behind the button plate  14  ( FIG. 6 ) inside and towards the back of the unit  12 , thereby creating the dual opening chambers  34  within the unit  12 . Holding the release button  18  holds the button plate  14  in this open position, whereby both chambers  34  are fully open ( FIG. 1D ). The heelpiece  20  is then pulled out of said dual chambers  34  created by this action and is fully disengaged from the unit  12 . Letting go of the release button  18  uncoils the 2 springs  26  behind the button plate  14  allowing the button plate  14  to slide automatically back into rest position  36 . The button plate  14  slides, snaps, back to rest position  36  where the springs  26  are uncoiled and are also in rest position  36  ( FIG. 1A-C ). 
     Advantages 
     
         
         
           
             (a) This mechanism is quick, easy and simple in its design, construction and use. 
             (b) The heelpiece itself can take on infinite variations of styling and design from height to contour as a result of the standardized attachment mechanism being localized to the top, flat end of the heelpiece thus having no impact or interference on the heel design itself. 
             (c) The dual engaging and hooking feature and the housing unit can take on various corresponding sizes and dimensions relevant to the shoe and its heel base on the outsole. 
           
         
       
    
     CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     
         
         
           
             All of the standardized shoe heel attachment mechanism parts can be manufactured using various materials, which would include metals, plastics, woods and resins. This would apply to any and all parts in various combinations of materials within said mechanism, excluding screws, which will be composed of metal. 
             The said parts, being constructed out of said materials, embody durability and strength and thereby the safety of locking securely in place. 
             Women potentially keep and wear their shoes for a very long time. This mechanism has only one moving part, the springs. For longevity purposes, any number of springs can be housed behind the button plate for use in the unit for purposes of durability and wear and tear. Replacing the springs is the only repair that would potentially require action. This is not a quick fix. Therefore, ensuring the quality and longevity of the springs is of utmost importance.