Patent Abstract:
Devices, methods, and systems discussed herein relate to a high-heeled shoe; and more particularly, for providing improved comfort and/or to alleviate foot pain related to the wearing of a high-heeled shoe. For example, a high-heeled shoe may include an insole or a top outer layer and a bottom rigid structure. The bottom rigid structure may include a front portion, a mid portion, and an end portion. The front portion of the bottom rigid structure may include a cavity or cut-out portion for insertion of an encapsulated gel. When the shoe is worn, the encapsulated gel may expand laterally in response to an introduction of pressure on a top surface of the encapsulated gel thereby dispersing pressure on the balls of the foot.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a device, method, and/or system for alleviating pressure, soreness, or pain to a person&#39;s foot resulting from the person wearing a high-heeled shoe. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A woman&#39;s high-heeled shoe, commonly known as “high-heels” or just “heels”, is a vital part of any woman&#39;s shoe collection. Traditional high-heels are virtually the only accepted form of footwear for a woman attending a formal or professional event. However, because high-heels have evolved and become more popular as a fashion statement, “pumps”, “stilettos”, “wedges”, and other types of casual high-heeled shoes have also achieved significant success in the marketplace. 
         [0005]    Despite the increased popularity of high-heels and variations thereof, at least one major drawback remains. In contrast to flat-soled shoes such as sneakers or sandals where the weight of a woman&#39;s body is spread out over the entire foot, high-heeled shoes require that a woman carry more or most of her weight on the balls of her foot, thereby focusing significant pressure on the front area of the foot. For example, for flat, non-high-heeled shoes, less than 50% of the person&#39;s weight is distributed over the balls of the person&#39;s foot. However, for high-heeled shoes having at least a two-inch heel, over 70% of the person&#39;s weight may be borne by the balls of the person&#39;s foot, which is an increase of over 20%. Such discomfort may be further exacerbated as a result of the height of the heels, which elevate the person in the heel or calcaneus area of the foot. As heel height increases, the percentage of a person&#39;s weight borne by the balls of the foot also increases. The medical issues that may arise from wearing high-heels are not limited to pain in the front area of the foot, but may extend to other areas of the foot, ankle, knee, hip, and even the person&#39;s back. Moreover, high-heels may significantly alter a person&#39;s natural stance, posture, and/or gait. Not surprisingly, women commonly report pain or discomfort after walking in high-heels. However, for most women, the price of discomfort is still worth the benefits of wearing high-heels. 
         [0006]    The structural differences between flat-heeled and high-heeled shoes are also very significant. For example, flat-heeled shoes such as sneakers allow greater flexibility and movement so that the wearer can pronate her feet. However, because high-heels are designed to increase a woman&#39;s height by slanting the foot forward and down while elevating the heel away from the ground, high-heels that are too flexible and unsupported may pose a risk of injury. Accordingly, a rigid structure may be beneficial to reduce foot, ankle, and other injuries. 
         [0007]    Because aesthetic appeal is typically the primary driving factor in the sale of high-heeled shoes, any advancement in high-heeled shoes must be designed with aesthetic appeal in mind. Moreover, because of the structural and stylistic elements peculiar to high-heels, advancements developed for other types of footwear (e.g., sneakers) cannot simply be imported and applied to high-heels. What is needed is a high-heeled shoe that minimizes discomfort without significantly restricting the design attributes of the high-heeled shoe. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    This Summary is included as to introduce, in an abbreviated form, various topics to be elaborated upon below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential aspects of the claimed invention. This Summary is similarly not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claims. 
         [0009]    Devices, methods, and systems discussed herein relate to a high-heeled shoe and more particularly, for providing improved comfort and/or to alleviate foot pain related to the wearing of a high-heeled shoe. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, a high-heeled shoe may include an insole or a top outer layer and a bottom rigid structure. The bottom rigid structure may include a front portion, a mid portion and an end portion. The front portion of the bottom rigid structure may include a cavity or cut-out portion for insertion of an encapsulated member. When the shoe is worn, the encapsulated member may expand laterally in response to an introduction of pressure on a top surface of the encapsulated member thereby dispersing pressure on the balls of the foot. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment, the cavity for the encapsulated member may be configured to contact one side of a foam layer, while the other side of the foam layer contacts a bottom surface of the encapsulated member. In other words, the foam layer may separate the surface of the cavity from a surface of the encapsulated member. 
         [0012]    In one embodiment, a high-heeled shoe may include a top rigid structure and a bottom layer. The top rigid structure may be shaped to have a raised end portion, a sloped mid portion and a substantially flat front portion. The top rigid structure may further include an embedded encapsulated member located within a cut-out or cavity of the top rigid structure. The bottom layer may include a flexible flat portion and a heel portion attached to a heel stake. The bottom layer may be attached to the top rigid structure such that the flexible flat portion may take the shape of the top rigid structure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The features, obstacles, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a high-heeled shoe in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0015]      FIG. 1B  illustrates a deconstructed high-heeled shoe of  FIG. 1A  in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0016]      FIG. 1C  illustrates a further deconstructed high-heeled shoe of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0017]      FIG. 1D  illustrates an exploded view of the high-heeled shoe of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  1 C in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0018]      FIG. 1E  illustrates a side view of the high-heeled shoe of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C and  1 D in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a perspective view of an encapsulated member in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a top view of an encapsulated member in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2C  illustrates a side view of an encapsulated member in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a high heeled shoe in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a deconstructed high-heeled shoe of  FIG. 3A  in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3C  illustrates a further deconstructed high-heeled shoe of  FIGS. 3A and 3B  in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0025]      FIG. 3D  illustrates an exploded view of the high-heeled shoe of  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3E  illustrates a side view of the high-heeled shoe of  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  3 C and  3 D in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4A  illustrates a high-heeled shoe in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4B  illustrates a first component of a deconstructed high-heeled shoe of  FIG. 4A  in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4C  illustrates a second component of a deconstructed high-heeled shoe of  FIG. 4A  in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4D  illustrates an exploded view of the high-heeled shoe of  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B and  4 C in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0031]      FIG. 4E  illustrates a side view of the high-heeled shoe of  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B,  4 C and  4 D in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0032]      FIG. 5A  illustrates a high-heeled shoe in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; 
           [0033]      FIG. 5B  illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of the high-heeled shoe of  FIG. 5A  in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 6  illustrates a view of a high-heeled shoe showing the different geometric planes therein in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]    Apparatus, systems, and/or methods that implement the embodiments of the various features of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate some embodiments of the present invention and not to limit the scope of the present invention. Throughout the drawings, reference numbers are re-used to indicate correspondence between referenced elements. 
         [0036]    As used herein, the terms “front portion”, “mid portion” and “end portion” are used to describe different portions of the shoe. In some embodiments, the front portion may correspond to the area of the shoe which contacts or corresponds with a “ball of the foot” or an area between the arch and the end of the toes—which may or might not include the toes themselves. In some embodiments, the mid portion may correspond to the area of the shoe which contacts or corresponds with an arch of the foot. In some embodiments, the end portion may correspond to the area of the shoe which contacts or corresponds with a heel of the foot. Accordingly, “front portion” may be used interchangeably with “ball portion”, “mid portion” may be used interchangeably with “arch portion” and “end portion” may be used interchangeably with “heel portion”. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “rigid” includes, but is not limited to, different degrees of rigidity from semi-rigid (e.g., a durometer of 80) to very rigid (e.g., a durometer of 115), but preferably is within a durometer range of between about 80-115, and more preferably is within a durometer range of between about 90-105. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a platform high-heeled shoe  100  with a front portion  105 , a mid portion  110 , an end portion  115  and a heel portion  120 . Other portions of the shoe that hold the foot to the shoe (e.g., shoe straps) have been omitted for clarity. While the shoe  100  is illustrated to have a heel length of over two inches, the heel length may vary. The heel length may be defined as the difference between the height of the heel raised above the ground and the height of the toes raised above the ground. As the heel length increases, the slope of the mid portion  110  and the end portion  115  may also increase. 
         [0038]      FIG. 1B  illustrates a deconstructed view of the shoe  100 . The shoe  100  may include a top outer layer  130  which may be a flat, thin platform for the foot to rest upon. The top outer layer  130  may include a front portion  135  for placement of the toes and the balls of the foot, a mid portion  140  for placement of the arch or “middle” of the foot, and an end portion  145  for placement of the heel of the foot. The top outer layer  130  may be attached on top of a bottom rigid structure  150  when the shoe  100  is fully constructed. The bottom rigid structure  150  may include a front portion  155 , a mid portion  160 , and an end portion  165  which correspond directly and may be in physical contact with the front portion  135 , the mid portion  140 , and the end portion  145  of the top outer layer  130 , respectively. The bottom rigid structure  150  may include a rigid base  175  constructed out of a hard polymer or plastic and may be configured to support and withstand several hundred pounds of human weight without breaking. In one embodiment, the rigid base  175  may be non-flexible (e.g., not capable of bending). The rigid base  175  may span the front portion  155 , the mid portion  160  and the end portion  165  of the bottom rigid structure  150 . An encapsulated member  170  may be inserted into the rigid base  175 . The rigid base  175  may be configured to form a continuous, rigid border around the edges of the encapsulated member  170 . For example, the rigid base  175  may form a border of at least three-sixteenth of an inch, but the border may increase to over half an inch in some embodiments. The border might not be uniform in width surrounding the encapsulated member  170 . In one embodiment, the border may be formed by cutting out a portion of the rigid base  175  or forming the rigid base  175  with a cavity for the encapsulated member  170 . In this manner, the encapsulated member  170  may be held in place and localized only in the front portion  155  of the bottom rigid structure  150 . For design purposes, an outer layer  180  may surround the outside edges of the rigid base  175 . In one embodiment, several holes  185  and  190  may be drilled or formed into the rigid base  175  which may allow the shoe  100  to minimally flex, thereby preventing the shoe  100  from cracking when a large amount of pressure is exerted on the shoe  100  by the wearer&#39;s weight. The holes  185  and  190  may be differently sized, and may range from 2-3 millimeters to 5-6 millimeters in diameter. The holes  185  and  190  may be drilled in the mid portion  160  and the end portion  165  and may be orthogonal to the surface upon which the shoe  100  is resting. As the mid portion  160  and the end portion  165  may be sloped, the holes  185  and  190  may be non-orthogonal to the mid portion  160  and the end portion  165 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 1C  illustrates a further deconstructed view of the bottom rigid structure  150  of the shoe  100 . As shown, the encapsulated member  170  has been removed to better illustrate the cavity  197 . In addition, an optional thin foam layer  195  is shown in the cavity  197 . The cavity  197  may be formed by a continuous smooth wall substantially similar in shape as the thin foam layer  195  and the encapsulated member  170 . The cavity  197  may have a depth slightly less than the thickness of a combination of the thin foam layer  195  and the encapsulated member  170 . In other words, when the encapsulated member  170  is positioned inside the cavity  197 , the top of the encapsulated member  170  may protrude out of the cavity  197 . Accordingly, when the top layer  130  is affixed to the bottom rigid structure  150 , the encapsulated member  170  may slightly bulge and press into the top layer  130 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 1D  illustrates an exploded view of the shoe  100 . As shown, the top outer layer  130  may cover the bottom rigid structure  150  when the encapsulated member  170  is inserted into the cavity  197  of the bottom rigid structure  150 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 1E  illustrates a side view of the shoe  100  with a cross sectional view of the front portion  155 . As shown, the encapsulated member  170  may be located in and/or fixed to one or more walls of the bottom rigid structure  150  forming the cavity  197 . As shown, the top of the encapsulated member  170  may protrude out of the cavity  197 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a perspective view of the encapsulated member  200 , as isolated from the shoe  100 . In the absence of an encapsulated member  200 , pressure caused by walking on a high-heeled shoe is mostly re-absorbed by the balls of the foot since the structure of a high-heeled shoe is typically rigid and non-compliant, even if other layers or materials are included to cushion the foot. In contrast, the inclusion of the encapsulated member  200  operates to disperse pressure placed on the foot. The encapsulated member  200  may be constructed of an elastic membrane (e.g., a plastic) infused with a viscous fluid or gel. Alternatively, the encapsulated member  200  may be filled with air, water and/or any other appropriate substance. While any non-rigid substance may be utilized, a gel may be preferred. 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIG. 2B , when a force is exerted on the filled portion  230  of the encapsulated member  200  (e.g., by a person stepping on the shoe), lateral displacement of the substance within the filled portion  230  may result. In so doing, the encapsulated member  200  enlarges the point of pressure on the balls of the foot. Pressure caused by walking on the high-heeled shoe is thereby dispersed over a larger area (i.e., over the surface area of the encapsulated member  200 ) instead of being focused and directed on one small point. As a result, the foot may feel reduced pressure and the wearer may be able to walk a longer duration before feeling any discomfort. In one embodiment, by having the encapsulated member  200  at the front portion of the shoe  100 , the encapsulated member  200  does not suffer from increased internal pressure resulting from too large of a surface area. 
         [0044]    In one embodiment, the encapsulated member  200  may be asymmetrically formed. Alternatively, the encapsulated member  200  may be configured to be symmetrical and may be a geometric (e.g., square, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, etc.) or non-geometric shape (e.g., shaped to mimic the footprint of a typical foot). In one embodiment, the encapsulated member  200  may have an enlarged flat base  205  including a continuous flange portion  225  about the perimeter. The continuous flange portion  225  is about one-eighths of an inch wide. However, any width (e.g., between one-sixteenth of an inch to a half of an inch) may be possible. As viewed in  FIG. 2B , the continuous flange portion  225  is relatively thin compared to the actual thickness of the filled portion  230 . The continuous flange portion  225  may function to create a space between the encapsulated member  200  and the cavity in which the encapsulated member  200  sits. This space allows the encapsulated member  200  to laterally expand without leaking or otherwise losing efficacy when pressure is exerted on a top surface of the encapsulated member  200 . The continuous flange portion  225  may also serve to ensure that the encapsulated member  200  is fixed to one position and does not move about the cavity (e.g., cavity  197 ). An optional adhesive may be used to further fix the encapsulated member  200  to the cavity  197 . However, an adhesive alone might not be as effective without the continuous flange portion  225  or might not function for a long enough duration. In one embodiment, the encapsulated member  200  may further include a top portion  210  and a bottom portion  215  separated by an indented portion  220 . 
         [0045]    In one embodiment, the encapsulated member  200  may have a flat base without any flanges (not shown). In other words, the surface area of the top surface and the surface area of the bottom surface may be equal. 
         [0046]      FIG. 2C  is a side view of the encapsulated member  200 . Although the height of the indented divider  220  is shown to be approximately half the height of the other filled portions  230 , other height ratios are possible. In one embodiment, the ratio of the height of the indented divider  220  to the height of the other filled portions  230  may decrease proportionally as the height of the heel increases. The indented portion  220  may allow for a portion of an attached layer to protrude into the indented portion  220 , thereby reducing slippage and increasing the effectiveness of the encapsulated member  200 . In one embodiment, the indented portion  220  may be removed or omitted resulting in an encapsulated member  200  having a continuous volume of gel. 
         [0047]      FIG. 3A  illustrates a classic high-heeled shoe  300  with a front portion  305 , a mid portion  310 , an end portion  315 , and a heel stake  320 . As shown, the mid portion  310  may be raised off the ground by the heel stake  320 , the latter of which may vary in height. Other portions of the shoe  300  which may hold the foot to the shoe (e.g., shoe straps) have been omitted for clarity. 
         [0048]      FIG. 3B  illustrates a deconstructed view of the shoe  300 . The shoe  300  may include a top outer layer  330  which may be configured to rest upon a bottom structure  350 . The top outer layer  330  may include a front portion  335  for placement of the toes and the balls of the foot, a mid portion  340  for placement of the arch or “middle” of the foot, and an end portion  345  for placement of the heel of the foot. The top outer layer  330  may be attached on top of the bottom structure  350  when the shoe  300  is fully constructed. The bottom structure  350  may include a front portion  355 , a mid portion  360 , and an end portion  365  which correspond directly and may be in physical contact with the front portion  335 , the mid portion  340 , and the end portion  345  of the top outer layer  330 , respectively. The bottom structure  350  may include a thick, rigid base  375  at the front portion  355 . The rigid base  375  may include a front lip  380  about the perimeter of the front portion  355 . The front lip  380  may be configured to hold the front portion  335  of the top outer layer  330  in place when the shoe  300  is fully constructed. The rigid base  375  may also include a cavity towards the center of the rigid base  375  for holding the encapsulated member  370 . In one embodiment, the rigid base  375  may be constructed out of a hard polymer or plastic and may be configured to support and withstand several hundred pounds of human weight without breaking. The rigid base  375  may be configured to form a continuous, rigid border around the edges of the encapsulated member  370 . For example, the rigid base  375  may form a border of at least three-sixteenth of an inch, but the border may increase to over half an inch in some embodiments. The border might not be uniform in width surrounding the encapsulated member  370 . In one embodiment, the border may be formed by cutting out a portion of the rigid base  375  or forming the rigid base  375  with a cavity for the encapsulated member  370 . In this manner, the encapsulated member  370  may be held in place and localized in the front portion  355  of the bottom structure  350 . 
         [0049]    Attached to the rigid base  375  is the mid portion  360 . The mid portion  360  may be a thin, flexible structure for supporting the mid portion  340  of the top outer layer  330 . In one embodiment, the mid portion  360  may be a thin piece of wood. Attached to the mid portion  360  is the end portion  365  of the bottom structure  350 . The heel stake  320  may be attached towards the center of the end portion  365  and raise the foot off the ground. 
         [0050]      FIG. 3C  illustrates a further deconstructed view of the bottom structure  350  of shoe  300 . As shown, the encapsulated member  370  has been removed to better illustrate the cavity  397 . In addition, an optional foam layer  395  is shown remaining in the cavity  397 . The cavity  397  may be formed by a continuous smooth wall substantially similar in shape as the foam layer  395  and the encapsulated member  370 . The cavity  397  may have a depth slightly smaller than a thickness of the combination of the thin foam layer  395  and the encapsulated member  370 . In other words, when the encapsulated member  370  is positioned inside the cavity  397 , the top of the encapsulated member  370  may protrude out of the cavity  397 . In one embodiment, encapsulated member  370  may be the encapsulated member  200  as discussed above with respect to  FIGS. 2A-2C . 
         [0051]      FIG. 3D  illustrates an exploded view of the shoe  300 . As shown, the top outer layer  330  may cover the bottom structure  350  when encapsulated member  370  is inserted into the cavity  397  of the bottom structure  350 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 3E  illustrates a side view of the shoe  300  with a cross sectional view of the front portion  355 . As shown, the encapsulated member  370  may be located in and/or fixed to one or more walls of the bottom rigid structure  350  forming the cavity  397 . As shown, the top of the encapsulated member  370  may protrude out of the cavity  397 . 
         [0053]    Turning to  FIG. 4A , a high-heeled shoe  400  is illustrated with a front portion  405 , a mid portion  410 , an end portion  415 , and a heel stake  420 . As shown, the mid portion  410  may be raised off the ground by the heel stake  420 , the latter of which may vary in height. Other portions of the shoe that hold the foot to the shoe (e.g., shoe straps) have been omitted for clarity. 
         [0054]      FIG. 4B  is a deconstructed view of the shoe  400 , and in particular, the top rigid layer  430  of the shoe  400 . The top rigid layer  430  may sit on top of (and be attached to) bottom liner layer  450  of  FIG. 4C . The top rigid layer  430  may include a front portion  435  for placement of the toes and the balls of the foot, a mid portion  440  for placement of the arch or “middle” of the foot, and an end portion  445  for placement of the heel of the foot. As shown, the structure of the top rigid layer  430  may be flat at the front portion  435  and slope upwards when moving from the front portion  435  to the end portion  445 . The top rigid layer  430  may be a polymer wrapped with a soft vinyl or leather outer surface. Additional inserts such as a suede lining may be added. The top rigid layer  430  may also include an encapsulated member  470  (e.g., encapsulated member  200 ) embedded inside of the front portion  435  of the top rigid layer  430 . While not shown, the encapsulated member  470  may sit within a cavity (e.g., similarly to encapsulated member  170  and  370 ). As shown by the dotted border, the encapsulated member  470  may be located within a central portion of the front portion  435 , and may be surrounded laterally and underneath by a rigid structure having a durometer rating higher than the encapsulated member  470 . In addition, the encapsulated member  470  may be covered with soft vinyl or leather. Because the soft vinyl or leather covering is not rigid, the encapsulated member  470  may absorb and disperse pressure when the balls of the foot press against the top rigid layer  430 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 4C  illustrates the bottom liner layer  450 . The bottom liner layer  450  may include a flexible portion  455 , a rigid portion  460 , and a heel stake  420 . The flexible portion  455  may be thin and constructed out of a dense foam or elastic polymer. The flexible portion  455  may correspond with and span the front portion  435  of the top rigid layer  430  and the mid portion  440  of the top rigid layer  430 . The flexible portion  455  may also be attached to the heel stake  420  in a tapered manner along side a flat length of the heel stake  420 . The flexible portion  455  may be configured to take the shape of the top rigid layer  430  when attached to the top rigid layer  430  and further support the attachment of the heel stake  420  to the end portion  445  of the top rigid layer  430 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 4D  illustrates an exploded view of the shoe of  FIG. 4A-4C . As shown, top rigid layer  430  may include an encapsulated member  470  embedded within a top layer and a bottom rigid layer  495  fixed to or sitting within a cavity  497  of the bottom rigid layer  495 . The top rigid layer  430  may be attached to the heel stake  420  and the flexible portion  455 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 4E  illustrates a side view of the shoe  400  with a cross sectional view of the front portion  455 . As shown, the encapsulated member  470  may be located in and/or fixed to one or more walls of the top rigid layer  430  forming the cavity  497 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 5A  illustrates an embodiment of a high-heeled boot  500  having a front portion  505 , a mid portion  510 , an end portion  515 , and a heel stake  520 .  FIG. 5B  illustrates a close-up, cross-sectional view of a front portion  505  of the high-heeled boot  500  of  FIG. 5A . As shown, the insole of the front portion  505  may include a first lining layer  530  followed by a foam layer  535 , and then a rigid structural layer  575  with an encapsulated member  570 . The first lining layer  530  may be configured to be a thin upper membrane configured to contact the foot (or sock). The membrane may be any suitable material including suede, vinyl, leather, and the like. The foam  535  may be configured to take the form of the user&#39;s foot when pressure from the foot is transferred to the foam  535  (e.g., “memory” foam). The rigid structural layer  575  may be similar to the rigid base  175  or  375  and may include a cavity for the encapsulated member  570 . As the layers of material between the foot and the encapsulated member  570  are all compliant and relatively thin, the pressure (and force) from the foot is still transferred to the encapsulated member  570  for dispersal. 
         [0059]      FIG. 6  illustrates a view of a high-heeled shoe  600  showing the different geometric planes therein in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. The geometric planes illustrated with respect to the shoe  600  may be applicable to any high heeled shoe discussed herein. As shown, the shoe  600  may be divided into a front or “balls” portion  605  being defined by or lying along a first plane  655 , a mid or arch portion  610  being defined by or lying along a second plane  660  and an end or heel portion  615  being defined by or lying along a third plane  665 . The first plane  655  may lie along a substantially flat surface of the front portion  605  and have a slope of zero or close to zero. The second plane  660  may lie along a substantially flat surface of the mid portion  610  and have a slope greater than the slope of the first plane  655 . In one embodiment, the angle created between the first plane  655  and the second plane  660  is between 90 degrees and 150 degrees, but preferably between 115 degrees and 135 degrees. The third plane  665  may lie along a substantial flat surface of the end portion  615  and may have a slope equal to or less than the second plane  660 . As shown, the three planes,  655 ,  660  and  665  may all be non-parallel. However, in some embodiments, planes  655  and  665  may be parallel to one another. Regardless, the distance between the intersection points of the planes  655  and  665  and axis  670  is at least one inch. However, preferably, the distance between the intersection points is one and a half inches or greater. 
         [0060]    Several examples of different embodiments of a high-heeled shoe have been illustrated and described herein. However, the concepts described herein are not limited to the specific embodiments but may be applicable to any high-heeled sandal, shoe, boot or footwear. In addition, skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the disclosed apparatus and/or methods. 
         [0061]    The previous description of examples is provided to enable any person of ordinary skill in the art to make or use the disclosed methods and apparatus. Various modifications to these examples will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the principles defined herein may be applied to other examples without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed method and apparatus. The elements and uses of the above-described embodiments can be rearranged and combined in manners other than specifically described above, with any and all permutations within the scope of invention. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive and the scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. In addition, the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, and all embodiments of the invention need not necessarily achieve all the advantages or purposes or possess all characteristics identified herein.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0