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  Self stabilizing adjustable dihedral heel assembly and shoe including the sameUSPTO Application #: 20060101670Title: Self stabilizing adjustable dihedral heel assembly and shoe including the same Abstract: A shoe having an upper, a sole and an adjustable heel assembly including a first heel member connected to the sole at a rear portion thereof and a second heel member arranged at least partially within the first heel member. The second heel member is movable relative to the first member between a first position in which the first and second heel members provide the heel with a first height and a second position in which the first and second heel members provide the heel with a second height greater than the first height. An improved self stabilizing second heel member with a beveled bottom surface is provided which has a first contact surface contacting the ground in the first position and a second contact surface contacting the ground in the second position. (end of abstract) Agent: Wolf Block Schorr And Solis-cohen LLP - New York, NY, US Inventor: Gladys L. Bucalo USPTO Applicaton #: 20060101670 - Class: 036081000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Foot Elevators The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060101670. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to adjustable heel assemblies and shoes having adjustable heel assemblies which enable shoes to be worn at multiple heel heights and, more particularly, to adjustable heel assemblies of the type which include a first heel member having an interior compartment and a second heel member at least partially receivable within the interior compartment for movement between at least first and second positions providing the heel assembly with respective first and second heights. An improved self stabilizing second heel member is provided having a beveled bottom surface region. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Currently available high-heel shoes for women have a relatively large heel which is fixed to the sole and have a single, predetermined height. This fact has some significant disadvantages for the wearer. In particular, individuals wearing high-heel shoes often experience fatigue or discomfort in their feet because the high heel requires the foot to be bent into an unnatural position. It is also known that prolonged wearing of high-heel shoes can lead to more serious foot problems. Furthermore, some women prefer to wear shoes with relatively low heels at one time of the day, for example, while commuting to work, and then change to shoes with relatively high heels while at work and again back to the shoes with low heels after work. [0003] In order to relieve foot fatigue or discomfort, prevent the development of foot problems or meet personal preferences, a woman is therefore compelled to change from shoes having a relatively high heel to another pair of shoes with a different, lower heel height. It is inconvenient to carry another such pair of shoes and the process of changing shoes is very time consuming. [0004] Applicants have proposed several arrangements of adjustable heel assemblies in their U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,887,360, 6,021,586, 6,578,289, and 6,785,987, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, which include first outer heel members having interior compartments and second inner heel members at least partially receivable within the interior compartments for movement between at least first and second positions relative to the first heel member. Various locking mechanisms for releasably locking the heel members to each other when the inner heel member is at either the first or the second position are disclosed which releasably fix the heel assemblies to each other at either the first or the second position to provide the heel assembly with a respective first or second height. [0005] In some adjustable heel assemblies, the inner heel member is not entirely satisfactory during use because a wearer may not be able to maintain stability and remain balanced due to the inflexibility of the sole of the shoe. When moving the adjustable heel assembly between first and second positions, the sole does not bend because of a metal shank embedded in the sole. As a result, when the shoe is worn with the inner heel block in the second lowered position with the toe area contacting the ground, both the inner heel member and the outer heel member are tilted forward so that the inner heel block contacts the ground with only a narrow surface of a front edge. Since the surface of the front edge has a minuscule surface area in contact with the ground, there is low traction for the wearer which could result in slipping or falling. Furthermore, as the wearer walks, a minuscule surface area in contact with the ground coupled with lateral shifts in the wearer's weight may cause the shoe to rock sideways. This side to side instability could easily lead to a twisted or broken ankle. [0006] Therefore, for the reasons stated above, there is currently a need for an adjustable heel assembly having an inner heel block which has sufficient contact with the ground when the adjustable heel assembly is in the first and second positions. The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by including an adjustable heel assembly comprising an outer heel casing and an inner heel block having a beveled bottom surface region. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved adjustable heel assemblies and shoes incorporating the same. [0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved adjustable heel assemblies of the type which include a first heel member having an interior compartment and a second heel member at least partially receivable within the interior compartment for adjustable movement between the two height positions, and shoes incorporating the same. [0009] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable heel assembly and shoes incorporating the same, of the type having an improved second heel member with a beveled bottom surface. [0010] A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable heel assembly and shoes incorporating the same, of the type having inner and outer heel members, the inner heel member having a beveled bottom surface forming a non-coplanar dihedral angle. [0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable heel assembly and shoes incorporating the same, of the type having an inner heel member having a beveled attachment on its bottom surface. [0012] It is yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable heel assembly and shoes incorporating the same, of the type having inner heel member having a beveled bottom surface which provides sufficient traction with the ground at both height positions and prevents a wearer from slipping, falling or twisting an ankle. [0013] It is still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved adjustable heel assembly and shoes incorporating the same, having a new and improved second heel member with a beveled bottom surface which is self stabilizing at both height positions. [0014] Briefly, these and other objects are attained by providing in a first embodiment a heel assembly including a first outer heel member having an interior compartment, a second heel member at least partially situated in the compartment so as to be movable between a first position providing the heel assembly with the first height and a second position providing the heel assembly with a second height. The second heel member is provided with a beveled bottom surface having a first contact surface and a second contact surface. [0015] The first contact surface and the second contact surface form a non-coplanar dihedral angle which permits sufficient traction with the ground when second heel member is in both the first position or the second position. The first contact surface contacts the ground when the second heel member is in the first raised position, which provides the heel assembly with the first decreased height. The second contact surface contacts the ground when the second heel member is in the second lowered position, which provides the heel assembly with the second increased height. [0016] The beveled bottom surface permits more contact area with the ground and thus uniformly distributes gravitational forces on the second heel member and the first outer heel member, and eliminates the tendency of the first outer heel member and the second heel member to tilt during normal walking. [0017] In a second embodiment a second heel member may be shorter than the second heel member of the first embodiment and include a beveled attachment. The beveled attachment includes a plurality of prongs which are inserted into a plurality of openings in a bottom of the first outer heel member. The beveled bottom surface of the second heel member of both embodiments provides stabilization of the heel assembly at the first and second positions so that a wearer does not slip, fall or twist an ankle joint. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0018] A more complete appreciation of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: [0019] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view in section showing a prior art adjustable heel assembly in which an inner heel member is shown in a first position; [0020] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view in section showing a prior art adjustable heel assembly in which an inner heel member is shown in a second position; Continue reading... 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