| Claims
1. Protection device for a heel, comprising, a housing, a movable device mounted on the housing, said movable device permits a pivot opening and the movable device having a locking device, designed for, to fasten and lock the movable device to the housing, one or more resilient inner elements, disposed in the housing and designed for, to adapt to the shape of the heel to be introduced and to be in contact with the heel after introducing of the heel.
2. Protection device for a heel according to claim 1, wherein said one or more inner elements are produced of plastics, specifically a plastics on silicone basis.
3. Protection device for a heel according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the movable device for closure has a trap-technique device, specifically with hooking, or is achieved by hook and loop fastener, clamp fastener or press button fastener.
4. Protection device for a heel according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing has bottom sided a heel layer, specifically a heel layer providing an increased slipping strength.
5. Protection device for a heel according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing is produced of plastics.
6. Protection device for a heel according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing narrows upwards or has the same cross section face along the total housing height.
7. Protection device for a heel according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an opening in the housing has a clearance of approximately 6 to 20 mm.
8. Protection device for a heel according to any of the preceding claims, wherein an opening in the housing is essentially centrally disposed for the heel to be introduced.
9. Shoe having a flexible and or mobile protection device according to any of the preceding claims.
10. Kit, comprising, a protection device according to any of the preceding claims and a cover for the protection device, specifically a fabric cover. |
Protection device for a heel
The present invention relates to a protection device as well as a walking improvement for a heel, particularly for a high-heeled-shoe-heel.
Shoes having a high heel and/or a heel having a comparable small stepping face, as for example so called high-heeled-shoes, have many disadvantages in everyday use. Specifically, when the users want to get along speedy and safer in slippery path conditions or more difficult territory conditions, they offer their users no safe standing und require some exercise. There is moreover, as is known, the danger that such heels may sink or dip in gaps between cobblestones, grate openings or on unsecured paths, and may be thereby damaged and polluted. If hereby the heel hooks in the ground, users may come to fall or make a false step acquiring injuries. Also in motoring, the heel will often be affected (rubdown) by the sit and foot position.
Thus, an object of the invention resides in providing a protection device for heels, which can be easily and quickly mounted on the heels, permitting the users a safe wearing of shoes, specifically of high-heeled-shoes, and prevents a pollution of the heel or renders difficult. Moreover, the protection device according the invention should not merely be suitable for a specific pair of shoes but also for shoes with various types of heels, and specifically with different heel heights, -shapes and widths.
This object is solved by a protection device for a heel. It comprises a housing, if necessary a movable device mounted on the housing, said movable device permitting a pivot opening and said movable device has then a locking device, being designed for fastening the movable device on the housing, as well as one or more resilient inner elements, which are disposed in the housing and are designed for adapting to the shape of the heel to be introduced and to be in contact with the heel after introducing of the heel.
Moreover, the present invention describes a shoe having a flexible protection device according to the invention, as well as a kit, comprising a protection device and a storage cover according to the invention, particularly a fabric cover for the protection device.
The protection device for a heel comprises a housing generated of a suitable material. The use of a housing made of plastics, specifically of a plastic having a high impact and breaking strength, for example injection moulding plastics or PVC, is advantageously for this purpose. Such a plastic may be imbued and provided in different colours. Additionally, the production also comprises variations with applied or imbued decor and/or logos of the most different kind, as well as decorative embellishment with materials of all sorts, especially jewellery of glass stones.
In the drawings shows drawing 1 a model of wood in an inserted condition, shows drawing 2 an introduced heel in a closed/locked condition, shows drawing 3 an opened housing with potential inner life.
A movable device is attached to this housing, for example anchored in this housing, if necessary on a shaft side. The mounting may be achieved by different procedures known in the art, for example sticking into, welding, fastening with a screw or nails, or related fasteners, or moulding of a section of the movable device in the production of the plastic heel. There is also the possibility of an attachable protection device, performed without pivot part.
The movable device permits, if necessary a pivot opening for easy and more rapid introducing of the heel in the housing and having a locking device, designed for firmly enclosing the movable device on the housing of a shoe heel in locking. For this purpose especially a movable device having a device based on a trap-technique, preferably with hooking, a hook and loop fastener, a clamp fastener or/and press button fastener may be used. This movable device permits an easy opening or closing procedure which may already be carried out by a pressure of a finger.
In the housing and if necessary on the pivot part, one or more resilient inner elements are disposed, these inner elements are designed for adapting to the shape and diameter (cross section) of the heel to be introduced and to be in contact with the heel after introducing of the heel. Thereby, an acceptance of different heel profiles and a firm fit of the heel in the housing is permitted. For this purpose the resilient inner elements are disposed on certain places in the inside of the heel housing and form a heightening therein. Specifically, plastic elements produced of a "soft" or elastic plastics, for example of a plastic on silicone basis, are suitable.
Bottom sided a layer may be provided on the housing, that means on the opposite end of the housing of the sole of the shoe. Such a layer may for example provide an increased slipping strength or enhanced wear strength. For example, the layer may be applied by spraying or represents a heel layer, specifically made of plastics and may be mounted on the housing, for example by gluing and/or fastening with nails or the like. Particularly, the bottom side of the housing may be gummed permitting a non-slip grip/grasp. Furthermore a grip/grasp improvement may also be provided by a certain profiling (grating) of the face (side) of the housing turned to the bottom, or a roughening.
The housing may have the same cross section face along the total housing height (in viewing of a section plane parallel to the bottom and/or the bottom sided heel face) or the housing may be narrowed upwards concave or convex (that means the cross section faces of section planes parallel to the bottom and/or of the bottom sided heel face minimise). Moreover, other shapes of the housing are possible, for example wavelike housing shapes (that means housings having curved limitations of the cross section faces of section planes parallel to the bottom and/or of the bottom sided heel face). Additionally, the housing may have a rectangular, cylindrical, cubical, parallelepiped or another suitable shape.
The housing has on the side (top side) opposite and opposed to the bottom principally, also if necessary with existing pivot opening possibility, an opening into which the heel will be introduced. This opening comprises a depth corresponding to the total height of the housing minus a static sufficiently strong bottom plate (in viewing of a section plane parallel to the bottom and/or the bottom sided heel face).
The housing has in the inside an opening form, which may have the same cross section face along the total housing height (in viewing a section plane parallel to the bottom and/or the bottom sided heel face) or may broaden or narrow upwards (that means the cross section faces of section planes parallel to the bottom and/or the bottom sided heel face or upwards enlarge or minimise).
Moreover, the housing opening may be adapted to heels having a rectangular, polygonal, square, rhombic, round cross section (referred to cross section faces of section planes parallel to the bottom and/or the bottom sided heel face). The housing opening may thereby have a clearance of approximately 6 to 20 mm, wherein the term clearance indicates the diameter in case of openings having round or oval cross section and indicates a diagonal in case of openings having quadrangular or polygonal cross section.
Specifically of advantage is when the opening in the housing is disposed essentially centrally and specifically when the distance of the heel has essentially the same size to the two longitudinal edges of the housing opening.
The protection device according to the invention may have a bottom sided seat area of approximately 15 to 35 mm and a total installation height of approximately 15 to 50 mm. These values refer to the housing, if necessary to the housing with the additional heel layer.
Besides the aforesaid detailed described elements, a protection device according to the invention may be complemented by further components being necessary for the installation and/or for the improvement of the function according to the common knowledge of the skilled person.
It should be noted, that the present invention is suitable for most different shoe types and shapes, specifically for so called high-heeled shoes. Particularly, a protection device according to the invention is suitable for shoes having a heel height of at least 2 cm, preferably of at least 3 cm, preferred of at least 4.5 cm, and/or a cross section face (referred to cross section faces of section planes parallel to the bottom and/or the bottom sided heel face) of less than 10 cm , preferably of less than 4 cm , preferred of less than 2 cm .
In connection with the use of the protection device, a storage cover serves for hand clean operation and subsequent keeping, preferably made of fabric, leather, gum or plastics, having the specific feature to consist of 2 inside pockets separated from each other (e.g. vertical to the opening of centrally running darts). Each inside pocket has if necessary bottom sided 2 round sewed in finger pockets through which the applying or removing of the housing on the heel is permitted without direct touch of the housing. The printing, embroidering or pasting of the storage cover with logos of any kind and or embellishment by decor materials of all kind and colours is part of the production scope.
The protection device according to the invention provides multiple advantages. Firstly, it protects the heel in walking or motoring and prevents by a broadened seat area that heels with small diameter can sink or dip in gaps between cobblestones, grate openings or on unsecured paths. This reduces the danger of injury for the carrier of the (high heeled) shoes and prevents polluting of the original heels. Moreover, it offers the carrier an improved standing and permits a more secure and speedy walking also with slippery path conditions.
A further advantage is that the wear of the original seat area of the heels is reduced by the protection device according to the invention leading to a reduction of shoe repair costs. Moreover, the protection device according to the invention can be used on shoes with various heel heights, and shapes and can have different colours.
In addition, the product according to the invention is distinguished by a rapid mounting and removing and offers each woman with high footwear a substantial improvement in the every day use. Due to the lightness (to 40 grams each piece) and the small dimensions it is hereby principally problem-free possible to carry along the product according to the invention also in hand bags or trouser pockets. Through a small fabric storage small sack belonging thereto which serves as a hand protection in the removing of the high heeled protection from the shoe, a clean, non polluting operation and storage is everywhere possible.