Field of the invention.

The present invention relates to a device for a shoe heel to prevent or inhibit the heel from sinking into a soft surface when a shoe is being worn.

Background Art.

Devices similar to that of the present invention are available. One such device is described in international Patent to Publication No. WO 2007/124534 which also contains a useful description of the prior art to date. A section of the "background of the invention" portion of that document follows verbatim:

"It is well known that there is a large number of different types of footwear, including shoes that cater for different functions and fashions. Women's shoes in particular, are often equipped with a raised or high heel. In many instances, the design of the heel is such that the heel is relatively narrow in width, with the heel essentially consisting of an elongate stem. An example of this is the known stiletto heel. However, there are many other different types of heel designs that generally consist of a stemmed shape or configuration. A problem that may be encountered by a person wearing shoes with such a heel is that the heel may sink into the ground that is being walked upon. This is a particular problem when the ground is soft, such as sand or grass. In these instances, it can become difficult for the person to walk upon such a surface, as the heel must often be pulled out of the ground with each step. A similar problem can be encountered when the ground is relatively unstable, such as when walking on a gravel road or path. In such an event, the narrow stem structure of the heel can sink in between rocks or pebbles that make up the ground. This may lead to general instability for the person walking thereon, thereby increasing the possibility of injury by, for example, falling and spraining or twisting an ankle. In addition, in such circumstances, there is also the capacity for causing damage to the shoe, in particular the heel. The likelihood of damage to the shoe is greater for those shoes that are manufactured from delicate materials, such as suede or fine fabrics. Unfortunately, it is often the case that such shoes are most often the most expensive to buy and their subsequent repair or replacement may come at significant expense to their owner. Similar safety and shoe maintenance problems can also be encountered when high heeled shoes are worn whilst walking upon a surface that has numerous or significant gaps, for example, upon planks of a decking surface. The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages and problems that may be encountered whilst wearing raised or high heeled shoes, particularly whilst standing or walking upon surfaces that are soft, unstable or generally uneven. "

The above tract of discussion highlights the issues faced by a device of the general kind of that of the present invention.

It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms any part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country. Summary of the Invention.

The present invention is directed to a shoe heel protection cup device, which will overcome at least one of the abovementioned disadvantages, an alternative with many advantages, as well as providing the consumer with a more useful or commercial choice.

With the foregoing in view, the present invention in one form, relates to a shoe heel cup device including in a unitary form, a ground contacting base portion and a resilient shoe heel engagement portion, the resilient shoe heel engagement portion being a cup containing a number of flexible equispaced projecting ribs within the inner surface together defining a bore for receiving a shoe heel therein.

The device has been designed to provide the stability and support required by a high heel shoe with an elongated stem, such as a Stiletto Heel when walking in the soft ground (sand and dirt). The device will prevent a high heel shoe from sinking in soft ground (avoiding any potential injury and providing protection to expensive high heel shoes) as well as functioning to protect hardwood floors from high heel stiletto type shoes making indentations in the timber.

The ground contacting base portion is larger in cross-sectional dimension than the heel in order to spread the load and to support the heel from penetrating the ground surface.

The base portion is configured as a planar member with one circumferential upright extension. This extension is in the form of a cup with internal fins or ribs shaped to engage with a shoe heel. The projecting ribs are arrayed in a circular configuration equispaced about the bore of the device and extend upwardly from the base of the device to the top of the device into, but not through, the heel engagement portion.

The internal base of the device has a number of furrows or trenches equal to the number of projecting ribs from which the ribs emerge to enable projecting ribs to be altered by a shoe heel from base to tip without compromise to the internal base portion of the device upon which the heel pad rests.

The base portion and heel engagement portion of the device is manufactured in a single unitary manner in rigid plastic or similar forming a device of one continuous part.

The heel engagement portion is a unitary member with a number of features. The external appearance of which represents an inverted cup member.

The heel engagement portion is manufactured from a resilient material the

configuration of which will preferably be biased inwardly to grip the heel once the heel is inserted into the bore.

The heel engagement portion includes a number of projecting ribs extending from the furrows in the base to the top of the device placed about the internal surface of the cup in an equispaced arrangement, the entry of which is smaller in diameter to the base. The projecting ribs may extend substantially from the top of the device to the furrows within the ground-contacting portion of the device, with the rib projection at the entry of the bore being greater than the rib projection within the furrows at the base of the device. Adjusting the projection of the ribs will typically adjust the degree of heel engagement and thereby increase surface friction with a shoe heel and reduce the relative size of the bore.

According to this embodiment, the unitary shoe heel cup device will be manufactured from a resilient plastic, typically one that has a clear appearance. The plastic may be coloured or otherwise adapted with either an integral or surface finish in order to render the device aesthetically pleasing. According to the most preferred embodiment, the device will resemble an inverse cup when viewed from above. The device may have a gemstone faceted treatment or any other aesthetic modification to the exterior surface of the device extending from the base to the top of the device.

In this way, as the heel of the shoe is inserted into the shoe heel cup, the projecting ribs, regardless of number, are deformed outwardly in order to allow passage of the heel, and also grip the heel once inserted.

If necessary, projecting ribs may be increased in number or made more rigid or stiff by increasing their projection and thickness to provide sufficient stiffness or resistance against the resilient deformation. This may be used in situations where it is found that the device does not engage with the shoe heel securely enough, causing it to come loose.

The cup device itself is circular in appearance, but it may be shaped differently as shoe heels are typically D-shaped in cross section. Therefore the cup may be D- shaped as well.

Depending on the preferred embodiment, the shoe heel cup may have a continuous sidewall extending from the upper portion of the device to a region adjacent to the ground-contacting portion.

The shoe heel cup will have a larger dimension in a region adjacent to the ground contacting portion and a smaller dimension at an upper region. In this manner, the upper region acts to grip the shoe heel whilst the larger dimension lower down allows clearance for the heel pad of the shoe.

Preferably, the device of the preferred embodiment will be configured to provide a gradual increase in the surface area of the device as the device abuts relatively soft ground.

According to another embodiment, the invention resides in a shoe having a heel with a shoe heel cup device including a ground contacting base and a resilient shoe heel engagement system, the resilient shoe heel engagement portion including, but not limited to, five projecting ribs defining a bore for receiving a shoe heel therein, the deformation of the projecting ribs allowing passage of the shoe heel, and also grip of the shoe heel once inserted. The device of the present invention is sized for a combination of aesthetics, and to not interfere with walking (snowshoe/flipper effect) but still being large enough to function by inhibiting penetration of the heel of the shoe into relatively soft ground.

Also by using the inwardly projecting ribs deformed about the shoe heel, the device relies on friction to adhere to the heel, maximising performance of the product in relatively soft ground.

Brief descriptions of the drawings.

Various embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view from above of a shoe heel cup device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view from above the device illustrated in figure 1

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the inside of the device illustrated in figure 1

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view of the inside of the device illustrated in figure 1

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view of the internal base demonstrating furrows of the device illustrated in figure 1

Figure 6 is a detailed view the side of the device illustrated in figure 1 Figure 7 is a perspective view from above of the device Figure 8 is a perspective view from the side of the device Figure 9 is a perspective view of the base of the device

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, a shoe heel support device is provided. Referring to the drawings, particularly Figures 1-5, the embodiment of the shoe heel support device has a unitary configuration.

The shoe heel support illustrated in the figures includes a ground contacting base (Figure 3) and a resilient shoe heel engagement portion (Figure 2). The resilient shoe heel engagement portion (figure 2) of the illustrated embodiment includes five equidistant ribs, which together define a bore for receiving a shoe heel therein in an interference fit.

As illustrated in the Figures, the device has a cup shape. The ground contacting base (Figure 3) provided on the lower side of the device extends over the lower end of the bore (figure 2) to close the bore such that when a shoe heel is located correctly within the bore and weight is placed on the shoe, the shoe pad at the lower end of the shoe heel abuts the ground contacting base.

The heel engagement portion (Figures 2-3) has a cushion portion in the bore above the ground contacting.

The ground-contacting base (figure 3) is larger in cross- sectional dimension than the shoe heel in order to spread the load and to support the heel. As illustrated in Figure 3, the base portion is a substantially circular plate member with a number of furrows or channels from which the ribs emerge.

The furrows (Figure 5) allow the ribs to deform outwardly from the entry of the bore to their length within the furrows at the base of the device in order to allow passage of the heel, and also grip the heel once inserted.

Figure 4 demonstrates the resilient equidistant ribs protruding upwardly from the ground-contacting base. These projecting extensions or ribs (Figures 3-5) extend substantially from the top of the device to the furrows within the ground-contacting portion of the device, with the rib projection at the entry of the bore being greater than the rib projection within the furrows at the base of the device.

The heel engagement portion (Figures 1-3) of the illustrated embodiments is a unitary member. Both the ground contacting base and the heel engagement portion (figure 3) is manufactured from a resilient material. As such, the configuration of the heel engagement portion is biased inwardly to grip the heel once the heel is inserted into the bore (Figure 2).

The heel engagement portion (Figure 2) of the illustrated embodiments include a number of ribs or fins spaced about the bore. As stated above, the heel engagement portion is generally cup-like in shape with five ribs (Figure 2) forming the heal engagement portion.

Adjusting the projection of the ribs (Figure 2) will typically adjust the degree of heel engagement and thereby increase surface friction with a shoe heel and reduce the relative size of the bore.

According to the illustrated embodiment (Figure 1), the device resembles a faceted gemstone when viewed from the side.

The bore (Figure 2) of the illustrated embodiment is substantially circular but it may be shaped differently as shoe heels are typically D-shaped in cross-section.

Depending upon the embodiment, the bore (Figure2) has a continuous sidewall extending from the upper portion of the device to the ground-contacting base (Figure 3).

The bore and its associated rib like projections (Figure2) has a larger dimension in a region adjacent to the ground contacting base (Figure3) and a smaller dimension at an upper region to create the interference fit. In this manner, the upper region will act to grip the shoe heel whilst the larger dimension lower down allows clearance for the heel pad of the shoe (which is typically slightly larger than the shoe heel itself).

Referring to Figure 1, the ground contacting base acts as a bolster which when mounted on the heel bolsters a substantial portion of the heel above ground level by inhibiting penetration of an upper portion of the heel into relatively soft ground. The bolster in use, is mounted to the heel at a selected distance from a base of the heel so as to facilitate a normal walking gait for a wearer (not shown) when walking on relatively hard ground.