SHOE LAST AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING A SHOE HAVING AN IMPROVED HEEL REST

Abstract

A shoe last and a method of using the shoe last to manufacture shoes that minimize the tendency of a wearer's foot to create increased pressure at the area of the ball of a wearer's foot are disclosed herein. The improved heel rest design relieves this pressure at the ball area of the foot by allowing the body weight to be more concentrated at the heel portion of the wearer's foot by redistributing the user's weight toward the heel portion and away from the ball of the foot.

Description

FIGURE SELECTED FOR PUBLICATION

FIG. 4.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus for and a method of manufacturing footwear. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a shoe last and shoes, e.g., high-heeled shoes, manufactured with the shoe last that are configured to minimize or prevent the tendency of a wearer's foot to slide forward thereby creating increased pressure at the area of the ball of a wearer's foot.

2. Description of the Related Art

Shoe-making lasts are often considered to be the most important component in the manufacture of shoes. A shoe-making last is a mold over which shoes are made. The shoe-making last is preferably solid and three-dimensional. The shoe last generally dictates the shape, the size, and the fit of the shoes made thereon. When manufacturing shoes (or other footwear) the shoe last is firmly mounted on a surface, while pieces of shoe material for the upper portion of the shoe and/or sole are placed around the last and attached together to make the shoe.

Regardless of the outer cosmetic features or styling of the shoe(s), the interior area of any shoe is substantially a reflection of the exterior shape of the shoe last on which it is formed. All shoes built on the same shoe last will thus have the same interior region and dimensions, and will generally yield the same fit for a particular wearer. Consequently, the shape and configuration of the shoe-making last is critical in order to make shoes which fit comfortably on the foot and provide adequate support such that the shoes perform essentially as an extension of the human foot, as is typically desired.

Shoe manufacturing is a precise and sometimes tedious process. In particular, the shoe last must be precisely shaped, sized and/or graded to produce properly sized and useable shoes. Importantly, conventional shoe lasts are not casts of the feet. Rather, a conventional shoe last is a precise and highly refined piece of equipment used in shoe production that is precisely measured and referenced according to the dictates of conventional last technology.

Conventionally, while a cast of a foot might be utilized for measurement purposes to make a custom pair of shoes, a foot cast cannot function as a shoe last. A conventional shoe last has a substantially flat sole surface, an elevated heel (for high heeled shoes) and sharp angling between the upper surface of the shoe last and the sole surface to create a sharply-angled bottom line. Because of the differences between a human foot and a conventional shoe last, shoes made with a conventional shoe last fail to work in harmony with the human foot. For example, conventional lasts have sharply defined lines at the point of transition from the flat sole surface or crown to the vertical sidewalls of the shoe last between the defined line and the last ridge human feet are not as sharply angled.

In other words, the shoe last ridge and sharply-angled contours of a conventional last only take into account generally the static shape of the foot, i.e., the shape of the foot when it is in one position. However, when a show is worn, the foot will undergo dynamic shape changes when a person is walking or running. Conventional shoe lasts utilize heel curves that are overly exaggerated such that shoes formed with the shoe lasts promote a gripping of the foot by the shoe. The heel seat of a conventional last is angled to correspond to the introduction of an elevated heel onto the sole surface. However, the heel of a human foot is not elevated and has no such heel pitch. In the toe region of a conventional shoe last, the toe profile decreases or recedes to the sharply defined line in the forepart of the last. In contrast to the shape of the toe region of a conventional shoe last, human toes generally maintain a uniform thickness throughout their length.

As such, the heel seats of conventional shoe lasts are generally unnaturally raised to different heel elevations to accommodate the heel for the footwear being manufactured. To accommodate the natural and dynamic shape of the human foot, the fitting of the width and the modest sloping of the conventional shoe last is configured to accommodate a sloped, flat shank between the elevated heel seat and the forepart of the last. While the conventional last has a sloped section between the forepart and heel seat, which provides a slight transition in the conventional last, the shank area of the last still has a sharply-angled line and the sole surface at the shank is generally planar in a transverse direction to match with the flat sole surface and sharply-angled line existing in the remaining areas of the of the last.

Conventional shoe lasts are typically engineered to distribute the pressure on the foot across 100% of the bottom surface, i.e., across 100% of the rigid and flat sole surface. However, the average human foot is engineered to distribute such pressures across on about 75-80% of the bottom surface of the foot. Therefore, conventional shoe last technology dictates that the footwear manufactured thereon will unnaturally affect the weight bearing and propulsion characteristics of the foot. As a result of the shape and dimensions of conventional lasts, the shoe lasts and the shoes manufactured thereon have fallen short of the goal of providing footwear that work in harmony with the human foot and that provide adequate comfort to the wearer.

A major drawback with conventional shoe lasts is that the flat bottom sole surface dictates that a flat, rigid piece of sole material be attached to footwear upper material at the sharply-angled shoe last line, thus producing footwear that has an excessive angled feather edge. The foot is thereby supported artificially on a stiff, flat platform even though the human foot at rest, and particularly in motion, tends to move toward or falls off the end of the stiff sole platform of the shoe. This increases the risk of ankle injuries. The drawbacks of the sharply-angled feather edge of a shoe made from conventional lasts are exacerbated by the elevation of the heel seat, the recession of the toe, and the unnatural forward pitch of the heel seat, thus resulting in undue pressure on the ball of the wearer's foot.

FIG. 1 depicts an example of a shoe manufactured from a conventional shoe last, which has a heel height ∝, which may be for example approximately 2 inches (or approximately 5 cm). As shown, the shoe is on a ground plane 18 from which the heel height ∝ to the heel seat 19 is measured. The heel seat 19 is shown to be inclined upwardly at an angle “X”, which may be approximately 12-15 degrees, relative to the ground plane 18. The shank-reinforced midsole region 15 is angled downwardly and forwardly of the shoe from the heel seat at an angle “Y”, which may be approximately 30 degrees, relative to the ground plane. In a toe region or box 22 of the shoe, the great toe may be essentially parallel to the ground plane. However, the toe region or box 22 may be inclined upwardly and forwardly by the upward and forward inclination of the toe region at an angle “Z”, which may be between 2 and 3 degrees inclusive, relatively to the ground plane 18. As will be appreciated, a conventional high-heeled shoe such as that shown in FIG. 1 places the wearer's foot 10 essentially on an inclined plane. This urges the foot 10 forward by gravity toward the toe box 22 when the wearer is standing or walking. This results in undue pressure on the ball 16 or forefoot 12 regions of the foot 10, which may result in jamming of the toes 13. Such undue pressure on the ball or forefoot regions of the foot may result in a burning sensation in these areas of the foot, and may also result in fatigue and/or discomfort.

Therefore, there is a need for an improved heel rest created in high-heeled shoes that reduces or prevents the tendency of a wearer's foot to slide forward such that pressure at the area of the ball of a wearer's foot is correspondingly reduced. The present disclosure provides an improved heel rest design technology that relieves this pressure at the ball area of the foot by allowing the body weight to be more concentrated at the heel area of the wearer's foot rather than the ball of the foot. In other words, the heel rest design redistributes the user's weight toward the heel and away from the ball of the foot, thus placing the foot in an optimal position for high heeled shoes, and restores balance such that wearers return to their normal stride.

Accordingly, there is a need for an improved heel rest for use in the manufacture and/or assembly of shoes, and a system and method for the same, and more specifically an improved heel rest that responds to at least one of the detriments noted herein with respect to the conventional heel rests used in the manufacture and/or assembly of shoes.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

With conventional high-heeled shoes, the foot tends to slide forward thereby creating increased pressure at the area of the ball of a wearer's foot. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the heel rest disclosed herein relieves this pressure at the ball area of the foot by allowing the body weight to be more concentrated at the heel area of the wearer's foot rather than at the ball of the foot. The heel rest may include a concave portion or region at the heel. In an aspect of the present disclosure, the heel rest design may redistribute the user's weight toward the heel and away from the ball of the foot, thereby placing the foot in an optimal position for high-heeled shoes and restoring balance such that the wearer's stride is more natural.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a shoe last and method of using the shoe last for manufacturing of shoes from shoe lasts where the shoe last provides a heel rest design that overcomes at least one of the detriments noted above.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a shoe last for forming a shoe may include a body including a heel region including a surface and a sole surface. The sole surface may have a thickness that is substantially uniform along its length, and may be smoothly contoured. The sole surface may include at least three distinct planar surfaces including a toe box portion, a heel portion, and an arch support portion positioned therebetween. The toe box region may have a generally uniform height to facilitate the accommodation of the toes of a foot therein since toes generally have a uniform thickness along their length. The transition between the toe box and the arch support portion may be smooth or have a curved contour therebetween such that the transition between these portions does include a sharp edge or angle therebetween. The heel region and the heel portion of the sole surface may define a first angle therebetween. The surface of the heel region and the arch support portion may define a second angle therebetween. The surface of the heel portion and the arch support portion may define a third angle therebetween. The second and the third angles may be different. The heel portion of the sole surface may have a concave shape. The toe box, heel, and arch support portions may each include a surface, each of which may be on a different, non-parallel plane. The concave shape of the heel portion of the sole may include an apex, the apex being spaced apart from the surface of the heel region by a distance that may be between 3 and 8 millimeters inclusive, and may preferably be about 5 millimeters. The depths of the toe box and heel portions may be approximately equal, that is the toe box and heel portions may have points that their respective surfaces that are about equally spaced from a base plane of the sole surface.

The arch support region may extend from the heel portion to the toe box portion of the sole surface. A first transverse arch may be formed on the sole surface proximate to the toe box portion, a second transverse arch may be formed on the sole surface proximate the heel portion. The first and second transverse arches may smoothly transition toward the toe box portions and the heel portions respectively in a continuous curve free from any angled edges. The arch support portion may be configured as a concave region with respect to an upper portion of the shoe last.

A method of manufacturing a shoe utilizing the shoe last of the present disclosure is described herein. In particular, the shoe last of the present disclosure may be provided, and a shoe may be formed by joining portions of the shoe around an exterior of the body of the shoe last. The shoe that is formed with the last of the present disclosure may include a sole surface that corresponds to the shape and configuration of the last of the present disclosure. In particular, the shoe may include a sole surface that is free from angled edges and includes a toe box portion, a heel portion, and an arch support portion, and wherein the heel portion defines a convex shape that corresponds to the concavity of the heel portion of the sole surface of the shoe last. When worn the shoe may concentrate body weight at the heel portion of the shoe. The shoe may be configured to accommodate a foot having a heel and a ball, and when worn may be configured to redistribute pressure away from the ball of the foot toward the heel of the foot.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a shoe last employing a heel rest portion positioned substantially parallel with the ground surface so as to create a shoe having a cup-shaped heel rest for positioning a wearer's heel substantially parallel to the ground surface when stationary.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a shoe product manufactured by a method employing the shoe last design described herein.

In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a shoe last may provide or create a heel rest in a shoe having a cup-shaped surface for receiving a heel 21 of a wearer of the shoe such that the pressure on the ball of a wearer's foot is proportionally redistributed to the heel of the wearer.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a shoe last for providing or creating a heel rest in a shoe positioned at an angle substantially parallel with the ground surface so as to redistribute the pressure on the ball of a wearer's foot to the heel of the wearer.

It is further an objective of the disclosure to provide a shoe last for mass-manufacturing shoes which is more in harmony with the human foot, both at rest and in motion.

It is still further an objective of the present disclosure to create shoes, preferably high-heeled shoes, which are biomechanically more in harmony with the shape of the human foot to reduce and eliminate the shortcomings of shoes produced with conventional lasts.

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a shoe last which may be readily sized and graded to produce shoes for a large variety of wearers.

In an aspect of the present disclosure, shoes may be manufactured with the shoe last of the present disclosure that incorporate the unique design of the disclosure shoe last, thereby providing comfort, stability, and proper weight distribution to a wearer.

These and other embodiments, aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

By way of description only, embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a conventional high-heeled shoe in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a schematic representation of another conventional high-heeled shoe in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 3 is a exploded side elevation perspective view of the shoe of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a left side elevation perspective view of a schematic representation of a shoe last for a high-heeled shoe in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is a right side elevation perspective view of the shoe of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective elevation view of the shoe of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a right side elevation view of the shoe of FIG. 4 further depicting a conforming shoe sole for shaping according to the shoe last bottom surface;

FIG. 8 shows a side perspective view of a high heel shoe comprising a heel rest according to the present disclosure further showing a wearer's foot positioned therein and the redistribution of pressure from the ball of the wearer's foot to the heel portion of the wearer's foot; and

FIG. 9 shows a perspective front elevation view of another high heel shoe comprising a heel rest according to the present disclosure further showing a wearer's foot positioned therein and the redistribution of pressure from the ball of the wearer's foot to the heel portion of the wearer's foot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the appended figures in which like reference numerals designate identical, similar or corresponding elements in each of the several views. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of this invention, which is set forth with particularity in the claims as appended or as subsequently amended, but merely to clarify and exemplify the invention. It is to be understood that the techniques, systems, compositions and operating structures in accordance with the present disclosure may be embodied in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, forms and modes, some of which may be quite different from those in the disclosed embodiment. Consequently, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative, yet in that regard, they are deemed to afford the best embodiment for purposes of disclosure and to provide a basis for the claims herein which define the scope of the present disclosure. It is also to be understood that the drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, up, down, over, above, below, etc., or motional terms, such as forward, back, sideways, transverse, etc. may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure in any manner.

As is known in the industry, conventional high-heeled shoes comprise several components and/or layers. As noted in FIGS. 1-3, which depict conventional high-heeled shoes 20, conventional shoes 20 generally comprise a toe box 22, a sole 28, an arch support 30, a shoe heel 36, and a heel counter 38 for supporting the back part of a wearer's heel 21. Generally, the heel 36 is connected to an end of the arch support 30 and includes a heel breast 34 and top lift 32. The heel 36 is typically connected to the sole 28 and footbed 44 via conventional connectors 48, which may be screws, pins, nails, and the like. Other features of high-heeled shoes may include a top line throat 42 and quarter 40 for added support around the wearer's foot and ankle area. Inside the shoe at or near the toe box 22, and sometimes extending to the region of the heel 36, may be various welt and/or insole layers 24, 26, 46 for added support and comfort to the bottom surface of a wearer's foot. Such conventional high-heeled shoes 20 are conventionally manufactured through the use of molded shoe lasts of the type discussed herein. It is to be understood that the figures are not drawn to scale. For example, in the toe region or toe box 22 of a conventional shoe last, especially for high-heeled shoes, the toe profile decreases or recedes to the sharply defined line in the forepart of the last.

For example, turning to FIGS. 4-7, shown are elevated perspective views of a shoe last 60 for a high-heeled shoe in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure. As depicted, shoe last 60 may include a rigid body having a toe portion 64 and a heel portion 62. The shoe last body may be viewed as being separated by a line which defines a top and a bottom portion of the last body. The parting line may be defined as a line which connects all of the outermost points of the shoe last body around the last body when the last 60 is in a primary position or upright position on a horizontal ground surface as illustrated in FIGS. 4-7.

Along the bottom region of the shoe last 60, a toe portion 64 and heel portion 62 are connected by a generally smooth sole surface 72 (at the region that corresponds with the ball and toes of the foot) and 66 (at the region that corresponds with the arch of the foot) which is contoured and shaped in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure to produce a shoe last which is different from conventional lasts both in shape and operation. In the top surface of the last, a smooth and shaped upper surface connects the toe box 64 with the heel portion 62 on their upper sides. According to the teachings of the disclosure, the rigid shoe last body can be formed of any appropriate solid material such as, for example, wood or plastic. The shoe last body in conjunction with known shoe-making equipment and techniques to produce shoes which are intended to be biomechanically in harmony with the human foot. Shoe last 60 in accordance with the disclosure is primarily for the mass-production of shoes for a variety of different wearers of high-heeled shoes, however, custom footwear might also be made utilizing shoe last 60 by persons skilled in the art.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom surface of the shoe last 60 generally comprises three defined planar surfaces, notably the toe region 72, the arch region 66 and the heel region 62. The sole surfaces including the arch region 66 and the toe region 72 of the shoe last body 60 comprise a series of cooperating arches. Shoes that are formed using the last body 60 have a shape that corresponds to the cooperating arches formed by the arch region 66 and the toe region 72 of the sole surface. Such a shape facilitates the proper distribution of a wearer's weight such that pressure applied to the surfaces of the wearer's foot including its ball and heel regions are also properly distributed. The sole surface 66 at the arch region may define an arch that generally extends along the length of the shoe last 60 and connect the heel region 62 with toe region 72 of the toe box 64 along the last body.

The inner and outer sides of the shoe last 60 are connected across the sole surfaces 66, 72 by a forward transverse arch which extends across the last body proximate the toe box 64 of the body, slightly rearwardly of a majority of the toe portion, and proximate the heel region 62, slightly forwardly thereof. The forward transverse arch preferably makes a smooth transition between the inner longitudinal arch and the outer longitudinal arch and generally connects the toe box 64 with the heel region 62.

The last body 60 may further comprise a rearward transverse arch, which extends across the regions or portions 66 and 72 of the sole surface proximate the heel portion 62 and generally forward of a majority of the heel portion. The rearward transverse arch may also connect the longitudinal arches and provide a smooth transition and connection between the rearward sections of the inner and outer longitudinal arches. Similar to the longitudinal arches, the transverse arches have a finite width and essentially form arch areas. The two longitudinal arches and two transverse arches on regions or portions 66 and 72 of the sole surface cooperate such that shoes manufactured using shoe last 60 spreads weight bearing and propulsion forces more naturally over the sole surface 66, 72 as described in greater detail below. The sole surface 66, 72 of the shoe last according to the disclosure may be smoothly contoured to include the arches in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure to allow for the formation of a smoothly contoured shoe sole 76 (see FIG. 7). Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 4-6, the shoe last 60 may further comprise a curved or cup-shaped heel rest 68, which drastically deviates from a conventional last that instead has flattened sole surfaces. Also as shown in FIGS. 4-6, the shoe last 60 may include a novel concave, curved or cup-shaped heel portion or heel rest region 68.

As previously discussed, conventional shoe last technology is driven by a flattened sole surface, including the heel region, and by reference points and dimensions, which are referenced to such a surface. Additionally, conventional shoe last technology relies on and is driven by heel surfaces positioned at an elevated angle with respect to the ground surface such that its angle is more closely in line with the angle of the arch region of a shoe. However, the existence of a flattened sole surface creates a sharply-angled and rigid line between surfaces of the shoe sole (i.e., the toe region 72, the arch region 66 and the heel region 62).

Unlike conventional shoe lasts, the shoe last 60 may comprise a generally smooth and continuous transition between each of these regions of the shoe sole surface much more like the bottom surface of a wearer's foot. As more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 4-5, the smooth transition between regions of the sole surface provides shoe last 60, which is free from a sharp and rigid last bottom line. The upper surface may curve continuously to a defined upper surface centerline, while all portions on the smooth and contoured sole surface may be curved toward a defined sole surface centerline.

Shoes manufactured utilizing the shoe last 60 would incorporate the unique and inventive contour sole surface and yields shoes lacking sharply angled edges between sole surface regions as well as around the periphery of the shoe last 60. Accordingly, shoes manufactured utilizing the shoe last 60 are more comfortable to the human wearer than traditional footwear as the inside cavity of the shoes adopts the unique and inventive shape of shoe last 60. As such, shoe last 60 produces shoes, which work in harmony with the human foot to provide proper weight distribution and pressure. In contrast to shoes manufactured utilizing the shoe last 60, shoes manufactured utilizing a conventional last with a flat heel surface and sharply defined angle lines provide a flat, rigid shoe sole and a construction that produces unnatural and uncomfortable pressures on the wearer's foot. Also, the shoes manufactured utilizing conventional lasts unnaturally distributes excessive pressures applied through the shoe sole to the foot of the wearer at the ball region of the wearer's foot. The novel heel rest design described herein redistributes such pressures more evenly between the heel region and the ball region of the wearer's foot for a more natural and comfortable fit.

Notably, with high-heeled shoes, as the foot tends to slide forward increased pressure is created at the area of the ball of a wearer's foot. The heel rest 68 of the shoe last 60 is configured to relieve such pressure at the ball area of the foot by redistributing the body weight in a direction toward the heel region 62 as depicted by arrow 80 (see FIGS. 8-9) so as to be more concentrated at the heel area 62 within the counter 84 and on the heel 86 (as depicted by arrow 78) of the wearer's foot rather than the ball of the foot.

The design of a heel rest design of a shoe is a process or method that utilizes the shoe last 60, which as discussed hereinabove may include: (a) heel region 68 that has both a different angle 70 with respect to the arch region 66 as compared to the heel region 62; and (b) a concave heel rest portion 68 at the heel to provide the modified angle 70 for the heel of a wearer of a shoe manufactured with the shoe last 60. Angle 70 (FIG. 7) may result from a change in elevation of the heel rest portion 68 by a distance in the range of 3-8 millimeters inclusive, and may preferably be approximately 5 millimeters. As such, the heel rest design may redistribute the user's weight toward the heel and away from the ball of the foot, thereby placing the foot in an optimal position for high-heeled shoes, and restoring balance such that wearers return to their normal stride.

The shoe last 60 according to the disclosure has a unique shape and a contoured sole surface. The shoe last 60 projects different effective cross-sectional areas onto a base plane from different heights above that base plane. At any given horizontal plane above the horizontal base plane, the shoe last 60 may have a defined cross-sectional area. With a plurality of unique arches and defined contact points at the intersection of the arches, the shoe last 60 may exhibit cross-sectional areas which vary and generally increase at an increasing distance from the base plane. The maximum cumulative horizontal cross-sectional area projected onto the base plane may thus be generally defined by the outwardmost points on the shoe last body, and more specifically defined by the line connecting those points. The cumulative horizontal cross-sectional area may be projected onto the base plane by the regions or portions 66 and 72 of the sole surface of the shoe last body, especially the heel rest region 68, and may further define the contoured shape of the shoe last 60 which differs from the conventional shape of prior art shoe lasts.

As depicted in the figures, a shoe manufactured using the shoe last 60 according to the disclosure may include a toe portion 88 and a contour or heel portion 84 joined by a continuous sole 90, 92 and supported by a heel member 86. A variety of aesthetic design or decorative features may be employed to enhance the visual appearance of such shoes. In accordance with the disclosure, shoe sole 76 may be formed of any suitable material, including, for example, a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) construction or may be constructed from any suitable material that is either organic (leather/rubber) or man-made (PVC and related elastomeric materials). The material forming the shoe sole 76 may be pliable, i.e., non-rigid, such that the shoe sole 76 may bend in response to the wearer's movement such that impact on the bottom of the foot is minimized or reduced. Toe portion 88 may include an insole stitched therein, and upper elements of the shoe may be joined or connected by upper members and/or decorative stitching to provide comfort and aesthetic appeal. Shoe sole 76 may also include tread portions for added grip during walking.

Optionally, a stiffening member or insole support board (not shown) may span the width of shoe sole 76 to provide stiffening support and prevent unintended distortion of toe box 88 during use. A foam cushion (not shown) may also be positioned on insole support board to further increase user comfort. An insole member (not shown), often constructed of natural or synthetic leather, may also be positioned on the foam cushion. An adhesive glue compatible with PVC based sole 88 may be used between the layers of the shoe construct to secure them to one another and to shoe sole 90, 92. In this way, the members are secured and the assembled shoe is provided in a suitable form for consumer use. During manufacture of a shoe employing this method, toe box 88 of the shoe is preferably stitched to the sole 76 via sole lip members and/or stitchings. After stitching the toe portion in this manner, glue or adhesive is applied along the interface between sole lip members and sole portion 88, and the toe portion is reversed or “turned” right-side-out. In alternative methods, glue may be applied after stitching and turning the toe portion right-side-out.

Moreover, heel portion 68 of the shoe manufactured using shoe last 60 according to the disclosure is more fully described. In this construction, heel rest 68 is created having a curved or concave dimension with a varying depth from zero to upwards of 5 millimeters at its center region for positioning of the wearer's heel for balance and comfort. When viewed cross-sectionally in a longitudinal direction (defined as the direction from the toe toward the heel and vice versa), the heel rest 68 at its lowermost point is upwards of about 5 millimeters below the lowermost point of a standard flattened heel surface for a heeled shoe. Similarly, When viewed cross-sectionally in a latitudinal direction (defined as the side to side direction at either the toe or heel region), the heel rest 68 at its lowermost point is also upwards of about 5 millimeters below the lowermost point of a standard flattened heel surface for a heeled shoe.

The heel rest design technology according to the disclosure as described hereinabove relieves the excessive pressure provided at the ball area of the foot in convention shoes by allowing the body weight to be more appropriately shifted to the heel area 68 of the wearer's foot. As described herein, creation of the heel rest 68 consists of a different angle at the end of the arch and a concave portion or region at the heel. Accordingly, the novel heel rest 68 redistributes the user's weight toward the heel and away from the ball of the foot, thus placing the foot in an optimal position for high heeled shoes, and restores balance such that wearers return to their normal stride.

In the claims, means or step-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described or suggested herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus, for example, although a nail, a screw, and a bolt may not be structural equivalents in that a nail relies on friction between a wooden part and a cylindrical surface, a screw's helical surface positively engages the wooden part, and a bolt's head and nut compress opposite sides of a wooden part, in the environment of fastening wooden pails, a nail, a screw, and a bolt may be readily understood by those skilled in the art as equivalent structures.

Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely exemplary and that the disclosure is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes, modifications, and adaptations may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims. The scope of the disclosure, therefore, shall be defined solely by the following claims. Further, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the spirit and the principles of the disclosure. It should be appreciated that the present disclosure is capable of being embodied in other forms without departing from its essential characteristics.

Claims

1. A shoe last for forming a shoe, comprising: a body comprising a heel region including a surface and a sole surface, the sole surface comprising at least three distinct planar surfaces, the three distinct planar surface comprising: a toe box portion;a heel portion; andan arch support portion positioned between the toe box portion and the heel portion,wherein the heel region and the heel portion of the sole surface define a first angle therebetween, the surface of heel region and the arch support portion defining a second angle therebetween, the surface of the heel portion and the arch support portion defining a third angle therebetween, the second and the third angles being different, and wherein the heel portion of the sole surface has a concave shape.

2. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the toe box, heel, and arch support portions each includes a surface, the surfaces being on different, non-parallel planes.

3. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the concave shape of the heel portion of the sole includes an apex, the apex being spaced apart from the surface of the heel region by a distance, the distance being between 3-8 millimeters inclusive.

4. The shoe last of claim 3, wherein: the distance is about 5 millimeters.

5. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the arch support region extends from the heel portion to the toe box portion of the sole surface, a first transverse arch is formed on the sole surface proximate to the toe box portion, a second transverse arch is formed on the sole surface proximate the heel portion, and the first and second transverse arches smoothly transition toward the toe box portions and the heel portions respectively in a continuous curve free from any angled edges.

6. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the sole surface has a thickness that is substantially uniform along its length.

7. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein the sole surface is smoothly contoured and is free from sharp edges.

8. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the arch support portion is configured as a concave region with respect to an upper portion of the shoe last.

9. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the transition between the toe box and the arch support portion is smooth.

10. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein the depths of the toe box and heel portions are approximately equal.

11. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: when worn, a user's body weight is concentrated at the heal portion of said shoe.

12. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the shoe is configured to accommodate a foot having a heel and a ball, and wherein when worn the shoe is configured to redistribute pressure away from the ball of the foot toward the heel of the foot.

13. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the concave shape of the heel portion of the sole surface of the sole surface of the shoe last has a depth that varies between 0 and 5 millimeters inclusive.

14. The shoe last of claim 1, wherein: the heel region of the shoe defines a cup-shaped heal rest that is configured to redistribute pressure applied to the sole surface of the shoe toward the heal region of the shoe.

15. A method of manufacturing a shoe, comprising: providing a shoe last, comprising: a body comprising a heel region including a surface and a sole surface, the sole surface comprising at least three distinct planar surfaces, the three distinct planar surface comprising:a toe box portion;a heel portion; andan arch support portion positioned between the toe box portion and the heel portion,wherein the heel region and the heel portion of the sole surface define a first angle therebetween, the surface of heel region and the arch support portion defining a second angle therebetween, the surface of the heel portion and the arch support portion defining a third angle therebetween, the second and the third angles being different, and wherein the heel portion of the sole surface has a concave shape; and forming a shoe by joining portions of the shoe around an exterior of the body of the shoe last,wherein the shoe includes a sole surface that is free from angled edges and includes a toe box portion, a heel portion, and an arch support portion, and wherein the heel portion defines a convex shape that corresponds to the concavity of the heel portion of the sole surface of the shoe last.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein: when worn, body weight is concentrated at the heel portion of the shoe.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein: the shoe is configured to accommodate a foot having a heel and a ball, and wherein when worn the shoe is configured to redistribute pressure away from the ball of the foot toward the heel of the foot.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein: the concave shape of the heel portion of the sole surface of the shoe last has a depth that varies between 0 and 5 millimeters inclusive.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein: the heel region of the shoe defines a cup-shaped heel rest that is configured to redistribute pressure applied to the sole surface of the shoe toward the heal region of the shoe.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein: the heel rest has a depth between 2 and 8 millimeters inclusive.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein: the heel rest has a depth of about 5 millimeters.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein: the sole surface has a thickness that is substantially uniform along its length.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein: the toe box, heel, and arch support portions each includes a surface, the surfaces being on different, non-parallel planes.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein: the sole surface of the shoe is formed from a pliable material.