Standardized Shoe Heel Attachment Mechanism

Abstract

One embodiment of a housing unit (12) containing a spring-loaded button plate (14), which slides to the rear of the unit (12) creating a dual chamber opening (34). The heelpiece (20) has a dual pronged appendage (16) at its top flat surface. When the heelpiece appendage (20) is nudged into the bottom of the unit (12), the partially open chambers are coaxed fully open, allowing full insertion of the heelpiece (20) into said unit (12). The heelpiece (20) is locked in place for ready wear. The heelpiece (20) is removed from said unit (12) by pushing the release button (18). This action slides the button plate (14) to the rear of the unit (12) opening the dual chambers (34) for quick removal of the heelpiece (20).

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

Prior Art

CITATIONS

US181109	Aug. 15, 1876	Improvement in heels
US1516355	Nov. 18, 1924	Detachable shoe heel
US1604826	Oct. 26, 1926	Removable heel
US2139885	Dec. 13, 1938	Removable heel
US2224476	Dec. 10, 1940	Footwear heel fastener
US2439310	Apr. 06, 1948	Detachable heel
US2707341	May 03, 1955	Shoes with convertible heels
US2852866	Sep. 23, 1958	Shoe heel mounting
US2943404	Jul. 05, 1960	Replaceable heel construction
US3266177	Aug. 16, 1966	Adjustable heel for shoes
US3782010	Jan. 01, 1974	Detachable heel for shoes
US3805418	Apr. 23, 1974	Adjustable heel apparatus
US4198770	Apr. 22, 1980	Device for fixing heels
US4219946	Sep. 02, 1980	Shoe with a interchangeable heel
US4443956	Apr. 24, 1984	Shoe replaceable heel kit
US4670996	Jun. 09, 1987	Womens shoes with flexible height
US4805320	Feb. 21, 1989	Shoe with exchangeable heel
US5079857	Jan. 14, 1992	Shoe having a detachable heel
US5133138	Jul. 28, 1992	Replaceable high heel
US5309651	May 10, 1994	Fabulous Feet Inc.	Transformable shoe
US5347730	Sep. 20, 1994	Colon	Low heel shoe convertible to high
			heel and vice versa with an...
US5519950	May 28, 1996	Wang	Structure for engaging a heel to a
			shoe
US5524365	Jun. 11, 1996	Goldenberg	Shoe with exchangeable heel
US5615497	Apr. 01, 1997	Meschan	Athletic shoe with improved sole
US6021586	Feb. 08, 2000	Bucalo et. al.	Adjustable heel assembly and shoe
			including the same
US6023858	Feb. 15, 2000	Reflections Shoe	Two-piece shoe bottom system
US6711835	Mar. 30, 2004	Militello	Shoe and replaceable heel
US7168184	Jan. 30, 2007	Wallin	Shoes
US7185448	Mar. 06, 2007	Schupbach	Shoes with interchangeable heel
			members
US7578075	Aug. 25, 2009	Kemp	Collapsible shoe and methods for
			making and using same
US7770306	Aug. 10, 2010	Lyden	Custom article of footwear
US7877902	Feb. 01, 2011	Pieriboni	Footwear with variable
			configuration heel
US7954256	Jun. 07, 2011	Colella	Interchangeable footwear system
			and method
US8069583	Dec. 06, 2011	Simchuk	Shoe with replacement sole
			cartridges
US8112906	Feb. 14, 2012	NIKE, Inc.	Article of footwear with
			interchangeable heels
Patents: Publication number
US2001/0052195	Blakey	Convertible shoe ensemble
US2004/0128860	Smaldone et.al.	Article of footwear having a sole
		structure with adjustable
		characteristics
US2006/0101670	Bucalo	Self stabilizing adjustable dihedral
		heel assembly and shoe . . .
US2008/0184598	Handel	Adjustable height high heel shoe
US2010/0146817	Crispo	Footwear having adjustable height
		heel and method thereof
US2010/0083537	Weirda et. al.	Sub-assembly for incorporation
		into a shoe having an adjustable
		heel

The above citations show references to related but not relevant patents granted for shoes having adjustable heels. I am unaware of any applications granted that closely resemble this one submitted herewith.

SUMMARY

A standardized shoe heel attachment mechanism allowing a person wearing a pair of shoes with this property, to change the heel height of both shoes whenever they choose, and for whatever reasons, which may include comfort or styling. The styling of this shoe mechanism includes a low, medium and high heelpiece option. The alternate heelpieces may be carried in a customized pouch with the person for their ease of alternating the heel height at any moment of their day or evening. The mechanism functions with a push of a release button on the housing unit that disengages the heelpiece in use. That heelpiece is removed and the newly selected replacement heelpiece is placed into the dual opening chambers inside the housing unit with a quick and easy motion of insertion.

Advantages

• • 1. The heels can be changed quickly and easily.
  • 2. The heels can be changed without tools.
  • 3. Different size heels can be used without changing shoes; i.e. low, medium and high height heelpieces.
  • 4. The heels are small and easy to carry in a custom, fitted pouch.
  • 5. The heels can range from flat to the currently fashionable 150 cm.
  • After considering the drawings and following description, other advantages of one or more aspects will be apparent.

DRAWINGS

Figures

FIG. 1A-1C shows the overall view of the 3 varied height heelpieces with the housing unit engaged.

FIG. 1D shows the housing unit with the release button pushed and in the dual opening chamber position.

FIG. 2A-2B shows the singular heelpieces with the dual engaging and hooking feature for the high and medium heels.

FIG. 2C shows a side view of the low heel engaged with the housing unit.

FIG. 3A is a close up view of the front and topside of the housing unit in use with the low heel employed via the dual engaging and hooking feature.

FIG. 3B shows a view of the housing unit from the bottom side where the heelpieces engage and hook with the button plate.

FIG. 3C shows a view of the topside of the housing unit, the button plate and dual opening chambers as well as where 4 screws (32) attach the unit to the actual shoe.

FIG. 3D provides a view of the inside layout of the housing unit, level 1 and level 2, without the button plate and the cover/base plate.

FIG. 4 shows another angle of the medium heel with the dual engaging and hooking feature.

FIG. 5 offers a view of the low heel with dual engaging and hooking feature.

FIG. 6 shows the design of the button plate, the location of the 2 springs for the spring-released button action, as well as the release button.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

• • 10 cover/base plate
  • 12 housing unit
  • 14 button plate
  • 16 dual engaging and hooking feature
  • 18 release button
  • 20 varied height heelpieces; a, b, c
  • 22 level 1
  • 24 cutout
  • 26 springs
  • 28 screws
  • 30 level 2
  • 32 screws
  • 34 dual opening chambers
  • 36 rest position
  • 38 open chamber position

DESCRIPTION

This invention is a mechanism that allows the heelpiece of a shoe to be changed without the use of tools. The mechanism consists of six components, not including screws FIG. 1A-C. The heelpiece, locked into the housing unit 12, is released by pressing a spring-loaded release button 18. The unit 12 contains the button plate 14 and 2 springs 26. Items 20.a, 20.b, 20.c are the varied height heelpieces. The base plate 10 is a cover plate 10 on the unit 12 and acts to constrain the 2 springs 26 and button plate 14. The button plate is seated in the unit 12, level 1 22. The button plate 14 will slide back and forth inside the unit 12. The button plate 14 is shaped such that it has dual opening chambers 34 that receive the dual engaging and hooking feature 16, attaching the heelpiece 20 and locking it securely into the unit 12. The heelpiece 20 is made with a corresponding dual hooking and engaging feature 16 that is captured by the dual opening chambers 34 in the button plate 14. The 2 springs 26 hold the button plate 14 in the locked, rest position 36FIG. 1A-C. When the release button 18 is pushed, the heelpiece 20 is unhooked and can be removed from chambers inside the unit 12FIG. 1D. A different heelpiece 20 is then inserted into the unit 12. This action snaps the button plate 14 into the rest position 36. The heelpiece 20 is now locked securely into the unit 12.

Operation

A standardized shoe heel attachment mechanism is operated by holding the housing unit 12 in one hand and the heelpiece 20 in the other hand. The flat side of the heelpiece 20 will be aligned with the flat side of the unit 12 (FIG. 1A-C). By inserting the 2 pronged dual engaging and hooking feature 16 on the heelpiece 20 (FIG. 2A-B) into the corresponding dual opening chambers 34 (FIG. 3B) on the bottom side of the unit 12, using an urging motion, the dual hooking feature 16 on the heelpiece 20 automatically pushes the button plate 14 to the rear of the unit 12 (FIG. 6, 3C). The button plate 14 is nudged and moved backwards automatically by the tips of the dual hooking feature 16, becoming 2 fully opened chambers 34, 38 for the complete insertion of the dual feature 16 on the heelpiece 20. Once the dual hooking feature prongs 16 are over, past, the button plate 14, the heelpiece 20 is fully inserted into the unit 12. The button plate 14 is thereby automatically released to slide back to its rest position 36, which is also locking position. A snap back into lock position (FIG. 1A-C) occurs once the heelpiece 20 is fully inserted. To release the heelpiece 20 one pushes with one's finger the release button 18 (FIG. 1D, 6), which is protruding thru the cutout 24 of the unit 12 (FIG. 3D). It is one piece with the button plate 14 and is located on the flat side of the unit 12. This action pushes the button plate 14 backwards, pinching the 2 springs 26 located behind the button plate 14 (FIG. 6) inside and towards the back of the unit 12, thereby creating the dual opening chambers 34 within the unit 12. Holding the release button 18 holds the button plate 14 in this open position, whereby both chambers 34 are fully open (FIG. 1D). The heelpiece 20 is then pulled out of said dual chambers 34 created by this action and is fully disengaged from the unit 12. Letting go of the release button 18 uncoils the 2 springs 26 behind the button plate 14 allowing the button plate 14 to slide automatically back into rest position 36. The button plate 14 slides, snaps, back to rest position 36 where the springs 26 are uncoiled and are also in rest position 36 (FIG. 1A-C).

Advantages

• • (a) This mechanism is quick, easy and simple in its design, construction and use.
  • (b) The heelpiece itself can take on infinite variations of styling and design from height to contour as a result of the standardized attachment mechanism being localized to the top, flat end of the heelpiece thus having no impact or interference on the heel design itself.
  • (c) The dual engaging and hooking feature and the housing unit can take on various corresponding sizes and dimensions relevant to the shoe and its heel base on the outsole.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

• • All of the standardized shoe heel attachment mechanism parts can be manufactured using various materials, which would include metals, plastics, woods and resins. This would apply to any and all parts in various combinations of materials within said mechanism, excluding screws, which will be composed of metal.
  • The said parts, being constructed out of said materials, embody durability and strength and thereby the safety of locking securely in place.
  • Women potentially keep and wear their shoes for a very long time. This mechanism has only one moving part, the springs. For longevity purposes, any number of springs can be housed behind the button plate for use in the unit for purposes of durability and wear and tear. Replacing the springs is the only repair that would potentially require action. This is not a quick fix. Therefore, ensuring the quality and longevity of the springs is of utmost importance.

Claims

1. A standardized shoe heel attachment mechanism, comprising: a. a housing unit containing and seating a spring-loaded slidable plate,b. varied height heelpieces with a hooking feature,c. means for capturing, securing and releasing said heelpieces within and from said unit.d. multi-directional in that the slidable plate and other features can be designed and constructed to function from front to back, back to front, or side to side.