CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
-
Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.
-
NONE.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
-
NOT APPLICABLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
-
1. Field of the Invention
-
This invention relates to shoe and boot heels, in general, and to the craftsmanship and design of such heels in a new and fanciful manner, in particular.
-
2. Description of the Related Art
-
As will be appreciated, there exist a number of design constructions proposed in the past utilizing various metals in the manufacture of shoe and boot heels instead of, or in addition to, employing wood and/or fabric, either alone or in combination. Typical are those as follows:
-
1. U.S. Pat. No. 1,310,614 shows a heel preferably made of aluminum and cast hollow in at least its upper portion in a way to allow easy replacement of broken heels.
-
2. U.S. Pat. No. 1,344,356 illustrates a heel preferably of aluminum, being provided with a securing plate attached to the under portion of the shoe adjacent to its heel—for increasing strength and durability in construction and to eliminate undue breaking of the heel or its lateral distortion.
-
3. U.S. Pat. No. 1,382,732 describes a heel formed from an aluminum hollow casting so as to provide for the ready removal of the top lifts of the heels when they become worn, and render their replacement without injuring the remaining portions of the heel.
-
4. U.S. Pat. No. 1,415,442 is concerned with a metal and leather or rubber construction combined in a single heel, fashioned out of aluminum in simplifying the attachment of a rubber lift to a French heel.
-
5. U.S. Pat. No. 2,871,583 describes a heel construction which includes an aluminum casting with a plastic filler in forming the exterior or body portion of the heel—the purpose being to reduce the costs and complications previously attendant with trying to secure “spiked” heels.
-
6. U.S. Pat. No. 2,949,684 illustrates a light-weight heel made of rigid materials including aluminum or magnesium to alleviate breakage in attempting to attach fashion-dictated high thin heels for women's shoes.
-
7. U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,706 discloses a heel composed of an aluminum alloy outer part of inverted truncated shape, with a plug of wood as an insert so as to obtain a satisfactory connection between the component parts which make up the high heels of women's shoes.
-
8. U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,100 describes a replaceable heel made of aluminum or other materials of any color or size as a replaceable heel for changing heel heights or styles, as well as to replace those that have worn out.
-
As all these references illustrate, the primary emphasis of metal heels, and of aluminum or magnesium heels in particular, has been on the structural integrity of the resulting heel and/or its ease of manufacture and securement to the shoe or its individual component parts.
-
As will become clear from the following description, on the other hand, the present invention is concerned with a modification of the shoe and boot heel construction so as to facilitate and advance fanciful and ornate designs new and totally different from those which characterize the above, and similar, prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
-
As will become clear hereinafter, the present invention consists of a heel structure having an upper section formed to be rigidly secured to an underside of the heel portion of the shoe or boot, and a lower section formed to be resting on the ground surface when the shoe or boot is being worn. While such a structure is shown by essentially all of the above-noted patents, the heel structure of the invention—whether for ladies' shoes and boots, or for men's shoes and boots—differs in having the heel structure composed of billet aluminum. Having a minimal weight factor, being exceedingly machineable, and possessing a capability of being highly polished (even to the extent of exhibiting a chrome-like finish), by crafting the heel of billet aluminum, almost any design imaginable can be fashioned into the heel. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, such a variety of designs are not generally possible when composing a heel of wood or fabric—either alone or in combination with aluminum or magnesium hollow castings, or with those of other metals where desired.
-
As will also become clear, the heel structure of the invention could be supplemented by having a top plate coupling the upper section of the heel structure to the shoe or boot, by having-a base plate coupling the lower section of the heel structure to the ground surface, or by having both—as long as the heel structure itself continues to be composed of the specific billet aluminum material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
-
These and other features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
-
FIGURES 1A-1B, 2A-2B, 3A-3B, 4A-4B, 5A-5C, 6A-6B and 7A-7B are illustrations of heel structures for ladies' shoes helpful in an understanding of the teachings of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
-
Referring to the drawings, the ladies' shoe 10 in all respects includes a heel structure 12 formed to be rigidly secured to an underside of the heel portion 14 of the shoe to rest on the ground. As with the prior art constructions, the upper section 16 of the heel structure 12 is fixed with the shoe in any appropriate manner, and the lower section of the heel 18 contacts the ground directly or through a base plate. In the side and rear views of FIGS. 7A and 7B, respectively, such a base plate is shown at 20, and a top plate which couples the upper section 16 to the heel portion of the shoe is shown at 22. In each of the constructions of FIGS. 1A and 1B, 2A and 2B, 3A and 3B, 4A and 4B, 5A-5C, 6A and 6B and 7A and 7B, however, the heel structure 12 is, in accordance with the invention, composed of billet aluminum—and, because of its light weight, easy machinability, and ready polishing.
-
More specifically, in the ¾ view of FIG. 1A and the rear view of FIG. 1B, the billet aluminum heel structure 12 is provided with a machined spiral configuration. In the rear view and side view of FIGS. 2A and 2B, respectively, the billet aluminum heel structure 12 is machined into a floral type of display 24 for purposes of decorative design. In the rear and side views of FIGS. 3A and 3B, respectively, a tapering shape extending to a ball plate 26 is illustrated, with the taper of the heel structure 12 being formed solid or with a series of ribs 30. In the ¾ view and rear view of FIGS. 4A and 4B, respectively, a “zigzag” type of lightning configuration 32 is depicted—which, because of the billet aluminum nature of the heel structure 12, can be easily machined. In the rear, ¾ and side views of FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C, respectively, a block type of configuration 34 is provided to the heel structure 12, with a series of stars 36 cut through. (A base plate 38 is also shown.) In the side view and rear view of FIGS. 6A and 6B, respectively, a straight type of block heel 40 is illustrated, also with a base plate 42. In the side view and ¾ view of FIGS. 7A and 7B, the block configuration for the heel structure is maintained, as at 44, with the base plate 20 and top plate 22 illustrated, along with a single “heart” symbol 50 cut into the heel.
-
Because of the light weight and easy machinability of billet aluminum, the various heel structures of these drawings can be replicated through a mass-manufacturing process, with or without any combination of top plates and base plates. With the easy polishability of the billet aluminum, drab presentations could be had, or any other leading up to a highly chrome-like, shiny finish. Rather than having the bland configuration of the various heels illustrated by the above noted patents, wide varieties of decorative designs could thus be had, limited only by the artist's imagination. Although specifically illustrated in the drawings of this Application to ladies' shoes, it will be appreciated that such variations in choice could be had with respect to boot configurations as well, or for men's shoe and boot designs in like manner.
-
While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention.
