Augmented heel cup protective insert device for shoes

• US 10,405,603 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Colleen Moira Carney, Richard Vallon
• Original Assignee: Colleen Moira Carney, Richard Vallon
• Inventors: Vallon, Richard, Carney, Colleen Moira
• Primary Examiner(s): Bays, Marie D
• Application Number:
  US15/696,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20180064204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 36 585, 36 586, 36 69
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/088 Heel stiffeners A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/17 made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/28 Devices to put in shoes in order to prevent slipping at the heel or to prevent abrading the stockings
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/14 with foot-supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1405 with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/24 Insertions or other supports preventing the foot canting to one side , preventing supination or pronation

Abstract

In general, certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide an augmented heel cup protective insert device for shoes. The insert device includes a posterior segment corresponding to the curvature of a heel of a shoe. The device also includes a medial wing, a medial parabolic formation that extends in a direction from top to bottom of the device, an inferior segment, and an angulated segment to meet the beginning of the edge of the heel on the medial side of the shoe.

Claims

1. An augmented heel cup protective insert device for shoes, comprising:

a middle section configured to correspond to the curvature of a heel of a shoe, wherein the middle section includes a semi-square extension for providing tendoachilles support, the semi-square extension including truncated crenalations designed to be cradled under a periphery of the shoe for absorbing side-to-side foot movement;

a medial wing; and

a lateral wing including pontoons, wherein only the lateral wing includes pontoons;

wherein the device includes three distinct geometric cut-outs designed to facilitate installation and adaptability to the contour of the shoe, wherein the geometric cut-outs include a rectangular cut-out in the middle of the device designed to fit irregular contours of shoes.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises material to alleviate strain or pressure applied to the heel of a wearer.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to be cemented to the heel cup portion of the shoe.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to be inserted in between the heel cup and the lining of the shoe such that the device cannot be readily removed from the shoe without removing a portion of the shoe lining.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the pontoons are strategically placed on the lateral wing to provide protection to vulnerable areas of the lateral side of a foot.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the rectangular cut-out is surrounded on both sides by acute triangular cut-outs.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device made of a material comprising one or more of the following:

polyethylene, polyurethane, foam rubber, and neoprene.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the pontoons are strategically placed on the lateral wing such that the pontoons straddle a calcaneal prominent tubercle of a foot when the shoe with the insert device is worn.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the pontoons include a distal pontoon, a middle pontoon, and a proximate pontoon.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the distal pontoon is positioned to provide ancillary protection to soft tissue posterior to the cuboid bone, the middle pontoon is positioned to protect the calcaneal tubercle, and the proximal pontoon is positioned to provide ancillary protection to heel tissue.

11. A shoe, comprising:

a heel cup; and

an augmented heel cup protective insert device cemented to the heel cup, the insert device including;

a middle section configured to correspond to the curvature of a heel of a shoe, wherein the middle section includes a semi-square extension for providing tendoachilles support, the semi-square extension including truncated crenalations designed to be cradled under a periphery of the shoe for absorbing side-to-side foot movement;

a medial wing; and

a lateral wing including pontoons, wherein only the lateral wing includes pontoons;

wherein the device includes three distinct geometric cut-outs designed to facilitate installation and adaptability to the contour of the shoe, wherein the geometric cut-outs include a rectangular cut-out in the middle of the device designed to fit irregular contours of shoes.

12. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the device comprises material to alleviate strain or pressure applied to the heel of a wearer.

13. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the device is configured to be cemented to the heel cup portion of the shoe.

14. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the device is configured to be inserted in between the heel cup and the lining of the shoe such that the device cannot be readily removed from the shoe without removing a portion of the shoe lining.

15. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the pontoons are strategically placed on the lateral wing to provide protection to vulnerable areas of the lateral side of a foot.

16. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the rectangular cut-out is surrounded on both sides by acute triangular cut-outs.

17. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the device made of a material comprising one or more of the following:

polyethylene, polyurethane, foam rubber, and neoprene.

18. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the device further comprises pontoons are strategically placed on the lateral wing such that the pontoons straddle a calcaneal prominent tubercle of a foot when the shoe with the insert device is worn.

19. The shoe of claim 11, wherein the pontoons include a distal pontoon, a middle pontoon, and a proximate pontoon.

20. The shoe of claim 19, wherein the distal pontoon is positioned to provide ancillary protection to soft tissue posterior to the cuboid bone, the middle pontoon is positioned to protect the calcaneal tubercle, and the proximal pontoon is positioned to provide ancillary protection to heel tissue.