Spring heel for shoe and the like

• US 4,638,575 A
• Filed: 01/13/1986
• Issued: 01/27/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vito J. Illustrato
• Original Assignee: Vito J. Illustrato
• Inventors: Illustrato, Vito J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaudon, Henry S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Meyers, Steven N.
• Application Number:
  US06/818,377
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 36/7.8, 36/27, 36/28, 36/29, 36/38, 36/83, 36/102, 36/103, 36/105, 36/37, 272/114
• US Class Current: 36/38
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/183 Leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 21/30 Heels with metal springs

Abstract

A shoe including a hollow chamber in its heel vented so to contract at each step and a curved steel leaf springs inside the chamber bearing between an upper inside and a bottom sole of the shoe heel, the springs extending forwardly-rearwardly.

Claims

1. A shoe incorporating a spring heel, comprising, in combination, a hollow chamber inside a heel of said shoe, a plurality of flexing leaf springs that bear between the inside bottom surface of the hollow chamber and a bottom surface of a sole of said shoe and is free to slidably move with respect to both said surfaces, the side walls of said chamber including flexible vent means for outside air to circulate into said chamber when said chamber alternately collapses and expands at each step by a person and weight application upon said heel, said leaf springs being upwardly curved and extending forwardly-rearwardly in said heel, and comprising wheel means at its distal end which roll in a track means contained within said chamber.

2. A shoe as in claim 1, and comprising a molded block fixed inside said hollow chamber, said block comprising two sets of forwardly-rearwardly extending grooves providing said tracks along which said wheels roll.

3. A shoe as in claim 2, wherein said leaf springs comprise rolled distal edges, a shaft passing within said rolled distal edges, and wherein said wheels are supported at the ends of said shaft.