JP7497147B2 - New heel assembly and footwear including same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heel assembly for footwear.

The heel assembly of the footwear includes a lift that is bonded to the footwear body and a top lift for anti-slip and shock absorption. Conventionally, the bottom end surface of the top lift is perpendicular to the central axis of the top lift (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Figures 12(a) and 12(b) show how a heel assembly with a typical top lift strikes the ground. Figure 12(a) shows the left side of the heel assembly for the left foot, with the left side of Figure 12(a) being the front side and the right side being the rear side. Figure 12(b) shows the front side of the heel assembly for the left foot, with the left side of Figure 12(b) being the inside and the right side being the outside. The footwear body to which the heel assembly is attached is omitted.

When humans walk, their heels touch the ground, so with a conventional heel assembly, when walking, first only the rear end of the top lift touches the ground (see state 1 in FIG. 12(a)). Next, the heel assembly rotates forward (in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 12(a)) around the contact point as an axis, causing the entire contact surface of the top lift to touch the ground (see state 2 in FIG. 12(a)). At this time, various forces are applied to the foot, which can affect the health of the foot and joints.

In addition, due to the structure of the human subtalar joint, when the foot is raised from the ground, the foot is tilted so that the big toe side (left side for the right foot, right side for the left foot) is farther from the ground and the little toe side (right side for the right foot, left side for the left foot) is closer to the ground. Therefore, with a conventional top lift, when walking, first only the outer end of the top lift touches the ground (see state 1 in FIG. 12(b)). Next, the heel assembly rotates inward (in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 12(b)) around the contact point as an axis, causing the entire contact surface of the top lift to touch the ground (see state 2 in FIG. 12(b)).

To explain in more detail, in normal walking of a normal person, during the first half of the stance phase (the period during which the foot is in contact with the ground during walking), the center of mass moves to the outside of the foot and the point of load is maintained along the outside of the foot. Then, during the second half of the stance phase, the center of mass moves to the inside and the point of load moves toward the first metatarsal head and to the toes (see Figure 13). The concept of a heel assembly that is thought to be effective for such normal walking is disclosed in Patent No. 6295386.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-6808 Japanese Patent No. 6295386

As mentioned above, the heel assembly of footwear is the first point of contact between the foot and the ground when walking and has a significant impact on the health of the feet and joints.

The present invention aims to solve the above problems by providing a heel assembly for footwear that places less strain on the legs.

After detailed study of the relationship between heel wear, walking style, and heel inclination for many people, the inventor unexpectedly discovered that few people walk according to the movement of the center of mass during the stance phase, which is considered in the field to be "normal walking for normal people," and that there are cases in which a heel assembly such as that disclosed in Patent No. 6295386 cannot adequately address these situations. Therefore, the inventor conducted further research and unexpectedly discovered that the above problem can be solved by increasing the thickness of the outer front end of the heel assembly and decreasing the thickness of the inner rear end, thereby creating an inclination from the outer front end to the inner rear end.

The present invention provides the following:
(Item 1)
1. A heel assembly for footwear having a ground contact surface including a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion,
the first portion is an outer and front portion of the at least one of the four equal parts obtained by dividing the at least one of the two sides by a line that bisects a distance between both ends in a front-rear direction of the at least one of the two sides and a line that bisects a distance between both ends in an inward-outward direction of the at least one of the two sides,
the second portion being an inner and anterior portion of the fourth portion,
the third portion being an outer and rear portion of the fourth portion,
The fourth portion is an inner and rear portion of the fourth equal portion,
A heel assembly, wherein the first portion, the second portion, the third portion and the fourth portion have a slope satisfying the following (i) to (iv):
(i) having a slope from the first portion to the fourth portion;
(ii) tapering from the third portion towards the fourth portion;
(ii) having a slope from the first portion to the second portion;
(iii) having a slope from the first portion toward the third portion or no slope between the first portion and the third portion;
(iv) having a slope from the second portion toward the fourth portion or no slope between the second portion and the fourth portion.
(Item 2)
2. The heel assembly of claim 1, wherein the heel height is about 3 cm or more.
(Item 3)
3. The heel assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein the ground contact surface is within a range of about 45 mm in length and width.
(Item 4)
4. The heel assembly according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein a horizontal portion in the first to fourth portions is about 30% or less of a total area of the first to fourth portions.
(Item 5)
5. The heel assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the directional angle δ of the inclination is from about 40° to about 70°.
(Item 6)
6. The heel assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inclination is achieved by the shape of the lift.
(Item 7)
7. The heel assembly of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the tilt is achieved by a top lift.
(Item 8)
8. The heel assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the inclination is achieved by a lift shape and a top lift.
(Item 9)
9. The heel assembly of any one of claims 7 or 8, wherein the top lift comprises a plate-shaped member having a substantially uniform thickness and a wedge-shaped member.
(Item 10)
10. Footwear comprising a heel assembly according to any one of items 1 to 9.
(Item 11)
11. The footwear of claim 10, which is a high heel.
(Item 12)
10. The top lift according to any one of items 7 to 9.
(Item 13)
Item 10. A wedge-shaped member according to item 9.
(Item 14)
A method of repairing footwear, comprising:
13. A method comprising replacing a top lift of the footwear with a repair member, the repair member being another top lift according to claim 12.
(Item 15)
A method of repairing footwear, comprising the steps of:
14. A method comprising the step of attaching a repair element to a top lift of the footwear, the repair element being the wedge element of claim 13.
(Item 16)
16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, comprising, prior to the replacing or wearing step, identifying that the owner of the footwear is a subject who suffers from over-supination of the subtalar joint when walking.
(Item 17)
A method of repairing footwear, comprising:
(1) identifying a worn area in a contact surface of a heel assembly of the footwear;
(2) repairing the heel assembly so that the heel assembly has an inclination direction that is inclined from the front to the rear along a direction that is inwardly rotated at a certain angle from a perpendicular to a tangent line at the point where the wear begins;
The repair method includes:
(Item 18)
The step (2)
(2a) identifying an approximate midpoint of a perimeter of a reduced area;
(2b) determining the tilt direction at the predetermined angle from a perpendicular to the tangent at the approximate midpoint; and (2c) repairing the heel assembly to have the tilt direction.
(Item 19)
19. The repair method according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the constant angle is between about 5° and about 40°.
(Item 20)
The step (2) of repairing the heel assembly includes:
- imparting a slope in the tilt direction to the heel assembly, and/or - replacing the heel assembly with a heel assembly having a slope in the tilt direction,
20. The repair method according to any one of items 17 to 19, comprising:
(Item 21)
21. The repair method of claim 20, wherein the tilt direction is achieved by a top lift.
(Item 22)
22. The repair method according to claim 21, wherein the top lift comprises a plate-shaped member having a substantially uniform thickness and a wedge-shaped member.

According to the present invention, a heel assembly for footwear that places less strain on the legs can be provided. The present invention can be particularly effective in the case of heel assemblies with heel heights of 3 cm or more. The present invention can also be effective in subjects with forefoot valgus or subjects who experience over-supination of the subtalar joint when walking in high heels.

1 is an external view showing an example of footwear 10 equipped with a heel assembly 100 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a top lift for a left foot with the ground contact surface facing up, illustrating the first to fourth parts of the heel assembly of the present invention. FIG. 3A is a perspective view illustrating a top lift, and FIG. 3B is a view showing an example of a top lift for the left foot according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the inclination angle θ of the heel assembly. FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a footwear illustrating the directional angle δ of inclination of the heel assembly of the present invention. Schematic diagram showing pattern 1 of various embodiments of the thickness of each portion of the top lift. Schematic diagram showing pattern 2 of various embodiments of the thickness of each portion of the top lift. Schematic diagram showing pattern 3 among various embodiments of the thickness of each portion of the top lift. Schematic diagram showing pattern 4 among various embodiments of the thickness of each portion of the top lift. Schematic diagram showing pattern 5 among various embodiments of the thickness of each portion of the top lift. 13 is a diagram illustrating a base 121 of a top lift having a plate-shaped member and a wedge-shaped member. FIG. 8A and 8B are diagrams showing a state in which a top lift 120a, which is a modified example of the top lift 120, is attached to a lift 130, FIG. 8A being a diagram showing the state before attachment, and FIG. 8B being a diagram showing the state after attachment. 9A and 9B are diagrams showing the state in which a known top lift 120b having a uniform thickness is attached to a lift 130a, which is a modified example of the lift 130, in which FIG. 9A shows the state before attachment and FIG. 9B shows the state after attachment. 10A and 10B are diagrams showing the state in which a known lift 120c having a uniform thickness is attached to a lift 130a, which is a modified example of the lift 130, in which FIG. 10A shows the state before attachment and FIG. 10B shows the state after attachment. 11A is a perspective view of the top lift 120d, FIG. 11B is a side view of the top lift 120d, and FIG. 11C is a front view of the top lift 120d. FIG. 12A and 12B are diagrams showing a state in which a conventional heel assembly touches the ground, in which FIG. 12A is a left side view of the heel assembly for the left foot, and FIG. 12B is a front view of the heel assembly for the left foot. The movement of the center of mass during the stance phase of walking in a normal person (Clinical Foot Orthotics 2015, 1st edition, 3rd printing, p. 62, Figure 3-22). 1 is a schematic diagram of a heel assembly contact surface to illustrate the repair method of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a heel assembly contact surface to illustrate the repair method of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a heel assembly contact surface to illustrate the repair method of the present invention. FIG.

The present invention is described below. It should be understood that the terms used in this specification are used in the sense commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. Therefore, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. In the case of conflict, the present specification (including definitions) shall prevail.

(Definition of terms)
The following are definitions of terms specifically used in this specification.

In this specification, "foot" refers to the part of the body below the ankle.

In this specification, "legs" refers to the part of the body below the pelvis.

As used herein, "footwear" (e.g., see reference number 10 in FIG. 1) refers to any shoe having a footwear body (e.g., see reference number 110 in FIG. 1) and a heel assembly (e.g., see reference number 100 in FIG. 1).

In this specification, the term "heel assembly" refers to a component that is located approximately below the heel of the footwear and is closer to the ground than the footwear body. The surface of the heel assembly that comes into contact with the ground is called the "ground contact surface" (see, for example, reference number 125 in FIG. 1), and the surface that is bonded to the footwear body is called the "heel sheet" (see, for example, reference number 135 in FIG. 1). The heel assembly includes a "lift" that is bonded to the footwear body (see, for example, reference number 130 in FIG. 1), and a "top lift" that is attached to the ground contact surface (see, for example, reference number 120 in FIG. 1). The "top lift" includes a "base" (see, for example, reference number 121 in FIG. 2) and a "pin" (see, for example, reference number 121 in FIG. 2), and may further include a "softer layer" than the base (see, for example, reference number R in FIG. 11(a)).

In this specification, "heel height" refers to the vertical distance from approximately the center of the heel of the footwear to the ground surface.

In this specification, in a top lift having a soft layer, the surface of the top lift that adheres to the soft layer of the base is referred to as the "interface."

In this specification, the "first portion" refers to an outer and front (travel direction) portion (e.g., see reference symbol A1 in FIG. 2) of the contact surface 125 of the heel assembly divided into four portions by a line (e.g., reference symbol L1 in FIG. 2) that approximately bisects the distance between both ends in the front-rear direction of the contact surface (e.g., reference symbol L1 in FIG. 2) and a line (e.g., reference symbol L2 in FIG. 2) that bisects the distance between both ends in the medial-lateral direction (the portions furthest in the medial-lateral direction). In this specification, the "second portion" refers to an inner and front portion (e.g., see reference symbol A2 in FIG. 2) of the contact surface 125 of the heel assembly divided into four portions by a line L1 that bisects the distance between both ends in the front-rear direction of the contact surface 125 of the heel assembly and/or a boundary surface and a line L2 that bisects the distance between both ends in the medial-lateral direction. In this specification, the "third portion" refers to an outer and rear portion (e.g., see reference symbol A3 in FIG. 2) of the ground contact surface 125 and/or boundary surface of the heel assembly divided into four portions by a line L1 that bisects the distance between both ends in the front-rear direction of the ground contact surface 125 of the heel assembly and a line L2 that bisects the distance between both ends in the medial-lateral direction. In this specification, the "fourth portion" refers to an inner and rear portion (e.g., see reference symbol A4 in FIG. 2) of the ground contact surface 125 of the heel assembly divided into four portions by a line L1 that bisects the distance between both ends in the front-rear direction of the ground contact surface 125 and/or boundary surface of the heel assembly and a line L2 that approximately bisects the distance between both ends in the medial-lateral direction. Note that a recess may be formed in the ground contact surface 125. In such a case, the above-mentioned "first portion" to "fourth portion" refer to the portions of the ground contact surface 125 excluding the recess.

In this specification, when the contact surface of the heel assembly is "inclined" from one part A to another part B, this means that when the heel assembly is attached to the footwear body, part A of the top lift contact surface protrudes in the direction of the ground contact, and part B does not protrude in the direction of the ground contact as much as part A, so that the contact surface is inclined from part A to part B (see, for example, points A and B in Figures 3(b), 4, and 8(b)). Note that this part A or part B does not include any recesses formed in the contact surface.

In this specification, "inclination angle θ" refers to the angle of inclination of the ground contact surface with respect to a reference plane. The reference plane for the ground contact surface is the horizontal plane when the footwear is placed on a horizontal surface. The inclination angle of the inclination of the ground contact surface from part A to part B refers to the angle between the line connecting the part of part A that protrudes most toward the ground contact surface and the part of part B that protrudes least toward the ground contact surface, and the horizontal plane that is the reference plane (see, for example, angle θ in Figure 4).

In this specification, the "directional angle δ" of the inclination refers to the angle between the center line of the ground contact surface (a line passing through approximately the center of the front end and the center of the rear end) and the direction of the inclination. The directional angle δ of the inclination of the ground contact surface from part A to part B is on an inclined surface that includes a line connecting the part of part A that protrudes most toward the ground contact surface and the part of part B that protrudes least toward the ground contact surface (see, for example, line L3 in FIG. 5), and is the angle between the perpendicular line (see, for example, line L4 in FIG. 5) and the center line of the ground contact surface (see, for example, angle δ in FIG. 5).

In this specification, "thickness" refers to the distance perpendicular to a reference plane (a horizontal plane relative to the ground surface). For example, when it is said that the "first portion of the ground surface of the top lift is thicker than the second portion," this means that the maximum thickness of the first portion of the top lift is greater than the thickness of any portion of the second portion.

In this specification, the "horizontal portion" of the contact surface of the heel assembly refers to the portion of the contact surface that is parallel to the horizontal surface when the footwear is placed at rest on the horizontal surface.

In this specification, "high heels" refers to heels in which the distance between the end of the heel assembly that comes into contact with the ground and the end that comes into contact with the footwear body is approximately 3 cm or more.

As used herein, the term "about" refers to a range of ±10% of the numerical value that follows.

(Tilt)
The present invention contemplates constructing footwear having an inclined surface that slopes from the first portion (A1) toward the fourth portion (A4) when the ground contact surface 125 of the heel assembly 100 is divided into a first portion (A1) on the outer side and front side, a second portion (A2) on the inner side and front side, a third portion (A3) on the outer side and rear side, and a fourth portion (A4) on the inner side and rear side. By providing such an inclination to the heel assembly 100, the inventors have achieved one or more of the following: reduction in knee pain and foot pain, and reduction in lateral instability.

Furthermore, without intending to be bound by theory, in the present invention, the inclination from the outside to the inside of the rear part (i.e., the inclination from the third part to the fourth part) can prevent the foot from walking with the legs turned inwards and reduce pain at the base of the big toe and the tip of the little toe. The rear part of the heel contact surface is responsible for the behavior of the footwear from the heel to the sole of the foot. When the heel assembly touches the ground, the part that touches the ground is braked, and a force is generated that pulls the footwear in the direction in which the brake is applied. In particular, many women who wear high heels have the characteristic of walking with the legs turned inwards, and they touch the ground from the inside, so that a force is applied to the footwear to rotate from the outside to the inside. This can cause friction between the inside of the footwear and the base of the big toe and the tip of the little toe, resulting in pain at the base of the big toe and the tip of the little toe. The present invention provides an inclination from the outside to the inside in the rear part that first touches the ground when walking, so that the footwear touches the ground from the outside and a force is applied to rotate from the inside to the outside when walking. This can prevent the footwear from turning inwards and reduce pain at the base of the big toe and the tip of the little toe. It can also prevent blisters at the insertion point of the Achilles tendon on the calcaneal tuberosity and calf tightness.

Without intending to be bound by theory, in the present invention, the inclination of the front part from the outside to the inside (i.e., the inclination from the first part to the second part) can contribute to the reduction of lateral instability, especially in the latter half of the stance phase. The front part of the heel contact surface in the middle of the stance phase is responsible for the behavior of the footwear when the weight is placed on the foot after the foot touches the ground (after the heel touches the ground and before the heel is released) during walking. Typically, the metatarsal bones shorten from the medial row to the lateral row. In this way, when a person touches the ground, the foot receives a force from the inside to the outside, and the body leans when weight is applied. This is called lateral instability. Lateral instability can be particularly related to diseases of the human leg and lower back. In particular, the present invention reduces lateral instability by inclining the front part from the outside to the inside, and can reduce the burden on the knee joint due to lateral instability during walking. Furthermore, natural pronation of the subtalar joint is promoted, so that the lift breakage and the blisters near the insertion of the Achilles tendon on the calcaneal tuberosity can be prevented.

Due to the lateral to medial inclination described above, the present invention may be particularly effective in patients with forefoot eversion or in those who suffer from over-supination of the subtalar joint when walking in high heels.

In addition to the aforementioned inclination from the outside to the inside in the front and rear portions, the present invention may also have a slope from the front to the rear. That is, the heel assembly of the present invention may have a slope from the first portion to the third portion, a slope from the second portion to the fourth portion, or both slopes. In this way, by providing a slope from the front portion to the rear portion on the ground contact surface, wear due to abrasion from the ground contact surface side of the heel assembly can be suppressed. In addition, this slope from the front to the rear can reduce the load on the forefoot and improve fitting. Furthermore, when wearing shoes with a heel assembly, pedestrians generally feel as if their feet are sliding forward, but this can be alleviated.

In the present invention, the inclination angle θ of the inclination from the first portion to the fourth portion of the inclined surface may be about 2°≦θ≦about 20°. Specifically, the inclination angle θ of the inclination from the first portion to the fourth portion may be, but is not limited to, about 2°≦θ≦about 18°, about 2°≦θ≦about 16°, about 4°≦θ≦about 18°, about 4°≦θ≦about 16°, about 6°≦θ≦about 18°, about 6°≦θ≦about 15°, or about 8°≦θ≦about 15°.

The optimal angle of inclination θ is (5+X)° (X is heel height (cm)). The range of application of inclination angle θ in the present invention is preferably within ±3° of the optimal angle, more preferably within ±2°, and particularly preferably within ±1°. The rotational moment acting on the footwear changes depending on the heel height, so the inclination angle θ depends on the heel height. That is, as the heel height changes, the inclination between the medial and lateral ankles changes, which changes the pronation displacement of the subtalar joint, and as a result, the rotational moment changes. The rotational moment tends to increase as the heel height increases. Therefore, the rotational moment can be suppressed by increasing the inclination angle θ as the heel height increases.

The inventor unexpectedly discovered that these preferred angles prevent uneven wear of the top lift and extend its replacement life. It is also preferable that the angle between the tangent plane and the reference plane at any point on the inclined surface is greater than or equal to θ×0.8 and less than or equal to θ.

The inclination angle of the inclination from the first part to the second part may be greater than 0° and less than θ. The inclination angle of the inclination from the first part to the third part may be greater than 0° and less than θ. The inclination angle of the inclination from the second part to the fourth part may be greater than 0° and less than θ. The inclination angle of the inclination from the third part to the fourth part may be greater than 0° and less than θ. It is preferable that each of the first part, the second part, the third part, and the fourth part smoothly slopes rather than forming a step. It should be understood that even if a recess or a protrusion is formed on the ground contact surface 125 of the heel assembly 100, it falls within the scope of the present invention as long as the ground contact surface 125 as a whole achieves the slope contemplated by the present invention.

The inclination of the ground contact surface 125 of the heel assembly 100 of the present invention is
Varying the thickness of the top lift 120;
- Changing the shape of the lift 130;
For example, the configuration in which the ground contact surface 125 of the heel assembly 100 is "inclined from the first portion to the fourth portion" may be achieved by making the first portion of the top lift 120 relatively thicker than the fourth portion. Additionally/alternatively, the configuration in which the ground contact surface 125 of the heel assembly 100 is "inclined from the first portion to the fourth portion" may be achieved by making the portion corresponding to the first portion of the top lift 120 protrude downward from the portion corresponding to the fourth portion of the top lift 120 under the lift 130 (top lift 120 side), and making the portions corresponding to the second and third portions of the top lift 120 not protrude downward from at least the portion corresponding to the first portion.

The inclination patterns of the contact surface 125 of the present invention are shown in Figures 6A to 6E. Figure 6A shows an embodiment of Pattern 1, Figure 6B shows an embodiment of Pattern 2, Figure 6C shows an embodiment of Pattern 3, Figure 6D shows an embodiment of Pattern 4, and Figure 6E shows an embodiment of Pattern 5. Please note that in all patterns, the inclination from the first part to the fourth part is the basis of the present invention and is common to all patterns. Note that (i) to (iv) shown in Figures 6A to 6E mean that the contact surface is inclined from the smaller number to the larger number from (i) to (iv).

As shown in FIG. 6A, in addition to sloping from the first portion to the fourth portion, pattern 1 also slopes from the first portion to the second and third portions, and from the second and third portions to the fourth portion.

As shown in FIG. 6B, the slope of pattern 2 is such that the thickness decreases in the order of the first part, second part, third part, and fourth part. The effect obtained by the slope is the same as that of the other patterns.

The inclination of pattern 3 shown in FIG. 6C is a modified version of the inclination of pattern 2 in FIG. 6B, and is inclined so that the thickness decreases in the order of the first part → the third part → the second part → the fourth part.

The inclination of pattern 4 shown in FIG. 6D is from the first portion to the fourth portion, from the first portion to the second portion, from the third portion to the fourth portion, and also from the first portion to the third portion, but is not from the second portion to the fourth portion.

The inclination of pattern 5 shown in FIG. 6E is from the first portion to the fourth portion, from the first portion to the second portion, from the third portion to the fourth portion, and from the second portion to the fourth portion, but is not from the first portion to the third portion.

The inclination of patterns 1 to 5 can also be achieved by varying the thickness of the top lift. From the viewpoint of the effectiveness of the present invention, patterns 1 to 5 are preferred, and pattern 3 (Figure 6C) is particularly preferred.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing the directional angle δ of the inclination of the inclined surface 125 of the top lift 120 shown in Figures 3(b) and 4 from the first portion to the fourth portion.

The tilt direction angle δ may be about 0°≦δ≦about 90°, about 35°≦δ≦about 85°, about 40°≦δ≦about 70°, and preferably about 45°≦δ≦about 65°. As described above, in the present invention, the tilt from the outside to the inside of the front side, the tilt from the outside to the inside of the rear side, and the tilt from the front to the rear each have different effects. As a result of testing prototypes on a wide range of subjects, the inventors found that tilting the heel assembly at the above-mentioned direction angle δ is preferable for many subjects (especially those who oversupinate).

It will be understood that the specific embodiment of the heel assembly, lift or top lift of the present invention (Pattern 1, Pattern 3, Pattern 4 or Pattern 5) is a mirror image of the left and right foot and is a separate member. Conventionally, the lift and top lift, and therefore the heel assembly, have been the same shape for the left and right foot. However, the specific embodiment of the present invention (Pattern 1, Pattern 3, Pattern 4 or Pattern 5) has a different shape for the left and right foot because the contact surface of the heel assembly is inclined from a first portion on the medial front side to a fourth portion on the lateral rear side. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a combination of a heel assembly for the left foot and a heel assembly for the right foot.

Footwear and Heel Assembly
In the present invention, the footwear may be any shoe, such as a ladies' shoe, such as a high heel, a men's shoe, or an athletic shoe.

The heel assembly may be a separate component from the footwear body, or may be an integral part of the footwear body. The lift and top lift may be constructed from a single component, or may be constructed from separate components.

In one embodiment, the total area of the ground contact surface of the top lift in the footwear of the present invention may be within the range of 45 mm x 45 mm. This is particularly preferable in such a small area, since the inclination of the ground contact surface has a large effect on the foot.

In one embodiment, the footwear of the present invention is a high heel. High heels are shoes that often require replacement due to uneven wear, particularly of the top lift on the ground contact surface. When replacing the top lift, the preferred inclination of the present invention can be easily provided to the high heel by adjusting the shape of the top lift.

In embodiments in which the footwear is a high heel, the total area of the ground contact surface of the top lift of the high heel is from about 25 mm ² to about 900 mm ² , and in further embodiments from about 25 mm ² to about 500 mm ² .

In embodiments in which the footwear is a high heel, the thickness of the top lift of the high heel at its thickest point may be from about 2 mm to about 20 mm, from about 3 mm to about 15 mm, and most preferably from about 4 mm to about 8 mm.

The slope percentage of the top lift can be from about 5% to about 100%. In preferred embodiments, it can be in the range of from about 10% to about 50%. In more preferred embodiments, it can be from about 15% to about 30%. Here, slope percentage refers to the ratio of the thickness of the top lift at its thickest point to the thickness of its thinnest point.

The present invention includes not only a method for manufacturing footwear having the inclination of the present invention, but also a method for repairing footwear, which imparts the inclination of the present invention to footwear when repairing used or in-use footwear.

In a representative embodiment, the method for repairing footwear of the present invention may include a step of replacing the top lift of the heel assembly to impart the inclination of the present invention. In the repair method of the present invention, the replacement of the top lift may include attaching a wedge-shaped member, which will be described later, to the top lift of the heel assembly. The inclination of the present invention may be imparted by replacing the top lift by manufacturing a top lift with an adjusted shape and replacing the used top lift with it, or by, for example, scraping the ground surface when a conventional flat top lift without inclination is attached, or by attaching a wedge-shaped member to a conventional flat top lift without inclination.

In the contact surface of the heel assembly of the present invention, the horizontal portion may be about 60% or less of the entire contact surface, about 50% or less, about 40% or less, about 30% or less, preferably about 20% or less, and particularly preferably about 10% or less. Conventionally, the heel assembly has been designed to increase the contact area of the heel assembly by increasing the horizontal portion of the contact surface of the heel assembly, thereby stabilizing the heel assembly when it touches the ground, but the inventor has discovered that by providing an inclined surface, even if the horizontal portion is significantly reduced, such as about 30% or less of the entire contact surface, stability when it touches the ground is not impaired but rather increased.

The inclination of the present invention is particularly useful for subjects whose subtalar joints over-supinate when walking, so in one embodiment, the method of repairing footwear of the present invention may involve first confirming, prior to repair, that the owner of the footwear is a subject whose subtalar joints over-supinate when walking, and then repairing the heel assembly of the footwear to have the inclination of the present invention.

(Specific embodiment)
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is an external view showing an example of footwear 10 equipped with a heel assembly 100 of the present invention. In Figure 1, the footwear 10 is described as a high heel, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the footwear may be women's shoes, men's shoes, sneakers, wedge soles, etc. other than high heels.

The heel assembly 100 includes a top lift 120 and a lift 130. The top lift 120 is the part that comes into contact with the ground at the rear of the footwear 10, and has a ground contact surface 125. The lift 130 is the part that connects the footwear body 110 and the top lift 120, and has a heel sheet 135 that is the connecting surface.

3 is a perspective view for explaining a top lift, in which FIG. 3(a) shows a conventional top lift, and FIG. 3(b) shows a top lift for the left foot of the present invention. The top lifts shown in FIG. 3(a) and (b) are top lifts for the left foot, respectively. The top lift 120 of the present invention shown in FIG. 3(b) includes a base 121 and a pin 122, similar to the conventional top lift shown in FIG. 3(a). The base 121 includes a first surface from which the pin 122 extends, and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first surface of the base 121 is a connection surface with the lift. And the second surface of the base 121 is a ground surface 125. The pin 122 is inserted into an insertion hole formed in the bottom surface of the lift 130 (not shown) in order to attach the top lift 120 to the lift 130. In a preferred embodiment, the surface of the pin 122 may be knurled (roughened). This prevents the pin 122 from rotating inside the lift 130 and prevents the top lift 120 from falling out of the lift 130.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3(b), the connection between the lift 130 and the top lift 120 has been described as being achieved by fitting and inserting the pin 122 of the top lift 120 into the insertion hole of the lift 130, but the present invention is not limited to this. Any connection method may be employed. For example, the lift 130 and the top lift 120 may be bonded and fixed together with an adhesive or the like, or may be fixed together with bolts.

The surface shape of the first and second faces of the top lift 120 may be any shape. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3(b), the shape is horseshoe-shaped, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shape may be circular, semicircular, rectangular, or polygonal.

The material of the base 121 of the top lift 120 can be formed from any material known in the art. For example, in one embodiment, the base 121 can be formed from a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum, a resin such as rubber or elastomer, wood, or natural or artificial leather. In a representative embodiment, the material of the base 121 can be a resin, but the invention is not limited thereto. Additionally, the base 121 can be made of one type of material or multiple types of materials.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the base 121 includes a plate-shaped member and a wedge-shaped member of approximately uniform thickness, each of which may be made of the same material or different materials. For example, in one embodiment, the base 121 of the present invention may be formed by attaching a wedge-shaped member, which is a separate member, to a known plate-shaped member. The wedge-shaped member of the present invention may be formed from metals such as stainless steel or aluminum, resins such as rubber or elastomer, wood, or natural or artificial leather. In an embodiment that includes a soft layer, which will be described later, the base 121 may be made of a material harder than that layer. The wedge-shaped member may be attached to the ground contact side of the plate-shaped member, or to the connection side with the lift.

The pin 122 of the top lift 120 can be made of any material as long as it can withstand the impact and rotational moment that occurs during walking. For example, in one embodiment, it is made of a metal material such as stainless steel or aluminum, but the present invention is not limited to this.

The lift 130 may be made of any material. For example, in one embodiment, the lift 130 is made of a metal such as stainless steel or aluminum, a resin such as rubber or elastomer, wood, or natural or artificial leather, but the invention is not limited thereto. The lift 130 may be made of one type of material or multiple types of materials.

The shape of the connection surface of the lift 130 with the top lift 120 can be any shape. In a preferred embodiment, it is a shape that conforms to the shape of the top lift to which it is connected from a design perspective, but the present invention is not limited to this.

As shown in Fig. 3(b), the base 121 includes a first portion (A1) on the outer side and front side, a second portion (A2) on the inner side and front side, a third portion (A3) on the outer side and rear side, and a fourth portion (A4) on the inner side and rear side. The first portion (A1) has a thickness _t1 , the second portion (A2) has a thickness _t2 , the third portion has a thickness _t3 , and the fourth portion (A4) has a thickness _t4 . The thicknesses _t1 , _t2 , _t3 , and _t4 of the base of the top lift 120 of the present invention are not uniform, unlike the base of the conventional top lift shown in Fig. 3(a). When the top lift 120 shown in Fig. 3(b) is attached to a known lift 130 having the same inner and outer heights, a first portion (A1) having a thickness _t1 is located on the outer side and front side, a second portion (A2) having a thickness _t2 is located on the inner side and front side, a third portion (A3) having a thickness _t3 (not shown) is located on the outer side and rear side, and a fourth portion (A4) having a thickness _t4 is located on the inner side and rear side. In this state, the base 121 is thickest at the outer side and front side and thinnest at the inner side and rear side.

Figure 4 is a left side view of the top lift 120. Figure 4 shows the state of the top lift 120 when it is attached to the footwear body 110 via a known lift whose inner and outer sides are the same height, and the footwear is placed on a horizontal surface (ground), with the lift and footwear body omitted. It is clear that the position and orientation of the lift attached to the footwear body can be adjusted as appropriate depending on the shape of the footwear, etc.

As shown in FIG. 4, the line connecting the first portion of the base 121 and the fourth portion of the base 121 forms an inclined surface 125 that has an inclination angle of θ with respect to the horizontal plane. The inclined surface 125 with an inclination angle of θ allows a wide portion of the front and rear sides of the top lift 120 to touch the ground when the heel first touches the ground during walking, improving dynamic stability during walking compared to conventional top lifts, and suppressing uneven wear at the rear end of the top lift 120, thereby achieving the effect of extending the life of the top lift 120.

As shown in FIG. 5, the inclined surface of the ground contact surface 125 of the top lift 120 is formed to form a directional angle δ with respect to the sagittal plane (the center line of the footwear).

8 shows a top lift 120a, which is a modified version of the top lift 120, being attached to a known lift 130 with the same inner and outer heights, with FIG. 8(a) showing the state before attachment and FIG. 8(b) showing the state after attachment. In FIGS. 8(a) and (b), a cross section of the lift 130 is shown, with the upper part including the heel seat omitted. In the above example, the lower end surface (ground surface 125) of the base 121 of the top lift 120 is inclined to make the thickness of each part of the heel assembly different, but the heel assembly of the present invention may be such that the thickness of each part of the heel assembly is different by attaching the top lift 120a, in which the upper end surface of the base 121a is inclined, to the lift 130 as shown in FIGS. 8(a) and (b).

As shown in FIG. 8(a), before the top lift 120a is fitted and inserted into the lift 130, the line connecting the first portion and the fourth portion on the upper end surface of the base 121a of the top lift 120a forms an inclined surface that forms an inclination angle of θ with respect to the horizontal plane.

As shown in FIG. 8(b), when the top lift 120a is fitted and inserted into the lift 130, the base 121a is deformed so that the entire inclined surface of the upper end surface of the base 121a comes into contact with the connection surface of the lift 130 with the base 121a. As a result, when the top lift 120a is attached to the footwear body 110 via the lift 130 and the footwear is placed on a horizontal surface, a line connecting the first and fourth parts of the base 121a of the top lift 120a forms an inclined surface at an inclination angle of θ with respect to the horizontal plane on the lower end surface of the base 121a of the top lift 120a. This makes it possible to achieve the same effect as the top lift 120 shown in FIG. 3(b) and FIG. 4.

Figure 9 shows a known top lift 120b of uniform thickness being attached to lift 130a, which is a modified version of lift 130, with Figure 9(a) showing the state before attachment and Figure 9(b) showing the state after attachment. Figures 9(a) and (b) show a cross section of lift 130a, with the upper part including the heel seat omitted.

In the above example, the thickness of each part of the heel assembly is made different by inclining the lower end surface or the upper end surface of the base 121 of the top lift 120. However, the heel assembly of the present invention may be made different in thickness by attaching a known top lift 120b of uniform thickness to a lift 130a having an inclined connection surface with the base 121b of the top lift 120, as shown in Figures 9(a) and (b).

As shown in FIG. 9(a), before the known top lift 120b having a uniform thickness is fitted and inserted into the lift 130a, an inclined surface is formed at the connection surface between the lift 130a and the base 121b, which forms an inclination angle of θ with respect to the horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 9(b), when the known top lift 120b having a uniform thickness is fitted and inserted into the lift 130a, the base 121b is deformed so that the upper end surface of the base 121b comes into contact with the entire inclined connection surface of the lift 130. As a result, when the known top lift 120b having a uniform thickness is attached to the footwear body 110 via the lift 130a and the footwear is placed on a horizontal plane, an inclined surface is formed at the lower end surface of the base 121b of the top lift 120b, where the line connecting the first and fourth parts of the base 121b forms an inclined surface at an inclination angle of θ with respect to the horizontal plane. As a result, it is possible to achieve the same effect as the top lift 120 shown in FIG. 3(b) and FIG. 4.

Figure 10 shows a known lift 120c of uniform thickness being attached to lift 130a, which is a modified version of lift 130, with Figure 10(a) showing the state before attachment and Figure 10(b) showing the state after attachment. Figures 10(a) and (b) show a cross section of lift 130a, with the upper part including the heel seat omitted.

Top lift 120c differs from top lift 120b shown in FIG. 9 in that the cross-sectional area of the surface connected to lift 130a is larger than the cross-sectional area of the surface of lift 130a connected to top lift 120c.

The method of attaching top lift 120c to lift 130a is the same as the method of attaching top lift 120b to lift 130a shown in FIG. 9. After attachment, as shown in FIG. 10(b), unnecessary portions (dotted portions) of top lift 120c may be removed to finally form top lift 121c shown in FIG. 10.

In the above example, the thickness of each part of the heel assembly is made different by inclining either the lower end surface of the base 121 of the top lift 120, the upper end surface of the base 121 of the top lift 120, or the connection surface with the base 121 of the lift 130. However, it is also within the scope of the present invention to make the thickness of each part of the heel assembly different by inclining at least two of the lower end surface of the base 121 of the top lift 120, the upper end surface of the base 121 of the top lift 120, and the connection surface with the base 121 of the lift 130. In the above modified example, various cases of providing an inclination angle θ are described, but various modifications can also be made to the inclination direction angle δ.

Figure 11 is a diagram explaining a top lift 120d that is different from the top lift 120 of the present invention, where Figure 11(a) is a perspective view of the top lift 120d, Figure 11(b) is a side view of the top lift 120d, and Figure 11(c) is a front view of the top lift 120d.

The top lift 120d has a layer R that is softer than the base 121 on the inclined surface of the base 121 of the top lift 120 shown in Figures 3(b) and 4. Note that in Figure 11, the thickness of the top lift is made approximately uniform overall by providing layer R, but since layer R is made of a soft material, it is important to note that the effect of the inclination of the present invention formed on the base 121 is not impaired.

In addition, FIG. 11 shows an embodiment in which the thickness of the top lift is approximately uniform by providing layer R, but even if layer R is provided, the present invention naturally includes an embodiment in which the top lift has a similar inclination to the inclination of base 121 (i.e., the thickness of layer R is approximately uniform, and the inclination of base 121 is reflected in the inclination of the top lift). In addition, the present invention naturally includes an embodiment in which the thickness of the top lift as a whole is approximately uniform by providing soft layer R on the inclined surface of base 121a of top lift 120a shown in FIG. 8(a), as well as the top lift shown in FIG. 11. The soft layer R can be any material as long as it is clearly softer than the hardness of base 121 (e.g., the plate-shaped member and wedge-shaped member in FIG. 7). For example, the material constituting layer R is soft resin such as soft urethane or soft rubber, or foamed resin, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the heel assembly ground surface to show the repair method of the present invention. In the repair method of the present invention, first, the repairer can observe the ground surface of the heel assembly of the user's shoe and confirm where the heel assembly is worn at the rear. (1) shows that the heel assembly is worn from the rear outer side of the heel assembly (black part), which indicates that the shoe owner tends to over-supinate the subtalar joint when walking. (2) shows that the heel assembly is worn from the rear side of the heel assembly, approximately from the center, which indicates that the shoe owner tends to over-pronate the subtalar joint when walking. (3) shows that the heel assembly is worn from the rear inner side of the heel assembly, which indicates that the shoe owner tends to significantly over-pronate the subtalar joint when walking.

Then, as shown in FIG. 15, the repairer identifies the point X where the wear begins. The point X where the wear begins is the point on the contact surface of the heel assembly where the wear is greatest from the reference surface of the contact surface, and is often approximately the midpoint of the outer edge of the end point of the worn area (see a and b in FIG. 15). A perpendicular line Z to the tangent line Y at that point X is identified. The direction of the arrow of this perpendicular line Z is the direction of the heel strike of the user's heel on the heel assembly.

Next, as shown in FIG. 16, the angle is inwardly rotated by an angle β from the perpendicular line Z (counterclockwise for the left foot, clockwise for the right foot) to determine the tilt direction α. The tilt direction α represents a tilt from the front to the rear along the line α. In the repair method of the present invention, the heel assembly can be tilted along this tilt direction α. As described above, the method of imparting this tilt may be by replacing the top lift with one having a tilt, by attaching a wedge-shaped member, by scraping the contact surface when replacing with a flat top lift, or by further attaching a wedge-shaped member to a flat top lift.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the angle β in the repair method of the present invention can be from about 0° to about 45°, from about 5° to about 40°, and preferably from about 10° to about 30°.

Without intending to be bound by theory, as described above, by inverting the inclination of the heel assembly's contact surface from the direction of heel contact during normal walking, the rear part of the heel assembly can prevent the user from walking with their legs turned inwards and reduce pain at the base of the big toe and the tip of the little toe. The rear part of the heel contact surface is responsible for the behavior of the footwear from heel contact to sole contact. When the heel assembly touches the ground, the part that touches the ground is braked, and a force is generated that pulls the footwear in the direction in which the brake is applied. In particular, many women who wear high heels have the characteristic of being turned inwards, so they touch the ground from the inside and the footwear is subjected to a force that rotates from the outside to the inside. This can cause friction between the inside of the footwear and the base of the big toe and the tip of the little toe, causing pain at the base of the big toe and the tip of the little toe. The present invention provides a slope that is more outwardly inward than normal walking in the rear part that touches the ground first when walking, so that the footwear touches the ground from the outside and the force that rotates from the inside to the outside when walking. This can prevent the knee from turning inwards and reduce pain at the base of the big toe and the tip of the little toe. It can also prevent blisters at the calcaneus-Achilles tendon insertion point and calf tightness.

Without intending to be bound by theory, as described above, by inverting the inclination of the heel assembly's contact surface from the direction of heel strike during normal walking, the front part of the heel assembly can contribute to reducing lateral instability, especially in the latter half of the stance phase. The front part of the heel contact surface during mid-stance phase is responsible for the behavior of the footwear when weight is placed on the foot after the foot strikes the ground (after heel strike and before heel lift). Typically, the metatarsal bones shorten from the medial row to the lateral row. When this happens, a person's foot receives a force from the inside to the outside when touching the ground, and the body tilts when weight is applied. This is called lateral instability. Lateral instability may be particularly related to diseases of the legs and hips. The repair method of the present invention reduces lateral instability by inclining the front part from the outside to the inside, rather than the direction of heel strike during normal walking, and can reduce the burden on the knee joint caused by lateral instability during walking.

As described above, the present invention has been illustrated using a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to this embodiment. It is understood that the scope of the present invention should be interpreted only by the claims. It is understood that a person skilled in the art can implement an equivalent scope based on the description of the specific preferred embodiment of the present invention and common technical knowledge from the description of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Footwear 100 Heel assembly 110 Footwear body 120 Top lift 121 Base 122 Pin 130 Lift

Claims (11)

1. A heel assembly for footwear having a ground contact surface including a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion,
the first portion is an outer and front portion of the ground contact surface divided into four portions by a line that bisects a distance between both ends of the ground contact surface in the front-rear direction and a line that bisects a distance between both ends of the ground contact surface in the medial-lateral direction,
The second portion is an inner and front portion of the four portions ,
The third portion is an outer and rear portion of the four portions ,
The fourth portion is an inner and rear portion of the four portions ,
The heel height is 3 cm or more.
The area of the ground contact surface is 25 mm ² to 500 mm ² ;
In the contact surface, a horizontal portion is 30% or less of a total area of the contact surface,
A heel assembly, wherein the first portion, the second portion, the third portion and the fourth portion have an inclination satisfying the following (i) to (iv), and a direction angle δ of the inclination is 40° to 70° :
(i) having a slope from the first portion to the fourth portion;
(ii) tapering from the third portion towards the fourth portion;
( ii ) having a slope from the first portion to the second portion;
( iv ) having a slope from the first portion toward the third portion or no slope between the first portion and the third portion ;
( v ) having a slope from the second portion toward the fourth portion or no slope between the second portion and the fourth portion. The heel assembly of claim 1 , wherein the incline is achieved by a shape of the lift. The heel assembly of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the tilt is achieved by a top lift. The heel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the inclination is achieved by the shape of the lift and the top lift. The heel assembly according to claim 3 or 4 , wherein the top lift comprises a plate-shaped member having a uniform thickness and a wedge-shaped member. Footwear comprising a heel assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , the footwear being a high heel . The top lift according to any one of claims 4 to 5 . 6. The wedge member of claim 5 . A method of repairing footwear, comprising:
A method comprising the step of replacing a top lift of the footwear with a repair member, the repair member being another top lift as defined in claim 7 . A method of repairing footwear, comprising:
A method comprising the step of attaching a repair element to a top lift of the footwear, the repair element being a wedge element as defined in claim 8 . The method according to claim 9 or 10 , wherein the wearer of the footwear is a subject who suffers from over-supination of the subtalar joint when walking.