Pump or high-heeled shoe

Abstract

A pump or high-heeled shoe (100) with an insole (1) and a heel (4), wherein the insole (1) has a front insole (2) located in a forefoot region (20) and a rear insole (3) extending across a midfoot region (21) and a rearfoot region (22), and at least the rear insole (3) is produced from a fiber-reinforced plastic material.

Description

[0001] heeled shoe

[0002] The present invention relates to a heeled shoe, also called pump, high heel or stiletto, with a supporting body comprising a sole, in particular an insole, and a heel.

[0003] Shoes with a significantly raised rear foot area compared to the forefoot area, so-called heel shoes, have been very popular for many years, especially among women. For example, heel shoes can be defined by the rear foot area, or heel area, being at least 2 cm higher than the forefoot area. This height difference is achieved primarily by the height of the heel and generally lends the wearer a particularly elegant appearance.

[0004] The insole is the layer of a shoe sole facing the foot or footbed. The insole is specifically everything that exists beneath the foot in a shoe, including the outsole, midsole, heel, welt, insole, and footbed. A shoe upper, also called the shaft, is usually attached to the insole. The insole therefore typically forms the foundation of a shoe, providing stability and maintaining a good fit.

[0005] The insole typically has a shape that corresponds to the foot or footbed, particularly as a plate extending across the entire foot, i.e., from the forefoot area through the midfoot area to the rearfoot area, as thin as possible and with raised edges, usually full-surface. Today, insoles are usually made of leather, thermoplastics, specially impregnated cardboard, or felt.

[0006] While in flat shoes the weight of a person or the pressure exerted on the human foot is usually evenly distributed across the forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot areas, in high-heeled shoes the main load is concentrated on the forefoot area due to the raised heel position. Especially with extremely high and thin high-heeled shoes, the front part of the foot, i.e. the ball of the foot, is subjected to particular strain. This can lead to high-heeled shoes being perceived as uncomfortable and unpleasant to wear - especially in comparison to flat shoes. It is known that a certain degree of flexibility in the high-heeled shoe and a targeted footbed can provide local support for the foot and thus improve pressure distribution, particularly across the entire footbed, and thus increase comfort.

[0007] In addition to the previously mentioned flexibility of the heel shoe, particularly in the area of ​​the sole of the foot, the strength and stability of the heel shoe are one of the most important factors in the development and manufacture of a heel shoe in order to ensure sufficient stability and to transfer the movement emanating from the foot when walking. To ensure stability, the connection between the sole and heel in particular must be permanently rigid and strong. Especially with very narrow or thin heels, such as so-called stiletto heels, this is often only possible with particularly strong materials. For this reason, high-heel shoes usually have a thin metal plate as an insole, which is connected to the heel in the transition area to the heel using metal screws, particularly screws made of titanium. This makes such shoes comparatively heavy.Furthermore, the manufacturing and assembly of such shoes are particularly complex and costly. In particular, this design requires coordination between at least three specialized suppliers, which can significantly increase complexity and slow down production. In times of ever-faster production cycles, the often manual coordination of insole and outsole is becoming increasingly problematic.

[0008] To avoid the relatively high weight of such shoes, lightweight materials have been increasingly used. Epoxy resin or plastic have been used, particularly for the heel of the shoe. Such a shoe with a heel featuring a lightweight inner core is known, for example, from EP 2 143 354 A1.

[0009] However, it has been shown that the use of epoxy resin or plastic cannot completely prevent the heel or shoe from breaking apart due to the material properties. Therefore, epoxy resin or plastic is typically used in heel shoes only as supporting, particularly strength-enhancing components, on the otherwise conventional metallic components. In particular, such conventional components are additionally coated with strength-enhancing components. However, this in turn results in a relatively high shoe weight, relatively high manufacturing and assembly costs, and also a relatively thick-walled shoe, which can negatively impact the shoe's external appearance.

[0010] In addition, it has been shown that in such shoes - particularly due to vibrations and shocks when walking - the metal connecting screws can dig into adjacent softer materials and thus become loose, which can result in the heel breaking off or tearing off.

[0011] Ultimately, however, the sustainable disposal of such a high-heeled shoe or even its recycling is often impossible due to the frequently used fusion of the basic components, such as the sole, without destroying the shoe parts and / or material, thus rendering them unusable. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a high-heeled shoe that improves at least one of the aforementioned disadvantages and, in particular, has the flexibility required for comfortable wear, the stability required for safe use, and the uncomplicated structure required for simple and cost-effective production and assembly.

[0012] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a high-heeled shoe having the features of the main claim. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims, the description, and the figures.

[0013] The heeled shoe according to the invention has an insole comprising a front insole arranged in a forefoot region and a separately formed rear insole extending across a midfoot region and a rearfoot region. This makes it possible to achieve the flexibility of the heeled shoe required, particularly in the forefoot region, for pleasant wearing comfort and secure rolling of the foot, as well as the stability and strength required, particularly in the rearfoot region, for secure standing and walking to maintain the fit of the heeled shoe. In particular, the rear insole can form a particularly rigid foundation for wearing the shoe, while the front insole, as a relatively flexible element, can allow a certain amount of bending and twisting of the heeled shoe when walking.

[0014] For this purpose, at least the flat rear insole is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic. In particular, the entire rear insole can be made exclusively of a fiber-reinforced plastic. The fibers can be natural fibers, such as flax, or industrially manufactured fibers, such as carbon fiber. The fibers can, in particular, impart the necessary strength to the plastic without the need for additional sheath material to support a load-bearing core. This allows for a comparatively significant reduction in the weight of the shoe, while at the same time, the two-part design creates a certain degree of cushioning within the shoe, which significantly increases comfort.Furthermore, manufacturing complexity can be reduced, particularly by manufacturing the insole and outsole as a single component or at least from the same material, and sourcing this from a single manufacturer. This significantly simplifies the supply chain and enables particularly fast and digital processing. Since the new chassis of the heeled shoe will now be based primarily on a single component, the material can also be separated much more easily from other components, such as the leather, at the end of the shoe's life cycle and directly recycled or reused. In the case of flax, the material is even obtained naturally, reducing dependence on environmentally harmful chemicals and fossil raw materials.

[0015] An insole produced in this way is particularly dimensionally stable, so that the provision of an additional supporting frame or an additional plate, in particular a metallic frame or a metallic plate, is not necessary and can be avoided, whereby the shoe as a whole can be designed to be particularly lightweight. The reinforcing fibers in the plastic can be arranged in several layers when used in the rear insole. Preferably, two fiber layers in the rear insole are aligned in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the rear insole and further fiber layers are at other, in particular different angles to the longitudinal extent. Preferably, the number of fiber layers decreases in the direction of the forefoot region and thus enables increased flexibility in the forefoot. The finished rear insole designed as a thin-walled carbon shell can therefore, for example, have a material thickness orHave a thickness between 1.0 and 2.5 mm, preferably the material thickness is between 1.5 and 2.0 mm, particularly preferably about 1.8 mm. In principle, it is of course also possible for the front insole to be made from a fiber-reinforced plastic. Furthermore, such an insole made from a fiber-reinforced plastic enables, among other things, a particularly precise and individually designable geometry and shape of the sole of the foot. In particular, the rear insole can have a geometry that is individually adapted to a previously measured foot. For example, the size and shape and / or the elevations and depressions arranged on the upper side of the rear insole can be individually adapted - according to the previously measured foot and the associated optimal design of the sole geometry.Depending on the heel's further construction, the shaped surface of the rear insole can, alternatively or additionally, support and / or shape the shape of an additional footbed. This enables a particularly high level of comfort.

[0016] Particularly preferably, the front insole and the rear insole are manufactured and / or formed as two separate parts, wherein the rear insole and the front insole can be arranged partially overlapping in the forefoot region. In particular, the rear insole can partially cover the front insole, i.e. rest on the front insole on the upper side facing the foot. This enables sufficient stability in the midfoot and rearfoot region and particularly high flexibility of the heel shoe in the forefoot region for rolling the foot when walking. In this case, the front and rear insoles can be connected to one another, for example by means of adhesive. This can create a permanently secure and firm connection between the front insole and the rear insole.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flat rear insole has an upper side and a lower side, with the upper side facing a footbed and the lower side being at least partially visible from the outside—particularly in a section between the heel and the front insole. In particular, the insole, made of fiber-reinforced plastic, is not surrounded by a casing material, at least in this section. This allows for the creation of both high dimensional stability and a particularly thin-walled shoe shape, which gives the shoe a particularly low weight and enables a particularly elegant appearance of the heeled shoe.It should be clear that the expression "visible from the outside" is to be understood as meaning the possibility of direct visual contact with the rear insole, in particular without any further layer of material, in particular a layer forming a casing, preventing this visual contact.

[0018] Preferably, a footbed and a shoe upper are arranged on an upper side of at least the rear insole, in particular adjacent to the rear insole. The shoe upper typically comprises a shoe upper with a shaft that laterally surrounds the foot of a wearer. The footbed can extend beyond the rear insole into the area of ​​the front insole. The footbed is preferably formed in one piece. This enables, in particular, a secure hold of the foot in the heeled shoe and direct movement guidance of the heeled shoe.

[0019] In principle, an adhesive connection can be provided between the heel and the rear insole. Preferably, a plug-in connection is provided for a particularly strong connection between the heel and the rear insole. Such a plug-in connection is generally understood to mean a joining of components of the heel, on the one hand, and other components of the rear insole that correspond to these heel components, on the other hand. This can, for example, be a connection between at least one pin and at least one hole. Particularly preferably, the plug-in connection comprises exclusively components that are part of the heel and / or the insole. In particular, the plug-in connection does not comprise any additional separate components, such as screws.This allows for a particularly strong connection between the insole and heel, and also makes the manufacture and assembly of the heel shoe particularly uncomplicated and cost-effective.

[0020] For example, at least one protruding pin can be provided on a side of the heel facing the insole, and a recess corresponding to the pin can be provided on the rear insole. The pins inserted into the recess can additionally be glued to the side surfaces of the recess. Particularly preferably, three pins protruding in the direction of the insole are provided on the heel, and three recesses corresponding to the heel pins are provided on the insole. The plug-in connection can thus be designed as a plug-in mechanism, enabling both a particularly secure connection between the insole and heel and particularly uncomplicated and cost-effective production and assembly of the heel-like shoe. The at least one pin preferably comprises the same material as the heel in this area. Particularly preferably, the pin is not made of metal.The recesses can be designed, for example, as a blind hole or a completely through hole.

[0021] The pins can be arranged parallel or offset from one another, in particular in a regular shape on the respective surface of the heel or insole. The pins can be straight, curved, tilted, or even toothed in their longitudinal extension. In particular, the pins can extend at a predefined angle from the top of the heel or the underside of the insole. In particular, the pins can be formed at an angle to the respective surface of between 30 and 60°. In principle, all pins are inclined towards the rear end of the heel shoe, but they can also be inclined in different directions, which can make the connection between heel and insole even stronger. The pins can have different shapes in their cross-section, for example round, elliptical, or square. This can also strengthen the connection between heel and insole.

[0022] The pins can have a front surface at a lateral end, which is preferably substantially horizontal when the heeled shoe is in the upright position. It can also be provided, in principle, that the front surface is visible on the upper side of the insole after the pin has been fully inserted into the recess. In this case, it is advantageously configured to correspond to the section of the upper side of the insole, so that the front surface of the pin and the upper side of the insole form a surface without a heel.

[0023] Particularly preferably, the plug-in connection comprises a press fit between at least one protruding pin and a recess arranged corresponding to the pin. This enables both a particularly strong connection between the insole and the heel and a particularly uncomplicated and cost-effective production and assembly of the heel shoe.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, all components of the high-heeled shoe, or the entire high-heeled shoe, are made of non-metallic materials. This non-use of metal results in further advantages, such as with regard to the increasingly important topic of sustainability and biodegradability of products in society. For example, biodegradable materials can be used for the shoe components. A further advantage is that at security checkpoints, such as those at public buildings or airports, shoes no longer have to be removed to pass through a metal detector. This is often undesirable, especially when wearing nylon tights, which are often worn in combination with high-heeled shoes, due to their susceptibility to runs.

[0025] In a further development of the invention, the front insole has a particularly flat recess on an upper side facing the footbed, into which a cushioning element is inserted. The cushioning element serves to provide a certain immersion of the forefoot when walking and the rolling motion of the foot that typically occurs during this process. The foot of a wearer of the shoe can be literally clamped or pressed into the shoe by the material of the cushioning element, which is somewhat softer than that of the front insole. This enables such a large connection surface between shoe and foot that a particularly high level of comfort can be achieved. The cushioning element can extend over the entire forefoot area, in particular over almost the entire width and / or almost the entire length of the front insole. Advantageously, the cushioning element can be designed as a flat shock insert.As a result, it can be fully inserted into the corresponding recess in the front insole. The damping element can be fixed in the recess using adhesive. The damping element can have a thickness or material strength between approximately 1 and 15 mm, preferably between 8 and 12 mm, with a particularly preferred material thickness of approximately 10 mm. The material thickness can vary across the width and length of the damping element. In particular, individual areas of the damping element can be thicker than others. It can be provided that the rear insole extends over the damping element. Furthermore, it can be provided that the rear insole is connected to the damping element. For example, the rear insole can be glued to the damping element.

[0026] Particularly preferably, an outsole is arranged on the underside of the front insole. The outsole can be directly adjacent to the underside of the front insole. The outsole can be formed exclusively in the area of ​​the front insole, particularly in the forefoot area. The outsole can thus—apart from the heel patch located on the heel—form the only contact surface between the shoe and the ground on which the heeled shoe stands. The outsole serves, in particular, to protect the front insole. It is typically made of rubber.

[0027] Particularly preferably, at least one of the front insole, the heel, and the cushioning element is made of an expanded thermoplastic polyurethane, referred to as ETPU for short. In particular, it can be provided that the front insole and / or the cushioning element inserted therein is made of an ETPU. Additionally, at least one core of the heel can also be made of an ETPU. This allows the heeled shoe to be particularly lightweight while simultaneously maintaining particularly high dimensional stability. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. They show schematically:

[0028] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a heel shoe according to the invention;

[0029] Figure 2 shows another perspective view of the

[0030] Heel shoe according to Fig.l;

[0031] Figure 3 the heel shoe according to Fig.l in a

[0032] exploded view;

[0033] Figure 4 a detailed view of a heel and a rear

[0034] Insole of the heel shoe according to Fig.l in an exploded view; and

[0035] Figure 5 shows a detailed view of a front insole and a

[0036] Damping element of the heel shoe according to Fig.l in an exploded view.

[0037] Figures 1 and 2 each show a schematic view of the heeled shoe 100 according to the invention. The heeled shoe 100 comprises, in particular, an insole 1, a heel 4, and a shoe upper 6. Additionally, a footbed 5 is provided above the insole 1, in particular on a side of the insole 1 facing the person wearing the shoe 100, which footbed is essentially adapted to the dimensions of a human foot.

[0038] The heel shoe 100 is defined in that the footbed 5 or a foot located in the shoe is arranged at least 2 cm higher in a rearfoot region 22 than in a forefoot region 20. This is realized in particular by the arrangement and design of the heel 4. The forefoot region 20 extends in the longitudinal direction of the heel shoe 100 from a distal end of the toes to approximately a distal region of the metatarsal bones. The metatarsal region 21 extends in the longitudinal direction of the heel shoe 100 approximately from the distal metatarsal bone to a distal end of the heel joint. The rearfoot region 22 extends in the longitudinal direction of the heel shoe 100 approximately from the distal end of the heel joint to the proximal end of the heel.

[0039] The heel shoe 100 has a distal or front half and a proximal or rear half separated by a central transverse axis arranged transversely to its longitudinal extent, with the central transverse axis being arranged approximately in the region of the proximal metatarsal bones. Furthermore, the heel shoe 100 has a lateral outer foot side and a medial inner foot side separated by a longitudinal axis.

[0040] The insole 1, together with the heel 4, serves as the supporting structure of the heeled shoe 100 and, in particular, provides the shoe with stability and a secure fit. The insole 1 is designed as a relatively thin, flat, and partially curved plate and, in particular, has a shape that corresponds to the foot or footbed. It extends, in particular, from the forefoot region 20 across the midfoot region 21 to the rearfoot region 22. The shoe upper 6, also called the shaft, is attached to the insole 1. An outsole is usually arranged on the underside of an insole; in the present case, an outsole 7 is provided only in the forefoot region 20.

[0041] The insole 1 in the present case - as can be seen in particular in Figure 3 - is designed in two parts and comprises a front insole 2 arranged in the forefoot region 20 and a separately formed rear insole 3 extending over the midfoot region 21 and the rearfoot region 22. The two-part design of the insole 1 makes it possible, on the one hand, to achieve the flexibility of the heeled shoe 100 required in the forefoot region 20 for pleasant wearing comfort and secure rolling of the foot, and, on the other hand, to achieve the stability and strength required in the rearfoot region 21 for secure standing and walking to maintain the fit of the heeled shoe 100. Thus, the rear insole 3 forms a dimensionally stable foundation for wearing the shoe 100, while the front insole 2, as a relatively flexible element, allows a certain amount of bending and twisting of the heeled shoe 100 when walking.

[0042] The heel shoe 100 thus only has contact with a surface on which the shoe stands with a so-called heel patch 8 arranged on the heel 4 and with the outsole 7 arranged on the underside 18 of the front insole 2.

[0043] In order to achieve sufficient stability and strength, in particular of the rear insole 3, while at the same time achieving a relatively thin-walled profile for the support plate, the invention provides that at least the rear insole 3 is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic. The reinforcing fibers embedded in the plastic can be arranged in several layers, for example, two fiber layers are aligned in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the rear insole 3 and at least one other fiber layer is at a different, in particular different angle to the longitudinal extent, for example at a 45° angle to the longitudinal extent. The number of fiber layers can vary, in particular decreasing towards the forefoot region, so that increased flexibility can be achieved in the forefoot.The rear insole 3, which is designed as a particularly thin-walled shell with a material thickness of only about 1.8 mm, not only enables a particularly attractive appearance of the heel shoe 100 but also provides the stability required for pleasant and safe wearing comfort.

[0044] The fibers used to reinforce the plastic can be industrially manufactured fibers, especially carbon fibers. Natural fibers, such as flax, are particularly preferred. This allows for the desire for sustainability and improved biodegradability of new products to be met.

[0045] As can be seen particularly in Figures 2 and 3, the rear insole

[0046] 3 has a bottom side 13 which at least in the area between the paragraph

[0047] 4 and the front insole 2 are visible from the outside. This means that in this area, no further sole or casing material is arranged below the insole. This allows the appearance of the heeled shoe 100 to be further tapered and slenderized, which is often desired.

[0048] For a firm connection between the rear insole 3 and the front insole 2, it is provided in the example shown that the two sole parts 2, 3 are arranged overlapping in the forefoot area 20, in particular in the front area 15 of the rear insole 3.

[0049] For a particularly secure connection in the rear foot area 22 of the rear insole 3, in particular between the rear insole 3 and the heel 4, a plug connection 10 is provided here - as particularly illustrated in Figure 4. The plug connection 10 is in the present case a press fit between three pins 11a, 11b, 11c protruding from an upper side of the heel 4 and three recesses 12a, 12b, 12c arranged corresponding to the pin arrangement.

[0050] The pins 11a, 11b, 11c are arranged in a triangular shape, which is particularly advantageous for the stability of the connection. All three pins are round in cross-section and straight or cylindrical in their longitudinal extension, but are arranged at an angle to the upper side 19 of the rear insole 3. As a result, the pins 11a, 11b, 11c are inclined toward the rear end of the heel shoe 100 with respect to the upper side 19, but when viewing the entire shoe 100, they point essentially vertically upwards due to the inclination of the rear insole 3 toward the front insole 2. This allows the rear insole 3, in particular the recesses 12a, 11b, 12c arranged therein, and the pins 11a, 11b, 11c to be inserted into one another and joined together in a particularly simple manner during production.To increase strength, the pins 11a, 11b, 11c are additionally glued to the rear insole 3 in the recesses 12a, 12b, 12c. This creates a particularly strong connection between the rear insole 3 and the heel 4. As shown in particular in Figure 5, the front insole 2 comprises a flat recess 16 on an upper side 17 facing the footbed 5, into which a damping element 9 is inserted.

[0051] The cushioning element 9 is designed as a flat shock insert, which has a size and shape corresponding to the recess 16. In particular, the approximately 10 mm thick cushioning element 9 extends over a large part of the forefoot area 20, in particular over almost the entire width and length of the front insole 2. To prevent slipping, the cushioning element 9 is fixed in the recess 16 by means of adhesive. Furthermore, the cushioning element 9 can also be glued to the rear insole 3. To enable a certain immersion of the forefoot when walking and the rolling movement of the foot that usually occurs during this process, the cushioning segment 9 is made of a softer material than the front insole 2.

[0052] It should be noted that in addition to the rear insole 3 in this example, all other components of the heel shoe 100, such as the front insole 2, the heel 4, the footbed 5, and the shoe upper 6, can also be made of a sustainable and biodegradable material, in particular a non-metallic material. For example, in the present case, the heel 4, the front insole 2, and the cushioning element 9 are made of an expanded thermoplastic polyurethane, or ETPU for short. The outsole 7 and the heel patch 8 are made of rubber, as usual.

[0053] It should be clear that the main claim is not limited to the example described above, but the heel shoe can be manufactured or designed in other, not described embodiments. List of reference symbols: 00 Heel shoe Insole Front insole Rear insole Heel Footbed Shoe upper, shaft Outsole Heel patch Damping element Plug connection a Pin b Pin c Pin a Recess b Recess c Recess Underside Top side Front area Recess Top side Underside Top side Forefoot area Midfoot area Rearfoot area

Claims

Claims: A heeled shoe (100) with an insole (1) and a heel (4), wherein the insole (1) comprises a front insole (2) arranged in a forefoot area (20) and a separately formed rear insole (3) extending over a midfoot area (21) and a rearfoot area (22), and at least the rear insole (3) is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic. A heeled shoe (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the front insole (2) and the rear insole (3) are formed as two separate parts (2, 3) which are arranged partially overlapping in the forefoot area (20). A heeled shoe (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rear insole (3) is arranged to be at least partially visible from the outside, in particular on an underside (13) of the rear insole (3) between the heel (4) and the front insole (2).A heeled shoe (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a footbed (5) and an upper part (6) are provided on a top surface (14) of at least the rear insole (3). A heeled shoe (100) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plug connection (10) is provided for a fixed connection between the heel (4) and the rear insole (3). A heeled shoe (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that the plug connection (10) comprises an interference fit between at least one protruding pin (11a, 11b, 11c) and a correspondingly arranged recess (12a, 2b, 12c).

7. Heeled shoe (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that all parts of the shoe (100) are made of non-metallic materials.

8. Heeled shoe (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front insole (2) has a recess (16) on its upper surface (17) into which a cushioning element (9) is inserted.

9. Heeled shoe (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an outsole (7) is arranged on an underside (18) of the front insole (2) and the underside (18) of the front insole (2) rests against the outsole (7).

10. Heeled shoe (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the front insole (2), the heel (4), and the cushioning element (9) is made of an expanded thermoplastic polyurethane.

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