Shoe system with a resilient shoe insert

Abstract

The shoe system comprises a shoe that has an upper rim section. A shoe sole is disposed inside the shoe and has a top layer. A shoe insert has a stiff first member and a resilient second member attached to the first member so that the first member is attached to the top layer of the shoe sole. The second member is movable between a compressed position immediately adjacent to the first member and an expanded position remote from the first member. The first member is disposed a first distance from the upper rim section when the second member is in the compressed position and the first member being disposed the same first distance from the upper rim section when the second member is in the expanded position.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A shoe system, comprising: 
 a shoe having an upper rim section;    a shoe sole disposed inside the shoe, the shoe sole having a top layer;    a shoe insert having a stiff first member and a resilient second member attached to the first member, the first member being attached to the top layer of the shoe sole, the second member being movable between a compressed position immediately adjacent to the first member and an expanded position remote from the first member, the first member being disposed a first distance from the upper rim section when the second member is in the compressed position and the first member being disposed the same first distance from the upper rim section when the second member is in the expanded position.    
     
     
         2 . The shoe system according to    claim 1   , wherein the second member is attached to an underside of the first member.  
     
     
         3 . The shoe system according to    claim 1   , wherein a heel portion and a toe portion of the shoe are disposed at a first height when the second member is in the compressed position and the heel portion is disposed at a second height and the toe portion is disposed at the first height when the second member is in the expanded position, the second height is greater than the first height.  
     
     
         4 . The shoe system according to    claim 1   , wherein the second member is attached to the first member and directed towards the heel portion of the shoe.  
     
     
         5 . The shoe system according to    claim 1    wherein a U-shaped component is disposed in a gap defined between the first member and the second member.  
     
     
         6 . The shoe system according to    claim 5    wherein the U-shaped component has a bottom that is immediately adjacent to a connection point between the first member and the second member.  
     
     
         7 . The shoe system according to    claim 5    wherein the U-shaped component has an upper leg that is disposed along a back end of the first member and a lower leg that is disposed along a back end of the second member.  
     
     
         8 . A method of making a shoe system having a resilient shoe insert, comprising: 
 providing a shoe having an upper rim section and a shoe sole disposed inside the shoe, a shoe insert having a stiff first member and a resilient second member attached to the first member, a first compressible material being disposed between the first and second members, the compressible material having a first hardness, the first member being disposed a distance (X) from the upper rim and a distance (A) from a bottom side of the shoe sole;    putting a load (L) on the shoe;    compressing the second member towards the first member while maintaining the first member at the distance (X) from the upper rim and reducing the distance (A) to a distance (B), the distance (A) being greater than the distance (B),    removing the first compressible material; and    inserting a second compressible material having a second hardness, the second material being harder and stiffer than the first material.    
     
     
         9 . The method according to    claim 5    wherein the method further comprises removing the load (L) and expanding the shoe sole so that the second member is moved relative to the first member from the distance (B) back to the distance (A).  
     
     
         10 . The method according to    claim 6    wherein the method comprises raising a heel portion of the shoe when the load (L) is removed from the shoe.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to    claim 5    wherein the method comprises lowering a heel portion of the shoe to a height that is the same as a height of a toe portion of the shoe.