Heeling apparatus and method

Abstract

A heeling apparatus includes a shoe with a unique feature in the heel that allows one to walk, run, or roll seamlessly. The appearance is that of normal footwear because of the covert wheel assembly. The stealth wheel in the heel gives one the ability to roll or slide in areas you could only walk. Heeling is a new activity that employs a unique method of rolling and requires a newly learned skill set of balance, positioning, and coordination.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for use on a surface, the apparatus operable to wear on one's foot to transition from a walking state or a running state to a rolling state, the apparatus comprising: 
 a footwear having a sole with an opening formed in a portion of a heel portion the sole; and    a wheel assembly that includes a wheel mounted on an axle, and a mounting structure operable to support the axle so that a portion of the wheel resides in the opening.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel is made of a urethane.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel is made of a plastic.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel is made of a rubber.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel is rotatably mounted on the axle.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 bearings positioned to reduce the rotational friction between the wheel and the axle.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel includes more than one wheel, each rotatably mounted on the axle.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel has a first side with a first recess and a second side with a second recess, and wherein the wheel assembly further comprises: 
 a first precision bearing positioned in the first recess between the wheel and the axle; and    a second precision bearing positioned in the second recess between the wheel and the axle.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first precision bearing is positioned using a first ring clip on the axle, and the second precision bearing is positioned using a second ring clip on the axle.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the axle has a first radial indentation to position the first ring clip on the axle, and a second radial indentation to position the second ring clip on the axle.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is operable to mount in the opening of the sole of the footwear.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is formed in the opening of the sole of the footwear.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure includes a heel control plate.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and the axle is coupled to the mounting structure using the first member.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel is mounted at a first end of the axle and a second wheel is mounted at a second end of the axle.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and a second member, and the axle is coupled to the mounting structure through the first member and the second member.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the wheel is mounted between the first member and the second member of the mounting structure.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the axle is removably coupled to the mounting structure.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the axle is removably coupled to the mounting structure using a bias mechanism at the first member.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the bias mechanism is a spring bias mechanism.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the axle is removably coupled to the axle using a bias mechanism at the first member and a second bias mechanism at the second member.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is made using injection molding.  
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is made of a nylon.  
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is made of a polymer.  
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is made of a metal.  
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure is made of a composite material.  
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 bearings positioned to facilitate the rotation of the wheel around the axle.    
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the opening extends from a bottom of the sole to a top of the sole.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the opening extends from a bottom of the sole towards a top of the sole but does not extend to the top of the sole.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the opening is closed on all sides except for a bottom of the sole.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the opening is closed on all sides except for a bottom of the sole and a top of the sole.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a heel portion, an arch portion and a forefoot portion, and the opening is formed in the heel portion.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a heel portion, an arch portion and a forefoot portion, and the opening is positioned in both the heel portion and the arch portion.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a heel portion, an arch portion and a forefoot portion, and the opening is positioned in the arch portion.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a heel portion, an arch portion and a forefoot portion, and the opening is positioned in both the arch portion and the forefoot portion.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a heel portion, an arch portion and a forefoot portion, and the opening is positioned in the forefoot portion.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes an outsole, a midsole, and an insole, and the opening extends in the outsole.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes an outsole, a midsole, and an insole, and the opening extends through the outsole and into the midsole.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes an outsole, a midsole, and an insole, and the opening extends through the outsole, the midsole, and into the insole.  
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes an outsole, a midsole, and an insole, and the opening extends through the outsole, the midsole, and the insole.  
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a grind plate attached to the sole.    
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the sole includes a heel portion, an arch portion and a forefoot portion, and the grind plate is attached to the arch portion.  
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear is a shoe.  
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear is a dress shoe.  
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear is an athletic shoe.  
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear is a loafer.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear is a boot.  
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear is a sandal.  
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a wheel cover operable to cover a portion of the wheel that extends below a bottom of the sole and the opening.    
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a wheel stop operable to prevent rotation of the wheel on the axle.    
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel and the axle of the wheel assembly are removable from the wheel assembly.  
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , further comprising: 
 a wheel cover operable to cover the opening when the wheel and axle are removed.    
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 52 , wherein the wheel cover is operable to couple to the wheel assembly when the wheel and axle are removed.  
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wheel has an axle opening, a first annular recess on a first side of the wheel that surrounds the axle opening on the first side, and a second annular recess on a second side of the wheel that surrounds the axle opening on the second side, and further comprising: 
 a first bearing positioned in the first annular recess on the first side of the wheel; and    a second bearing positioned in the second annular recess on the second side of the wheel, wherein the axle is positioned within the axle opening of the wheel such that the wheel is rotatably coupled to the axle through the first bearing and the second bearing.    
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and a second member where the axle couples to the mounting structure such that the axle and the wheel may couple to the first member and the second member in a retracted position and an extended position.  
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein the portion of the wheel that resides in the opening formed in the sole of the apparatus is larger when in the retracted position as compared to the extended position.  
     
     
         57 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein the axle is a collapsible axle.  
     
     
         58 . The apparatus of  claim 57 , wherein the collapsible axle may couple to the first member and the second member at a first position at the first member and the second member so that the wheel is in the retracted position, and wherein the collapsible axle may couple to the first member and the second member at a second position at the first member and the second member so that the wheel is in the extended position.  
     
     
         59 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein the axle may couple to the first member and the second member to move from a retracted position to an extended position through a king pin arrangement.  
     
     
         60 . The apparatus of  claim 55 , wherein the axle may couple to the first member and the second member to move from a retracted position to an extended position through a spring arrangement.  
     
     
         61 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and a second member where the axle couples to the mounting structure through a friction fit.  
     
     
         62 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting structure includes a first member and a second member where the axle couples to the mounting structure through a threaded portion of the axle.  
     
     
         63 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sole includes a heel portion, an arch portion and a forefoot portion, and the opening is positioned in the heel portion, and a back heel portion of the heel portion is provided at a location behind the opening in the heel portion and is made of a wear resistant material.  
     
     
         64 . An apparatus for use on a surface, the apparatus operable to wear on one's foot to transition from a walking state or a running state to a rolling state, the apparatus comprising: 
 a footwear having a sole with an opening formed in a heel portion of the sole, a forefoot portion of the sole operable to engage the surface; and    a wheel rotatably mounted in the opening formed in the heel portion of the sole such that a portion of the wheel is disposed in the opening in the heel portion of the sole when the wheel contacts the surface to roll.    
     
     
         65 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , wherein the wheel is a spherical ball.  
     
     
         66 . The apparatus of  claim 64 , wherein the wheel is cylindrical.  
     
     
         67 . An apparatus for use on a surface, the apparatus operable to wear on one's foot to transition from a walking state or a running state to a rolling state, the apparatus comprising: 
 a footwear having a sole with at least one opening formed in a portion of the arch portion of the sole, a forefoot portion of the sole operable to engage a surface while in the walking state or the running state; and    at least one wheel assembly that includes at least one wheel mounted on an axle, and a mounting structure operable to support the axle so that a portion of the at least one wheel resides in the at least one opening formed in the portion of the arch portion of the sole.