Shoes

Abstract

A sub-assembly or kit for forming a shoe comprises a flexible member for incorporation in the base of a shoe. The flexible member is capable of a plurality of foot supporting shapes to adapt to heels of different heights. A removable heel and shaping member has a heel part supporting the rear end of the flexible member at a heel height. A shaping part is removably fastened to the flexible member to cause the flexible member to adopt a particular foot supporting shape or configuration adapted to the heel height.

1 . A sub-assembly for forming a shoe comprising: 
 a flexible member for incorporation in the base of a shoe having a front end and a rear end, and capable of a plurality of foot supporting shapes to adapt to heels of different heights; and    a removable heel and shaping member having a heel part supporting the rear end of the flexible member at a heel height and a shaping part removably fastened to the flexible member to cause the flexible member to adopt a particular foot supporting shape adapted to said heel height.    
     
     
         2 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the shaping part is elongate and extends at an acute angle to the heel part.  
     
     
         3 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 1  comprising an elongate channel extending along part of the length of the flexible member between the front end and the rear end.  
     
     
         4 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the shaping part is slidably fastened to the flexible member.  
     
     
         5 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the shaping part is fastened to more than one part of the flexible member.  
     
     
         6 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said foot supporting shape is an S-shape.  
     
     
         7 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the shaping part stiffens the flexible member in the particular foot supporting shape adapted to said heel height.  
     
     
         8 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the shaping part and heel part are integrally moulded as one piece.  
     
     
         9 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the shaping part is pivotably connected to the heel part to allow the heel and shaping member to be folded for storage or transportation.  
     
     
         10 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the heel and shaping member further comprises locking means to lock the shaping part at an acute angle to the heel part in use.  
     
     
         11 . A sub-assembly for forming a shoe comprising: 
 a flexible member for incorporation in the base of a shoe, having a front end and a rear end, and capable of a plurality of foot supporting shapes to adapt to heels of different heights;    a heel member supporting the rear end of the flexible member at a heel height; and    a removable shaping member fastenable to the flexible member to cause the flexible member to adopt a particular foot supporting shape adapted to said heel height.    
     
     
         12 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the heel member is fastened to the flexible member separately from the shaping member.  
     
     
         13 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the heel member is fastened to the flexible member by the shaping member.  
     
     
         14 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the shaping member is separate from but attachable to the heel member.  
     
     
         15 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the shaping member is slidably fastened to the flexible member.  
     
     
         16 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein at least a part of the heel member is removable.  
     
     
         17 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the heel height is adjustable.  
     
     
         18 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said foot supporting shape is an S-shape.  
     
     
         19 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the shaping member stiffens the flexible member in the particular foot supporting shape adapted to said heel height.  
     
     
         20 . A kit of parts for forming a shoe comprising: 
 a shoe base for receiving a foot, having a front end and a rear end, and including a flexible member capable of a plurality of foot supporting shapes to adapt to heels of different heights;    a heel member for supporting the rear end of the flexible member at a heel height; and    an elongate shaping member manually engageable with said flexible member so as cause the flexible member to adopt a particular foot supporting shape adapted to said height of said heel member.    
     
     
         21 . A kit as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the heel member is attachable to the flexible member independently of the shaping member.  
     
     
         22 . A kit as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the manual engagement of the shaping member with the flexible member attaches the heel member to the flexible member.  
     
     
         23 . A kit as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the shaping member is separate from but attachable to the heel member.  
     
     
         24 . A kit as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the shaping member is slidably engageable with the flexible member.  
     
     
         25 . A kit as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the shoe base includes an upper for receiving the foot.  
     
     
         26 . A kit as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the shoe base comprises one or more of the group consisting of: (i) an upper; (ii) a toe puff; (iii) a back part stiffener; (iv) a vamp; (v) a vamp overlay; (vi) a counter; (vii) a counter overlay; (viii) a back strap; (ix) an ankle strap; (x) a toe strap; (xi) a quarter; (xii) a heel stiffener; (xiii) a toe cap; (xiv) a toe bar; (xv) a thong; (xvi) a sock; and (xvii) an insole.  
     
     
         27 . A kit as claimed in  claim 20  wherein said foot supporting shape is an S-shape.  
     
     
         28 . A kit as claimed in  claim 20  wherein the shaping member stiffens the flexible member in the particular foot supporting shape adapted to said heel height.  
     
     
         29 . A kit of parts for forming a shoe comprising: 
 a shoe base for receiving a foot, having a front end and a rear end, and including a flexible member capable of a plurality of foot supporting shapes to adapt to heels of different heights;    a heel and shaping member having a heel part for supporting the rear end of the flexible member at a heel height, said heel and shaping member being manually engageable with said flexible member so as cause the flexible member to adopt a particular foot supporting shape adapted to said height of said heel member.    
     
     
         30 . A kit as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the heel and shaping member is manually engageable with the flexible member along part of the length of the flexible member between the front end and the rear end of the shoe base.  
     
     
         31 . A kit as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the heel and shaping member is slidably engageable with the flexible member.  
     
     
         32 . A kit as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the heel and shaping member comprises a shaping part extending, in use, at an acute angle to the heel part.  
     
     
         33 . A kit as claimed in  claim 32  wherein the flexible member comprises an elongate channel, extending along a part of its length between the front end and the rear end of the shoe base, for receiving said shaping part.  
     
     
         34 . A kit as claimed in  claim 32  wherein the shaping part is pivotably connected to the heel part to allow the heel and shaping member to be folded for storage or transportation.  
     
     
         35 . A kit as claimed in  claim 34  wherein the heel and shaping member further comprises locking means to lock the shaping part at an acute angle to the heel part in use.  
     
     
         36 . A kit as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the heel and shaping member is moulded as one piece.  
     
     
         37 . A kit as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the shoe base comprises one or more of the group consisting of: (i) an upper; (ii) a toe puff; (iii) a back part stiffener; (iv) a vamp; (v) a vamp overlay; (vi) a counter; (vii) a counter overlay; (viii) a back strap; (ix) an ankle strap; (x) a toe strap; (xi) a quarter; (xii) a heel stiffener; (xiii) a toe cap; (xiv) a toe bar; (xv) a thong; (xvi) a sock; and (xvii) an insole.  
     
     
         38 . A kit as claimed in  claim 29  wherein said foot supporting shape is an S-shape.  
     
     
         39 . A kit as claimed in  claim 29  wherein the heel and shaping member stiffens the flexible member in the particular foot supporting shape adapted to said heel height.  
     
     
         40 . A sub-assembly for forming a shoe comprising: 
 a base member having multiple articulations;    a heel having a heel height; and    an elongate shaping member cooperating with the multiple articulations of the base member to cause the base member to adopt a particular foot supporting shape adapted to said heel height.    
     
     
         41 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the shaping member is removable.  
     
     
         42 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the heel is removable.  
     
     
         43 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the shaping member is separate from but attachable to the heel.  
     
     
         44 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the heel height is adjustable.  
     
     
         45 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the base member is moulded from a plastics material.  
     
     
         46 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the base member comprises a flexible member and an articulated member.  
     
     
         47 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 46  wherein the articulated member is embedded in the flexible member.  
     
     
         48 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 46  wherein the articulated member is made from a stiffer material than the flexible member to provide torsional stability to the base member.  
     
     
         49 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 46  wherein the flexible member is moulded from a flexible plastics material and the articulated member is moulded from a rigid plastics material.  
     
     
         50 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the shaping member comprises a glass-filled nylon material.  
     
     
         51 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the shaping member slidably cooperates with the multiple articulations of the base member.  
     
     
         52 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the base member includes an elongate channel in the multiple articulations and the shaping member cooperates with the channel to shape the base member into said foot supporting shape.  
     
     
         53 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the base member includes attaching means associated with the multiple articulations for attaching the elongate shaping member to the base member and allowing cooperation with the articulations.  
     
     
         54 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein said foot supporting shape is an S-shape.  
     
     
         55 . A sub-assembly as claimed in  claim 40  wherein the shaping member stiffens the flexible member in the particular foot supporting shape adapted to said heel height.  
     
     
         56 . A sub-assembly for forming a shoe comprising: 
 a flexible member for incorporation in a base of the shoe and capable of a plurality of foot supporting configurations to adapt to heels of different heights; and    a removable heel and support member having a heel part supporting a rear end of the flexible member at a heel height and a support part removably fastened to the flexible member to cause the flexible member to adopt a particular foot supporting configuration adapted to said heel height.    
     
     
         57 . A sub-assembly for forming a shoe comprising: 
 a flexible member for incorporation in the base of a shoe and capable of a plurality of foot supporting configurations to adapt to heels of different heights;    a heel supporting a rear end of the flexible member at a heel height; and    a removable support member fastenable to the flexible member to cause the flexible member to adopt a particular foot supporting configuration adapted to said heel height.