Stabilizing and support accessory for stiletto heels

Abstract

A stabilizing and support accessory is provided for a stiletto heel. A base plate, having a surface contact area significantly greater than that of the heel, is mounted underneath the heel by means of a simple, clip-on attachment, such that the attachment can be easily and quickly mounted on a heel for walking over soft or uneven surfaces, and also quickly removed when not needed. A preferred clip-on attachment is formed of a section of spring steel shaped into an upwardly opening, U-shaped clip and a horizontally opening clip integrally extending from one element of the upwardly opening clip. An alternative form, formed primarily of plastic, is attached by a single, horizontally disposed clip gripping the heel. The accessories are sufficiently inexpensive that they may be discarded after use, as after walking on muddy surfaces, for example.

1 . A stabilizing and support accessory for a stiletto heel, wherein said heel has a bottom surface and front, back and opposite side wall surfaces extending upwardly from said bottom surface, which comprises
 (a) a base plate element arranged to underlie said bottom surface and to extend in a horizontal direction substantially beyond said opposite side wall surfaces and said front wall surface of the heel,   (b) said base plate element having a back edge positioned in substantial alignment with the back wall of said heel,   (c) said stiletto heel having an axis extending upwardly from said bottom surface,   (d) means for confining the lower portion of said heel with respect to said base plate element comprising one or more confining elements extending upward relative to said base plate element adjacent to at least certain of said wall surfaces of said stiletto heel, and   (e) a spring clip means having an open end for detachable gripping engagement with said heel at a level substantially above said base plate, whereby said accessory may be removably secured to said heel by a snap-on attachment of said clip to said heel.   
   
   
       2 . An accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein
 (a) said spring means comprises an upwardly opening, generally U-shaped spring clip having spaced-apart upwardly extending spring elements for engaging and gripping a first pair of opposed wall surfaces of said heel, one of said upwardly extending spring elements mounting, at opposite edges thereof, a pair of generally horizontally extending spring elements forming a horizontally opening spring clip,   (b) said horizontally opening spring clip engaging and gripping a second pair of wall surfaces of said heel.   
   
   
       3 . An accessory according to  claim 2 , wherein
 (a) one of the spring elements of said upwardly opening spring clip extending upwardly a greater distance than the other spring element of said clip, and   (b) said horizontally opening spring clip is mounted by said one of said spring element and extends toward the other spring element of said clip.   
   
   
       4 . An accessory according to  claim 3 , wherein
 (a) said upwardly opening clip is positioned to engage and grip front and back walls of said heel, and   (b) said horizontally opening spring clip is positioned to engage and grip opposite side walls of said heel.   
   
   
       5 . An accessory according to  claim 4 , wherein
 (a) the spring element of said upwardly opening clip that mounts said horizontally opening spring clip being positioned adjacent the front wall of said heel, and   (b) said horizontally opening clip is positioned to extend rearwardly from said last mentioned spring clip.   
   
   
       6 . An accessory according to  claim 2 , wherein
 (a) said upwardly opening spring clip and said horizontally extending spring clip are formed of a single section of spring metal material.   
   
   
       7 . An accessory according to  claim 2 , wherein
 (a) said base plate is formed with a downwardly opening groove therein extending from front to back of said base plate, and   (b) said upwardly opening spring clip is formed with a generally flat bottom portion received in said downwardly opening groove.   
   
   
       8 . An accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein
 (a) said one or more upwardly extending confining elements comprises an element fixed to said base plate element and extending upwardly therefrom for positioning adjacent the front wall of said heel and one or more additional elements positioned adjacent to opposite side walls of said heels.   
   
   
       9 . An accessory according to  claim 1 , wherein
 (a) said snap-on spring clip comprising a generally U-shaped member comprising spaced-apart gripping elements open at one end and joined at the other by a connecting portion, and   (b) said spring clip being generally horizontally disposed relative to said base plate element.   
   
   
       10 . An accessory according to  claim 9 , wherein,
 (a) one of the gripping elements of said spring clip being mounted on one of said confining elements with said clip extending is a side to side direction for gripping front and back walls of said heel.   
   
   
       11 . An accessory according to  claim 10 , wherein
 (a) said spring clip, said base plate element and said confining means comprising a unitary molding of plastic material.