High-Heel Shoe Insert

Abstract

Provided are, among other things, shoe inserts and methods for using them to soften the abrupt change in slope exhibited in the insole of certain shoes. One such shoe insert includes: a bottom surface having a front portion, a rear portion that is angled upwardly relative to the front portion of the bottom surface at a first angle, and a central portion having a maximum mean rate of angular increase where the first angle increases at least 30° over a shortest distance measured from the front portion of the bottom surface to the rear portion of the bottom surface; and a top surface having a front edge and a rear edge, where each position from the front edge of the top surface to the rear edge of the top surface has a second rate of angular increase that is less than ½ the maximum mean rate of angular increase exhibited in the central portion of the bottom surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe insert comprising:
 a bottom surface having a front portion, a rear portion that is angled upwardly relative to the front portion of the bottom surface at a first angle, and a central portion having a maximum mean rate of angular increase where the first angle increases at least 30° over a shortest distance measured from the front portion of the bottom surface to the rear portion of the bottom surface; and   a top surface having a front edge and a rear edge,   wherein each position from the front edge of the top surface to the rear edge of the top surface has a second rate of angular increase that is less than ½ the maximum mean rate of angular increase exhibited in the central portion of the bottom surface.   
     
     
         2 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , further comprising a separate adhesive material disposed on the bottom surface. 
     
     
         3 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , further comprising a separate friction-enhancing  material disposed on the bottom surface. 
     
     
         4 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , comprised primarily of a material that is at least one of flexible or resilient. 
     
     
         5 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , comprised primarily of a material that is just slightly compressible. 
     
     
         6 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , having an overall length of between 2-6 cm (centimeters) when measured horizontally with the front portion of the bottom surface flush with a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         7 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , having a middle portion with a length of between 2-6 cm (centimeters) when measured horizontally with the front portion of the bottom surface flush with a horizontal plane, and wherein outside the middle portion the shoe insert tapers to a thickness of not greater than 2 mm (millimeters). 
     
     
         8 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , wherein each position from the front edge of the top surface to the rear edge of the top surface has a second rate of angular increase that is less than ¼ the maximum mean rate of angular increase exhibited in the central portion of the bottom surface. 
     
     
         9 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , wherein each position from the front edge of the top surface to the rear edge of the top surface has a second rate of angular increase that is less than ⅛ the maximum mean rate of angular increase exhibited in the central portion of the bottom surface. 
     
     
         10 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , wherein in the central portion of the bottom surface the first angle increases at least 40° over said shortest distance measured from the front portion of the bottom surface to the rear portion of the bottom surface. 
     
     
         11 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , wherein when placed within a shoe such that the central portion of the bottom surface is adjacent to a portion of the shoe's insole that exhibits a greatest increase in slope, the insert at least one of: does not extend into a toe box of the shoe or is not greater than  2  mm thick within the toe box of the shoe. 
     
     
         12 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , wherein when placed within a shoe such that the central portion of the bottom surface is adjacent to a portion of the shoe's insole that exhibits a greatest increase in slope, the insert at least one of: does not extend into an arch region of the shoe or is not greater than  2  mm thick within the arch region of the shoe. 
     
     
         13 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , wherein when placed within a shoe such that the central portion of the bottom surface is adjacent to a portion of the shoe's insole that exhibits a greatest increase in slope, the insert at least one of: does not extend a metatarsal region of the shoe or is not greater than  2  mm thick within the metatarsal region of the shoe. 
     
     
         14 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , wherein when placed within a shoe, the insert is readily removable and replaceable. 
     
     
         15 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface is at least approximately L-shaped and the top surface is just slightly concave. 
     
     
         16 . A shoe insert according to  claim 1 , wherein the central portion is also the thickest portion of the insert, and wherein the insert tapers toward the front edge and the rear edge.