Convertible, Removable and Replaceable Heel Transformation Device, Mechanism and Methods

Abstract

Embodiments of this invention include a shoe having removable or interchangeable heels. Some embodiments have a low heel and a high heel, each having mechanisms for attaching and detaching said heel(s) from said shoe. Further embodiments include a shoe body having an expandable element, permitting the shoe body to attain a shape suitable for low heel configuration, and permitting the shoe body to change shape to accommodate a high heel configuration. Embodiments of this invention thereby permit a person to wear a single pair of shoes, carry one or more pairs of heels, and change the heels to either low heel or high heel shoes. Such embodiments eliminate the need for a person to carry a multiplicity of pairs of shoes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe capable of transforming from a shoe having a first heel into a shoe having a second heel by a wearer, comprising:
 a. a sole that is able to change shape when the shoe is transformed;   b. an upper that is able to change shape when the shoe is transformed;   c. a liner that is able to change its dimensions when the shoe is transformed;   d. a foot bed that is able to change its dimensions when the shoe is transformed;   e. a first heel attached to the sole, and that is capable of being interchanged with a second heel; and   f. a second heel.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the wearer transforms a shoe having a first heel into a shoe having a second heel by removing the first heel and replacing the first heel with the second heel. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 2 , wherein the wearer transforms a shoe having a second heel back into a shoe having a first heel by removing the second heel and replacing the second heel with the first heel. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the wearer transforms a shoe having a first heel into a shoe having a second heel by retracting the first heel and attaching the second heel over the retracted first heel. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 4 , wherein the wearer transforms a shoe having a second heel back into a shoe having a first heel by removing the second heel and de-retracting the first heel. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein wearer comfort is maintained by a change in at least one of the elements selected from the group consisting of the sole, upper, liner, and foot bed. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper changes shape via an at least one expandable portion. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one expandable portion is formed from an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 7 , wherein the upper is made from an elastomeric material. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein either the first or the second heel connects with the shoe via a mechanism comprising:
 a. a heel base that is permanently fixed to the bottom of the sole of the shoe, and contains a recess that is shaped to receive either the first or second heel;   b. a first heel comprising heel body with a stabilizing rod that is situated within the heel body, wherein the stabilizing rod extends the entire length of the heel body and has a region that protrudes above the heel body, wherein the region that protrudes has the dimensions and shape of the recess of the heel base, and wherein the region of the stabilizing rod that protrudes above the heel body is further connected to a spring-mounted button that locks and unlocks the heel from the heel base; and   c. a second heel comprising heel body with a stabilizing rod that is situated within the heel body, wherein the stabilizing rod extends the entire length of the heel body and has a region that protrudes above the heel body, wherein the region that protrudes has the dimensions and shape of the recess of the heel base, and wherein the region of the stabilizing rod that protrudes above the heel body is further connected to a spring-mounted button that locks and unlocks the heel from the heel base.   
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the recess in the heel base and the region of the stabilizing rod that protrudes from the heel body is shaped to prevent the heel from rotating in the heel base. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the spring-mounted button locks and unlocks the heel from the heel base by operating a mechanism located on the region of the stabilizing rod that protrudes from the heel body. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the shoe transforms from a shoe having a first heel into a shoe having a second heel by a wearer, via a mechanism comprising:
 a. a housing that is permanently fixed to the bottom of the sole of the shoe, wherein the housing contains a spring that holds a base at an extended position, allowing the wearer to walk on the base, and wherein the base is capable of retracting into the housing, thus allowing a second heel to attach to the housing; and   b. a second heel comprising heel body with a stabilizing rod that is situated within the heel body, wherein the stabilizing rod extends the entire length of the heel body and has a region that protrudes above the heel body, wherein the region that protrudes has the dimensions and shape of the housing with the base retracted, and wherein the region of the stabilizing rod that protrudes above the heel body is further connected to a spring-mounted button that locks and unlocks the heel from the housing.   
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the recess in the housing and the region of the stabilizing rod that protrudes from the heel body is shaped to prevent the heel from rotating in the heel base. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the spring-mounted button locks and unlocks the heel from the heel base by operating a mechanism located on the region of the stabilizing rod that protrudes from the heel body. 
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the base is further connected to a spring-mounted button that locks and unlocks the base in either the extended or retracted position. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein either the first or the second heel connects with the shoe via a mechanism comprising:
 a. a heel base that is permanently fixed to the bottom of the sole of the shoe, and contains a plate that is shaped to receive either the first or second heel, and wherein the plate possesses a means to locate, align and lock either the first or second heels in place via a twisting motion;   b. a first heel comprising heel body with a stabilizing rod that is situated within the heel body, wherein the stabilizing rod extends the entire length of the heel body and has a region that protrudes above the heel body, wherein the region that protrudes is inserted into a plate that is complementary to the plate on the heel base, wherein the complementary plate possesses a means to locate, align and lock either the first or second heels in place via a twisting motion; and   c. a second heel comprising heel body with a stabilizing rod that is situated within the heel body, wherein the stabilizing rod extends the entire length of the heel body and has a region that protrudes above the heel body, wherein the region that protrudes is inserted into a plate that is complementary to the plate on the heel base, wherein the complementary plate possesses a means to locate, align and lock either the first or second heels in place via a twisting motion.   
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein either the first or the second heel connects with the shoe via a mechanism comprising:
 a. a heel base that is permanently fixed to the bottom of the sole of the shoe, and contains a plate that is shaped to receive either the first or second heel, and wherein the plate possesses a means to locate, align and lock either the first or second heels in place via a sliding motion;   b. a first heel comprising heel body with a stabilizing rod that is situated within the heel body, wherein the stabilizing rod extends the entire length of the heel body and has a region that protrudes above the heel body, wherein the region that protrudes is inserted into a plate that is complementary to the plate on the heel base, wherein the complementary plate possesses a means to locate, align and lock either the first or second heels in place via a sliding motion; and   c. a second heel comprising heel body with a stabilizing rod that is situated within the heel body, wherein the stabilizing rod extends the entire length of the heel body and has a region that protrudes above the heel body, wherein the region that protrudes is inserted into a plate that is complementary to the plate on the heel base, wherein the complementary plate possesses a means to locate, align and lock either the first or second heels in place via a sliding motion.   
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein either the first or the second heel connects with the shoe via a mechanism comprising:
 a. a heel base that is permanently fixed to the bottom of the sole of the shoe, wherein the heel base contains a mortise, permitting either the first or second heels to slide onto the heel base, and wherein the heel base has a recess;   b. a first heel comprising heel body with a dovetail that is dimensioned to slide into the mortise on the heel base to locate the heel, and where heel further contains a stabilizing rod that is situated within the heel body, wherein the stabilizing rod is capable of being displaced downward, from a first position that has a region that protrudes above the heel body, to a second position that has no region that protrudes above the heel body; and   c. a second heel comprising heel body with a dovetail that is dimensioned to slide into the mortise on the heel base to locate the heel, and where heel further contains a stabilizing rod that is situated within the heel body, wherein the stabilizing rod is capable of being displaced downward, from a first position that has a region that protrudes above the heel body, to a second position that has no region the protrudes above the heel body.   
     
     
         20 . The shoe of  claim 19 , wherein the first position of the stabilizing rod locks either the first or second heel in place in the heel base via locating the region of the stabilizing rod that protrudes above the heel body into the recess of the heel body.