Shoe last and method for providing a shoe having an improved heel rest

Abstract

A shoe last and a method of using the shoe last to manufacture shoes that minimize the tendency of a wearer's foot to create increased pressure at the area of the ball of a wearer's foot are disclosed herein. The improved heel rest design relieves this pressure at the ball area of the foot by allowing the body weight to be more concentrated at the heel portion of the wearer's foot by redistributing the user's weight toward the heel portion and away from the ball of the foot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe last for forming a shoe, comprising:
 a body comprising a heel region including a surface and a sole surface, the sole surface comprising at least three distinct planar surfaces, the three distinct planar surface comprising:
 a toe box portion; 
 a heel portion; and 
 an arch support portion positioned between the toe box portion and the heel portion, 
   wherein the heel region and the heel portion of the sole surface define a first angle therebetween, the surface of heel region and the arch support portion defining a second angle therebetween, the surface of the heel portion and the arch support portion defining a third angle therebetween, the second and the third angles being different, and wherein the heel portion of the sole surface has a concave shape.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: the toe box, heel, and arch support portions each includes a surface, the surfaces being on different, non-parallel planes. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: the concave shape of the heel portion of the sole includes an apex, the apex being spaced apart from the surface of the heel region by a distance, the distance being between 3-8 millimeters inclusive. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe last of  claim 3 , wherein: the distance is about 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: the arch support region extends from the heel portion to the toe box portion of the sole surface, a first transverse arch is formed on the sole surface proximate to the toe box portion, a second transverse arch is formed on the sole surface proximate the heel portion, and the first and second transverse arches smoothly transition toward the toe box portions and the heel portions respectively in a continuous curve free from any angled edges. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: the sole surface has a thickness that is substantially uniform along its length. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein the sole surface is smoothly contoured and is free from sharp edges. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: the arch support portion is configured as a concave region with respect to an upper portion of the shoe last. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: the transition between the toe box and the arch support portion is smooth. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein the depths of the toe box and heel portions are approximately equal. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: when worn, a user's body weight is concentrated at the heal portion of said shoe. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: the shoe is configured to accommodate a foot having a heel and a ball, and wherein when worn the shoe is configured to redistribute pressure away from the ball of the foot toward the heel of the foot. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: the concave shape of the heel portion of the sole surface of the sole surface of the shoe last has a depth that varies between 0 and 5 millimeters inclusive. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe last of  claim 1 , wherein: the heel region of the shoe defines a cup-shaped heal rest that is configured to redistribute pressure applied to the sole surface of the shoe toward the heal region of the shoe. 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a shoe, comprising:
 providing a shoe last, comprising:
 a body comprising a heel region including a surface and a sole surface, the sole surface comprising at least three distinct planar surfaces, the three distinct planar surface comprising: 
 a toe box portion; 
 a heel portion; and 
 an arch support portion positioned between the toe box portion and the heel portion, 
   wherein the heel region and the heel portion of the sole surface define a first angle therebetween, the surface of heel region and the arch support portion defining a second angle therebetween, the surface of the heel portion and the arch support portion defining a third angle therebetween, the second and the third angles being different, and wherein the heel portion of the sole surface has a concave shape; and
 forming a shoe by joining portions of the shoe around an exterior of the body of the shoe last, 
 wherein the shoe includes a sole surface that is free from angled edges and includes a toe box portion, a heel portion, and an arch support portion, and wherein the heel portion defines a convex shape that corresponds to the concavity of the heel portion of the sole surface of the shoe last. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein: when worn, body weight is concentrated at the heel portion of the shoe. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein: the shoe is configured to accommodate a foot having a heel and a ball, and wherein when worn the shoe is configured to redistribute pressure away from the ball of the foot toward the heel of the foot. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein: the concave shape of the heel portion of the sole surface of the shoe last has a depth that varies between 0 and 5 millimeters inclusive. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein: the heel region of the shoe defines a cup-shaped heel rest that is configured to redistribute pressure applied to the sole surface of the shoe toward the heal region of the shoe. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein: the heel rest has a depth between 2 and 8 millimeters inclusive. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein: the heel rest has a depth of about 5 millimeters. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein: the sole surface has a thickness that is substantially uniform along its length. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein: the toe box, heel, and arch support portions each includes a surface, the surfaces being on different, non-parallel planes. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein: the sole surface of the shoe is formed from a pliable material.