Shoe Heel With Shock Absorbent Feature

Abstract

A shock absorbent heel for a shoe includes: a heel seat portion configured so as to have a top surface configured to be attachable to a bottom portion of a shoe upper; a mid-heel portion formed of a cushioning material; a bottom heel portion, the mid heel portion being sandwiched between the heel seat portion and the bottom heel portion when the shock absorbent heel is in an assembled state; and a dowel. The dowel is arranged in a vertically extending dowel chamber in the shock absorbent heel. The dowel is configured to pass along vertically shocks caused by contact of the shock absorbent heel with the ground so that at least a portion of the shock is absorbed by the cushioning material of the mid heel portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heel for a shoe, comprising:
 a heel seat portion having a first thickness in the vertical direction and configured at a top surface to be attachable to a bottom portion of a shoe upper, and a first free end at a lower surface of the heel seat portion, the heel seat portion having a first chamber extending from an opening in the first free end of the lower surface a distance less than the first thickness;   a mid-heel portion, having a second thickness in the vertical direction, the mid heel portion configured to have a top surface attachable to the first free end at the lower surface of the heel seat portion, and a second free end at a lower surface of the mid heel portion, the mid heel portion having a passageway extending completely therethrough, the mid heel portion comprising a cushioning material;   a bottom heel portion, having a third thickness in the vertical direction, the mid heel portion being sandwiched between the heel seat portion and the bottom heel portion when the heel is in an assembled state, the bottom heel portion having a top surface configured to attach to the second free end at the lower surface of the mid heel portion, and a third free end at a lower surface of the bottom heel portion, the bottom heel portion having a second chamber extending vertically from an opening in the top surface of a distance less than the third thickness; and   a dowel arranged in a dowel chamber in the heel, the dowel chamber comprising: (a) the first chamber in the heel seat portion, (b) the passageway in the mid heel portion, and (c) the second chamber in the bottom heel portion arranged end to end, the dowel having a diameter such that, in the assembled state of the heel, the dowel contacts sidewalls of the dowel chamber over at least a portion of the extent of the dowel chamber, and contacts the sidewall over the entire vertical extent of the passageway in the mid heel portion,   wherein the dowel is configured to communicate a walking force from the bottom heel portion to the cushioning material of the mid heel portion.   
     
     
         2 . The heel according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a lift having a top surface configured to be attachable to the third free end of the bottom heel portion and a lower surface configured to contact the ground in the assembled state of the heel.   
     
     
         3 . The heel according to  claim 1 , wherein the cushioning material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: polystyrene (PS), polyurethane (PU), polyethylene (PE), cloud, rubber and silicone. 
     
     
         4 . The heel according to  claim 1 , wherein the dowel is made at least part of metal. 
     
     
         5 . The heel according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the assembled state of the, the dowel contacts the sidewalls of the dowel chamber over the entire length of the dowel chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The heel according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the assembled state, the dowel contacts the sidewalls of the dowel chamber over only a portion of the entire length of the dowel chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The heel according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one portion of the dowel chamber in which the dowel does not contact the sidewalls of the dowel chamber is filled with cushioning material. 
     
     
         8 . The heel according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one portion of the dowel chamber in which the dowel does not contact the sidewalls of the dowel chamber is at an upper end of the dowel chamber and/or at a lower end of the dowel chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The heel according to  claim 1 , wherein the vertical extent of the dowel chamber is less than a height of the heel. 
     
     
         10 . The heel according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and third thickness are each greater than the second thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The heel according to  claim 1 , wherein the heel seat portion and the bottom heel portion are made from at least one material selected from the group consisting of plastic and wood. 
     
     
         12 . The heel according to  claim 1 , wherein the heel seat portion is affixed to the mid heel portion by glue, and the mid heel portion is affixed to the bottom heel portion by glue.