Women's Ballet Flat Shoe with One or More of an Integrated Heel Cup and an Integrated Arch Support

Abstract

A women's ballet flat shoe includes: an upper, a midsole physically connected to the upper, and an insole physically connected to the midsole, the midsole comprising a heel cup, the heel cup thereby being integrated into the shoe, the heel cup configured to comfortably and securely grip a user's heel, wherein the heel cup comprises a first heel cup region having a lower hardness, the first heel cup region configured comfortably to hold the user's heel, wherein the heel cup further comprises a second heel cup region configured to contact the shoe's outsole, the heel cup further comprising a second heel cup region having a higher hardness.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A women's ballet flat shoe, comprising:
 an upper, a midsole physically connected to the upper, and an insole physically connected to the midsole, the midsole comprising a heel cup, the heel cup thereby being integrated into the shoe, the heel cup configured to comfortably and securely grip a user's heel, wherein the heel cup comprises a first heel cup region having a lower hardness, the first heel cup region configured comfortably to hold the user's heel, wherein the heel cup further comprises a second heel cup region configured to contact the shoe's outsole, the heel cup further comprising a second heel cup region having a higher hardness.   
     
     
         2 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper is constructed using a last, the last comprising a last heel that has a shape comprising an approximate negative imprint of the heel cup, so that the upper that is shaped using the last smoothly fits matching contours of the heel cup, the upper thereby smoothly mating with the heel cup. 
     
     
         3 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 2 , wherein the last comprises a last design specific to a user's exact foot size. 
     
     
         4 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the first heel cup region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 55 and approximately 65 on the Shore A hardness scale. 
     
     
         5 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the second heel cup region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 80 and approximately 90 on the Shore A hardness scale. 
     
     
         6 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the ballet shoe is foldable. 
     
     
         7 . A women's ballet flat shoe, comprising:
 an upper, a midsole physically connected to the upper, and an insole physically connected to the midsole, the midsole comprising an arch support, the arch support thereby being integrated into the shoe, the arch support configured to comfortably and securely grip a user's heel, wherein the arch support comprises a first arch support region having a lower hardness, the first arch support region configured comfortably to hold the user's heel, wherein the arch support further comprises a second arch support region configured to contact the shoe's outsole, the arch support further comprising a second arch support region having a higher hardness.   
     
     
         8 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 7 , wherein the upper is constructed using a last, the last comprising a last arch support that has a shape comprising an approximate negative imprint of the arch support, so that the upper that is shaped using the last smoothly fits matching contours of the arch support, the upper thereby smoothly mating with the arcn support. 
     
     
         9 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 8 , wherein the last comprises a last design specific to a user's exact foot size. 
     
     
         10 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 7 , wherein the first arch support region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 55 and approximately 65 on the Shore A hardness scale. 
     
     
         11 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 7 , wherein the second arch support region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 80 and approximately 90 on the Shore A hardness scale. 
     
     
         12 . A women's ballet flat shoe, comprising:
 an upper, a midsole physically connected to the upper, and an insole physically connected to the midsole, the midsole comprising a heel cup, the heel cup thereby being integrated into the shoe, the heel cup configured to comfortably and securely grip a user's heel, wherein the heel cup comprises a first heel cup region having a lower hardness, the first heel cup region configured comfortably to hold the user's heel, wherein the heel cup further comprises a second heel cup region configured to contact the shoe's outsole, the heel cup further comprising a second heel cup region having a higher hardness,   the midsole further comprising an arch support, the arch support thereby being integrated into the shoe, the arch support configured to comfortably and securely grip a user's heel, wherein the arch support comprises a first arch support region having a lower hardness, the first arch support region configured comfortably to hold the user's heel, wherein the arch support further comprises a second arch support region configured to contact the shoe's outsole, the arch support further comprising a second arch support region having a higher hardness.   
     
     
         13 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the upper is constructed using a last, the last comprising a last heel that has a shape comprising an approximate negative imprint of the heel cup, the last further comprising a last arch support that has a shape comprising an approximate negative imprint of the arch support, so that the upper that is shaped using the last smoothly fits matching contours of both the heel cup and the arch support, the upper thereby smoothly mating with both the heel cup and the arch support. 
     
     
         14 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the last comprises a last design specific to a user's exact foot size. 
     
     
         15 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the first heel cup region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 55 and approximately 65 on the Shore A hardness scale. 
     
     
         16 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the second heel cup region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 80 and approximately 90 on the Shore A hardness scale. 
     
     
         17 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the first arch support region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 55 and approximately 65 on the Shore A hardness scale. 
     
     
         18 . The ballet flat shoe of  claim 12 , wherein the second arch support region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 80 and approximately 90 on the Shore A hardness scale. 
     
     
         19 . A women's ballet flat shoe, comprising:
 an upper, a midsole physically connected to the upper, and an insole physically connected to the midsole, the midsole comprising a heel cup, the heel cup thereby being integrated into the shoe, the heel cup configured to comfortably and securely grip a user's heel, wherein the heel cup comprises a first heel cup region having a lower hardness, the first heel cup region configured comfortably to hold the user's heel, wherein the heel cup further comprises a second heel cup region configured to contact the shoe's outsole, the heel cup further comprising a second heel cup region having a higher hardness,   wherein the upper is constructed using a last, the last comprising a last heel that has a shape comprising an approximate negative imprint of the heel cup, so that the upper that is shaped using the last smoothly fits matching contours of the heel cup, the upper thereby smoothly mating with the heel cup, wherein the last comprises a last design specific to a user's exact foot size, wherein the first heel cup region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 55 and approximately 65 on the Shore A hardness scale, wherein the second heel cup region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 80 and approximately 90 on the Shore A hardness scale, wherein the ballet shoe is foldable.   
     
     
         20 . A women's ballet flat shoe, comprising:
 an upper, a midsole physically connected to the upper, and an insole physically connected to the midsole, the midsole comprising a heel cup, the heel cup thereby being integrated into the shoe, the heel cup configured to comfortably and securely grip a user's heel, wherein the heel cup comprises a first heel cup region having a lower hardness, the first heel cup region configured comfortably to hold the user's heel, wherein the heel cup further comprises a second heel cup region configured to contact the shoe's outsole, the heel cup further comprising a second heel cup region having a higher hardness,   the midsole further comprising an arch support, the arch support thereby being integrated into the shoe, the arch support configured to comfortably and securely grip a user's heel, wherein the arch support comprises a first arch support region having a lower hardness, the first arch support region configured comfortably to hold the user's heel, wherein the arch support further comprises a second arch support region configured to contact the shoe's outsole, the arch support further comprising a second arch support region having a higher hardness,   wherein the upper is constructed using a last, the last comprising a last heel that has a shape comprising an approximate negative imprint of the heel cup, the last further comprising a last arch support that has a shape comprising an approximate negative imprint of the arch support, so that the upper that is shaped using the last smoothly fits matching contours of both the heel cup and the arch support, the upper thereby smoothly mating with both the heel cup and the arch support, wherein the last comprises a last design specific to a user's exact foot size,   wherein the first heel cup region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 55 and approximately 65 on the Shore A hardness scale, wherein the second heel cup region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 80 and approximately 90 on the Shore A hardness scale, wherein the first arch support region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 55 and approximately 65 on the Shore A hardness scale, wherein the second arch support region comprises a hardness measurement between approximately 80 and approximately 90 on the Shore A hardness scale.