Cup-shaped shank for heeled shoes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11089836-B2
Application number	US-201916257903-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2019
Priority date	Mar 16, 2015
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to a shank adapted for being integrated into a shoe sole and for mounting a heel element, wherein said shank at its heel portion is adapted to be connected to the heel element and wherein said shank comprises an upper surface pointing towards the inner shoe. At least a part of the upper surface at the heel portion is cup-shaped and adapted for receiving sole material inside the cup when integrating said shank in said sole during moulding of said shoe sole. Thereby, due to the amount of sole material present in the heel portion, the sole material covers the means used for connecting the shank to the heel element. Thereby, based on the properties of the sole material, the heeled shoe becomes comfortable and flexible at the heel portion. The invention further relates to a sole for a shoe with a cup-shaped shank and more specifically to a shoe with a cup-shaped shank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An injection molded shoe sole, comprising:
a heel element;
a shank for mounting the heel element in the injection molded shoe sole, the shank including:
a front portion configured to be parallel to a ground-contacting surface of the shoe sole,
an arch portion, and
a heel portion configured to be connected to the heel element,
wherein the shank includes a plurality of through-going holes,
wherein the arch portion and the heel portion are arranged at an angle to the front portion such that the arch portion and the heel portion extend in a direction away from a ground-facing surface of the front portion, and
wherein at least a part of a foot-facing surface of the heel portion is cup-shaped, the cup-shaped portion defining a volume configured to receive a sole material of the injection molded shoe sole;

a first layer of the sole material positioned within the volume defined by the cup-shaped portion; and
a second layer of the sole material positioned on a ground-facing surface of the shank,
wherein the first layer and the second layer of the sole material are connected via a connecting portion of the sole material extending through the plurality of holes of the shank.

2. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 1 , wherein the cup-shaped portion decreases in volume from the heel portion to the front portion.

3. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 1 , wherein the heel portion comprises an aperture configured to receive a fastening means, the fastening means being configured to connect the heel portion of the shank to the heel element.

4. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 3 , wherein the aperture defines a volume for inserting the fastening means through the aperture such that a foot-facing surface of the fastening means is disposed between the foot-facing surface of the heel portion and a ground-facing surface of the heel portion.

5. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion of the sole material flows through the plurality of holes of the shank during an injection molding of the shoe sole.

6. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of holes of the shank are disposed in a row along a central axis extending from the heel portion to the front portion.

7. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of holes of the shank are disposed along a first edge of the shank and a second edge of the shank, the first and second edges of the shank extending from the heel portion to the front portion.

8. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of structural elements configured to increase the rigidity of a forefoot portion of the injection molded shoe sole.

9. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 1 , further comprising a first structural element disposed in a medial part of the front portion and a second structural element disposed in a lateral part of the front portion.

10. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 9 , wherein the first structural element and the second structural element are separated from each other in a transverse direction, and configured such that the sole material can be injected in the area defined by the first structural element and the second structural element.

11. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 1 , wherein the shank includes a lateral edge and a medial edge, wherein the lateral edge and medial edge are disposed above a central portion of the shank and wherein the lateral edge and the medial edge define a volume configured to receive the sole material.

12. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 1 , wherein the shank includes a lateral edge and a medial edge positioned above a central portion of the shank and defining a first cross-sectional area taken along a transverse plane between the medial edge and the lateral edge, the first cross-sectional area being curved such that the shank is configured to receive the sole material during injection molding of the shoe sole.

13. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 12 , wherein the medial edge and the lateral edge of the shank define a second cross-sectional area taken along a transverse plane between the medial edge and the lateral edge in the arch portion of the shank, the second cross-sectional area being curved such that the arch portion is configured to receive the sole material during the injection molding of the shoe sole.

14. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 13 , further comprising a foot-facing surface of the shank, wherein the sole material is disposed on the foot-facing surface of the shank, and wherein a highest point of the sole in the second cross-sectional area is at least one of the medial edge or the lateral edge of the shank.

15. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 13 , wherein the medial edge and the lateral edge of the shank define a third cross-sectional area taken along a transverse plane between the medial edge and the lateral edge in the front portion of the shank, the third cross-sectional area being curved such that the front portion is configured to receive the sole material during the injection molding of the shoe sole.

16. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 15 , wherein the first cross-sectional area is larger than the third cross-sectional area.

17. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 13 , wherein the first cross-sectional area is larger than the second cross-sectional area.

18. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 13 , wherein the second cross-sectional area is larger than the third cross-sectional area.

19. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 1 , further comprising a ground-facing surface of the heel portion, wherein the heel element is attached to the ground-facing surface of the heel portion of the shank.

20. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 1 , further comprising a ground-facing surface of the arch portion, wherein the sole material covers the ground-facing surface of the front portion and the ground-facing surface of the arch portion.

21. The injection molded shoe sole of claim 20 , further comprising a foot-facing surface of the shank, wherein the sole material is disposed on the foot-facing surface of the shank extending from a central area of the shank towards a lateral edge and a medial edge of the heel portion, wherein a larger amount of the sole material on the foot-facing surface of the shank is disposed at the central area of the shank than at least one of the lateral edge or the medial edge of the heel portion.

Assignees

• Ecco Sko As

Inventors

• Truelsen Ejnar
• Jensen Frank
• Hansen Hans Christian
• Taestensen Niki

Classifications

• A43B13/28

  characterised by their attachment, also attachment of combined soles and heels · CPC title

• A43B13/37

  Sole and heel units · CPC title

• A43B13/14

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43B13/141

  with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion · CPC title

• A43B21/38

  by screws only · CPC title