Heel stabilizer for footwear

Abstract

A heel stabilizer for use with human footwear that reduces or eliminates upward movement of the heel within footwear is disclosed herein. The heel stabilizer preferably includes two gripping portions or parts that grip the heel on the medial and lateral surfaces of the foot, preferably above the widest part of the heel. The heel stabilizer may be integrated directly into footwear. Alternatively, the heel stabilizer may be a separate insert that can be inserted into footwear.

1 . A heel stabilizer for human footwear, said stabilizer comprising a first gripping portion and a second gripping portion, wherein said first and second gripping portions protrude away from an inner surface of the footwear, and wherein said first gripping portion is adjacent to a medial surface of a wearer's heel and said second gripping portion is adjacent to a lateral surface of the wearer's heel when the footwear is worn, and wherein the second gripping portion has a notch for accommodating the sural nerve of the wearer. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second gripping portions contact the medial and lateral surfaces of the wearer's heel above the widest portion of the wearer's heel. 
     
     
         4 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said first gripping portion comprises a top side and a bottom side, said top side having a generally convex shape and said bottom side having a generally concave shape. 
     
     
         5 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said second gripping portion comprises a top side and a bottom side, said top side having a generally convex shape and said bottom side having a generally concave shape. 
     
     
         6 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein said first gripping portion is larger than said second gripping portion. 
     
     
         7 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer is molded into an inner surface of the footwear. 
     
     
         8 . A heel stabilizer for insertion into human footwear, said stabilizer comprising a backing on its back side, a first gripping portion protruding away from the backing and a second gripping portion protruding away from the backing, wherein said first gripping portion is adjacent to a medial surface of a wearer's heel and said second gripping portion is adjacent to a lateral surface of a wearer's heel when the stabilizer is inserted and the footwear is worn, and wherein the second gripping portion has a notch for accommodating the sural nerve of the wearer. 
     
     
         9 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 8 , further comprising an adhesive portion on the stabilizer backing. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second gripping portions are located below a top edge of the footwear when the stabilizer is inserted. 
     
     
         12 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second gripping portions contact the medial and lateral surfaces of the wearer's heel above the widest portion of the wearer's heel when the stabilizer is inserted and the footwear is worn. 
     
     
         13 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 8 , wherein said first gripping portion comprises a top side and a bottom side, said top side having a generally convex shape and said bottom side having a generally concave shape. 
     
     
         14 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 8 , wherein said second gripping portion comprises a top side and a bottom side, said top side having a generally convex shape and said bottom side having a generally concave shape. 
     
     
         15 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 8 , wherein said first gripping portion is larger than said second gripping portion. 
     
     
         16 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one footwear alignment indicia or indicator. 
     
     
         17 . The heel stabilizer of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second gripping portions comprise separate parts. 
     
     
         18 . Human footwear comprising a heel stabilizer, said stabilizer comprising a first gripping portion and a second gripping portion, wherein said first and second gripping portions protrude away from an inner surface of the footwear, and wherein said first gripping portion is adjacent to a medial surface of a wearer's heel and said second gripping portion is adjacent to a lateral surface of the wearer's heel when the footwear is worn, and, wherein the second gripping portion has a notch for accommodating the sural nerve of the wearer. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second gripping portions contact the medial and lateral surfaces of the wearer's heel above the widest portion of the wearer's heel. 
     
     
         21 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said first gripping portion comprises a top side and a bottom side, said top side having a generally convex shape and said bottom side having a generally concave shape. 
     
     
         22 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said second gripping portion comprises a top side and a bottom side, said top side having a generally convex shape and said bottom side having a generally concave shape. 
     
     
         23 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said first gripping portion is larger than said second gripping portion. 
     
     
         24 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion or part comprise separate parts. 
     
     
         25 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said footwear is a shoe. 
     
     
         26 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said footwear is a boot. 
     
     
         27 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said footwear comprises athletic footwear selected from the group consisting of a ski boot, a golf shoe, a track shoe, a bike shoe, a bowling shoe, an ice skate, and a roller skate. 
     
     
         28 . The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the notch is on a surface of the gripping portion that contacts the heel of the wearer. 
     
     
         29 . The footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the notch is on a surface of the gripping portion that contacts the heel of the wearer. 
     
     
         30 . The footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the notch is on a surface of the gripping portion that contacts the heel of the wearer.