Heel Wedge Shoe Having Cushion Within Heel Wedge

Abstract

A wedge shoe includes a sole and an upper secured to the sole. The sole has a wedge member, a wedge cushion, and an inner sole member. The wedge member has an open top cavity. The wedge cushion is in the cavity of the wedge member. The inner sole member has a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion. The central portion has a central portion durometer hardness and the peripheral portion has a peripheral portion durometer hardness greater than the central portion durometer hardness. The upper is lasted to the peripheral portion of the inner sole member. The central portion of the inner sole member overlies the wedge cushion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wedge shoe comprising:
 a sole; and   an upper secured to the sole;   the sole extending longitudinally from a sole heel end to a sole toe end and extending transversely from a sole lateral edge to a sole medial edge, the sole including a heel region, a midfoot region, a ball region and a toe region, the heel region extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the midfoot region, the midfoot region extending longitudinally from the heel region to the ball region, the ball region extending longitudinally from the midfoot region to the toe region, and the toe region extending longitudinally from the ball region to the sole toe end, the sole having a wedge member, a wedge cushion, and an inner sole member;   the wedge member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the wedge member extending forward from the sole heel end to at least adjacent the ball region, the wedge member tapering in thickness generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region such that the top surface of the wedge member slopes downward generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region when a user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface, the wedge member having an open top cavity, the cavity being in at least the heel region and the midfoot region, the cavity extending downwardly from the top surface of the wedge member toward the bottom surface of the wedge member and extending forward to at least adjacent the ball region;   the wedge cushion being in the cavity of the wedge member, the wedge cushion being at least in the heel region and the midfoot region;   the inner sole member having a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion, the central portion having a central portion durometer hardness, the peripheral portion having a peripheral portion durometer hardness, the peripheral portion durometer hardness being greater than the central portion durometer hardness, the upper being lasted to the peripheral portion of the inner sole member, the central portion of the inner sole member overlying the wedge cushion, the wedge shoe being configured such that the wedge cushion and central portion of the inner sole member deform sufficiently so that at least a region of the central portion of the inner sole member resiliently deflects downward into the wedge cavity when the user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface and applying a downward force on the central region of the inner sole member of forty pounds.   
     
     
         2 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the wedge cushion has a top surface in contact with the central portion of the inner sole member. 
     
     
         3 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the top surface of the wedge cushion is in contact with the central portion of the inner sole member in both the heel region and the midfoot region. 
     
     
         4 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 3  wherein the wedge cushion tapers in thickness from the heel region to at least adjacent the ball region. 
     
     
         5 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the wedge cushion has a wedge cushion durometer hardness, the wedge cushion durometer hardness being not greater than the central portion durometer hardness. 
     
     
         6 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising an outsole, the outsole being secured to the bottom surface of the wedge member. 
     
     
         7 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 6  wherein the outsole extends generally from the heel end of the sole to the toe end of the sole. 
     
     
         8 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the wedge cushion substantially fills the wedge cavity. 
     
     
         9 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the upper includes a peripheral edge margin, the peripheral edger margin of the upper being sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the inner sole member and an top surface of the wedge member. 
     
     
         10 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the wedge member extends forward from the sole heel end to only a portion of the midfoot region adjacent the ball region. 
     
     
         11 . A wedge shoe comprising:
 a sole; and   an upper secured to the sole;   the sole extending longitudinally from a sole heel end to a sole toe end and extending transversely from a sole lateral edge to a sole medial edge, the sole including a heel region, a midfoot region, a ball region and a toe region, the heel region extending longitudinally from the sole heel end to the midfoot region, the midfoot region extending longitudinally from the heel region to the ball region, the ball region extending longitudinally from the midfoot region to the toe region, and the toe region extending longitudinally from the ball region to the sole toe end, the sole having a wedge member, a wedge cushion, and an inner sole member;   the wedge member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the wedge member extending forward from the sole heel end to at least adjacent the ball region, the wedge member tapering in thickness generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region such that the top surface of the wedge member slopes downward generally from the heel end to at least adjacent the ball region when a user is wearing the wedge shoe and standing on a horizontal surface, the wedge member having an open top cavity, the cavity being in at least the heel region and the midfoot region, the cavity extending downwardly from the top surface of the wedge member toward the bottom surface of the wedge member and extending forward to at least adjacent the ball region;   the wedge cushion being in the cavity of the wedge member, the wedge cushion being at least in the heel region and the midfoot region;   the inner sole member having a central portion and a peripheral portion surrounding the central portion, the central portion having a central portion durometer hardness, the peripheral portion having a peripheral portion durometer hardness, the peripheral portion durometer hardness being greater than the central portion durometer hardness, the upper being lasted to the peripheral portion of the inner sole member, the central portion of the inner sole member overlying the wedge cushion, the central portion of the inner sole member being in contact with the wedge cushion.   
     
     
         12 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the top surface of the wedge cushion is in contact with the central portion of the inner sole member in both the heel region and the midfoot region. 
     
     
         13 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the wedge cushion tapers in thickness from the heel region to at least adjacent the ball region. 
     
     
         14 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the wedge cushion has a wedge cushion durometer hardness, the wedge cushion durometer hardness being not greater than the central portion durometer hardness. 
     
     
         15 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 14  further comprising an outsole, the outsole being secured to the bottom surface of the wedge member. 
     
     
         16 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the wedge cushion has a wedge cushion durometer hardness, the wedge cushion durometer hardness being not more than slightly greater than the central portion durometer hardness. 
     
     
         17 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the upper includes a peripheral edge margin, the peripheral edger margin of the upper being sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the inner sole member and the top surface of the wedge member. 
     
     
         18 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the wedge member extends forward from the sole heel end to only a portion of the midfoot region adjacent the ball region. 
     
     
         19 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the outsole extends generally from the heel end of the sole to the toe end of the sole. 
     
     
         20 . A wedge shoe as set forth in  claim 19  wherein the upper includes a peripheral edge margin, the peripheral edge margin of the upper being sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the inner sole member and the top surface of the wedge member generally in the heel region, the peripheral edge margin of the upper being sandwiched between the peripheral portion of the inner sole member and the outsole generally in the ball region.