Heel Wedge Shoe Having Cushion Within Heel Wedge

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.