Heel protector

A method of optimizing press fit engagement between a high heel cup and a heel of a stiletto shoe, comprising:

• forming a high heel cup comprising an interior sidewall, an exterior sidewall, a bottom base and an open top by linearly tapering the exterior sidewall of the high heel cup to form a tapered cantilever structure such that the thickness of the fixed end near the bottom base is at least twice the thickness of the free end forming the open top and the length of the linear taper is at least about 3.75 times the difference between the sidewall thickness adjacent the open top and the sidewall thickness adjacent the bottom base of said tapered section to form a distinct upper flexible section capable of greater deflection and a lower rigid section capable of less deflection along the tapered length, wherein:
• the high heel cup comprises an inner cavity configured to receive a heel of a stiletto shoe, the inner cavity bounded by the interior sidewall and the bottom base, wherein a width of the inner cavity near the open top is greater than or equal to a width of the inner cavity near the bottom base, and wherein the high heel cup is rotationally symmetric about a longitudinal axis passing through the open top and the bottom base, such that,
• as a heel with a width larger than the inner width of the open top is inserted into the open top, the sidewalls deflect and bend such that it encloses the tip of the heel, and
• as said heel is pushed further into the cup, it presses against the more rigid and thicker sidewall section to bring the heel and sidewalls into a tight press-fit engagement with each other,
• whereby said high heel cup will be securely attached to said tip of a high heel shoe.

A shielding cup configured to be attached to a stiletto heel tip, the cup comprising:

• an open top;
• a bottom base having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• sidewalls extending from the bottom base to the open top, the sidewalls having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• and
• an inner cavity bounded by the inner surface of the sidewalls and the inner surface of the bottom base, the inner cavity configured to receive the heel tip through the open top,
• wherein a portion of the sidewalls adjacent to the open top is configured to be more flexible than a portion of the sidewalls adjacent to the bottom base by tapering the sidewalls from the bottom base to the open top such that a thickness of the portion of the sidewalls adjacent to the open top is smaller than a thickness of the portion of the sidewalls adjacent to the bottom base, and
• wherein an inner perimeter of the inner cavity near the open top is greater than or equal to the inner perimeter of the inner cavity near the bottom base, and wherein the shielding cup is rotationally symmetric about a longitudinal axis passing through the open top and the bottom base.

A shielding cup configured to be attached to a stiletto heel tip, the cup comprising:

• a bottom base having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• an open top with an outer perimeter smaller than an outer perimeter of the bottom base;
• sidewalls extending from the bottom base to the open top, the sidewalls tapering such that a thickness of the portion of the sidewalls adjacent to the open top is smaller than a thickness of the portion of the sidewalls adjacent to the bottom base;
• and
• an inner cavity bounded by the inner surface of the sidewalls and the inner surface of the bottom base, the inner cavity configured to receive the heel tip through the open top,
• wherein the outer surface of the bottom base extends from an inner periphery adjacent the outer surface of the sidewalls to an outer periphery surrounding the inner periphery, and the outer surface is inclined from the inner periphery towards the outer periphery such that a thickness of the inner periphery and a ground contacting surface of the bottom base is greater than a thickness of outer periphery and the ground contacting surface, and
• wherein an inner perimeter of the inner cavity near the open top is greater than or equal to the inner perimeter of the inner cavity near the bottom base, and wherein the shielding cup is rotationally symmetric about a longitudinal axis passing through the open top and the bottom base.