# US 11,026,474 B2 · Ballet pointe shoe > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,474 B2 - Document ID: US11026474B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/000,833 - Filed: 2018-06-05 - Published: 2019-12-05 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-05 - Assignees: Drew Layne, LLC - Applicants: Drew Layne, LLC - Inventors: Mark Suffolk; Keri Suffolk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026474B2 ## CPC - A43B 7/14: with foot-supporting parts - A43B 7/145: situated under the toes, i.e. the phalanges - A43B 5/12: Dancing shoes - A43B 7/1464: with adjustable pads to allow custom fit - A43B 7/24: Insertions or other supports preventing the foot canting to one side {, preventing supination or pronation} - A43B 23/081: {Toe stiffeners} - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract A ballet pointe shoe is disclosed comprising a toebox, a platform at a front end of the toebox, a shank, an upper, a heel, and a single continuous sole. The single continuous sole comprises a front end closest to the toebox, a back end closest to the heel, and a waist defined as a narrowest part of the single continuous sole. The waist is positioned at more than 65 percent of the length of the single continuous sole from the front end of the single continuous sole. A ratio of (i) the waist to the back end of the single continuous sole to (ii) the waist to the front end of the single continuous sole is at least 42 percent. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A ballet pointe shoe, comprising: a toebox; a platform at a front end of the toebox; a shank; an upper; a heel; and a single continuous sole comprising: a front end closest to the toebox, a back end closest to the heel, and a waist defined as a narrowest part of the single continuous sole, wherein the waist is positioned on the single continuous sole at more than 65 percent of a length of the single continuous sole from the front end of the single continuous sole to the back end of the single continuous sole such that a ratio of (i) a distance from the waist to the front end of the single continuous sole to (ii) a distance from the front end of the single continuous sole to the back end of the single continuous sole is more than 65 percent, and wherein a ratio of (i) a distance from the waist to the back end of the single continuous sole to (ii) a distance from the waist to the front end of the single continuous sole is at least 42 percent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 1, wherein the waist is positioned at more than 66 percent of the length of the single continuous sole from the front end of the single continuous sole. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 2, wherein the waist is positioned at more than 67 percent of the length of the single continuous sole from the front end of the single continuous sole. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 1, wherein two pieces of fabric are joined with a linear joinder that intersects the single continuous sole at the waist. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 1, further comprising at least one tack through the shank to the single continuous sole, wherein the at least one tack is positioned at or below the waist. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 5, wherein the at least one tack is positioned between the waist and 0.5 centimeters below the waist. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 1, wherein a back portion of the shank extends more than 0.5 centimeters towards the heel beyond the back end of the single continuous sole. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 7, wherein the back portion of the shank extends at least 1 centimeter towards the heel beyond the back end of the single continuous sole. ### Claim 9 A ballet pointe shoe, comprising: a toebox; a platform at a front end of the toebox; a shank; an upper; a heel; and a single continuous sole comprising: a front end closest to the toebox, a back end closest to the heel, and a waist defined as a narrowest part of the single continuous sole, wherein the waist is positioned on the single continuous sole at more than 69 percent of a length of the ballet pointe shoe from the platform to the back end of the single continuous sole such that a ratio of (i) a distance from the waist to the platform to (ii) a distance from the platform to the back end of the single continuous sole is more than 69 percent, and wherein a ratio of (i) a distance from the waist to the back end of the single continuous sole to (ii) a distance from the waist to the front end of the single continuous sole is at least 42 percent. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 9, wherein the waist is positioned at more than 70 percent of the ballet pointe shoe from the platform to the back end of the single continuous sole. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 9, wherein the ratio of (i) the waist to the back end of the single continuous heel to (ii) the waist to the front end of the single continuous heel is at least 43 percent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 9, wherein two pieces of fabric are joined on a first side of the ballet pointe shoe with a first linear joinder that intersects the single continuous sole within 0.2 centimeters of the waist, and wherein two pieces of fabric are joined on a second side of the ballet pointe shoe with a second linear joinder that intersects the single continuous sole within 0.2 centimeters of the waist. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 9, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the platform comprises a concave surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 9, wherein a back portion of the shank extends between 0.5 centimeters and 1 centimeter towards the heel beyond the back end of the single continuous sole. ### Claim 15 A ballet pointe shoe, comprising: a toebox; a platform at a front end of the toebox; a shank; an upper; a heel; and a single continuous sole comprising: a front end closest to the toebox, a back end closest to the heel, and a waist defined as a narrowest part of the single continuous sole, wherein the waist is positioned at more than 64 percent of a length of the single continuous sole from a toe transition point to a heel transition point such that a ratio of (i) a distance from the waist to the toe transition point to (ii) a distance from the toe transition point to the heel transition point is more than 64 percent, wherein the toe transition point is a point on the single continuous sole at which there is a 5 percent change from a widest part of the single continuous sole closest to the front end toward the waist, wherein the heel transition point is a point on the single continuous sole at which there is a 5 percent change from a widest part of the single continuous sole to the back end toward the waist, and wherein a ratio of (i) a width of the waist to (ii) a width of a widest part of the single continuous sole closest to the back end is less than 85 percent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 15, wherein the waist is positioned at more than at least 70 percent of the length of the single continuous sole from the toe transition point to the heel transition point. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 16, wherein the waist is positioned at more than at least 71 percent of the length of the single continuous sole from the toe transition point to the heel transition point. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 15, further comprising at least one tack through the shank to the single continuous sole, wherein the at least one tack is positioned between the waist and 0.5 centimeters below the waist. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 15, wherein two pieces of fabric are joined with a linear joinder that intersects the single continuous sole at the waist. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The ballet pointe shoe of claim 19, wherein the linear joinder comprises stitching the two pieces of fabric together. ### Claim 21 A ballet pointe shoe, comprising: a toebox; a shank; an upper; a heel; and a platform at a front end of the toebox, wherein at least a portion of an outer surface of the platform including a center point of the platform comprises a concave surface, and wherein the concave surface comprises a plurality of indentations.