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US 7,621,540 B2Granted
Heeling apparatus and method
AssigneeHeeling Sports Limited
InventorRoger R. Adams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heeling apparatus includes a shoe with a unique feature in the heel that allows one to walk, run, or roll seamlessly. The appearance is that of normal footwear because of the covert wheel assembly. The stealth wheel in the heel gives one the ability to roll or slide in areas you could only walk. Heeling is a new activity that employs a unique method of rolling and requires a newly learned skill set of balance, positioning, and coordination.
Claims25
A method for use of a heeling apparatus on a surface by a user, the method comprising:
- walking on the surface while wearing the heeling apparatus with no portion of at least one wheel of the heeling apparatus extended below the bottom of a heel portion of a sole of the heeling apparatus;
- positioning at least a portion of the at least one wheel of the heeling apparatus to extend below the bottom of the sole of the heeling apparatus through an opening in the heel portion of the sole of the heeling apparatus;
- moving on the surface in a first direction by placing at least a portion of a forefoot of the heeling apparatus in contact with the surface;
- rolling on the surface in generally the first direction while the forefoot of the heeling apparatus is elevated relative to the surface such that either none or an insubstantial portion of the weight of the user is supported by the forefoot, and with at least a portion of the at least one wheel extended below the bottom of the sole of the heeling apparatus through the opening in the heel portion of the sole by using the at least one wheel of the heeling apparatus to contact the surface, wherein the at least one wheel is operable to roll while supporting at least a portion of the weight of the user;
- and
- transitioning from rolling on the surface to either running, walking, or stopping on the surface by placing at least a portion of the forefoot of the heeling apparatus in contact with the surface.
3 more elements
A wheeled footwear for use by a user on a surface, the wheeled footwear comprising:
- at least one wheel operable to rotate around an axle;
- a sole that includes a flexible forefoot portion, an arch portion and a heel portion, the heel portion having an opening formed therein and operable to receive the at least one wheel operable to rotate around the axle;
- and
- wherein the at least one wheel is positioned partially in the opening in the heel portion of the sole and partially below the opening in the heel portion of the sole;
- and such that, in use in a non-rolling mode, a primary contact of the wheeled footwear with the surface is provided by the flexible forefoot portion of the sole and as such the user does not roll and, in a rolling mode, the flexible forefoot is elevated above the surface and the at least one wheel provides the primary contact with the surface to allow the user to roll on the surface and the at least one wheel to rotate around the axle, a change in mode being effected by a transfer of weight of the user from the flexible forefoot portion to the at least one wheel positioned partially in the opening in the heel portion of the sole.
2 more elements
A footwear configurable to wheeled footwear for use by a user on a surface, the footwear configurable to wheeled footwear comprising:
- a sole that includes a flexible forefoot portion, an arch portion and a heel portion, the heel portion having an opening formed therein and operable to receive at least one wheel operable to rotate around an axle;
- and
- wherein the opening in the heel portion is configured to retain the at least one wheel such that the at least one wheel is positioned partially in the opening in the heel portion of the sole and partially below a bottom of the opening in the heel portion of the sole;
- and such that, in use in a non-rolling mode, a primary contact of the wheeled footwear with the surface would be provided by the flexible forefoot portion of the sole and as such the user would not roll and, in a rolling mode, the at least one wheel would provide the primary contact with the surface to allow the user to roll on the surface and the at least one wheel to rotate around the axle, a change in mode being effected by a transfer of weight of the user from the flexible forefoot portion to the at least one wheel positioned partially in the opening in the heel portion of the sole.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.