The present invention relates to a shoe according to the preamble of claim 1.

A shoe of this type is disclosed in PCT Application WO 92/20248. In this known shoe, the connecting section constitutes an extension of the heel section and has the shape customary for shoes, that is to say is of U- shaped construction for accommodating the foot therein. In said known shoe, the connecting section extends beneath the foot when the shoe is on the foot.

From the French patent specification 1,139,045 published on June 24, 1957 a shoe is known having a heel section and a vamp being connected through flexible means either at the upper side or at the lower side of the feet during normal wear. Such a connection makes it difficult for the user to walk substantial distances with such a shoe because the feet are given insufficient support.

The aim of the invention is to provide a shoe wherein the connecting section is of such construction that the bottom of the foot remains visible between the heel section and the vamp, but wherein the foot is nevertheless provided with adequate support and the shoe has sufficient cohesion to be of practical use.

This aim is achieved with a shoe as described above having the charac¬ terizing features of claim 1. It has been found, surprisingly, that by constructing the brace section in the above manner the foot is held in place sufficiently firmly and the shoe has sufficient strength to enable it to be moved in the customary manner without any difference being expe¬ rienced during walking compared with other shoes known from the prior art. It must be understood that the term shoe is used to mean any footwear com- prising a heel section and vamp which can be joined to one another in the manner according to the invention. The term shoe therefore likewise covers boots, ballet shoes and the like.

Although it is possible to fit two brace sections which both extend from one side of the heel to the opposing sides of the vamp, a single brace section is preferably used. It has been found that this provides sufficient rigidity and holds the foot sufficiently well for the wearer to be able to walk without any problems.

In order as far as possible to prevent the brace sections of two shoes

of the bottom of the foot visible, provision is made according to an advan¬ tageous embodiment of the invention for the brace section for the right shoe to extend from the right-hand side of the heel section and for the brace section for the left shoe to extend from the left-hand side of the heel section.

In order to increase the comfort in wear as much as possible, all sorts of measures can be taken in order as far as possible to optimise the con¬ tact surface between brace section and instep and/or side of the foot. One possibility comprises making said contact surface flat. It is pointed out that in the normal position there is always some room at the side between brace section and the foot, whilst the brace section preferably is in con¬ tact with the top of the foot or the instep during normal use.

It is even possible that the brace according to the invention is spaced all over its length from the foot during normal wear of the shoe. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, when the shoe is on the foot the pivot axis of the hinge means is arranged in such a way that this axis extends parallel to and some distance behind an imaginary line (flexing line) running through the end of the metatarsus of the big toe and through the end of the metatarsus of the little toe. Opti- mum stability when the shoe is worn is obtained in this way. The distance mentioned is between 1 mm and 20 mm, preferably 10 mm. Stop means are pre¬ ferably provided in order to restrict the hinge movement of the vamp.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to illustrative embodiments shown in the drawing. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a right shoe; and

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a left shoe.

The shoe according to the invention is indicated in its entirety by 1. This shoe comprises a heel section 2 and a vamp 3. These are connected by means of the rigid brace 4 according to the invention. One end of said brace 4 is joined by means of screws 6 to the heel section 2, whilst the other end of said brace is joined to a pin 5 which acts a hinge pin accom¬ modated in a seat 7 in the vamp 3.

It can be seen from Figs 1 and 2 that, for the right shoe, brace section 4 begins at the right of the heel, whilst the converse is the case for the left shoe. As a result, contact between the brace sections 4 of adjacent shoes during walking will be avoided as far as possible.

Stop means, which are not shown, can be present in order to restrict the hinge movement of the vamp.

The brace section can be produced from all of the materials disclosed in the prior art. The brace section is rigidly connected to the heel section and is itself dimensionally stable with limited elastic properties. The shoe in fact comprises two sections hingeably connected to one another, said sections being the vamp, on the one hand, and the combination of the heel section and brace, on the other hand.

Although the invention has been described above with reference to a preferred embodiment, it must be understood that numerous modifications can be made thereto without going beyond the scope of the present application. It is the combination of the relatively rigid brace being fixedly connected to the heel portion and its pivotable arrangement to the vamp which makes the shoe according to the invention easy to wear whilst giving sufficient support of the foot. For instance, it is possible to fix the brace section to the heel section in a different position. This can be, for example, the stub breast of the heel. Moreover, the heel and the brace section can be produced in one piece in any manner known from the prior art. Moreover, the brace can be provided on the inside with means for making the contact with the foot as comfortable as possible. Said means can be all sorts of coverings, but it is also possible for the brace to be flattened off on the inside. All such modifications are considered to fall within the scope of the present claims.