Method for making footwear insole
First Claim
1. A method for forming custom molded insoles for supporting the foot in a ski boot or other footwear comprising:
- forming a negative impression of the entire plantar surface/sole of a foot in impression-retaining material by pressing the foot into the impression material while bearing at least a portion of one'"'"'s body weight on that foot with the impression material being firmly supported on a rigid surface during such forming;
removing the foot from the impression material and placing an unformed blank of semi-rigid material which is formable when heated and which has been heated until it is in a formable condition over the entire extent of said negative impression in the impression material such that it covers the entire area of said negative impression;
forming the heated blank to the preexisting contour of the previously formed negative impression in the same impression material by placing the same foot used to make the negative impression onto the heated blank, and pressing that foot against the heated blank and into the previously formed negative impression of the same impression material with the impression material firmly supported on a surface, such that the heated blank is firmly and tightly pressed against the various contours of the previously formed negative impression; and
allowing the blank to cool to return to a semi-rigid state and removing the formed blank from the negative impression.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A custom molded insole for supporting the human foot in a ski boot or other footwear is disclosed. The insole is a one-piece, thin, contoured blank of semi-rigid, bendable, resilient material molded to include the complete detail of the full plantar surface of a foot. The insole provides a four-point contact with a supporting surface or ski boot at the heel, great toe, and at least two spaced metatarsal heads to provide natural balance and proper dynamic positioning of the foot and immediate energy transfer between the foot and various footwear such as a boot/ski when skiing.
Also disclosed is the method for making the custom insole including forming a negative impression of the plantar surface in an impression retaining material by pressing the foot into the material while bearing at least a portion of the body weight on that foot with the impression material firmly supported on a rigid surface. A heated blank of the resilient material is then formed in the impression, preferably using the same foot to press the blank down into the impression.
Also disclosed is a kit for forming the custom insole including at least one piece of impression material and at least one blank of semi-rigid, bendable, resilient material.
93 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for forming custom molded insoles for supporting the foot in a ski boot or other footwear comprising:
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forming a negative impression of the entire plantar surface/sole of a foot in impression-retaining material by pressing the foot into the impression material while bearing at least a portion of one'"'"'s body weight on that foot with the impression material being firmly supported on a rigid surface during such forming; removing the foot from the impression material and placing an unformed blank of semi-rigid material which is formable when heated and which has been heated until it is in a formable condition over the entire extent of said negative impression in the impression material such that it covers the entire area of said negative impression; forming the heated blank to the preexisting contour of the previously formed negative impression in the same impression material by placing the same foot used to make the negative impression onto the heated blank, and pressing that foot against the heated blank and into the previously formed negative impression of the same impression material with the impression material firmly supported on a surface, such that the heated blank is firmly and tightly pressed against the various contours of the previously formed negative impression; and allowing the blank to cool to return to a semi-rigid state and removing the formed blank from the negative impression. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for forming custom molded insoles for supporting the foot in a ski boot or other footwear comprising:
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forming a negative impression of the plantar surface/sole of a foot in a quantity of crushable material which permanently retains that impression by standing over the crushable material and pressing that foot into the material with one'"'"'s full body weight while flexing and extending the knee above the foot while avoiding lateral side-to-side movement of the foot, said crushable material being supported on a rigid surface during such forming; removing the foot from the negative impression in the material; heating a blank of thermoplastic material until it is in a pliable, formable condition, said blank having a size generally following the full extent of the previously formed negative impression and covering the entire area of the previously formed negative impression; placing the heated blank over the previously formed negative impression in the crushable material; forming the heated blank to the contour of the previously formed negative impression in the same crushable material by pressing the same foot used to form the negative impression onto the top of the blank with the crushable material supported on a surface, and flexing and extending the knee above the foot during such pressing while avoiding lateral side-to-side movement of the foot such that the foot presses the blank firmly and tightly against the various contours of the previously formed negative impression; removing the foot from the blank in the previously formed negative impression; and allowing the blank to cool to its normal rigidity whereby the contours of the previously formed negative impression are permanently maintained in the formed blank. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for forming custom molded insoles for supporting the foot in footwear comprising:
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forming a negative impression of the entire plantar surface/sole of a foot in impression-retaining material by pressing the foot into the impression material while bearing at least a portion of one'"'"'s body weight on that foot and while flexing and extending the knee above the foot while avoiding lateral side-to-side movement of the foot with the impression material firmly supported on a rigid surface; removing the foot from the impression material and placing an unformed blank of formable material which is formable when heated but retains a desired shape when cooled and which has been heated until it is in a formable condition over said previously formed negative impression in the impression material; forming the heated blank by placing the same foot used to make the negative impression onto the heated blank pressing that foot against the heated blank and into the previously formed negative impression of the same impression material with the impression material supported on a surface, and flexing and extending the knee above the foot during such pressing while avoiding lateral side-to-side movement of the foot such that the heated blank is firmly and tightly pressed against the various contours of the previously formed negative impression; and allowing the blank to cool to retain its formed shape and removing the formed blank from the negative impression.
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37. A method for forming custom molded insoles for supporting the foot in footwear comprising:
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forming a negative impression of the entire plantar surface/sole of a foot in impression-retaining material by pressing the foot into the impression material while bearing at least a portion of one'"'"'s body weight on that foot with the impression material firmly supported on a surface; removing the foot from the impression material and placing an unformed blank of formable material which is formable when heated but retains a desired shape when cooled and which has been heated until it is in a formable condition over said previously formed negative impression in the impression material; forming the heated blank by placing the same foot used to make the negative impression onto the heated blank, pressing that foot against the heated blank and into the previously formed negative impression of the same impression material with the impression material supported on a surface such that the heated blank is firmly and tightly pressed against the various contours of the previously formed negative impression; and allowing the blank to cool to retain its formed shape and removing the formed blank from the negative impression.
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Specification