Method and apparatus for use in making custom shoes
First Claim
1. A method for making a custom shoe last, based on a particular subject'"'"'s foot, comprising the steps of:
- placing a foot at an inspection position;
directing a light beam at the foot;
scanning the light beam in a predetermined pattern over the surface of the foot;
detecting, at a position detector, the light beam reflected from the foot;
determining surface coordinates of the foot as a function of the detector output;
storing the determined surface coordinates; and
forming a shoe last having a shape which depends on the stored coordinates.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for making a custom shoe based on non-contact measurements of a particular subject'"'"'s foot. A foot is placed at an inspection position, and a laser beam is directed at the foot, and scanned in a predetermined pattern over the surface of the foot. The light beam reflected from the foot is detected at a position detector. Surface coordinates of the foot are determined as a function of the detector output. The determined surface coordinates are stored and can then be used in making a shoe having a shape which depends on the stored coordinates. In a preferred embodiment, a rotating scanner is disposed above the inspection position and an oscillating reflector is disposed to one side of the inspection position. The beam of light is reflected from the rotating scanner to the oscillating reflector to the foot, and the beam reflected from the foot is thereafter reflected back to the oscillating reflector, the rotating scanner, and then the detector.
306 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for making a custom shoe last, based on a particular subject'"'"'s foot, comprising the steps of:
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placing a foot at an inspection position; directing a light beam at the foot; scanning the light beam in a predetermined pattern over the surface of the foot; detecting, at a position detector, the light beam reflected from the foot; determining surface coordinates of the foot as a function of the detector output; storing the determined surface coordinates; and forming a shoe last having a shape which depends on the stored coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for determining surface coordinates of a foot, from which a custom shoe can be made, comprising:
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a base for receiving a foot, and defining an inspection position over said base; means for generating a beam of light; means for scanning said beam in a predetermined pattern over the surface of a foot at the inspection position; a position detector for detecting the light beam reflected from the foot; means for determining surface coordinates of the foot as a function of the output of the detector; and means for storing the determined surface coordinates; whereby a custom shoe can be made having a shape that depends on the stored surface coordinates of the foot. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for obtaining coordinates of the surface of a foot, from which a shoe can be made, comprising the steps of:
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placing a foot at an inspection position; directing a light beam at the foot; scanning the light beam in a predetermined pattern over the surface of the foot; detecting, at a position detector, the light beam reflected from the foot; determining surface coordinates of the foot as a function of the detector output; and storing the determined surface coordinates;
whereby said coordinates can be used in making a shoe having a shape which depends on the stored coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification