EP0338351A2 - Method of producing custom-made orthopaedic shoes - Google Patents

Abstract

To produce custom-made orthopaedic shoes, a plaster cast (2) is first taken in the correction or bedding mould of the rear foot of the foot sole of the patient. Then the bedding mould (1.1) required is shaped to a rough last (1). Subsequently, a plastic film (4) is drawn over the sole and side surfaces of the last (1) and a foot bed (13) and cut in the manner of a sole with a rear cap (4'). A trial shaft (5) is pulled over the last (1) and lasted and glued to the plastic film (4), so that a trial shoe is produced. Under this, a heel (6) is fastened. After trial by the patient, the last (1) is if necessary corrected. Finally, on the corrected last (1), with the aid of a prefabricated leather shaft, the size and shape of which are determined using the trial shaft (5), the custom-made shoe is finished. The time-consuming transfer of the last shape to the leather with the aid of paper templates etc. is eliminated completely. Use can be made of shoe parts, in particular insoles (3), front and rear caps, leather shafts, outsoles, heels (6), eyelets, shoelaces etc., which are prefabricated in series production and matched to one another. As a result, high rationalisation, excellent fit and modern fashionable appearance are ensured. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing custom-made orthopedic shoes according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

The care of the feet, who are suffering from stress and stress, with custom-made orthopedic shoes, e.g. B. with rheumatism, hallux valgus, open ulcer, calluses, scarring, spreading, claws, hollow feet, etc. requires a lot of time and money, since all shoe parts, including the last, are one-off and special products and therefore one for manufacturing require a lot of time.

It is important first of all that the two lasts are adapted as exactly as possible to the patient's foot shape. The production of such orthopedic measuring strips is not only complex, but also very expensive and contains only one shaping option. Level and fashion demands, also of the group of people with feet suffering from civilization and appearance, increase. These foot sufferers do not always want the same, traditional shoes, but like healthy citizens constantly changing models with changing last shapes, for example sports shoes, casual shoes, open summer shoes, winter boots etc. In these cases, a separate pair of lasts must be created according to the state of the art . Because of the high costs, the majority of patients cannot fulfill such fashion desires.

The next problem to be solved is the transfer of the last shape to the patterns for the production of the leather shaft, but not just one correct, but also an elegant or at least pleasing model shape should be created. This work is done in the shoe industry by trained, specialized modelers. The employment of modellers in the production of custom-made orthopedic shoes is however ruled out for cost reasons.

The last problem then is the manufacture of the two custom-made shoes themselves. In the past, the insoles, upholstery and bedding required to relieve the patient's foot mostly gave them a bulky, inelegant appearance. However, this problem point has already been largely mitigated by the process for producing insole-free shoes described in DE-PS 32 01 488. This process technology can also be used in the invention described below.

The present invention has for its object to provide a method of the type mentioned, which relieves the orthopedic shoemaker as much as possible from the ancillary work associated with shoe manufacture and fashionable design work and enables him to concentrate entirely on the work on the patient, which in particular The precisely fitting manufacture of the lasts and custom-made shoes makes it easier and faster, and it allows the use of standard and assembled parts.

This object is achieved by a method of the generic type with the features according to the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

The method according to the invention also begins with the production of a plaster cast, in particular with the aid of plaster bandages. With the help of this plaster cast, the patient's rear foot shape is exactly on the last transferred by either removing material there or, according to a further development of the invention, adding with the help of hardening plastic materials, the plaster cast being coated with a release agent. This transfer is limited to the rearfoot area, ie the area from the heel to the ball of the foot.

When using the method according to the invention, it becomes possible for the first time to manufacture individually tailored orthopedic bespoke shoes using standard prefabricated parts which are assembled in the manner of a modular system. The patient can choose his or her desired model from a picture catalog.

The orthopedic shoemaker can make this model true to the image and get all of the shoe parts required for it partially or completely pre-made from stock. He knows from the outset the prices of the necessary shoe parts, which, thanks to their standard prefabrication, are considerably cheaper than for a one-off production. The orthopedic shoemaker can therefore calculate precisely and supply the patients at a competitive price.

Thanks to this, in the future patients will be more willing and able to have a new pair of custom-made orthopedic shoes tailored to their intended use and fashion.

Standard strips, for example hinged or sliding strips, are preferably used as strips, corresponding to the industrial strips. This is based on the knowledge that 80% of foot deformities only occur in the forefoot area and that, despite different foot shapes in the rear foot area, all production parts can be standardized, e.g. B. the insoles, the heels, the soles, the toe and heel caps and the stems.

As soon as the individually adapted patient last is completed in this way, a plastic film can preferably be drawn over the sole and side surfaces of the last using the deep-drawing technique and then cut so that a type of sole with an integrally molded rear cap remains.

As the most important intermediate step, a trial shaft is drawn over the last and pinched and glued onto the cut plastic film. After a heel has been attached, this trial shoe can be put on by the patient for a test run and to check the fit. Any corrections can be marked directly on the trial shoe; the trial shoe can also be cut open in order to check the exact position of the tread and any necessary upholstery, rolling aids and the like.

After re-listing the trial shoe, the displayed corrections can be transferred directly to the last, so that errors are practically impossible.

If the trial stock already meets the desired specifications, the patient can use the catalog to select and select his desired model from a large number of complete shoe models. All the shoe parts required for this, such as insoles, toe caps, toe caps, bedding parts, etc., can be completely or partially prefabricated by the master orthopedic shoemaker and then assembled according to the catalog using the dimension strips he has created. By producing the trial shoe using plastic instead of leather, there are only minimal additional costs, but this is already possible due to the possibility of both to be able to check the fit as well as the appearance of the final custom shoe before it is manufactured.

However, the rationalization effect of the invention due to the possibility described above of being able to use standardized, prefabricated parts goes far beyond this. All shoe parts including the eyelets and shoelaces can be mass-produced and assembled in series. The costs for modeling, cutting, sharpening, bending, stepping, etc. are spread over larger quantities. It is therefore possible for the first time to create a modular system according to the shoe pattern catalog, which contains all the shoe parts required for the production of complete orthopedic bespoke shoes.

Even in particularly problematic cases, trial shoes are already made from cheap leather lining. However, the fit size of the final leather shaft could not be determined. Also, these trial shoes could in no way allow the appearance of the finished custom-made shoe to be guessed with sufficient accuracy, since they had no similarity in model to the final shoe.

The use of trial shafts, which, as already mentioned, consist of inexpensive plastic material, in particular based on fabric, also provides good help in the final manufacture of the custom-made shoe on the controlled and possibly revised last. If a fitting is not necessary, for example for subsequent deliveries, the master orthopedic shoemaker only needs to keep these trial shafts on the lasts as a fit check, until he has determined the right size. Only then does he order the necessary materials and use it to assemble the custom-made orthopedic shoe. The time-consuming and often inaccurate transfer of the last shape to the leather with the help of paper stencils etc. is completely eliminated, as is the stitching together of the various leather parts etc. Thanks to the standardization of the insoles in the rearfoot area, the result is a clean shoe shape, an exact shoe structure and, above all, effortless an exact match of the heels and sole construction.

The deep-drawn plastic films mentioned above can be used not only on the sole surface, but also on the top of the last. If, in addition to low shoes, boots, trainers or the like were to be produced for a patient, previously separate lasts had to be made. This is eliminated thanks to the plastic film molded onto the top of the last, which can be cut as a forefoot and / or rearfoot cap depending on the application. The appropriate reinforcement is applied to these cones with the help of cork and / or hardened plastic masses. In this way, the orthopedic shoemaker can transform the patient last with one handle, in order to manufacture light, open summer shoes, sturdy loafers, sneakers or boots, depending on the patient's wishes, and in accordance with the current fashion, the shoe with a drawn, narrow tip, with a round tip etc. In all of these cases, the form of the insole always remains the same as an essential advantage; the patient will find the optimal fit for each foot in these shoes.

Finally, thanks to the separating film, it is also possible to remove only the lasts and only then the reinforcements from the shoe. This is then of advantage if very strong reinforcements are required for a patient, for example for hammer toes, over-legs, ball extensions and the like. In such problem cases, the orthopedic shoemaker previously had to cut the shaft seams as a precaution to prevent the leather from tearing when worn out.

• Fig. 1 das Übertragen der Gipsabgußform auf die Sohlenfläche des Leistens,
• Fig. 2 das Übertragen des Gipsabgusses auf die Sohlenfläche des Leistens, unter Verwendung eines aushärtenden Kunststoffes,
• Fig. 3 das Übertragen des Rückfußbereiches einer standardisierten Brandsohle auf den Fersenbereich der Fußbettung,
• Fig. 4 eine tiefgezogene und zugeschnittene Kunststoffolie für die Herstellung eines Probierschuhs,
• Fig. 5 das Ermitteln der richtigen Schaftgröße mit Hilfe eines Probeschaftes,
• Fig. 6 eine tiefgezogene Kunststoffolie auf der Oberseite des Leistens,
• Fig. 7 das Aufsetzen einer tiefgezogenen Kunststoffolie mit Verstärkungen auf den Leisten.

The invention will be explained in more detail in the form of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. Each shows in a schematic representation:

• 1 shows the transfer of the plaster cast to the sole surface of the last,
• 2 shows the transfer of the plaster cast to the sole surface of the last, using a hardening plastic,
• 3 shows the transfer of the rearfoot area of a standardized insole to the heel area of the footbed,
• 4 is a thermoformed and cut plastic film for the production of a trial shoe,
• 5 the determination of the correct shaft size with the help of a trial shaft,
• 6 is a deep-drawn plastic film on the top of the last,
• Fig. 7 the placement of a thermoformed plastic film with reinforcements on the strips.

1 shows in the left hand of the orthopedic shoemaker a plaster cast 2 cut from the patient's foot in the manner of an insert. The forefoot area 2.1 of the plaster cast is removed.

In the right hand of the orthopedic shoemaker you can see a standard last 1, for example from the shoe industry. The rearfoot area 1.1 of the last 1 was adjusted exactly to the shape of the patient's foot with the aid of the plaster cast 2 by removing unnecessary last material.

Since the last 1 is a standardized raw last, provision is made in the event that the patient's foot is wider than the raw last. This is shown in Fig. 2. For this purpose, a hardening plastic mass 12 is applied to the strips 1. The plaster cast 2, which was previously coated with a suitable release agent, is placed on this. In this way, the sole surface of the last 1 receives an exact image of the patient's foot shape without any effort.

It is understood that the separating surface 10 of the last 1 must be covered against the penetration of the plastic 12.

As soon as the sole surface of the last 1 is precisely shaped, a foot bed 13 or insert is applied. The rear foot area 3.1 of a standardized insole 3 is then marked on the free upper side of this foot bed 13. This process is shown in Fig. 3.

Any lateral protrusions of the foot bed 13 are maneuvered in a suitable manner, that is to say continuously adjusted. As cohon mentioned, the rear foot area 3.1 of the insole 3 is standardized. The border to the forefoot area 3.2 is roughly marked by the dividing line 3.4.

In the forefoot area 3.2, the insole 3 is kept wider than the last 1 in order to have sufficient insole material for over-legs, ball extensions, etc. The protrusions 3.3 of the insole 3 in the forefoot area 3.2 are trimmed according to the shape bar shape.

After removing the prefabricated insole 3, last 1 and footbed 13 are covered with a plastic film 4 in the deep-drawing process. This film 4 is then cut so that a type of insole with integrally molded rear cap 4 'is formed. This is shown in FIG. 4.

On the last 1 with foot bed 13 and plastic film 4 with rear cap 4 ', a trial shaft 5 is pulled, pinched and glued. This process is shown in Fig. 5. As soon as a paragraph 6 is attached, the last 1 is carried out. The patient can try on the trial shoe thus finished and run it with it.

The trial shaft 5 consists of an inexpensive plastic material on a textile basis. The stamped shaft size is used to order the final leather shaft and other matching shoe parts from the manufacturer. The individual production of shoe parts as in conventional orthopedic shoe technology can largely be dispensed with, without the individual adjustment of the made-to-measure shoe that is important for the patient suffering from this.

In any case, the orthopedic shoemaker can provide the exact one Check the fit on the patient's foot beforehand and correct if necessary. Markings can be made directly on the trial shaft 5. With the help of these markings, the last 1 is then corrected if this should be necessary.

As FIG. 6 shows, the strip 1 can also be covered on its upper side with a plastic film 14 in the deep-drawing process. This film acts, for example, as a separating film, as will be described with reference to FIG. 7. Depending on the application, the release film 14 is cut, either as a forefoot cap 14.1 or as a rearfoot cap 14.2.

FIG. 7 shows a number of applications of the separating film 14 cut as forefoot cones 14.1. A reinforcement 11.1 increases the shaft width, as is necessary for the production of boots. A reinforcement 11.2 serves to adapt to a strong expansion of the patient's balls. A reinforcement 11.3 is used to adapt to the patient's hammer toes.

Since the separating film 14 separates the reinforcements 11 from the last 1, the last 1 can be made from the shoe separately from the forefoot cap 14.1 with the reinforcements 11. These are then removed from the shoe. As a result, there is no danger in the conventional technique of executing a last with strong ball or hammer toe extensions 11.2, 11.3 that the leather is overstretched and damaged.

In addition, the separating film 14 with the reinforcements 11 applied on the outside offers the possibility, with a single pair of lasts, of both loafers and, after having placed a separating film 14 with the reinforcements 11.1, To manufacture boots for the patient. In this way, the creation of a second pair of lasts with the necessary work to adapt to the patient's foot shape is avoided.

Overall, the method according to the invention enables an improvement of the fit and a multiplication of the fashionable design options of the last and thus of the shoes and, as a result, a relief for the patient, an increase in the range of models and colors from which the patient can choose, in advance knows the final appearance of the shoe, a rationalization both in the production of the lasts and in particular the made-to-measure shoes as well as in the stock keeping and finally a reduction in the price of the shoe manufacture due to the possibility of mass-producing certain parts of the made-to-measure shoe.

Claims (9)

1. A process for the manufacture of orthopedic bespoke shoes, wherein a negative plaster cast (2) is first taken from the sole of the sick foot, then the corresponding sole shape (1.1) and a footbed (13) or insert are formed into a raw last (1) and on this last (1) a trial shoe and finally the made-to-measure shoe are created, characterized in that the transfer of the sole shape (1.1) to the raw last (1) mainly takes place only in the rear foot area of the plaster negative (2), that on the foot bed (13) standardized rearfoot area (3.1) transfer an insole (3) and the footbed (13) is adapted so that a plastic film (4) is drawn over the sole and side surfaces of the last (1) and footbed (13) and in the manner of an insole with molded rear cap (4 ') is cut in one piece that a trial stem (5) is pulled over the last (1) and tweaked onto the plastic film (4) that the patient can try on under it m trial shoe a paragraph (6) is releasably attached, that after the result of trying on the lasts (1) with the trial shoe is corrected if necessary, that paragraph (6) and plastic film (4) are removed again and that finally by means of a Leather shaft, the size and shape of which is determined on the basis of the test shaft (5) that has already been used or a further one, the bespoke shoe is completed. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that for incorporating the rear foot shape and width on the last (1) curing plastic (12) is applied to the sole surface of the last (1) by means of the plaster cast (2) coated with release agent. the sole shape (1.1) is formed. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a plastic film (14) is also drawn as a release film over the top of the last (1). 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that reinforcements (11) are glued to the separating film (14). 5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that interchangeable strip part shapes for base strips (1) are made by material supports. 6. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the plastic films (4, 14) are deep-drawn. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that model-quilted plastic films on a textile basis are used for the trial shafts (5). 8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that standard strips are used as strips (1). 9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that for the made-to-measure shoes standard prefabricated parts - custom shafts, toe and back caps, insoles, outsoles, heels, heel stains, frames, etc. - are used.

Images