Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B13/00—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units
  • A43B13/02—Soles; Sole-and-heel integral units characterised by the material
  • A43B13/12—Soles with several layers of different materials
  • A43B13/125—Soles with several layers of different materials characterised by the midsole or middle layer
  • A43B13/127—Soles with several layers of different materials characterised by the midsole or middle layer the midsole being multilayer
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B33—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
  • B33Y—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
  • B33Y80/00—Products made by additive manufacturing
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
  • A43B7/14—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts
  • A43B7/1405—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form
  • A43B7/141—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form having an anatomical or curved form
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
  • A43B7/14—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts
  • A43B7/1405—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form
  • A43B7/1415—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form characterised by the location under the foot
  • A43B7/1425—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form characterised by the location under the foot situated under the ball of the foot, i.e. the joint between the first metatarsal and first phalange
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
  • A43B7/14—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts
  • A43B7/1405—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form
  • A43B7/1415—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form characterised by the location under the foot
  • A43B7/144—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form characterised by the location under the foot situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
  • A43B7/00—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements
  • A43B7/14—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts
  • A43B7/1405—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form
  • A43B7/1415—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form characterised by the location under the foot
  • A43B7/145—Footwear with health or hygienic arrangements with foot-supporting parts with pads or holes on one or more locations, or having an anatomical or curved form characterised by the location under the foot situated under the toes, i.e. the phalanges
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43D—MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING OR REPAIRING FOOTWEAR
  • A43D1/00—Foot or last measuring devices; Measuring devices for shoe parts
  • A43D1/02—Foot-measuring devices
  • A43D1/025—Foot-measuring devices comprising optical means, e.g. mirrors, photo-electric cells, for measuring or inspecting feet
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A43—FOOTWEAR
  • A43D—MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING OR REPAIRING FOOTWEAR
  • A43D2200/00—Machines or methods characterised by special features
  • A43D2200/60—Computer aided manufacture of footwear, e.g. CAD or CAM

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to an article of footwear, and specifically to a footwear with customized arch-support midsole and insole, and a method of shoe making.
• a human foot has 26 bones. Of these, 7 are tarsals, 5 are metatarsals and 14 are phalanges.
• the bones form three arches, two running lengthwise and one running across the instep.
• the largest longitudinal arch called the medial arch is located on the inside of the foot.
• the lateral arch is the smaller longitudinal arch and is located on the outside of the foot.
• the metatarsal arch is the primary transverse arch.
• US 7206718 B2 discloses a method for design and manufacture of insoles.
• CN 104699908 A discloses a manufacturing method for 3D orthopedic insole.
• CN 104908319A discloses a preparation method for orthopedic shoe pad and orthopedic shoe pad.
• the footbed is erosion- resistant, flexible and is constructed from high quality rubber, polyurethane and latex material.
• the elevated footbed or insole center provides the wearer with superior arch support and releases pressure in the joints of the central part of the foot to prevent arch pain.
• Deep heel indentation provides support, heel bone protection and heel pain prevention.
• Built-in hallux support in the shoe and sandal provides a comfortable hold for the big toe, preventing the foot from slipping forward and keeping the foot in a stable, orthopedically sound position.
• Shock-resistant suede-coated latex and cork footbed wicks away moisture to prevent athlete's foot and blisters.
• Shoe upper is made from fine natural Italian leather. The breathability of the fabric further ensures that feet remain dry and less prone to painful friction. These shoes and sandals are stylish as well as comfortable, classically fashionable and orthopedic.
• US 2014/0149072 A1 a scanner- assisted selection if fitting footwear with individualized footbed is described. With the aid of multisensory foot scanner, a geometric three-dimensional shape of the foot and a plantar pressure image registered with it are determined at the same time.
• a database of digitized shoe interiors is used for determining, by means of a best-fit selection, a series-produced shoe that best matches the 3D foot model.
• a conventional system for producing individualized insole and/or footbeds an insole that matches the sole of the foot is selected or prepared.
• printed material may be made of a material that includes an ink, a resin, an acrylic, a polymer, a thermoplastic material, a thermosetting material, a light-curable material, or combinations of composites thereof.
• Printed material may be formed from printing of one or more layers in a sequence of depositions or materials to any desired thickness, and may also include a filler material to impart a strengthening or aesthetic aspect to printed material.
• the filler material may be powdered material or dye designed to impart desired color or color patterns or transitions, metallic or plastic particles or shavings, or any powdered mineral, metal or plastic, and customize the hardness, strength or elasticity of printed material depending on desired properties.
• the 3D printer powered by a PolyJet technology for an example, is capable of printing multiple plastic and rubber-like materials with desired softness or hardness distributed on different locations on the sole. These mix and match materials are heterogeneous materials from combinations of liquid-based materials.
• the 3D printer will print out each layer of profile one by one:- printing one layer with a preset material, solidifying that layer with ultra-violet light, and then repeated printing a next layer on top of the previous layer.
• CN 104647757A also discloses a manufacturing method for 3D printing shoe pad.
• the WO 2014207423 specification disclosed an article of footwear, having a sole and upper.
• the sole comprises an outsole for contact with the ground, an insole for contact with the wearer's foot, and a midsole layer between the insole and the outsole.
• the midsole layer comprises resilient material in a lattice arrangement with an array of hollow cells formed between upright walls of the resilient material.
• the midsole layer has a thickness of at least about 5 mm.
• a perennial challenge lies in the manufacture of an article of customized arch- supporting footwear, including high heels, casual shoes and dress shoes, particularly that of shoe last, midsole, insole or footbed or shoe pad.
• shoe lasts, midsoles, insoles, footbeds or shoe pads in prior art commercially available footwear is that they are generally flat and non-arch supporting, that is not fitting to different types of feet.
• the prior art shoes generally are not conforming to the arches of the feet. The weight of a person is not well supported and his or her posture is therefore not aligned.
• a shoe with good arch support reduces muscle strains and helps to maintain balance.
• plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory process of the plantar fascia, the connective tissue on the sole (bottom surface) of the foot. It is often caused by overuse of the plantar fascia or arch tendon of the foot. It is a very common condition and can be difficult to treat.
• midsoles, insoles, footbeds or shoe pads Another issue with midsoles, insoles, footbeds or shoe pads is their durability.
• the competing factors of stiffness and comfort mean that a supporting shank is made with layers of stronger and padded materials such as wood, plastic or cork.
• at least a steel element is incorporated to its supporting shank, which poses security alerts when such a shoe wearer passes through security check points, for an example at an airport.
• both the 3D scanning technology and the 3D printing technology offer a new trend in the shoe manufacture. They are advantageously employed in the present invention to provide an arch support function and a foot profiling/fitting function in arch support shoes.
• insoles, footbeds or shoe pads that reliably and consistently provide sufficient arch support for the feet, with the assistance of modern 3D scanning and printing technologies.
• inventive step for the proposed invention that is the insole and the midsole are customized to be foot profiling/fitting and arch-supporting, with the assistance of said technologies.
• the customized arch supporting insole and midsole are incorporated to constitute an arch support shoe as a fashion lifestyle footwear.
• One object of the present invention is to provide a foot profiling/fitting function to a fashion lifestyle footwear, using foot profile data applied to midsole, insole or footbed, with the assistance of a 3D scanning and 3D printing technology, thus allowing arch- support and foot alignment that will fits all types of feet.
• Another object of the present invention is to manufacture arch-support midsole and insole further comprising at least three hermetically bonded layers, with the assistance of a 3D printing technology.
• Another object of the present invention is to apply the arch-support midsole and insole to other forms of fashion lifestyle footwear including high heels and flat shoes. Yet, another object of the present invention is to render the fashion lifestyle footwear with arch-support midsole and insole that is comfortable and fashionable to use.
• This footwear with customized arch-support midsole and insole is an output of a shoe- making method comprising the steps of:
• Figure 1 a is a side view of an arch-support sole in a high heel, made in accordance with the present invention.
• Figure 1 b is a perspective view of the arch-support sole shown in Figure 1 a.
• Figure 2a is a side view of a first embodiment of a high heel with arch-support sole according to the present invention.
• Figure 2b is a side view of a second embodiment of a high heel with arch-support sole according to the present invention.
• Figure 2c is a side view of a third embodiment of a high heel with arch-support sole according to the present invention.
• Figure 3a is a side view of a first embodiment of a flat shoe with arch-support sole according to the present invention.
• Figure 3b is a side view of a second embodiment of a flat shoe with arch-support sole according to the present invention.
• An article of footwear generally has an upper (2) and a sole.
• the upper (2) may be formed from a plurality of material elements (i.e. one or more layers of a textile, a natural fabric, a synthetic fabric, a knit, a woven material, a nonwoven material, a mesh, a leather, a synthetic leather, a polymer, a rubber and a foam and so on). It is stitched or adhesively bonded to from a void on the interior of the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving a foot. More particularly, the upper forms a structure that extends over instep and toe areas of the foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot. The upper may also incorporate a lacing system, as well as permitting entry and removal of the foot from the void within the upper.
• material elements i.e. one or more layers of a textile, a natural fabric, a synthetic fabric, a knit, a woven material, a nonwoven material, a mesh, a leather, a synthetic leather, a polymer, a rubber and
• the upper may include a tongue that extends under the lacing system to enhance adjustability and comfort of the footwear, and the upper may include a heel counter.
• the upper may be a high tensile strength knit or mesh sockfit upper. Shoe upper is made from fine natural Italian leather. The breathability of the fabric further ensures that feet remain dry and less prone to painful friction.
• This arch- support midsole is secured to the lower portion of the upper so as to be positioned between the foot and the ground.
• This arch-support midsole may also include a sockliner positioned within the upper and proximal to a lower surface of the foot to enhance footwear comfort.
• the sole comprises at least an outsole layer (5) in contact with the ground, a midsole layer (7) and an insole layer (6) in contact with an individual wearer's foot.
• a prior art outsole layer (5), the midsole layer (7) and the insole layer (6) are engaged with the assistance of a metallic securing mechanism.
• This metallic securing mechanism often time causes security alerts when the shoe wearer passes through a security checkpoint, such as at an airport checkpoint.
• One main advantage of using a 3D printing technology is that no metallic component is employed in a supporting shank, whereas the three laminated layers (6, 7, 5) in the present invention are hermetically bonded.
• the customized arch-support sole comprises at least a top insole layer, a midsole layer and an outsole layer; the three layers are laminated and manufactured from a 3D printing technology, so that the three layers are hermetically bonded together, without a metallic engaging means.
• the midsole layer (7) may be formed from a polymer foam material that attenuates ground reaction forces (i.e. provides cushioning) during walking, running and other ambulatory activities.
• the midsole layer (7) may also cushions, such as fluid-filled chambers, plates, moderators or other elements that further attenuates forces, enhances stability or influence the motions of the foot, for an example.
• the outsole layer (5) forms a ground contacting element of the footwear and is usually fashioned from a durable and wear-resistant rubber material that includes texturing to impact traction.
• protruded contour profiles shown on the top surface of an insole layer (6) include a medial arch contour profile supported by a lateral curved extension (10), a toe contour profile (1 1 ), a ball contour profile (12) and a heel contour profile (13). Both the toe contour profile (1 1 ) and the ball contour profile (12) serve to support the metatarsal arch.
• the insole layer (6) is constructed with an anatomical wide footbed which quickly align to the specific contour profiles of the wearer's feet.
• the footbed allows body weight to be distributed equally over the entire foot for better posture and minimize joint stress.
• the insole layer (6) is erosion-resistant, flexible and is constructed from high quality rubber, polyurethane and latex material.
• the elevated footbed/insole center provides the wearer with superior arch support and releases pressure in the joints of the central part of the foot to prevent arch pain.
• Deep heel indentation provides support, heel bone protection and heel pain prevention.
• Built-in hallux support in the shoe and sandal provides a comfortable hold for the big toe, preventing the foot from slipping forward and keeping the foot in a stable, orthopedically sound position.
• Shock-resistant suede- coated latex and cork footbed wicks away moisture to prevent athlete's foot and blisters.
• the above footwear with customized arch-support sole is the output of a shoe-making process envisaged by the applicants which comprise the following steps:- 1 . Scanning a wearer's foot using a 3D scanner;
• the customized arch-support insole (6) and midsole (7) according to the invention are applied to three embodiments of high heels (1 ), where the heel is raised or elevated relative to its forepart, with the assistance of a shoe heel support (3) with a toe piece (4), or a wedge (14).
• the customized arch-support insole (6) and midsole (7) according to the invention are applied to two embodiments of substantially flat shoes.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (13)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (12)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 2016
  • 2016-04-18 MY MYPI2016701414A patent/MY176442A/en unknown
• 2017
  • 2017-04-17 CN CN201780036327.6A patent/CN109310180A/zh active Pending
  • 2017-04-17 EP EP17725353.1A patent/EP3445199A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2017-04-17 WO PCT/IB2017/052184 patent/WO2017182930A2/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (12)

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