Abstract: A system for custom fitting athletic shoes to an individual wearer includes a foot measurement device, an adjustable footform and an infrared activation chamber. Shoes of a single width for each length size have at least a portion of the upper made of heat malleable material to be custom fitted for width. Foot measurement data is used to calculate length size, width size and a number of custom adjustment factors. After the length size is calculated, the appropriately sized shoe and last are assembled together and subject to infrared radiation until the heat malleable material becomes plastic. Adjustments are then made to the last in accordance with the adjustment factors to provide custom width sizing. After further heat treatment to set the shoe upper and cooling, the shoe is complete. In this manner, if used in a retail setting, shoes are custom fitted to the wearer in a matter of minutes.
Type:
Application
Filed:
October 4, 2007
Publication date:
February 19, 2009
Inventors:
CHRISTOPHER S. COOK, BRUCE J. KILGORE, JAMES C. MESCHTER
Abstract: A system for custom fitting athletic shoes to an individual wearer includes a foot measurement device, an adjustable footform and an infrared activation chamber. Shoes of a single width for each length size have at least a portion of the upper made of heat malleable material to be custom fitted for width. Foot measurement data is used to calculate length size, width size and a number of custom adjustment factors. After the length size is calculated, the appropriately sized shoe and last are assembled together and subject to infrared radiation until the heat malleable material becomes plastic. Adjustments are then made to the last in accordance with the adjustment factors to provide custom width sizing. After further heat treatment to set the shoe upper and cooling, the shoe is complete. In this manner, if used in a retail setting, shoes are custom fitted to the wearer in a matter of minutes.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 12, 2005
Date of Patent:
October 30, 2007
Assignee:
Nike, Inc.
Inventors:
Christopher S. Cook, Bruce Kilgore, James Meschter
Abstract: A last structure includes a main body portion and a plurality of toe portions selectively joinable thereto. A plurality of interchangeable intermediate members are adapted to be selectively connected between the main body portion and a selected toe portion, thereby to adjust the last structure to various heel heights of shoes to be formed thereon. Each intermediate member has a rear surface to abut a complementary forward surface of the main body portion and a forward surface to abut a complementary rear surface of the selected toe portion. The rear and forward surfaces of each intermediate member extend at a relative orientation different from that of other intermediate members. A respective intermediate member is connected between the main body portion and the selected toe portion by a structure to accommodate changes of orientation.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 7, 1983
Date of Patent:
June 18, 1985
Assignee:
Ingenieria del Calzado, S.A. (I.C.A.S.A.)