Boot and shoe making – Processes – Moccasins
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-29
2004-11-30
Patterson, M. D. (Department: 2728)
Boot and shoe making
Processes
Moccasins
C036S044000, C036S088000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06823550
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
Not Applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to customized orthotic devices that are sometimes referred to as insoles and footbeds and to methods for customizing such orthotics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Orthotic devices (“orthotics”) are placed into footwear in order to provide comfort, stabilization, shock absorption, and in order to correct biomechanical imbalances. Orthotics may be prescribed to a patient at “a point of care” location by medical personnel such as podiatrists, orthopedic specialists, pedorthists and chiropractors. Alternatively, these devices may be purchased by consumers at a “point of sale” location such as a pharmacy or a foot apparel store.
The majority of orthotic devices obtained by patients through “point of car” locations are customized. The customization process traditionally commences by obtaining accurate representations of each foot of the patient. Historically, this has been accomplished by taking impressions of the feet in either foam or plaster. Technological advances have now facilitated the electronic imaging of a patient's feet. After foot impressions or images are obtained, they are forwarded to a manufacturer. The manufacturer then constructs customized orthotics for the patient. The resulting orthotics are then sent either directly to the patient or to the “point of care” location for placement into footwear.
To date, the customization of orthotics has not been optimized. For many individuals, the cost of these devices, ranging between $150-500, is prohibitive. This price generally does not include the additional cost of associated office visits. There is a common conception that customized foot beds represent a luxury item. Some or all of the cost of customized orthotics is not covered or defrayed by a patient's insurance or third party payment plan. Further, the majority of manufactured orthotics are not properly sized to the exact dimension of the footwear into which they will be used, thereby producing a less than beneficial result for the user.
Consumers who directly purchase “over the counter” insoles are also confronted with a number of problems. The products offered at such locations, although available at fairly inexpensive prices that range between $5 and $50 per set of foot beds, usually do not provide the benefits associated with customized orthotics. To insure that “over-the counter” products may be purchased by as wide of a range of consumers as possible, the only customized aspect of such foot beds is the shoe size with which they correspond.
A need exists for customized orthotics and for methods to efficiently and inexpensively customize foot beds tailored to the needs, characteristics, and foot geometry of any wearer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Customized orthotics, as well as methods to efficiently and inexpensively customize such foot beds so that they are tailored to the specific needs, characteristics, and foot geometry of any wearer, are provided by aspects of the present invention.
Bi-level methods for customizing orthotics are provided. Most generally, the first level of customization tailors orthotics to suit the needs and personal characteristics of the individual, while the second level of customization adds inserts to those orthotics in order to suit the individual's foot geometry.
In an exemplary customization method according to the present invention, an employee at a point of sale location obtains personal data about a customer. The employee then consults reference material to select appropriate orthotics for this customer based on his or her personal data. The employee then obtains a representation of the customer's foot. This representation is then compared against reference material to determine the customer's foot type, based on which the employee then selects inserts for each of the customer's orthotics. The inserts are added to the orthotics, which, in turn, may be placed into a customer's footwear. Preferably, the employee obtains an ink-based representation of the customer's foot using equipment such as an ink-maintaining unit and ink-imprinting sheets. Preferably, the footwear into which the orthotics are to be placed, is designed to readily accept the orthotics with minimal adjustment or follow-up procedures.
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Patterson M. D.
Sofer & Haroun LLP
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