Boots – shoes – and leggings – Boots and shoes – Occupational or athletic shoe
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-23
2001-05-15
Patterson, M. D. (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Boots and shoes
Occupational or athletic shoe
C036S010000, C036S055000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230423
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat moldable boot liner for use, for example, with a ski boot.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, moldable ski boot liners are made of a heat moldable material comprising a heat moldable foam interfaced between outer layers of felt fabric, and such heat moldable materials are readily commercially available.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,448, issued Oct. 7, 1997, to Herbert Lang et al., there is disclosed a liner for a sports boot shell and a method of making a custom fitted liner for a sports boot shell which employ a single piece of thermoplastic foam material for the liner. More particularly, a blank made of the thermoplastic foam material is welded or stitched to connect together different portions of the edge of the blank so as to form an unfitted liner having a seam extending from its heel along its underside, and up and over the top of a foot portion of the liner to a gap which extends from a point situated centrally on the wearer's forefoot behind the wearer's toes and between the forward portion of the wearer's arch and the region above the ball of the wearer's foot. From this point, the gap extends upwardly between a pair of flaps or wings to a cuff at the top of the liner.
In use, the unfitted liner is heated in an oven and placed on the wearer's foot, the toes of which are padded to prevent the liner from subsequently holding the wearer's toes immobile. The wings are then wrapped around the wearer's lower leg, with one wing overlapped by the other, and a short nylon stocking is rolled over the liner, after which the wearer's foot with the liner on it is placed in a boot.
However, it has been found in practice that such a liner does not operate satisfactorily because the portions of the liner adjacent the gap, including the wings, tend to become adversely distorted as the wings are wrapped around the wearer's lower leg and as the foot and liner are inserted into the boot. Because the seam extends along the underside of the liner and because the underside of the liner is formed of deformable foam material, the shape of the liner is unstable as the liner is forced into its boot shell. Also, the foam molds itself into the soft parts of the underside of the wearer's foot during the molding operation, which causes pain and discomfort during subsequent use of the molded liner. It was also found that the heel portion of this prior liner tended to become dislocated during the molding operation, thus not only causing distortion of the lower portion of the liner but also causing dislocation of the cuff or top of the liner at the back of the wearer's leg, where the liner is required to be correctly positioned to protect the leg against the cuff or top of the boot shell. In addition, because this prior liner has only two wings, it is difficult to insert the wearer's foot with the liner after the molding of the liner has been completed and the liner material has hardened.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved boot liner which facilitates improved molding of the liner to the user's foot.
According to the present invention, there is provided a heat moldable boot liner which comprises a foot portion, an upper portion extending upwardly from the foot portion and including first and second flaps which can be wrapped over the wearer's foot and a tongue extending upwardly from the second flap. The upper portion has third and fourth flaps which can be wrapped over the tongue and the front of a lower portion of the wearer's leg.
When the present boot liner is in use, it is firstly heated to render the liner pliable and is then fitted in an unmolded state to the user's foot. The flaps are then adjusted into their overlapping relationships, with the tongue between the wearer's lower leg portion and the third and fourth flaps. The first and second flaps are preferably secured together, for example by means of a hook-and-loop fastener, so that the foot portion of the boot is snugly adapted to fit the user's foot. The liner and the wearer's foot in the liner are then inserted into a boot shell so as to mold the liner to the user's foot in a one-stage operation.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1912539 (1933-06-01), Paul
patent: 4182056 (1980-01-01), Dalebout
patent: 4451995 (1984-06-01), Antonious
patent: 5174050 (1992-12-01), Gabrielli
patent: 5544433 (1996-08-01), Borsoi et al.
patent: 5575090 (1996-11-01), Condini
patent: 5802742 (1998-09-01), Baude et al.
patent: 5893222 (1999-04-01), Donnelly
Mohandesi Jila
Patterson M. D.
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