Boots – shoes – and leggings – Boots and shoes – Foot-supporting or foot-conforming feature
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-08
2001-04-24
Kavanaugh, Ted (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Boots and shoes
Foot-supporting or foot-conforming feature
C036S02500A, C036S132000, C036S03000A, C036S154000, C036S00300B, C361S224000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219942
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for the production of footwear and the footwear produced according to this method, particularly of the type which adapts to the shape of the wearer's foot.
The invention relates to footwear which offers a high degree of comfort without affecting the characteristic basic features, dimensions and appearance of conventional footwear for men, women and children.
Footwear is normally produced in a substantially standardized form, that is to say, having fitting features which adapt to well-defined average foot shapes, according to the size of foot for which the shoe is intended.
Obviously, such a footwear shape cannot be intended for all consumers; the problem arises from the fact that every individual has his or her own foot shape, which determines a unique distribution of body weight on the sole, weight which is taken directly by the inner sole of the shoe during movement or while standing. Since the inner sole is of standard shape and does not reflect the shape of the foot, the reaction of the shoe's sole and base to the wearer's weight is normally insufficient, reducing the degree of comfort and often preventing the wearer from appreciating the quality of his or her footwear.
A further problem which often affects footwear is poor aeration of the foot, causing an increase in sweating.
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate these disadvantages using a method for the production of footwear which allows the footwear to be shaped to the wearer's foot, in particular through the adaptation of the inner sole to the sole of the foot according to the way in which the sole of the foot rests on the inner sole.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, as described in the claims, provides a method for the production of footwear which envisages a base designed for contact with the ground, an upper which covers the top of the foot, and an inner sole which can be plastically formed for a given period of time at a given temperature and/or under a given body weight; the upper and the base define a total shoe volume, while the upper and the inner sole define a working volume whose value is less than the total volume; the presence of an empty volume between the inner sole and the base allows the shape of the shoe to be adapted to the shape of a foot which is inserted in it for a given period of time.
The present invention, therefore, allows the inner sole to be shaped to the foot, thanks to the formability of the inner sole.
Moreover, by making a set of holes in the inner sole, it is possible to obtain optimum aeration of the foot thanks to the circulation of air between the top surface of the inner sole and one or more spaces in the shoe between the bottom surface of the inner sole and the top of the base.
The present invention thus allows the wearer's body weight to be distributed over a significantly greater surface with respect to the standard surface offered by conventional footwear, reducing harmful stress on the foot and consequently tiring it less. Moreover, the distribution of body weight over a significantly greater surface, particularly in ladies' medium or high-heeled shoes, helps to prevent sprains caused by incorrect positioning of the foot at the heel and the presence of a notably reduced contact surface in this type of shoe.
This feature is emphasized by the use of an inner sole with sides which extend upwards so as to cover the sides of the foot in shoes produced according to this method.
An inner sole which substantially encloses the foot, that is to say, an inner sole which reflects the shape of the sole and sides of the foot, together with the presence of a volume of air between the inner sole and the top of the base, attenuates the shock produced by the wearer's movements, a shock which in conventional types of footwear is much more intense and is felt by the wearer with every step he or she takes.
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A. Testoni S.p.A.
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee LLP
Kavanaugh Ted
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