Conforming shoe construction and gel compositions therefor
AssigneeAcushnet Company
InventorsBernie Allen, Zoran Petrovic, Ivan Javni, Neil M. Goldman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a conforming medium containing gels for customized fitting components, such as those used in a shoe. The invention further includes environmentally-responsive gels that are temperature-responsive so that they will react to body heat to transition from a liquid to a gel state or a gel state to a liquid state. Furthermore, the invention is directed to an article for conforming to the contours of an object having isolation means, such as a ladder of a flexible member, to contain the environmentally-responsive gel therein.
Claims25
A foot conforming member for a shoe that conforms to foot contours when the shoe is worn by an individual, wherein said foot conforming member is positioned to correspond to a first contoured surface of the individual's foot and includes in a first area of the shoe a first gel composition which is in a liquid state at a first temperature that flows to conform to the first contoured surface and in a gel state having a smaller amount of water in the liquid state at a second. different temperature. and has a changing degree of flowability in response to temperature changes to which it is subjected from an individual's foot when inserted into the shoe.
An article for conforming to a contoured portion of an object comprising a first temperature-responsive composition which has a changing degree of flowability in response to temperature changes to which it is subjected from the object, said composition being present in a liquid state in an amount sufficient to flow and conform to the contoured portion of the object at a first temperature, and wherein said first composition reversible transitions so as to be in a gel state having a smaller amount of water in the liquid state at a second. different temperature in response to heat emanating from the object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.