Method and apparatus for use in making custom shoes
US4745290A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 1987 |
| Grant date | May 17, 1988 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05B2219/45243
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The disclosure is directed to a method and apparatus for making a custom shoe based on non-contact measurements of a particular subject's foot. A foot is placed at an inspection position, and a laser beam is directed at the foot, and scanned in a predetermined pattern over the surface of the foot. The light beam reflected from the foot is detected at a position detector. Surface coordinates of the foot are determined as a function of the detector output. The determined surface coordinates are stored and can then be used in making a shoe having a shape which depends on the stored coordinates. In a preferred embodiment, a rotating scanner is disposed above the inspection position and an oscillating reflector is disposed to one side of the inspection position. The beam of light is reflected from the rotating scanner to the oscillating reflector to the foot, and the beam reflected from the foot is thereafter reflected back to the oscillating reflector, the rotating scanner, and then the detector.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.