Method of making form fitted products

A new method of making custom fitted products and products made by such a method for improving the fit and comfort of such products. The invention includes incorporating a hollow, sealed envelope into an apparatus, injecting a hardenable, liquid gel-catalyst mixture into the envelope through an inlet, and using a portion of a persons body to apply pressure to the envelope and allowing the mixture to harden while the pressure is being applied. The initially liquid mixture will conform to the shape of the body part which is applying the pressure, and once hardened will provide a product which is specifically shaped to the individual's body part. The product could be a shoe, a safety helmet, protective padding for various parts of the body, handles on tools and implements, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to form fitted products and more particularly 
pertains to a new method of making form fitted products and products made 
thereby, for improving the fit and comfort of various products. The method 
is particularly useful in making shoes, safety helmets, protective 
padding, handles on tools, and the like. 
Description of the Prior Art 
The use of form fitted products is known in the prior art. More 
specifically, form fitted products heretofore devised and utilized are 
known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural 
configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the 
crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of 
countless objectives and requirements. 
Known prior art form fitted products and methods for making form fitted 
products include U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,180; U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,096; U.S. 
Pat. No. 4,520,581; U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,679; U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,117; and 
U.S. Patent Des. 349,393. 
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and 
requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new form fitted 
product and method of making the form fitted product. The inventive method 
includes incorporating a hollow, sealed envelope into an apparatus, 
injecting a hardenable, liquid gel-catalyst mixture into the envelope 
through an inlet, and using a portion of a persons body to apply pressure 
to the envelope and allowing the mixture to harden while the pressure is 
being applied. The initially liquid mixture will conform to the shape of 
the body part which is applying the pressure, and once hardened will 
provide a product which is specifically shaped to the individual's body 
part. The product could be a shoe, a safety helmet, protective padding for 
various parts of the body, handles on tools and implements, and the like. 
In these respects, the custom fitted apparatus and associated method 
according to the present invention substantially departs from the 
conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing 
provides a method and apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of 
improving the fit and comfort of hand held or body supported/worn 
products. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of form 
fitted products now present in the prior art, the present invention 
provides a new custom fitted product and method of making for improving 
the fit and comfort of hand held or body supported/worn apparatus. 
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new method of making 
custom fit products and products made thereby which has many of the 
advantages of the methods and products mentioned heretofore and many novel 
features that result in a new method which is not anticipated, rendered 
obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art methods, 
either alone or in any combination thereof. 
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a method which 
includes incorporating a hollow, sealed envelope into an apparatus, 
injecting a hardenable, liquid gel-catalyst mixture into the envelope 
through an inlet, and using a portion of a persons body to apply pressure 
to the envelope and allowing the mixture to harden while the pressure is 
being applied. The initially liquid mixture will conform to the shape of 
the body part which is applying the pressure, and once hardened will 
provide a product which is specifically shaped to the individual's body 
part. The product could be a shoe, a safety helmet, protective padding for 
various parts of the body, handles on tools and implements, and the like. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional 
features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which 
will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new method 
of making a form fitted apparatus and an apparatus made thereby which has 
many of the advantages of the methods and products mentioned heretofore 
and many novel features that result in a new method of making a form 
fitted apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or 
even implied by any of the prior art methods, either alone or in any 
combination thereof. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide custom fitted 
products which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide custom fitted 
products which are of a durable and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide custom fitted 
products which are susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to 
both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low 
prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such custom fitted 
products economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide custom 
fitted products and method of making which provides in the apparatuses and 
methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while 
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated 
therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide new custom 
fitted products for improving the fit and comfort of hand held or body 
supported/worn apparatus. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new custom 
fitted shoe which is made by the method which includes incorporating a 
hollow, sealed envelope into an apparatus, injecting a hardenable, liquid 
gel-catalyst mixture into the envelope through an inlet, and using a 
portion of a persons body to apply pressure to the envelope and allowing 
the mixture to harden while the pressure is being applied. The initially 
liquid mixture will conform to the shape of the body part which is 
applying the pressure, and once hardened will provide a product which is 
specifically shaped to the individual's body part. The product could be a 
shoe, a safety helmet, protective padding for various parts of the body, 
handles on tools and implements, and the like. The inventive method is 
particularly suited for making form fitted shoes. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide new custom 
fitted shoes, safety helmets, protective padding, and tool handles that 
give optimum comfort, fit, and cushioning. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide new custom 
fitted shoes, safety helmets, protective padding, and tools that 
eliminates the routine of returning these items to the place of purchase 
due to poor fit and/or uncomfortable size. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The inventive method is shown and described herein with respect to a form 
fitted shoe. It should be realized however that the method described 
herein is applicable to other body supported/worn, or hand held, products. 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 
thereof, a new custom fitted shoe embodying the principles and concepts of 
the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 
will be described. 
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the custom fitted shoe 10 
includes a sole 12 and an upper 13 connected to the sole. The shoe 10 can 
be any type of athletic shoe, casual shoe, dress shoe, boot, etc. in which 
optimum fit and comfort is desirable. The shoe 10, for purposes of 
illustration, is shown as being a running shoe. 
The shoe 10, during its manufacture, has a hollow envelope or bag 14 
integrally incorporated therein as part of its construction. The envelope 
14 is preferably incorporated into both the sole 12 and the upper 13, 
although the envelope could be incorporated solely into the sole 12 or the 
upper 13. The term "incorporated" as used throughout the specification and 
claims means that the envelope is suitably provided as part of the 
construction of the sole 12 and/or the upper 13. Preferably, the envelope 
is disposed within the shoe such that it does not come into direct contact 
with the skin of the wearer. For instance, a cloth or fabric layer could 
cover the envelope 14 so that the layer protects the wearers skin from 
direct contact with the envelope. 
The envelope 14 is made of a tough, long lasting, flexible material, such 
as a plastic material. The envelope 14 defines a generally hollow, sealed 
chamber which is later filled with a hardenable mixture. An inlet port 15 
leads from the envelope and extends through the sole 12 of the shoe, in 
the heel area thereof, so as to permit filling of the envelope. Similarly, 
outlet port 16 leads from the envelope and extends through the sole, 
adjacent the inlet port 15. The outlet port 16 permits escape of air and 
mixture from the envelope. 
The shoe 10 is intended to be sold with the envelope 14 empty. Upon 
purchase of the shoe, a hardenable mixture would be injected into the 
envelope through the inlet port by a suitable injecting device 17 so as to 
fill the envelope. The outlet port 16 permits the escape of air from the 
envelope during the filling procedure, and when the mixture starts coming 
out the outlet, provides an indication that the envelope is full. 
The hardenable mixture is preferably one which hardens to desired 
parameters within a few minutes. The type of mixture used is also selected 
to provide the desired softness and comfort to the wearer upon hardening, 
while having sufficient durability. The mixture preferably comprises a 
liquid gel, silicone, or rubber substance in combination with a suitable 
catalyst to initiate hardening. 
The shoe 10 is made by the following procedure: After the shoe is made with 
the envelope incorporated into the sole and/or upper thereof, a purchaser 
buys the shoe. At this point, the hardenable mixture is injected into the 
envelope through the inlet, until the mixture starts coming out the outlet 
port, which indicates that the envelope is filled. The injection is 
stopped and the purchaser puts the shoe on and stands up. The mixture 
within the envelope will conform to the wearer's foot, with the excess 
running out of the outlet port for disposal. The mixture is then allowed 
to harden, at which point the shoe will conform to the wearer's foot, to 
provide optimum fit. 
Instead of injecting the mixture into the envelope, the envelope could be 
formed in the shoe such that it comes included with the gel, silicone, or 
rubber provided in a separate chamber within the envelope from the 
catalyst. FIG. 5 illustrates such an envelope 20, which includes two 
chambers 21,22 separated by a thin, breakable membrane 23. Upon purchase, 
the user would break the membrane permitting the two materials to mix 
together. The wearer would then put on the shoe and allow the mixture to 
harden. 
The invention as described herein is useful in a variety of products and 
applications other than shoes, such as safety helmets, protective padding 
like knee and elbow pads, tools with handles, splints and casts, 
insulation and sound proofing products, and for filling holes, cracks, and 
dents. 
For helmets, the envelope 14,20 (or envelopes) would be suitably 
incorporated into the lining of the helmet, and the mixture allowed to 
harden while the helmet is worn on the users head. If the envelope 14 is 
used, inlets and outlets would be suitably provided either on the inside 
or outside of the helmet to allow injection and escape of the mixture. 
With protective padding, the envelope(s) would be appropriately located 
therein, and the padding would be worn by the user during the hardening 
process. With a tool handle, the envelope would be formed on the outside 
of the handle, and the user grips the envelope during the hardening 
process to form the handle to the users hand. 
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the 
present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. 
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and 
operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.