A SUPPORT CAPABLE OF BEING SHAPED

Abstract: The object of the invention is a support capable of being shaped, the form of which consists of a shell (1) and particles (2) to be given a shape inside of it, which can be bound into a unified mass with the aid of a physical or chemical reaction. The purpose of the invention is to create a support, which can be permanently put into a desired shape. The shell (1) is airtight and it includes a connection (4) for sucking air out of it and thus bringing the support temporarily into the desired shape before the particles (2) are bound to one another.

Description: A SUPPORT CAPABLE OF BEING SHAPED The object of the invention is a support capable of being shaped, the form of which consists of a shell and particles to be formed inside in it, the particles being bound into a unified mass. The invention is especially directed at the insole of a shoe, by means of which the position of the foot is corrected into an anatomically correct position. The support in accordance with the invention can also be applied to other pieces, in which anatomically individual correspondence is required. In recent years it has become apparent that there is reason to tilt the position of the foot in accordance with individual anatomical properties. At present this is done by using four separate correction pieces, by means of which the foot can be tilted to two different amounts of slope in both directions. Naturally correction by such means is always imperfect, a small error remaining. A completely stepless adjustment of the slope and an anatomically individually adjustable correction support would be necessary. Supports capable of being shaped are as such known, these being based on the use of a vacuum to stiffen the piece to be formed containing particles. When using a vacuum the support is not, however, formed permanently, the particles eventually begin to move within the piece. The intention of this invention is to create a support capable of being shaped, which can be permanently adjusted to the desired form. The characteristic features of the invention are presented in the accompanying Patent Claim 1. The vacuum technique is used most advantageously as a temporary means of recording the form before the final binding of the particles. Other advantageous forms of application of the invention and its advantages are described later in connection with the example of application. In what follows the invention is described with the aid of the accompanying figures, which show one form of application of the invention. Figure 1 shows the stages in the manufacture of a support capable of being shaped. Figure 2 shows a cross-section of Figure 1 at the point II-II. In Figure 1 the stages of the manufacture of the insole are shown in the pictures A, B, and C. The A-stage shows a form, in which the padding 3 and particles 2 have been placed inside shell 1. These particles are most advantageously plastic granules, in which there is carbon. The mass is then absorbent of microwaves. Substances based on a chemical reaction can also be used here. One alternative is to use a liquid, which is sucked into the mass after the vacuum. The shell section 1 of the form is airtight and includes the connection 4, which makes it possible to create a vacuum inside the form 1. The shaping takes place in such a way that the form is placed on a suitable support, which prevents the mass from flowing further than the desired extreme edge. After this the user stands on top of the form, when it assumes its anatomically correct form. The hose 5 of the vacuum pump is connected to the connection 4 and a vacuum is created inside the form, when the form 1 temporarily stiffens to the desired shape. After this the user can lift his foot from on top of the form and the form in accordance with picture B is placed in a microwave oven. As the particles then absorb the microwave energy they heat up and partially melt into one another and form a unified flexible mass, to which the padding 3 also adheres. After the microwave treatment, the shell 1 can be removed, when the final product is an insole 6 in accordance with Figures 1 The manufacture of the form can be divided into the following stages: a membrane is set on top of the lower form a particle mixture is placed into the hollow formed by the form the creation of an air connection to a suitable point padding is placed on top of the particles an upper membrane is placed on top of the padding and the edges are first place on the membrane - the form is closed with the aid of the upper section, which joins the membranes to one another The invention can also be applied in a manner deviating from the aforementioned examples of application, while nevertheless remaining within the limitations of the Patent Claims. In place of microwave heating high frequency heating can be used, in which case the mass to be heated conducts electricity.

Claims: Patent Claims 1. A support capable of being shaped, the form of which consists of a shell (1) and particles (2) to be shaped inside it, which are to be bound into a unified mass by means of a physical or chemical reaction, characterized in that the shell (1) is airtight and that it includes a connection (4) for the air to be sucked out of it and to bring the support temporarily into the desired form before the particles (2) are bound to one another. 2. A support capable of being shaped in accordance with Patent Claim 1, characterized in that microwave or high frequency electrical field energy absorbent material is used as the solid part of the particles (2) and that the particles (2) are arranged to be bound together with the aid of heat. 3. A support capable of being shaped in accordance with Patent Claim 2, characterized in that a chemically reactant substance is used as part of the particles, it binding them together after forming. 4. A support capable of being shaped in accordance with one of the above Patent Claims 1 - 3, characterized in that the support forms an individual shoe insole (6) , formed anatomically in accordance with the user. 5. A support capable of being shaped in accordance with one of the above Patent Claims 1 - 4, characterized in that the shell (1) is arranged to be removed after the binding of the particles (2) to be formed. 6. A support capable of being shaped in accordance with one of the above Patent Claims 1 - 5, characterized in that the support includes a separate padding component (3) .

Inventors: KAKKONEN PEKKA, LAITINEN MAURI, KAKKONEN, PEKKA, LAITINEN, MAURI
Applicants: FINNCLEVER OY
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A43B13
IPC codes: A43B7, A43B13, B29C43, B29C67