Shoe with Custom Molded Foot Plate and Method of Making

Abstract

The present invention is a press molded custom shoe plate, a method of making said plate, and a method of making a shoe using said press molded plate wherein said press molded shoe plate is formed of a piece of press molded material that is incorporated and used as the inner sole of a shoe and where an outer sole and uppers are attached to the press molded custom shoe plate.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method of making a custom shoe having a desired shape, comprising:
 forming a negative cast of a foot;   casting a positive mold from the negative cast;   adding a forefoot extension forming structure to the positive mold;   placing said positive mold on a vacuum forming base plate;   press molding a moldable material to form a custom foot plate using the positive mold;   removing the custom foot plate from upon the positive mold;   attaching uppers and outer sole to the custom foot plate.   
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The method recited in  claim 16 , further comprising:
 covering said positive mold with the moldable material; and   placing a vacuum mold head over said positive mold with the moldable material.   
     
     
         19 . The method recited in  claim 16  further comprising cutting said custom foot plate to the desired shape. 
     
     
         20 . The method recited in  claim 16 , further comprising shaping the fore foot extension into desired shape. 
     
     
         21 . The method recited in  claim 16 , further comprising placing a foot of a wearer of the shoe in a statically standing position prior to forming the negative cast. 
     
     
         22 . The method recited in  claim 21 , further comprising using a block to place the wearer's foot in a statically standing position. 
     
     
         23 . The method recited in  claim 16 , wherein the forefoot extension has a front, further comprising attaching a forefoot extension mold to the front of the positive cast. 
     
     
         24 . The method recited in  claim 23 , configuring the forefoot extension mold to resemble a pattern and size of a forefoot region of the custom shoe. 
     
     
         25 . The method recited in  claim 23 , further comprising placing the positive cast in the same position that the wearer's foot was held in during the forming of the negative cast prior to casting the positive cast. 
     
     
         26 . The method recited in  claim 19 , further comprising using a grinding wheel to perform the cutting. 
     
     
         27 . The method recited in claim  2 , further comprising adhering a template to the custom foot plate, wherein the template has the desired shape. 
     
     
         28 . A method for creating a custom shoe having a desired shape, comprising:
 positioning a foot of a wearer of the custom shoe in a statically standing position creating a negative cast of the wearer's foot in the statically standing position;   creating a positive cast of the wearer's foot from the negative cast;   adding a forefoot extension to the positive cast to create a custom foot plate cast;   molding a moldable material around the custom foot plate cast to create a custom foot plate;   shaping the custom foot plate to have the desired shape;   attaching uppers to the custom foot plate; and   attaching an outer sole to the custom foot plate.   
     
     
         29 . The method recited in  claim 28 , further comprising placing a block having a height of a high-heeled shoe under a heel of the wearer's foot prior to pouring the moldable material. 
     
     
         30 . The method recited in  claim 28 , further comprising using a casting material to create the negative cast. 
     
     
         31 . The method recited in  claim 28 , further comprising pouring a casting material into the negative cast to create the positive cast. 
     
     
         32 . The method recited in  claim 28 , further comprising shaping the forefoot extension in accordance with a shape of the custom shoe. 
     
     
         33 . The method recited in  claim 28 , wherein the pressure pressing, further comprising:
 placing the positive cast with forefoot extension in a vacuum press machine; and   vacuum pressing the moldable material around the positive cast with forefoot extension to create the custom foot plate.   
     
     
         34 . The method recited in  claim 28 , further comprising attaching an insole to the custom foot plate. 
     
     
         35 . The method recited in  claim 28 , wherein adding the forefoot extension comprises:
 using a forefoot extension forming structure that accepts casting;   placing the positive cast in the same position that the wearer's foot was held in during the forming of the negative cast prior to casting the positive cast into the forefoot extension forming structure;   pouring casting material into the forefoot extension forming structure such that when the casting material forms it extends the positive cast.   
     
     
         36 . The method recited in  claim 35 , further comprising:
 using a grinder to shape the custom foot plate; and   using a template having the desired shape as a guide for grinding the custom foot plate when using the grinder.