Method for the customization of a footwear and kit for carrying out said method

Abstract

A method and kit are provided for the customization of footwear comprising an upper which is partially or totally made of thermoformable material. The method provides for selectively heating the portions made of thermoformable material of the footwear, while leaving the remaining portions of the footwear at a substantially unchanged temperature, and for applying to the thermoformable material portions a pressure sufficient to adapt their shape to the specific morphology of the user's foot. This allows to customize even footwear comprising delicate portions, which would be damaged if subjected to high temperatures. The method may provide for customizing a footbed, partially or totally made of thermoformable material, to the specific morphology of the user's foot sole. The kit is compact, preferably transportable and capable of autonomously carrying out all the steps of the method.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for the customization of a footwear, more particularly a sports footwear, wherein the footwear comprises an upper and a sole, wherein the upper comprises at least one or more portions made of thermoformable material, wherein the method comprises:
 heating the portions made of thermoformable material up to a temperature above a first predetermined threshold;   fitting a foot of a user into the footwear;   applying to the footwear, at least at the portions made of thermoformable material, a pressure sufficient to modify the shape of the portions made of thermoformable material, adapting them to the morphology of the foot of the user;   while the pressure is being applied, allowing the portions made of thermoformable material to cool down to a temperature below the first predetermined threshold;   wherein the method provides for selectively heating the portions made of thermoformable material of the footwear, while leaving the remaining portions of the footwear at a substantially unchanged temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, when heating the portions made of thermoformable material, the portions made of thermoformable material are heated on both sides, from the outside and from the inside of the upper of the footwear. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 providing a footbed, having a shape and size suitable for being inserted into the footwear and made, either partially or totally, of thermoformable material;   heating the footbed up to a temperature above a second predetermined threshold;   fitting said footbed, thus heated, to the foot sole of the user;   applying to the foot of said user, at least at the foot sole, a pressure sufficient to modify the shape of said footbed of thermoformable material, adapting it to the morphology of said foot sole of said user;   while said pressure is being applied, allowing said footbed to cool down to a temperature below the second predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein, before applying to the footwear, at least at the portions made of thermoformable material, a pressure sufficient to modify the shape of the portions made of thermoformable material, adapting them to the morphology of the foot of the user, the footbed is inserted into a retaining element made of elastic material and the foot of the user is fitted into the elastic retaining element. 
     
     
         5 . A kit for the customization of a footwear, more particularly a sports footwear, wherein the footwear comprises an upper and a sole, wherein the upper comprises at least one or more portions made of a thermoformable material, wherein the kit comprises:
 heating elements, arranged for heating the portions made of thermoformable material up to a temperature above a predetermined threshold;   shaping elements, arranged for applying to the footwear, at least at said portions made of thermoformable material, a pressure sufficient to modify the shape of the portions made of thermoformable material, adapting them to the morphology of the foot of the user;   wherein the heating elements are arranged for selectively heating the portions made of thermoformable material of said footwear, while leaving the remaining portions of the footwear at a substantially unchanged temperature.   
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 5 , wherein the heating elements comprise at least one flexible heating element shaped for adapting to the portions made of thermoformable material. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein the heating elements comprise a flexible heating element which comprises a first heating portion shaped for being inserted into the upper of said footwear and for heating the portions made of thermoformable material from the inside of the footwear and a second heating portion shaped for wrapping the upper of the footwear and for heating the portions made of thermoformable material from the outside of the footwear. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 6 , wherein the heating elements comprise a first heating element shaped for being inserted into the upper of the footwear and for heating the portions made of thermoformable material from the inside of the footwear and a second heating element shaped for wrapping the upper of the footwear and for heating the portions made of thermoformable material from the outside of the footwear. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 5 , wherein the shaping elements comprise at least one shaping element which comprises an inner housing, which is shaped for receiving the foot of the user, and an outer housing, which defines, with the inner housing, a gap which is connectable to a pressure medium source. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein the shaping elements comprise a strap, arranged for being wound around the at least one shaping element and around the knees of the user for blocking the foot of the user inside the shaping element, thus keeping the pressure constant, irrespective of the weight of the user. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein the shaping elements comprise a knee spacer arranged for keeping the legs of said user parallel to each other. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 10 , wherein the shaping elements comprise a knee spacer arranged for keeping the legs of said user parallel to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 5 , wherein the footwear comprises a footbed made of thermoformable material and wherein the heating elements comprise further heating elements shaped for heating the footbed. 
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 5 , wherein the footwear comprises a footbed made of thermoformable material and wherein the kit comprises at least one retaining element made of elastic material and shaped for receiving the footbed and for covering the region of the foot sole of the user and for fitting, at least partially, around the region of the heel and around the region of the toes of the user. 
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 5 , wherein the kit further comprises a heating unit connectable to the heating elements, a pressure medium source connectable to the shaping elements and a control unit for managing and controlling the heating unit and the pressure medium source. 
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 5 , wherein the kit further comprises an outer casing, which receives at its inside all the components of the kit and is made in the shape of a trunk, a suitcase or a trolley.