Method and Associated Devices for Hand Crafting High-Heeled Doll Shoes

Abstract

A method and associated devices for producing accurately-proportioned shoe soles for high-heeled fashion dolls, enabling hobbyists to add uppers and thereby craft complete shoes.

1 . The invention claimed is a method for enabling hand-crafting footwear for mass-produced dolls whose shoes are removeable and interchangeable, and devices for producing shoe soles that conform to the dimension and pitch of the dolls' feet, to meet the challenge of fitting the uniform proportions of the soles in miniature, to conform to the doll's foot, whereupon the user completes the shoe by affixing an upper prepared according to the user's skill and fancy. 
     
     
         2 . The product of  claim 1  is a cavity mold, with at least one cavity designed to form the sole of a fashion doll shoe, into which cavity the user may insert an air-drying modeling compound comprising dough or clay, and upon unmolding from which the result is a 3-dimensional high-heeled fashion doll shoe sole to dry according to the compound used, and add uppers to form a complete shoe. 
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 2  is a heat-and-chemical-resistant cavity mold of a robust compound comprising metal, silicone, Buna-N or Santoprene, into whose cavity the user inserts either an air-drying modeling compound or a compound which cures and hardens upon heating or catalysis, comprising polymer clay or resin, which the cavity mold supports and holds in the shape of a high-heeled fashion doll shoe sole during the curing; after which curing, releases the molded sole, permitting the user to decorate and add uppers to create shoes. 
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 3  is a heat-and-chemical-resistant cavity mold, constructed of a flexible rubber or rubber-like substance comprising silicone or latex rubber, which mold may shape a hardenable polymer, comprising epoxy, polyurethane or hot-molded polymer, contain it and shape it during curing or hardening into the form of a shoe sole, after which the user unmolds it and adds uppers to create doll shoes. 
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 4  is a heat-and-chemical resistant cavity mold, constructed of a translucent and flexible rubber or rubber-like substance comprising silicone or latex rubber, which mold may shape a polymer hardenable with light, contain it and shape it during curing or hardening into the form of a shoe sole, after which the user unmolds it and adds uppers to create doll shoes. 
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 1  is an embodiment using an extrusion mold to extrude the vertical profile of fashion doll shoe soles; the user slices the extrudate into at least one sole and adds an upper to complete a shoe. 
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 6  is a method of producing at least one shoe sole using a lever-operated toy extruder as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,932, (D'Andrade, Feb. 19, 1991), into whose clamps the user inserts a rail containing at least one die cut to form the vertical profile of at least one fashion doll shoe sole, and into whose chamber inserts modeling compound, following which the user presses on the lever to force the compound through the die, resulting in extrudate in the vertical profile of a doll's shoe sole, whereupon the user cuts the extrudate into short lengths as soles to fit the foot of a fashion doll, then cures the soles according to the instructions for the particular compound, by air-drying or baking; and finally affixing uppers according to the skills and desires of the individual user to form complete shoes. 
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 6  is an embodiment using a cylindrical extrusion mold, comprising a standard cookie press or caulk gun, into which the user inserts a disc rail containing a die cut like the vertical profile of a high-heeled fashion doll shoe sole, loads a modeling compound comprising dough or clay into the cylindrical chamber of the extrusion mold and activates the mold to extrude the vertical profile of a shoe sole, then slices the extrudate into individual soles, then completes the shoes with uppers as desired. 
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 1  is an embodiment using extrusion instructions for at least one 3D printer, for which the user designs or acquires a software file describing extrusion directions to a computerized extrusion “hot end” which melts plastic filament and extrudes it onto a flat bed to cool and harden into the shape of a three-dimensional fashion doll shoe sole scaled to fit the specific fashion doll, to which the doll enthusiast affixes an upper to complete an entire shoe. 
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 1  of is a method of forming shoe soles from a sheet of a malleable compound approximately the thickness of the sole of a doll's foot, employing a die cutter, whose die line forms the vertical profile of a shoe sole, enabling the user to die cut at least one sole, then to separates the sole from the matrix, similarly to operating a cookie cutter, after which the user cures the soles according to the compound's instructions and completes with an upper to craft an entire shoe sole.