Personalizing foot supports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12552120-B2
Application number	US-202117373403-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2021
Priority date	Jul 12, 2021
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

In an example, a method is described. The method comprises generating object model data representative of a design of a foot support to be produced for a subject according to the object model data. The design of the foot support comprises: a support portion; and an extension portion extending from the support portion. A type of the extension portion is based on a condition of the subject's foot and the extension portion is personalized to the subject based on at least one measurement of the subject's foot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving, by processing circuitry, a template design for a foot support to be produced for a subject, wherein the foot support comprises a support portion and an extension portion extending from the support portion, where a type of the extension portion is based on a condition of the subject's foot and the extension portion is personalized to the subject based on at least one measurement of the subject's foot, and the template design comprises the type of extension portion to use based on the condition of the subject's foot; generating, by the processing circuitry, object model data representative of a design of the foot support by modifying the template design based on the at least one measurement of the subject's foot, the foot support to be produced according to the object model data, wherein generating the object model data comprises: receiving user input of a numerical rigidity parameter value of a rigidity degree of the foot support, or user selection one rigidity degree from a list of different rigidity degrees comprising rigid, semi-rigid, and rigid rigidity degrees; receiving a design parameter specifying that one or more closable openings are to be formed at an upper side of the foot support or that the one or more closable openings is to be formed at the upper side of the foot support; modifying the template design so that the foot support has the rigidity degree per the user input of the numerical rigidity parameter value or per the user selection of the one rigidity degree from the list; modifying the template design so that the foot support has the one or more closable openings specified by the design parameter; and causing, by the processing circuitry, an additive manufacturing apparatus to produce the foot support according to the generated object model data to produce the food support per the template design.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the at least one measurement of the subject's foot, where the at least one measurement:
is indicative of a geometry of the subject's foot; and/or
comprises pressure data obtained by a gait analysis of the subject's foot; and
determining the condition of the subject's foot based on the at least one measurement.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a location of at least one anatomical feature of the subject's foot in a map of the subject's foot based on the at least one measurement; and personalizing the extension portion to the subject by determining a shape of the extension portion based on the determined location of the at least one anatomical feature of the subject's foot and/or the condition of the subject's foot.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the shape of the extension portion is defined by:
a length of the extension portion in a first direction defined between the support portion and a distal end of the extension portion; a width of the extension portion in a second direction defined between a medial edge and lateral edge of the foot support; and/or a thickness of the extension portion in a third direction between an upper side and a lower side of the extension portion.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the shape of the extension portion is defined by the one or more closable openings are formed in the extension portion, and
wherein the one or more closable openings permit flexing of the foot support within a specified angle range, in response to application of a bending force between the support portion and the extension portion.

6 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining the shape of the extension portion based on the location of at least one metatarsophalangeal joint (MPJ) of the subject's foot.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the object model data further comprises determining a number, type, and/or distribution of the one or more closable openings based on the rigidity degree per the user input of the numerical rigidity parameter value or per the user selection of the one rigidity degree from the list,
and wherein modifying the template design so that the foot support has the one or more closable openings specified by the design parameter comprises modifying the template design so that the foot support has the number, type, and/or degree of one or more closable openings.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein generating the object model data further comprises determining the type of the one or more closable openings in accordance with a dimension of the one or more closable openings.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the dimension of the one or more closable openings comprises a first dimension in a first direction between the foot support and a distal end of the extension portion.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the dimension of the one or more closable openings comprises a second dimension in a second direction between a medial edge and a lateral edge of the foot support.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the dimension of the one or more closable openings comprises a third dimension in a third direction between the upper side of the foot support and a lower side of the foot support.

12 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions executable by at least one processor to perform processing comprising:
receiving a template design for a foot support to be produced for a subject, wherein the foot support comprises a support portion and an extension portion extending from the support portion, where a type of the extension portion is based on a condition of the subject's foot and the extension portion is personalized to the subject based on at least one measurement of the subject's foot, and the template design comprises the type of extension portion to use based on the condition of the subject's foot; generating object model data representative of a design of the foot support by modifying the template design based on the at least one measurement of the subject's foot, the foot support to be produced according to the object model data, wherein generating the object model data comprises: receiving user input of a numerical rigidity parameter value of a rigidity degree of the foot support, or user selection one rigidity degree from a list of different rigidity degrees comprising rigid, semi-rigid, and rigid rigidity degrees; receiving a design parameter specifying that one or more closable openings are to be formed at an upper side of the foot support or that the one or more closable openings is to be formed at the upper side of the foot support; modifying the template design so that the foot support has the rigidity degree per the user input of the numerical rigidity parameter value or per the user selection of the one rigidity degree from the list; modifying the template design so that the foot support has the one or more closable openings specified by the design parameter; and causing an additive manufacturing apparatus to produce the foot support according to the generated object model data to produce the food support per the template design.

13 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the processing further comprises:
receiving the at least one measurement of the subject's foot, where the at least one measurement:
is indicative of a geometry of the subject's foot; and/or
comprises pressure data obtained by a gait analysis of the subject's foot; and
determining the condition of the subject's foot based on the at least one measurement.

14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the processi

Assignees

• Peridot Print Llc

Inventors

• Hierro Domenech Lluis
• Calafell Davinia Font
• Manchado Cristina Dominguez
• Casellas López Jordi
• Crespo Bernat Poll

Classifications

• A43B7/142

  situated under the medial arch, i.e. under the navicular or cuneiform bones · CPC title

• G06F30/20

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• A43B17/00

  Insoles for insertion, e.g. footbeds or inlays, for attachment to the shoe after the upper has been joined · CPC title

• B33Y80/00 Primary

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• A43B7/149

  Pads, e.g. protruding on the foot-facing surface · CPC title