US20250204647A1

US20250204647A1 - Adjustable Shoe Fit Evaluator

Info

Publication number: US20250204647A1
Application number: US19/064,843
Authority: US
Inventors: Larry Keyes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-09-23
Filing date: 2025-02-27
Publication date: 2025-06-26

Abstract

Adjustable shoe fit evaluators and methods of using adjustable shoe fit evaluators are disclosed. Adjustable shoe fit evaluators have components that include a main body portion, a multifunctional arm, at least one cross arm, and an indicator component. The main body portion includes at least one longitudinal pathway and at least one cross pathway. The multifunctional arm has a multifunctional arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within at least one of the at least one longitudinal pathway and the at least one cross pathway. The at least one cross arm has a cross arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within the at least one cross pathway. The indicator component is attached to a connector arm that is removably slidably received within the at least one longitudinal pathway at the distal end of the main body portion.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/590,982, filed on Feb. 2, 2022, currently pending, entitled “SHOE MEASUREMENT BASED ON FOOT FEATURES”, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 12,089,700, issued on Sep. 17, 2024, entitled “FOOT FEATURE MEASUREMENT AND SIMULATION”, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/904,228, filed on Sep. 23, 2019, entitled “FEATURE MEASUREMENT AND SIMULATION”. The contents of each of the foregoing applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present technology relates to devices and methods for evaluating the fit of a shoe, and more specifically to adjustable shoe fit evaluators and methods of using such adjustable shoe fit evaluators.

BACKGROUND

Footwear is worn by nearly every person for a number of hours on nearly every day. As such, it is important that a person's footwear not only be comfortable but fit correctly. However, trying on shoes can be time consuming, and there are many situations in which the person that is going to wear the shoes is not present at the time of purchase to try them on. Incorrect fit can lead to foot problems which may require further correction and treatment later on.
The importance of footwear fit cannot be overstated. Properly fitting footwear can not only assist in addressing existing foot problems, such as bunions and hammer toes, but can also help prevent future problems caused by forcing one's foot into ill-fitting shoes. When purchasing shoes, one often has their foot size measured; however, this provides an incomplete profile of the foot by primarily focusing on the length as measured from heel to big toe.
One way to attempt to provide a more complete foot profile is to perform a measurement of the foot that uses additional measurements beyond length. For example, a foot may have its width and depth measured, in addition to its length, in order to provide several measurement values for the same foot. Width and depth are, of course, important measurements to consider when determining what shoes to purchase, as some shoes are better for wider or narrower feet, or have additional depth. However, the measurement of length, width, and depth is often too crude; that is, measuring a foot with only those measurements may not accurately capture the unique features and issues with a person's fit. In many instances, a person may only have a significant issue with their foot, and thus with shoes, in a particular area of the foot, for example, the toes. While a length, width, and depth measurement may account for some of the issues with the foot, other issues may be unable to be accurately captured with those measurements, meaning that a person will be unable to use the information to help select the best fitting pair of shoes.
Another way to aid in shoe fit selection is to measure the shoe itself. Often, this is done by scanning the interior of a shoe and using the scan as the basis of a model for the shoe. However, as with the basic measurement of the foot, measurement of the shoe itself may not be sufficient to aid a person in selecting the best-fitting shoe for their foot. First, a consumer may not have sufficient knowledge to select the shoe that will work for their foot—or, conversely, eliminate a shoe from consideration-based on a scan of the interior of the shoe. Without an awareness of how the interior features of the shoe will interact with their particular foot and foot features, a person may simply not know how to translate a scan of a shoe's interior into a determination as to whether or not the shoe is a good match. In addition, because a person may only have an issue with a specific area of their foot, measuring the interior of a shoe may lead to false exclusions of a shoe that may otherwise work. For example, a person may know that they have an issue with their toe area and thus exclude shoes that, based on their internal scans, appear to have a narrow toe box. However, depending on the structure of the shoe in relation to the person's foot, the shoe with the narrow-appearing toe box may actually be a good fit for the person. With no way to test the shoe (apart from trying it on, which provides a limited sample), a person may be unnecessarily excluding shoes.
One way to combat the shortcomings of the individual approaches of foot measurement and shoe interior mapping is to combine the two approaches. One form this may take is inputting a person's foot length, width, and height measurements into a database, where the database also contains information corresponding to a variety of shoes that have had their interior features scanned. The measurements of the foot may then be digitally compared with, or “inserted” into, the shoe in order to help a person determine whether the shoe is likely to be a good fit. While this approach seems good at first glance, it does suffer from several problems. The first is that combining the foot measurement and shoe interior scan is cumbersome. If performed at a retail establishing, i.e., at the point of sale, a person would need to go through the steps of having their feet measured and then compared to a database of shoe interiors. This requires additional work on the part of the employees to perform a full set of measurements, as opposed to just a length measurement, which a retail employee may not be fully trained to do. Relatedly, performing these measurements at a retail location would necessitate additional equipment to perform the measurements, as opposed to a standard Brannock device currently used to measure length. The measurement concerns may be addressed by, for example, having the measurements performed at a doctor's office; however, doing the measurement at a separate location introduces additional steps, including printing out the measurements for the patient and having the patient bring the measurements with them every time they want to purchase a new pair of shoes. Moreover, in order to be truly comprehensive, every pair of available shoes would need to be scanned, even if it would be unlikely that one patient would buy the shoes, because another patient may choose to later. This would take a large amount of time to complete, because not only would all existing inventory need to be scanned, additional scans would need to be performed every time new inventory arrived.
It would be advantageous if new or improved devices could be developed, and/or improved methods of operation or implementation could be developed, so as to address any one or more of the concerns discussed above or to address one or more other concerns or provide one or more benefits.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Adjustable shoe fit evaluators and methods of using adjustable shoe fit evaluators are provided herein.
In at least one aspect, an adjustable shoe fit evaluator is provided that includes a main body portion, a multifunctional arm, at least one cross arm, and an indicator component. The main body portion includes a housing having a distal end, a proximal end, a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the main body portion further includes at least one longitudinal pathway that extends at least partway through the housing from the distal end or the proximal end and at least one cross pathway that extends at least partway through the housing from the medial side or the lateral side. The multifunctional arm has a multifunctional arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within at least one of the at least one longitudinal pathway and the at least one cross pathway, and a multifunctional block at an end opposite the multifunctional insertion end. The at least one cross arm has a cross arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within the at least one cross pathway. The indicator component is attached to a connector arm at a first connector arm end, wherein the connector arm has a second connector arm end opposite the first connector arm end that is removably slidably received within the at least one longitudinal pathway at the distal end of the main body portion.
Adjustable shoe fit evaluators may have one or more additional features. For example, the at least one longitudinal pathway may extend all the way through the housing from the distal end to the proximal end. The at least one longitudinal pathway may include a first longitudinal pathway that extends all the way through the housing from the proximal end to the distal end and a second longitudinal that extends all the way through the housing from the proximal end to the distal end and is parallel to the first longitudinal pathway. As another example, the at least one cross pathway may extend all the way through the housing from the medial side to the lateral side. The main body portion may further include at least one locking pathway that intersects the at least one longitudinal pathway or the at least one cross pathway, and at least one locking fastener configured to be inserted into the at least one locking pathway. The cross arm may further comprise a first foot feature ball attached at a cross arm second end that is opposite the cross arm insertion end. The multifunctional block may include a base and a dorsal indication surface, and the height of the dorsal indication surface may be adjustable. The base of the multifunctional block may include a distal indication surface at a distal end of the base, wherein the distal indication surface is configured to, and during use of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator does, contact a front wall of the toe portion of a shoe. The multifunctional block may further include a height scale that indicates the height at which the height adjustable dorsal indication surface is set. The indicator component may include an indicator base having a proximal indicator block at its proximal end, the proximal indicator block including an indicator pathway that extends through the proximal block, and an indicator rod slidably received within the indicator pathway and extending therethrough. The indicator rod may include a distal rod collar clamp on a distal end of the indicator rod, a spring wrapped around a proximal side of the indicator rod, and a proximal rod collar clamp that prevents the spring from sliding off of the indicator rod. The proximal indicator block may include an indicator block locking pathway that intersects with the indicator pathway, and an indicator block locking fastener that is inserted into the indicator block locking pathway. The indicator base may include a scale that includes a distal subscale area, a middle subscale area, a proximal subscale area.
In another aspect, a method of using an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology is provided. The method includes providing an adjustable shoe fit evaluator; obtaining settings for the adjustable shoe fit evaluator based on measurements of a user's foot; and adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator to the settings to obtain an adjusted adjustable shoe fit evaluator.
In at least some examples, the provided adjustable shoe fit evaluator has components that include a main body portion, a multifunctional arm, at least one cross arm, and an indicator component. The main body portion may include a housing having a distal end, a proximal end, a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface and a bottom surface. The main body portion may further include at least one longitudinal pathway that extends at least partway through the housing from the distal end or the proximal end and at least one cross pathway that extends at least partway through the housing from the medial side or the lateral side. The multifunctional arm may have a multifunctional arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within at least one of the at least one longitudinal pathway and the at least one cross pathway, and a multifunctional block at an end opposite the multifunctional insertion end. The at least one cross arm may have a cross arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within the at least one cross pathway. The indicator component may be attached to a connector arm at a first connector arm end. The connector arm may have a second connector arm end opposite the first connector arm end that is removably slidably received within the at least one longitudinal pathway at the distal end of the main body portion.
In some examples, adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator may include selecting a foot feature ball of a desired size and attaching it to a second end of the cross arm that is opposite the cross arm insertion end. Alternatively or additionally, adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator may include altering a length of at least one of the provided multifunctional arm, cross arm, or connector arm. Alternatively or additionally, adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator may include sliding at least one of the provided multifunctional arm, cross arm, or connector arm within a longitudinal pathway or cross pathway of the main body portion and locking it in place.
In some examples, the method may also include inserting the adjustable shoe fit evaluator into a shoe to test the shoe for fit, and determining whether the shoe will fit the user's foot based on feedback received from inserting the adjustable shoe fit evaluator into the shoe. The feedback may in the form of a tactile feedback and/or a scale reading from a scale on the adjustable shoe fit evaluator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Specific examples have been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and are shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification.

FIG. 1 illustrates one example of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology in a disassembled or kit form.

FIG. 2 illustrates the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 in an assembled form, assembled in a first configuration.

FIG. 3 illustrates one example of a main body portion of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 illustrates the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 in an assembled form, assembled in a second configuration.

FIG. 5 illustrates the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 in an assembled form, assembled in a third configuration.

FIG. 6 illustrates a front perspective view of a second example of a main body portion of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 7 illustrates a rear perspective view of the second example of a main body portion of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 8 illustrates a front perspective view of a third example of a main body portion of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 9 illustrates a rear perspective view of the third example of a main body portion of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a multifunctional arm of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 , with a foot feature ball.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of a multifunctional arm of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 , with the dorsal indication surface removed from the multifunctional base.

FIG. 12 illustrates the multifunctional arm of FIG. 11 , with the dorsal indication surface inserted into the multifunctional base.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a first person's right foot with some foot feature locations and some distance spans between some of those feature locations which can be used as input to assemble an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology.

FIG. 14 illustrates the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 , in an assembled configuration based on the input derived from FIG. 11 , inside of a first right shoe.

FIG. 15 is a diagram of a second person's right foot with some foot feature locations and some distance spans between some of those feature locations which can be used as input to assemble an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology.

FIG. 16A illustrates the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 , in an assembled configuration based on the input derived from FIG. 13 , inside of a first right shoe.

FIG. 16B illustrates a lateral partial view of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 , in an assembled configuration based on the input derived from FIG. 13 , inside of a second right shoe.

FIG. 17 is a diagram of a third person's right foot with some foot feature locations and some distance spans between some of those feature locations which can be used as input to assemble an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology.

FIG. 18 illustrates the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of FIG. 1 , in an assembled configuration based on the input derived from FIG. 15 , inside of a third right shoe.

FIG. 19 illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of a method of using an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology.

While various embodiments discussed herein are amenable to modifications and alternative forms, aspects thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described, including the details of construction, arrangements of components, or other aspects or features illustrated in the drawings, but rather the adjustable shoe fit evaluator and methods of using an adjustable shoe fit evaluator encompassed herein include other embodiments or are capable of being practiced or carried out in other various ways. Moreover the inventions described herein are meant to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure.
In addition, the terms “example” and “embodiment” as used throughout this application is only by way of illustration, and not limitation, the Figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items unless otherwise noted. The term “configured to” as used herein with respect to a component being “configured to” have certain structural characteristics in specified circumstances or to perform a function means that the component is structurally formed such that the component meets the structural characteristics in the specified circumstances or performs the function without further modification. The term “adjustable” as used herein means that the device, or component, can be set to represent the measurements of an individual's foot. In some examples, components of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator may be pre-cut, pre-selected or sized based on measurements of an individual's foot. In other examples, components of adjustable shoe fit evaluator may be adjustable during assembly, such as by sliding in or out, such that a single adjustable shoe fit evaluator may be adjusted to a first configuration based on measurements of a first individual's foot, and then readjusted to a second configuration based on measurements of a second individual's foot. The term “individual” as used herein means a person who's foot is being simulated by the adjustable shoe fit evaluator. The term “user” as used herein means a person using the adjustable shoe fit evaluator, which may be the same person or a different person and the “individual”. The terms “distal”, “proximal”, “medial”, “lateral” and “dorsal” as used herein refer to directions corresponding to an individual's foot as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, where “distal” is at or towards the end of the foot where the toes would be, “proximal” is at or towards the end of the foot where the heel would be, “medial” is at or towards the inner side of the foot, “lateral” is at or towards the outer side of the foot, and “dorsal” is at or towards the top side of the foot. The term “about” as used herein with reference to any measurement or physical characteristic means approximately, and includes the stated measurement or physical characteristic plus or minus an amount that is within an acceptable margin of error or other amount of variance that maintains the desired functionality. Directional terms used herein, such as “vertical” or “vertically”, “upper” or “lower”, “top” or “bottom”, and “left” or “right” are relational terms based on the orientation of the components shown in the Figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Adjustable shoe fit evaluators and methods of using such adjustable shoe fit evaluators of the present technology may allow for precise analysis and checking of the fit of a shoe based on an individual's foot features. Adjustable shoe fit evaluators may be provided and stored as separate pieces, and may be easily assembled when a user desires to check the fit of a shoe.
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate one example of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 of the present technology, with FIG. 1 showing components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 that may be included in a disassembled state, and FIG. 2 showing components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 in one example of an assembled state.
Referring to FIG. 1 , the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 may include at least one cross arm 102, at least one multifunctional arm 110, at least one connector arm 132, a main body portion 140, and an indicator component 180.
Cross arm 102 has a cross arm length 104, and may include an insertion end 108 and a first foot feature ball 106 attached at a second end 116 that is opposite the cross arm insertion end 108. Although only one foot feature ball 106 is shown, a plurality of removably attachable foot feature balls may be provided, which may have differing diameters in order to facilitate simulating foot features on a medial or lateral side of an individual's foot.
The multifunctional arm 110 has a multifunctional arm length 112, an multifunctional insertion end 114, and a multifunctional arm attachment 118 at an end opposite the multifunctional insertion end 114. In some examples, the multifunctional arm attachment 118 may be a second foot feature ball, which may resemble first foot feature ball 106. In other examples, and as illustrated, the multifunctional arm attachment 118 may be a multifunctional block 120. In some examples, multiple multifunctional arm attachments 118 may be provided, which may include a combination of foot feature balls and at least one a multifunctional block 120, and each may be removably attachable to the end of the multifunctional arm 110 opposite the multifunctional insertion end 114.
Multifunctional block 120 may include a multifunctional base 122 that includes at its distal end a distal indication surface 124. The distal indication surface 124 may, particularly during use of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator in a length checking mode, contact a front wall of the toe portion of a shoe. The multifunctional block 120 may also include a dorsal indication surface 126, which may be removable from the multifunctional base. The dorsal indication surface 126 may also be adjustable with respect to height. In the illustrated example, multifunctional block 120 includes a threaded pin 128, and the dorsal indication surface 126 may be threaded onto the threaded pin 128 and adjusted up or down by a desired amount to adjust the height of the height adjustable dorsal indication surface 126. The multifunctional block 120 may also include a height scale 130, which may indicate the height at which the height adjustable dorsal indication surface 126 is set. The height adjustable dorsal indication surface 126 may be used for checking the depth of a portion of a shoe when the adjustable shoe fit evaluator is in a depth checking mode.
A connector arm 132 has a connector arm length 134, a first connector arm end 136 and a second connector arm end 138 opposite the first connector arm end 136. The connector arm may be removably or permanently attached to the indicator component 180 at the first connector arm end 136.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3 , the main body portion 140 may be formed in any suitable shape, and is shown as a rectangular block. The main body portion 140 includes a housing 142, a distal end 200, a proximal end 202, a medial side 204, a lateral side 206, a top surface 208, and a bottom surface 210. The main body portion 140 also includes at least one longitudinal pathway that extends at least partway through the housing 142 from the proximal end 202 or the distal end 200. In the example shown in FIG. 1-3 , the main body portion 140 includes two longitudinal pathways that each extend all the way through the housing 142 from the proximal end 202 to the distal end 200, including first longitudinal pathway 156 and second longitudinal pathway 158. In such examples, the first longitudinal pathway 156 and the second longitudinal pathway 158 are preferably parallel to each other. The main body portion 140 also includes at least one cross pathway, which may extend at least partway through the housing 142 from the medial side 204 or the lateral side 206. In the example shown in FIG. 1-3 , the main body portion 140 includes four cross pathways, including first cross pathway 166, second cross pathway 170, third cross pathway 174 and fourth cross pathway 178, that each extend all the way through the housing 142 from the medial side 204 to the lateral side 206. In examples with a plurality of cross pathways, the cross pathways are preferably parallel to each other.
The longitudinal pathways and the cross pathways may be located at different heights, such that the longitudinal pathways do not intersect the cross pathways within the housing 142 of the main body portion 140. In the illustrated example, as best shown in FIG. 1 , the cross pathways are located higher, i.e., closer to the top surface 208, within the housing 142 than the longitudinal pathways. Alternatively, the cross pathways may be located lower, i.e., farther from the top surface 208, within the housing 142 than the longitudinal pathways. The main body portion 140 may be functionally symmetrical, meaning that the distal and proximal sides may be interchangeable, and the medial and lateral sides may also be interchangeable.
In example illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 , the top surface 208 of the main body portion 140 includes a plurality of locking pathways, which may each be formed as a threaded hole and may be used to lock the arms into place when they are inserted into the main body portion 140. It should be understood that such locking pathways may alternatively be provided on one or more other surfaces of the main body portion 140, such as the lateral side 206, medial side 204, or a combination thereof. Each locking pathway intersects with at least one of the longitudinal pathways or the cross pathways. As best shown in FIG. 1 , the top surface includes first locking pathway 148 and second locking pathway 152, which each intersect with first longitudinal pathway 156. The top surface also includes third locking pathway 150 and fourth locking pathway 154, which each intersect with second longitudinal pathway 158. The top surface further includes fifth locking pathway 164 that intersects first cross pathway 166, sixth locking pathway 168 that intersects with second cross pathway 170, seventh locking pathway 172 that intersects with third cross pathway 174, and eight locking pathway 176 that intersects with fourth cross pathway 178.
A locking fastener is configured to be and may be inserted into each locking pathway, as needed, to lock into place an arm that is inserted into one of the longitudinal pathways or cross pathways. For example, a plurality of locking fasteners that are thumbscrews are shown in FIG. 1 , including first locking fastener 144, second locking fastener 146, third locking fastener 160 and fourth locking fastener 162. Each locking fastener may be configured and sized for use in at least one of a longitudinal pathway or a cross pathway. As illustrated, first locking fastener 144 and second locking fastener 146 are longer than third locking fastener 160 and fourth locking fastener 162, and are configured for use with the longitudinal pathways. Third locking fastener 160 and fourth locking fastener 162, being shorter, are configured for use with the cross pathways.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the indicator component 180 includes an indicator base 181 having a proximal indicator block 182 at its proximal end and a distal indicator block 183 at its distal end. Proximal block 182 includes an indicator pathway 195 that extends through the proximal block 182, and an indicator rod 184 slidably received within the indicator pathway 195 and extending therethrough. The indicator rod 184 includes distal rod collar clamp 186 on a distal end of the indicator rod 184, a spring 185 wrapped around the proximal side of the indicator rod, and a proximal rod collar clamp 187. The proximal rod collar clamp prevents the spring 185 from sliding off of the indicator rod 184. The proximal indicator block 182 includes an indicator block locking pathway 188, which may be threaded, that intersects with the indicator pathway 195. An indicator block locking fastener 189, which may be a thumbscrew is inserted into the indicator block locking pathway 188, and may be used to lock the indicator rod 184 into a desired position. Shown on top of base 181 is scale 190, which may include a distal subscale area 191, a middle subscale area 193, a proximal subscale area 194, and a line 192.
FIG. 2 is an overhead view of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 assembled and set up in a length checking mode (LCM). As shown, the distal indication surface 124 is the most distal point of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100, and may be configured to represent the end of a first toe (or big toe) of a user's right foot. The dorsal indication surface 126 may be fully retracted downward and may not be used in the length checking mode. The multifunctional arm 110 is shown as being inserted into the first longitudinal pathway 156 (not shown) and the multifunctional arm 110 is locked into position by tightening the second locking fastener 146. First foot feature ball 106 may be selected and sized to simulate a position, size, and shape of a feature of the user's foot, such as the 5th metatarsal head, and may be locked into a desired position by fourth locking fastener 162 being tightened on cross arm 102. The connector arm 132 is connected to the main body portion 140 at one end and the indicator block 180 at the opposite end. For example, the second connector arm end 138 (not shown) of the connector arm 132 may be inserted into second longitudinal pathway 158 (not shown) and may be locked into place by tightening first locking fastener 144. Additionally, the first connector arm end 136 (not shown) of the connector arm 132 may be connected to the indicator component 180 at a distal face of the distal indicator block 183. Although not shown, the distal face of the distal indicator block 183 may include a socket configured to receive the first connector arm end 136. The indictor block locking fastener 189 locks the indicator rod 184 in place.
It is noted that although the arms and rods described herein are shown in the Figures as being cylindrical, they may be any suitable shape, including as strips or bars, and may also be rigid or flexible. Additionally, the various components described herein may be made of any suitable materials. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator may be used in any of a number of various configurations in order to represent various features of a user's foot, and to measure various aspects of a shoe to be tested to determine whether the shoe will fit the user's foot.
As shown in FIG. 2 , the configuration of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 in the length checking mode may simulate the length of a user's foot, with the proximal surface of the proximal rod collar clamp 187 of the indicator component 180 representing the back of the heel, and the distal indication surface of 124 representing the end of the fist toe (or big toe). If the adjustable shoe fit evaluator were to be inserted in to a shoe to be tested for length, and gave the reading shown in FIG. 2 , with the distal surface of the distal rod collar clamp 186 lining up with line 192 on scale 190, then the shoe fit can be judged to be borderline too short. If the distal surface of the distal rod collar clamp 186 was positioned more distal to line 192 (i.e., over the distal subscale area 191) then the distance between the proximal surface of the proximal rod collar clamp 187 and the distal indication surface 124 would be less than the user's foot length (as measured from the foot's posterior heel to the distal first toe surface). In such an instance, the shoe being tested may be judged to be too short for the user's foot. However, if the distal surface of the distal rod collar clamp 186 was positioned more proximal to line 192 (i.e., over the middle subscale area 193) then the distance between the proximal surface of the proximal rod collar clamp 187 and the distal indication surface of 124 is greater than the length of the user's foot. In such an instance, the shoe being tested may be judged to be within an acceptable fit range. Moreover, if the distal surface of the distal rod collar clamp 186 was positioned more over the proximal subscale area 194, then the distance between the proximal surface of the proximal rod collar clamp 187 and the distal indication surface of 124 is much more than the length of the user's foot. In such an instance, the shoe being tested may be judged to be too long for the user's foot.
FIG. 4 is an overhead view of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 assembled and set up in a width checking mode. As shown, the multifunctional arm 110 has multifunctional insertion end 114 inserted into and through the third cross pathway 174 of the housing 142 of the main body portion 140, and the multifunctional arm 110 is locked into place by third locking fastener 160. The distal indication surface 124, in this configuration, represents a feature of the user's foot on the lateral side, such as the 5th metatarsal head. The dorsal indication surface 126 is shown as being fully retracted, and may not be in use in this configuration. Cross arm 102 is inserted through the first cross pathway 166 and the first foot feature ball 106 is located on the medial side, and represents a feature of the user's foot on the medial side, such as the 1st metatarsal head. Cross arm 102 is locked into position by tightening fourth locking fastener 162. The connector arm 132 is connected to the main body portion 140 at one end and the indicator block 180 at the opposite end. For example, the second connector arm end 138 (not shown) of the connector arm 132 may be inserted into second longitudinal pathway 158 (not shown) and may be locked into place by tightening first locking fastener 144. Additionally, the first connector arm end 136 (not shown) of the connector arm 132 may be connected to the indicator component 180 at a distal face of the distal indicator block 183. The connector arm 132 may be locked into position by tightening first locking fastener 144. Indicator component 180 is shown with spring 185 in a fully uncompressed state and the distal surface of the distal rod collar 186 is shown as being just proximal to scale 190. Before testing a shoe for width fit, the proximal rod collar clamp 187 should be pressed fully distally, fully compressing spring 185 and resulting in distal rod collar clamp 186 being over the distal subscale area 191 on scale 190, and then locked into place by tightening indicator block locking fastener 189. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator in this position may be inserted into a shoe to determine if the shoe is wide enough to fit the user's foot based on whether the distal indication surface 124 and first foot feature ball 106 can be comfortably placed within the shoe.
FIG. 5 is an overhead view of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 assembled and set up in a depth checking mode. In this mode, the dorsal indication surface 126 may be height adjusted to simulate the top surface of a portion of the user's foot, such as the toe joint of the 4th toe right foot. The multifunctional arm 110 is connected to the main body portion 140 by having the multifunctional insertion end 114 (not shown) inserted into second longitudinal pathway 158 (not shown), and the multifunctional arm 110 is locked into position by tightening the second locking fastener 146. The first foot feature ball 106 may be selected and configured to simulate a feature on the medial side of a user's foot, such as a 1st metatarsal head position. The cross arm insertion end 108 on cross arm 102 is shown as being inserted through first cross pathway 166 (not shown) and locked into place by tightening fourth locking fastener 162. The connector arm 132 is connected to the main body portion 140 at one end and the indicator block 180 at the opposite end. For example, the second connector arm end 138 (not shown) of the connector arm 132 may be inserted into second longitudinal pathway 158 (not shown) and may be locked into place by tightening first locking fastener 144. Additionally, the first connector arm end 136 (not shown) of the connector arm 132 may be connected to the indicator component 180 at a distal face of the distal indicator block 183. The connector arm 132 may be locked into position by tightening first locking fastener 144. Indicator component 180 is shown with spring 185 in a fully uncompressed state and the distal surface of the distal rod collar 186 is shown as being just proximal to scale 190. Before testing a shoe for width fit, the proximal rod collar clamp 187 should be pressed fully distally, fully compressing spring 185 and resulting in distal rod collar clamp 186 being over the distal subscale area 191 on scale 190, and then locked into place by tightening indicator block locking fastener 189. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 may then be inserted into the shoe to be tested to determine whether the shoe has an appropriate depth to fit the user's foot. During testing of the shoe, the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 may be inserted into the shoe, with first foot feature ball 106 held loosely against the medial side of the shoe upper while the proximal rod collar clamp 187 is loosely held against the inside back of the heal seat of the shoe. Then the indicator block locking fastener 189 may be loosened, thus causing a forward force on the dorsal indication surface 126 (and backward force on the proximal rod collar clamp 187). If the frictional force between the dorsal indication surface 126 and the inside upper of the shoe equalizes, then the scale 190 can be read by lining up the distal surface of distal rod collar clamp 186 over the scale 190 and noting the subscale area of the scale 190 that is indicated. If the distal rod collar clamp 186 is over the area distal to line 192, in distal subscale area 191, then the depth of the shoe may be judged to be to shallow. If the distal rod collar clamp 186 is over the area proximal to line 192, in middle subscale area 193 or proximal subscale area 194, then the depth of the shoe may be judged to have an acceptable level of depth. If the distal rod collar clamp 186 is over the line 192, then the depth of the shoe may judged to be borderline too shallow.
FIGS. 6-9 illustrate alternative examples of main body portions that can be used in an adjustable shoe fit evaluator.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a second example of a main body portion 300, which includes a housing 302, a distal end 304, a proximal end 306, a medial side 308, a lateral side 310, a top surface 312, and a bottom surface 314. The main body portion 300 may be functionally symmetrical, meaning that the distal and proximal sides may be interchangeable, and the medial and lateral sides may also be interchangeable.
The main body portion 300 also includes at least one longitudinal pathway that extends at least partway through the housing 302 from the proximal end 306 or the distal end 304. As shown, the main body portion 300 includes two longitudinal pathways that each extends partway through the housing 302, including first longitudinal pathway 316 that extends into the housing 302 from the distal end 304 (FIG. 6 ) and second longitudinal pathway 318 that extends into the housing from the proximal end 306 (FIG. 7 ). Referring to FIG. 7 , the main body portion 300 also includes at least one cross pathway, which may extend at least partway through the housing 300 from the medial side 308 or the lateral side 310. In the example shown in FIG. 7 , the main body portion 300 includes one cross pathway 320 that extends partway through the housing 302 from the medial side 308 towards the lateral side 310. However, the cross pathway 318 does not extend far enough into the housing 302 to intersect the longitudinal pathway 316.
As shown in FIG. 6 , the medial side 308 of the main body portion 300 includes at least one, and as shown a plurality of, locking pathways, including first locking pathway 322 and second locking pathway 324. First locking pathway 322 and second locking pathway 324 each intersects with at least one of the longitudinal pathways, and each may each be formed as a threaded hole. Locking fasteners, such as first thumbscrew 326 and second thumbscrew 328, may be inserted into the locking pathways and tightened to lock arms components of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator into place when they are inserted into the respective longitudinal pathway of the main body portion 300. It should be understood that such locking pathways may alternatively be provided on one or more other surfaces of the main body portion 300.
FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a third example of a main body portion 330, which includes a housing 332, a distal end 334, a proximal end 336, a medial side 338, a lateral side 340, a top surface 342, and a bottom surface 344. The main body portion 330 may be functionally symmetrical, meaning that the distal and proximal sides may be interchangeable, and the medial and lateral sides may also be interchangeable.
The main body portion 330 also includes at least one longitudinal pathway that extends at least partway through the housing 332. As shown, the main body portion 330 includes one longitudinal pathway 346 that each extends all the way through the housing 332 from the distal end 336 (FIG. 8 ) to the proximal end 334 (FIG. 9 ). Referring to FIG. 7 , the main body portion 330 also includes at least one cross pathway, which may extend at least partway through the housing 300 from the medial side 308 or the lateral side 310. In the example shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the main body portion 330 includes a first cross pathway 348 and a second cross pathway 350 that each extend all the way through the housing 332 from the medial side 338 to the lateral side 340, and a third cross pathway 352 that extends part way through the housing from the lateral side 340.
As shown in FIG. 8 , the medial side 338 of the main body portion 330 also includes a locking pathway 354 that intersects with the longitudinal pathway 346, and that may be formed as a threaded hole. The locking pathway may be used to lock an arm component of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator into place when it are inserted into the longitudinal pathway 346 of the main body portion 330. It should be understood that such locking pathways may alternatively be provided on one or more other surfaces of the main body portion 330.
FIGS. 10-12 illustrates alternative examples of multi-functional arms that can be used in place of multifunctional arm 110.
FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a multi-functional arm 400, which includes an arm 402 having a multifunctional insertion end 404 and a multifunctional arm attachment 406 that is a foot feature ball 408. Multi-functional arm 400 may be used in examples where the adjustable shoe fit evaluator is being used in a width checker configuration of length checker configuration.
FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate an example of a multi-functional arm 410, which includes an arm 412 having a multifunctional insertion end 414 and a multifunctional arm attachment 416 that is a multifunctional block 418. The multifunctional block 418 includes a multifunctional base 420 that has a distal indication surface 422. As shown in FIG. 12 , the multifunctional block 418 also includes a removable height indicator 424. The removable height indicator 424 includes a dorsal indication surface 426.
FIG. 13 shows a diagram 500 of a right foot of a user with some foot feature locations and some distance spans between some of those feature locations, which may be used to determine settings that can be used as settings for an adjustable shoe fit evaluator in a length checking mode. In some examples, the adjustable shoe fit evaluator may be used with software that received such information about the user's foot and provides a conversion to settings for the adjustable she fit evaluator. Such software may be provided in any suitable form or manner, such as a phone application, a database, a spreadsheet, etc. In order to obtain diagram 500, the sole of the user's right foot may be placed on a flat surface. Measurement points are taken at chosen foot features locations perpendicular to that surface. Measurement points may include rear center heel point 504, distal center hallux point 506, and lateral aspect of 5th metatarsal head 508. A first line 510 is shown that connects the rear center heel point 504 with the distal center hallux point 506. A second line 516 is shown that connects the lateral aspect of 5th metatarsal head 508 to the first line 510 at intersection point 512 such that the second line 516 is perpendicular to first line 510. First distance 518 is the distance between the rear center heel point 504 and intersection point 512. Second distance 514 is the distance between the intersection point 512 and the distal center hallux point 506. Third distance 520 is the distance between the intersection point 512 and the lateral aspect of 5th metatarsal head 508. The distances can be measured in imperial, metric or any other unit system. In examples that use software, the measurements can be input into the software, and the software can output settings that can be used to set up the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator, such as by placing and locking into place the cross arm 102, multifunctional arm 110, and/or connector arm 132 with the indicator component 180 attached thereto at appropriate positions on the main body portion 140. In examples that do not use software, the setting may be calculated manually. The measurements can be taken manually directly from a user's foot, or the measurements can be taken manually from photos or some other method such as scanning. Once the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 is set according to the settings, it is ready to be used to test a shoe to determine whether the fit is acceptable or unacceptable.
FIG. 14 shows the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 in the configuration shown in FIG. 2 placed within a shoe 530, where the shoe upper 532 is shown as an outline. The distal indication surface 124 is shown as contacting a front inside end 534 of the shoe upper 532 of shoe 530. The multifunctional arm 110 may be adjusted to a multifunctional arm distance 540, which may be a calculated distance between the proximal surface of the multifunctional base 122 and the distal edge of the main body portion 140. The second locking fastener 146 may be used to lock multifunctional arm 110 into that position. The cross arm 102 may be set to a cross arm distance 550, and may be locked into place by tightening fourth locking fastener 162. The first foot feature ball 106 may be placed such that it is contacting the lateral inside surface 536 of the shoe upper 532. The connector arm 132 may be set to a connector arm distance 560, and mat be locked into position by tightening first locking fastener 144. In the illustrated example, the adjustable shoe fit evaluator would be placed into the shoe with the spring 185 fully compressed and the indicator rod 184 locked into place by tightening the indictor block locking fastener 189. Once the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 is placed into the shoe, the indictor block locking fastener 189 would be loosened and the proximal rod collar clamp 187 would move to contact the heel seat 538 of the shoe upper 532. The distal surface of distal rod collar clamp 186 is shown as being located over middle subscale area 193 of scale 190, which can be understood as indicating that the inside length of the shoe (from the back of the heel to the inside toebox area where the 1st toe would lie) is greater than the length of the foot from posterior heel to distal end of 1st toe, and thus can be judged to be a proper fit which is indicated by subscale 193.
FIG. 15 shows a diagram 600 of a right foot of a user with some foot feature locations and some distance spans between some of those feature locations, which may be used to determine settings that can be used as settings for an adjustable shoe fit evaluator in a depth checking mode. In some examples, the adjustable shoe fit evaluator may be used with software that received such information about the user's foot and provides a conversion to settings for the adjustable she fit evaluator. Such software may be provided in any suitable form or manner, such as a phone application, a database, a spreadsheet, etc. In order to obtain diagram 600, the sole of the user's right foot may be placed on a flat surface. Measurement points can be taken at chosen foot features locations perpendicular to that surface, including rear center heel point 604, distal 4th toe lesion 605 having a center point 606, and medial aspect of 1st metatarsal head 608. A first line 610 can connect the rear center heel point rear center heel point 604 with the center point 606. A second line 616 can connect the medial aspect of 1st metatarsal head 608 to first line 610 at an intersection point 612 such that the second line 620 is perpendicular to the first line 610. A first distance 614 may be the distance between the rear center heel point 604 and the intersection point 612. A second distance 618 may be the distance between the intersection point 612 and the center point 606. A third distance 616 may be the distance between the intersection point 612 and the medial aspect of 1st metatarsal head 608. In addition, the height the center point 606 (not shown) from the surface that the foot is on, is measured. The distances can be measured in imperial, metric or any other unit system. In examples that use software, the measurements can be input into the software, and the software can output settings that can be used to set up the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator, such as by placing and locking into place the cross arm 102, multifunctional arm 110, and/or connector arm 132 with the indicator component 180 attached thereto at appropriate positions on the main body portion 140 (see FIG. 1 ). In examples that do not use software, the setting may be calculated manually. The measurements can be taken manually directly from a user's foot, or the measurements can be taken manually from photos or some other method such as scanning. Once the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 is set according to the settings, it is ready to be used to test a shoe to determine whether the fit is acceptable or unacceptable.
FIGS. 16A and 16B provide views of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator in a depth checker mode, which may be adjusted according to settings determined from the measurements of FIG. 15 , where the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 has been inserted into a shoe 622. As shown in FIG. 16B, the dorsal indication surface 126 is contacting the top inside 624 of the shoe 622. The dorsal indication surface 126 may be set to a desired dorsal height setting by adjusting the threaded pin 128 so that the inferior surface matches with the appropriate calculated mark on height scale 130. Referring to FIGS. 16A and 16B, the multifunctional arm distance 640 is the distance between the proximal surface of the multifunctional base 122 and the distal edge of the main body portion 140. The second locking fastener 146 may lock the multifunctional arm 110 into the desired position. The cross arm 102 is shown as being inserted into the first cross pathway and can be locked into place by tightening the fourth locking fastener 162. The first foot feature ball 106 is shown and is contacting the medial aspect 626 (FIG. 16A) of the inside of the shoe 622.
In order to check the fit of the shoe 622 with respect to depth, the adjustable shoe fit evaluator in the depth checker mode would be inserted into the shoe with the spring 185 of the indicator component 180 fully compressed and the indicator rod 184 locked into place by tightening the indictor block locking fastener 189. Once the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 is placed into the shoe, the indictor block locking fastener 189 would be loosened and the proximal rod collar clamp 187 would move to contact the heel seat 628 of the shoe 622. The dorsal indication surface 126 would be thrust forward until the friction between the top inside 624 (FIG. 16B) of the shoe 622 and the dorsal indication surface 126 equals the spring force of spring 185 (FIG. 16A), and the indicator block scale 190 on the indicator component 180 may then be read to determine the fit of the shoe 622.
FIG. 17 shows a diagram 700 of a right foot of a user with some foot feature locations and some distance spans between some of those feature locations, which may be used to determine settings that can be used as settings for an adjustable shoe fit evaluator in a width checking mode. In some examples, the adjustable shoe fit evaluator may be used with software that received such information about the user's foot and provides a conversion to settings for the adjustable she fit evaluator. Such software may be provided in any suitable form or manner, such as a phone application, a database, a spreadsheet, etc. In order to obtain diagram 600, the sole of the user's right foot may be placed on a flat surface. Measurement points can be taken at chosen foot features locations perpendicular to the plane of the flat surface, including a rear center heel point 704, a lateral aspect of 5th metatarsal head 708, and a medial aspect of a 1st metatarsal head position 720. An additional measurement point may be at the proximal webspace 706 between the second and third toes. A first line 710 can connect the rear center heel point 704 with the proximal webspace 706. A second line 716 can be drawn from the lateral aspect of 5th metatarsal head 708 to the first line 710 at a first intersection point 712 such that the second line 716 is perpendicular to the first line 710. A third line 722 can be drawn from the medial aspect of a 1st metatarsal head position 720 to the first line 710 at a second intersection point 718 such that the third line 722 is perpendicular to the first line 710. A first distance 714 can be determined between the rear center heel point 704 and the first intersection point 712. A second distance 760 can be determined between the first intersection point 712 and the second intersection point 718. A third distance 730 can be determined between the first intersection point 712 and the lateral aspect of 5th metatarsal head 708. A fourth distance can be determined 740 between the medial aspect of a 1st metatarsal head position 720 and the second intersection point 718. The distances can be measured in imperial, metric or any other unit system. In examples that use software, the measurements can be input into the software, and the software can output settings that can be used to set up the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator, such as by placing and locking into place the cross arm 102, multifunctional arm 110, and/or connector arm 132 with the indicator component 180 attached thereto at appropriate positions on the main body portion 140 (see FIG. 1 ). In examples that do not use software, the setting may be calculated manually. The measurements can be taken manually directly from a user's foot, or the measurements can be taken manually from photos or some other method such as scanning. Once the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 is set according to the settings, it is ready to be used to test a shoe to determine whether the fit is acceptable or unacceptable.
FIG. 18 shows an adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 in a width checking mode inserted into a shoe 770. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 may be adjusted according to settings determined by the measurements of a user's foot derived from FIG. 17 . As shown, the cross arm 102 and multifunctional arm 110 are used in medial and lateral orientations, respectively, to measure the width of the shoe 770. The distal indication surface 124 is shown as contacting the lateral aspect 772 of the inside of the shoe 770. The multifunctional arm 110 is set to a multifunctional arm length setting 750, which is the distance between the lateral surface of the main body portion 140 and an inner edge of the multifunctional block 120. The multifunctional arm 110 is locked into that position by tightening the third locking fastener 160. The cross arm 102 is set to a cross arm length setting 730, and can be locked into place by tightening the fourth locking fastener 162. The first foot feature ball 106 is shown as contacting the medial inside surface 774 of the shoe 770. The connector arm 132 may be set to a connector arm length setting 740, and may be locked into position with respect to the main body portion 140 by tightening the first locking fastener 144.
In order to check the fit of the shoe 770 with respect to width, the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 the width checker mode would be inserted into the shoe with the spring 185 of the indicator component 180 fully compressed and the indicator rod 184 locked into place by tightening the indictor block locking fastener 189. Once the adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 is placed into the shoe 770, the indictor block locking fastener 189 would be loosened and the proximal rod collar clamp 187 would move to contact the heel seat 776 of the shoe 770. The first foot feature ball 106 and distal indication surface 124 would move forward within the shoe 770 until the friction between them and the inside surfaces of the shoe equal the spring force of spring 185, which may cause the motion to stop. The indicator component scale 190 can be read based on the resulting position of the distal rod collar clamp 186. In the example illustrated in FIG. 16 , the distal end of the distal rod collar clamp 186 is located over the middle subscale area 193. Thus, the shoe can be judged to be a good width fit for the user's foot. If the distal end of the distal rod collar clamp 186 was located over the distal subscale section 191 of scale 190, then it could be judged that that shoe is too narrow of a width for the user's foot. If the distal end of the distal rod collar clamp 186 was located over the proximal subscale section 194 of scale 190, then it could be judged that that shoe is too wide for the user's foot.
Adjustable shoe fit evaluators of the present technology may include variations of the components and features described above with respect to adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100, some of which are described below. For example, cross arm 102 may have a first foot feature ball 106 that is comprised of larger or smaller spheres or different shapes that can more match other foot features. Indeed, in some examples, a variety of first foot feature balls 106 may be provided and may be interchangeable on the cross arm 102. As another example, the cross arm 102 may be in a form other than a round rod, such as a strip or bar shape, and may be rigid or flexible. The cross arm insertion end 108, multifunctional insertion end, and/or connector arm 132 may be fashioned as a threaded or ribbed structure to articulate with the pathways in the main body portion 140. Locking fasteners may include a screw joint or ball bearing click-stop instead of the illustrated thumbscrew. The main body portion 140 may also come in other shapes, with other variations in the number of openings and holes and ways to lock other arms that can course through it, and variations in fastener types. Indicator component 180 may have interchangeable scale that may be snapped or otherwise secured on top of the indicator base 181. The rod collar clamps 186 and 187 may be shaped in any suitable manner, such as the proximal rod collar clamp having a shape that makes the reading of the scale 190 easier. The spring 185 may be substituted with stronger or weaker spring rates to better match and function with the various scales. The indicator rod 184 may come in different lengths to accommodate different springs and scales. The indicator block locking fastener 189 may come in different lengths or configurations to facilitate the user being able to release it when it is in the shoe.
Generally, in order to use an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology, the problematic and/or the best suited foot feature(s) need to be determined. Recommendations for that can come from a health professional or a trained shoe specialist. It can also be determined by a person by following a list of questions in a flow chart manner designed to output foot feature(s) recommendations by narrowing down the possibilities. This “flowchart” design could also be part of a software program that can, once the recommendation is accepted, the software can output the foot features that would need to be plotted and which distances would have to be measured. Once the distances have been measured and inputted into the software, the software can output the adjustment settings data in multiple forms. One form could be the scale numbers that exist on the adjustment arms of the device. A user may simply slide the arms to match the scale number (or color). Another form could be data available in more standard units such as millimeters or inches. One would then measure the arms to be adjusted using some sort of ruler and then lock the arms into position for use. Another way, and considered to be the preferred way, is that the software generates (either on paper or on screen) a full scale representation of the device. A user could simply visually copy the configuration of the subcomponent's general positions and then can set the arm lengths by laying the device on the paper or screen and line them up and then lock into place. Instructions for the initial position, insertion, and use of the device can also be on the screen (paper). A user could store this information for future use for themselves, somebody else, or some remote location to adjust the adjustable shoe fit evaluator to test for shoe fit.
FIG. 19 illustrates one example of a method 800 of using an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology, which may be an adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100 as shown and described above.
The method 800 starts at step 802, which includes providing an adjustable shoe fit evaluator. In examples where the adjustable shoe fit evaluator provided is an adjustable shoe fit evaluator 100, the adjustable shoe fit evaluator has components that include a main body portion, a multifunctional arm, at least one cross arm, and an indicator component. The main body portion may include a housing having a distal end, a proximal end, a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface and a bottom surface. The main body portion may further include at least one longitudinal pathway that extends at least partway through the housing from the distal end or the proximal end and at least one cross pathway that extends at least partway through the housing from the medial side or the lateral side. The multifunctional arm may have a multifunctional arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within at least one of the at least one longitudinal pathway and the at least one cross pathway, and a multifunctional block at an end opposite the multifunctional insertion end. The at least one cross arm may have a cross arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within the at least one cross pathway. The indicator component may be attached to a connector arm at a first connector arm end. The connector arm may have a second connector arm end opposite the first connector arm end that is removably slidably received within the at least one longitudinal pathway at the distal end of the main body portion.
The method may continue to step 804, which includes obtaining settings for the adjustable shoe fit evaluator based on measurements of a user's foot.
The method may continue to step 806, which includes adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator to the settings to obtain an adjusted adjustable shoe fit evaluator. Adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator may include selecting a foot feature ball of a desired size and attaching it to a second end of the cross arm that is opposite the cross arm insertion end. Adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator may include altering a length of at least one of the provided multifunctional arm, cross arm, or connector arm. Adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator may include sliding at least one of the provided multifunctional arm, cross arm, or connector arm within a longitudinal pathway or cross pathway of the main body portion and locking it in place.
The method may continue to step 808, which includes inserting the adjustable shoe fit evaluator into a shoe to test the shoe for fit.
The method may continue to step 810, which includes determining whether the shoe will fit the user's foot based on feedback received from inserting the adjustable shoe fit evaluator into the shoe. The feedback may in the form of a tactile feedback and/or a scale reading from a scale on the adjustable shoe fit evaluator.
One example of a user of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology could be a mother who is responsible for buying shoes for the whole family. Such a mother could have foot feature measurements done for each member of her family, and store them on her phone or have printout templates for setting the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology up for any of her family members. She could then can go to a shoe store anytime and can buy shoes for any family member, even if they are not present.
Another example of user of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology could be a local shoe retailer that keeps settings for the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology on hand (either electronically or on templates) for their regular customers to make sales more efficient. The user could set the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology according to the settings for the desired customer, go to the backroom and test the shoe style the customer is interested in and find a pair of shoes having the right fit, and then bring at least one shoe of the pair out for the customer to try on. In addition the local shoe retailer could offer free foot feature measurements as an inducement for new clients.
Another example of a user of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology of could be an online retailer that could have customers send in measurements or photos of their feet. The online retailer could then determine settings for the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology in accordance with the received measurements and use the adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology to determine the correct size of shoe for the customer. This can help reduce shoe returns.
Another use of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology could be in medical settings, like clinics or assisted living facilities, that serve the indigent or medically compromised people who for example are diabetic. Getting proper fitting shoes in these populations would become more precise and efficient.
Another potential user of an adjustable shoe fit evaluator of the present technology could be the military. Having shoes tested for their personnel can reduce costly lawsuits later on.
Notwithstanding the above description, the present disclosure is intended to encompass additional embodiments and modified versions of the above-described embodiments in addition to the embodiments specifically described above.
It is specifically intended that the present invention not be limited to the embodiments and illustrations contained herein, but include modified forms of those embodiments including portions of the embodiments and combinations of elements of different embodiments as come within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable shoe fit evaluator comprising:

a main body portion including a housing having a distal end, a proximal end, a medial side, a lateral side, a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the main body portion further includes at least one longitudinal pathway that extends at least partway through the housing from the distal end or the proximal end and at least one cross pathway that extends at least partway through the housing from the medial side or the lateral side;

a multifunctional arm having a multifunctional arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within at least one of the at least one longitudinal pathway and the at least one cross pathway, and a multifunctional block at an end opposite the multifunctional insertion end;

at least one cross arm having a cross arm insertion end that is removably slidably received within the at least one cross pathway; and

an indicator component attached to a connector arm at a first connector arm end, wherein the connector arm has a second connector arm end opposite the first connector arm end that is removably slidably received within the at least one longitudinal pathway at the proximal end of the main body portion.

2. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 1, wherein the at least one longitudinal pathway extends all the way through the housing from the distal end to the proximal end.

3. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 1, wherein the at least one longitudinal pathway includes a first longitudinal pathway that extends all the way through the housing from the proximal end to the distal end and a second longitudinal that extends all the way through the housing from the proximal end to the distal end and is parallel to the first longitudinal pathway.

4. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 1, wherein the at least one cross pathway extends all the way through the housing from the medial side to the lateral side.

5. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 1, wherein the main body portion further comprises at least one locking pathway that intersects the at least one longitudinal pathway or the at least one cross pathway, and at least one locking fastener configured to be inserted into the at least one locking pathway.

6. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 1, wherein the cross arm further comprises a first foot feature ball attached at a cross arm second end that is opposite the cross arm insertion end.

7. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 1, wherein the multifunctional block includes a base and a dorsal indication surface.

8. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 7, wherein a height of the dorsal indication surface is adjustable.

9. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 7, wherein the base includes a distal indication surface at a distal end of the base, wherein the distal indication surface is configured to, and during use of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator does, contact a front wall of the toe portion of a shoe.

10. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 7, wherein the multifunctional block further includes a height scale that indicates the height at which the height adjustable dorsal indication surface is set.

11. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 1, wherein the indicator component includes an indicator base having a proximal indicator block at its proximal end, the proximal indicator block including an indicator pathway that extends through the proximal block, and an indicator rod slidably received within the indicator pathway and extending therethrough.

12. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 11, wherein the indicator rod includes a distal rod collar clamp on a distal end of the indicator rod, a spring wrapped around a proximal side of the indicator rod, and a proximal rod collar clamp that prevents the spring from sliding off of the indicator rod.

13. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 11, wherein the proximal indicator block includes an indicator block locking pathway that intersects with the indicator pathway, and an indicator block locking fastener that is inserted into the indicator block locking pathway.

14. The adjustable shoe fit evaluator of claim 11, wherein the indicator base includes a scale that includes a distal subscale area, a middle subscale area, a proximal subscale area.

15. A method of using an adjustable shoe fit evaluator to determine the fit of a shoe for a user's foot, the method comprising:

providing an adjustable shoe fit evaluator having components that include:

an indicator component attached to a connector arm at a first connector arm end, wherein the connector arm has a second connector arm end opposite the first connector arm end that is removably slidably received within the at least one longitudinal pathway at the distal end of the main body portion;

obtaining settings for the adjustable shoe fit evaluator based on measurements of a user's foot; and

adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator to the settings to obtain an adjusted adjustable shoe fit evaluator.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

inserting the adjustable shoe fit evaluator into a shoe to test the shoe for fit; and

determining whether the shoe will fit the user's foot based on feedback received from inserting the adjustable shoe fit evaluator into the shoe.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the feedback is in the form of at least one of a tactile feedback or a scale reading from a scale on the adjustable shoe fit evaluator.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator includes selecting a foot feature ball of a desired size and attaching it to a second end of the cross arm that is opposite the cross arm insertion end.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator includes altering a length of at least one of the provided multifunctional arm, cross arm, or connector arm.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein adjusting the components of the adjustable shoe fit evaluator includes sliding at least one of the provided multifunctional arm, cross arm, or connector arm within a longitudinal pathway or cross pathway of the main body portion and locking it in place.