Methods of making an orthotic footbed assembly
In at least some embodiments, an orthotic footbed assembly includes a three-dimensional footbed that closely approximates a size and configuration of a particular foot and at least one orthotic feature additively coupled to the three-dimensional footbed. In at least some other embodiments, a method of making the orthotic footbed assembly includes direct printing of orthotic features onto a 3-D footbed. Another method includes indirect printing of orthotic features and applying these features onto to a 3-D footbed. And yet another method includes direct printing of orthotic features onto a 2-D blank footbed and then conducting a three-dimensional forming operation to make the orthotic footbed assembly.
1. A method of making an orthotic footbed assembly, the method comprising:
scanning a customer's foot;
based on the scan, selecting from an inventory of pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbeds a pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed that most closely approximates a size and configuration of the customer's foot;
based on the scan, determining at least one orthotic feature for the pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed; and
directly printing the at least one orthotic feature onto the pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein scanning includes digital, optical imaging.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein scanning includes ultrasound imaging.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining at least one orthotic feature includes determining a location where additional material is to be added to the pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein directly printing includes three-dimensional printing.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein directly printing includes additive manufacturing.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying an overlay material onto the orthotic footbed assembly.
8. A method of making an orthotic footbed assembly, the method comprising:
scanning a customer's foot;
based on the scan, selecting a pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed that most closely approximates a size and configuration of the customer's foot;
based on the scan, determining at least one orthotic feature to be printed on a substrate;
directly printing the at least one orthotic feature onto the substrate; and
securing the at least one orthotic feature onto the pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein scanning includes ultrasound imaging.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining at least one orthotic feature includes determining a location where additional material is to be added to the pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein directly printing includes three-dimensional printing.
12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising applying an overlay material onto the orthotic footbed assembly.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed includes regions designated to receive added orthotic features.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed includes regions designated to receive added orthotic features.
15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the substrate is an adhesive substrate, and securing the at least one orthotic feature onto the pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed comprises adhesively coupling or attaching the at least one orthotic feature to the pre-manufactured three-dimensional footbed.