CONFORMING SHOE CONSTRUCTION AND GEL COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR

摘要

The invention provides a conforming medium containing gels (30) for customized fitting components, such as those used in a shoe (10). The invention further includes environmentally-responsive gels (30) that are temperature-responsive so that they will react to body heat to transition from a liquid to a gel state or a gel state to a liquid state. The invention optionally includes thermally-sensitive dyes and other colorants in the environmentally-responsive gels. Furthermore, the invention is directed to an article for conforming to the contours of an object having isolation means, such as a bladder of a flexible member, to contain the environmentally-responsive gel therein.