Nike, Inc.

Grabit, Inc.

Nike Innovate C.v.

Chih-Chi Chang

Patrick Conall Regan

Kuo-Hung Lee

Ming-Feng Jean

Chang-Chu Liao

Dragan Jurkovic

Harsha Prahlad

Howard Fu

John Matthew Farren

Scott Ryan Berggren

Susan Kim

Matthew Thomas Leettola

Richard J Casler

Kenneth Tan

Patrick Wang

Po Cheng Chen

Yi-Jung Shen

John Mathew Farren

Aishwarya Varadhan

Jon Smith

Hung-Yu Wu

Yen-Hsi Liu

Honam Ko

Tsung Tai Chien

TaeHoun Kim

Chin-Yi Lin

Shih-Yuan Wu

Mike F Quigley

Guo-Chang Wang

Qingde Chen

Greg Miller

Geoff M Nichols

Cheng-Yen Ho

Shu-Hui Wang

Taehoun Kim

Tae-Houn Kim

Manufacturing of a shoe is enhanced by creating 3-D models of shoe parts. For example, a laser beam may be projected onto a shoe-part surface, such that a projected laser line appears on the shoe part. An image of the projected laser line may be analyzed to determine coordinate information, which may be converted into geometric coordinate values usable to create a 3-D model of the shoe part. Once a 3-D model is known and is converted to a coordinate system recognized by shoe-manufacturing tools, certain manufacturing steps may be automated.

Automated 3-D modeling of shoe parts

The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatus for a vacuum tool having a switchable plate, such that a common vacuum tool may be adapted with different plates. A switchable plate may form the entirety of the vacuum tool's material contacting surface or a switchable plate may form a portion of the material contacting surface. The vacuum tool is effective for picking and placing one or more manufacturing parts utilizing a vacuum force.

Manufacturing tool

A tool path for treating a shoe upper may be generated to treat substantially only the surface of the shoe bounded by a bite line. The bite line may be defined to correspond to the junction of the shoe upper and a shoe bottom unit. Bite line data and three-dimensional profile data representing at least a portion of a surface of a shoe upper bounded by a bite line may be utilized in combination to generate a tool path for processing the surface of the upper, such as automated application of adhesive to the surface of a lasted upper bounded by a bite line.

Generation of tool paths for shoe assembly

Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.

Automated identification and assembly of shoe parts

Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated fashion. For example, information describing a shoe part may be determined, such as an identification, an orientation, a color, a surface topography, an alignment, a size, etc. Based on the information describing the shoe part, automated shoe-manufacturing apparatuses may be instructed to apply various shoe-manufacturing processes to the shoe part, such as a pickup and placement of the shoe part with a pickup tool.

Automated manufacturing of shoe parts with a pickup tool

Manufacturing tool with selective activation of pickup zones

Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology for the pick-up and release of materials, respectively.

Methods and systems for electroadhesion-based manipulation in manufacturing

Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated in an automated manner.

Automated identification of shoe parts

Aspects relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for a manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool is comprised of a vacuum tool and an ultrasonic welder as a unified manufacturing tool. The manufacturing tool may be used to pick and position a manufacturing part that is then welded with the associated ultrasonic welder.

Multi-functional manufacturing tool

Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology, either as a sole modality of handling such materials or in concert with vacuum for the pick up and release of materials, respectively.

Methods and systems for combined negative pressure and electroadhesion-based manipulation in manufacturing

Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology, either as a sole modality of handling such materials or in concert with at least one mechanically actuated modality for the pick-up and release of materials, respectively. The mechanically actuated modality in one embodiment is configured as a netting configured to be placed over a contact surface of an electroadhesive plate to facilitate the handling of an object.

Methods and systems for electroadhesion-based manipulation and mechanical release in manufacturing

Growing community of inventors

Douliu, Taiwan

Chih-Chi Chang