Nike, Inc.

J.d Components Co., Ltd.

Chun-Wei Huang

Dragan Jurkovic

Jen-Chuan Lin

Ming-Feng Jean

Chin-Yi Lin

Eric Y Lee

Shih-Yuan Wu

Pu-Yuan Chang

Guo-Chang Wang

Chien-Liang Yeh

Ming-Ji Lee

Yu-Jen Chuang

Liu I Huang

Shih Chi Tung

Chih-Chun Chai

Su-Wen Kao

Wen-Chia Kuo

Pin-Chien Feng

Wang Hsi Ming

Hsi-ming Wang

Chen-Kuie Liu

Systems and methods for monitoring the quality of a surface treatment applied to an article in a manufacturing process are provided. A surface treatment may be applied to at least a portion of an article. A thermal profile of the article may be obtained and used to determine temperature indications of different regions of the article to which the surface treatment has been applied. A standard model of the article may be obtained that includes model regions having model temperature ranges. The temperature indications of the article can be compared with the model temperature ranges to determine if any temperature indications are outside of a corresponding model temperature range. The article may be a shoe part. The surface treatments may include the application of heat, plasma, dye, paint, primer, and/or the application of other materials, substances, and/or processes.

Controlling the quality of a manufactured article

Rubber pellets are coated with an anti-tack material. The anti-tack material may be comprised of a metallic stearate, such as magnesium stearate. The coated rubber pellets are loaded on to a rotational conveyance mechanism that rotates at a speed and radial amount to provide an interaction time between the rubber pellets and the anti-tack material. The coated rubber pellets may then be dried in a centrifuge dryer having a plurality of angled fins extending from a rotational shaft.

Rubber pellet treatment

Elastomeric components, such as a shoe outsole, are treated with a plasma application to clean and activate the elastomeric component. The application of plasma is controlled to achieve a sufficient surface composition change to enhance adhesion characteristics while not adversely physically deforming the elastomeric component. The plasma treatment is applied to increase carbonyl functional group concentrations within an altered region of the elastomeric component to within at least a range of 2%-15% of carbon atomic percentage composition. The cleaning and activation is controlled, in part, by ensuring a defined height offset range is maintained between the elastomeric component and the plasma source by a generated tool path. The elastomeric component may then be adhered, with an adhesive, to another component.

Plasma treatment of an elastomeric material for adhesion

An axially-switchable quick release device, including: a rod extending in an axial direction; a clutch shaft disposed at an end of the rod and having a meshing teeth portion and an idling ring portion; and a quick release lever having a fitting portion and a turning portion connected to the fitting portion The fitting portion has a fitting teeth portion sleeved onto the clutch shaft and movable along the axial direction and between a meshing position and an idling position. When the quick release lever is at the meshing position, the fitting teeth portion engages with the meshing teeth portion so that the quick release lever and the clutch shaft can rotate synchronously. When the quick release lever is at the idling position, the fitting teeth portion moves to the idling ring portion so that the quick release lever can rotate freely relative to the clutch shaft.

Axially-switchable quick release device

A conditionally visible bite line may be demarcated on a shoe upper using at least one of a fluorescent or an Infrared (IR)-responsive material. Such a conditionally visible bite line may be observable only under particular conditions, such as when illuminated by an ultraviolet light source or an IR light source, as appropriate. A light may be projected to intersect the conditionally visible bite line under conditions rendering the conditionally visible bite line detectable. The intersection(s) of the projected light and the conditionally visible bite line may be used to create a virtual bite line for use in generating a tool path to process the surface of a shoe upper bounded by the conditionally visible bite line.

Conditionally visible bite lines for footwear

A conditionally visible bite line may be demarcated on a shoe upper using one of a fluorescent material and an Infrared (IR) material. Such a conditionally visible bite line may be observable only under particular conditions, such as when illuminated by an ultraviolet light source or an IR light source, as appropriate. A light may be projected to intersect the conditionally visible bite line under conditions rendering the conditionally visible bite line detectable. The intersection(s) of the projected light and the conditionally visible bite line may be used to create a virtual bite line for use in generating a tool path to process the surface of a shoe upper bounded by the conditionally visible bite line.

Growing community of inventors

Lu Kang Town, Taiwan

Chun-Wei Huang