Nike, Inc.

Grabit, Inc.

Patrick Conall Regan

Chih-Chi Chang

Kuo-Hung Lee

Ming-Feng Jean

Chang-Chu Liao

Dragan Jurkovic

Feng-Ming Ou

Harsha Prahlad

Howard Fu

John Matthew Farren

I-Huang Liu

Shih-Yuan Wu

Susan Kim

Richard J Casler

Matthew Thomas Leettola

Patrick Wang

Kenneth Tan

Po Cheng Chen

Jon Smith

Chih-Chung Wu

Hao-Zhen Chen

John Mathew Farren

Aishwarya Varadhan

Hung-Yu Wu

Yen-Hsi Liu

Dong Woo Lee

Mike F Quigley

Guo-Chang Wang

Hyung Lim

DongWoo Lee

Honam Ko

Tsung Tai Chien

TaeHoun Kim

Dong Youp Yang

Yong Joo Chon

Sang Gyu Lee

Jong Cher Seo

JaePil Kang

ChoulSoo Jeong

Byung Gi Kim

Yu-Hsi Hsing

Yu-Shu Hsiao

Geun Rok Park

Min Chuan Chang

Chang Min-Li

Geoff M Nichols

Wen-Ru Chang

Yu-His Hsing

Qingde Chen

Greg Miller

Geoffrey Nichols

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

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 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.

Automated manufacturing 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 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

Adjustable system and methods are provided that are used in curing a foam item. Induction heating assemblies, cooling mechanisms and a dynamic conveyance mechanism may be used in combination to heat and cool a mold containing the foam item as it is conveyed. The dynamic conveyance mechanism may have removable rollers that allow for chambers, such as the induction heating assemblies, to be placed into areas where removable rollers have been removed. As such, chambers may be placed into, taken out of, and moved around the dynamic conveyance mechanism. The flexibility of a dynamic conveyance mechanism allows for a curing process to be automated, adjusted, and customized.

Adjustable conveyance curing system

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Taichung, Taiwan

Patrick Conall Regan