Shoe last extension

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10905199-B2
Application number	US-201916259699-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2015
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A last extension for a shoe last provides a pattern defining an origin location. The origin location on the last extension can be used to identify locations or points on a last or a shoe component on a last for control of location-critical manufacturing operations, including decorative and functional operations.

First claim

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A last extension for manufacturing an article of footwear, the last extension comprising a body, the body comprising:
an upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface configured to be joined to a top of a last;
a first surface and a second surface, the first surface and the second surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface;
a dimensional pattern on at least the first surface, the dimensional pattern comprising grooves having a width and depth in a shape of at least a line and a point off the line, wherein the line and the point off the line reside on the same surface of the body; and
a mounting mechanism including one or more protrusions extending down from the lower surface to align the last extension in a fixed position to the last with the lower surface proximal to the last relative to the upper surface, the mounting mechanism including a cavity within the body, wherein the cavity opens to an exterior of the body along the lower surface and the upper surface.

2. The last extension of claim 1 , wherein the dimensional pattern comprises two intersecting lines.

3. The last extension of claim 2 , wherein the two intersecting lines are orthogonal to one another.

4. The last extension of claim 3 , wherein the two intersecting lines are continuous grooves across at least a portion of the first surface.

5. The last extension of claim 3 , wherein the two intersecting lines are formed of discrete elements.

6. The last extension of claim 5 , wherein the discrete elements are circular or oval.

7. The last extension of claim 4 , wherein the grooves extend from the first surface into the body, and a width of the groove at the first surface of the body is greater than a width of the groove within the body.

8. The last extension of claim 1 , wherein the mounting mechanism includes a magnetic component for maintaining the fixed position of the last extension with respect to the last.

9. The last extension of claim 1 , wherein the cavity within the body comprises two discrete cavities that open along the lower surface and the upper surface.

10. The last extension of claim 1 , wherein the mounting mechanism includes at least two protrusions that are independent from one another.

11. The last extension of claim 1 , wherein a cavity opening along the upper surface of the body is configured to receive a fastener to join the last extension to the last.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Jurkovic Dragan
• Mars Philip
• Hsiao Yu-Shu
• Lin Chun-Chi

Classifications

• A43D2200/20

  Machines including a carousel with different working posts around a turning table · CPC title

• A43D2200/10

  Fully automated machines, i.e. machines working without human intervention · CPC title

• A43D119/00

  Driving or controlling mechanisms of shoe machines; Frames for shoe machines · CPC title

• A43D3/1466

  stretching the length of a shoe, i.e. longitudinally expandable · CPC title

• A43D3/14

  Stretching or spreading lasts; Boot-trees; Fillers; Devices for maintaining the shape of the shoe (drying of footwear A47L23/20) · CPC title