Assembly line article tracking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10962964-B2
Application number	US-202016793980-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2020
Priority date	May 28, 2015
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

Manufacturing of article of footwear include temporarily mating a sole and an upper to determine processes to be performed to the sole and/or the upper before permanently mating. As specific operations are determined based on the particular combination of a sole and an upper, the sole and upper are individually tracked through the subsequent processes to ensure the correct pairing is achieved at the time of permanent mating. The tracking may leverage identifiers in the tooling supporting the upper and in the sole.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A manufacturing tracking system, the system comprising:
a first tool having a first identifier of a first identifier type, the first tool configured to receive a first article, wherein the first tool is a footwear last;
a first sensor of a first sensor type, the first sensor type configured to read the first identifier, wherein the first sensor type is comprised of a radiofrequency receiving device;
a second identifier coupled with a second article, wherein the second identifier is a second identifier type that is different from the first identifier type, wherein the second identifier is a bar code, and wherein the second article is a footwear sole component;
a first sensor of a second sensor type, the second sensor type configured to read the second identifier;
a first processing station for the first article;
a second processing station for the second article;
a second sensor of the first sensor type configured to read the first identifier following the first processing station;
a second sensor of the second sensor type configured to read the second identifier following the second processing station; and
a computing system having a processor and memory configured to:
associate the first identifier and second identifier based on a temporary mating of the first article and the second article; and
confirm the first identifier and the second identifier are associated for permanently mating the first article and the second article.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is a radiofrequency identification (RFID) tag.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the RFID tag is rewritable.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is at least partially embedded in the first tool.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is positioned at the first tool in a location not obscured by a received first article on the first tool.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first article is a footwear upper component.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor type reads an identifier with a different technology than the first sensor type.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the technology type of the second identifier is configured to be integrated with both of the second article and the first article.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor type is comprised of a radio receiver device.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second sensor type is comprised of an image capture device.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first processing station is an adhesive application station that is configured to apply an adhesive to the first article and the second processing station is an adhesive application station configured to apply an adhesive to the second article.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first material handling device transports the first article to the first processing station and a second material handling device transports the second article to the second processing station.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a third processing station, the third processing station configured to mate the first article on the first tool with the second article based, in part, on the second sensor of the first sensor type reading the first tool and the second sensor of the second sensor type reading the second article.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further configured to confirm the first tool and the second article are to be mated based on the second sensor of the first sensor type and the second sensor of the second sensor type.

15. A method of tracking a first article and a second article in a manufacturing system, the method comprising:
applying a first article to a first tool, wherein the first tool is a footwear last;
scanning the first tool to read a first identifier of the first tool, wherein the first identifier is a first identifier type, wherein the scanning the first tool comprises utilizing a first sensor of a first sensor type, wherein the first sensor type is comprised of a radiofrequency receiving device;
applying a second identifier to a second article, wherein the second identifier is a second identifier type that is different from the first identifier type, wherein the second identifier is a bar code, and wherein the second article is a footwear sole component;
scanning the second article to read the second identifier;
associating the first identifier and the second identifier such that the first article applied to the first tool can be associated with the second article;
prior to performing a first operation, temporarily mating the first and second articles;
performing the first operation to the first article on the first tool or the second article;
subsequent to performing the first operation, scanning the first tool to read the first identifier and scanning the second article to read the second identifier; and
mating the first article with the second article subsequent to confirming the first tool and the second article are associated based on the scan of the first tool and the second article after the first operation.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first article is a footwear upper.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
removing the first article from the first tool subsequent to mating the first article with the second article;
applying a third article to the first tool;
scanning the first tool to read the first identifier;
applying a third identifier to a fourth article; and
associating the first identifier with the third identifier such that the third article applied to the first tool is associated with the fourth article.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Farren John Matthew
• Farr Todd R
• Fu Howard
• Jurkovic Dragan

Classifications

• G05B19/042

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A43B3/34

  with electrical or electronic arrangements · CPC title

• A43D111/00 Primary

  Shoe machines with conveyors for jacked shoes {or for shoes or shoe parts} · CPC title

• G05B19/4187 Primary

  by tool management · CPC title

• A43D3/02 Primary

  Lasts for making or repairing shoes (making of wooden lasts B27M3/20) · CPC title