Method of customizing heel cushioning in articles of footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10977705-B2
Application number	US-201816150820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2018
Priority date	Feb 26, 2016
Publication date	Apr 13, 2021
Grant date	Apr 13, 2021

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a system that modifies the heel cushioning of the sole member over a series of footwear purchases. The modifications can be configured to correspond to a customer's evaluation of the heel cushioning previously purchased. The sole member can include a set of apertures that are formed along various surfaces of the sole member to adjust the cushioning characteristics of the sole member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing customized articles of footwear using a customization cycle, comprising:
storing information relating to a first article of footwear in a manner to associate the first article of footwear (a) with a user and (b) with a first specific iteration of a customization cycle associated with the user;
transmitting data to a computing system of the user for: (a) generating a rating system for evaluating a first level of heel cushioning of a first sole member of the first article of footwear, wherein the first sole member includes a first base sole layer, and (b) requesting input from the user through the computing system including a customer-selected rating of the first level of heel cushioning;
receiving the customer-selected rating from the user for the first level of heel cushioning;
storing the customer-selected rating in a manner to associate the customer-selected rating with the first article of footwear and with the first specific iteration of the customization cycle;
receiving an order from the user for new shoes;
in response to receipt of the order, manufacturing a second article of footwear customized for the user, including:
(i) selecting a second base sole layer;
(ii) forming at least a first aperture in a heel portion of the second base sole layer to form a second sole member with a second level of heel cushioning, wherein the second level of heel cushioning is different from the first level of heel cushioning and is determined based on the customer-selected rating of the first level of heel cushioning in the first article of footwear; and
(iii) forming the second article of footwear having the second sole member that includes the second base sole layer;

selling the second article of footwear including the second sole member to the user; and
storing: (a) purchase history information indicating the second article of footwear as being owned by the user and (b) information associating the second article of footwear with a second specific iteration of the customization cycle associated with the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first aperture is formed using a laser.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rating system for evaluating the first level of heel cushioning includes rating a degree of rigidity of a heel region of the first sole member.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rating system is provided via an application program running on a mobile computing device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rating system for evaluating the first level of heel cushioning includes a sliding scale for receiving the customer-selected rating of the first level of heel cushioning.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rating system for evaluating the first level of heel cushioning includes plural sliding scales for receiving customer-selected ratings of multiple aspects of heel-cushioning characteristics associated with the first level of heel cushioning.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the user with a rating system for evaluating the second level of heel cushioning and requesting input from the user including a customer-selected rating of the second level of heel cushioning;
receiving the customer-selected rating from the user for the second level of heel cushioning;
storing the customer-selected rating of the second level of heel cushioning in a manner to associate the customer-selected rating of the second level heel cushioning with the second article of footwear and with the second specific iteration of the customization cycle;
selecting a third base sole layer;
forming at least a second aperture in a heel portion of the third base sole layer to form a third sole member with a third level of heel cushioning, wherein the third level of heel cushioning is different from the second level of heel cushioning and is determined based on the customer-selected rating of the second level of heel cushioning in the second article of footwear;
manufacturing a third article of footwear customized for the user and having the third sole member that includes the third base sole layer;
selling the third article of footwear including the third sole member to the user; and
storing: (a) purchase history information indicating the third article of footwear as being owned by the user and (b) information associating the third article of footwear with a third specific iteration of the customization cycle associated with the user.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first aperture is formed to have a round horizontal cross-sectional shape, wherein the second aperture is formed to have a round horizontal cross-sectional shape, and wherein a horizontal cross-sectional size of the second aperture is larger than a horizontal cross-sectional size of the first aperture.

9. A method of manufacturing customized articles of footwear using a customization cycle, comprising:
storing information relating to a first article of footwear in a manner to associate the first article of footwear (a) with a user and (b) with a first specific iteration of a customization cycle associated with the user;
transmitting data to a computing system of the user for: (a) generating a rating system for evaluating a first level of heel cushioning of a first sole member of the first article of footwear, wherein the first sole member includes a first base sole layer having a first heel portion, and (b) requesting input from the user through the computing system including a customer-selected rating of the first level of heel cushioning;
receiving the customer-selected rating from the user for the first level of heel cushioning;
storing the customer-selected rating in a manner to associate the customer-selected rating with the first article of footwear and with the first specific iteration of the customization cycle;
receiving an order from the user for new shoes;
in response to receipt of the order, selecting a second base sole layer with a second heel portion to form a second sole member with a second level of heel cushioning, wherein a material composition of the second heel portion is determined based on the customer-selected rating of the first level of heel cushioning in the first article of footwear;
manufacturing a second article of footwear customized for the user, the second article of footwear having the second sole member that includes the second base sole layer, wherein the second heel portion is fixedly attached to the second base sole layer;
selling the second article of footwear that includes the second sole member to the user, wherein the second sole member is fixedly attached to the second article of footwear; and
storing: (a) purchase history information indicating the second article of footwear as being owned by the user and (b) information associating the second article of footwear with a second specific iteration of the customization cycle associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming at least a first aperture in the second heel portion of the second base sole layer.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising forming at least one incision in the second heel portion of the second base sole layer.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of selecting the second base sole layer includes selecting the second base sole layer from a set of base sole layers, wherein each base sole layer of the set of base sole layers has a heel portion with a different degree of cushioning from other base sole layers of the set of base sole layers.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein a first thickness of the first heel portion is different from a second thickn

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Cook Christopher S
• Kohatsu Shane S
• Schoolmeester Bret
• Rowe Daniel T

Classifications

• A43D8/00

  Machines for cutting, ornamenting, marking or otherwise working up shoe part blanks (pulling-over or lasting A43D9/00 - A43D23/00; making or fastening soles, heels or welts A43D25/00 - A43D83/00) · CPC title

• A43B13/12

  Soles with several layers of different materials · CPC title

• A43B13/141

  with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion · CPC title

• A43B7/144

  situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone · CPC title

• A43D2200/60

  Computer aided manufacture of footwear, e.g. CAD or CAM · CPC title