Systems and methods for end-to-end article management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11714399-B2
Application number	US-202217730759-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2022
Priority date	Nov 16, 2018
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for managing articles. The systems and methods described herein may comprise an example method for manufacturing an article. The systems and methods provides an end-to-end manufacturing value chain as a closed system and feedback loop.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for attribution and/or traceability, the method comprising:
receiving order data associated with one or more first consumer orders;
disposing one or more unique identifiers on at least a portion of a material, wherein the one or more unique identifiers represent article data comprising at least a portion of the order data;
processing, via one or more manufacturing processes, a component forming at least a portion of an article and concealing at least a portion of the one or more unique identifier, wherein the article data represented by the one or more unique identifiers is updated based on each manufacturing process to comprise information associated with a respective manufacturing process, wherein at least one of the one or more manufacturing processes comprises:
receiving information indicating locations for application of a material on a surface of the component; and
selectively disposing, using digital printing or digital extrusion and based on the locations, the material only at the locations, whereby the material is not disposed on at least a portion of the component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the order data comprises one or more of: biometric information associated with the one or more consumers, color data associated with a color of the article, or component information indicating a composition of the component to be processed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material comprises an adhesive.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively disposing is based on registration points associated with the article.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the article data comprises grade information indicating quality of one or more preceding processes of the one or more manufacturing processes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the grade information is at least partially derived from a physical characteristic of the one or more unique identifiers.

7. A system configured to implement the method of claim 1 .

Assignees

• North Face Apparel Corp

Inventors

• Page Graham
• Perez Anthony
• Dietz Angelique
• Rogers Charles
• Aghanouri Abolfazl
• Goparaju Subra
• Balabanov Demitri

Classifications

• G05B19/41865 Primary

  characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow · CPC title

• D06B1/04

  by pouring or allowing to flow on to the surface of the textile material · CPC title

• D06C27/00

  Compound processes or apparatus, for finishing or dressing textile fabrics, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• D06H3/02

  visually (D06H3/12, D06H3/14, D06H3/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• D06M10/02

  Sonic or ultrasonic waves; Corona discharge · CPC title