Automated Strobel Printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016000187-A1
Application number	US-201514857489-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 17, 2015
Priority date	Sep 11, 2012
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A machine moves shoe strobels to a camera or scanner where images of the stobels are captured. Using the images, a computing device instructs a printer how to mark guidelines within a threshold distance of each other on the strobels that signify strobel sewing lines for different shoes models and shoe sizes. Cross-sectional lines may also be printed on the strobels to aid in error-checking guideline marking. Unmarked strobels are stacked in a loading compartment, sometimes in pairs—e.g., right and left shoe strobels. The unmarked strobels are transferred to a conveyor that brings the strobels to the camera or scanner and the printer. After guidelines and/or cross-sectional lines are added to the strobels, the marked strobels are stacked in a compartments housing other marked strobels.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A system for marking a strobel, comprising:
a loading area for introducing the strobel onto a conveyor; a camera for capturing an image of the strobel when the strobel is moved by the conveyor to an imaging area; a printer for printing guidelines on the strobel when the conveyor moves the strobel from the imaging area to a printing area, wherein a first guideline of the guidelines is printed within a threshold distance of a second guideline of the guidelines; and a computing device for determining a position of the strobel from the image, and based on the position, instructing the printer where to print the guidelines on the strobel.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a movement mechanism for removing the strobel from the conveyor after being marked with the guidelines.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the movement mechanism uses compressed air to vacuum grip the strobel.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second conveyor capable of moving the strobel to a finished compartment comprising a stack of strobels marked with guidelines.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the camera comprises a charge coupled device (“CCD”) camera or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (“CMOS”) camera for image gathering.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the printer is adapted to also print one or more cross-sectional lines that extend between one or more portions of the guidelines.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the camera captures an image of the strobel having both the guidelines and the cross-sectional lines printed by the printer on the strobel.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the printer comprises an inkjet printer or a laser printer.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an image recognition module that analyzes the image and recognizes the strobel in the images.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold distance is within a range of 0.35 and 0.65 millimeters.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold distance is about 0.5 millimeters.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the printer uses piezoelectric materials to print the guidelines on the strobel.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the threshold distance is measured at two or more points between the first guideline and the second guideline.

14 . A system for marking a shoe strobel, comprising:
a loading device that transfers the shoe strobel from a first compartment onto a conveyor; and a camera that captures one or more images of the shoe strobel when the shoe strobel is moved by the conveyor from the loading device to an imaging area; an image recognition module on a computing device that recognizes a position of the shoe strobel on the conveyor when the conveyor moves the shoe strobel to the imaging area; and a printer, controlled by the computing device, that prints guidelines on the shoe strobel based on the one or more images, wherein a first guideline of the guidelines is printed within a threshold distance of a second guideline of the guidelines.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the threshold distance is within a range of 0.35 and 0.65 millimeters.

16 . The system of claim 14 , further comprising a ramp allowing the shoe strobel, after being marked with the guidelines, to transfer from the conveyor to a second compartment.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first and second compartments comprise stacks of shoe strobels.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the compartment comprises a stack of a plurality of shoe strobels.

19 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the loading device comprises:
a vacuum pad affixed to an arm through which compressed air is blown; and a controller, instructed by the computing device, for moving the arm and determining when to blow the compressed air.

20 . A process for marking guidelines on a shoe strobel, comprising:
using a vacuum pad to vacuum grip the shoe strobel to transfer the shoe strobel from a stack of shoe strobels to a conveyor; using the conveyor, moving the shoe strobel to an imaging area; in the imaging area, capturing an image of the shoe strobel; using the conveyor, moving the shoe strobel from the imaging area to a printing area; in the printing area, printing guidelines on the shoe strobel based on the image, wherein the guidelines comprise a first guideline and a second guideline; determining whether the first guideline is printed within a threshold distance of the second guideline; and removing the shoe strobel from the conveyor when the first guideline printed on the shoe strobel exceeds the threshold distance from the second guideline.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Chon Yong-Joo
• Kim Doo Young
• Kim Young Gwan

Classifications

• A43D1/00

  Foot or last measuring devices; Measuring devices for shoe parts · CPC title

• A43D2200/60

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

• A43D8/12

  Patterns or templates therefor · CPC title

• A43D8/28

  Patterns for drawing cut-outs (in making clothes A41H3/00) · CPC title

• A43D1/06 Primary

  Measuring devices for the inside measure of shoes, for the height of heels, or for the arrangement of heels · CPC title