Automated strobel printing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9380837-B2
Application number	US-201514857489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2015
Priority date	Sep 11, 2012
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A machine moves shoe strobels to a camera or scanner where images of the strobels 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, wherein the printer is adapted to also print one or more cross-sectional lines that extend between one or more portions 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 camera captures an additional image of the strobel having both the guidelines and the cross-sectional lines printed by the printer on the strobel.

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

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

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

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

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

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

13. 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.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the threshold distance is within a range of 0.35 and 0.65 millimeters.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a ramp allowing the shoe strobel, after being marked with the guidelines, to transfer from the conveyor to a second compartment.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first and second compartments comprise stacks of shoe strobels.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the compartment comprises a stack of a plurality of shoe strobels.

18. The system of claim 13 , 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.

19. 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

• A43B13/38

  Built-in insoles joined to uppers during the manufacturing process, e.g. structural insoles; Insoles glued to shoes during the manufacturing process · CPC title

• A43D111/00

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

• A43D8/10

  Cutting-out using pattern grading (for trimming A43D8/38; pattern grading in making clothes A41H3/00; pattern copying in general B23Q33/00, B23Q35/00) · CPC title

• A43D8/26 Primary

  Marking for future work (A43D8/16 takes precedence; printing per se, stamping per se B41) · CPC title

• A43D2200/60

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