Internal measurement collection system and method of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9514487-B2
Application number	US-201213492221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2012
Priority date	Jun 8, 2011
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

A system for measuring dimensions and/or other internal properties of a shoe, garment or other object of interest is described. The system includes a fixture having a measurement tip. When the tip is placed inside of the object of interest, a processor collects positional data from the fixture to develop a three-dimensional model of the interior of the object. If the measurement tip includes one or more pressure sensors, the processor may collect pressure data and use the pressure data to include stretch properties in the three-dimensional model.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for determining internal dimensions of an object of interest, the system comprising:
an adjustable fixture comprising:
a plurality of sections, wherein an individual section has a shape corresponding to an interior portion of the object of interest,
a member configured to expand a first pair of sections within the object of interest in a first direction to measure a width and to expand a second pair of sections in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction to measure a height,
a positional sensor configured to collect positional data of the adjustable fixture based at least in part on expansion of the first pair of sections within the object of interest in the first direction and expansion of the second pair of sections within the object of interest in the second direction, and
a pressure sensor, located on outward facing surfaces of the first pair of sections and the second pair of sections, configured to collect pressure data based at least in part on the expansion of the first pair of sections within the object of interest in the first direction and the expansion of the second pair of sections within the object of interest in the second direction;
a processor in communication with the positional sensor and the pressure sensor, and configured to receive the positional data from the positional sensor and the pressure data from the pressure sensor;
a memory containing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
determine an offset position based at least in part on the expansion of the first pair of sections within the object of interest in the first direction and the expansion of the second pair of sections within the object of interest in the second direction; and
use the offset position to develop three-dimensional data for an object model for the object of interest; and
a database to store the object model for the object of interest, the object model including the positional data and the pressure data.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
retrieve a device identifier for the adjustable fixture;
identify, using the device identifier, a three-dimensional fixture model from a plurality of three-dimensional fixture models stored in another database, the three-dimensional fixture model corresponding to the adjustable fixture;
determine a change in dimension of the adjustable fixture based on the positional data and the three-dimensional fixture model;
determine material stretch properties of the object of interest based on the pressure data; and
develop the object model using the change in dimension and the material stretch properties.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the object of interest comprises a shoe and the material stretch properties comprise at least one of:
a value related to an amount of support the shoe provides; or
a value related to an amount of comfort the shoe provides.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the adjustable fixture further comprises a drive mechanism operably connected to the plurality of sections and configured to cause each of the plurality of sections to move from a retracted state to an expanded state; and
the adjustable fixture further comprises a force gauge configured to measure an amount of force exerted by the plurality of sections on the object of interest.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein each section of the plurality of sections comprises at least one reference point indicating a current position.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the object of interest is a footwear item and at least one section of the plurality of sections is configured to conform to a shape of a toe portion of the footwear item.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the adjustable fixture further comprises:
a directional member that is connected to the member via a first hinge,
a base arm that is rotatably connected to the directional member via a second hinge, and
a base that is rotatably connected to the base arm.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine a girth of the interior portion of the object of interest based on the positional data.

9. A system for measuring a wearable item, the system comprising:
a fixture comprising:
a plurality of measurement sections that correspond to a shape of an interior portion of the wearable item, the plurality of measurement sections comprising a plurality of pressure sensors, located on outward facing surfaces of the plurality of measurement sections, configured to collect pressure data,
a member configured to move a first pair of measurement sections within the wearable item in a first direction to measure a width of the interior portion of the wearable item and to move a second pair of measurement sections within the wearable item in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction to measure a height of the interior portion of the wearable item, and
a positional sensor configured to collect positional data of the fixture based at least in part on the member moving the first pair of measurement sections and the second pair of measurement sections;

a processor in communication with the positional sensor and the plurality of pressure sensors, and configured to receive the positional data from the positional sensor and the pressure data from the plurality of pressure sensors;
a memory containing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to:
determine a plurality of offset positions based at least in part on movement of the first pair of measurement sections within the wearable item in the first direction and movement of the second pair of measurement sections within the wearable item in the second direction; and
use the plurality of offset positions to develop a three-dimensional item model for the wearable item; and

a database to store the three-dimensional item model for the wearable item, the item model including the positional data and the pressure data.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein each offset position is separated from an end by a vector.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
retrieve a device identifier for the fixture;
identify, using the device identifier, a three-dimensional fixture model from a plurality of three-dimensional fixture models stored in another database, the three-dimensional fixture model corresponding to the fixture;
determine interior dimensions of the wearable item based on the positional data and the three-dimensional fixture model;
determine material stretch properties of the wearable item based on the pressure data; and
develop the three-dimensional item model for the wearable item using the interior dimensions and the material stretch properties.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
an individual measurement section is configured to move from a retracted state to an expanded state;
the fixture further comprises a drive mechanism operably connected to the plurality of measurement sections and configured to facilitate movement of the individual measurement sections from the retracted state to the expanded state; and
the fixture further comprises a force gauge configured to measure an amount of force exerted by the plurality of measurement sections on the wearable item.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein an individual measurement section of the plurality of the measurement sections comprises at least one associated reference point indicating a current position of the individual measurement section.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein:
the wearabl

Assignees

• Wilkinson Matthew Tyler
• Fresen Grant B
• End Nicholas B
• Lin Michael
• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Wilkinson Matthew Tyler
• Fresen Grant B
• End Nicholas B
• Lin Michael

Classifications

• A43D1/02

  Foot-measuring devices (measuring the shape, pattern or size of the body for diagnostic purposes A61B5/103, e.g. measuring physical dimensions A61B5/107) · CPC title

• G01B21/20 Primary

  for measuring contours or curvatures, e.g. determining profile · CPC title

• A41H1/00

  Measuring aids or methods · CPC title

• A43D1/06

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

• G06Q30/0631 Primary

  Recommending goods or services · CPC title