Patent Publication Number: US-8966775-B2

Title: Digital bite line creation for shoe assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a system and method for generating bite lines for the assembly of shoes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for creating a digital bite line for use in applying adhesives as part of the assembly of a shoe upper to a shoe sole assembly and to creating limited visibility bite lines for use in quality control checking during the manufacturing of shoes. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Shoes may be made by combining components, such as uppers and soles, which may themselves be made of sub-components. Various techniques, such as stitching and/or applying adhesives may be used to combine the components and/or sub-components of a shoe into a finished product. Whatever technique is used to join components and/or sub-components during the assembly of a shoe, those components and/or sub-components must be combined at the proper locations and in proper alignment in order for the assembled shoe to function properly. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to shoes, especially athletic shoes, typically comprise an upper portion that at least partially encloses the foot of the wearer and a sole portion that protects contacts the ground, floor or other surface upon which the wearer will stand, walk or run. Uppers are often made of leather, fabric, flexible sheets, or other types of material that may be curved and shaped in three dimensions and are sufficiently pliable to receive human feet while providing a desired amount of durability, support, and protection to the wearer&#39;s foot. Soles often comprise at least two components, an outsole and a midsole. An outsole, if used, contacts the ground or other surface and, therefore, may provide any desired traction properties and sufficient resilience to last the intended lifespan of the shoe without degrading or wearing through due to friction during walking, running, etc. A midsole, if used, may provide cushioning to the wearer&#39;s foot, which may be particularly desirable for activities, such as many sports, that often involve a wearer&#39;s foot impacting the ground, floor or other surface repeatedly and/or with great force. Even many non-athletes prefer to wear shoes that provide considerable cushioning from the combined midsole and outsole assemblies similar to those found in many sports shoes, and may likewise prefer the support and/or protection often provided by a sports shoe upper. 
     As a result of the desires of protection and support from an upper, cushioning from a midsole, and traction and durability of an outsole, a given shoe may utilize diverse materials and structural designs for these different components of a shoe. Nevertheless, these components must be ultimately integrated to form a wearable shoe that is both functional and, ideally, attractive. One approach is to use an adhesive or adhesives to affix an outsole and a midsole together and then to use different or similar adhesives to affix the sole assembly to the upper. When using such an approach, however, care must be taken to provide sufficient adhesive coverage between the sole assembly and the upper in order to create an acceptably strong bond, but care must also be taken to avoid over application of adhesives to other regions of a shoe, such as the portions of the upper immediately above the midsole, as such an over application of adhesives can be unsightly at best and wasteful or detrimental to the performance of the shoe in some circumstances. While meticulous and time consuming hand work coupled with a high rejection rate during quality control processes may achieve shoes with uppers and sole assemblies well adhered to one another without over application of adhesives, such an approach may be costly and wasteful. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein the drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of an example system for generating a bite line on a shoe upper in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the example system for generating a bite line on a shoe upper in accordance with the present invention while contacting a partially assembled shoe; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a further perspective view of the example system for generating a bite line on a shoe upper in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a partially assembled shoe contacted by a stylus while in a first position; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a partially assembled shoe contacted by a stylus after rotation into a second position; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an example of a method in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an example of a further method in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a bite line creation system  100  may comprise and arm assembly  140  terminating with a stylus  150  and a turntable assembly  160  that receives a partially assembled shoe  110 . Arm assembly  140  may comprise, for example, an apparatus such as is sometimes used to create digital representations of physical objects by converting the position of a stylus, such as stylus  150 , into x,y,z coordinates or an equivalent coordinate system (such as polar coordinates). For example, arm assembly  140  may be operably connected to a computer  105  such that sensors in arm assembly  140  may transmit measurements describing the position of stylus  150  to computer  105  to permit a file representing the position of stylus  150  in a three-dimensional space over a period of time. While the example arm assembly  140  illustrated in  FIG. 1  is for illustrative purposes only, arm assembly  140  may comprise a base  141  having sufficient mass to provide stability for the arm assembly  140 . A collar  142  may secure a pillar  143  to base  141 . A hinged joint  145  may rotatably join a first arm  146  to pillar  143 . First arm  146  may terminate with a counterweight  144  at the end of first arm  146  opposite from stylus  150 . Opposite of the counterweight  144 , first arm  146  may be rotatably joined to a second arm  148  by a second hinge joint  147 . Second arm  148  may terminate opposite second hinge joint  147  with a stylus receiving assembly  149 . Stylus receiving assembly  149  may receive and firmly retain stylus  150 . Stylus receiving assembly  149  may also comprise a hinged joint to permit stylus  150  to rotate relative to second arm  148 . Sensors may be provided in first hinge joint  145 , second hinge joint  147 , stylus retainer assembly  149 , and/or collar  142 . Any sensors so provided may communicate with computer  105 . In this fashion, a plurality of sensor readings of angles of rotation coupled with known dimensions of the various components may be translated into a digital file representing the position of the tip of stylus  150  in space during the period of time in which data is being collected. Position data may be collected and/or recorded at predetermined time intervals. The accuracy of such digital files may be enhanced by performing calibrations that involve positioning stylus  150  in one or more known and/or well defined locations relative to other components of arm assembly  140 . 
     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , a partially assembled shoe  110  may be present to receive a bite line for subsequent use in the assembly process. Shoe  110  may comprise an upper portion  112  pressed against a sole assembly  114 . Upper assembly  112  may receive a shoe last  120  to provide sufficient structural support to permit shoe upper  112  to be pressed into sole assembly  114  to temporarily form a junction line  116  where sole assembly  114  terminates on upper assembly  112 . A pre-determined amount of pressure may be applied to temporarily press lasted upper  112  against sole assembly  114  using press  130 . Press  130  may have a first member  132  that may engage shoe last  120  and a second member  134  that engages the top of lasted shoe upper  112 . A turntable  160  may provide support for the partially assembled shoe  110  when pressure is applied by press  130 . The force generated by press  130 , the number of members extending from press  130 , the type and size of last  120  used, and the like may vary for different types, varieties, and sizes of shoes. Turntable  160  may rotate about a pillar  162  or other axis at a predetermined or known rate. Turntable  160  may be rotated by a motorized operation or by hand, foot, or other power supplied by a human operator. The rate of rotation may be mechanically or electronically controlled and/or measured. By either controlling or measuring the rate of rotation, the turntable  160  and partially assembled shoe  110  may be rotated at a known rate. Press  130 , first member  132 , second member  134 , last  120 , and/or any additional members may rotate in concert with turntable  160 , thereby permitting partially assembled shoe  110  to rotate as well. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the exemplary system  100  of  FIG. 1  is shown in greater detail. In particular,  FIG. 2  illustrates stylus  150  engaged with junction line  116  of partially assembled shoe  110 . As illustrated more clearly in  FIG. 2 , stylus  150  may comprise a stylus base  152  that connects stylus assembly  149  and a stylus tip  154  that terminates stylus  150 . In the present example, stylus  150  may terminate in a marking tip  201 . Marking tip  201  may create line, indicia, were other mark when contacting the shoe upper  112 . Marking tip  201  may comprise, for example, an auto vanishing pen. The type of marking tip  201  used in accordance with the present invention may vary based upon the materials, color, and/or subsequent processing steps for shoe  110  and shoe upper  112 . Marking tip  201  may, for example, comprise a limited visibility marking tip that create marks of erasable ink, graphite, dyes, or the like. A limited visibility marking tip  201  may generate a line on upper  112  that can be removed during subsequent processing to eliminate any unsightly marks that might be undesirable in a finished shoe. Alternatively, a limited visibility marking tip  201  may mark upper  112  with a material, such as an ink or a dye, that is visible only during certain viewing conditions, such as exposure to particular wavelengths of light such as ultraviolet, or that is visible for only a relatively short period of time after application, such as a few minutes, hours, or days. 
     Marking tip  201  of stylus  150  may be engaged at junction line  116  where sole assembly  114  meets lasted shoe upper  112  while turntable assembly  160  is rotated at a predetermined rate indicated by arrow  200 . Data describing the position of stylus  150  may be collected and used to create a digital bite line corresponding to the junction line  116 . The digital bite line thus created may be used in subsequent shoe assembly operations, such as for generating tool paths for the application of adhesives to permanently affix shoe upper  112  to sole assembly  114 . Such tool paths may be utilized to prevent adhesive overspray from extending beyond the junction line  116  and on to portions of upper  112  that will not be covered by sole assembly  114  after assembly and similarly to prevent overspray from extending beyond the junction line  116  and onto portions of sole assembly  114  that will not be covered by shoe upper  112  after assembly. A limited visibility bite line generated by marking tip  201  may be utilized for quality control purposes during adhesive application and/or after assembly of the shoe upper  112  to the shoe sole assembly  114 . Such a limited visibility bite line may be visible to a human or to an optical recognition system performing control evaluation to detect adhesive overspray and/or a misalignment of shoe upper  112  and sole assembly  114  in final assembly. 
     Stylus  150  may be engaged at junction line  116  by an operator or by automated processes and equipment. An operator who engages stylus  150  to partially assembled shoe  110  at junction line  116  may also activate the rotation of turntable  160  and initiate the collection of data by arm assembly  140  and/or computer  105 , although these processes may be automated as well. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a further example of a bite line generation system in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. In the example shown in  FIG. 3 , a user may manipulate stylus  150  by hand  310  to position marking tip  201  of stylus  150  at the junction line  116  of a partially assembled shoe  110 . Depending upon the type of arm assembly, computing device, and other equipment used in a system in accordance with the present invention, the manner in which a user may position or otherwise contact marketing tip  201  of stylus  150  partially assembled shoe  110  may vary. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , example coordinate systems for use in making measurements using stylus  150  are illustrated. In  FIG. 4 , a cross section of a partially assembled shoe  110  is illustrated viewed from above with the cross section taken at junction line  116 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , marking tip  201  of stylus  150  contacts shoe  110  at junction line  116  at a first point having coordinates in an x-y plane, although points may also have a location along a z axis that is not illustrated. While the example illustrated in  FIG. 4  may represent the orientation of partially assembled shoe  110  at any time, for exemplary purposes the example illustrated in  FIG. 4  may be referred to as occurring at a first time. Meanwhile,  FIG. 5  illustrates partially assembled shoe  110  at a second time after shoe  110  has been rotated through a first angle  500 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , now a rotated u-v plane may be associated with partially rotated shoe  110 , while the non-rotated x-y plane may be associated with measurements made by stylus  150 . Measurements made by stylus  150 , in conjunction with arm assembly and appropriate software operating on a computing device, may be translated to the appropriate coordinates for their locations on partially assembled shoe  110  using angle  500 , which may be known based upon the known rate of rotation of shoe  110  and the amount of time elapsed between the first time and the second time. Accordingly, trigonometric relationships may be used to create a digital bite line corresponding to the locations of stylus  150  at a plurality of times as partially assembled shoe  110  is rotated through at least one complete revolution. These plurality of locations may then be used to generate a digital bite line corresponding to the junction line formed with the shoe upper is pressed into the shoe sole assembly with a particular amount of pressure. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a method  600  for generating bite lines on shoes is illustrated. The example illustrated by  FIG. 6  represents only one example of a method  600  in accordance with the present invention. The order of steps of method  600  described may be changed, and all or part of some steps may be omitted. Method  600  they commence by temporarily assembling a shoe upper and a shoe sole assembly in step  610 . Step  610  may be performed, for example, by lasting a shoe upper and administering a predetermined amount of pressure to temporarily engage the lasted shoe upper against or into a shoe sole assembly. In step  620 , a digital bite line may be generated at the junction of the shoe upper and shoe sole assembly. In step  630 , a limited visibility bite line may be generated at the junction of the shoe upper and shoe sole assembly. As described above, step  620  of creating a digital bite line and step  630  of generating a limited visibility bite line may be performed simultaneously using the same device. The limited visibility bite line generated in step  630  may comprise a physical mark upon the shoe upper that is observable during limited conditions, such as for only a relatively brief period of time, only under particular lighting conditions such as exposure to ultraviolet lighting, or only until erasure. In step  640  the digital bite line may be used to generate a tool path for the application of adhesives to the shoe upper and/or sole assembly for use in permanently assembling the shoe upper and shoe sole assembly. Such an application of adhesives may occur after temporarily separating the shoe upper from the shoe sole assembly. For example, step  640  may use the digital bite line generated in step  620  to guide and adhesive spray head to apply adhesive only to the portion of lasted upper bounded by the digital bite line and, hence, only to those areas ultimately covered by the sole assembly when the shoe is fully and permanently constructed. In step  660  a quality control check may be performed using the limited visibility bite line. Step  660  may be performed under conditions such that the limited visibility bite line may be observable, either to a human performing a quality control check or to a computerized optical scanning quality control system, or to some combination thereof. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a further example of a method  700  in accordance with the present invention for simultaneously generating both a digital bite line and a limited visibility bite line is illustrated. While the steps of method  700  are described in one example order, method  700  is not limited to the order of steps described in the present example, and example steps may be omitted in whole or in part. Method  700  may commence with step  710  of lasting a shoe upper assembly. In step  720 , a predetermined amount of pressure may be applied to the lasted shoe upper assembly to force the shoe upper assembly against a shoe sole assembly to temporarily assemble the lasted upper to the shoe sole assembly and to create a junction line where the shoe upper assembly meets the shoe sole assembly. In step  730 , the junction line formed between the shoe upper and the shoe sole simply in step  720  may be contacted with a digital stylus having a limited visibility marking tip. After the completion of step  730 , in step  740  the lasted upper and shoe sole assembly may be rotated at a known rate while being contacted by the limited visibility marking tip of the digital stylus. Step  740  may therefore simultaneously create a digital bite line and a corresponding limited visibility bite line. Step  750  may use the digital bite line created in step  740  to generate a tool path for applying adhesive to the lasted shoe upper and/or shoe sole assembly to prevent over application of adhesive beyond the bite line. A tool such as an adhesive spray head may follow the tool path generated in step  750  to apply adhesives when the lasted shoe upper and shoe sole assembly have been separated after creation of the bite lines. In step  760 , the limited visibility bite line may be used to perform a quality control check of the adhesive application of step  750 . Step  760  may be optionally performed prior to the ultimate assembly of the shoe upper assembly and the shoe sole assembly. In step  770  the upper may be permanently attached to the shoe sole assembly. Step  770  may be performed, for example, by using adhesives applied to the shoe upper and/or shoe sole assembly to permanently affix the shoe upper to the shoe sole assembly. Step  770  may require the activation of one or more adhesives through other processes, such as heating or ultraviolet activation, and the application of pressure to force the lasted shoe upper against the shoe sole assembly with a predetermined amount of force for a predetermined amount of time, and/or adhesive curing. In step  780 , the limited visibility bite line may optionally be used to perform a quality control check of the assembled shoe upper and shoe sole assembly. For example, in step  780  the assembled shoe upper and shoe sole assembly may be evaluated to assure that the edges of shoe sole assembly on shoe upper correctly correspond to the limited visibility bite line. Step  780  may be performed either by a human performing a quality control check or and optical recognition system, or some combination of both. Method  700  may conclude with step  790  of optionally rendering the limited visibility bite line unobservable. Step  790  may be particularly useful if the limited visibility bite line requires erasure or other removal to be rendered unobservable. Step  790  may occur without direct action if limited visibility bite lines are created using inks or other materials that rapidly fade or that are only observable under specific viewing conditions that are not likely to be experienced by ultimate purchasers and/or users of a shoe. 
     Systems and methods of generating bite lines for the assembly of shoes in accordance with the present invention are not limited to the examples illustrated and described herein. For example, a variety of arm and stylus assemblies may be used to contact a partially assembled shoe beyond the examples provided herein. Further, depending upon the mechanical operation and/or computing software employed, the desired location for a digital and/or limited visibility bite line may vary, such as by offsetting the bite line in a given direction. For example, a digital stylus tip may be offset from a marking tip by a predetermined distance, and that distance may be accounted for in the generation of a digital bite line and/or tool paths. Further, the creation of a limited visibility bite line may be performed in any fashion that creates a usable mark for quality control check purposes that will not mar or blemish a completed shoe. The limited visibility bite line may be omitted entirety if quality control checks are not necessary, if quality control checks are to be performed without the assistance of a visible bite line or if quality control checks are to be performed using an automated optical system with the digital bite line as a reference. Variables such as the amount of pressure applied to partially assemble a lasted shoe upper and a shoe sole assembly, the rate of rotating a partially assembled shoe, the frequency of recording the location of a digital stylus, and the like may be adjusted based upon the characteristics of a shoe being assembled and the equipment and materials being used for that assembly. 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.