Patent Publication Number: US-2020297078-A1

Title: Shoe components based on customer data

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Shoes may be manufactured according to industry standard sizes for mass production. Using industry standard sizes is likely to accommodate a high percentage of the customer base. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some examples of the present application are described with respect to the following figures: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a system to manufacture a component of a shoe based on customer data, according to an example; 
         FIG. 2A-2C  illustrate examples a physical last that receives a shaping device generated based on customer data to manufacture a component of a shoe; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a shaping device that customizes a physical last based on customer data to manufacture a component of a shoe, according to an example; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a programmable physical last to manufacture a component of a shoe based on customer data, according to an example; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an injection molding process to be used with a physical last to manufacture a component of a shoe based on customer data, according to an example; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a computing device that determines customizations of a physical last based on customer data, according to an example; and 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a computing device that determines customizations of a component of a shoe based on customer data, according to an example. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Variations in foot sizes (e.g., length and width) exist among individual customers. Thus, a customer&#39;s foot size may not match well with an industry standard size, leading to an uncomfortable fit of the shoe. 
     Examples described herein provide a system to manufacture a customized component of shoe based on customer data. For example, a shaping device may be attached to a physical last to define a component of shoe for customization. The component may be manufactured using the last. The shaping device may be a fitting that is generated based on three dimensional (3D) scan data of a foot of a customer and pressure data associated with the foot of the customer. In another example, a shaping device may encompass a region of a physical last. The shaping device may include a set of actuators to customize the last by defining a shape of the region based on 3D scan data of a foot of a customer and pressure data associated with the foot of the customer. In another example, a set of actuators may be located within a physical last. A deployment of the set of actuators to define a shape of a region of the last may be based on 3D scan data of a foot of a customer and pressure data associated with the foot of the customer. Examples described herein may increase efficiency of manufacturing customized shoe. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a system  100  to manufacture a component of a shoe based on customer data, according to an example. System  100  may be a device or a set of devices that manufacture a component of shoe using a physical last. As used herein, a component of shoe may include an insole of a shoe, a midsole of a shoe, an upper of a shoe, or a combination thereof. An insole may be an inner layer of the sole of a shoe. A midsole may be a layer of the sole of the shoe that is between the insole and an outsole. An upper may be a portion of a shoe that holds the shoe to the foot of a customer. 
     System  100  may include a physical last  102 . Physical last  102  may be a physical device that is in the shape of a human foot. During operation, system  100  may receive three-dimensional (3D) scan data  104  of a foot of a customer and/or pressure data  106  associated with the foot of the customer. 3D scan data  104  may be measurements of the foot obtained using a 3D foot scanner. 3D scan data  104  may be used to create a 3D digital representation of the foot. Pressure data  106  may indicate pressure distribution experienced by the foot. Pressure data  106  may include both static pressure data (e.g., when the customer is standing still) and dynamic pressure data (e.g., when the customer is in motion). Pressure data  104  may be obtained using a pressure sensor. Based on 3D scan data  104  and pressure data  106 , physical last  102  may be modified so that a component of a shoe manufactured using physical last  102  is customized for the particular customer. Modifying physical last  102  to manufacture a customized component of a shoe for a particular customer is described in more detail in  FIGS. 2A-4 . 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates a physical last that receives a shaping device generated based on customer data to manufacture a component of a shoe, according to an example. Physical last  102  may include a housing  202 . A region of housing  202  may receive a shaping device  204  to define a shape of the region so that a component of a shoe manufactured using physical last  102  with shaping device  204  is customized for a customer. 
     In an example, shaping device  204  may be a piece of fitting generated based on 3D scan data  104  and/or pressure data  106 . Shaping device  204  may be manufactured in a plurality of manners. In an example, a digital representation of shaping device  204  may be determined from 3D scan data  104  and/or pressure data  106 . The digital representation of shaping device  204  may include dimensions of shaping device  204  (e.g., length, width, depth, height, etc.). The digital representation of shaping device  204  may be used to manufacture shaping device  204  via a subtractive manufacturing process, an additive manufacturing process, a molding process, or a combination thereof. 
     In some examples, an additive manufacturing process may include a 3D printing process. The digital representation of shaping device  204  may be sent to a 3D printer for manufacturing. In some examples, in a subtractive manufacturing process, shaping device  204  may be first manufactured having standard dimensions (e.g., via an additive manufacturing process). Shaping device  204  may be cut or trimmed to custom dimensions based on the digital representation of shaping device  204  in a milling machine. In some examples, the digital representation of shaping device  204  may be used to create a mold for injection molding. The mold may be used to create shaping device  204 . 
     Once manufactured, shaping device  204  may be attached to a bottom region  206  of housing  202 . For example, shaping device  204  may be attached to bottom region  206  via magnets, clips, screws, etc. When shaping device  204  is attached to bottom region  206 , housing  202  with shaping device  204  may be used to create a component of a shoe that is customized for a particular customer. 
     Shaping device  204  may also be attached to other regions of housing  202 , which is described in more detail in  FIGS. 2B-2C . As illustrates in  FIG. 2B , shaping device  204  may be attached to an upper region  208  of housing  202 . As illustrates in  FIG. 2C , shaping device  204  may be attached to a side region  210  of housing  202 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a shaping device  300  that customizes a physical last  302  based on customer data to manufacture a component of a shoe, according to an example. Physical last  302  may include a housing  304 . Shaping device  300  may include a housing  306 , a controller  308 , and a set of actuators  310 . Controller  308  may be a central processing unit (CPU), a semiconductor-based microprocessor, and/or other hardware devices suitable to control set of actuators  310 . Housing  306  may include a recessed region to encompass a region of housing  202  of physical last  302 . For example, housing  306  may include a recessed region to encompass a bottom region  312  of housing  304 . Housing  304  may be made from deformable material. For example, the deformable material may be high temperature silicone rubber. 
     During operation, shaping device  300  may receive shaping information  314  that defines a shape of bottom region  312 . Shaping information  314  may be determined using 3D scan data  104  and/or pressure data  106 . Based on shaping information  314 , controller  308  may control a deployment of set of actuators  310 . As an example, controller  308  may activate an actuator  316  of set of actuators  310  to define the shape of bottom region  312  by deforming a portion of bottom region  312 . When the shape of bottom region  312  is defined, shaping device  300  may be detached from housing  304 . Shaped physical last  302  may be used to manufacture a component of a shoe that is customized for a particular customer. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a programmable physical last  400  to manufacture a component of a shoe based on customer data, according to an example. Physical last  400  may include a housing  402 , a controller  404 , and a set of actuators  406 . Housing  402  may be similar to housing  304  of  FIG. 3 . Controller  404  may be a central processing unit (CPU), a semiconductor-based microprocessor, and/or other hardware devices suitable to control operations of set of actuators  406 . During operation, controller  404  may receive shaping information  314 . Based on shaping information  314 , controller  404  may deploy set of actuators  406  to define a shape of a bottom region  408  of housing  402 . When the shape of bottom region  408  is defined, shaped physical last  400  may be used to manufacture a component of a shoe that is customized for a particular customer. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an injection molding process to be used with a physical last to manufacture a component of a shoe based on customer data, according to an example.  FIG. 5  is described in reference to physical last  102 . However, it should be understood that any of physical lasts  302  and  404  may also be used in the molding process described in  FIG. 5 . 
     During a molding process, such as an injection molding process, a molding device  500  may be used to form a component of a shoe using physical last  102 . Molding device  500  may include a housing  502  may include a cavity  504  that receives a portion of housing  202  to define a mold. For example, a portion of  202  may be encompassed by housing  502  such that bottom region  206  of housing  202  is encompassed by cavity  504 . Thus, remaining space in cavity  504  (not taken up by housing  202 ) may define a mold for a component of a shoe. Molding device  500  may also include an injection machine  508 . Housing  502  may include an opening  510  to receive a tip  512  of injection machine  508 . 
     Injection machine  508  may determine how a component of a shoe is formed based on injection instructions  514 . Injection instructions  514  may be determined based on 3D scan data  104  and/or pressure data  106 . For example, injection machine  508  may, based on injection instructions  514 , vary the speed and/or pressure of the material injected over time to change a property of the material. Thus, a first region of a component may be formed using a material having a first property. A second region of the component may be formed using the material with a second property different from the first property. The resulting component may have material properties that vary along a gradient depending on the speed and/or pressure of the material injected. As another example, injection machine  508  may inject different materials to form the component. Injection machine  508  may inject a first material during a first time period to form a first region of the component. Injection machine  508  may inject a second material during a second time period to form a second region of the component. Thus, the resulting component may be formed using different materials. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a computing device  600  that determines customizations of a physical last based on customer data, according to an example. Computing device  600  may be used with any of system  100  of  FIG. 1 , shaping device  204  of  FIG. 2 , shaping device  300  of  FIG. 3 , and physical last  400  of  FIG. 4 . 
     Computing device  600  may include a processor  602  and a computer-readable storage medium  604 . Processor  602  may include a central processing unit (CPU), a semiconductor-based microprocessor, and/or other hardware devices suitable to control operations of computing device  600 . Computer-readable storage medium  604  may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that contains or stores executable instructions. Thus, computer-readable storage medium  604  may be, for example, Random Access Memory (RAM), an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), a storage device, an optical disc, etc. In some examples, computer-readable storage medium  604  may be a non-transitory storage medium, where the term “non-transitory” does not encompass transitory propagating signals. As described in detail below, computer-readable storage medium  604  may be encoded with a series of processor executable instructions  606  and  608 . 
     Data receiving instructions  606  may receive 3D scan data, such as 3D scan data  104 , and/or pressure data, such as pressure data  106 . Physical last customization determination instructions  608  may determine a modification to be applied to a physical last based on the 3D scan data and/or the pressure data received using data receiving instructions  606 . For example, the modification may include dimensions of shaping device  204 . As another example, the modification may include a digital representation of shaping device  204 . As another example, the modification may include shaping information  314 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a computing device  700  that determines customizations of a component of a shoe based on customer data, according to an example. Computing device  700  may be used during a molding process, such as with injection machine  508 . Computing device  700  may include processor  602  and a computer-readable storage medium  702 . Computer-readable storage medium  702  may be similar to computer-readable storage medium  604  of  FIG. 6 . Computer-readable storage medium  702  may be encoded with instructions  606  and  704 . Component forming instructions  704  may determine how a component of a shoe is formed. For example, referring to  FIG. 5 , component forming instructions  704  may generate injection instructions  514  based on 3D scan data  104  and/or pressure data  106 . 
     The use of “comprising”, “including” or “having” are synonymous and variations thereof herein are meant to be inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional unrecited elements or method steps.