Automated identification and assembly of shoe parts
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsPatrick Conall Regan, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chih-Chi Chang, Ming-Feng Jean, Chang-Chu Liao
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Abstract
Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.
Claims20
A method for positioning and assembling shoe parts in an automated manner during a shoe-manufacturing process, the method comprising:
- receiving a first image depicting a two-dimensional representation of an attachment shoe part which is to be attached to a base shoe part;
- determining a first geometric coordinate in a geometric coordinate system of the attachment shoe part by analyzing the first image;
- receiving a second image depicting a two-dimensional representation of the base shoe part;
- determining a second geometric coordinate in the geometric coordinate system of the base shoe part by analyzing the second image;
- and
- transferring, by a pickup tool, the attachment shoe part from the first geometric coordinate to the second geometric coordinate.
A method of positioning and joining a plurality of shoe parts using automated identification and a multi-functional manufacturing tool, the method comprising:
- receiving a first image depicting a two-dimensional representation of an attachment shoe part which is to be attached to a base shoe part;
- determining a first geometric coordinate of the attachment shoe part in a geometric coordinate system by analyzing the first image;
- receiving a second image depicting a two-dimensional representation of the base shoe part;
- determining a second geometric coordinate of the base shoe part in the geometric coordinate system by analyzing the second image;
- and
- transferring, using the multi-functional manufacturing tool, the attachment shoe part from the first geometric coordinate to the second geometric coordinate.
A system that positions and attaches shoe parts in an automated manner during a shoe-manufacturing process, the system comprising:
- at least one image recorder configured to record:
- a first image depicting a two-dimensional representation of an attachment shoe part;
- and
- a second image depicting a two-dimensional representation of a base shoe part;
- and
- one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to:
- determine a first geometric coordinate of the attachment shoe part in a geometric coordinate system by analyzing the first image;
- determine a second geometric coordinate of the base shoe part in the geometric coordinate system by analyzing the second image;
- and
- instruct a manufacturing tool to transfer the attachment shoe part from the first geometric coordinate to the second geometric coordinate for attachment to the base shoe part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.