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US 10,327,494 B2Granted
Laser finishing of apparel
AssigneeLevi Strauss & Co.
InventorsJames Barton Sights, Jennifer Schultz, Christopher Schultz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Software and lasers are used in finishing apparel to produce a desired wear pattern or other design. A technique includes determining a fabric's response to a laser, capturing an initial image of a wear pattern on a garment, and processing the initial image to obtain a working image in grayscale. The working image is further processed to obtain a difference image by comparing each pixel relative to a dark reference. The difference image is converted to a laser values image by using the previously determined fabric response to the laser.
Claims111
A method comprising:
- assembling a garment made from fabric panels of a woven first material comprising a warp comprising dyed cotton yarn, wherein the fabric panels are sewn together using thread, and the first material comprises a cotton twill;
- creating a laser input file that is representative of a finishing pattern from an existing garment made from a second material, wherein the first material comprises a different fabric characteristic from the second material, and the creating the laser input file comprises
- capturing a target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, and
- determining values for the laser input file that will result in a finishing pattern on the first material to obtain an appearance similar to the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises
- selecting a dark reference in the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material,
- for a pixel in the target image, calculating a difference value between a pixel value and the dark reference, and
- storing a difference value in the laser input file, wherein the laser input file comprises a reverse image compared to the target image;
- and
- using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment based on the laser input file.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- assembling a garment made from fabric panels of a woven first material comprising a warp comprising dyed cotton yarn, wherein the fabric panels are sewn together using thread, and the first material comprises a cotton twill;
- creating a laser input file that is representative of a finishing pattern from an existing garment made from a second material, wherein the second material comprises a cotton twill, and the first material comprises a different fabric characteristic from the second material, and the creating the laser input file comprises
- capturing a target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, and
- determining values for the laser input file that will result in a finishing pattern on the first material to obtain an appearance similar to the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises
- selecting a dark reference in the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material,
- for a pixel in the target image, calculating a difference value between a pixel value and the dark reference, and
- storing a difference value in the laser input file, wherein the laser input file comprises a reverse image compared to the target image;
- and
- using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment based on the laser input file.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- assembling a garment made from fabric panels of a woven first material comprising a warp comprising dyed cotton yarn, wherein the fabric panels are sewn together using thread;
- creating a laser input file that is representative of a finishing pattern from an existing garment made from a second material, wherein the second material comprises a cotton twill, and the first material comprises a different fabric characteristic from the second material, and the creating the laser input file comprises
- capturing a target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, and
- determining values for the laser input file that will result in a finishing pattern on the first material to obtain an appearance similar to the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises
- selecting a dark reference in the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material,
- for a pixel in the target image, calculating a difference value between a pixel value and the dark reference, and
- storing a difference value in the laser input file, wherein the laser input file comprises a reverse image compared to the target image;
- and
- using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment based on the laser input file.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.