Unitary multi-use alignment fixture for shoe production
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsTrisha M. Kamakeeaina, Jeremy Petty, Eric Graham, Melody Crisp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for manufacturing shoes is provided that includes two or more pieces of equipment used in the customization and manufacturing of shoes and an alignment fixture that may engage with each piece of equipment by way of an alignment mounting member. The alignment fixture may secure to it a portion of a shoe, such as an upper portion, wherein the shoe portion remains in a flat position, and in a fixed relationship to the alignment fixture, throughout the various processes performed by the pieces of equipment. These processes may include, for example, printing, laser, embroidery, forming, cutting, or the like.
Claims16
A system for manufacturing shoes, the system comprising:
- at least two different pieces of manufacturing equipment, each of the at least two different pieces of manufacturing equipment including an alignment mounting member;
- and
- an alignment fixture including an alignment mating member that engages with the alignment mounting member such that when the alignment fixture is moved from a first piece of the manufacturing equipment to a second piece of the manufacturing equipment, a portion of a shoe is maintained in a fixed relationship relative to the alignment mounting member of the first piece and the alignment mounting member of the second piece.
A method for implementing a manufacturing process on a portion of a shoe that is secured to an alignment fixture, the method comprising:
- securing a shoe portion between a first portion and a second portion of the alignment fixture such that the shoe portion is substantially flat, the first portion being a top plate and the second portion being a base plate, the top plate and the base plate of the alignment fixture being secured to each other;
- engaging an alignment mating member corresponding to the alignment fixture with a first alignment mounting member corresponding to a first piece of manufacturing equipment;
- and
- performing one or more manufacturing processes on the shoe portion at the first piece of manufacturing equipment, wherein the shoe portion remains flat and in a fixed relationship to the alignment fixture throughout the one or more manufacturing processes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.