Assembly process for automated footwear platform
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorSummer L. Schneider
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Assembly methods related to an automated footwear platform including a lacing engine drive apparatus are discussed. In an example, an assembly method can include operations such as inserting a mid-sole plate, attaching a laced upper portion, and inserting a lacing engine. The inserting a mid-sole plate operation can include inserting the mid-sole plate into a mid-sole of the footwear platform. The attaching a laced upper portion operation can include attaching a laced upper portion to the mid-sole and positioning a lace loop in the mid-sole plate. Finally, the inserting a lacing engine operation can include inserting a lacing engine into a cavity in the mid-sole plate, wherein the lacing engine includes a lace spool exposed along a superior surface to receive the lace loop.
Claims18
A method of assembling a footwear platform with a lacing engine, the method comprising:
- preparing an upper portion of the footwear platform to produce a laced upper portion, the preparing including:
- positioning the upper portion on a fixture,
- routing a first portion of a lace cable through lace guides on a first half of the upper portion,
- routing a free end of the lace cable under the fixture and the upper portion to generate a lace loop running from the first half of the upper portion to a second half of the upper portion,
- routing a second portion of the lace cable through lace guides on the second half of the upper portion, the routing operations resulting in a continuous portion of the lace cable routed along the first half, under the upper portion to form the lace loop, and along the second half, and
- securing free ends of the lace cable on the upper portion;
- inserting a mid-sole plate into a mid-sole of the footwear platform;
- attaching the laced upper portion to the mid-sole including positioning the lace loop running under the laced upper portion in the mid-sole plate;
- and
- inserting a lacing engine into a cavity in the mid-sole plate under the lace loop, wherein the lacing engine includes a lace spool with an exposed superior surface to receive the lace loop.
A method of assembling an automated footwear platform including a lacing engine, the method comprising:
- selecting a completely assembled footwear platform, the completely assembled footwear platform including:
- a laced upper portion with a lace cable routed through a first plurality of lace guides on a lateral side, the lace cable extending inferiorly under the laced upper portion from the lateral side to a medial side to form a continuous lace loop extending under a middle section of the laced upper portion, the lace cable routed through a second plurality of lace guides on the medial side, and free ends of the lace cable secured to the upper portion,
- a mid-sole plate with a lacing engine cavity, wherein the lace loop runs from a lateral side to a medial side of the mid-sole plate across the lacing engine cavity,
- a mid-sole receiving the mid-sole plate and laced upper portion, and
- an out-sole portion connected to an inferior portion of the mid-sole;
- selecting a lacing engine from a plurality of available lacing engines;
- and
- installing the lacing engine into a cavity in the mid-sole plate of the footwear platform including attaching a lid to the mid-sole plate after the lacing engine is positioned within the cavity and positioning the lace loop to align with lid guides on an inferior surface of the lid.
A method of assembling a footwear platform including automated lace tightening using a lacing engine, the method comprising:
- inserting a mid-sole plate into a mid-sole of the footwear platform, the mid-sole plate including a lacing engine cavity;
- attaching a laced upper portion to the mid-sole, the laced upper portion including a continuous lace loop running under the laced upper portion from a laced section of a medial side to a laced section of a lateral side, wherein free ends of the lace are secured to the laced upper portion, the attaching including positioning the lace loop in the lacing engine cavity of the mid-sole plate;
- inserting a lacing engine into the lacing engine cavity in the mid-sole plate under the lace loop, wherein the lacing engine includes a lace spool exposed along a superior surface and the lace loop is positioned to engage the lace spool;
- attaching a lid to the mid-sole plate after the lacing engine is positioned within the cavity in the mid-sole plate, the lid;
- and
- securing the lid over the lacing engine to retain the lacing engine and maintain engagement of the lace loop with the lace spool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.