Method of using efficient die cutting pattern for footwear manufacture
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsLuanne E. Jarman-Miller, N. Scot Hull, Hsueh-Fang Chen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cutting die for cutting a plurality of parts of an article of footwear from a bulk material. The cutting die includes a first cutting member that cuts a first part of the article of footwear from the bulk material. The cutting die also includes a second cutting member that cuts a second part of the article of footwear from the bulk material. The second cutting member is fixed to the first cutting member to cut the first and second parts together with a single stroke of the cutting die relative to the bulk material. The first and second parts are separate and distinct from each other and have different shapes.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing an upper of an article of footwear comprising:
- providing a cutting die;
- cutting a first group of parts from a first area of a bulk material during a first stroke of the cutting die, the first group including a first part and a second part of the upper, the first part and the second part being separate and distinct from each other and having different shapes, the first part and the second part cut along a common internal cutting line that defines a first edge of the first part and a second edge of the second part;
- and
- cutting a second group of parts from a second area of the bulk material during a second stroke of the cutting die, the second group including a first part and a second part, the first part of the second group corresponding in shape to the first part of the first group, the second part of the second group corresponding in shape to the second part of the first group, the second group cut along a common external cutting line that defines a first boundary of the first group and a second boundary of the second group,
- the first boundary having a first curvature, and the second boundary having a second curvature that is inverse to the first curvature.
A method of manufacturing parts of an article of footwear from a bulk material, the bulk material defining a width direction and a length direction, the method comprising:
- providing at least one gang die with a first cutting member and a second cutting member, the first and second cutting members being fixed together, the first cutting member configured to cut a first part from the bulk material, the second cutting member configured to cut a second part from the bulk material, the second part having a distinct shape from the first part, the at least one gang die configured to cut the first and second parts along a common internal cutting line that defines a first edge of the first part and a second edge of the second part;
- and
- actuating the at least one gang die relative to the bulk material to perform at least one stroke to cut a first group of parts and a second group of parts from the bulk material, the first group of parts including the first part and the second part, the second group of parts including the first part and the second part, the first part of the second group corresponding in shape to the first part of the first group, the second part of the second group corresponding in shape to the second part of the first group;
- the first group cut along a common external cutting line that partly defines a first boundary of the first group and that partly defines a second boundary of the second group, the first boundary having a first curvature, and the second boundary having a second curvature that is inverse to the first curvature;
- the first part of the first group being cut from a first location on the bulk material, the first part of the second group being cut from a second location on the bulk material, the first location being offset from the second location in both the width direction and the length direction.
A method of manufacturing parts of an upper of an article of footwear from a bulk material, the method comprising:
- providing at least one gang die with a first cutting member and a second cutting member, the first and second cutting members being fixed together, the first cutting member configured to cut a first part from the bulk material, the second cutting member configured to cut a second part from the bulk material, the second part having a distinct shape from the first part, the at least one gang die configured to cut the first and second parts along a common internal cutting line that defines a first edge of the first part and a second edge of the second part;
- and
- actuating the at least one gang die relative to the bulk material during to perform at least one stroke to cut a first group of parts and a second group of parts from the bulk material, the first group of parts including the first part and the second part, the second group of parts including the first part and the second part, the first part of the second group corresponding in shape to the first part of the first group, the second part of the second group corresponding in shape to the second part of the first group;
- the first group cut along a common external cutting line that partly defines a first boundary of the first group and that partly defines a second boundary of the second group, the first boundary having a first curvature, and the second boundary having a second curvature that is inverse to the first curvature;
- the first group being inverted relative to the second group with respect to the bulk material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.