Systems and methods for customizing forefoot cushioning in articles of footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsChristopher S. Cook, Shane S. Kohatsu, Bret Schoolmeester, Daniel T. Rowe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a system that modifies the forefoot cushioning of the sole member over a series of footwear purchases. The modifications can be configured to correspond to a customer's evaluation of the forefoot cushioning previously purchased. The sole member can include a set of apertures or incisions that are formed along various surfaces of the sole member to adjust the cushioning characteristics of the sole member.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing articles of footwear using a customization cycle, comprising:
- storing information relating to a first article of footwear in a manner to associate the first article of footwear (a) with a customer and (b) with a first iteration of a customization cycle associated with the customer;
- providing a rating system to be presented on a computing system associated with the customer, the rating system for evaluating a first level of forefoot cushioning of a first sole member of the first article of footwear;
- requesting input through the computing system of a customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning;
- receiving data from the computing system including the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning;
- storing the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning in a manner to associate the customer-selected rating with the first article of footwear;
- receiving an order from the customer for new shoes;
- manufacturing the new shoes for the customer, the new shoes including a second article of footwear having a second sole member with a second level of forefoot cushioning, wherein the second level of forefoot cushioning is determined based on the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning;
- providing the customer with the new shoes including the second article of footwear including the second sole member;
- and
- storing:
- (a) purchase history information indicating the second article of footwear as being owned by the customer and (b) information associating the second article of footwear with a second iteration of the customization cycle associated with the customer.
A system for manufacturing articles of footwear using a customization cycle, comprising:
- a computing system that:
- (a) stores information relating to a first article of footwear in a manner to associate the first article of footwear (i) with a customer and (ii) with a first iteration of a customization cycle associated with the customer;
- (b) receives input data including a customer-selected rating of a first level of forefoot cushioning of a first sole member of the first article of footwear;
- and (c) stores the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning in a manner to associate the customer-selected rating with the first article of footwear;
- and
- a cutting device controllable to cut one or more incisions in a material for a second sole member for a second article of footwear manufactured for the customer, wherein the cutting device is controlled to cut one or more incisions in the second sole member based on the customer-selected rating of the first level of forefoot cushioning of the first sole member to thereby change the second sole member to have a second level of forefoot cushioning that differs from the first level of forefoot cushioning,
- wherein the computing system further is programmed and adapted to store:
- (a) purchase history information indicating the second article of footwear as being owned by the customer and (b) information associating the second article of footwear with a second iteration of the customization cycle associated with the customer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.