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US 8,295,962 B2Granted
Method of making an article of footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsDavid P. Jones, Bruce J. Kilgore, Elizabeth Langvin, James C. Meschter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of making an article of footwear is disclosed. The method includes the steps of designing an article of footwear via a website, converting a footwear representation into a set of two-dimensional portions, printing the two dimensional portions onto a sheet material, cutting and assembling the two dimensional portions into a finalized article of footwear. The method further includes a step of shipping the article of footwear to a pre-designated shipping address. Systems for receiving an order for a customized article of footwear are also disclosed.
Claims19
A method of minimizing the total area of a sheet material used to manufacture a customized article of footwear, comprising:
- dividing a three-dimensional footwear representation into a first two-dimensional portion and a second two-dimensional portion;
- optimizing a layout of the two-dimensional portions;
- applying the optimized layout of the first two-dimensional portion and the second two-dimensional portion to a sheet material;
- wherein the three-dimensional footwear representation includes a designated background color for each of the first and second two-dimensional portions and a foreground design for the first two-dimensional portion;
- defining on the sheet material a first cutout region corresponding to the first two-dimensional portion and a second cutout region corresponding to the second two-dimensional portion, wherein the sheet material has a color different from the designated background color;
- printing the designated background color of the first two-dimensional portion onto the sheet material within the first two-dimensional portion and also beyond the first cutout region;
- printing the designated background color of the second two-dimensional portion onto the sheet material within the second two-dimensional portion and also beyond the second cutout region;
- printing the foreground design within the first two-dimensional portion;
- and
- cutting the first cutout region out of the sheet material to form the first two-dimensional portion, thereby leaving a portion of the sheet material beyond the first cutout region with the designated background color applied.
7 more elements
A method of minimizing the total area of a sheet material used to manufacture an article of footwear, comprising:
- dividing a design for an article of footwear into a first two-dimensional portion and a second two-dimensional portion;
- optimizing a layout of the two-dimensional portions;
- applying the optimized layout of the first two-dimensional portion and the second two-dimensional portion to a sheet material;
- wherein the design includes a designated background color for each of the first and second two-dimensional portions and a foreground design for the first two-dimensional portion;
- defining on the sheet material a first cutout region corresponding to the first two-dimensional portion and a second cutout region corresponding to the second two-dimensional portion, wherein the sheet material has a color different from the designated background color;
- printing the designated background color of the first two-dimensional portion onto the sheet material within the first two-dimensional portion and also beyond the first cutout region;
- printing the designated background color of the second two-dimensional portion onto the sheet material within the second two-dimensional portion and also beyond the second cutout region;
- printing the foreground design within the first two-dimensional portion;
- and
- cutting the first cutout region out of the sheet material to form the first two-dimensional portion, thereby leaving a portion of the sheet material beyond the first cutout region with the designated background color applied.
7 more elements
A method of minimizing the total area of a sheet material used to manufacture a complementary pair of footwear, comprising:
- dividing a first design for a first article of footwear into a first two-dimensional portion and a second two-dimensional portion;
- dividing a second design for a second article of footwear that is complementary to the first article of footwear into a third two-dimensional portion and a fourth two-dimensional portion;
- optimizing a layout of the first two-dimensional portion, the second two-dimensional portion, the third two-dimensional portion, and the fourth two-dimensional portion;
- applying the optimized layout of the first two-dimensional portion, the second two-dimensional portion, the third two-dimensional portion, and the fourth two-dimensional portion to a sheet material;
- wherein the first design includes a designated background color for each of the first and second two-dimensional portions and a foreground design for the first two-dimensional portion;
- defining on the sheet material a first cutout region corresponding to the first two-dimensional portion and a second cutout region corresponding to the second two-dimensional portion, wherein the sheet material has a color different from the designated background color;
- printing the designated background color of the first two-dimensional portion onto the sheet material within the first two-dimensional portion and also beyond the first cutout region;
- printing the designated background color of the second two-dimensional portion onto the sheet material within the second two-dimensional portion and also beyond the second cutout region;
- printing the foreground design within the first two-dimensional portion;
- and
- cutting the first cutout region out of the sheet material to form the first two-dimensional portion, thereby leaving a portion of the sheet material beyond the first cutout region with the designated background color applied.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.