Automated assembly and stitching of shoe parts
First Claim
1. A method for manufacturing shoe parts in an automated manner, the method comprising:
- situating a part stack comprised of a first shoe part and a base shoe part at a stitching machine, the stitching machine having a needle associated therewith; and
stitching together at least part of an overlapping portion of the first shoe part and the base shoe part, wherein movement, by a conveyance mechanism, of the part stack relative to the stitching machine and movement of the needle associated with the stitching machine are controlled by a shared control system such that the respective movements are synchronized.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated manner. For example, shoe parts may be retrieved and temporarily assembled according to preset relative positions to form part stacks. The part stacks may be retrieved with the relative positioning of the shoe parts being maintained and placed at a stitching machine for more permanent attachment via stitching of the parts to form a shoe assembly. Movement during stitching of a conveyance mechanism that transfers the part stack from the stacking surface to the stitching machine and movement of a needle associated with the stitching machine may be controlled by a shared control mechanism such that the movements are synchronized with respect to one another. Vision systems may be leveraged to achieve movement and position information between and at machines and locations.
58 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for manufacturing shoe parts in an automated manner, the method comprising:
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situating a part stack comprised of a first shoe part and a base shoe part at a stitching machine, the stitching machine having a needle associated therewith; and stitching together at least part of an overlapping portion of the first shoe part and the base shoe part, wherein movement, by a conveyance mechanism, of the part stack relative to the stitching machine and movement of the needle associated with the stitching machine are controlled by a shared control system such that the respective movements are synchronized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for manufacturing shoe parts in an automated manner, the method comprising:
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determining a position of a second shoe part relative to a stacking surface; applying an adhesive to at least part of the second shoe part; utilizing the position of a first shoe part relative to the stacking surface and the position of the second shoe part relative to the stacking surface, to situate the second shoe part on the stacking surface such that at least a portion of the second shoe part overlaps at least a portion of the first shoe part at a preset relative position to form a part stack, the portion of the second shoe part that overlaps the portion of the first shoe part including the part of the second shoe part to which adhesive was applied; situating the part stack at a stitching machine, the stitching machine having a needle associated therewith; and stitching together at least a part of the overlapping portions of the first shoe part and the second shoe part, wherein movement, by the conveyance mechanism, of the part stack relative to the stitching machine and movement of the needle associated with the stitching machine are controlled by a shared control system such that the respective movements are synchronized. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification