Footwear Assembly Method With 3D Printing

• US 20140020192A1
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, David P., Larson, Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 9,005,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 12/146.B
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/026 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0084 Arrangement of flocked decoration on shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 11/00 Machines for preliminary treatment or assembling of upper-parts, counters, or insoles on their lasts preparatory to the pulling-over or lasting operations; Applying or removing protective coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 2200/00 Machines or methods characterised by special features
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 2200/60 Computer aided manufacture of footwear, e.g. CAD or CAM
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/112 using individual droplets, e.g. from jetting heads
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/245 Platforms or substrates support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/264 Arrangements for irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/78 Moulding material on one side only of the preformed part
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/12 Producing parts thereof, e.g. soles, heels, uppers, by a moulding technique
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2713/00 Use of textile products or fabrics for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts B29K2105/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/50 Footwear, e.g. shoes or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for apparel assembly using three-dimensional printing directly onto fabric apparel materials. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing, positioning at least a portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray, printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the article using the designed pattern, curing the printed material, and removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system.

Claims

1. A method of three-dimensional printing and assembly of an article of apparel, comprising:

designing at least one first three-dimensional pattern and at least one second three-dimensional pattern for printing onto the article;

positioning a first portion of the article on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the first portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray;

printing at least one first three-dimensional material directly onto the first portion of the article using the designed at least one first three-dimensional pattern;

curing the at least one first three-dimensional printed material;

positioning a second portion of the article on the tray, the second portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray;

printing at least one second three-dimensional material directly onto the second portion of the article using the designed at least one second three-dimensional pattern;

curing the at least one second three-dimensional printed material; and

removing the article from the three-dimensional printing system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing of the at least one first three-dimensional material and at least one second three-dimensional material onto the article each further comprises printing at least one layer of the material.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing of the at least one first three-dimensional material and at least one second three-dimensional material each further comprises allowing the printed material to at least partially absorb into a surface of the article prior to the curing.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing at least one first three-dimensional material onto the article further comprises:

printing a first layer of the first material;

allowing the first layer of first printed material to at least partially absorb into a first surface of the article;

curing the first layer of the first printed material;

printing at least one additional layer of the first material on the cured first layer of the first printed material; and

curing the at least one additional layer of the first material.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printing at least one second three-dimensional material onto the article further comprises:

printing a first layer of the second material;

allowing the first layer of second printed material to at least partially absorb into a second surface of the article;

curing the first layer of the second printed material;

printing at least one additional layer of the second material on the cured first layer of the second printed material; and

curing the at least one additional layer of the second material.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the printed first layer of the first material has a first modulus of elasticity and the printed at least one additional layer of the first material has a second modulus of elasticity different than the first modulus.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the printed first layer of the second material has a third modulus of elasticity and the printed at least one additional layer of the second material has a fourth modulus of elasticity different than the third modulus.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the printed first layer of the first material has a first color and the printed at least one additional layer of the first material has a second color.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the printed first layer of the second material has a third color and the printed at least one additional layer of the second material has a fourth color.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the article of apparel is chosen from a textile, a natural fabric, a synthetic fabric, a knit, a woven material, a nonwoven material, a mesh, a leather, a synthetic leather, a polymer, a rubber, a foam, clothing, footwear, hats, caps, shirts, jerseys, jackets, socks, shorts, pants, undergarments, athletic support garments, gloves, wrist/arm bands, sleeves, and headbands.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the article has at least one nonflat surface.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one nonflat surface is a substrate on which the printing occurs.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the removing the article does not require a release layer disposed between the printed material and the tray.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printed at least one first three-dimensional material and the printed at least one second three-dimensional material are chosen from an ink, a resin, an acrylic, a polymer, a thermoplastic material, a thermosetting material, and a light-curable material.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printed at least one first three-dimensional material further comprises a first filler material, and the printed at least one second three-dimensional material further comprises a second filler material.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the printed at least one first three-dimensional material and the printed at least one second three-dimensional material are adhered or bonded to the article.

17. A method of fabricating an article of footwear, comprising:

designing at least one first three-dimensional pattern for printing onto an upper and at least one second three-dimensional pattern for printing a sole;

providing the at least one first three-dimensional pattern and the at least one second three-dimensional pattern to a print server;

positioning at least a first portion of the upper on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the first portion of the upper being positioned substantially flat on the tray;

aligning the first portion of the upper on the tray with the at least one first three-dimensional pattern;

printing at least one first three-dimensional material directly onto the first portion of the upper using the designed at least one first three-dimensional pattern on the print server and the three-dimensional printing system;

curing the at least one first three-dimensional printed material;

removing the upper from the three-dimensional printing system;

forming the upper into a secondary shape;

placing the formed upper on a holder;

positioning the holder on the tray, the holder being positioned on the tray to present a sole surface portion of the formed upper for printing the sole;

aligning the holder on the tray with the at least one second three-dimensional pattern;

printing the sole with at least one second three-dimensional material directly onto the sole surface portion of the formed upper using the designed at least one second three-dimensional pattern on the print server and the three-dimensional printing system;

curing the at least one second three-dimensional printed material;

removing the holder from the three-dimensional printing system; and

removing the fabricated article of footwear from the holder.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the printing of the at least one first three-dimensional material and at least one second three-dimensional material onto the article each further comprises printing at least one layer of the material.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the printing of the at least one first three-dimensional material and at least one second three-dimensional material each further comprises allowing the printed material to at least partially absorb into a surface of the article prior to the curing.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the printing onto the first portion of the upper further comprises:

printing a first layer of the first material;

allowing the first layer of first printed material to at least partially absorb into a first surface of the first portion of the upper;

curing the first layer of the first printed material;

printing at least one additional layer of the first material on the cured first layer of the first printed material; and

curing the at least one additional layer of the first material.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the printing the sole with at least one second three-dimensional material directly onto the sole surface portion of the formed upper further comprises:

printing a first layer of the second material;

allowing the first layer of second printed material to at least partially absorb into a the sole surface portion of the formed upper;

curing the first layer of the second printed material;

printing at least one additional layer of the second material on the cured first layer of the second printed material; and

curing the at least one additional layer of the second material.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein the printed first layer of the first material has a first modulus of elasticity and the printed at least one additional layer of the first material has a second modulus of elasticity different than the first modulus.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the printed first layer of the second material has a third modulus of elasticity and the printed at least one additional layer of the second material has a fourth modulus of elasticity different than the third modulus.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein the upper is chosen from a textile, a natural fabric, a synthetic fabric, a knit, a woven material, a nonwoven material, a mesh, a leather, a synthetic leather, a polymer, a rubber, and a foam.

25. The method according to claim 17, wherein the portion of the upper has at least one nonflat surface.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the at least one nonflat surface is a substrate on which the printing occurs.

27. The method according to claim 17, wherein the removing the upper does not require a release layer disposed between the printed material and the tray.

28. The method according to claim 17, wherein the printed at least one first three-dimensional material and the printed at least one second three-dimensional material are chosen from an ink, a resin, an acrylic, a polymer, a thermoplastic material, a thermosetting material, and a light-curable material.

29. The method according to claim 17, wherein the printed at least one first three-dimensional material further comprises a first filler material, and the printed at least one second three-dimensional material further comprises a second filler material.

30. The method according to claim 17, wherein the printed at least one first three-dimensional material and the printed at least one second three-dimensional material are adhered or bonded to the upper.

31. The method according to claim 17, wherein the printing the at least one first three-dimensional material further comprises printing the material having a first gradient in modulus of elasticity within at least a region of the at least one first three-dimensional material.

32. The method according to claim 17, wherein the printing the at least one second three-dimensional material further comprises printing the material having a second gradient in modulus of elasticity within at least a region of the at least one second three-dimensional material.

33. The method according to claim 31, wherein the printing the at least one additional layer of the at least one first three-dimensional material further comprises printing multiple layers having varied moduli of elasticity as a function of depth or length of the printed material.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the printing the at least one additional layer of the at least one second three-dimensional material further comprises printing multiple layers having varied moduli of elasticity as a function of depth or length of the printed material.

35. A system for three-dimensional printing directly onto multiple surfaces of a fabric material, comprising:

a first nontransitory computer-readable medium encoded with a first computer program product loadable into a first memory of a first computer and including first software code portions for storing a three-dimensional pattern for printing directly onto the upper;

a print server;

a switching device; and

a three-dimensional printer device,

wherein the print server is in direct communication with the three-dimensional printer device and the switching device,

wherein the switching device is in direct communication with the three-dimensional printer device and the print server,

wherein the first nontransitory computer readable medium is in direct communication with the switch,

wherein the print server comprises a second nontransitory computer-readable medium encoded with a second computer program product loadable into a second memory of a second computer and including second software code portions for instructing the three-dimensional printing device to print directly onto the upper through a first sequence of printing steps and a second sequence of printing steps;

wherein the three-dimensional printer device comprises a tray receiving at least a first surface of the fabric material and at least a second surface of the fabric material, at least one printing head for printing onto a first portion of the upper in the first sequence and onto a second portion of the upper in the second sequence, and at least one ultraviolet light for curing material printed onto the upper in the first and second sequences, and

wherein the three-dimensional printing system does not require a substantially flat surface for printing.