Direct printing to fabric
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of direct three-dimensional printing onto an article of footwear, comprising:
- designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing onto the article of footwear;
positioning at least a portion of the article of footwear on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the at least a portion comprising a fabric and being positioned substantially flat on the tray to provide a fabric printing substrate;
printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the fabric of the at least a portion of the article of footwear using the three-dimensional pattern;
curing the three-dimensional material; and
removing the article of footwear from the three-dimensional printing system, wherein the fabric printing substrate is part of the article of footwear.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed for three-dimensional printing directly onto an article of apparel. Disclosed is a method and system for direct three-dimensional printing onto an article of apparel, including designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing onto the article, 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.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method of direct three-dimensional printing onto an article of footwear, comprising:
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designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing onto the article of footwear; positioning at least a portion of the article of footwear on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the at least a portion comprising a fabric and being positioned substantially flat on the tray to provide a fabric printing substrate; printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the fabric of the at least a portion of the article of footwear using the three-dimensional pattern; curing the three-dimensional material; and removing the article of footwear from the three-dimensional printing system, wherein the fabric printing substrate is part of the article of footwear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 38, 40)
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14. A method of fabricating an article of footwear, comprising:
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designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing onto an upper; providing the three-dimensional pattern to a print server; positioning at least a portion of the upper on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the at least a portion comprising a fabric and being positioned substantially flat on the tray to provide a fabric printing substrate; aligning the at least a portion of the upper on the tray with the three-dimensional pattern; printing a three-dimensional material directly onto the fabric of the at least a portion of the upper using the three-dimensional pattern on the print server and the three-dimensional printing system; curing the three-dimensional material; removing the upper from the three-dimensional printing system, wherein the fabric printing substrate is part of the upper; and assembling the article of footwear using the upper and at least one footwear component chosen from a sock liner, a midsole, and an outsole. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 39, 41)
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27. A method of fabricating an article of footwear, comprising:
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designing a three-dimensional pattern for printing onto an upper; providing the three-dimensional pattern to a print server; positioning a fabric portion of the upper on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the fabric portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray to provide a fabric printing substrate; aligning the fabric portion of the upper on the tray with the three-dimensional pattern; printing a first layer of three-dimensional material directly onto the fabric portion of the upper using the three-dimensional pattern on the print server and the three-dimensional printing system; allowing the first layer of three-dimensional material to at least partially absorb into the fabric portion of the upper; curing the first layer, wherein the cured first layer has a first modulus of elasticity; printing at least one additional layer of the three-dimensional material on the cured first layer; curing the at least one additional layer, wherein the cured at least one additional layer has a different modulus of elasticity than the first modulus; removing the upper from the three-dimensional printing system, wherein the fabric printing substrate is part of the upper; and assembling the article of footwear using the upper and at least one footwear component chosen from a sock liner, a midsole, and an outsole. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 42)
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37. A method of fabricating an article of footwear, comprising:
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designing at least a first three-dimensional pattern and a second three-dimensional pattern for printing onto an upper; providing the at least first and second three-dimensional patterns to a print server; positioning at least a first fabric portion of the upper on a tray in a three-dimensional printing system, the first fabric portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray to provide a first fabric printing substrate; aligning the first fabric portion of the upper with the first three-dimensional pattern; printing at least one layer of a first three-dimensional material having a first material property directly onto the first fabric portion of the upper using the first three-dimensional pattern; allowing the at least one layer of first three-dimensional material to at least partially absorb into the first fabric portion of the upper; curing the at least one layer of first three-dimensional material; positioning at least a second fabric portion of the upper on the tray, the second fabric portion being positioned substantially flat on the tray to provide a second fabric printing substrate; aligning the second fabric portion of the upper with the second three-dimensional pattern; printing at least one layer of a second three-dimensional material having a second material property directly onto the second fabric portion of the upper using the second three-dimensional pattern; allowing the at least one layer of second three-dimensional material to at least partially absorb into the second fabric portion of the upper; curing the at least one layer of second three-dimensional material; removing the upper from the three-dimensional printing system, wherein the first and second fabric printing substrates are part of the upper; and assembling the article of footwear using the upper and at least one footwear component chosen from a sock liner, a midsole, and an outsole.
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Specification