Automated manufacturing of shoe parts
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for manipulating shoe parts in an automated manner during a shoe manufacturing process, the system comprising:
- a computing device;
a part-recognition system in communication with the computing device, the part-recognition system configured to;
determine a first identity and a first orientation of a first shoe part at a first manufacturing station, anddetermine a second identity and a second orientation of a second shoe part at a second manufacturing station; and
a pick-up tool in communication with the computing device and configured to;
retrieve the first shoe part from the first manufacturing station; and
transfer the first shoe part onto the second shoe part at the second manufacturing station,wherein transferring the first shoe part onto the second shoe part comprises transferring the first shoe part from the first orientation to a third orientation and placing the first shoe part in contact with the second shoe part for attachment, the third orientation determined based at least on the second orientation and the second identity of the second shoe part.
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Abstract
Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated fashion. For example, information describing a shoe part may be determined, such as an identification, an orientation, a color, a surface topography, an alignment, a size, etc. Based on the information describing the shoe part, automated shoe-manufacturing apparatuses may be instructed to apply various shoe-manufacturing processes to the shoe part.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for manipulating shoe parts in an automated manner during a shoe manufacturing process, the system comprising:
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a computing device; a part-recognition system in communication with the computing device, the part-recognition system configured to; determine a first identity and a first orientation of a first shoe part at a first manufacturing station, and determine a second identity and a second orientation of a second shoe part at a second manufacturing station; and a pick-up tool in communication with the computing device and configured to; retrieve the first shoe part from the first manufacturing station; and transfer the first shoe part onto the second shoe part at the second manufacturing station, wherein transferring the first shoe part onto the second shoe part comprises transferring the first shoe part from the first orientation to a third orientation and placing the first shoe part in contact with the second shoe part for attachment, the third orientation determined based at least on the second orientation and the second identity of the second shoe part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for manipulating shoe parts in an automated manner during a shoe manufacturing process, the system comprising:
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a computing device; a part-recognition system in communication with the computing device, the part-recognition system configured to; determine a first orientation of a plurality of shoe parts in a pre-determined configuration at a first manufacturing station, determine part identities and part orientations for each of the plurality of shoe parts in the pre-determined configuration, and determine a base identity and a second orientation of a base shoe part at a second manufacturing station; and a pick-up tool in communication with the computing device and configured to; retrieve the plurality of shoe parts in the pre-determined configuration from the first manufacturing station; and transfer the plurality of shoe parts onto the base shoe part at the second manufacturing station by transferring the plurality of shoe parts from the first orientation to a third orientation relative to the base shoe part while maintaining the pre-determined configuration of the plurality of shoe parts, such that the plurality of shoe parts contact the base shoe part for attachment, wherein the third orientation is determined based at least on the second orientation and the base identity of the base shoe part. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for manipulating shoe parts in an automated manner during a shoe manufacturing process, the system comprising:
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a computing device; a part-recognition system in communication with the computing device and configured to; determine a first orientation of a plurality of shoe parts in a pre-determined configuration at a first manufacturing station, determine part identities and part orientations for each of the plurality of shoe parts in the pre-determined configuration, and determine a second orientation of a base shoe part at a second manufacturing station; a pick-up tool in communication with the computing device and configured to; retrieve the base shoe part in the second orientation from the second manufacturing station; and transfer the base shoe part to a third orientation at a third manufacturing station; and a plate-style vacuum tool having a plurality of apertures and directed by the computing device, wherein the plate-style vacuum tool is configured to; retrieve the plurality of shoe parts in the pre-determined configuration from the first manufacturing station; and transfer the plurality of shoe parts onto the base shoe part at the third manufacturing station by transferring the plurality of shoe parts to a fourth orientation relative to the base shoe part such that the plurality of shoe parts are placed in contact with the base shoe part for attachment. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification