Method of customizing articles of footwear

• US 11,093,989 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2018
• Issued: 08/17/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Cook, Christopher S., Kohatsu, Shane S., Schoolmeester, Bret, Rowe, Daniel T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Matthew E
• Application Number:
  US16/018,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20180308142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/14 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/181 Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/126 characterised by the shape or layout of the straps
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/26 adjustable as to length or size
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/14 with foot-supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 1/02 Foot-measuring devices measuring the shape, pattern or size of the body for diagnostic purposes A61B5/103, e.g. measuring physical dimensions A61B5/107
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization

Abstract

A method of manufacturing articles of footwear that includes steps of providing articles to a customer, receiving evaluations of one or more structural characteristics of the articles and making new customized articles for the customer based on the evaluations of one or more structural characteristics. The method can be conducted as a cycle that is repeated each time the customer buys a new pair of footwear.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing customized articles of footwear using a customization cycle, comprising:

storing information relating to a first article of footwear in a manner to associate the first article of footwear;

(a) with a user and (b) with a first specific iteration of a customization cycle associated with the user;

transmitting data to a computing system of the user for;

(a) generating an evaluation system for evaluating one or more structural characteristics of the first article of footwear, wherein the first article of footwear includes a first sole with a first structural characteristic having a first value, and (b) requesting input from the user through the computing system including a user evaluation of the first structural characteristic;

receiving a user-selected evaluation of the first value of the first structural characteristic;

storing the user-selected evaluation of the first value of the first structural characteristic in a manner to associate the user-selected evaluation;

(a) as being received from the user and as relating to the first article of footwear and (b) as relating to the first specific iteration of the customization cycle;

receiving an order from the user for new shoes;

in response to receipt of the order, manufacturing a second article of footwear customized for the user, the second article of footwear having a second sole with the first structural characteristic having a second value that is different from the first value, wherein the second value of the first structural characteristic is determined based on the user-selected evaluation of the first value of the first structural characteristic in the first article of footwear;

selling the second article of footwear to the user; and

designating the second article of footwear as being owned by the user including storing information relating to the second article of footwear in a manner to associate the second article of footwear;

(a) with the user and (b) with a second specific iteration of the customization cycle associated with the user.

2. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation system is configured to provide the user with a set of relative evaluation values for the first structural characteristic.

3. The method of manufacturing according to claim 2, wherein the set of relative evaluation values comprise a scale of evaluation values.

4. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation system is provided as an application running on a mobile computing device.

5. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation system is provided as a web application.

6. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the first structural characteristic is shoe width.

7. The method of manufacturing according to claim 6, wherein the user-selected evaluation indicates that the first value of the shoe width for the first article of footwear is too wide, and wherein the step of manufacturing the second article of footwear includes manufacturing the second sole to have a smaller width than the shoe width of the first sole.

8. The method of manufacturing according to claim 6, wherein the user-selected evaluation indicates that the first value of the shoe width for the first article of footwear is too narrow, and wherein the step of manufacturing the second article of footwear includes manufacturing the second sole to have a larger width than the shoe width of the first sole.

9. The method of manufacturing according to claim 6, wherein the step of manufacturing the second article of footwear includes 3D printing the second sole to have a different shoe width from the shoe width of the first sole.

10. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the first structural characteristic is arch height.

11. The method of manufacturing according to claim 10, wherein the user-selected evaluation indicates that the first value of the arch height for the first article of footwear is too high, and wherein the step of manufacturing the second article of footwear includes manufacturing the second sole to have a lower arch height than the arch height of the first sole.

12. The method of manufacturing according to claim 10, wherein the user-selected evaluation indicates that the first value of the arch height for the first article of footwear is too low, and wherein the step of manufacturing the second article of footwear includes manufacturing the second sole to have a higher arch height than the arch height of the first sole.

13. The method of manufacturing according to claim 10, wherein the step of manufacturing the second article of footwear includes 3D printing the second sole to have a different arch height from the arch height of the first sole.

14. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, further comprising:

instructing the user to wait at least a predetermined time period after receiving the first article of footwear before submitting any evaluations of the first article of footwear,

wherein the user-selected evaluation of the first value of the first structural characteristic is received after the predetermined time period.

15. The method of manufacturing according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined time period is two weeks.

16. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the step of manufacturing the second article of footwear includes lasting the second sole to a second upper.

17. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting data to the computing system of the user includes requesting input from the user through the computing system including a user evaluation of a second structural characteristic of the first article of footwear, wherein the step of receiving the user-selected evaluation includes receiving a user-selected evaluation of the second structural characteristic, wherein the step of manufacturing the second article of footwear includes forming the second article of footwear with the second structural characteristic different from the second structural characteristic of the first article of footwear, and wherein the second structural characteristic of the second article of footwear is determined based on the user-selected evaluation of the second structural characteristic in the first article of footwear.

18. The method of manufacturing according to claim 17, wherein the first structural characteristic is arch height and the second structural characteristic is shoe width.

19. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation system is configured to accept user-selected evaluations of plural evaluation values, wherein the plural evaluation values includes two or more evaluation values selected from the group of:

footwear arch height, footwear width, forefoot cushioning, heel cushioning, and stability and wherein storing information relating to the first article of footwear and the second article of footwear includes storing information relating to the plural evaluation values associated with each of the first specific iteration and the second specific iteration of the customization cycle.

20. The method of manufacturing according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user-selected evaluation of the second value of the first structural characteristic;

storing the user-selected evaluation of the second value of the first structural characteristic in a manner to associate the user-selected evaluation of the second value;

(a) as being received from the user relating to the second article of footwear and (b) as relating to the second specific iteration of the customization cycle;

receiving a second order from the user for new shoes;

in response to receipt of the second order, manufacturing a third article of footwear customized for the user, the third article of footwear having a third sole with the first structural characteristic having a third value that is different from the second value, wherein the third value of the first structural characteristic is determined based on the user-selected evaluation of the second value of the first structural characteristic in the second article of footwear;

selling the third article of footwear to the user; and

storing information relating to the third article of footwear in a manner to associate the third article of footwear;

(a) with the user and (b) with a third specific iteration of the customization cycle associated with the user.