Automated 3-D Modeling Of Shoe Parts

• US 20140362079A1
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Jean, Ming-Feng, Regan, Patrick C., Chang, Chih-Chi, Lee, Kuo-Hung
• Granted Patent: US 10,393,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 1/08 Measuring devices for shoe parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 2200/60 Computer aided manufacture of footwear, e.g. CAD or CAM
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 25/06 Devices for gluing soles on shoe bottoms A43D25/18, A43D25/20 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 8/00 Machines for cutting, ornamenting, marking or otherwise working up shoe part blanks pulling-over or lasting A43D9/00 - A43D23/00; making or fastening soles, heels or welts A43D25/00 - A43D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 95/00 Shoe-finishing machines
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1684 Tracking a line or surface by means of sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/03 by measuring coordinates of points
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2518 Projection by scanning of the object
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2522 the position of the object changing and being recorded
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37205 Compare measured, vision data with computer model, cad data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37555 Camera detects orientation, position workpiece, points of workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39393 Camera detects projected image, compare with reference image, position end effector
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10144 Varying exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30108 : Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/521 : from laser ranging, e.g. using interferometry; from the projection of structured light
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/543 : from line drawings

Abstract

Manufacturing of a shoe is enhanced by creating 3-D models of shoe parts. For example, a laser beam may be projected onto a shoe-part surface, such that a projected laser line appears on the shoe part. An image of the projected laser line may be analyzed to determine coordinate information, which may be converted into geometric coordinate values usable to create a 3-D model of the shoe part. Once a 3-D model is known and is converted to a coordinate system recognized by shoe-manufacturing tools, certain manufacturing steps may be automated.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing scans of a shoe part to generate dimension data, which is useable to model three-dimensional (3-D) features of the shoe part, the method comprising:

projecting a first laser beam onto a shoe-part surface of the shoe part that is comprised of a surface topography, such that a first projected laser line extends across a first section of the shoe-part surface;

projecting a second laser beam onto the shoe-part surface of the shoe part such that a second projected laser line extends across a second section of the shoe-part surface;

recording a first image of the first projected laser line using a first camera, wherein the first image comprises a representation of the first projected laser line;

recording a second image of the second projected laser line using a second camera, wherein the second image comprises a representation of the second projected laser line;

determining coordinate points that define the representation of the first projected laser line as depicted in the first image;

determining coordinate points that define the representation of the second projected laser line as depicted in the second image;

combining the coordinate points that define the representation of the first projected laser line with the coordinate points that define the representation of the second projected laser line, thereby compiling a first set of coordinate points that represent at least a portion of the surface topography; and

converting the first set of coordinate points into a first set of geometric coordinate points that represents a 3-D model of the at least the portion of the surface topography.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second camera is oriented in a position directly opposite the first camera.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first laser beam is oriented in a position directly opposite the second laser beam.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the shoe part comprises a midsole portion comprised of the shoe-part surface and wherein the first set of geometric coordinate points maps a concave surface topography.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the shoe part comprises a lasted shoe upper comprised of the shoe-part surface in combination with a midsole portion and wherein the first set of geometric coordinate points maps a partially convex surface topography.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising, rotating the lasted shoe upper in combination with the midsole portion on a turntable when the first image and the second image are recorded, such that the first and second sections of the shoe-part surface span a 360 degree view of the lasted shoe upper in combination with the midsole portion.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

projecting an additional laser beam onto the shoe-part surface, such that an additional projected laser line extends across a third section of the shoe-part surface;

recording an additional image of the additional projected laser line, wherein the additional image comprises a representation of the additional projected laser line;

determining a second set of coordinate points that defines the representation of the additional projected laser line; and

combining the second set of coordinate points with the first set of coordinate points.

8. A method for analyzing scans of a shoe part to generate dimension data, which is useable to model three-dimensional (3-D) features of the shoe part, the method comprising:

positioning a first shoe part on at least a portion of a second shoe part, wherein an edge where the first shoe part meets the second shoe part comprises an interface line;

projecting a laser beam onto the first shoe part and the second shoe part such that a first segment of a projected laser line extends on the first shoe part and a second segment of the projected laser line extends on the second shoe part;

recording an image of the projected laser line that depicts a first-segment representation and a second-segment representation, wherein an interface region between the first-segment representation and the second-segment representation represents a portion of the interface line between the first shoe part and the second shoe part;

identifying a coordinate point of the interface region that defines a position of the interface region as depicted in the image; and

converting the coordinate point to a geometric coordinate point that defines in part the interface line between the first shoe part and the second shoe part.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first shoe part comprises a first portion of a shoe upper and the second shoe part comprises a second portion of the shoe upper.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the shoe upper is lasted.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the image of the projected laser line is recorded using a camera.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

projecting additional laser beams onto the first shoe part and the second shoe part; and

recording additional images of the projected laser lines.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the additional images are recorded by one or more other cameras.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more other cameras include at least a first camera positioned at an orientation directly opposite a second camera.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

deriving a respective coordinate point from each image of the additional images; and

converting each respective coordinate point to a respective geometric coordinate point that further define the interface line between the first shoe part and the second shoe part.

16. A system that analyzes scans of a shoe part to generate dimension data, which is useable to model three-dimensional (3-D) features of shoe parts, the system comprising:

a shoe-part moving apparatus that retains at least a first shoe part fixed onto a second shoe part and moves the first shoe part and the second shoe part in a line of travel, wherein the first shoe part is positioned such that an edge where the first shoe part meets the second shoe part comprises an interface line;

one or more lasers that project laser beams onto the first shoe part and the second shoe part, each of the one or more lasers positioned such that a first segment of a respective projected laser line extends on the first shoe part and a second segment of the respective projected laser line extends on the second shoe part;

at least a first camera and a second camera that record a plurality of images of the projected laser lines, wherein each of the plurality of images depicts a first-segment representation and a second-segment representation, and wherein an interface region between the first-segment representation and the second-segment representation represents the interface line between the first shoe part and the second shoe part; and

computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to;

(A) derive coordinate points from the plurality of images that define a position of the interface region as depicted in the image;

(B) compile the coordinate points into a set of coordinate points; and

(C) convert the set of coordinate points into geometric coordinate points that define the interface line between the first shoe part and the second shoe part.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first camera is positioned in a directly opposite orientation to the second camera with respect to the line of travel,

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the shoe-part moving apparatus comprises a conveyor and wherein the line of travel is along a straight axis.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the laser beams overlap one another, thereby creating an overlapping curtain, and wherein the overlapping curtain is substantially perpendicular to a belt of the conveyor.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the shoe-part moving apparatus comprises a turntable apparatus that rotates the first shoe part and the second shoe part by 360 degrees.