EP0715461A1 - Method and apparatus for making and trading of articles such as shoes, boots, bags etc. - Google Patents

Abstract

The system allows shoes, boots, or bags etc. to be made to order, with the original leather combined with further materials during successive mfg. steps, with selection of alternate materials for each of the mfg. steps in dependence on the order. The mfd. item can be viewed on a monitor screen during the mfr., each of the individual machines (1,...5) coupled to a common control (10) via a bus line, providing control data representing the placed order which is pref. received directly from the customer via a public telephone line connected to the control.

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for performing the same for the manufacture and distribution of everyday objects, in particular shoes, boots, bags and the like, wherein at least one starting material, e.g. B. a pre-tanned leather, depending on its application one or more processing operations and is made up together with other materials to the commodity, and the confectioning process is divided into sections, such as initial cut, shaping and finishing, and the materials of the commodity to be created accordingly The degree of their processing according to type and quantity is fed to the respective processing operation and processed in the respective processing operation.

In the manufacture of various items of daily use, in particular those of daily use, it is generally known to produce them in several processing operations on a series, often in line, and successive devices or machines, and to carry out the item of use to be produced before starting its manufacture , Dimensional accuracy, shape, color, and so on.
In the production of such everyday objects, for example shoes, it is customary to produce them in a very large number of designs, dimensions, colors, etc., and for a wide range of customers in the manufacturing companies, as well as sales outlets such as Stores, among other things, to keep ready. On the one hand, this leads to a considerable amount of capital being tied up and, on the other hand, it is difficult to adapt to the respective, often fast-paced fashion trends, among other things changes that not only involve higher technical and commercial risks, but also force more personnel. Due to all these constraints, it cannot be avoided that the respective commodity becomes inappropriately expensive, which in many cases, in order to save costs, relocates manufacturing to so-called low-cost countries or the range is limited to just a few items that are still cost-effective in mass production in a so-called expensive country. justify.

A production line for the production of, for example, everyday consumer goods is explained using the example of the manufacture of shoes and which, in addition to the bearings for materials, molds (lasts), cutting tools and the like, is essentially formed by a series of devices or machines which are coordinated with one another in processing operations becomes.
Starting from the basic material to be processed, in this case leather, this production line sometimes has punches, sewing machines, call waiting machines, presses, cleaning machines, etc. All of these machines can work alone or they can be arranged to each other so that they form a material and manufacturing flow. Corresponding to the many types and forms of the consumer goods to be manufactured, ie shoes (men's, women's, children's shoes) and others, these machines can each carry out one or more work processes from the total number of processes, so that they also work individually for the individual Process can be equipped with the appropriate tools.
Despite this design of the machines on the one hand and their respective function on the other hand, it is often necessary for a larger production, this Import machines to a certain cycle in order to largely eliminate production bottlenecks. Such coordination to the respective work cycle of the machines requires the passage of a single, according to type, size, shape, etc., defined commodity, so that such machines can only work economically if previously specified commodities unchanged over a longer period and in large numbers , can be manufactured. In many cases, however, this cannot be observed because rapid changes due to various trend changes in consumer demand behavior also necessitate a quick change in the production process, which in most cases is hardly economically possible. Due to this, often very slow, adjustment to the trend change, excess quantities are often produced, which sometimes get stuck at the manufacturer, sometimes at sales, ie in the shops. This in turn burdens both companies, ie manufacturers and distributors, and contributes to the fact that they have to get rid of the commodities at lower prices and thereby avoid large losses in many cases. In this way, pre-calculated sales and profits are often not achieved, which in particular forces manufacturers to shift production to so-called low-cost countries and to distance themselves from the often lucrative market in the immediate vicinity of the consumer (see A. Schlachter: Schuh, Leder and shoe accessories, Verlag H. Stam GmbH, Cologne-Porz, 1981).

This is where the invention comes in, which is based on the object of designing a method and an apparatus for carrying out the method in such a way that it avoids the abovementioned disadvantages, in particular the rapid trend sequence, and the earnings situation of the companies, even in the immediate vicinity of the Consumer, can be secured and expanded.

This object is achieved procedurally in that the commodity in one of its possible designs is presented on a display device, such as a screen, and that at least the functions of the processing operations that carry out the manufacture of the commodity are connected to a collection point via interfaces assigned to these processes, and that the individual processing operations can be influenced via this collection point by means of external access and input means, in such a way that changes in the appearance, dimensions and / or execution of the article of daily use can be carried out before it is partially or finally completed, and that these changes can be initiated and called up individually from different locations via communication lines known per se, as well as the individual processing operations up to the completion of the usage counter tandes can be checked and any control data and / or discrepancies can be reported in good time and corrected if necessary.

In order to be able to produce articles of daily use according to this method, a device is used in which, for carrying out the individual processing operations and in accordance with the type of article of daily use, at least those devices which provide and supply and assemble the materials, such as storage, transport, cutting, sewing devices -, gluing, printing, polishing, packing machines, etc. are provided and these devices are arranged and / or coupled to one another in the sense of the cycle sequence of the processing operations, and which device is characterized in that, in addition to this coupling, each device is connected to a the collection point for all functions-forming and all input-processing control and regulating device is connected, and this control and regulating device in turn is connected both to the production program of the everyday objects in their basic design and to a series of peripheral viewing and input devices, via which the latter can be individually intervened in the sense of changes in the processing processes and thus the basic versions of the everyday objects, even before their respective manufacturing step.

These measures not only advantageously achieve the object on which the invention is based, but also achieve a number of additional advantages. For example, in addition to the rapid succession of possible trend changes, it is possible to keep the range of consumer items quite large without tying up large amounts of capital, premises, personnel, etc. In addition, the consumer, with regard to his special wishes, especially for design, shape, size, color and the like. a., a wider range of variations can be offered without having to raise the sales price of the commodity accordingly. In addition, the consumer can be offered a possible variation of his utility object within certain limits, which he can individually, acc. whose personal taste can use. The rapid adaptation to any fashion trends also has the advantage that the manufacturer and distributor are always up to date and so-called shopkeepers no longer have to fear. In this way, the manufacturing and distribution costs can be reduced, so that even in so-called expensive manufacturing countries can still be profitable, manufactured and distributed.

Another advantage can result from the fact that, in particular, the consumer can make his purchase from home via appropriate communication with the manufacturer and / or sales, which saves him time and walking.

• Fig. 1
  einen Herstellungsablauf eines Gebrauchsgegenstandes, d. h. einer möglichen Fertigungslinie, nebst einer Steuer- und Regeleinrichtung inklusive der Sicht- und Eingabegeräte für eine Auswahl und Kauf aus dem örtlichen Umfeld des Herstellers bzw. Vertriebs, und
• Fig. 2
  den gleichen Ablauf wie in Fig. 1, jedoch mit dem Unterschied, daß ein verbraucherseitiges Sicht- und Eingabegerät verwendet wird, und der Verbraucher über eine Kommunikationsleitung aus seinem örtlichen Umfeld auf die Steuer- und Regeleinrichtung einwirkt.

The method and its device are schematically illustrated and explained with the aid of drawings. Show it:

• Fig. 1
  a production process of a commodity, ie a possible production line, along with a control and regulating device including the viewing and input devices for selection and purchase from the local environment of the manufacturer or sales, and
• Fig. 2
  the same procedure as in Fig. 1, but with the difference that a consumer-side vision and input device is used, and the consumer acts on the control and regulating device via a communication line from his local environment.

The device 1 for producing and distributing commodities is based on a production line, for. B. for shoes, explained and is essentially formed by a number of devices or machines 1-5 in addition to these associated storage and loading systems 6-9, in addition to these, a control of the manufacturing process from outside the manufacturing operation and Control device 10 is assigned. The production line, in this case for the manufacture of shoes, can consist of a machine 1, preferably a punch, which can be used to cut the material to be used, in this case leather, textiles, etc., and which can be loaded with punching tools which can be removed from a tool storage 6. The punching tools, with which the individual molded parts of the commodity, such as upper parts, middle and lower parts (insole, filling, sole, heel, etc.) of the shoe are optionally punched out, can be seen in the tool store 6, which is preferably in the area of the punch, ie the machine 1 can be arranged.

After these parts have been punched out of sheet-like materials, these further processing operations 2-5 and, such as sewing, tapping, pressing, grinding and the like. a., supplied, corresponding machines of the first machine 1 also being arranged for these processes. The manufacturing process, e.g. B. for shoes, incidentally, takes place in previously known orders, so that this need not be discussed further here.

The special feature of this invention, however, is that this manufacturing process, i. H. the individual devices and machines 1-9, such as storage, transport devices, presses and so-called finishing tools u. a. m. to network or couple the production line on the one hand and on the other hand with a special control and regulating device 10 in such a way that regardless of the specified production sequence into the individual processing operations, also from the outside, i. H. an environment of sales.

For this intervention, the control and regulating device 10, which can usually be installed in the manufacturing operation, via a series of vision and input devices 11-15, which, for. B. in the local environment of sales, such as branch offices, shops and. a., can be connected to them.

The control and regulating device 10, for. B. a computer system, includes the entire manufacturing program of commodities, as it is also stored in a separate memory 16 and designed based on the manufacturing specification.

By means of the external control and regulating device 10, for. B. in stores, installed viewing and input devices 11-15 can in this facility stored items of daily use can be called up externally and projected in the shops on the viewing devices, so that the consumer interested in buying an item of daily use can view this item in all its details on the screen of this device.
If this consumer decides to use such a commodity, e.g. B. to acquire the shoe, he can enter the desired size and order this shoe via the control and regulating device 10, which then confirms the purchase, and trigger or trigger the manufacturing process.

However, in cases where the consumer in principle agrees to buy a model, but in addition to the size has some special requests for it, e.g. B. special seams of the tops (outside the indispensable) or special colors of the upper material and / or substructure, he can also enter these wishes and in this way, up to a completely individual model, possibly with his own logo (name etc.) ), increase and then order this model.

The commodity ordered by him in this way, in this case the pair of shoes, can be delivered to him via the store or directly from the manufacturer's mail order 17.
This special, individual mode can be further optimized, for example in such a way that, in addition to the size and the outer design, foot formations which lie outside a conventional last shape are recorded and entered, as a result of which the consumer can find a pair which is adapted to his particular requirements Receives shoes. This is certainly very important when you consider that each foot has its own course and foot deformations due to a lack of individual adjustment could not yet be ruled out. This option is also special in addition to adults of great importance for children in order to largely rule out foot deformations due to incorrect footwear. Recording devices for the size and shape of the feet are already known and widely used, so that they could also be used here with little effort.

The embodiment of the device 1 according to FIG. 2 is based on the same criteria as the first described example and differs from this only in that the control and regulating device 10 via a public line 18, for. B. telephone line, can be connected to a view and input device 19 installed in the environment of the consumer. In such a case, the consumer, e.g. B. make your choice from home and order the desired commodity.

In order to make it easier for the consumer to select the changeable parts on an article of daily use, the control and regulating device 10 can be equipped with symbols 20 which can be identified on the viewing and input devices 11-15. The consumer only needs to enter the symbols 20 for his individual choice and in this way equip the item to be ordered. In this way, the order can be significantly simplified, which, for. B. when ordering a complicated item, such as a motor vehicle with different engine sizes and other accessories, would be very advantageous.

The invention has been shown and described essentially using the example of a choice and order of shoes. Of course, this can be used equally well and efficiently for the selection and ordering of other items. B. for clothing, tableware, furniture, etc.

Claims (5)

Process for the manufacture and distribution of commodities, esp. Shoes, boots, bags, etc., wherein at least one starting material, eg. B. a pre-tanned leather, depending on its application one or more processing operations and is made up together with other materials to the commodity, and the confectioning process is divided into sections, such as initial cut, shaping and finishing, and the materials of the commodity to be created accordingly The degree of their processing according to type and quantity is fed to the respective processing operation and processed in the respective processing operation.
characterized,
that the object of use in one of its possible versions is presented on a display device, such as a screen, and that at least the functions of the processing operations which carry out the manufacture of the object of use, via interfaces assigned to these operations, are connected to a collection point, and that via this collection point by means of external retrieval and input means can be influenced on the individual processing operations in such a way that changes in appearance, dimensions and / or execution of the article of daily use can be made before its partial or final completion, and that these changes can be made by different Locations from communication lines known per se, individually can be initiated and retrieved, how the individual processing operations up to the completion of the commodity can be checked and any control data and / or discrepancies can be reported in good time and corrected if necessary. Method according to claim 1,
characterized,
that the individual processing operations are networked with each other and / or with the collection point and that this network can be accessed via the peripheral vision and input devices. Device for carrying out the method according to claims 1 and 2, wherein for carrying out the individual processing operations and in accordance with the type of article of use, at least those devices which provide and supply and assemble the materials, such as storage, transport, cutting, sewing and adhesive devices -, printing, polishing, packing machines etc. are provided and these devices are arranged and / or coupled to one another in the sense of the cycle sequence of the processing operations,
characterized,
that in addition to this coupling each device (1-5 and 6-9 and 17) is connected to a control and regulating device (10) which forms the collection point for all functions and processes all inputs, and this control and regulating device in turn both with the production program (16) of the everyday objects in their basic version as well as with a series of peripheral viewing and input devices (11-15) is connected, via the latter in the sense of changes in the processing operations and thus the basic versions of the Commodities can be individually intervened before their respective manufacturing step. Device according to claim 3,
characterized,
that the basic designs of the everyday objects in the viewing and input devices (11-15) are reproducible and can be individually modified there by predetermined and / or new change options, in particular with regard to shape, size, color and others. Device according to claim 3,
characterized,
that within a production line only those devices (1-5 and 6-9 and 17) or processing processes can be subjected to an individual change which in particular have no influence on the qualitative function or the utility value of the commodity.

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