WO2014185979A1

WO2014185979A1 - Method for systematic design and production of footwear components

Info

Publication number: WO2014185979A1
Application number: PCT/US2014/000116
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ashley PARKES
Original assignee: Parkes Ashley
Priority date: 2013-05-14
Filing date: 2014-05-15
Publication date: 2014-11-20

Abstract

A method for the design and production of custom-fitted footwear components. The present method allows the footwear designer to create footwear design templates, to capture internal and external measurement data for each customer's limbs, and to use this measurement data to generate modified footwear designs to fit each customer.

Description

METHOD FOR SYSTEMATIC DESIGN AND PRODUCTION OF FOOTWEAR

COMPONENTS

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/823,346, filed May 14, 2013, entitled "Method for systematic design and production of footwear components," which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] The disclosure generally relates to footwear production and, more particularly, to systems and methods for production of custom footwear.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Custom-fitting of footwear is a complex process, but technological innovations in recent years have led to greater possibilities for accuracy and efficiency. The fitting and production of custom footwear is accomplished in several steps, which generally include some combination of the measurement of feet, the production or modification of lasts, the production of footwear components, and their assembly into a finished article of footwear. These steps are

accomplished either by hand or with the aid of computer systems, but in either case,

measurement and production processes are currently limited by a few major factors. These factors include reliance on external reference points on the foot for sizing and adjustment purposes; the necessity of some level of guesswork in making adjustments to the shapes of standard lasts and footwear components to fit individual measurements; the lack of a systematic grading process to maintain correct fit as well as correct design proportions throughout the finished footwear article; and the general inefficiency associated with customized production.

[0004] The present invention seeks to mitigate these limitations. It allows the designer not only to tailor designs to precise measurements, but also to make adjustments that reflect each individual's particular skeletal structure, and to use the same image data to create accurately- fitted footwear for a range of heel heights. The invention furthermore allows the footwear designer to take into consideration nuances of the customer's overall conformation, allowing for the production of footwear which addresses these. It accomplishes all of the above in such a way that the entire finished product remains proportional to the original footwear design, with minimal need for manual editing.

SUMMARY

[0005] A method is provided for the imaging of each customer's lower extremities, and the customized design and production of footwear based on each customer's imaging data. The disclosed method includes a design module to create template files for footwear designs; an imaging module to generate a three-dimensional model of the lower extremities of each customer; a processing module to refine said model; an ordering module to allow customers to select and order desired footwear designs; a grading module to generate custom-sized footwear components based on the desired footwear design template and the customer data file; and a production module to produce components generated in the grading module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various embodiments of the present invention may utilize elements and/or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. [0007] Fig. 1 illustrates the sequence of modules found in the present method, and the elements thereof, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

[0008] Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B illustrate possible locations of control points on footwear design models, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

[0009] Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B illustrate possible locations of control points on customer data models, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

[0010] Fig. 4 illustrates the rotation of customer data models in processing module 103, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

[0011] Fig. 5 illustrates the matching of control points in grading module 105, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

OVERVIEW

[0012] Described herein are embodiments of the present invention, but it is understood that further embodiments could be conceived which remain within the scope of the present invention, and that the embodiments disclosed here are to be interpreted as representative of potential implementations of the present invention.

[0013] The method described here comprises a series of modules, the preferred sequence of which is illustrated in Fig. 1. Details of an embodiment of this method are described below. ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0014] The method begins with design module 101, which includes a CAD program allowing the designer to create templates for footwear designs by importing various objects from a library of predefined footwear components (database 121, as indicated in Fig. 1), or by creating them from scratch. The footwear design model generated by the design module may comprise some or all of the components necessary to create an article of footwear, including but not limited to the last, insole, uppers, heels, and so forth. This model is rigged with a set of at least two control points. In an embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B, five control points are placed such that point 201 A will be located on the last at the most convex point of the heel, 202A and 103 A will be located on the last at the outermost points of the ball of the foot, 204A will be located at the point bisecting the line between 202A and 203 A, and 205A will be located in the toe area of the last such that the vertical distance between the sole of the shoe and 205 A is equal to the vertical distance between the sole of the shoe and 204A. In the embodiment described here, the model is assigned "dependent" and "independent" zones to facilitate scaling in the grading module. Independent zones, such as the toe box area or decorative elements, will retain their general shape when processed by the grading module; whereas dependent zones, such as the area around the waist of the foot, will be scaled to match the contours of a particular foot.

[0015] Each component of the model is then assigned a production classification such that usable production data for the component can be generated automatically in the grading module. For instance, components intended to be created on a CNC machine (i.e. lasts) will be classified such that G-code will be generated by the grading module, whereas components designed to be cut on a laser cutter (i.e. patterns for uppers) will be classified such that they will be "unrolled" and saved as vector image files by the CAD program 114 described later in the section defining the grading module.

[0016] The entire model is then duplicated and mirrored, such that the completed template consists of a model of a right shoe and a model of a left shoe. The model of the left shoe will be assigned control points corresponding to those found in the model of the right shoe (in the instance of the embodiment of the present invention described here, points 20 IB, 202B, 203B, 204B, and 205B will be assigned to the model of the left shoe, corresponding to points 201 A, 202A, 203 A, 204A, and 205A found in the model of the right shoe, such that a total of ten control points are found in the footwear design template). Completed footwear design templates are saved to design database 122 for retrieval by the grading module.

[0017] Imaging module 102 captures customer imaging data and may include a CAD program 112, as well as a scanning device or devices 131 capable of capturing internal as well as external structures of the body. The preferred embodiment of this module is integrated with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, though other devices or combinations thereof may be used, and should acquire image data of at least the customer's lower limbs in their entirety. The resulting data is saved to a customer records database 123, and sent to the processing module for refinement.

[0018] Processing module 103 includes a customer database 123; and a CAD program 113, which separates the three-dimensional images of the major structures of the lower extremities (acquired in the imaging module) into individual three-dimensional CAD objects. Separation of these structures may be accomplished by various methods- for instance, by using one of several segmentation algorithms used for medical image processing, such as expectation-maximization segmentation or a pattern-recognition machine learning system. Structures defined in processing module 103 may include, but are not limited to, some or all of the following: skin, bone, muscle, tendon, and fatty tissue. CAD program 113 then assembles these individual objects into an armature, such that the finished armature may be manipulated in a realistic manner. A series of control points are assigned to the resulting model, corresponding with the control points assigned to the footwear design template. The described embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, assigns ten control points to the customer data model, five to the right foot and five to the left. These points are assigned such that point 301 A is located at the most convex point of the heel of the right foot, 302A and 303A at the outermost points of the first and fifth tarsophalangeal joints of the right foot, 304A at the point bisecting the line between 302A and 303A, and 305A at the end of the first distal phalanx. Points 301B through 305B should be placed at corresponding locations in the left foot. The model(s) are adjusted such that the central axes of the tibias run parallel to the Y-axis, as indicated in Fig. 4. Completed customer data files are attached to customer records in the customer database 123.

[0019] Ordering module 104 draws from previously-described databases 122 and 123, and consists further of a web-based program 141 which allows customers to browse footwear designs from database 122. In a potential embodiment of ordering module 104, customers who have signed in to the system may check whether they have up-to-date imaging data attached to their records in database 123, and if so, may choose to purchase desired designs. Completion of a purchase generates a "ticket" (an entry in database 124, as indicated in Fig. 1), referencing the customer data file and the desired footwear design template, which is then processed by the grading module.

[0020] Grading module 105 consists of a CAD program 114, which processes tickets generated by the ordering module, modifying footwear design templates to fit customer data files;

previously-described database 123; and a database 125, to which production data is attached. Each ticket allows for the corresponding customer data file and footwear design template to be imported into the grading module. The models from the footwear design template are then matched with the customer data file. In the embodiment described here, the footwear design models are scaled such that the distance between control points 201 A and 204 A equals the distance between control points 301 A and 304A, and similarly that the distance between control points 20 IB and 204B equals the distance between control points 30 IB and 304B; the models from the footwear design template are then moved such that these control points match up as illustrated in Fig. 5. The customer data models are then adjusted such that the line between control points 204A and 205A, the line between 304A and 305A, the line between 204B and 205B, and the line between 304B and 305B all run parallel to the X-axis. The customer data models are further adjusted such that the tibia bones remain parallel to the Y-axis. The footwear design models are then scaled to fit the customer data models by matching dependent zones of the footwear design models to the corresponding surfaces of the customer data models. The finished footwear design models may be reviewed for accuracy. Each component of the finished footwear design models may be output as G-code, vector image, or other file type based on its production classification, and the output files are saved to database 125.

[0021] Production module 106, consisting of previously-described database 125 and of a system of machinery 151, proceeds to turn the files housed by database 125 into physical footwear components. System 151 may consist of any combination of 3D printers, CNC machinery, laser cutters, and/or other computer-operated machinery necessary to accomplish the production of the footwear components, along with their respective controllers.

[0022] Potential embodiments of the invention have been described; it is, however, understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Alterations and modifications may be made to the examples and embodiments disclosed without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention shall be defined and protected by the accompanying claims and the equivalents thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A foot measurement and footwear production method featuring, as indicated in Fig. 1, the following: a design module 101 to create template files for footwear designs and assign control points for matching with customer data files; an imaging module 102 to generate a three-dimensional model of the internal structures and exterior surfaces of the feet and legs of each customer; a processing module 103 to separate the internal structures into individual three-dimensional objects, build an armature based on these structures, enclose with the exterior surfaces, and assign control points to the model; an ordering module 104 to allow customers to select and order desired footwear designs; a grading module 105 to generate custom-sized footwear components in digital form based on the desired footwear design template and the customer data file; and a production module 106 to produce components generated in the grading module.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the design module 101 comprises a three-dimensional CAD program 111, which allows the designer to select and combine elements from a library of components, pattern shapes, etc., or to create such elements from scratch; a database 121, which houses the aforementioned library of components; and a database 122, wherein the completed template for each footwear design is saved.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the template file of each footwear design contains some or all of the components necessary to manufacture the final article of footwear, which may include but are but not limited to the last, uppers, heels, insoles, and outsoles.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein each component within the template file is assigned a production classification to enable the automatic generation of production specifications.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the template file is assigned a set of at least two control points, an embodiment of which is indicated in Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B, to allow matching with customer data files, such that a customer data file may be matched with the template file.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging module 102 is comprised of a CAD program 112; a(n) imaging device(s) 131 capable of capturing the internal structures and external surfaces of the lower limbs of the customer in a three-dimensional model; and a database 123 of customer records, to which the scan data of each customer will be saved.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing module 103 is comprised of a CAD

program 113, which allows the model generated in the imaging module to be separated into multiple 3D objects, which may include some or all of (but are not limited to) the

. bones, muscles, tendons/and fatty tissues; which allows these objects to be assembled into an armature, to be manipulated in the grading module; which assigns a set of at least two control points to be matched with those assigned to a footwear design template, an embodiment of which is indicated in Fig. 3 A and Fig. 3B; and which associates the resulting file with the appropriate customer's record in previously-described database 123.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein control points are placed so as to correspond with the control points found in a footwear design template, a potential embodiment of which is indicated in Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the ordering module 104 consists of a web-based program 141 which may allow customers to sign in, browse, and/or purchase desired designs; of previously-described databases 122 and 123; and of a database 124, to which web-based program 141 appends a record or "ticket," upon a customer's completion of a purchase, referencing the desired footwear design template from database 122 and the appropriate customer data file from database 123.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the grading module 105 consists of a CAD program 114, which allows the selected footwear design template to be scaled to match the customer data file from database 123, and which outputs each altered template component to its designated file type based on its production classification; and a database 125 of altered components, to which each component file generated by CAD program 114 is appended.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the production module 106 comprises database 125 and the system of machinery 151 necessary for production of each component; this may include but is not limited to CNC machinery, 3D printers, laser cutters, and controllers associated therewith.