Material handling system and system for manufacturing shoe parts in an automated manner

Material handling systems and systems for the automated manufacture of shoe components System

MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING SHOE PARTS IN AN AUTOMATED MANNER

The various aspects herein are related to the automated manufacture of shoes. More specifically, various aspects are related to components that assemble and sew shoes in an automated manner, such as shoe components that collectively make up all or part of the upper.

The manufacture of shoes typically requires multiple assembly steps, such as cutting, forming, assembling, bonding, and/or sewing a plurality of shoe components together. Some of the methods used to accomplish these steps, such as relying heavily on manual workers, can be resource intensive and can require a high degree of variability. Automated assembly has been described, however, the processes and machinery used to assemble other merchandise may not be suitable for assembling shoes, as the shoe presents a number of challenges to the sewing process and other joining processes. For example, the upper may include thick, dense materials that are difficult to sew evenly, especially for complex shapes. In addition, the sewing of the shoe requires relatively high precision to maintain a predictable fit and to ensure that the two shoes are paired in pairs.

The upper may include functional sewing, aesthetic sewing or both functional Sewing and aesthetic sewing, and failure to achieve a highly accurate placement and uniformity of the stitching, may make the shoe susceptible to premature failure or aesthetically unacceptable. It is desirable to have uniformity within a given component and between the component and the component, for example to ensure that the decorative stitching on the two shoes in a pair of shoes is uniform. Of course, the functional sewing should also be uniform, for example to ensure that the upper is not separated from the sole or tongue and that any individual components of the upper are not accidentally separated from one another. At the same time, the materials used to construct the upper may be susceptible to damage, wear, or other damage to automated equipment used to assemble very durable or less aesthetically pleasing items, such as marine tarpaulins. Damage to the upper material may be unacceptable in aesthetics or may interfere with the functional properties of the upper, such as moisture permeability.

There is still a need to provide automated shoe assembly systems, processes and methods that increase the accuracy and precision of the assembly process, particularly the sewing process, during assembly.

The present disclosure provides a high level of generalization of the disclosure and introduces a series of concepts which are further described in the following embodiments. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, and is not intended to be used to independently determine the scope of the claimed subject matter.

The present disclosure describes, inter alia, and at a high level, the assembly and joining of the components of the shoe in an automated manner, such as by sewing. An exemplary system for assembling and sewing shoe components in an automated manner can be constructed from a variety of components, such as manufacturing stations, transport mechanisms, vision systems, and shared control systems. Exemplary systems and system components are set forth, for example, on January 23, 2014. The U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 14/162,271, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety in its entirety in its entirety in the entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire entire all all all all all all

For example, individual shoe components (eg, shoe components that collectively form all or a portion of the upper assembly) can be picked up and temporarily assembled at the stacking station according to a preset relative position to form a component stack. The components and/or component stacks can be drawn such that the relative positioning of the various shoe components is maintained and placed in a sewing machine to be more permanently attached by sewing the components to form a shoe assembly and/or decoration Sexual sewing. The picking device can include a material handling system or can deliver a component or component stack to a material handling system. The material handling system can engage the component or component stack before, during, or after the component or component stack is placed in the sewing machine. The material handling system can maintain engagement of the component or component stack during all or a portion of the sewing process.

In some parts of the assembly and joining process, it may be acceptable to use a method such as static attachment, reduced air pressure (ie "vacuum"), other air displacement techniques, centrifugal force or the like to hold or move the part. The techniques can maintain the position of the components relative to the equipment and/or the position of the components relative to one another. In various manufacturing stations, transport processes, and/or visual inspection points, it may be desirable to grasp the components or component stacks in a manner that more directly controls the tension and/or position of the components. For example, during a sewing operation or other joining operation, the component may be physically pulled, pushed, or otherwise manipulated in a manner that may cause undesirable repositioning or re-tensioning of the component or component stack. For example, during sewing, the component or component stack may tend to move due to the force exerted by the needle and/or the sewing thread, Gather, pull, or fold back on your own. If such a trend is not manifested in substantially the same manner between the component and the component, this can be a source of variation in the integrity, placement or appearance of the suture.

An exemplary material processing system can include a rail. The rail can have a first end and a second end. The first retaining element can be movably positioned in a path along the first portion of the rail. The first retaining element is moveable along a first retaining element path. The path of the first retaining element may extend between the first end and the second end of the rail. A first portion of the rail may extend from a midpoint of the rail to a first end of the rail. The second retaining element can be movably positioned in a path along the second portion of the rail. The second retaining element can be moveable along a second retaining element path. The path of the second retaining element can extend between the first end and the second end of the rail. A second portion of the rail may extend from a midpoint of the rail to a second end of the rail.

Each retaining element can include a first gripping element and an opposing second gripping element. The first gripping element is movable relative to the second gripping element, or the second gripping element is movable relative to the first gripping element, or the first gripping element is Both of the second gripping elements are moveable relative to each other.

A multi-axis robotic arm can be coupled to the rail. The multi-axis robotic arm moves the material handling system as a whole. The material handling system can include a drive mechanism for moving the first retaining element. The drive mechanism is mechanically engageable with the first retaining element. The drive mechanism is effective to move the first retaining element along the first retaining element path. a second drive mechanism and the second The holding elements are mechanically engaged. The second drive mechanism is effective to move the second retaining element along the second retaining element path. The first drive mechanism and/or the second drive mechanism may be an electric actuator, a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator or a belt drive.

The first retention element path may be a mirror image of the second retention element path. One or both of the first retention element path and the second retention element path may be linear. The movement of the first gripping element and/or the second gripping element of the first retaining element may be orthogonal to the first retaining element path. The movement of the first gripping element and/or the second gripping element of the second retaining element (the third gripping element and/or the fourth gripping element of the material handling system as a whole) may be orthogonal to The second retention element path.

A system for manufacturing shoe components in an automated manner can include a manufacturing station and a material handling system. The system can further include a visual inspection system electrically coupled to the material handling system.

A method of making a shoe can include engaging a component or component stack using a material handling system. The engagement member or component stack can include securing the component or component stack with the first retention element and the second retention element. Engaging the component or component stack can further include moving the first retention element away from the second retention element after the component or component stack has been secured. The method can include performing an assembly operation on the component or component stack at a manufacturing station. The method can include disengaging the component or component stack from the material handling system. The assembly operation may include one or more of riveting, adhesive bonding, cohesive bonding, welding, stapling, or sewing. Place The method can include visual inspection of the component or stack of components. The component or component stack can be visually inspected after the assembly operation. The material handling system can engage the component or component stack while visually inspecting the component or component stack. The method can include moving the component or component stack to a second manufacturing station. The material handling system can remain engaged with the component or component stack while the component or component stack is moved to the second manufacturing station.

<p>10Material Processing System</p><p>20stepper motor</p><p>30Axis</p><p>40 drive belt</p><p>50Retaining components</p><p>50a outside holding element</p><p>50bIntermediate holding element</p><p>50c outside holding element</p><p>70 upper arm</p><p>80 Lower arm</p><p>90rails</p><p>100First holding element/holding element</p><p>110Second holding element / holding element</p><p>120Retaining element/center holding element</p><p>130Open location</p><p>140Closed position</p><p>150 Robotic arm</p><p>160Intermediate board</p><p>170 Parts</p><p>180Manufacture station</p><p>190 horizontal support</p><p>200 method</p><p>210, 220, 230 steps</p><p>240Disengagement</p><p>250Modification</p><p>255Transfer parts</p><p>260Additional operation</p>

The illustrative aspects of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary material handling system suitable for use in a system for assembling and sewing shoe components in an automated manner.

2 is a side view of an exemplary material handling system suitable for use in a system for assembling and sewing shoe components in an automated manner.

3 is a side elevational view of an exemplary retaining element of the system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example.

4 is a side view of the exemplary retaining element of FIG. 3 showing an exemplary movement of the grab arm.

5 is a perspective view of the exemplary material handling system of FIG. 1 relative to an exemplary manufacturing station.

6 through 7 are flow diagrams illustrating an exemplary method of using a material processing system.

Figure 8 is suitable for use in systems that assemble and sew shoe components in an automated manner A perspective view of an exemplary material handling system.

This novel subject matter will now be specifically described to meet statutory requirements. However, this description is not intended to define what is considered to be the novel, and the present invention is defined by the scope of the patent application. The claimed subject matter can include different elements or combinations of elements that are similar to those described herein in connection with other current or future technologies. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, terms are not to be construed as implying any particular order of the various elements.

The present disclosure relates to automated assembly and sewing of shoe components and, in particular, to material handling systems used in equipment or systems for assembling and sewing shoe components. As noted above, the system for assembling and sewing shoe components in an automated manner can be constructed from a variety of components, such as manufacturing stations, transport mechanisms, vision systems, and shared control systems. One or a series of material handling systems can be used with any of the subassemblies, particularly but not limited to, with a manufacturing station for cutting, forming, and/or joining components of the shoe. The material handling system can form a portion of the transfer mechanism that maintains engagement with the component or component stack at and/or between one or more manufacturing stations. The material handling system can be associated with a particular manufacturing station to engage components or component stacks in a single manufacturing operation or step. The material handling system can engage the component or component stack during all or a portion of any manufacturing or transporting step, or can be engaged during a portion of the manufacturing or transporting step, disengaged during a portion of the manufacturing or transporting step, and manufactured or transferred at the same time Re-engage during part of the step. For the purposes of this disclosure, when a specific task has been completed Separate manufacturing steps are completed when the component is cut out from a larger material, assembled component stack, or stitched component or component stack, and when the conveyor system stacks the component or component (including the upper shoe assembly or has When the assembled shoe) is delivered to the new equipment, the discrete transfer steps are completed regardless of whether the transport mechanism is completely disengaged from the component or component stack at any particular equipment.

Material handling systems may be particularly, but not limited to, suitable for use in sewing or other joining methods (eg, riveting; adhesive bonding or cohesive bonding; welding by heat, ultrasonic or other means; tacking; etc.) Manufacturing operations. In such operations, maintaining the position of the component or component stack and/or the tension in the component or component stack is often important, and the operation itself may tend to cause movement or tension changes in the component or component stack. .

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary, non-limiting material handling system 10. As shown, material handling system 10 includes two stepper motors 20. Stepper motors 20 are coupled to shafts 30, respectively, and shafts 30 are coupled to drive belts 40, respectively. A retaining element 50 is movably positioned along the drive belt 40, the retaining element 50 having a gripping arm 60. As shown, there are two retaining elements 50 on one of the drive belts, however in some embodiments each retaining element can be positioned along a separate drive belt, or one or more retention elements can be secured to Material handling system 10 is not coupled to the drive belt as shown in FIG. As also shown, the retaining members 50 each have two grip arms 60: an upper arm 70 and a lower arm 80. The gripping arms can be forked (fork or trigeminal) in the form of two, or three, or more components. The grab arms 60 are shown as having similar sizes and configurations, however each of the grab arms 60 associated with a particular retaining element 50 can be different. For example, the upper arm 70 There may be two forks and the lower arm 80 may have one fork. By way of further example, the upper arm 70 can have one fork and the lower arm 80 can have two forks. By way of further example, the length of the upper arm 70 can be different than the length of the lower arm 80. When the upper arm is asymmetrical to the lower arm, the upper and lower arms may be centered or off center with respect to each other. Different retaining elements 50 can have different grip arm configurations. For example, one retaining element can have a shorter grip arm than the other retaining elements. As shown in Figure 8, the intermediate retaining element 50b has a grip arm that is shorter than the outer retaining elements 50a and 50c. Alternatively, the retaining element 50a can have a shorter gripping arm than the retaining elements 50b and 50c, or the retaining element 50c can have a shorter gripping arm than the other retaining elements, or one retaining element can have a longer length than the other retaining elements. The grab arms, or all three retaining elements, can have grip arms of different lengths.

Returning to Figure 1, three retaining elements 50 are shown, but not necessarily three retaining elements 50. The two retaining elements 50 can function properly and more than three retaining elements 50 can be used if desired. The number of retaining elements 50 suitable for a given application and the gripping arm configuration can be, for example, dependent on the size of the component or stack of components, one or more operations to be performed on the stack of components or components, and the stacking of components or components. The location or path of the one or more operations. For example, different numbers and/or configurations of retaining elements may allow for different sewing paths for a particular component or stack of components. In other words, different numbers of retaining elements and/or different lengths of gripping arms can be implemented in various aspects to accommodate or be disturbed by the disturbing retaining element and/or the gripping arm. Specific operations (eg, sewing, welding, bonding, and cutting) that become inefficient due to components and/or gripping arms. Therefore, if the tool The path or other operational path is interfered with by the component or otherwise, it is contemplated that one or more of the components may be changed, removed, or repositioned in an exemplary aspect to eliminate potential interference.

As shown in FIG. 1, the stepper motor 20, the shaft 30, the drive belt 40, and the retaining member 50 are all attached directly or indirectly to the guide rail 90. In an alternative embodiment, each retaining element or subcombination of the retaining element may be attached to a separate one or more rails, or attached to an alternate support (eg, a robotic arm, vertical plate, or the like) . As shown, the rails 90 are generally linear and planar, however in certain material handling systems, it may be desirable to provide curved and/or non-planar rails for one or at least one or all of the retaining elements.

As shown in Figure 2, the drive belt 40 is movable to reposition the retaining element 100 and the retaining element 110 relative to one another. Drive belt 40 is used with a stepper motor (not shown in Figure 2) to reposition retaining elements 100 and 110. Any suitable drive mechanism can be used including, but not limited to, an electric actuator, a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a belt drive, or a combination thereof. As shown in Figure 2, two of the three sets of retaining elements are laterally outermost (relative to the midpoint of the rail 90), respectively, moving in opposite directions along the same axis. Equal distance. The first retaining element 100 moves outwardly toward the first lateral end of the rail 90 in the path of the first retaining element and is movable inwardly along the first retaining element path or along the alternate path in the second direction to or even beyond its initial Starting position. The second retaining element 110 moves outwardly toward the second lateral end of the rail 90 in the second retaining element path and is movable inwardly along the second retaining element path or along the alternate path in the second direction Up to its initial starting position. As shown, the central retention element 120 is fixed. However, if desired, the retaining element 120 can also be coupled to a drive mechanism that is a drive mechanism that is unique to the retaining element 120 or that is shared with another retaining element (eg, retaining element 100 or retaining element 110). The retaining element 120, which is the third retaining element in the material processing system 10, can move independently of one or more of the retaining elements 100, 110, or can move in unison with one or more other retaining elements (eg, along substantially the same The path moves, although it may not move to the same extent).

The movement of each of the retaining elements may be approximately equal in terms of the initial position prior to stacking of the retaining member engaging members or components, or the absolute distance of the midpoint of the guide rail 90. Each retaining element can be driven by a separate motor under independent control to achieve symmetrical or asymmetrical movement of each retaining element. For example, the retention element 110 can move more or less than the retention element 100. In some cases, it may be desirable to change the position of one or more retention elements during a manufacturing operation, such as to change the position of the component or component stack during the operation or the tension in only a portion of the component or component stack. The position of the retaining element can be predetermined or can be adjusted during operation, for example for each individual component or component stack, or for a series of components or component stacks. For example, for a given type of shoe, the retaining element can have a fixed starting position and an ending position. Alternatively, the position of the retaining element can be calculated for a given component or a given series of components based on, for example, visual observations from an operator or visual control system. The retention element movement required to achieve the desired position of the component or component stack, or the desired tension in the component or component stack, may be minimal, Even in some cases it will not be noticed by the naked eye. In some aspects, the movement of the retaining element can be greater than 0 mm and less than 2 mm, or between 0.5 mm and 1 mm (inclusive of endpoint values). In another non-limiting alternative, the position of the retaining element can be adjusted to apply a prescribed force to the component or component stack or to achieve a specified tension in the component or component stack. If desired, the material handling system can be equipped with a force measuring device (such as a spring or load cell) to evaluate the force applied to the component or component stack or the tension within the component or component stack. The force measuring device can be associated with an arm such as motor 20 and/or retaining element 50. In other words, the movement of the retaining element 50 can be controlled based on the distance by which one or more of the retaining elements 50 move, or the movement of the retaining element 50 can be controlled based on the tension generated by the movement of the one or more retaining elements.

As shown in Figure 2, the movement of the one or more retaining elements can be linear and/or linear in a transverse plane. Vertical movement and/or multi-axis movement are also contemplated, and different retention elements can be moved in different paths and/or planes. In some embodiments, two or more retaining elements can move in the same direction or generally in the same direction. Although three retaining elements are shown and described, any desired number of grippers greater than or equal to two can be used. The initial spacing and in-process spacing of each retention element may, but need not be equidistant, symmetrical, and/or aligned with respect to the rail 90 or other mechanical device, and may be adjusted to fit For specific parts, processes and equipment used. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to have the retaining elements are not equally spaced apart from each other before, during, or after the mating components or components are stacked. If more than two holding elements are used, the other holding elements may be movable or It is fixed and can be located between or outside the other holding elements.

3 and 4 show a side view of the retaining element 50. The retaining element 50 has a planar and symmetrical component contact surface. If desired, the retaining element 50 can be provided with a textured surface having, for example, ridges, raised or reduced regions in any shape or distribution, or teeth to assist in gripping the component or component stack. If the retaining element 50 is textured, the texture may correspond to the texture of the component or component stack. The retaining element 50 can have an open position 130 and a closed position 140. In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to adjust the closed position 140 during operation, for example to allow for limited repositioning or re-tensioning of the component or component stack. For example, if a visual observation identifies an error bit, it may be desirable to reposition or re-tension the component or component stack. 4 illustrates that the closed position 140 is achieved by lowering the upper arm 70, but the lower arm 80 can also be raised to meet the upper arm 70, or the two arms can be moved toward the center to achieve the closed position 140. If both arms are moved, the arms can move a similar distance to reach a center point between the arms, or one arm can move much more than the other. For example, the upper arm 70 can be lowered toward the lower arm 80, and the lower arm 80 can be moved slightly upward to meet the upper arm 70. The upper arm 70 or lower arm 80 can remain stationary while the other arm is closed around the component or component stack. As discussed above, different retention elements can be positioned or constructed in the same or different manner with respect to initial position and position, size, shape, mobility, texture, etc. in the process. For example, the lower arm 80 can have a rectangular profile and/or the lower arm 80 can have a flat bottom. The flat bottom on the lower arm 80 can help achieve a consistent gap distance (clearance) relative to the working surface (e.g., horizontal support 190 (shown in Figure 5)). Distance).

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary material processing system 10 in an exemplary context in which a multi-axis robotic arm 150 is coupled to a rail 90 via an intermediate plate 160. A series of three retaining elements 50 engage the component 170 at the manufacturing station 180, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5, manufacturing station 180 can include a horizontal support 190. The horizontal support 190 can support manufacturing or transfer operations and/or can help maintain the position of the component 170. In certain embodiments, the horizontal support 190 can be configured to contact the bottom of the lower arm 80 of one or more retention elements 50. In such a configuration, the horizontal support 190 can reduce the functional impact of any accidental rotation of the retaining element 50 about the transverse axis (functional The effect and/or the functional effect of the deformation of the retaining element 50, which may be caused by, for example, the weight of the component 170. Alternatively, a leveling mechanism or level can be attached to each of the retaining elements (i.e., means for establishing a horizontal or horizontal plane, such as by laser alignment or use of air bubbles in the liquid), To ensure that any deviation from the desired horizontal plane is tolerable. Alternatively, the retaining element 50 can be secured to the rail 90 in a manner that limits rotational movement. As a further alternative, the retaining element 50 can be rotatably coupled to the rail 90 and the rotational position of the retaining element 50 can be controlled. Excessive rotation or deformation of the retaining element can negatively impact the position of the component or component stack or the positional uniformity between the component and the component. To what extent is excessively dependent on the characteristics of the equipment, component or component stack, the operations performed, and the tolerances for changes in the output of a particular operation. In certain embodiments, the lower arm 80 does not contact the surface of the manufacturing station 180 or the horizontal support 190. Maintaining the component or component stack above the surface of the manufacturing station 180 or horizontal support 190 may reduce noise generated by the interaction of the lower arm 80 with the manufacturing station 180 or the horizontal support 190, and/or may change Good process control and / or flexibility. For example, if the manufacturing station 180 is a sewing station, having the lower arm 80 contact the horizontal plane 190 can limit the space (height) available for performing the sewing operation and/or facilitate the formation of wrinkles in the component or component stack. The multi-axis robotic arm 150 can be used to move the material handling system 10 engaged with the component 170 to other manufacturing stations and/or inspection stations (not shown), thereby substantially enabling the multi-axis robotic arm 150 and the material handling system. The combination of 10 becomes the transmission system. Alternatively, the particular multi-axis robotic arm 150 and the particular material handling system 10 can be used with only one manufacturing station 180, and with different manufacturing stations and/or checkpoints (if multiple stations are used) A separate transport system (not shown) of the mobile component 170 is used together. Alternatively, material handling system 10 can remain engaged while components are being transported to different stations by separate transport systems.

As the material handling system 10 engages the component 170, the material handling system 10 approaches the component 170 with the gripping arms 60 in the open position 130, thereby placing the component 170 between the opposing upper and lower arms 70, 80. The grab arm 60 is moved to the closed position 140 to secure the component 170 in the retaining element 50. The first retaining element 100 is then spaced apart from the second retaining element 110 by moving the first retaining element 100 away from the second retaining element 110, moving the second retaining element 110 away from the first retaining element 100, or The first retaining element 100 and the second retaining element 110 are moved away from each other to achieve. Moving the first retaining element and the second retaining element increases the tension in the component 170, which helps to avoid malfunctions at the manufacturing station and the inspection station. For example, during the sewing operation, the transverse tension generated by the retaining element on the component or component stack is bonded to the friction between the component or component stack and the needle penetrating the component. (frictional adhesion) provides resistance. By way of example, lateral tension can help Preventing the component or component stack from folding, gathering, or causing the component to exhibit defects in the visual inspection station or can cause failure in further processing steps (eg, through a lower fold layer that would otherwise not be included in a particular sewing path ( Folded-under Layer) performs other movements by sewing. The grip arms 60 are movable toward each other in a direction orthogonal to the path of the retaining elements, which reduces the effect of the gripping arms 60 on the lateral tension in the member 170, which in turn enables easier and better control using the retaining element path. Lateral tension in component 170.

Material handling system 10 is disengaged from component 170 by moving upper arm 70 and lower arm 80 away from each other to open position 130, or until component 170 is dropped, slid, or can be pulled out or otherwise removed from grasping arm 60. . The grab arm 60 can be fully returned to the open position 130 or can be opened to a position intermediate the open position 130 and the closed position 140. In some cases, it may be desirable to move the retention elements 100, 110 toward each other to relieve or completely release any lateral tension in the component 170 prior to opening the capture arm 60. The material handling system 10 can be partially disengaged from the component 170 by opening the gripping arm 60 to maintain the component 170 between the upper arm 70 and the lower arm 80, but can be moved or repositioned relative to the gripping arm 60. .

The system has been described with reference to automated assembly and sewing of shoe components. The types of shoes that can be assembled using the material handling system are broad, including but not limited to running shoes, dance shoes, basketball shoes, American football shoes, soccer shoes, and training shoes (cross-training). Shoes), baseball shoes, golf shoes, skate shoes, snowboard shoes, tennis shoes, barefoot shoes (studio wrap shoes) And casual shoes (street shoes). The sewing involved may be functional sewing or aesthetic sewing or both. Sewing can be performed as a single manufacturing operation or as two or more manufacturing operations. For example, a portion of the upper assembly can be sewn in one manufacturing station in one operation, and another portion of the upper assembly can be sewn in another manufacturing station in a separate operation. As a further example, functional sewing may be performed in a station separate from aesthetic sewing, or functional sewing and/or aesthetic sewing using different kinds of sewing or different kinds of threads may be in a separate station or as separate The operation is carried out.

The shoe component can be constructed from a single component or a plurality of components that are assembled together. For example, the shoe component can be constructed from one or more layers of material (eg, leather, polymer, fabric, rubber, foam, mesh, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or combinations thereof). Further, the shoe component can have various characteristics or combinations of characteristics such as rigidity, ductility, porosity, non-porosity, and the like. The shoe component can include a pre-laminated composition that facilitates adhering one component to another component during assembly, such as prior to sewing, such as a hot melt adhesive. In one exemplary aspect, the shoe component represents a shoe face material that is attached to other shoe components that are to be assembled prior to molding the upper. The shapes and combinations illustrated and described herein are merely exemplary.

The material handling system can be adapted, for example, for automated assembly of shoe components and Sewing in larger systems. A system for automated assembly and sewing of shoe components can include one or more manufacturing stations, one or more delivery systems, and/or one or more visual inspection systems. A selected station or system that constitutes a system for automated assembly and sewing of shoe components ("automated shoe assembly system") may involve manual operation, however in the station or system At least some of them are automated. In some automated shoe assembly systems, all substations and subsystems are automated. The automated shoe assembly system can include a process for making a complete shoe, or can include a process for assembling a portion of the shoe (eg, an upper assembly), or can include sub-assemblies (eg, toe caps) for assembling components of the shoe. And the process of the upper, or the upper, or the toe (or inner), the upper, the upper, the ferrule (or an alternative fastener), and a combination of similar sub-assemblies. The automated shoe assembly system can produce a single, unitary component for subsequent assembly into a shoe assembly or a complete shoe. For example, the integral upper assembly or assembly may be used for functional purposes and/or aesthetic purposes prior to joining the integral upper assembly or a portion of the upper assembly to other footwear components. A part of the upper assembly is sewn.

The manufacturing station can be configured to perform discrete tasks, such as cutting a shoe component from a feed stream, or can be configured to perform a combination of tasks, such as cutting a shoe component from a feed stream and applying a bond to the shoe component. An exemplary manufacturing station can provide a feedstock; cut a component from a feedstock, shape or shape the component; stack or otherwise temporarily assemble the components; and/or join the discrete components together to form a complete shoe, shoe component Assembly, or new part with two or more subassemblies. These are merely examples, and neither need to include all of the exemplary stations nor limit the possible stations to the examples. In some systems, manufacturing stations may be present but not used in the manufacture of certain shoes. For example, an adhesive application station can be used when assembling one type of shoe component, but the adhesive application station can be omitted when assembling different types of shoe components. The assembly of the different shoe components may use different manufacturing stations, or the same manufacturing station or a subset of the same manufacturing stations may be used in a different order.

The transport system can include any suitable component moving device including, but not limited to, a robotic arm, a conveyor, a motor driven turret, an XY plane mobile station, an XYZ space mobile station, or a combination thereof. The transport system includes a picking tool, which may include or consist of a material handling system. As an alternative to or in addition to the material handling system, the conveyor system may also comprise or consist of: a gripping tool, a scooping tool, an air displacement tool or a "vacuum" type of tool or combination thereof. Exemplary transfer delivery system set forth in No. 2013/0127193 A1, for example, in U.S. Patent Publication.

The delivery system retrieves and repositions the component or component stack individually or in groups of two or more components or components via different components of the automated shoe assembly system. For example, the delivery system can take a component or component stack from a manufacturing station that shapes or modifies a component or component stack and delivers the component or component stack to another manufacturing station or visual inspection station. The visual inspection station can be configured for manual inspection (eg, by naked eye, or by means of a small magnifying glass; magnifying glass; light; filter; imaging system, including still camera or video camera and charge coupled device; or a combination thereof Or for automated inspections (eg inspections performed without human intervention, such as analyzing digital photos by computer and comparing them with specifications). The automated shoe assembly system can include more than one visual inspection station, and the visual inspection station can be manual, automated, or if there is more than one station, it can be a combination of manual and automated. A visual inspection station can be used to detect the presence, location, orientation, size and/or shape of a component or component stack. The position and/or orientation of the component or component stack can be relative to the transport system, the manufacturing station, The material handling system, another component or component stack, or components or a combination thereof are evaluated.

Information from the visual inspection system can be used to interrupt the processing of components or component stacks that are irreparably out of specification, or to change further processing of components or component stacks that are out of specification. For example, information from a visual inspection system can be manually or automatically fed to a sewing operation in a manufacturing station, thereby allowing the sewing pattern to be modified to compensate for mispositioning or other repairable defects. For example, the representation of the component or component stack can be compared to the missing or preset stitching pattern by the vision system with or without the aid of a computer. The missing stitching pattern may be overlaid (eg, projected) on the actual component or representation of the component stack in a virtual manner (eg, in a digital manner), thereby causing the computer and/or vision system to determine that the predetermined stitching pattern will Causes at least one stitch offset to exceed an acceptable range of variation. In other words, if the predetermined stitching pattern deviates from a desired relative position on the component or component stack (eg, near an edge or an overlapping position), it is determined that the predetermined stitching pattern needs to be changed. The computing system and/or vision system can produce a modified stitching pattern for a particular component or component stack, and the altered stitching pattern can be deployed in a memory (eg, a programmable logic controller (PLC) or other The computing system is either associated with the memory and maintained in the memory for subsequent use. Alternatively, the computing system and/or vision system can generate a modified path or behavior for the transport mechanism to adjust for changes in the component or component stack.

In the context of shoe manufacturing, computing devices can be used to determine various shoe systems The operation of the tool. For example, a computing device can be used to control a component pick-up tool or a conveyor for transferring a shoe component from one location to another. Additionally, a computing device can be used to control a component attachment tool for attaching (eg, bonding, sewing, etc.) one shoe component to another shoe component.

6 and 7 are flow diagrams of an exemplary method of making a shoe using a material handling system. Figure 6 illustrates a method 200 that includes a step 210 of receiving a component or component stack, which may be in a staging area (staging Area), previous manufacturing station, conveyor system or visual inspection station. Step 220, causing the material handling system to engage the component or component stack at a manufacturing station or visual inspection station, or step 220 may also be to engage the component or component stack and transfer the component or component stack to a manufacturing station Or visual inspection station. At step 230, an operation, such as an assembly step, a transfer step, or a visual inspection, is performed on the component or component stack. If desired, the material handling system can disengage or disengage and re-engage the component or component stack (not shown) during execution of the operation. After the operation is completed, the material handling system can be disengaged from the component or component stack. Figure 7 illustrates a modification 250 to the method of Figure 6 by adding one or more steps, such as transfer member 255 and additional operations 260, as needed before the material handling system is disengaged from the component or component stack. Additional operations 260 may include additional transfers (not shown) between the various manufacturing stations. As is generally the case in the method illustrated in Figure 6, the material handling system can disengage, or disengage, and re-engage the component or component stack as needed during any or all of the additional operations. Not shown).

Many different arrangements of the various components shown and components not shown may be present without departing from the scope of the claims below. The exemplary aspects of the novel technology that have been described are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Other aspects will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after reading this disclosure. Other approaches for implementing the above may be made without departing from the scope of the claims below. Some of the features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations and are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.