Manufacturing of article of footwear include temporarily mating a sole and an upper to determine processes to be performed to the sole and/or the upper before permanently mating. As specific operations are determined based on the particular combination of a sole and an upper, the sole and upper are individually tracked through the subsequent processes to ensure the correct pairing is achieved at the time of permanent mating. The tracking may leverage identifiers in the tooling supporting the upper and in the sole.

This is a patent application for an X stitching method, specifically intended for the assembly of uppers by the system known as tied string—stringlaster, with particular application in the footwear segment. The invention includes application to an upper (1), for full assembly of shoes, using string traction (2) as the responsible element for closing the edges of this upper (1), against the mold (3); with the overlock type stitching hereby used as an example of realization.

This is a patent application for an X stitching method, specifically intended for the assembly of uppers by the system known as tied string—stringlaster, with particular application in the footwear segment. The invention includes application to an upper (1), for full assembly of shoes, using string traction (2) as the responsible element for closing the edges of this upper (1), against the mold (3); with the overlock type stitching hereby used as an example of realization.

An apparatus for donning and doffing a stocking includes a frame including a base portion, a first rail having a first longitudinal axis, and a second rail having a second longitudinal axis. A first post is coupled with the first rail and is slidable in a direction parallel with the first longitudinal axis, and a second post is coupled with the second rail and is slidable in a direction parallel with the second longitudinal axis. A first clasp member is coupled with the first post and has a first prong adapted to engage a first portion of the stocking. A second clasp member is coupled with the second post and has a second prong adapted to engage a second portion of the stocking. A third clasp member is coupled with the base portion and has a third prong adapted to engage a third portion of the stocking.

An apparatus for donning and doffing a stocking includes a frame including a base portion, a first rail having a first longitudinal axis, and a second rail having a second longitudinal axis. A first post is coupled with the first rail and is slidable in a direction parallel with the first longitudinal axis, and a second post is coupled with the second rail and is slidable in a direction parallel with the second longitudinal axis. A first clasp member is coupled with the first post and has a first prong adapted to engage a first portion of the stocking. A second clasp member is coupled with the second post and has a second prong adapted to engage a second portion of the stocking. A third clasp member is coupled with the base portion and has a third prong adapted to engage a third portion of the stocking.

An automatic loading and unloading device includes a frame, an unloading unit, a receiving unit and a receiving link unit. The frame defines a processing area, an unloading area and a receiving area. The unloading unit includes an unloading slide rail, and an unloading drive group movably disposed on the unloading slide rail for driving at least one plate to move from the processing area to the unloading area. The receiving unit includes a receiving slide rail, and a receiving lift group movably disposed on the receiving slide rail for driving the at least one plate to move from the unloading area to the receiving area. The receiving link unit interconnects the unloading drive group and the receiving lift group.

An automatic loading and unloading device includes a frame, an unloading unit, a receiving unit and a receiving link unit. The frame defines a processing area, an unloading area and a receiving area. The unloading unit includes an unloading slide rail, and an unloading drive group movably disposed on the unloading slide rail for driving at least one plate to move from the processing area to the unloading area. The receiving unit includes a receiving slide rail, and a receiving lift group movably disposed on the receiving slide rail for driving the at least one plate to move from the unloading area to the receiving area. The receiving link unit interconnects the unloading drive group and the receiving lift group.

A shoe is constituted of an upper, a sole, and a shell in which the upper and the sole are inserted. A shoe making assistance apparatus that assists making of a shoe includes an input device that accepts foot form data, a processor that selects at least one type of a shell model from among a plurality of types of shell models different in shape based on the foot form data accepted by the input device, and an output device that provides output of the shell model selected by the processor.

A shoe is constituted of an upper, a sole, and a shell in which the upper and the sole are inserted. A shoe making assistance apparatus that assists making of a shoe includes an input device that accepts foot form data, a processor that selects at least one type of a shell model from among a plurality of types of shell models different in shape based on the foot form data accepted by the input device, and an output device that provides output of the shell model selected by the processor.

A method of automatic shoe lacing is proposed to include steps of: (a) capturing, by a camera system, at least two images of shoelace holes of a shoe from different positions relative to the shoe; (b) acquiring, by a computer device through conducting an analysis according to the at least two images of the shoe, coordinates of the shoelace holes relative to a robotic arm; and (c) the robotic arm lacing the shoe according to the coordinates acquired in step (b).