A method of manufacturing an article of footwear is disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with flat-knit edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element.

The present invention refers to a method for the manufacture of sporting goods, in particular shoes, comprising the steps of providing a plurality of components in one of a plurality of predefined shapes, and placing the plurality of components onto a two-dimensional or three-dimensional carrier surface to create the sporting good or a part thereof.

A footwear component manufacturing fixture secures a component, such as a shoe sole, in a manner that allows for the processing of one or more surfaces of the component without obscuring the surfaces. The fixture has a fixed portion with a first compression surface and an adjustable portion having a second compression surface. The adjustable portion moves in relation to the fixed portion to compress one or more protrusions of the component between the compression surfaces to secure the component to the fixture for processing.

A footwear component manufacturing fixture secures a component, such as a shoe sole, in a manner that allows for the processing of one or more surfaces of the component without obscuring the surfaces. The fixture has a fixed portion with a first compression surface and an adjustable portion having a second compression surface. The adjustable portion moves in relation to the fixed portion to compress one or more protrusions of the component between the compression surfaces to secure the component to the fixture for processing.

Laser siping forms sipes in an article. The laser operates in a scan laser configuration for some sipe patterns and the laser operates in a fixed laser concept for other siping patterns. The article on which the sipes are formed is secured by a part holder. Movement of the part holder may be computer controlled. Movement of the laser may also be computer controlled. A movement of a reflective surface of the laser may be computer controlled. Together, the movement of the part holder, the laser, and the reflective surface is coordinated to achieve the scan laser configuration and the fixed laser configuration when forming sipes.

Disclosed is a milling head for shaping a shoe support for an article of foot wear. The disclosed milling head includes abrasive surfaces that are configured to allow for the shaping of an unfinished block of support material on all of the top, side and medial arch area of the perimeter surfaces without removing the block of support material from a support such as a vacuum vise, and without the need to interchange milling heads. The disclosed milling head has a semi-spherical milling surface for milling a top surface of the shoe support and two conical milling surfaces for milling a perimeter surface and a medial arch area of the perimeter surface of the shoe support, respectively. The disclosed milling head saves costs of labor and time when shaping the block of support material.

Disclosed is a milling head for shaping a shoe support for an article of foot wear. The disclosed milling head includes abrasive surfaces that are configured to allow for the shaping of an unfinished block of support material on all of the top, side and medial arch area of the perimeter surfaces without removing the block of support material from a support such as a vacuum vise, and without the need to interchange milling heads. The disclosed milling head has a semi-spherical milling surface for milling a top surface of the shoe support and two conical milling surfaces for milling a perimeter surface and a medial arch area of the perimeter surface of the shoe support, respectively. The disclosed milling head saves costs of labor and time when shaping the block of support material.

An optical foot sole scanning apparatus, comprising: a) an element that is substantially in the shape of a plate or a wedge in the unloaded state and is made of a resilient material, having a foot placement side facing a foot sole of a human foot to be scanned when in use and having a scanner side, wherein the resilient material is at least partially light-transmissive, b) an optical scanner that is arranged on the scanner side of the element and is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation through the element at least in part onto the foot placement side of the element when in use and to record data when in use, and c) an evaluation unit that is connected to the optical scanner and is set up to perform a reconstruction of the three-dimensional shape of the foot sole from the data recorded by the optical scanner, and an orthopedic foot sole scanning system having same, an insole production apparatus having same, a method for ascertaining a three-dimensional shape of an insole having same, and a method for automatically producing an insole having same.

An optical foot sole scanning apparatus, comprising: a) an element that is substantially in the shape of a plate or a wedge in the unloaded state and is made of a resilient material, having a foot placement side facing a foot sole of a human foot to be scanned when in use and having a scanner side, wherein the resilient material is at least partially light-transmissive, b) an optical scanner that is arranged on the scanner side of the element and is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation through the element at least in part onto the foot placement side of the element when in use and to record data when in use, and c) an evaluation unit that is connected to the optical scanner and is set up to perform a reconstruction of the three-dimensional shape of the foot sole from the data recorded by the optical scanner, and an orthopedic foot sole scanning system having same, an insole production apparatus having same, a method for ascertaining a three-dimensional shape of an insole having same, and a method for automatically producing an insole having same.

A method of manufacturing an article of footwear is disclosed. The footwear may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper incorporates a textile element with flat-knit edges that are joined together to define at least a portion of a void for receiving a foot. The textile element may also have a first area and a second area with a unitary construction. The first area is formed of a first stitch configuration, and the second area is formed of a second stitch configuration that is different from the first stitch configuration to impart varying textures to a surface of the textile element. Various warp knitting or weft knitting processes may be utilized to form the textile element.