The present invention is directed towards customized 3D printed footwear articles and methods for designing and manufacturing 3D printed footwear having improved cosmetics, comfort and ventilation. The improved footwear articles and methods provide greater integration and/or customization of different components. The method used to manufacture the 3D printed footwear can be conceptualized, prototyped, designed both physically and digitally and then finally designed with specific additive manufacturing processes in mind. Upon completion of printing, the components are cleaned and then in any combination, the components are bonded and coated, or coated and bonded to each other.

The invention relates to devices and methods for designing and manufacturing customized footwear, and components thereof. An example method includes a method of designing at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear customized for a user. The method includes the steps of determining at least one input parameter related to a user, analyzing the at least one input parameter to determine at least one performance metric of a foot of the user, and determining at least one customized structural characteristic of at least a portion of a sole of an article of footwear for the user based on the performance metric.

This disclosure concerns a master model for the production of a mold, comprising: (a) a first part, a second part comprising a textured surface; wherein the first part and the second part are connected.

A method and corresponding apparatus is disclosed for generating a digital last for the manufacture of a shoe for a person. The method comprises obtaining a predefined digital last, the predefined digital last comprising an axis relating to the shape of the last; obtaining data of a foot of the person; and modifying the obtained predefined digital last based on the obtained data, wherein modifying comprises at least one of translation and rotation of the axis.

Method and system of virtual fitting a foot with a shoe by obtaining a first and second 3D model associated with the surface of the foot and interior cavity of the shoe, respectively, each 3D model comprising a point cloud; aligning the point clouds such that the heel extreme point of the two point clouds align and the ankle back extreme point of the first point cloud aligns with the top back point of the second point cloud; calculating for at least one point p in the first point cloud a value of at least one fit indicator determined based on a distance between p and a corresponding point q in the aligned second point cloud; and outputting, to a display device, a graphical representation of the first 3D model colored in accordance with the fit calculated at p.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a system that modifies the heel cushioning of the sole member over a series of footwear purchases. The modifications can be configured to correspond to a customer's evaluation of the heel cushioning previously purchased. The sole member can include a set of apertures that are formed along various surfaces of the sole member to adjust the cushioning characteristics of the sole member.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a system that modifies the forefoot cushioning of the sole member over a series of footwear purchases. The modifications can be configured to correspond to a customer's evaluation of the forefoot cushioning previously purchased. The sole member can include a set of apertures or incisions that are formed along various surfaces of the sole member to adjust the cushioning characteristics of the sole member.

Articles and methods for obtaining measurements for the design and/or manufacture of personalized and/or customized clothing, and/or alteration of existing patterns or clothing, and for measuring and/or monitoring one or more parameters, such as size(s), shape(s) and dimension(s), of one or more aspects of a body of the wearer of the article. The articles include a stretchable material interwoven with sensors and/or conductive fibers. The articles include socks, bodysuits, bras, gloves, hats, and so forth. The personalized and/or custom-fitted clothing includes shirts, suits, pants, shorts, dresses, skirts, bras and other undergarments, sleepwear, socks, shoes, gloves, hats, exercise/active wear, protective wear (e.g., helmet, shoulder pads, body armor, etc.), and so forth. The articles and methods may further be used for health and fitness assessment.

A method is provided for making footwear utilizing a spray-on material. The method can include spraying a spray-on fabric onto surfaces of a three dimensional last. The last can be produced using additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing, based on data corresponding to dimensions and contours of a consumer's foot, and/or preselected aesthetic footwear designs. The spray-on fabric is sprayed onto the surfaces of the last and allowed to cure to form a flexible, non-woven fabric upper. The upper can be removed from the last and turned inside out. With the upper turned inside out, a sole can be joined to the fabric upper to form the footwear.

An article of footwear includes an upper, a midsole connected to the upper, and an outsole connected to the midsole. The midsole includes a lattice structure comprising a network of laths forming a plurality of cell units, the plurality of cell units arranged in a plurality of layers on the midsole. The cell units in an upper layer are stacked upon the cell units in a lower layer and separated by a set of vertices common to cell units in both the upper layer and the lower layer.