Patents by Inventor Dragan Jurkovic
Dragan Jurkovic has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11109645Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring the quality of a surface treatment applied to an article in a manufacturing process are provided. A surface treatment may be applied to at least a portion of an article. A thermal profile of the article may be obtained and used to determine temperature indications of different regions of the article to which the surface treatment has been applied. A standard model of the article may be obtained that includes model regions having model temperature ranges. The temperature indications of the article can be compared with the model temperature ranges to determine if any temperature indications are outside of a corresponding model temperature range. The article may be a shoe part. The surface treatments may include the application of heat, plasma, dye, paint, primer, and/or the application of other materials, substances, and/or processes.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2018Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Chun-Wei Huang, Jen-Chuan Lin, Shih-Yuan Wu, Chih-Chun Chai, Ming-Ji Lee, Chien-Liang Yeh
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Publication number: 20210267318Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring the quality of a surface treatment applied to an article in a manufacturing process are provided. A surface treatment may be applied to at least a portion of an article. A thermal profile of the article may be obtained and used to determine temperature indications of different regions of the article to which the surface treatment has been applied. A standard model of the article may be obtained that includes model regions having model temperature ranges. The temperature indications of the article can be compared with the model temperature ranges to determine if any temperature indications are outside of a corresponding model temperature range. The article may be a shoe part. The surface treatments may include the application of heat, plasma, dye, paint, primer, and/or the application of other materials, substances, and/or processes.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2021Publication date: September 2, 2021Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Chun-Wei Huang, Jen-Chuan Lin, Shih-Yuan Wu, Chih-Chun Chai, Ming-Ji Lee, Chien-Liang Yeh
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Patent number: 11083249Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated manner. A material handling system suitable for use in an automated shoe-manufacturing process has a guide rail and first and second moveable holding elements, each of the holding elements having gripping elements for engaging a part or part stack during the manufacturing process.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: NIKE, INC.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Kuo-Hung Lee, Yen-Hsi Liu
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Patent number: 10987815Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology, either as a sole modality of handling such materials or in concert with at least one mechanically actuated modality for the pick-up and release of materials, respectively. The mechanically actuated modality in one embodiment is configured as a netting configured to be placed over a contact surface of an electroadhesive plate to facilitate the handling of an object.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2018Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Grabit, Inc.Inventors: Harsha Prahlad, Richard J. Casler, Susan Kim, Matthew Leettola, Jon Smith, Kenneth Tan, Patrick Wang, John Mathew Farren, Patrick Conall Regan, Po Cheng Chen, Howard Fu, Honam Ko, Dragan Jurkovic, Aishwarya Varadhan, Tsung Tai Chien, Chang-Chu Liao, Chih-Chi Chang, Kuo-Hung Lee, Ming-Feng Jean, TaeHoun Kim, Qingde Chen, Greg Miller
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Publication number: 20210106099Abstract: A last extension for a shoe last provides a pattern defining an origin location. The origin location on the last extension can be used to identify locations or points on a last or a shoe component on a last for control of location-critical manufacturing operations, including decorative and functional operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2020Publication date: April 15, 2021Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Philip Mars, Yu-Shu Hsiao, Chun-Chi Lin
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Patent number: 10962964Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2020Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: John Matthew Farren, Todd R. Farr, Howard Fu, Dragan Jurkovic
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Patent number: 10905199Abstract: A last extension for a shoe last provides a pattern defining an origin location. The origin location on the last extension can be used to identify locations or points on a last or a shoe component on a last for control of location-critical manufacturing operations, including decorative and functional operations.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2019Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Philip Mars, Yu-Shu Hsiao, Chun-Chi Lin
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Publication number: 20210018893Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated fashion. For example, information describing a shoe part may be determined, such as an identification, an orientation, a color, a surface topography, an alignment, a size, etc. Based on the information describing the shoe part, automated shoe-manufacturing apparatuses may be instructed to apply various shoe-manufacturing processes to the shoe part, such as a pickup and placement of the shoe part with a pickup tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, Chih-Chi Chang, Chang-Chu Liao, Ming-Feng Jean, Kuo-Hung Lee, Yen-Hsi Liu, Hung-Yu Wu
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Patent number: 10795335Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated fashion. For example, information describing a shoe part may be determined, such as an identification, an orientation, a color, a surface topography, an alignment, a size, etc. Based on the information describing the shoe part, automated shoe-manufacturing apparatuses may be instructed to apply various shoe-manufacturing processes to the shoe part, such as a pickup and placement of the shoe part with a pickup tool.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, Chih-Chi Chang, Chang-Chu Liao, Ming-Feng Jean, Kuo-Hung Lee, Yen-Hsi Liu, Hung-Yu Wu
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Publication number: 20200283585Abstract: Rubber pellets are coated with an anti-tack material. The anti-tack material may be comprised of a metallic stearate, such as magnesium stearate. The coated rubber pellets are loaded on to a rotational conveyance mechanism that rotates at a speed and radial amount to provide an interaction time between the rubber pellets and the anti-tack material. The coated rubber pellets may then be dried in a centrifuge dryer having a plurality of angled fins extending from a rotational shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2020Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Chun-Wei Huang, Eric Lee, Liu I Huang, Shih Chi Tung, Wang Hsi Ming
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Publication number: 20200237054Abstract: An apparatus for buffing a shoe part includes a housing adapted to be articulated around at least a portion of the footwear part. A rotating spindle is positioned in the housing and has a buffing surface for engagement with the footwear part. A carriage is slideably connected to the housing and holds the spindle such that the buffing surface can be moved closer to and further away from the footwear part. An actuator is in the housing and in contact with the carriage. The actuator applies force to the carriage to increase the force of the buffing surface onto the footwear part. A biasing member is in the housing and in contact with the carriage. The biasing member exerts force onto the carriage in a direction opposite the force exerted by the actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2020Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Shih-Yuan Wu, Chia-Wei Chang, Wen-Ruei Chang, Chien-Chun Chen, Chang-Chu Liao, Chia-Hung Lin
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Patent number: 10702023Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated manner. For example, shoe parts may be retrieved and temporarily assembled according to preset relative positions to form part stacks. The part stacks may be retrieved with the relative positioning of the shoe parts being maintained and placed at a stitching machine for more permanent attachment via stitching of the parts to form a shoe assembly. Movement during stitching of a conveyance mechanism that transfers the part stack from the stacking surface to the stitching machine and movement of a needle associated with the stitching machine may be controlled by a shared control mechanism such that the movements are synchronized with respect to one another. Vision systems may be leveraged to achieve movement and position information between and at machines and locations.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2018Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: NIKE, INC.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chang-Chu Liao, Yen-Hsi Liu, Hung-Yu Wu
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Publication number: 20200183366Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2020Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: John Matthew Farren, Todd R. Farr, Howard Fu, Dragan Jurkovic
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Patent number: 10669385Abstract: Rubber pellets are coated with an anti-tack material. The anti-tack material may be comprised of a metallic stearate, such as magnesium stearate. The coated rubber pellets are loaded on to a rotational conveyance mechanism that rotates at a speed and radial amount to provide an interaction time between the rubber pellets and the anti-tack material. The coated rubber pellets may then be dried in a centrifuge dryer having a plurality of angled fins extending from a rotational shaft.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2018Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: NIKE, INC.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Chun-Wei Huang, Eric Lee, Liu I Huang, Shih Chi Tung, Hsi-ming Wang
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Publication number: 20200143091Abstract: A tool path for treating a shoe upper may be generated to treat substantially only the surface of the shoe bounded by a bite line. The bite line may be defined to correspond to the junction of the shoe upper and a shoe bottom unit. Bite line data and three-dimensional profile data representing at least a portion of a surface of a shoe upper bounded by a bite line may be utilized in combination to generate a tool path for processing the surface of the upper, such as automated application of adhesive to the surface of a lasted upper bounded by a bite line.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 2, 2020Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, Dragan Jurkovic, Chih-Chi Chang, Ming-Feng Jean
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Patent number: 10617177Abstract: An apparatus for buffing a shoe part includes a housing adapted to be articulated around at least a portion of the footwear part. A rotating spindle is positioned in the housing and has a buffing surface for engagement with the footwear part. A carriage is slideably connected to the housing and holds the spindle such that the buffing surface can be moved closer to and further away from the footwear part. An actuator is in the housing and in contact with the carriage. The actuator applies force to the carriage to increase the force of the buffing surface onto the footwear part. A biasing member is in the housing and in contact with the carriage. The biasing member exerts force onto the carriage in a direction opposite the force exerted by the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2018Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Shih-Yuan Wu, Chia-Wei Chang, Wen-Ruei Chang, Chien-Chun Chen, Chang-Chu Liao, Chia-Hung Lin
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Patent number: 10552551Abstract: A tool path for treating a shoe upper may be generated to treat substantially only the surface of the shoe bounded by a bite line. The bite line may be defined to correspond to the junction of the shoe upper and a shoe bottom unit. Bite line data and three-dimensional profile data representing at least a portion of a surface of a shoe upper bounded by a bite line may be utilized in combination to generate a tool path for processing the surface of the upper, such as automated application of adhesive to the surface of a lasted upper bounded by a bite line.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, Dragan Jurkovic, Chih-Chi Chang, Ming-Feng Jean
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Patent number: 10524544Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for collecting three-dimensional surface data of a lasted shoe upper that is mated with a sole that is configured for the lasted upper. The mated three-dimensional data is used with three-dimensional data of the lasted shoe upper in an unmated configuration with the sole to determine a location of an edge defined by the intersection of the lasted upper and the sole when mated. The bite line identifies an edge where the upper and a sole assembly will intersect on a finished shoe, which may represent a bounding line for application of adhesive to the lasted upper for boding the sole thereto.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2014Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Ming-Feng Jean, Chih-Chi Chang, Chin-Yi Lin
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Patent number: 10492570Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by executing various shoe-manufacturing processes in an automated manner. For example, shoe parts may be retrieved and temporarily assembled according to preset relative positions to form part stacks. The part stacks may be retrieved with the relative positioning of the shoe parts being maintained and placed at a stitching machine for more permanent attachment via stitching of the parts to form a shoe assembly. Movement during stitching of a conveyance mechanism that transfers the part stack from the stacking surface to the stitching machine and movement of a needle associated with the stitching machine may be controlled by a shared control mechanism such that the movements are synchronized with respect to one another. Vision systems may be leveraged to achieve movement and position information between and at machines and locations.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2017Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: NIKE, INC.Inventors: Mike F. Quigley, Dragan Jurkovic, Kuo-Hung Lee, Yen-Hsi Liu
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Patent number: 10322532Abstract: Molded rubber objects may be molded and de-molded by defining both a desired final form for the molded rubber object and a tab extending from the final form of the molded rubber object using a cavity in a mold. Rubber pellets may be dispensed in predetermined amounts at desired location(s) within the cavity to provide the rubber needed to form the molded rubber object. Heat and pressure may be applied to the mold to cause the rubber pellets to fill the cavity defining both the desired final form of the molded rubber object and the tab. After the heat and pressure has been applied, a gripping device may grasp the tab and move the tab in a direction and with sufficient force to peel the rubber object from the mold cavity. If desired, the tab may be removed from the molded rubber object.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2018Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, I-Huang Liu, Feng-Ming Ou