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: 9901142Abstract: 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: January 23, 2014Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: Nike, Inc.Inventors: Mike F. Quigley, Dragan Jurkovic, Kuo-Hung Lee, Yen-Hsi Liu
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Publication number: 20170308066Abstract: 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: May 25, 2016Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: John Matthew Farren, Todd R. Farr, Howard Fu, Dragan Jurkovic
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Publication number: 20170297207Abstract: Acquisition or pick-up tools that themselves aid in improving the ease with which images of an acquired substrate may be captured, and methods of operating such pick-up tools, are provided. The pick-up tools may include a pick-up surface adapted to interface with a foreign substrate and a light source integrated with the pick-up tool such that light emitted from the light source passes through the pick-up surface to the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface to create a silhouette of the foreign substrate. A vision system may be adapted for capturing the silhouette of the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface. The substrate pick-up surface may be formed of one of a transparent, a semi-transparent, or a translucent material such that light may at least partially pass there through.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: John Matthew Farren, Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, Howard Fu, Chih-Chi Chang, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chang-Chu Liao, Harsha Prahlad
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Publication number: 20170297236Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2017Publication date: October 19, 2017Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, I-Huang Liu, Feng-Ming Ou
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Patent number: 9724851Abstract: 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: January 4, 2017Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, I-Huang Liu, Feng-Ming Ou
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Patent number: 9701025Abstract: Acquisition or pick-up tools that themselves aid in improving the ease with which images of an acquired substrate may be captured, and methods of operating such pick-up tools, are provided. The pick-up tools may include a pick-up surface adapted to interface with a foreign substrate and a light source integrated with the pick-up tool such that light emitted from the light source passes through the pick-up surface to the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface to create a silhouette of the foreign substrate. A vision system may be adapted for capturing the silhouette of the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface. The substrate pick-up surface may be formed of one of a transparent, a semi-transparent, or a translucent material such that light may at least partially pass there through.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: John Matthew Farren, Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, Howard Fu, Chih-Chi Chang, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chang-Chu Liao, Harsha Prahlad
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Patent number: 9668545Abstract: A conditionally visible bite line may be demarcated on a shoe upper using at least one of a fluorescent or an Infrared (IR)-responsive material. Such a conditionally visible bite line may be observable only under particular conditions, such as when illuminated by an ultraviolet light source or an IR light source, as appropriate. A light may be projected to intersect the conditionally visible bite line under conditions rendering the conditionally visible bite line detectable. The intersection(s) of the projected light and the conditionally visible bite line may be used to create a virtual bite line for use in generating a tool path to process the surface of a shoe upper bounded by the conditionally visible bite line.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2016Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Chun-Wei Huang, Ming-Feng Jean, Chin-Yi Lin
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Publication number: 20170113379Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2017Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, I-Huang Liu, Feng-Ming Ou
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Publication number: 20170087729Abstract: Acquisition or pick-up tools that themselves aid in improving the ease with which images of an acquired substrate may be captured, and methods of operating such pick-up tools, are provided. The pick-up tools may include a pick-up surface adapted to interface with a foreign substrate and a light source integrated with the pick-up tool such that light emitted from the light source passes through the pick-up surface to the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface to create a silhouette of the foreign substrate. A vision system may be adapted for capturing the silhouette of the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface. The substrate pick-up surface may be formed of one of a transparent, a semi-transparent, or a translucent material such that light may at least partially pass there through.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: John Matthew Farren, Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, Howard Fu, Chih-Chi Chang, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chang-Chu Liao, Harsha Prahlad
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Patent number: 9566724Abstract: 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: October 30, 2013Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, Dragan Jurkovic, Feng-Ming Ou, I-Huang Liu
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Publication number: 20170000218Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2016Publication date: January 5, 2017Inventors: DRAGAN JURKOVIC, KUO-HUNG LEE, CHANG-CHU LIAO, YEN-HSI LIU, HUNG-YU WU
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Patent number: 9523570Abstract: Acquisition or pick-up tools that themselves aid in improving the ease with which images of an acquired substrate may be captured are provided. The pick-up tools may include a pick-up surface adapted to interface with a foreign substrate and a light source integrated with the pick-up tool such that light emitted from the light source passes through the pick-up surface to the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface to create a silhouette of the foreign substrate. A vision system may be adapted for capturing the silhouette of the foreign substrate when the foreign substrate is temporarily coupled with the pick-up surface. The substrate pick-up surface may be formed of one of a transparent, a semi-transparent, or a translucent material such that light may at least partially pass there through.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2013Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, John Matthew Farren, Howard Fu, Dragan Jurkovic, Chih-Chi Chang, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chang-Chu Liao, Harsha Prahlad
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Publication number: 20160345683Abstract: A method for locating critical control points on a part or combination of parts during a manufacturing process involves mating, directly or indirectly, a jig extension to the part or parts. A pattern on the jig extension defines an origin point that is used to track the position of the part or parts during manufacturing, such as during location-sensitive operations. The jig extension may be a shoe last extension which connects to a shoe or shoe component via a shoe last.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Ming-Feng Jean, Chin-Yi Lin, Chun-Chi Lin
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Publication number: 20160345682Abstract: 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: June 22, 2015Publication date: December 1, 2016Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Philip Mars, Yu-Shu Shiao
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Publication number: 20160309850Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2015Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Kuo-Hung Lee, Yen-His Liu
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Patent number: 9447532Abstract: 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: January 23, 2014Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Kuo-Hung Lee, Yen-Hsi Liu, Hung-Yu Wu, Chang-Chu Liao
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Publication number: 20160128434Abstract: A conditionally visible bite line may be demarcated on a shoe upper using at least one of a fluorescent or an Infrared (IR)-responsive material. Such a conditionally visible bite line may be observable only under particular conditions, such as when illuminated by an ultraviolet light source or an IR light source, as appropriate. A light may be projected to intersect the conditionally visible bite line under conditions rendering the conditionally visible bite line detectable. The intersection(s) of the projected light and the conditionally visible bite line may be used to create a virtual bite line for use in generating a tool path to process the surface of a shoe upper bounded by the conditionally visible bite line.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2016Publication date: May 12, 2016Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Chun-Wei Huang, Ming-Feng Jean, Chin-Yi Lin
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Patent number: 9237780Abstract: A conditionally visible bite line may be demarcated on a shoe upper using one of a fluorescent material and an Infrared (IR) material. Such a conditionally visible bite line may be observable only under particular conditions, such as when illuminated by an ultraviolet light source or an IR light source, as appropriate. A light may be projected to intersect the conditionally visible bite line under conditions rendering the conditionally visible bite line detectable. The intersection(s) of the projected light and the conditionally visible bite line may be used to create a virtual bite line for use in generating a tool path to process the surface of a shoe upper bounded by the conditionally visible bite line.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2013Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Chun-Wei Huang, Ming-Feng Jean, Chin-Yi Lin
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Patent number: D779571Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Philip Mars, Yu-Shu Hsiao, Chun-Chi Lin
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Patent number: D790611Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2017Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Philip Mars, Yu-Shu Hsiao, Chun-Chi Lin