Patents by Inventor CHANG-CHU LIAO
CHANG-CHU LIAO 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).
-
Patent number: 10194716Abstract: Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2015Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chih-Chi Chang, Ming-Feng Jean, Chang-Chu Liao
-
Publication number: 20180325219Abstract: 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: May 14, 2018Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Shih-Yuan Wu, Chia-Wei Chang, Wen-Ruei Chang, Chien-Chun Chen, Chang-Chu Liao, Chia-Hung Lin
-
Publication number: 20180326596Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology for the pick-up and release of materials, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2018Publication date: November 15, 2018Inventors: 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, Dragan JURKOVIC, Aishwarya VARADHAN, Chang-Chu LIAO, Chih-Chi CHANG, Kuo-Hung LEE, Ming-Feng JEAN
-
Publication number: 20180319020Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods of manufacturing an article using electroadhesion technology, either as a sole modality of handling such materials or in concert with vacuum for the pick up and release of materials, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2018Publication date: November 8, 2018Inventors: Harsha PRAHLAD, Richard J. CASLER, Susan KIM, Matthew LEETTOLA, Jon SMITH, Kenneth TAN, Patrick WANG, John Mathew FARREN, Patrick Conall REGAN, Po Cheng CHEN, Honam KO, Dragan JURKOVIC, Aishwarya VARADHAN, Tsung Tai CHIEN, Chang-Chu LIAO, Chih-Chi CHANG, Kuo-Hung LEE, TaeHoun KIM
-
Publication number: 20180319019Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2018Publication date: November 8, 2018Inventors: 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
-
Publication number: 20180279722Abstract: 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: June 4, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: DRAGAN JURKOVIC, KUO-HUNG LEE, CHANG-CHU LIAO, YEN-HSI LIU, HUNG-YU WU
-
Patent number: 10065326Abstract: 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: February 21, 2018Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: John Matthew Farren, Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, Howard Fu, Chih-Chi Chang, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chang-Chu Liao, Harsha Prahlad
-
Publication number: 20180178395Abstract: 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: February 21, 2018Publication date: June 28, 2018Inventors: John Matthew Farren, Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, Howard Fu, Chih-Chi Chang, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chang-Chu Liao, Harsha Prahlad
-
Patent number: 9986788Abstract: 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: September 19, 2016Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chang-Chu Liao, Yen-Hsi Liu, Hung-Yu Wu
-
Publication number: 20180129185Abstract: 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: January 10, 2018Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, Chih-Chi Chang, Chang-Chu Liao, Ming-Feng Jean, Kuo-Hung Lee, Yen-Hsi Liu, Hung-Yu Wu
-
Patent number: 9902074Abstract: 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: June 28, 2017Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: John Matthew Farren, Dragan Jurkovic, Patrick Conall Regan, Howard Fu, Chih-Chi Chang, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chang-Chu Liao, Harsha Prahlad
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Publication number: 20160316859Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated in an automated manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2016Publication date: November 3, 2016Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, Chang-Chu Liao, Chih-Chi Chang
-
Patent number: 9451810Abstract: Manufacturing of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated in an automated manner.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2011Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: NIKE, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, Chang-Chu Liao, Chih-Chi Chang
-
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
-
Publication number: 20150374073Abstract: Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2015Publication date: December 31, 2015Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, Kuo-Hung Lee, Chih-Chi Chang, Ming-Feng Jean, Chang-Chu Liao