U.S. patent application number 14/202176 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-18 for system and method for creating custom-fit apparel designs.
The applicant listed for this patent is Paul Eremenko, Neil Rohin Gupta. Invention is credited to Paul Eremenko, Neil Rohin Gupta.
Application Number | 20140277663 14/202176 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51531410 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140277663 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gupta; Neil Rohin ; et
al. |
September 18, 2014 |
System and Method for Creating Custom-Fit Apparel Designs
Abstract
An automated system for the production of a personalized
custom-fit garment comprises a scanner for obtaining a
three-dimensional model of a customer's body shape; a computer
having non-transitory computer algorithms for scaling a digital
design to the customer's body shape, customizing the digital
pattern with the customer's fit and style preferences, and
visualizing the drape and fit of the garment; a database comprising
a set of digital design patterns; and an automated garment
manufacturing system networked to a central controller. A method
for creating a personalized custom-fit garment comprises obtaining
three-dimensional body measurements of a customer, having the
customer select and customize a particular garment design, and
manufacturing the personalized garment using an automated
manufacturing process. The system and method can be used to prepare
any kind of garments without substantive manual intervention or
touch labor.
Inventors: |
Gupta; Neil Rohin; (Costa
Mesa, CA) ; Eremenko; Paul; (Mountain View,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Gupta; Neil Rohin
Eremenko; Paul |
Costa Mesa
Mountain View |
CA
CA |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51531410 |
Appl. No.: |
14/202176 |
Filed: |
March 10, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61792506 |
Mar 15, 2013 |
|
|
|
61792743 |
Mar 15, 2013 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
700/98 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 2113/12 20200101;
G06Q 50/04 20130101; A41H 3/04 20130101; G06F 30/00 20200101; Y02P
90/30 20151101; A41H 3/007 20130101; A41H 42/00 20130101; G06Q
30/0621 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
700/98 |
International
Class: |
G06F 17/50 20060101
G06F017/50 |
Claims
1. An automated system for the production of a personalized
custom-fit garment, the system comprising: (a) a scanner configured
for obtaining a scan comprising a three-dimensional model of a
customer's body shape; (b) a computer comprising: (i) memory, (ii)
an input device, (iii) a processor, (iv) a network connection, and
(v) a computer-readable storage medium having non-transitory
computer instruction code comprising: (a) sizing algorithms for
extracting sizing parameters from the customer's body shape scan
and parametrically scaling a selected digital garment design
pattern to the customer's body shape; (b) customization algorithms
for enabling a customer to select and incorporate fit and style
preferences into the digital pattern; and (c) visualization
algorithms for visualizing in real time the drape and fit of the
garment design pattern around a digital representation of the
customer's body shape derived from the scanner, and for allowing
the customer to interact with and modify design parameters; and (c)
a database comprising a set of digital design patterns contributed
by an online designer community; and (d) an automated garment
manufacturing system comprising manufacturing equipment and
material handling equipment networked to a central controller.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the scanner is a
non-contact body scanner which generates a three-dimensional
representation of the customer's body shape.
3. The system according to claim 3, wherein the scanner is a white
light scanner, structured white light scanner, eye-safe laser
scanner, or a millimeter wave imaging scanner.
4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the storage medium
further comprises non-transitory computer instruction code
comprising nesting algorithms configured for minimizing fabric
waste by optimizing arrangement of pattern pieces on the fabric
prior to cutting the pattern pieces from the fabric.
5. The system according to claim 1, wherein a digital pattern
comprises one or more parameters selected from the group consisting
of: (a) a three-dimensional digital geometry of the pattern; (b) an
extrapolated two-dimensional design; (c) garment sewing and
assembly machine instructions; (d) fabric type and fabric
orientation parameters; and (e) choice and placement of finishes
and hardware.
6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the finishes and
hardware are selected from the group consisting of specialty
washes, specialty fabric dyes, rivets, buttons, zippers, snaps,
hooks, hook-and-loop fasteners, elastic bands, stitch styles and
spacings, custom labels, and embroidery.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: (a) the sizing
algorithms extract sizing parameters from a three-dimensional point
cloud obtained from the customer's body scan, and (b) the
algorithms for parametrically scaling the digital pattern adjust
the fit of the garment to the customer's body shape and size.
8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the customization
algorithms are configured for incorporating one or more customer
preferences selected from the group consisting of: (a) fabric and
fabric color selection; (b) thread selection; (c) choice of
customized hardware; (d) embroidery selection and placement; (e)
label placement or absence thereof; (f) design element placement or
repositioning; and (g) choice of customized finishes.
9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the visualization
algorithms are configured for: (a) creating a digital avatar of a
customer, the digital avatar providing a three-dimensional
representation of the customer's body shape; (b) visualizing a
selected digital pattern around the digital avatar; (c) visualizing
fabric draping and fit of the selected digital pattern on the
digital avatar; and (d) retaining customer modifications of drape
and fit in the digital pattern for use by the customer in
subsequent orders.
10. A method for creating a personalized custom-fit garment, the
method comprising the steps of: (a) obtaining three-dimensional
body measurements of a customer using a non-contact whole-body
scanner; (b) providing the customer with a plurality of digital
garment designs from which the customer may select a particular
garment design, the digital garment designs obtained from an
associated community of designers; (c) adapting the selected design
to the customer's body measurements to obtain a customized design;
(d) incorporating customer style and fit preferences in the
customized design to obtain a personalized custom-fit design; (e)
generating a digital pattern for a garment based on the
personalized custom-fit design; and (f) manufacturing the
personalized custom-fit garment from the digital pattern using an
automated manufacturing process.
11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps
of: (d1) displaying a dimensionally-accurate three-dimensional
representation of the personalized custom-fit design in real time
to a customer, and rapidly updating the three-dimensional
representation as the customer selects style and fit
preferences.
12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps
of: (g) storing the customer's three-dimensional body measurements
in a database for subsequent orders; and (h) preparing subsequent
personalized custom-fit garments in accordance with steps (b)-(f)
using the stored body measurements.
13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising
periodically refreshing the digital garment designs with
replacement designs.
14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising offering a
customer an incentive to rescan the customer's body and obtain
updated three-dimensional body measurements at a pre-determined
time or upon passage of a pre-determined period of time.
15. The method according to claim 10, further comprising linking a
customer's profile to an online or store account, and providing the
customer with an incentive to rescan the customer's body using
information obtained from the linked account.
16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the garment is a pair
of jeans, a pair of pants, shirt, blouse, vest, suit, dress, skirt,
undergarment, or hat.
17. The method according to claim 10, wherein total garment
manufacturing time is about an hour.
18. The method according to claim 10, wherein the members of the
associated designer community communicate via a website.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the website: (a)
provides a discussion forum and online tools and software to
designers for creation of digital design patterns; (b) encourages
collaboration, sharing, and co-design of digital design patterns;
and (c) provides features to enable prize-based design
competitions, display of design popularity and usage statistics,
and design and designer peer reputation scores.
20. The method according to claim 10, further comprising paying a
royalty to a designer of a digital design pattern upon a customer's
selection of the designer's digital design pattern.
21. The method according to claim 10, wherein a customer style
preference is a choice of fabric and fabric direction.
22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the fabric is
manufactured from woven or non-woven natural fibers, synthetic
fibers, or a combination thereof.
23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the fabric is
selected from the group consisting of denim, cotton, linen, wool,
silk, rayon, polyester, nylon, Lycra, and combinations and blends
thereof.
24. The method according to claim 10, wherein the garment is
manufactured by three-dimensional printing, additive manufacturing,
adhesive bonding, or knitting.
Description
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of U.S.
provisional patent applications serial nos. 61/792,506 and
61/792,743, both filed on Mar. 15, 2013, the contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0002] This application also incorporates by reference in its
entirety Applicants' U.S. non-provisional patent application
entitled "System and Method for Automated Manufacturing of Custom
Apparel", filed on even date and having the same inventors as the
instant application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Ready-to-wear apparel is typically manufactured in factories
which produce large numbers of garments at a time. Bolts of fabric,
typically laid out many layers at a time, are cut into pattern
pieces, which are then sewn together in an assembly line fashion to
produce garments. Although the garments are cut and sewn with the
assistance of machines, the process is nevertheless
labor-intensive, and includes manual movement of patterns, sewn
garments, and operation of sewing machines and other kinds of
equipment. Accordingly, many manufacturers prepare garments in
low-wage countries to take advantage of lower labor costs for
manual labor. While mass production of apparel can maximize
throughput and provide significant economies of scale, mass
production does not allow for personalization of a garment for a
particular consumer beyond the selection of one of a handful of
stock sizes. Rather, customers wishing personalized or custom-fit
clothing must purchase a garment off-the-rack and then have the
garment altered as they wish, or they must employ a tailor for
manual production of the item. Both of these options are costly and
time-consuming.
[0004] As clothing manufacturers are typically located in low-wage
countries, there can be a significant period of time from when a
buyer places an order to the time that the garments are delivered.
Items purchased in bulk quantities are typically shipped by sea,
thereby introducing significant delays and variability in the
timeliness of delivery. Smaller lots can be shipped by air,
although transportation costs then become a significant element of
the garment's cost.
[0005] Clothing is typically manufactured in a factory in a
massively parallel manual manner. That is, each item of equipment
used to manufacture clothing is operated by hand, and there are
large numbers of identical machines in parallel operation. The
manual operation of the manufacturing machines does not require any
digital connectivity between them, and the machines are therefore
operated in a standalone manner and are not networked to a
centralized computer control system for operation. Although certain
sewing machines are "computerized" and can accept flash drives or
similar devices, the computerization is generally limited to
accepting upload of a limited set of infrequently varied machine
configuration parameters, and these machines are not networked and
cannot be operated remotely.
[0006] In addition to mass production in a factory, apparel can
also be prepared by hand by custom tailoring, whether at home or
commercially by a tailor or seamstress. Custom tailoring generally
involves measuring a customer, having a customer choose style,
fabric, and fit preferences, sewing the garment, and potentially
adjusting the garment's fit during the course of one or more
fittings. The resultant garment has a fit and style which is
personalized to the customer's preferences, but it is typically
costly due to the large amount of manual labor involved preparing
the garment and the amount of time required on the part of the
customer. Consequently, custom tailoring does not constitute a
large segment of the apparel industry.
[0007] Current sizing of garments is usually undertaken with
reference to body measurements obtained from anthropometric data
surveys. For example, in 1939-1940, about 15,000 American women
participated in a national survey conducted by the National Bureau
of Home Economics. A technician took 59 body measurements of each
volunteer, and the results were published in 1941 under the title
"Women's Measurements for Garment and Pattern Construction". Using
the data obtained from this study, the U.S. clothing industry
developed national clothing sizing standards for women which were
widely adopted by apparel manufacturers. Although these standards
provide sizing measurements for women of tall, regular, and short
heights, most individuals deviate from the mean fit model in body
shape or other key dimensions, thereby yielding a suboptimal
fit.
[0008] Recently, certain manufactures have implemented changes in
clothing sizing, termed vanity sizing. As Americans have recently
become heavier, these manufacturers have begun selling larger-sized
clothing labeled with smaller size numbers, thereby appealing to
customers' desires to consider themselves as having a slim body
shape. As manufacturers generally do not move in lockstep with
regard to changes in vanity sizing, garments having the same
nominal size will typically have different fits, making direct
sizing comparisons difficult.
[0009] Additionally, some customers also prefer garments that are
looser or tighter than the ready-to-wear apparel which is available
through most retail outlets or from online sellers.
[0010] There is, therefore, an unmet demand for methods and systems
for economical and rapid automated manufacturing of personalized
custom-fit apparel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention is intended to address the above
problems associated with creation of customized garments.
[0012] One aspect of the present invention is directed to an
automated system for the production of a personalized custom-fit
garment. The inventive system can comprise: [0013] (a) a scanner
configured for obtaining a scan comprising a three-dimensional
model of a customer's body shape; [0014] (b) a computer comprising
memory, an input device, a processor, a network connection, and a
computer-readable storage medium having non-transitory computer
instruction code; [0015] (c) a database comprising a set of digital
design patterns contributed by an online designer community; and
[0016] (d) an automated garment manufacturing system comprising
manufacturing equipment and material handling equipment networked
to a central controller.
[0017] The automated garment manufacturing system is to be
understood as being substantially or fully automated after the
system receives a complete order from a customer for a personalized
custom-fit garment. After the customer has had his or her body
scanned, and selected and personalized a garment design, the
inventive manufacturing system will then manufacture the garment
upon receipt of the order in an automated manner without requiring
further substantive manual intervention. In a fully automated
embodiment of the invention, no manual intervention or touch labor
is involved during manufacture of the garment. That is, a human
monitor is not needed to assist the manufacturing process.
[0018] When manufacturing certain kinds of garments, there may be
particular steps which cannot be readily automated, for example,
due to the nature of the manufacturing process or when using
delicate materials/components. In such instances, a human monitor
may assist the invention in placement or positioning of workpieces
or garment components during manufacture of the personalized
custom-fit garment. Such minor amount of touch labor will normally
be less than two minutes per garment during the entire
manufacturing process, and will typically be about one minute or
less. Such minor amounts of touch labor during manufacture of a
garment in accordance with present invention are still dramatically
lower than the overwhelmingly manual processes currently used for
manufacturing apparel.
[0019] The computer-readable storage medium used by the computer
may be a hard drive, floppy drive, solid state drive, memory stick,
CD, DVD, or any kind of magnetic or optical device which can store
data. The storage medium can be read-only, or it can have
read-write capabilities for periodic updates or modifications to
the computer instruction code.
[0020] The computer-readable storage medium used in the inventive
system may comprise non-transitory computer instructions
comprising: [0021] (a) sizing algorithms for extracting sizing
parameters from the customer's body shape scan and parametrically
scaling a selected digital pattern to the customer's body shape;
[0022] (b) customization algorithms for enabling a customer to
select and incorporate fit and style preferences into the digital
pattern; and [0023] (c) visualization algorithms for rapidly
visualizing the drape and fit of the digital garment design pattern
around a digital representation of the customer's body shape
derived from the scanner, and for allowing the customer to interact
with and modify design parameters.
[0024] The algorithms contain the computer instruction code to
enable the computer system to perform the corresponding
actions.
[0025] In an embodiment of the invention, the scanner is a
non-contact body scanner which generates a three-dimensional
digital representation of the customer's body shape.
[0026] In an embodiment of the invention, the scanner is a white
light scanner, structured white light scanner, eye-safe laser
scanner, or a millimeter wave imaging scanner.
[0027] In an embodiment of the invention, the storage medium may
further comprise non-transitory computer instruction code
comprising nesting algorithms configured for minimizing fabric
waste by optimizing arrangement of pattern pieces on the fabric
prior to cutting the pattern pieces from the fabric.
[0028] A digital pattern may contain any kind of electronic data
which may be needed to manufacture a garment in accordance with the
present invention. For example, the digital pattern may comprise
design parameters and manufacturing settings such as: [0029] (a) a
three-dimensional digital geometry of the pattern; [0030] (b) a
corresponding two-dimensional digital projection of the design;
[0031] (c) garment sewing and assembly machine instructions; [0032]
(d) fabric type and fabric orientation parameters; and [0033] (e)
choice and placement of finishes and hardware.
[0034] The finishes and hardware can be any kind of processes or
items which are applied to the garment, for example, decoration or
fastening. A non-limiting list of finishes may include specialty
washes such as stone- or acid-washing, distress- or wear-patterns,
and specialty fabric dyes. A non-limiting list of hardware may
include rivets, buttons, zippers, snaps, hooks, hook-and-loop
fasteners, elastic bands, stitch styles and spacings, custom
labels, and embroidery.
[0035] The sizing algorithms are used by the present invention to
scale a selected digital pattern to the customer's body shape. In
an embodiment of the invention, the sizing algorithms extract
sizing parameters from a three-dimensional point cloud obtained
from the customer's body scan. The algorithms for parametrically
scaling the digital pattern adjust the shape and fit of the garment
to the customer's body shape and size so that the resultant
personalized custom-fit garment is manufactured to customer
preferences.
[0036] In an embodiment of the invention, the customization
algorithms are configured for incorporating one or more customer
preferences into the selected digital pattern so that the garment
is personalized to the customer's preferences. For example, the
customization algorithms may take into account customer preferences
such as the following: [0037] (a) fabric and fabric color
selection; [0038] (b) thread selection; [0039] (c) choice of
customized hardware; [0040] (d) embroidery selection and placement;
[0041] (e) label placement or absence thereof; [0042] (f) design
element placement or repositioning; and [0043] (g) choice of
customized finishes.
[0044] In this manner, customers can see an image of their body
wearing the desired design, and can adjust fabric draping, fit, and
other preferences as they wish.
[0045] The visualization algorithms are used to visualize the
customer's requested design and preferences and to display the
personalized custom-fit design to the customer. In an embodiment of
the invention, the visualization algorithms are configured for:
[0046] (a) creating a digital avatar of a customer, the digital
avatar providing a three-dimensional representation of the
customer's body shape; [0047] (b) visualizing a selected digital
pattern around the digital avatar; [0048] (c) visualizing fabric
draping and fit of the selected digital pattern on the digital
avatar; and [0049] (d) retaining customer modifications of drape
and fit in the digital pattern for use by the customer in
subsequent orders.
[0050] Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a
method for creating a personalized custom-fit garment. The
inventive method comprises the steps of: [0051] (a) obtaining
three-dimensional body measurements of a customer using a
non-contact whole-body scanner; [0052] (b) providing the customer
with a plurality of digital garment designs from which the customer
may select a particular garment design, the digital garment designs
obtained from an associated community of designers; [0053] (c)
adapting the selected design to the customer's body measurements to
obtain a customized design; [0054] (d) incorporating customer style
and fit preferences in the customized design to obtain a
personalized custom-fit design; [0055] (e) generating a digital
pattern for a garment based on the personalized custom-fit design;
and [0056] (f) manufacturing the personalized custom-fit garment
from the digital pattern using an automated manufacturing
process.
[0057] In an embodiment of the invention, the method may further
comprise the steps of displaying a dimensionally-accurate
three-dimensional representation of the personalized custom-fit
design in real time to a customer, and rapidly updating the
three-dimensional representation as the customer selects style and
fit preferences.
[0058] In an embodiment of the invention, the method may further
comprise storing the customer's three-dimensional body measurements
in a database for subsequent orders; and preparing subsequent
orders for personalized custom-fit garments in accordance with the
inventive method using the stored body measurements.
[0059] In an embodiment of the invention, the method may further
comprise periodically refreshing the digital garment designs with
replacement designs, for example, to replace seldom-used garment
designs with new designs from the designer community.
[0060] In an embodiment of the invention, the method may further
comprise offering a customer an incentive to rescan the customer's
body and obtain updated three-dimensional body measurements at a
predetermined time or upon passage of a pre-determined period of
time. Incentives may include customer loyalty discount programs or
sales opportunities through linkages to a customer's online account
with other providers, such as Facebook, Google+, or with retailers
and department stores. Such linkages may be employed to derive
information on a customer's birthday, anniversary, or other
significant life events or lifestyle trends such as (but not
limited to) weight loss, weight gain, or having a baby.
[0061] The pre-determined time may be the customer's birthday,
anniversary, reaching a particular sales quantity (for example,
purchase of three pairs of jeans over the course of a year) or
sales quantity (for example, purchase of $500 of merchandise over
the course of a year), or any other event as may be deemed
appropriate or desirable by the seller The passage of the
pre-determined period of time can be any amount of time deemed
appropriate by the seller, for example, three months, six months,
or twelve months since the time of the previous body scan.
[0062] The inventive method may also comprise linking a customer's
profile to an online or store account, and providing the customer
with an incentive to rescan the customer's body using information
obtained from the linked account. For example, if the customer
enters a wedding date into his or her account with a local
department store, that wedding date can be retrieved by the seller
and entered into customer's profile with the seller of the
invention, and the customer can be provided an incentive on his or
her wedding anniversary to rescan his or her body. The linked
account can be any retailer with whom the seller has a linking
agreement.
[0063] The inventive system can be used to prepare any kind of
garment. For example, the garment can be a pair of jeans, a pair of
pants, shirt, blouse, vest, suit, dress, skirt, undergarment, hat,
purse or bag, and shoes.
[0064] Advantageously, the inventive method permits a garment to be
delivered in a short amount of time as compared to current
manufacturing procedures such as mass production and hand
tailoring. In one embodiment, the total time to deliver a garment
(comprising manufacturing time and finishing time) is about an
hour, although this amount of time will vary depending on the
garment to be manufactured and the finishes selected. The automated
nature of the inventive manufacturing method enables the garment to
be fabricated at or near the point of sale thereby reducing the
delivery time to the customer as compared to shipping of
mass-produced items from low-wage countries.
[0065] As previously stated, the digital garment designs available
for selection by customers comprise designs obtained from an
associated community of designers, that is, from designers who wish
to contribute designs for use by the invention. The members of the
designer community can communicate via a website to provide new
designs and comments regarding existing garment designs.
Advantageously, a differentiating attribute of the designer
community is that it affords amateur designers the opportunity to
access manufacturing and direct-to-customer retailing through the
seller without having to work with existing big manufacturers,
retailers, and labels. Accordingly, the invention dramatically
lowers the barrier to participation in the marketplace for amateur
designers.
[0066] In an embodiment of the invention, the website provides a
discussion forum and online tools and software to designers for
creation of digital design patterns, and encourages collaboration,
sharing, and co-design of digital design patterns. The website may
also provide features to enable prize-based design competitions,
display of design popularity and usage statistics, and design and
designer peer reputation scores. Prizes may be monetary,
non-monetary, or both, and will depend upon the particular
embodiment of the invention.
[0067] The designer community website may consist of online forums,
message-boards, design, visualization, and collaboration tools that
enable amateur and professional designers to contribute design
patterns. The designer community may employ means for selecting a
limited number of best designs to make available to customers
through the use of prize competitions, aggregation of usage
statistics, and peer reputation scoring of designs and designers.
For example, the designer community may be asked to vote on
submitted designs to select the best designs for inclusion with the
invention. There may be community promotion events, such as
challenges to the designer community for the best floral-patterned
shift dresses, or the best pocket designs for overdyed jeans.
[0068] When a customer selects a designer's digital design pattern
to be used for manufacturing a personalized custom-fit garment, the
designer can be paid a royalty as compensation for having
contributed the design. In this manner, designers are compensated
when their designs are selected by customers, and there is no
up-front payment to designers when the customer selects their
designs for manufacture. Alternatively, the designers can receive a
single lump-sum payment if the manufacturer chooses to carry their
clothing design as a stock design.
[0069] Customers may be provided the opportunity to customize their
garment in any manner permitted by the designer, seller, or
manufacturer. For example, a customer may be provided with design
options such as a choice of fabric and fabric direction. The fabric
available for selection by customers can be manufactured from woven
or non-woven natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or a combination
thereof.
[0070] In an embodiment of the invention, customers can choose from
a non-limiting selection of fabrics made from denim, cotton, linen,
wool, silk, rayon, polyester, nylon, Lycra, and combinations or
blends thereof.
[0071] The invention is not limited to the preparation of garments
by sewing woven or non-woven fabrics, and the principles of the
invention are equally applicable to the preparation of garments by
three-dimensional printing or other forms of additive
manufacturing, adhesive bonding, or knitting from yarn.
[0072] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the description below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0073] FIG. 1 illustrates a flow chart showing a process for
preparing an article of clothing for a new customer in accordance
with an aspect of the present invention;
[0074] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart showing a process for
preparing an article of clothing for an existing or previous
customer in accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0075] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart showing a process for
preparing an article of clothing for a third-party purchaser in
accordance with an aspect of the present invention;
[0076] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary
embodiment of a system for rapid automated preparation of a garment
in accordance with the present invention;
[0077] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram showing the physical
arrangement of manufacturing equipment, material handling
equipment, and a digital control system for manufacture of a
garment in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[0078] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a flow process
for preparation of a garment in accordance with the present
invention;
[0079] FIG. 7 illustrates manufacturing times for preparation of a
pair of jeans in an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention;
[0080] FIG. 8 illustrates a command and control architecture for
directing garment preparation equipment in accordance with an
exemplary embodiment of the invention;
[0081] FIG. 9 illustrates robotic movement of pattern pieces
through a workflow in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of
the invention;
[0082] FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate fabric stitching machines
equipped with scanners for detecting fiducial markings, and
stitching the fabric using the fiducial markings as guides;
[0083] FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a fabric gripper which
uses vacuum to move fabric through the garment preparation
equipment in accordance with the present invention;
[0084] FIG. 13 illustrates equipment for use in preparation of a
pair of jeans in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention; and
[0085] FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary sequence of computer
instructions for stitching a pair of jeans and the corresponding
amount of time for each step.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0086] An object of the present invention is to enable the
fabrication of apparel tailored to particular customer preferences
with a high level of flexibility and customization, comparable to
that of conventional hand tailoring, with the ability to utilize a
wide range of digitally-represented clothing patterns to
manufacture the personalized custom-fit garments on significantly
shorter timelines.
[0087] A further object of the invention is to improve upon the
level of automation that is customarily present in high-volume
production facilities by automating material handling among
manufacturing work steps and by providing a centralized control
system for the manufacturing and material handling equipment. The
invention is aimed principally at low- to medium-volume production
and consequently is geared toward maximizing the flexibility and
range of customization rather than production rate.
[0088] The automated manufacturing of apparel in accordance with
the principles of the present invention provides distinct
advantages over mass production and hand tailoring techniques. The
invention eliminates the need to maintain physical stock sets or
digital stock sets of patterns for use to prepare garments. That
is, the invention does not require maintaining paper patterns or
standardized digital designs in multiple discrete sizes as do mass
producers or hand tailors. Rather, a three-dimensional
representation of each customer's body is obtained by a scanner,
and digital designs are electronically fitted to the customer's
body shape for enhanced fit. The invention also provides for
realistic visualization of draping and fit. While designers
currently use fit and draping visualization with pattern design
software to refine clothing designs for an entire production line,
the invention uses fit and draping visualization in conjunction
with body scan measurements to enable customers to adjust fit and
drape preferences before a garment is manufactured, thereby
customizing the garment's fit to their own tastes and body
shape.
[0089] The invention also avoids the need to lay out paper patterns
on fabric, or to plot the layout of patterns on potentially
hundreds of plies of fabric as performed in mass production garment
factories. Rather, the invention utilizes auto-nesting software for
each and every custom pattern to determine the optimal arrangement
of digital pattern pieces on fabric for subsequent cutting and
thereby minimizes fabric waste while preserving flexibility.
[0090] The invention also eliminates manual cutting and handling of
fabric. On the factory floor, manual labor is required to move
fabric plies into position and to cut out pattern pieces, while
hand tailoring requires precise manual cutting of pattern pieces.
The present invention provides for an automated manufacturing
process which does not require manual manipulation or handling of
fabric or garments during production.
[0091] Advantageously, the invention also eliminates the need to
manually move articles from one work station to another, for
example, by physically moving garments to the next station,
possibly located in a distant part of the workroom, or with the
assistance of an overhead conveyor. The use of low-cost offshore
labor typically does not create significant incentives for
manufacturers to automate production. In contrast, the invention
substantially eliminates the use of touch labor in material
handling between machines. The use of robotic manipulators for
fabric and garment handling substantially reduces touch labor in
manufacturing and thereby reducing repetitive stress injuries in
workers.
[0092] The invention also eliminates the need for manual sewing and
garment preparation. Whether mass produced in a factory or prepared
by hand tailoring, the manufacture of clothing normally involves
manual operation of sewing machines and other manufacturing
equipment. In the case of mass production, the production lines are
typically massively parallel operations involving many workers
assembling garments. In contrast, the present invention eliminates
the need for manual operation as the entire processing is done in
an automated manner involving centralized command and control of
garment manufacturing equipment and material handling equipment.
Consequently, the invention provides for a short manufacturing time
of about 15-20 minutes for a garment (excluding finishes), in
contrast to current mass producers for whom manufacturing time is a
metric of lower significance than production rate.
[0093] For ease of discussion, the term "sewing machine" will be
used to refer to any machine which is involved in the manufacture
of a garment. Consistent with the invention and unless otherwise
qualified, a sewing machine may be a conventional stitching
machine, or it may be a riveter, embroidery machine, bar tacker,
serger, or button holer, or finishing machine, or the term may
include printing, adhesion, or knitting machines in embodiments of
the invention where the garment is manufactured by means other than
sewing.
[0094] The automated material handling equipment used in the
present invention can be generally classified as either sensing
equipment, fixturing and guidance equipment, or pickup and
transport equipment.
[0095] Sensing can be understood as the steps the automated
material handling takes to determine where and when to undertake
the next step in the manufacture of a garment. Fixturing and
guidance refers to the use of static hardware fixtures or guides to
move, position, or coax a fabric, workpiece, or garment into the
correct position for subsequent action by the manufacturing
equipment. Pickup and transport by the automated material handling
equipment involves movement of fabric, workpiece, or garment to
another location for subsequent activity.
[0096] The invention considers the characteristics of different
fabrics during manufacture of a garment. For example, wool, denim,
cotton, polyester, and silk have different physical properties and
these differences will be taken into account when selecting
fixtures and handling hardware, and developing computer
instructions for the manufacture and material handling of the
garments and workpieces.
[0097] The programmable material handling equipment utilized in the
present invention provides substantially all of the garment
movement functions. These machines generally comprise CNC (computer
numerical control) technology to permit computerized control.
[0098] Automated material handling in accordance with the invention
can be generally divided into the following six procedures. In each
case, the underlying technology can generally be purchased
commercially or it can custom-designed: [0099] (a) pattern marking;
[0100] (b) pattern cutting; [0101] (c) fabric pickup and handling;
[0102] (d) fixturing and fabric guidance; [0103] (e) sewing; and
[0104] (f) finishing.
[0105] A. Pattern marking involves the placement of fiducial lines
or other markings on to the fabric to indicate where fabric should
be grasped, picked up or otherwise handled, sewn, trimmed,
embroidered, riveted, etc. These markings are indicative of
specific locations on the fabric pattern and the relevant edge, and
assist in positively identifying individual edges and grasping
locations later during the manufacturing process.
[0106] B. Pattern cutting involves cutting pattern pieces from a
bolt of fabric. The pattern pieces can be cut using a variety of
cutting tools, which are generally specific to the fabric type,
fabric thickness, and cutting speed. For example, the pattern
cutting tools can include drag knives, rolling knives,
reciprocating knives, or lasers.
[0107] C. Fabric pickup and handling involves the movement of
fabric from one work station to another. Examples of fabric pickup
and handling equipment include vacuum fabric grippers, pin
grippers, and reconfigurable robotic handlers.
[0108] D. Fixturing involves the accurate positioning of fabric,
garments, or workpieces with the assistance of guidance fixtures or
static guide jigs so that the workpieces can be sewn, riveted,
embroidered, or otherwise worked on during manufacture. Fixturing
also includes a centralized command and control system (further
described below) which provides each local automated programmable
manufacturing equipment and automated programmable material
handling equipment with relevant stitch and workpiece movement
instructions for manufacturing the garment. Fabric guidance refers
to the robotic positioning of a work piece in the manufacturing
equipment. The invention implements a closed-loop vision feedback
system in conjunction with sensors placed on the manufacturing
equipment.
[0109] E. Sewing refers to the mechanized securing of two fabric
pattern pieces with a thread and needle. Sewing can also refer to
the use of a thread to the secure the free edge of a cut fabric. A
key aspect of sewing quality involves the ability to precisely
control the relative feed rate and orientation of adjacent patterns
into the sewing machine.
[0110] F. Finishing involves the placement and removal of a
near-finished garment into washing, drying, or other finishing
equipment that provides for, e.g., specialty washes, distress, or
wear finishes. The placement and removal can be accomplished
equipment as described in items (C) and (D) above.
[0111] The centralized command and control system parses out
required tasks to all the various machines under its control, as
well as coordinates the work flow. In many instances, these CNC
machines have a low degree of machine intelligence, with only
simple microcontrollers present onboard. CNC machines may have
computer circuitry which permits them to accept a single file, for
example, via a USB drive or from a floppy drive. The present
invention networks these machines to the central command and
control system via a local controller so that the manufacturing
equipment, having different levels of machine intelligence, is
controlled through a single architecture.
[0112] The controller system may comprise a conventional computer
having a processor, an input device such as a keyboard or mouse,
memory such as a hard drive and volatile or nonvolatile memory, and
computer code for the functioning of the invention. The computer
may also comprise a programmable printed circuit board,
microcontroller, or other device for receiving and processing data
signals such as those received from the local controllers,
programmable manufacturing equipment, programmable material
handling equipment, and robotic manipulators.
[0113] The computer system may be a conventional computer which is
pre-loaded with the required computer code or software, or it may
be a custom-designed computer. The computer system may be a single
computer which performs the steps of the invention, or it may
comprise a plurality of computers, such as a server/client. In
certain embodiments, a plurality of clients such as desktop,
laptop, or tablet computers can be connected to a server such that,
for example, multiple customers can enter their orders for
personalized custom-fit garments at the same time. The computer
system may also be networked with other computers over a local area
network (LAN) connection or via an Internet connection. The system
may also comprise a backup system which retains a copy of the data
obtained by the invention.
[0114] A client computer can have its own processor, input means
such as a keyboard, mouse, or touchscreen, and memory, or it may be
a dumb terminal which does not have its own independent processing
capabilities, but relies on the computational resources of another
computer, such as a server, to which it is connected or networked.
Depending on the particular implementation of the invention, a
client system can contain the necessary computer code to assume
control of the system if such a need arises. In one embodiment, the
client system is a tablet or laptop. For example, a customer in a
retail store can be given an Apple iPad tablet for placing an order
and visualizing the personalized custom-fit garment to be
manufactured. The iPad or other tablet or laptop computer can be in
wireless communication with the server, which would accept and
process the order.
[0115] The components of the computer system may be conventional,
although the system will typically be custom-configured for each
particular implementation. The computer system may run on any
particular architecture, for example, personal/microcomputer,
minicomputer, or mainframe systems. Exemplary operating systems
include Apple Mac OS X and iOS, Microsoft Windows, and UNIX/Linux;
SPARC, POWER and Itanium-based systems; and z/Architecture.
[0116] The computer code to perform the invention may be written in
any programming language or model-based development environment,
such as but not limited to C/C++, C#, Objective-C, Java,
Basic/VisualBasic, MATLAB, Simulink, StateFlow, Lab View, or
assembler. The computer code may comprise subroutines which are
written in a proprietary computer language which is specific to the
manufacturer of a circuit board, controller, or other computer
hardware component used in conjunction with the invention.
[0117] In certain embodiments of the invention, a human monitor may
be present to oversee the manufacturing processes and to resolve
any manufacturing errors or faults. Nevertheless, the monitor will
not be substantially participating in the manufacture and therefore
will not routinely need to move or feed work pieces or operate the
manufacturing equipment.
[0118] The digital design patterns which are used by the invention
to manufacture clothing can employ any kind of file format which is
used in the fashion industry. For example, the digital design
patterns can be stored in a proprietary format, DXF format, XML
format, or other format for use by the invention.
[0119] The present invention will now be discussed with reference
to the Figures, wherein like figure reference numerals correspond
to like elements.
[0120] The following discussion exemplifies the principles of the
present invention by reference to the manufacture of a pair of
jeans. However, it is to be understood that the invention is
equally capable of manufacturing other articles of clothing, such
as (but not limited to) pants, shorts, boxers, shirts, blouses,
scarves, and dresses. The invention can be used to prepare clothing
for customers of any age or gender, and the invention is not
limited to the preparation of clothing for a particular age or
gender. For example, the invention can be programmed to prepare
women's jeans, children's shorts, and men's boxers.
[0121] In certain embodiments, it may be advantageous for the
system to manufacture only a single garment type in order to obtain
efficiencies in production. In other embodiments, the invention can
be programmed to prepare multiple garment types in order to provide
additional marketing opportunities to customers.
[0122] In order to minimize the footprint of the invention in a
retail store, portions of the inventive system can be located
outside the customer-accessible part of the store. For example, the
body scanner can be located in the front of the store, while the
garment preparation equipment can be located in the rear of the
store or the basement. Alternatively, store owners wishing to show
the high-tech nature of the invention to customers may prefer to
locate all the equipment in a customer-visible location so that
customers can watch the garment be sewn while they wait.
[0123] An alternative instantiation of the invention is for the
automated manufacturing line to be placed in a regional
microfactory instead of a retail store. Such microfactories would
be significantly smaller than traditional mass production
facilities and would specifically cater to the product demand of a
particular region or metropolitan area. A garment manufactured in a
regional microfactory could be delivered to the customer within
hours of an order being placed or overnight.
[0124] FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary process for
preparing an article of clothing in accordance with an aspect of
the present invention. The figure illustrates the steps which take
place when a customer enters a store for purchase of an article of
clothing. In order to minimize customer waiting time, the
components of the invention can be located in a single location,
such as a retail store, so that customers can obtain the garments
they ordered as soon as the garments have been sewn.
[0125] Upon entering a retail location, a new customer 10 would
enter have his or her body scanned by a non-contact active
whole-body scanner for preparation of a three-dimensional digital
representation 14 of the customer's body. Whole-body scanners are
known in the art and are available from manufacturers such as
Cyberware, Inc., Monterey, Calif. (model WBX white light scanner);
Breukmann GmbH, Meersburg, Germany (model bodySCAN structured while
light scanner); Vitronic Machine Vision Ltd., Louisville, Ky.
(model Vitus 3D Bodyscanner XXL, eye-safe laser scanner); and
Unique Solutions, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada (model Intellifit
millimeter wave RF scanner). Each vendor typically provides
specialized software for converting a three-dimensional body scan
into a point cloud. Depending on the scanner technology and the
scanner manufacturer's recommendations, customers may be able to
have their body scanned while wearing their street clothing, or
they may be asked to wear close-fitting garments so that the
scanner can obtain accurate data. Examples of software programs
which provide for the extraction of body measurements from point
clouds obtained during three-dimensional body scans include
Bodymetrics (San Francisco, Calif.).
[0126] While body scanners have been used in the past, their
utility has been limited to standalone validation of selected
measurements in conjunctions with traditional manufacturing
processes. Although body scanners have also been used to confirm
that garments are being made to specifications, before the present
invention, it has been previously unknown to combine body scanners
with a full garment customization and automated custom
manufacturing process. In contrast, the use of body scanners by the
present invention is integrated with the design process to
parametrically size digital garment designs to obtain digital
patterns which are personalized to the customer's body shape.
[0127] Once the body scan is complete, the customer's profile 15 is
created. The profile can include any kind of information that the
manufacturer or store may wish to contain, such as customer
preferences, three-dimensional digital model of body shape and
history thereof (for long-term repeat customers), order history,
shipping address, and billing information. The customer profile can
be used prepare a three-dimensional digital self 22 of the customer
which can be stored for later retrieval so that customers can make
subsequent purchases without having to have their bodies
re-scanned.
[0128] After the customer creates a profile, he or she would then
be asked to select a particular pattern 16 for the garment to be
custom-sewn. The pattern can consist of any kind of digital
information required to prepare the desired garment. The patterns
can be stored in a database, data table, or other computerized
repository. The set of patterns can be refreshed periodically so
that infrequently-used patterns are removed and replaced with new
styles. The patterns for selection can be shown, for instance, as
rotating three-dimensional models on a computer screen,
three-dimensional holographic projections, or photographs of
finished garments.
[0129] Once the pattern is selected by the customer, the customer
would then be able to select custom features 17 for tailoring the
garment to his or her personal tastes. For example, the customer
may be given the option to select fabric color, type of decorative
stitching on a pocket, presence or absence of rivets, and looser or
tighter fits around specific parts of the customer's body. Certain
designers may wish to maintain look of their brands by limiting the
customization options available to customers. In certain
embodiments of the invention, the invention can comprise computer
code to allow a customer to see in real time how his or her
customized garments would look around the customer's specific body
shape prior to manufacture. The invention also allows for display
of a dimensionally-accurate three-dimensional representation of the
personalized custom-fit design to a customer, and rapidly updating
the three-dimensional representation as the customer selects style
and fit preferences.
[0130] Once the customer is satisfied the customized design for his
or her garment, the inventive system would then adapt the design to
the customer's body measurements to obtain a personalized
custom-fit design 18. That is, the system would scale the
customized design to the customer's three-dimensional body
measurements. This process may also involve updating the custom-fit
design in real time to show the customer the draping or fit 19 of
the garment's fabric on the customer's body. Examples of software
programs and manufacturers which provide for realistic draping and
fit visualization of digital patterns include Optitex 3D Virtual
Prototyping by Optitex (New York, N.Y.); Vstitcher by Browzwear
Solutions Pte. Ltd. (Singapore); and Deviron LLC (Ithaca,
N.Y.).
[0131] In accordance with the invention, a customer's body scan
will result in a three-dimensional point cloud which can be
converted into a digital representation that is augmented with data
provided by the manufacturer or designer, and as modified by a
customer's customizations, to result in two-dimensional
representation of a pattern representing the pattern pieces to be
cut from the fabric and sewn to manufacture the garment. Depending
on the customer's style preferences, the algorithms of the
invention may need to incorporate varying degrees of modifications
of the three-dimensional digital representation. Once the customer
has selected the desired customizations, the algorithms will
convert the digital representation into a two-dimensional pattern
file, which may optionally comprise garment sewing instructions and
control instructions for the manufacturing and material handling
equipment. The inventive system will convert the customized digital
pattern into specific CNC manufacturing instructions for each
machine as well as the order of operations and the manufacturing
sequence. The seller may wish certain standardizations, such as
stitch spacing, stitch width, or custom detailing so that customers
can identify a garment as having been manufactured by the present
invention.
[0132] In order to increase the number of patterns available to
customers, fashion designers 13 such as those part of a designer
community 20 can use pattern design tools 21 to prepare patterns
for upload. The pattern design tools can include software which
simulates the look and drape of a particular article of clothing on
a body. Such pattern design tools are known in the art, for
example, Click & Sew by Wild Ginger; Dress Shop Pro and My
Pattern Designer by Livingsoft; Garment Designer by Cochenille; and
Pattern Design Software by Optitex. The manufacturer or seller of
the invention can specify a particular software type for use, or
the manufacturer or seller can allow for open source pattern design
tools or file types as are known in the art. The manufacturer can
optionally arrange for fashion designers to purchase
commercially-available pattern design tools at a favorable price,
or can make free pattern design tools available via download or as
a hosted online service from a website.
[0133] The seller can also provide for a website for the designer
community to encourage designers to share or co-design digital
pattern designs, i.e., "crowdsourcing" and to allow designers and
members of the public to vote on preferred designs.
[0134] A designer submitting a new design can be paid outright for
his or her design, or the designer can be paid on a royalty basis
after his or her design is selected by a customer for preparation
of an order. A seller may wish to limit the number of available
patterns for a particular garment type in order to streamline
customer choice, or the seller can wish to have a wide selection of
patterns for maximal customer choice. Decisions regarding selection
and refreshing of patterns and designer payment are not critical to
the scope of the invention and can be made by the seller as deemed
appropriate.
[0135] Designers who submit patterns can be professionals who work
in the fashion industry, or they can be amateur designers who are
not full-time practitioners of the art. Advantageously, the
invention permits designers of any scale or experience level to
provide their own digital pattern designs. If designers are paid a
royalty only when their digital designs are selected by customers,
rather than when uploaded to the system, the designers are incented
to provide their most appealing designs, rather than designs which
may be minimally acceptable by the public. Depending on the
seller's marketing preferences, the seller may provide a large
number of possible designs to customers for selection, or the
seller may provide a limited number designs to avoid overwhelming
customers with an excessive number of choices.
[0136] In one embodiment, the invention advantageously permits a
seller to essentially eliminate the barrier-to-entry for new
designers to contribute designs, and the invention does not require
guaranteeing designers with minimal revenues and does not require
upfront retainer costs or investment in a particular designer if
that designer's styles are later found to be commercially
unsuccessful.
[0137] Manufacturing of the selected design can be carried out as
illustrated in Box 28. After customization of the personalized
custom-fit pattern is complete, the system then generates a digital
pattern 23 for use in manufacturing the garment.
[0138] After the digital pattern is prepared, the system uses
nesting software 24 to lay out the pattern pieces on the fabric.
The nesting software determines the optimal arrangement of the
pattern pieces for the garment so that the pattern pieces can be
cut 25 with a minimum of waste fabric.
[0139] Once the pattern pieces are digitally nested onto the
fabric, the automated handling and control module of the invention
undertakes the cutting 25, sewing 26, and finishing 27 of the
personalized custom-fit garment from the digital pattern. This
procedure involves marking the fabric into individual pattern
pieces and applying fiducial markings, cutting the fabric into the
pattern pieces, sewing and stitching the pieces to form the
garment, and finishing and cleaning the garment so it is wearable
by the customer. The assembly and stitching of the garment is
entirely automated and there is minimal if any monitoring required
by on-site personnel such as store employees. As shown in FIG. 1,
the garment can be cut, sewn, and finished in under an hour while
the customer waits, thereby increasing customer satisfaction.
[0140] While initial scanning of a customer's body to obtain the
three-dimensional body scan will generally be done in a retail
store 29, the invention allows for certain steps to be carried out
online via a web interface 30. That is, once a customer's
three-dimensional body measurements are stored in the customer
profile, the invention can retrieve this stored information and use
it to prepare additional personalized custom-fit garments in a
largely automated manner. The web interface can be the means that
customers or store employees interact with the invention to prepare
personalized custom-fit garments.
[0141] Although the invention has been discussed with reference to
cutting pattern pieces from fabric and stitching the pattern pieces
to form the garment, the invention is equally applicable to
preparation of bonded, printed, or knitted garments, and the same
principles of the invention are applicable to such embodiments.
[0142] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart showing a process for
preparing an article of clothing for an existing customer, that is,
a customer who has already purchased a personalized custom-fit
garment or has a stored customer profile with the retail store.
[0143] Existing customers 11 wishing to make purchases of
additional garments may omit the step of obtaining a new body scan
and can proceed directly to retrieval of their customer profile 15
which contains the earlier body scan. After the existing customer
retrieves his or her customer profile 15, the customer can then
order additional custom-fit garments as described above. Such
features allow for improved customer retention and expand the
marketing scope of the invention to new potential customers. If the
customer is not in the store and orders the garment via the web
interface, the finished garment can be sent to the customer for
same-day or overnight delivery.
[0144] FIG. 2 also shows that upon selection 16 of a particular
pattern, the designer of that pattern, who is part of the
associated designer community 20, would receive a royalty payment.
The nature of the royalty payment would have been previously
determined by agreement between the manufacturer and the
designer.
[0145] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart showing a process for
preparing an article of clothing for a third-party purchaser. FIG.
3 shows that third-party purchasers 12 wishing to purchase garments
for a friend or relative can do so using the earlier body scan data
privately stored in the profile. Due to privacy concerns, a seller
may not wish to provide third parties with direct access to a
customer's body scan data. Accordingly, sellers can prevent third
parties from obtaining the measurements themselves, but sellers can
still allow indirect access to the stored information without
display of measurements so that these third party purchasers can
purchase garments for their friends or relatives. The third parties
can purchase garments online 30 via a web interface, or by visiting
the retail store 29. The web interface can provide online customers
with same custom ordering options as offered to retail customers.
That is, the online customers can select a pattern, customize the
pattern to their preferences and previously-stored body
measurements, and place an order for the inventive system to
manufacture the clothing in an entirely automated manner. As in
FIG. 2, upon selection 16 of a particular pattern, the designer of
that pattern, who is part of the associated designer community 20,
would receive a royalty payment.
[0146] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a
system for rapid automated preparation of a garment in accordance
with the present invention. The illustrated embodiment of a
manufacturing system comprises a fabric stock feeder 50 which
stores and delivers the desired fabric, serger 51, lock stitch
sewing machine 52, chain stitch sewing machine 53, rivet setter 54,
bar tacker 55, pocket setter 56, chain stitch sewing machine 57,
pocket pattern machine 58, button holer 59, belt loop machine 60,
chain stitch sewing machine 61, finishing machines 62, robotic
manipulator 63, and cutting table 64. The cutting table can be
equipped with multi-tool operating heads for use to mark the fabric
with fiducial marks. These fiducial marks can be drawn with ink
which is sensitive to wavelengths in the non-visible portions of
the spectrum to minimize clutter in the visual field from the
surrounding environment. Machine vision equipment can be used to
detect the fiducial lines and to utilize these lines while
manufacturing the garment.
[0147] Each of the machines illustrated in FIG. 4 is networked to a
centralized control system (not illustrated) which operates and
controls each machine. The robotic manipulators 63, also under
control of the centralized control system, move the garment or
workpieces through the manufacturing equipment in a sequential
manner so that the garment can be sewn and finished in accordance
with the customer's preferences.
[0148] Consistent with the invention, the robotic manipulator, also
termed a robot, can have any kind of structure or configuration.
The robotic manipulator can have a stylized anthropomorphic shape,
such as Baxter robots manufactured by Rethink Robotics (Boston,
Mass.), or those robots manufactured by Redwood Robotics (San
Francisco, Calif.) or Kawada Industries (Tokyo, Japan).
Alternatively, the robotic manipulator can consist of robotic arms
and hands, for example, those manufactured by Barrett Robotics
(Cambridge, Mass.). The robotic manipulator can have wheels,
treads, or other means for movement, and move from one work station
to the next sequentially during manufacture, or the robotic
manipulator can be fixed in a single location during manufacture,
or there may be any combination of moveable and stationary robotic
manipulators. There may be one single robotic manipulator or there
may be a plurality of robotic manipulators.
[0149] The manufacturing system illustrated in FIG. 4 is arranged
in the shape of a letter "U" to form three separate manufacturing
line segments, each having its own workflow direction, starting
with serger 51 and ending with finishing machines 62. In
alternative embodiments of the invention, the manufacturing
equipment can be linear, in the shape of a letter "I", so that
there is only a single workflow direction for the production. The
arrangement of the manufacturing equipment will vary depending on
the particular embodiment of the invention.
[0150] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic diagram showing the physical
arrangement of manufacturing equipment, material handling
equipment, and a digital control system for manufacture of a
garment. A global controller 65 is used to control each of the
programmable manufacturing and garment handling equipment. In the
Figure, there are three robotic manipulators 63 which are used to
prepare the garment. The first robotic manipulator 63 handles
manipulation of fabric from the cutting table 64 to the bar tacker
55, serger 51, and chain stitch sewing machine 53. The second
robotic manipulator 63 handles manipulation of the pocket pattern
machine 58, serger 51, and pocket setter 56, and moves the
unfinished garment to the area of the third robotic manipulator 63.
The third robotic manipulator handles preparation of button holes
59, belt loops 60, and hemming 67, as well as the finishing
equipment 62 comprising a wear station 68, washer 69, and dryer
70.
[0151] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a flow process
for preparation of a pair of jeans in accordance with the
invention. For ease of discussion, the manufacturing process can be
divided into three line segments, each line segment attended to by
a respective robot 63.
[0152] The first line segment 101 comprises the serger 51, lock
stitch sewing machine 52, chain stitch sewing machine 53, riveter
54, and bar tacker 55 attended to by the first robot 63. The second
line segment 102 consists of the pocket setter 56, second serger
51, second lockstitch sewing machine 52, and pocket pattern machine
58, each attended to by the second robot 63. The third line segment
103 consists of button holer 59, belt loop machine 60, second chain
stitch sewing machine 61, as well as the finishing machines
consisting of a wear station 68, stretcher 80, stone washer 69A,
washer 69, and dryer 70 and is attended to by third robot 63.
Storage facilities 81 can be provided anywhere there is space
available.
[0153] The exemplary dimensions of the controlled manufacturing
system shown in the Figure is 34 feet by 30 feet, although the
specific dimensions of the system will vary depending on the
specific embodiment of the invention.
[0154] FIG. 7 illustrates sample transit times during preparation
of a pair of jeans in an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
Line segment 1 totals approximately 430 seconds; line segment 2
totals approximately 540 seconds; and line segment 3 totals
approximately 120 seconds, thereby totaling 1090 seconds, or about
18.2 minutes. These transit times indicate the approximate time it
takes to move a garment or component thereof from one manufacturing
machine to the next and do not include finishing such as washing,
drying, ironing, or distressing.
[0155] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary architecture of a
centralized command and control network system 100 for directing
programmable garment manufacturing equipment in accordance with the
present invention. The command and control system comprises a
central controller 107 which is networked over a network connection
106 to a plurality of local controllers 104, and each local
controller controls its respective programmable manufacturing
machine 105. The central controller issues machine commands or
machine instructions for each of the manufacturing equipment over
the network to the local controllers so that the manufacturing
equipment can prepare the personalized custom-fit garment as
desired by the customer. The robotic manipulators 63 are also
controlled by the central controller over the network connection,
and each robotic manipulator is assigned a particular line segment
101, 102, or 103.
[0156] The centralized command and control system utilizes CNC
instruction sets to direct the programmable manufacturing
equipment. The CNC instruction sets 116 are generated from data
from a number of different sources: data input by the seller 112; a
three-dimensional point cloud 114 obtained by the three-dimensional
body scan of a customer 111 as well as the customer's fit, style,
and personalization preferences and custom feature selection; and
stitch rules and raw two-dimensional pattern data 115 corresponding
to a digital garment design submitted by a designer of the
associated designer community 113.
[0157] FIG. 9 illustrates robotic movement of pattern pieces
through a workflow in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of
the invention. Each robotic manipulator 63 attends to its assigned
manufacturing line segment 101, 102, or 103.
[0158] The invention can be configured so that the manufacturing
equipment manufactures a single garment at a time. Alternatively,
the invention can be configured so that the manufacturing equipment
prepares more than one garment in parallel. That is, as soon as one
robotic manipulator completes its manufacturing line segment and
passes its garment to the next robotic manipulator, it starts
immediately working on next garment in the queue. Alternatively,
multiple sections of a garment can be in simultaneous production at
multiple machines in the production flow, rather than having the
garment transit through each machine sequentially. Such embodiments
allow for a reduction in cycle time so that the robotic
manipulators are not idle and increase manufacturing
throughput.
[0159] FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate fabric stitching machines
equipped with optical vision system or cameras for detecting
fiducial marks, and handling and sewing the fabric using the
fiducial marks as guides. FIG. 10 shows a sewing machine 151
equipped with sensors 152 to identify fiduciary markings on the
workpiece 150 to provide status, progress, and metrology feedback
to the digital control system. The optical vision system can employ
one or more passive electro-optical sensors in visible or
non-visible wavelengths (such as UV or infrared) or both to
identify fiducial lines or natural patterns for sewing. A
closed-loop vision feedback system in coordination with the
material handling and sewing machines allows for precise local
position control.
[0160] FIG. 11 shows a robotic manipulator having arms 153 moving a
workpiece 150 through a guidance fixture 154 to a sewing machine
151 equipped with optical vision sensors 152. The guidance fixture
facilitates automated material handling and enables an imprecisely
placed piece of fabric or garment to be accurately fed into a
sewing or stitching machine. The specific configuration of the
guidance fixture 154 will vary depending on the garment and
manufacturing step.
[0161] FIG. 12 illustrates an embodiment of a fabric gripper which
employs vacuum to hold fabric during preparation of a garment. The
fabric gripper 170 has a plurality of arms 170 and each arm has a
vacuum gripper element 172. Upon activation of the vacuum, the
fabric 156 can be lifted and moved to a desired location, after
which the vacuum will be disconnected and the fabric gripper
removed. In another embodiment of the invention (not illustrated),
the fabric gripper may be a pin gripper.
[0162] FIG. 13 illustrates exemplary programmable manufacturing
equipment and material handling equipment for use in preparation of
a pair of jeans in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention. The programmable equipment includes stitching
and sewing machines, fabric management hardware such as fabric
spreaders and fixtures for precise stitching, and finishing
equipment such as washers and dryers. Each of the manufacturing and
material handling equipment is controlled by the centralized
control system, thereby avoiding the need for human intervention
and manual labor during the manufacture.
[0163] FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary sequence of computer
instructions for stitching a pair of jeans and the corresponding
amount of time in seconds for each step. Each of the computer
sequence steps in the Figure is converted to machine instructions
by the centralized control system. The machine instructions are
then implemented by the respective manufacturing and material
handling equipment at the appropriate time when preparing the
desired garment.
[0164] Other objects, advantages and embodiments of the various
aspects of the present invention will be apparent to those who are
skilled in the field of the invention and are within the scope of
the description and the accompanying Figures. For example, but
without limitation, structural or functional elements might be
rearranged, or method steps reordered, consistent with the present
invention. Similarly, a machine may comprise a single instance or a
plurality of machines, such plurality possibly encompassing
multiple types of machines which together provide the indicated
function. The machine types described in various embodiments are
not meant to limit the possible types of machines that may be used
in embodiments of aspects of the present invention, and other
machines that may accomplish similar tasks may be implemented as
well. Similarly, principles according to the present invention, and
methods and systems that embody them, could be applied to other
examples, which, even if not specifically described here in detail,
would nevertheless be within the scope of the present
invention.
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