DESIGN ASSISTANCE DEVICE, PROGRAM, AND UPPER MANUFACTURING SYSTEM

Abstract

To provide a design support apparatus configured to design a cutting pattern of a sheet that allows an upper to conform to a shape of a shoe last when thermoforming is performed, a design method, and an upper producing system.SOLUTION: A design support apparatus 100 includes: an input unit 106 that receives shoe last data 1; a processor 102 (computing unit) that computes a cutting pattern 30 of a sheet based on the shoe last data 1 received by the input unit 106; and an output unit 108 that outputs the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet computed by the processor 102. The processor 102 calculates an amount of correction in consideration of a shrinkage direction and a shrinkage coefficient of the sheet, and calculates the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet by developing, on a plane, three-dimensional shape data 2 that conforms to a dimension of the shoe last data 1, to thereby obtain a shape pattern 3 of an upper, and incorporating the calculated amount of correction into the shape pattern 3 of the upper.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a design support device, program , and an upper construction system. [Background technology]

[0002] When making shoes, a fabric constituting an upper is placed on a shoe last and molded into an upper that conforms to the shape of the shoe last. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 125165 (Patent Document 1) discloses thermoforming a fabric constituting an upper to mold an upper that conforms to the shape of a shoe last. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2018 / 125165 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The upper needs to be three-dimensional to fit the shape of the shoe last. For this reason, multiple parts are cut from a flat sheet of fabric or other material, and the multiple parts are then sewn or glued together to create a three-dimensional upper. However, if the cutting pattern for the multiple parts is simply designed based on the shape of the shoe last, there are cases where when the upper is placed over the shoe last and heat molded, there are parts that do not fit the shape of the shoe last sufficiently.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a design support device that designs a cutting pattern for a sheet that allows an upper to conform to the shape of a shoe last when thermoforming is performed; program and an upper manufacturing system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A design support device according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a design support device that designs a cutting pattern of a sheet when an upper is produced by cutting a heat-shrinkable sheet. The design support device includes an input unit that receives shoe last data, a calculation unit that calculates the cutting pattern of the sheet based on the shoe last data received by the input unit, and an output unit that outputs the cutting pattern of the sheet calculated by the calculation unit. The calculation unit calculates a correction amount taking into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, and calculates the cutting pattern of the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to a shape pattern of the upper developed on a plane according to the dimensions of the shoe last data.

[0007] According to certain aspects of the present disclosure program When an upper is produced by cutting a sheet having heat shrinkability, a cutting pattern of the sheet is designed. Program executed in the computing unit of the design support device It is. The program includes: The method includes a step of receiving shoe last data, a step of calculating a cutting pattern of the sheet based on the received shoe last data, and a step of outputting the calculated cutting pattern of the sheet. The calculating step includes a step of calculating a correction amount taking into consideration a shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, and a step of calculating the cutting pattern of the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to a shape pattern of the upper developed on a plane according to the dimensions of the shoe last data.

[0008] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an upper manufacturing system is an upper manufacturing system that manufactures an upper by cutting a heat-shrinkable sheet, and includes a design support device that designs a cutting pattern of the sheet, and a cutting device that cuts the sheet based on the cutting pattern of the sheet designed by the design support device. The design support device includes an input unit that receives shoe last data, a calculation unit that calculates the cutting pattern of the sheet based on the shoe last data received by the input unit, and an output unit that outputs the cutting pattern of the sheet calculated by the calculation unit. The calculation unit calculates a correction amount that takes into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, and calculates the cutting pattern of the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to the shape pattern of the upper developed on a plane according to the dimensions of the shoe last data. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, a cutting pattern for a sheet is calculated by adding a correction amount that takes into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, so that a cutting pattern for a sheet can be designed that allows the upper to conform to the shape of a shoe last when thermoforming is performed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an upper manufacturing system according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a design support apparatus according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] 4 is a flowchart for explaining a process in which the design support apparatus according to the embodiment designs a cutting pattern for a sheet. [Figure 4] 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining the transition from shoe last data to a sheet cutting pattern. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example in which the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of a sheet are taken into consideration. [Figure 6] 11 is a plan view showing an example of a correction amount of a cutting pattern of a sheet. FIG. [Figure 7] 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a correction amount taking into account the thickness of a sheet. FIG. [Figure 8] 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a correction amount taking into consideration the outer circumferential length of the bottom surface portion of the upper. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a heat-shrinkable sheet in which a first layer of woven fabric is sandwiched between second and third layers of nonwoven fabric. [Figure 10] (a) is a perspective view showing the outline of the structure of a thread made of a core-sheath material, (b) shows the initial state of the fabric, (c) shows the state in which the weft thread has shrunk, and (d) shows the state in which the warp thread and the weft thread have been fused together. [Figure 11] FIG. 2A is a diagram showing an outline of needle punching, and FIG. 2B is a plan view showing a fiber sheet having needle punched areas and non-needle punched gap forming areas. [Figure 12] This is a schematic diagram showing another example of a heat-shrinkable sheet, in which a woven base sheet is sandwiched between a collection of multiple chip materials made of nonwoven fabric and a single sheet of nonwoven fabric. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of needle punch processing. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a layer structure of yet another example of a heat-shrinkable sheet. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a double raschel fabric. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of an example of a double raschel fabric. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[0012] (Embodiment) In the embodiment, an example of a situation in which the present invention is applied will be described. First, in the embodiment, for example, when custom-made shoes are made to fit a user's feet in a store, shoe last data is generated based on foot last data measured by a measuring device. Furthermore, in the embodiment, an upper manufacturing system is described that calculates a cutting pattern of a sheet for making an upper of a shoe based on the generated shoe last data, and cuts the sheet based on the cutting pattern with a cutting device.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration example of an upper manufacturing system 10 according to an embodiment. Referring to FIG. 1, the upper manufacturing system 10 includes a design support device 100, a measuring device 200 for measuring a foot shape, and a cutting device 400 for cutting a sheet based on a cutting pattern. In the upper manufacturing system 10 shown in FIG. 1, the measuring device 200 is included in the system, but the measuring device 200 may not be included in the system and pre-stored shoe shape data may be used. In addition, depending on the store or from a remote location such as a user's home, the foot shape may be measured using a mobile terminal 300 such as a smartphone instead of the measuring device 200. Furthermore, the design support device 100 can communicate with a data server (not shown) installed in or outside the store.

[0014] The design support device 100 generates shoe last data based on foot last data obtained from the measuring device 200 or the mobile terminal 300, and further calculates a cutting pattern for a sheet based on the shoe last data. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the design support device 100 according to the embodiment. With reference to Fig. 2, the design support device 100 includes a processor 102, a main memory 104, an input unit 106, an output unit 108, a storage 110, an optical drive 112, and a communication controller 120. These components are connected via a processor bus 118.

[0015] The processor 102 is composed of a CPU, a GPU, etc., and can read out programs (for example, an OS 1102 and a processing program 1104) stored in the storage 110, expand them in the main memory 104, and execute them. The processor 102 executes various programs read out from the storage 110. Specifically, the processing program 1104 calculates shoe last data based on a predetermined algorithm from the foot last data and additional information received by the input unit 106. The processing program 1106 calculates a cutting pattern for the sheet based on the shoe last data using a predetermined algorithm. The simulation program 1108 is used by the processing program 1106, and calculates the correction amount for the shape pattern by simulating the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet. The processor 102 that executes the programs corresponds to the calculation unit of the design support device 100.

[0016] The main memory 104 is configured with a volatile storage device such as a DRAM or an SRAM, etc. The storage 110 is configured with a non-volatile storage device such as an HDD or an SSD, etc.

[0017] The storage 110 stores processing programs 1104 and 1106 for providing the functions of the design support device 100, and a simulation program 1108, in addition to an OS 1102 for implementing basic functions.

[0018] The input unit 106 includes an input interface that is connected to the measuring device 200 or the mobile terminal 300 and receives foot shape data from the measuring device 200 or the mobile terminal 300. The input unit 106 is also composed of a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, a touch device, etc., and can further receive information selected by the user.

[0019] The output unit 108 includes an output interface that outputs the sheet cutting pattern calculated by the processor 102 to the cutting device 400. The output unit 108 is also composed of a display, various indicators, a printer, etc., and outputs the processing results from the processor 102, etc.

[0020] The communication controller 120 exchanges data with other control devices, etc., using wired or wireless communication. The design support device 100 may exchange foot shape data and additional information with the measuring device 200 or the mobile terminal 300 via the communication controller 120, and may exchange cutting patterns with the cutting device 400 via the communication controller 120. Note that a USB controller connected to the processor bus 118 may be provided separately from the communication controller 120, and data may be exchanged with other control devices, etc., via the USB connection.

[0021] The design support device 100 has an optical drive 112, and a program stored therein may be read from a recording medium 114 (e.g., an optical recording medium such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)) that non-transiently stores a computer-readable program, and installed in storage 110, etc.

[0022] The processing program 1104 executed by the design support device 100 may be installed via the computer-readable recording medium 114, or may be installed by downloading from a server device on the network. In addition, the functions provided by the design support device 100 according to the embodiment may be realized by using some of the modules provided by the OS.

[0023] 2 shows an example of a configuration in which the processor 102 executes a program to provide functions required for the design support device 100, but some or all of these provided functions may be implemented using a dedicated hardware circuit (e.g., ASIC or FPGA, etc.) The configuration of the design support device 100 shown in FIG. 2 is merely an example, and is not limited to this configuration.

[0024] The measuring device 200 is a three-dimensional foot scanner that uses laser measurement. The user places a foot on a tabletop, and the laser measuring devices built into the walls on both sides of the tabletop move from the toes to the heels of the foot to obtain three-dimensional foot shape data. The measuring device 200 can use any measuring method as long as it can measure three-dimensional foot shape data. Alternatively, a mobile terminal 300 such as a smartphone may be used to photograph the user's feet, obtain image data of the feet, and generate foot shape data from the image data of the photographed feet using pre-installed software.

[0025] Fig. 3 is a flowchart for explaining a process in which the design support device according to the embodiment designs a cutting pattern for a sheet. First, the design support device 100 receives foot last data measured by the measuring device 200 or the mobile terminal 300 (step S101). The design support device 100 calculates shoe last data from the foot last data (step S102). Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the transition from the shoe last data to the cutting pattern for the sheet. The design support device 100 calculates shoe last data 1 shown in Fig. 4 from the foot last data.

[0026] Returning to Fig. 3, the design support device 100 judges whether or not the shoe last data 1 has been accepted (step S103). In the case of custom-made shoes, the design support device 100 accepts the shoe last data 1 calculated from the measured foot last data, but may also accept existing shoe last data. If the shoe last data 1 has not been accepted (NO in step S103), the design support device 100 determines that the calculation of the shoe last data 1 has not been completed or that existing shoe last data has not been accepted, and returns the process to step S102.

[0027] When the shoe last data 1 is received (YES in step S103), the design support device 100 calculates three-dimensional (3D) shape data of the upper from the shoe last data (step S104). Specifically, the design support device 100 specifies the three-dimensional shape of the upper from information on the model of the shoe to be manufactured, and calculates the three-dimensional shape data by adjusting the size of the specified three-dimensional shape of the upper so that it fits the outer surface of the shoe last data 1. The result of the calculation from the shoe last data 1 becomes the three-dimensional shape data 2 of the upper shown in Fig. 4. The design support device 100 may generate the shape of the opening of the upper from the user's selection information (e.g., does not rub against the foot, does not easily slip off, etc.) and apply it to the three-dimensional shape data 2 of the upper.

[0028] The design support device 100 develops the three-dimensional shape data 2 of the upper on a plane and calculates a shape pattern of the upper (step S105). The shape pattern of the upper is a shape pattern 3, which is simply the three-dimensional shape data 2 that matches the dimensions of the shoe last data 1 developed on a plane using an existing algorithm, as shown in FIG. 4. In producing the upper, a plurality of parts are cut from a flat sheet of fabric or the like, and the plurality of parts are assembled by sewing or using adhesive to produce a three-dimensional upper. Examples of materials that can be used for the upper include knit materials, mesh materials, artificial leather, nonwoven fabrics, and heat-shrinkable materials.

[0029] In particular, when making an upper using a heat shrinkable material, a plurality of parts are cut from a heat shrinkable sheet, and the plurality of parts are assembled by sewing or using adhesive to make a three-dimensional upper. However, if a heat shrinkable sheet is simply cut according to the upper shape pattern 3 calculated based on the shape of shoe last data 1, when the three-dimensional upper is placed over the shoe last and heat molded, the shoe last will not be sufficiently fitted. shape There were some parts that did not follow the standard.

[0030] Therefore, in the design support device 100 according to this embodiment, a correction amount is calculated in consideration of the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet in the simulation program 1108. Furthermore, the design support device 100 adds the calculated correction amount to the shape pattern 3 of the upper developed on a plane according to the dimensions of the shoe last data 1, to calculate the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet shown in Fig. 4. Note that in Fig. 4, in addition to the cutting pattern 30 of the main body part located on the upper side of the upper, a cutting pattern 40 of the bottom part continuing to the lower end of the main body part is also shown.

[0031] As a method of calculating the correction amount considering the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, for example, the design support device 100 calculates the correction amount by simulating the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate when a sheet cut according to the shape pattern 3 of the upper is thermoformed using the simulation program 1108. The shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the heat-shrinkable material are input in advance into the simulation program 1108, and the correction amount is calculated considering the shrinkage direction at the position in the three-dimensional shape of the upper and the shrinkage rate for each region of the upper. Of course, the design support device 100 may determine the correction amount uniformly based on the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet regardless of the position in the three-dimensional shape of the upper. The design support device 100 may receive verification data (e.g., dimensional errors between the manufactured upper and the shoe mold) of the manufactured upper and the shoe mold at the input unit 106, and adjust the conditions of the simulation program 1108 (conditions for calculating the correction amount) based on the verification data. This allows the simulation program 1108 to calculate a correction amount with higher accuracy that allows the upper to fit the shape of the shoe mold.

[0032] Returning to FIG. 3, the process of calculating the correction amount by the design support device 100 will be specifically described. The design support device 100 calculates the correction amount by considering the shrinkage direction of the sheet at the position in the three-dimensional shape of the upper (step S106). FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example in which the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet are considered. FIG. 5(a) illustrates the shrinkage direction when the three-dimensional shape of the upper is thermally molded. As can be seen from FIG. 5(a), the part of the upper corresponding to the toe part shrinks in the width direction of the shoe, and the shrinkage direction is w1. The part of the upper corresponding to the arch part shrinks in the width direction of the shoe, and the shrinkage direction is w2. The part of the upper corresponding to the heel part shrinks in the height direction of the shoe, and the shrinkage direction is h. In order to manufacture a shoe with a fit that satisfies the user, it is necessary to calculate an accurate correction amount from the shrinkage amount of the sheet, especially in the shrinkage direction w1 and the shrinkage direction w2.

[0033] 5(b), the design support device 100 identifies the shrinkage directions w1, w2, h, etc. by matching the positions in the three-dimensional shape of the upper onto the upper shape pattern 3. The design support device 100 simulates the amount of shrinkage of the sheet for each of the shrinkage directions w1, w2, h identified on the upper shape pattern 3 to calculate an accurate correction amount.

[0034] Furthermore, the design support device 100 corrects the shrinkage rate of the sheet for each region of the upper (step S107). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5(b), the area of ​​the sheet cut in the shape pattern 3 of the upper varies depending on the position, so the shrinkage amount of the portion of the upper corresponding to the heel is smaller than that of the portion of the upper corresponding to the toe and arch. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5(c), for example, the shrinkage rate of the portion of the upper corresponding to the toe and arch is set to 3%, and the shrinkage rate of the portion of the upper corresponding to the heel is set to 0%. The design support device 100 corrects the correction amount calculated in step S106 using the shrinkage rate of the sheet set for each region of the upper as shown in FIG. 5(c). In this way, the design support device 100 can calculate the optimum correction amount of the shape pattern 3 for each region of the upper.

[0035] The design support device 100 judges whether the correction amount has been calculated at all positions of the upper (step S108). If the correction amount has not been calculated at all positions of the upper (NO in step S108), the design support device 100 executes the processes of steps S106 and S107 at the positions of the upper where the correction amount has not been calculated. If the correction amount has been calculated at all positions of the upper (YES in step S108), the design support device 100 judges whether the adoption information of the user who adopts the completed cutting pattern 30 has been accepted (step S109). Specifically, when the correction amount has been calculated at all positions of the upper, the design support device 100 calculates the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to the shape pattern 3 of the upper, and displays the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet on the display which is the output unit 108. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of the correction amount of the cutting pattern of the sheet. 6, the design support device 100 displays the sheet cutting pattern 30 (solid line) superimposed on the upper shape pattern 3 (dashed line) so that the amount of correction for each position of the upper can be seen. This makes it easy for the user to understand which position of the upper has been significantly corrected.

[0036] The user checks the display of the sheet cutting pattern 30 shown in Fig. 6, and if the user wishes to adopt the pattern, inputs the adoption information from the input unit 106 such as a keyboard. If the user's adoption information has not been accepted (NO in step S109), the design support device 100 returns the process to step S106, changes the conditions, etc., and calculates the correction amount again. On the other hand, if the user's adoption information has been accepted (YES in step S109), the design support device 100 outputs the sheet cutting pattern 30 to the cutting device 400 (step S110). When the cutting device 400 accepts the sheet cutting pattern 30 from the design support device 100, it cuts the heat-shrinkable sheet according to the cutting pattern 30.

[0037] The process of calculating the correction amount considering the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet described in step S106 and step S107 is one example, and the design support device 100 may calculate the correction amount by adding other processes or conditions. For example, since the thickness of the sheet differs depending on the material of the upper, the design support device 100 may calculate the correction amount considering the thickness of the sheet. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the correction amount considering the thickness of the sheet. As shown in FIG. 7(a), the upper 20 is produced by sewing a main body part 20a located on the upper side of the upper 20 and a bottom surface part 20b continuing to the lower end of the main body part 20a. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a width d as a part to be sewn between the main body part 20a and the bottom surface part 20b, and the width d varies depending on the thickness of the sheet. The design support device 100 needs to correct the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet to secure the part to be sewn (width d), and the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet is calculated by adding a correction amount of width d as a part to be sewn to the outer periphery of the shape pattern 3 of the upper as shown in FIG. 7(b). 30a Calculate.

[0038] Furthermore, for example, the upper 20 is thermoformed by sewing the main body portion 20a and the bottom surface portion 20b together and then covering the shoe mold. Therefore, the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet of the main body portion 20a are restricted by the sewing to the bottom surface portion 20b. In other words, when the sewing between the main body portion 20a and the bottom surface portion 20b is strong, the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet of the main body portion 20a are strongly restricted by the shape (peripheral length) of the bottom surface portion 20b. On the other hand, when the sewing between the main body portion 20a and the bottom surface portion 20b is weak, the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet of the main body portion 20a are weakly restricted by the shape (peripheral length) of the bottom surface portion 20b.

[0039] Therefore, the design support device 100 may calculate the correction amount taking into consideration the strength of the constraint of the perimeter length of the main body portion 20a to the perimeter length of the bottom surface portion 20b based on the strength of the stitching between the main body portion 20a and the bottom surface portion 20b. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the correction amount taking into consideration the perimeter length of the bottom surface portion of the upper. FIG. 8(a) shows a cutting pattern 40 of the bottom surface portion. The design support device 100 corrects the cutting pattern of the main body portion depending on the strength of the constraint by the perimeter length of the cutting pattern 40 of the bottom surface portion. FIG. 8(b) shows a cutting pattern 30b (solid line) of the main body portion when the constraint by the perimeter length of the cutting pattern 40 of the bottom surface portion is strong, and a cutting pattern 30c (dashed line) of the main body portion when the constraint by the perimeter length of the cutting pattern 40 of the bottom surface portion is weak.

[0040] (Heat shrink material) The following describes in detail the configuration of a heat-shrinkable sheet (heat-shrinkable material) for which the cutting pattern needs to be calculated in the design support device 100 by taking into account a correction amount that takes into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet.

[0041] 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a heat-shrinkable sheet in which a first layer, which is a woven fabric, is sandwiched between a second layer and a third layer, which are nonwoven fabrics. As shown in FIG. 9, the sheet includes a first layer 31 in sheet form and a second layer 32 in sheet form laminated on the first layer 31.

[0042] The first layer 31 includes a yarn 311 having heat shrinkability. The first layer 31 is made of a knitted fabric or woven fabric having an internal void 312. The knitting method of the knitted fabric is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a raschel knit or a tricot knit. The weaving method of the woven fabric is also not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a plain weave or a twill weave.

[0043] The second layer 32 is made of a nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric may have, for example, polyester fibers. The nonwoven fabric of the second layer 32 has entangled fibers, and therefore does not have internal voids corresponding to the internal voids 312 of the first layer 31.

[0044] In the upper, the first layer 31 is disposed on the inside (closer to the wearer's foot when worn) of the second layer 32. In other words, the first layer 31 is an inner layer, and the second layer 32 is an outer layer.

[0045] Here, the "internal void" refers to a space that exists between fibers such as threads that constitute a knitted or woven fabric, or between aggregates of fibers. In addition, in general, in knitted or woven fabrics, when fibers are arranged to extend in a planar direction, it refers to a space that penetrates in the normal direction of the plane, or a space that is divided in the planar direction. In addition, when a distance is maintained between adjacent fiber intersections, it is a space surrounded by multiple fiber intersections. In addition, when a fusion yarn is used as described later, the fiber intersections after being fused by heat molding to the pre-molded upper are fixed, and the intersecting fibers (yarns) are fixed to each other. The "internal void" corresponds to, for example, mesh holes (see the internal void 312 formed by the weft thread (yarn 311) and warp thread (yarn 313) in the woven fabric of the first layer 31 shown as the second overlapping layer in FIG. 9) or the mesh opening of the fabric. In this embodiment, the distance between adjacent fiber intersections is set to 1 to 5 mm. Alternatively, the void ratio in the knitted or woven fabric in the planar direction is set to 15 to 30%. The above two conditions can be set to satisfy either one of them.

[0046] Since the first layer 31 has an internal void 312, the space of the internal void 312 allows deformation (shrinkage) of the heat-shrinkable yarn 311 and the associated movement of the intersecting yarn 313 (see FIG. 10(b)). Therefore, the space of the internal void 312 does not hinder the deformation of the first layer 31 caused by the heat-shrinkable yarn 311. Therefore, since the first layer 31 can be deformed as designed, it is easy to set the conditions for heat shrinkage (heating temperature, heating time, etc.).

[0047] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing, in (a), a schematic configuration of a thread made of a core-sheath material. (b) shows the initial state of the fabric, (c) shows a schematic state in which the weft yarn has shrunk, and (d) shows a schematic state in which the warp yarn and the weft yarn have been fused together. The heat-shrinkable thread 311 included in the first layer 31 can be made of a core-sheath material in which a core 3111 (inner peripheral portion) and a sheath 3112 (outer peripheral portion) are integrally formed, as shown in FIG. 10(a). This thread 311 is a fusion thread that is fused by heat, and the melting points of the core 3111 and the sheath 3112 are different. In this thread 311, the melting point of the sheath 3112 is lower than that of the core 3111. Therefore, when the upper is heated before molding, the entire thread 311 is shrunk, and only the sheath 3112 is melted. This allows for both the shape retention effect of the sheath 3112 and the elastic effect of the core 3111. As the heat-shrinkable thread 311, for example, a thread containing a polyester resin, more specifically, a sheath-core material made of a polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer, or a sheath-core material in which the core 3111 is made of a polyester-based thermoplastic elastomer and the sheath 3112 is made of a polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomer, etc. can be used.

[0048] The first layer 31 may be made of a woven fabric in which either the warp or weft threads are heat-shrinkable threads 311, or a knitted fabric in which 10% or more of the threads are heat-shrinkable threads 311. In the case of a woven fabric, the heat-shrinkable threads 311 (warp or weft threads) are arranged in the width direction of the upper. TowardsThe yarn 311 is arranged along the thread 313. It is technically common to use the heat-shrinkable yarn 311 as the weft. For this reason, FIG. 10(b) shows the structure of the fabric in the first layer 31 when the heat-shrinkable yarn 311 is used as the weft. With this structure, by heating the first layer 31, the yarn 311 shrinks in the length direction as shown in FIG. 10(c) (the shrinkage in the direction indicated by the arrows causes the interval between adjacent warp yarns (yarn 313, yarn 313) to change to a smaller value). Then, the sheath 3112 of the yarn 311 made of a core-sheath material melts and adheres to the yarn 313 (adhering point 314 indicated by a black circle in FIG. 10(d)). In this way, the first layer 31 is deformed. By utilizing this deformation, it is possible to appropriately mold the upper into a desired shape, specifically, to fit the shape of a shoe last.

[0049] Next, FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an outline of needle punching, and FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a fiber sheet in which a processed portion subjected to needle punching and a gap forming portion not subjected to needle punching are formed. As shown in FIG. 11(a), the first layer 31 and the second layer 32 constituting a two-layer structure are overlapped with each other, and a needle device having a large number of needles N is reciprocated in the illustrated direction M to repeatedly penetrate the overlapped first layer 31 and second layer 32 to form an integrated fiber sheet 3S. In this way, the first layer 31 and the second layer 32, which are separate layers, are integrated to form the fiber sheet 3S, and the design freedom of the fiber sheet 3S can be increased by the combination of colors of the first layer 31 and the second layer 32 and the selection of the position to perform needle punching. This fiber sheet 3S is formed, for example, in a sheet or bag shape before sewing to form the shape of the pre-molded upper.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 11(b), the fiber sheet 3S can have a processed portion 3S1 that has been needle punched and a gap forming portion 3S2 (a portion shown by a two-dot chain line) that has not been needle punched. In the gap forming portion 3S2, the first layer 31 and the second layer 32 are not integrated, so a gap (space) can be formed between the first layer 31 and the second layer 32. A cushioning material (yarn, cotton, foam material) or a reinforcing material can be inserted into the gap (space) of the gap forming portion 3S2. The position where the cushioning material is inserted is, for example, the position of the opening or the position of the shoe tongue. Also, the position where the reinforcing material is inserted is, for example, the eyelet portion, the toe portion, or the heel portion. This allows the gap forming portion 3S2 to have the desired characteristics. However, it is also possible not to insert anything into the gap forming portion 3S2. The fiber sheet 3S can have characteristics according to the characteristics of the object inserted into the gap forming portion 3S2. In addition, the amount of thermal shrinkage of the fiber sheet 3S when it is heated can be adjusted by using an insert.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 9, the fiber sheet 3S may have a three-layer structure in which a third layer 33 made of nonwoven fabric is further provided inside the first layer 31. In this case, the third layer 33 is also formed by needle punching the first layer 31 to integrate the first layer 31, the second layer 32, and the third layer 33. By providing the third layer 33 in this manner, the material and thickness of the third layer 33 can be set to impart desired characteristics to the manufactured shoes. The third layer 33 may be provided over the entire surface of the first layer 31, or may be provided partially. When provided partially, the third layer 33 may be used, for example, to reinforce the periphery of the opening where the wearer's foot enters and exits, or to reinforce the portion where the eyelets are formed.

[0052] Fig. 12 is a schematic diagram showing another example of a heat-shrinkable sheet, in which a woven base sheet is sandwiched between an aggregate of multiple chip materials made of nonwoven fabric and a single sheet of nonwoven fabric. As shown in Fig. 12, the sheet-like base sheet 31a and multiple chip materials 32a...32a, each of which is sheet-like and formed into an aggregate, are laminated on the base sheet 31a.

[0053] The base sheet 31a includes heat-shrinkable yarns 311, similar to the first layer 31 shown in Fig. 9. The base sheet 31a is made of a knitted fabric or woven fabric having internal voids 312. The knitting method of the knitted fabric is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, raschel knitting or tricot knitting. The weaving method of the woven fabric is also not particularly limited, and can be, for example, plain weave or twill weave.

[0054] Next, FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an outline of needle punch processing. As shown in FIG. 13, the base sheet 31a and the multiple tip materials 32a...32a are overlapped with each other, and a needle device having a large number of needles N is reciprocated in the illustrated direction M to repeatedly penetrate the overlapped two layers, forming an integrated fiber sheet 3Sa. The material combination of the base sheet 31a and the multiple tip materials 32a...32a constituting the fiber sheet 3Sa may be any of knitted fabric and nonwoven fabric, woven fabric and nonwoven fabric, knitted fabric and woven fabric, and woven fabric and knitted fabric. By using multiple tip materials 32a...32a and changing the tip materials 32a to be joined at each part of the base sheet 31a, different characteristics (for example, mechanical characteristics and properties related to external characteristics (contour shape, color, pattern, texture, etc.)) can be imparted to each part of the upper. The layer made of the base sheet 31a and the layer made of a plurality of chip materials 32a...32a are integrated into the fiber sheet 3Sa, Sheet The bonding strength between the base sheet 31a and the plurality of tip materials 32a...32a can be increased. In addition, the degree of freedom in design of the fiber sheet 3Sa can be increased by the combination of colors of the base sheet 31a and the plurality of tip materials 32a...32a, the selection of the position of needle punching, etc. This fiber sheet 3Sa is formed, for example, in a sheet shape (flat shape) or a bag shape before sewing is performed to form the shape of the pre-molded upper.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 13, the multiple chip materials 32a...32a are joined to the base sheet 31a in a partially overlapping state. Therefore, the multiple chip materials 32a...32a are exposed on the surface of the fiber sheet 3Sa, and the base sheet 31a itself is not exposed (in the form of a sheet). In addition, the multiple chip materials 32a...32a that are partially overlapping each other are positioned in the outermost layer, which improves the appearance of the upper. In addition, since the multiple chip materials 32a...32a overlap each other, the overlapping chip materials 32a, 32a support each other, stabilizing the joining of the chip materials to the base sheet 31a.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 12, the fiber sheet 3Sa may have a three-layer structure in which a sheet-like additional layer 33a made of nonwoven fabric is provided on the inside of the base sheet 31a. In this case, the additional layer 33a is also formed by needle punching the base sheet 31a to integrate the three layers of the base sheet 31a, the plurality of tip materials 32a...32a, and the additional layer 33a. The additional layer 33a is not limited to nonwoven fabric, but may be knitted fabric, woven fabric, etc. Also, the additional layer 33a may be composed of a plurality of tip materials 32a...32a. In this case, the additional layer 33a may be formed by combining the tip material 32a made of any one of nonwoven fabric, knitted fabric, and woven fabric with the tip material 32a made of a material different from the tip material 32a. By providing the additional layer 33a in this way, the feel of the shoe on the foot of the shoe wearer can be improved. Also, by setting the material and thickness of the additional layer 33a, the manufactured shoes can be given desired characteristics. The additional layer 33a may be provided over the entire surface of the base sheet 31a or may be provided partially. When provided partially, for example, the additional layer 33a may be used to reinforce the periphery of the opening through which the wearer's foot enters and exits, or to reinforce the portion where the eyelets are formed.

[0057] Next, FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a layer structure of yet another example of a sheet having heat shrinkability. As shown in FIG. 14, the sheet includes a sheet-like first layer 31b and a sheet-like second layer 32b laminated on the first layer 31b. The two layers, the layer made of the first layer 31b and the layer made of the second layer 32b, are integrated to form a fiber sheet 3Sb. The upper can also have a three-layer structure in which a third layer 33b is further disposed inside the second layer 32b, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 14. The third layer 33b can be made of a knitted fabric like the first layer 31b and the second layer 32b, or can be made of a woven fabric. In the case of a woven fabric, the weaving method is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, a plain weave or a twill weave. It is preferable that the third layer 33b has a high stretchability with a larger stretch rate than the first layer 31b and the second layer 32b. For example, high elasticity can be imparted by producing the fabric using spandex fiber, crimped yarn, knitted fabric, neoprene material, etc.

[0058] The first layer 31b is a double raschel fabric. FIG. 15 is a plan view showing an example of a double raschel fabric. FIG. 16 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of an example of a double raschel fabric. As shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, the first layer 31b is made of a knitted fabric 3k formed by knitting yarn, which has a predetermined gap 3k1 opening on the surface (the outer surface in the upper state). The gap 3k1 is a space that exists between fiber aggregates made of the yarns 311, 313, etc. shown in FIG. 10 that constitute the knitted fabric 3k having a mesh. It is also a space that penetrates in the normal direction of the plane on which the knitted fabric extends, or a space in a bottomed recess that opens in the normal direction. The gap 3k1 may appear as a mesh opening on the surface of the knitted fabric 3k with a window-like appearance. The shape of the opening is, for example, a circle, an oval, an ellipse, or a square or a diamond with rounded corners (see FIG. 15).

[0059] On the other hand, the second layer 32b may be made of a knitted fabric having no voids, but is preferably made of a knitted fabric 3k having voids 3k1 like the first layer 31b. The knitting method of the knitted fabric is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, raschel knitting or tricot knitting. The knitted fabric of this embodiment is made of double raschel knitting. The shape of the knitted fabric 3k when viewed in a flat state is shown in FIG. 15. The cross-sectional shape is roughly shown in FIG. 16, and the voids 3k1 penetrate the upper in the thickness direction. At least the first layer 31b is made of the knitted fabric 3k having voids 3k1, so that the space can provide the upper with breathability and flexibility. In addition, the voids 3k1 become a shrinkage allowance when the upper is molded by heating, so that a shrinkage allowance is secured in the upper before molding. In this way, by providing first layer 31b having heat-shrinkable thread 311, first layer 31b including thread 311 and thread 313 easily deforms when the upper is molded by heating, making it easy to conform to the shape of the shoe last.

[0060] As described above, the design support device 100 according to the embodiment is a device for designing a cutting pattern of a sheet when an upper is produced by cutting a sheet having heat shrinkability. The design support device 100 includes an input unit 106 for receiving shoe last data 1, a processor 102 (calculation unit) for calculating a cutting pattern 30 of the sheet based on the shoe last data 1 received by the input unit 106, and an output unit 108 for outputting the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet calculated by the processor 102. The processor 102 calculates a correction amount taking into consideration the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, and calculates the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to the shape pattern 3 of the upper obtained by developing three-dimensional shape data 2 that matches the dimensions of the shoe last data 1 on a plane.

[0061] As a result, the design support device 100 of the embodiment calculates the sheet cutting pattern 30 by adding a correction amount that takes into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, so that it is possible to design the sheet cutting pattern 30 that enables the upper to conform to the shape of the shoe last when thermal molding is performed.

[0062] It is preferable that the processor 102 calculates the amount of correction for each position of the upper. This enables the design support device 100 to design a cutting pattern 30 of the sheet that can more closely match the shape of the shoe last, compared to a correction amount that is uniformly determined based on the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet.

[0063] It is preferable that the processor 102 calculates the amount of correction taking into consideration the direction of contraction of the sheet at the position in the three-dimensional shape of the upper. This allows the design support device 100 to perform correction that is more suited to the shape of the shoe.

[0064] It is preferable that the processor 102 calculates the correction amount taking into consideration the shrinkage rate of the sheet preset for each region of the upper. This allows the design support device 100 to set an optimal shrinkage rate for each region of the upper and design the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet that can better fit the shape of the shoe last.

[0065] It is preferable that the processor 102 calculates the correction amount taking into account the thickness of the sheet. This allows the design support device 100 to design the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet taking into account the parts required for sewing with the bottom surface portion 20b.

[0066] The upper portion includes a main body portion 20a located on the upper side and a bottom surface portion 20b that is continuous with the lower end of the main body portion 20a. It is preferable that the processor 102 calculates a correction amount that takes into account the outer periphery length of the bottom surface portion 20b. This allows the design support device 100 to design the cutting pattern 30 of the seat, taking into account the strength of the stitching when it is sewn together with the bottom surface portion 20b.

[0067] It is preferable that the input unit 106 further receives verification data of the created upper and shoe last, and the processor 102 adjusts the conditions for calculating the correction amount based on the verification data. This enables the design support device 100 to calculate the correction amount that allows the upper to fit the shape of the shoe last with higher accuracy.

[0068] The sheet is preferably a fiber sheet including a first layer made of a knitted or woven fabric containing heat-shrinkable yarn and having internal voids, and a second layer made of a nonwoven fabric laminated on the first layer, the first and second layers being integrated by needle punching.

[0069] The sheet is preferably a fiber sheet in which a base sheet containing heat-shrinkable yarn and a plurality of chip materials each having an area smaller than that of the base sheet are overlapped and joined together.

[0070] The sheet includes a first layer made of knitted fabric and a second layer made of knitted fabric arranged inside the first layer, at least one of the first layer or the second layer includes a first yarn and a second yarn as yarns constituting the knitted fabric, the first yarn has heat shrinkability, the melting point of the second yarn is higher than the melting point of the first yarn, and it is preferable that the heat shrinkage rate of the layer of the first or second layer including the first yarn and the second yarn is higher in the width direction than in the front-to-back direction of the upper.

[0071] The design method according to the embodiment is a method for designing a cutting pattern of a heat-shrinkable sheet when the sheet is cut to produce an upper. The design method includes a step of receiving shoe last data 1, and a step of designing a cutting pattern of the sheet based on the received shoe last data 1. 30 and calculating a cutting pattern for the sheet. 30 The step of outputting the data includes a step of calculating a correction amount taking into consideration the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, and a step of calculating a cutting pattern 30 of the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to an upper shape pattern 3 obtained by developing three-dimensional shape data 2 that matches the dimensions of the shoe last data 1 onto a plane.

[0072] As a result, the design method of the embodiment calculates the sheet cutting pattern 30 by adding a correction amount that takes into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, so it is possible to design the sheet cutting pattern 30 that allows the upper to conform to the shape of the shoe last when thermoforming is performed.

[0073] Moreover, the upper manufacturing system 10 according to the embodiment is a system for manufacturing an upper by cutting a sheet having heat shrinkability. The upper manufacturing system 10 includes a design support device 100 for designing a cutting pattern of the sheet, and a cutting device 400 for cutting the sheet based on the cutting pattern of the sheet designed by the design support device 100. The design support device 100 includes an input unit 106 for receiving shoe last data 1, a processor 102 for calculating the cutting pattern of the sheet based on the shoe last data 1 received by the input unit 106, and an output unit 108 for outputting the cutting pattern of the sheet calculated by the processor 102. The processor 102 calculates a correction amount taking into consideration the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, and calculates a cutting pattern 30 of the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to a shape pattern 3 of the upper obtained by developing three-dimensional shape data 2 that matches the dimensions of the shoe last data 1 on a plane.

[0074] As a result, the upper manufacturing system 10 of the embodiment calculates the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet by adding a correction amount that takes into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet, so that an upper can be manufactured that can be conformed to the shape of a shoe mold by thermoforming. <Other Modifications> 1, the upper manufacturing system 10 of one store including the design support device 100, the measuring device 200, and the cutting device 400 has been described. However, some stores may not have the measuring device 200 and may be included in the upper manufacturing system 10 in which a foot last is measured using a mobile terminal 300 such as a smartphone. In addition, some stores may not have the cutting device 400 and may use another store's cutting device 400 to cut a sheet and manufacture an upper. The shoe last manufacturing systems of various stores may be connected to a data center, and design support for the cutting pattern 30 of the sheet may be performed at the data center.

[0075] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10 Upper manufacturing system, 100 Design support device, 102 Processor, 104 Main memory, 106 Input section, 108 Output section, 110 Storage, 112 Optical drive, 114 Recording medium, 118 Processor bus, 120 Communication controller, 200 Measuring device, 300 Mobile terminal, 400 Cutting device, 500 Data server, 1104, 1106 Processing program, 1108 Simulation program.

Claims

1. A design support device for designing a cutting pattern of a heat-shrinkable sheet when an upper is to be produced by cutting the sheet, comprising: an input unit for receiving shoe last data; a calculation unit that calculates a cutting pattern for the sheet based on the shoe last data received by the input unit; an output unit that outputs the cutting pattern of the sheet calculated by the calculation unit, The calculation unit is Calculating a correction amount taking into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet; The design support device calculates a cutting pattern for the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to a shape pattern of the upper obtained by developing three-dimensional shape data that matches the dimensions of the shoe last data onto a plane.

2. The design support device according to claim 1 , wherein the calculation unit calculates the correction amount for each position of the upper.

3. The design support device according to claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit calculates the correction amount taking into consideration a shrinkage direction of the sheet at a position in a three-dimensional shape of the upper.

4. The design support device according to claim 2 , wherein the calculation unit calculates the correction amount taking into consideration a shrinkage rate of the sheet that is preset for each region of the upper.

5. 5. The design support device according to claim 2, wherein the calculation unit calculates the correction amount taking into account a thickness of the sheet.

6. The upper includes a main body portion located on an upper side and a bottom surface portion continuous with a lower end of the main body portion, 6. The design support device according to claim 2, wherein the calculation unit calculates the correction amount taking into account a peripheral length of the bottom portion.

7. The input unit further receives verification data of the created upper and shoe last, 7. The design support device according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit adjusts a condition for calculating the correction amount based on the verification data.

8. The sheet is A first layer made of a knitted or woven fabric containing a heat-shrinkable yarn and having internal voids, and a second layer made of a nonwoven fabric laminated on the first layer, The design support device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first layer and the second layer are a fiber sheet integrated together by needle punching.

9. The sheet is A design support device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is a fiber sheet in which a base sheet containing a heat-shrinkable thread and a plurality of chip materials each having an area smaller than that of the base sheet when used individually are overlapped and joined together.

10. The sheet is A first layer made of a knitted fabric and a second layer made of the knitted fabric arranged on the inside of the first layer, At least one of the first layer and the second layer includes a first yarn and a second yarn as yarns constituting the knitted fabric, The first yarn has heat shrinkability; the melting point of the second yarn is higher than the melting point of the first yarn; The design support device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a thermal shrinkage rate of a layer of the first layer or the second layer that includes the first thread and the second thread is higher in a width direction of the upper than in a front-to-back direction.

11. A program executed by a calculation unit of a design support device for designing a cutting pattern of a heat-shrinkable sheet when an upper is produced by cutting the sheet, the program comprising: The program is receiving shoe last data; calculating a cutting pattern for the sheet based on the received shoe last data; outputting the calculated cutting pattern for the sheet; In the calculating step, calculating a correction amount taking into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet; and calculating a cutting pattern for the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to a shape pattern of the upper obtained by developing three-dimensional shape data that matches the dimensions of the shoe last data onto a plane.

12. An upper production system for producing an upper by cutting a heat-shrinkable sheet, A design support device for designing a cutting pattern for the sheet; a cutting device that cuts the sheet based on a cutting pattern of the sheet designed by the design support device, The design support device includes: an input unit for receiving shoe last data; a calculation unit that calculates a cutting pattern for the sheet based on the shoe last data received by the input unit; an output unit that outputs the cutting pattern of the sheet calculated by the calculation unit, The calculation unit is Calculating a correction amount taking into account the shrinkage direction and shrinkage rate of the sheet; The upper manufacturing system calculates a cutting pattern for the sheet by adding the calculated correction amount to a shape pattern of the upper obtained by developing three-dimensional shape data that matches the dimensions of the shoe last data onto a plane.

Images