Customized Mold Segmentation for Wearable Equipment Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for customizing wearable equipment, such as ice skates and protective gear, are too costly and time-consuming, making them unviable for retail customers with unique morphologies.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a customized mold created by attaching features determined by computer processing of body part data to a base mold, allowing for the production of customized wearable equipment that fits individual body morphologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional methods are used to manufacture customized wearable equipment, then the equipment can be tailored to individual morphologies, but the manufacturing cost and time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is divided into modular components: a base mold that can be reused and customizable attachments that are selectively attached. This segmentation allows the expensive base mold to be shared across multiple customers while only the affordable attachments need to be customized for each individual, significantly reducing overall manufacturing costs and time.
Solution Approach 2:
The base mold is designed as a universal component that can serve multiple customers and applications. By making the base mold multi-functional and reusable, the system achieves economies of scale that reduce the per-unit manufacturing cost, making customization economically feasible for retail customers.
2Manufacturing precision
If a customized mold is created for each customer, then the wearable equipment fits the individual body part perfectly, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is segmented into a standardized base and customizable attachments. The base mold provides the universal structure while attachments contain the customer-specific geometric data. This segmentation maintains high fit accuracy for each individual while simplifying the overall manufacturing process by reusing the same base mold across all customers.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating entirely new molds for each customer, the system uses digital copies of customer body parts in the form of attachments that are attached to the base mold. These digital copies are generated from scan data and allow for precise replication of individual morphologies without requiring manual mold fabrication for each customer.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional customization methods are used, then unique wearable equipment can be produced, but the process is too costly for retail customers
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the mold into a reusable base and customizable attachments, the system dramatically reduces the per-customer manufacturing cost. The expensive base mold is amortized across multiple customers, making the customization service economically viable for retail pricing while still providing individualized fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses digital copying of customer body geometries through scan data and creates virtual attachments that can be rapidly manufactured. This digital copying approach eliminates the need for expensive manual mold fabrication for each customer, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining precise individual fit.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for customizing wearable equipment such as athletic equipment, including ice skates and protective equipment such as masks. For example, a hockey goaltender mask may comprise a shell a liner attached to the shell, the liner being customized for a face of a user. The liner may be produced using a customized mold. Such customized mold may include a base mold and at least one attachment attached to the base mold; wherein each of the at least one attachment is characterized by at least one feature determined based on computer processing of data representative of the face of the user.