System and method for customizing footwear

Abstract

A system and method for manufacturing a footwear component that may be customized based on consumer data and fitted with a footwear sole assembly to form part of footwear. The footwear sole assembly of the footwear can be tailored or customized for a particular consumer. The footwear component may be produced with additive manufacturing techniques, optionally allowing the footwear to be customized at or near a point of sale. In one embodiment, the density of the footwear sole assembly, or portions thereof, may be varied to align with the consumer data.

1 . A method of generating a custom footwear component, said method comprising:
 providing a footwear sole assembly with a sole body having a plurality of voids, wherein each of the voids is constructed to accept a support member;   obtaining consumer data pertaining to a physical characteristic of a consumer;   generating an encoded description of a plurality of the support members based on the consumer data, wherein at least one of the support members is configured to provide at least one of space and interference with a portion of the sole body that defines a void;   additively manufacturing the plurality of the support members in accordance with the encoded description; and   disposing each of the plurality of the support members in one of the plurality of voids defined by the sole body.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said generating includes defining, in the encoded description, a shape of each of the plurality of the support members and one or more connecting members that connect two or more of the plurality of the support members, and comprising additively manufacturing the plurality of the support members and the one or more connecting members in accordance with the encoded description. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  comprising providing the sole body with one or more channels that respectively connect two or more of the plurality of voids, wherein the one or more channels are disposed on an upper surface of the sole body opposite a ground contacting surface of the sole body, and wherein the plurality of voids are open to the upper surface of the sole body. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of said plurality of support elements is configurable based on the consumer data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the support element includes an upper support surface, a lower support surface opposite the upper support surface, and a side surface extending from the lower support surface to the upper support surface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the support element includes an inner surface defining a void within the support element. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein a distance between the upper and lower support surfaces is variable based on a depth of a void associated with the support element. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the upper support surface and the lower support surface form bounded surfaces and define a boundary surface therebetween such that the upper support surface, the lower support surface, and the boundary surface define a closed surface object. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the boundary surface is defined by a plurality of parallel line segments extending from an upper perimeter edge of the upper support surface to a lower perimeter edge of the lower support surface. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein at least a portion of the side surface of the support element is outside the boundary surface. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the at least the portion of the side surface is convex. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein at least a portion of the side surface of the support element is internal to the closed surface object and spaced away from the boundary surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the at least the portion of the side surface is concave. 
     
     
         14 . A system for generating a footwear component for footwear, the footwear including a sole body with a plurality of voids, said system comprising:
 a sensor configured to sense a physical characteristic of a consumer to generate consumer data pertaining to the physical characteristic; and   a control system operably coupled to the sensor, said control system configured to receive the consumer data, the control system configured to generate an encoded description of a plurality of support members based on the consumer data, wherein each of said plurality of support members is configured to be disposed within a void of the plurality of voids of the sole body, wherein at least one of said plurality of support members is configured to provide at least one of space and interference with a portion of the sole body that defines the void.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  comprising an additive manufacturing controller configured to direct a nozzle to dispense material in an additive manner in accordance with the encoded description to generate the footwear component including the plurality of support members. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the encoded description defines one or more connecting members configured to connect two or more of the plurality of support members. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein each of plurality of support elements members is configurable based on the consumer data. 
     
     
         18 . A footwear component for footwear, the footwear including a sole body with a plurality of voids, the footwear component comprising:
 a support member including an upper support surface and a lower support surface opposite the upper support surface, said support member including an outer side surface extending from the lower support surface to the upper support surface, wherein said support member is configured to be disposed in a void of the plurality of voids defined by the sole body; and   a plurality of connecting members, each of said plurality of connecting members being configured to connect a plurality of said support members, whereby said plurality of said support members are disposable into the plurality of voids of the sole body.   
     
     
         19 . The footwear component of  claim 18  comprising a size and shape of each of said plurality of said support members being customizable based on consumer data pertaining to a physical characteristic of a consumer. 
     
     
         20 . A sole body for footwear comprising:
 a midsole having an upper midsole surface and a lower midsole surface, the upper midsole surface being positionable adjacent to an upper of the footwear, the midsole including a forefoot zone, a midfoot zone, a heel zone, and a plurality of voids defined at least in part by the upper midsole surface, wherein each of the plurality of voids is configured to accept a support member;   the midsole including one or more channels defined at least in part by the upper midsole surface, said one or more channels disposed between at least two of said plurality of voids; and   an outsole coupled to the lower midsole surface of the midsole, the outsole including a ground contacting surface.