IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,327,494

Granted Patent B2

US 10,327,494 · App. 16/108,068 · Granted Jun 25, 2019

Laser finishing of apparel

Inventors: James Barton Sights (San Francisco, CA); Jennifer Schultz (San Francisco, CA); Christopher Schultz (San Francisco, CA)

Assignee: Levi Strauss & Co.

A41H3/007 A41H3/08 A41H43/00 B23K26/352 B41M5/24 B44C1/228 D06C23/00 D06M10/005 D06Q1/02 G06F17/50 G06K9/4642 A41D1/06 A41D27/08 B23K2103/38 D06C23/02 D06C2700/31 G06F2217/32

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,327,494
App. No.: 16/108,068
Granted: Jun 25, 2019
Kind: B2

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USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

Software and lasers are used in finishing apparel to produce a desired wear pattern or other design. A technique includes determining a fabric's response to a laser, capturing an initial image of a wear pattern on a garment, and processing the initial image to obtain a working image in grayscale. The working image is further processed to obtain a difference image by comparing each pixel relative to a dark reference. The difference image is converted to a laser values image by using the previously determined fabric response to the laser.

Claims (159)

1. A method comprising:

assembling a garment made from fabric panels of a woven first material comprising a warp comprising dyed cotton yarn, wherein the fabric panels are sewn together using thread, and the first material comprises a cotton twill;

creating a laser input file that is representative of a finishing pattern from an existing garment made from a second material, wherein the first material comprises a different fabric characteristic from the second material, and the creating the laser input file comprises

capturing a target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, and

determining values for the laser input file that will result in a finishing pattern on the first material to obtain an appearance similar to the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises

selecting a dark reference in the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material,

for a pixel in the target image, calculating a difference value between a pixel value and the dark reference, and

storing a difference value in the laser input file, wherein the laser input file comprises a reverse image compared to the target image; and

using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment based on the laser input file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the warp is ring dyed using an indigo dye,

based on the laser input file, the laser removes selected amounts of material from the surface of the first material at different pixel locations of the garment, and

for lighter pixel locations of the finishing pattern, a greater amount of the dyed cotton warp yarn is removed, while for darker pixel locations of the finishing pattern, a lesser amount of the dyed cotton warp yarn is removed.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the finishing pattern created can extend across portions of the garment where two or more fabric panels are joined together by thread by exposing these portions to the laser.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a weft comprising yarn that has not been dyed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein for the portions of the garment exposed to the laser where the fabric panels are joined, the fabric panels are joined together using a thread comprising cotton.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment comprises a single pass of the laser.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment comprises multiple passes of the laser.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the capturing a target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material comprises using contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization image processing.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein when using the laser to create a finishing pattern, different laser levels are obtained by varying an output of the laser beam by altering a characteristic of the laser comprising at least one of a frequency, period, pulse width, power, duty cycle, or burning speed.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a first surface texture characteristic which is different from a second surface texture characteristic of the second material.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a first dye characteristic which is different from a second dye characteristic of the second material.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a first base fabric color characteristic which is different from a second base fabric color characteristic of the second material.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn characteristic which is different from a second yarn characteristic of the second material.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn weight characteristic which is different from a second yarn weight characteristic of the second material.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn diameter characteristic which is different from a second yarn diameter characteristic of the second material.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn twist characteristic which is different from a second yarn twist characteristic of the second material.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the finishing pattern on the existing garment was not created by a laser.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the finishing pattern created by the laser on the garment includes a wear pattern comprising at least one of combs or honeycombs, whiskers, stacks, or train tracks, or a combination.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a denim.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the second material comprises a denim.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a denim, and the second material comprises a denim.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment comprises a pair of pants.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the existing garment comprises a pair of pants.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment comprises a pair of jeans.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the existing garment comprises a pair of jeans.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment comprises a pair of pants, and the existing garment comprises a pair of pants.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment comprises a pair of jeans, and the existing garment comprises a pair of jeans.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment comprises a shirt.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment comprises a pair of shorts.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment comprises a jacket.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment comprises a vest.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment comprises a skirt.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein the garment and the existing garment are of the same type of garment.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein the first material comprises a weft comprising yarn that has not been indigo dyed.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises:

forming a first pattern on a surface of a blanket of the first material, wherein the first pattern comprises a plurality of color shades, the color shades are lighter shades relative to a base color of the first material, and the first pattern is formed by exposing the blanket of the first material to a laser beam at a variety of laser levels,

the first pattern comprises a first region comprising a first shade, a second region comprising a second shade, and a third region comprising a third shade, and

a difference between the first shade and second shade is determined by a first difference value in a laser input value, and a difference between the second shade and third shade is determined by a second difference value in the laser input value.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the second difference value is the same as the first difference value.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises obtaining a fabric response characteristic for the first material in response to a laser comprising:

for the first region, generating a first histogram for a distribution of pixels in the first region;

for the second region, generating a second histogram for a distribution of pixels in the second region; and

for the third region, generating a third histogram for a distribution of pixels in the third region.

38. A method comprising:

creating a laser input file that is representative of a finishing pattern from an existing garment made from a second material, wherein the second material comprises a cotton twill, and the first material comprises a different fabric characteristic from the second material, and the creating the laser input file comprises

capturing a target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, and

selecting a dark reference in the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material,

for a pixel in the target image, calculating a difference value between a pixel value and the dark reference, and

storing a difference value in the laser input file, wherein the laser input file comprises a reverse image compared to the target image; and

using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment based on the laser input file.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the warp is ring dyed using an indigo dye,

based on the laser input file, the laser removes selected amounts of material from the surface of the first material at different pixel locations of the garment, and

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the finishing pattern created can extend across portions of the garment where two or more fabric panels are joined together by thread by exposing these portions to the laser.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a weft comprising yarn that has not been dyed.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein for the portions of the garment exposed to the laser where the fabric panels are joined, the fabric panels are joined together using a thread comprising cotton.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein the using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment comprises a single pass of the laser.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein the using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment comprises multiple passes of the laser.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein the capturing a target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material comprises using contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization image processing.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein when using the laser to create a finishing pattern, different laser levels are obtained by varying an output of the laser beam by altering a characteristic of the laser comprising at least one of a frequency, period, pulse width, power, duty cycle, or burning speed.

47. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a first surface texture characteristic which is different from a second surface texture characteristic of the second material.

48. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a first dye characteristic which is different from a second dye characteristic of the second material.

49. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a first base fabric color characteristic which is different from a second base fabric color characteristic of the second material.

50. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn characteristic which is different from a second yarn characteristic of the second material.

51. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn weight characteristic which is different from a second yarn weight characteristic of the second material.

52. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn diameter characteristic which is different from a second yarn diameter characteristic of the second material.

53. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn twist characteristic which is different from a second yarn twist characteristic of the second material.

54. The method of claim 38 wherein the finishing pattern on the existing garment was not created by a laser.

55. The method of claim 38 wherein the finishing pattern created by the laser on the garment includes a wear pattern comprising at least one of combs or honeycombs, whiskers, stacks, or train tracks, or a combination.

56. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a denim.

57. The method of claim 38 wherein the second material comprises a denim.

58. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a denim, and the second material comprises a denim.

59. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment comprises a pair of pants.

60. The method of claim 38 wherein the existing garment comprises a pair of pants.

61. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment comprises a pair of jeans.

62. The method of claim 38 wherein the existing garment comprises a pair of jeans.

63. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment comprises a pair of pants, and the existing garment comprises a pair of pants.

64. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment comprises a pair of jeans, and the existing garment comprises a pair of jeans.

65. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment comprises a shirt.

66. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment comprises a pair of shorts.

67. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment comprises a jacket.

68. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment comprises a vest.

69. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment comprises a skirt.

70. The method of claim 38 wherein the garment and the existing garment are of the same type of garment.

71. The method of claim 38 wherein the first material comprises a weft comprising yarn that has not been indigo dyed.

72. The method of claim 38 wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises:

the first pattern comprises a first region comprising a first shade, a second region comprising a second shade, and a third region comprising a third shade, and

73. The method of claim 72 wherein the second difference value is the same as the first difference value.

74. The method of claim 72 wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises obtaining a fabric response characteristic for the first material in response to a laser comprising:

for the first region, generating a first histogram for a distribution of pixels in the first region;

for the second region, generating a second histogram for a distribution of pixels in the second region; and

for the third region, generating a third histogram for a distribution of pixels in the third region.

75. A method comprising:

assembling a garment made from fabric panels of a woven first material comprising a warp comprising dyed cotton yarn, wherein the fabric panels are sewn together using thread;

capturing a target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material, and

selecting a dark reference in the target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material,

for a pixel in the target image, calculating a difference value between a pixel value and the dark reference, and

storing a difference value in the laser input file, wherein the laser input file comprises a reverse image compared to the target image; and

using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment based on the laser input file.

76. The method of claim 75 wherein the warp is ring dyed using an indigo dye,

based on the laser input file, the laser removes selected amounts of material from the surface of the first material at different pixel locations of the garment, and

77. The method of claim 75 wherein the finishing pattern created can extend across portions of the garment where two or more fabric panels are joined together by thread by exposing these portions to the laser.

78. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a weft comprising yarn that has not been dyed.

79. The method of claim 75 wherein for the portions of the garment exposed to the laser where the fabric panels are joined, the fabric panels are joined together using a thread comprising cotton.

80. The method of claim 75 wherein the using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment comprises a single pass of the laser.

81. The method of claim 75 wherein the using a laser to create a finishing pattern on an outer surface of the garment comprises multiple passes of the laser.

82. The method of claim 75 wherein the capturing a target image of the finishing pattern from the existing garment of the second material comprises using contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization image processing.

83. The method of claim 75 wherein when using the laser to create a finishing pattern, different laser levels are obtained by varying an output of the laser beam by altering a characteristic of the laser comprising at least one of a frequency, period, pulse width, power, duty cycle, or burning speed.

84. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a first surface texture characteristic which is different from a second surface texture characteristic of the second material.

85. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a first dye characteristic which is different from a second dye characteristic of the second material.

86. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a first base fabric color characteristic which is different from a second base fabric color characteristic of the second material.

87. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn characteristic which is different from a second yarn characteristic of the second material.

88. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn weight characteristic which is different from a second yarn weight characteristic of the second material.

89. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn diameter characteristic which is different from a second yarn diameter characteristic of the second material.

90. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a first yarn twist characteristic which is different from a second yarn twist characteristic of the second material.

91. The method of claim 75 wherein the finishing pattern on the existing garment was not created by a laser.

92. The method of claim 75 wherein the finishing pattern created by the laser on the garment includes a wear pattern comprising at least one of combs or honeycombs, whiskers, stacks, or train tracks, or a combination.

93. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a denim.

94. The method of claim 75 wherein the second material comprises a denim.

95. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a denim, and the second material comprises a denim.

96. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment comprises a pair of pants.

97. The method of claim 75 wherein the existing garment comprises a pair of pants.

98. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment comprises a pair of jeans.

99. The method of claim 75 wherein the existing garment comprises a pair of jeans.

100. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment comprises a pair of pants, and the existing garment comprises a pair of pants.

101. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment comprises a pair of jeans, and the existing garment comprises a pair of jeans.

102. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment comprises a shirt.

103. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment comprises a pair of shorts.

104. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment comprises a jacket.

105. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment comprises a vest.

106. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment comprises a skirt.

107. The method of claim 75 wherein the garment and the existing garment are of the same type of garment.

108. The method of claim 75 wherein the first material comprises a weft comprising yarn that has not been indigo dyed.

109. The method of claim 75 wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises:

the first pattern comprises a first region comprising a first shade, a second region comprising a second shade, and a third region comprising a third shade, and

110. The method of claim 109 wherein the second difference value is the same as the first difference value.

111. The method of claim 109 wherein the determining values for the laser input file comprises obtaining a fabric response characteristic for the first material in response to a laser comprising:

for the first region, generating a first histogram for a distribution of pixels in the first region;

for the second region, generating a second histogram for a distribution of pixels in the second region; and

for the third region, generating a third histogram for a distribution of pixels in the third region.

Assignments (4)

RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 069335/0647 Recorded Jun 9, 2025

From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

To: LEVI STRAUSS & CO.

Reel/Frame 071512/0857 →

SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 11, 2024

From: LEVI STRAUSS & CO.

To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.

Reel/Frame 069335/0647 →