Oh, patents! Levi Strauss laser finishing

Françoise © Herrmann

One hundred-and-fifty years after the Levi Strauss copper rivet changed the world of work clothes, during the Gold Rush in California, Levi Strauss is pioneering the apparel industry anew with Future-Led Execution (F.L.X.) processes (Levi Strauss Staff, 2018). F.L.X. invokes digital production, and in particular laser finishing.

Consistent with a longstanding interest in sustainability, the company committed to producing a cleaner, more climate-friendly jean, using streamlined digital processes. Processes, such as laser finishing, that eliminate the use and discharge of harmful chemicals (e.g., potassium permanganate), while maximizing the customization of jeans, and improving working conditions (e.g., Ong, 2018). In particular, laser finishing has replaced such previously time-consuming manual labor, invoked for baking, whiskering, hand-sanding, grinding, scrunching, chemically treating, and rinsing excess residues, to make jeans look worn and faded.

Laser finishing uses infrared technology to scratch the surface of jeans, while executing digital drawings of the desired vintage characteristics. A process that takes about 90 seconds to complete, per jean. (See video below.) A process that replaces the lengthy drawing board process, and the previous 18 to 20 manual finishing steps, taking 10 to 30 minutes per jean, depending on the design. A process that also makes possible all the desirable aspects of jeans manufacture. For example, laser finishing enables such prized processes as on-demand production, unparalleled customization, and dramatic scaling of production, since digital, production-ready files can be sent directly to supply factories for unprecedented production response. Conversely, laser finishing also supports custom online Future Finish® design, and potentially mini local production units at retail stores (Levi Strauss Staff, July 2019a and July 2019b; Velasquez, 2019), or even, event-based mobile production units (US11208761B2).

Arguably one of the most exciting transformations in jeans manufacturing, F.L.X. both dramatically streamlines, and accelerates, every aspect of the complete process, from concept to production. Indeed, on the strength of its success, Levi Strauss now organizes company-wide hackathons to determine which additional company processes might be as successfully digitized and made more sustainable (Cazares et al. 2022).

Both processes and hardware subsumed in laser finishing are well patented. The following applications are a few samples of the patents pending, and patents granted, reciting the many aspects of the laser finishing invention. The sample list also includes an application and patent, each reciting the specifications of garments, most responsive to the new laser finishing invention. 

• US20180049497A1  - Using laser to create finishing pattern on apparel.

• US20180165736A1 - Using fabric templates to obtain multiple finishes by laser finishing.

• US20190261716A1 - On-demand manufacturing of apparel by laser finishing fabric rolls.

• US20200063319A1 - Laser finishing of garments by mobile lab.

• US11208761B2  - Clothing with enhanced response characteristics for laser finishing.

References

Cazares, M. et al. (FE. 28, 2002) LS&Co. Hackathons – Designed for everyone.
https://www.levistrauss.com/2022/02/28/lsco-hackathons-designed-for-everyone/

Ong, T. (2018). Levi’s® will use lasers to ethically create the finishes on all of its jeans – The Verge.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/4/17061656/levis-jeans-ethic-clothing-labor-design

Staff (Feb.27, 2018). Project F.L.X. redefines the future of how jeans are designed, made and sold. 

https://www.levistrauss.com/2018/02/27/project-f-l-x-redefines-future-jeans-designed-made-sold/

Staff (Juy 2019a). Levi’s presents Future Finish®. Off the Cuff.

https://www.levi.com/US/en_US/blog/article/levis-presents-future-finish/

Staff (July 24, 2019b). Future Finish®, a new way to customize your denim. 

https://www.levistrauss.com/2019/07/24/future-finish-a-new-way-to-customize-your-denim/

Velasquez, A. (July 24, 2019). Levi’s® doubles down on Laser technology with new customization platform. 

https://sourcingjournal.com/denim/denim-brands/levis-future-finish-laser-customization-jeans-161376/

Oh, patents! Levi's® Curve ID measuring tool (2)

 Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

The US design patent USD648235S1, titled Shape measuring tool, was awarded on November 8th 2011 to Susan C. Smith-Habelow, and assigned to Levi Strauss & Co. This design patent covers the ornamental aspects of the Curve ID shape measuring tool, comprising two measuring tapes. In other words, this design patent claims protection for the way this version of the Curve ID, shape measuring, tool looks like.  In contrast, a utility patent reciting this Curve ID shape measuring tool, would claim protection for how the invention tool works. (USPTO)

The Figures 1 and 3, extracted from the set of 21 patent figure drawings, respectively depict a front view of the shape measuring tool, and a close up on a portion of the shape measuring tool, shown encircled in Figure 1. In particular, the Figure 1 depicts two measuring tapes, each attached to a belt, each using a rivet-secured loop, enabling the measuring tapes to slide into positions that facilitate girth measurements. 

The Figure 3 close up faintly shows the word “inch” in dotted lines, which is explicitly excluded from the claimed design, since elsewhere the invention measuring tapes are specified as using any measuring units, whether customary US American, or international metric. Likewise the pairs of closely spaced, jagged broken lines, appearing the Figure 1 belt, indicate an indeterminate length.

                       

Reference

Levi Strauss - https://www.levistrauss.com/

USPTO - MPEP – Chapt. 1502-01 – Distinction between design and utility patent

https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1502.html

Oh, patents! Levi’s® Curve ID measuring tool (1)

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

Levi’s® Curve ID shape measuring tool was awarded several US design patents. US design patents cover the ornamental aspects of an invention. In other words, US design patents cover the way an invention looks, in contrast to the way an invention works, which is covered by US utility patents (MPEP 1502-01). The following US design patent, USD662429S1, titled Shape measuring tool, was awarded on June 26, 2012, to ten co-inventors(1), and assigned to Levi Strauss Company. 

The patent covers the ornamental aspects of the Curve ID shape measuring tool. Specifically, a shape measuring tool that comprises a fabric panel, attached with fasteners to the measuring tool belt. The fabric panel, added to the measuring tool, was designed to facilitate measuring a person’s girth at the inventive hip and seat marks. The panel keeps the ruled markings flat on the fabric panel, whether the markings are printed on the fabric panel, or consist of a measuring tape attached to the panel. 

The patent Figure 1, selected from ten patent figures, displays pairs of broken lines on the belt strap, indicating an indeterminate length. Broken lines elsewhere on the drawing (e.g.; for the buckle and for the fasteners, securing the panel to the belt) indicate items excluded from the claimed design. An image of the shape measuring tool, used for measuring Curve ID fit is also included.

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Note(1) List of the ten co-inventors: Meghan Donnelly Hetke, Eric Thompson, Bill Smith, Alexandra Levin, Judy Guo, Purin Phanichphant, Jesse Amos Silver, Peter Riering-Czekalla, Gina Lynn Romero, Candice Patricia Tillitt.

References
Levi Strauss & Co. https://www.levistrauss.com/

MPEP – Chapt. 1502-01 – Distinction between design and utility patent   https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s1502.html 

Oh, patents! The Levi Strauss rivet

Copyright  © Françoise Herrmann

Filed on August 9th 1872, granted on May 20th 1873, the US utility patent US139121A, titled Improvement in fastening pocket-openings, recites the small consolidating metal rivets, added to Levi's jeans, then called “waistoveralls”, which made the 19th century, San Francisco, company famous. The inventor was Jacob Davis. A tailor located in Reno, Nevada, the heart of the California gold country, Davis assigned the patent to himself and to the Levi Strauss Company of San Francisco, the Original Riveter.

The single patent drawing is included below, together with one of the famous Levi Strauss jeans labels, depicting two horses pulling in opposite directions, on each side of a pair of jeans, with the caption: "It’s no use they can’t be ripped."

According to the patent specification, the figure drawing indexes the side seam A of a pair of “pantaloons” which could also be “a pair of pants, drawers, or other article of wearing apparel”. The side seam terminates in pockets, with rivets b, b, added to each side of the pocket. Rivets b are shown on both front pockets, on a partial view of one back pocket, and at the bottom of the fly opening.

The patent discloses that the rivets b are intended to prevent ripping, or opening of the seams, resulting essentially from repetitive placing of hands inside pockets, thereby causing excessive stress on the fabric threads. The patent further specifies that the rivets b are made of metal, each rivet b passed through a hole in the seam, and capped on the opposite end, so as to further hold together the two parts of the seam, and thereby prevent tears. The patent explicitly avoids laying claim on fastening all seams with rivets, recognizing that rivets were already in use for consolidating seams on shoes.

References

Levi Strauss & Co
https://www.levistrauss.com/