Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6401641
-
Patent Number
6,401,641
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, May 10, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 11, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
-
Examiners
Agents
- Wood, Phillips, Katz, Clark & Mortimer
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CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 112 47006
- 112 47004
- 112 47005
- 112 47029
- 112 47033
- 112 63
- 112 1025
- 112 47508
- 112 47509
- 112 47518
- 112 47519
- 112 47007
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
An apparatus for stitching a penetrable material. The apparatus has a support for material to be stitched and a head assembly with a stitching head capable of directing a thread carrying needle through the material to be stitched that is in an operable position on the support to thereby produce a pattern on the material in the operative position. The support has a surface against which a material to be stitched can be placed in the operative position. The surface on the support is movable relative to the stitching head around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position that is to be stitched to be repositioned relative to the stitching head.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to materials such as flexible fabrics, and the like, and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for controllably producing a pattern on such material.
2. Background Art
It is well known to controllably produce patterns on flexible material such as cloth, paper, and the like, by stitching using various different colored threads, by the application of a paint or dye thereto, etc. In one form of stitching apparatus, a support is provided for the material in spaced relationship to a stitching head on a head assembly. The material is drawn taut within a continuous bow so that a surface on the material through which stitching is to be carried out resides substantially in a single X-Y plane within the bow perimeter. The stitching pattern is controlled by moving the material in the X-Y plane as the stitching head is operated.
While the above method is effective, it has some inherent drawbacks. The area available for stitching, at any one stage, is limited to that which can be accessed by the stitching head within the bow without interference with the bow.
Some products, by reason of their configuration, do not lend themselves to stitching by this method. For example, stitching on sleeves may be difficult or impossible to carry out by this method. It may not be possible to draw the sleeve taut to permit stitching through only one layer thereof.
Typically, formation of multi-color patterns using the above method requires that different color threads be separately used. This can be accomplished by serially performing stitching operations using separate stitching heads. Alternatively, the thread can be changed in a single stitching head which is operated to serially perform stitching operations.
Typically, this type of equipment has a controller which is pre-programmed to produce desired patterns. The controller may require specifically adapted software which is not usable with a personal computer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one form, the invention is directed to an apparatus for stitching a penetrable material. The apparatus has a support for material to be stitched and a head assembly with a stitching head capable of directing a thread carrying needle through the material to be stitched, that is in an operable position on the support, to thereby produce a pattern on the material in the operative position. The support has a surface against which a material to be stitched can be placed in the operative position. The surface on the support is movable relative to the stitching head around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position that is to be stitched to be repositioned relative to the stitching head.
The surface on the support may be convex and may extend through 360° around the first axis.
The surface on the support may be cylindrical.
In one form, the surface on the support is movable in first and second opposite directions relative to the stitching head substantially parallel to the first axis.
The stitching head may be movable relative to the support in first and second opposite directions in a line substantially orthogonal to the first axis.
In one form, the apparatus includes a drive for repositioning the surface of the support relative to the stitching head, a controller for operating the drive, and software for the controller that is PC-compatible.
Ink from a first supply of ink may be applied to the thread directed by the stitching head through the material to be stitched.
In one form, the first supply of ink has a first color. A second supply of ink with a second color may be provided such that the ink from the first and second supplies can be selectively applied to thread directed by the stitching head through the material to be stitched.
The invention is also directed to an apparatus for producing a pattern on a sheet of material having a support for material on which a pattern is to be produced, and a head assembly through which a pattern can be produced on material that is in an operative position on the support. The support has a surface against which a material can be placed in an operative position on the support. The surface on the support is movable relative to the head assembly around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position on which a pattern is to be produced to be repositioned relative to the head assembly.
The surface on the support may be convex and may extend through 360° around the first axis.
The surface on the support may be cylindrical.
In one form, the surface is movable in first and second opposite directions substantially parallel to the first axis.
The head assembly may be movable relative to the support in first and second opposite directions in a line substantially orthogonal to the first axis.
The apparatus may further include a drive for repositioning the surface of the support relative to the head assembly, a controller for operating the drive, and software for the drive that is PC-compatible.
A first supply of ink may be provided that can be applied to the material in the operative position on the support to produce a pattern on the material.
In one form, the first supply of ink has a first color and the apparatus includes a second supply of ink having a second color. Ink from the first and second supplies can be selectively applied to material to produce a pattern on the material.
The invention is also directed to a method of producing a pattern on material through a head assembly. The method includes the steps of providing a support with a surface, placing a piece of material against the surface of the support into an operative position, moving the support surface around the first axis, and producing a pattern through the head assembly on the piece of material as the piece of material is moved around the first axis.
The method may include the step, of moving the support surface substantially parallel to the first axis as a pattern is produced through the head assembly on the piece of material.
The method may further include the step of relatively moving the head assembly and support along a line substantially orthogonal to the first axis as the pattern is produced through the head assembly on the piece of material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a schematic, perspective view of a conventional apparatus for producing a pattern on a piece of material;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of an apparatus for producing a pattern on a piece of material according to the present invention;
FIG. 3
is an enlarged, schematic, cross-sectional view of a part of a head assembly on the apparatus in
FIG. 2
;
FIG. 4
is a view as in
FIG. 3
of a modified form of head assembly, according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In
FIG. 1
, a conventional apparatus is shown at
10
for producing a pattern
12
on a piece of sheet material
14
which is readily penetrable by a needle. The sheet material
14
may be cloth, paper, or the like. The apparatus
10
consists of a support
16
which connects through an upright
18
to a head assembly
20
. The head assembly
20
includes a stitching head
22
which is capable of reciprocatively driving a needle
24
to stitch thread from a supply
26
through the sheet material
14
. The details of the stitching mechanism and stitching process are well known to those skilled in the art.
The sheet material
14
is drawn taut within the perimeter of a bow
28
so that a surface
30
thereon resides substantially within a plane. The bow
28
is shifted in a predetermined manner by a drive
32
back and forth along the X axis, as indicated by the arrows
34
, and transversely back and forth along the Y axis, as indicated by the arrows
36
. The movement of the drive
32
is dictated by a controller
38
that is operated by a dedicated software program. Various software programs with different pattern control can be purchased and interchanged.
An apparatus for producing a pattern on a piece of material, according to the present invention, is shown at
40
in FIG.
2
. The apparatus
40
consists of a support
42
for a piece of material
44
to be stitched. The support
42
projects in cantilever fashion from an upright
46
which connects between a head assembly
48
and a base
50
so that the upright
46
, head assembly
48
, and base
50
cooperatively define a frame.
The head assembly
48
consists of a stitching head
52
which reciprocates a thread carrying needle
54
along the Z axis in a sewing line. As in the prior art apparatus
10
, the reciprocating movement of the needle
54
causes thread from a supply
56
to be stitched through the piece of material
44
.
The support
42
has a convex surface
58
mounted for movement relative to the stitching head
52
around an axis
60
that is parallel to the X axis. The surface
58
can be mounted in any number of different ways to allow the necessary movement. In this case, an axial end
62
of the support
42
is journalled for rotation in a collar
64
on the upright
46
. The support
42
can be suitably attached to the head assembly
48
and/or base
50
to permit the same movement.
The pivoting movement of the surface
58
around the axis
60
is effected by a drive
66
and is dictated by a controller
68
. This movement is indicated by the double-headed arrow
70
.
With the configuration shown, the piece of material
44
can be placed against the surface
58
in an operative position on the support
42
. In this case, the piece of material
44
is a sleeve on a shirt
72
. The configuration of the surface
58
lends itself to stitching on sleeves which can be placed surroundingly over the support
42
, but is likewise suitable to facilitate stitching on flat material. In the form shown, the convex surface
58
extends through 360° around the axis
60
, but could extend to a lesser degree.
In operation, the surface
58
is directed into the sleeve
44
and the sleeve material drawn taut thereagainst. The sleeve
44
can be suitable fixed by using a spring-type anchor
74
which extends conformingly through preferably in excess 180° around a part of the surface
58
and is grippingly held thereagainst. A spring type material made from metal, plastic, or the like may be used for the anchor
74
. The anchor
74
preferably is dimensioned so that it must be expanded to be placed over the surface
58
such that upon being released it constricts and grips the surfaces
58
thereby maintaining itself in place. The anchor
74
has a working opening
76
therethrough within which a stitching area is defined.
Alternatively, the sleeve
44
can be accumulated and held so as to effectively reduce the diameter thereof to approximately that of the support
42
, whereby the sleeve
44
closely embraces the support
42
, thereby obviating the need to use a separate anchor
74
that frames the area to be stitched.
As a further alternative, one or more magnets can be used to captively hold the material against the support surface
58
.
In operation, the controller
68
causes the drive
66
to strategically pivot the surface
58
around the axis
60
as the stitching head
52
operates the needle
54
. In a preferred form, the surface
58
is also movable relative to the stitching head
52
along the X axis, as indicated by the double-headed arrow
78
. A telescoping connection between the support
42
and collar
64
permits this guided movement, which may be generated by a separate drive
80
, also operated by the controller
68
. Other mechanisms could be devised for the X-axis movement. For example, guided sliding connection can be made between the support
42
and one or both of the head assembly
48
and base
50
. A rack and pinion mechanism can be incorporated to effect the necessary movement of the surface
58
.
Potentially, stitching can occur on substantially the entire axial extent of the surface
58
through approximately 360° around the axis
60
. The controller
68
coordinates movement of the drives
66
,
80
to produce the desired pattern as the stitching head
62
is operated.
It is also possible to connect the support
42
to the upright
46
and/or to the head assembly
48
and base
50
to allow the support
42
to be moved relative to the stitching head
52
in the direction of the Z axis, as indicated by the double-headed arrow
82
.
In one form, the controller
68
may be operable through a personal computer
84
with PC-compatible software
86
.
In
FIG. 3
, one form of stitching head
52
is shown in relationship to the support
42
with the surface
58
on which the piece of material
44
is in an operative position. The needle
54
draws the thread from the supply
56
in a predetermined path. Ink from a supply, and in this case two different supplies
88
,
90
, is caused to be selectively applied to the thread
56
from the supply by an operator/injector
92
. The operator/injector
92
may cause ink from the supply
88
alone to be applied to the thread, ink from the supply
90
alone to be applied to the thread, or ink from both supplies
88
,
90
to be applied simultaneously or serially to produce a desired color. This potentially obviates having to use multiple thread supplies
56
or may reduce the number of different thread supplies
56
required.
As one alternative, as shown in
FIG. 4
, the pattern
12
may be produced by the application of ink or other dye controllably directly against the piece of material
44
. In this case, one or more ink supplies
94
,
96
may be provided on a head assembly
20
′. Through an operator/injector
98
, ink from the supply
94
and/or supply
96
can be directed to against the piece of material
44
on the surface
58
. The operators/injectors
92
,
98
on the stitching head
52
and head assembly
48
′ may be operated by the controller
68
to coordinate the coloring of the thread from the supply
56
and the application of ink from the supplies
94
,
96
with the movement of the surface
58
.
The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is intended to be illustrative of the broad concepts comprehended by the invention.
Claims
- 1. An apparatus for stitching a penetrable material, said apparatus comprising:a cantilevered support for material to be stitched; and a frame comprising an upright and a head assembly projecting from the upright so that the head assembly and upright cooperatively define an L shape; the head assembly comprising a stitching head capable of directing a thread carrying needle in a sewing line through material to be stitched that is in an operative position on the support to thereby produce a pattern on the material in the operative position, said cantilevered support comprising a surface against which a material to be stitched can be placed in the operative position, said surface of the support movable relative to the stitching head around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position that is to be stitched to be repositioned relative to the stitching head, the sewing line extending through the support surface, the cantilevered support having axially spaced ends arranged so that a cylindrically-shaped workpiece fully separated from the cantilevered support can be directed over one axial end of the cantilevered support and slid toward the other axial end of the cantilevered support into the operative position as far as to the upright.
- 2. The stitching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the surface on the support is convex.
- 3. The stitching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the surface on the support is cylindrical.
- 4. The stitching apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the surface on the support is convex through substantially 360° around the first axis.
- 5. The stitching apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the surface on the support is movable in first and second opposite directions relative to the stitching head substantially parallel to the first axis.
- 6. An apparatus for stitching a penetrable material, said apparatus comprising:a cantilevered support for material to be stitched; and a head assembly comprising a stitching head capable of directing a thread carrying needle in a sewing line through material to be stitched that is in an operative position on the support to thereby produce a pattern on the material in the operative position, said support comprising a surface against which a material to be stitched can be placed in the operative position, said surface of the support movable relative to the stitching head around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position that is to be stitched to be repositioned relative to the stitching head, the sewing line extending through the support surface, the cantilevered support having axially spaced ends arranged so that a cylindrically-shaped workpiece fully separated from the cantilevered support can be directed over one axial end of the cantilevered support and slid toward the other axial end of the cantilevered support into the operative position, wherein the stitching head is movable relative to the support in first and second opposite directions in a line substantially orthogonal to the first axis.
- 7. The stitching apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a drive for repositioning the surface of the support relative to the stitching head, a controller for operating the drive, and software for the controller that is PC-compatible.
- 8. An apparatus for stitching a penetrable material, said apparatus comprising:a cantilevered support for material to be stitched; a head assembly comprising a stitching head capable of directing a thread carrying needle in a sewing line through material to be stitched that is in an operative position on the support to thereby produce a pattern on the material in the operative position, said support comprising a surface against which a material to be stitched can be placed in the operative position, said surface of the support movable relative to the stitching head around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position that is to be stitched to be repositioned relative to the stitching head, the sewing line extending through the support surface, the cantilevered support having axially spaced ends arranged so that a cylindrically-shaped workpiece fully separated from the cantilevered support can be directed over one axial end of the cantilevered support and slid toward the other axial end of the cantilevered support into the operative position; and a first supply of ink that can be applied to thread directed by the stitching head through material to be stitched.
- 9. The stitching apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the first supply of ink has a first color and further comprising a second supply of ink having a second color and ink from the first and second supplies can be selectively applied to thread directed by the stitching head through material to be stitched.
- 10. An apparatus for producing a pattern on a sheet of material, said apparatus comprising:a support for material on which a pattern is to be produced; and a head assembly through which a pattern can be produced on material that is in an operative position on the support so that a location at which a pattern is produced on a material in the operative position resides directly between the head assembly and support surface, said support comprising a surface against which a material can be placed in the operative position on the support, the surface on the support movable relative to the head assembly around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position on which a pattern is to be produced to be repositioned relative to the head assembly, the surface on the support movable translatingly along first and second lines that are transverse to each other.
- 11. The apparatus for producing a pattern according to claim 10 wherein the surface on the support is convex.
- 12. The apparatus for producing a pattern according to claim 11 wherein the surface on the support is cylindrical.
- 13. The apparatus for producing a pattern according to claim 11 wherein the surface on the support is convex through substantially 360° around the first axis.
- 14. An apparatus for producing a pattern on a sheet of material, said apparatus comprising:a support for material on which a pattern is to be produced; and a head assembly through which a pattern can be produced on material that is in the operative position on the support, said support comprising a surface against which a material can be placed in an operative position on the support, the surface on the support movable relative to the head assembly around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position on which a pattern is to be produced to be repositioned relative to the head assembly, the surface on the support movable translatingly along first and second lines that are transverse to each other, wherein the surface is movable in first and second opposite directions substantially parallel to the first axis.
- 15. The apparatus for producing a pattern according to claim 10 wherein the head assembly is movable relative to the support in first and second opposite directions in a line substantially orthogonal to the first axis.
- 16. The apparatus for producing a pattern according to claim 10 further comprising a drive for repositioning the surface of the support relative to the head assembly, a controller for operating the drive, and software for the drive that is PC-compatible.
- 17. The method of producing a pattern on material according to claim 1 further comprising an anchor which maintains a workpiece against the support surface.
- 18. The method of producing a pattern on material according to claim 17 wherein the anchor is a spring-type anchor that grips the support surface.
- 19. An apparatus for stitching a penetrable material, said apparatus comprising:a cantilevered support for material to be stitched; and a head assembly comprising a stitching head capable of directing a thread carrying needle in a sewing line through material to be stitched that is in an operative position on the support to thereby produce a pattern on the material in the operative position, said support comprising a surface against which a material to be stitched can be placed in the operative position, said surface of the support movable relative to the stitching head around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position that is to be stitched to be repositioned relative to the stitching head, the sewing line extending through the support surface, the cantilevered support having axially spaced ends arranged so that a cylindrically-shaped workpiece fully separated from the cantilevered support can be directed over one axial end of the cantilevered support and slid toward the other axial end of the cantilevered support into the operative position, wherein the apparatus comprises a frame consisting of the stitching head, a base, and an upright connecting between the base and the stitching head and the cantilevered support is mounted on the frame for guided movement relative to the frame in a vertical direction transversely to the first axis.
- 20. The apparatus for stitching a penetrable material according to claim 19 wherein the cantilevered support is mounted on the upright.
US Referenced Citations (9)