Patent Grant
11655575
This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-057178 filed Mar. 27, 2020, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates to an embroidery frame, a method for causing a sewing object to be held on an embroidery frame, and an inner frame of an embroidery frame.
A known embroidery frame is provided with an outer frame, an inner frame, a pair of screw mounting portions, an adjustment screw, an operation shaft, and a coupling mechanism. The outer frame has a shape in which a frame-shaped member is divided. The pair of screw mounting portions are respectively provided on a pair of divided end portions of the outer frame. The adjustment screw is inserted through the pair of screw mounting portions and can be used to adjust an interval between the pair of end portions of the outer frame. A user rotates the adjustment screw by operating the operation shaft. The coupling mechanism transmits a rotational torque of the operation shaft to the adjustment screw. When the user rotates the adjustment screw using the operation shaft, the interval between the pair of screw mounting portions is narrowed, and in a state in which the sewing object is clamped between the outer frame and the inner frame of the embroidery frame, the outer frame is tightened with respect to the inner frame.
With the above-described embroidery frame, in some cases, depending on a type, a thickness, and the like of the sewing object, an operation to cause the embroidery frame to hold the sewing object in a stretched state becomes troublesome.
Embodiments of the broad principles derived herein provide an embroidery frame capable of holding a sewing object in a stretched state using a simpler operation than in related art, a method for causing a sewing object to be held on an embroidery frame, and an inner frame of an embroidery frame.
Embodiments provide an embroidery frame that includes a frame-shaped outer frame and an inner frame configured to hold a sewing object together with the outer frame. The inner frame includes a first member provided with a restriction portion, and a second member configured to be rotatably supported around a rotating shaft between a first position and a second position with respect to the first member. The first member and the second member of the inner frame form a frame shape along an inner periphery of the outer frame when the second member is in the first position with respect to the first member. The second position is a position at which an angle of the second member with respect to the first member is a contact angle larger than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees on one side in a circumferential direction of the rotating shaft. The second member includes a contact portion which comes into contact with the restriction portion when the second member is in the second position with respect to the first member and which restricts the second member from rotating further to another side in the circumferential direction than the second position with respect to the first member. A first distance between a first end portion and a second end portion when the second member is in the first position with respect to the first member is longer than a second distance between the first end portion and the second end portion when the second member is in the second position with respect to the first member. The first end portion is a farthest section of the first member from the rotating shaft in a radius direction orthogonal to the rotating shaft, and the second end portion is a farthest section of the second member from the rotating shaft in the radius direction.
Embodiments also provide a method for causing a sewing object to be held on an embroidery frame that includes a sewing object arrangement process of arranging a sewing object on a frame-shaped outer frame, and an inner frame arrangement process of arranging, on an inner side of an inner periphery of the outer frame on which the sewing object is arranged, an inner frame which includes a first member and a second member configured to be rotatably supported around a rotating shaft between a first position and a second position with respect to the first member and in which the first member and the second member form a frame shape along the inner periphery of the outer frame, when the second member is in the second position at which an angle of the second member with respect to the first member is a contact angle larger than 0 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees on one side in a circumferential direction of the rotating shaft, and of causing a first end portion of the first member and a second end portion of the second member to come into contact with the sewing object arranged on the outer frame. The first end portion is most separated from the rotating shaft in a radius direction orthogonal to the rotating shaft, and the second end portion is most separated from the rotating shaft in the radius direction. The method further includes a holding process of causing the sewing object to be held by the outer frame and the inner frame. The holding process includes moving the second member to the first position with respect to the first member by pressing the inner frame arranged in the inner frame arrangement process to the sewing object side to widen a distance between the first end portion and the second end portion in comparison to when the second member is in the second position with respect to the first member.
Embodiments further provide an inner frame of an embroidery frame that includes a first member provided with a restriction portion, and a second member configured to be rotatably supported around a rotating shaft between a first position and a second position with respect to the first member. The first member and the second member of the inner frame form a frame shape along an inner periphery of a frame-shaped outer frame when the second member is in the first position with respect to the first member. The second position is a position at which an angle of the second member with respect to the first member is a contact angle larger than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees on one side in a circumferential direction of the rotating shaft. The second member includes a contact portion which comes into contact with the restriction portion when the second member is in the second position with respect to the first member and which restricts the second member from rotating further to another side in the circumferential direction than the second position with respect to the first member. A first distance between a first end portion and a second end portion when the second member is in the first position with respect to the first member is longer than a second distance between the first end portion and the second end portion when the second member is in the second position with respect to the first member. The first end portion is a farthest section of the first member from the rotating shaft in a radius direction orthogonal to the rotating shaft, and the second end portion is a farthest section of the second member from the rotating shaft in the radius direction.
Embodiments will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Hereinafter, an embroidery frame 1 of an embodiment, and an inner frame 3 of the embroidery frame 1 will be explained with reference to the drawings. The upper side, the lower side, the left-side and the right-side in
As shown in
The left and right coupling portions 27 and 28 are portions that are mounted on and supported by a mounting portion of a multi-needle sewing machine. Each of the coupling portions 27 and 28 is a rectangular plate member. The left coupling portion 27 is fixed to a left portion of the outer frame 2 using screws 271 and 272 at two positions of a right end portion of the left coupling portion 27. The right coupling portion 28 is fixed to a right portion of the outer frame 2 using two screws 281 and 282 at two positions of a left end portion of the right coupling portion 28. An engagement hole 273 is provided in the vicinity of a rear left portion of the left coupling portion 27, and an engagement groove 274 is provided in the vicinity of a front left portion of the left coupling portion 27. An engagement hole 283 is provided in the vicinity of a front right end portion of the right coupling portion 28, and an engagement groove 284 is provided in the vicinity of a rear right end portion of the right coupling portion 28. The engagement holes 273 and 283, and the engagement grooves 274 and 284 are used to fix the coupling portions 27 and 28 to correct positions of the mounting portion of the multi-needle sewing machine.
The outer frame 2 is provided with end portions 21 and 22, the inner periphery 26, and a tightening mechanism 29. The end portions 21 and 22 are provided on a rear left corner portion of the outer frame 2, and are portions at which an annular frame member is divided. The end portions 21 and 22 are separated from each other. The inner periphery 26 has a rectangular frame shape having rounded corners. The tightening mechanism 29 is provided with a pair of screw mounting portions 23 and 24 and an adjustment screw 25. The pair of screw mounting portions 23 and 24 are coupled to the end portions 21 and 22, respectively. The adjustment screw 25 is fastened to the pair of screw mounting portions 23 and 24. After the adjustment screw 25 is fastened to the pair of screw mounting portions 23 and 24, when the adjustment screw 25 is further rotated in a fastening direction, an interval between the end portions 21 and 22 becomes narrower than that before the operation on the adjustment screw 25, and the outer frame 2 is tightened with respect to the inner frame 3. After the adjustment screw 25 is fastened to the pair of screw mounting portions 23 and 24, when the adjustment screw 25 is rotated in an opposite direction to the fastening direction, the interval between the end portions 21 and 22 becomes wider than that before the operation on the adjustment screw 25, and the tightening of the outer frame 2 with respect to the inner frame 3 is released.
As shown in
The first member 4 is further provided with an outer periphery 45, a first end portion 46, a pair of left and right ribs 48, and a rib 49. The outer periphery 45 has a shape along the shape of the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2. The first end portion 46 is the farthest section of the first member 4 from the rotating shafts 9 in a radius direction that is orthogonal to the rotating shafts 9. In the present embodiment, the first end portion 46 is a lower front-end portion of the first member 4. The first end portion 46 is positioned at the center M1 (refer to
The second member 8 is rotatably supported around the rotating shafts 9 between a first position and a second position (to be described later) with respect to the first member 4. The second member 8 is disposed to the rear of the first member 4. The second member 8 includes a left-side portion 34, a right-side portion 36, and a rear side portion 35, and has a U shape having an open front side in a plan view. The rear side portion 35 is coupled to the rear end of the left-side portion 34 and to the rear end of the right-side portion 36, and extends in the left-right direction. As shown in
Each of the front-end portion of the left-side portion 34 of the second member 8 and the front-end portion of the right-side portion 36 of the second member 8 is provided with a contact portion 81, a hole 82, a recessed portion 83, a protruding portion 84, and a housing recessed portion 87. Hereinafter, the structure of each of the members provided at the left-side portion 34 of the second member 8 will be explained, and the structure of each of the members provided at the right-side portion 36 will be omitted. When the second member 8 is in the second position with respect to the first member 4, the contact portion 81 comes into contact with the corresponding restriction portion 41, and restricts the second member 8 from rotating around the rotating shafts 9 further in a clockwise direction in a right-side view than the second position with respect to the first member 4. Thus, the first member 4 and the second member 8 are not folded in a posture in which the lower surface of the first member 4 comes into contact with the lower surface of the second member 8.
As shown in
As shown in
Each of the pair of rotating shafts 9 is a shaft that is inserted through the hole 42 and the hole 82 and that extends in the left-right direction. In the left-side portion 37 and the right-side portion 38 of the inner frame 3, the pair of rotating shafts 9 are respectively disposed at positions that are separated from a center M2 of the inner frame 3 in the front-rear direction. The rotating shafts 9 of the present embodiment are positioned to the front of the center M2 of the inner frame 3 in the front-rear direction, and extend in the left-right direction. The positions of the pair of rotating shafts 9 in the front-rear direction overlap with the positions of the coupling portions 27 and 28 in the front-rear direction. As shown in
When the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4, the first member 4 and the second member 8 of the inner frame 3 form a frame shape along the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2, and the inner frame 3 can hold the sewing object C together with the outer frame 2. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
A method for holding the sewing object C using the embroidery frame 1 will be explained with reference to
The user presses the inner frame 3 arranged in the inner frame arrangement process to the sewing object C side, and moves the second member 8 to the first position with respect to the first member 4. Thus, the user widens the distance between the first end portion 46 and the second end portion 86 in comparison to when the second member 8 is in the second position with respect to the first member 4, and performs a holding process of causing the sewing object C to be held by the outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3 (step S3). For example, the user presses down the vicinity of each of the rotating shafts 9 of the inner frame 3. In the course of the movement of the second member 8 from the second position to the first position with respect to the first member 4, the inner frame 3 pulls the sewing object C to the outer side of the inner frame 3. Therefore, the sewing object C is further stretched from the state in which the arrangement with respect to the outer frame 2 is provisionally determined in the inner frame arrangement process. When the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4, the restriction member 6 restricts the second member 8 from rotating further to the one side in the circumferential direction than the first position with respect to the first member 4. When the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4, the inner frame 3 is in a gentle V-shaped posture, in a right-side view, in which the second member 8 is deflected with respect to the first member 4 in a direction in which the upper surface of the first member 4 and the upper surface of the second member 8 approach each other. When the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4, in the up-down direction, the first end portion 46 and the second end portion 86 are at substantially the same position as the lower surface of the outer frame 2, and a section of the inner frame 3 positioned at the lowest side is disposed slightly lower than the lower surface of the outer frame 2. When the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4, the entire periphery of the lower surface of the inner frame 3 is in contact with the sewing object C.
When removing the sewing object C from the embroidery frame 1, the user rotates the lock release members 7, which are respectively provided on the left-side portion 37 and the right-side portion 38 of the inner frame 3, around the rotating shafts 53 in a direction approaching the inner periphery 40 of the inner frame 3. The lock release member 7 provided on the left-side portion 37 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction in a plan view around the rotating shaft 53. The lock release member 7 provided on the right-side portion 38 is rotated in the clockwise direction in a plan view around the rotating shaft 53. When each of the lock release members 7 is operated, the lock engaging portion 51 rotates in a direction parallel to the plate portion 61 of the restriction member 6. As a result, the engagement between the lock engaging portion 51 and the lock engaged portion 80 is released, and the second member 8 is allowed to move to the other side in the circumferential direction with respect to the first member 4. When the second member 8 is disposed in the second position with respect to the first member 4, the restriction portion 41 of the first member 4 comes into contact with the contact portion 81 of the second member 8, and the second member 8 is restricted from rotating further to the other side in the circumferential direction than the second position with respect to the first member 4.
The embroidery frame 1 of the above-described embodiment is provided with the frame-shaped outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3. The inner frame 3 includes the first member 4 having the restriction portion 41, and the second member 8 that is rotatably supported around the rotating shafts 9 between the first position and the second position with respect to the first member 4. When the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4, the first member 4 and the second member 8 of the inner frame 3 form the frame shape along the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2, and the inner frame 3 can hold the sewing object C together with the outer frame 2. The second position is the position at which the angle of the second member 8 with respect to the first member 4 is the contact angle K2 that is larger than 0 degrees and smaller than 180 degrees on the one side in the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 9. The second member 8 includes the contact portion 81 that comes into contact with the restriction portion 41 when the second member 8 is in the second position with respect to the first member 4, and restricts the second member 8 from rotating further to the other side in the circumferential direction than the second position with respect to the first member 4. The first distance L1 is longer than the second distance L2. The first distance L1 is the distance between the first end portion 46 and the second end portion 86 when the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4. The first end portion 46 is the farthest section of the first member 4 from the rotating shafts 9 in the radius direction that is orthogonal to the rotating shafts 9. The second end portion 86 is the section of the farthest second member 8 from the rotating shafts 9 in the radius direction. The second distance L2 is the distance between the first end portion 46 and the second end portion 86 when the second member 8 is in the second position with respect to the first member 4.
Thus, the inner frame 3 of the embroidery frame 1 can allow the second member 8 to rotate around the rotating shafts 9 between the first position and the second position with respect to the first member 4. When the user causes the sewing object C to be held on the embroidery frame 1, for example, the user arranges the inner frame 3 on the inner side of the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2 on which the sewing object C is arranged, in the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the second position with respect to the first member 4. Since the second distance L2 is shorter than the first distance L1, in the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the second position with respect to the first member 4, the interval in the front-rear direction between the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3 is larger than that in the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the first position with respect to the first member 4. In this state, the user can adjust, as appropriate, and provisionally determine the arrangement of the sewing object C with respect to the outer frame 2, and the degree of stretch of the sewing object C. The user presses the inner frame 3 to the sewing object C side, and thus moves the second member 8 to the first position with respect to the first member 4. The interval between the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3 is made narrower than that before the movement, and the sewing object C is held by the outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3. The user can cause the sewing object C to be held by the outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3, by performing a simple operation of pressing the inner frame 3 to the sewing object C side after determining the position of the sewing object C with respect to the outer frame 2. Thus, with a simpler operation than that of related art, the embroidery frame 1 can hold the sewing object C in a stretched state.
As shown in
The second distance L2 between the first end portion 46 and the second end portion 86 when the second member 8 is in the second position with respect to the first member 4 is equal to or more than 75 percent and less than 100 percent of the first distance L1 between the first end portion 46 and the second end portion 86 when the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4. In the embroidery frame 1, when the inner frame 3 is disposed on the inner side of the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2, on which the sewing object C is arranged, in the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the second position with respect to the first member 4, the ratio of the part of the inner frame 3 disposed facing the outer frame 2 with respect to the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2 is large, in comparison to when the second distance L2 is less than 75 percent of the first distance L1. Particularly, of the left-side portion 37 and the right-side portion 38 of the inner frame 3 on which the rotating shafts 9 are respectively provided, the ratio of the part that is disposed facing the outer frame 2 is large. In other words, in the embroidery frame 1, in comparison to when the second distance L2 is less than 75 percent of the first distance L1, of the part of the sewing object C that is in contact with the outer frame 2, the ratio of the part clamped between the outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3 is large, and the arrangement of the sewing object C with respect to the outer frame 2 is provisionally determined in a secure manner. Therefore, with the embroidery frame 1, in comparison to when the second distance L2 is less than 75 percent of the first distance L1, in the course of causing the transition from the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the second position with respect to the first member 4 to the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the first position, the arrangement of the sewing object C with respect to the outer frame 2 is unlikely to be displaced, and the sewing object C is easily and appropriately held on the embroidery frame 1.
When the second member 8 is in the second position with respect to the first member 4, the shaft distance D, which is the distance between the rotating shaft 9 and the virtual plane V that is in contact with the first end portion 46 and the second end portion 86 and that is parallel to the rotating shaft 9, is less than twice the thickness T3 of the outer frame 2. Therefore, in the embroidery frame 1, when the inner frame 3 is disposed on the inner side of the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2, on which the sewing object C is arranged, in the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the second position with respect to the first member 4, the ratio of the part of the inner frame 3 disposed facing the outer frame 2 with respect to the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2 is large, in comparison to the embroidery frame 1 in which the shaft distance D is equal to or more than twice the thickness T3 of the outer frame 2. Particularly, of the left-side portion 37 and the right-side portion 38 of the inner frame 3 on which the rotating shafts 9 are respectively provided, the ratio of the part that is disposed facing the outer frame 2 is large. In comparison to the embroidery frame 1 in which the shaft distance D is equal to or more than twice the thickness T3 of the outer frame 2, in the embroidery frame 1, of the part of the sewing object C that is in contact with the outer frame 2, the ratio of the part which is clamped between the outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3 and whose arrangement with respect to the outer frame 2 is provisionally determined is large, and the arrangement of the sewing object C with respect to the outer frame 2 is provisionally determined in a secure manner. Therefore, in comparison to the embroidery frame 1 in which the shaft distance D is equal to or more than twice the thickness T3 of the outer frame 2, in the embroidery frame 1, in the course of causing the transition from the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the second position with respect to the first member 4 to the state in which the second member is disposed in the first position, the arrangement of the sewing object C with respect to the outer frame 2 is unlikely to be displaced, and the sewing object C is easily and appropriately held on the embroidery frame 1.
As shown in
The embroidery frame 1 is provided with the lock mechanisms 5 that restrict the second member 8 from rotating from the first position with respect to the first member 4 when the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4. Therefore, by using the lock mechanisms 5, the embroidery frame 1 can reliably avoid the rotation of the second member 8 from the first position with respect to the first member 4. In comparison to when the embroidery frame 1 is not provided with the lock mechanisms 5, the second member 8 can be easily maintained in the first position with respect to the first member 4.
The lock mechanism 5 is provided with the lock engaging portion 51, the lock urging member 52, and the lock engaged portion 80. The lock engaging portion 51 is movably provided on one selected from the group of the first member 4 and the second member 8. The lock urging member 52 is provided on the one selected from the group of the first member 4 and the second member 8, and urges the lock engaging portion 51 in the direction intersecting the plane that forms the outer periphery 30 of the inner frame 3. The lock engaged portion 80 is provided on the other selected from the group of the first member 4 and the second member 8. When the second member 8 is rotated to the first position with respect to the first member 4, the lock engaged portion 80 engages with the lock engaging portion 51 that is moved by the urging force of the lock urging member 52. Thus, in the embroidery frame 1, the lock mechanism 5 can have a relatively simple structure.
The inner frame 3 of the embroidery frame 1 is provided with the lock release members 7, each of which can move the lock engaging portion 51 against the urging force of the lock urging member 52 and can thus release the engagement between the lock engaging portion 51 and the lock engaged portion 80. In comparison to when the embroidery frame 1 is not provided with the lock release members 7, the engagement between the lock engaging portion 51 and the lock engaged portion 80 can be easily released. Since the lock release member 7 of the present embodiment is a member integrated with the lock engaging portion 51, the structure thereof is simpler than when they are separate bodies.
The rotating shaft 9 is positioned on the side that is further separated from the virtual plane V in the thickness direction of the first member 4 than the center M3 of the first member 4 in the thickness direction. The virtual plane V is in contact with the first end portion 46 and the second end portion 86 and is parallel to the rotating shaft 9. Thus, in the embroidery frame 1, a difference between the first distance L1 and the second distance L2 can be made larger than when the rotating shaft 9 is disposed on a side closer to the virtual plane V than the center M3 of the first member 4 in the thickness direction.
When the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4, the first member 4 and the second member 8 of the inner frame 3 form a rectangular frame shape along the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2. In the two side portions 37 and 38 of the inner frame 3 that face each other, the rotating shafts 9 are respectively located at positions that are separated from the center M2 of the two side portions 37 and 38. In comparison to when the rotating shafts 9 are respectively located at the center M2 of the two side portions 37 and 38 of the inner frame 3, in the embroidery frame 1, it is possible to improve design freedom of the structure to rotatably couple the second member 8 to the first member 4. Given a condition in which the distance from the virtual plane V to the rotating shaft 9 in the second position is not changed, the more the rotating shaft 9 is separated from the center M2, the larger the difference between the first distance L1 and the second distance L2 can be made. Given a condition in which the second distance L2 is not changed, the more the rotating shaft 9 is separated from the center M2, the shorter the shaft distance D can be made. Further, in the embroidery frame 1 of the present embodiment, the rotating shaft 53 of the lock release member 7 can be disposed in the vicinity of the center M2 in the front-rear direction, and an operation by the user is easy in comparison to when the rotating shaft 53 is disposed at a corner portion of the embroidery frame 1.
The inner frame 3 is provided with the urging members 10 that urge the second member 8 to the other side in the circumferential direction with respect to the first member 4. Thus, it is possible to avoid the movement of the second member 8 from the second position to the first position with respect to the first member 4 when the user does not intend to move the second member 8.
The method for causing the sewing object C to be held on the embroidery frame 1 includes the sewing object arrangement process (step S1), the inner frame arrangement process (step S2), and the holding process (step S3). According to the method for causing the sewing object C to be held on the embroidery frame 1, the user can cause the sewing object C to be held by the outer frame 2 and the inner frame 3, by performing a simple operation of pressing the inner frame 3 to the sewing object C side after determining the position of the sewing object C with respect to the outer frame 2.
In the method for causing the sewing object C to be held on the embroidery frame 1, the first position is the position at which the angle of the second member 8 with respect to the first member 4 is the holding angle K1 that is larger than 180 degrees on the one side in the circumferential direction. The absolute value of the difference between the holding angle K1 and 180 degrees is smaller than the absolute value of the difference between the contact angle K2 and 180 degrees. In comparison to when the first position is a position at which the angle of the second member 8 with respect to the first member 4 is equal to or less than 180 degrees on the one side in the circumferential direction, in the embroidery frame 1, it is unlikely that the second member 8 is unintentionally moved from the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the first position with respect to the first member 4 to the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the second position, and it is easy to maintain the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the first position with respect to the first member 4.
In the holding process, when the second member 8 is in the first position with respect to the first member 4, the restriction member 6 restricts the second member 8 from rotating further to the one side in the circumferential direction than the first position with respect to the first member 4. By using the lock mechanism 5, the embroidery frame 1 can reliably avoid the rotation of the second member 8 from the first position with respect to the first member 4. In comparison to when the embroidery frame 1 is not provided with the lock mechanism 5, it is easy to maintain the state in which the second member 8 is disposed in the first position with respect to the first member 4.
An embroidery frame of the present disclosure, a method for causing a sewing object to be held on an embroidery frame, and an inner frame of an embroidery frame are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various changes may be added without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. For example, the following modifications may be added as appropriate.
(A) The structures of the embroidery frame and the inner frame of the embroidery frame may be changed as appropriate. The embroidery frame 1 may be an embroidery frame that can be attached to various sewing machines having an embroidery function, or may be an embroidery frame that cannot be attached to the sewing machine. When the embroidery frame 1 can be attached to the sewing machine, the coupling portions 27 and 28 to attach the embroidery frame 1 to the sewing machine may be fixed to the inner frame 3. It is sufficient that, in order to attach the embroidery frame 1 to the sewing machine, one or more coupling portions be provided on the outer frame 2 or the inner frame 3 of the embroidery frame 1. The shape, the size, and the like of the embroidery frame 1 may be changed as appropriate, and for example, the embroidery frame 1 may have an annular shape or a polygonal shape.
(B) The shape of the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2, and the shape of the outer periphery 30 of the inner frame 3 may be changed as appropriate. Although not shown in the drawings, in embroidery frames 100, 200 and 300 of the following modified examples, structures other than the shape of the inner periphery 26 of the outer frame 2 and the shape of the outer periphery 30 of the inner frame 3 are the same as those of the embroidery frame 1. As shown in
In a similar manner to the embroidery frame 100 of the modified example, as shown in
The first position, the second position, the first distance L1, the second distance L2, the shaft distance D, the holding angle K1, and the contact angle K2 may be changed as appropriate. The first position may be a position at which the angle of the second member 8 with respect to the first member 4 is equal to or less than 180 degrees on the one side in the circumferential direction around the rotating shaft 9. With respect to the first member, the contact angle may be an angle that is less than 90 degrees or equal to or more than 180 degrees on the one side in the circumferential direction. With respect to the first member, the holding angle may be an angle that is equal to or more than 90 degrees and equal to or less than 180 degrees on the one side in the circumferential direction. The second distance L2 may be less than 75 percent of the first distance L1. When the second member 8 is in the second position with respect to the first member 4, the shaft distance D may be twice or more of the thickness T3 of the outer frame 2. The absolute value of the difference between the holding angle K1 and 180 degrees may be equal to or more than the absolute value of the difference between the contact angle K2 and 180 degrees. The rotating shaft 9 may be positioned at the center M3 of the first member 4 in the thickness direction, or on a side closer to the virtual plane V than the center M3.
At least one selected from the group of the restriction member 6, the lock mechanism 5, the lock release member 7 and the urging member 10 may be omitted from the inner frame 3. In the inner frame 3, the structure, the number, the arrangement and the like of the restriction member 6, the lock mechanism 5, the lock release member 7 and the urging member 10 may be changed as appropriate. For example, in the inner frame 3, only the left-side portion 37 of the inner frame 3 may be provided with the restriction member 6, the lock mechanism 5, the lock release member 7 and the urging member 10, and at least some of the members of the right-side portion 38 may be omitted. The arrangement of the rotating shafts 9 may be changed as appropriate. The structures of the lock urging member 52 and the urging member 10 may be changed as appropriate, and, for example, a plate spring or the like may be used. The lock engaging portion 51 and the lock release member 7 may be separate bodies. The rotating shafts 9 may be respectively provided at central portions in the extending direction of the two side portions 37 and 38 of the inner frame 3 that face each other. The rotating shafts 9 may be disposed on side portions of the embroidery frame 1 that are not provided with the coupling portions 27 and 28. The length of the first member 4 in the front-rear direction may be the same as the length of the second member 8 in the front-rear direction, or may be longer than the length of the second member 8 in the front-rear direction. The rotating shafts 9 may be provided at a central portion of the inner frame 3 in the thickness direction. The lock engaging portion 51 and the lock urging member 52 may be provided on the second member 8, and the lock engaged portion 80 may be provided on the first member 4. The rotating shafts 9 may be formed integrally with the first member 4 or the second member 8.
The apparatus and methods described above with reference to the various embodiments are merely examples. It goes without saying that they are not confined to the depicted embodiments. While various features have been described in conjunction with the examples outlined above, various alternatives, modifications, variations, and/or improvements of those features and/or examples may be possible. Accordingly, the examples, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative. Various changes may be made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the underlying principles.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2020-057178 | Mar 2020 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20050229830 | Hori | Oct 2005 | A1 |
| 20170173996 | Lu | Jun 2017 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2002-136785 | May 2002 | JP |
| 2005-279011 | Oct 2005 | JP |
| 2006280900 | Oct 2006 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20210301442 A1 | Sep 2021 | US |
