This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-79169, filed on Mar. 27, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field
The present disclosure relates to an illumination device for a multineedle sewing machine provided with a plurality of needle bars having lower ends to which needles are attached, respectively, a needle bar case which supports the needle bars so that the needle bars are movable upward and downward and a needle bar case moving mechanism which selectively switches one of the needle bars to a needle drop position, and the multineedle sewing machine provided with the illumination device.
2. Related Art
There have conventionally been provided multineedle sewing machines of the above-described type which include an illumination device for illuminating a needle base of each needle or a surface of workpiece cloth. For example, a fluorescent lamp serving as the illumination device is mounted on an underside of a needle bar case so as to hang forward along juxtaposed needle bars, whereupon the needle base of each needle bar is adapted to be sufficiently illuminated by the fluorescent lamp. The side where the user is located and views the needle bar case moving in the right-left direction is referred to as “front side” (outer peripheral side).
Furthermore, one of the above-described types of multineedle sewing machines is provided with a magnifying lens which is used to magnify a part of needle thread to be passed through an eye of needle so that the user views a magnified image and an illumination device which illuminates the aforesaid part of needle thread. The illumination device and the magnifying lens are disposed at the peripheral side near the needles along the arranged needles. As a result, the part of needle thread can be magnified and viewed while being directly illuminated by the illumination device.
However, the illumination device such as the fluorescent lamp is located at the peripheral side of each needle bar and thread passage (a path of thread drawn from a thread spool to a needle) in the above-described two types of multineedle sewing machines. Accordingly, each type of the above-described multineedle sewing machine has a problem that the illumination device hinders the hooking of needle thread or exchange of needles.
Furthermore, the needle bar case is slid in the right-left direction by the aforesaid needle bar case moving mechanism. Accordingly, the sliding movement of the needle bar case accompanies movement of the illumination device fixed to the needle bar case side in the same direction. As a result, an area illuminated by the illumination device is shifted from the needle drop position with movement of the needle bar case in the right-left direction relative to the sewing machine body. This reduces illuminance at the needle drop position.
Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an illumination device for a multineedle sewing machine, in which an illuminating member can be prevented from hindering the hooking of needle thread or the like and a predetermined illuminance can be maintained at the needle drop position irrespective of movement of the needle bar case.
The present disclosure provides an illumination device for a multineedle sewing machine which includes a plurality of needle bars having lower ends to which needles are adapted to be attached respectively and a needle bar case supporting the needle bars so that the needle bars are movable upward and downward, and a needle bar case moving mechanism which moves the needle bar case so that one of the needle bars is selectively switched into a needle drop position, the needle bar case having a side formed along a moving direction thereof. The illumination device comprises an illuminating member having a light source and provided at a lateral side of the needle bar case, the illuminating member being disposed so as to open portions of the needle bars and portions of the needles, both portions being located at said side of the needle bar case respectively; a light amount adjusting unit which adjusts an amount of light emitted from the light source; and a control unit which controls the light amount adjusting unit with movement of the needle bar case by the needle bar case moving mechanism together with the illuminating member so that a predetermined illuminance is maintained at least in part of an illuminated area which is illuminated by the light source, said part of the illuminated area being located near a needle drop position.
In the accompanying drawings:
A first embodiment will be described with reference to
The multineedle sewing machine M includes a pair of right and left legs 1 supporting the overall sewing machine M, a support column 2 standing on rear ends of the legs 1, an arm 3 extending ahead of an upper part of the support column 2, a cylinder bed 4 extending ahead of a lower end of the support column 2, and a needle bar case 5 attached to a front end of the arm 3.
The legs 1, support column 2, arm 3 and cylinder bed 4 are formed integrally into a sewing machine body 7. At the sewing machine body 7 side are provided a control device 8 (see
A carriage 9 directed in the right-left direction is disposed above the legs 1. An X-direction drive mechanism (not shown) is provided inside the carriage 9 to drive a frame mounting (not shown) in the X direction (the right-left direction). A Y-direction drive mechanism is provided inside the legs 1 to drive the carriage 9 in the Y direction (the front-back direction). The frame mounting is located in front of the carriage 9. A rectangular embroidery frame (not shown) holds a workpiece cloth on which embroidery is to be sewn. The embroidery frame is to be mounted on the frame mounting. The carriage 9 is driven in the Y direction by the Y-direction drive mechanism, and the frame mounting is driven in the X direction by the X-direction drive mechanism as described above. Accordingly, the embroidery frame is moved in the Y direction in synchronization with the carriage 9 and in the X direction with the frame mounting, whereby the workpiece cloth is fed.
A spool pin holder is mounted on the sewing machine body 7 so as to be located above the arm 3 although not shown. Six spool pins (not shown) stand on the spool pin holder. Six thread spools are attached to the spool pins respectively. Furthermore, a guide rail 3a extending in the right-left direction is mounted on a front end of the arm 3. The aforesaid needle bar case 5 is supported on the guide rail 3a so as to be slid along the guide rail.
Six needle bars 10 are arranged in the right-left direction so as to extend in the up-down direction in the needle-bar case 5 and supported so as to be movable upward and downward. Six needles 10a to 10f are attached to lower ends of the needle bars 10 respectively. Six thread take-up levers 12 corresponding to the respective needle bars 10 are also provided in the needle-bar case 5 so as to be movable upward and downward. A cover 5a made of a synthetic resin is mounted on a front side of the needle-bar case 5. A thread tension bracket 13 inclined forwardly downward is mounted on the upper surface of the needle-bar case 5 so as to be continuous to the upper end of the cover 5a. Six thread tensioners 14 mounted on the thread tension bracket 13 to adjust tensions of upper threads supplied to the needles 10a respectively. The upper threads extending from the thread spools on the spool pins are hooked on the corresponding thread tensioners 14, thread take-up levers 12 and the like, thereafter being supplied to eyes (not shown) of the needles 10a, respectively.
The needle bar case 5 has opposite lateral sides which are perpendicular to the direction in which the needle bar case 5 is moved. The needle bar case 5 further has an outer side or front which extends substantially in parallel to the direction in which the needle bar case 5 is moved, as shown in
The needle bar case 5 is formed substantially into an inverted L-shape in a side view and has an upper rear end on which is provided a roller bearing mounting plate 15 extending in the right-left direction, as shown in
A rotating shaft 21 extending in the right-left direction is rotatably mounted on a sewing machine frame in the arm 3 at the sewing machine body 7 side. The sewing machine frame is formed into a general H-shape in a plan view and will hereinafter be referred to as “fixed frame 20.” A helical cam 22 having a helical cam surface 22a is secured to an axial middle of the rotating shaft 21. The helical cam surface 22a of the helical cam 22 is engageable with one of the rollers 17b. A gear 21a is secured to a right end of the rotating shaft 21. A crank-like auxiliary frame 20a is fixed to a right side of the fixed frame 20. A reduction gear mechanism 23 is provided between the fixed frame 20 and the auxiliary frame 20a. The reduction gear mechanism 23 is brought into mesh engagement with the gear 21a. A needle bar case moving electric motor 24 comprising a stepping motor is fixed to a right side of the auxiliary frame 20a. The motor 24 has a rotational shaft 24a extending through the auxiliary frame 20a and having a distal end with a gear 24b which is brought into mesh engagement with the reduction gear mechanism 23.
Upon normal or reverse rotation of the needle bar case moving motor 24, the rotational movement is transmitted via the reduction gear mechanism 23 to the rotational shaft 21, rotating the helical cam 22. With rotation of the helical cam 22, one of the rollers 17b in engagement with the cam surface 22a is switched sequentially to the subsequent rollers 17b from the left side to the right side or from the right side to the left side, so that the needle bar case 5 is moved leftward (in the direction of arrow D1 in
On the operation panel 6 are provided a liquid crystal display 6a displaying thread information, embroidery patterns and the like which will be described later, a flexible disc drive (hereinafter, “FDD 27”; and see
Two illuminators 27a and 27b are provided at right and left sides between which the needle bar case 10 is moved, respectively, as shown in
The lower mount 33 is formed with a pair of through-holes 33a located in front and rear ends thereof and a pair of screw holes 33b located right inside the through-holes 33a, respectively. Furthermore, the lower mount 33 has an upper rear end in which a notch 33c is formed so as to draw the lead wire 35. The mounting member 31 is mounted on a lower end of the left side of the needle bar case 5 by screws 36 and 37 (see
The cover body 29 is formed of a synthetic resin material, for example and has an upper surface (upper side in
The light transmitting portion 30 is formed of a transparent acrylic material and generally has a rectangular plate shape. The light transmitting portion 30 has two corners formed with a pair of screw holes 30a corresponding to the bosses 29d respectively. A generally rectangular sheet attachment portion 30a is formed on the inside of the light transmitting portion 30 as shown by broken line in
A heat dissipating plate 40 and a substrate 41 are housed in the illuminator 27a so as to be placed on the lower mount 33 of the mounting member 31 in turn. The heat dissipating plate 40 is made of a metal such as aluminum and has a peripheral edge that is folded except for the rear so as to surround the substrate 41 thereby to serve as a folded portion 40a. The heat dissipating plate 40 has two through-holes 40b corresponding to the screw holes 33b of the lower mount 33 respectively and is disposed so as to come close to the lower mount 33.
A pair of screws 42 inserted through opposite ends of the substrate 41 and the through holes 40b of the heat dissipating plate 40 are threadingly engaged with the screw holes 33b of the lower mount 33, whereby the substrate 41 is fixed via the heat dissipating plate 40 to the lower mount 33. A chip LED 43 serving as a light source is mounted on the substrate 41. The chip LED 43 will hereinafter be referred to as “LED 43.” A connector 41a is provided at a position where the connector 41a faces the stopper 29a of the cover body 29. As shown in
The right illuminator 27b comprises the same components as of the above-described left illuminator 27a. More specifically, the illuminator 27b has a cover body 29 and a light transmitting portion 30 and is mounted on the needle bar case 5 by amounting member 31′ as shown in
Thus, the illuminators 27a and 27b are mounted on the needle bar case 5 so as to open the peripheries of the needle bars 10 and the needles 10a. Accordingly, the illuminators 27a and 27b can be prevented from hindering the hooking of needle thread and the exchange of needles 10a and can sufficiently illuminate the surface of the workpiece cloth.
The arrangement of the control system of the multineedle sewing machine M will now be described with reference to the block diagram of
The ROM 8b stores embroidery data of various embroidery patterns, a sewing control program, an all thread information table that is a list of all thread information relating to a plurality of types of threads used in the sewing, a thread designation control program for interrelating thread information of the needle thread supplied from the thread spool and the needle bar 10 by the user, and the like. Furthermore, the ROM 8b stores a table of electric current values of the illuminators 27a and 27b that are set so as to correspond to the needle bar numbers (needle bar Nos. 1 to 6 assigned to the needle bars 10 sequentially from the right needle bar in front view). The aforesaid embroidery data includes embroidery thread information (information about thread colors of embroidery patterns including blue, yellow-green, purple and the like, for example) and needle drop position data together with an embroidering sequence in which embroidering is carried out with use of a thread. The embroidery data, the current value table and the like may be stored on an external storage device such as a flexible disc so that the data is retrieved from the FDD 27 or the like.
The RAM 8c is provided with a memory for storing needle bar and thread information about a thread color set in association with the needle bar Nos. 1 to 6 and various memories for storing results of computation executed by the CPU 8a, pointers, counters and the like as the need arises. The needle bar and thread information may be stored on the RAM 8c by inputting the needle bar No. or by the detection of a thread information sensor provided on the thread spool for detecting needle bar and thread information. Furthermore, thread exchange may be carried out before start of sewing so that the needle bar and thread information and the embroidery thread information (thread colors of embroidery pattern) correspond with each other. As a result, sewing can be executed without interrupt.
The control device 8 controls the motors 24 and 26 and various actuators according to the sewing control program, embroidery data and the like so that a sequence of sewing operation is executed on the workpiece cloth. In the sewing, the control device 8 compares the embroidery thread information and the embroidery sequence of the embroidery data with the needle bar and thread information, so that the needle bar 10 to which the needle thread corresponding to the embroidery thread information is selectively switched as the needle bar 10 to be used for sewing. Furthermore, the control device 8 reads a current value according to the selected needle bar 10 from the current value table, thereby controlling the drive circuits 48a and 48b. The control device 8 and the drive circuits 48a and 48b constitute the illumination device together with the illuminators 27a and 27b and mounting members 31 and 31′.
Illuminance characteristics of the illuminators 27a and 27b and a current value table will be described with reference to
In the above-described state, the predetermined illuminance (300 Lx or above, for example) is ensured near the needle hole P by the illuminators 27a and 27b. On the other hand,
The inventors conducted an experiment to measure current values of the illuminators 27a and 27b (LEDs 43) necessary to maintain the illuminance of 300 Lx or above near the needle hole P when any one of needle bar Nos. 1 to 6 is switched to the needle drop position. In the experiment, illuminance was measured at three positions as the illuminance near the needle hole P, that is, at the position of the needle hole P, the position PL spaced leftward 30 mm from the needle hole P and the position PR spaced rightward 30 mm from the needle hole P. The current values of the illuminators 27a and 27b were increased or decreased so that the illuminance at each measurement position exceeded the value of 300 Lx.
The illumination device thus constructed will work as follows. In execution of sewing, the user operates the touch panel 6b to set a desired embroidery pattern and further edit a color of each part of the embroidery pattern and the size of the embroidery pattern, if desired. Upon start of sewing, the control device 8 controls the motors 24 and 26 and various actuators according to the sewing control program based on the embroidery data of the embroidery pattern set by the user, so that a sequence of sewing operation is executed on the workpiece cloth.
The area near the needle hole P is illuminated at a predetermined illuminance by the illuminators 27a and 27b located at opposite sides of the needle bar case 5 during the sewing. Furthermore, when the needle bar 10 is switched, the control device 8 carries out the following control manner so that the predetermined illuminance is maintained at least near the needle hole P. More specifically, when the thread color is changed, the control device 8 compares embroidery thread information of the embroidery data and the embroidering sequence with the needle bar thread information to determine, as the needle bar 10 to be used for sewing, the needle bar 10 (needle bar No. 2, for example) to which the needle thread corresponding to the embroidery thread information has been supplied. In this case, the control device 8 drives the needle bar case moving motor 24 to move the needle bar case 5 by the needle bar case moving mechanism 25, thereby selectively switching needle bar No. 2 into the needle drop position (see
In the above-described case, the control device 8 reads the corresponding current value from the current value table according to the switched needle bar No. 2 thereby to control the drive circuits 48a and 58b. As a result, an amount of light emitted from the left illuminator 27a is adjusted so as to be rendered relatively larger, and an amount of light emitted from the right illuminator 27b is adjusted so as to be rendered relatively smaller (see
According to the above-described embodiment, the illumination device includes the drive circuits 48a and 48b serving as the light adjusting units which adjust amounts of light emitted from the LEDs 43 of the illuminators 27a and 27b, respectively and the control device 8 which controls the drive circuits 48a and 48b with movement of the needle bar case 5 together with the illuminators 27a and 27b by the needle bar case moving mechanism 25 so that the predetermined illuminance is maintained at least near the needle hole P in the illumination area. According to this construction and arrangement, the predetermined illuminance can be ensured near the needle drop position even when any one of needle bar Nos. 1 to 6 is selected. Accordingly, the conventional problem of the decrease in the illuminance with movement of the needle bar case can be overcome. Furthermore, since the illuminators 27a and 27b are disposed at the lateral sides of the needle bar case 5, the hooking of the needle thread and replacement of the needles 10a can be carried out while the area at the side of the peripheries of the needle bars 10 and the needles 10a or at the side of the front of the needle bar case 5 is fully open. Consequently, the hooking of the needle thread and the exchange or replacement of the needles 10 can smoothly be carried out without being hindered by the illuminators 27a and 27b.
The needle bar case 5 is reciprocally moved, and the illuminators 27a and 27b are disposed along the movement direction of the needle bar case 5. According to this construction, one of the illuminators 27a and 27b can illuminate so that shadows of components resulting from illumination by the other illuminator is prevented from being made in the illuminated area. Furthermore, since two illuminators 27a and 27b are provided, the illuminated area can be enlarged and a sufficient illuminance can be obtained as compared with the case where a single illuminator is provided for illumination. Moreover, the drive circuits 48a and 48b are individually controlled by the control device 8 so that an amount of light emitted from one of the illuminators 27a and 27b is decreased, while a predetermined illuminance is ensured. This can reduce electric power consumption. Accordingly, the illumination device is advantageous in the energy saving and beneficial from a practical standpoint.
The mounting members in the second embodiment differ from the mounting members 31 and 31′ in the following respects. A first support mechanism 51 serving as the mounting member includes an upper mount 52, the lower mount 33 and a support bar 53 which supports the lower mount 33 so that the lower mount 33 is swingable relative to the upper mount 52. In more detail, the lower mount 33 has an upper end having an integrally formed connecting portion 55 which is provided instead of the upper mount 32 and the connecting portion 34 in the first embodiment, as shown in
The upper mount 52 is bent so as to extend along the side surface and front and has a front 52a formed with a screw hole 52b. A protrusion-like first limit portion 52c is provided on a lower end of the front 52a of the upper mount 52 so as to abut the strips 55a. The upper mount 52 further includes a side 52d having a rear end provided with a stepped mount piece 52f having a screw hole 52e. A hook-like second limit portion 52g is provided on a rear part of the side 52d of the upper mount 52 so as to abut the strips 55a. The second limit portion 52g is located right in front of the mount piece 52f and juts leftward. The side 52d of the upper mount 52 has a lower end formed with a pair of generally C-shaped insertion portions 52h. The upper mount 52 is mounted on a lower end of the left side of the needle bar case 5 by two screws 36 and 37 (see
The support bar 53 is loosely inserted through the insertion portions 52h and press fitted through the insertion portions 55b while the insertion portions 52h and 55b are aligned. The lower mount 33 (the illuminator 27a) is supported on the support bar 53 so as to be swingable relative to the needle bar case 5. The swinging movement of the illuminator 27a is limited to a range between an illuminating position as shown in
A torsion coil spring 56 serving as an urging member is provided around the support bar 53 so as to be located between the paired insertion portions 52h. The torsion coil spring 56 has two ends 56a and 56b, and the end 56a thereof is engaged with the side 52d of the upper mount 52 thereby to be locked. The other end 56b of the torsion coil spring 56 is engaged with the connecting portion 55 thereby to be locked. As a result, the torsion coil spring 56 urges the illuminator 27a so that the illuminator 27a is maintained at the illuminating position. In this case, the illuminator 27a abuts the first limit portion 52c when located at the illuminating position and accordingly, the aforesaid illumination angle is set at 45 degrees.
The upper mount 52, lower mount 33, connecting portion 55 and support bar 53 serve as a support member 57 which supports the illuminator 27a so that the illuminator 27a is swingable between the illuminating position and the retreat position. Furthermore, the support member 57 and the torsion coil spring 56 constitute the first support mechanism 51. The description of the right first support mechanism 51′ will be eliminated since the first support mechanism 51′ has the same structure as the left first support mechanism 51 and is disposed so as to be substantially bilaterally symmetrical to the left first support mechanism 51 about the center line L1 as in the first embodiment.
According to the second embodiment, the illuminators 27a and 27b can be swung by the first support mechanisms 51 and 51′ between the illuminating position where the illumination area is illuminated by the LEDs 43 and the retreat position differing from the illuminating position. Accordingly, as shown in
Firstly, the cover body 29 and the light transmitting portion 30 both constituting an outer shell of the illuminator 61a have slightly larger dimensions than those of the illuminator 27a in the first embodiment respectively. Since the construction of the illuminator 61a is substantially the same as that in the first embodiment in the other respects, the description thereof will be eliminated.
As obvious from the comparison between
On the other hand, the connecting member 66 has a pair of downwardly directed strips 66a formed on front and rear ends thereof. The strips 66a have respective C-shaped insertion portions 66b. The connecting member 66 further has a spring mount 66c located between the strips 66a. The support bar 68 is inserted through the through-holes 67b of the lower mount 33 and the insertion portions 66b of the connecting member 66. As a result, the lower mount 33 (the illuminator 61a) is supported so as to be swingable relative to the needle bar case 5.
The support bar 68 is formed into a generally columnar shape and has a reduced-diameter portion 68a formed in the axial middle thereof. Furthermore, as shown in
A leaf spring 70 is mounted on the spring mount 66c of the connecting member 66 to support the illuminator 61a so that illuminator 61a is maintained at a position during the swinging movement, as shown in
The illuminator 61a is supported by the second support mechanism 65 so as to be swingable in the direction of arrow D3 in
The light source should not be limited to the chip LED 43 in each of the foregoing embodiments. For example, the light source may comprise another type of LED, a fluorescent lamp, incandescent lamp or the like.
The paired illuminators 27a and 27b (61a and 61b) are provided in each of the foregoing embodiments. More specifically, one, three or more of illuminators each arranged to maintain a predetermined illuminance near the needle drop position may be provided, instead. Furthermore, the illumination angle α should not be limited to 45 degrees but may be changed to another suitable value together with change in the illuminated area.
In each of the foregoing embodiments, the control device 8 reads a corresponding electric current value from the current value table according to the switched needle bar 10 thereby to control the drive circuits 48a and 48b. This control manner should not be restrictive. The control circuit may control a light adjusting circuit serving as a light adjusting unit with movement of the needle bar case 5 with the illuminating member by the needle bar case moving mechanism 25 so that a predetermined illuminance is maintained near the needle drop position.
The illuminance of each illuminator should not be limited to 300 Lx but may be changed to another suitable value.
The foregoing description and drawings are merely illustrative of the principles of the present disclosure and are not to be construed in a limiting sense. Various changes and modifications will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. All such changes and modifications are seen to fall within the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009-079169 | Mar 2009 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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6527403 | Manuel | Mar 2003 | B2 |
6796256 | Seibert et al. | Sep 2004 | B2 |
6832841 | Kitakata | Dec 2004 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
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A-5-337271 | Dec 1993 | JP |
A-11-221394 | Aug 1999 | JP |
A-11-253685 | Sep 1999 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20100242820 A1 | Sep 2010 | US |