Light indicating in computerized stitching

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6732668
  • Patent Number
    6,732,668
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, January 31, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, May 11, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for indicating stitching position in a stitching machine. The apparatus includes a laser assembly which emits laser light. The laser assembly is mounted to an upper arm assembly of the stitching machine, and is operable to indicate a location of at least a portion of a pattern to be stitched using the stitching machine. The laser assembly is mounted such that the laser light is unobstructed prior to hitting fabric which is to be stitched. The stitching machine may include a user interface which can be used to activate the laser assembly. The stitching machine may also trace an outline of a pattern to be stitched while the laser assembly is activated in order to verify that the pattern does not overlap a hoop which holds the fabric.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to stitching machines, and more specifically, to computerized machines capable of stitching programmed designs into garments using multiple thread colors and a light indication of where a needle will contact fabric associated therewith.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Stitching systems capable of stitching or embroidering patterns into garments or fabric using multiple colors are common in today's garment industry. In typical stitching machines, a first needle stitches a first color in a preset pattern. If the pattern requires several colors, a second needle stitches a second color in a preset pattern, with this process repeated for several colors until the complete pattern is stitched into the garment. Such stitching or embroidery machines are commonly controlled by a computer system. Typically, an operator downloads a pattern to be stitched to a computer system within the embroidery machine. Included with the pattern are several other parameters, including the size of the pattern to be stitched, and the size of the hoop which will hold the garment while it is being stitched.




Upon receiving the pattern and associated other information, the embroidery machine makes appropriate calculations to, among other things, verify the pattern will fit on the garment or fabric, and that the pattern will not overlap the hoop. After the pattern is downloaded, the computer system makes the appropriate calculations. When the operator has loaded the garment or fabric onto the embroidery machine and made all of the appropriate checks, the operator gives the embroidery machine a command to begin stitching, at which point, the machine begins stitching the pattern into the garment or fabric.




Typical embroidery machines include a sewing head, an X-Y assembly, and a hook and bobbin assembly. The sewing head is commonly a multi-needle head, containing several needles which are used to stitch different thread colors. The sewing head is commonly located on a carriage at the front of the embroidery machine and is movable on the carriage to locate a first needle in a stitching position above the hook and bobbin assembly to stitch a first thread color into the garment. When a second thread color needs to be stitched into the garment, the sewing head is moved on the carriage to locate a second needle in a stitching position above the hook and bobbin assembly to stitch the second thread color into the garment.




When performing stitching operations, the embroidery machine, as is common and well known in the industry, moves the needle containing an upper thread through the garment. There is typically a needle plate located beneath the garment which the needle projects through when it has moved through the garment. Beneath the needle plate is the hook and bobbin assembly. The hook rotates around a lower thread which is fed from the bobbin. The hook rotates to catch the upper thread, and carries the upper thread around the lower thread as the hook rotates. When the hook nears the completion of its revolution, the needle is pulling back through the needle plate and garment, and the upper thread disengages from the hook. When the needle pulls the rest of the way through the garment, the upper thread is pulled around the lower thread and becomes taught, thus securing, or locking, the stitch. The X-Y assembly then moves the garment to an appropriate position for the next stitch, and the process is repeated.




The X-Y assembly is secured to the embroidery machine and is adapted to be connected to a hoop which contains a garment to be stitched. The X-Y assembly contains an X and a Y positioning mechanism which moves the hoop in both the X and Y directions with respect to the embroidery machine. When stitching a pattern, the X-Y assembly moves the hoop in a preset pattern with respect to the stitching needle, and a pattern in thus stitched into the garment.




In such systems, mechanical apparatuses typically pull thread from a spool through a take-up lever and to the needle assembly. The thread is fed through the needle, which, as discussed above, moves in a reciprocating manner to move the needle through the garment and into the hook and bobbin assembly. As described above, when the needle pulls out of the garment, and the stitch is locked, there is tension in the thread which pulls the thread taught and locks the stitch. However, typical systems create more tension than is required to lock the stitch. This extra tension is the result of the mechanical apparatuses that pull the thread from the spool to the needle. Typical embroidery machines, as well as other stitching machines, route thread from the spool to a thread guide, to a take up lever, back through the thread guide, and to the needle. The take up lever is connected to the same mechanical apparatuses which move the needle, and moves up and down with the same frequency.




When the take up lever moves back up, thread is pulled from the hook and bobbin, resulting in the extra thread tension. This extra thread tension may cause the fabric of the garment being stitched to “bunch up.” That is, the tension in the thread will create additional tension in the stitches being sewn into the garment and, if the fabric of the garment is a relatively soft material, the stitch may pull the fabric together. In situations where this may happen, it is common to use a backing material to lend additional support, or stiffness, to the garment in order to avoid this bunching up. The backing material is placed on the side of the garment opposite the side that the pattern is stitched on. The increased amount of material required for the backing increases cost, compared to stitching a garment using no backing. Thus, it would be advantageous to reduce the need for backing material. Additionally, the use of backing material also increases the labor required to stitch a pattern into a garment, compared to stitching a garment with no backing. When using backing, an operator must obtain the backing material, and place it into the proper position with respect to the garment being stitched. Additionally, once the pattern is stitched, the backing material may need to be trimmed by an operator. Therefore, the reduction of the need for using backing material would also reduce labor costs related to stitching patterns.




In addition to necessitating the need for backing material as described above, the extra thread tension created by the mechanical apparatuses, which pull thread from the spools to the needle assemblies, may lead to thread breaks, which can interrupt the stitching process. If the embroidery machine has a single sewing head, the stitching operations must be stopped and the thread break corrected. If the embroidery machine has multiple stitching heads, and a thread breaks on one of the stitching heads, it may be more difficult to correct the thread break. This is due to the multiple stitching heads operating synchronously, stitching the same pattern into multiple garments at the same time. When a thread breaks, it typically takes a machine several stitches to detect that the break has occurred. If a thread breaks on a first stitching head, the remaining stitching heads will continue stitching the pattern until the first stitching head stops. Since it is common for embroidery machines with multiple sewing heads to have the sewing heads mechanically coupled, when such a thread break occurs, the remaining sewing heads will be “ahead” of the sewing head which had the thread break. Thus, when a break occurs in such a system, additional steps must be taken to “catch up” the sewing head which had the thread break. Thus, it would be advantageous to reduce the number of thread breaks and to reduce the necessity to back up all the heads in the event of a thread break.




Additionally, in typical machines which employ mechanical apparatuses to pull thread from the spool, the amount of thread pulled from the spool for each stitch may not be consistent, due to geometrical variations which occur from stitch to stitch. This inconsistent amount of thread pulled from the spools results in differing thread tension from stitch to stitch, and may result in inconsistent sew-outs. Inconsistent sew-outs may result in a completed pattern that has less uniformity from stitch to stitch, and may thus reduce the aesthetic appeal of the stitched pattern. Therefore, it would also be beneficial to reduce thread tension and have just the right amount of thread in such a system in order to produce more consistent sew-outs to result in a consistent and visually appealing stitched pattern.




As mentioned above, embroidery systems may encounter thread breaks, where the upper thread being stitched from the spool and needle assembly may break. Additionally, a break may occur in the thread being used to lock the stitch using the bobbin and hook assembly, known as a lower thread break. Thread may break for a number of reasons, including tension in the sewing process, incorrect feeding into the system from the thread spool or bobbin, and binding in the mechanical apparatuses which pull the thread into the needle or hook assembly, to name a few. When performing stitching operations, it is beneficial to have knowledge of any thread breaks as quickly as possible, in order to discontinue the stitching of the pattern and repair the break and return the embroidery system to stitching operations.




Typical systems include sensors to perform the function of detecting thread breaks. Such systems commonly include a thread break monitor to detect upper thread breaks, and an underthread detector to detect breaks in the lower thread. The thread break monitor generally includes a mechanical assembly which detects movement in the upper thread. The thread break monitor is usually located at a position above the take up lever, and sends a signal to control electronics in the embroidery machine if there is no movement in the upper thread. When the control electronics receive a signal that the upper thread is not moving as expected, this indicates a problem with the sewing process such as a thread break, and the control electronics act to halt the stitching operations of the embroidery system. Likewise, the underthread detector is generally located in a position close to the hook and bobbin assembly, and includes a mechanical or optical apparatus to detect movement in the lower thread, and sends a signal to the control electronics in the event that the lower thread stops moving.




When the embroidery system halts stitching operations after a problem, such as a thread break, in the upper or lower thread, is detected, an operator may then repair the break and resume stitching operations. In such a system, it is beneficial to detect the thread break quickly in order to repair the break and resume operations with as little down time as possible. Such systems typically detect a break in the upper or lower thread within several stitch cycles of the break, with a typical number of stitches being five.




While current sensors for detecting thread breaks are adequate for detecting such breaks, they commonly have problems associated with them. In particular, underthread detectors can be problematic during operations of an embroidery system. As mentioned above, underthread detectors in typical embroidery systems are located in close proximity to the hook and bobbin assembly, and are mechanical or optical apparatuses which detect the break in the thread by sensing mechanical movement. Because of their location beneath the garment being stitched, it is common for debris to accumulate in or around the underthread detector. This may result in the underthread detector malfunctioning, and giving false readings of thread breaks or not detecting a thread break. In such a case, the underthread detector requires cleaning, or in certain cases, replacement. In addition to debris, lubricant from the mechanical apparatuses may also accumulate in and around the underthread detector, resulting in the sensor associated with the underthread detector malfunctioning, which can also result in the underthread detector having to be cleaned or replaced. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a robust sensor which can detect breaks in the underthread with at least the same sensitivity as current underthread detectors, while also requiring less maintenance due to collected debris and lubricant in and around current underthread detectors.




In addition to the inadequacies of current underthread detectors, upper thread break sensors also have several problems commonly associated with them. One such problem is the location of the sensor. As mentioned above, upper thread break sensors are typically located above the take up lever on the embroidery system, and can often take several stitches to detect a thread break. Since it is advantageous to detect a thread break as quickly as possible, it would be advantageous to have a thread break detector which is closer to the needle, and can detect thread breaks relatively quickly.




As mentioned above, when a needle moves the upper thread into the garment when stitching, the bobbin and hook assembly lock the stitch by looping the lower thread around the upper thread prior to the needle lifting out of the garment. In order to prevent the garment from lifting from the needle plate, and to more securely lock a stitch, a presser foot is lowered to the garment surface to secure the garment during the stitching. The presser foot helps ensure that the stitch is properly locked and the tension in the thread is consistent from stitch to stitch.




In order to perform optimally, a presser foot must contact the garment surface when the needle lifts out of the garment. If the presser foot does not contact the garment surface, the garment may lift from the needle plate when the needle lifts through the garment, thus creating the potential for inconsistent sew-outs. Alternatively, if the garment is made of a relatively thick fabric, the presser foot may strike the garment with a relatively high force, creating a relatively loud audible sound, and causing mechanical stress in the presser foot, reducing its life-time. Thus, it is important to properly adjust the height of the presser foot such that it contacts the garment surface, yet does not contact with a force high enough to create a loud audible sound and/or mechanical stress. The loud audible sound is not desirable because, among other reasons, it is typically preferred that embroidery machines operate with as little noise as possible. Low noise operation is desirable especially when several embroidery machines are located in the same room, because additional noise may result in difficulty for people around the machines hearing other people or audible alarms. Thus, it is advantageous to have an adjustable presser foot, allowing proper force to be applied to garments of different thicknesses during stitching, as well as reducing noise level resulting from operation of the machine.




In typical current day machines, the presser foot is adjustable by manually adjusting a mechanical linkage connecting the presser foot to the needle drive assembly. This adjustment is typically done by removing safety covering associated with the needle drive and making an adjustment to the mechanical linkage to adjust the presser foot height. The safety cover is then replaced, and the embroidery machine operated. The operator then observes the operation of the machine to verify the presser foot is properly adjusted. If the presser foot is not properly adjusted, the adjustment process is repeated until the presser foot height is correct. As can be seen, this can be a laborious and time consuming process. As a result, many times the presser foot is improperly adjusted, or not adjusted at all. The presser foot may be improperly adjusted because an operator may make a first adjustment, and not make any additional adjustments to further fine tune the presser foot height, due to the burden of the adjustment process. In certain cases, the presser foot may not be adjusted at all, due to the burden of the adjustment process. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a presser foot which is easily adjustable and can be adjusted without removing safety covering from the machine. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to make presser foot adjustments while the machine is operating, thus allowing for fine tuning of the presser foot height without interrupting stitching operations of the machine.




As mentioned above, a garment is placed in a hoop or other apparatus in order to secure the garment to the embroidery machine and to properly move the garment beneath the stitching head in order to stitch a pattern into the garment. Additionally, as also mentioned above, hoops of varying size may be used, depending upon the pattern and the garment that is being stitched. When a garment is placed in this hoop and secured to the X-Y assembly of the embroidery machine, it is important to ensure that the needle will not hit the hoop. If the needle hits the hoop, it can damage the needle and result in the embroidery machine being inoperable and needing repair. This results in downtime for the machine, as well as the cost of the replacement parts and labor to install the replacement parts.




Additionally, in many situations, it is beneficial for an operator to visually verify the location at which a needle will penetrate the garment. For example, when a garment is initially placed onto an embroidery machine, the starting location of the pattern is set in order to ensure the pattern is stitched at the proper location on the garment. Such a situation can also arise when an applique is stitched into a pattern. When the applique is to be set on the garment being stitched, the location of the stitch is determined in order to verify that the applique will be properly secured to the garment. Also, in the event of a thread break, once the thread break is corrected, the machine must be placed in the position to resume stitching from the point of the thread break. Typically, machines can be backed up a certain number of stitches, and the location verified, and stitching operations continued.




In typical embroidery machines, the control system includes software which verifies that the needle will not contact the hoop. This software receives information regarding the hoop size, and compares the pattern to be stitched to the hoop size to verify that no stitching will occur at or beyond the edge of the hoop. However, occasionally the hoop size entered into the software is not correct or the position of the pattern relative to the hoop is offset. In such a case, if the hoop actually placed onto the embroidery machine is smaller than the hoop that the control system thinks is there or if the pattern is offset, the needle may contact the hoop and cause damage. Accordingly, it is common for an operator to visually verify that the needle will not contact the hoop. In typical current day machines, this is commonly done by the operator pulling a needle down from the needle case to a location just above the garment, without actually contacting the garment. The embroidery machine is then commanded to trace an outline of the pattern to be stitched, and the operator visually verifies that the needle will not hit the hoop at any point of the pattern.




In situations where an operator needs to verify the starting location of a stitch, a similar procedure is used. Typically, an operator will pull a needle down from the needle case to a point just above the garment to be stitched. With the needle in this position, the location of the garment is adjusted until the proper starting location is located beneath the needle. Once the proper starting location is located beneath the needle, the needle is pushed back into the needle case, and stitching operations are started.




While the above-mentioned procedures are useful in verifying that a needle will not hit a hoop, and the starting location of a stitch, they have several drawbacks. One such drawback for using such a procedure to verify that a needle will not hit the hoop is that often the needle is pulled down far enough that, if the pattern does overlap the hoop, the hoop will contact the needle during the tracing procedure described above. In such a situation, an operator either has to stop the tracing, or push the needle out of the way, to prevent the needle from being damaged by hitting the hoop. Thus, if an incorrect hoop is on the embroidery machine, a needle may still be damaged even using the visual verification described above. Also, if a needle is pulled down too far, the garment may be damaged. Additionally, there are safety concerns with the procedures described above. Namely, an operator may be injured in the process of pulling a needle down from the needle case, or pushing the needle back into the needle case. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to verify the needle will not hit the hoop, and to verify the starting location of a stitch without an operator having to physically pull a needle down from the needle case to a point close to the garment. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to reduce the possibility of a garment being damaged during tracing by a needle that is pulled down.




As mentioned above, if mass producing garments it is beneficial to be able to stitch the same pattern into multiple garments. Such a situation is common, for example, when stitching logos into clothing. In such a case, it is useful to have several stitching heads operating simultaneously in order to increase production of such garments. It is also useful to use as few operators in such operations as possible, to reduce labor costs associated with stitching the patterns into the garments. One common method for achieving both of these objectives is to have multiple stitching heads which operate simultaneously to stitch patterns into multiple garments. Such machines typically are controlled at a single location by an operator after loading garments into each stitching head location. Many of these machines have stitching heads which are mechanically coupled to one another. In such a case, all of the stitching heads have to be used, due to the mechanical coupling of the stitching heads.




Additionally, these type of machines generally have a fixed number of heads, and if additional capacity is desired, an entire new machine must be purchased, often at considerable expense. Thus, it would be advantageous to have a machine which is capable of adding stitching heads incrementally, thereby allowing incremental capacity increases without as significant of a capital expense. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to, in certain circumstances, allow for fewer than all of the stitching heads on such a machine to be used, thus allowing for the stitching of a single or very few garments on such a machine.




Accordingly, there is a need for a stitching machine which overcomes the foregoing drawbacks found in prior art machines and meets the aforementioned needs.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In accordance with the present invention, a stitching apparatus is disclosed having a laser that outputs laser light when activated and a mount portion to which the laser is joined. When the laser light is output by the laser, the laser light is used to indicate location of at least a portion of a pattern to be stitched on fabric joined to the stitching apparatus. The mount portion may include an upper arm assembly and the laser is mounted to the upper arm assembly such that the laser light is output at an angle, different than normal, to the plane of the fabric. The laser is joined to the mount portion such that the laser light is unobstructed in indicating all portions of the pattern to be stitched in the fabric. The stitching apparatus may also include a hoop portion that holds the fabric and the hoop assembly is movable relative to the laser light. In one embodiment, the stitching apparatus includes a user interface having a switch to activate the laser. The user interface may also include a maneuvering lever to move the fabric relative to the laser light.




The invention also provides, in one embodiment, a method for using a laser light in connection with a pattern to be stitched using a stitching apparatus. The method includes providing a source of laser light, and indicating at least a portion of a pattern to be stitched using the laser light. The indicating step may include verifying a starting location of a stitch of the pattern to be stitched. The indicating step may also include verifying the proper location of an applique. The method also includes, in one embodiment, attaching fabric to a hoop joined to the stitching apparatus and checking whether the laser light strikes the hoop. In another embodiment, the method also includes joining fabric to the stitching apparatus and adjusting the fabric relative to the laser light to properly set a starting position related to the pattern to be stitched. In still a further embodiment, the method includes providing a user interface with a switch, and activating the source of laser light using the switch.




Based on the foregoing, several benefits of the present invention are readily seen. The invention provides an apparatus which is capable of indicating the location on the fabric where part of a pattern will be stitched. The apparatus provides this indication without the need for an operator to manually pull a needle toward the fabric, and consumes relatively little time to verify the location of a pattern.




Additional advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following discussion, particularly when taken together with the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective illustration of one embodiment of an embroidery machine of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a schematic representation illustrating a thread feeder apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 3

is an exploded perspective view of a thread feeder apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 4

is an illustration of two thread stitches and relative thread lengths associated with stitches;





FIG. 5

is a block diagram illustration of the control electronics of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 6

is a flow chart illustrating the operational steps of a host controller of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 7

is a flow chart illustrating the operational steps of a main controller of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 8

is a flow chart illustrating the operational steps of a thread sensor controller of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 9

is a perspective view illustrating a needle case and thread guide plate assembly of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 10

is a bottom perspective view illustrating a thread guide plate and thread guide tube of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 11

is a cross sectional illustration of a thread guide plate, thread guide tube, and thread sensor assemblies of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 12

is a block diagram illustration of the thread sensor controller electronics of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 13

is a graph illustrating a thread tension profile during normal stitching operations;





FIG. 14

is a graph illustrating a thread tension profile with an upper thread break;





FIG. 15

is a graph illustrating a thread tension profile with a lower thread break;





FIG. 16

is a front perspective view illustrating an adjustable presser foot assembly of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 17

is an exploded perspective illustration of an adjustable presser foot assembly of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIGS. 18 and 19

are illustrations of the adjustment of an adjustable presser foot assembly of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 20

is a front perspective illustration of a laser assembly and associated hardware of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 21

is a block diagram illustration of a system of embroidery machines of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 22

is a block diagram illustration of a system of embroidery machines having two clusters of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 23

is a flow chart illustration of the operational steps for powering up a networked embroidery machine of one embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 24

is a flow chart illustration of the operational steps for stitching a design using a slave head of one embodiment of the present invention; and





FIG. 25

is a flow chart illustration of the operational steps for stitching a design using a master head of one embodiment of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




Referring to

FIG. 1

, a front perspective representation of one embodiment of the invention is now described. The embroidery machine


100


has a base assembly


104


, an upper arm assembly


108


mounted to the base assembly


104


, a lower arm assembly


112


mounted to the base assembly


104


, and an X-Y drive assembly


116


mounted to the base assembly


104


. Within the base assembly


104


is a main controller (not shown), which receives patterns to be stitched into a garment from a host controller


300


, receives manual commands from a user interface


120


, and controls stitching operations. The host controller


300


is a computer which allows a user to input, select, and download design patterns to the main controller. The host controller


300


may be any suitable computer for a user interface, including a Windows based PC, an Apple Macintosh type computer, a UNIX based computer, or any other similar computer capable of providing a user interface and input, selection, and download capabilities.




Mounted to the upper arm assembly


108


is the user interface


120


, and a thread tree


124


. The thread tree


124


includes spool attachments


128


for sixteen (


16


) spools of thread. The user interface


120


is a control interface which a user may use to manually operate the embroidery machine


100


. A needle case


132


is also attached to the upper arm assembly


108


, which has sixteen(16) needles


136


. The needle case


132


is attached to a rail


140


, and moves along the rail


140


to position a particular needle


136


in proper location to perform stitching operations. A thread guide plate


144


is mounted on the needle case


132


. Each needle


136


in the needle case


132


has an associated take up lever


148


, and a thread feeder assembly


152


.




In operation, a hoop (not shown) is mounted to the X-Y drive assembly


116


. Affixed to the hoop is a garment or fabric, into which a pattern is to be stitched. The X-Y assembly


116


operates to move the hoop beneath the needle


136


which is performing stitching operations. The needle


136


stitches the upper thread into the garment, with the stitches being locked into place using the lower thread in the hook and bobbin assembly, as described above. When referring to the upper thread, reference is to the thread which is being stitched into the garment, and when referring to the lower thread, or underthread, reference is to the thread which comes from the bobbin assembly and is used to lock the stitches.




Referring now to

FIGS. 1-3

, a thread feeder assembly


152


is now described in more detail. As illustrated in

FIG. 2

, the thread feeder assembly


152


for a particular needle


136


is positioned adjacent to a stepper motor


156


, which drives the thread feeder assembly


152


. The needle case


132


is moved on the rail


140


in order to place a particular needle


136


in a stitching position above the lower arm


112


. Thus, when a particular color needs to be stitched, the needle


136


associated with that color is positioned such that the thread feeder assembly


152


associated with the needle


136


will be driven by the stepper motor


156


. The stepper motor


156


drives a driving gear


160


, which is engaged with a thread feed gear


164


. The driving gear


160


is associated with the stepper motor


156


, and does not move when the needle case


132


moves along the rail


140


. The thread feed gear


164


is associated with the thread feeder assembly


152


, and moves to engage the driving gear


160


, and thus drive the thread feeder assembly


152


.




In order to ensure that the thread feed gear


164


aligns properly with the driving gear


160


when the needle case


132


is moved relative to the stepper motor


156


, a clicker


168


is used to engage the teeth of the thread feed gear


164


. The clicker


168


is positioned next to a leaf spring


172


. The end of the clicker


168


engages the thread feed gear


164


and settles into a gap between the teeth of the thread feed gear


164


, resulting in the individual teeth on the thread feed gear


164


being in a preset, and known, position with respect to the needle case


132


. The stepper motor


156


can then be adjusted such that the driving gear


160


is in a preset position when the needle case


132


is moved with respect to the upper arm assembly


108


. In this way, the teeth on the thread feed gear


164


have minimal contact with the teeth of the driving gear


160


when the needle case


132


is moved to locate a different thread feeder assembly


152


adjacent to the stepper motor


156


. Prior to driving the thread feeder assembly


152


, an actuator


176


associated with the stepper motor


156


is actuated to move a top portion of the clicker


168


. By moving the top portion of the clicker


168


, the bottom portion of the clicker


168


does not contact the thread feed gear


164


when it is rotating, thus rotation of the thread feed gear


164


is not restricted by contact with the clicker


168


, and the noise associated with operating the embroidery machine


100


is reduced compared to a situation where the clicker


168


would be in contact with the thread feed gear


164


when it is rotating.




The thread feed gear


164


engages a roller


180


, which has a gear portion


184


and a flat portion


188


, as can be seen in the exploded perspective illustration of FIG.


3


. In one embodiment the flat portion


188


of the roller


180


is covered with a relatively high friction material, such as rubber. A pinch roller


192


engages the roller


180


. In one embodiment, the pinch roller


192


is also covered with a relatively high friction coating, such as rubber, which engages in a frictional arrangement with the coating on the flat portion


188


of the roller


180


, thus when the roller


180


rotates, the pinch roller


192


also rotates. The pinch roller


192


is rotatably mounted to a thread feeder arm


196


which is connected to a thread feeder base


200


at a pivot


204


. The leaf spring


172


engages the thread feeder arm


196


and applies pressure to the pinch roller


192


against the roller


180


. An upper thread


208


, which is fed from a spool on the thread tree


124


is routed through a thread feeder eyelet


212


, and between the pinch roller


192


and roller


180


. When the stepper motor


156


is activated, the driving gear


160


rotates, resulting in a rotation in the thread feed gear


164


, which rotates the roller


180


and associated pinch roller


192


, causing the upper thread


208


to be pulled through the thread feeder eyelet


212


and to the take up lever


148


. Finally, as can be seen in

FIG. 3

, a gear cover


216


is fitted over the area of the thread feeder assembly


152


leaving only the flat portion


188


of the roller


180


exposed through an opening in the gear cover


216


. This helps prevent the upper thread


208


from becoming caught up in the thread feed assembly


152


.




The amount of upper thread


208


fed through the thread feeder assembly


152


can be controlled by the activation of the stepper motor


156


. By feeding a predetermined amount of upper thread


208


through the thread feeder assembly


152


, tension in the upper thread


208


can be reduced and/or otherwise controlled, compared to a system which relies on mechanical movement of the needle and take up lever to pull the thread from a spool to the needle. In one embodiment, now described with reference to

FIGS. 4 through 8

, the amount of upper thread


208


fed by the thread feeder assembly


152


is determined according to a preset method.




With reference now to

FIG. 4

, an illustration of two stitches and associated thread length is now described. As is known in the art, the length of upper thread


208


needed for a stitch depends upon several factors. The length of the stitch, the angle between the prior stitch and the current stitch, and the thickness of the fabric being stitched are significant factors. In

FIG. 4

, the upper thread


208


is represented by a solid line, and the lower thread


220


is represented by a dashed line. A first stitch


224


and a second stitch


228


are illustrated in FIG.


4


. The first stitch


224


has a nominal stitch length


229


, and the second stitch


228


has a nominal stitch length


230


. As described above, the lower thread


220


locks the stitch by connecting to a loop


232


in the upper thread


208


. When the upper thread


208


penetrates the fabric


236


, a hook engages the upper thread


208


, and rotates the upper thread


208


around the lower thread


220


, and then the needle


136


pulls the upper thread


208


back through the fabric


236


, and the stitch is locked. In calculating total thread length to feed from the thread feeder assembly


152


, the length of the loop


232


around the lower thread


220


must be factored into the total thread length. The loop thread length


240


for the second stitch


228


is determined by the length of a line bisecting the angle between the first stitch


224


and second stitch


228


that goes from the intersection of the first stitch


224


and second stitch


228


and a line between the ends of the two stitches. The total thread length for the second stitch


228


dispensed by the thread feeder assembly


152


is the sum of the nominal stitch length


230


, the loop thread length


240


, a material thickness factor, an applique layer thickness factor, a length of any required overlapping thread, an additional thread factor to compensate for any stitches that are crossed with the second stitch


228


, and a user defined additional percentage.




Referring now to the block diagram illustration of

FIG. 5

, the electronics associated with the thread feeder are now described. In the embodiment of

FIG. 5

, the embroidery machine includes a host controller


300


, a main controller


304


, and a thread sensor controller


308


. The host controller


300


, in this embodiment, controls the design and stitching functions. The main controller


304


in this embodiment, communicates with the host controller


300


, the thread sensor controller


308


, and a thread feeder


312


. The thread sensor controller


308


communicates with the main controller


304


, and receives information from a thread sensor


316


. The operation of the host controller


300


, the main controller


304


, and the thread sensor controller


308


will be described in more detail with reference to the flow chart illustrations of

FIGS. 6-8

.




Referring now to the flow chart illustration of

FIG. 6

, the thread feed preprocessing operation of the host controller


300


are now described. Initially, as noted by block


320


, the host controller


300


receives a start command. Upon receiving the start command, the host controller


300


retrieves design data which is associated with the pattern to be stitched, as noted by block


324


. The design data can come from a number of sources, including a disk drive, and a network connection, as will be described in more detail below. The host controller


300


gets the first stitch information from the design data, as noted by block


328


. The host controller


300


, as indicated by block


332


, sets a variable (x), that is associated with the stitch angle. The host controller


300


, according to block


336


, sets a second variable (y), that is associated with the nominal stitch length. The host controller


300


calculates the loop thread length


240


, which as described above is a function of the stitch angle and stitch length, as noted by block


340


. The host controller


300


adds the loop thread length to stitch data, as noted by block


344


.




The host controller


300


, at block


348


, determines if the stitch is the last stitch. If the stitch is not the last stitch, the host controller


300


retrieves data for the next stitch, as noted by block


352


. The host controller


300


then repeats the operations associated with blocks


332


through


348


. If, at block


348


, the host controller


300


determines that the stitch is the last stitch, the host controller


300


then gets data for the first stitch, as noted by block


356


. The host controller


300


then calculates the number of stitches crossed by the stitch, and assigns the number to a variable (n), as noted by block


360


. The host controller


300


, at block


364


, sets the stitch length variable (y), to the nominal stitch length. The host controller


300


then calculates additional thread length (a) which is a function of stitch length and stitches crossed, as noted by block


368


. The host controller


300


, according to block


372


, adds additional thread length to the existing thread feed length. The thread feed length, at this point, is the sum of the nominal thread length, the loop thread length, and the additional thread length.




The host controller


300


, then determines if the current stitch is the last stitch, as indicated by block


376


. If the stitch is not the last stitch, the host controller


300


retrieves the next stitch, as noted by block


380


. The host controller


300


then repeats the operations associated with blocks


360


through


376


for the next stitch. If, at block


376


, the host controller


300


determines that the stitch is the last stitch, the host controller


300


sends the stitch data to the main controller


304


, as noted by block


384


. After the stitch data has been sent to the main controller


304


, the host controller


300


ends thread feed preprocessing operations, as indicated by block


388


.




With reference now to

FIG. 7

, the operations of the main controller


304


when performing thread feed calculations will now be described. In this embodiment, the main controller initially starts thread feed calculations, as noted by block


392


. The main controller


304


, at block


396


, receives stitch data from the host controller


300


, which includes the thread feed length. After receiving stitch data, the main controller


304


retrieves data for the first stitch, as noted by block


400


. The main controller


304


, at block


404


, sets the thread feed length to a variable (l). Next, according to block


408


, the main controller


304


sets the additional thread variable (a) to add to thread length (l=l+a). The main controller


304


, at block


412


, adds an overlapping thread length (x) to the thread length (l=l+x). The fabric thickness (f), at block


416


, is then added to the thread length by the main controller


304


(l=l+f). The main controller


304


then adds a length for an applique layer thickness (y) (l=l+y), as noted by block


420


. It will be understood that the order of these operations may be modified or combined, with such modifications being well within the ability of one skilled in the art.




Next, at block


424


, the main controller


304


retrieves thread tension data from the thread sensor controller


308


. At block


428


, the main controller


304


determines if there is a thread break. If the main controller


304


determines that there is a thread break, it stops the embroidery machine, as noted by block


432


. The main controller


304


then waits for the start key to be depressed, as noted by block


436


. The main controller


304


next, at block


440


, retrieves information for the next stitch. The main controller


304


then repeats the operations associated with blocks


404


through


428


. If, at block


428


, the main controller


304


determines that there is not a thread break, the main controller


304


determines if the thread tension is too high, as noted by block


444


. If the thread tension is too high, the main controller


304


increases the thread feed length, as noted by block


448


. If the main controller determines that the thread tension is not too high, it makes a determination, at block


452


, whether the thread tension is too low. If the thread tension is too low, the main controller decreases the thread feed length, as noted by block


456


. If the main controller


304


at block


452


determines that the thread tension is not too low, and following either block


448


or block


456


, where the main controller


304


adjusts the thread feed length, the main controller steps the thread feeder stepper motor, as noted by block


460


. The main controller, at block


464


, determines if the current stitch is the last stitch. If the stitch is not the last stitch, the main controller


304


proceeds to block


440


, to get the next stitch, and repeats the operations described with respect to blocks


404


through


464


. If the main controller determines that the current stitch is the last stitch, it ends the thread feed calculations operation, as noted by block


468


.




With reference now to

FIG. 8

, the operation of the thread sensor controller


308


will now be described. In the embodiment illustrated in

FIG. 8

, the thread sensor controller


308


initially starts up, as noted by block


472


. The thread sensor controller


308


enters an automatic reset routine, as indicated by block


476


, during which electronics associated with the thread sensor are reset. The thread sensor controller


308


, at block


480


, initializes, during which appropriate registers are cleared and preset variables are stored in the appropriate registers. The thread sensor controller


308


then reads process parameters from the main controller


304


, as noted by block


484


. These process parameters include timing information and information on the current point in the stitch cycle. Next, according to block


488


, the thread sensor controller


308


acquires and stores a thread tension profile from the thread sensor


316


. The thread sensor


316


configuration will be described in more detail below. The thread sensor controller then determines if the stitch cycle is complete, as noted by block


492


. If the stitch cycle is not complete, the thread sensor controller repeats the operations described above with respect to blocks


484


through


488


. If the thread sensor controller


308


determines that the stitch cycle is complete, it then manipulates the tension profile, as indicated by block


496


. When manipulating the tension profile, the thread sensor controller aligns the tension profile such that the timing of the tension profile matches the timing of an expected tension profile. The thread tension controller


308


also performs filtering and math operations which results in a modified tension profile which has a reduced noise level.




Next, at block


500


, the thread sensor controller


308


analyzes the thread tension profile. When performing the analysis, the thread sensor controller compares a modified thread tension profile to an expected thread tension profile. The thread tension profile is obtained from a thread sensor mounted to the thread guide plate


144


, and will be described in more detail below. Based on the differences between the expected and modified thread tension profiles, the thread sensor controller


308


can determine thread tension data. For example, based on an expected thread tension profile, the thread sensor controller can determine if thread tension is relatively high or low for a particular portion of the profile. This determination can then be used to identify if there is a break in the upper or lower thread, or if thread tension is too high or too low. Following the analysis of the thread tension profile, the thread sensor controller sends tension data to the main controller


304


, as noted by block


504


. The thread sensor controller


308


then repeats the operations associated with blocks


480


through


504


.




With reference now to

FIGS. 9 through 12

, the thread tension detection hardware and associated circuitry are now described.

FIG. 9

is a front perspective illustration of the front of the needle case


132


(with the cover removed) and the thread guide plate


144


.

FIG. 10

is a lower perspective illustration of the thread guide plate


144


, thread guide tube or contact element


526


, and a left thread sensor assembly


520


and a right thread sensor assembly


524


. The thread guide plate


144


is mounted to the needle case


132


through two mounting tabs


528


, located at either end of the thread guide plate


144


. The mounting tabs


528


extend downward from the thread guide plate


144


, and are connected to the thread guide plate


144


by a strip of metal, or other material. The left thread sensor assembly


520


and the right thread sensor assembly


524


are located near the ends of the thread guide plate


144


, and are capable of detecting movement in the thread guide tube


518


relative to the thread guide plate


144


. The thread guide plate


144


includes several guide holes


536


, for routing the upper thread


208


to the needle assemblies


136


.




As in typical embroidery machines, the upper thread


208


originates at a spool (not shown), is routed through the thread feeder assembly


152


, to the inner portion of the thread guide plate


144


, around the thread guide tube


526


, up through the outer portion of the thread guide plate


144


, to the take up lever


148


, back through the inner portion of the thread guide plate


144


, and to the needle


136


.




When conducting stitching operations, upper thread


208


moves through the thread guide plate


144


and around the thread guide tube


526


, and the tension in the upper thread


208


varies throughout the stitch, placing pressure on the thread guide tube


526


. For example, when the needle


136


approaches its lowest point in the stitch cycle, the tension on the upper thread


208


is relatively constant. When the upper thread


208


is picked up by the hook in the hook and bobbin assembly, and looped around the lower thread, the needle


136


begins to lift, and the upper thread tension increases. When the needle


136


lifts from the fabric, the upper thread tension increases as the stitch is locked, and reaches a maximum approximately as the needle


136


and take up lever


148


reach their highest point. The upper thread tension then rapidly decreases as the needle


136


and take up lever


148


begin dropping for the next stitch. The tension in the upper thread


208


is translated to the thread guide tube


526


. In the embodiment described, the left and right thread sensors


520


,


524


are used to monitor this movement in the thread guide tube


526


relative to the thread guide plate


144


.




In one embodiment, a piezoelectric sensor


544


is located in each thread sensor assembly


520


,


524


. With reference to

FIG. 11

, a cross sectional illustration of the thread guide plate


144


and left and right thread sensor assemblies


520


,


524


is now discussed. The thread sensor assemblies


520


,


524


are mounted to the thread guide plate


144


with two mounting bolts


540


. During stitching operations, thread is pulled through the thread guide plate


144


, and around the thread guide tube


526


. As the thread moves around the thread guide tube


526


during a stitch, the thread guide tube


526


moves with respect to the thread sensor assemblies


520


,


524


. In the embodiment shown, a resilient material


546


, such as a rubber ball, is placed between the upper portion of the thread sensor assembly


520


,


524


and the thread guide tube


526


, with the piezoelectric sensor


544


located between the lower portion of the thread sensor assembly


520


,


524


and the thread guide tube


526


. In this manner, the thread guide tube


526


is secured between the thread sensor assemblies


520


,


524


, and is able to have limited movement with respect to the thread guide plate


144


, which can be sensed by the piezoelectric sensors


544


. The signal from the piezoelectric sensors


544


is processed and sent to the thread sensor controller


308


, as will be discussed in more detail below. Piezoelectric materials, which are well known, convert mechanical stress or strain into proportionate electrical energy. Conversely, these materials also expand and contract when voltages of opposite polarities are applied. In this embodiment, the piezoelectric sensors


544


are used to detect movement in the thread guide tube


526


with respect to the thread guide plate


144


. The piezoelectric crystal is capable of detecting movement of the thread guide tube


526


when such movement is in the range of several microns. Thus, even a very small movement in the thread guide tube


526


created by the upper thread tension can be detected by the thread sensors


520


,


524


. However, the sensitivity of the thread sensors


520


,


524


can also result in any movement associated with the embroidery machine


100


creating a signal, much of which is noise, which results from a number of sources, including vibration from motors within the machine


100


, or vibrations from sources external to the machine


100


.




Referring now to

FIG. 12

, a block diagram representation of the thread sensor


316


and thread sensor controller


308


of one embodiment of the present invention is now described. Mounted on the needle case


136


, in a location adjacent to the thread guide plate


144


, is an instrumentation circuit


550


. The instrumentation circuit


550


receives the output of the left and right thread sensors


520


,


524


, amplifies and filters the signal, and transmits the amplified and filtered signal to a detection circuit


554


, which communicates with the thread sensor controller


308


, which communicates with the main controller


304


to send thread tension information and receive timing information. Collectively, the left and right thread sensors


520


,


524


, the instrumentation circuit


550


, and the detection circuit


554


, make up what is referred to as the thread sensor


316


as described above. The detection circuit


554


, thread sensor controller


308


, and main controller


304


are located within the base portion


104


of the embroidery machine


100


. Within the instrumentation circuit


550


is a left sensor amplifier


558


, a right sensor amplifier


562


, a voltage combiner and amplifier


556


, a Sallen-Key filter


560


, and a differential driver


564


. The output of the left thread sensor


520


is routed to the left sensor amplifier


558


, and the output of the right thread sensor


524


is routed to the right sensor amplifier


562


.




The left and right sensor amplifiers


558


,


562


, in one embodiment, are operational amplifiers, which amplify the received signal, and add a preset voltage offset to the signal. The amplified and offset signals are combined at the combiner/amplifier


556


, which outputs a combined signal to a Sallen-Key filter


560


, which in one embodiment has a Q of 0.707, and a corner frequency of about 80 kHz. The filtered output is then sent to a differential driver


564


which generates a differential output having a normal signal (V


o+


) and an inverted signal (V


o−


). The differential output is transmitted from the instrumentation circuitry


550


to the detection circuit


554


over a differential line


568


, which is an electrical connection using two wires, one of which carries the normal signal (V


o+


) and the other carries the inverted signal (V


o−


). Within the detection circuit


554


, is a differential receiver


572


which receives the differential output of the instrumentation circuitry


550


. The differential receiver


572


subtracts the inverted signal (V


o−


) from the normal signal (V


o+


) to yield a signal proportional to the input to the differential driver


564


. This subtraction is intended to cancel out any noise induced in the differential line


568


, on the assumption that the same level of noise will have been induced in both wires of the differential line


568


. In one embodiment, twisted pair wiring is used as the differential line


568


to help ensure that the same level of noise is induced in both wires. The output of the differential receiver


572


is routed to an analog to digital converter


576


. In one embodiment, the analog to digital converter


576


is a ten (10) bit serial analog to digital converter. The output of the analog to digital converter


576


is then routed to the thread sensor controller


308


. In one embodiment, the thread sensor controller


308


is a 16 bit microcontroller having a flash memory. The thread sensor controller


308


receives the output of the analog to digital converter


576


, and manipulates and compares the binary string of the analog to digital converter


576


to a reference string which is set by software.




Depending upon the result of the comparison of the binary string to the reference string, the thread sensor controller


308


will send data to the main controller


304


characterizing the current thread tension profile. If the thread sensor controller


308


compares the binary string to the reference string and detects a break in the upper or lower thread, it will send an error to the main controller


304


indicating an upper or lower thread break. When making the comparison of the binary string to the reference string, the thread sensor controller


308


compares the signature of the strings. Alternatively, in one embodiment illustrated by the dashed lines in

FIG. 12

, the thread sensor controller


308


also has an analog input, and receives the output of the differential receiver


572


directly, with no analog to digital conversion. In this embodiment, the thread sensor controller


308


compares the analog input with a predefined voltage level for different portions of the stitch cycle, and generates a tension signal based on differences detected in the comparison. Timing information is received at the thread sensor controller


308


from the main controller


304


, which the thread sensor controller


308


uses to compare the voltage level of the analog signal received from the differential receiver


572


to the predefined voltage.




Referring now to

FIG. 13

, the output of the differential receiver


572


is now described.

FIG. 13

is a plot illustrating the voltage output of the differential receiver


572


during normal stitching operations with no thread breaks. This plot illustrates the amplified and filtered output of the analog detection sensor


550


and shows several stitch cycles. With reference now to one of the stitch cycles, it can be seen that the cycle has a distinct peak, and a distinct valley. The peak is where the thread is locked in the stitch by the lower thread, and the valley is where the needle has just moved through the top of the stitch cycle. It will be understood that the timing and height of the peaks and valleys will depend upon the embroidery machine parameters, such as, for example, the thread tension when the machine is operating, the number of stitches the machine stitches per minute, and the length of the stitch. The pattern for normal stitching (e.g., a reference or representative predetermined pattern that is indicative of usual or typical pattern stitching) taking such factors into account is used as the reference string in the thread sensor controller


308


.





FIG. 14

illustrates the output of the differential receiver


572


when the upper thread breaks. As can be seen from the plot, the peaks and valleys are no longer present when the upper thread breaks. The thread sensor controller


308


compares this to the reference string, and generates a signal based on the difference between the reference string and the output of the differential receiver


572


which is sent to the main controller


304


. In the event of a thread break, which results in a signal which has relatively small changes in thread tension, the thread sensor controller


308


sends an error signal to the main controller


304


, indicating that there is an upper thread break.





FIG. 15

illustrates the output of the differential receiver in the event of a break in the lower thread. As can be seen from the plot, when the lower thread breaks, the magnitude of the peaks and valleys is reduced for the first one to three stitches, following which the peaks and valleys essentially disappear. This is a result of the stitches no longer being locked by the lower thread. The tension in the upper thread in such a case is reduced for a period, as a result of tension from the last stitch which was locked prior to the lower thread breaking. As more upper thread gets fed to the needle assembly, this tension is reduced as more stitches are attempted. The thread sensor controller


308


can compare the reduced height of the peaks to the reference string, and, if the peak disappears, it can generate an error signal indicating a break in the lower thread, and send the error to the main controller


304


. Thus, based on the analysis of the thread tension profile, the thread sensor controller


308


is able to determine tension data, and upper or lower thread breaks.




Referring now to

FIGS. 16 through 19

, the construction and operation of the presser foot assembly


600


is now described.

FIG. 16

illustrates a perspective view of the presser foot assembly


600


, and

FIG. 17

illustrates an exploded view of the presser foot assembly


600


in relation to the upper arm assembly


108


. In one embodiment, the height of the presser foot


604


is adjusted by moving a height adjustment eccentric


608


. The height adjustment eccentric


608


operates to move the bottom portion of a cam


612


towards or away from a reciprocator assembly


616


. The cam


612


is pivotally mounted to the upper arm


108


by a bushing


620


and a bolt


624


. The reciprocator assembly


616


is connected to a connecting rod


628


which connects to a crank arm


632


, which is attached to an upper shaft


636


. When the upper shaft


636


rotates the crank arm


632


, the connecting rod


628


acts to move the reciprocator assembly


616


up and down about a reciprocator shaft guide


640


. Attached to the reciprocator assembly


616


is a cam follower


644


, which engages with the cam


612


at a first end


648


, and engages the presser foot


604


at a second end


652


. As the reciprocator assembly


616


reciprocates along the reciprocator shaft guide


640


, the first end


648


of the cam follower


644


moves along the cam


612


, which in turn moves the second end


652


of the cam follower


644


, which in turn moves the presser foot


604


up and down along a presser foot shaft guide


656


. Thus, as the cam


612


is adjusted inward or outward, the height of the presser foot


604


is changed. The height adjustment eccentric


608


can be adjusted as the embroidery machine is operating, thus enabling the height of the presser foot


604


to be adjusted and fine tuned to proper height while the embroidery machine is conducting stitching operations.




Referring now to

FIGS. 18 and 19

, a simplified illustration of the presser foot assembly


600


and its adjustment is now described. The illustrations of

FIGS. 18 and 19

should be understood to be for the purpose of illustrating the concept of the above described height adjustment mechanism, which has a scale which is exaggerated for the purposes of a clear illustration. As can be seen in

FIG. 18

, when the upper shaft


636


and crank arm


632


are positioned such that the reciprocator assembly


616


is in its highest position, the cam follower


644


is in a position along the cam


612


where the second end


652


of the cam follower


644


is at its lowest position, and the presser foot


604


is thus in its lowest position. With the presser foot


604


in its lowest position, there is a first distance


660


between the presser foot


604


and the needle plate


664


located in the lower arm assembly


112


. Referring now to

FIG. 19

, the height adjustment eccentric


608


is adjusted so as to move the cam


612


in an inward direction, closer to the reciprocator assembly


616


. As a result, when the reciprocator assembly


616


is in its highest position, and the second end


652


of the cam follower


644


is in its lowest position, the presser foot


604


has a lowest position which results in a second distance


668


between the presser foot


604


and the needle plate


664


.




Referring again to

FIG. 17

, the exploded view of one embodiment of the presser foot assembly


600


is further described. In this embodiment, the upper shaft


636


is inserted into the upper arm assembly


108


and is driven by a motor (not shown) located at the rear of the upper arm assembly


108


. Attached to the end of the upper shaft


636


is a crank arm


632


, which connects to the connecting rod


628


. A bolt


672


connects the connecting rod


628


to the crank arm


632


such that rotation is allowed. The cam


612


is mounted to the upper arm assembly


108


using a bolt


624


and a bushing


620


, such that the cam


612


can pivot around the bushing


620


. The height adjustment eccentric


608


is mounted on the upper arm assembly


108


using a boss


676


and a bolt


680


, such that the height adjustment eccentric


608


can rotate about the boss


676


. As mentioned above, the reciprocator assembly


616


reciprocates on a reciprocator shaft guide


640


, and the presser foot


604


moves along the presser foot shaft guide


656


. Both the reciprocator shaft guide


640


and the presser foot shaft guide


656


are mounted to the upper arm assembly


108


. The reciprocator assembly


616


is coupled to the reciprocator shaft guide


640


by a spacer


684


, a ball bearing


688


, and a clip


692


. The presser foot


604


is coupled to the presser foot shaft guide


656


, and a spring


696


is arranged around the presser foot shaft guide


656


such that a downward force is placed on the presser foot


604


. A plastic bearing


698


is located at the top portion of the spring


696


to provide reduced friction between the top portion of the spring


696


and the portion of the upper arm assembly


108


which it contacts. Thus, a downward force is placed on the presser foot


604


such that when the reciprocator assembly


616


moves upward along the reciprocator shaft guide


640


, causing the second end


652


of the cam follower


644


to drop, a force from the spring


696


is placed on the presser foot


604


. Likewise, when the reciprocator assembly


616


moves downward along the reciprocator shaft guide


640


, causing the second end


652


of the cam follower


644


to rise, the presser foot


604


will rise, compressing the spring


696


.




As previously described, many times the stitching position of a needle needs to be verified. As discussed, this is necessary, for example, to verify that the needle will not strike the hoop at any time during stitching of a pattern, to verify the starting location of a stitch, or to verify the proper location of an applique. Referring now to

FIG. 20

, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a laser assembly


700


which is mounted to the upper arm assembly


108


. The laser assembly


700


is mounted such that the position of the laser light on the fabric


704


will correspond to the point at which the needle


136


will penetrate the fabric


704


. Also, the laser assembly


700


is mounted in such a way that any laser light from the laser assembly


700


is not obstructed from the fabric


704


, and is also preferably mounted such that hardware associated with the hoop assembly which holds the fabric


704


or garment does not block the laser light from hitting the fabric


704


at any point in the design. The embroidery machine


100


contains a pattern and hoop verification routine, in which the pattern and hoop size are input into the main processor portion of the machine. The main processor then performs a comparison to verify that when stitching the pattern, the needle will not strike the hoop.




In some instances, incorrect data may be entered into the embroidery machine


100


, or an incorrect hoop may be placed on the embroidery machine


100


. In these cases, even though the hoop verification routine is successful, the needle may still strike the hoop. In order to reduce these type of occurrences, in addition to the hoop verification routine, the laser within the laser assembly


700


may be activated, and the hoop is moved in a manner to trace the outline of the pattern to be stitched. An operator can then verify that the laser light does not contact the hoop at any point during the tracing routine. Once the operator has verified that the laser, and thus the needle


136


, will not contact the hoop at any point of the pattern to be stitched, stitching operations can be started.




Additionally, the user interface


120


contains a switch


708


, which can be used to manually activate the laser. The user interface


120


also contains a manual maneuvering lever


712


, which can be used to adjust the X-Y position of the garment on the machine. With the laser activated, the starting position of a stitch can be located, and the garment adjusted beneath the laser light to properly set the starting position of the machine. This same technique can be used to properly position an applique on a garment, and to adjust the position of the garment for stitching of the applique. Thus, the pattern and starting location of the machine can be verified without the need to manually pull a needle down to a position close to the fabric to be stitched.




As described above, often it is advantageous to have multiple garments stitched simultaneously. In one embodiment, the present invention is capable of electronically coupling two or more separable, independently functional stitching machines, e.g., embroidery machines, in order to create a multi-head stitching machine. In this embodiment, as illustrated in

FIG. 21

, each embroidery machine


800


has a network connection


804


, which connects the embroidery machine


800


to an ethernet hub


808


. The ethernet hub


808


is connected to a controller


812


, which communicates with each embroidery machine


800


through the ethernet hub


808


. Also, optionally connected to the ethernet hub


808


is an embroidery network system (ENS)


816


, and may, optionally, be connected to other embroidery machines


800


. The controller


812


is used to download stitching designs to the individual embroidery machines


800


, and also to verify that the embroidery machines


800


are properly operating and have correct software revisions.




In another embodiment, illustrated in

FIG. 22

, several clusters of embroidery machines


800


may be networked together. In this embodiment, several embroidery machines


800


are connected to an ethernet hub


824


, which is connected to a controller


828


. The controller


828


is in turn connected to a central hub


832


. The central hub


832


is connected to an ENS controller


836


, and, optionally, to other embroidery machines


820


referred to in one embodiment as embroidery machines tubular (EMT).




In one embodiment, a plurality of embroidery machines


800


is a member of a logical cluster


840


. In one embodiment, each cluster


840


may have no more than thirty (30) machines, and there may be no more than six (6) clusters


840


on any one LAN segment. Embroidery machines


800


within a cluster


840


communicate with each other for the purpose of control and synchronization. When such control and synchronization messages are communicated, an embroidery machine


800


will communicate the message as a broadcast message on the LAN. Each communication has a cluster number in the header for the communication. This way, an embroidery machine


800


in another logical cluster


840


which receives the command can ignore the command, and machines within the cluster


840


can act upon the command. The controller


828


receives all broadcasted commands, and may act on them as required.




When a new design is required to be stitched into a plurality of garments or fabric, a user will access the controller


828


through a user interface. The user interface may be any suitable interface with which a user may input and/or select a design to be stitched using the embroidery machines connected to the controller


828


. In one embodiment, the user interface is a PC host, which operates using a graphic user interface. The controller


828


receives the design to be stitched, and communicates the design to the embroidery machines connected to the controller


828


.




In one embodiment, each device on the network includes an Ethernet connection, which is used for communication on the network. In one embodiment, the communication protocol used for the network is Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX), developed by Novell, Inc, and which is well known in the art.




Each embroidery machine in a system is configured with a cluster number, a head number, and a master/slave flag. When used in a network such as this, each individual embroidery machine is considered to be a stitching head, and has an associated head number. There may be multiple clusters per network, and multiple heads per cluster. Each cluster has one master embroidery machine. When in operation, synchronization of multiple heads is maintained by protocol mechanisms, as will be described in further detail below. The embroidery machines in a cluster are not mechanically coupled to each other. Mechanical synchronization is achieved by having the master embroidery machine broadcast a stitch synchronization packet at regular intervals. This packet contains information related to the stitch count, which the slave embroidery machines use to verify synchronization with the master embroidery machine. If the master embroidery machine discontinues the broadcast of the stitch synchronization packet, all of the embroidery machines within the cluster will halt. In one embodiment, each slave embroidery machine is programmed to expect a stitch synchronization packet at regular predetermined intervals. If such a packet does not arrive within the predetermined interval, the machine will halt. It will be understood that several alternatives exist for insuring the master embroidery machine is still operating, such as, for example, a heartbeat signal sent from the master to the slaves.




In addition to the stitch synchronization packet broadcast by the master embroidery machine, each slave embroidery machine transmits a heartbeat packet to the master embroidery machine at regular predetermined intervals. If the master embroidery machine fails to receive a heartbeat packet from any of the slave embroidery machines within the predetermined interval, it will broadcast a stop command to all of the embroidery machines on the cluster.




At the start of a job, a job synchronization is broadcast from the master embroidery machine to the slave embroidery machine(s). This packet includes information regarding the stitching operations during the job, such as initial embroidery machine speed and color change sequence. This job synchronization is used to synchronize the initial operating parameters of each embroidery machine in the cluster. Once the machines begin stitching operations, synchronization is maintained using the above described synchronization packets sent by the master embroidery machine.




The master embroidery machine for a cluster is determined automatically by software running on each embroidery machine. As each embroidery machine comes online, a Find Master packet is broadcast over the network. If a valid response is received, the machine which broadcast the message will automatically configure itself to be a slave. A valid response, in one embodiment, is a response to the Find Master packet which matches the cluster number of the broadcasting machine. If a valid response is not received within a predetermined period of time, the embroidery machine which broadcast the message will configure itself to be a master embroidery machine. In one embodiment, if a master embroidery machine receives a packet from another embroidery machine which indicates that the other embroidery machine is a master, the receiving embroidery machine will reconfigure itself to be a slave embroidery machine. When an uninitialized embroidery machine comes online and attempts to find a master embroidery machine, it will be configured as a slave if a master embroidery machine is found. A more detailed operation of one embodiment for determining master and slave status of a head will be described below.




When a master embroidery machine receives a Find Master packet, the master embroidery machine verifies that the request is from the same cluster number, and if so, responds with a master acknowledgment packet, which includes a response to the Find and adds the slave embroidery machine to an internal list of slaves. The above description also works for single head use.




As can be seen, this allows additional embroidery machines to be added to an embroidery system with relative ease. Furthermore, embroidery machines may also be removed with relative ease. Thus, for example, if one embroidery machine in the system needs to be taken down for maintenance, it can simply be disconnected from the network, and the remainder of the embroidery machines may continue to be operated. When maintenance is finished on the embroidery machine which was disconnected from the network, it can be reconnected and included in the system again.




Referring now to

FIGS. 23-25

, the operation of the master and slave embroidery machines for one embodiment is now described. First, with reference to

FIG. 23

, the operation of heads during power up is described. Initially, indicated by block


900


, head one is powered up. Upon being powered up, head one assumes master status, as indicated by block


904


. Head one broadcasts a request for master message to all devices in the cluster, as noted by block


908


. In this embodiment, a cluster number is assigned to the head by the controller, which is read by the head when it is powered up. This cluster number is used in the request for master message. Next, at block


912


, head one determines if an “I Am Master” response message is received. If such a response is received, head one sets itself as a slave, as noted by block


916


. In one embodiment, a head will wait a predetermined time to receive a response to the request for master message, after the expiration of which it will assume no other head is set as a master. Next, according to block


920


, head two is powered up. Upon being powered up, head two broadcasts a request for master message to all devices in the cluster, as noted by block


924


. Head one, upon receiving the request for master message, responds to the message with an “I Am Master” response, as indicated by block


928


. Head one then adds head two to its internal list of slave heads, as noted by block


932


. Head two, as noted by block


936


, sets itself as a slave. In one embodiment, the controller communicates the number of heads in a cluster to the heads at power up. The master head stores this number, and prior to beginning stitching operations, verifies that the number of slave heads in the list of slave heads matches the number received from the controller. If the numbers do not match, the master head will return an error message to the controller.




Referring now to the flow chart illustration of

FIG. 24

, the operation of a slave head during stitching operations is described. In this embodiment, the slave receives a design from the host (controller) computer, as noted by block


940


. Once the design is downloaded, the slave head waits for a start button to be depressed, as noted by block


944


. The start button may be depressed on any head in the cluster. If the start button is depressed on a slave head, the slave head communicates the start command to the master head. The start command is received at the master head, as indicated by block


948


. Alternatively, the slave head may broadcast a start command to all heads. Following block


948


the slave head receives a synchronization command from the master head, as noted by block


952


. In one embodiment, the synchronization command includes information regarding the initial stitching speed, starting position for the design to be stitched, and stitch count. Once a synchronization command is received, the slave head verifies all of the information in the job synchronization command, and returns a synchronization status to the master head, as noted by block


956


. Once the master head has received synchronization status from all of the slave heads which indicate that they are synchronized, it sends a start command which is received by the slave heads, as noted by block


960


. At block


962


, the slave head transmits a heartbeat message to the master head. The heartbeat runs at all times in order that the master head may monitor the system for any malfunctioning heads. In one embodiment, the slave head transmits a heartbeat message at predetermined intervals of 250 milliseconds. The slave head then begins stitching, as noted by block


964


.




During stitching, the slave head monitors for a stitching error, as noted by block


968


. In the event of a stitching error, the slave head stops stitching, according to block


972


, and broadcasts a stop command to all of the devices in the cluster, as noted by block


976


. The slave head, at block


980


, monitors for a stop command received from another device in the cluster. If such a stop command is received, the slave head stops stitching, according to block


984


, and broadcasts a stop command to all of the devices in the cluster, as noted by block


986


. The slave head, at block


988


, verifies that it has received a heartbeat message from the master head. In one embodiment, the slave head expects to receive such a message at predetermined intervals of 250 milliseconds. If a master head heartbeat is not received, the slave head stops stitching, as noted by block


992


, and broadcasts a stop command to all of the devices in the cluster, as noted by block


996


. If the slave head does receive a heartbeat message from the master head, it verifies, at block


1000


, that it has received a synchronization message from the master head. If a synchronization message is not received, the slave head stops stitching and broadcasts a stop command, as noted by blocks


992


and


996


. If the slave head does receive a synchronization message from the master head, it compares a stitch number that is transmitted with the synchronization message to the current stitch number of the slave head, as noted by block


1004


. The slave head then determines whether the stitch numbers match, as noted by block


1008


. If the stitch numbers do match, the slave head determines if it has reached the last stitch, as indicated by block


1012


. If the stitch is the last stitch, the slave head stops stitching, as indicated by block


1016


. If the stitch is not the last stitch, the slave head continues operations as described with respect to blocks


968


through


1012


.




If at block


1008


, the slave head determines that the stitch numbers do not match, it determines the amount of mismatch at block


1020


. In this embodiment, the slave head must maintain a −3/+0 stitch difference with the master head. That is, the slave head must be no more than three stitches behind the master head, and no greater than zero stitches ahead of the master head. If the difference is within the predetermined amount of stitches, the slave head adjusts its stitching speed according to a predefined control scheme, as noted by block


1024


. The stitching machine then performs the operation as described above with respect to blocks


1012


, and the operations that followed. If at block


1020


, the slave head determines that it is not within the predetermined number of stitches of the master head, it stops stitching, as indicated by block


1028


, and broadcasts a stop command to all of the devices in the cluster, as noted by block


1032


.




Referring now to the flow chart illustration of

FIG. 25

, the operation of a master head during stitching operations is now described. Initially, as noted by block


1036


, the master head receives a design from the host (controller). The master head determines whether its start button has been depressed, as noted by block


1040


. If the master head's start button is not depressed, the master head determines if it has received a start command from a slave head, at noted by block


1044


. If no start command has been received, the master head continues the operations associated with blocks


1040


-


1044


. Once the master head's start button is depressed, or the master head receives a start command from a slave head, the master head broadcasts a job synchronization command to all of the devices in the cluster, as noted by block


1048


. The contents of the job synchronization command are as described above. The master head then waits for synchronization acknowledgment from each slave head, as noted by block


1052


. In response to the job synchronization command, a slave head may send an error in response to the job synchronization command, which may indicate an error in the machine or an error in the downloaded design. When the master head receives each synchronization acknowledgment, it verifies that the acknowledgment is valid, or contains an error, and determines if a valid acknowledgment is received from each head, as noted by block


1056


. If a valid acknowledgment is not received from each head, the master head sends a notification indicating the error to the host, as noted by block


1058


. If the master head does receive a valid acknowledgment from each head, it broadcasts a heartbeat message to all of the devices in the cluster, as noted by block


1060


. In one embodiment, a heartbeat message is sent every 250 milliseconds. At block


1062


, the master head broadcasts a start command and begins stitching operations. During stitching operations, the master head monitors itself for stitching errors, as noted by block


1064


. If there is a stitching error, the master head stops stitching, noted by block


1066


, and broadcasts a stop command to all of the devices in the cluster, as noted by block


1068


. The master head, at block


1072


, determines if a stop command has been received from any device in the cluster. If the master head does receive a stop command, it stops stitching, as noted by block


1076


, and broadcasts a stop command to all of the devices in the cluster, as noted by block


1078


. The master head, at block


1080


, broadcasts a synchronization message to all of the slave heads. In one embodiment, the synchronization message includes the current stitch count for the master head. The master head, at block


1084


, verifies that each slave head is sending heartbeat messages periodically. If a slave head heartbeat is missing, the master head, at block


1088


, stops stitching, and broadcasts a stop command to all of the devices in the cluster, as noted by block


1092


. The master head determines if it has reached the last stitch in the design, as noted by block


1096


. If the last stitch has not been completed, the master head repeats the operations associated with blocks


1064


through


1096


. If the last stitch has been completed, the master head stops stitching, as noted by block


1100


.




As described above, embroidery machines in a cluster are synchronized through communications between the embroidery machines in the cluster. This allows the ability to place two or more embroidery machines directly adjacent to one another with little risk of the hoops on the machines colliding. For example, a first embroidery machine and a second embroidery machine may be placed relatively close to one another. During stitching operations, if the first and second embroidery machines are not synchronized, the hoops moved by X-Y carriages on their respective machines may collide. That is, the hoop on the first embroidery machine may be in such a position that the far edge of the hoop is relatively close to the second embroidery machine. Likewise, the hoop on the second embroidery machine may be in such a position that the far edge of the hoop is relatively close to the first embroidery machine. If the embroidery machines are positioned relatively close to one another, such a situation results in collision of the two hoops, potentially causing damage to the embroidery machines. However, when the two embroidery machines are conducting the same operations substantially simultaneously as described above, they may be placed in close proximity to one another without a substantial risk of the hoops colliding. Accordingly, embroidery machines which employ the software synchronization as described above may be located closer to one another than non-synchronized machines, thus reducing the overall footprint of such a cluster of machines compared to the footprint of a non-synchronized cluster of machines.




It should be appreciated that other designs, systems or architectures could be utilized to implement the network of stitching machines that are able to substantially simultaneously stitch the same pattern. By way of example, the control involved may include a number of controllers or a single controller, such as where the functions of the controller are accomplished by the same controller or controllers that control the simultaneous stitching operations. Additionally, other stitching machines than the embroidery machines of

FIG. 1

could be employed in the network to perform the same operations and achieve the same objectives. Similarly, with respect to the stitching apparatus of

FIGS. 1-20

, other designs or embodiments could be provided to implement and/or control the desired functions. Instead of a host controller, main controller and thread sensor controller, a control could be provided that has more or fewer than these three controllers. For example, all or some of the functions accomplished by the thread sensor controller could be done by the main controller. In another example, all necessary control and functions could be implemented by a single controller.




The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Further, the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein. Consequently, variations and modifications commensurate with the above teachings, within the skill and knowledge of the relevant art, are within the scope of the present invention. The embodiments described hereinabove are further intended to explain the best modes presently known of practicing the inventions and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the inventions in such, or in other embodiments, and with the various modifications required by their particular application or uses of the invention. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art.



Claims
  • 1. A stitching apparatus, comprising:a laser that outputs a laser light when activated; and a mount portion to which said laser is joined wherein, when said laser light is output by said laser, said laser light is used to indicate location of at least a portion of a pattern to be stitched on fabric joined to the stitching apparatus and in which said laser light, prior to stitching, identifies substantially only an area at which a needle is to be positioned to penetrate the fabric when the needle is used in stitching said at least portion of said pattern on said fabric.
  • 2. A stitching apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:said mount portion includes an upper arm assembly and said laser is mounted to said upper arm assembly such that said laser light is output at an angle, different from normal, to the plane of the fabric.
  • 3. A stitching apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:said laser is joined to said mount portion such that said laser light is unobstructed in indicating all portions of said pattern to be stitched on the fabric.
  • 4. A stitching apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further including:a hoop assembly that holds the fabric and in which said hoop assembly is movable relative to said laser light.
  • 5. A stitching apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further including:a user interface having a switch to activate said laser.
  • 6. A stitching apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, further including:a user interface including a maneuvering lever to move the fabric relative to said laser light.
  • 7. A method for using laser light in connection with a pattern to be stitched using a stitching apparatus, comprising:providing a source of laser light; and indicating at least a portion of a pattern to be stitched using said laser light, wherein a surface contacted by said laser light that indicates said at least a portion of said pattern is substantially less than a surface of said pattern.
  • 8. A method, as claimed in claim 7, wherein:said indicating step includes verifying a starting location of a stitch of said pattern to be stitched.
  • 9. A method, as claimed in claim 7, wherein:said indicating step includes verifying a proper location of an applique.
  • 10. A method, as claimed in claim 7, further including:attaching fabric to a hoop joined to said stitching apparatus and checking whether said laser light strikes said hoop.
  • 11. A method, as claimed in claim 7, further including:joining fabric to the stitching apparatus; and adjusting said fabric relative to said laser light to properly set a starting position related to said pattern to be stitched.
  • 12. A method, as claimed in claim 7, further including:providing a user interface with a switch; and activating said source of said laser light using said switch.
  • 13. The stitching apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:said surface contacted by said laser light is substantially less than the surface of said pattern.
  • 14. The stitching apparatus, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:said surface contacted by said laser light is on said fabric.
  • 15. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:said laser light is located on said fabric in an area at which a needle is to be positioned to penetrate said fabric when the needle is used in stitching said at least portion of said pattern on said fabric.
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