Sewing – Method of sewing – Stitch forming
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-28
2001-04-10
Izaguirre, Ismael (Department: 3765)
Sewing
Method of sewing
Stitch forming
C112S470210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06213040
ABSTRACT:
In addition, this application is the one of four U.S. patent applications filed on an even date herewith by Daniel R. Shepard, including:
Ser. No. 09/301,179, Attorney Docket No. G0005/7002, by, Daniel R. Shepard, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH-SPEED LACING OF AN ARTICLE”;
Ser. No. 09/301,174, Attorney Docket No. G0005/7003, by, Daniel R. Shepard, entitled “SHUTTLE APPARATUS FOR HIGH-SPEED LACING OF AN ARTICLE”; and
Ser. No. 09/301,167, Attorney Docket No. G0005/7004, by Daniel R. Shepard, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HIGH-SPEED LACING OF A TEABAG”.
The subject matters of the above-identified copending patent applications are incorporated herein by this reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the fields of automated manufacturing, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for attaching a strand of material, cord or wire to one or more pieces of material at high-speed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The attachment of a strand of cord, thread, wire or other material to one or more pieces of material presents challenges to today's high speed manufacturing processes. As an example, consider the tampon industry. The rate at which the product is consumed requires that a high speed manufacturing process be employed. Current tampon designs employ a withdrawal string, usually a cotton cord, to allow the user to remove the product after use. The cord must be firmly attached to the tampon pad, and must not shear the product or leave material behind upon withdrawal.
One current method for attaching a cord to a pad involves sewing the cord to the pad, although this technique has a variety of disadvantages. The piercing of a cord by the thread actually weakens the cord, thereby requiring a thicker cord to meet any strength specifications. The use of thread to attach a cord to a pad introduces the possibility of thread breakage or jamming of the sewing apparatus. Current high speed industrial sewing machines operate at rates that are typically insufficient to feed a subsequent high speed production line. As a result, multiple sewing stations are required and their respective outputs must be merged to feed a single production line. Such multiple stations operating near their maximum rated speed, as well as the merging mechanism, increase possibility and frequency of mechanical failures, jams, etc. Further, the reciprocating motion of traditional sewing machine movement, combined with the very thin and flexible handling qualities of thread, further increase the likelihood of jams, or mechanical failure.
Another method of attaching a cord to a pad involves punching of a cord once through the pad, and entanglement of the cord about the pad, i.e. with a knot or other restraining mechanism. Punching a cord once through a pad suffers from a lack of redundancy of attachment. Should the cord fail to puncture the pad, the needle fail to feed the cord properly, or the pad mis-aligned, the cord will not be attached to the pad. Also, the force on the cord during the use of the product assembly is undesirably concentrated at the single point where the cord is attached to the pad.
Cord entanglement does not offer the mechanical strength or integrity offered by a cord that is firmly attached to the pad since the cord can slip off. Simply tying a string to a pad in such a fashion creates a product which is prone to failure.
Accordingly, a need exists for a cord attachment mechanism that is fast enough to support a subsequent high speed production line and which meets the reliability requirements of its users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses an article of manufacture and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the same. Specifically, an apparatus and method for attaching a cord to a piece of receiving material at high speeds comprises one or more pins which engage the cord, pierce the receiving material and draw the cord through the receiving material from the first side to a second side thereof so that at least one open loop is formed in the cord on the second side of the receiving material. The apparatus further comprises a shuttle mechanism which moves relative to the pin and engages an end portion of the cord drawing the cord through the open loop so as to complete the lacing stitch of the cord through the receiving material. The pin(s) may be implemented as a push pin and a spreader pin pair, movably mounted relative to each other, each of which are adapted to grasp the cord and penetrate the receiving material. The loop on the second side of the receiving material is formed as the push pin and spreader pin move relative to each other.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for forming one or more loops of cord and a receiving material comprises a frame, at least one pin movably mounted to the frame and adapted to penetrate a piece of receiving material and draw a flexible cord from a first side of the receiving material through to a second side of the receiving material. The pin is further adapted to form an open loop in the cord on the second side of the receiving material. In one embodiment, the pin comprises a push pin and a spreader pin pair each having a first end adapted to receive the cord and penetrate the receiving material. The open loop in the second side of the receiving material is formed when the spreader pin and push pin move relative to each other. In other embodiment, a plurality of pins, movably mounted to the frame penetrate the receiving material and form a plurality of loops on a second side of the receiving material.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a threading apparatus for forming loops in a piece of receiving material comprises the threading pin to capture a cord, a push pin having a first end adapted to receive the cord captured by the threading pin, and a spreader pin opposably mated with the push pin. An open loop is formed in the receiving material when the spreader pin moves relative to the push pin. In various embodiments, the push pin and spreader pin are movably mounted to each other and spring biased to return to a closed position. In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, a method of forming one or more loops in a piece of receiving material comprising the steps of (a) penetrating the receiving material with a pin having a first end adapted to penetrate the receiving material and engage the cord; (b) drawing the cord through the receiving material from a first side to a second side thereof; and (c) forming an open loop at the second side of the receiving material In one embodiment, the pin comprises a pushpin and spreader pin pair which have first ends adapted to receiving the cord and penetrate the receiving material. In accordance with another embodiment, the loop is formed on the second side of the receiving material when the spreader pin and pushpin are moved relative to each other. In another embodiment, a plurality of pins penetrate the receiving material so as to form a plurality of loops on the second side of the receiving material.
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Izaguirre Ismael
Kudirka & Jobse LLP
LandOfFree
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