Sewing – Method of sewing – Stitch forming
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-19
2001-11-27
Nerbun, Peter (Department: 3741)
Sewing
Method of sewing
Stitch forming
C112S102500, C112S445000, C112S458000, C112S470040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06321670
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a display apparatus for a sewing machine with a pattern sewing or forming function for displaying a pattern selection area, in which a plurality of patterns can remain displayed and a pattern can be selected therefrom, and a pattern display area, in which a selected pattern can be displayed and edited, on the same screen during the selection of the pattern.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a sewing machine with an embroidery function has a sewing mechanism for forming stitches by driving a needle bar, a thread take-up, and a rotary hook, and an embroidery frame driving mechanism that moves and drives an embroidery frame in crosswise directions independently. A controller controls and actuates the sewing mechanism and the embroidery frame driving mechanism based on sewing data (including sets of stitch data) for an embroidery pattern, to embroider the pattern on a work cloth set in the embroidery frame.
The sewing machine basically pre-stores pattern data (including sewing data) for embroidery patterns in a ROM of the controller and a ROM card that is detachably inserted into the controller. A pattern (or pattern data) selected from the embroidery patterns stored can be edited before embroidering, such as repositioning, magnifying/reducing, and mirroring.
A sewing machine with embroidery function, having a display and plural touch keys representing various functions through the display, is structured to display a pattern selection screen on the display when selecting an embroidery pattern, and a pattern edit screen on the display when editing the selected embroidery pattern.
On the pattern selection screen, a plurality of embroidery patterns (character patterns and picture patterns) are displayed in a pattern selection area that accounts for the most part of the display. A desired embroidery pattern is selected with a touch of the display as a pattern to be used with embroidering. When a character pattern is selected, the selected character pattern is displayed in an area except for the pattern selection area of the pattern selection screen, for confirmation.
After the pattern is selected, the pattern selection screen is switched to the pattern edit screen. On the pattern edit screen, the selected pattern is displayed in the pattern display area (corresponding to a size of the embroidery frame in which embroidery is available), so that it can be edited with a touch of pattern edit keys such as eight direction keys.
In the conventional sewing machine with embroidery function, especially when a character pattern is selected, it is displayed in an area outside of the pattern selection area of the pattern selection screen. However, as the area is very small, an operator can only confirm the selected character pattern. The operator can not see and grasp the layout of the pattern such as the size and the orientation of the pattern and the array orientation of the pattern especially consisting of a plurality characters.
Therefore, it is not until the selected character pattern is displayed in the pattern display area on the pattern edit screen that the operator can see and grasp the layout of the pattern. Because the operator can not grasp the layout when selecting a character, the operator is likely to change the character pattern when the layout is displayed on the pattern edit screen after the character selection. In this case, it is necessary to change the display from the pattern edit screen to the pattern selection screen again for re-selection of a character pattern, which is very troublesome.
In a conventional sewing machine, the pattern size and the array orientation are set in advance, and a character pattern for embroidery is selected. However, the pattern size and the array orientation are not yet seen on the display when the pattern is selected, therefore, the similar problem still exists, and the preset information on the pattern size and the array orientation does not function effectively.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a display apparatus for a sewing machine with a pattern sewing or forming function, in which a display can show at least a part of a pattern selection area and a pattern display area simultaneously when a pattern is selected, so that an operator can see and grasp the size and orientation of the pattern and the orientation of the character string when a plurality of character patterns are selected, in the pattern display area.
In this regard, the display apparatus for a sewing machine of the invention may include a display, a pattern selection area controller that displays a pattern selection area on the display, the pattern selection area controller displaying at least one pattern on the pattern selection area, a selection device that selects the pattern displayed on the pattern selection area, a pattern display area controller that displays a pattern display area on the display, the pattern display area controller displaying the selected pattern in a realistic manner on the pattern display area, and a display controller that controls the display to display at least a part of the pattern display area while the pattern selection area is displayed.
According to the display apparatus structured as described above, a selection device selects the pattern displayed on the pattern selection area, a pattern display area controller displays a pattern display area on the display, the pattern display area controller displays the selected pattern in a realistic manner on the pattern display area, and a display controller controls the display to display at least a part of the pattern display area while the pattern selection area is displayed. Therefore, the operator can see and grasp the pattern with a realistic image through the pattern display area while selecting the pattern.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the display apparatus may further include an edit device that edits the pattern displayed on the pattern display area. Therefore, the operator can see the pattern to be edited before editing it while selecting the pattern.
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the realistic manner may be related to at least one of pattern size, pattern orientation, or arrangement orientation. Therefore, the operator can recognize pattern size, pattern orientation, or arrangement orientation of the selected pattern.
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the display may include a touch key panel including at least one touch key, and the selection device may include the touch key. Therefore, the operator can select the desired pattern using the touch key in a simple manner.
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the display controller may control the display to display the pattern selection area and the pattern display area without overlapping each other. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the whole pattern selection area and the whole pattern display area can be displayed on the same screen of the display. Therefore, the operator can recognize the whole selected pattern with a realistic image without interfering with the selection of the pattern.
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the display controller controls the display to display the pattern selection area overlapping a part of the pattern display area, and the pattern display area controller displays at least a portion of the pattern on an un-overlapped part of the pattern display area, where the pattern selection area is not overlapped. Therefore, the operator can recognize the selected pattern with a realistic image without interfering with the selection of the pattern. Further, the space of the display can be used efficiently.
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, when a character pattern is selected by the selection device, the whole character pattern can be displayed on the un-overlapped part of the pattern display area. According to the display apparatus structured as described above, the content of the whole
Tomita Shintaro
Yamamoto Naomi
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Nerbun Peter
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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