Sewing – Special machines – Pattern controlled or programmed
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-17
2001-07-17
Nerbun, Peter (Department: 3744)
Sewing
Special machines
Pattern controlled or programmed
C112S141000, C112S475020, C112S475060
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260495
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a textile product finishing apparatus and more particularly relates to a hem monitoring device for use with high-speed textile finishing equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Traditional textile products, such as bedding sheets and the like, are generally “finished” to produce a quality product. By the term “finished” or “finishing,” we mean that the edges of the sheet are hemmed in a uniform manner. The edges of the sheet are cut, folded, and sewn. The “finishing” is performed either by hand or in an automated process.
Presently, most sheet and other types of textile manufacturing is performed in an automated process due to speed and efficiency. In such an automated process, the quality of the hem is monitored by a worker as the sheet advances through the various cutting and sewing devices. The sheet generally is sewn with the hem “up” to enable the worker to monitor the quality of the hem. By “up,” we mean that the fold and the stitching is visible. A quality hem will have a uniform fold. The stitching will be a uniform distance from the edge of the sheet, will not have any gaps, and will not cause the sheet material to “bunch” together. Most problems with the quality of the hem occur at the beginning and ending corners of the sheet where the respective edges meet.
Modern textile finishing equipment not only hems the sides of the sheet, but also folds and packages the sheet in a high speed operation. The sheet may move through the equipment at speeds of about 800 inches per minute or more. For appearance reasons, however, the sheets are now run through the hemming operations with the hem in the “down” position. After the hemming operations, the sheet often goes directly into the folding apparatus without an opportunity for a worker to inspect the quality of the hem. Because of the speed in which the equipment operates and because the sheet is advanced through the device with the hem down, there is little opportunity for the worker to inspect the quality of the hem. Manufacturers have attempted to solve this inspection problem by positioning workers literally underneath the machine to inspect periodically the hem. This approach is inefficient in that the worker does not have enough time to inspect properly the hem. Further, this position can be awkward or even dangerous for the worker.
What is needed, therefore, is a means to monitor and inspect the quality of the hemming process in a high-speed textile finishing apparatus. These monitoring and inspection means must enable the worker to maintain quality control over the product without placing the worker in a physically awkward or dangerous position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a hem monitoring system for a textile finishing device having one or more sewing heads positioned along a predetermined path for finishing the hem on a textile product in a high speed manner. The monitoring system includes a camera, a monitor, and means for controlling the camera such that an image of the hem is captured and displayed on the monitor so as to allow inspection of the quality of the hem.
Specific embodiments include the use of one or more detectors positioned along the predetermined path for detecting the presence of a corner of the textile product as it advances. The means for controlling the camera includes a personal computer with a frame grabber card for capturing an image from the camera. The frame grabber card captures an image of the corner of the sheet from the camera based upon the position of the corner as detected by the detector. The camera is preferably a digital video camera. Alternatively, a strobe may be used to freeze the image of the textile product as it advances. The detectors are preferably photoelectric eyes.
The finishing apparatus as a whole includes means for advancing the textile product along the predetermined path in a high speed manner, means for hemming the edges of the textile product, and means for inspecting the quality of the hems as described above. The means for advancing the textile product includes an unwind stand assembly, a cutting device, a dancer assembly, and a feed pull assembly. The means for hemming the edges of the textile product includes one or more hem assemblies with one or more sewing heads, fold elements, roller arms, and cutting heads. One hem assembly is positioned on a first side of the predetermined path and a second one is positioned on a second side of the predetermined path. One of the hem assemblies is mounted on a gantry for movement in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined path so as to accommodate differently sized sheets. An on/off switch is positioned adjacent to the monitor such that the worker can stop the apparatus to remove an improperly hemmed sheet. Alternatively, the sheet can be flagged for later removal.
The method for inspecting the hem of the present invention includes the steps of advancing the textile product along a predetermined path, folding an edge of the textile product, sewing the edge to form the hem, detecting the position of the textile product along the predetermined path, capturing an image of the hem based upon the detected position, and displaying the image of the hem. The hem is advanced in the down position. The advance of the textile product may be stopped based upon the image of the hem.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a visual inspection device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a visual inspection device for use with a hemming apparatus.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a visual inspection device that can capture images of a sheet hem in a high speed hemming apparatus.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a visual inspection device that can capture and hold images of the corners of a sheet to inspect hem quality.
Other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in connection with the drawings and the claims.
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Stewart Parks C.
Trobaugh, III Robert A.
Nerbun Peter
Phoenix Automation
Sutherland & Asbill & Brennan LLP
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