Sewing – Method of sewing – Workpiece manipulation other than straight line feeding
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-29
2002-12-31
Nerbun, Peter (Department: 3765)
Sewing
Method of sewing
Workpiece manipulation other than straight line feeding
C112S470050, C112S470160
Reexamination Certificate
active
06499416
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally relates to a finishing apparatus for a textile product and more particularly relates to an apparatus that automatically hems, folds, and sews a piece of material into a high quality valance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally described, a valance is an ornamental window treatment. A valance typically extends across the top portion of a window frame and window. The design of a typical valance is shown in
FIGS. 1-3
. As is shown, a valance
10
may be made from a single piece of a textile material
20
. The piece of material
20
may include a cotton fabric, a blend of cotton and synthetic fabrics, or other types of traditional textile materials.
The piece of material
20
may have a first end
21
, a second end
22
, a first side
23
, and a second side
24
. The sides
23
,
24
of the piece of material
20
may be folded over and sewn to create a first side hem
30
and a second side hem
35
. The piece of material
20
may then be folded with the first end
21
folded over the second end
22
so as to create a front side
46
and a backside
47
. The piece of material
20
may then be hemmed transversely so as to create the valance
10
with a top pocket
50
, a hanger pocket
55
, and a bottom pocket
60
. A first hem line
65
and a second hem line
70
may be used to create the pockets
50
,
55
,
60
. The valance
10
may then be hung adjacent to a window from a frame or a hanger of some sort that extends through the hanger pocket
55
. The bottom pocket
60
may be filled with paper or other types of materials so as to create a textured appearance.
Traditionally, the valance
10
is generally manufactured by hand. The manufacturing process, however, may be time consuming and expensive. A high quality valance
10
generally requires that the sides
23
,
24
and the pockets
50
,
55
,
60
be even and aligned so as to provide a uniform appearance. Consistently centering the sides
23
,
24
, however, has proven to be difficult. The production volume for an acceptable valance in the manual or the known manufacturing processes, therefore, has been relatively low.
What is needed, therefore, is a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a valance in an automated, consistent process. The method and apparatus should accurately create a high quality valance in a high-speed manner while being reasonable in terms of costs and manpower.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention thus provides an apparatus for manufacturing a valance with a number of transverse pockets from a continuous strip of material. The apparatus may include a feed pull assembly positioned along a predetermined path for pulling a predetermined length of the continuous strip of material onto a tabletop, a cutter assembly for cutting the predetermined length of the material from the strip, a first fold assembly to fold a first end of the length of the material, a second fold assembly to fold a second end of the length of the material under the first end, and a hemming assembly to sew the transverse pockets. Specific embodiments of the present invention may include the use of a programmable logic controller to control the feed pull assembly, the cutter assembly, the first fold assembly, the second fold assembly, and the hemming assembly.
The apparatus also may include an unwind assembly positioned along the predetermined path. The unwind assembly may include a number of rollers so as to support the continuous strip of material on a roll. The unwind assembly also may include a dancer assembly to pull the predetermined length of the strip of material off of the roll. The dancer assembly may include a stationary roller and a dancer roller such that the dancer roller pulls the material over the stationary roller.
The cutter assembly may include a blade operated by a hydraulic cylinder. The feed pull assembly may include a feed pull gripper operated by a motor. The hemming assembly may include a first sewing head and a second sewing head positioned on a tabletop.
The apparatus may further include a side hem apparatus positioned adjacent to the feed pull assembly along the predetermined path. The side hem apparatus may include a tabletop with a dimension of lesser amount than a dimension of the predetermined length of the material. A first side and a second side of the material may fall over the tabletop. The side hem apparatus may include an advancement device so as to advance the material along the tabletop. The advancement device may include an advancement belt driven by a motor. The advancement device also may include a first advancement device positioned on a first side of the tabletop and a second advancement device positioned on a second side of the tabletop.
The side hem apparatus may include a fold apparatus so as to fold the first side and the second side of the material. The side fold apparatus may include a pulley system so as to fold the first side and the second side of the material under the tabletop. The side fold apparatus may include a first side fold apparatus positioned on the first side of the tabletop to fold the first side of the material and a second side fold apparatus positioned on the second side of the tabletop to fold the second side. The side hem apparatus may include a first side hemming device and a second side hemming device so as to hem the material along both sides.
The apparatus may further include a transfer assembly positioned along the predetermined path so as maneuver the material in a perpendicular fashion. The transfer assembly may include an in-take roller assembly extending in a first direction and an out-take roller assembly extending in a second direction. The roller assemblies may each have a drive belt driven by a motor and also a lift bar so as to provide motion in the vertical direction. When the in-take roller assembly is engaged on the material, the out-take roller assembly is raised. When the out-take roller assembly is engaged on the material, the in-take roller assembly is raised.
The first fold assembly may include a tabletop. The tabletop may have a dimension of lesser amount than a dimension of the material such that a first end of the material falls over the tabletop. The first fold assembly may include a first side advancement system and a second side advancement system positioned along the tabletop. The advancement systems each may include a drive belt and a motor such that the motor drives the drive belt and the material at a predetermined speed. The motor may include a servo-motor. The tabletop may include a first side fold plate. The first fold assembly also may include a fold system position adjacent to the first side fold plate. The fold system folds the first end of the material under the fold plate until a first fold is formed. The fold system may include a number of drive belts driven by a motor. The first fold plate may end along the predetermined path about where the second side advancement system begins, such that the first end of the material may be advanced between the first side advancement system and the second side advancement system.
The first fold assembly may include a first sensor positioned over the tabletop, a second sensor positioned under the tabletop, and a control system operative with the first sensor, the second sensor, and the motor of the second side drive system. The first sensor and the second sensor may detect if the first fold is even along the predetermined path such that the control system may alter the speed of the motor by a predetermined amount.
The second fold assembly may include a tabletop. The tabletop may have a dimension of lesser amount than a dimension of the material such that a second end of the material falls over the tabletop. The second fold assembly may include a first side advancement system and a second side advancement system positioned along the tabletop. The first side and the second side advancement systems may each have a drive belt and a motor such that the motor drives the drive belt and the material at a predetermined speed. The motor ma
Stewart Parks C.
Trobaugh, III Robert A.
Nerbun Peter
Phoenix Automation Inc.
Sutherland & Asbill & Brennan LLP
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