Sewing – Special machines – Pattern controlled or programmed
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-05
2004-05-04
Nerbun, Peter (Department: 3765)
Sewing
Special machines
Pattern controlled or programmed
C112S270000, C112S299000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06729253
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a sewing apparatus including a sewing cartridge and a sewing apparatus body, more specifically to a sewing apparatus that actuates a sewing auxiliary mechanism such as a thread cutting mechanism when the sewing cartridge is detached from the sewing apparatus body.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a sewing apparatus, such as a sewing machine, performs sewing on a work cloth using upper and lower threads in cooperation with a thread take-up, a thread loop taker and a needle. The needle is threaded with the upper thread and moves vertically. A regular home sewing machine performs sewing using a single needle attached to a lower end of a needle rod. When the upper thread wound around a spool runs out, or the upper thread needs to be changed to sew a different color of a color pattern, the upper thread, after the spool for the upper thread is changed, is threaded to a predetermined guide portion provided for the sewing machine, then the upper thread needs to be threaded through a needle hole.
A conventional sewing apparatus and sewing cartridge, which can be attached to and detached from the sewing apparatus, includes the sewing cartridge accommodating a needle and a spool therein. However, it is not required to perform the threading of an upper thread through a needle hole when an upper thread wound around a spool runs out, or the upper thread needs to be changed to sew a color pattern. The omission of threading upper thread through a needle hole is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,867, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The needle attached to a sewing cartridge is similar to a regular sewing needle wherein a thread is threaded through a needle hole at its lower end. When a sewing cartridge is attached to a sewing apparatus, the needle and the needle up and down mechanism provided to the sewing apparatus are connected to each other so as to move integrally. When a machine motor is running, the needle is moved up and down by the needle up and down driving mechanism with respect to the sewing cartridge fixed to the main body of the sewing machine. Thus, when the operation of a needle passing through a work cloth is repeated, sewing is performed on a work cloth using the upper thread and a looper member.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,039 discloses a sewing apparatus that includes a sewing cartridge accommodating a spool therein. When the sewing cartridge is attached to a sewing apparatus body, tension disks provided in the sewing apparatus body are closed, a thread extending from the spool in the sewing cartridge is held between the tension disks. When the sewing cartridge is manually pulled out from the sewing apparatus body, the tension disks are opened and the thread is released. The disclosure of the sewing apparatus in U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,039 is herein incorporated by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a conventional sewing apparatus, sewing is performed on a work cloth by attaching a detachable sewing cartridge to a sewing apparatus body. The conventional sewing apparatus is susceptible to improvements so as to simplify thread color change (spool replacement), for example, when an upper thread is cut to detach the sewing cartridge from the sewing apparatus body after sewing. In other words, if such a conventional sewing apparatus requires manual thread cutting using a pair of scissors, it is necessary to cut the upper thread every time the sewing cartridge is replaced with a different one, which becomes burdensome.
If a thread cutting mechanism, which is installed in a conventional sewing machine, is applied to the sewing apparatus, the thread cutting mechanism is usually structured to be actuated by operation of a thread cutting switch. Therefore, apart from an operation required for removal of the sewing cartridge, an operation for cutting the upper thread is required and burdens related to operations are increased. A user may forget to operate the thread cutting switch, so that the sewing cartridge may be detached with the thread remaining in the work cloth. Conversely, the thread may be cut when the user carelessly presses the thread cutting switch although there is no need to replace the sewing cartridge.
In a sewing apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,039, the operation required for removal of the sewing cartridge (the operation of the operating member) is not performed. When the sewing cartridge is detached from the sewing apparatus body, the sewing cartridge is just held and pulled out. When the sewing cartridge is detached from the sewing apparatus body, thread tension members are opened but the upper thread is not cut.
This invention provides a sewing apparatus where sewing is performed on a work cloth by detachably attaching a sewing cartridge to a sewing apparatus body. The sewing apparatus is designed to simplify thread cutting required when the sewing cartridge is detached from the sewing apparatus body, and to simplify thread color change (spool replacement).
In the sewing apparatus where sewing is performed on a work cloth by attaching a sewing cartridge to a sewing apparatus body, an operating member that is operated to detach the sewing cartridge from the sewing apparatus body is provided in the sewing cartridge body. In response to an operation of the operating member, a sewing auxiliary mechanism provided in the sewing apparatus body is actuated.
In the sewing apparatus, the sewing cartridge can be detached from the sewing apparatus body by an operation of the operating member. Simultaneously, in response to the operation of the operating member, the sewing auxiliary mechanism provided for the sewing apparatus body can be actuated.
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U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/897,393, Shimizu, filed Jul. 3, 2001.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/897,600, Mamiya et al., filed Jul. 3, 2001.
Mamiya Toshiyuki
Terao Akira
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Nerbun Peter
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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