Sewing – Special machines – Embroidering
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-21
2001-01-16
Nerbun, Peter (Department: 3741)
Sewing
Special machines
Embroidering
C112S475190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06173665
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control system for sewing machines, and more particularly to a technique to simplify the setting of values for various parametrical items on the material-feeding and sewing operations depending on a kind of a material to be sewn, e.g., a sweat shirt and a T-shirt.
2. Description of Related Art
An embroidery sewing machine is provided with an embroidering unit or device to drive and move an embroidering frame to which a material (i.e., a sweat shirt, a T-shirt or the like) is set. Prior to the sewing operation, the embroidering frame that is conformed in size and configuration to a pattern to be embroidered is attached to the embroidering device. A desired embroidery pattern is selected, and to form the selected embroidery pattern by stitches an operator sets various parametrical items on the material-feeding and sewing operations in terms of setting values while viewing its related display on a monitor screen. Examples of those parametrical items are “sewing speed”, “sewable area” within the embroidering frame, “stand-by position” of the embroidering frame, “thread-breakage sensitivity”, and “number of stitch-back stitches” for the thread breakage.
A value to be set for the parametrical item “sewing speed” is the number of stitches formed per minute. A value to be set for the parametrical item “sewable area” is positional data indicative of two points (i.e., the left upper point and the right lower point) that designate within the embroidering frame an area (a sewable area) where an embroidery pattern can be sufficiently formed by stitches. A value to be set for the parametrical item “stand-by position” is positional data indicative of a position (a stand-by position) to which the embroidering frame is retracted so that the sewed material can be easily removed from the embroidering frame after the sewing operation is complete. A value to be set for the parametrical item “thread-breakage sensitivity” is the number of stitches for a thread-breakage sensitivity to determine whether or not a thread breakage sensed by a sensor is reliable. A value to be set for the parametrical item “number of stitch-back stitches” is the number of stitches by which a needle is to be returned corresponding to the number of idle stitches subsequent to the thread breakage.
Those parametrical values are set according to a kind of a material to be sewn or the size of an embroidery pattern. The “sewing speed”, “thread-breakage sensitivity” and “number of stitch-back stitches” are set in terms of corresponding numerical values. The “sewable area” and the “stand-by position” are set using a “cursor” or a “marker” on the screen of the display device or monitor.
As described above, to embroider the material with the embroidery sewing machine, preparatory work is required. That is, every time the material is embroidered, the material, (e.g., a sweat shirt or a T-shirt) is set to the embroidering frame, a desired embroidery pattern is selected, and optimal values are set for the plurality of the parametrical items in accordance with a kind of the material and the size of the embroidery pattern. Therefore, when the material is changed, for example, from a sweat shirt to a T-shirt or vice versa, a machine operator sets again the optimal values for the parametrical items anew. In a case where the material is frequently changed, this complicated value setting work is troublesome and lowers the working efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to simplify and quicken the work to set the optimal values of the parametrical items as the sewing conditions on the material-feeding and sewing operations, and hence to improve the efficiency of sewing work.
To achieve the above object, a control system is provided for a sewing machine having input means for inputting characters, symbols and various commands, display means including a display unit, material feeding means for feeding a material to be sewn, sewing means for sewing the material, and control means for controlling the display means, the material feeding means, and the sewing means.
The control system includes:
value setting means for setting a value of each group for at least one parametrical item with respect to at least one of material feeding and sewing operations using the input means and said display means;
name registering means for registering a name assigned to the value of the each group for the at least one parametrical item using the input means and the display means;
value storing means for storing the value of the each group for the at least one parametrical item in relation to the name thus registered by the registering means;
name selecting means for selecting one of a plurality of names, each of said plurality of names being stored in the storing means in relation of the values of a corresponding group for the at least one parametrical item; and
retrieving means for retrieving, from the storing means, the value of a group corresponding to the selected name for the at least one parametrical item.
At least one parametrical item with respect to at least one of material-feeding and sewing operations is set a value of a group distinguished from another group. That is, the value setting means sets a value for at least one parametrical item with respect to the sewing condition group by group using the input means and the display means. The name registering means registers a name assigned to the value of each group for the at least one parametrical item set by the value setting means using the input means and the display means. The value storing means stores the value of the each group for the at least one parametrical item and the name assigned thereto together in a corresponding fashion. The value storing means may be a writable floppy disk, a hard disk, a nonvolatile memory, e.g., a flash memory, contained in or mountable to the machine, a computer connected to the machine, or the like.
The name selecting means can cause the display means to display a list of the names, which have been already stored in the storing means as respective groups. The name selecting means selects a desired or appropriate one of the names depending on a sewing condition. The retrieving means reads out or retrieves, from the storing means, the value of a group for the at least one parametrical item, to which the selected name is assigned. The retrieved value of the group and the name assigned thereto may be displayed on the screen of the display means in association with the at least one parametric item. The value of each group for at least one parametrical item on the material feeding and the sewing operations is stored in association with name assigned to the group. Therefore, the set value for at least one parametrical item, which is the most appropriate to a material to be sewed, can be read out all at one time by merely selecting the name, so that the desired value is set for the at least one parametrical item.
The control system may further includes transferring means for transferring the value of the group for at least one parametrical item, that are retrieved by the retrieving means, to the control means. With the transferring means, the control means can use the set value of the group for at least one parametrical item to control the sewing means, thereby executing a sewing process.
The sewing machine is, preferably, an embroidery sewing machine capable of forming stitches of an embroidery pattern on the material that is set to the embroidering frame. In this case, it is possible to set the value for at least one parametrical item required for forming stitches of an embroidery pattern on the material by the embroidery sewing machine. For example, the value for at least one of parametrical items restricting a movable range of the embroidering frame and defining the movement of the embroidering frame during embroidering operation can be set. Further, the set value can be readily retrieved by simply selecting the name assigned to the g
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Kane, Dalsimer, Sullivan, Kurucz, Levy, Eisele and Richard, LLP
Nerbun Peter
LandOfFree
Sewing machine control system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sewing machine control system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sewing machine control system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2489491