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US 10,655,254 B2Granted
Knitting machine with electronic auxiliary component
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsStuart W. Dealey, Adrian Meir, Gagandeep Singh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A knitting machine may include a needle bed and a carriage that is movable along the needle bed. The carriage may be configured to engage at least one feeder to move a dispensing area of the feeder along the needle bed while dispensing a yarn, where the carriage includes an interface for providing power to an auxiliary component.
Claims17
A knitting machine, the knitting machine comprising:
- a first needle bed having a plurality of first needles and a second needle bed that is parallel to the first needle bed, the second needle bed having a plurality of second needles;
- and
- a carriage that is movable along the first needle bed and the second needle bed, the carriage configured to engage at least one feeder to move a dispensing area of the feeder along the first needle bed and the second needle bed while dispensing a yarn;
- and
- an auxiliary transport device that is movable along the first needle bed and the second needle bed,
- wherein the auxiliary transport device is independently movable relative to the carriage, and
- wherein the auxiliary transport device includes a first sensor and a second sensor, wherein the first sensor monitors the first needles and wherein the second sensor monitors the second needles.
4 more elements
A knitting machine, the knitting machine comprising:
- a needle bed;
- and
- an auxiliary transport device, the auxiliary transport device configured to move along a rail of the knitting machine such that an end of the auxiliary transport device moves along a needle bed,
- wherein the end of the auxiliary transport device includes at least one electronic auxiliary component,
- wherein the auxiliary transport device includes a sensor configured to detect a needle of the needle bed, and
- wherein the auxiliary transport device is movable relative to a carriage of the knitting machine.
3 more elements
An auxiliary transport device for a knitting machine, the auxiliary transport device comprising:
- an upper portion configured to couple to a rail of the knitting machine such that the auxiliary transport device is movable along a first needle bed and a second needle bed of the knitting machine, and such that the auxiliary transport device is movable relative to a carriage of the knitting machine;
- and
- a first sensor and a second sensor fixed to the upper portion, wherein the first sensor monitors needles of the first needle bed, and wherein the second sensor monitors needles of the second needle bed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.