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US 12,331,443 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for auto thread color change
AssigneeInteva Products, LLC
InventorsNicholas Hallstedt, Ramez Habhab, Edward J. Wenzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A needle bar holder for a sewing machine head, including: a revolver configured to hold a plurality of separate needle bars; a motor operably coupled to the revolver for rotating the revolver; and a means for ensuring alignment and stability of the revolver when one of the plurality of separate needle bars are selected for a sewing process.
Claims16
A needle bar holder for a sewing machine head, comprising:
- a revolver configured to hold a plurality of separate needle bars;
- a motor operably coupled to the revolver for rotating the revolver;
- a pneumatic cylinder or electric solenoid for ensuring alignment and stability of the revolver when one of the plurality of separate needle bars are selected for a sewing process;
- and
- a pneumatically actuated lifting plate configured to engage the plurality of separate needle bars and wherein each of the plurality of separate needle bars has a needle bar clamp connected thereto, the pneumatically actuated lifting plate being connected to a pneumatic lift cylinder via a connecting rod, wherein one needle bar clamp is capable of being aligned with an opening of an upper shaft connecting rod clevis through rotation of the revolver and the pneumatically actuated lifting plate remains stationary while the revolver is rotated.
2 more elements
A sewing head for a robot, comprising:
- a needle bar holder, comprising:
- a revolver configured to hold a plurality of separate needle bars;
- a motor operably coupled to the revolver for rotating the revolver;
- a means for ensuring alignment and stability of the revolver when one of the plurality of separate needle bars are selected for a sewing process;
- and
- a plurality of individual spools each providing an upper thread for one of the plurality of separate needle bars, wherein the upper thread is fed from one of the plurality of individual spools through a series of guides and tensioners prior to entering a top end of the needle bar holder, wherein the upper thread that is fed from the plurality of individual spools is routed through tubing that runs from a spool mount guide bracket to a top plate of the needle bar holder, wherein the upper thread is then routed to one of a plurality of individual thread tensioners located below the top plate of the needle bar holder, and the upper thread is routed through a guide manifold after it has passed through the one of the plurality of individual thread tensioners, wherein the top plate, the plurality of individual thread tensioners and the guide manifold are configured to rotate with the revolver to eliminate thread entanglement.
3 more elements
A sewing head for a robot, comprising:
- a needle bar holder, comprising:
- a revolver configured to hold a plurality of separate needle bars;
- a motor operably coupled to the revolver for rotating the revolver;
- a means for ensuring alignment and stability of the revolver when one of the plurality of separate needle bars are selected for a sewing process;
- a plurality of individual spools each providing an upper thread for one of the plurality of separate needle bars, wherein the upper thread is fed from one of the plurality of individual spools through a series of guides and tensioners prior to entering a top end of the needle bar holder;
- and
- a swiper arm configured to engage a thread connected to one of the plurality of separate needle bars and wherein rotational movement of the swiper arm causes the thread to be engaged by a spring clip secured to a spring clip arm that is separately secured to the revolver.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.