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US 12,338,563 B2Granted
Close stitch hopping foot
AssigneeGracewood Management, Inc.
InventorsJim Matthews Bagley, Karla Gerome
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hopping foot assembly for a sewing machine having a needle comprises a hopping foot base and a hopping foot arm. The hopping foot base is shaped to include a needle opening that extends axially therethrough relative to an axis. The hopping foot arm extends from the hopping foot base. The hopping foot arm is configured to be coupled to the sewing machine to fix the hopping foot base relative to the sewing machine.
Claims20
A hopping foot assembly for a sewing machine having a needle, the hopping foot assembly comprising:
- a circular hopping foot base shaped to include an outer surface and an inner surface;
- the inner surface defining a needle opening that extends axially through the circular hopping foot base relative to an axis of the hopping foot assembly to allow the needle to extend into and out of fabric during use of the sewing machine;
- a hopping foot arm that extends axially from the hopping foot base relative to the axis of the hopping foot assembly and configured to be coupled to the sewing machine to fix the hopping foot base relative to the sewing machine;
- and
- a rotating ruler guide coupled to the inner surface of the hopping foot base in the needle opening to define a portion of the needle opening,
- wherein the rotating ruler guide engages an edge of a ruler at two point-contact locations spaced apart from each other on either side of the needle so that the needle is located adjacent to the edge of the ruler and rotates about the axis of the hopping foot assembly relative to the hopping foot base to maintain engagement of the rotating ruler guide with the edge of the ruler at the two point-contact locations to allow a user to follow a path defined by the edge of the ruler with the needle of the sewing machine during use of the sewing machine.
3 more elements
A hopping foot assembly for a sewing machine having a needle, the hopping foot assembly comprising:
- a ruler;
- a circular hopping foot base shaped to include an outer surface and an inner surface;
- the inner surface defining a needle opening that extends axially through the circular hopping foot base relative to an axis of the hopping foot assembly to allow the needle to extend into and out of fabric during use of the sewing machine;
- a hopping foot arm that extends from the hopping foot base and configured to be coupled to the sewing machine to fix the hopping foot base relative to the sewing machine;
- and
- a rotating ruler guide coupled to the hopping foot base in the needle opening and configured to engage an edge of the ruler at two point-contact locations spaced apart from each other on either side of the needle,
- wherein the rotating ruler guide is configured to rotate about the axis of the hopping foot assembly relative to the hopping foot base to maintain engagement of the rotating ruler guide with the edge of the ruler at the two point-contact locations during use of the sewing machine.
4 more elements
A hopping foot assembly for a sewing machine having a needle, the hopping foot assembly comprising:
- a hopping foot base shaped to include a needle opening that extends axially therethrough relative to an axis of the hopping foot assembly;
- a hopping foot arm that extends from the hopping foot base and configured to be coupled to the sewing machine to fix the hopping foot base relative to the sewing machine;
- and
- a rotating ruler guide coupled to the hopping foot base in the needle opening and configured to engage an edge of a ruler at two point-contact locations other on either side of the needle,
- wherein the rotating ruler guide is configured to rotate about the axis of the hopping foot assembly relative to the hopping foot base to maintain engagement of the rotating ruler guide with the edge of the ruler at the two point-contact locations during use of the sewing machine, and
- wherein the rotating ruler guide comprises:
- a bearing coupled to the hopping foot base and configured to rotate about the axis of the hopping foot assembly;
- and
- a guide attachment coupled to the bearing to rotate therewith, the guide attachment comprising:
- a guide-attachment body shaped to define a portion of the needle opening;
- and
- a pair of guide arms that each extend radially inward from the guide-attachment body toward the needle of the sewing machine on opposite sides of the guide-attachment body, the pair of guide arms configured to engage the edge of the ruler at the two point-contact locations.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.