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US 12,624,484 B2Granted
Tufted articles, and systems and methods for making same
AssigneeShaw Industries Group, Inc.
InventorKim K. Amos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein are various systems and methods for forming tufted articles using a hollow needle tufting machine. The systems and methods can be used for tufting different types of yarns, such as turf yarns, staple yarns, or yarns having a denier greater than 5000. A system can have a pair of guides and a clevis movable between the pair of guides. The clevis defines an opening therethrough. The clevis and pair of guides are configured to engage a yarn to so that the yarn contacts only exterior surfaces of the pair of guides.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- forming a tufted article by tufting, by a hollow needle tufting machine, at least one yarn through a backing,
- wherein the hollow needle tufting machine comprises a system, the system comprising:
- a pair of guides spaced along a first axis;
- and
- an arm that is reciprocally linearly movable along a second axis between the pair of guides, wherein the arm defines a through bore through which a first yarn of the at least one yarn extends,
- wherein forming the tufted article further comprises retracting the first yarn from a needle of the hollow needle tufting machine by moving the arm along the second axis from a first position to a second position, and
- wherein the first yarn contacts only exterior surfaces of the pair of guides.
4 more elements
A method of using a hollow needle tufting machine, the method comprising:
- applying a first pressure of above 90 psig through a manifold bar of the hollow needle tufting machine for feeding a yarn therethrough;
- and
- applying a needle injector pressure to a needle injector of the hollow needle tufting machine to advance the yarn through a hollow needle of the hollow needle tufting machine, wherein the needle injector pressure applied to the needle injector is above 90 psig,
- wherein the hollow needle tufting machine further comprises a system, the system comprising:
- a pair of guides spaced along a first axis;
- and
- an arm that is reciprocally linearly movable along a second axis between the pair of guides, wherein the arm defines a through bore through which the yarn extends;
- and
- wherein the method of using the hollow needle tufting machine further comprises retracting the yarn from a needle of the hollow needle tufting machine by moving the arm along the second axis from a first position to a second position, and
- wherein the yarn contacts only exterior surfaces of the pair of guides.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.