Computerized stitching including embroidering
AssigneeMelco Industries, Inc.
InventorsPeter Kern, Joseph Keating, Victor Rhodes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stitching apparatus with thread tension control is provided. Tension in a thread is monitored during stitching apparatus operations, and remedial action is taken in response to the detection of an anomaly in the thread tension profile. The remedial action can include altering a feed rate of the thread in order to adjust the thread tension, and/or repeating a previous operation. Anomaly detection can be performed with respect to stitching or sewing operations, and also with respect to trim operations performed in connection with moving between elements and/or thread color changes.
Claims24
A method for controlling thread tension in a stitching apparatus, comprising:
- monitoring tension in a thread;
- determining said thread tension within a first time window;
- determining a stitching apparatus operation being performed during said first time window;
- in response to a deviation of said determined thread tension from an expected thread tension for said stitching apparatus operation, taking a first action.
A stitching apparatus, comprising:
- a first thread;
- a thread tension sensor, wherein a tension in said first thread is sensed;
- a first thread feeder assembly;
- memory, wherein said memory stores instructions for adjusting thread tension during stitching apparatus operations;
- a controller, wherein said instructions for adjusting thread tension during stitching apparatus operations stored in said memory are executed by said controller, wherein said controller provides a control signal to said thread feeder assembly, wherein an output from said thread tension sensor is provided to said controller, wherein said output from said tension sensor over time comprises a thread tension profile, and wherein in response to an anomaly detected in said thread tension profile said controller generates a remedial action signal.
A system for controlling thread tension in a stitching apparatus, comprising:
- a first thread;
- means for sensing a tension of said first thread;
- means for feeding said first thread;
- means for controlling said means for feeding a first thread to control said tension in said first thread, wherein in response to detecting an anomaly of a first type during a stitching operation a first remedial action is taken, and wherein in response to detecting an anomaly of a second type during one of a move and a color change a second remedial action is taken.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.