Methods and Devices for Controlling a Tufting Machine for Forming Tufted Carpet
AssigneeShaw Industries Group, Inc.
InventorsNEIL VAUGHAN, MARK HONEYCUTT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a control system for a tufting machine configured for forming tufted carpet. The tufting machine can have a system controller in communication with the tufting machine and with a plurality of yarn feed controllers for controlling operation of yarn feed motors that are configured to supply yarn from a source of yarn to the tufting machine. The system controller is programmable to enable input of a plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles for selected stitches of a programmed pattern to be tufted such that, although at least two of the predetermined yarn feed profiles can be different, substantially the same feed length of yarn is used from each of the plurality of yarns.
Claims32
A control system for a tufting machine for forming patterned tufted articles of the type having a plurality of needles carrying a plurality of yarns into a backing material that passes through the tufting machine at a desired rate, the control system comprising:
- a source of yarns having a plurality of yarns;
- a plurality of yarn feed controllers, each yarn feed controller being configured to control the amount of yarn being supplied to a respective needle;
- and
- a system controller in communication with the tufting machine for controlling operation of the tufting machine and the yarn feed controllers;
- wherein the system controller is programmable to:
- enable input of a plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles for selected stitches of a programmed pattern to be tufted;
- and
- control the operation of the respective yarn feed controllers to feed yarns to the plurality of needles for each selected stitch to be tufted according to the predetermined yarn feed profile,
- wherein at least two predetermined yarn feed profiles of the plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles are different, wherein, for each repeat of the programmed pattern, each yarn of the plurality of yarns has a respective feed length of yarn that is used, and wherein the feed length of each yarn of the plurality of yarns is substantially equal to the feed length of every other yarn of the plurality of yarns.
A control system for a tufting machine for forming patterned tufted articles of the type having a plurality of needles carrying a plurality of yarns into a backing material that passes through the tufting machine at a desired rate, the control system comprising:
- a source of yarns having a plurality of yarns;
- a plurality of yarn feed controllers, each yarn feed controller being configured to control the amount of yarn being supplied to a respective needle;
- and
- a system controller in communication with the tufting machine for controlling operation of the tufting machine and the yarn feed controllers;
- wherein the system controller is programmable to:
- enable input of a plurality of N predetermined yarn feed profiles for selected stitches of a programmed pattern to be tufted;
- index each of the plurality of N predetermined yarn feed profiles to operatively control a different yarn feed controller after every X pattern repeat;
- and
- control the operation of the respective yarn feed controllers to feed yarns to the plurality of needles for each selected stitch to be tufted according to the selected predetermined yarn feed profile,
- wherein, after (N·X) repeats of the pattern repeat, each yarn of the plurality of yarns has a respective feed length of yarn that is used, and wherein the feed length of each yarn of the plurality of yarns is substantially equal to the feed length of every other yarn of the plurality of yarns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.