US 5,178,080 AGranted

Fabric position correcting device

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorsEtsuzo Nomura, Kohichi Akahane, Hirosumi Ito, Hirokazu Takeuchi

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Abstract

A fabric position correcting device for correcting relative position of two fabrics in terms of alignment in at least one of outer profile lines and patterns of the fabrics. A pair of fabric holders are provided which respectively hold first and second fabrics. The holders are movable in X, Y directions, and angularly rotatable about a vertical axis for moving the respective fabrics. A pair of image sensors are provided for picking up at least one of outer profiles and patterns of the respective fabrics. Data from the image sensors are utilized for computation of moving distance and angular rotation angle of the holders in order to eliminate misalignment between two fabrics in terms of at least one of the profiles and patterns.

Claims73

Dependent claims

A fabric position correcting device for correcting a position of at least one fabric lying in a horizontal XY plane comprising:

fabric holding means for holding at least a portion of a fabric, the fabric holding means being movable in X and Y directions in the XY plane and also angularly movable about a vertical axis so as to move the fabric to a desired position in the XY plane;
actuating means connected to the fabric holding means for moving the fabric holding means in the XY plane and angularly moving the fabric holding manes about the vertical axis;
imaging means for imaging at least a portion of the fabric which is placed in a predetermined imaging range in the XY plane, the imaging means producing image signals;
memory means connected to the imaging means for storing image data converted from the image signals;
processing means for detecting at least one of an outer profile line and a pattern of the fabric based on the image data retrieved form the memory means and computing an error distance in the X and Y directions and an error angle about a vertical axis extending from the detected one of the outer profile line and the pattern from a preset position;
control means connected to the actuating means for controlling the actuating means to correct the position of the fabric until the error distance and the error angle computed by the processing means are eliminated while the fabric is being held by the fabric holding means;
and
selection means connected to the memory means for selecting one of detections to be carried out in the processing means among the outer profile line, the pattern of the fabric, and both the outer profile line and the pattern of the fabric.

5 more elements

A fabric position correcting device for correcting a position of at least one fabric lying in a horizontal XY plane comprising:

fabric holding means for holding at lest a portion of a fabric, the fabric holding means being movable in X and Y directions in the XY plane and also angularly movable about a vertical axis so as to move the fabric to a desired position in the XY plane;
actuating means connected to the fabric holding means for moving the fabric holding means in the XY plane and angularly moving the fabric holding means about the vertical axis;
imaging means for imaging at least a portion of the fabric which is placed in a predetermine imaging range in the XY plane, the imaging means producing image signals;
memory means connected to the imaging means for storing image data converted from the image signals;
processing means for detecting an outer profile line of the fabric base don the image data retrieved from the memory means and computing an error distance in the X and Y directions and an error angle about a vertical axis extending from the detected outer profile line form a preset position;
and
control means connected to the actuating means for controlling the actuating means to correct the position of the fabric until the error distance and the error angle computed by the processing means are eliminated while the fabric is being held by the fabric holding means.

4 more elements

A fabric position correcting device for correcting a position of at least on fabric lying in a horizontal XY plane comprising:

fabric holding means for holding at least a portion of the fabric, the fabric holding means being movable in X and Y directions in the XY plane and also angularly movable about a vertical axis so as to move the fabric to a desired position in the XY plane;
actuating means connected to the fabric holding means for moving the fabric holding means in the XY plane and angularly moving the fabric holding means about the vertical axis;
imaging means for imaging at least a portion of the fabric which is placed in a predetermined imaging range in the XY plane, the imaging means producing image signals;
memory means connected to the imaging means for storing image data converted from the image signals;
processing means for detecting an outer profile line and a pattern of the fabric based on the image data retrieved from the memory means and computing an error distance in the X and Y directions and an error angle about a vertical axis extending from the detected outer profile line and the pattern from a preset position;
and
control means connected to the actuating means for controlling the actuating means to correct the position of the fabric until the error distance and the error angle computed by the processing means are eliminated while the fabric is being held by the fabric holding means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.