US 5,181,176 AGranted

Embroidery data preparing apparatus

AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorAtsuya Hayakawa

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Abstract

An apparatus for preparing stitch position-related data utilized by an embroidery sewing machine, including a direction determining device for determining a reference direction with respect to an area to be embroidered, based on outline data representative of an outline of the area, the outline data including sets of position data representative of specific positions located on the outline, a block defining device for defining straight first aid lines which are perpendicular to the reference direction and each of which passes a corresponding one of the specific positions located on a first portion of the outline, and thereby dividing the area and the outline into a plurality of first blocks and a plurality of first segments, respectively, each of the first blocks being enveloped by corresponding two first aid lines and corresponding two first segments, a block modifying device for modifying the each first block by selecting, as a division base position, one of the specific positions which cooperates with the specific position associated with at least one of the two first aid lines of the each first block to define, in place of the at least one first aid line, a division line which passes the associated specific position and the division base position, and a data producing device for producing the stitch position-related data based on the each modified first block.

An apparatus for preparing stitch position-related data utilized y an embroidery sewing machine to embroider a predetermined area by forming stitches at respective stitch positions and thereby filling the area with the formed stitches, comprising:

direction determining means for determining a reference direction with respect to said area based on outline data representative of an outline of said area, said outline data including a plurality of sets of position data each of which is representative of a corresponding one of a plurality of specific positions predetermined on said outline;
block defining means for defining a plurality of straight first aid lines which are perpendicular to said reference direction and each of which passes a corresponding one of the specific positions located on a first portion of said outline and intersects a second portion of said outline different from said first portion, and thereby dividing said area and said outline into a plurality of first blocks and a plurality of first segments, respectively, each of said first blocks being enveloped by corresponding two of said first aid lines which are opposed to each other and corresponding two of said first segments which are opposed to each other;
block modifying means for modifying said first blocks by selecting, as a division base position, on of the specific positions located on said second portion of said outline which one specific position cooperates with each of the specific positions located on said first portion of said outline and associated with said first aid lines to define, in place of the first aid line passing said each associated specific positions, a division line which passes said each associated specific position on said first portion of said outline and said division base position on said second portion of said outline;
data producing means for producing as said control data stitch position-related data based on the modified blocks, said stitch position-related data relating to said stitch position where said stitches are formed to fill said area;
and
data utilization means for using the stitch position-related data to form the stitches.

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Abstract

Claims20