Electronically geared sewing machine

A sewing apparatus comprising:

• a needle;
• a needle drive unit for moving the needle in a sewing motion;
• a bobbin;
• a bobbin drive unit for moving the bobbin in a sewing motion;
• a first servo motor connected to drive the needle drive unit;
• a second servo motor connected to drive the bobbin drive unit;
• a needle monitor for producing a needle monitor signal substantially continuously corresponding to the position of said needle;
• a bobbin monitor for producing a bobbin monitor signal substantially continuously corresponding to the position of said bobbin;
• said needle, needle drive unit, bobbin, bobbin drive unit, first servo motor, second servo motor, needle monitor, and bobbin monitor comprising a first sewing head;
• data acquisition and control means including a motion controller having multiple axes of control for receiving and responding to said needle and bobbin monitor signals for electronically gearing said bobbin to said needle so that said needle and bobbin travel in positional unison sufficient to produce a stitch;
• and
• input means connected to said data acquisition and control means for inputting commands to control the operation of the sewing apparatus.

A method for electronically gearing a plurality of sewing parts on a sewing machine wherein said plurality of sewing parts comprises at least one needle and one bobbin, said method comprising the steps of:

• designating one of said sewing parts as a master part;
• designating all nonmaster sewing parts as slave parts;
• initializing said sewing parts to a home position;
• monitoring the positions of said sewing parts to produce monitor signals substantially continuously corresponding to the positions of said sewing parts;
• directing said monitor signals to a controller having multiple control axes;
• producing master commands and slave commands in said controller, said master commands being based upon a desired movement of the master part and said slave commands being based upon the monitor signals representing the position of said master part;
• commanding movement of said master part in response to said master commands;
• and
• commanding movement of said slave parts in response to said slave commands moving said slave parts as a function of the monitored position of said master part so that said master and slave parts operate substantially in unison.

A sewing apparatus for sewing a thread through a material, comprising:

• a sewing needle for sewing the thread through the material;
• a needle motor drivingly connected to the needle for driving the needle through a range of needle positions in a reciprocating motion to sew the thread in the material;
• a needle drive connected to the needle motor for providing power to the needle motor;
• a bobbin for hooking the thread as the needle sews the thread in the material;
• a bobbin motor drivingly connected to the bobbin for driving the bobbin through a range of bobbin positions in a reciprocating motion to sew the thread in the material;
• a bobbin drive connected to the bobbin motor for providing power to the bobbin motor;
• a handwheel;
• a needle monitor for producing needle monitor signals substantially continuously corresponding to the position of the needle;
• a bobbin monitor for producing bobbin monitor signals substantially continuously corresponding to the position of the bobbin;
• a handwheel monitor for producing handwheel monitor signals substantially continuously corresponding to the position of the handwheel;
• and
• a controller responsive to the handwheel, needle, and bobbin monitor signals to control the needle and bobbin motors to move the needle and bobbin in their range of reciprocating motion in response to motions of the handwheel.

A sewing apparatus for sewing thread in material, said sewing apparatus including a frame having a needle mount positioned adjacent to but spaced apart from a sewing base, said sewing apparatus comprising:

• a stationary needle unit fixedly mounted on the needle mount of the frame in a spaced apart relationship with the sewing base for sewing a thread in material that is presented at the base, said needle unit comprising:
• a needle for carrying the thread;
• a needle drive unit for moving the needle in a sewing motion;
• a stationary bobbin unit fixedly mounted on the frame adjacent to the frame in a spaced apart relationship with said stationary needle unit, said bobbin unit comprising:
• a bobbin including a hook for engaging the thread carried by the needle;
• a bobbin drive unit for moving the bobbin in a sewing motion;
• a first servo motor fixedly mounted on the needle mount of the sewing apparatus frame proximate to the needle drive unit and connected to drive the needle drive unit and move the needle in a reciprocating motion along the longitudinal axis of the needle to pierce and penetrate material positioned adjacent to the sewing base and carry the thread through the material to a position adjacent to the bobbin;
• a second servo motor mounted on the sewing apparatus frame proximate to the bobbin drive unit and connected to drive the bobbin drive unit in a sewing motion causing the hook on the bobbin to engage the thread carried by the needle through the material;
• a needle monitor substantially continuously monitoring the needle position and for producing a needle monitor signal substantially continuously corresponding to the position of said needle;
• a bobbin monitor substantially continuously monitoring the bobbin position and for producing a bobbin monitor signal substantially continuously corresponding to the position of said bobbin;
• wherein said needle unit, bobbin unit, first servo motor, second servo motor, needle monitor, and bobbin monitor comprise a first sewing head;
• data acquisition and control means including a base computer interfaced with at least one controller, said base computer for controlling the operation of said controller and downloading instructions into the controller corresponding to a stitch pattern and speed of stitching, said controller being responsive to the downloaded instructions to control the first sewing head to sew the downloaded stitch pattern at the downloaded speed, said controller being responsive to the substantially continuous monitor signals to electronically gear the first and second servo motors to move the needle and bobbin in unison sufficient to stitch;
• and
• means for moving the material relative to the fixed sewing base, needle and bobbin while the material is being sewn by said first sewing head including means to control the movement of said material so that the movement of the material is substantially stopped while the needle is penetrating the material so that movement of the material does not interfere with the sewing action of the needle and bobbin;
• and
• a user interface connected to said data acquisition and control means for inputting user commands.