Knit design system and a method for designing knit fabrics
AssigneeShima Seiki Manufacturing, Ltd.
InventorsKenji Kotaki, Hidekazu Kitada, Kiyoshi Minami
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Each design data of intarsia, jacquard, and structural stitches is separately stored and independently processed. Each design data is stored in an internal data format where one pixel is allocated to each loop and is compensated for the aspect ratio of loops by affine transformation before being displayed on a monitor. Similarly input coordinates from a stylus are inputted in a coordinate system corresponding to the internal data format and then converted into monitor address with coordinate affine transformation.
Claims17
A knit design system, comprising:
- at least a frame memory for storing at least two separate images representing knitting data, said knitting data specifying stitch types of loops of a knit fabric, wherein the at least two separate images form a knit design;
- a monitor for independently displaying each separate image of said at least two separate images;
- and
- an external input means for independently modifying said each separate image and for inputting said each separate image into said frame memory.
A knit design system comprising at least a frame memory for storing the design image of a knit fabric being accessible by address designation, the design image including plural loops without being compensated their aspect ratio, a monitor for displaying the design image being accessible by address designation, at least an external input means for modifying the design image,
- aspect ratio compensation means for compensating the design image according to the aspect ratio so that an image after the compensation is displayed on the monitor
- means for inputting input data from the external input means both on the monitor where the aspect ratio is compensated and in the frame memory where the aspect ratio is not compensated and
- wherein the means for inputting data comprises an internal address generating means for generating an address in the frame memory and a monitor address generating means for generating an address in the monitor.
A knit design system comprising;
- loop form determining means for determining the yarn species to be used, the loop form, and the loop position of each loop, values along the loop, and overlap of one loop and another loop, according to design data of a knit fabric,
- yarn model storing means for storing at least a yarn model for each yarn species in the knit fabric, loop model generating means for producing segments by cutting out at least one of the yarn model, giving the segments the values along the loop, bending the segments according to the loop form, and composing the resultant segments into a loop model,
- a frame memory means for storing the loop simulation image of the knit fabric, said image comprising plural loop models positioned according to the determined loop positions,
- mask generating means for generating a mask representing the overlap of a loop and another loop according to the determined overlap,
- drawing means for drawing each loop model into the frame memory means with at least one said mask while preserving portions of said another loop to be exposed, and
- a monitor for displaying the loop simulation image.
A knit design system comprising;
- a frame memory means for storing the design image of a knit fabric,
- wherein the knit fabric has plural loops, and each loop is allocated with a predetermined number of pixels in the frame memory,
- input means for inputting a dress pattern image into the frame memory as a part of the design image,
- means for modifying the design image memory,
- means for compensating the aspect ratio of the loops for the design image for producing a monitor image,
- a monitor for displaying the monitor image,
- means for converting the design image into the control data of a knitting machine,
- loop simulation means for generating a quasi image of the knit fabric to be knitted and for displaying the quasi image on the monitor based upon the control data,
- the loop simulation means comprising a memory for storing yarn model images, generating means for generating a loop model image representing forms and values of the loops using at least one of the yarn model images, and another frame memory means for storing the loop simulation image including the loop model images during the loop simulation,
- and mesh mapping means for making a mannequin image in the loop simulation image with mapping the loop simulation image onto the mannequin image.
A knit design method for designing a knit fabric with displaying the design image of the knit fabric on a monitor, comprising
- storing at least two separate design images into which the design image is divided according to stitch species in the design,
- displaying one of the separate images on the monitor, and
- displaying a composed image of the separate images on the monitor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.