Quilting method and apparatus using frame with motion detector
OwnerRalph J. Koernerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A frame is provided for mounting a fabric layer stack and retaining it in a substantially taut condition. The frame is supported for manually guided movement beneath a fixedly located stitch head and a detector is provided to produce signals representing the magnitude of frame translation, and thus the magnitude of stack translation. The detector signals are applied to control circuitry to actuate the stitch head at a rate related to stack translation speed. The frame is supported by bearings; wheels, slides, etc, which permit the frame to be freely manually guided across a frame supporting surface beneath the stitch head.
Claims15
An apparatus for free motion stitching and for inserting stitches of uniform length through a stack of one or more fabric layers as said stack is manually guided in a substantially horizontal plane, said apparatus comprising:
- a fixedly located stitch head including a needle mounted for cyclic vertical movement;
- a bed defining a substantially horizontally oriented first planar surface mounted opposite to said stitch head;
- a frame configured to retain said fabric layer stack in a substantially taut condition adjacent to said first planar surface;
- at least one bearing supporting said frame for manually guided movement to move said stack across said first planar surface;
- a detector for producing one or more signals representing the magnitude of translational movement of said frame;
- and
- control circuitry responsive to said detector signals indicating a magnitude of translational movement exceeding a threshold magnitude for causing said needle to execute a cyclic movement from an up position remote from said stack, to a down position piercing said stack, and back to said up position.
A method of forming successive stitches of uniform length while free motion stitching through a stack of fabric layers, said method comprising:
- mounting an actuatable stitch head at a fixed location above a planar surface;
- mounting a stack of fabric layers to a frame;
- manually moving said frame to guide said stack across said planar surface;
- detecting the movement of said frame;
- and
- actuating said stitch head in response to a magnitude of frame movement greater than a threshold magnitude to cause a needle in said stitch head to move from an up position remote from said stack, to a down position piercing said stack, and back to said up position.
A method of forming successive stitches of uniform length while free motion stitching through a stack of fabric layers, said method comprising:
- mounting an actuatable stitch head at a fixed location above a planar surface;
- mounting a stack of fabric layers to a frame;
- manually moving said frame to guide said stack across said planar surface;
- detecting the movement of said frame;
- and
- controlling said stitch head to cause a needle to execute cyclic movements at a rate proportional to the speed of movement of said frame.
An apparatus for free motion stitching and for inserting stitches of uniform length through a stack of one or more fabric layers as said stack is manually guided in a substantially horizontal plane, said apparatus comprising:
- a fixedly located stitch head including a needle mounted for cyclic vertical movement;
- a bed defining a substantially horizontally oriented first planar surface mounted opposite to said stitch head;
- a frame configured to retain said fabric layer stack in a substantially taut condition adjacent to said first planar surface;
- at least one bearing supporting said frame for manually guided movement across a substantially horizontally oriented second planar surface to move said stack across said first planar surface;
- a detector for measuring the movement of said frame across said second planar surface;
- and
- control circuitry for causing said needle to execute cyclic movements at a rate substantially proportional to the rate of frame movement measured by said detector.
Apparatus for use in combination with a sewing machine which includes a drive subsystem configured to cycle a needle through a path of vertical movement from an up position to a down position and back to said up position, said apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- means for removably securing a stack of one or more fabric layers to said frame;
- bearing means mounting said frame for hand guided movement across a planar surface;
- detector means for producing signals representing the magnitude of translational movement of said frame across said planar surface;
- and
- means for coupling said signals to said drive subsystem to synchronize the cycle rate of said needle to the translational movement of said frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.