Needle Patents (Class 112/221)
  • Patent number: 11795594
    Abstract: A thread take-up lever switching mechanism can switch the operation of a thread take-up lever which is interlocked with an upper shaft. The thread take-up lever switching mechanism includes: a cylindrical cam provided on the upper shaft, the cylindrical cam having a plurality of cam surfaces; a contact portion provided on the thread take-up lever, the contact portion contacting a first surface of the plurality of cam surfaces; and a switch for switching the contact portion from a first position of contacting the first surface of the plurality of cam surfaces to a second position of contacting a second surface of the plurality of cam surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: JANOME Corporation
    Inventors: Toyohiro Azuma, Ushio Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11725320
    Abstract: A system and method for tufting sculptured and multiple pile height patterned articles, including controlling placement of yarns fed to the needles of the tufting machine by a yarn feed mechanism to form varying patterns includes a backing support over which the backing is fed, and which lifts/and biases the backing to a raised position. As the backing material is fed through the tufting machine, a series of loopers or hooks engage and pick loops of yarns from the needles. The yarn feed mechanism will be controlled to create a tension in selected loops of yarns, to cause the backing material to be pulled against the bias or spring force applied by the backing support toward the needle plate of the tufting machine to create tufts of different pile heights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.
    Inventor: Wilton Hall
  • Patent number: 11414800
    Abstract: In a sewing machine, an elevating unit is configured to be integrally raised and lowered with a threading lever of a threading apparatus. Furthermore, an operating lever is coupled to a lever interlocking mechanism that interlocks with the rotational operation of the operating lever. Upon pressing threading lever downward from an initial position when operating lever is at an operating position, an elevating unit engages with lever interlocking mechanism. Operating force applied to threading lever is transmitted to operating lever via lever interlocking mechanism, thereby turning operating lever from operating position to non-operating position. Accordingly, even when a presser is at a raised position, by pressing threading lever downward, operating lever is turnable from operating position to non-operating position, thereby allowing presser to return to pressing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: JANOME SEWING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Muneyuki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11136701
    Abstract: A needle bar mechanism includes a needle bar connecting stud, two needle bars, needle bar clutches, clutch levers, needle bar clutch stoppers, and deactivating members provided two by two at the stud; a slider configured to selectively collide with one clutch lever and one deactivating member at the time of lifting of the stud; and an interlocking mechanism configured to interlock the deactivating members such that the deactivating members move opposite to each other in an upper-to-lower direction. According to the needle bar mechanism, the slider comes, at the time of lifting of the stud, into collision with the clutch lever and the deactivating member, so that one needle bar clutch can be switched from a holding state to a release state by the stud while the other needle bar clutch is switched from the release state to the holding state by the stud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: JUKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nguyen Ngoc Tan, Nguyen Le Truong
  • Patent number: 10934648
    Abstract: A needle mounting device mounts a punch needle for needle punching on a needle bar of a sewing machine. The needle mounting device includes an insertion portion, an engaging mechanism, and an affixing portion. The insertion portion has a bar shape and is configured to be inserted into a mounting portion provided in the needle bar for mounting a sewing needle. The engaging mechanism is able to engage with the needle bar at a different position from the insertion portion in an extension direction of the insertion portion. The affixing portion is configured to affix the punch needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideyuki Takahashi, Masaki Yoshida, Nobuhiko Funato
  • Patent number: 10920353
    Abstract: A needle bar 4 is supported by a needle bar supporter in a manner freely movable up and down relative to a frame. A crank 2 is fixed to an upper shaft 1, rotates with the upper shaft 1, and an output end thereof moves circularly. A crank rod 3 is connected to the crank 2 in a freely rotatable manner. A connection rod 8 is connected to an intermediate portion of the crank rod 3 in a freely rotatable manner, and is connected to the needle bar 4 in a freely rotatable manner. A length of the needle bar 4 and a length from a connecting position of the connection rod 8 and the crank rod 3 to a slider 7 differ. When the crank 2 circularly moves, the connecting position of the connection rod 8 and the crank rod 3 draws a trajectory of an ellipse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: JANOME SEWING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuzo Morimoto, Jun Mafune
  • Patent number: 10407811
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a drive shaft rotated by a motor, a cam member fixed to the drive shaft and including a first cam and a second cam, a forked member including a main body member and an auxiliary member, an urging device, and a presser mechanism. At least one of a first cam surface of the first cam and a second cam surface of the second cam is inclined with respect to the drive shaft. The main body member and the auxiliary member are disposed to face each other such that the cam member is clamped between them. The urging device urges the main body member and the auxiliary member in a direction to clamp the cam member. The presser mechanism drives a presser member to hold a cloth, by swinging of the forked member caused by the rotation of the cam member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Ueda, Mitsuhiro Iida, Masayuki Hori
  • Patent number: 10369278
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive mechanism (9) for a needle insertion arrangement (1), the drive mechanism (9) comprising a rotatable wheel (10) with a notch (12) having a closed curve geometry comprising a curved section (12.1) and a linear section (12.2), wherein at least one cross beam (15, 16) is movably arranged and engageable to an injection needle (2) to move it between a retracted position (RP) and an extended position (EP), wherein the cross beam (15, 6) comprises a cam (15.1, 16.1) adapted to engage the notch (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GMBH
    Inventors: Michael Schabbach, Meinolf Werner, Olaf Zeckai, Philippe Nzike
  • Patent number: 10364520
    Abstract: An apparatus for stitching an interior component is disclosed herein. The component having an outer skin layer and the apparatus is a single needle chain stitch machine with a rotary looper and wherein a needle of the apparatus descends through the interior component and a hook of the rotary looper engages a thread loop formed during retraction of the needle after it has descended through the interior component; and wherein the apparatus further includes a mechanism for moving the interior component relative to the needle and looper to establish a stitch length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: INTEVA PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Edward J. Wenzel, Joseph Anthony Massetti
  • Patent number: 10358755
    Abstract: A variable stroke drive system for a tufting machine includes a series of drive assemblies mounted along the frame of the tufting machine. Primary drive shafts extend through the drive assemblies and are each driven by a drive motor. A series of first drive members are mounted to the primary drive shafts and are linked to associated second drive members such that the driving of the first drive members by the primary drive shafts in turn drives the second drive members. Cam arms are connected to the second drive members and to rocker arms to which push rods are mounted, the cam arms being vertically reciprocated by the rotational movement of the second drive members so as to drive the reciprocation of the push rods, and thus the needle bar(s) connected thereto along a desired stroke or reciprocating path of travel. Controlling the rate at which the primary drive shafts are driven enables control of the stroke of the needle bar(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.
    Inventor: Ricky E. Mathews
  • Patent number: 10156035
    Abstract: A shift mechanism for a tufting machine for controlling the transverse, lateral shifting movement of a series of needles of the tufting machine across a backing material for forming a series of cut and/or loop pile tufts of yarns in the backing in accordance with a pattern. The shift mechanism will include a motor controlled rack and pinion shift control assembly having one or more pinions, each driven by a motor, that engage and drive a rack coupled to at least one needle bar of the tufting machine, for controlling the transverse shifting movement of the needles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.
    Inventor: Ricky E. Mathews
  • Patent number: 10151056
    Abstract: A sewing machine that includes a sewing bed on which a plurality of cloth pieces are placed in a manner of being overlaid on each other; a felting needle; a woolen yarn guide provided at a lower end of a safety cover for covering the felting needle; and a device configured to raise and lower the felting needle toward the plurality of overlaid cloth pieces, and the woolen yarn guide is configured to guide a woolen yarn from a bobbin or a woolen yarn ball to a sewing location, and the device is configured to raise and lower the felting needle so that needle felting in which the felting needle is thrusted into the plurality of cloth pieces and the woolen yarn is performed, and thereby the plurality of cloth pieces are sewn together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: AXE YAMAZAKI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Norio Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9822472
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar turning apparatus. The apparatus includes: a needle bar holder swingably held with a fulcrum point as the center of rotation; a swing rod connected to the needle bar holder to transmit a driving force that swings the needle bar holder; a needle bar held by the needle bar holder, which is slidable along the axis and turnable with the axis as the center of rotation, and swingable together with the needle bar holder; a coupling member fixed to the needle bar such that it extends in a direction orthogonal to the needle bar; a guide shaft that extends along the needle bar; and a guide shaft connecting bracket fitted to the coupling member and the guide shaft such that it is movable relative to the coupling member in the coupling member extending direction, and turnable relative to the coupling member with a vertical line extending in the extending direction as the center of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nakajima, Mikio Koike, Yu Noji
  • Patent number: 9809912
    Abstract: Vibration reduction mechanism for a sewing machine. In one example embodiment, a vibration reduction mechanism for a sewing machine includes a rotational counterweight and a reciprocating counterweight. The rotational counterweight is configured to be coupled to a driveshaft of a sewing machine and is configured to be rotated by rotation of the driveshaft. The reciprocating counterweight is coupled to the rotational counterweight. A first portion of the reciprocating counterweight is configured to be rotated by the rotation of the rotational counterweight. A second portion of the reciprocating counterweight is configured to be substantially reciprocated along a length of a structure by the rotation of the rotational counterweight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Handi Quilter, Inc.
    Inventors: James Adelbert McKinney, Bryan K. Ruggles, Gary James Konzak
  • Patent number: 9739001
    Abstract: A sewing machine equipped with a needle threading device, includes: a needle bar supporting frame body on which there is mounted a needle bar that is mounted with a needle having a needle hole; a needle threading shaft that is disposed on the needle bar supporting frame body and is supported vertically movably and also turnably in a peripheral direction; a thread pressing part and a thread holding tool that are provided at a lower end of the needle threading shaft and that hold in a tensioned state a thread opposite the needle hole; and a needle threading tool that is provided at a lower end of the needle threading shaft and that has a hook which reciprocates through the needle hole to pass the thread through the needle hole, wherein the thread holding tool comprises a thread holding surface part that guides and holds the thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: JANOME SEWING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Osanai, Masatoshi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9677210
    Abstract: A system and method for forming synthetic/artificial grass or turf products in which a series of tufts of artificial/synthetic grass filaments or yarns are formed in a backing material with various graphic pattern effects being formed therewith. The system generally will include at least one needle bar having at least one row of needles mounted along a tufting zone and reciprocated through the backing to a desired penetration depth, and will present a desired set or group of yarns to a series of pattern pixels or stitch areas. A series of level cut loop loopers or hooks will be aligned with and will engage the needles in order to form tufts of yarns in the backing material. Clips of the level cut loop loopers will be selectively controlled to control the retention of selected ones of the yarns presented at each pattern pixel. The remaining, non-selected yarns generally are not retained at the pattern pixels, and can be formed as lower pile tufts or removed from the backing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Card-Monroe Corp.
    Inventors: Wilton Hall, Todd Woodall, Ricky E. Mathews
  • Patent number: 9657418
    Abstract: A needle drive assembly for a sewing machine includes a drive shaft rotatable about a drive shaft axis and a needle drive cam operably connected to the drive shaft and rotatable therewith. A needle drive race is slidably connected to the needle drive cam via a cam pin secured to the needle drive cam and at least partially extending through the needle drive race. A needle is assembly affixed to the needle drive race and includes a needle bar and a needle secured to the needle bar. Rotary motion of the drive shaft and needle drive cam about the drive shaft axis is translated into a needle path via the needle drive race, the needle path including a substantially vertical downstroke from a stroke peak to a stroke depth, a horizontal carry portion from the stroke depth and a curvilinear or linear upstroke from the horizontal carry portion to peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: WINDHAM SEWING MACHINES, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony Luberto
  • Patent number: 9610131
    Abstract: Featured is a medical instrument driver, a robotic apparatus embodying such a medical instrument driver and methods related thereto for inserting a medical instrument into tissue of a mammal (e.g., human). Such medical instruments include medical needles, biopsy needles, trocars, cutters and introducers. Such a medical instrument driver according to the present invention is configured and arranged so that medical instrument is rotated as it is being moved longitudinally for insertion into the tissue such that the medical instrument is spiraling as it pierces and traverses the tissue to the target area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Dan Stoianovici, Doru Petrisor, Dumitru Mazilu, Alexandru Patriciu, Lucian Gheorghe Gruionu
  • Patent number: 9605366
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes an upper shaft rotatable so as to drive a needle bar, a lower shaft rotatable so as to drive a hook, an upper-shaft pulley attached to the upper shaft, a lower-shaft pulley attached to the lower shaft, a belt linking the upper-shaft pulley and the lower-shaft pulley, and synchronizing a rotation of the upper-shaft pulley and a rotation of the lower-shaft pulley with each other, a belt adjusting mechanism contacting the belt and changing a belt length at a tensioned side at which the belt is drawn, and a tensioner tensioning the belt in accordance with the change in the belt length of the belt at the tensioned side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Koike, Jun Mafune
  • Patent number: 9467084
    Abstract: A motor-driven appliance system in one aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a motor-driven appliance having a motor, at least one control circuit, and a communication device. The control circuit is configured to execute a process related to control of the motor-driven appliance. The communication device is configured to communicate with an external device. The control circuit is further configured to switch, when at least one predetermined sleep condition is satisfied, from an active mode in which the control circuit performs a normal operation to a sleep mode in which the control circuit stops part of the normal operation to thereby suppress power consumption; and to switch to the active mode when the communication device receives an external wakeup signal transmitted from the external device while the control circuit is in the sleep mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: MAKITA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hitoshi Suzuki, Masafumi Noda, Masaaki Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 9366459
    Abstract: A cryogenic refrigerator includes a compressor having a return end and a suction end that selectively connects to an expansion space, a housing having an assist space that communicates to the return end, a cylinder having one end connected to the housing and another end connected to the expansion space, a displacer that undergoes a reciprocating motion inside the cylinder, and tolerates flow of a working gas to and from the expansion space, and a drive shaft that is accommodated within the housing and drives the displacer. The drive shaft includes first and second parts having different cross sectional areas, sealed and supported by first and second seals, respectively. An end of the first part opposes the housing to form the assist space, and an end of the second part connects to the displacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Takaaki Morie
  • Patent number: 9032889
    Abstract: A sewing apparatus and method therefor includes a drive mechanism, a thread feed mechanism, and a needle engagement mechanism for engaging the thread feed mechanism. The drive mechanism comprises a drive motor configured to transmit power from the drive motor to the needle engagement mechanism such that it drives a needle within a cartridge without moving the entire cartridge. A method and sewing apparatus includes a plurality of thread feed mechanisms and a needle engagement mechanism for selecting and engaging each of the thread feed mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: BROTHER INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Thomas Andrew Payne
  • Patent number: 8919268
    Abstract: A sewing machine needle bar changing device includes a needle bar case having multiple needle bar holes, each of which receives a needle bar and has at least one longitudinal slide way formed on one side thereof; a needle bar case holder located at one side of the needle bar case and having a control guide way, which is engaged with the needle bars and has a longitudinal opening; a needle bar guide member engaged with one needle bar that is moved to a sewing position to align with the longitudinal opening, and brought by a crank link of the sewing machine to move upward and downward synchronously with the engaged needle bar; and a driving mechanism for moving and then holding a selected needle bar to the sewing position. All other needle bars not in the sewing position are restricted by the control guide way from moving axially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Chee Siang Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Man Chuing Chen
  • Publication number: 20140345508
    Abstract: Improved needle bar driving system for sewing machines, that comprises an armshaft rotating with a predetermined speed; a needle bar driving assembly driven by the armshaft and has a needle bar that performs a reciprocating guided linear movement along a substantially vertical axis; a counterweight driving assembly is driven by the armshaft; and a counterweight piston driven by the counterweight driving assembly, and the counterweight piston also performs a reciprocating linear guided movement along an axis parallel to the axis, wherein the movements of the counterweight driving assembly and of the counterweight piston are always opposite to the movement of the needle bar driving assembly and of the needle bar, wherein the combined torque of the counterweight piston and the counterweight driving assembly acting on the armshaft is substantially equal to the combined torque of the needle bar and needle bar driving assembly acting also on the armshaft, but the two torques have opposite direction, whereby the arm
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: INTELLIQUILTER, LLC
    Inventors: Zoltán Kása, László István Lörincz, János Horváth
  • Publication number: 20140261125
    Abstract: A needle drive assembly for a sewing machine includes a drive shaft rotatable about a drive shaft axis and a needle drive cam operably connected to the drive shaft and rotatable therewith. A needle drive race is slidably connected to the needle drive cam via a cam pin secured to the needle drive cam and at least partially extending through the needle drive race. A needle is assembly affixed to the needle drive race and includes a needle bar and a needle secured to the needle bar. Rotary motion of the drive shaft and needle drive cam about the drive shaft axis is translated into a needle path via the needle drive race, the needle path including a substantially vertical downstroke from a stroke peak to a stroke depth, a horizontal carry portion from the stroke depth and a curvilinear or linear upstroke from the horizontal carry portion to peak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Windham Sewing Machines LLC
    Inventor: Anthony Luberto
  • Patent number: 8631750
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a needle bar base, a base frame, a guide member, and a fixing member. A sewing needle is attachable to a lower end portion of the needle bar. The needle bar base is configured to support the needle bar to allow the needle bar to be moved in an up-down direction. A first engagement portion is provided to a lower end portion of the needle bar base. The base frame is configured to swingably support an upper end portion of the needle bar base. A second engagement portion is provided to a lower end portion the base frame. A guide member includes a third engagement portion configured to engage with the first engagement portion and guide movement of the first engagement portion in a predetermined direction and a fourth engagement portion configured to engage with the second engagement portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Hasegawa, Shin Ota, Kenichi Mizuno
  • Patent number: 8468961
    Abstract: A clutch device used to couple/decouple a reciprocating force of a drive member to/from a needle bar in a sewing machine includes an actuating lever actuated by an electromechanical unit to be pivotable between an idle position to disengage from an actuated end of a clutch lever so as to leave a grasp end of the clutch lever in a coupled state, where the grasp end is engaged with a coupled portion disposed on a drive member, thereby transmit the reciprocating force to the needle bar, and an actuating position to be in pressing engagement with the actuated end so as to displace the grasp end to a decoupled state, where the grasp end is disengaged from the coupled portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Zeng Hsing Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shui-Chun Tseng, Hsueh-Hua Liu, Ching-Lin Huang
  • Patent number: 8261679
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar to which a needle is attached, a needle bar rocking mechanism which rocks the needle bar, a needle plate having a needle hole through which the needle is passed, an imaging device which images a lower part of the needle bar, a setting section which sets a range of rocking motion of the needle bar based on an image obtained by the imaging device, and a control device which controls the needle bar rocking mechanism based on the range of rocking motion set by the setting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuki Ihira, Masayuki Iwata, Takashi Hirata
  • Publication number: 20120222594
    Abstract: A sewing apparatus and method therefor includes a drive mechanism, a thread feed mechanism, and a needle engagement mechanism for engaging the thread feed mechanism. The drive mechanism comprises a drive motor configured to transmit power from the drive motor to the needle engagement mechanism such that it drives a needle within a cartridge without moving the entire cartridge. A method and sewing apparatus includes a plurality of thread feed mechanisms and a needle engagement mechanism for selecting and engaging each of the thread feed mechanisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventor: Thomas Andrew Payne
  • Patent number: 8176860
    Abstract: A sewing machine including a needle bar; a sewing needle attached to the lower end of the needle bar; a needle bar drive mechanism vertically driving the needle bar; a presser foot capable of applying releasable pressure on a workpiece cloth and that releases the pressure to allow manual movement and sewing of the workpiece cloth; a regulatory needle including a tip and being capable of assuming a pierced state where the tip is pierced through the workpiece cloth and a non-pierced state, wherein the regulatory needle is moved along with the workpiece cloth while retaining the pierced state of the tip; a regulatory needle drive unit vertically driving the regulatory needle between the pierced state and the non-pierced state in coordination with vertical movement of the sewing needle; and a regulatory needle regulator limiting horizontal movement of the regulatory needle so as not to exceed a predetermined stitch pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akie Shimizu, Hirokazu Hirose, Yuki Ihira, Yoshio Nishimura, Yoshinori Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8151720
    Abstract: An open eye needle including an elongated portion, a tip portion and an open eye portion. The tip portion is attached to the elongated portion. The open eye portion is attached to the elongated portion. The open eye portion includes a tongue portion, an eye region and a channel. The eye region is defined by the tongue portion. The channel extends around the tongue portion and intersects the eye portion. The channel includes a first channel portion and a second channel portion that extends from the first channel portion. The first channel portion is oriented at an acute angle with respect to the second channel portion. The second channel portion is in communication with the eye region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: PST Innovations, LLC
    Inventor: Pamela Turner
  • Patent number: 8096251
    Abstract: A balancer is fixedly attached to a rotary input shaft of a crank mechanism that converts rotary drive of a needle bar drive source to up-and-down motion of a needle bar. The balancer is caused to rotate at substantially an opposite phase with respect to up-and-down motion of the needle bar with the rotary drive of the needle bar drive source. When the balancer is driven at substantially the opposite phase with respect to the up-and-down motion of the needle bar, inertia force in an up-and-down direction of the needle bar, generated due to the up-and-down motion of the needle bar is negated, whereby it is possible to reduce vibration generated in the up-and-down direction. Sewing heads paired with each other by being arbitrarily combined are controlled so as to be rotationally driven to cause rotational directions of the needle bar drive sources to become opposite directions to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Satoru Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120006241
    Abstract: A low cost and easy-to-use sewing machine is provided which is capable of performing free motion sewing. The sewing machine includes a needle bar to which a needle can be mounted, a needle bar vertical moving mechanism, a needle bar swing mechanism causing the needle bar to swing in a lateral direction relative to a longitudinal direction along which a feed dog operates for straight stitch, and a control portion for adjusting a swing amount of the needle bar which is brought into swing movement in the lateral direction by the needle bar swing mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Nishiyama, Akimitsu Kamatsuka
  • Patent number: 8087414
    Abstract: Machine for styling hair in the form of long locks of hair entwined in dreadlocks includes a container body accommodating an electric or pneumatic motor. There is a handle which, in its lower front part, forms a nose through which an interchangeable harpoon needle projects, the needle being provided with at least one traction harpoon and being installed in a particular rotary position with the aid of removable device. The container body has a switch above and behind the nose. The electric or pneumatic motor has a regulator for the speed and has a shaft, which extends parallel to the interchangeable harpoon needle, rotationally coupled to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Inventor: Kelian Gutierrez Ugarte
  • Patent number: 8079318
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sewing machine that naturally enables performing normal sewing work, and that enables skipping a stitch during the sewing work, and furthermore, another object is to provide a sewing machine that enables causing a latching portion and an engaging device of the needle bar to be accurately engaged and disengaged when skipping the stitch during the sewing work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushikikaisha Barudan
    Inventor: Keisuke Kasugai
  • Patent number: 7841283
    Abstract: In the disclosed sewing machine, when a needle threading switch is operated when sewing operation is stopped, a needle bar drive mechanism is activated, a needle threading hook is moved forward to a threading position, and a thread take-up is lowered by predetermined distance by driving a sewing machine motor in reverse rotation after threading a hook portion with a needle thread. Thus, a thread engaging portion of a check spring absorbs loss of required thread amount at the thread take-up and moves from a spring force operable position to a spring force inoperable position. Thus, the needle threading hook retracts to a loop cancel position and the needle thread reliably threads the sewing needle with secure engagement with the needle threading hook when a needle thread end is pulled off from a first thread retaining portion since needle thread is stabilized by absence of needle thread tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kawaguchi, Yasukazu Noguchi, Noriko Kawabe
  • Publication number: 20100242819
    Abstract: A multi-needle sewing machine includes a machine frame side thread guide member fixed to a machine frame and having plural of machine frame side thread guide portions and guide threads drawn from plural thread spools located on a machine frame respectively, plural thread entrances defined in a needle bar case to introduce threads guided by the machine frame side thread guide portions to needle sides of needle bars, respectively, plural intermediate thread guide portions located between the machine frame side thread guide portions and the thread entrances so as to be movable respectively, the intermediate thread guide portions guiding intermediate portions of the threads, and a intermediate thread guide portion moving mechanism moving the intermediate thread guide portions according to movement of the needle bar case during movement of the thread entrances with movement of the needle bar case while the intermediate thread guide portions are spaced from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroaki FUKAO
  • Publication number: 20100224111
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar to which a needle is attached, a needle bar rocking mechanism which rocks the needle bar, a needle plate having a needle hole through which the needle is passed, an imaging device which images a lower part of the needle bar, a setting section which sets a range of rocking motion of the needle bar based on an image obtained by the imaging device, and a control device which controls the needle bar rocking mechanism based on the range of rocking motion set by the setting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Ihira, Masayuki Iwata, Takashi Hirata
  • Publication number: 20100126396
    Abstract: The invention relates to a chain stitch sewing machine comprising stitch-forming sewing elements including at least one needle head (1) and needles (6) arranged on the needle head and at least one gripper shaft and gripper hooks arranged on the gripper shaft, wherein the needles (6) and the gripper hooks respectively form a sewing element pair and are driven in a manner such as to perform preferably chain stitches and especially double chain stitches in a sewing material arranged on a sewing material support, respectively using a needle thread and a gripper thread.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Nähmaschinenfabrik Emil Stutznäcker GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Klaus Stutznäcker
  • Publication number: 20100031860
    Abstract: A sewing machine including a needle bar; a sewing needle attached to the lower end of the needle bar; a needle bar drive mechanism vertically driving the needle bar; a presser foot capable of applying releasable pressure on a workpiece cloth and that releases the pressure to allow manual movement and sewing of the workpiece cloth; a regulatory needle including a tip and being capable of assuming a pierced state where the tip is pierced through the workpiece cloth and a non-pierced state, wherein the regulatory needle is moved along with the workpiece cloth while retaining the pierced state of the tip; a regulatory needle drive unit vertically driving the regulatory needle between the pierced state and the non-pierced state in coordination with vertical movement of the sewing needle; and a regulatory needle regulator limiting horizontal movement of the regulatory needle so as not to exceed a predetermined stitch pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akie Shimizu, Hirokazu Hirose, Yuki Ihira, Yoshio Nishimura, Yoshinori Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7654209
    Abstract: An embroidery machine includes a sewing arm having an upper shaft for providing a driving force, a needle bar support case, which is assembled to a front portion of the sewing arm so as to be laterally movable, a needle bar provided in a needle bar support case, the needle bar having a needle at a lower end thereof and vertically carrying the needle using a rotation driving force of the upper shaft, and a presser foot, which is provided in the needle bar support case so as to be vertically movable, characterized in that each of the needle bar and the presser foot is operated by an individual drive mechanism. The presser foot is separately driven by its own drive source, independent of the drive source of the needle bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Sunstar Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chan Soo Park
  • Publication number: 20100000452
    Abstract: Sewing machine (10) comprising a base (12) with a crochet and a head (14) that comprises a needle support (30), a fabric pressure foot (24) and its adjusting means (26), motor means (28) to make a needle sew together with the crochet, and lever means (32) to turn the rotary motion of the driving means into a vertical reciprocating motion. The needle support (30) in turn comprises at least two needle bars (46, 48) that are moved vertically by said lever means (32), and a connecting element (50) to couple the lever means (32) with at lead a needle bar (46, 48). Each needle bar (46, 48) is coupled with a needle (16, 18) through a respective thread and actuated selectively in the crochet in order to allow the sewing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventor: Carlo GUERRESCHI
  • Publication number: 20090301369
    Abstract: A controller of a sewing machine configured to execute a pre-positioning operation including controlling a needle bar driving mechanism, based on a thickness of a workpiece cloth detected by a thickness detection mechanism and a vertical position of a needle bar detected by a needle bar position detection mechanism, to stop a needle bar at a preset position immediately before a tip of a sewing needle pierces the workpiece cloth, controlling a pressure adjustment mechanism to adjust a pressure of a presser foot at a predetermined pressure that allows movement of the workpiece cloth, and controlling a feed dog switching mechanism to switch a feed dog to an inoperative state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kawaguchi, Hiroshi Yamasaki
  • Publication number: 20090277365
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sewing machine that naturally enables performing normal sewing work, and that enables skipping a stitch during the sewing work, and furthermore, another object is to provide a sewing machine that enables causing a latching portion and an engaging device of the needle bar to be accurately engaged and disengaged when skipping the stitch during the sewing work.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Kabushikikaisha Barudan
    Inventor: Keisuke Kasugai
  • Publication number: 20090101053
    Abstract: A sewing machine including a main shaft; a motor driving the main shaft; a needle bar; a sewing needle attached to a lower end of the needle bar; a needle-bar drive mechanism driven by the main shaft and vertically moving the needle bar; a speed setter setting a rotational speed of the main shaft; a needle-position detector detecting a vertical position of the sewing needle or the needle bar; a main shaft speed detector; a motor controller; and a needle plate; wherein the motor controller executes at least either of a first control decelerating the main shaft below the set rotational speed when the lower end of the sewing needle is above the needle plate, or a second control accelerating the main shaft above the set speed when the lower end of the sewing needle is positioned below the needle plate based on detected results provided by the detectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshio Nishimura, Hirokazu Hirose, Akie Ukai, Yoshinori Nakamura, Masaki Shimizu, Satoru Makino, Kazumi Sai
  • Patent number: 7478606
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sewing machine comprising a needle bar mounted with a needle reciprocating within a predetermined sewing work section, and a needle bar driver to drive the needle bar to reciprocate, the sewing machine further comprising a lifting unit to lift up and down the needle bar to make the needle get out of the sewing work section and reach a predetermined auxiliary work position; and a lifting driver driving the lifting unit to be lifted up and down. Thus, the present invention provides a sewing machine capable of decreasing work inconvenience and enhancing work efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Inbro Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ham-Kyu Park, Il-Gyu Park
  • Patent number: 7475647
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sewing mechanism which is useful for joining fabrics with a brittle thread. The invention provides a sewing mechanism having a needle for stitching a brittle fiber thread through at least one layer of a fibrous fabric, the mechanisms for supplying the sewing thread to the needle on each edge thereof while the needle penetrates the layer or layers of fibrous fabric, thread supply being controlled to equalize the supply on both sides of the needle to prevent axial movement of the thread relative to the needle while the needle moves downwards. The mechanism further supports a revolving spool of a second thread and arranged to insert the second thread through a loop formed by the sewing thread at the remote side of the layer of fibrous fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Shenkar College of Engineering and Design
    Inventors: Amotz Weinberg, Yair Eilam
  • Publication number: 20080216722
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a rotating hook, a lower shaft rotating the rotating hook in synchronization with vertical movement of the needlebar, a lower shaft gear including a helical gear and slidably mounted on the lower shaft, a hook gear including a helical gear capable of mesh engagement with the lower shaft gear and mounted on the rotating hook, a drive force transmission mechanism supporting the lower shaft so that the lower shaft is axially moveable and transmits rotation of the lower shaft to the lower shaft gear, a cam mechanism axially moving the lower shaft gear to adjust at least one of a left encounter timing for seizure of the needle thread loop by the hook beak when the needle occupies a left needle location and a right encounter timing for seizure of the needle thread loop by the hook beak when the needle occupies a right needle location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi YAMASAKI
  • Publication number: 20080216720
    Abstract: An embroidery machine includes a sewing arm having an upper shaft for providing a driving force, a needle bar support case, which is assembled to a front portion of the sewing arm so as to be laterally movable, a needle bar provided in a needle bar support case, the needle bar having a needle at a lower end thereof and vertically carrying the needle using a rotation driving force of the upper shaft, and a presser foot, which is provided in the needle bar support case so as to be vertically movable, characterized in that each of the needle bar and the presser foot is operated by an individual drive mechanism. The presser foot is separately driven by its own drive source, independent of the drive source of the needle bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: SUNSTAR PRECISION CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chan Soo Park
  • Patent number: 7353761
    Abstract: A sewing machine having two needles (8, 9) that are at an angle (alpha) to the vertical axis of a piercer (C) is provided. After the piercer has pierced the item to be sewn with a tip thereof, the needles pierce through vertical slits (27) in the piercer (C). The two needles are driven in a direction of the respective axis thereof, i.e., in a direction of the axes (V1, V2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Inventor: Georg Janouschek