Patents Assigned to Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
  • Patent number: 6382119
    Abstract: A multineedle embroidering sewing machine comprising at least one sewing machine head provided with a plurality of needle bars and a plurality of thread take-up levers corresponding to the needle bars, needle thread deflecting sections, respectively, arranged upstream of the respective thread take-up levers existing in needle thread paths, and thread take-up members provided correspondingly on the respective needle thread deflecting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Isao Ohashi
  • Patent number: 6352043
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a plurality of needle bars. One of the needle bars can be selected and reciprocally driven so as to stitch a desired embroidery pattern. The sewing machine has a common setting mode and an individual setting mode, which permits various operating conditions to be either commonly set for all the needle bars or individually set for one or more of the needle bars. If the common setting mode has been selected, the same operating conditions can be commonly set for all the needle bars. If the individual setting mode has been selected, the operating conditions can be set individually for each needle bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Masaru Akao, Yuji Sato
  • Patent number: 6330864
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a frame for supporting a fabric to be sewn and a drive device for moving the frame. The drive device includes an X-drive mechanism for moving the frame in X-direction and a Y-drive mechanism for moving the frame in Y-direction that is perpendicular to the X-direction. Each of the X-drive mechanism and the Y-drive mechanism preferably includes a linear motor as a drive source. A machine table is positioned below the frame. The linear motor of each of the X-drive mechanism and the Y-drive mechanism is disposed below the machine table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ikuo Tajima
  • Patent number: 6295941
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for feeding accurately a material to be stitched in a sewing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ikuo Tajima
  • Patent number: 6293214
    Abstract: A sewing machine frame drive device capable of precisely conveying on an X-Y coordinate plane a frame, on which an article being sewn is set, comprising X-direction drive units (6) and Y-direction drive units (7) for imparting driving forces to a frame (5) of various types, on which an article being sewn is set, the units being composed of screw rods (11) rotatingly driven by motors (23) in alternate directions, and moving bodies (12) threaded on the screw rods (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ikuo Tajima
  • Patent number: 6263817
    Abstract: The present invention provides an embroidery auxiliary member that is superimposed on a base fabric, embroidered together with the base fabric by embroidery yarn, and thereafter removed. The embroidery auxiliary member is made of a tetrachloroethylene soluble material and includes a spacer and a support sheet. The spacer is utilized for forming a hollow three-dimensional embroidery pattern using embroidery yarn and has a predetermined thickness. The support sheet is utilized for supporting the base fabric during an embroidering operation. A method of embroidering by using the spacer comprises the steps of placing the spacer on the base fabric, sewing the base fabric through the spacer using the embroidering yarn, and dissolving the spacer with tetrachloroethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Shunzo Nanba
  • Patent number: 6247419
    Abstract: A multineedle embroidering sewing machine comprising at least one sewing machine head provided with a plurality of needle bars and a plurality of thread take-up levers corresponding to the needle bars, needle thread deflecting sections, respectively, arranged upstream of the respective thread take-up levers existing in needle thread paths, and thread take-up members provided correspondingly on the respective needle thread deflecting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Isao Ohashi
  • Patent number: 6152058
    Abstract: A thread cutting device is provided in a sewing machine that is operable to form stitches on a fabric using an upper thread and a lower thread. The thread cutting device may include a fixed knife and a movable knife cooperating with each other to cut either one or both of the upper and lower threads. The movable knife may be operable to cut the upper thread at a first timing and to cut the lower thread at a second timing that is different from the first timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Satoru Suzuki, Tomoki Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 5915316
    Abstract: An embroidering and laser processing machine including at least one sewing head, one laser head and one laser generator, a work holder mounted on a machine table capable of movement in an X-axis and Y-axis direction according to predetermined movement data, the laser generator being on-off controlled according to laser cut codes which are included in the predetermined movement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Takashi Ito, Takashi Shibata
  • Patent number: 5755170
    Abstract: A thread cutting device in a sewing machine includes a fixed knife and a movable knife cooperating with each other to cut a thread. The movable knife is movable to bring a part of the thread to extend below the fixed knife for the cutting operation. A thread protection member is operable to support the thread so as to prevent the thread from breakage prior to the cutting operation through cooperation between the fixed knife and the movable knife. The thread protection member is formed separately from the fixed knife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Tomoaki Anezaki, Masayoshi Hirate
  • Patent number: 5706747
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a sewing head having a sewing needle to be vertically reciprocally driven, and a shuttle base having a shuttle to be rotatably driven in synchronism with the vertical movement of the sewing needle for forming stitches. A machine frame includes a pair of support posts spaced laterally from each other, an upper frame having greater rigidness for mounting the sewing head thereon, and a lower frame having greater rigidness and disposed below the upper frame for mounting the shuttle base thereon. Each of the upper frame and the lower frame extends between the pair of support posts and is fixed thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Minao Fukuoka
  • Patent number: 5655470
    Abstract: A sewing machine has at least one sewing head having a presser foot which is vertically reciprocally moved by a predetermined stroke in synchronism with a vertical movement of a needle bar. After completion of the sewing operation, an upper thread is cut in a position spaced by a suitable distance from a sewing needle mounted on the needle bar. A refuge mechanism is operable to move the presser foot to a refuge position for giving refuge to a part of the upper thread on the side of the sewing needle cut after completion of the sewing operation. The refuge position is out of the predetermined stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Satoru Suzuki, Youichi Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 5623887
    Abstract: A thread cutting device in a sewing machine includes a movable knife which is movable across a space between a throat plate and a shuttle positioned below the throat plate so as to perform a thread cutting operation. A lower thread retreating lever is movable from a waiting position to an operative position for retreating a lower thread taken out from the shuttle to a position out of a thread cutting orbit of the movable knife. The thread cutting device is operable in either a thread cutting mode for cutting both an upper thread and a lower thread or a thread cutting mode for cutting only the upper thread by selectively positioning the lower thread retreating lever at either the waiting position or the operative position during the operation of the movable knife. An actuator and an interlocking mechanism between the actuator and the lower thread retreating lever are provided for driving the lower thread retreating lever. The actuator and the interlocking mechanism are positioned rearwardly of the shuttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Tomoaki Anezaki, Masayoshi Hirate, Masaru Akao
  • Patent number: 5615628
    Abstract: A sewing machine has a sewing head which includes a needle bar drive mechanism for vertically reciprocally moving a needle bar, a presser foot drive mechanism operable to vertically move a presser foot in synchronism with the vertical movement of the needle bar, a direction control mechanism operable to pivot the presser foot about the needle bar for controlling a direction of the presser foot to a predetermined direction, and a guide member drive mechanism operable to reciprocally pivot a guide member. The guide member is adapted to guide a cord-like material to be sewn on a work. The presser foot drive mechanism, the direction control mechanism and the guide member drive mechanism have a first drive source, a second drive source and a third drive source, respectively, provided independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Kenji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5553560
    Abstract: A sewing machine serves to form stitches on a curved work fabric by an upper and a lower thread through cooperation of a shuttle and a needle vertically reciprocally driven. The sewing machine includes a holder device for retaining the work fabric to be sewn. The holder device is supported by a support device and is rotatably within a plane in parallel to X axis. The support device is movable in a direction of Y axis. The X axis and the Y axis are perpendicular to each other within a plane extending substantially perpendicular to the driving direction of the needle. The holder device is rotated by an X axis drive mechanism within the plane in parallel to the X axis. The support device is moved by a Y axis drive mechanism in the direction of the Y axis. The holder device serves to retain the work fabric so as to provide a sewable area for substantially the entire circumferential surface of the work fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Terutada Kojima, Tomoaki Anezaki, Masayoshi Hirate, Shigeo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5474001
    Abstract: In an embroidery machine according to the present invention, at least one of driving mechanisms required for embroidery sewing has a driving source independent of the other driving mechanisms, and a control device is provided to control the driving source and those of the other driving mechanisms to be synchronously driven. With this construction, as for the driving mechanism having the independent driving source, since an interlocking mechanism can be omitted, the construction can be simplified, so that vibrations or noises can be reduced. Further with a control signal from the control device, a timing of operation of the driving mechanism having the independent drive source can be freely determined according to the embroidery mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Minao Fukuoka, Takashi Ito, Satoru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5331909
    Abstract: A presser foot and needle drive device in an embroidery machine includes a drive mechanism and a control device for vertically reciprocally moving a presser foot between upper and lower dead center. The control device operates the drive mechanism according to patterns of presser foot movements which are determined for specific sewing conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Satoru Suzuki, Youichi Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 5327840
    Abstract: In a sewing machine having a needle bar and a shuttle driven by a main shaft and having a thread take-up lever vertically reciprocally movable in response to movement of the needle bar and the shuttle, a thread take-up lever driving device include a stroke adjusting device for adjusting a vertical stroke of the thread take-up lever in response to change of the sewing operation or in response to the material of a work fabric to be sewn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Satoru Suzuki, Youichi Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 5261338
    Abstract: An embroidery machine includes a sewing head, a rotary ring rotatable around an axis and movable relative to the sewing head, and a work support frame for supporting a work to be embroidered. A lever is pivotaly supported by the rotary ring. An engaging member is mounted on one end of the lever for engagement with an engaging hole formed on the work support frame so as to fix the work support frame in position relative to the rotary ring. A biasing member biases the lever in a direction in which the engaging member engages with the engaging hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1993
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Tomoaki Anezaki, Masayoshi Hirate
  • Patent number: 5131340
    Abstract: A thread cutting device includes a movable knife positioned below a throat plate and movable from a first position to a thread cutting position via a second position for separating the upper fabric thread and the upper needle thread from each other within the range where the movable knife may engage the upper fabric thread and the upper needle thread but may not engage or cut the lower thread. The movable knife includes an engaging portion for engagement with the upper needle thread on the side toward the second position and a cutting edge on the opposite side. The movable knife also includes a thread separating portion for separation of the upper fabric thread and the upper needle thread between the needle hole and the bobbin holder from each other toward the cutting edge and the engaging portion, respectively, when the movable knife moves from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Assignee: Tokai Kogyo Mishin Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ikuo Tajima, Tomoaki Anezaki, Masayoshi Hirate