Patents Examined by John Calvert
  • Patent number: 7438093
    Abstract: Cutting device for a face-to-face weaving machine, comprising a cutting knife and an upper (2) and a lower cutting rail (3) with an intermediate distance (13) which may be adjusted by means of one or several screw means (3, 7), the device comprising at least one first screw means (3) having a first (4) and a second threaded part with a mutually opposite screw thread having practically the same pitch, each threaded part (4, 5) being designed in order to move a respective cutting rail as to height in the opposite direction, because of which the almost central position of the cutting knife with respect to the upper (2) and the lower (1) cutting rail is maintained, with the same deviation, when adapting the adjusted height of the jaw to a new height of the jaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: N.V. Michel Van de Wiele
    Inventors: Dominique Maes, Jo Hullebusch
  • Patent number: 7124782
    Abstract: A weaving machine having an apparatus for tucking in one or more weft thread ends (2?a) and for forming a cloth edge (10) as well as a shed forming apparatus for forming a shed (14) with a shed apex (14a). The apparatus for tucking in one or more weft thread ends (2?a) includes an air tucker (4) which is arranged outside the cloth width (12) and at least one additional blowing nozzle (6) which is arranged within the cloth width (12), and the jet direction (6a) of which is oriented towards the shed apex (14a) in order to be able to blow the weft thread ends (2?a) into the shed apex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Sultex AG
    Inventors: Hans-Dieter Scorl, Anton Kuehne
  • Patent number: 7124783
    Abstract: A rapier for a rapier loom comprises:—a low mass self-tightening rotary clamp with its axis of rotation aligned to the direction of maximum acceleration;—a collapsing pivot linkage that converts the force used to close the self-tightening clamp into the force used to open it;—a piezo-electric trigger device system that controls the change of state of the collapsing pivot linkage wherein the device is charged at the start of the insertion cycle and discharged at the centre of the loom to change the state of the system; and an electronic circuit comprising a photo-transistor that is connected with the piezo-electric of the trigger system such that when a suitable level of light is introduced to the device the actuator becomes discharged
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: PBT (IP) Limited
    Inventors: Simon Powell, Paul Michael Weaver
  • Patent number: 7114527
    Abstract: A method achieves highly constant energy in the operation of a loom and shedding machine with separated drive technology, and ensures the run-up in one weft insertion for the loom and if necessary also for the shedding machine. The control arrangement controlling the electric motor drive of the loom and shedding machine includes a computer arrangement which, depending on machine and/or weaving technical data, determines the applicable size of the moment of inertia of a non-inherent inertial mass with which at least the shedding machine is to be equipped, and the at least one non-inherent inertial mass is arranged in such a manner, so that the determined size of the moment of inertia becomes effective in the operation of the shedding machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Lindauer Dornier Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventors: Dietmar Von Zwehl, Michael Lehmann
  • Patent number: 7055443
    Abstract: The present invention provides an embroidering machine which is made up of a thread station at which a plurality of spools of different colored threads are installed; a frame on which a work-piece is carried in tension mode; an embroidery stitching mechanism having a plurality of needles to which the colored threads are routed, respectively, and stitching the work-piece with the colored thread routed to a selected needle; a color recognizing device for recognizing the color of each of the threads routed to the respective needles; data reading means for reading embroidering data relating to the embroidering pattern; a comparing device matching a color indication included in the embroidering data with the color of each of the threads which is recognized by the color recognizing device, the comparing device selecting one of the threads to which the thread of the matched color is routed for determining the selected needle; and a control device for controlling the selected needle of the embroidery stitching mechan
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisaharu Goto, Mikio Furuichi
  • Patent number: 6983771
    Abstract: A feeding device for a mechanical weaving machine, including a winding element which can be driven in a rotating manner, a stationary storage, and at least one stop element. The stop element can be axially and radially moved in relation to the storage body, between an unwinding position releasing thread yarn and a stop position wherein the stop element is applied to the foremost winding and which ends the weft insertion. A yarn clamp is arranged downstream from the stop element, which initiates the respective weft insertion, and which can be switched between a passive position and a clamping position. The storage body has a small diameter, and the stop element is moved axially to the stop position solely by the windings due to a transport motion of the windings on the storage body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Iropa AG
    Inventors: Björn Halvarsson, Patrik Magnusson, Anders Svanström
  • Patent number: 6964067
    Abstract: An eye protection device is disclosed herein. The eye protection device includes a face frame, a lens frame, and a means for pivotally coupling the lens frame to the face frame, wherein the lens frame is selectively positionable with respect to the face frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Inventor: James Hartman
  • Patent number: 6961957
    Abstract: A ballistic vest having a front panel and a rear panel attached to each other by releasable connectors. The front and rear panel each have a ballistic package having a plurality of sheets of ballistic material and a semi-rigid frame structure attached to the layers of the ballistic material. The frame structure has a plurality of members defining openings in the frame structure wherein the frame structure absorbs energy from a projectile entering the sheets of ballistic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Safari Land Ltd., Inc.
    Inventor: Richard A. Carlson
  • Patent number: 6953063
    Abstract: A method of operating a weaving machine and a shedding machine aims, to achieve so-called soft starts and soft stops, in particular, of the shedding machine. The weaving machine is equipped with an electromotive main drive and the shedding machine is equipped with an electromotive auxiliary drive. In the method the shedding machine is started at a time point (t1) that lies before the starting time point of the weaving machine, and, upon a triggered interruption of the weaving process, a shedding machine comes to the standstill at a time point (t5) that lies after the standstill time point (t4) of the weaving machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Lindauer Dornier Gesellschaft mbH
    Inventors: Valentin Krumm, Dietmar Von Zwehl, Michael Lehmann, Dieter Mayer
  • Patent number: 6948438
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sewing machine having a pattern selecting device including a pattern selecting dial and an electronic indicator for indicating a pattern selected by the pattern selecting device. More particularly, the pattern selecting device includes a mode switch 2 which is rotated by a pattern selecting dial 5 and has a plurality of switches Sw arranged in coaxial circles, a plurality of projections 2c arranged in coaxial circles, and an electronic indicator 10. A pattern is optionally selected by the projections 2c and switches Sw which are turned on in optional combination by rotation of the mode switch 2, and the selected pattern is indicated at the electronic indicator 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Takahashi, Takehiro Kodama, Shunichi Okaya, Koshiro Omiya
  • Patent number: 6945283
    Abstract: A measuring apparatus for the measurement of the cloth tension in weaving machines comprises a probe element and a guide part to which the probe element is connected in order to guide the probe element. The measuring apparatus furthermore comprises a holder to which the guide part is secured and a sensor element which is in contact with the probe element in such a manner that a force which acts on the probe element causes a corresponding change in the sensor element. In this the guide part is attached at one side to the holder, the probe element is spaced from the attachment of the guide part, and the measuring apparatus is executed as a module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Sulzer Textil AG
    Inventors: Dietmar Markward, Erich Gasser
  • Patent number: 6928663
    Abstract: A goggle clip (10) that may be used to rotatably or pivotally secure a strap (12) to a goggle (14) with a concealed hinge. The clip (10) broadly comprises a main body (24) located outside a shroud (20) of the goggle (14) and secured to the strap (12), an axle (26) located inside the shroud (20), and a forwardly extending skirt (30) that substantially conforms to the shroud (20). The skirt (30) preferably maintains close proximity to the shroud (20) during rotation of the clip (10). Thus, the skirt (30) forms an aerodynamic seal with the shroud (20), thereby diverting airflow away from the hinge and preventing wind, dust, dirt, and other contaminants from interfering with the hinge's operation. Furthermore, the skirt (30) and the location of the axle (26) conceal the hinge, thereby providing a more aesthetically appealing goggle (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Bushnell Performance Optics
    Inventor: Marc Tappeiner
  • Patent number: 6931299
    Abstract: A micro-control apparatus for circular knitting machines that operates through the request of a host end including an input unit to provide operating functions, a processing unit to command input, output and communication, a communication unit to provide a communication interface and a control unit to control circular knitting machine operations. The processing unit integrates the functions of the input unit, communication unit and control unit to form the microcontroller. The processing unit thus designed can improve the overall speed and response time of circular knitting machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Pai Lung Machinery Mill Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ping-Shih Wang
  • Patent number: 6925946
    Abstract: An embroidery machine can simultaneously embroider sewing objects having various shapes, including a flat object, an object having a shape of a usual processed cloth, an object having a shape of a cap, etc. The embroidery machine comprises a plurality of sewing heads grouped into at least two working groups, and the embroidering frames, each of which is arranged for one of the working groups. The embroidering frames have structures either identical to each other or different from each other. Therefore, one conventional embroidery machine can simultaneously embroider more than one kind of sewing objects, including at least two of a flat sewing object, a tubular sewing object, and a cap-shaped sewing object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Sunstar Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Doo-Hwa Kang
  • Patent number: 6925350
    Abstract: A garment facility produces custom-made garments according to the body contour and the fit preferences of a customer. Marked pieces designed by a tailor are recorded, along with inspection marks, and sent to a cutting machine as digital design data. The inspection marks in the digital design data are used to ensure proper cutting of the custom-made garment pieces. The completed custom-made garment is also inspected using the inspection marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Inventor: John S. Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6907810
    Abstract: A braiding apparatus for braiding the perforated braids with constant interval of perforations comprises a first braid section to braid one strand with a plurality of yarns, sequential braid section to braid with two strands and secondary sequential braid section to braid a final strand with the previous process of the strands. This braiding apparatus comprises a carrier guide plate (10) having a pair of core yarn holes (12), a plurality of coupling boles (13), two tracks of carrier contours (14), a base plate (40) having a plurality of carriers (20), feed gears (30), feed discs (31), feed gear shafts (32), actuators (42), carrier contour changers (50) including a main block (60), intermediate cross block (70) and inner split block (80) for performing repeated crossing and separating operations. So, the various braids with constant interval of perforations are possibly produced by differ the number of core yarns and carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Inventor: Im Sun Kim
  • Patent number: 6874437
    Abstract: A head control device and its control method for a multi-head embroidery machine having a plurality of heads are disclosed. The present invention provides a head control device and its control method for a multi-head embroidery machine having a plurality of heads. The head control device comprises a central control unit controlling a whole system, the central control unit outputs a control signal for controlling a drive state of the respective head in response to an operation of an operator, so that the plurality of heads are selectively driven, and a embroidery task is performed by the selected head; and at least one head control unit for controlling the drive state of the respective head in response to the control signal from the central control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Sunstar Precision Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Do Wan Kim
  • Patent number: 6863091
    Abstract: The shed of a fluidic weaving loom is not changed simultaneously for all warp threads, but rather continuously starting at the weft entrance and continuing helically, so to speak, to the exit of the warp shed. This sequential shed closure takes place with a so-called domino effect along a helical line curved in space, whereby additional time is gained for stretching the inserted weft thread and temporarily stopping the shed formation or shedding is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Staubli Faverges
    Inventor: Adnan Wahhoud
  • Patent number: 6845284
    Abstract: A method and system for designing circularly knitted garments are provided. The method includes designing a model of the circularly knitted garment, stretching the model from a first size to a second size, and governing the stretching with one or more user definable rules. The system includes a circular knitting machine, a controller for controlling the circular knitting machine with a machine code, a tool for saving a model of the circularly knitted garment as a first output, and a conversion program for converting the first output into the machine code. The tool has a stretching function for changing a size of the first output using one or more user selected rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Sara Lee Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey Bingham, David Bruner, Jeffery Hurley
  • Patent number: 6834603
    Abstract: An apparatus for attaching a gusset to a panel includes a gusset folder that receives and folds a gusset material to form the gusset. The panel is supported by a sewing table. A sewing machine is positioned relative to the sewing table so as to be able to sew the gusset to the panel. A gusset guides the gusset toward a selected edge of the panel so that the gusset is held in substantial alignment with the edge of the panel. An edge detector detects when a next edge of the panel is approaching the sewing machine. A turning mechanism is positioned along the sewing table and is moveable into engagement with the panel. The turning mechanism turns the panel relative to the sewing machine when the edge detector detects the next edge of the panel is approaching the sewing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Atlanta Attachment Company
    Inventors: Elvin C. Price, Preston B. Dasher, John S. Chamlee, Van H. Nguyen, Danny V. Murphy, George A. Price, Stephen S. Ruderman