Abstract: A system, device and method to facilitate tying a knot are provided. In the context of a device, the device includes a fixture defining an internal passage therethrough. The fixture defines a circumferential groove opening through an interior surface of the fixture and into the internal passage. The groove includes first and second groove portions that cross one another. Opposite ends of the groove are coincident and open through an exterior surface of the fixture. With relation to a system, the system includes a fixture and a lead member supply mechanism configured to alternately feed a lead member through the groove and to withdraw the lead member from the groove once the tie member is connected thereto.

Abstract: An apparel patternmaking software that allows the user to select from a plurality of templates for a variety of slopers that can be used to create a customized, made to measure digital sewing pattern for various articles of clothing. The user is asked to provide measurements that can be manually measured or imported from a body scanner or both. Further, the user is prompted to review a list of default, pre-defined design choices for how to adjust a sloper based on the relationship of the inputted measurements with each other (e.g., if the waist is wider than the hip measurement or if the waist is narrower than the hip measurement). The user is allowed to add new conditions and default design choices to edit and alter the sloper. The sloper is automatically adjusted to accommodate the entered set of measurements.

Abstract: A medical protective garment including a pair of front fabric pieces, a pair of rear fabric pieces, a headgear fabric piece and a weldable zipper is provided. Each of the front fabric pieces includes an integral front body part, an integral front trouser and an integral front sleeve that are connected to each other. Each of the pair of rear fabric pieces includes an integral rear body part, an integral rear trouser and an integral rear sleeve that are connected to each other. Heat welding lines are formed on joints of the headgear fabric piece, the front fabric pieces and the rear fabric pieces. The weldable zipper includes a pair of zipper strips, and a material of the pair of zipper strips can be heat welded to any one of the pair of front fabric pieces, the pair of rear fabric pieces or the headgear fabric piece.

Abstract: A system allows a user to create new designs for apparel and preview these designs before manufacture. Software and lasers are used in finishing apparel to produce a desired finishing pattern or other design. The system provides three-dimensional previews of their designs on a mannequin or other surface, using light projection techniques.

Abstract: A controller acquires sewing data for sewing an applique piece on a sewing target material, the applique piece having a shape having a hole, the hole being a closed area surrounded by at least part of the applique piece, identifies a contour of the applique piece while distinguishing an inner contour and an outer contour, the inner contour being the contour defining the hole of the applique piece, the outer contour being the contour other than the inner contour, determines, based on the acquired sewing data, whether an inner stitch and an outer stitch are arranged at positions closer to each other than a particular distance or at positions overlapping each other, and outputs an error notification in response to determining that the inner stitch and the outer stitch are arranged at positions closer to each other than the particular distance or at positions overlapping each other.

Abstract: A knot stretcher for use in tightening splice knots that connect twine balls on an agricultural baler. The knot stretcher includes a pair of pulling bars connected at pulling bar pivot at one end of each of the pulling bars, and a pair of levers, where one of the pair of levers is attached in a middle section of its respective pulling bar. Each lever has a handle portion at one end and an arm portion extending from an elbow formed in the lever. Each lever attaches to its respective pulling bar with a fixed pivot located near the elbow and distal ends of the arm portions of the two levers are attached at a moving pivot. The knot stretcher has clamping jaws positioned on the pulling bars to securely clamp a respective one of the twine tails of the splice knot that is to be tightened.

Abstract: Various examples are provided related to attachment of bands about a garment opening. In one example, among others, a sleeve band can be attached to a garment by loading the sleeve band on a band guide, aligning an opening of a garment over the sleeve band, and attaching the band to the garment along the edge of the opening. Alignment of the edges of the opening and the sleeve band can be maintained by ply aligners during attachment. In another example, a garment holding system includes a garment holder that can receive a garment and a band positioning system includes a band guide that can receive a band. Edges of the opening of the garment and the band can be controlled and maintained with ply aligners of the band positioning system.

Abstract: A device for autonomously folding a deformable article includes a rotatable platform configured to receive the deformable article and at least one movable elongation in operable communication with at least one elongation drive. The at least one movable elongation is configured to raise and lower from the surface of the rotatable platform, move parallel to the surface, and manipulate the deformable article to thereby fold the deformable article at one of the one or more fold lines. The device includes a table drive configured to rotate the rotatable platform about a central axis such that the at least one elongation aligns with one of the one or more fold lines, and at least one sensor configured to detect the deformable article position and orientation on the rotatable platform. A controller is in operable communication with the at least one elongation drive, the table drive, and the at least one sensor.

Abstract: A foldable hanger may include a body equipped with a hanging element with a firm arm and a movable arm pivotably attached to the body, wherein said body further contains a spike and arresting pin slidable along the spike and exerting a force on the arresting pin, wherein the arresting pin has a shank with a relief snapping to an arresting groove of a sliding-block guide which moves between open and closed positions and contains a guiding slot for a shank of the arresting pin and allowing free movement of a relief of the arresting pin; an arresting groove at the closed end of the guiding slot accommodating the relief; a flexible element exerting a force on the sliding-block guide; sliding-block guide cogs coordinating with cogs at the proximal end of the movable arm; wherein the sliding-block guide is adapted for movement between a closed position and an open position.

Abstract: A twine disk for a mechanical knotter of a hay bailer has four vee shaped V-notches each formed with a hook portion and two substantially straight edge portions to enable tying twine knots with either two strands or with four stands using the same knotter.

Abstract: The sports jacket comprises at least one a closable vent (2) in the forearm region (1) of each sleeve on that side which is determined to lie adjacent to the inner side of the forearm. The vents (2) are each equipped with a zipper. Inside the vents an opening is provided in the lining (7) of the sleeve covered with an air-permeable textile fabric (4). The opening may be framed by a spring-loaded ring profile, which keeps the opening open in its relaxed state and forces it into a slit by way of closing the zipper. Alternatively, said opening is framed by a straight, spring-loaded profile which keeps the opening closed in its relaxed state. By means of twisting a turn-lock fastener (5) with pulling cables, the top ends of said profile are being brought closer together to its bottom ends against the spring force, thus spanning the enframed opening.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes an upper with an outer layer, an elastic layer, and a lacing system. The outer layer extends through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear and covers, at least partially, a medial side and a lateral side of the article of footwear. The elastic layer extends through the midfoot region and the heel region of the article of footwear and covers, at least partially, an instep region of the article of footwear. The lacing system extends, at least partially, across the instep region, and the outer layer includes a first elasticity and the elastic layer includes a second elasticity at least three times greater than the first elasticity.

Abstract: An article of footwear includes a sole structure including a chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid, the chamber having a top portion, a bottom portion, and side portions around a periphery of the chamber. The sole structure also includes a central structure located in a central portion of the chamber between opposing side portions of the chamber, such that the chamber is devoid of additional structures in a surrounding region around the central structure and extending from the central structure to the side portions of the chamber. On all sides of the central structure, a dimension of the surrounding region between the central structure and the nearest side portion is one third or more of a span across the chamber between opposing side portions.

Abstract: A hanger is provided that remains relatively stable and does not rotate in a direction a hanging rod extends from which the hanger is suspended. The hanger comprises a top hook which is configured with multiple straight sides with adjacent straight sides connected at angles, wherein two adjacent sides are connected at an angle via a high point, wherein the high point is a highest point of the top hook. The two adjacent straight sides connected via the high point are arranged to contact the hanging rod on opposing sides when suspended from the hanging rod. The top hook is connected to one or more arms which are connected to base. The base includes a wavy portion which includes one or more peaks and one or more low points, wherein a first low point is configured at a midpoint of the base and the first low point is in line with the high point of the top along a centerline.

Abstract: The present invention provides an embroidery frame having at least three sections. The three sections are base section, an alignment section, and a retention section. The alignment section is configured to be positioned on the base section prior to the positioning of the retention section thereon. The retention section is configured to be engaged with the alignment section such that the alignment of the retention section with the base section is determined by the alignment of the alignment section with the base section. At least one of the alignment section and the retention section is configured to be magnetically attached to the base section.

Abstract: A cross beam for a clothing shaking device, a clothing shaking device and a piece of clothing care equipment. The cross beam includes a body and an elastic clamping member arranged on the body, with the elastic clamping member being configured to be able to clamp a clothes hanger tightly in an elastic manner. The elastic clamping member is arranged on the cross beam, the clothes hanger is clamped and fixed by the elastic clamping member, that is to say, the elastic clamping member can clamp the clothes hanger tightly in an elastic manner by means of its own elasticity, such that the stability of the connection between the clothes hanger and the cross beam can be improved, and the clothes hanger is prevented from falling off of the cross beam when the clothing care equipment is in operation.

Abstract: Devices and related methods for, among other things, maintaining the warp/weft threads of a backing layer of material (e.g., fabric) in a fixed orientation while being sewed are described and provided.

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.

Abstract: A utility garment has a front garment portion adapted for positioning at a wearer's chest, a rear garment portion adapted for positioning at a wearer's back, the front portion and rear portion being removably detachable at a plurality of attachment facilities, each attachment facility including a front facility portion connected to the front garment portion and a rear facility portion connected to the rear garment portion, at least a first one of the front facility portion and the rear facility portion comprising first and second bodies, the first body defining a first cable passage and the second body defining a second cable passage, the first cable passage and the second cable passage being registered with each other and adapted to receive a single cable, and the first body and second body being spaced apart from each other to define a latch receptacle space.

Abstract: Stitching patterns overlap to produce a corner-locked stitch pattern. The corner-locked stitch pattern includes one or more thread interlace points, and one or more overlays of threads from overlapping patterns. A network of corner-lock stitch patterns produces a mesh, which may be embroidered into a substrate, such as a medical textile or biotextile. Corner-lock stitch patterns resist puncture-induced and tension-induced deformation of mesh pores between corner-locked stitch patterns, and may be used to modulate compliance and enhance strength properties of a substrate into which they are sewn.