Abstract: A sewing machine for sewing a stitch into an article is provided. The sewing machine includes a support structure, a first head and a second head. The first head is coupled to the support structure and includes a coupler contained within a second actuator assembly and 360° rotatable relative to the support structure and a first stitching element rotatable with the coupler and translatable via a first actuator assembly relative to the coupler. The second head is coupled to the support structure and includes a coupler contained within the second actuator assembly and 360° degree rotatable relative to the support structure and a second stitching element rotatable with the coupler via the first actuator assembly.

Abstract: A foam rubber structure, with a base portion with a first rectangular cross-section, a first bevel portion with a first triangular cross-section superjacent the base portion, a first closure region at a first end of the foam rubber structure, and a second closure region at a second end of the foam rubber structure, a first portion of a hook and loop fastener attached to the first closure region, and a second portion of the hook and loop fastener attached to the second closure region, wherein the first closure region has a second rectangular cross-section that is different than the first rectangular cross-section, a second bevel portion with a second triangular cross-section different from the first triangular cross-section, the second closure region has a third rectangular cross-section different than the first rectangular cross-section, and a third bevel portion with a third triangular cross-section different from the first triangular cross-section and different from the second triangular cross-section.

Abstract: A sewing frame unit is provided. The sewing frame unit includes a frame support structure; a frame assembly affixed to the frame support structure; a machine carriage assembly mounted on the frame support structure. The machine carriage assembly provides for lateral and longitudinal movement of the sewing machine. A sensor is mounted on the machine carriage assembly or on the frame assembly for detecting a position of the sewing machine.

Abstract: In a needle plate, a needle plate hole is configured to include a hole-side cutting side that cuts a cutting target object together with a blade portion, and a relief side that allows a cut portion of the cutting target object to escape. Specifically, the needle plate hole has the hole-side cutting side that shears the cutting target object together with a blade-side cutting side of the blade portion, and the relief side that forms a gap between the blade portion to be inserted and the relief side. In this manner, in the former stage of cutting processing, the cutting target object can be cut by the hole-side cutting side and the blade-side cutting side.

Abstract: Presented are automated manufacturing systems for fabricating engineered textiles, footwear and apparel formed with such engineered textiles, methods for making such engineered textiles, and memory-stored, processor-executable instructions for operating such manufacturing systems. An automated manufacturing system constructs engineered textiles from workpieces composed of superposed, unwoven wires. The system includes a movable end effector bearing a stitching head and an image capture device. The stitching head has a thread feeder and sewing needle to generate stitches. The image capture device captures images of the workpiece and outputs data indicative thereof. A system controller receives this image capture device data and locates, from the captured image of the workpiece, gaps defined between quadrangles of the superposed wires.

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, using light projection techniques.

Abstract: Various examples are provided related to processing and handling of products. In one example, among others, a material product holding system includes a product holding assembly and a structure supporting the product holding assembly, the structure coupled to the positioning assembly. The product holding assembly can include support arms and a positioning assembly that can adjust positioning of the support arms with respect to each other to engage with at least a portion of a product supported by the support arms. In another example, a method include engaging support arms with a surface of at least a portion of a product, the support arms tensioning the product, positioning the support arms to load the product on a workstation, contracting the support arms to remove the tension, processing the product, re-engaging the support arms after completion of the processing, and unloading the product from the workstation.

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: Weaving equipment may include warp strand positioning equipment that positions warp strands and weft strand positioning equipment that inserts weft strands among the warp strands to form fabric. The fabric may include insulating strands and conductive strands. The conductive strands may be coupled to electrical components. The warp strand positioning equipment may position the warp strands to form a shed. Component insertion equipment may be used to insert electrical components into the shed. The weaving equipment may have a reed. The reed may be used to help position an electrical component in the fabric. The weaving equipment may have take-down equipment and individually controllable warp fiber positioning and tensioning devices.

Abstract: A clothes hanger having a hook section, a hanger section, and a flexible section, configured to connect the hook section and the hanger section. The hanger section having first and second shoulders that include respective first and second tabs at respective lateral ends of the shoulders. The lateral ends are separated by a space without a pants rod connecting the lateral ends. The flexible section includes a strap with a length and a flexibility to allow moving the hook section above or below the hanger section to be positioned in a symmetry plane of the hanger section while the hook section and the hanger section are connected by the flexible section.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, the invention relates to a computer implemented method for grading a pattern from a first size to a second size, the pattern comprising one or more panels, the method comprising the steps of a representation step comprising representing each panel of the one or more panels by a contour, wherein a contour comprises one or more segments, a constraint step comprising imposing constraints on segments for grading to the second size; generating a mesh of each panel of the one or more panels thereby obtaining a first set of meshes; combining the first set of meshes with the constraints into a system of equations; solving the system of equations into a second set of meshes, wherein the contours of the second meshes correspond to the pattern in the second size and representing the contours of the second set of meshes.

Abstract: An exemplary embroidery accessory for a sewing machine includes a spool, a support, and a mechanism for rotating the support. The spool receives a length of embroidery material and dispenses the material as it rotates about a first axis of rotation. The support is rotatably attached to both the attachment portion and to the spool. The support includes a sewing guide with an opening for a needle of the sewing machine and a dispensing guide near the spool for guiding the embroidery material from the spool to the sewing guide. The mechanism rotates the support about a second axis of rotation that is parallel to the first axis of rotation.

Abstract: Elastic thread lines can extend along borders of puckering areas of a fabric. The thread lines can include elastic thread line sections of the thread lines passing through thread line intersections and segments of the thread lines between the intersections. The elastic thread lines can bias the puckering areas in multiple different non-parallel directions toward a puckered configuration. In the puckered configuration, the puckering areas can be gathered together to pucker the fabric. The fabric can be stitched together to form a product, such as a sleeping bag sack that is stretchable in multiple orthogonal directions by stretching the thread lines. Elastic thread line sections passing through intersections can be made more secure by forming thread line section patterns that increase numbers of thread line crossings at the intersections. Densities of thread lines in different directions can be selected to produce different amounts of gathering, and for security.

Abstract: An exemplary embroidery accessory for a sewing machine includes a stationary support attached to the sewing machine and a rotating support rotatably attached to the stationary support. A drive mechanism rotates the rotating support relative to the stationary support and a spool supported by the rotating support receives and dispenses a length of embroidery material. The removable guide is removably attached to the rotating support and includes a sewing guide with a needle opening for receiving a needle of the sewing machine, and at least one guide for guiding the length of embroidery material from the spool to the sewing guide.

Abstract: A computerized sewing machine may include a workpiece supporting base, a sewing head, a workpiece moving assembly configured to move the workpiece relative to the sewing head on the workpiece supporting base. The workpiece moving assembly may be configured to drive a translational movement of the workpiece relative to the sewing head and a rotational movement of the workpiece about a longitudinal axis of the sewing head. A controller may be coupled with the workpiece moving assembly. The controller may include a memory to store computerized sewing instructions corresponding to a plurality of sewing patterns, and a processor coupled with the memory that may be configured to read the computerized sewing instructions from the at least one memory and to urge the workpiece moving assembly to move the workpiece relative to the sewing head on the workpiece supporting base in accordance with the computerized sewing instructions.

Abstract: A multi-needle sewing machine includes a plurality of needle bars, a needle plate, a needle bar case, a needle bar drive mechanism, a needle bar case movement mechanism, a mounting portion, a frame movement mechanism, a processor, and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes. The processes include identification processing of identifying a position of the needle bar case in the arrangement direction, in accordance with detection of a retraction command causing the mounting portion to be moved to a retracted position, setting processing of setting the retracted position of the mounting portion on the basis of the identified position of the needle bar case in the arrangement direction, and movement processing of controlling the frame movement mechanism to move the mounting portion to the set retracted position.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include devices and methods pertaining to gloves for protection of a wearer's hand. According to various embodiments of the disclosed technology, disclosed is a glove. The glove may include a glove body comprising a cuff portion, a palm portion, a thumb portion, and finger portions. The plurality of finger portions comprises at least one of an index finger portion, a middle finger portion, a ring finger portion, and a pinky finger portion. The glove may include a plurality of impact disbursement pads. The impact disbursement pads comprise finger pads, knuckle pads, metacarpal pads, and a thumb pad. The glove may include a webbing portion and knuckle pads. The glove body is formed from a first material, the webbing portion is formed from a second material, and the impact disbursement pads are formed from a third material.

Abstract: A shiftable backing feed or shiftable needle assembly is utilized with a tufting machine having reciprocating needles and gauge parts for seizing or cutting yarns wherein yarn placement patterns can be utilized to tuft at different gauge densities while maintaining the same pattern sizes and appearance.

Abstract: A headwear article that converts between a headwear configuration and a mask configuration. The headwear article has a crown for covering at least a portion of a head of a wearer, a visor attached to a front portion of the crown, and at least one mask support element coupled to the crown. From the headwear configuration, at least a portion of the rear portion of the crown is collapsible into the front portion of the crown to position the headwear in the mask configuration. In the mask configuration, the at least one mask support element is configured to secure the headwear over a portion of a face of the wearer.

Abstract: A method includes providing an apparatus including a frame including a first sub-frame and a second sub-frame that is slidable relative to the first sub-frame along a first direction. A first peg is coupled with the first sub-frame, and a second peg is coupled with the second sub-frame. A compression stocking is provided and includes a stocking body having a proximal end and a distal end, the body defining an opening. The compression stocking also includes a plurality of sleeves disposed on an exterior of the body, and each of the plurality of sleeves are oriented in a longitudinal direction relative to the body. The first peg and the second peg are coupled with respective sleeves of the plurality of sleeves, and the second sub-frame is slid relative to the first sub-frame in the first direction to expand the opening defined in the body.