Patents Examined by Patrick J. Lynch
  • Patent number: 11326289
    Abstract: A tufting machine (100) comprises a needle bar (10) shiftable in a needle bar longitudinal direction (L), a plurality of needles (12) being provided on the needle bar (10) following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L), each needle (12) being individually selectable for carrying out a stitch and thereby generating a pile on a backing fabric, further comprising such a yarn threading that, on the needle bar (10), groups (G) of the needles (12) following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L) and comprising a predetermined number of needles (12) are generated, the needles (12) of each group (G) having yarns of different properties threaded therethrough, the number of yarns of different properties associated with each group (G) being less than the number of needles (12) within each group (G), such that, within each group (G), at least two needles (12) have yarns of the same property threaded therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: VANDEWIELE NV
    Inventors: Steven Debaes, Koen Callewaert
  • Patent number: 11319649
    Abstract: A method to operate a ring spinning system containing a ring spinning machine having spinning positions and a winding machine having winding positions. Yarn is spun at the spinning position and wound to a cop. Values of a spinning parameter are determined at different times during the winding of the cop and stored as spinning data. The cop is transported from the spinning position to the winding position, where the yarn is rewound from the cop onto a bobbin. Values of a yarn parameter are determined at at least two different times during the rewinding, and stored as yarn data. The spinning data and the yarn data are assigned to each other such that they relate to the same yarn section. Based on the spinning data and yarn data assigned, an intervention is made on the ring spinning machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Uster Technologies AG
    Inventors: Vasileios Archontopoulos, Sivakumar Narayanan, Andreas Birsner, Kurt Eggimann, Paul Geiter
  • Patent number: 11317678
    Abstract: A shoe is disclosed that includes an upper having a closure mechanism that is arranged for lacing the shoe by at least one tensioning element, a rotatably arranged tensioning roller disposed within the closure mechanism, the tensioning roller being driven by an electric motor, and a closing button in communication with a control system for generating a closing signal that is configured to actuate the electric motor to lace the shoe. The closure mechanism is configured to tighten the shoe with a first level of lacing power when a first closing signal is generated and tighten the shoe with a second level of lacing power when a second closing signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: PUMA SE
    Inventors: Markus Bock, Randolph Maussner
  • Patent number: 11299831
    Abstract: A sewing system which includes a detector for detecting an edge of a cloth installed on an installation table, a cloth conveyor for conveying the cloth from the installation table to a sewing machine, and a controller, wherein the cloth conveyor includes a holding member that holds the cloth, and the controller includes a holding position decision portion that determines a holding position of the cloth based on detection data of the detector, and a conveyance control portion that controls the cloth conveyor such that the holding member holds the holding position. In the sewing system according to the above, it is possible to prevent deterioration in productivity of sewn products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: JUKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Hiraoka, Takeshi Asami
  • Patent number: 11286599
    Abstract: An article comprised of tape segments embroidered in place is disclosed. One embodiment includes tape segments embroidered to a self-supporting embroidered structure. Another embodiment includes tape segments embroidered together to form an embroidered lattice structure. In one embodiment, some of the tape segments may expand when exposed to heat and may be used to form cushioning regions for the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Under Armour, Inc.
    Inventors: Tom Luedecke, Carmen Zhu
  • Patent number: 11286597
    Abstract: A sewing machine is disclosed. The sewing machine includes a holding member configured to be movable while holding a workpiece within a predetermined plane including a sewing position immediately below a needle, an actuator configured to move the holding member, an imaging device configured to be capable of capturing the workpiece, a sewing data acquisition unit configured to acquire sewing data including a sewing order to be referred to in sewing processing, and an imaging position setting unit configured to output a control signal to the actuator so that a plurality of feature patterns of the workpiece are sequentially disposed in an imaging region of the imaging device based upon the sewing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: JUKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunori Yamada, Kimihiro Yokose, Kouichi Kondou, Takahiro Sano
  • Patent number: 11248317
    Abstract: A machine for making covered elastic yarns, including a plurality of covering units, where each of the covering units has a spool for feeding an elastic yarn, a system for feeding a non-elastic yarn, a member for tensioning the covered elastic yarn and a bobbin for collecting the covered elastic yarn, where the system for feeding the non-elastic yarn has a microspindle which rotates about an axis and at least one bobbin for feeding the non-elastic yarn separated by and arranged upstream of the microspindle along the sliding path of the non-elastic yarn and arranged outside the rotation axis of the microspindle, the microspindle including a channel which is coaxial to the rotation axis for the passage of the elastic yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Inventor: Maurizio Molteni
  • Patent number: 11198954
    Abstract: A yarn twisting machine comprising a main shaft into which yarn or yarns are introduced and from which yarn or yarns are taken out and the main shaft being driven by a first motor; a lower twisting disc being in contact with yarn and yarns taken out of the main shaft; an upper twisting disc having an aperture through which the yarn or yarns creating a yarn balloon by advancing along the lower twisting disc are fed; an upper platform situated below said upper twisting disc; a winding element for winding the yarns or yarns passing through the upper twisting disc on a bobbin; a lower stationary table situated above the lower twisting disc; and a second motor for transmitting drive to the winding element through an axial magnetic coupling. The yarn twisting machine comprises a first power transfer device for rotating the upper twisting disc around the shaft axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: A{umlaut over (g)}teks Örme Ve Tekstil Endüstri leri San. Ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
    Inventor: Mehmet Agrikli
  • Patent number: 11191307
    Abstract: An article of clothing, comprising an infant clothing pod configured to contain an infant, the infant having a birth weight in a range of 1 pound to 11 pounds; the infant clothing pod having a cavity configured to contain upper appendages, lower appendages and torso of the infant, wherein the upper appendages comprise a left arm and a right arm, and the lower appendages comprise a left leg and a right leg; the infant pod having an openable and closeable infant ingress-egress aperture extending longitudinally along a length of the pod; and the infant pod having an anterior sub-torso aperture and a posterior sub-torso aperture which are positioned to be located between the left leg and the right leg of the infant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: NeoNesh Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott P. Geraghty
  • Patent number: 11180878
    Abstract: A quilting machine includes a frame sized and configured to support a sheet of fabric and a tilting sewing assembly. The tilting sewing assembly includes a needle beam defining a needle beam longitudinal axis, and a needle head attached to the needle that translates along the needle beam longitudinal axis. The assembly includes a hook beam defining a hook beam longitudinal axis disposed separate from and parallel to the needle beam longitudinal axis, and an axis of rotation parallel to the needle beam and the hook beam with the hook beam disposed between the needle beam and the hook beam. The needle head is between the needle beam and the hook beam. The tilting sewing assembly is configured to pivot about the axis of rotation with the needle beam and the hook beam translating laterally about the axis of rotation to move the needle head relative to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventors: Mark S. Meier, Karen A. Brow-Meier
  • Patent number: 11172716
    Abstract: A device for storing items on clothes is removably attached to an article of clothing The device is used to hold a scented insert dimensioned to be inserted into the device. The scented insert may allow one to wear cologne or perfume without applying a fragrance to the skin by applying the fragrance to the insert, which could then be inserted into the device. The device has a holder forming a pocket and is removably attached to the clothing. A scented insert is placed within the pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Inventor: Samuel L. Smalls
  • Patent number: 11124910
    Abstract: A method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet, having regions (14, 16, 18) of different color appearance by using at least two different kinds of yarns, yarns of different kinds of yarns (b, w) alternately following each other in a needle bar longitudinal direction of a needle bar of a tufting machine, comprises the steps of: a) defining a predetermined number of color mixing values, b) assigning with each color mixing value a color-related tufting aspect instruction, c) providing a color pattern representation (11) of the fabric to be tufted comprising a plurality of color regions (14, 16, 18), d) assigning with each color region (14, 16, 18) one of the color mixing values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: VANDEWIELE NV
    Inventor: Koen Callewaert
  • Patent number: 11122853
    Abstract: Footwear includes structural features that may provide one or more of the following features or functions: (a) help “lock” the wearer to the ground under torsional forces induced in the leg/foot (e.g., by a golf swing or other activities); (b) help provide stable support, e.g., at the medial heel and/or lateral forefoot areas; (c) help support and prevent undesired distortion of the footwear upper, e.g., when torsional forces are applied; and/or (d) help provide a very stable and secure feel and fit by securing across the instep portion of the foot, e.g., in a forward lateral-to-rear medial direction (e.g., between medial heel and lateral forefoot sidewall supports).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Smith, Adam R. Welliver
  • Patent number: 11122857
    Abstract: A footwear construction includes a sole assembly having a first midsole platform of a first durometer and a second midsole platform of a second durometer, less than the first, so that the second midsole platform is softer than the first, and an outsole having an outsole upstanding cup wall surrounding the second midsole platform so as to protect it from abrasion, and to control a lateral and expansive movement of the softer second midsole platform, when lugs of the outsole are pushed upward toward the second midsole platform due to lug engagement with an underfoot terrain feature. The platforms can be constructed from a different durometer EVA or foam. The first durometer can be about 50-60 Asker C, inclusive and the second durometer can be about 35-45 Asker C, inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Wolverine Outdoors, Inc.
    Inventor: William J. Cass
  • Patent number: 11105029
    Abstract: A sewing or looping device for closing a tubular knitted article includes a body, two needles, a yarn support, and a cutting unit; the body has two spaced bases, the two needles are pivotally connected to the first base, respectively, and pivoting movement paths of the two needles are orthogonal to each other, the yarn support has a first section adjustably disposed on one of the bases, and a second section extending along an axial direction. The cutting unit is pivotally connected to the base where the yarn support is located. A cutting direction of the cutting unit is parallel to the axial direction, and the sewing chain stitch is pulled to the cutting point by the hook member and cut thereat. The sewing chain stitch assumes a tensioned state when being pulled, which in turn allows the sewing chain stitch to be cut more reliably and easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Da Kong Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Meng-Hsun Chan
  • Patent number: 11098424
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes: a presser spring depressing a presser bar; a presser main body fixed thereto, including a presser; a lower feed dog protruding further upward than a needle plate, to feed a sewing target rearward; an upper feed mechanism above the lower feed dog, that includes an upper feed dog behind a needle location and feeds the sewing target rearward via the upper and lower feed dogs; and a spring presser release mechanism relatively movably mounted on the presser bar, including a transmission member transmitting presser spring force to the presser bar, and operating when the lower contacts the upper feed dog, lifting the transmission member relative to the presser bar, to release the force applied thereto. The movement of the transmission member with respect to the presser bar during spring presser release mechanism operation matches a movement of the lower feed dog protruding from the needle plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: JANOME SEWING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toyohiro Azuma
  • Patent number: 11098417
    Abstract: A yarn twisting method and device for a ring spinning machine is provided. The twisting method comprises the following steps: feeding three roving strands (1, 2, 3) into a back roller (8) of the ring spinning machine; after drafting, the three roving strands, three fiber strands (1, 2, 3) exiting from a nip point of a front roller (10), wherein a fiber strand (2) in the middle forms an angle with a plane formed by the other two fiber strands (1, 3), and thus the three fiber strands (1, 2, 3) form a multi-strand spinning triangle region having a three-dimensional spatial form; and in the multi-strand spinning triangle region, the three fiber strands (1, 2, 3) obtaining twist by means of a ring traveler of the ring spinning machine, and the twisted fiber strands (1 ,2, 3) are combined into a composite yarn (4) through a convergence point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel Limited, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
    Inventors: Bingang Xu, Jie Feng
  • Patent number: 11089830
    Abstract: A composite material includes an upper layer, a lower layer and means arranged so as to diffuse substantially transversely at least part of the kinetic energy induced by an impact on one of said layers, said means cooperating on both sides, with the upper layer and the lower layer. The diffusion means can consist in a network of interassembled base elements and of cavities, forming a three-dimensional structure. A protection device comprising includes an insert consisting of the composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: DIPLOSYSTEM
    Inventors: Serge Cohen, François Silhol
  • Patent number: 11078604
    Abstract: A textile machine and associated method are provided for operating the textile machine that includes a plurality of workstations, wherein each workstation includes at least one stepper motor configured to drive an element at the workstation. The method includes measuring a load variable, for example a load angle, of the stepper motor and detecting an approach of the element to an end position based on changes to the load variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG
    Inventors: Mario Maleck, Robin Wein
  • Patent number: 11078602
    Abstract: A yarn head rotor 1 for a cabling machine, having several deflection rollers 2 for evening the yarn tension of two yams being twisted, each deflection roller being rotatably mounted on a pivot axis 5 at right angles to the rotor axis of the yarn head rotor 1 and guided across the two yarns. The deflection roller 2 is mounted in the yarn head rotor 1 by bearings 6 at both ends of the deflection roller 2, wherein the two ball bearings 6 are each enclosed by a housing 7 of the yarn head rotor 1, which is closed with a cover 8, and yarn guiding eyelets 9, guiding the inner and outer yarns 17, are arranged upstream of the deflection roller 2 in such a way that they supply both yarns of the deflection roller between the two ball bearings 6 to the yarn head rotor 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Samer Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Walter Pede-Vogler, Andrej Raisich, Otto Scheitll