Abstract: Metal foils, wires, and seamless tubes with increased mechanical strength are provided. As opposed to wrought materials that are made of a single metal or alloy, these materials are made of two or more layers forming a laminate structure. Laminate structures are known to increase mechanical strength of sheet materials such as wood and paper products and are used in the area of thin films to increase film hardness, as well as toughness. Laminate metal foils have not been used or developed because the standard metal forming technologies, such as rolling and extrusion, for example, do not lend themselves to the production of laminate structures. Vacuum deposition technologies can be developed to yield laminate metal structures with improved mechanical properties. In addition, laminate structures can be designed to provide special qualities by including layers that have special properties such as superelasticity, shape memory, radio-opacity, corrosion resistance etc.

Abstract: An apparatus for sealing a passage through tissue includes an elongate shaft and a cylindrical plug disposed on a distal end of the shaft, the plug including a helical thread on its outer surface. Intestinal submucosa may be secured to the plug, e.g., in a cavity in its distal end, that may be delivered into the passage. Alternatively, the plug may be formed from a bioabsorbable material and may be released from the shaft within the passage. The plug is threaded into the passage, thereby engaging the tissue to seal the passage. The shaft is rotated until it engages a blood vessel within the tissue while monitoring blood flow through the vessel. The shaft is rotated to thread the plug into the passage until blood flow ceases through the vessel, whereupon rotation of the shaft is reversed to back the plug until blood flow through the vessel resumes.

Abstract: A knitting support system of the invention includes knitting machine adjusting data storing means (28) for storing the knitting machine adjusting data for many fabrics; search information storing means (22) in which various kinds of parameters of the fabrics are stored as search information for searching fabrics similar to that of a knitted product to be knitted from among the stored knitting machine adjusting data; searching means (24) for inputting parameters of the knitted product to be knitted as searching conditions and searching similar fabrics from among the search information stored in the search information storing means (22) in accordance with the inputted searching conditions; and output means (30) for reading and outputting the knitting machine adjusting data for the fabrics corresponding to the searched result of the searching means (24) from the knitting machine adjusting data storing means (28).

Abstract: A method for minimizing contact between a needle point and a needle thread in a computer controlled embroidery machine, to prevent breakage of the needle thread by the needle point upon penetration of a workpiece during stitching. The method includes the steps of: determining a first straight path between a current needle penetration location and a next needle penetration location; and, moving to the next needle penetration location along a second non-straight path so that the needle thread is pulled away from the needle point.

Abstract: A yarn feed system, enabling the control of individual yarns to the needles of a tufting machine, and which system can be manufactured as a substantially standardized unit or attachment that can be removably mounted to a tufting machine. The yarn feed unit includes a series of yarn feed devices for feeding each of the yarns to the needles of the tufting machine, and a series of yarn feed controllers that monitor and control the operation of the yarn feed devices to control the feeding of the yarns to the needles according to programmed pattern instructions.

Abstract: In a loom with a mechanical weft insertion the motion of each individual warp thread on its way from an uppermost position to a lowermost position and vice verse is controlled individually by a jacquard in such a way, that the motion profile includes a shed stopping in a weft entrance section and simultaneously in a weft exit section of a weaving width of the loom. Shed stopping is avoided in an intermediate section between the weft entrance and exit sections of the weaving width of a loom thereby providing sufficient time for the rapiers or grippers to be withdrawn from the shed without damaging the warp threads.

Abstract: A sideshield eye protector is presented which includes a comfort and safety wing that is formed as a surface appendage thereon, and extends in a generally perpendicular direction from the surface of the sideshield along the contoured edge of the sideshield positioned closest to the wearer's face. The comfort and safety wing may be integral to the sideshield forming an integral structure therewith or removably attached thereto. The comfort and safety wing is oriented generally parallel with the facial surfaces and generally follows the proximate facial contours. A separate wing portion may be fabricated on both the upper and lower parts of each sideshield, the upper wing portion extending from the upper contoured edge of the sideshield which provides additional coverage over the upper portion of the eye orbits, temple and lower forehead area. The lower face about the lower eye orbit and upper cheek area has a generally parallel orientation with those facial surfaces.

Abstract: Swimming goggles has a left frame and a right frame, a nose support connecting the left frame and the right frame together, eyeglasses received respectively in the left frame and the right frame, and a head strap movably received in outward sides of the left frame and the right frame. Engaging blocks are respectively formed on outward sides of the left frame and the right frame. Each engaging block defines a receiving hole through a center thereof and forming a tongue at a lower portion thereof. Adjusting apparatus are received in the receiving holes for adjusting the head strap. Each adjusting apparatus includes a base, a cover assembled with the base for enveloping the engaging block, and a fixing axis mounted on the base and the cover. An axis hole is defined in the base for pivotably receiving the fixing axis. The fixing axis forms a pressure arm substantially on a side thereof for pressuring the tongue, and a stop arm on the other side thereof for engaging with stop slots of the head strap.

Abstract: A method for reproducibly making photographs of different fabrics is provided. The method produces photographs which depict one or more characteristics of each fabric. Such characteristics include the texture, pattern, thickness, drape and translucency, each of which characteristics can be reliably understood and compared. The method comprises the steps of folding each fabric in the same way, placing the folded fabric on a background surface in order to provide the fabric with a standardized draped shape and then photographing each draped and folded fabric in the same way. Further, by utilizing digital photography the photographs for each fabric can be suitably viewed via an internet web site. Additionally, the photograph of each fabric can also be computer generated in a photo-realistic image depicting a likely or intended use of the fabric, for example, as drapery or a covering for furniture.

Abstract: A tufting machine has drives for shifting needle bars, pushing needle bars, rocking loopers, knives, and hooks. The drives require less maintenance, result in less wear, are highly accurate, can operate at high speeds and at high loads, and are easily programmable. The drives avoid the need for oil bathes for the moving parts and therefore reduce spillage onto tufted products. The drives are quiet and thus are preferably over many hydraulic drives. The drives are preferably linear drives and, more preferably, are electromagnetic drives.

Abstract: A stitching apparatus is disclosed which has at least one active thread feeder and is operable to adjust stitching operation based on the condition of a thread being stitched. The active thread feeder is operable to feed thread from a spool to a needle assembly, where the thread is stitched into fabric. The stitching apparatus includes at least one thread sensor. The thread sensor outputs information related to thread tension, which is received at a control which includes a first controller, and the first controller is used for controlling the thread. The control can calculate a thread feed length, and activate the active thread feeder to feed the appropriate amount of thread to the needle assembly. The control can use information from the thread sensor to adjust thread tension by adjusting the active thread feeder. The control can also detect a break in the thread, or a break in an underthread which is located in a lower arm assembly and is used to lock stitches.

Abstract: An embroidery sewing machine is disclosed in which a workpiece cloth is moved so that an embroidery pattern is formed on it. The embroidery sewing machine includes a plurality of types of embroidery frames differing in a size and/or a shape from each other and holding the workpiece cloth, the embroidery frames being selectively used, a carriage, a moving mechanism moving the carriage independently in two directions perpendicular to each other, a frame holder to which the embroidery frames are selectively attached, the frame holder including a holder body fixed to the carriage and a movable holder mounted to one of a plurality of positions corresponding to the respective types of the embroidery frames relative to the holder body so that the position of the movable holder is exchangeable, a detector detecting a position of the movable holder relative to the holder body, and a determining unit determining the type of the embroidery frame based on a result of detection by the detector.

Abstract: A sewing apparatus includes a hollow needle that can pass through a work cloth, and a needle cover that has a passing hole through which the needle passes and holds the work cloth. The needle cover functions as a presser foot and holds at least a part of a thread between a previous stitch point where a stitch has been previously made and a succeeding stitch point where a stitch is to be currently made. Accordingly, sewing can be performed on the workpiece without use of a lower thread.

Abstract: Monitoring of the rotation speed and stationary state of the lower thread bobbin in a sewing machine is performed using a light emitter and two reflected light receivers. The light rays reflected at the surface of the front flange of the bobbin are incident in a sequence which differs in time on the reflected light receivers. These data are evaluated by a computer, which can be the computer of the sewing machine, and are used to stop the machine or the sewing process before the thread end leaves the stitch plate of the sewing machine. It can also be determined from the observed direction of rotation of the bobbin whether the bobbin is correctly placed in the bobbin housing. From the relationship of kind of stitch, stitch speed, and bobbin rotation speed, the bobbin thread supply can also be calculated.

Abstract: A supply spool supplies a weft thread through an adjustable actuated thread brake and a thread tension sensor to a weft thread accumulator, from which an accumulated insertion length of the thread is provided to a weft insertion device. The tension sensor provides a measured actual thread tension signal to a control arrangement, which compares the actual tension to a selected rated tension, and, dependent on the deviation therebetween, provides a control signal to an actuator of the thread brake, so that the actual thread tension constantly corresponds to the selected rated tension. Another sensor provides a signal indicating a change from an empty spool to a full spool. Responsive thereto, the control arrangement actuates the thread brake to an adjustable starting brake setting as a coarse adjustment. Then the self-regulating fine adjustment is continued. A constant winding tension and thread accumulation length are achieved in the thread accumulator.

Abstract: An embroidering device connected to a network and the network system thereof is disclosed, wherein an embroidering device 1 is connected to a personal computer 2 by means of wire or wireless while the personal computer 2 is connected to a network 3 including an internet and is connected to an optional server 4. An instruction is given from the embroidering device 1 to the personal computer 2 to connect the embroidering device 1 to the network 3 and thereby to the server 4. The personal computer 2 seeks a required one of the information prepared by the server 4 and downloads the sought information. For example, the personal computer 2 obtains a list of embroidery pattern data. When the user selects optional one of the pattern data, the selected pattern data is downloaded from the server 4 and transmitted to the embroidering device 1.

Abstract: Swimming goggles include goggle frames and associated goggle lenses. Each goggle lens has an outer composing layer and an inner composing layer which is unified with the associated goggle frame. The inner composing layer is welded together to an inside face of the outer composing layer. The goggle frame is welded together to a peripheral side face of the outer composing layer. In this way, the goggle frame and the associated goggle lens are unified together. The swimming goggles are free from water penetration between the goggle frames and the goggle lenses, and allow a high productivity and a low incidence of defected products.

Abstract: A method of designing a product for use on a body used to develop a preferred product configuration using a computer-based virtual product development and testing system. A virtual wearer sub-model is created of the body and a virtual product sub-model is created of a product for use on the body. An environment sub-model is generated so that environmental factors affecting the product or the body are also used in designing or evaluating the product. Instructions defining how the wearer sub-model, the product sub-model and the environment sub-model interact are introduced in an interaction model. The sub-models and the interaction defined by the interaction model are then combined to create a virtual use model simulating the use of the virtual product sub-model by the virtual wearer sub-model. The use model determines the forces, deformations and stresses caused by movement and interaction between the virtual wearer sub-model and the virtual product sub-model using numerical method analysis.

Abstract: A yarn feed system, enabling the control of individual yarns to the needles of a tufting machine, and which system can be manufactured as a substantially standardized unit or attachment that can be removably mounted to a tufting machine. The yarn feed unit includes a series of yarn feed devices for feeding each of the yarns to the needles of the tufting machine, and a series of yarn feed controllers that monitor and control the operation of the yarn feed devices to control the feeding of the yarns to the needles according to programmed pattern instructions.

Abstract: Formation of fractal garments using a laser to scribe a total pattern onto jean parts. The pattern is formed into a 60 by 60 image, that is formed to form all parts of the denim design.