Patents by Inventor Shinya Fujihara

Shinya Fujihara has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20100236463
    Abstract: A multi-needle sewing machine includes a plurality of needle bars to each bottom end of which a needle can be attached, a needle bar case in which the plurality of needle bars are disposed in a line and that supports the plurality of the needle bars movably in an up-and-down direction, a needle bar case moving device that, by moving the needle bar case, moves one of the plurality of the needle bars to an image capture position, the image capture position being a position that is located directly above a needle drop position that is a sewing position, and an image capture device that is provided in a position that is lined up with the plurality of the needle bars, that is positioned in the image capture position by the needle bar case moving device's moving of the needle bar case, and that captures an image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Fujihara, Masashi Tokura
  • Publication number: 20100208450
    Abstract: An illumination device for a multineedle sewing machine is disclosed. The sewing machine includes a plurality of needle bars having lower ends to which needles are attached respectively and a needle bar case supporting the needle bars so that the needle bars are movable upward and downward. The illumination device includes an illuminating member having a light source, and a support unit located in the needle bar case for supporting the illuminating member so that the illuminating member is switchable between an illuminating position where the illuminating member is located in front of the needle bars or the needles to illuminate a periphery of a needle point of the needle location point of the needle by the light source and a storage position where the illuminating member opens a front side of the needle bar or the needle and is located laterally with respect to the needle bar case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Fujihara, Nobuaki Matsumoto, Junnosuke Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20100126397
    Abstract: A sewing machine having a threading path defined at a sewing machine head and being engaged with a needle thread to guide the needle thread in threading a sewing needle; a thread holder provided on the threading path and that includes a thread holding plate receiving the needle thread being introduced from outer to inner peripheral side of the thread holder to clamp the needle thread; a thread cutter provided on a faceplate covering the head and that cuts off a needle thread tip sequentially engaged with the threading path; a threader unit that passes the needle thread through a needle eye; and a passage resistance applier provided downstream relative to the thread holder and upstream relative to the thread cutter and that applies a predetermined amount of resistance on the needle thread passing therethrough to introduce the needle thread to the inner peripheral side of the needle holding plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Publication number: 20100000453
    Abstract: A knee lever a lever including a lever detachably attached to an attachment provided on a bed of a sewing machine; a knee rest mounted on the lever and operated by knee contact, with the lever being attached to the attachment; an adjustment mechanism allowing adjustment in position of knee contact of the knee rest; wherein the adjustment mechanism includes an engagement portion provided at the lever, and an engagement subject provided at the knee rest and being disengagably engaged with the engagement portion to switch a mounting position of the knee rest relative to the lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7574970
    Abstract: A presser device for a sewing machine includes a first lever having a cloth pressing portion which is swingably mounted on a presser foot, the cloth pressing portion being swung so as to be switchable between a cloth pressing position and a raised position, a second lever having a support portion where the second lever is pivotally supported on an upper part of the first lever and an abutment which is normally in abutment with a needlebar assembly moved up and down, a first biasing member which biases the first lever so that the first lever is caused to pivot in such a direction that the cloth pressing portion becomes a cloth pressing position, and a second biasing member which biases the second lever so that the second lever is caused to pivot in such a direction that the abutment of the second lever is abutted against the needlebar assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Publication number: 20090183663
    Abstract: A needle threader for a sewing machine includes a threading mechanism including a threading hook mounted on a lower end of a threading shaft and a thread guide member. The threading hook and the thread guide member are movable among a thread guide preparation position where the threading hook and the thread guide member are located near a height position of a needle clamp, a threading operation position where a threading operation is carried out with the threading hook being level with an eye of a needle, and a retreat position which is located above the thread guide preparation position and to which the threading hook and the thread guide member are retreated. A vertical moving mechanism moves the threading shaft vertically so that the threading mechanism is moved between the thread guide preparation position and the threading operation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Publication number: 20090114133
    Abstract: Disclosure relates to a presser foot device for a sewing machine which includes a presser bar mounted on a head mounted at a distal end of an arm and having a lower end with a presser foot, the presser foot device lifting the presser foot upward and downward together with the presser bar. The presser foot device includes a presser foot lifting lever mounted for lifting the presser foot upward and downward and a support unit which supports the presser foot lifting lever so that the presser foot lifting lever is switchable between a first position that is located below the arm of the sewing machine and a second position that is located behind the head of the sewing machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Publication number: 20080236465
    Abstract: A presser device for a sewing machine includes a first lever having a cloth pressing portion which is swingably mounted on a presser foot, the cloth pressing portion being swung so as to be switchable between a cloth pressing position and a raised position, a second lever having a support portion where the second lever is pivotally supported on an upper part of the first lever and an abutment which is normally in abutment with a needlebar assembly moved up and down, a first biasing member which biases the first lever so that the first lever is caused to pivot in such a direction that the cloth pressing portion becomes a cloth pressing position, and a second biasing member which biases the second lever so that the second lever is caused to pivot in such a direction that the abutment of the second lever is abutted against the needlebar assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7409918
    Abstract: A walking foot for a sewing machine includes a presser foot having a pair of supported portions, an upper feed dog feeding workpiece cloth in synchronization with vertical movement of a needlebar, a supporting member fixed to a lower end of the presser bar and having a pair of engagement supporting portions supporting the presser foot, a swinging supporting mechanism engaging the engagement supporting portions with the supported portions from horizontally outside respectively so that the presser foot is supported on the supporting member so as to be swingable, and a disengaging mechanism moving at least one of the engagement supporting portions horizontally outward from an engagement position where the engagement supporting portion is in engagement with the supported portion of the presser foot, thereby being capable of switching the engagement supporting portion to a disengagement position where the engagement supporting portion is disengaged from the supported portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Fujihara, Tomoyasu Niizeki
  • Patent number: 7322305
    Abstract: A needle bar thread guide for a sewing machine includes a thread guide part located in a thread hooking part of a thread hooking member to guide the needle thread into the thread hooking part, and a thread cast-off preventing member having a thread cast-off preventing part closing the thread guide part. The thread cast-off preventing member is elastically deformable. The thread cast-off preventing part has a distal end which is in contact with an upper surface of the thread hooking part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7314013
    Abstract: A sewing machine including an automatic threading device that automatically threads at least one of a plurality of threading portions including the thread take-up with a needle thread drawn from a thread source, the sewing machine comprising a first thread guide path for a first threading route that enables threading of the needle thread by the automatic threading device; a second thread guide path for a second threading route that enables manual threading of the needle thread; a movable member that forms a movable thread guide path switchable between a first position enabling threading of the thread take-up and a second position disabling threading of the thread take-up, and a switch mechanism that switches the movable member so as to switch the movable thread guide path between the first and the second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Publication number: 20070272135
    Abstract: a vertical movement actuator that vertically moves the presser bar having a presser foot attached thereto; a control unit, that controls the vertical movement actuator to selectively execute a first mode or a second mode; a mode switch unit capable of selectively switching between the first mode and the second mode; and the control unit, when switched to the first mode, controls the vertical movement actuator so as to lower the presser foot and retain the presser foot at a cloth pressing position in which a workpiece cloth is pressed irrespective of an operational status of a sewing process; and when switched to the second mode, controls the vertical movement actuator so as to retain the presser foot in a slightly lifted position that is elevated from the workpiece cloth by a predetermined small distance while a sewing operation is ongoing, whereas when the sewing operation is stopped, the presser foot is moved and retained in the cloth pressing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Publication number: 20070266920
    Abstract: A walking foot for a sewing machine includes a presser foot having a pair of supported portions, an upper feed dog feeding workpiece cloth in synchronization with vertical movement of a needlebar, a supporting member fixed to a lower end of the presser bar and having a pair of engagement supporting portions supporting the presser foot, a swinging supporting mechanism engaging the engagement supporting portions with the supported portions from horizontally outside respectively so that the presser foot is supported on the supporting member so as to be swingable, and a disengaging mechanism moving at least one of the engagement supporting portions horizontally outward from an engagement position where the engagement supporting portion is in engagement with the supported portion of the presser foot, thereby being capable of switching the engagement supporting portion to a disengagement position where the engagement supporting portion is disengaged from the supported portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Fujihara, Tomoyasu Niizeki
  • Publication number: 20070163478
    Abstract: A needle bar thread guide for a sewing machine includes a thread guide part located in a thread hooking part of a thread hooking member to guide the needle thread into the thread hooking part, and a thread cast-off preventing member having a thread cast-off preventing part closing the thread guide part. The thread cast-off preventing member is elastically deformable. The thread cast-off preventing part has a distal end which is in contact with an upper surface of the thread hooking part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7188572
    Abstract: A safety cover for a sewing machine of the present disclosure includes a transparent guard member shaped so as to cover at least a front side of a sewing needle, a fastening equipment for detachably attaching the guard member to a needle plate on an upper surface of the sewing machine bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Publication number: 20070044698
    Abstract: A sewing machine including an automatic threading device that automatically threads at least one of a plurality of threading portions including the thread take-up with a needle thread drawn from a thread source, the sewing machine comprising a first thread guide path for a first threading route that enables threading of the needle thread by the automatic threading device; a second thread guide path for a second threading route that enables manual threading of the needle thread; a movable member that forms a movable thread guide path switchable between a first position enabling threading of the thread take-up and a second position disabling threading of the thread take-up, and a switch mechanism that switches the movable member so as to switch the movable thread guide path between the first and the second positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7178473
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar reciprocally movable up and down, a thread take-up lever reciprocally swingable up and down, a thread supply which supplies a needle thread to the needle bar carrying the sewing needle, a plurality of thread guides including the thread take-up lever, an automatic threading apparatus automatically carrying the needle thread extending from the thread supply and passing the needle thread through the thread guides including the thread take-up lever, a first preparatory path formed for threading so that the needle thread extending from the thread supply can be passed through the thread guides by the automatic threading apparatus, and a second preparatory path formed for threading so that the needle thread extending from the thread supply can manually be passed through the thread guides, The thread take-up lever is displaced within a range of reciprocal swing so that threading is possible for at least one of the first and second preparatory paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Mizuno, Shinya Fujihara, Hiroshi Yamasaki, Yoshiyuki Uyama
  • Patent number: 7143706
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar holding a sewing needle having an eye hole, a needle threading mechanism including a threading hook passing a needle thread through the eye hole of the sewing needle, a presser bar with a presser foot attached to its lower end, a vertically moving mechanism vertically moving the presser bar, a drive mechanism driving the vertically moving mechanism, a threading operation unit operating the needle threading mechanism, and a drive mechanism controlling unit controlling the drive mechanism vertically moving the presser bar to a position where interference between the presser foot and threading hook is avoided when the needle threading operation unit is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Fujihara, Noboru Mizuno, Yoshihisa Shoji
  • Patent number: 7134398
    Abstract: The wiper device for a sewing machine having a wiper member swingable from the operating position to a non-operating position on an embroidery presser foot, in which a needle thread-end is retained by being clamped between a frictional-resistance applying member fixed to an underside of a thread engagement portion located on a distal end of the wiper member and an upper surface of a cloth presser pressing a workpiece cloth by a returning movement of the wiper member from an operating position in which the wiper member performs a thread wiping operation to a stand-by position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Babushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7121217
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a thread transferring mechanism automatically hooking onto thread hooking sections a needle thread which extends from a thread supply and which is retained in a predetermined thread preparatory path while retaining the needle thread so that the needle thread can be turned over to a needle threading mechanism, and a control unit which controls a thread tension adjusting unit so that tension applied to the needle thread becomes a predetermined tension that correlates with a transfer position of the needle thread transferred by the thread transferring mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Noboru Mizuno, Yoshihisa Shoji, Shinya Fujihara