Abstract: Indeterminate length fiber tows ends are joined by overlapping end portions of the first and second fiber tows. The first and second tows are secured in a clamp with a portion of the overlapping area exposed. The overlapping area of the tows is positioned on a sewing unit having a support and sewing head, at least one of which is displaceable along first and second axes, and a controller for executing a preprogrammed stitching pattern. The controller is actuated to form the preprogrammed stitching pattern in the exposed portion of the overlapping area, thereby splicing the first and second fiber tows.

Abstract: A patterned cloth is made by which a pattern is formed on a surface of a work cloth by passing a thread through the work cloth a number of times and forming a plurality of free loops on the reverse side of the work cloth. A double-sided adhesive tape is provided to fix the free loops on the reverse side of the work cloth. The work cloth has an elastic film member, the elastic film member allowing the free loops to be retained on the reverse side of the work cloth.

Abstract: A CNC controlled buttonhole sewing machine comprises work piece clamps with sliding drives for displacement from an initial position of spread, by a length of spread, into a final position of spread. The sliding drive is an electric positioning motor that is allocated to a work piece clamp. Further provision is made for a control unit with data storage, in which to store data, for displacement of the work piece clamp by a given length of spread.

Abstract: In a sewing apparatus management system of the invention, a management computer is connected to each terminal provided to a plurality of embroidery sewing machines via a network line. In a memory of the management computer, classification information classified into a plurality of groups by predetermined categories by identifying each embroidery sewing machine is prestored. When a supervisor selects one of the plurality of groups using such as a mouse of the management computer, management information corresponding to the embroidery sewing machines attributed to the selected group is displayed on the CRT display. Thus, only the embroidery sewing machines attributed to the selected group are selectively managed. Further, instruction information is sent to only the selected embroidery sewing machines.

Abstract: A buttonhole sewing machine for producing buttonhole seams with seam end sections of various shapes in a work piece comprises an input equipment for feeding buttonhole parameters; and a computer for calculating, from the buttonhole parameters, sewing data that determine the respective buttonhole geometry. It further comprises a memory for storing the computed sewing data and a key to be shifted into two key statuses, by means of which to trigger conversion of a buttonhole seam from a position to the left to a position to the right or vice versa, and storage thereof.

Abstract: A sewing apparatus such as a sewing machine includes a sewing mechanism in which a thread is used, a cassette mount to which a thread cassette holding the thread used in the sewing mechanism is detachably attached, a determining unit determining a type of the thread cassette attached to the cassette mount, and a control device controlling the sewing mechanism according to the type of the thread cassette determined by the determining unit.

Abstract: A microprocessor-assisted sewing machine control equipment is flexibly applicable for controlling the sewing machine driving motor and further electric motors which are controlled independently of or in dependence on the rotary position. To this end, a control system is allocated to each electric motor, comprising an open-loop control unit for rotary-position-independent controlling, a closed-loop control unit for controlling the electric motor in dependence on the rotary position, and a selection unit. The selection unit couples for control either the closed-loop control unit or the open-loop control unit with the electric motor, depending on whether the electric motor is controlled by closed-loop control in dependence on the rotary position or by open-loop control independently of the rotary position.

Abstract: An automatic sewing machine control apparatus having a machine needle 8 which is interlocked with a motor for use in sewing cloth 12, a biaxial driving mechanism 20 allowing a cloth hold-down portion 10 to be manually moved in both X- and Y-axis directions perpendicularly intersecting each other, encoders 224 and 226 for detecting the rotational angles of an X- and a Y-axis motor 124 and 126 for driving the biaxial driving mechanism 20, X and Y coordinate value computing means for obtaining the values of coordinates X and Y from the origin of the biaxial driving mechanism 20 according to the values detected by the encoders 224 and 226, RAM for storing the values of coordinates X and Y obtained by the X and Y coordinate computing means by manually moving the biaxial driving mechanism 20 to at least one of predetermined positions of the machine needle, and forming means for forming a seam pattern in a predetermined position corresponding to the kind of the seam received from a group of sewing condition setting

Abstract: An engagement groove provided near a corner of a sewing cartridge is engaged with a pin shaft protruding from a free end side of an oscillating arm oscillatably provided on the front of an engagement plate. A tip of an engaging member rotatably provided to the oscillating arm is engaged with an engagement portion provided on a right side of the sewing cartridge to maintain a posture of the sewing cartridge. An operating member rotatably supported by the engagement plate is used to disengage the engaging member from the engagement portion of the sewing cartridge. A thread cutting device disposed on the back of the engagement plate is actuated in conjunction with the disengagement of the sewing cartridge using the operating member. With the movement of the operating member after thread cutting operation is completed, a limit switch provided on the engagement plate is turned off, so that a signal is not outputted.

Abstract: An apparatus for stitching a penetrable material. The apparatus has a support for material to be stitched and a head assembly with a stitching head capable of directing a thread carrying needle through the material to be stitched that is in an operable position on the support to thereby produce a pattern on the material in the operative position. The support has a surface against which a material to be stitched can be placed in the operative position. The surface on the support is movable relative to the stitching head around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position that is to be stitched to be repositioned relative to the stitching head.

Abstract: An embroidery data processor includes: a thinning unit that reduces thickness of lines in the image data to produce thin-line image data including at least one thin-line outline defining a bounded region corresponding to a region of the embroidery pattern; and a bounded region extractor that extracts the bounded region defined by the thin-line outline. Because the bounded region is extracted from data that has been subjected to the thinning processes, no gaps through which the workpiece cloth is exposed will form between outlines and bounded regions sewn based on the data even when outlines are sewn in an extremely narrow width.

Abstract: A sewing machine includes a movable holder portion which holds a material to be sewn, a holder drive portion which transfers the holder portion during sewing, a needle drive portion which drives a sewing needle to sew, and a controller which intelligently regulates the holder drive portion and the needle drive portion. The controller includes a) a initial motion device which initially transfers the material to be sewn before sewing or during an initial stage of sewing, and b) an estimating device which finds the mass of the material to be sewn depending on a physical value such as at least one of a moving velocity of the material to be sewn at a predetermined period of time and a moving distance of the material within the amount of the predetermined period of time.

Abstract: In a sewing machine, a CPU reads a color display data of an embroidery pattern selected by a user from a ROM and generates a subtractive color data by subtracting colors included in the color display data. The CPU then writes the subtractive color data into a non-volatile storing medium, such as a flash memory. Therefore, the non-volatile storing medium can store more pattern data of the embroidery patterns, compared with the case where it stores the color display data whose data amount is large. That is, the storage capacity of the non-volatile storing medium can be smaller, so that the manufacturing costs can be reduced.