DE202023101706U1 - Apparatus for sewing a three-dimensional shaped component - Google Patents

Abstract

A head for applying stitching to a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration, comprising:
a needle bar assembly operatively coupled to the head;
a looper configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly to create a plurality of stitches in the decorative component, the looper rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component;
a column assembly configured to drive the looper in a reciprocating manner in the plane, the column assembly being operatively coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly in a reciprocating manner, the column assembly is operatively coupled to the head via a cylinder arm assembly and a down shaft assembly; and
wherein the cylinder arm assembly is synchronously rotated with a swing frame by a mechanical linkage connecting a swing frame drive shaft to the cylinder arm assembly.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Reference is made to U.S. Patent Application No. 16/533,345 which is a divisional application of U.S. Patent Application No. 14/876,636 , now U.S. Patent No. 10,421,413 , which is the priority of the US provisional application with the docket number 62/060,487 filed October 6, 2014, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to an interior structure for a vehicle interior. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus for sewing vehicle interior components. Still further, various embodiments of the present invention relate to the application of a decorative stitching to a trim panel having a three-dimensional configuration, whether used in a vehicle or not.

Most of the stitching found in an automotive interior is functional in nature, whereby two or more pieces of material (leather, vinyl, TPO, fabric, etc.) are cut from a pattern and sewn together (Cut-n-Sew) before being sewn around a seam component such as a seat cushion, headrest, armrest, console cover, instrument panel substrate, etc. Such functional seams are very labor intensive and are normally used only where required on lower and mid-range vehicles. Functional seams on decorative components, such as instrument panel brackets and door panels, are usually limited to higher-class vehicles for cost reasons.

In recent years, automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have shown an interest in applying the "stitched" look to more vehicles across a broader range of price points. A simulated, non-functional stitching has been used in some applications, but the ability to offer a simulated stitching in a contrasting color is not currently production-feasible. Also, an increasing number of OEMs are requiring that a real or "live" stitch be used on decorative components to achieve the look and feel of a true cut-n-sew component.

Current methods of placing a decorative stitch on a 3D preformed vehicle trim component are to pierce the part (skin, skin/foam, or skin/foam/substrate) with a needle from the top of the part and use a hook or gripper located on the top of the part Rear of the part is to take. These methods require access to both the front and back of the piece, which often limits the position of stitch placement on the pieces. Placing stitches on face ends, sharp corners and highly contoured surfaces, such as are commonly seen on real cut and sew wrapped vehicle interior panels, is often very difficult.

For example, making stitches in the direction perpendicular to and over the edge of a semi-rigid part remains difficult because the throat plate depth requirements on existing machines prevent the plate from accommodating the small radii. Also, sewing around small in-plane radii can be difficult as predefined distances are required for needle plate movement.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an apparatus for creating a live, non-functional seam on decorative vehicle trim components. It is also desirable to provide a component with such a seam.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, an apparatus for applying stitching to a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration is provided.

In one embodiment, the device includes a head having a needle bar assembly operatively coupled to the head; a looper configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly to create a plurality of stitches in the decorative component, the looper rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component; and a column assembly configured to drive the looper in a reciprocating manner in the plane, the column assembly being operably coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly in a reciprocating manner.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the needle bar assembly may be driven by an upper drive shaft operable with the motor coupled can be reciprocally driven, and the column assembly is also reciprocally driven by the upper drive shaft through an intermediate drive shaft.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the column assembly may be operatively coupled to the head via a cylinder arm assembly and a down shaft assembly.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, at least one of the cylinder arm assembly and/or the downshaft assembly may be releasably attached to the head so that another cylinder arm assembly and/or downshaft assembly is attached to the head can be so that the column assembly is displaced with respect to the needle bar assembly of the head.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the cylinder arm assembly and downshaft assembly may be interchangeable with a different cylinder arm assembly and downshaft assembly so that the column assembly can be relocated with respect to the needle bar assembly.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, there may be provided a further needle and a further looper configured to cooperate with the further needle to simultaneously produce two discrete patterns of multiple stitches in the decorative To create component, wherein the other gripper rotates in the plane parallel to the decorative component.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, the column assembly may be configured to drive the gripper and the further gripper in the plane in a reciprocating manner, the column assembly being operatively coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly containing two needles in a reciprocating manner.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the gripper may be disposed in a column housing of the column assembly that is only slightly larger than a dimension of the gripper such that a throat plate of the column housing is near a rear the decorative component can be arranged.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the gripper may be disposed in a column housing of the column assembly that is only slightly larger than a dimension of the gripper such that a throat plate of the column housing is near a rear of the decorative component, and wherein the dimension is aligned or in line with a stitch direction of the plurality of stitches.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, the dimension may be in the range 10-12mm.

In yet another embodiment, a head for applying stitching to a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration and a corner is provided. The head includes: a needle bar assembly operatively coupled to the head; a looper configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly to create a plurality of stitches in the decorative component, the looper rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component; and a column assembly configured to drive the looper in a reciprocating manner in the plane, the column assembly being operatively coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly in a reciprocating manner, wherein the gripper is disposed in a columnar housing of the columnar assembly that is only slightly larger than a dimension of the gripper so that a throat plate of the columnar housing can be located near a back of the corner of the decorative component.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, the dimension may be aligned or in-line with a stitch direction of the plurality of stitches.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, the dimension may be in the range 10-12mm.

A decorative component may be provided with multiple stitches attached thereto by a head of any of the foregoing embodiments, and the decorative component may be an interior trim panel of a vehicle.

A decorative component having a plurality of stitches attached thereto by a head of any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the interior trim piece may be an instrument panel.

A decorative component having multiple stitches attached thereto by a head of any of the foregoing embodiments, at least some of the multiple stitches may be attached in the corner of the decorative component.

Disclosed is a head for applying stitching to a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration, comprising: a needle bar assembly operatively coupled to the head; a looper configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly to create a plurality of stitches in the decorative component, the looper rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component; a column assembly configured to drive the looper in a reciprocating manner in the plane, the column assembly being operatively coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly in a reciprocating manner, the column assembly is operatively coupled to the head via a cylinder arm assembly and a down shaft assembly; and wherein the cylinder arm assembly is synchronously rotated with a swing frame by a mechanical linkage connecting a swing frame drive shaft to the cylinder arm assembly.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, the needle bar assembly is driven in a reciprocating manner by an upper drive shaft operatively coupled to the motor, and the column assembly is also driven by the upper Drive shaft reciprocally driven via an intermediate drive shaft.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, at least one of the cylinder arm assembly and/or the downshaft assembly is releasably attached to the head so that another cylinder arm assembly and/or downshaft assembly is attached to the head can, so that the column assembly is displaced with respect to the needle bar assembly of the head.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, at least one of the cylinder arm assembly and/or the downshaft assembly is releasably attached to the head so that another cylinder arm assembly and/or downshaft assembly is attached to the head , so that the column assembly is displaced with respect to the needle bar assembly of the head.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, the cylinder arm assembly and downshaft assembly are interchangeable with a different cylinder arm assembly and downshaft assembly so that the column assembly can be relocated with respect to the needle bar assembly.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, another needle and another looper are configured to cooperate with the other needle to simultaneously create two discrete patterns of multiple stitches in the decorative component, wherein the further gripper rotates in the plane parallel to the decorative component.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, the column assembly is configured to drive the gripper and the further gripper in a reciprocating manner in the plane, the column assembly being operatively coupled to a motor , which is configured to drive the needle bar assembly containing two needles in a reciprocating manner.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments, an upper thread brake is configured to control a size of an upper thread loop and stabilize a position of the upper thread loop before and during gripping of the upper thread with the looper.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the above embodiments an upper thread brake is configured for controlling a size and stabilizing a position of an upper thread loop before and during grasping of the upper thread with the looper.

character list

• 1 ist ein Querschnitt einer oszillierenden Kettenstichmaschine gemäß einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 1A ist eine perspektivische Ansicht eines oszillierenden Schmetterlingsgreifers gemäß einer nicht einschränkenden Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 2 ist ein Querschnitt einer oszillierenden Kettenstichmaschine mit einer einstellbaren unteren Baugruppe gemäß einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 3 ist ein Querschnitt einer Antriebseinheit für einen oszillierenden Greifer gemäß einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 3A ist eine Querschnittsansicht einer kombinierten Säulen- und Greiferanordnung;
• 4 ist eine Querschnittsansicht einer oszillierenden Greifersäulenkonstruktion gemäß einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 5 ist eine Querschnittsansicht einer oszillierenden Greifersäulenkonstruktion gemäß einer alternativen beispielhaften Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 6 ist eine Ansicht, die die Bildung eines Stichs gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung veranschaulicht;
• 6A ist eine Ansicht entlang der Linien 6A-6A von 6;
• 7 ist eine Ansicht, die die Bildung eines Stichs gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung veranschaulicht;
• 7A ist eine Ansicht entlang der Linien 7A-7A von 7;
• 8 ist eine Ansicht, die die Bildung eines Stichs gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung veranschaulicht;
• 8A ist eine Ansicht entlang der Linien 8A-8A von 8;
• 9 ist eine Ansicht, die die Bildung eines Stichs gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung veranschaulicht;
• 9A ist eine Ansicht entlang der Linien 9A-9A von 9;
• 10 ist eine Ansicht, die die Bildung eines Stichs gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung veranschaulicht;
• 10A ist eine Ansicht entlang der Linien 10A-10A von 10;
• 11 ist eine Ansicht, die die Bildung eines Stichs gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung veranschaulicht;
• 11A ist eine Ansicht entlang der Linien 11A-11A von 11;
• 12A und 12B veranschaulichen den Stichplattengrundriss für verschiedene Ausführungsformen der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 13 veranschaulicht eine Hakengreifer-vorrichtung in einer Ecke eines Teils;
• 14 veranschaulicht einen oszillierenden Greifer gemäß einer beispielhaften Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Erfindung;
• 15 veranschaulicht ein Verfahren zum Einführen eines Zylinderarms oder Zylinderarmanordnungstransports in einen Kopf;
• 16A-16C veranschaulichen die Ausrichtung eines Schwingrahmens relativ zu einem Zylinderarm an drei Punkten während des Stichzyklus;
• 17A-E veranschaulichen die Verwendung einer Fadenbremse oder eines Bremsklotzes, um vor dem Eingriff mit dem Greifer die Größe der Oberfadenschlinge zu steuern und die Position der Oberfadenschlinge zu stabilisieren;
• 18A-18D veranschaulichen auch die Verwendung der Fadenbremse, um zur Steuerung der Größe und Stabilisierung der Position der Oberfadenschlinge vor dem Eingriff mit dem Greifer; und
• 19 ist eine Draufsicht auf den Greifer 12, während er die Oberfadenschlinge aufnimmt.

Further features, advantages and details result from the following description of embodiments, for example purposes only, wherein the description refers to the drawings, in which:

• 1 Fig. 12 is a cross section of an oscillating chain stitch machine according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
• 1A Figure 12 is a perspective view of an oscillating butterfly grabber in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;
• 2 Figure 12 is a cross section of an oscillating chainstitch machine with an adjustable lower assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
• 3 Fig. 12 is a cross section of a drive unit for an oscillating gripper according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
• 3A Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of a combined post and gripper assembly;
• 4 Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of an oscillating gripper column structure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
• 5 Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of an oscillating gripper column construction in accordance with an alternative exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
• 6 Fig. 14 is a view illustrating the formation of a stitch according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 6A 12 is a view taken along lines 6A-6A of FIG 6 ;
• 7 Fig. 14 is a view illustrating the formation of a stitch according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 7A 12 is a view taken along lines 7A-7A of FIG 7 ;
• 8th Fig. 14 is a view illustrating the formation of a stitch according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 8A 12 is a view taken along lines 8A-8A of FIG 8th ;
• 9 Fig. 14 is a view illustrating the formation of a stitch according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 9A 12 is a view taken along lines 9A-9A of FIG 9 ;
• 10 Fig. 14 is a view illustrating the formation of a stitch according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 10A 12 is a view taken along lines 10A-10A of FIG 10 ;
• 11 Fig. 14 is a view illustrating the formation of a stitch according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• 11A 12 is a view taken along lines 11A-11A of FIG 11 ;
• 12A and 12B illustrate the throat plate layout for various embodiments of the present invention;
• 13 Figure 12 illustrates a hook gripper device in a corner of a part;
• 14 illustrates an oscillating gripper according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;
• 15 Figure 12 illustrates a method of inserting a cylinder arm or cylinder arm assembly transport into a head;
• 16A-16C illustrate the orientation of a swing frame relative to a cylinder arm at three points during the stitch cycle;
• 17A-E illustrate the use of a thread brake or brake pad to control the size of the needle thread loop and stabilize the position of the needle thread loop prior to engagement with the looper;
• 18A-18D also illustrate the use of the thread brake to control the size and stabilize the position of the upper thread loop prior to engagement with the looper; and
• 19 Fig. 12 is a plan view of the looper 12 as it picks up the upper thread loop.

Although the drawings depict various embodiments and features of the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in order to illustrate and explain exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The example presented herein illustrates various aspects of the invention in one form and such example should not be so construed that it limits the scope of the invention in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus that allows the application of a decorative stitch to limited seam areas of preformed parts in the transportation industry, particularly when a seam is placed over a formed edge with small radii or sewn around a small radius in-plane becomes. The device also offers the ability to adjust machine parameters to accommodate a wide variety of part sizes without the need to build multiple sewing heads.

In another embodiment, the invention described herein consists of a head construction that improves the ability to sew in limited areas of a three-dimensionally shaped part in a manual or automated manner for applications within the transportation industry.

By now on the 1-4 With reference, an oscillating chainstitch machine 10 is illustrated in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. The machine 10 produces a chain stitch using an oscillating butterfly looper 12 at the end of a combined looper and column assembly 14 operatively coupled to a cylinder arm assembly 16 .

This particular concept results in an extremely narrow column housing in the "x" direction (as at least in the 1A , 12A and 12B shown) that matches the stitch direction. In one embodiment, a dimension of the column housing may be in the range of 10-12 mm (millimeters), of course dimensions larger or smaller than this are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. In a double needle construction, the dimension across both column housings can be in the range of 25-28mm, while the dimension in the illustrated "x" direction can be in the range of 10-12mm, of course dimensions larger or smaller than this as in the frame of the present invention. This narrow column housing extends from the cylinder arm to the top of a looper/needle plate that is smaller than any previously known design in this application environment. In one embodiment, the oscillating chainstitch machine or head 10 may be used as a stationary machine, with a material or product being fed through the machine via one or more feeders built into the head or machine 10, or the head or the Machine 10 may be driven via an external drive (eg, a 6-axis robot), shown schematically by box 18, to move sewing head 10 over and around a stationary part.

The head or machine 10 includes a needle bar assembly 20 driven by an upper drive shaft 22 operatively coupled to a motor 24 for driving the upper drive shaft 22 . An intermediate shaft 26 is also operatively coupled to the upper drive shaft 22 by a belt 28 or some equivalent device such that rotational movement of the upper drive shaft causes rotational movement of the intermediate shaft. The intermediate shaft 26 is also operatively coupled to a down shaft assembly 30 and the down shaft assembly 30 is operatively coupled to the cylinder arm assembly 16 which in turn is operatively coupled to the oscillating butterfly gripper 12 via the column assembly 14 .

Additionally, the head 10 may have an adjustable construction so that it can be reconfigured to accommodate a variety of different part shapes and sizes through the use of a reconfigurable lower arm assembly 32 (at least in 2 shown schematically) consisting of an adjustable down shaft position in combination with interchangeable cylinder arm shaft and housing assemblies 16 each having different lengths in combination with interchangeable down shaft assemblies 30 having different lengths. Thus, and as at least in 2 As illustrated, the vertical spacing between the top and bottom of the head can also be adjusted (with or without cylinder arm extensions) through the use of interchangeable downshaft assemblies 30 and gripper shaft/housing components (e.g., interchangeable cylinder arm shaft and housing assemblies 16).

For example, a first downshaft assembly 30 may be directly connected to the intermediate shaft 26 in a housing 34 of an upper portion 36 of the machine or head 10 . Thereafter, a second downshaft assembly 30' (in 2 shown in phantom) can be operatively coupled to a lower portion 36 of the first downshaft assembly 30 to increase the length of the combined downshaft assemblies, which in turn will position the oscillating looper 12 farther from the needle bar assembly 20 of the head 10.

In addition, the housing 34 and intermediate shaft 26 may also be configured to mate with the longer downshaft assembly 30'' (also in phantom in 2 shown) can be coupled. This allows the position of the downshaft assembly to be shifted in the direction of arrows 38, which in turn allows the downshaft assembly 30'' to be coupled to a cylinder arm shaft and housing assembly 16' (also in phantom in 2 shown) can be used. This assembly 16' may be of greater length than assembly 16 for use with assembly 30''. Accordingly, the interchangeable cylinder arm shaft and housing assemblies 16, 16' in combination with the interchangeable downshaft assemblies 30, 30', 30'' as well as the interchangeable column components (e.g., gripper shaft extensions and housings) allow multiple configurations and dimensions to be created as the individual Components can be interchangeably attached to each other. Additionally, as discussed herein, a two post oscillating gripper construction may be used in combination with any of the disclosed combinations of assemblies.

Accordingly, these embodiments allow a distance 40 between the end of the needle bar assembly 20 and the cylinder arm 16 to be variable, as well as a distance 41 between the end of the needle bar assembly 20 and the down shaft assembly 30, which in turn allows the head or machine 10 to have parts of different sizes record.

The description and illustrations referred to above and below relate to a sewing head 10 which can be manipulated over and around a stationary part in an automated manner, but is also applicable to a stationary machine.

As mentioned above, the construction of the head 10 includes an upper shaft 22 driven by a servo motor 24 . The upper shaft 22 controls movement of the needle bar assembly 20 and a walking foot, both of which are located in the upper portion or head of the head 10 . The upper shaft 22 also drives an intermediate shaft 26 and a lower shaft 42 through a series of belts, pulleys and gears that convert constant rotary motion to oscillating motion. The oscillating motion is required to properly coordinate the movement of the looper 12 relative to the needle bar assembly 20. FIG.

In one embodiment, the oscillating motion consists of rotation of the gripper in clockwise and counterclockwise motion, and acceleration and deceleration of the gripper at various times during this motion. A possible, non-limiting possible configuration for achieving this movement and acceleration and deceleration is at least in 3 shown. The intermediate shaft or intermediate drive shaft 26 has a cam 27 which converts rotary motion into variable speed oscillatory motion in conjunction with a cam fork 44, the cam fork 44 in turn driving the output shaft or lower shaft 42 through a series of linkages and gears generally are denoted by the reference numeral 45.

For example, a gear and sector assembly 46 coupled to the cam fork 44 by a linkage 47 causes the output shaft 42 and ultimately a gripper shaft 48 operatively coupled to the gripper 12 to oscillate. As such, the configuration of the gearbox determines the rotational distance of movement of the gripper 12, which in one embodiment may be 220 degrees of rotation in one direction and then back again. Of course, degrees of rotation greater or less than 220 degrees are also understood to be within the scope of various embodiments of the present invention. It is understood that the means for driving the oscillating gripper 12 is not limited to the above description and can be reconfigured accordingly to achieve the same effect.

The gripper column assembly 14 may include a single gripper 12 (see at least 4 ), or the gripper column assembly may be configured to include a dual gripper, hereinafter referred to as dual gripper column assembly 50 (see at least 5 ), depending on the specific stitch configuration desired. As mentioned above, the single gripper or the dual gripper can be used in any of the combinations disclosed herein. In applications where the double gripper column assembly 50 is used, the head 10 can also be configured to have a second needle added to the needle bar assembly 20 to create double stitch patterns.

Referring again to 4 the gripper 12 is driven by the gripper shaft 48 via a bevel gear 52 which meshes with a bevel gear 54 of the lower shaft 42 . In 4 Also shown are bushings 56, collar locks 58, a column housing 70, a gear housing 72 and a cylinder arm assembly housing 74 for transmitting oscillating rotary motion to support the lower shaft 42 on the gripper 12. However, and as mentioned above, the configuration shown in the figures is provided merely as a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, and various other means of achieving an oscillating movement for the gripper 12 are considered to be within the scope of various embodiments of the present invention.

In 5 For example, a second gripper 12, a second gripper shaft 48, collar lock 58 and a second bevel gear 52 are provided along with a bushing 56 in an elongated gear housing 72 to drive a pair of grippers 12.

A non-limiting example of a sequence required to complete a stitch is described below and at least in FIGS 6-11 illustrated. In step 1 ( 6 ) the looper 12 is in its fully counterclockwise rotational position, or at the beginning of its rotational movement, and a needle 72 of the needle bar assembly 20 is at the bottom (bottom dead center BDC) of its stroke.

Furthermore, at least in the 6-11 Illustrating the part or portion thereof 74 that is sewn through the head 10, a needle plate 76 and an opening or hole 78 in the needle plate 76 that allows the needle 72 to enter and exit therein. At least a portion of the needle plate 76 may be disposed around the housing 70 of the gripper post assembly 14. Also shown is a walking foot 80 of the needle bar assembly 20. The walking foot 80 is operatively coupled to the upper drive shaft 22 to achieve the desired reciprocating movement of the walking foot 80 when the needle 72 moves between its top dead center position and its bottom dead center position and off moved. In 6 the needle 72 is at the bottom of its stroke or (bottom dead center) and the looper 12 is at the beginning of its rotation. In addition, the walking foot 80 is in contact with the material 74 but exerts little pressure thereon. 6A also shows a view along lines 6A-6A of FIG 6 .

In step 2 ( 7 ) the needle 72 begins its upward movement in the direction of arrow 82, creating a loop 84 in an upper thread 86 positioned between the tip of the needle 72 and the back of the previous piece 74. Simultaneously, a tip 88 of the looper 12 moves clockwise, with respect to the view shown in the figures, between the thread loop 84 and the needle 72 76 remains in contact as the needle 72 withdraws from the material 74. 7A FIG. 12 shows a view along lines 7A-7A of FIG 7 .

In step 3 ( 8th ) the needle 72 has cleared part 74 and is positioned in its fully retracted position (top dead center TDC). The looper 12 has moved to its clockwise fully rotated or maximum rotated position with respect to the view shown in the figures, with the needle thread loop 84 fully seated on an arm 90 of the looper 12 . Walker foot 80 is also lifted off part 74 and begins advancing to the next needle drop point on part 74. 8A FIG. 12 shows a view along lines 8A-8A of FIG 8th .

In step 4 ( 9 ) the needle 72 has moved downwards in the direction of the arrow 73 and has again pierced the part 74 and also engages the looper 12. The needle 72 is now on a downward stroke, moving between a lower thread or lower thread 92 and the looper 12 as the looper 12 rotates counterclockwise with respect to the view shown in the figures. Walking foot 80 has moved down in the direction of arrow 73 to be in light contact with material or part 74 as needle 72 enters the material. 9A FIG. 12 shows a view along lines 9A-9A of FIG 9 .

In step 5 ( 10 ) on its downward stroke, the needle 72 moves further down in the direction of arrow 73, while the looper 12 continues its rotation counterclockwise with respect to the view shown in the figures, thereby releasing the upper thread loop 84. The upper thread 86 is in step 5 of 10 released by the gripper 12. 10A 12 shows a view along lines 10A-10A of FIG 10 .

In step 6 ( 11 and 11A , where 11A a view taken along lines 11A-11A of FIG 11 1) the needle 72 reaches the bottom of its stroke (bottom dead center) and the looper 12 reaches its final position of counter-clockwise rotation with respect to the views shown, and the needle thread 84 is pulled tightly against a back surface 75 of the material 74 , while the bobbin thread 92 is pulled as the stitch is completed. Accordingly, the needle thread loop 84 is pulled upward, pulling the lower thread 92 with it, while the sewing head 10 moves forward relative to the portion 74, thereby completing the stitch.

The oscillating looper construction described here requires a minimum needle plate depth in order to accommodate the loopers 12 (see at least least 12 ) since the grippers 12 rotate in a plane parallel to the part 74 (see at least 6-11A ) to form the stitch, as opposed to the forward/backward movement of the looper in a plane perpendicular to the piece more commonly found on chainstitch sewing machines. The throat plate depth is determined by the minimum looper diameter required to process the desired thread size. This compact design allows for the sewing of through-plane radii on formed parts, previously not possible with more traditional equipment (see for example 13 and 14 ) .

In 13 For example, a corner 96 of part 74 can be sewn through head 10 since gripper 12 can be positioned much closer to the rear of corner 96 of part 74. This is due to minimal or no clearance between the needle plate 76 and the portion 74 or corner 96 to ensure an even, consistent stitch pattern, particularly at the corner 96. In contrast to this, and referring to 14 , a gripper arm 98 rotates about an axis 100 that is perpendicular as opposed to parallel to the back of the part 74 to be sewn. In 14 If there is excessive clearance between the needle plate 76 and the portion 74 or corner 96, and thus irregular stitch length or skipped stitches may result near the corner 96 due to this excessive clearance. Thus, various embodiments of the present invention allow for sewing in tight corners of a part 74. As a result, the radii in a part can now be dictated by visual appearance rather than by machine/sewing process limitations. Additionally, and through the use of an oscillating looper 12, both an upper and lower thread are used to form a stitch.

The sewing machine column, which begins at the end of cylinder arm 16 and extends upwardly therefrom, terminates at the top of needle plate 76. The needle plate 76 and/or the dimension of the column or column housing 76 in the "x" direction, as illustrated in the attached figures is limited only by the diameter of the gripper 12 itself. There is no other mechanism in the column or column housing 70 that increases its size at any point along the height of the column or column housing 70, thereby allowing the column or column housing 70 and its throat plate 76 to be in small areas , such as the corner 96 or any other small, hard-to-reach areas, with a minimal clearance between the needle plate 76 and the back of the part to be sewn, resulting in a more effective or efficient stitch pattern.

It will also be appreciated that the lower (output) shaft can be adjusted relative to the gripper shaft to provide optimum access to the back of the part.

In 15 A method of inserting the cylinder arm or cylinder arm assembly feeder into the head 10 is illustrated. The feed dog of the cylinder arm or cylinder arm assembly 16 can be used to maintain the proper relationship between the needle 72 and the looper 12 during stitch creation. Attached to a swing frame drive shaft 101 of the head 10 is a cylinder arm drive link 102 which in turn is pivotally connected to a cylinder arm driven link 103 . The cylinder arm output link 103 is pivotally connected to a cylinder arm rotary drive clamp 104 which is connected to the cylinder drive assembly 16 . This configuration allows the cylinder arm assembly 16 to rotate about the lower shaft 42 in sequence with the rotation of a swing frame 105 about the swing frame drive shaft 101 . Because the rotation of the swing frame 105 about the swing frame drive shaft 101 controls the position of the needle in the sewing direction, linking the rotary motion of the cylinder arm assembly 16 to the swing frame drive shaft 101 ensures that the connection of the needle 72 to the looper 12 is always correct , when the upper needle bar feed dog is used.

16A-16C 12 illustrate the orientation of the swing frame 105 relative to the cylinder arm 16 at three points during the stitch cycle.

17A-E illustrate the use of a thread brake or brake pad 106 to control the size and stabilize the position of the upper thread loop prior to engagement with the looper 12. 17A 12 illustrates the needle in the top dead center (TDC) position with the thread brake 106 retracted (needle at TDC, brake disengaged) allowing the needle thread 86 to pass freely through the eye of the needle 72. 17B indicates a point along the downward travel of a needle bar 107 stroke at which the thread brake 106 begins to move forward toward the needle bar 107 (needle on the way down, brake engagement begins), thereby providing resistance to the passage of the Upper thread 86 applies before the thread enters the eye of the needle 72. 17C illustrates full thread brake 106 pressure applied to thread 86 against needle bar 107 (needle on the way down, brake fully engaged), preventing passage of needle thread 86 through the eye of needle 72. As the needle bar continues to move downward from this point, the upper thread loop begins to form and is held in a proper position until it is picked up by the looper 12. 17D Figure 12 illustrates the needle bar 107 at the bottom dead center (BDC) position (needle at BDC, brake engaged). 17E Figure 12 shows the needle bar 107 at the point of its upward travel where the looper 12 engages the upper thread loop (needle on the way up, brake release initiated). At this point, thread brake 106 also normally begins to disengage from needle bar 107, allowing free passage of upper thread 86 through the eye of needle 72 again.

When the needle bar 107 is at TDC (see at least 17A ), a spring steel arm 108 (due to the shape of the spring steel arm) is depressed by a roller wheel assembly 109. The spring steel arm 108 is attached to the thread brake and is configured to generate a biasing force in the direction of arrow 111 .

When the needle bar 107 (and with it the spring steel arm 108) moves down, the roller wheel 109, which does not move, eventually reaches a point on the spring steel arm 108 where no deflection occurs, at which point the brake pad or thread brake 106 exerts pressure and clamps the thread 86 against the needle bar 107. This occurs when the needle bar 107 is about 50% of its down stroke length.

Brake pressure remains applied all the way down to BDC of needle stroke (spring deactivated) and remains applied until about 25% of its upstroke distance before brake release begins (spring apply begins).

The thread brake 106 is fully released at 50% of the upstroke of the needle bar 107 and remains released (spring applied) for the remainder of the upstroke of the needle bar 107 to TDC.

The brake engagement and release points mentioned above are approximate and can be adjusted by moving the position of the roller wheel assembly 109 up or down depending on the application and line being used.

It is of course understood that other means of activating/deactivating the brake are also possible.

18A-18D also illustrate the use of the thread brake 106 to control the size and stabilize the position of the upper thread loop prior to engagement with the looper 12. 18A shows the needle in the top dead center (TDC) position with the thread brake 106 retracted, allowing the upper thread 86 to move freely through the eye of the needle 72 while the 18B and 18C show a point along the downward movement of the needle 72 and needle bar 107 at which the thread brake 106 has been applied (brake applied). 18D 12 shows the needle bar 107 at the bottom dead center (BDC) position with the thread brake applied (BDC, brake applied).

19 Fig. 12 is a plan view of the looper 12 as it picks up the upper thread loop.

It should be understood that the location and timing of engagement/disengagement of the thread brake 106 with the needle bar 107 can be adjusted as needed to achieve optimal upper thread loop formation prior to and during pick-up by the looper 12.

In one embodiment, part 74 may be part of an interior portion of a vehicle. In one embodiment, this part can be any part of an interior of the vehicle. For example, the part may comprise part of an instrument panel of a vehicle. Of course, the part can be on any surface within the vehicle. Non-limiting examples include: vehicle door panels, vehicle console covers, vehicle console panels, instrument panels, vehicle armrests, headliners, seat backs, storage compartments, any decorative vehicle interior surface. Still further, the methodology disclosed herein may be applied to articles or components used in other non-vehicle manufacturing processes, and thus section or part 74 may refer to any article of manufacture.

The interior part or item or part 74 may have a single-layer or multi-layer construction. In one embodiment, the part 74 comprises at least one skin layer having a substantially smooth outer surface and an underside facing away from the outer surface. The skin layer is preferably formed from a plastic material having significant flexibility and an aesthetically pleasing character. Of course, other natural materials (eg, leather, etc.) and simulated covers are contemplated for use in various embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, the interior room part a decorative element of a car interior.

In order to improve the softness of the interior part, in one embodiment a layer of cushioning support material can be provided in the area under the outer skin layer. It is contemplated that the cushioning substrate may be of any number of different constructions, although a foamed material such as cross-linked polypropylene (XLPP) or polyurethane (PU) foam may be preferred.

A substrate plate made of dimensionally stable plastic or another suitable material can also be arranged under the upholstery carrier material.

According to one embodiment, the pad substrate and the substrate sheet may cooperate to provide a support structure for the skin layer.

It is contemplated that PU foam forming the cushioning substrate may be blown between the skin layer and the substrate panel to form a multi-layered composite structure. It is also contemplated that the cushioning material may be applied to the skin layer in a preliminary trimming operation to form a pre-laminated composite which may thereafter be applied over any substrate panel that may be used. It is also contemplated that the cushioning material may be attached to the outer substrate layer in a preliminary skinning operation to form a preliminary laminated composite which may thereafter be wrapped with an outer skin layer.

Still further, the part can be any of a single layer (skin only), a double layer (skin/foam), or a triple layer (skin/foam/substrate). In yet another alternative embodiment, the intermediate foam layer between the skin and the substrate may be a spacer fabric instead of a foam layer. In yet another alternative embodiment, the spacer fabric can be used in conjunction with the foam layer either between the skin and the foam layer, or between the substrate and the foam layer, or between both the skin and the foam layer and between the foam layer and the substrate. Accordingly, it is contemplated that the devices disclosed herein may be used with any of the aforementioned member 74 configurations.

In another embodiment, the part 74 may be formed by a vacuum forming process or a vacuum formed part, which may have a single layer or multiple layers, some of which may be formed from different materials, and the part having a three-dimensional configuration with various configurations. In addition, the aforesaid member may have inherent rigidity in that the member cannot be adequately flexed during a sewing operation or stitch application.

As explained above, there is a desire to create a vivid, non-functional seam on decorative automotive trim components without using costly cut-n-sew technologies. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus is used to apply a double suture where the sutures are adjacent (e.g., opposite and parallel to each other).

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to alternative apparatus for applying decorative stitching to unformed and preformed material structures used in the transportation industry or in the manufacture of vehicles and vehicle parts. The devices disclosed herein can be used for both flat stock (Cut-n-Sew), but provide greater benefit when used on a part that has some degree of rigidity such that it cannot be easily flattened without cause damage to the material.

As used herein, the terms "first," "second," and the like do not denote any order, quantity, or importance herein, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another, and the As used herein, the terms "a" and "an" do not denote a quantity limitation, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the named elements. Additionally, it is noted that unless otherwise noted, the terms "lower" and "upper" are used herein for convenience of description only and are not limited to any single position or spatial orientation .

The modifier "about" used in connection with a quantity is inclusive of the specified value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., includes the degree of error associated with the measurement of the particular quantity).

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and their equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention should not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention should include all embodiments falling within the scope of the present invention registration.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• US 16/533345 [0001]
• US 14/876636 [0001]
• US10421413 [0001]
• US62/060487 [0001]

Claims (10)

A head for applying stitching to a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration, comprising: a needle bar assembly operatively coupled to the head; a looper configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly to create a plurality of stitches in the decorative component, the looper rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component; a column assembly configured to drive the looper in a reciprocating manner in the plane, the column assembly being operatively coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly in a reciprocating manner, the column assembly is operatively coupled to the head via a cylinder arm assembly and a down shaft assembly; and wherein the cylinder arm assembly is synchronously rotated with a swing frame by a mechanical linkage connecting a swing frame drive shaft to the cylinder arm assembly. head down claim 1 wherein the needle bar assembly is reciprocally driven by an upper drive shaft operatively coupled to the motor and the column assembly is also reciprocally driven by the upper drive shaft via an intermediate drive shaft. head down claim 2 wherein at least one of the cylinder arm assembly and/or the downshaft assembly is removably attached to the head so that another cylinder arm assembly and/or another downshaft assembly can be attached to the head so that the column assembly is relocated with respect to the needle bar assembly of the head . head down claim 1 wherein at least one of the cylinder arm assembly and/or the downshaft assembly is removably attached to the head so that another cylinder arm assembly and/or another downshaft assembly can be attached to the head so that the column assembly is relocated with respect to the needle bar assembly of the head . head down claim 1 wherein the cylinder arm assembly and the down shaft assembly are interchangeable with another cylinder arm assembly and another down shaft assembly so that the column assembly can be relocated with respect to the needle bar assembly. head down claim 1 further comprising a further needle and a further gripper configured to cooperate with the further needle to simultaneously create two discrete patterns of multiple stitches in the decorative component, the further gripper being in the plane parallel to the decorative component rotates. head down claim 6 wherein the column assembly is configured to drive the looper and the further looper in a reciprocating manner in the plane, the column assembly being operatively coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly containing two needles in to propel in a reciprocating manner. head down claim 7 further comprising an upper thread brake configured to control a size and stabilize a position of an upper thread loop before and during gripping of the upper thread with the looper. head down claim 2 further comprising an upper thread brake configured to control a size and stabilize a position of an upper thread loop before and during gripping of the upper thread with the looper. head down claim 1 further comprising an upper thread brake configured to control a size and stabilize a position of an upper thread loop before and during gripping of the upper thread with the looper.

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