EP4642970A1

EP4642970A1 - Crochet system and method

Info

Publication number: EP4642970A1
Application number: EP23911155.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Aaron SPRECHER; Tamar NIX; Yehiel DAHAN
Original assignee: Technion Research and Development Foundation Ltd
Current assignee: Technion Research and Development Foundation Ltd
Priority date: 2022-12-28
Filing date: 2023-12-28
Publication date: 2025-11-05
Also published as: WO2024142060A1

Abstract

A crocheting device is disclosed, configured to receive a continuous feed of textile material and produce therefrom a crochet structure. The device comprising a feed mechanism configured to receive a portion of the textile material and regulate tension thereof, a looping mechanism configured to draw tensioned textile material from the feed mechanism and form one or more loops therefrom, and a crocheting mechanism configured to receive the one or more loops from the looping mechanism and successively interlock them to one or more loops of the produced crochet structure.

Description

CROCHET SYSTEM AND METHOD

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

The present invention is generally in the field of textile fabrication and machinery /devices therefor.

BACKGROUND

This section intends to provide background information concerning the present application, which is not necessarily prior art.

Crochet is a traditional handcraft technique utilizing a single hook to create textile products (e.g., types of fabrics, rugs, garments, toys, accessories, and any type of textile shells) from yam, thread, or strands of other material(s), in a stitch-by-stitch looping process. In crocheting techniques, each loop stitch is formed and completed at a time, which differs from knitting techniques wherein a plurality of loop stitches are typically kept open throughout the knitting process.

Crocheting techniques are capable of producing extremely complex geometries, including inter alia double hyperbolic planes and surface increase. Working with a single hook enables formation of textile surfaces with fewer geometrical limitations/ that are more commonly encountered in knitting techniques, in which the outcome size and complexity are limited by the tool/machinery used. Despite the unique characteristics and potential of crocheting techniques, heretofore, it is a handcraft technique not having suitable industrial fabrication implementations.

Flat knitting is a common technique known in the art of creating volumetric textile products directly from yam. This technique is however limited by the geometrical dimensions/constraints of the material and/or of the machinery used for the looping process (which determines the measures of the final product).

Textile/fabric production technologies are typically divided into three main techniques: weaving, knitting, and non-woven. There are additional textile production techniques, such as braiding, knotting, and embroidery, which can be efficiently mechanized and digitized, and handcrafts such as crochet, and macrame. Warp knitting and weft knitting are yet other textile production techniques, which are however different from the crocheting technique.

Crochet is traditionally used for creating table clothes, pillows, dolls, babies’ items, toys, garments, fashion accessories, and more. Contemporary work with crocheting techniques demonstrates the potential of large-scale installations (e.g., https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/07/crochet-playgrounds-by-toshiko-horiuchi-macadam/) as complete playgrounds and minimal-scale items as pieces of jewelry (e.g., https://www.yooladesign.com/collections/wire-crochet-jewelry/products/3-crocheted-gold- filled-bubble-pod-necklace-unique-handmade-wire-crochet-jewelry). The mechanization of crocheting is expected to provide new implementations of this technique e.g., in the fields of architecture, industrial design, and medical devices.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

There is an absence of industrial crocheting techniques usable for fabrication of textile products from a single continuous yarn/strand, in various types of stitches and patterns. The present application provides crochet manufacturing techniques utilizing a crocheting device coupled to a manipulator e.g., a robotic arm, configured to implement (digital) crochet production solutions. The crocheting device of embodiments hereof is configured to continuously produce and interlock crochet loops from a continuous yarn/strand/thread material, using specially designed mechanisms utilizing motors, sensors, and computerized control means.

The robotic arm implementation of the manipulator illustrated in the drawings is provided in embodiments hereof as an optional, but not exclusive, solution configured to spatially move the crocheting device for realizing the crochet mechanization. Alternatively, in possible embodiments, other tools/equipment are utilized for the three-dimensional (3D) maneuvering of the crocheting device e.g., using a gantry system, or suchlike. Such coupling of the crocheting device to actuator(s) is utilized in embodiments hereof to implement row-byrow and/or layer-by-layer fabrication of textile products, conceptually similar to production techniques implemented by FDM 3D printing machines. This way, the traditional manual crochet handcraft can be converted into a digital manufacture approach that yields novel fabrication methods.

The crochet manufacturing techniques disclosed herein involves several mechanical and computerized mechanisms that imitate the combined effort of the human brain, hands and fingers, required to fabricate flat and volumetric crocheted textile products from a single continuous yarn/strand. Embodiments disclosed herein utilize a crocheting tool/device coupled to an actuator having in some embodiment 6 rotary motion axes e.g., implemented by a robotic arm, for the joint execution of three-dimensional (3D) crochet fabrication procedures.

In some embodiments the crocheting device is mounted to a robotic arm for controlling the yarn/strand/thread manipulation and performing the actual crochet loops and their interlockings. The end-effector system of embodiments hereof is configured to carry the crocheting device used to form the structure of the loops and connect between them. Operation of crochet production embodiments hereof can be performed by 5 (five) sub mechanisms that can be activated by suitable controllable actuators e.g., utilizing step motors with encoders, controlled by one or more control units (e.g., computer devices). The robotic arm facilitates large-scale movement of the crocheting device row-by-row, that can be guided to follow a computerized path/trajectory e.g., derived from a 3D model/CAD of the final textile structure, and adapted to produce a required textile pattern e.g., by performing sequences of plain loop, loop increase and/or loop decrease crochet stitching. A control unit can be used to synchronize the movements of the robotic arm with the crocheting progress of the crocheting tool/device.

The mechanization/automation of the crocheting techniques disclosed herein can be employed to provide inter alia digital fabrication implementations usable for 3D additive fabrication of any-scale textile products e.g., having complex volumetric geometries, which can be adapted to provide solutions in a myriad of other technological/industrial fields e.g., in architecture, industrial design, medical devices, baskets/packaging, reinforcements, art and sculpture. A crochet device of embodiments hereof can make extremely large, medium, or small-scale products, which are not possible with conventional knitting machinery.

The crochet device disclosed herein can be configured to utilize a wide range of flexible/elastic materials for producing the crochet loops and their interlockings, all of which are generally referred to herein as textile materials, such as, but not limited to, types of fibers (e.g., cotton, wool, acrylic, polyester, silk, bamboo, hemp, linen), types of synthetic yams and wires/chords (e.g., nylon yarn, rayon yarn), types of coated and uncoated metallic yarns/fabric wires, strips or cords (e.g., Aluminum, Copper, Nitinol, and other metallic materials/alloys), glass fibers and filaments (e.g., E-glass, S-glass, C-glass, A-glass, AR-glass, D-glass), and glass coated wires (e.g., enamelled wires, magnet wires).

The crocheting device is accordingly configured to receive a single continuous feed of textile (yarn/strand/thread) material and produce desired textile yarn/strand/thread structures by a looping process. The crocheting device is configured in to produce the textile yarn/strand/thread structures by performing sequences crochet loops (plains loops and/or loop increases and/or decreases) interlocking. A tensioning assembly can be used to maintain a certain level of tension in the textile material fed to the crocheting device.

The crocheting device comprises a looping mechanism configured to form one or more loops of the textile material fed thereto over a frustoconical element configured to slip the one or more loops formed thereover onto a hook element. Optionally, but in some embodiments preferably, the looping mechanism is configured to form the one or more loops directly over the hook element. The looping mechanism utilizes in possible embodiments a revolving clip element configured to spool the textile material (e.g., by a spinning eyelet) fed thereto over the conical element, or directly over the hook element, so as to form one or more loops therefrom.

The crocheting device can utilize a loop formation mechanism comprising the hook element having an extremity configured to pass through the loops of the produced crochet structure to interlock the one or more loops placed thereon to the produced crochet structure. In possible embodiments the hook element is introduced into a central bore formed in a tapering end of the frustoconical element to transfer at least one loop of the textile material spooled thereover to the hook element and drawing the same into the one or more loops of the produced crochet structure, as the hook element is withdrawn away from the frustoconical element.

The hook element comprises in some embodiments a detection setup mounted in a hook indentation of the hook element, configured to detect presence or absence of the textile material therein. The crochet mechanism can use a cam drive mechanism configured to reciprocally move the hook element towards and away the frustoconical element for receiving the one or more loops therefrom and moving and interlocking them to one or more loops of the produced crochet structure.

In possible embodiments the crocheting device comprises a product guide mechanism configured to hold an upper segment portion of the produced crochet structure and laterally reciprocate the produced crochet structure in a desired crocheting direction for interlocking thereto new loops of the textile material.

A crocheting system of embodiments hereof comprises the crocheting device according to any of the embodiments disclosed herein, and a manipulator (e.g., cartesian manipulator, cylindrical manipulator, polar manipulator, jointed-arm manipulator, SCARA manipulator) configured to controllably maneuver the crochet device in 3D space while interlocking new loops from the hook element to the produced crochet structure, to thereby form a desired 3D structure. The manipulator may comprise a robotic arm system coupled to the crochet device by an end effector thereof.

The crocheting system comprises in some embodiments a plurality of eyelet mounts distributed over arm elements of the robotic arm system for guiding the textile (yarn/strand/thread) material, and/or electric cables/wires, to the crocheting device. This way, the crocheting system of embodiments disclosed herein can be configured to implement various crochet procedures for producing desired textile structures. In one aspect there is provided a crocheting device configured to receive a continuous feed of textile material and produce therefrom a crochet structure. The crocheting device comprises in some embodiments a feed mechanism configured to receive a portion of the textile material and regulate tension thereof, a looping mechanism configured to draw the tensioned textile material from the feed mechanism and form one or more loops therefrom, a crocheting mechanism configured to receive the one or more loops from the looping mechanism and successively interlock them to one or more loops of the produces crochet structure.

The crocheting device comprises in some embodiments a revolving clip mechanism configured to draw and circulate portions of the tensioned textile material and form one or more loops therefrom. A hook element is used to receive the one or more loops formed by the revolving clip mechanism and introduce and interlock them to one or more loops of the crochet structure.

A conical element can be used for spooling the one or more loops of textile material formed by the revolving clip mechanism thereover, and for transferring the one or more loops to the hook element. The crocheting mechanism can be configured to reciprocally move the hook element towards and away the conical element for receiving the one or more loops of the textile material and placing them in the one or more loops of the crochet structure. A cam drive mechanism is used in possible embodiments to reciprocally move the hook element towards and away the conical element for receiving the one or more loops therefrom.

The conical element can have a central bore. The crocheting mechanism can be configured to introduce an extremity of the hook element into the central bore of the conical element to receive the one or more loops of the spooled textile material therefrom. A detection setup is used in some embodiments to detect presence of the textile material in a hook indentation of the hook element.

The crocheting device comprises in some embodiments a product guide mechanism configured to hold an upper segment portion of the crochet structure and laterally move the produced crochet structure in a desired sideway direction.

The crocheting device comprises in some embodiments processing means configured to segment slices of a 3D model of a textile product into a plurality of segments, and generate for each of the plurality of segments respective crochet stitching instructions for adding new loops to the crochet structure by the crocheting mechanism. The processing means can configure the stitching instructions to indicate of the number of crochet stitches to apply e.g., the number of loops to receive from looping mechanism and/or the number of loops of the textile product to which the received loops should be interlocked. In another aspect there is provided a crocheting system comprising the crocheting device of any one of the embodiments disclosed herein and a manipulator configured to controllably manoeuvre the crochet device in 3D space while producing the crochet structure, to thereby form a desired 3D structure of the crochet structure. The manipulator can be configured as a robotic arm system coupled to the crochet device by an end effector thereof. The crocheting system comprises in some embodiments a plurality of eyelet mounts distributed over arm elements of the robotic arm system for guiding the textile material to the crocheting device.

The crocheting system can be configured to use processing means to slice a 3D model of a desired textile product into a plurality of strips/loops and determine based thereon layer- by-layer stitching instructions indicative of movements of the manipulator in 3D space and the number of crochet stitches to thereby apply e.g., the number of loops to receive from looping mechanism and/or the number of loops the textile product to which interlock the received loops. The processing means can be configured to determine the stitching instructions for each layer directly from a respective slice of the 3D model, to thereby permit formation of non- developable surfaces thereof by the system.

In yet another aspect there is provide a hook device comprising a detection setup mounted in a hook indentation of the hook device. The detection setup can be configured to detect presence or absence of a textile material in the hook indentation. The detection setup comprises in some embodiments a light source and an optical detector.

In yet another aspect there is provided a method of producing a textile product. The method comprising regulating tension of textile material, drawing the tensioned textile material and forming one or more loops therefrom, and interlocking by a crocheting device the one or more loops to one or more loops of a textile structure. The method comprises in some embodiments moving the crocheting device in 3D space while or in between the formation and interlocking of the one or more loops, to thereby form a desired 3D structure. The method can further comprise determining a trajectory of the crocheting device based on one or more slices of a 3D model indicative of surface areas/contour of a desired textile product.

The method can also comprise wrapping the textile material over a frustoconical element to form the one or more loops thereover and delivering them to a hook element. The method comprisesin possible embodiments feeding the textile material to the crocheting device with a tension level configured for slipping of the loops over the frustoconical in synchronization with the reciprocal movement of the hook element. The method can comprise reciprocally moving the hook element towards and away the frustoconical element to receive the one or more loops of the tensioned textile material from the frustoconical element, deliver the one or more loops into one or more loops of the textile structure and release them thereinside.

Alternatively, the method comprising wrapping the textile material directly over a hook element.

In some embodiments the method comprises rotating the hook element about an axis thereof to release the one or more loops thereby caried in the one or more loops of the textile structure. The method can comprise sensing presence of the one or more loops on the hook element before the moving of the hook element towards the textile structure. Optionally, the method comprising illuminating a light detector provided on or in the hook element, and identifying an interruption in the illumination due to the presence of the one or more loops thereon.

The method comprising in some embodiments moving the textile structure in sideway directions to interlock the one or more loops to previously formed and interlocked loops of the textile product. The method further comprise slicing a 3D model of a desired textile product into a plurality of strips/loops, segmenting each of the plurality of strips/loops into a plurality of segments, and determining stitching instructions for the crocheting device based on geometrical properties of at least some of the plurality of segments. The method can comprise determining the stitching instructions at least partially based on orientation of the segments with respect to at least another adjacently located segment from the same strip/loop and/or from an adjacently located strip/loop. The method can thus permit forming non-developable surfaces of the 3D model by directly determining the stitching instructions from the strips/loops and/or segments without requiring a 2D flattening thereof.

In yet another aspect there is provide a system comprising a crocheting device configured for stitch -by- stitch formation and interlocking of textile material loops one to the other, a manipulator configured to maneuver the crocheting device in 3D space, and processing means configured to slice a 3D model of the desired textile structure into a plurality of strips/slices, determine based on one or more of the strips/slices a trajectory for the manipulator to move the crocheting device therealong, segment each of the plurality of strips/slices into a plurality of segments, and determine stitching instructions for loop formation and interlocking by the crocheting device based on geometrical properties of at least some of the plurality of segments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be carried out in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Features shown in the drawings are meant to be illustrative of only some embodiments of the invention, unless otherwise implicitly indicated. In the drawings like reference numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts, and in which:

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a crocheting system according to some possible embodiments;

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a crocheting device coupled to a robotic arm system according to some possible embodiments;

Figs. 3A to 3C schematically illustrate a configuration of the crocheting device according to some possible embodiments, wherein Figs. 3A and 3B show the crocheting device with and without a housing thereof, respectively, and Fig. 3C shows an implementation of the crocheting device configured to form textile material loops directly over the hook element;

Figs. 4A to 4C respectively demonstrate loop increase, loop decrease, and plain loop operations carried out by the crocheting device according to possible embodiments;

Fig. 5 demonstrates fabrication of a 3D textile product of uniform surface by the crocheting system according to some possible embodiments; and

Figs. 6A and 6B show an additional example of a 3D textile product fabrication by the crocheting system according to some possible embodiments demonstrating the increase and decrease of the surface by different crochet attributes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

One or more specific and/or alternative embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings, which are to be considered in all aspects as illustrative only and not restrictive in any manner. It shall be apparent to one skilled in the art that these embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features or details of an actual implementation are described at length in the specification. Elements illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, or in correct proportional relationships, which are not critical. Emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention such that persons skilled in the art will be able to make and use the crocheting device/system, once they understand the principles of the subject matter disclosed herein. The disclosed subject matter may be provided in other specific forms and embodiments without departing from the essential characteristics described herein.

The following disclosure provides industrial implementations usable for crocheting techniques, and particularly useful for fabrication of 3D textile products/articles. Embodiments disclosed herein can be used to implement textile manufacturing solutions usable for crocheting production. A crocheting device coupled to a robotic arm system is used in embodiments hereof to fabricate flat and volumetric crocheted textile products.

Adding new stitches and connecting them to existing ones advances the fabrication of textile articles. The crochet technique disclosed herein is able to create volumetric textile structures by increasing and decreasing the number of loops. Unlike knitting techniques, the 3D capabilities of crochet have not been industrialized heretofore. The stitching system of possible embodiments hereof is thus required to carry out a sequence of several top-level processes, including: leading the textile material to the accurate location for the next loop; creating the actual loop; pulling the textile material through the loop to create the stitch; transferring the product to the required location for the next stitch; manipulating the movement of the outcome product. The crocheting system hereof thus involves several mechanical and computerized mechanisms that imitate the actions involved in handcraft crocheting techniques.

In some embodiments a manipulator is used to manoeuver the crocheting device in 3D space for fabrication of complex crochet structures. Optionally, but in some embodiments preferably, the crocheting device is coupled to a robotic arm system e.g., a 6 (six) axes robotic arm configured for joint execution of 3D crochet fabrication. The crocheting device can be mounted to the robotic arm to control the manipulation of the textile material and perform the actual crochet stitches by forming loop structures and connecting therebetween. The operation of the system can be implemented by several (e.g., 5) sub-mechanisms configured to facilitate large-scale row-by-row movement of the crocheting device, which can be configured to mimic manual crocheting operations.

A feed mechanism can be used to pull continuous textile material e.g., spooled over a cone or bobbin/drum and lead it into the system, while controlling its tension. A looping mechanism can be used to form loops from the textile material supplied to the system, and slip them onto a crochet hook element. Alternatively, the loops of the textile material are formed directly on the crochet hook element. The crochet hook element is configured to perform the crocheting by transferring the formed loops from the looping mechanism into the fabricated textile product e.g., utilizing upper guiding means, and interlocking them thereto. The upper guiding means can be configured to move the fabricated textile product e.g., by single crochet loop intervals, or smaller or larger intervals, and locate the fabricated textile product in the right position for receiving the next crochet loop(s) to be interlocked thereto. An external support (e.g., plate) can be used to hold the entire crocheting system e.g., including its power supply and/or data/signals wires used for communicating with one or more control units.

Embodiments disclosed herein can be used to implement crocheting systems of various different scales usable for different applications. For example, large-scale structures made by the crocheting system hereof can be used in the world of architecture providing efficient methods to reduce construction materials. Such large-scale solutions may employ the fabricated textile products as structural reinforcement layers, as suggested in recent research. The knitted fabrics, that are presented as potential solutions for composite structures, are limited to the measures and level of complexity that the current knitting machines can provide. However, the knitting machines available nowadays for such tasks are mainly designed for the garment production industry, and thus limited and not suitable for providing solutions usable in the construction field.

The disclosed embodiments can be accordingly configured for large scale formation of flexible textile products, avoiding the need for layering or connecting many patterns together. An additional aspect is the ability of the crocheting technique disclosed herein to generate complex geometries, such as doubly curved, non-developable surfaces and other types of geometries allowing sophisticated constructions.

Other possible embodiments of the crocheting system disclosed herein can be configured for medium scale applications, such as, but not limited to, aviation, marine, automotive, and many other industries that use reinforced carbon fabrics for lightweight yet strong equipment. The conventional medium scale fabrication techniques heretofore involve layering many patterns of fabric impregnated with resin into a mold, to imitate a 3D product in a process that typically requires significant labor and time resources to implement.

Using embodiments hereof eliminate the need for pattern development, and leads to a more efficient fabrication process. For example, a hollow structure fabricated using the crocheting system disclosed herein, can be forced into a 3D form/mold, thereby avoiding the need to combine many discrete patterns. A significant added value of the disclosed embodiments is in the ability to fabricate double-wall, or honeycomb, structures, such as crocheting techniques are capable of producing.

Other possible embodiments of the crocheting system disclosed herein can be configured for small scale applications, such as, but not limited to, medical devices. The field of implantable textiles has grown significantly in the last decade. Textile implants are used for blood vessel replacement, suture wounds, heart valve replacement, and more. These types of textiles are required to follow/adjust to the natural geometry of the human body which can be very complex. The current implant industry involves designated fabrication equipment and a lot of manual work.

The crocheting system embodiments disclosed herein can be configured for fabrication of products having complex geometries, without human intervention. In addition, crochet loops can be used to connect soft textile articles to a rigid frame, which is in great use in the heart valve implants industry.

For an overview of several example features, process stages, and principles of the invention, a robotic arm is used in the crocheting system examples illustrated schematically and diagrammatically in the figures, intended to provide industrial crocheting techniques and implementations. These crocheting systems are shown as one example implementation that demonstrates a number of features, processes, and principles used to implement crocheting techniques, but they are also useful for other applications and can be made in different variations utilizing other type of manipulators. Therefore, this description will proceed with reference to the shown examples, but with the understanding that the invention recited in the claims below can also be implemented in myriad other ways, once the principles are understood from the descriptions, explanations, and drawings herein. All such variations, as well as any other modifications apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and useful in industrial crocheting applications may be suitably employed, and are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a crocheting system 70 according to possible embodiments comprising a crochet device 71 coupled to a manipulator system 72. Optionally, but in some embodiments preferably, the manipulator system 72 comprises a robotic arm system comprising two more pivotally hinged arms rl, r2,.... In the non-limiting example shown in Fig. 1, the crocheting device 71 is mounted to a 6-axis robotic arm system 72 comprising a base arm rl rotatably coupled to a stationary base rO element and configured for controllable rotary motion about (e.g., vertical) axis al, a first intermediate arm r2 rotatably coupled to the base arm rl and configured for controllable rotary motion about (e.g., horizontal) axis a2, a second intermediate arm r3 rotatably coupled to the first intermediate arm r2 and configured for controllable rotary motion about (e.g., another horizontal) axis a3 and about an axis a6 that is perpendicular to the a3 axis (/'.<?., parallel to/coinciding with elongated axis of the second intermediate arm r3), and a device manipulation (end-effector) arm r4 rotatably coupled to the second intermediate arm r3 and configured for controllable rotary motion about axis a4 that is perpendicular to the a6 axis and about axis a5 that is perpendicular to the a4 axis.

The stationary base rO can be fixed to a support plate 72p, which comprises in some embodiments a spool 73s of textile (yarn/strand/thread) material 73 rotatably releasable to provide a continuous supply of the textile material 73 for the loop generating and interlocking. Each of the arms rl, r2,... may comprise one or more eyelet mounts 73e configured for continuous uninterrupted passage of the textile material 73 from the spool 73s towards the crocheting device 71 fixedly mounted to the device manipulation arm r4 of the manipulator system 72. In possible embodiments the one or more eyelet mounts 73e are used for supporting electrical (e.g., power supply and/or data/control) wires/cables with, or instead of, the textile material 73.

The crocheting device 71 comprises a housing 71h having a tensioning assembly 73t configured to maintain a desired tension of the textile material 73 supplied to the crocheting device 71. The crocheting device 71 is configured to control the manipulation of the textile material 73 and perform the actual crochet looping and interlocking process. The robotic arm system 72 can be configured to implement row-by-row movement of the crocheting device 71, which can be controlled to follow a computerized path/trajectory determined according to the required textile pattern.

A control unit 77 having one or more processors 77p and memories 77m can be used to synchronize control data/signals 72c thereby generated to control the movement of the robotic arm system 72 and communicate control and detection/sensor data/signals 71c to control the crocheting process performed by the crocheting device 71. In possible embodiments the control unit 77 is located in the crocheting device 71, but it can be similarly located elsewhere e.g., as an external computer system. A communication module 77m can be used in the control unit 77 to communicated control and/or sensor indication data/signals 71c, 72c with the robotic arm system 72 and/or the crocheting device 71 e.g., over serial/parallel data communication bus such as IDE, SCSI, USB, UART, or wirelessly e.g., Bluetooth, Zigbee.

The control unit 77 can be configured to receive, store and process, a 3D (e.g., CAD) model 77d of the final crochet textile product to be produced by the system crocheting system 70. A slicing module 77s can be used by the control unit 77 to slice the surface of the 3D model 77d into a plurality of equal width strips/loops for determining by a trajectory module 77r thereof control instructions for moving and/or rotating the arms rl, r2,... of the robotic arm system 72 for carrying out the row-by-row loop stitching along each of the strips/loops of the sliced 3D model 77d.

In possible embodiments the control unit 77 comprises a segmentation module 77g configured to segment each of the strips/loops of the sliced 3D model 77d into a plurality of surface units used to determine crochet stitching instructions to be performed by the crocheting device 71 to produce a sequence of interlocked crochet loops realizing the sliced strip/loop of the 3D model 77d. A slicing module 77t can be used in the control unit 77 to analyse (e.g., orientation) of each the plurality of surface units of each the sliced strip/loop of the 3D with respect to at least one other adjacently located surface unit (in the same and/or adjacently located strip/loop) to determine based thereon the crochet stitching instructions (e.g., to perform either a plain loop, a loop increase, or a loop decrease). The crochet stitching instructions are determined using a subdivision algorithm (see e.g., O. B. Capunaman et al "Computing stitches and crocheting geometry" , CAAD Futures pp. 289-305, 2017), or crochetlathe techniques for example.

Fig. 2 provides a closer view of the crocheting device 71 and its attachment to the device manipulation arm (e.g., a robot end effector) r4. As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the textile material 73 is supplied to the crocheting device 71 wherein it is manipulated to produce in a row-by-row loop crocheting process a loopy yarn/strand/thread product (e.g., textile) structure 75. As seen, the crocheting device 71 comprises a housing 71h to which the tensioning assembly 73t is externally mounted. The tensioning assembly 73t is configured to maintain a desired tension of the textile material 73 thereby supplied to the internal components of the crocheting device 71.

In this non-limiting example the tensioning assembly 73t comprises in some embodiments a material-feed tension brake roller 1 configured to regulate the speed of the textile material 73 thereby conveyed to two spring-loaded feed rollers 2. A drawing (e.g., stepper motor and encoder) assembly 3 coupled to at least one of the spring-loaded feed rollers 2 can be used to control the feed and tension of the textile material 73 thereby supplied to the crocheting device 71 via a feed roller 5 mounted in an opening (71p in Fig. 3A) formed in the housing 71h, for supplying the tensioned textile material 73 thereinto. A spring shut yam guide 4 is also provided in some embodiments for allowing insertion of the textile material 73 drawn via the tensioning assembly 73t by pulling it upwardly open e.g., using an elastic element/spring coupled to a bottom part thereof to enable pulling the yam guide 4 upwardly to open and locate the textile material 73 thereinside, without the need to re-thread the entire system. With reference to Figs. 3A and 3B, showing internal components of the crocheting device 71 configured according to possible embodiments to form the structure of the loops and connect them to form the textile structure 75 thereby produced. The operation of the crocheting device 71 utilizes in some embodiments 5 (five) sub-mechanisms that can be activated by step motors equipped with suitable encoders, and controlled by the control data/signals 71c generated by the control unit 77. The crocheting device 71 comprises in some embodiments the following sub-mechanisms:

(1) Feeding system 33, comprising: the plurality of eyelet mounts 73e distributed along the arm parts rl, r2,. . . for drawing the textile material 73 from the rotatable spool 73s; the tensioning assembly 73t; a detector assembly 6 configured to detect the presence of the textile material 73 drawn into the crocheting device 71 via the opening 71p; and a guiding roller 7 can be used in some embodiments to guide the drawn textile material 73 towards the looping mechanism.

(2) Looping mechanism 34, comprising: a conical element 10 fixedly coupled to the housing 71h, a revolving clip element 8 configured to receive the textile material 73 drawn into the crocheting device 71 in an eyelet 8e thereof, and rotate the same around the conical element 10 (or around the crochet hook element 11) to thereby spool the drawn textile material 73 thereover; and a loop formation motor (and gear) system 9 configured to rotate the clip element 8 around the cone element 10 (or around the crochet hook element 11).

(3) Crocheting mechanism 35, comprising: a crochet hook element 11 having in some embodiments a (e.g., optical) detection setup 12 in a hook indentation Hr thereof; a cam drive mechanism 14 configured to reciprocally move the hook element 11 towards and away the revolving clip element 8, and/or through loops of the produced textile structure 75, for placing and interlocking new loops therein; and a crochet actuator/motor 13 coupled to the cam drive mechanism 14 for actuation of the reciprocal movement of the hook element 11.

(4) Product guide mechanism 37, comprising: two or more spaced-apart positioning rollers 15 configured to grab an upper portion of the produced structure 75 therebetween and controllably rotate it in directions for laterally reciprocating the produced structure 75 therebetween in a desired crocheting direction in determined crochet loop steps; guiding lips 15i configured to receive and hold the produced textile structure 75 therebetween and align it with translating portions of the positioning rollers 15; and drive (e.g., stepper motors) actuator(s) 16 configured to rotate the positioning rollers 15 is a desired direction for laterally reciprocating the produced textile structure 75 in the desired crocheting direction.

The feed system 33 is configured to receive the textile material 73 and optionally release excess tension therein by the brake roller 1. The tension released textile material 73 is then passed between the spring-loaded rollers 2 of the feed system 33 that can be controlled by standard tension regulating means (not shown). The textile material 73 can be then passed under the spring shut yarn guide 4 to the guide roller 5, wherefrom it can be pulled through the opening 71p towards the detector assembly 6 and the guiding roller 7. The detector assembly 6 comprises in some embodiments a (e.g., "C"-shaped) passage 6p, and it is configured to detect (e.g., using off-the-shelf presence sensing device) the presence of the textile material 73 in the passage 6p, and issue indications for at least partially stopping the system's operation whenever the textile material 73 is not detected within the passage 6p e.g., in case of tearing.

The looping mechanism 34 is configured to form the crochet loops and slip them onto the crochet hook element 11. In operation, the textile material 73 is passed through an eyelet 8e of the clip element 8 that revolves around the conical element 10 under control of the loop formation rotor 9. The revolutions of the clip element 8 spools the textile material 73 over the conical element 10 to thereby create one or more loops thereover. The tensioning of the textile material 73 by the feed system 33 retracts the textile material 73 as it is spooled over the conical element 10, thereby causing the formed loop(s) to tighten and slip over the tapering surface of the conical element 10 towards the hook element 11.

The crocheting mechanism 35 is configured to control the reciprocal movements of the hook element 11 so as to load and unload the loops slipped thereover from the conical element

10, and introduce and interlock them to loops of the produced textile structure 75. The hook element 11 can be configured to reciprocally move in and out a central bore 10c formed in the conical element 10 and through the loops of the produced textile structure 75. When the hook element 11 is inserted into the central bore 10c it receives one or more loops of the textile material 73 as they slip over the conical element 10, and get released from at the tapering end of the conical element 10 onto the crochet hook element 11, such that a portion of the released loop(s) is introduced into the hook indentation Hr.

Fig. 3C demonstrates a possible embodiment of the crochet device 71' implemented without the conical element 10. In this possible embodiment the clip element 8 is configured to form the one or more loops of the textile material 73 directly over the crochet hook element

11. In some embodiments the hook element 11 comprises a detection setup (e.g., utilizing laser beam and optical sensor) 12 arranged inside the hook indentation Hr of the hook element 11, and configured to identify receipt of the loop(s) over the hook element 11. The detection setup 12 can be configured to detect interruption to passage of a light beam inside the hook indentation Hr due to the presence of the textile material 73 between the light source and an optical sensor (not shown) to validate the grab of textile material 73 by the hook element 11. The crochet actuator/motor 13 is configured to actuate the cam drive mechanism 14 to retract the hook element 11 with the loop(s) received thereon through the produced textile structure 75 responsive to a textile material 73 material presence indication from the detection setup 12 (e.g., responsive to control data/signals 71c generated by the control unit 77), to release the loop(s) thereby carried and complete a stitching loop therein.

In possible embodiments, after loading the one or more loops of textile material 73 (e.g., from the conical element 10) onto the hook element 11, the cam drive mechanism 14 moves the hook element 11 back out of the central bore 10c, while rotating the hook element 11 about its elongated axis. When the hook indentation Hr is at least partially turned downwardly i.e., so as to face the produced textile structure 75, and the hook is moved backwardly, the loop(s) loaded there onto are released inside one or more loops of the produced textile structure 75. It is however noted that other loop(s) releasing mechanisms, such as hook rotating setup (e.g., using a step motor and belt/chain) 14h, are also possible to rotate the hook element 11 about its elongated axis. After the loop(s) are released, the hook element 11 is rotated to place its indentation Hr back upwardly to receive another loop(s) as it is moved back towards the clip element 8.

Accordingly, the present invention is also directed to a hook element 11 having a detection setup 12 in a hook indentation Hr thereof. Thus, in possible embodiments there is provided a crochet hook device configured to detect receipt of the textile material 73 into its hook indentation Hr, to thereby prevent the need for more complex visual systems e.g., utilizing artificial intelligence (Al) control schemes.

The product guide mechanism 37 is configured to hold and mechanically manage the loopy textile structure 75 produced by the crocheting device 71 by means of the positioning rollers 15. In some embodiments series of two or more pairs of positioning rollers 15 are utilized to hold an upper segment portion of the produced textile structure 75, wherein revolving motion of each pair of the positioning rollers 15 can be separately controlled by a respective drive actuator 16 e.g., configured to affect sideway loop-size shifts. This way the upper segment portion of the produced structure 75 is held within the crocheting device 71, and laterally moved across the media path. The positioning rollers 15 can apply traction to position the produced structure 75 in relation to the crocheting mechanism 35, to continuously relocate its working position.

The positioning rollers 15 can be mounted on opposing sled mechanisms, configured to be held tensed by a set of elastic elements (springs) 17 e.g., installed on sliding guide rods (not shown) fixedly attached to an inner wall portion of the housing 71h. This way, a constant traction force is applied to the upper segment portion of the produced structure 75 held between the positioning rollers 15.

In possible embodiments the housing 71h of the crocheting device 71 is connected to the manipulator system 72 by a mounting bracket 19. One or more plugs 18 e.g., located on a wall of the housing 71h, can be used to connect electrically conducting wires for power supply and/or data/signals communication from the control unit 77 to the different actuators/motors of the sub-mechanisms of the crocheting device. Optionally, but in some embodiments preferably, the data/signals communication with the control unit 77 is carried out wirelessly (e.g., using Zigbee, Bluetooth, WiFi, near-field communication - NFC, or suchlike).

Fig. 4A demonstrates using the hook element 11 of the crocheting device 71 to carry out a loop increase operation to the produced structure 75. In this operation two or more stitches/loops can be inserted by the hook element 11 into a single existing stitch/loop 75s, which results in surface growth. Fig. 4B demonstrates using the hook element 11 of the crocheting device 71 to carry out a loop decrease operation to the produced structure 75. In this operation two or more existing stitches/loops 75t are collected by the hook element 11 of the crocheting device 71 to create a new single stitch/loop therefrom, resulting in a reduction of the surface. Fig. 4C demonstrates using the hook element 11 of the crocheting device 71 to carry out a plain loop operation to the produced structure 75. In this operation a single stitch/loop can be added by the hook element 11.

The present application provides a crochet machine/system, a crochet device, and crocheting techniques utilizing the same. Though the figures hereof depict crocheting device 71 utilizing a single hook element 11, in possible embodiments two or more such hook elements 11 can be implemented in the crocheting device 71 for simultaneously crocheting loops in the produced structure 75. It is noted that the crochet techniques disclosed herein can be used for the manufacturing of geometrically complex volumetric textile products, such as demonstrated in Fig. 5 and 6A-B.

Fig. 5 demonstrates fabrication of a 3D textile product 75 having uniform surface that can be achieved by continuously performing out plain loops construction, while moving the crocheting device 71 by the manipulator system 72 along a circular/helical path. Figs. 6A and 6B show another example of utilizing the crochet system 70 disclosed herein to produce a 3D structure 75 having tapering 75p and flaring 75f portions. These topologies can be achieved by increasing or decreasing the number of crochet stitches along the fabrication process, while moving the crocheting device 71 by the manipulator system 72 along a spiralling path. The disclosed embodiments can be accordingly used to implement digital fabrication solutions for extremely large- or small-scale textiles, and also techniques for the production of 3D textile structures in an additive manufacturing manner.

The disclosed embodiments can be used to implement volumetric textile manufacturing techniques is a new paradigm to the textile field. The textile industry traditionally uses two- dimensional (2D) CAD files to implement textile production procedures. Heretofore, textile pieces been typically designed as flat items, and produce patterns for garments are usually designed as 2D graphic files, and after cutting, the fabric patterns are connected to construct the desired volumetric product. The knitting machinery currently used in the industry though may allow a certain level of 3D fabricating, still require 2D CAD input files. Therefore, a great deal of effort is necessary to translate the 3D designs into 2D production files, as performed using conventional textile production techniques, that unavoidably alters and distorts the final surfaces produced utilizing such 2D CAD input files.

The embodiments disclosed herein can be used to directly produce textile structures/products 75 in a form of 3D items from the beginning of the design phase, directly from the 3D model (77d), thereby circumventing the need to flatten the data to enable production. Accordingly, the crochet system disclosed herein can be used to construct non- developable surfaces.

It is further noted that the embodiments disclosed herein can be used to implement crochet techniques that enable production of unique level of complex 3D geometry structures. It is also possible to use the embodiments disclosed herein to work with thick and massive textile materials 73, or alternatively, with very thin and/or delicate textile materials 73, per specific application requirements. In possible embodiments the scale/thickness of textile material 73 used only depends on the geometrical dimensions/size of the end-effector tool/hook element 11. Accordingly, it is possible to fabricate extremely large-scale items 75.

It is yet further noted that the geometrical dimensions/size of the final product 75 is limited by the size of the end-effector tools/hook element 11, yet it is possible to prepare this device in a large variety of sizes. Digital crochet fabrication techniques as provided herein enable design flexibility that may suit environments with conditions of high uncertainty. Furthermore, the robotic crochet fabrication technology of the present application can be applied on the construction site.

Relative terms such as "lower," "upper," "horizontal," "vertical," "above," "below," "up," "down," "top" and "bottom", as well as derivatives thereof (e.g., "horizontally," "downwardly," "upwardly," etc.), and similar adjectives in relation to orientation of the described elements/components refer to the manner in which the illustrations are positioned on the paper, not as any limitation to the orientations in which these elements/components can be used in actual applications.

It should also be understood that throughout this disclosure, where a process or method is shown or described, the steps/acts of the method may be performed in any order and/or simultaneously, and/or with other steps/acts not-illustrated/described herein, unless it is clear from the context that one step depends on another being performed first. In possible embodiments not all of the illustrated/described steps/acts are required to carry out the method.

As described hereinabove and shown in the associated figures, the present disclosure provides loop crocheting tools/system usable to implement crochet techniques, and related methods. While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited thereto, since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. As will be appreciated by the skilled person, the invention can be carried out in a great variety of ways, employing more than one technique from those described above, all without exceeding the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A crocheting device configured to receive a continuous feed of textile material and produce therefrom a crochet structure, the device comprising: a feed mechanism configured to receive a portion of the textile material and regulate tension thereof; a looping mechanism configured to draw tensioned textile material from said feed mechanism and form one or more loops therefrom; a crocheting mechanism configured to receive the one or more loops from said looping mechanism and successively interlock them to one or more loops of the produced crochet structure.

2. The crocheting device of claim 1 comprising a revolving clip mechanism configured to draw and circulate portions of the tensioned textile material and form one or more loops therefrom.

3. The crocheting device of claim 2 comprising a hook element configured to receive the one or more loops formed by the revolving clip mechanism and introduce and interlock them to one or more loops of the crochet structure.

4. The crocheting device claim 2 comprising a conical element configured for spooling the one or more loops of textile material formed by the revolving clip mechanism thereover and for transferring said one or more loops to the hook element .

5. The crocheting device of claim 4 wherein the crocheting mechanism configured to reciprocally move the hook element towards and away the conical element for receiving the one or more loops of the textile material and placing them in the one or more loops of the crochet structure.

6. The crocheting device of claim 5 comprising a cam drive mechanism configured to reciprocally move the hook element towards and away the conical element for receiving the one or more loops therefrom.

7. The crocheting device of claim 5 or 6 wherein the conical element comprises a central bore, and wherein the crocheting mechanism is configured to introduce an extremity of the hook element into said central bore of the conical element to receive the one or more loops of the spooled textile material therefrom.

8. The crocheting device of any one of claims 3 to 7 comprising a detection setup configured to detect presence of the textile material in a hook indentation of the hook element.

9. The crocheting device of any one of the preceding claims comprising a product guide mechanism configured to hold an upper segment portion of the crochet structure and laterally move the produced crochet structure in a desired sideway direction.

10. The crocheting device of any one of the preceding claims comprising processing means configured to segment slices of a 3D model of a textile product into a plurality of segments, and generate for each of said plurality of segments respective crochet stitching instructions for adding new loops to the crochet structure by the crocheting mechanism.

11. The crocheting device of claim 10 wherein processing means configures the stitching instructions to indicate of the number of crochet stitches to apply.

12. A crocheting system comprising the crocheting device according to any one of the preceding claims and a manipulator configured to controllably manoeuvre said crochet device in 3D space while producing the crochet structure, to thereby form a desired 3D structure of said crochet structure.

13. The crocheting system of claim 12 wherein the manipulator is configured as a robotic arm system coupled to the crochet device by an end effector thereof.

14. The crocheting system of claim 13 comprising a plurality of eyelet mounts distributed over arm elements of the robotic arm system for guiding the textile material to the crocheting device.

15. The crocheting system of any one of claims 12 to 14 comprising processing means configured to slice a 3D model of a textile product into a plurality of strips/loops and determine based thereon a layer-by-layer stitching instructions indicative of movements of the manipulator in 3D space and the number of stitches to apply.

16. The crocheting system of claim 15 wherein the processing means is configured to determine the stitching instructions for each layer directly from a respective slice of the 3D model, to thereby permit formation of non-developable surfaces thereof by the said system.

17. A hook device comprising a detection setup mounted in a hook indentation of said hook device, said detection setup configured to detect presence or absence of a textile material in said hook indentation.

18. The hook device of claim 17 wherein the detection setup comprises a light source and an optical detector.

19. A method of producing a textile product comprising: regulating tension of textile material; drawing the tensioned textile material and forming one or more loops therefrom; and interlocking by a crocheting device said one or more loops to one or more loops of a textile structure.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising moving the crocheting device in 3D space while or in between the formation and interlocking of the one or more loops, to thereby form a desired 3D structure.

21. The method of claim 20 comprising determining a trajectory of the crocheting device based on one or more slices of a 3D model indicative of surfaces of a desired textile product.

22. The method of any one of claims 19 to 21 comprising wrapping the textile material over a frustoconical element to form the one or more loops thereover and delivering them to a hook element.

23. The method of claim 22 comprising feeding the textile material to the chrocheting device with a tension level configured for slipping of the loops over the frustoconical in synchronization with the reciprocal movement of the hook element.

24. The method of any one of claims 19 to 21 comprising wrapping the textile material directly over a hook element.

25. The method of any one of claims 22 or 24 comprising reciprocally moving the hook element towards and away said frustoconical element to receive the one or more loops of said tensioned textile material from said frustoconical element, deliver said one or more loops into one or more loops of the textile structure and release them thereinside.

26. The method of claim 25 comprising rotating the hook element about an axis thereof to release the one or more loops thereby caried in the one or more loops of the textile structure.

27. The method of claim 25 or 26 comprising sensing presence of the one or more loops on the hook element before the moving of the hook element towards the textile structure.

28. The method of claim 27 comprising illuminating a light detector provided on or in the hook element and identifying an interruption in the illumination due to the presence of the one or more loops thereon.

29. The method of any one of claims 19 to 27 comprising moving the textile structure in sideway directions to interlock the one or more loops to previously formed and interlocked loops of the textile product.

30. The method of any one of claims 19 to 29 comprising slicing a 3D model of a desired textile product into a plurality of strips/loops, segmenting each of said plurality of strips/loops into a plurality of segments, and determining stitching instructions for said crocheting device based on geometrical properties of at least some of said plurality of segments.

31. The method of claim 30 comprising determining the stitching instructions at least partially based on orientation of the segments with respect to at least another adjacently located segment from the same strip/loop and/or from an adjacently located strip/loop.

32. The method of claim 30 or 31 comprising forming non-developable surfaces of the 3D model by directly determining the stitching instructions from the strips/loops and/or segments.

33. A crocheting system comprising a crocheting device configured for stitch-by-stitch formation and interlocking of textile material one to the other, a manipulator configured to maneuver said crocheting device in 3D space, and processing means configured to slice a 3D model of said desired textile structure into a plurality of strips/slices, determine based on one or more of said strips/slices a trajectory for said manipulator to move said crocheting device there along, segment each of said plurality of strips/slices into a plurality of segments, and determine stitching instructions for loop formation and interlocking by said crocheting device based on geometrical properties of at least some of said plurality of segments.