ITMI20130140A1 - MULTIAGTH QUILTING MACHINE AND PROCEDURE FOR ACTIVATION / DEACTIVATION OF A NEEDLE - Google Patents

Description

"MULTI-NEEDLE QUILTING MACHINE AND PROCEDURE FOR ACTIVATING / DEACTIVATING A NEEDLE"

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to a multi-needle quilting machine, which in addition to executing the sewing program is equipped with needles that can be individually activated / deactivated according to specific sewing requirements.

The present invention also relates to the method of activating / deactivating a needle.

In particular, the present invention finds application in the sector of sewing / quilting machines for clothing, making up, quilts and mattresses, or in general articles consisting of an upper fabric, a possible lower fabric and possibly also an intermediate layer of padding.

STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

Multi-needle quilting machines are known comprising one or more rows of needles, also known as needle orders, which, on the basis of a specific control and command program, perform seams of various shapes and characteristics, obtaining the most varied designs.

A solution is known whereby the needles of an order can be singularized so that only specifically selected single needles of said order are configured to perform the sewing operations.

For example, from US-A-5.005.499 a machine is known in which each needle is associated with a support means. Each needle support means is provided with a selectively operated pneumatic actuator to bring the needle into an active or deactivated condition according to the specific work program.

A solution is also known, for example from document US-B-8.250.997, according to which the individual needles are singularized and therefore made active or inactive during processing. This solution provides a shaft associated with each row of needles. On each shaft, in turn, a plurality of cranks are mounted, as many as the number of needles. The needles are mounted on an axially movable support. A connecting rod cooperates with the axially movable support and can be selectively associated, by means of a pick-up and delivery unit, or an electric actuator, to a corresponding crank of the shaft to selectively activate the needles assigned to subsequent processing.

This solution achieves the purpose of singularizing, that is to make active or inactive a single needle which is part of an order of needles but is particularly complex and articulated and with a limited number of needles. In the aforesaid known machine, due to the lateral bulk of the pick-up and delivery members, it is not possible to reduce the mutual distance between adjacent needles.

Furthermore, such a mechanism does not allow for the updating of existing machines since the update requires the modification, in the substantial aspects, of the structure of the machine.

Furthermore, this mechanism poses problems of maintenance, storage, spare parts, energy consumption, coordination between the components, timing and operation, as well as being a significant source of errors.

The present invention has the purpose of providing a multi-needle quilting machine in which the individual needles of each row of needles can be activated and deactivated rapidly in a desired and individually controlled manner.

Another purpose is to create a mechanism on the basis of which it is possible to equip existing multi-needle quilting machines without the need to make significant and much less structural modifications.

It is also an aim to realize a simple mechanism, inexpensive, easy to manage and maintain, with limited overall dimensions and which consumes little energy compared to the existing technique.

It is also an aim to provide a single needle activation / deactivation system which prevents the needle from losing the supply of cut thread when the needle is in the inactive position.

In order to obviate the drawbacks of the known art and to obtain these and further objects and advantages which will result from the following description, the Applicant has studied, tested and implemented the present invention.

EXPOSURE OF THE FOUND

The present invention is expressed and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims disclose other characteristics of the present invention or variants of the main solution idea.

According to the invention, each single needle of a multi-needle quilting machine can be activated / deactivated in itself.

Each single needle is associated with a support means cooperating stably with a needle holder bar of a multi-needle quilting machine.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the support means comprises a tubular body into which a rod is inserted through and in a sliding manner. The shaft has a needle at the lower end.

Means of mutual temporary positioning, or temporary retention, are provided between the tubular body and the rod to keep the needle at least in one of the two active and inactive conditions. The reciprocal positioning means consist of at least one positioning seat and at least one positioning element which can be inserted in the positioning seat.

According to the invention, the selective activation / deactivation of the needle takes place by means of at least one activation / deactivation device movable along at least part of the row of needles, and in particular between at least two needles of one row.

The activation / deactivation device is controlled by a control and command unit and can be positioned in a desired way in correspondence with the specific needle to be activated or deactivated. The on / off device is equipped with a primary actuator which determines the active positioning of the specific needle.

According to the invention, the activation / deactivation device also comprises a secondary actuator configured to determine the deactivation of the specific needle.

According to a variant, the secondary actuator is autonomous and separate from the primary actuator. According to the invention, the primary actuator axially actuates the rod until it cooperates with the temporary retaining means so that the needle is actuated.

According to a variant, the primary actuator itself has means which can also deactivate the actuated needle.

A first variant of the invention provides that the secondary actuator acts on the rod by deactivating the needle associated with it.

It is a further variant to provide that the secondary actuator acts on the temporary retaining means, deactivating them and allowing the rod, for example by means of elastic means, to bring the needle into the deactivated condition.

According to a further variant, temporary holding means can also be provided for the deactivated needle position.

The activation / deactivation device, which selects the activation / deactivation of the needle, can be moved and positioned, in a controlled way, along the order of needles, by means of different systems known per se such as a linear actuator, a motor linear, screw means, belt means, by means of an on-board motor which cooperates with a rack, by means of a toothed wheel, a worm screw, or other.

The needle activation / deactivation device is therefore arranged to act on a plurality of needle support means, for example on all the support means of an array of needles, and determine their selective deactivation. This is particularly advantageous since it does not require, as foreseen in the known art, to associate an activating / deactivating device with each needle. In consideration of this, the support means have limited overall dimensions which allow to reduce the mutual distance between adjacent needles and to obtain a more efficient machine. Given the small number of activation / deactivation components, the machine is particularly simple, economical and requires little maintenance.

The present invention also relates to the machine which comprises needle support means cooperating with an activation / deactivation device as described above.

The present invention also refers to the support means comprising the tubular body itself and complete with the needle-holder rod.

Furthermore, the present invention also relates to a process for the selective activation / deactivation of needles of an array of needles of a multi-needle quilting machine which comprises at least an activation step and a timely deactivation step of at least one specific needle for the execution of seams.

ILLUSTRATION OF DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become clear from the following description of an embodiment, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

- fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a multi-needle quilting machine according to the invention; - fig. 2 is a sectional view of a needle support means according to the present invention in accordance with a first embodiment;

- fig. 3 is a side view of fig. 2;

- fig. 4 is a further side view of fig. 2; - fig. 5 is a sectional view of the support means and of a needle activation / deactivation device in their first operating condition;

- fig. 6 is a sectional view of the support means and of a needle activation / deactivation device in their second operating condition;

- fig. 7 is a view of fig. 6 according to a variant embodiment;

- fig. 7a is a view of a detail of fig. 7 according to a first variant;

- fig. 7b is a view of a variant of fig. 7a; - fig. 8 is a side view of fig. 7;

- fig. 9 is a view of fig. 5 in accordance with a further variant;

- fig. 10 is a view of fig. 5 according to another variant.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numbers have been used wherever possible to identify identical common elements in the figures. It should be understood that functional elements and features of one embodiment can be conveniently incorporated into other embodiments without further specification.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

With reference to fig. 1 a device for activating / deactivating needles is indicated as a whole with the reference number 10 and is associated with a multi-needle quilting machine 11, only partially represented in the drawings, to selectively and precisely activate / deactivate more needles 12.

The multi-needle quilting machine 11 is provided, in a known way, with at least one needle-holder bar 13 arranged to support at least one row of needles. In the embodiment shown in fig.

1, the machine 11 is provided with a single row of needles 12. It can be envisaged that the invention is also applied to machines provided with several rows of needles.

The needle holder bar 13 is operated by known actuation means 14 which will not be described. During the sewing operations, the needles 12 cooperate with a conjugate lower sewing element 20 (fig. 7), consisting of a shuttle, or a rotating hook (fig. 7a) or a movable hook (fig. 7b), also equipped with reciprocating motion conjugated to the movement of the needle holder bar 13.

In the case illustrated in fig. 1, each needle 12 is mounted on a support means 15, or case, which is in turn integrally fixed, in a replaceable way, to the needle-holder bar 13 by means of a connection bracket 32.

The connection bracket 32 in the illustrated case is provided with thread guide means 55 for each thread which cooperates with the needle 12.

In cooperation with the single support means 15 the activation / deactivation device 10 acts to bring the needle 12 into an activated or deactivated condition. Specifically, the activation / deactivation device 10 is movable between at least two of the support means 15 and is selectively positioned each time in cooperation with one specific of the two support means 15 to activate or deactivate the needle 12 associated with the latter.

The active condition allows the needle 12 to perform the sewing operations while in the deactivated condition the needle 12 does not allow any sewing operation.

The support means 15 (figs. 2-10) comprises a tubular body 16 in which a rod 17 is inserted through and sliding.

The rod 17 has a first lower end portion 18 where at least one needle 12 is fixed, and a second upper end portion 19 integrally fixed to the first portion 18.

The tubular body 16 has a first lower end 21 from which the first portion 18 of the rod 17 protrudes.

Inside the tubular body 16, and at its first end 21, there is a guide element, in this case a bushing 33, to facilitate the sliding of the rod 17 and at the same time create the circumferential space between the rod 17 and the tubular body 16 for the insertion of elastic means 22.

The elastic means, in this case a helical spring 22, cooperate with the tubular body 16 and the rod 17 to keep the needle 12 in the deactivated condition.

The rod 17, between the first 18 and the second portion 19, has a shoulder 23 on which the helical spring 22 rests.

In the example shown, the tubular body 16 is provided, on its external perimeter surface, with an axially extending through opening 24 having a length L (fig. 4). The through opening 24 acts as a guide and limit switch means for the sliding of the rod 17.

In the illustrated case, two abutment elements 25 are fixed to the second portion 19 of the rod 17 which allow the rod 17 to be axially guided in the through opening 24 and at the same time constitute stroke limiters.

The rod 17 is provided with means for mutual temporary positioning, or with temporary retaining means 26, 126 (figs. 2-10) which have the function of correctly positioning the needle 12 in its active condition with respect to the tubular body 16.

The temporary retaining means 26, 126 comprise a positioning element 50, 150 and a positioning seat 53, 153 with which the positioning element 50, 150 cooperates as shown in Figures 2 and 9 respectively.

In figures 2 to 6, the tubular body 16 is provided with a through slot 29 which defines the aforementioned positioning seat 53.

In the exemplary form of fig. 2, the positioning element 50 of the temporary retaining means 26 comprises a pin mounted slidingly in a blind hole obtained in a threaded bushing 51. The threaded bushing 51, in turn, is screwed onto the rod 17 transversely to its axial development . The threaded bush 51 slides in a guided manner in the through opening 24.

A compression spring 52 is inserted in the blind hole of the threaded bushing 51 (fig. 2) which keeps the pin 50 pushed towards the inside of the tubular body 16.

When the pin 50 cooperates with the through slot 29 (fig. 5) the pin 50, by action of the compression spring 52, is positioned in the upper part of the through slot 29. The upper part of the through slot 29 defines the positioning seat 53 (fig.

3) for pin 50.

The threaded bushing 51 (fig. 2) allows the action of the compression spring 52 to be adjusted by screwing, while a ring, or shoulder 54 (figs. 2 and 5) present on the pin 50 prevents the latter from coming out of the slot. passer-by 29.

In the exemplary form of fig. 9, the positioning element 150 of the temporary retaining means 126 comprises a terminal fixed to one end of a flexible plate 152. The flexible plate 152 is fixed to the outer surface of the tubular body 16. The positioning seat 153 of the retaining means temporary 126 includes, in this case, a recess obtained along the axial extension of the rod 17 and in a coordinated position with the active one of the needle 12. A through hole is obtained in the tubular body 16 and in a coordinated position with the active one of the needle to allow cooperation between the terminal 150 and the recess 153 and to determine the condition of an active needle 12.

Furthermore, release means 45 (figs. 2-7 and 10) are associated with the tubular body 16, and in cooperation with the through slot 29, provided to deactivate the action of the aforementioned temporary retaining means 26, and therefore free the rod 17 by returning the needle 12 to the deactivated position due to the effect of the helical spring 22.

The release means 45, if activated towards the tubular body 16, push the pin 50 out of the positioning seat 53. The rod 17, by action of the helical spring 22, rises bringing the needle 12 to the deactivated condition (figs. 5- 10).

In this case (Figs. 2-7 and 10), the release means 45 comprise an elastic plate 30 fixed on the external wall of the tubular body 16 and in a detached position from the external wall.

The active condition of the needle 12 is determined on command of a control and command unit not shown in the drawings, by the activation / deactivation device 10.

The activation / deactivation device 10, to selectively activate the specific needle 12, comprises an actuation member 38 which operates on a primary actuator 49.

The primary actuator 49 acts directly on the rod 17 overcoming the force of the helical spring 22. The rod 17 is pushed downwards so that the positioning element 50, 150 enters into direct cooperation with the positioning seat 53, 153. In this reciprocal position, the needle 12 is active.

In other embodiments, for example those shown in figs. 7 - 9, the primary actuator 49 instead of acting directly on the free end of the rod 17 acts on a lateral appendage 34 fixed to the end of the second portion 19 of the rod 17. This embodiment is advantageous for containing the overall dimensions of the device 10.

To deactivate the needle 12, the invention provides a secondary actuator 44, 144 (figs. 5-10).

According to a first embodiment, for example see figs. 5-7, the secondary actuator 44 is movable integrally with the primary actuator 49 and acts on the release means 45 which deactivate the positioning element 50 from the positioning seat 53, releasing the action of the helical spring 22. Before the deactivation of the positioning element 50 it is envisaged to bring the primary actuator 49 into its deactivated or retracted condition to avoid an interference condition during the sliding of the rod 17.

According to another embodiment, see for example fig. 10, each tubular body 16 is provided with a secondary actuator 44. Each secondary actuator 44 is provided with an element which, upon command, extends outwards to actuate the release means 45 and deactivate the release means. temporary retention 26.

A further embodiment, see for example fig. 9, the activation / deactivation device 10 is envisaged to have both the primary actuator 49 and the secondary actuator 144. While the primary actuator 49 acts by thrust on the appendix 34, the secondary actuator 144 acts by traction. The traction allows the positioning element 150 to be released from the positioning seat 153. The rod 17, by the action of the helical spring 22, returns to the condition with the needle 12 inactive.

The activation / deactivation device 10 further comprises linear movement means 39 (Figs. 1 and 5-10) controllable by the control and command unit and configured to bring the activation / deactivation device 10, from time to time, into correspondence needle 12 to be activated / deactivated.

The handling means 39 can comprise sliding guides, sliding carriages, belt, rack, cable, chain transmissions, electric, pneumatic motors, actuators, robotic arms, magnetic motors their combinations or similar and similar mechanisms suitable for the purpose. , being only necessary a punctual and precise control of the positioning.

In the embodiment of Figs. 5-10, the movement means 39 comprise means for linear movement controlled and managed by a command and control unit not shown in the drawings.

In particular, the means for linear displacement can comprise a motor 40, for example of the electric type and a fixed guide 41, both mounted on fixed parts of the multi-needle quilting machine 11. A movable part 42 is mounted slidingly on the fixed guide 41. 40 activates a belt 46 to which the movable part 42 is fixed. The actuation of the belt 46 determines the sliding of the movable part 42 along the fixed guide 41.

The handling means 39 can be associated with position detection means such as, by way of example only, encoders, magnetic tracks, laser beams, for example mounted on the mobile part 42 of the handling means 39.

The activation / deactivation device 10 can be associated with a control and command unit, or processor, not shown in the drawings, which, according to the drawings to be made and the data detected by the position detection means, commands the precise positioning. and temporary of the activation / deactivation device 10 at the needle 12 which must be activated or deactivated according to the sewing program.

In the solution illustrated on the mobile part 42 of the handling means 39 there is fixed a trolley 43 on which in turn is fixed the primary actuator 49 and possibly also the secondary actuator 44, 144. The handling and positioning of the trolley 43 it can be determined according to the program memorized in the control and command unit and suitably modifiable in relation to the number of needles 11 foreseen in the machine.

According to the present invention, the secondary actuator 44, 144 can also be associated with different movement means that are independent from the movement means 39. In this case the two movement means are controlled in a coordinated but independent manner with respect to those of the actuator. primary 49.

The primary actuator 49 and / or the secondary actuator 44, 144 can be linear, pneumatic, electric, magnetic actuators, or similar means.

The connection bracket 32 of the support means 15 is provided with a protruding appendage 56 (fig. 7) provided with a flat surface 57 which during use cooperates with the wire guide means 55.

According to the invention, when the needle 12 rises to the deactivated position, the thread guide means 55 abut against the flat surface 57 of the protruding appendix 56, blocking the thread and preventing it from coming out of the needle 12. During the activation of the needle holder bar 13, if no thread locking were provided, the reciprocating motion of the support means 15 would cause the thread to come out from the eye of the needle 11 with the need to intervene manually to restore the operating conditions once needle 11 is reactivated. The thread guide 55 and / or the flat surface 57 may have elastic surfaces so as not to damage the thread.

It is clear that modifications and / or additions of parts can be made to the multi-needle quilting machine and to the activation / deactivation process of a needle described up to now, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It is evident, in fact, that even if the multi-needle quilting machine 11 described above provides for the use of a single activation / deactivation device 10, in other embodiments, the multi-needle quilting machine 11 can be provided with a number upper part of activation / deactivation devices 10 which are movable along the same fixed guide 41 to move in cooperation each with a group of needles 12 of an array of needles.

With the present invention, since, unlike what is foreseen in the known art, it is no longer necessary to associate an activation / deactivation device 10 with each needle 12, it is possible to greatly reduce the pitch between adjacent needles 12 so as to be able to arrange them in a very close position to each other, by way of example only, at a distance even less than 25 mm and create even very complex designs.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person skilled in the art will undoubtedly be able to realize many other equivalent forms of multi-needle quilting machine and the procedure for activating / deactivating a needle, having the characteristics expressed in the claims and therefore all falling within the scope of protection defined by them.

Claims (18)

CLAIMS 1. Multi-needle milling machine comprising a needle-holder bar (13) which can be selectively operated for sewing seams, and a plurality of support means (15) mounted on said needle-holder bar (13) and each supporting a needle (12), characterized in that it comprises at least one activation / deactivation device (10) movable between at least two support means (15) and can be selectively positioned, each time, in direct cooperation with a specific one of said at least two support means (15) to activate / deactivate the needle (12) associated with it. 2. Multi-needle quilting machine as in claim 1, characterized in that said activation / deactivation device (10) comprises at least one primary actuator (49) associated with handling means (39) controlled to bring, from time to time, at least said primary actuator (49) at the support means (15) supporting the needle (12) to be activated. 3. Multi-needle quilting machine as in claim 2, characterized in that said movement means (39) comprise means for linear movement (40, 46) controlled and managed by a control and command unit configured to control and command the positioning and the selective activation of the activation / deactivation device (10) in time of at least one needle (12) functionally to the design to be made. 4. Multi-needle quilting machine as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one secondary actuator (44; 144) configured to act on said support means (15) and bring said needle (12) into its deactivated condition. 5. Multi-needle quilting machine as in claim 4, characterized in that said secondary actuator (44; 144) is associated with said movement means (39). 6. Multi-needle quilting machine as in claim 4, characterized in that said secondary actuator (44) is associated with each support means (15). 7. Multi-needle quilting machine as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support means (15) comprises a rod (17) for supporting said needle (12) and a tubular body (16) in which inserted through and sliding said rod (17). 8. Multi-needle quilting machine as in claim 7, characterized in that said rod (17) cooperates with elastic means (22) for returning the needle (12) to the inactive position. 9. Multi-needle quilting machine as in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that said rod (17) and said tubular body (16) have means for mutual temporary positioning (26; 126) stable when the needle (12) is in active position. 10. Multi-needle quilting machine as in claim 9, characterized in that said means for mutual temporary positioning (26; 126) comprise a positioning element (50; 150) and a positioning seat (53; 153). 11. Multi-needle quilting machine as in claims 4, 5 or 6, and 9, or 10, characterized in that said mutual temporary positioning means (26, 126) can be selectively deactivated by said secondary actuator (44, 144). 12. Multi-needle quilting machine as in claims 2, or 3, and 9, 10, or 11, characterized in that said mutual temporary positioning means (26, 126) can be selectively activated by said primary actuator (49). 13. Support means for a needle (12) which can be associated with a needle holder bar (13) of a multi-needle quilting machine (11) as in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a support rod (17) of said needle (12) and a tubular body (16) in which said rod (17) is inserted through and in a sliding manner, means for mutual temporary positioning (26; 126) being provided between said tubular body (16) and said rod (17) to maintain said needle (12) at least in one of its active conditions for sewing seams. Support means as in claim 13, characterized in that it comprises elastic means (22) for keeping said needle (12) in the deactivated position. Support means as in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that said tubular body (16) is provided with guide and limit switch means (24) suitable for guiding and determining the sliding stroke of said rod (17). 16. Device for activating / deactivating at least one needle (12) of a multi-needle quilting machine (11) as in any one of claims 1 to 12 and comprising a needle holder bar (13) on which a plurality of means is mounted support (15) each supporting a needle (12), said device comprising at least one primary actuator (49) configured to selectively activate said needle (12), characterized in that it comprises movement means (39) movable longitudinally with respect to said bar needle holder (13) and provided to bring said primary actuator (49) selectively in direct cooperation with a specific support means (15) to activate / deactivate the needle (12) associated with it. 17. Activation / deactivation device as in claim 16, characterized in that it comprises a secondary actuator (44) configured to act on said support means (15) and bring said needle (12) into its deactivated condition. 18. Process for activating / deactivating a plurality of needles (13) each associated with a respective support means (15) mounted on a needle holder bar (13) of a multi-needle quilting machine (11), said process comprising at least one step activation of at least one of said needles (17) for the execution of seams, and a deactivation phase of said needles (17), characterized by the fact that said activation phase provides for selectively positioning and, from time to time, directly cooperation with a specific support means (15), an activation / deactivation device (10) movable between at least two support means (15) and to activate / deactivate the needle (12) associated with a specific one of said at least two means support (15).