JP2013202210A - Sewing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sewing machine that can surely prevent the interference between an obstacle and a sewing needle in accordance with the obstacle installed in a holding body.SOLUTION: A sewing machine feeds and moves a holding body holding a sewing object below a needle bar having a sewing needle installed therein to an absolute original position or a sewing starting position. During the feed movement, a CPU of the sewing machine identifies an obstacle in an image of a predetermined region below the needle bar, captured by an image sensor, every time driving an X-axis motor and a Y-axis motor by one pulse to move the holding body, and confirms whether or not the obstacle is within a predetermined distance from a restricted region corresponding to the needle bar (S250). The CPU changes the moving direction of the holding body to a different direction, when the obstacle comes into the predetermined distance from the restricted region (S350). When the holding body reaches an end of the movable region after the change in moving direction, the CPU allows the holding body to be inverted in moving direction (S401: YES, S402: YES, S403), and then when the holding body reaches the end of the movable region again, notices of error occurrence (S405).

Description

  The present invention relates to a sewing machine that performs sewing while moving a holding body that holds a sewing object relative to a needle bar that moves up and down.

  There is a sewing machine that sews a pattern while moving a holding body holding a sewing object horizontally relative to the needle bar by vertically moving a needle bar with a sewing needle attached to the lower end in accordance with sewing data. The sewing machine first moves the holding body to the absolute origin along a path in accordance with a predetermined movement law with the sewing needle in the raised position. The sewing machine further moves the holding body from the absolute origin to the sewing start position according to the sewing data, and then starts a sewing operation for forming a seam.

  The operator sometimes attaches the auxiliary presser member to the holding body according to the sewing object. When the auxiliary presser member has a height that interferes with the sewing needle in the raised position, the auxiliary presser member may become an obstacle that interferes with the sewing needle on the movement path. Therefore, the sewing machine changes the movement path as necessary in order to avoid interference between the obstacle and the sewing needle. For example, the sewing machine described in Patent Document 1 changes the movement path when an obstacle is detected using a contact sensor. The sewing data editing apparatus described in Patent Literature 2 changes the movement path in advance by correcting the needle position in the sewing data in accordance with a preset exclusion area.

JP-A-6-210082 JP 2011-115373 A

  Since the sewing machine of Patent Document 1 detects an obstacle with a contact-type sensor, the detection accuracy of the sensor may decrease with use. When the sewing machine performs sewing according to the sewing data whose movement path is changed by the method described in Patent Document 2, the operator may attach an obstacle that does not correspond to the set exclusion area to the holding body. In this case, the sewing machine cannot prevent the obstacle from interfering with the sewing needle. Furthermore, since the sewing data indicates the amount of movement after the holding body has moved to the absolute origin, the method described in Patent Document 2 has the possibility that the obstacle will interfere with the sewing needle before the holding body reaches the absolute origin. It cannot be excluded.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a sewing machine that can reliably prevent an obstacle from interfering with a sewing needle in accordance with an obstacle attached to a holding body.

  The sewing machine according to claim 1 is provided with a needle bar capable of attaching a sewing needle to a lower end and capable of moving up and down, and a moving mechanism provided below the needle bar and capable of horizontally moving a holding body for holding a sewing object. And a member that moves with the holding body set in advance in an image of the first region that is photographed by the photographing means. An identification means for identifying a part; and a second area in which the characteristic part identified by the identification means by controlling the moving mechanism is a range corresponding to the needle bar in the image of the first area; And a movement control means for moving the holding body so as not to overlap.

  The sewing machine includes identification means for identifying a characteristic portion of a member that moves together with the holding body in the image of the first area photographed by the photographing means so that the characteristic portion does not overlap with the second area corresponding to the needle bar. To control the movement of the holder. Therefore, when the worker mounts a member corresponding to the sewing object on the holding body, the worker may set the characteristic portion of the member that becomes an obstacle as the characteristic portion in advance. The sewing machine can appropriately control the movement of the holding body according to the member based on the image photographed by the photographing means. That is, the sewing machine can avoid the obstacle based on the image photographed by the photographing means, instead of avoiding the obstacle along the movement route according to the sewing data. Further, the sewing machine can avoid the obstacle from interfering with the sewing needle attached to the needle bar even before the holding body reaches the absolute origin. Since the sewing machine can identify obstacles in a non-contact manner, it is possible to prevent the obstacle detection accuracy from being lowered with use as compared with a sewing machine using a contact type sensor. As described above, the sewing machine can reliably avoid the obstacle from interfering with the sewing needle in accordance with the obstacle attached to the holding body.

  3. The sewing machine according to claim 2, wherein the movement control unit identifies the characteristic portion within a first distance from the second region in a direction opposite to a movement direction of the holding body in the image. The moving body is moved by changing the moving direction to a different direction. Since the sewing machine changes the moving direction when the characteristic portion approaches within the first distance from the second region corresponding to the needle bar, it is more reliably avoided that the obstacle interferes with the sewing needle attached to the needle bar. be able to.

  4. The sewing machine according to claim 3, wherein the movement control means moves the holding body by changing the moving direction to a priority direction set in advance as a priority direction. In the sewing machine, when the priority direction is set in advance according to the arrangement direction of the member attached to the holding body by the operator, the sewing machine can change the moving direction to the direction determined by the operator as appropriate. If the direction corresponding to the normal arrangement direction of the member is uniformly set in advance as the priority direction, the sewing machine can efficiently change the moving direction without requiring the operator's setting work.

  5. The sewing machine according to claim 4, wherein the movement control means moves the holding body by changing the movement direction according to a direction in which a boundary line of the characteristic portion extends. The sewing machine can avoid the obstacle from interfering with the needle bar efficiently and reliably by changing the moving direction of the holding body in accordance with the extending direction of the boundary line of the characteristic portion.

  6. The sewing machine according to claim 5, wherein when the holding body reaches one end of the movable range, the movement control means changes the moving direction to a direction opposite to the moving direction and moves the holding body. It is characterized by. That is, the sewing machine automatically reverses the moving direction. Therefore, even if the sewing object is switched and the position or shape of the obstacle is changed, the operator does not have to reset the priority avoidance direction.

  The sewing machine according to claim 6, further comprising notification means for notifying occurrence of an error when the holding body reaches the other end of the movable range after the movement control means has changed the movement direction to the opposite direction. It is characterized by that. The sewing machine can notify the operator that the position of the obstacle has shifted due to some trouble and is in an unavoidable state. Therefore, the operator can take appropriate measures after the notification.

  The sewing machine according to claim 7 further includes distance setting means for setting the first distance according to a moving speed of the holding body by the movement control means. The faster the moving speed, the longer the distance that the holder moves within the unit time. The slower the moving speed, the shorter the distance that the holder moves within the unit time. Therefore, by setting the first distance longer according to the moving speed, it is possible to more reliably avoid the obstacle from interfering with the sewing needle attached to the needle bar.

  9. The sewing machine according to claim 8, wherein the movement control unit is configured such that the characteristic portion identified by the identification unit is moved from a third region preset around the second region in the image of the first region. When the characteristic portion is identified within the second distance in the direction opposite to the moving direction, the moving mechanism is controlled to reduce the moving speed of the holding body. Since the sewing machine decelerates when the characteristic portion overlaps the third area set around the second area, the movement of the holding body can be controlled after decelerating. Therefore, the sewing machine can more reliably avoid the obstacle from interfering with the sewing needle attached to the needle bar.

  10. The sewing machine according to claim 9, wherein the characteristic part is an area including a preset color, and the identification unit identifies an area including the color and larger than a predetermined size as the characteristic part. And The sewing machine can prevent the noise in the image from being mistakenly identified as the characteristic part.

1 is a perspective view of a sewing machine 1. FIG. 2 is a right side view of a front end portion 7 of the sewing machine 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the sewing machine 1. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a coordinate system 601, a sewing range 611, and a predetermined region 53. It is explanatory drawing of an example of R value data among the image data which the image sensor 50 outputs. It is a figure which shows an example of the picked-up image which LCD32 displays. It is a flowchart of a sewing process. It is explanatory drawing of an example of an area | region map. It is a flowchart of a feed movement process. It is a flowchart of a movement process. It is a flowchart of an image monitoring process. It is explanatory drawing of a moving direction change and relay position setting. It is a flowchart of a moving direction change process. It is another explanatory drawing of a moving direction change and relay position setting.

  Hereinafter, a sewing machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The upper side, the lower side, the left diagonally lower side, the right diagonal upper side, the left diagonal upper side, and the right diagonally lower side in FIG. 1 are the upper side, lower side, front side, rear side, left side, and right side of the sewing machine 1, respectively.

  The overall structure of the sewing machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the sewing machine 1 includes a bed portion 2, a pedestal column portion 3, and an arm portion 4. The bed unit 2 is placed on the table 95. The bed portion 2 extends in the front-rear direction and includes a vertical hook (not shown) and the like inside. The pedestal part 3 extends vertically upward from the rear side of the bed part 2. The pedestal 3 includes a sewing machine motor 112 (see FIG. 3) and the like. The arm portion 4 extends forward from the upper end of the pillar portion 3 so as to face the upper surface of the bed portion 2 and includes a front end portion 7 at the front end. The arm unit 4 includes a main shaft, a needle bar drive mechanism (not shown), and the like. The needle bar 10 extends downward from the lower end of the front end portion 7. The sewing needle 11 can be attached to and detached from the lower end of the needle bar 10.

  The sewing machine 1 includes a work table 5 and a transfer device 6 above the bed portion 2. The work table 5 includes a needle plate 501. The needle plate 501 has a needle hole 502 through which the sewing needle 11 can be inserted at a position immediately below the sewing needle 11 attached to the needle bar 10. The transfer device 6 includes a transfer plate 61, an elevating unit 62, a presser plate 63, a transfer plate holding unit 64, an X-axis moving mechanism (not shown), an arm unit 65, and a Y-axis moving mechanism (not shown).

  The transfer plate 61 is a plate member arranged in the horizontal direction, and has an opening having a rectangular shape in plan view. The transfer plate holding part 64 extends in the left-right direction, and supports the transfer plate 61 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction (left-right direction). The X-axis moving mechanism is provided inside the bed portion 2. The X-axis moving mechanism moves the transfer plate 61 in the X-axis direction (left-right direction) using the X-axis motor 114 (see FIG. 3) as a drive source. The arm portion 65 connected to the transfer plate holding portion 64 is connected to a Y-axis moving mechanism provided in the pedestal column portion 3. The Y-axis moving mechanism moves the arm portion 65 in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction) using the Y-axis motor 116 (see FIG. 3) as a drive source. The transfer plate holding part 64 moves in the Y-axis direction (front-rear direction) as the arm part 65 moves.

  The transfer plate 61 supported by the transfer plate holding unit 64 moves together with the transfer plate holding unit 64. The transfer plate holding part 64 supports the elevating part 62 so that it can be elevated. The presser plate 63 is a rectangular frame-shaped plate member connected to the lower end of the elevating part 62. The opening of the presser plate 63 has substantially the same shape as the opening of the transfer plate 61. The operator places a sewing object (for example, a work cloth) on the transfer plate 61. When the elevating part 62 moves downward, the presser plate 63 descends. The presser plate 63 and the transfer plate 61 hold the sewing object from above and below. Hereinafter, the transfer plate 61 and the presser plate 63 are collectively referred to as a holding body 60.

  The operator sometimes attaches the auxiliary presser member to the holding body 60 according to the sewing object. For example, it may be necessary to fix parts previously sewn to the sewing object such as the handle portion of the bag so as not to hinder the sewing. In this case, in addition to the presser plate 63, the operator uses an auxiliary presser member that presses the sewing object from above. For example, FIG. 1 is an example in which two auxiliary pressing members 510 are mounted on the holding body 60. The auxiliary presser member 510 is a plate material that is thicker than the presser plate 63. That is, the upper end of the auxiliary pressing member 510 is always above the upper surface of the pressing plate 63. The auxiliary presser member 510 has a shape in which one central portion of the rectangular short sides protrudes outward in a rectangular shape in plan view. At least the upper surface of the auxiliary presser member 510 of the present embodiment is colored with a color different from that of the sewing object. Hereinafter, an example in which the sewing object is other than red and the upper surface of the auxiliary pressing member 510 is red will be described.

  The sewing machine 1 includes an operation panel 8 provided on a table 95 and an operation box 30 connected to the operation panel 8. The operation panel 8 and the operation box 30 each include a key group for inputting various information and various instructions, and a display for displaying information. The operator uses the operation panel 8 or the operation box 30 when inputting information or instructions. The sewing machine 1 includes a control box (not shown) that stores the control device 100 (see FIG. 3) below the table 95. The operation panel 8 is connected to the control box via a cord (not shown). The operation box 30 can be connected to the operation panel 8 via the cable 9.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the configuration around the front end 7 of the arm 4 will be described. The front end portion 7 includes a configuration for guiding the upper thread 55, a needle bar 10 to which a sewing needle 11 is attached, a presser bar 12 to which a presser foot 13 is attached, an image sensor 50, and the like. The configuration for guiding the upper thread 55 includes a secondary thread tensioner 15, a thread tensioner 16, thread guides 17 and 18, a balance 19, and a thread guide 20 provided on the right side surface of the front end portion 7. The upper thread 55 includes a secondary thread tensioner 15, a thread tensioner 16, a thread guide 17, a thread guide 18, and a balance from a thread spool placed on a thread spool stand (not shown) provided on a table 95 (see FIG. 1). 19, through the thread guide 20, is inserted into the needle hole 111 of the sewing needle 11. As described above, the needle bar 10 extends downward from the lower end of the front end portion 7. The sewing machine motor 112 (see FIG. 3) rotates a main shaft (not shown). A needle bar drive mechanism (not shown) moves the needle bar 10 up and down as the main shaft rotates.

  The presser bar 12 extends downward from the lower end of the front end 7 on the left side (the back side in FIG. 2) of the needle bar 10. The presser foot 13 is attached to the lower end of the presser bar 12. The presser foot drive mechanism (not shown) moves the presser bar 12 up and down in synchronization with the vertical movement of the needle bar 10 accompanying the rotation of the main shaft. The presser foot 13 prevents the sewing target from being lifted upward by pressing the sewing target from above when the sewing needle 11 is removed from the sewing target. The distal end portion of the presser foot 13 is a cylindrical tube portion 131. The sewing needle 11 is inserted into the sewing object through the through hole of the cylindrical portion 131. The sewing needle 11 moves up and down through a needle hole 502 below the cylinder portion 131.

  The image sensor 50 is fixed to a support portion 51 provided on a frame (not shown) of the sewing machine 1. The image sensor 50 is, for example, a well-known CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), and outputs image data of a captured image. A lens (not shown) of the image sensor 50 faces a direction in which a predetermined area including the lower part of the sewing needle 11 can be photographed. The imaging range of the image sensor 50 will be described in detail later.

  The electrical configuration of the sewing machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 100 of the sewing machine 1 includes a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, a nonvolatile memory 104, an input / output interface (I / F) 106, drive circuits 113, 115, 117, and a communication I / F 127. The CPU 101, ROM 102, RAM 103, and nonvolatile memory 104 are electrically connected to the input / output I / F 106 via the bus 105. The CPU 101 controls the sewing machine 1 and executes various calculations and processes related to sewing according to various programs stored in the ROM 102. The ROM 102 stores various programs, various initial setting parameters, sewing data of a plurality of patterns (stitch lines, stitch patterns, embroidery patterns, etc.) and the like. Sewing data will be described later. The RAM 103 temporarily stores calculation results of the CPU 101, pointers, counters, and the like. The nonvolatile memory 104 stores sewing data created by the sewing machine 1, various setting information input by the operator, and the like.

  The drive circuits 113, 115, and 117 are electrically connected to the input / output I / F 106. The drive circuit 113 is electrically connected to the sewing machine motor 112. The CPU 101 controls the sewing machine motor 112 via the drive circuit 113. The sewing machine motor 112 rotates the main shaft. The drive circuit 115 is electrically connected to the X-axis motor 114. The drive circuit 117 is electrically connected to the Y-axis motor 116. The CPU 101 controls the X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 via the drive circuits 115 and 117, respectively. Both the X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 are pulse motors. The X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 move the holding body 60 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by driving the X-axis movement mechanism and the Y-axis movement mechanism, respectively.

  The CPU 101 controls the vertical movement of the needle bar 10 and the presser bar 12 and the rotation of the vertical hook by driving the sewing machine motor 112 and rotating the main shaft during sewing. The CPU 101 controls the position of the holding body 60 by driving the X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 based on the sewing data simultaneously with the driving of the sewing machine motor 112. The sewing machine 1 performs sewing on the sewing object by this operation.

  The communication I / F 127 is electrically connected to the input / output I / F 106. The communication I / F 127 is an interface for serial communication, for example. The sewing machine 1 can be connected to an external device via the communication I / F 127. In the present embodiment, the operation box 30 is connected to the sewing machine 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the operation box 30 is connected to the communication I / F 127 via the operation panel 8 connected by the cable 9.

  The X-direction origin sensor 118, the Y-direction origin sensor 119, the start switch 121, the operation panel 8, and the image sensor 50 are electrically connected to the input / output I / F 106 of the control device 100, respectively. The X-direction origin sensor 118 is a sensor having a known configuration for origin setting provided in an X-axis movement mechanism (not shown). The Y-direction origin sensor 119 is a sensor having a known configuration for origin setting provided in a Y-axis movement mechanism (not shown). The start switch 121 is a pedal-type switch that is installed below the table 95 and connected to the control device 100 with a cord. The operator depresses the activation switch 121 when starting various operations (for example, sewing processing) of the sewing machine 1. The operation panel 8 and the image sensor 50 are as described above.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the operation box 30 includes a control device 300, a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as LCD) 32, and a key group 33. The control device 300 includes a CPU 301, ROM 302, RAM 303, input / output I / F 306, communication I / F 307, and drive circuit 308. The CPU 301, ROM 302, and RAM 303 are electrically connected to the input / output I / F 306 via the bus 305. The drive circuit 308 is electrically connected to the input / output I / F 306. The drive circuit 308 is electrically connected to the LCD 32. The key group 33 is electrically connected to the input / output I / F 306.

  The CPU 301 controls the operation box 30 and executes processing such as image display on the LCD 32 and input reception from the key group 33 in accordance with various programs stored in the ROM 302 and data transmitted by the sewing machine 1. The RAM 303 temporarily stores calculation results of the CPU 301, pointers, counters, and the like. The communication I / F 307 is electrically connected to the input / output I / F 306. The communication I / F 307 is an interface for serial communication, for example. The operation box 30 is connected to the sewing machine 1 via the communication I / F 307. The LCD 32 displays various information as images. In the present embodiment, the LCD 32 can display an image taken by the image sensor 50. The key group 33 is for an operator to input various information and instructions. The key group 33 includes four-way arrow keys, numeric keys, function keys, and the like.

  With reference to FIG. 4, the sewing data, the sewing possible range of the sewing machine 1 (the movable range of the holding body 60), and the photographing range of the image sensor 50 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The sewing data indicates the positions of a plurality of needle drop points for sewing the pattern as a relative position between the position of the sewing needle 11 and the position of the holding body 60. The needle drop point is a predetermined position on the sewing target object that the sewing needle 11 sticks when the sewing needle 11 moves downward together with the needle bar 10. In the present embodiment, the position of the needle drop point is indicated by coordinate data of the coordinate system 601 set for the holding body 60. A coordinate system 601 is a coordinate system of the X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 (see FIG. 3). In this embodiment, the coordinate system 601 is associated with the world coordinate system in advance. The world coordinate system is a coordinate system that indicates the entire space, and is a coordinate system that is not affected by the center of gravity of the object to be imaged.

  In the coordinate system 601, the X-axis plus direction is a direction from the left to the right of the sewing machine 1, and the Y-axis plus direction is a direction from the front to the back of the sewing machine 1. In the present embodiment, the origin O (X, Y, Z) = (0, 0, 0) of the coordinate system 601 is set so that the center point of the holding body 60 (more specifically, the region inside the opening of the presser plate 63) is the sewing needle. 11 (see FIG. 3). The position of the holding body 60 is referred to as an absolute origin position. This position can also be referred to as a position where the center point of the holding body 60 is directly above the needle hole 502. Since the transfer device 6 of the present embodiment does not move the holding body 60 in the Z direction (up and down direction of the sewing machine 1) during sewing, the Z coordinate of the coordinate data of the needle drop point is always zero.

  The sewing data is data for performing sewing while moving the holding body 60 so that the needle drop points indicated by the coordinate data are sequentially located immediately below the sewing needle 11 (see FIG. 3). Specifically, the sewing data of the present embodiment associates the number of drive pulses (including the rotation direction) of the X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 with the type indicating “sewing” or “feed”. It is data arranged in order. “Sewing” is an operation in which the holding body 60 is moved and the sewing needle 11 is pierced into the sewing object at the needle drop point to form a stitch. “Feeding” is an operation in which no movement is formed and only the holding body 60 is moved. Although details will be described later, the CPU 101 sequentially reads out the sewing data and performs processing. The sewing data is not limited to the above format, and may be data in which the coordinate data of the needle drop point is associated with the type. The CPU 101 may calculate the rotation direction and the number of drive pulses of the X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 based on the coordinate data in the data each time the holding body 60 moves.

  A range in which the sewing machine 1 can perform sewing in an area inside the holding body 60 is referred to as a sewing range 611. In order to prevent interference between the sewing needle 11 and the holding body 60, the sewing range 611 is set to be smaller than the area inside the holding body 60. The sewing range 611 is, for example, a region that is symmetric in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction with the origin O of the coordinate system 601 as the center. In the present embodiment, the sewing range 611 is equal to the movable range of the holding body 60. The sewing machine 1 has a configuration for detecting that the holding body 60 has reached the end of the movable range (hereinafter referred to as the movable range end).

  Although not shown, the configuration includes, for example, an X direction stopper, an X encoder, a Y direction stopper, and a Y encoder. X direction stoppers are provided at two locations on the left and right of the transfer plate holding portion 64. The Y-direction stopper is provided at two places on the front and rear of the arm portion 65. The X encoder and the Y encoder are rotary encoders that detect rotation amounts of the X axis motor 114 and the Y axis motor 116 and output signals, respectively.

  When the holding body 60 (transfer plate 61) moves in the X direction (left-right direction) and contacts any X direction stopper, the X direction stopper prevents the holding body 60 from moving. Therefore, since the X encoder does not output a signal, the CPU 101 can recognize that the holding body 60 has reached the movable range end in the X direction. Similarly, the CPU 101 can also recognize that the holding body 60 has reached the movable range end in the Y direction using the Y direction stopper and the Y encoder. The configuration for detecting that the holding body 60 has reached the end of the movable range may be another configuration such as contact sensors provided at two locations on the left and right of the transfer plate holding portion 64 and at two locations on the front and rear of the arm portion 65.

  The image sensor 50 according to the present embodiment can photograph a predetermined area including the lower side of the sewing needle 11, more specifically, a rectangular predetermined area 53 centered on a needle hole 502 (see FIG. 1) immediately below the sewing needle 11. is there. As shown in FIG. 4, the predetermined area 53 when the holding body 60 is at the absolute origin position is a rectangular area centered on the origin O of the coordinate system 601. In the present embodiment, the image sensor 50 periodically outputs image data of an image (hereinafter referred to as a photographed image) in a predetermined area 53 configured by 480 pixels vertically and 640 pixels horizontally. More specifically, the image sensor 50 periodically outputs data indicating 256 gradation values (RGB values) in RGB format, divided into three types of R value data, G value data, and B value data. . The latest image data output from the image sensor 50 is stored in a predetermined storage area of the RAM 103. FIG. 5 shows an example of R value data. In the R value data, each of 480 pixels in the vertical direction and 640 pixels in the horizontal direction corresponds to 1 byte (byte), and 1 byte of data indicates an R value of 0 to 255. Although not shown, G value data and B value data are similar data.

  The sewing machine 1 can display captured images in real time on the LCD 32 (see FIG. 1) of the operation box 30 based on the latest image data. Since the image sensor 50 photographs the sewing object from obliquely above the surface of the sewing object, the needle bar 10 and the like are obliquely reflected in the photographed image. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the CPU 101 preferably displays the captured image after converting the viewpoint to an image viewed from directly above. In the example of FIG. 6 and the following description, an example in which the captured image includes only the needle bar 10 is given, but the same applies to the case where the captured image includes the presser foot 13 and the like. Since the viewpoint conversion method of an image is well known, description thereof will be omitted, but for example, a method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-172122 can be employed. However, the CPU 101 may display the captured image as it is without performing viewpoint conversion. In either case, the operator can check the state of the predetermined area 53 with the captured image displayed on the LCD 32.

  The sewing process of the sewing machine 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. The sewing process in FIG. 7 starts when the CPU 101 detects an input of an instruction to execute the sewing process. The CPU 101 reads out a sewing processing program from the ROM 102 and executes it. First, the operator operates the keys on the operation panel 8 or the operation box 30 to select the identification number of the pattern to be sewn. The CPU 101 receives an input of an identification number of a pattern selected by the operator (hereinafter referred to as a selected pattern), and reads sewing data corresponding to the identification number from the ROM 102 or the nonvolatile memory 104 to a predetermined storage area of the RAM 103 (S1). ).

  The CPU 101 sets a limited area and a deceleration area, creates an area map, and stores it in the RAM 103 (S2). The restricted area is a range corresponding to at least the needle bar 10 in the captured image of the predetermined area 53. In order to prevent the auxiliary presser member 510 from interfering with the sewing needle 11 attached to the needle bar 10 in the feed movement process described later, the CPU 101 detects that the auxiliary presser member 510 (see FIG. 1) The movement of the holding body 60 is controlled so as not to overlap. The deceleration area is an area set in advance around the restriction area of the predetermined area 53. In the feed movement process described later, the CPU 101 decelerates the moving speed of the holding body 60 when the auxiliary pressing member 510 overlaps the deceleration area in the captured image.

  The CPU 101 can use the following method as a method for setting the restriction area and the deceleration area. For example, the CPU 101 identifies a needle hole 502 (see FIG. 6) in the captured image of the predetermined area 53 and sets a circular area having a radius of X millimeters around the needle hole 502 as the restricted area 56. Since FIG. 6 is an example of an image obtained by converting the viewpoint to an image viewed from directly above, the needle hole 502 is hidden, but can be identified in the captured image. Further, the CPU 101 sets a circular area having a radius of Y millimeter (provided that Y> X) around the restricted area 56 as the deceleration area 57. X and Y may be values set in advance and stored in the non-volatile memory 104, or may be values input by the operator operating the keys of the operation panel 8 or the operation box 30. X is preferably equal to or greater than the radius of the needle bar 10.

  In another restriction area / deceleration area setting method, the CPU 101 displays a captured image including the needle hole 502 on the LCD 32 of the operation box 30. The operator operates the key group 33 of the operation box 30 to designate an area around the needle hole 502 as a restricted area in the photographed image, and further designates an area around the area as a deceleration area. When the operation box 30 includes a touch panel on the surface of the LCD 32, the operator may designate an area on the touch panel using a stylus pen or the like. The CPU 101 can set the areas designated by the worker as the restriction area and the deceleration area. In another method, when there is a feature point other than the needle hole 502 in the predetermined area 53, the nonvolatile memory 104 stores the positional relationship between the feature point and the needle bar 10. The CPU 101 may identify a feature point in the captured image, and set a restriction region and a deceleration region corresponding to the needle bar 10 based on the feature point. Note that the CPU 101 may identify the needle hole 502 and other feature points in the captured image using any known image recognition technique.

  In order to simplify the description, the method of setting only the range corresponding to the needle bar 10 as the limited region has been described. However, in addition to the needle bar 10, the presser foot 13 and the like protrude downward from the lower end of the front end portion 7. Therefore, the restricted area may be set as an area including a range corresponding to the presser foot 13 in addition to the needle bar 10. In this case as well, the CPU 101 sets the restriction region and the deceleration region according to a predetermined rule or according to the operator's designation with reference to the needle hole 502 of the photographed image in the predetermined region 53 and other feature points. Good.

  The area map is a map showing the positions of the restriction area and the deceleration area in the captured image of the predetermined area 53. As described above, the size of the captured image in the predetermined area 53 is 480 pixels vertically and 640 pixels horizontally. The area map is data of 480 bytes in length and 640 bytes in width in which 1 byte is assigned to each of all pixels of the captured image. The data of the position corresponding to each pixel in the area map indicates 1 if the pixel is in the limited area, 2 if it is in the deceleration area, and other areas (areas that are neither the limited area nor the deceleration area) If it is within, 0 is indicated. For example, the CPU 101 creates an area map as shown in FIG. 8 corresponding to the example of the restriction area 56 and the deceleration area 57 shown in FIG. The data of the position corresponding to the central pixel that is the restriction area 56 indicates 1, the data of the position corresponding to the surrounding pixels that are the deceleration area 57 indicates 2, and the other data indicates 0. In the following description, it is assumed that the CPU 101 sets the limited area 56 and the deceleration area 57 shown in FIG. 6 in S2.

  After creating the area map, the CPU 101 sets obstacle information (S3). The obstacle information is information regarding the characteristic part of the obstacle for identifying an obstacle that may interfere with the sewing needle 11 by image recognition. The obstacle information is, for example, information regarding the color and shape of the obstacle, the pattern attached to the obstacle, and the like. In the present embodiment, the auxiliary presser member 510 is an example of an obstacle. The CPU 101 identifies the color (red) given to the upper surface of the auxiliary pressing member 510. The operator operates the keys on the operation panel 8 or the operation box 30 to input information indicating red. Information indicating red can be represented by, for example, RGB values (R value = 255, G value = 0, B value = 0). The CPU 101 may display selectable main colors (red, blue, yellow, black, etc.) on the LCD 32 in advance, and may set RGB values according to the color selected by the operator as obstacle information. When the obstacle information is information related to the shape and pattern of the obstacle, the operator may input information indicating the shape and pattern by operating the keys of the operation panel 8 or the operation box 30. The CPU 101 stores the set obstacle information in the RAM 103. In the present embodiment, the color of the obstacle set in S3 is referred to as a target color.

  The CPU 101 determines whether or not the start switch 121 (see FIG. 3) is turned on (S6). When the operator does not depress the start switch 121 and the start switch 121 is OFF (S6: NO), the CPU 101 determines whether or not a selection pattern changing operation has been performed (S12). When there is an operation for changing the selected pattern (S12: YES), the CPU 101 returns the process to S1. When there is no selection pattern changing operation (S12: NO), the CPU 101 returns the process to S6. When the operator steps on the start switch 121, the start switch 121 is turned on (S6: YES). The CPU 101 determines whether or not the origin setting is necessary (S7). The origin setting is an operation for moving the holding body 60 to the absolute origin position described above. The sewing machine 1 first moves the holding body 60 to the absolute origin position before moving the holding body 60 based on the sewing data. Therefore, when the start switch 121 is turned on, if the sewing data read in S1 is unprocessed, the CPU 101 determines that the origin setting is necessary (S7: YES), and performs a feed movement process described later (S20). ). After the feed movement process, the CPU 101 returns the process to S6.

  The CPU 101 has already set the origin, and determines that the origin setting is unnecessary when the holder 60 is moved based on the sewing data (S7: NO). The CPU 101 acquires first unprocessed data among the sewing data of the selected pattern read to the RAM 103 in S1, and copies it to the work memory of the RAM 103 as processing target data (S8). The CPU 101 determines whether or not the type of data to be processed is “send” (S9). The first data of the sewing data is data for moving the holding body 60 to a position where the first needle drop point is directly below the sewing needle 11 (hereinafter referred to as a sewing start position), and the type is “feed” ( S9: YES). The CPU 101 performs a feed movement process described later (S20). After the feed movement process, the CPU 101 returns the process to S6. In order to reduce the number of operations of the start switch 121, the movement from the origin setting to the sewing start position may be performed as a series of processes.

  After the holding body 60 moves to the sewing start point, the type of the processing target data is not “feed” but “sewing” (S9: NO). The CPU 101 performs a stitch formation process for forming a stitch by moving the holding body 60 and inserting the sewing needle 11 into the sewing object at the needle drop point (S11). More specifically, the CPU 101 controls the vertical movement of the needle bar 10 and the rotation of the vertical shuttle by driving the sewing machine motor 112 at a rotational speed set by the operator to rotationally drive the main shaft. The CPU 101 moves the holding body 60 by giving the number of drive pulses indicated by the processing target data to the X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 in the rotational direction indicated by the processing target data at a speed synchronized with the rotational driving of the spindle. To do. The sewing machine 1 sews the selected pattern by forming stitches in the sewing object in order according to the sewing data by the operation.

  After the stitch formation process (sewing the selected pattern), the CPU 101 determines whether or not the selected pattern has been changed (S12). When there is an operation for changing the selected pattern (S12: YES), the CPU 101 returns the process to S1. When there is no selection pattern changing operation (S12: NO), the CPU 101 returns the process to S6. The sewing process ends when the power of the sewing machine 1 is turned off.

  Hereinafter, the feed movement process will be described with reference to FIGS. The feed movement process is a process of moving the holding body 60 to the target position (absolute origin position or sewing start position) without piercing the sewing needle 11 into the sewing object. First, the CPU 101 sets the avoidance flag to 0 and stores it in the RAM 103 (S201). The avoiding flag indicates whether the CPU 101 is moving the holding body 60 in a direction different from the normal moving direction (whether the avoiding operation is being performed) and the moving direction when the avoiding operation is being performed. , 1 or 2. Although details will be described later, the CPU 101 sets the avoidance flag in the order of 0, 1, and 2.

  The CPU 101 sets an X positive / negative counter (Cx) and a Y positive / negative counter (Cy) according to the target position (S202). When the CPU 101 moves the holding body 60 to the absolute origin position, the target position is the origin O, but the position of the holding body 60 cannot be specified by the coordinates of the coordinate system 601 (see FIG. 4). Therefore, the CPU 101 sets sufficiently large values for Cx and Cy in order to set the origin using the X-direction origin sensor 118 and the Y-direction origin sensor 119 (see FIG. 3). When the CPU 101 moves the holding body 60 with the sewing start position as the target position, since the holding body 60 is already at the absolute origin position, the CPU 101 sets the values indicated by the processing target data to Cx and Cy. The CPU 101 resets the timer counter prepared in the RAM 103 and starts counting elapsed time (S203).

  The CPU 101 performs a movement process (S210). The movement process is a process of moving the holding body 60 by one pulse in at least one of the X direction and the Y direction toward the target position or a relay position described later. As shown in FIG. 10, in the moving process, the CPU 101 applies pulses to the X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 1/100 seconds) to move the holding body 60. It is determined whether or not a predetermined time has passed (S212). The CPU 101 waits until a predetermined time has not elapsed (S212: NO → S212). The sewing machine 1 may be able to set in advance the moving speed of the holding body 60 during the feed movement process in accordance with an instruction input by the operator. In this case, the predetermined time varies depending on the moving speed.

  When the predetermined time has elapsed (S212: YES), the CPU 101 determines whether the value of Cx is greater than 0 (S213). When the value of Cx is larger than 0 (S213: YES), the CPU 101 gives an instruction to output one X positive direction driving pulse to the X-axis motor 114 to the driving circuit 115 (see FIG. 3) (S214). The holding body 60 moves by one pulse in the X positive direction. The CPU 101 subtracts 1 from the value of Cx (S215) and advances the process to S221.

  When the value of Cx is smaller than 0 (S213: NO, S217: YES), the CPU 101 gives an instruction to the X-axis motor 114 to output one X negative direction drive pulse to the drive circuit 115 (S218). The holding body 60 moves by one pulse in the X negative direction. The CPU 101 adds 1 to the value of Cx (S219) and advances the process to S221. When the value of Cx is 0 (S213: NO, S217: NO), the holding body 60 has already reached the target position or the relay position in the X-axis direction. Therefore, the CPU 101 advances the process to S221 without moving the holding body 60 in the X-axis direction.

  When the value of Cy is larger than 0 (S221: YES), the CPU 101 gives an instruction to output one Y-direction drive pulse to the Y-axis motor 116 to the drive circuit 117 (see FIG. 3) (S222). The holding body 60 moves by one pulse in the Y positive direction. The CPU 101 subtracts 1 from the value of Cy (S223), and resets the timer counter to count the elapsed time until the next movement (S230). The CPU 101 ends the movement process and returns to the feed movement process of FIG.

  When the value of Cy is smaller than 0 (S221: NO, S226: YES), the CPU 101 gives an instruction to the Y-axis motor 116 to output one Y negative direction drive pulse to the drive circuit 117 (S227). The holding body 60 moves by one pulse in the Y negative direction. The CPU 101 adds 1 to the value of Cy (S228), and resets the timer counter (S230). The CPU 101 ends the movement process and returns to the feed movement process of FIG. When the value of Cy is 0 (S221: NO, S226: NO), the holding body 60 has already reached the target position or the relay position in the Y-axis direction. However, since the holder 60 may not reach the target position or the relay position in the X-axis direction, the CPU 101 resets the timer counter in order to count the elapsed time until the next movement (S230). The CPU 101 ends the movement process without moving the holding body 60 in the Y-axis direction, and returns to the feed movement process in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the CPU 101 performs an image monitoring process after the movement process (S250). The image monitoring process is a process of monitoring a photographed image in a predetermined area 53 (see FIG. 6) and setting a flag so that an obstacle (in this embodiment, the auxiliary presser member 510) does not overlap the restriction area 56. As shown in FIG. 11, in the image monitoring process, the CPU 101 first sets the overlap flag and the deceleration flag to 0 and stores them in the RAM 103 (S251). The overlap flag is a value indicating whether an obstacle is present within a predetermined distance from the restriction region 56 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60 by one of 1 and 0. The deceleration flag is a value indicating by 1 or 0 whether or not there is an obstacle within a predetermined distance from the deceleration region 57 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60.

  The CPU 101 sets OFx and OFy, which are offset amounts for offsetting the restriction area 56 and the deceleration area 57 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, respectively, according to the moving direction of the holding body 60 (S252). If the obstacle overlaps the restricted area 56, the possibility that the obstacle interferes with the sewing needle 11 increases. Therefore, in this embodiment, when an obstacle enters within a predetermined distance from the restriction region 56 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60, the CPU 101 changes the moving direction of the holding body 60. The predetermined distance is an offset amount. In this embodiment, the offset amount is set by the number of pixels (for example, 10 pixels) for simplification of processing, but is set by the distance (for example, 5 mm), and the CPU 101 sets the distance to the number of pixels for each processing. You may convert and use.

  The moving direction of the holding body 60 is X positive direction, X positive direction Y negative direction, Y negative direction, X negative direction Y negative direction, X negative direction, X negative direction Y positive direction, Y positive direction, X positive direction Y positive. There are 8 types of directions. When the value indicated by the X positive / negative counter (Cx) is a positive value, the holding body 60 moves in the X positive direction, so the CPU 101 provides an offset amount in the X negative direction from the restriction region 56. That is, OFx is a negative value. Conversely, when the value indicated by Cx is a negative value, the holding body 60 moves in the X negative direction, and thus the CPU 101 provides an offset amount in the X positive direction from the restriction region 56. That is, OFx is a positive value. When the value indicated by Cx is 0, since the holding body 60 does not move in the X-axis direction, OFx is 0. The same applies to the Y positive / negative counter (Cy). That is, when the value indicated by Cy is a positive value, OFy is a negative value. If the value indicated by Cy is a negative value, OFy is a positive value. When the value indicated by Cy is 0, OFy is 0.

  The operator can set an initial setting value of the moving speed of the holding body 60 during the feed movement process. The offset amount may be set to a constant value regardless of the moving speed, but is preferably set to a larger value as the moving speed becomes faster. The faster the moving speed, the longer the distance that the holding body 60 moves within the unit time. The slower the moving speed, the shorter the distance that the holding body 60 moves within the unit time. Therefore, by setting the offset amount according to the initial set value of the moving speed, it is possible to more reliably avoid the obstacle from interfering with the sewing needle 11 attached to the needle bar 10.

  The CPU 101 sets the values of the vertical pointer (Pv) and horizontal pointer (Ph) prepared in the RAM 103 to 0 (S253). Pv and Ph are pointers that specify data to be read out as processing targets from the area map (see FIG. 8). Pv = 0 indicates the first row of the area map, and Ph = 0 indicates the first column of the area map. When the value of Pv is smaller than 480 (S261: YES) and the value of Ph is smaller than 640 (S262: YES), the CPU 101 determines whether the data at the positions indicated by Pv and Ph in the area map is 0. It is judged (S271). As shown in FIG. 8, since the data in the first row and the first column to be processed first is 0 (S271: YES), the corresponding position is neither in the limited area 56 nor in the deceleration area 57. The CPU 101 adds 1 to the value of Ph, sets the data at the position of the first row and second column as the processing target (S276), and returns the processing to S262.

  The value of Ph is smaller than 640 (S262: YES), and the data at the position of the first row and second column is also 0 (S271). Therefore, the CPU 101 adds 1 to the value of Ph (S276), and the process returns to S262. return. The CPU 101 repeats the process in the same manner, and sequentially processes the data in the first row in the right direction. When the CPU 101 processes the data in the 640th column, the value of Ph reaches 640 (S262: NO), and the processing of the data in the first row ends. The CPU 101 adds 1 to the value of Pv to process the next row of data (S263), returns the value of Ph to 0 (S264), and returns the process to S261.

  The CPU 101 repeats the process in the same manner. When the position indicated by Pv and Ph in the area map is within the restriction area 56 or the deceleration area 57, the data at the position is not 0 (S271: NO). When the value (Ph + OFx) obtained by adding the offset amount OFx in the X-axis direction to the value of Ph is not less than 0 and less than 640 (S272: NO), the position to be processed is not in the captured image of the predetermined area 53 after the offset. Therefore, the CPU 101 sets the next process target (S276) and returns the process to S262.

  Although Ph + OFx is not less than 0 and less than 640 (S272: YES), the value obtained by adding the offset amount OFy in the Y-axis direction to the value of Pv (Pv + OFy) is not less than 0 and less than 480 (S273: NO). The target position is not in the captured image of the predetermined area 53 after the offset. Therefore, the CPU 101 sets the next process target (S276) and returns the process to S262.

  When Pv + OFy is also not less than 0 and less than 480 (S273: YES), the CPU 101 determines that Ph + OFx and Pv + OFy in the latest image data (R value data (see FIG. 3), G value data, B value data) stored in the RAM 103. It is determined whether the color of the pixel at the position indicated by is the target color (S274). Specifically, if the RGB value of the latest image data and the RGB value of the target color set by the CPU 101 in S3 of the main process in FIG. 7 and stored in the RAM 103 are the same, the CPU 101 determines that the color of the pixel is Judged to be the target color. In order to allow some errors, the CPU 101 may determine that two colors within a predetermined distance in the RGB color space are the same color even when the RGB values do not completely match.

  If the pixel color at the position indicated by Ph + OFx and Pv + OFy is not the target color (S274: NO), the position where the processing target position of the area map is offset by OFx and OFy is overlapped with the obstacle in the captured image of the predetermined area 53. Don't be. That is, the CPU 101 has not identified an obstacle within a predetermined distance in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60 from the position to be processed in the restriction area 56 or the deceleration area 57. Therefore, the CPU 101 sets the next process target (S276) and returns the process to S262.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when the color of the pixel at the position P2 indicated by Ph + OFx and Pv + OFy (the position offset by the position P1 indicated by Ph and Pv) is the target color (S274: YES), the CPU 101 determines the peripheral pixels of the pixel. It is determined whether the color of (for example, 8 pixels surrounding the pixel) is also the target color (S275). If the color of the peripheral pixel is not the target color (S275: NO), the color of the pixel at the position indicated by Ph + OFx and Pv + OFy is highly likely to be noise in the image. Therefore, the CPU 101 sets the next process target without changing the moving direction (S276), and returns the process to S262. Note that the CPU 101 does not have to perform the process of S275.

  When the color of the peripheral pixel is the target color (S275: YES), the position where the position of the processing target of the area map is offset by OFx and OFy overlaps the obstacle in the captured image of the predetermined area 53. That is, the CPU 101 has identified the obstacle within a predetermined distance in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60 from the position to be processed in the restriction area 56 or the deceleration area 57.

  When the data of the position to be processed is 2 instead of 1 in the area map (S281: NO), the position of the process target is in the deceleration area 57. Therefore, the CPU 101 sets the deceleration flag to 1 (S282), and returns the process to S262. When the deceleration flag is 1, the CPU 101 decelerates the moving speed of the holding body 60 by making the rotational speeds of the X-axis motor 114 and the Y-axis motor 116 (see FIG. 3) slower than the initial set values.

  When the data of the processing target position is 1 in the area map (S281: YES), the processing target position is in the restricted area 56. Therefore, the CPU 101 sets the overlap flag to 1 and sets the deceleration flag to 0 (S291). The CPU 101 stores the values of Ph and Pv at this time in the RAM 103. The CPU 101 ends the image monitoring process and returns to the feed movement process of FIG. In the present embodiment, the deceleration area 57 is around the restriction area 56. Therefore, the CPU 101 sets the deceleration flag to 1 before setting the overlap flag to 1 in the process. However, when it is determined that an obstacle exists within a predetermined distance from the restriction area 56 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60, the CPU 101 prioritizes the overlap flag over the deceleration flag.

  As described above, in the image monitoring process, when it is determined that an obstacle exists within a predetermined distance from the restriction area 56 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60, the CPU 101 sets the overlap flag to 1. At that time, the image monitoring process is terminated. The CPU 101 cannot identify an obstacle within a predetermined distance in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60 from the deceleration area 57, and cannot identify an obstacle within a predetermined distance in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60 from the restriction area 56. As it is, it is assumed that the processing of S261 to S282 is repeated and the processing is completed up to the 480th row and the 640th column of the region map (S261: NO). In this case, the image monitoring process ends with the CPU 101 setting the deceleration flag to 1 in S282. The CPU 101 repeats the above-described processing of S261 to S282 without identifying an obstacle even within a predetermined distance in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60 from the deceleration region 57, and the processing is completed up to the 480th row and the 640th column of the region map. (S261: NO). In this case, both the overlap flag and the deceleration flag remain 0, and the image monitoring process ends.

  As shown in FIG. 9, in the feed movement process, after the image monitoring process (S250), the CPU 101 determines whether or not the overlap flag stored in the RAM 103 is 1 (S301). When the overlap flag is 0 (S301: NO), there is currently no obstacle within a predetermined distance from the restricted area 56 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60. The CPU 101 determines whether the avoidance flag is 0 (S304). The avoidance flag set to 0 indicates that the holding body 60 is not in the avoidance operation. When the avoiding flag is 0 (S304: YES), the CPU 101 returns the process to S210 as it is. The CPU 101 repeats the above movement process (S210) and image monitoring process (S250).

  If the avoiding flag is not 0 (S304: NO), the holding body 60 is already in the avoiding operation. The CPU 101 sets a relay position in a later-described movement direction change process (S350) in order to confirm whether or not to change the movement direction during the avoidance operation. The CPU 101 determines whether or not the relay position has been reached (S305). Specifically, if the values of Cx and Cy are both 0, the CPU 101 determines that the relay position has been reached (S305: YES), and proceeds to a moving direction change process (S350) described later.

  When the CPU 101 determines that the relay position has not been reached (S305: NO), the CPU 101 performs a movement process for moving the holding body 60 by one pulse in at least one of the X direction and the Y direction toward the relay position (S310). . Since the content of the movement process of S310 is the same as the process of S210 of the above-mentioned FIG. 9, description is abbreviate | omitted. After the movement process of S310, the CPU 101 advances the process to S401 described later.

  When the overlap flag is 1 (S301: YES), an obstacle exists within a predetermined distance from the restricted area 56 in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60. Therefore, if the avoidance flag is 0 (S302: YES), the CPU 101 sets the avoidance flag to 1 to start the avoidance operation (S303). The avoidance flag set to 1 indicates that the holding body 60 is moved in a direction close to a priority direction described later. The CPU 101 performs a movement direction changing process described later (S350).

If the avoiding flag is not 0 (S302: NO), the holding body 60 is already in the avoiding operation, but the moving direction is further changed in the subsequent moving direction changing process (S350).

  The moving direction changing process (S350 in FIG. 9) will be described with reference to FIG. In the moving direction changing process, the CPU 101 determines a pixel at a position indicated by Ph and Pv in the captured image (hereinafter referred to as a target pixel) based on the values of Ph and Pv stored in the RAM 103 in S291 of the image monitoring process (see FIG. 11). ). In the example of FIG. 12, the CPU 101 sets the pixel at the position of the point P1 as the target pixel. The CPU 101 sequentially scans surrounding pixels around the target pixel, and specifies a boundary line of the target color (S351). The CPU 101 may specify the boundary line of the target color as a line connecting pixels adjacent to the other color pixels among the target color pixels.

  The CPU 101 determines whether or not there is a boundary line of the target color in the direction opposite to the movement direction of the holding body 60 (hereinafter referred to as the attention direction) when viewed from the attention pixel (point P1) (S352). In the example of FIG. 12, the moving direction of the holding body 60 is the X positive direction Y negative direction indicated by the arrow A. The CPU 101 may determine whether or not the straight line L that passes through the target pixel (point P1) and extends in the target direction intersects the boundary line. The CPU 101 identifies the moving direction from the values of the X positive / negative counter (Cx) and the Y positive / negative counter (Cy).

  When there is a boundary line of the target color in the direction of interest as viewed from the pixel of interest (S352: YES), the holding body 60 is moving in the direction in which the obstacle approaches the restricted area 56. Therefore, the CPU 101 changes the moving direction of the holding body 60 according to the value of the avoidance flag. The CPU 101 determines whether or not the avoidance flag is 2 (S371). Although the details will be described later, the avoidance flag set to 2 indicates that the holding body 60 is moved in a direction close to the direction opposite to the priority direction. If the avoiding flag is not 2 (S371: NO), since the avoiding flag is 1, the CPU 101 changes the moving direction to a direction close to the priority direction along the inclination of the boundary line (S372). To S375. If the avoiding flag is 2 (S371: YES), the CPU 101 changes the moving direction to a direction along the inclination of the boundary line and close to the opposite direction of the priority direction (S373), and advances the process to S375.

  The priority direction is, for example, a certain direction preset by the manufacturer of the sewing machine 1 and stored in the ROM 102 or the nonvolatile memory 104. In general, the auxiliary presser member serving as an obstacle often extends from the rear side to the front side of the sewing machine 1. In this case, the possibility that an obstacle can be avoided increases by moving the holding body 60 toward the rear side of the sewing machine 1. Therefore, the manufacturer of the sewing machine 1 may set the holding body 60 in the direction from the front side to the rear side of the sewing machine 1, that is, the Y positive direction as the priority direction. In this case, the CPU 101 can efficiently change the moving direction without requiring the operator's setting work. However, the priority direction is not limited to a certain direction preset by the manufacturer of the sewing machine 1. For example, the CPU 101 may set the direction input by the operator as the priority direction after S3 of the sewing process of FIG. The worker inputs an appropriate direction according to the mounting direction of the auxiliary pressing member to be used. In this case, the CPU 101 can set an appropriate direction according to the mounting direction as the priority direction.

  The inclination of the boundary line can be specified by, for example, an angle in the counterclockwise direction with respect to the X axis. As shown in FIG. 14, when the boundary line of the obstacle 500 is a curve, the CPU 101 may obtain the tangent line T1 at the intersection point P5 between the straight line L and the boundary line and use the slope of the tangent line T1, for example. By changing the moving direction of the holding body 60 in the direction along the boundary line of the target color, that is, the outer edge of the obstacle, the obstacle can interfere with the sewing needle 11 attached to the needle bar 10 efficiently and reliably. It can be avoided.

  For example, in the example of FIG. 12, it is assumed that the original moving direction of the holding body 60 is the X positive direction and the Y negative direction indicated by the arrow A. The inclination of the boundary line of the auxiliary pressing member 510 that is an obstacle is 90 degrees with respect to the X axis. In this example, when the priority direction is the Y positive direction, the changed moving direction is the Y positive direction indicated by the arrow B. In the example of FIG. 14, when the priority direction is the Y positive direction, the changed moving direction is a direction toward the upper right in the figure along the tangent line T <b> 1 indicated by the arrow C.

  In S375, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the boundary line extends a predetermined distance or more in the changed moving direction from the intersection of the straight line that passes through the target pixel and extends in the target direction. The predetermined distance may be a predetermined distance set in advance, or may be a value set by an operator before sewing processing and stored in the nonvolatile memory 104. When the boundary line extends more than a predetermined distance (S375: YES), the CPU 101 is located at a position that is a predetermined distance away from the current position (a point immediately below the sewing needle 11) in the direction opposite to the changed moving direction. The point is set as the relay position (S376), and the relay position is set to Cx and Cy (S379).

  The relay position is a position at which when the holding body 60 is moved from the current position to the target position, it can move at least from the current position while avoiding an obstacle without changing the moving direction. The sewing machine 1 can move the holding body 60 toward the target position at the shortest possible distance by setting the relay position.

  In the example of FIG. 12, the CPU 101 sets a point P3 that is a predetermined distance D1 away from the point P0 immediately below the sewing needle 11 in the direction opposite to the changed moving direction indicated by the arrow B as a relay position. Since the movement direction after the change is the Y positive direction, the point P3 is at a position away from the point P0 by a predetermined distance D1 in the Y negative direction. The CPU 101 converts the positional relationship between the points P0 and P3 on the screen of the LCD 32 into a positional relationship in the coordinate system 601 (see FIG. 4). Specifically, the CPU 101 converts the coordinates of the points P0 and P3 on the screen of the LCD 32 into the coordinates of the points in the coordinate system 601. A method for converting two-dimensional coordinates to three-dimensional coordinates in the world coordinate system is well known and will not be described. For example, a method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-172122 can be employed.

  Based on the positional relationship between the current position after conversion and the relay position, the CPU 101 moves the holding body 60 so that the relay position is located directly below the sewing needle 11, and the Y-axis motor 116 (see FIG. 3). ) Is calculated. The CPU 101 sets Cx and Cy based on the calculated drive pulse number. That is, the values of Cx and Cy are values for moving the holding body 60 to the relay position. The CPU 101 advances the process to S380.

  As in the example of FIG. 14, when the boundary line does not extend more than a predetermined distance in the changed moving direction (arrow C) from the intersection P5 of the boundary line between the straight line L and the obstacle 500 (S375: NO), the CPU 101 A relay position is set based on the inclination of the boundary line (S377). Specifically, the CPU 101 sets the relay position by the following method, for example. First, the CPU 101 obtains the tangent of the boundary line in order along the direction opposite to the changed moving direction. The CPU 101 specifies the tangent line T2 when the inclination changes by a predetermined amount or more from the inclination of the tangent line T1. The predetermined amount may be a predetermined amount set in advance or may be a value set by an operator before sewing processing and stored in the nonvolatile memory 104. The method for specifying the inclination of the boundary line is as described above. The CPU 101 specifies a distance D2 from the intersection point P5 of the boundary line between the straight line L and the obstacle 500 to the intersection point P6 of the tangent line T1 and the tangent line T2. The CPU 101 sets a point P7 that is a distance D2 away from the point P0 immediately below the sewing needle 11 in the direction opposite to the changed moving direction indicated by the arrow C as a relay position. The CPU 101 sets the relay position to Cx and Cy as described above (S379). The CPU 101 advances the process to S380.

  When there is no target color boundary line in the direction of interest as viewed from the pixel of interest (S352: NO), the holding body 60 can be moved toward the target position, so the CPU 101 changes the avoidance flag to 0 (S356), and the target The position is set to Cx, Cy (S357), and the process proceeds to S380.

  When the CPU 101 sets the relay position in S376 or S377, the CPU 101 moves the holding body 60 by one pulse in at least one of the X direction and the Y direction toward the relay position in S380. When the CPU 101 changes the avoidance flag to 0 in S356, the CPU 101 moves the holding body 60 by one pulse in at least one of the X direction and the Y direction toward the target position in S380. The contents of the movement process of S380 are the same as the process of S210 of FIG. After the movement process, the CPU 101 ends the movement direction change process and returns to the feed movement process of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 9, after the moving direction changing process (S350) or after the moving process (S310), the CPU 101 determines whether or not the holding body 60 has reached the end of the movable range (S401). As described above, the sewing machine 1 includes a configuration (not shown) that detects that the holding body 60 has reached the end of the movable range. When the CPU 101 determines that the holder 60 has not reached the end of the movable range (S401: NO), the CPU 101 determines whether the target position has been reached (S410).

  When the target position is the absolute origin position, the CPU 101 makes a determination as follows. The X-direction origin sensor 118 and the Y-direction origin sensor 119 (see FIG. 3) output a detection signal when the holding body 60 reaches the absolute origin position. Therefore, when the CPU 101 recognizes the detection signals from the X-direction origin sensor 118 and the Y-direction origin sensor 119 as a result of the movement of the holding body 60 in the above-described movement processing (S210, S310, S380), the absolute value of the holding body 60 It is determined that the movement to the home position (target position) has been completed. When the target position is the sewing start position, the CPU 101 moves the holding body 60 to the sewing start position (target position) when both the X positive / negative counter (Cx) and the Y positive / negative counter (Cy) are zero. Is determined to be complete. If the holder 60 has not yet reached the target position (S410), the CPU 101 returns the process to S250.

  When the CPU 101 returns to the image monitoring process (S250) after setting the relay position in the moving direction change process (S350) as described above, the CPU 101 sets an offset amount according to the changed moving direction (FIG. 11). S252). When the changed moving direction is the direction indicated by the arrow B as in the example of FIG. 12, the CPU 101 provides an offset amount (−OFy) in the Y negative direction from the restricted area 56 in S252. The CPU 101 does not identify an obstacle at a position −OFy from a position in the restricted area 56. Therefore, the image monitoring process ends with the overlap flag remaining at 0. In this case, since the overlap flag is 0 and the avoidance flag is 1 (S301: NO, S304: NO in FIG. 9), the CPU 101 proceeds to the determination process as to whether or not the relay position has been reached as described above (S305). ).

  When determining that the holding body 60 has reached the end of the movable range (S401: YES), the CPU 101 determines whether or not the avoidance flag is 1 (S402). When the avoidance flag is 1, the moving direction of the holding body 60 is changed along the boundary line and close to the priority direction in the moving direction changing process (S350) described above. That is, it means that the holding body 60 has reached the end of the movable range as a result of moving in this direction. Therefore, the CPU 101 changes the avoidance flag to 2 in order to further change the moving direction (S403), and returns the process to S250.

  When the avoidance flag is 2 and the process proceeds to the movement direction change process (S350), as described above, the CPU 101 sets the movement direction of the holding body 60 along the inclination of the boundary line and opposite to the priority direction. Will be changed in the direction close to. As described above, the CPU 101 automatically reverses the moving direction of the holding body 60. Therefore, even if the sewing object is switched and the position or shape of the obstacle is changed, the operator does not have to reset the already set priority direction.

  When the avoiding flag is 2 instead of 1 (S402: NO), the CPU 101 cannot reach the target position and reaches the end of the movable range again, even though the movement direction of the holding body 60 is reversed. It is a state that has been. Therefore, for example, the CPU 101 displays a message indicating the occurrence of an error on the LCD 32 of the operation box 30 to notify the operator of the occurrence of the error (S405), and the operator turns off the power switch (not shown). wait. With this method, the CPU 101 can notify the operator that the position of the obstacle has shifted due to some trouble and has become an unavoidable state. Therefore, the operator can take appropriate measures after the notification.

  As described above, the CPU 101 of the sewing machine 1 according to the present embodiment moves the holding body 60 by one pulse in at least one of the X direction and the Y direction toward the target position or the relay position every predetermined time (S210). , S310, S380), and using the captured image of the image sensor 50, it is monitored whether or not an obstacle is approaching within a predetermined distance from the restricted area 56 corresponding to the needle bar 10 (S250). When the CPU 101 identifies an obstacle within a predetermined distance in the direction opposite to the movement direction of the holding body 60 from the restriction area 56, the CPU 101 changes the movement direction of the holding body 60 so that the obstacle does not overlap the restriction area 56. The holding body 60 is moved.

  Therefore, when the worker attaches the auxiliary presser member corresponding to the sewing object to the holding body 60, the worker sets the characteristic part (color in this embodiment) of the auxiliary presser member that becomes an obstacle as the characteristic part in advance. do it. The sewing machine 1 can appropriately control the movement of the holding body 60 according to the auxiliary pressing member based on the photographed image. In other words, the sewing machine 1 can avoid an obstacle based on a photographed image of the image sensor 50, instead of avoiding an obstacle along the movement route according to the sewing data. Further, the sewing machine 1 can avoid the obstacle from interfering with the sewing needle 11 attached to the needle bar 10 even before the holding body 60 reaches the absolute origin position. Since the sewing machine can identify obstacles in a non-contact manner, it is possible to prevent the obstacle detection accuracy from being lowered with use as compared with a sewing machine using a contact type sensor. As described above, the sewing machine 1 can reliably avoid the obstacle from interfering with the sewing needle 11 according to the obstacle attached to the holding body 60.

  When the CPU 101 identifies an obstacle within a predetermined distance in the direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body 60 from the deceleration area 57 set in advance around the restriction area 56, the CPU 101 changes the deceleration flag to 1 to change the holding body 60. Decrease the moving speed. That is, the CPU 101 can control the movement of the holding body 60 so that the holding body 60 does not overlap the restriction area 56 after deceleration. Therefore, the sewing machine 1 can more reliably avoid the obstacle from interfering with the sewing needle attached to the needle bar 10.

  In the present embodiment, the transfer device 6 corresponds to the “movement mechanism” of the present invention. The image sensor 50 corresponds to “photographing means”. The CPU 101 that performs the image monitoring process in S250 of FIG. 9 corresponds to “identification means”. The predetermined area 53 (see FIG. 4) corresponds to a “first area”. The restriction area 56 and the deceleration area 57 (see FIG. 6) correspond to a “second area” and a “third area”, respectively. The CPU 101 that performs the moving direction changing process in S350, the moving process in S310, and the processes in S401 to S403 in FIG. 9 corresponds to a “movement control unit”. The CPU 101 that performs the error notification processing in S405 corresponds to “notification means”. The CPU 101 that performs the process of setting the offset amount according to the moving speed in S252 of FIG. 11 corresponds to “distance setting means”.

  The present invention can be variously modified in addition to the above-described embodiment. For example, the area map (see FIG. 8) may be set in advance and stored in the nonvolatile memory 104 or the like. In this case, the CPU 101 performs a process of reading the stored area map to the RAM 103 in S2 of the sewing process of FIG. There may be no deceleration area around the restricted area. That is, the area map may indicate only the restricted area. If the limited area corresponding to the needle bar 10 is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the needle bar 10, an offset amount for the limited area may not be provided. When the restriction area and the deceleration area are provided, the offset amounts of the restriction area and the deceleration area may be different from each other.

  The CPU 101 may determine to change the moving direction to the priority direction without considering the inclination of the boundary line (direction in which the boundary line extends) in S372 of the movement direction changing process (see FIG. 13). In step S373, the CPU 101 may determine that the direction opposite to the moving direction is changed to the priority direction without considering the inclination of the boundary line. On the contrary, the CPU 101 may change the moving direction according to only the direction in which the boundary line extends without considering the priority direction.

  Processing for changing the moving direction to the opposite direction when the holding body 60 reaches the end of the movable range (S401 to S403 in FIG. 9, S371, S373 in FIG. 13), after changing the moving direction to the opposite direction, the holding body 60 The process of notifying the occurrence of an error when S reaches the end of the movable range (S405 in FIG. 9) can be omitted. The CPU 101 may display a message notifying the occurrence of an error on the display of the operation panel 8 instead of the LCD 32. The CPU 101 may notify the occurrence of an error not by displaying a message but by issuing a warning sound by a buzzer or emitting a lamp.

  In the image monitoring process (see FIG. 11), the scanning start position in the area map is not necessarily the position of the first row and the first column. For example, the CPU 101 may specify an arbitrary position (a position where the data indicates 1) in the restricted area, and scan the periphery in order with the position as the center. The CPU 101 may start scanning from a position designated by the worker.

  Since the shooting range (predetermined area 53) and the size of the shot image vary depending on the type of the image sensor 50, the size of the shot image of the image sensor 50 and the size of the corresponding area map are not limited to the example of the embodiment. In addition, the numerical values given in the embodiments are merely examples, and it is needless to say that changes can be made as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Sewing machine 6 Transfer device 10 Needle bar 11 Sewing needle 50 Image sensor 60 Holding body 101 CPU

Claims (9)

A needle bar capable of attaching a sewing needle to the lower end and moving up and down;
In a sewing machine provided with a moving mechanism capable of horizontally moving a holding body provided below the needle bar and holding a sewing object,
An imaging means capable of imaging a first area that is an area including the lower side of the needle bar;
An identification means for identifying a characteristic portion of a member that moves together with the holding body set in advance in the image of the first region photographed by the photographing means;
By controlling the moving mechanism, the holding body is held so that the characteristic part identified by the identification means does not overlap with the second area which is a range corresponding to the needle bar in the image of the first area. A sewing machine comprising a movement control means for moving.   The movement control means, when the identification means identifies the feature portion within a first distance from the second area in the direction opposite to the movement direction of the holding body in the image, the movement direction is different from the second direction. The sewing machine according to claim 1, wherein the holding body is moved to the sewing machine.   The sewing machine according to claim 2, wherein the movement control unit moves the holding body by changing the movement direction to a priority direction set in advance as a priority direction.   4. The sewing machine according to claim 2, wherein the movement control unit moves the holding body by changing the movement direction according to a direction in which a boundary line of the characteristic portion extends.   The said movement control means changes the said moving direction to the direction opposite to the said moving direction, and moves the said holding body, when the said holding body reaches the end of the movable range. The sewing machine according to any one of -4.   2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an informing unit for informing an error occurrence when the holding body reaches the other end of the movable range after the movement control unit has changed the moving direction to the opposite direction. Item 6. The sewing machine according to Item 5.   The sewing machine according to any one of claims 2 to 6, further comprising distance setting means for setting the first distance according to a moving speed of the holding body by the movement control means.   The movement control unit is configured such that the characteristic portion identified by the identification unit is a first region in a direction opposite to the moving direction of the holding body from a third region preset around the second region in the image of the first region. The sewing machine according to claim 1, wherein when the characteristic portion is identified within two distances, the moving mechanism is controlled to reduce the moving speed of the holding body. The characteristic portion is a region including a preset color,
The sewing machine according to claim 1, wherein the identification unit identifies an area including the color and larger than a predetermined size as the characteristic portion.

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