JP2884806B2 - Block data processing method of embroidery sewing machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for processing data of a plurality of blocks constituting a pattern, and more particularly to data processing of a block constituting a pattern comprising a straight line portion and a curved portion. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When embroidering a pattern, the pattern may be constituted by a plurality of square blocks (including a block in which two vertexes overlap to form a triangle). In this way, for example, when performing embroidery in which two sides of a plurality of sides defining a pattern are connected to each other with a stitch line including at least one stitch, embroidery is performed for each block. A seam can be formed with good appearance. A rectangular block is defined by two main sides and two sub-sides, and is arranged so as to share the sub-side to form one pattern, and two main sides are alternately connected with a stitch line for each block. For example, the stitch line is formed substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the pattern.
Therefore, even when the lengths of the two sides of the entire pattern that are connected to each other are considerably different, or when the pattern is bent, the seam line does not become extremely oblique, and the seam is formed with good appearance. You can do it. When the pattern is composed of a plurality of blocks as described above, it is desirable that the blocks are set so that the contour of the pattern constituted by the blocks approaches an ideal contour that smoothly defines the pattern.

[0003]

However, when the block has a quadrangular shape in which all four sides are straight lines and the pattern is composed of a straight line portion and a curved portion, a seam is formed on the curved portion with good appearance. May not be possible. The ideal contour line that smoothly defines the curved portion is a curve, but if the block is a quadrangle, its sides do not match the ideal contour line. Cannot be embroidered with good appearance. The present invention is directed to a block data processing method capable of avoiding the occurrence of an inconvenience caused by a mixture of data of a block forming a straight portion of a pattern and data of a block forming a curved portion, as described above. The task was to provide

[0004]

The gist of the present invention is, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, to (a) store in a storage means block data respectively defining a plurality of blocks constituting a pattern; b) dividing the plurality of block data into block data forming a straight line portion of the pattern and block data forming a curved portion.

[0005]

As described above, if the block data respectively defining a plurality of blocks is divided into the data forming the linear portion of the pattern and the data forming the curved portion, the data of the block forming the linear portion and the curved portion are formed. Different processing can be performed on the block data. For example, when embroidering a pattern by enlarging the pattern, the data of the block forming the curved portion is changed from data defining the contour by a straight line to data defining the contour by a curve, or the number of blocks is increased. Thus, the contour of the pattern constituted by the blocks can be data that approaches the ideal contour of the pattern, thereby making it possible to perform embroidery with good visibility.

[0006]

As described above, according to the method of the present invention, it is possible to avoid the inconvenience that occurs when the data constituting the curved portion of the pattern and the data constituting the linear portion are mixed.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a sewing machine table, on which a bed 12 and a machine frame 14 are provided. The sewing machine frame 14 includes a pillar 16 rising from the bed 12 and the pillar 1.
And an upper arm 18 extending cantilevered from the upper end of the base 6 and substantially parallel to the bed 12. A needle bar 22 is attached to the sewing machine frame 14 by a needle bar base (not shown) so as to be vertically movable, and a sewing needle 24 is fixed to a lower end thereof. The needle bar 22 is connected to a sewing machine motor 26 (see FIG. 3) via a needle bar holder or the like.
Drives the needle bar 22 and the sewing needle 24 up and down. An opening is formed in the upper surface of the bed 12. Although the opening is closed by the needle plate 30, a needle hole 38 is formed in the needle plate 30, and the sewing needle 24 projects below the needle plate 30 from the needle hole 38 and cooperates with a shuttle (not shown). To form a seam.

An embroidery frame 42 is mounted on the sewing machine table 10 and the bed 12 so as to be movable in the X-axis direction, which is the horizontal direction of the sewing machine, and in the Y-axis direction, which is the front-back direction. The embroidery frame 42 includes an annular outer frame 44 and an outer frame 44.
And an inner frame 46 fitted inside the frame.
The work cloth is held by 46. The outer frame 44 is formed with a slide portion 48 extending in the X-axis direction.
It is slidably fitted to a pair of guide pipes 50 provided in the Y-axis direction on the zero. Both ends of the guide pipe 50 are supported by support tables 52 and 54. One support table 52 includes a feed screw 56 and an X-axis feed motor 58.
Can be moved in the X-axis direction,
The other support 54 is separated from the upper surface of the sewing machine table 10. These slide portions 48, support tables 52,
A pair of endless wires 60 are engaged with 54,
When the wire 60 is moved by the rotation transmitting shaft 62 and the Y-axis feed motor 64, the slide portion 48 is moved in the Y-axis direction. The embroidery frame 42 is moved to an arbitrary position in the horizontal plane by the movement of the support base 52 in the X-axis direction and the movement of the slide portion 48 in the Y-axis direction. The fabric is embroidered.

The sewing machine is controlled by a control device 70. The control device 70, as shown in FIG.
2, mainly a computer including a ROM 74, a RAM 76, a bus 78, and the like. An input interface 80 is connected to the bus 78, and the input interface 8
0 is connected to a keyboard 82 and an external storage device 84. The keyboard 82 is used to input a pattern to be embroidered, a thread density, a sewing order of a plurality of blocks, and the like. Various keys are provided. Further, the external storage device 84 stores contour data that defines the contour of the pattern to be embroidered. The contour of the pattern is defined by a coordinate group, a vector, an equation, and the like.

The bus 78 also has an output interface 10.
0 is connected to the output interface 100 and the motor drive circuits 104, 106, and 108 and the display drive circuit 11
0, sewing machine motor 26, X-axis feed motor 58, Y
The axis feed motor 64 and the display device 112 are connected. The display device 112 displays, on a screen, a comment for assisting data input, input data, a shape of a pattern to be embroidered, and the like. As shown in FIG. 4, the RAM 76 has a block data area 116, a thread density data area 118, a sewing order data area 120, a first counter 122, a second counter 124, and the like, as well as a working area. Further, the ROM 74 stores various routines necessary for performing embroidery, including the block data correction routine shown in the flowchart of FIG.

In the present embodiment, embroidery is performed by alternately connecting two of the four or three contour line elements defining a quadrangle or a triangle with stitches and filling the contour line elements with stitches. The pattern is divided into quadrangular or triangular blocks, and embroidery is performed for each block. Therefore, block data is set for each block. The block data includes coordinate data of a vertex of the block and number data assigned to the vertex. In the case of the square block 132 shown in FIG. 5, two vertexes defining one of the two contour line elements 134 connected to each other by the stitch are numbered 1 and 2, respectively.
Number 3 is assigned, and numbers 2 and 4 are assigned to two vertices defining the other contour line element 134. At this time, 1
Nos. 2 and 3 are located on one side of the embroidery progressing direction (the direction in which the pattern is filled with stitches and indicated by arrows in the figure), and Nos. 3 and 4 are located on the other side. Is given number data. In the case of the block 132 in which the block data is created as described above, a stitch is formed as shown in FIG. When a triangle is formed as in block 136 shown in FIG. 7, one of the three vertices is considered to have two vertices overlapping each other.
Each vertex of the two contour line elements 138 connected to each other by stitches is treated as if there are vertices. A seam is formed in the block 136 as shown in FIG. Note that, of the sides defining the block, the side connected to each other by the stitch line is referred to as a main side, and the side overlapping with the side of the adjacent block is referred to as a sub-side.

In the case of a pattern in which a plurality of blocks are formed side by side like a pattern 140 shown in FIG. 9, four points are required to define the leading block. And two points are common, and a block can be defined by setting two points. Accordingly, the coordinate data of the block data created for the first block includes four coordinates, and the first to fourth number data are added to the coordinates, whereas the block data created for the subsequent block The coordinate data of the data includes two coordinates, and the coordinates are numbered 3 and 4.

A pattern in which a plurality of blocks are arranged in a line as described above may include a curved portion like the pattern 140. However, since the block forms a square, as shown in FIG. 10, an ideal curve L ₁ that smoothly defines a curved portion,
A gap is formed between the main side of the block, when performing embroidery to expand the pattern 140, can not be enlarged to look movies well embroidery gap between the ideal curve L ₁ and Shuhen. For this reason, the block data correction routine shown in FIG. 1 corrects the block data of the blocks constituting the curved portion of the pattern, and obtains the block data that can be embroidered with good appearance even when enlarged. . Below, pattern 14
The modification of the data of the block constituting 0 will be described.

First, in step S1 (hereinafter abbreviated as S1; the same applies to other steps), a data group of blocks forming a pattern to be embroidered is stored in the external storage device 8.
4 is read. The pattern 140 is divided into six blocks of first to sixth blocks B _{1 to} B ₆ and stored in the external storage device 84 in advance. In S1, block data set for each block is read, and data such as the sewing order, thread density, embroidery start point and end point of each block are read and stored in the block data area 116. Also, at this time, an area for setting the linear portion configuration block flag is secured in the working area by the number of blocks. After then the total number of blocks in S2 N is set to 6, after the count value C ₁ of the first counter 122 is set to 1 in the S3, S4
~S9 is performed, or a block of C ₁ th block constitutes a straight portion of the pattern 140, it is determined whether a block constituting the curved portion is carried out.

In S4, the _first block of C is the pattern 14
A determination is made as to whether or not the block is a block constituting a straight line portion of 0. This determination is based on the fact that the _first block is
This is performed depending on whether or not a straight portion is formed together with at least one of the blocks. The two main edges of the C-th block are the two main edges of the (C ₁ -1) -th block.
It is determined whether or not the main side of the book or the two main sides of the (C ₁ +1) -th block are on the same straight line, and if so, it is determined that the block forms a linear portion together with the block. . In addition, if the C _1st block forms a linear portion together with at least one of the two adjacent blocks, it is assumed that the block is a linear portion forming block because a plurality of blocks are linearly connected. When the two block groups are inclined and connected at the end block of each group, the block at the connection portion is originally a block constituting a straight line portion, but the blocks adjacent to different block group sides This is because if it is determined whether only a straight line is formed, it is determined that the block is a curved part configuration block. Whether or not the two main sides are on a straight line can be determined based on whether or not the inclinations of the main sides are the same. However, if the inclination is within a certain range, it is determined that a straight line portion is formed. Is also good.

[0016] When the pattern 140, the first block B ₁ is a first block, since adjacent only second block B _2, positioned on a straight line the main sides of these blocks B _1, B ₂ is It is determined whether or not to do so. First block B ₁
And main blocks with numbers 1 and 3 at both ends of the second block B
₂ are on the same straight line as the main sides with numbers 3 at both ends, and the main sides with numbers 2 and 4 at both ends of the first block B ₁ and the main sides with numbers 2 and 4 at both ends of the second block B ₂ . Since the main side numbered 4 is on the same straight line, the determination in S4 is YES.
Next, the linear portion configured block flag for a block of C ₁ th (first) in S5 is set. Then, after the count value C1 is increased by _{1 in} S6, the execution of the routine returns to S4.

[0017] Next in S4, the second block B ₂ is first, determination of whether the linear portion constituting the block by determining whether located on the third block B _1, B ₃ at least one and linear Is performed. This determination is YES for the second block B _2, 2 in S5 the block B ₂
, The straight-line portion configuration block flag is set. The third block B ₃ is not linear with respect to the fourth block B ₄ , but is linear with respect to the second block B ₂ , so the determination in S 4 is YES, and the third block B ₃ is also linear. The component block flag is set.

The two main sides of the fourth block B ₄ are not on the same straight line as any of the main sides of the adjacent third and fifth blocks B ₃ and B ₅ . Therefore, the determination in S4 is NO, and S
C ₁ th block in 8 it is determined whether the linear portion constituting the block is performed by one elongated whether the embroidery traveling direction. When the pattern has a long straight portion, it is often the case that the portion is collectively divided as one block, and it is easy to become a slender block. It is determined whether the ratio between the sub side and the main side is longer than the set value. It is determined by whether or not it is larger. By performing this determination, it is avoided that a block which is not linear with any of the two adjacent blocks but which is long and which can be treated as a linear component block is processed as a curved component block. Since the fourth block B ₄ is not an elongated block, the determination in S8 is NO,
In S9, the linear portion configuration block flag is reset.

[0019] Next is a fifth block B ₅ for S4 is performed, but the determination of whether the linear portion constituting the block are performed, the judgment is NO, and the addition, the determination of S8 for nor an elongated block The result is NO, and in S9 the straight-line-part configuration block flag is reset. The sixth block B ₆ has only one fifth block B ₅ adjacent thereto, but is not linear with the fifth block B _5.
The determination at 4 is NO, and it is determined at S8 whether or not the block is an elongated block. Sixth block B ₆ is determined in S8 for an elongate block is YES, S5
In, a straight-line portion configuration block flag is set. As described above, it is determined whether all of the six blocks are the straight-line-constituting blocks or the curved-portion-constituting blocks, and the portions forming the straight-line portions shown by hatching in FIG. It is divided into the parts that make up the unit.

The YES and the determination in S7, after the whether the linear portion constituting the block determination is performed for the sixth block B _6, is set count value C ₁ 1 in S10, the second counter in S11 count value C ₂ of 124 is set to zero. Then S12 is being executed, C ₁ th block it is determined whether a curve portion building block is performed. This determination is performed by determining whether the linear portion constituting the block flag is set, the determination in S12 for the first block B ₁ represents a straight part constituting the block is NO, whether the count value C ₂ is not zero step S14 Is determined, the determination is NO, and the count value C1 is increased by _{one in} S17. Then, whether the count value C ₁ is a value obtained by adding 1 to the total number of blocks N determination is made in S18.
The reason for this determination will be described later. Determination of S18, NO, and also, the count value C ₁ is N in S19
It is determined whether or not the processing has been performed for all the blocks, based on whether or not the value is greater than the value obtained by adding 1 to, but the determination result is NO, and the execution of the routine returns to S12.

[0021] While the S12, the second block B ₂ is determined whether or not a straight portion building block is performed, the determination is NO, also NO, S14, S18, S1
After execution of 9, S12 is performed for the third block B _3. Also in this case, the determination in S12 is NO. Since the fourth block B ₄ is a curved part configuration block, the determination in S12 is YES, and the second counter 124 is determined in S13.
Count value C ₂ of is increased 1. Second counter 1
Numeral 24 is for counting the number of continuous curved part constituting blocks. Next, in S17, the count value C
₁ is increased 1, then the fifth block B ₅ S
Twelve determinations are made. Determination in S12 for the fifth block B ₅ is also curved portion building block is YES, the count value C ₂ is increased 1.

Next, when the sixth block B ₆ S12 is executed, the determination for the sixth block B ₆ is a straight portion building block is NO also, this time, the count value C ₂ is 2 Therefore, the determination in S14 is YES.
Then, the contour of the C ₂ pieces of curved portion configured successive blocks in S15 is corrected. What is modified is (C ₁
−C ₂ (n)) th, (C ₁ −C ₂ (n−1)) th,
... (C ₁ -C ₂ (1))-th block. In the case of the pattern 140, the fourth and fifth blocks B ₄ and B ₅ . In the modification of the contour line, when two curved part constituting blocks are continuous, the contour data is modified so that the blocks form an annular block.

Of the two main sides connected to each other of the two blocks, three points defining the longer main side, three points defining the shorter main side, and a circle The fourth and fifth blocks B ₄ , B ₄
Replaced with the block data set for ₅ . In the case where three or more curved part constituent blocks are continuous, a spline curve obtained by four or more points defining a longer main side and a shorter main side among the main sides of the blocks are specified. The spline curve obtained by the four or more points is replaced with the block data as data defining the three or more blocks. The spline curve is a number-order curve represented by a well-known general formula. When four or more points are given, the coefficients of the general formula are determined and a specific curve is obtained. Furthermore, if the curved part configuration block is 1
In the case of the number, the data is replaced with data defining the Bezier curve. When the contour of the curved part constituting block is corrected in this manner, the curved part of the pattern 140 is defined by a smooth curve as shown in FIG. Count value C ₂ step S16 if the contour of the block has been modified is cleared.

Next, the count value C ₁ in S17 1
Is a 7 to be increased, but the determination of S18 S14 becomes YES is performed, the determination in S14 since the count value C ₂ is cleared is NO. And S17
Since C ₁ is the 8 in the determination of S18 is NO,
The determination in S19 is YES, and the execution of the routine ends. S18 is executed for the following reason. Pattern 14
If 0, the sixth block B ₆ is the last block for a linear block, when the judgment of S12 is performed on the block, the determination result becomes NO as described above S14~S16 are executed, The contour of the curved part constituting block is corrected. However, when the last block constituting the pattern is a curved part constituting block, if S18 is not provided, the determination in S19 is YES without performing S14 to S16, and the contour correction of the curved part constituting block is performed. The execution of the routine ends without being performed. Therefore, S18 is provided so that when the last block is a curved part constituting block, the contour is corrected for the curved part constituting block connected to the last block including that block.

As described above, according to the block data processing method of the present embodiment, a plurality of blocks constituting a pattern are divided into a linear portion constituting block and a curved portion constituting block. The outline data of the block is corrected so as to define the pattern smoothly. When the pattern 140 is enlarged and embroidered as shown in FIG. 13, the outline of the block becomes a smooth curve, and the seam looks good. It is formed.

In the above embodiment, when the contour of the curved part forming block is corrected, the correction is performed irrespective of the inclination of the main side of the adjacent straight part forming block. Of the main side of the adjacent linear part forming block with the correction of the contour of the adjacent linear part forming block or the correction of the contour of the curved part forming block. The contours of these two types of blocks may be smoothly connected, for example, by correcting all or part of the blocks.

Further, in the above embodiment, all the blocks constituting the pattern are defined by the straight outlines. However, the blocks defined by the curved outlines and the straight outlines define the blocks. The method of the present invention can be applied to the correction of a block that is defined by a straight contour line and that constitutes a curved portion in a pattern in which blocks to be mixed exist.

Further, the present invention can be applied to a case where a pattern defined by a straight outline and a block defined by a curved outline are mixed and processed separately. .

Further, in the above embodiment, both the two main sides of the curved part constituting block are modified, but only one of them may be modified.

Further, a center line connecting the midpoints of the sub-sides of the block is obtained, and whether the block is a straight line block or a curved line block depends on whether the center line of the adjacent block is located on a straight line or not. May be determined.

In the above embodiment, the six blocks B _{1 to} B ₆ constituting the pattern 140 are formed by dividing the pattern 140. However, according to the present invention, the pattern has a rectangular shape (2) from the beginning. It can also be applied to the processing of block data in the case of being constituted by a set of blocks (including a quadrangle in which a vertex overlaps to form a triangle).

In addition, without departing from the scope of the claims, the present invention can be carried out in various modified and improved forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a block data correction routine stored in a ROM of a computer serving as a control device of an embroidery sewing machine provided with an embroidery data creating device in which a block data processing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is implemented. It is.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the embroidery sewing machine together with the embroidery data creating device.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the control device.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a RAM of the computer.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a rectangular block obtained by dividing a pattern for which embroidery data is created by the embroidery data creating device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing stitches formed for the block shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a triangular block obtained by dividing a pattern for which embroidery data is created by the embroidery data creation device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing stitches formed for the block shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a pattern in which embroidery data is created by the embroidery data creation device.

10 is a diagram showing a relationship between a contour line of a curved part constituting block of the pattern shown in FIG. 9 and an ideal contour curve.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which blocks constituting the pattern shown in FIG. 9 are divided into a straight-line portion configuration block and a curved-portion configuration block.

12 is a diagram showing the pattern shown in FIG. 9 with the contour of a block forming a curved portion corrected.

13 is a diagram showing a state in which the contour of the curved part configuration block has been corrected and enlarged in the pattern shown in FIG. 9;

[Explanation of symbols]

 70 control device 116 block data area 140 pattern

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method for processing data of a block to be embroidered by an embroidery sewing machine, comprising: storing block data respectively defining a plurality of blocks constituting a pattern in a storage unit; Dividing the data into block data forming a linear portion and block data forming a curved portion of the pattern.