JP2940230B2 - Embroidery data creation device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an embroidery data creating apparatus, and more particularly to creating embroidery area defining data which can form embroidery stitches in a prescribed shape.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When embroidering a material to be embroidered, pattern definition data for defining the shape of a pattern to be formed by embroidery stitches is created. In the case where data defining the outer shape of the pattern by the coordinate group and the pattern is composed of a plurality of blocks, data defining the shape of the pattern such as block data defining each block or needle drop position data defining the needle drop position is created. Because However, expansion and contraction of the seam occur due to expansion and contraction of the embroidery material and the embroidery thread, and even if embroidery is performed in accordance with the pattern specification data, an embroidery pattern (a pattern formed by a set of seams) according to the pattern specification data is obtained. May not be possible. For example, when the pattern defining data defines a circle, if the embroidery area defining data in which the embroidery stitches are to be formed simply defines a circle, the obtained embroidery pattern will be elliptical. In some cases, a square embroidery pattern is to be formed, but the shape becomes rectangular. In particular, when the pattern is composed of two or more areas, an unnecessary gap or a gap larger than necessary is generated between adjacent areas, or the necessary gap disappears, and the embroidery pattern is deformed by human eyes. Is also clearly recognized. In such a case, if the embroidery area defining data is created in advance in consideration of the expansion and contraction of the stitches, an embroidery pattern having a desired shape can be obtained even when the embroidery area expands or contracts.

[0003]

However, it is troublesome to create the embroidery area defining data by predicting the expansion and contraction of the stitches, requires skill, and depends on the type of the embroidery material and the embroidery thread. Therefore, it is necessary to create different embroidery area defining data, which is troublesome. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an embroidery data creating apparatus capable of easily creating data for forming an embroidery pattern in a prescribed shape.

[0004]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the embroidery data creating apparatus of the present invention defines (a) the shape of a pattern to be formed by embroidery stitches as shown in FIG. (B) the type of embroidery material, the type of embroidery thread, and the type of embroidery
At least one of type, embroidery stitch direction, and embroidery stitch length
The relationship between the embroidery conditions including
Expansion characteristic data storage means for storing expansion characteristic data shown
And (c) embroidery area defining data creating means 3 for correcting the pattern defining data based on the expansion / contraction characteristic data to create embroidery area defining data.
“Pattern definition data” includes, for example, needle drop position data.
It can be. On the other hand, the
`` Data '' does not have needle drop position data,
Include the coordinates of multiple vertices
Data may be included. "Embroidery conditions"
Is input in advance together with the pattern definition data, for example.
Can be done. The type of embroidery, embroidery seam
The “embroidery conditions” such as the direction and the length of the embroidery stitch
Automatically created based on constant data
Is also possible. In one embodiment of the present invention, the embroidery pattern is
Fills the inside of the outline of the embroidery area with seams
And the expansion / contraction characteristic data is
It indicates the degree of expansion and contraction in the direction along the direction. Another
In the embodiment, the embroidery condition includes the type of embroidery
It is assumed. Further, in another embodiment, the embroidery
The condition includes the length of the embroidery stitch. further,
In another embodiment, the expansion / contraction characteristic data storage means 2
Of the stored expansion characteristic data,
Embroidery pattern based on pattern definition data input by force means
If there is no expansion characteristic data necessary for forming
Test stitch finger to instruct operator to perform
It is configured to include indicating means. Test sewing indicator above
The embroidery data creation device of the mode including a step further comprises (d)
Image of the shape of the embroidery pattern formed by the test sewing
Image data acquisition means for acquiring as data;
Image data obtained by the image data obtaining means of
Compare with the test sewing pattern that defines the shape of the test sewing.
The expansion / contraction characteristic data is created by comparing
Data creation means.

[0005]

In the embroidery data creating apparatus configured as described above, the shape of the embroidery pattern to be formed by the embroidery stitch is determined.
The specified pattern defining data is input to the pattern defining data input means 1.
Therefore, the pattern definition data is input and the
Of the embroidery condition and the embroidery seam
Embroidery area based on stretch characteristic data showing the relationship with degree
By being modified by the area definition data creating means 3,
Embroidery area definition data is created. The degree of change of the embroidery pattern with respect to the expected shape depends on embroidery conditions such as the shape of the pattern, the type of embroidery material and embroidery thread, the type of embroidery, the direction of the stitch, and the length of the stitch. Corresponding expansion / contraction characteristic data is required. This stretch characteristic data
Data, there are a case where only those created in exactly the same embroidery conditions as pattern embroidered stitches are formed and when used, is used as long as it was created in a similar embroidery conditions.
Embroidery materials can be classified according to thickness, material, weaving method, etc. Embroidery threads can be classified according to thickness, material, and the like. The embroidery type, stitch direction and stitch length are the same, and the thickness, material and weaving method of the material to be embroidered and the thickness and material of the embroidery thread are the same. The condition that the embroidery conditions are similar means that the embroidery material belongs to the same stage when the thickness of the embroidery material and the thickness of the embroidery thread are divided into a plurality of stages.

[0006]

As described above, according to the embroidery data creating apparatus of the present invention, the embroidery area defining data in which the embroidery pattern defined by the pattern defining data is formed can be automatically obtained, and the embroidery condition can be obtained. Predict the seam expansion and contraction according to
Compared with the case where the pattern defining data is created, it is possible to obtain data that can easily and quickly form the defined stitches. Also, when the expansion / contraction characteristic data is created by performing test sewing under exactly the same embroidery conditions as the pattern to be formed with embroidery stitches, or is created based on the result of embroidery previously performed under exactly the same embroidery conditions, If the data is stored in the storage means, embroidery is performed using the expansion / contraction characteristic data . If the stretch characteristic data is used if it is similar to the pattern to be formed with the embroidery stitch, correction of a plurality of types of patterns having similar embroidery conditions is performed using the same stretch characteristic.
The embroidery area defining data can be easily created based on the data . Further, in a case where the embroidery conditions to modify the pattern defining data based on the expansion characteristic data is similar, Shin obtained from the embroidery previously made
The embroidery area defining data can also be created using the contraction characteristic data , and an effect that the creation of the embroidery area defining data becomes easier as compared with a case where test sewing is performed to obtain expansion / contraction characteristic data is obtained.

[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
A keyboard 82, an external storage device 84, and an electronic camera 86 are connected to 0. The keyboard 82 is used to input a pattern to be embroidered, a thread density, and the like. The keyboard 82 is provided with various keys necessary for inputting data, including keys for designating embroidery patterns such as alphabets, numbers, symbols, and kana. I have.

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. In the RAM 76, as shown in FIG. 4, an embroidery data area 116, an expansion / contraction characteristic data area 118, a test sewing pattern data area 120,
An image data area 122 and an embroidery area defining data area 124 are provided together with a working area.
Further, the ROM 74 stores various programs necessary for performing embroidery, including the embroidery area defining data creation routine shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the pattern to be embroidered is often composed of a plurality of areas. Taking the pattern 140 shown in FIG. 6 as an example, this pattern 140
The embroidery is formed of four sides constituting the outline of each area, and extends in the longitudinal direction, and the two opposing sides are alternately connected to each other by stitches. Filling with satin is performed. In the case of the pattern 140, as shown in FIG. 7, a stitch extending in the left-right direction is formed for the first region 142 for the operator, and a stitch extending in the front-rear direction for the second region 144 is formed for the operator. Become. Also, embroidery data is created for each of the regions 142 and 144, and one pattern is collectively stored in the external storage device 84. The embroidery data includes outline data defining the outline of the region, needle drop position data defining the position where the sewing needle 24 falls on the outline, embroidery start position data, embroidery end position data, and types of constituent lines constituting the outline. It includes pattern definition data composed of data representing (straight line or curved line), and data representing the type of the work cloth on which the embroidery is performed and the type of the embroidery thread, respectively. Fig. 6
Is defined by a set of coordinates of vertices P ₁ to P ₈ shown in, outline data is made is stored in the order in which a plurality of vertices proceeds in a clockwise direction in FIG. 6 the outline. Embroidery is performed in the order of the first area 142 and the second area 144, and the pattern data is stored in the embroidery order.

The external storage device 84 further stores various test sewing patterns including eight types of test sewing patterns illustrated in FIG. No. 1 shown in the figure
The No. 4, 7 and 8 test stitch patterns are all performed by satin stitching, of which the No. 1 test stitch pattern is a pattern forming a stitch in the left and right direction, and the No. 2 test stitch pattern is before and after the stitch. The third test stitching pattern is a pattern in which the stitch direction is the left-right direction and forms a circle, and the fourth test stitching pattern is a stitch direction in which the stitch is in the front-rear direction. The No. 7 test stitch pattern is a pattern for forming stitches in the left-right direction and performing bottom stitching, and the No. 8 test stitching pattern is a pattern for forming stitches in the front-rear direction and performing bottom stitching. The first and second test stitching patterns have different stitch lengths of 4, 8, 12,
It is performed by changing to 4 types of 16mm. On the other hand, the No. 5 test sewing pattern is a pattern in which the folding sewing is performed in the left and right direction.
The No. test sewing pattern is a pattern in which folding sewing is performed in the front-rear direction. The folding stitch is a stitch in which two opposing sides are alternately connected by a stitch line composed of a plurality of stitches. The test stitch of the folding stitch is a length of one stitch and a stitch forming a stitch line. The number is changed to a plurality of types. In FIG. 9, the test stitch pattern is shown with the adjacent stitches separated from each other, but actually, the stitches are formed so densely that the work cloth cannot be seen.

The external storage device 84 also includes the type of work cloth and embroidery thread, the type of embroidery (folding sewing, satin sewing, folding sewing with lower sewing, satin sewing with lower sewing, etc.), stitch direction, and other information. The expansion / contraction characteristic data already set according to the embroidery condition is stored in association with the embroidery condition. The type of the work cloth can be divided according to the thickness, material, weaving method, etc. of the cloth. In the present embodiment, the thickness is divided into a plurality of steps, and even if the thickness is not exactly the same, it belongs to the same step. Are the same type of work cloth. The type of embroidery thread can be classified according to thickness, material, etc., but the thickness is divided into a plurality of stages according to the count or denier value. Is done. In the present embodiment, the length of the stitch (the number of stitches constituting one stitch line in the case of folding stitching) is set to a plurality for each of the same type of work cloth, embroidery thread, embroidery type and stitch direction. Alternately, expansion / contraction characteristic data indicating the amount of expansion / contraction of the stitch is created. Therefore, the length of the stitch is one of the embroidery conditions, but it is determined whether or not the embroidery conditions are the same. The embroidery condition is determined by whether or not the embroidery conditions other than the embroidery stitch length and the number of stitches, such as the type of the work cloth and the embroidery thread, the embroidery type and the stitch direction, are the same.

When embroidering the pattern 140 shown in FIG.
If the work cloth or embroidery thread to be embroidered does not expand or contract and the seam does not expand or shrink, the seam is formed as shown in FIG. 7 and the seam is formed between the first area 142 and the second area 144. There is no gap in the space. However, at the time of embroidery, the seam usually expands and contracts, which may cause a gap. Therefore, in this embodiment, the embroidery area defining data creation routine is executed prior to the execution of the embroidery of the pattern 140, and the embroidery stitches defined by the pattern defining data are formed even if the stitches expand and contract. Data is to be created. Hereinafter, creation of the embroidery area defining data will be described.

If the keyboard 82 instructs creation of the embroidery area defining data of the pattern 140, step S1 (hereinafter abbreviated as S1; the same applies to other steps).
The embroidery data set for the pattern 140 is read from the external storage device 84 in the embroidery data area 11.
6 is stored. Next, in S2, the existing expansion characteristic data group is read from the external storage device 84 and stored in the expansion characteristic data area 118. Subsequently, S3 is executed, and the embroidery condition is set to the pattern 14 in the existing expansion characteristic data group.
It is determined whether or not there is the same data as 0. Pattern 1
From the embroidery data set for 40, the type of the work cloth and the embroidery thread to be applied to the pattern 140, the type of the embroidery, and the embroidery conditions of the stitch direction are known, and the expansion / contraction characteristic data created under the same embroidery conditions is used. It is determined whether there is. If there is no data specifying the type of the work cloth and the embroidery thread in the embroidery data, the embroidery is performed using the standard work cloth and the embroidery thread. Here, it is assumed that there is no expansion / contraction characteristic data created under the same conditions as the embroidery conditions set for the pattern 140. Therefore, the determination in S3 is NO, and S4 to S11 are executed to create expansion / contraction characteristic data.

The expansion characteristic data is created using a work cloth and an embroidery thread of the same type as the work cloth and the embroidery thread on which the pattern 140 is embroidered, and the embroidery type and the stitch direction are the same as those of the pattern 140. This is performed by forming a stitch in accordance with a certain test sewing pattern, imaging the stitch with the electronic camera 86, and calculating the amount of expansion and contraction of the stitch. First, in S4, it is displayed on the display device 112 that there is no data identical to the expansion / contraction characteristic data created under the same conditions as the embroidery conditions set for the pattern 140, and the pattern 140 is embroidered for test sewing. It is instructed to set a work cloth and an embroidery thread of the same type as the cloth and the embroidery thread. In S5, it is determined whether the setting of the work cloth and the embroidery thread has been completed, and the setting is completed.
S4 and S5 until the operator inputs end data
Is repeatedly executed. When the setting of the work cloth and the embroidery thread is completed, S6 is executed, and the test sewing pattern is read. In the case of the pattern 140, since the first region 142 is subjected to satin sewing in the left-right direction, and the second region 144 is subjected to satin sewing in the front-back direction, the first and second test sewing patterns shown in FIG. The second test sewing pattern is read. Next, S7 is executed, and the formation of an embroidery pattern corresponding to the test sewing pattern is performed by changing the stitch length to four types.

If the stitch is formed, S8 is executed, the formed embroidery pattern is imaged by the electronic camera 86, and the image data is stored in the image data area 122. Since the stitches are formed so densely that the work cloth cannot be seen, if the work cloth is a single color, it can be captured as an image having a difference in brightness. After the imaging, in step S9, the amount of expansion / contraction of the stitch is calculated based on the test sewing pattern and the image data. The positions where the test sewing is performed are determined in advance in accordance with the type of the pattern, and it is possible to determine which image of the test sewing pattern is the image of the embroidery stitch by using the electronic camera 86. The position with the test sewing pattern is matched. Then, for each of the image and the test sewing pattern,
If the non-existing portion is set to 0 and the exclusive OR is calculated, the portion where the image and the test stitching pattern both exist and the portion where the image does not exist become 0, and the portion where either one exists is 1 and the output is obtained. Can be In the part where this output is obtained, the image and the test sewing pattern are shifted,
It means that the formed seam is stretched or shrunk. If this output is located inside the test stitching pattern, the seam is shrunk, and if it is outside the test stitching pattern, the seam is stretched. Is done. When test stitching was performed by changing the stitch length to four types, shrinkage occurred in both the left and right stitches and the front and rear stitches, and the results shown in the graphs of FIGS. 10 and 11 were obtained. Shall be.

The calculated expansion / contraction characteristic data is stored in the expansion / contraction characteristic data area 118 in S10 in association with the type of the work cloth and the embroidery thread, the type of the embroidery, and the stitch direction. The expansion / contraction characteristic data group is added to the existing expansion / contraction characteristic data group. Subsequently, the expansion / contraction characteristic data group updated in S11 is stored in the external storage device 84 while remaining in the expansion / contraction characteristic data area 118. The expansion / contraction characteristic data is stored in association with the lengths of the four types of stitches and the amount of contraction, or is stored in the form of a curve in a graph shown in FIGS. By this storage, the expansion / contraction characteristic data created under the same conditions as the embroidery conditions set for the pattern 140 are present in the existing expansion / contraction characteristic data group.
Is executed, the determination is YES, and embroidery area defining data is created in S12.

The creation of the embroidery area defining data is performed using the pattern 140
This is performed by reading the expansion / contraction characteristic data created under the same conditions as the embroidery conditions set for, and calculating the amount of shrinkage of the stitch to correct the needle drop position data. Pattern 1
The length of the stitch formed in the first area 142 of the forty mm is nmm,
The length of the stitch formed in the second area 144 is n ′ mm,
These mm and n'mm are the lengths of the test stitches,
That is, if the distance is not 4, 8, 12, or 16 mm, the contraction amount is calculated based on the length of the test stitching and the contraction amount. If the expansion / contraction characteristic data is data that associates the length of the test stitch with the amount of shrinkage,
From these data, the amount of shrinkage when the stitch length is nmm and n'mm is obtained by interpolation, and if it is an equation of a curve representing the relationship between the stitch length and the amount of shrinkage, the equation is used. The amount of shrinkage when the stitch length is nmm and n'mm is calculated. In the case of the pattern 140, the seam length nmm in the left-right direction is 4mm
If the length is between 10 and 6 mm, as shown in FIG. 10, the shrinkage is a very small amount of about 0.1 mm, and the stitch length n'mm in the front-rear direction is 12 mm and 14 mm. If the length is between them, the shrinkage amount is 2 mm as shown in FIG.
When the contraction amount is calculated in this manner, the needle drop position is corrected so that the length of the stitch becomes longer by the contraction amount, and the embroidery area defining data is created. In the case of the second area 144, FIG.
As shown in the figure, the needle drop position is
It is corrected so that it becomes longer each time. Further, the contraction amount of the seam in the left-right direction is very small, and no correction is made. The embroidery area defining data obtained by the correction based on the expansion / contraction characteristic data is stored in the embroidery area defining data area 124 and the external storage device 84 in S13, and the execution of the routine ends. If embroidery is performed immediately after the creation of the embroidery area defining data, the embroidery is performed based on the embroidery area defining data stored in the embroidery area defining data area 124. If the embroidery is performed in accordance with the embroidery area defining data created in this manner, even if the stitches are shrunk, a gap may be generated between the areas because the stitch length is previously increased by the shrinkage. However, seams can be formed with good appearance.

The case where the expansion / contraction characteristic data is not stored in the expansion / contraction characteristic data area 118 for the pattern 140 has been described above.
If there is the corresponding expansion / contraction characteristic data in the expansion / contraction characteristic data group read from step S3, the determination in S3 is YES, S12 is executed without setting the expansion / contraction characteristic data, and the embroidery area defining data is created. The stretch characteristic data obtained by performing test sewing using a certain type of work cloth and embroidery thread according to the test sewing pattern set in accordance with the type of embroidery and the stitch direction It can be used in common for a plurality of patterns having the same type, embroidery type and stitch direction, and is versatile.

The effect of the present invention can be obtained by performing test sewing under exactly the same embroidery conditions as the pattern to be formed with embroidery stitches and performing the original embroidery after creating the expansion / contraction characteristic data. Then, the test stitch is performed by changing the length of the stitch to four types. If the stitch length forming the embroidery pattern is different from the length at which the test stitch was performed, the expansion and contraction obtained by the test stitch is performed. The amount of expansion and contraction is determined based on the characteristic data, and the pattern definition data can be modified. This makes it easier to modify the pattern definition data than when test stitching is performed on stitches of any length. You can do it. In addition, the types of work cloth and embroidery thread are set in stages, and the same is applied to the correction of embroidery pattern definition data performed using a plurality of work cloths and embroidery threads belonging to the same stage.
The expansion / contraction characteristic data can be used, and also in this respect, the effect of easily correcting the pattern definition data can be obtained.

Further, the expansion / contraction characteristic data can also be created by performing test sewing on each of the first area 142 and the second area 144 of the pattern 140 to obtain an image of the embroidery pattern. While the number of stitches is large, the amount of stitches formed according to the test stitch pattern as in the present embodiment is small, and the expansion / contraction characteristic data can be created quickly.

In the above description, a pattern in which the outline is a straight line is taken as an example. However, the embroidery data creating apparatus of this embodiment is used for creating embroidery area defining data for a pattern whose outline includes a curve. Can also be used.

As is clear from the above description, in this embodiment, the area of the keyboard 82 and the external storage device 84 where the pattern definition data is stored constitutes the pattern definition data input means 1, and the external storage device 84 Or elastic properties
The data area 118 constitutes the expansion / contraction characteristic data storage means 2 , a portion for storing S <b> 12 of the ROM 74, and the CPU.
The portion that executes S12 of the RAM 72 and the RAM 76 constitutes the embroidery area defining data creating means 3. Further
In addition, a part for storing S3 to S5 of the ROM 74 and
Execute S3 to S5 of CPU 72 and RAM 76
The part to be tested constitutes the test stitching instruction means.
A part for storing S6 to S8 and a CPU 72 and
The part that executes S6 to S8 of the RAM 76 is an electronic card.
The image data acquiring means is constituted together with the camera 86, and the ROM 7
4 for storing S9 to S11 and CPU 7
2 and a portion for executing S9 to S11 of the RAM 76
Constitute the expansion characteristic data creation means.

In the above-described embodiment, the pattern defining data has the needle drop position data, which is modified to create the embroidery area defining data. However, the pattern defining data replaces the needle drop position data. Does not have, a coordinate group of a plurality of vertices defining an outer shape, and block data defining each block when a pattern is composed of a plurality of blocks,
When embroidering is performed by obtaining a needle drop position from the coordinate group data and block data, the coordinate group data and block data are corrected to create embroidery area defining data.

In addition to the pattern shown in FIG. 9, other patterns such as a pattern for forming a satin stitch or a folding stitch in a diagonal direction may be provided as the test stitch pattern. When the stitches are formed diagonally, the stitches may be formed in accordance with a test stitch pattern that forms the stitches in the diagonal direction, and the embroidery area defining data may be created by obtaining the stretch characteristic data of the stitches. Based on the expansion / contraction characteristic data of the horizontal stitches and the front / back stitches, the embroidery area definition data is created by predicting the expansion / contraction of the diagonal stitches in the left / right direction and the front / back direction components. May be.

Further, in the above embodiment, the pattern definition data is stored in the external storage device 84 and the keyboard 82
However, the pattern definition data may be input by input means such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a light pen, and the embroidery area definition data may be created based on the input. .

[0028]

Further, in the above embodiment, the embroidery data creation device is provided separately from the sewing machine. However, the embroidery data creation device may be incorporated in the sewing machine, or the embroidery data creation device may be provided as a dedicated device separately from the sewing machine. Compose and create needles
The embroidery data may be stored in the sewing machine.

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

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing the configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a control device of the embroidery sewing machine provided with the embroidery data creation device according to one embodiment of the present invention, together with the embroidery sewing machine.

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

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an RA of a computer which is a main body of the control device.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of M.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an embroidery area defining data creation routine stored in a ROM of the computer.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a pattern in which embroidery area defining data is created by the embroidery data creating apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a state where stitches are formed on the pattern shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining correction of needle drop position data set for the pattern shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a test sewing pattern for creating expansion / contraction characteristic data in the embroidery area defining data creation routine.

FIG. 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the length of the seam and the amount of shrinkage when the satin stitch forming the seam in the left and right direction is subjected to the test stitching while changing the length of the stitch. .

FIG. 11 is a graph showing the relationship between the stitch length and the amount of shrinkage when the test stitch is performed by changing the length of the stitch of the satin stitch forming the stitch in the front-back direction in the test stitch pattern. .

[Explanation of symbols]

 70 control device 116 embroidery data area 118 expansion / contraction characteristic data area 120 test sewing pattern data area 124 embroidery area defining data area 140 pattern 142 first area 144 second area

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pattern specifying data input means for inputting pattern specifying data for specifying a shape of an embroidery pattern to be formed by an embroidery stitch, a type of embroidery material, a type of embroidery thread, a type of embroidery, and an embroidery stitch.
Embroidery including at least one of the direction of embroidery and the length of the embroidery seam
Characteristic data that shows the relationship between the
A stretch characteristic data storage means for storing over data, the embroidery data to which the stretch properties data on the basis modify the pattern defining data, characterized in that it comprises a embroidery area definition data generating means for generating the embroidery region defining data Creating device. 2. An embroidery pattern according to claim 1, wherein said embroidery pattern is positioned inside an outline of an embroidery area.
The elastic characteristic data
Is the degree of expansion and contraction in the direction along the stitch direction of the embroidery stitch.
2. The embroidery data creation device according to claim 1, wherein
Place. 3. The embroidery condition includes an embroidery type.
3. The embroidery data creation device according to 1 or 2. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the embroidery condition includes a length of an embroidery stitch.
An embroidery data creation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
Place. 5. The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
In the memorized expansion characteristic data, the pattern specifying data
Embroidery pattern based on pattern definition data input by input means
If there is no elastic property data required for forming
Test stitching that instructs the operator that sewing should be performed
5. The puncture device according to claim 1, further comprising an indicating means.
Embroidery data creation device. 6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising forming the test stitches.
Image data for acquiring the shape of the embroidery pattern as image data
Acquisition means; Image data acquired by the image data acquisition means
And the test sewing pattern that defines the shape of the test sewing
Stretch characteristics to create stretch characteristic data by comparing
Data creation means and 6. The embroidery data creation according to claim 5, which includes:
Equipment.