JP3476548B2 - Embroidery pattern combination device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for combining embroidery patterns.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A sewing machine capable of embroidery sewing has a structure for performing embroidery sewing by drivingly controlling a sewing mechanism in X and Y directions based on given stitch data. The stitch data may be created in advance by the manufacturer or the like and stored in the memory of the sewing machine in advance, or may be supplied by a memory card. In addition to this, the user reads the desired image using an image scanner or the like. Then, an apparatus for creating stitch data based on the image data has been proposed and realized by the applicant of the present application. A method is known in which compressed data that defines only the contour of the pattern is used as the seam data created in advance. As a typical example of this, there is a so-called vertex data system in which a pattern is divided into a plurality of blocks and the coordinates of the vertices of the blocks are used as stitch data. When this compressed data is used, a large memory capacity is required. There is an advantage not to. Further, since a predetermined algorithm is used so as to generate the stitch data most suited to the shape according to the shape of the divided blocks, there is an advantage that relatively clean stitch data can be obtained.

[0003]

However, in the case of the above-mentioned image reading device, when converting the image data read from the image scanner or the like into the stitch data, the image data is uniformly converted by a predetermined algorithm. Therefore, it is difficult to form seam data suitable for the pattern shape, and there is a problem that the finished embroidery seam may not match the pattern shape. On the other hand, when the above-mentioned contour data is used, the algorithm has been created on the maker side after considering so that the seams are suitable for the pattern shape. Naturally, there was a problem that the pattern could not be created.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an apparatus capable of combining data representing a predetermined contour and image data representing a desired pattern. It is an object of the present invention to improve the degree of freedom in creating an embroidery pattern by effectively using the data representing the contour and combining the data representing the desired pattern.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the embroidery pattern combination device of the present invention has a means for providing data representing a contour corresponding to a predetermined pattern, and a data representing the contour. Means for generating stitch data and display data based on the image data, means for providing image data corresponding to a desired pattern, means for generating stitch data and display data based on the image data, and based on the display data The means for displaying the predetermined pattern and the desired pattern, the means for combining the display data for the predetermined pattern and the display data for the desired pattern, and the predetermined for the combination by the combining means. Means for changing the stitch data of the selected pattern and the stitch data of the desired pattern, and adjusting the size of at least one of the displayed patterns And stage, based on the adjustment of the size by means of the adjustment, characterized by comprising means for changing the corresponding stitch data. With this configuration, the predetermined pattern and the desired pattern can be visually recognized by the display means, and these patterns can be combined, and the patterns can be enlarged or reduced. Therefore, the stitches are clean and the desired pattern is obtained. It becomes possible to perform embroidery with the addition of. The data representing the contour is typically data representing the vertices of a plurality of block shapes forming a pattern. Further, it is possible to further add means for moving at least one of the displayed patterns and means for changing the stitch data based on the movement. With these configurations, it is possible to freely form an embroidery pattern. The degree is greatly improved. Further, by providing a storage means for storing the display data combined by the above-mentioned combining means and the stitch data changed by the changing means, the stitch data and the display data of the once-combined pattern can be stored and repeatedly used. It becomes possible to do. The above-mentioned storing means may be a memory built in the device, but it is a removable memory such as a magnetic card, a ROM card or a magnetic disk, and the memory is mounted on a sewing machine or the like for use. Preferably.

[0005]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Although the embroidery pattern combination device in this embodiment is an independent device, it is not limited to this, and for example, it is incorporated in an embroiderable sewing machine,
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the sewing machine is connected to the sewing machine with a cable to supply data.

In FIG. 1, a contour data storage means 1 is a memory provided in the main body of the apparatus, and stores contour data corresponding to a plurality of predetermined patterns. In this embodiment, so-called vertex data is adopted as the contour data. Each pattern of the contour data storage means 1 is selected by the selection means 11, and the vertex data corresponding to the selected pattern is supplied to the contour data conversion means 2, where the stitch data and the display data are obtained based on the vertex data. It is supposed to be generated. An example of vertex data will be described with reference to FIG. A graphic as shown in FIG.
To block R9, and the vertex a of each block R
The coordinates (x, y) of the bcd point are stored. Since this coordinate data defines only four points (when the block R is a quadrangle) for one block R, the amount of memory used can be small. When the stitch data is generated in the contour data conversion means 2 from such vertex data,
As shown in FIG. 6, stitches P1 --- P6 are taken at a predetermined interval from the point a1, and diagonally retreat P7, P8 --- Pm and P points are sequentially taken up to d1 and the coordinates of this P point are stitch data. It should be done. Although the stitch data is simply formed in the horizontal direction in the block R1, it is possible to use the stitch data forming algorithm most suitable for the shape of the block according to the shape of the block. The formation of the display data starts from the point a1 and at predetermined intervals x,
Display data can be easily created by taking a point in the y direction and using the coordinates of the point as the display data. The stitch data and the display data created by the contour data converting means 2 as described above are sent to the data combining means 5.

On the other hand, the image data inputting means 3 such as an image scanner is configured to read an arbitrary image I and send this image data to the stitch data generating means 4. The seam data generation means 4 creates seam data according to a predetermined algorithm based on the image data.
In this embodiment, the display data is created at the same time. Although any conventional method can be adopted as a method for creating stitch data from image data,
For example, Japanese Patent Application No. 3-422 proposed by the applicant of the present application
It is possible to use the method of No. 93.

The stitch data and the display data generated by the stitch data generating means 4 are also sent to the data combining means 5. Then, here, the display data from the contour data converting means 2 and the display data from the stitch data generating means 4 are combined, and an image is displayed on the display means 6 based on the display data. The combined display data is primarily stored in the combined data storage means 7. At the same time, the stitch data from the stitch data generating means 4 and the stitch data from the contour data converting means 2 are converted by the data changing means 10 in correspondence with the combination of the display data and stored in the combination data storing means 7. . The stitch forming mechanism of the sewing machine main body X is configured to execute embroidery sewing based on this combination data. The stitch data and the display data from the contour data conversion means 2 are simply displayed on the display means 6 without the combination function, and in addition to this, the stitch data and the display data are stored in the combination data storage means 7. However, in this case, there is an advantage that the pattern in the contour data storage means 1 can be actually visually recognized and the pattern data in the contour data storage means 1 can be saved as stitch data and display data.

The size adjusting means 8 is included in the data combining means 5.
Is provided, and the display data of at least one of the pattern from the stitch data generation means 4 and the pattern from the contour data conversion means 2 can be enlarged or reduced. When the pattern display data is enlarged or reduced here, the enlarged or reduced display data is updated in the combination data storage means 7, and a change signal is sent to the data change means 10.
The stitch data stored in the combination data storage means 7 is changed according to the enlargement / reduction of the display data.

The data combining means 5 is also provided with a position adjusting means 9 for displaying at least one of the pattern display data from the stitch data generating means 4 and the pattern display data from the contour data converting means 2. It is configured so that data can be moved. By this movement, the positional relationship of the combined patterns can be changed. When the pattern is moved here, the display data related to the movement is similarly updated in the combination data storage means 7,
Further, a change signal is sent to the data changing means 10 to change the corresponding stitch data stored in the combination data storing means 7.

Image combination, enlargement / reduction, and movement will be described with reference to FIG. Now, a frame pattern F which is a predetermined pattern from the contour data storage means 1 and an image of a bear pattern B obtained by uniformly converting an arbitrary image input from the image data input means 3 by the stitch data generation means 4 are displayed. When combined, it is combined at a predetermined position as shown in FIG. The image of the frame pattern F and the image of the bear pattern B respectively have a position mark O1 and a position mark O2, which serve as a reference for the position of the image. Here, when the image of the bear pattern B is reduced by the size adjusting means 8, the state shown in (B) is obtained, and when the frame adjusting F and the bear pattern B are further moved by the position adjusting means 9 to bring them closer to each other, it is shown in (C). Then, the image of the bear pattern B enters the image of the frame pattern F (D). Although the frame pattern F and the bear pattern B do not overlap with each other in this example, the images can be overlapped with each other. As described above, since the frame pattern F is the stitch data generated from the vertex data, a relatively clean stitch can be formed, but the pattern shape is only a predetermined shape. On the other hand, bear pattern B
Is an arbitrary desired image, but since the stitch data is converted uniformly from the image data, the stitch is not sufficient. However, by combining the images in this way, it becomes possible to combine the freedom of the images and the good finish of the seams.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows its external appearance.
The CPU 25 controls the basic operation of the device by a program stored in a program storage device 26 connected via a bus.

The vertex data storage device 13 stores vertex data corresponding to a plurality of predetermined patterns (images), and the desired pattern data can be taken out by operating the selection key 20. There is. The data extracted from the vertex data storage device 13 is converted into the stitch data and the display data by the vertex data conversion device 14 as described above, and is temporarily stored in the temporary storage device 70.

On the other hand, the image scanner 30 is adapted to read an arbitrary pattern and obtain image data. As shown in FIG. 3, the image scanner 30 is adapted to manually read the image of the original image by traveling on the original image of the pattern set on the original image placing portion 63 set in the guide 62. The image data read by the image scanner 30 is converted into stitch data and display data by the stitch data / display data generation device 40 and is temporarily stored in the temporary storage device 70.

The data combination device 50 is a temporary storage device 7.
The two display data temporarily stored in 0 are combined and displayed on the display device 64 via the display control device 65. The display device 64 is installed beside the guide 62 as shown in FIG. The data changing device 15 changes each stitch data corresponding to the combination of the display data. A size adjusting device 80 and a size specifying key 81 are provided, and the user can change the size of the image by operating the size specifying key 81 to change the display data. . The display data whose size has been changed is stored in the temporary storage device 70. The data changing device 15 is configured to change the stitch data of the image according to the size change and store it in the temporary storage device 70. On the other hand, a position adjusting device 90 and a position designation key 91 are provided, and when the user changes the position of the image by changing the display data with the position designation key 91, the data changing device 15 changes the stitch data of the image to this position. It is configured to be changed according to the change and to be stored again in the temporary storage device 70. The changed display data is similarly stored in the temporary storage device 7.
It is supposed to be restored to 0.

The stitch data and the display data stored in the temporary storage device 70 are stored in the memory card 61 via the memory card reading / writing device 60, and are used for embroidery sewing in the sewing machine. As shown in FIG. 3, the memory card 61 is formed so that it can be inserted and removed from the throttle of the memory card reading / writing device 60. By removing the memory card 61 from the memory card reading / writing device 60 and mounting it on the sewing machine. Memory card 6
The embroidery sewing is performed based on the data stored in 1.

An embodiment of the sewing machine X for performing embroidery sewing will be described with reference to FIG. A memory card throttle 105 is provided on the side of the sewing machine main body, and the above-mentioned memory card 61 is inserted here to read the combination data stored in the memory card 61.
Then, embroidery sewing is executed based on this data. On the main body of the sewing machine, a carriage 118 as an XY moving means, an embroidery frame 119 supported by the carriage 118, and a needle bar 120 and a needle 121 as a stitch forming mechanism are provided. A cloth is attached to the embroidery frame 119, and the carriage 11
The embroidery sewing is performed based on the data from the memory card 61 by the movement of 8 in the xy directions and the vertical movement of the needle bar 120 and the needle 121. This embroidery sewing can be selected by the sewing mode selection button 104,
When the embroidery sewing is not performed, the normal sewing mode is set, and the normal sewing is executed by the vertical movement of the needle bar 120 and the needle 121 and the cloth feeding by the feeding device (not shown). A display device 10 is further provided on the front part of the sewing machine.
6 is provided to display a pattern based on the data from the memory card 61 and other various displays.

Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIG. A predetermined pattern is selected by operating the selection key 20 (step S1), and the stitch data / display data is generated by the vertex data conversion device 14 (step S1).
2) This data is temporarily stored in the temporary storage device 70 (step S3). It is also possible to store the stitch data and display data generated by the vertex data conversion device 14 directly in the memory card 61. On the other hand, when a desired pattern is read by operating the image scanner 30 (step S4), the image data is stored in the temporary storage device 70.
Is temporarily stored (step S5) and converted into stitch data / display data by the stitch data / display data generation device 40 (step S6). This converted data is also stored in the temporary storage device 70 (step S).
7). The display data of the two patterns stored in the temporary storage device 70 are combined by the data combination device 50 (step S8), stored in the temporary storage device 70 (step S9), and displayed on the display device 64 (step S1).
0). The stitch data is changed by the data changing device 15 in accordance with the combination of the display data and is stored again in the temporary storage device 70 (step S11). Then, when the display data is changed by the size adjusting device 80 by the operation of the size specifying key 81 and the pattern size is changed (step S12), the stitch data is changed by the data changing device 15 according to the change of the size. Is changed (step S13). Similarly, when the display data is adjusted by the position adjusting device 90 by the operation of the position specifying key 91 and the image position is changed (step S14), the stitch data is changed by the data changing device 15 according to the change of the position. Is performed (step S15). The changed display data and stitch data are stored again in the temporary storage device 70 (step S16). This data is provided on the sewing machine X for the sewing operation.

In the embodiment described above, the stitch data and the display data of the vertex data created in advance can be obtained and displayed, so that the pattern stored in the vertex data storage device 13 can be visually recognized, Moreover, the stitch data and the display data corresponding to the vertex data can be stored in the memory card 61 or the like. Further, since it is possible to combine the stitch data suitable for the pattern by the vertex data of the vertex data storage device 13 and the stitch data corresponding to any desired pattern, it is possible to combine the freedom of the image and the good finish of the stitch well. It will be possible.
Further, since the image can be displayed by the display data, the combination can be visually confirmed. Further, there is an effect that the images can be scaled up and down in combination, the positional relationship of the images can be arbitrarily adjusted, and these can be confirmed by the displayed image. Moreover, these combined data are used as stitch data and display data,
It can be saved in the memory card 61 or the like and can be used repeatedly.

[0020]

According to the inventions of claims 1 and 2 described above, the stitch data and the display data can be obtained from the data representing the contour corresponding to the predetermined pattern, and these can be visually confirmed by the display means. can do. Moreover, this display data and the display data generated from the desired pattern can be combined, and the respective stitch data is also changed corresponding to the combination, so that the predetermined pattern and the desired pattern can be It is possible to combine these patterns while visually recognizing by the display means. Therefore, it is possible to perform embroidery with beautiful seams and with a desired pattern added. Further, since the means for adjusting the size of one of the patterns is provided to adjust the size of the pattern, it becomes possible to change the relationship of the sizes of the patterns, and the degree of freedom of combination is improved. Further, in the invention of claim 3, since the positional relationship of the patterns can be changed, the degree of freedom in the combination of the patterns is similarly improved. Further, in the invention of claim 4, since the storage means for storing the display data and the stitch data is provided, the stitch data and the display data once created can be saved and can be repeatedly used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the configuration of vertex data.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a method of creating stitch data from vertex data.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a combination of patterns.

FIG. 8 is an external perspective view of the sewing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: contour data storage means, 2: contour data conversion means,
3: image data input means, 4: stitch data generation means,
5: data combination means, 6: display means, 7: combination data storage means, 8: size adjustment means, 9: position adjustment means, 10: data change means, 11: selection means, 13: stitch data / display data storage Device, 14: Vertex data conversion device, 15: Data change device, 20: Selection key, 2
5: CPU, 26: program storage device, 30: image scanner, 40: stitch data / display data generation device, 50: data combination device, 60: memory card reading / writing device, 61: memory card, 62: guide,
63: Original image placement part, 64: Display device, 65: Display control device, 70: Temporary storage device, 80: Size adjusting device, 8
1: size designation key, 90: position adjustment device, 91: position designation key, 104: sewing mode selection button, 105: memory card throttle, 106: display device, 118: carriage, 119: embroidery frame, 120: needle bar , 121: a needle.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Haruhi Tanaka, Inventor, 1463 Asama-cho, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo Tokyo Jam no Sewing Machine Co., Ltd. Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shinichi Fukada 1463, Sakuma-cho, Hachioji, Tokyo Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-4-261696 (JP, A) JP-A-5-146573 ( JP, A) JP 6-86881 (JP, A) JP 5-300987 (JP, A) JP 5-337265 (JP, A) JP 8-167662 (JP, A) JP Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-49769 (JP, A) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-81955 (JP, A) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-76670 (JP, A) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-112084 (JP, A) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-233881 (JP , A) Actual Kaihei 2-59777 (J , U) Tokuoyake flat 3-37434 (JP, B2) Tokuoyake flat 1-57594 (JP, B2) patent 3333579 (JP, B2) (58 ) investigated the field (Int.Cl. ^7, DB name) D05B 19 / 00-21/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A means for providing data representing a contour corresponding to a predetermined pattern, a means for generating stitch data and display data based on the data representing the contour, and image data corresponding to a desired pattern. Providing means, means for generating stitch data and display data based on the image data, means for displaying the predetermined pattern and a desired pattern based on the display data, and Means for combining display data and display data of a desired pattern, means for changing the seam data of the predetermined pattern and the seam data of the desired pattern corresponding to the combination by the combining means, and Based on the means for adjusting the size of at least one pattern and the size adjustment by the adjusting means, the corresponding stitch data is obtained. The combination apparatus of the embroidery pattern, characterized in that it comprises means for further, the. 2. The embroidery pattern combination device according to claim 1, wherein the data representing the contour is data representing vertices of a plurality of block shapes forming a predetermined pattern. 3. The embroidery pattern according to claim 1, further comprising: a means for moving at least one of the displayed patterns, and a means for changing the stitch data based on the movement. Combination device. 4. The embroidery pattern combination device according to claim 1, further comprising a unit for storing the display data combined by the combining unit and the stitch data changed by the changing unit.