JPH04259484A - Frame feed correction device in embroidering machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To correct an error in finish stitching width caused due to the backlash or the like of a transfer mechanism upon reversal of an embroidery frame feed direction, via the correction of feed stroke. CONSTITUTION:Judgement is made about whether the feed direction of an embroidery frame is reversed or not, on the basis of sewing data per sequential feed stitch. When the feed direction is reversed, sewing data therefor is corrected by desired frame feed correction data, and an embroidery frame is driven and controlled to an extra extent. As a result, the sewing data is corrected in such a way as correcting a backlash error and another error due to an embroidery frame load at the time of reversal, the shrinkage of cloth in satin stitch or the like, resulting in the realization of desired finish as per programmed stitching width. The frame feed correction data can be set at a proper value, according to each backlash error, a corresponding frame load or cloth material for each embroidering machine and work.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Field of Application] This invention relates to a frame feed correction device for an embroidery machine, and particularly to correct errors caused by backlash when reversing the embroidery frame feed direction and when performing special pattern sewing such as satin stitch. This invention relates to making it possible to correct errors caused by material distortion or the like by correcting the embroidery frame feed amount.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In automatic embroidery machines, sewing data indicating the sewing width and direction of a plurality of stitches to be successively sewn is sequentially supplied in accordance with preprogrammed data of a desired embroidery pattern. The sewing data is
It is given and stored in the form of numerical data, which is converted into a pulse train signal corresponding to the sewing width and sewing direction and output. The embroidery frame is driven in the X-Y direction by a pulse motor (also called a step motor or stepping motor). For this pulse motor for driving the embroidery frame,
The movement of the embroidery frame is realized by supplying a pulse train signal corresponding to a desired sewing width and sewing direction and rotating the pulse motor by the number of pulses.

There is no problem if the rotation angle of the pulse motor is transmitted as the amount of movement of the embroidery frame without error, but normally there is a transmission error due to backlash in the transmission mechanism, especially when the feeding direction of the embroidery frame is reversed. arise. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the rotation of the pulse motor 11 is transmitted to the timing belt 51 via the pulley 50 on the pulse motor shaft, and the rotation of the pulse motor 11 is transmitted to the timing belt 51 via the pulley 50 of the pulse motor shaft.
2, the embroidery frame 10 is moved horizontally. In this transmission mechanism, for example, the play a at the contact point between the ball roller 52 and the inside of the embroidery frame 10 causes backlash, and backlash also exists between the pulley 50 and the timing belt 51. In feeding the embroidery frame for each stitch, if the feeding direction is the same as the previous stitch, backlash will not be a problem, but if it is reversed, errors due to backlash will become a problem. For example, in Figure 5, the ball roller 5
0 moves to the left, the amount of movement of the embroidery frame is reduced by the play a, and it is not possible to move the embroidery frame 10 by the target sewing width, resulting in a shortfall by a.

[0004] Even if there were no backlash problem, sufficient frame feeding or fabric feeding would not be achieved due to the heavy load on the embroidery frame or the material of the fabric, etc.
The planned sewing width may not be obtained according to the program data. In addition, in the case of special sewing patterns such as satin stitch, the embroidery frame feeding direction is constantly reversed, which tends to cause the fabric to shrink, making it difficult to obtain the planned sewing width according to the program data. Sometimes there isn't. If this happens, the stitch width will become uneven, resulting in an unattractive finish.

It has been known for a long time that the above problem occurs when using a special sewing pattern such as satin stitch, and as a countermeasure for this problem, it is necessary to determine in advance that the sewing pattern is satin stitch, and in that case, Adds or subtracts a prescribed correction value to the sewing data on the controller side, and as a result,
It has been considered that the frame feed amount is corrected by a predetermined correction value. However, no countermeasures have been considered for the above-mentioned problems caused by backlash in the transmission mechanism, load on the embroidery frame, material of the cloth, etc.

[0006]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] The amount of backlash, or backlash, in the transmission mechanism varies from machine to machine, and the load on the embroidery frame and the material of the fabric also vary each time. If the countermeasures for such special sewing patterns are applied as is and a method is adopted in which uniform correction is performed using a predetermined correction value, sufficient correction cannot be performed. Further, in the configuration in which the sewing data is corrected and calculated on the controller side, there is a problem in that the burden on the controller is large. Furthermore, the amount of backlash, or backlash, in the transmission mechanism is not the same on the x- and y-axes;
It is normal for them to be different, so you need to take that into account.

This invention has been made in view of the above points, and includes errors caused by backlash when the embroidery frame feeding direction is reversed, errors caused by the load on the embroidery frame, the material of the cloth, etc., and satin stitch, etc. An object of the present invention is to provide a frame feed correction device for an embroidery machine that is capable of correcting errors caused by material distortion etc. when sewing a special pattern by correcting the embroidery frame feed amount with an arbitrary correction amount. It is something to do.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A frame feed correction device for an embroidery machine according to the present invention includes a motor for driving an embroidery frame, and a device that indicates the sewing width and direction of each stitch with respect to a plurality of stitches to be sewn in sequence. a sewing data supply means for sequentially supplying sewing data; a reversal determining means for determining that the feed direction of the embroidery frame is reversed based on the sewing data; and a setting means for setting desired frame feed correction data; When it is determined that the frame feeding direction is reversed,
a correction means for correcting the sewing data using the frame feed correction data and outputting the sewing data without performing the correction when the sewing data is not determined; and a correction means for driving and controlling the motor according to the sewing data passed through the correction means. , and drive control means for driving the embroidery frame.

[0009]

[Operation] As is generally known, the sewing data supply means sequentially supplies sewing data regarding a plurality of stitches to be sequentially sewn. The reversal determining means determines, based on the supplied sewing data, that the embroidery frame feeding direction is reversed if the embroidery frame feeding direction of the previous stitch and the current stitch are different. The setting means can arbitrarily set desired frame advance correction data. Therefore, appropriate correction data can be set for each individual embroidery machine and for each individual embroidery sewing job, depending on the backlash error, the load on the embroidery frame at that time, the material of the cloth, etc. When the reversal determining means determines that the frame feed direction is reversed, the sewing data is corrected using the set frame feed correction data. As a result, the embroidery frame is controlled to be fed not only by the scheduled feed amount specified by the sewing data but also by the amount corrected by the frame feed correction data. Therefore, due to the reversal of the frame feeding direction, errors due to backlash errors, the load on the embroidery frame at that time, the material of the cloth, or the shrinkage of the cloth during satin stitching occur in the current stitch sewing, but these errors are compensated for. The above correction is made so that the embroidery frame is driven more than the programmed amount, and as a result, it is possible to achieve the desired programmed sewing width.

0010

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a pulse motor drive circuit for an embroidery machine, which includes the main parts of a frame feed correction device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the overall configuration of one embodiment of the embroidery machine equipped with the same pulse motor drive circuit.

First, the overall structure of the embroidery machine will be briefly explained with reference to FIG. The data input device 1 is for inputting embroidery pattern data programmed with a desired embroidery pattern.
As is well known, a recording medium such as a paper tape or a floppy disk on which embroidery pattern data is recorded is set, the embroidery pattern data recorded thereon is read, and the read embroidery pattern data is supplied and input to the embroidery machine controller unit 2. It consists of equipment that Embroidery machine controller unit 2
The embroidery machine has a controller 3 and an operation panel 4, and controls the operation of the embroidery machine based on embroidery pattern data input from the data input device 1 and various data or commands set on the operation panel 4. The controller 3 is equipped with a microcomputer, and based on the embroidery pattern data input from the data input device 1, outputs a pulse signal corresponding to sewing data indicating the sewing width and direction of each stitch. As is well known, sewing data for one stitch is divided into x-axis and y-axis components, and a pulse train CWx or CCWx is output depending on the positive and negative moving directions with respect to the x-axis, and Pulse train CWy depending on the moving direction
Or CCWy is output. These pulse trains CWx,
The number of pulses P in CCWx, CWy, and CCWy corresponds to the desired sewing width, CWx and CWy correspond to the positive direction (clockwise direction of the pulse motor), and CCWx and CCW
y corresponds to the negative direction (counterclockwise direction of the pulse motor). In other words, when the x and y components in the sewing direction are in the positive direction, the number of pulses corresponding to the desired sewing width is generated in the pulse trains CWx and CWy, and when they are in the negative direction, the number of pulses corresponding to the desired sewing width is generated in the pulse trains CCWx and CCWy. . Any known structure may be used for the data input device 1 and the embroidery machine controller unit 2.

The pulse motor drive unit 5 includes an x-axis pulse motor drive circuit 6, a y-axis pulse motor drive circuit 7, and frame feed correction data setters 8x, 8.
It is equipped with y. Frame advance correction data setter 8x, 8y
can independently set desired frame feed correction data for each of the feed axes x and y of the embroidery frame 10, and includes, for example, a setting switch. Consider the backlash error of each individual embroidery machine, or the load on the embroidery frame and material of the cloth for each individual embroidery job, or special sewing patterns such as satin stitch. Taking this into consideration, appropriate frame advance correction data can be set for each of the x and y axes.

The pulse motor drive circuits 6 and 7 include x-axis and y-axis pulse motors 11 for driving the embroidery frame 10.
, 12, respectively. What is characteristic here is that the correction of the frame feed amount is not performed on the controller 3 side, but on the pulse motor drive circuits 6 and 7 side. That is, in the pulse motor drive circuits 6 and 7, the pulse trains CWx, CCWx, CWy indicating the desired sewing width and direction are used, as will be described in detail later.
, CCWy and the correction data set by the setting devices 8x and 8y, appropriate frame feed correction processing is performed when the feeding direction of the embroidery frame 10 should be reversed, and the x-axis and y-axis pulse motors 11, 12 is appropriately controlled.

As is well known, the needle bar drive mechanism in the sewing machine head 9 is driven in accordance with the rotation of the main shaft motor 13.
During one stitch operation of the needle bar, the embroidery frame moves x-y by one stitch width according to the rotation of the x-axis and y-axis pulse motors 11 and 12.
In this way, one stitch of the desired sewing width is realized. As an example, as the pulse motors 11 and 12, five-phase excitation motors with a basic step angle of 0.72 degrees are used, and by half-step driving, 0.36
A rotation of degrees is obtained. In addition, the rotation of the motor is controlled by the embroidery frame 10.
The mechanism that transmits linear motion converts 0.36 degrees of motor rotation into a linear movement of 0.1 mm. Therefore, assuming that errors such as backlash do not occur, the embroidery frame can be moved by 0.1 mm per pulse.

As an example of the pulse motor drive circuits 6 and 7, an embodiment of the pulse motor drive circuit 6 for the x-axis is shown in FIG. The pulse motor drive circuit 7 for the y-axis can also have the same configuration. A pulse train CWx or CCWx consisting of the number of pulses P corresponding to a desired sewing width is applied from the controller 3 to the pulse input section 14, and from there to the pulse delay circuit 15 and the reversal determination circuit 16. The reversal determination circuit 16 detects whether a pulse train CWx or CCWx in the same direction is applied to the previous stitch and the current stitch, and thereby determines whether or not the feeding direction of the embroidery frame 10 is reversed. . That is, if pulse trains CWx or CCWx in the same direction are given, the feeding direction of the embroidery frame 10 is not reversed, but if they are different, it is reversed.

When it is determined that the feeding direction of the embroidery frame 10 is reversed, the correction pulse generation circuit 17 is activated, and a number of correction pulses corresponding to the correction amount set by the correction data setting device 8x are sent to the correction pulse. It is generated from the generation circuit 17. The generated correction pulse is sent to the mixing and waveform shaping circuit 1.
given to 8. If it is not determined that the signal is inverted, no correction pulse is generated. On the other hand, a pulse train signal consisting of a regular number of pulses supplied from the pulse input section 14 to the pulse delay circuit 15 is delayed by the pulse delay circuit 15 for a predetermined period of time, and then supplied to the mixing and waveform shaping circuit 18.

The mixing and waveform shaping circuit 18 mixes the correction pulse generated from the correction pulse generation circuit 17 and the regular pulse train signal delayed and output from the pulse delay circuit 15, and shapes the waveform into a predetermined rectangular wave. hand,
Output. As a result, the number of pulses corresponding to the correction pulse is added to the number of pulses of the regular pulse train signal delayed and output from the pulse delay circuit 15. The reason why the regular pulse train signal is delayed by the pulse delay circuit 15 is to prevent the regular pulse train and correction pulses from overlapping or crowding during mixing. Since this circuit is located on the driver side, it is not known in advance how many pulses there are in the regular pulse train. To this end, the regular pulse train signal is delayed by a predetermined time and a correction pulse is added before that. By doing this, even if you do not know how many pulses there are in the regular pulse train, the correction pulses are mixed so that they always come before the regular pulse train, and the regular pulse train and correction pulses do not overlap or are crowded together. You can mix it so that it doesn't. Therefore, there is an advantage in that it is possible to prevent step-out of the pulse motor or pulse dropout that would occur if the regular pulse train and the correction pulses overlap or are crowded together.

The corrected pulse train signal output from the mixing and waveform shaping circuit 18 is given to a phase distributor circuit 19. Phase distributor circuit 1
9, the five-phase pulse motor 1 responds to the given pulse.
The driving currents are supplied to each phase A to E in a suitable combination, and any known or unknown configuration may be used. The drive current for each phase is the amplifier section 20A to 20E.
This is amplified by the pulse motor 11 and supplied to the excitation coils of each phase A to E of the pulse motor 11, respectively.

In this way, whether or not the feeding direction of the embroidery frame 10 should be reversed is determined independently for each of the x and y axes based on the corresponding pulse trains CWx, CCWx and CWy, CCWy, and it is determined that the feeding direction of the embroidery frame 10 should be reversed. The number of pulses for instructing the sewing width is corrected according to the frame feed correction data independently set by the setters 8x and 8y, and based on this, the x-axis and y-axis pulse motors 11, 12
is driven and controlled, the embroidery frame 10 receives sewing data (pulse trains CWx, CCWx and CWy, CCWy).
The feed is controlled not only by the scheduled feed amount specified by , but also by the amount corrected by the frame feed correction data. Therefore, due to the reversal of the frame feeding direction, errors due to backlash errors, the load on the embroidery frame at that time, the material of the cloth, or the shrinkage of the cloth during satin stitching occur in the current stitch sewing, but these errors are compensated for. The above correction is made so that the embroidery frame 10 is driven more than the programmed amount, and as a result, it is possible to achieve the desired programmed sewing width.

A detailed example of the pulse motor drive circuit 6 shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. Further, a timing chart of an example of the operation of the circuit is shown in FIG. 4, and is also referred to. The input terminals 21 and 22 correspond to the pulse input section 14.
, an OR circuit 23, and a flip-flop 24. The pulse train signal CWx in the positive direction is input to the forward rotation input terminal 21,
The pulse train signal CCWx in the negative direction is input to the reverse input terminal 22, and the OR circuit 23 combines both signals using OR logic and converts them into a pulse train consisting of a number of pulses indicating only the sewing width without directionality. It is assumed that the pulse train signals CWx and CCWx input to the input terminals 21 and 22 are active low. A 6-bit shift register 25 corresponds to the pulse delay circuit 15, and the pulse train signal output from the OR circuit 23 is input to this shift register 25, and
It outputs with a 6-bit clock delay according to the 6 oscillation clock pulse.

The flip-flop 24 has input terminals 21,
Pulse train signals CWx and CCWx given from 22 are input to set input S and reset input R, respectively. When the active low positive direction pulse train signal CWx is generated,
Flip-flop 24 is set and the set output Q goes high. Active low negative direction pulse train signal CCW
When x occurs, flip-flop 24 is reset;
The set output Q becomes low. This flip flop 24
The set output signal is used as a CW/CCW control signal that indicates forward rotation when it is high and indicates reverse rotation when it is low.

The portions corresponding to the inversion determination circuit 16 are the flip-flop 24 and the edge trigger type one-shot multivibrator 27. Furthermore, the one-shot multivibrator 27 and oscillator 28 correspond to the correction pulse generation circuit 17. The one-shot multivibrator 27 is the flip-flop 2 mentioned above.
Input the CW/CCW control signal from the set output Q of 4,
A one-shot pulse of a predetermined time width is output in response to both the fall of the signal from high to low and the rise of the signal from low to high. That is, it detects a change in the CW/CCW control signal, determines (in response to the change) that the feeding direction of the embroidery frame 10 should be reversed, and outputs a one-shot pulse.

The time width of this one-shot pulse is controlled by the capacitor C1 via the capacitor C1 and the switch SW1.
is variably determined by a time constant determined by the value of any of the resistors R1 to R5 connected to the resistors R1 to R5. Switch SW1 and resistors R1 to R5 are frame feed correction data setter 8x
The values of the resistors R1 to R5 respectively correspond to five types of correction data, and one of them is selected by the switch SW1. As an example, each resistor R1
~R5 values are 1ms, 2ms, 3ms, 4ms respectively
, corresponds to a time width of 5 ms. Also, switch SW
No. 1 has a contact corresponding to a time width of 0 ms (a grounded contact), and when connected to this contact, the correction amount is zero, and no frame feed correction is actually performed.

The oscillator 28 oscillates and outputs a pulse train of a constant frequency only during the time width of the one-shot pulse given from the one-shot multivibrator 27. Oscillator 2
The oscillation frequencies of 6 and 28 are the same, for example, 1 kHz. Therefore, corresponding to each possible time width of the one-shot pulse of 1 ms, 2 ms, 3 ms, 4 ms, and 5 ms,
The oscillator 28 generates one to five pulses as correction pulses. In FIG. 4, a case is illustrated in which a one-shot pulse having a time width of 5 ms is generated. Note that if the frame feeding direction is not reversed, no one-shot pulse is generated, and accordingly, the correction pulse from the oscillator 28 is also not generated.

The mixing and waveform shaping circuit 18 corresponds to an OR circuit 29 for pulse mixing and a one-shot multivibrator 30 for waveform shaping. The OR circuit 29 OR-synthesizes the pulse train signal consisting of the number of pulses corresponding to the original sewing width output from the shift register 25 and the correction pulse train output from the oscillator 28, and sends the signal to the one-shot multivibrator 30 for waveform shaping. input. Since the pulse train signal consisting of the number of pulses corresponding to the original sewing width is delayed by 6 bit clocks, or 6 ms, in the shift register 25, no correction pulse is generated even when the maximum number of correction pulses is 5 (5 ms). Until the end, the output pulse train of the shift register 25 is not generated. Therefore, the correction pulse can be reliably added before the pulse train signal consisting of the number of pulses corresponding to the original sewing width.

Corresponding to the phase distributor circuit 19 are a counter 31, a decoder 32, and a group of OR logic circuits related thereto. The pulse train given from the one-shot multivibrator 30 for waveform shaping is counted by the counter 31, the count output is decoded by the decoder 32, each decoded output is OR-logically synthesized in a predetermined combination, and each phase A of the pulse motor 11 is generated. ~E are applied to output terminals OA~OE corresponding to the output terminals OA~OE. Each output terminal OA~O
The output of E is given to amplifier sections 20A to 20E of each phase A to E. Note that the counter 31 is an up/down counter whose increasing/decreasing direction is controlled by a CW/CCW control signal.

The configuration of the frame feed correction data setting device is as follows:
It is not limited to the combination of a switch and a resistor as in the above example, but any configuration may be used. Further, in the above embodiment, the sewing data that has been converted into a pulse train signal is corrected using the correction data that is also converted into a pulse train, but the present invention is not limited to this. You may also do so. Furthermore, the configuration of the motor is not limited to the pulse motor, but may be of other configurations, and in the case of the pulse motor, the number of phases and the excitation control method for each phase are not limited to those shown in the examples. You may also use something.

[0028]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, while desired frame advance correction data can be set arbitrarily, it is determined whether or not the embroidery frame is to be reversed for each stitch, and if the embroidery frame is to be reversed, it can be set as desired. Since the sewing data that instructs the sewing width is corrected using the set correction data, backlash errors caused by reversing the frame feed direction, the load on the embroidery frame at that time, the material of the fabric, or the fabric in satin stitch are corrected. The above correction is made to compensate for errors caused by shrinkage, etc., and as a result, the embroidery frame is driven more than the programmed amount, and as a result, the desired programmed sewing width can be achieved. be able to,
It has this excellent effect. Moreover, since the correction data can be set arbitrarily, it is possible to adjust the correction data according to the backlash error, the load of the embroidery frame at that time, the material of the cloth, etc. for each individual embroidery machine and each individual embroidery sewing job. , it is possible to set an appropriate correction amount. Further, it is possible to independently set an appropriate correction amount for each feed axis of the embroidery frame.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a pulse motor drive circuit of an embodiment of a frame feed correction device in an embroidery machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of an embodiment of the embroidery machine equipped with the pulse motor drive circuit shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a detailed example of the main part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a timing chart diagram showing an example of the operation in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the mechanism for illustrating the problem of backlash in the drive force transmission mechanism for the embroidery frame.

[Explanation of symbols]

1...Data input device 1, 2...Embroidery machine controller unit, 3...Controller, 4...Operation panel, 5...Pulse motor drive unit,
6, 7...X-axis and y-axis pulse motor drive circuits, 8x, 8y...frame feed correction data setter, 9...sewing machine head, 10...embroidery frame, 11, 12...x-axis and y-axis pulse motors , 13...Main shaft motor, 14...Pulse input section, 1
5... Pulse delay circuit, 16... Inversion discrimination circuit, 17... Correction pulse generation circuit, 18... Mixing and waveform shaping circuit,
19...Phase distributor circuit, 24...Flip-flop, 27...One-shot multivibrator.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A motor for driving an embroidery frame, a sewing data supply means for sequentially supplying sewing data indicating the sewing width and direction of each stitch regarding a plurality of stitches to be sequentially sewn, , a reversal determining means for determining that the feed direction of the embroidery frame is reversed; a setting means for setting desired frame feed correction data; a correction means that corrects the data using the frame feed correction data and outputs the sewing data without performing the correction when the data is not determined; and a correction means that drives and controls the motor according to the sewing data that has passed through the correction means. a frame feed correction device for an embroidery machine, comprising drive control means for driving the embroidery frame. 2. The sewing data supply means outputs a pulse train signal indicating a desired sewing width and direction,
2. The frame feed correction device for an embroidery machine according to claim 1, wherein the correction means performs the correction by adding a number of pulse signals corresponding to the frame feed correction data to the front of the pulse train signal. 3. The frame in the embroidery machine according to claim 1, wherein the setting means is capable of individually setting frame feed correction data for the x-axis feed direction and the y-axis feed direction of the embroidery frame. Feed correction device.