JPH06304359A - Sewing machine and embroidered product - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a sewing machine and an embroidered product which eliminate time and labor for exchange of yarn to be generated for each color by performing an embroidering while dyeing yarn used for the embroidering. CONSTITUTION:The color and length of yarn to be used for embroidering fabrics are judged based on pattern information inputted from an input section 21 and the thickness and size of the fabrics detected by a reading section 22. The yarn is dyed with a dyeing device 24 based on the results of the judgment. Thus. operation is performed to embroider on the fabrics using the yarn dyed based on the pattern information in an embroidering section 25.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a sewing machine for dyeing threads based on pattern information for embroidery and an embroidery product thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a sewing machine that performs color embroidery,
According to the pattern to be embroidered, threads of different colors are used for embroidery.

[0003]

As described above, in the conventional sewing machine, each time the embroidery of each color is performed, the thread of the corresponding color must be replaced. For example, when a pattern consisting of a plurality of colors is to be embroidered, in order to change the embroidered color, the worker cuts the thread of the color used up to that time and then removes the thread from the sewing machine. Then, the thread of the next color must be set in the sewing machine, and the thread has to be threaded through the needle for sewing, which is very troublesome. This problem became more serious as the number of embroidered colors increased.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional example, and provides a sewing machine and its embroidery product that eliminate the trouble of thread replacement for each color by embroidering while dyeing threads used for embroidery. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the sewing machine of the present invention has the following structure. That is, it is a sewing machine capable of embroidery, input means for inputting pattern information for embroidery, detection means for detecting the thickness of the cloth to be embroidered, pattern information input by the input means and detection by the detection means. The determining means for determining the color and length of the thread used for embroidery based on the thickness and size of the cloth, the dyeing means for dyeing the thread based on the result of the determination by the determining means, and the dyeing means. Embroidering means for embroidering the cloth based on the pattern information using the dyed thread.

[0006]

In the above construction, the color and length of the thread used for embroidery of the cloth is determined based on the pattern information input by the input means and the thickness and size of the cloth detected by the detection means. The yarn is dyed based on the determination result, and the dyed yarn is used to embroider the cloth based on the pattern information.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of the sewing machine according to the present embodiment. With reference to this block diagram, a rough path along which an embroidery thread is conveyed will be described.

The embroidery thread 2 wound on the bobbin 11 passes through the encoder 12 and is colored by the ink jet printing device 7 of the printing device 24. The embroidery thread 2 is subsequently steam-treated by the steam heat treatment device 8 to be colored, and washed by the washing device 9 with water. Then, it is dried by the drying device 10 and the printing process is completed. Embroidery thread 2 printed in this way
Is passed through the hole of the needle 3, and the cloth on the cloth holder 6 set on the arm 5 is embroidered with the embroidery thread 2. Thirteen
Is a cloth presser for pressing the cloth on the cloth holder 6.

This series of flow will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG.

The input unit 2 receives pattern information for actual embroidery.
Enter from 1. As the input method, a memory card that stores pattern information is used, and desired pattern information is input by reading the memory card. In this memory card, a user can store a desired design or pattern read by a scanner or the like, or a design or pattern created by using a computer or the like. Alternatively, it is also possible to use a memory card in which characters and the like have already been registered.

Subsequently, the reading unit 22 reads the thickness of the cloth 41 (see FIG. 6) set in the cloth holder 6 attached to the arm 5, and the pattern information is embroidered on the operation panel of the editing unit 23. Enter size information. According to the cloth thickness read by the reading unit 22 and the size information input by the editing unit 23, which color order is used for embroidery,
Further, the lengths of threads of each color required for embroidery are obtained, and it is determined by judging which color and how long the thread 2 is to be dyed.

The data thus determined is stored in the storage unit 27, and the textile printing device 24 is based on the stored data.
Dye thread 2 with. The thread 2 dyed in this manner is used as the embroidery part 2
Embroidered with 5. Further, the controller 26 confirms the current embroidery position, and the remaining length and color of the thread 2
Decide whether to dye. In this way, the storage unit 2
While the error between the data stored in 7 and the length to be actually dyed is corrected at any time, feedback control for dyeing the yarn by the printing device 24 is performed, and the embroidery unit 25 performs the embroidery.

Next, with reference to FIG. 6, a method of reading the cloth thickness will be described in detail.

The cloth 41 is sandwiched between the cloth holder (outer) 62 and the cloth holder (inner) 63 set on the arm 5 and becomes taut. And cloth holder 1 that can be moved up and down
When 3 descends and presses the cloth 41, the cloth thickness is measured. The cloth presser 13 is used for pressing the cloth 41 and measuring the cloth thickness. Then, the measured cloth thickness data is sent to the editing unit 23 and is used to obtain the length of the thread to be used.

Next, a method of correcting printing data will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The cloth holder 6 sandwiching the cloth 41 can move on the arm 5 in the direction of the arrow 43, and the arm 5 is guided by the guide groove 4
It is possible to move along 2 in the direction of arrow 44. That is, the cloth 41 can move in the X direction and the Y direction.

Now, the case of embroidering the flower pattern shown in FIG. 5 will be described. It is assumed that the current position of the needle (embroidery position) is the dot 50. Since the area of the red non-embroidered portion 51 is known in advance and the thickness of the cloth 41 is also known, the length of the red thread required to embroider the remaining non-embroidered portion 51 can be determined. That is, since the length of the yarn to be dyed in red can be determined, the data indicating the length of the yarn is given to the printing unit 24 at any time, so that the data stored in the storage unit 27 in advance (color of the yarn and corresponding length)
Then, the error between the length of the yarn to be dyed and the actual length is corrected. The control unit 26 performs control on the basis of the thus corrected value to print a thread and perform embroidery using the thread.
Reference numeral 52 indicates a portion to which green embroidery is applied using a green thread.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining dyeing by the ink jet printing apparatus 7 of this embodiment.

A set of four ink jet heads of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) are alternately opposed to each other with the thread 2 sandwiched between the upper side and the lower side. The ink jet heads are arranged so that their orifice surfaces face each other. An air suction device 31 for absorbing mist is provided on the opposite side of the orifice surface of each inkjet head.

For example, when dyeing the yarn 2 in yellow, the yarn 2 sent is first dyed in yellow by the upper yellow head 35 only in the upper half. Then the lower yellow head 36
By dyeing the remaining lower half with yellow as well,
The whole is dyed yellow. Depending on the color to be dyed, the yarn 2 can be dyed in any color by dyeing the yarn using an inkjet head of each color. At this time, the air aspirator 31 is installed so that the mist of the upper head does not adhere to the orifice surface of the lower head.
The mist is sucked in and the lower head is also sucked in by the air suction device 31.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the printing portion is provided in the main body of the sewing machine, the time and labor required for changing the thread for embroidery are unnecessary. In addition, it is possible to add gradation to the embroidery pattern by adjusting the color of the thread.

Further, since feedback control is performed as needed to correct the length of the thread used, vivid and beautiful embroidery can be performed with little printing error.
Further, when the yarn is dyed, since the air suction device for sucking the mist is provided, clear color printing is possible without the colors of the yarn being mixed.

[Other Embodiment 2] In the above embodiment, the backfeed control is performed by comparing the input pattern information with the embroidery position during operation, but the present invention is not limited to this. Backfeed control is performed by calculating the input pattern information and how many threads are used per unit area when actually performing embroidery, and determining which thread to use from the remaining unembroidered area. It is also possible.

[Other Embodiment 3] Further, in the above embodiment, the printing method requires four steps of the ink jet printing apparatus, the steam heat treatment apparatus, the washing apparatus and the drying apparatus. After that, the thread may be used to embroider the cloth, and when all the embroidery work is completed, color development, washing, and drying may be performed. As a result, the printing device incorporated in the sewing machine body can be downsized, and the sewing machine body can also be downsized.

[Other Embodiment 4] A color identification sensor is installed between the textile printing device and the needle to detect a place where the color of the yarn changes. Here, since the distance between the color identification sensor and the needle is known in advance, if the thread is longer than the area of the remaining embroidery area, the sewing method should be finer, and conversely, if the thread is longer, the sewing method should be coarser. , The border of the colors to be embroidered can be made clearer.

The ink jet printing apparatus of the present embodiment is particularly effective in using an ink jet recording head for recording by forming flying droplets by utilizing thermal energy among the ink jet recording methods. To bring. Regarding its typical structure and principle,
For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 47
What is done using the basic principles disclosed in 40796 is preferred. This method can be applied to both the so-called on-demand type and the continuous type. In particular, in the case of the on-demand type, it is arranged corresponding to the sheet or liquid path holding the liquid (ink). By applying at least one drive signal to the electrothermal converter, which corresponds to the recorded information and causes a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling, thermal energy is generated in the electrothermal converter, and a recording head is produced. This is effective because film boiling is caused on the heat-acting surface and the bubbles in the liquid (ink) corresponding to this drive signal in a one-to-one relationship can be formed. The liquid (ink) is ejected through the ejection openings by the growth and contraction of the bubbles to form at least one droplet.
It is more preferable to make this drive signal in a pulse shape, because bubbles can be grown and contracted immediately and appropriately, and thus a liquid (ink) with excellent responsiveness can be achieved.

As the pulse-shaped drive signal, those described in US Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. If the conditions described in US Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention relating to the rate of temperature rise on the heat acting surface are adopted, excellent recording can be performed. As the structure of the recording head, in addition to the combination structure (straight liquid flow path or right-angled liquid flow path) of the ejection port, the liquid path, and the electrothermal converter as disclosed in the above-mentioned specifications, a heat acting surface is also provided. U.S. Pat. No. 4,558, which discloses a configuration in which is located in the area of flexion
It is also possible to adopt a configuration using the specification No. 333 and the specification of US Pat. No. 4,459,600.

In addition, JP-A-59-123670, which discloses a structure in which a common slit is used as a discharge portion of the electrothermal converter for a plurality of electrothermal converters, and a pressure wave of thermal energy is absorbed. It is also possible to adopt a configuration based on Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-138461, which discloses a configuration in which the opening corresponds to the ejection portion. Further, as a full-line type recording head having a length corresponding to the maximum recording medium width that can be recorded by the recording apparatus, the length is satisfied by a combination of a plurality of recording heads as disclosed in the above-mentioned specification. It may have either a configuration or a configuration as one recording head integrally formed.

In addition, by being attached to the apparatus main body, it can be electrically connected to the apparatus main body and can be supplied with ink from the apparatus main body by a replaceable chip type recording head or the recording head itself. Alternatively, a cartridge type recording head provided with an ink tank may be used.
Further, it is preferable to add recovery means for the recording head, preliminary auxiliary means, etc., which are provided as a configuration of the printing apparatus of the present embodiment, because the effect of the present invention can be further stabilized. Specific examples thereof include capping means, cleaning means, pressurizing or suctioning means for the recording head, preheating means using an electrothermal converter or another heating element or a combination thereof, and recording. It is also effective to perform a stable recording by performing a preliminary discharge mode in which another discharge is performed.

In the embodiment of the present invention described above,
Although the ink is described as a liquid, it is an ink that solidifies at room temperature or lower and softens at room temperature, or is a liquid, or the ink itself is 30 ° C. or higher and 70 ° C. or higher in the above-mentioned inkjet method. In general, the temperature is adjusted within the following range to control the temperature of the ink so that the viscosity of the ink is in the stable ejection range. Therefore, the ink may be in a liquid state when the use recording signal is applied.

In addition, the temperature rise due to thermal energy is positively prevented by using it as the energy for changing the state of the ink from the solid state to the liquid state, or the ink is solidified in a standing state for the purpose of preventing evaporation of the ink. In some cases, such as ink that is liquefied by applying heat energy according to a recording signal and ejected as a liquid ink, or one that has already started to solidify when it reaches a recording medium. The use of an ink having a property of being liquefied only by heat energy is also applicable to the present invention. In such a case, the ink is disclosed in JP-A-54-5684.
No. 7 or JP-A-60-71260, a mode in which the porous sheet is opposed to the electrothermal converter in the state of being held as a liquid or solid in the recess or through hole of the porous sheet. May be In the present invention, the most effective one for each of the above-mentioned inks is to execute the above-mentioned film boiling method.

Further, as a form of the printing apparatus according to the present embodiment, in addition to a printing apparatus provided integrally or separately as an image output terminal of information processing equipment such as a word processor or a computer, a copying apparatus combined with a reader or the like. Further, it may take the form of a facsimile machine having a transmission / reception function. Further, as the printing on the cloth by such an ink jet method, (1) the ink can be developed to a sufficient density. (2) The dyeing rate of the ink is high. (3) The ink dries quickly on the cloth. (4) The occurrence of irregular ink bleeding on the cloth is small. (5) Excellent transportability in the device. Etc. performance is required. In order to satisfy these required performances, the fabric may be pre-treated in advance if necessary. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-53492 discloses fabrics having an ink receiving layer,
Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-46589 proposes a fabric containing a reduction inhibitor and an alkaline substance. Examples of such pretreatment include a treatment in which the cloth is made to contain a substance selected from an alkaline substance, a water-soluble polymer, a synthetic polymer, a water-soluble metal salt, urea and thiourea.

Examples of the alkaline substance include alkali metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide,
Examples thereof include amines such as mono-, di- and triethanolamine, and carbonic acid or alkali metal bicarbonates such as sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. Furthermore, there are organic acid metal salts such as calcium acetate and barium acetate, and ammonia and ammonia compounds. In addition, sodium trichloroacetate which becomes an alkaline substance under steaming and drying may be used. Particularly preferred alkaline substances are sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate used for dyeing reactive dyes.

As the water-soluble polymer, starch substances such as corn and wheat, cellulosic substances such as carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose, sodium alginate, gum arabic,
Locust bean gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum,
Examples thereof include polysaccharides such as tamarind seeds, protein substances such as gelatin and casein, and natural water-soluble polymers such as tannin-based substances and lignin-based substances.

Examples of synthetic polymers include polyvinyl alcohol compounds, polyethylene oxazo compounds, acrylic acid water-soluble polymers, maleic anhydride water-soluble polymers, and the like. Among these, polysaccharide polymers and cellulose polymers are preferable. Examples of the water-soluble metal salt include compounds such as halides of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, which produce typical ionic crystals and have a pH of 4 to 10. Representative examples of such compounds include, for example, with alkali metals, NaCl, Na ₂ SO ₄ , KCl and CH ₃ C.
Examples of the alkaline earth metal include OONa and CaCl ₂ and MgCl ₂ . Of these, salts of Na, K and Ca are preferable.

The method of incorporating the above substances and the like into the cloth in the pretreatment is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a dipping method, a pad method, a coating method and a spraying method which are usually carried out. Furthermore, the printing ink applied to the ink-jet printing cloth merely adheres to the cloth when it is applied to the cloth. Therefore, it is preferable to subsequently carry out the reaction fixing step (dyeing step) of the dye to the fiber. . Such a reaction fixing step may be a conventionally known method, for example, a steaming method, an HT steaming method, a thermofix method, an alkali pad steam method, an alkali blotch steam method when a cloth which has been previously alkali-treated is not used. , Alkaline shock method, alkaline cold fix method and the like.

Further, the unreacted dye and the substance used for the pretreatment can be removed by washing after the above reaction fixing step according to a conventionally known method. In addition, it is preferable to use a conventional fixing process together with this cleaning. The present invention may be applied to a system including a plurality of devices or an apparatus including one device. Further, the present invention can of course be applied to a case where the present invention is achieved by supplying a program for implementing the present invention to a system or an apparatus.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the trouble of thread replacement for each color by embroidering while dyeing threads used for embroidery.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sewing machine of this embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the sewing machine according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a printing unit of the inkjet printing apparatus according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partial top view of an embroidery part including an arm.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a specific example of an embroidery pattern.

FIG. 6 is a side view of an embroidery part including an arm when a cloth is attached.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Sewing Machine 2 Thread 3 Needle 5 Arm 6 Cloth Holder 7 Inkjet Printing Device 8 Steam Heat Treatment Device 9 Cleaning Device 10 Drying Device 13 Cloth Presser 21 Input Part 22 Reading Part 23 Editing Part 24 Printing Device 25 Embroidery Part 26 Control Part 27 Memory Department

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location D05C 11/24 17/00 D06P 5/00 111 A 9356-4H 7/00 9356-4H

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A sewing machine capable of embroidery, including input means for inputting pattern information for embroidery, detection means for detecting a thickness of a cloth to be embroidered, pattern information input by the input means, and the detection. Determining means for determining the color and length of the thread used for embroidery based on the thickness and size of the cloth detected by the means, and a dyeing means for dyeing the thread based on the result of the determination by the determining means, An embroidery unit that embroiders the cloth on the basis of the pattern information using the thread dyed by the dyeing unit. 2. The length of the thread to be dyed by the dyeing means is determined from storage means for storing the color and length of the thread determined by the determining means, and position data indicating the embroidery position by the embroidery means. The storage device further includes a judging means and a correcting means for correcting the yarn length information stored in the storing means in accordance with the yarn length judged by the judging means, and the dyeing means is stored in the storing means. The sewing machine according to claim 1, wherein the thread is dyed according to the information provided. 3. The sewing machine according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit detects the thickness of the cloth by pressing the set cloth with a cloth pressing member. 4. The dyeing means includes an inkjet printing means for dyeing a thread by an inkjet method, a steam heat treatment means for developing a color of the thread printed by the printing means, and a washing step for washing the colored thread with water. The sewing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning unit and a drying unit for drying the thread cleaned by the cleaning unit. 5. The ink jet printing means comprises four ink jet heads of yellow, magenta, cyan and black, one set each on the upper side and the lower side, and the ink jet heads face each other in a staggered manner.
5. The sewing machine according to claim 4, wherein an air suction device for absorbing mist is provided on the opposite side of the orifice surface of each ink jet head. 6. The ink jet printing means has a recording head for ejecting ink by utilizing thermal energy, and is provided with a thermal energy converter for generating thermal energy applied to the ink. The sewing machine according to claim 5. 7. An embroidery product which is embroidered using the embroidery device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.