Sewing machine and non-transitory computer-readable medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10626534-B2
Application number	US-201715716111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2017
Priority date	Sep 29, 2015
Publication date	Apr 21, 2020
Grant date	Apr 21, 2020

Abstract

A sewing machine includes at least one needle bar, a threading motor, a threading mechanism, a processor, and a memory. The threading mechanism is configured to pass an upper thread through an eye of a sewing needle. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes. The processes include making one of a setting that prohibits operation of the threading mechanism and a setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism. The processes include switching the operation of the threading mechanism by prohibiting the operation of the threading mechanism in a case where the setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism is made, and permitting the operation of the threading mechanism in a case where the setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism is made.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sewing machine comprising:
a plurality of needle bars, each of the plurality of needle bars being configured to be mounted with a sewing needle;
a threading motor;
a threading mechanism coupled to the threading motor, the threading mechanism, via power supplied by the threading motor, being configured to pass an upper thread through an eye of each sewing needle that is mounted on each of the plurality of needle bars;
a processor; and
a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
generating a threading setting for each one of the plurality of needle bars, the threading setting being one of (i) a setting that prohibits operation of the threading mechanism or (ii) a setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism;
storing the threading setting in the memory for each one of the plurality of needle bars;
specifying, from among the plurality of needle bars, a target needle bar; and
switching the operation of the threading mechanism by prohibiting the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar in response to the memory storing the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar, and permitting the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar in response to the memory storing the threading setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar.

2. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
receiving a command to operate the threading mechanism, and
when the command to operate the threading mechanism for the target needle bar is received, (i) determining whether the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism is stored in the memory for the target needle bar, (ii) then prohibiting the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar when the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism is stored in the memory for the target needle bar, and (iii) permitting the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar when the threading setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism is stored in the memory for the target needle bar.

3. The sewing machine according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a notification device configured to notify information,
wherein the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
causing the notification device to notify that the operation of the threading mechanism is prohibited, when the command to operate the threading mechanism for the target needle bar is received and the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism is stored in the memory for the target needle bar.

4. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
detecting an occurrence of an error in processing that uses the threading mechanism to pass the upper thread through the eye of the sewing needle mounted on the target needle bar, and
generating the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar in a specific case of the detecting of the occurrence of the error.

5. The sewing machine according to claim 4 , wherein the specific case is a case in which the occurrence of the error is detected not less than a specified number of times for the target needle bar.

6. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein:
the memory is configured to store information indicating a type of the sewing needle for which the operation of the threading mechanism is prohibited, and
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
specifying a type of the sewing needle that is mounted on the target needle bar, and
generating the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar when the specified type of the sewing needle mounted on the target needle bar is the type of the sewing needle that is stored in the memory.

7. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a notification device configured to notify information,
wherein the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
acquiring of sewing data,
specifying, from among the plurality of needle bars, a needle bar to be used for sewing based on the acquired sewing data, and
causing the notification device to notify that the operation of the threading mechanism for the specified needle bar is prohibited when the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism is stored in the memory for the specified needle bar.

8. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a notification device configured to notify of information,
wherein the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
causing the notification device to notify information including a prohibited needle bar and a mark that is related to the prohibited needle bar, the prohibited needle bar being one of the plurality of needle bars for which the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism is stored in the memory, the mark indicating that the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism for the prohibited needle bar is stored in the memory.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that are executed by a processor of a sewing machine provided with a plurality of needle bars, a memory, a threading motor, and a threading mechanism, which is coupled to the threading motor, and via power supplied by the threading motor, the threading mechanism is configured to pass an upper thread through an eye of a sewing needle that is mounted on each of the plurality of needle bars, the computer-readable instructions, when executed, instructing the processor to perform processes comprising:
generating a threading setting for each one of the plurality of needle bars, the threading setting being one of (i) a setting that prohibits operation of the threading mechanism or (ii) a setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism;
storing the threading setting in the memory for each one of the plurality of needle bars;
specifying, from among the plurality of needle bars, a target needle bar; and
switching the operation of the threading mechanism by prohibiting the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar in response to the memory storing the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar, and permitting the operation of the threading mechanism for the target needle bar in response to the memory storing the threading setting that does not prohibit the operation of the threading mechanism of the target needle bar.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
receiving a command to operate the threading mechanism, and
when the command to operate the threading mechanism for the target needle bar is received, (i) determining whether the threading setting that prohibits the operation of the threading mechanism is stored in the memory for the

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Matsushima Mika
• Okuyama Tsuneo
• Yokoyama Aki

Classifications

• D05B47/00

  Needle-thread tensioning devices; Applications of tensometers · CPC title

• D05B87/02

  with mechanical means for moving thread through needle {or looper} eye · CPC title

• D05B19/12 Primary

  characterised by control of operation of machine · CPC title

• D05B69/10

  Electrical or electromagnetic drives · CPC title

• D05B49/00

  Take-up devices, e.g. levers, for the needle thread · CPC title