System for thread printing using image-based feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10688808-B2
Application number	US-201916694313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2019
Priority date	Nov 1, 2018
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A system and method for treatment of thread includes a thread printer that applies colored coatings to thread. A camera is positioned to capture images of the treated thread after it passes through an outlet of the thread printer. The system processes the images to determine whether the location of a selected segment of the treated thread corresponds to an expected location. If the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to the expected location, the system will continue instructing the thread printer to selectively apply the colored coatings to the thread according to the pattern. However, if the actual location does not correspond to the expected location, the system will modify the pattern so that thread printer adjusts the size of one or more segment to automatically account for the misalignment.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for treatment of thread, comprising:
a thread printer comprising an inlet, an outlet, and a printhead configured to apply colored coatings to a thread as the thread passes between the inlet and the outlet;
a processor; and
a computer-readable memory containing programming instructions that are configured to cause the processor to:
instruct the thread printer to selectively apply the colored coatings to the thread according to a pattern to yield a treated thread that includes multiple segments of different colors,
after a first portion of the treated thread has passed through the outlet, receive an image that includes the treated thread and process the image to identify an actual location of a selected segment of the treated thread,
determine whether the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to an expected location,
if the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to the expected location, continue instructing the thread printer to selectively apply the colored coatings to the thread according to the pattern, and
if the actual location of the selected segment does not correspond to the expected location, instruct the thread printer to:
modify the pattern to increase or decrease a size of one or more of the segments; and
selectively apply the colored coatings to the thread according to the modified pattern.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the programming instructions to determine whether the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to an expected location comprise instructions to determine whether a starting point or ending point of the selected segment is within a threshold distance from a target location in the fabric; and
the starting point or ending point is a location where the treated thread transitions from one of the colored coatings to a different one of the colored coatings.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the programming instructions also comprise instructions to print a registration mark on the thread; and
the programming instructions to determine whether the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to an expected location comprise instructions to determine whether the registration mark is within a threshold distance from a target location.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the instructions to print the registration mark comprise instructions to print an ultraviolet (UV) coating on the thread, wherein the UV coating is visible under UV light and not visible under ambient light; and
the image comprises an image captured by a camera having a UV sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the programming instructions to determine whether the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to an expected location in the fabric comprise instructions to determine whether a starting point or ending point of the selected segment is within a threshold distance from a target location; and
the target location corresponds to a location of an alignment mark that is imprinted on a fabric weaving system that has received the treated thread from the outlet.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein:
the alignment mark comprises an ultraviolet (UV) coating that is visible under UV light and not visible under ambient light;
the image comprises an image captured by a camera that includes a UV sensor;
the programming instructions also comprise instructions to print a registration mark on the thread; and
the programming instructions to determine whether the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to an expected location comprise instructions to determine whether the registration mark is within a threshold distance from the target location.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thread printer comprises a weft thread printer that includes an encoder that is configured to detect a length of the thread as the thread moves through the weft thread printer along a travel path.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising an engagement device that is positioned in the travel path after the printhead and that is configured to grip the treated thread and prevent backlash of the treated thread in the weft thread printer.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the encoder comprises:
a pulley that contains a channel that is configured to receive and pass the thread; and
a sensor system configured to record rotations of the pulley and convert the recorded rotations into a linear distance measurement.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a camera positioned to capture the image that includes the treated thread.

11. A method for treating a thread, the method comprising:
providing a thread printer, the thread printer comprising:
an inlet,
an outlet, and
a printhead that is configured to apply colored coatings to a thread as the thread passes between the inlet and the outlet;

by a processor:
instructing the thread printer to selectively apply the colored coatings to the thread according to a pattern to yield a treated thread that includes multiple segments of different colors,
receiving an image that includes the treated thread and processing the image to identify an actual location of a selected segment of the treated thread,
determining whether the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to an expected location, and
upon determining that the actual location of the selected segment does not correspond to the expected location, instructing the thread printer to:
modify the pattern to increase or decrease a size of one or more of the segments, and
selectively apply the colored coatings to the thread according to the modified pattern.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
determining whether the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to the expected location comprises, by the processor, determining whether a starting point or ending point of the selected segment is within a threshold distance from a target location; and
the starting point or ending point is a location where the treated thread transitions from one of the colored coatings to a different one of the colored coatings.

13. The method of claim 11 :
further comprising, by the processor, causing the thread printer to print a registration mark on the thread; and
wherein determining whether the actual location of the selected segment corresponds to the expected location comprises determining whether the registration mark is within a threshold distance from a target location.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein causing the thread printer to print the registration mark comprises causing the thread printer to print an ultraviolet (UV) coating that is visible under UV light and not visible under ambient light.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the target location corresponds to a location of an alignment mark that is imprinted on a fabric weaving system.

16. The method of claim 15 :
further comprising providing a camera with an ultraviolet (UV) light sensor; and
wherein the alignment mark comprises a UV coating that is visible under UV light and not visible under ambient light.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
providing the thread printer comprises providing a weft thread printer; and
the weft thread printer includes an encoder that is configured to detect a length of the thread as the thread moves through the weft thread printer along a travel path.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising providing an engagement device that is positioned in the travel path after the printhead and that is configured to grip the t

Assignees

• Xerox Corp
• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Jackson Warren
• Chopra Naveen
• Ready Steven E
• Gopalan Karthik
• Evans Kent

Classifications

• D06B11/0023

  by spraying or pouring · CPC title

• B41J11/00214

  using UV radiation · CPC title

• B41J3/4078 Primary

  Printing on textile · CPC title

• B41M3/144

  using fluorescent, luminescent or iridescent effects · CPC title

• B41J3/445

  Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras · CPC title