Methods and devices for controlling a tufting machine for forming tufted carpet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10767294-B2
Application number	US-201816139960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2018
Priority date	Oct 28, 2010
Publication date	Sep 8, 2020
Grant date	Sep 8, 2020

Abstract

The invention relates to a control system for a tufting machine configured for forming tufted carpet. The tufting machine can have a system controller in communication with the tufting machine and with a plurality of yarn feed controllers for controlling operation of yarn feed motors that are configured to supply yarn from a source of yarn to the tufting machine. The system controller is programmable to enable input of a plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles for selected stitches of a programmed pattern to be tufted such that, although at least two of the predetermined yarn feed profiles can be different, substantially the same feed length of yarn is used from each of the plurality of yarns.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a tufting machine for forming patterned tufted articles of the type having a plurality of needles carrying a plurality of yarns into a backing material that passes through the tufting machine at a desired rate, the tufting machine having a plurality of yarn feed motors, each yarn feed motor in communication with one yarn from the source of yarns and one needle of the plurality of needles, the method comprising:
using a processor to control the operation of a plurality of yarn feed controllers of the tufting machine, each yarn feed controller being coupled to the processor and a respective yarn feed motor for controlling the amount of yarn being supplied by the respective yarn feed motor;
using the processor to receive an input corresponding to a programmed pattern to be tufted, the programmed pattern comprising a plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles for selected stitches of yarn to be tufted by respective needles of the plurality of needles, wherein at least two predetermined yarn feed profiles of the plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles are different; and
using the processor to control the operation of the respective yarn feed controllers to feed yarns to the plurality of needles for each selected stitch to be tufted according to an associated predetermined yarn feed profile, wherein the processor:
(i) determines, for each predetermined yarn feed profile, a base yarn feed value for each stitch of the yarn for each pattern repeat of the programmed pattern; and
(ii) varies at least one of the predetermined yarn feed profiles from the base yarn feed value for at least one stitch of the yarn for each pattern repeat,

and wherein, for each repeat of the programmed pattern, each yarn of the plurality of yarns has a respective feed length of yarn that is used, and wherein the processor varies said at least one of the predetermined yarn feed profiles from the base yarn feed value to achieve a desired feed length for each yarn of the plurality of yarns.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor repeats steps (i) and (ii) for each predetermined yarn feed profile until the feed length of yarn per pattern repeat is substantially the same for the plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of variation from the base yarn feed value is less than 0.3 inches.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of variation from the base yarn feed value is less than 0.2 inches.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of variation from the base yarn feed value is less than 0.1 inches.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of variation from the base yarn feed value is less than 0.05 inches.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of variation from the base yarn feed value can be a positive or negative variation in yarn feed length from the base yarn feed value.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising drawing the plurality of yarns from the source of yarns at a substantially constant yarn feed rate.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the yarn feed rate can selectively be less than, equal to, or greater than an average feed control rate of the plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a drive roll is positioned between the source of yarns and the plurality of yarn feed motors to draw the plurality of yarns from the source of yarns.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising feeding each yarn through a yarn accumulator system that is in communication with the source of yarns.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the yarn accumulator system is disposed between the source of yarns and the plurality of yarn feed motors and comprises a plurality of weight elements; further comprising allowing for the free passage of one respective yarn therethrough one respective weight element.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor is in communication with a memory, wherein the memory stores a software application that, when executed, determines the variation of said at least one predetermined yarn feed profile from the base yarn feed value for said at least one stitch of the yarn for each pattern repeat.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processor is connected to a user interface that is configured to transmit and receive information related to the variation of said at least one predetermined yarn feed profile from the base yarn feed value for said at least one stitch of the yarn for each pattern repeat.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user interface comprises a display.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of predetermined yarn feed profiles indicate, for each of the yarn feed controllers, the duration of activation of each respective yarn feed motor necessary to supply yarn to the backing material at a desired feed control rate.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein for each repeat of the programmed pattern, the feed length of yarn varies between each of the plurality of yarns by less than 5%.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein for each predetermined yarn feed profile, each stitch of the yarn for each pattern repeat has a low yarn feed value or a high yarn feed value that is greater than the low yarn feed value, and wherein the processor varies at least one of the predetermined yarn feed profiles from the low yarn feed value for at least one stitch of the yarn for each pattern repeat.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein for each predetermined yarn feed profile, each stitch of the yarn for each pattern repeat has a low yarn feed value or a high yarn feed value that is greater than the low yarn feed value, and wherein the processor varies at least one of the predetermined yarn feed profiles from the high yarn feed value for at least one stitch of the yarn for each pattern repeat.

Assignees

• Columbia Insurance Co

Inventors

• Vaughan Neil
• Honeycutt Mark

Classifications

• D05C15/18 Primary

  Thread feeding or tensioning arrangements · CPC title

• D05C15/26

  with provision for producing patterns · CPC title

• D05B19/08

  Arrangements for inputting stitch or pattern data to memory {; Editing stitch or pattern data} · CPC title

• D05C5/04 Primary

  by input of recorded information, e.g. on perforated tape · CPC title