Multi-needle sewing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11519114-B2
Application number	US-202117184340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2021
Priority date	Feb 28, 2020
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A multi-needle sewing machine includes a plurality of needle bars, a needle plate, a needle bar case, a needle bar drive mechanism, a needle bar case movement mechanism, a mounting portion, a frame movement mechanism, a processor, and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes. The processes include identification processing of identifying a position of the needle bar case in the arrangement direction, in accordance with detection of a retraction command causing the mounting portion to be moved to a retracted position, setting processing of setting the retracted position of the mounting portion on the basis of the identified position of the needle bar case in the arrangement direction, and movement processing of controlling the frame movement mechanism to move the mounting portion to the set retracted position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-needle sewing machine comprising:
a plurality of needle bars arranged in an arrangement direction intersecting an up-down direction, and on a lower end portion of each of which a sewing needle is mountable;
a needle plate including a needle hole through which the sewing needle is insertable;
a needle bar case configured to support the plurality of needle bars so as to be movable in the up-down direction;
a needle bar drive mechanism configured to drive, of the plurality of needle bars, a driven needle bar up and down, the driven needle bar being disposed in a driven position above the needle hole;
a needle bar case movement mechanism configured to move the needle bar case in the arrangement direction with respect to the needle hole, and dispose a predetermined one of the plurality of needle bars in the driven position;
a mounting portion on which an embroidery frame configured to hold a sewing object is detachably mountable;
a frame movement mechanism configured to move the mounting portion in two directions intersecting the up-down direction;
a processor configured to control the needle bar drive mechanism, the needle bar case movement mechanism, and the frame movement mechanism; and
a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
identification processing of identifying a position of the needle bar case in the arrangement direction, in accordance with detection of a retraction command causing the mounting portion to be moved to a retracted position;
setting processing of setting the retracted position of the mounting portion on the basis of the identified position of the needle bar case in the arrangement direction; and
movement processing of controlling the frame movement mechanism to move the mounting portion to the set retracted position.

2. The multi-needle sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the setting processing includes setting, as the retracted position, a position at which a mounting portion center is disposed on an arrangement center side with respect to the needle hole, the arrangement center side being, of the arrangement direction, a side on which a center of an interval between two of the needle bars on both ends, in the arrangement direction, of the plurality of needle bars is positioned with respect to the needle hole, the mounting portion center being a center in the arrangement direction of the mounting portion.

3. The multi-needle sewing machine according to claim 2 , wherein
the setting processing includes setting, as the retracted position, a position at which the mounting portion center is positioned on the arrangement center side with respect to the needle hole, and at which, in the arrangement direction, the longer a distance between the needle hole and the arrangement center, the longer a distance between the needle hole and the mounting portion center becomes.

4. The multi-needle sewing machine according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an arm portion extending in an extending direction orthogonal to the arrangement direction and the up-down direction, internally including the needle bar case movement mechanism and the needle bar drive mechanism, and configured to support the needle bar case to be movable in the arrangement direction, on a leading end portion of the arm portion in the extending direction, wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
executing size acquisition processing of acquiring a size of the embroidery frame mounted on the mounting portion, and

the setting processing includes setting, as the retracted position, a position at which, on the basis of the size of the embroidery frame acquired in the size acquisition processing, an end portion, in the arrangement direction, on the opposite side to the arrangement center side of the embroidery frame mounted on the mounting portion is further to the opposite side to the arrangement center side than an end portion on the opposite side to the arrangement center side of the leading end portion in the extending direction of the arm portion.

5. The multi-needle sewing machine according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an imaging device supported on the needle bar case, and disposed adjacent to the plurality of needle bars in the arrangement direction, wherein
the processor is configured to dispose the imaging device above the needle hole by controlling the needle bar case movement mechanism, and
when the position of the needle bar case with respect to the needle hole identified in the identification processing is the imaging position at which the imaging device is disposed above the needle hole, the setting processing includes setting, as the retracted position, a predetermined position at which the mounting portion center is disposed on the arrangement center side with respect to the needle hole.

6. The multi-needle sewing machine according to claim 2 , wherein
the memory further stores a correspondence relationship between the type of the embroidery frame and a sewing region in which sewing is possible,
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor to perform processes comprising:
region acquisition processing of acquiring the sewing region corresponding to the embroidery frame mounted on the mounting portion; and
determination processing of determining whether a needle drop position of the driven needle bar is included in the sewing region, when the mounting portion is moved to the retracted position set in the setting processing, and

when the needle drop position of the driven needle bar is not included in the sewing region in the determination processing, the setting processing includes setting the retracted position to a position at which the needle drop position of the driven needle bar is an end portion on an opposite side to the arrangement center side, with respect to the needle hole, of the sewing region.

7. The multi-needle sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the setting processing includes setting, as the retracted position, a position at which, of the arrangement direction, a frame center is disposed, with respect to the needle hole, on the arrangement center side, on which a center of an interval between two of the needle bars on both of ends, in the arrangement direction, of the plurality of needle bars is positioned with respect to the needle hole, the frame center being the center in the arrangement direction of the embroidery frame mounted on the mounting portion.

8. The multi-needle sewing machine according to claim 7 , wherein
the setting processing includes setting, as the retracted position, a position at which, in the arrangement direction, an end portion on the arrangement center side of the embroidery frame mounted on the mounting portion is further to the arrangement center side than the needle bar furthest to the arrangement center side, of the plurality of needle bars.

9. The multi-needle sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the memory further stores the retracted position of the mounting portion for each of a plurality of the positions, in the arrangement direction, to which the needle bar case is movable, and
the setting processing includes setting, as the retracted position, a position corresponding to the position of the needle bar case identified in the identification processing, from among the retracted positions stored in the memory.

10. The multi-needle sewing machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an operation portion configured to receive an operation from a user, wherein
the retraction command

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Yokoyama Aki

Classifications

• D05B55/14

  Needle-bar drives · CPC title

• D05C9/06 Primary

  Feeding arrangements therefor, e.g. influenced by patterns, operated by pantographs · CPC title

• D05C9/22

  Adjusting or registering devices for the base fabric, e.g. for alignment with respect to the needles · CPC title

• D05B69/24

  Applications of devices for indicating or ascertaining sewing-tool position · CPC title

• D05B55/10

  Needle bars for multiple-needle sewing machines · CPC title