Sewing assembly and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11807967-B2
Application number	US-202117239578-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2021
Priority date	Apr 24, 2020
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

A sewing assembly to make a seam along a determined path on a surface of a part. The sewing assembly includes a mask adapted to be fixed to the part and a sewing machine, the mask having a guide groove adapted to be superimposed on the path. The sewing machine includes a base and a head. The head has at least one needle, a part support foot and a guide, the guide including a front guide and a rear guide arranged to interact with the mask and spaced apart from each other along the guide groove. The at least one needle and the support foot are engaged in the groove between the front guide and the rear guide.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sewing assembly for making a seam along a predetermined path on a surface of a part, the sewing assembly comprising a mask adapted to be attached to the part and a sewing machine, the mask being a sheet and having a longitudinally elongated guide groove formed through the sheet and adapted to be superimposed on said path, the sewing machine comprising:
a base; and
a head arranged above the base, the part fitted with the mask being adapted to be received between the base and the head with the mask turned towards the head, the head comprising at least one needle, a part support foot and a guide, the guide comprising a front guide and a rear guide arranged to interact with the mask, the front guide and the rear guide being separate components and longitudinally spaced apart from each other along the guide groove, the at least one needle and the support foot being engaged in the groove between the front guide and the rear guide.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the front guide and the rear guide are both engaged in the guide groove.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the groove has a determined transverse internal width, the front guide and the rear guide comprising respectively a front slide and a rear slide engaged in the guide groove and having an external width substantially equal to the internal width of the groove.

4. The assembly according to the claim 1 , wherein the head comprises two rods arranged on either side of the groove and connecting the front guide and the rear guide to each other, the two rods, the front guide and the rear guide together constituting a rigid frame.

5. The assembly according to the claim 1 , wherein the sewing machine comprises a mechanism for advancing the part comprising the support foot and a drive configured to bring the support foot to rest on the part and move the part longitudinally in a rear direction relative to the base.

6. The assembly according to the claim 1 , wherein the sewing machine comprises at least one roller for pressing the part against the base, resting on the mask.

7. The assembly according to the claim 6 , wherein the sewing machine comprises two pressure rollers for pressing the part against the base, resting on the mask, the two pressure rollers being arranged transversely on either side of the groove.

8. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the head comprises a chassis, the front guide and the rear guide being integral with the chassis of the head, the chassis being connected to an axis of the sewing machine, the support foot being movable relative to the chassis for advancing the part.

9. The assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the support foot is movable relative to the front guide and the rear guide for advancing the part relative to the front guide and the rear guide, the front guide and the rear guide cooperating with the guide groove to guide displacement of the part in relation to the chassis.

10. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each of the front guide and the rear guide has a T-shape comprising a horizontal leg and a slide extending downward from a central portion of the horizontal leg.

11. The assembly according to claim 10 , wherein end portions of the horizontal leg project horizontally on either side of the slide, the end portions resting on edges of the guide groove when the front and rear guides are engaged in the guide groove.

12. The assembly according to the claim 1 , wherein the sewing machine comprises two pressure rollers resting on the mask and arranged transversely on either side of the groove for pressing the part against the base.

13. A sewing method for sewing a seam along a predetermined path on a surface of a part, the sewing method comprising the following steps using the sewing assembly of claim 1 :
attaching the mask to the part;
placing the part fitted with the mask in the sewing machine between the base and the head with the mask turned towards the head, the front guide and the rear guide interacting with the mask and spaced apart from each other along the guide groove, the at least one needle and the part support foot being engaged in the guide groove between the front guide and the rear guide; and
moving the part and the mask relative to the base and sewing the seam with the at least one needle, the part being guided in its movement by interaction of the front guide and the rear guide with the mask.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the front guide and the rear guide are both engaged in the guide groove, the part being guided in its movement by interaction of the front guide and the rear guide with the guide groove.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the part and the mask are moved relative to the base by bringing the support foot into contact with the part and moving the part and the mask longitudinally in a rear direction relative to the base.

16. The method according to the claim 13 , wherein the part is pressed against the base by at least one pressure roller bearing on the mask.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the part is pressed against the base by two pressure rollers bearing on the mask, arranged transversely on either side of the groove.

18. The method according to the claim 13 , wherein the part comprises a substrate and a decorative layer covering the substrate and defining said surface.

19. A sewing assembly for making a seam along a predetermined path on a surface of a part, the sewing assembly comprising a mask adapted to be attached to the part and a sewing machine, the mask being a sheet and having a longitudinally elongated guide groove formed through the sheet and adapted to be superimposed on said path, the sewing machine comprising:
a base; and
a head arranged above the base, the part fitted with the mask being adapted to be received between the base and the head with the mask turned towards the head, the head comprising at least one needle, a part support foot and a guide, the guide comprising a front guide and a rear guide arranged to interact with the mask and spaced apart from each other along the guide groove, the at least one needle and the support foot being engaged in the groove between the front guide and the rear guide,
wherein the head comprises two rods arranged on either side of the groove and connecting the front guide and the rear guide to each other, the two rods, the front guide, and the rear guide together constituting a rigid frame.

Assignees

• Faurecia Interieur Ind

Inventors

• Beyou Régis
• Medina Galarza Juan
• Soriano Ponce Juan

Classifications

• D05B35/02 Primary

  for facilitating seaming; Hem-turning elements; Hemmers {(D05B35/062 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• D05B35/107 Primary

  Fixed or adjustable pin holding the work, e.g. for circular or spiral stitching · CPC title

• D05B39/00 Primary

  Workpiece carriers (for automatically controlling movement of work-carrier to obtain particular configuration of seam D05B21/00; in general A41H15/00) · CPC title

• D05B31/00

  Workpiece holders or hold-downs in machines for sewing leather · CPC title