Automated garment manufacturing using adhesive bonding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11963564-B2
Application number	US-202117535464-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2021
Priority date	Nov 24, 2020
Publication date	Apr 23, 2024
Grant date	Apr 23, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods are described that provide for automated manufacturing of garments using cutting, folding tools and adhesive dispensers operating on continuous webs of fabric webs to manufacture garments in an efficient manner while improving quality and overcoming material handling issues resulting from the properties of fabrics.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for automated manufacturing of apparel, the system comprising:
a fabric dispenser operable to dispense a first web of fabric and a second web of fabric, the first web of fabric forming a front of an apparel and the second web of fabric forming a back of the apparel;
an adhesive dispenser configured to apply discrete non-contiguous adhesive masses to the first web of fabric, wherein the discrete non-contiguous adhesive masses are deposited along a trajectory corresponding to side seams and shoulder seams of the apparel located on the first web of fabric;
one or more presses operable to join the first web and the second web along the side seams and the shoulder seams of the apparel;
a cutting tool operable to make partial cuts to the first web of fabric along lines corresponding to a neck hole, bottom hem, and arm holes of the apparel located on the first web of fabric, the cutting tool further configured to cut the apparel out of a joined first web and second web of fabric by cutting along the side seams of the first web of fabric and the second web of fabric and cutting the bottom hem, the neck hole, and the arm holes on the second web of fabric; and
a folding tool for folding the first web or the second web, wherein the folding tool is mounted on a gantry which is operable to move the folding tool to select fold areas of at least one of the first web and the second web to fold the at least one of the first web and the second web.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more presses apply one of pressure, temperature and moisture to the apparel at least along the trajectory corresponding to the side seams and the shoulder seams of the apparel.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more presses are roller presses.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein application of pressure, temperature, and moisture partially or fully cures the discrete non-contiguous adhesive masses.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive dispenser is configured to apply the discrete non-contiguous adhesive masses shaped as one or more of: sphere, non-spherical shape and ellipses.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive dispenser is configured to apply the discrete non-contiguous adhesive masses along a path selected from the group consisting of: single line, two or more parallel lines, zig zag and serpentine lines.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cutting tool includes at least one or more cutting device selected from the group consisting of a mechanical knife, a laser cutter, a plasma cutter, a water jet cutter, and an ultrasonic cutter.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the folding tool is configured to form a double lap seam by folding a portion of the second web of fabric.

9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a frame moveably coupled to the first web of fabric and the second web of fabric;
a head carrier moveable relative to the frame; and
at least one of the cutting tool, the adhesive dispenser, the one or more presses and the folding tool moveably attached to the head carrier and operable on the first web of fabric and the second web of fabric.

10. A system for automated manufacturing of garments, the system comprising:
an adhesive dispenser configured to apply discrete non-contiguous adhesive masses to at least one of a first web of fabric and a second web of fabric;
presses configured to direct the first web and the second web into contact after the discrete non-contiguous adhesive masses have been applied to form a seam of a joined garment;
a first heater configured to apply heat to the seam;
a cutting tool configured to free the joined garment from the first web and the second web to form a detached garment, wherein the first web of fabric forming a front of an apparel and the second web of fabric forming a back of the apparel,
wherein the cutting tool is operable to make partial cuts to the first web of fabric along lines corresponding to a neck hole, bottom hem, and arm holes of the apparel located on the first web of fabric, the cutting tool further operable to make second partial cuts to the apparel out of a joined first web and second web of fabric by cutting along the bottom hem, the neck hole, and the arm holes located on the second web of fabric;

a frame moveably coupled to the first web of fabric and the second web of fabric;
a head carrier moveable relative to the frame; and
the presses are moveably attached to the head carrier and operable on the first web of fabric and the second web of fabric.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a second heater configured to apply heat to the discrete non-contiguous adhesive masses prior to forming the seam.

12. A system for manufacturing of garments, the system comprising:
one or more motors operable to convey in a synchronous manner a first web and a second web through different manufacturing operation stages, wherein the first web and the second web remain in sync at each manufacturing operation stage, and wherein each of the first web and the second web are dispensed from a respective fabric roll;
at least one adhesive dispenser for applying non-contiguous drops of adhesive to at least part of the at least one of the first web and the second web, wherein the at least one adhesive dispenser is operable to move and dispense the adhesive within a plane of at least one of the first web and the second web;
a cutter operable to cut select areas of at least one of the first web and the second web to produce cut areas, wherein the cut areas correspond to one or more openings in a partially manufactured garment, each opening operable to accommodate a body part to pass through the cut areas;
a folding tool for folding the first web or the second web, wherein the folding tool is mounted on a gantry which is operable to move the folding tool to select fold areas of at least one of the first web and the second web to fold the at least one of the first web and the second web; and
a press operable to press the first web and the second web to form the partially manufactured garment, and wherein the press activates at least some of the non-contiguous drops of the adhesive to adhere first parts of the first web to second parts of the second web, to form the partially manufactured garment.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising a third web moving in sync with at least one of the first web and the second web, the third web is operable to dispense pockets, zippers, and seam material.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein conveying of the first web and the second web is synchronized using at least one of an indexing mechanism selected from the group consisting of indexing using invisible markings, indexing using visible markings, indexing using washable markings, indexing using perforations in the first web or the second web, and indexing using step motors.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein an adhesive deposition recipe is adjusted based on properties selected from the group consisting of fabric type, fabric weight, fabric color, garment design, garment type, adhesive deposition pattern and adhesive type.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein a cut recipe is adjusted based on properties selected from the group consisting of adhesive line width and adhesive dispensing pattern.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein a protective insert is used between the first web and the second web during a cutting operation of a layer while protecting another layer.

18. A method of manufacturing an apparel comprising:
unwinding a first web of fabric fro

Assignees

• CreateMe Technologies LLC
• Createme Tech Inc

Inventors

• Thammasouk Khamvong
• Li Yongqiang
• Jung Jinhwa
• Waller Iv Benjamin R
• Li Heng
• Stern Brett Jason

Classifications

• A41D27/245 Primary

  made by welding or gluing (joining of plastics by welding or gluing B29C65/00; sewing machines for concurrently making thread and welded seams D05B17/00; thermal or chemical fixing of seams and hems D06M) · CPC title

• A41D27/10

  Sleeves; Armholes · CPC title

• A41H43/0242

  Conveyors therefor · CPC title

• A41H43/0257

  Folding · CPC title

• B29C65/4825

  Pressure sensitive adhesives · CPC title