Cutting needle rotation device and sewing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9303345-B2
Application number	US-201414196921-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2014
Priority date	Mar 29, 2013
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

A cutting needle rotation device includes a mounting portion, a first member, a moving member, and a rotation mechanism. The mounting portion is removably mounted on a needle bar of a sewing machine. The first member is a member to which a cutting needle is affixed. The moving member is positioned in a first position when the moving member does not receive an external force and moves to a second position when the moving member receives an external force. The rotation mechanism, when the moving member is in the first position, holds the first member such that the cutting needle does not rotate, and when the moving member moves from the first position to the second position and returns from the second position to the first position, rotates the first member such that the cutting needle rotates by a specified angle of rotation in one direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cutting needle rotation device, comprising:
a mounting portion that is removably mounted on a needle bar of a sewing machine;
a first member that is a member to which a cutting needle is affixed at an opposite end of the first member from the mounting portion, wherein the cutting needle is provided with a cutting edge;
a moving member that is positioned in a first position when the moving member does not receive an external force and that moves to a second position when the moving member receives an external force; and
a rotation mechanism that, when the moving member is in the first position, holds the first member such that the cutting needle does not rotate about an axis of the cutting needle, and that, when the moving member moves from the first position to the second position and returns from the second position to the first position, rotates the first member such that the cutting needle rotates about the axis of the cutting needle axis by a specified angle of rotation in one direction.

2. The cutting needle rotation device according to claim 1 , wherein
the rotation mechanism is provided with the first member, a second member, a third member, a cover member, and an elastic member,
the first member is formed into a cylindrical shape, and is provided with a needle anchoring portion, a first cam, and a first projecting portion,
the needle anchoring portion is provided on one end and is a portion where a base end of the cutting needle is affixed,
the first cam is provided on the other end,
the first projecting portion is provided on an outer circumferential face of the first member,
the second member is formed into a cylindrical shape, and is provided with a second cam that comes into contact with the first cam, and a second projecting portion on an outer circumferential face of the second member,
the third member is formed from a cylinder that has an open portion on one end, with the other end being closed, and is provided with a plurality of recessed portions on an inner circumferential face of the third member,
a guide opening on an outer circumferential face of the third member, and the mounting portion at the other end, and accommodates the first member and the second member inside the cylinder,
the plurality of the recessed portions are provided at specified intervals, with a specified length parallel to the axial direction of the cylinder, with each one of the recessed portions being capable of holding the first projecting portion such that the first projecting portion does not rotate,
the guide opening has a specified length parallel to the axial direction of the cylinder and guides the moving member such that the moving member is capable of moving parallel to the axial direction of the cylinder, with at least a tip of the moving member being exposed,
the cover member is provided with an affixing portion by which the cover member is affixed to the open portion of the third member, thereby closing the open portion, and is provided with a through-hole through which the cutting needle passes, and
the elastic member is accommodated inside the third member, is provided between the cover member and the first member, and energizes the first member toward the mounting portion, together with the second member.

3. A sewing machine comprising:
a cutting needle rotation device that includes a mounting portion that is removably mounted on a needle bar of the sewing machine;
a first member that is a member to which a cutting needle is affixed at an opposite end of the first member from the mounting portion, the cutting needle being provided with a cutting edge;
a moving member that is positioned in a first position when the moving member does not receive an external force and that moves to a second position when the moving member receives an external force; and
a rotation mechanism that, when the moving member is in the first position, holds the first member such that the cutting needle does not rotate about an axis of the cutting needle, and that, when the moving member moves from the first position to the second position and returns from the second position to the first position, rotates the first member such that the cutting needle rotates about the axis of the cutting needle axis by a specified angle of rotation in one direction.

4. The sewing machine according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a threading device that is provided with a threading member and an actuator, wherein
the threading member is configured to pass a thread through an eye of a sewing needle that is removably mounted on a needle bar, and is supported such that the threading member is capable of moving between an upper standby position and a lower threading position, and
the actuator is configured to move the threading member between the upper standby position and the lower threading position;

a processor; and
a memory storing computer-readable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, perform processes comprising:
an acquiring operation acquiring cutting data for cutting of a cloth by the cutting needle; and
a controlling operation controlling, in a state in which the cutting needle rotation device is mounted on the needle bar such that the tip of the moving member is opposite the threading member, the actuator based on data for an angle direction of the cutting needle that is included in the acquired cutting data, and such that:
(i) the actuator moves the threading member to come into contact with the tip of the moving member for moving the moving member from the first position to the second position, and
(ii) the actuator moves the threading member to move away from the tip of the moving member for returning the moving member from the second position to the first position, thereby rotating the cutting needle.

Assignees

• Hasegawa Katsuhisa
• Magara Midori
• Sekine Kiyokazu
• Kato Harumi
• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Hasegawa Katsuhisa
• Magara Midori
• Sekine Kiyokazu
• Kato Harumi

Classifications

• D05B37/08 Primary

  with rotatable tools · CPC title

• D05B19/14

  Control of needle movement, e.g. varying amplitude or period of needle movement · CPC title