Sewing machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE50499-E
Application number	US-202217725033-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Apr 20, 2022
Priority date	Sep 27, 2017
Publication date	Jul 22, 2025
Grant date	Jul 22, 2025

Abstract

A sewing machine sews a sewing pattern on a work cloth. The sewing machine includes a storage portion configured to store pattern data used for sewing the sewing pattern on the work cloth, and a projector configured to project an image. The sewing machine generates, on the basis of the pattern data, a projection image that includes a pattern object and a peripheral object. The pattern object represents the sewing pattern. The peripheral object is disposed adjacent to an outer edge of the pattern object and surrounds the pattern object. The sewing machine controls the projector and projecting the generated projection image toward a top surface of a bed portion on which the work cloth is placed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sewing machine that sews a sewing pattern on a work cloth, the sewing machine comprising:
a storage portion configured to store memory that stores pattern data used for sewing the sewing pattern on the work cloth;
a projector configured to project an image;
a processor; and
a memory configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor processor programmed to perform processes comprising:
generating, on the a basis of the stored pattern data, a projection image that includes a pattern object representing the sewing pattern that will be sewn on the work cloth and a peripheral object, the pattern object representing the sewing pattern, that is not part of the sewing pattern and will not be sewn on the work cloth, the peripheral object being disposed adjacent to an outer edge of the pattern object and surrounding the pattern object; and
controlling the projector to project the generated projection image toward a top surface of a bed portion on which the work cloth is placed.

2. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform processes comprising:
extracting a contour portion that is the an outer edge portion of the pattern object; and
setting a border color that is a color of a border object that is adjacent to the extracted contour portion and that borders the pattern object, and

the peripheral object includes the border object having the set border color.

3. The sewing machine according to claim 2 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform a process comprising:
changing the border color of the border object included in the projection image, when the projection image is generated, and
the setting of the border color includes setting the changed color as the border color when the border color is changed.

4. The sewing machine according to claim 3 , further comprising:
an image capture portion configured to capture an image of the top surface of the bed portion,
wherein the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform processes comprising:
controlling the image capture portion to capture an image of the work cloth, which is placed on the top surface of the bed portion and onto which the projection image is projected by the projector; and
identifying a section including the projection image, in a the captured image, and

the changing of the border color includes changing the border color when the section including the projection image cannot be identified.

5. The sewing machine according to claim 4 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform a process comprising:
setting a border width that is a width of a the border object that is adjacent to the extracted contour portion and that borders the pattern object; and
changing the border width of the border object included in the projection image when the projection image is generated, and

the setting of the border width includes setting the changed width as the border width when the border width is changed.

6. The sewing machine according to claim 5 , wherein
the changing of the border width includes changing the border width to a width larger than that before the change when the section including the projection image cannot be identified.

7. The sewing machine according to claim 4 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform a process comprising:
extracting a boundary portion of an area partitioned by color, from each of the captured image and the projection image a portion of the captured image including a boundary and a portion of the projection image including a boundary, and

the identifying of the section including the projection image includes identifying the section including the projection image, in the captured image, by comparing the boundary portion extracted from the captured image and the boundary portion extracted from the projection image.

8. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform processes comprising:
extracting a contour portion that is the an outer edge portion of the pattern object; and
setting a border width that is a width of a border object that is adjacent to the extracted contour portion and that borders the pattern object; and

the peripheral object includes the border object having the set border width.

9. The sewing machine according to claim 8 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform a process comprising:
changing the border width of the border object included in the projection image when the projection image is generated, and

the setting of the border width includes setting the changed width as the border width when the border width is changed.

10. The sewing machine according to claim 9 , further comprising:
an image capture portion configured to capture an image of the top surface of the bed portion,
wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform processes comprising:
controlling the image capture portion to capture an image of the work cloth, which is placed on the top surface of the bed portion and onto which the projection image is projected by the projector; and
identifying a section including the projection image, in a the captured image, and

the changing of the border width includes changing the border width to a width larger than that border the change when the section including the projection image cannot be identified.

11. The sewing machine according to claim 10 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform a process comprising:
extracting a boundary portion of an area partitioned by color, from each of the captured image and the projection image a portion of the captured image including a boundary and a portion of the projection image including a boundary, and

the identifying of the section including the projection image includes identifying the section including the projection image, in the captured image, by comparing the boundary portion extracted from the captured image and the boundary portion extracted from the projection image in pixel units.

12. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the sewing pattern is a practical pattern in which a unit pattern is repeatedly sewn, the unit pattern being a pattern of a predetermined shape that is formed by a plurality of stitches,
the pattern data is data used to sew the single unit pattern forming the practical pattern, and
the generating of the projection image includes generating the projection image in which an object formed by the plurality of continuous single unit patterns is used as the pattern object.

13. The sewing machine according to claim 12 , wherein
the computer-readable instructions further instruct the processor is programmed to perform a process comprising:
changing a pattern color, which is a color of the pattern object included in the projection image, when the projection image is generated, and

the generating of the projection image includes generating the projection image including the pattern object having the changed pattern color when the pattern color is changed.

14. The sewing machine according to claim 1 , wherein
the sewing pattern is an

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Yamanashi Yoko

Classifications

• D05D2205/16

  Display arrangements · CPC title

• D05C9/22

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

• D05B19/08 Primary

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

• D05B19/10 Primary

  Arrangements for selecting combinations of stitch or pattern data from memory {; Handling data in order to control stitch format, e.g. size, direction, mirror image} · CPC title