Title of Invention | A MULTIPLE HEAD EMBROIDERY MACHINE |
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Abstract | The invention relates to a multi-head embroidery machine comprising a machine frame (1), having an upper supporting beam (3), extending in the longitudinal direction (B) of the machine frame (1), for a plurality of embroidery heads (9) carrying vertically moving needles (12), and a lower supporting beam (4), extending in parallel to the upper supporting beam (3), for a supporting plate (26), and a number of gripper units (18). The machine also comprises a drive system (14, 20) for the embroidery heads (9) and the gripper units (18) and a feed system (32) for an embroidery frame support (27) that can be displaced in the longitudinal and transverse direction (B, A). Both supporting beams (3, 4) are fastened to a plurality of retaining frames (2) that extend in the transverse direction (A) of the machine frame (1), are embodied in the form of bridges and are spaced apart from each other. The retaining frames, in the plane of the embroidery frame support (27), have an inside distance (C) that corresponds to the maximum transverse movement of embroidery frame support. |
Full Text | WO 2006/097182 A1 EMBROIDERY MACHINE The invention relates to an embroidery machine pertaining to the genre of multi-head embroidery machines according to the preamble of claim 1. The embroidery machines used industrially substantially comprise two types of machines, i.e. shuttle embroidery machines with horizontally moving needles for processing large-area, elongated pieces of material web and continuous material webs, and multi-head embroidery machines with vertically moving needles, these machines also being designated as gripper embroidery machines. They are used for processing cut material and for simultaneously embroidering a plurality of small single pieces of material. The fundamental structure of a multi-head embroidery machine can be deduced from DE 196 40 335 A1 . A machine frame has an elongated, horizontally running supporting beam for the arrangement of a plurality of embroidery heads and a lower supporting beam running parallel thereto at a distance for the arrangement of the associated gripper unit. The two supporting beams are fastened to two vertical support pillars located at the end. A supporting plate used to receive an embroidery frame is fastened to the lower supporting beam. The embroidery frame can be moved freely in two axes by a drive mechanism parallel to the plane of the supporting plate. This is used primarily for clamping the rectangular cut material to be embroidered or for receiving clamping devices for a plurality of single material pieces. The construction of a machine frame from two supporting beams held only at their two ends certainly allows a relatively simple design, but a machine frame constructed in such a manner tends in principle to exhibit resonance- - 2 - induced vibrations which are excited by vibrating or intermittently driven components and in this case in particular by the upward and downward moving needle bars of the embroidery heads. Such resonance-induced vibrations are all the stronger, the longer the portal support and the higher the speed at which the embroidery machine is operated. For this reason, limits are imposed on any increase in the number of embroidery heads and the related lengthening of the machine frame and also the increase in the machine speed. Numerous attempts have been made to reduce the tendency of embroidery machines to vibrate. For example, in the aforesaid DE 196 40 335 A1, measures were proposed to increase the bending resistance of the two supporting beams. Since the remaining parts of the machine frame are not influenced by this, the entire structure should not be made complex as a result. Another example is disclosed in Patent Abstracts of Japan 2000342876. An additional central fastening of the upper supporting beams is provided in a conventionally configured machine frame of a multi-head embroidery machine whereby vibrations should be reduced. In addition to increasing the performance of multi-head embroidery machines, it would also be desirable if their area of application could be extended such that longer cut material pieces or even continuous material webs could be embroidered. Appropriate attempts have also been made in this respect. For example, it has already been proposed to configure multi-head embroidery machines as disclosed in EP 1 185 729 B1 so that one or more material webs are guided through the embroidery machine in their longitudinal direction transversely to the row of embroidery heads, where the materials webs are drawn off from a retaining and unwinding device for the raw material located in front of the embroidery machine and after embroidery, are wound onto a retaining and winding device for the finished goods - 3 - located after the embroidery machine. However, this type of material feed is only suitable for embroidery work where the pattern motif is repeated over the width of the material web as in quilting work. However, it would be inappropriate for embroidering pattern motifs which run along the edges of the material web such as borders and which are repeated in the longitudinal direction of the material web because in this case only some of the embroidery heads could be used. It is thus the object of the invention to provide a multi- head embroidery machine in which firstly the machine performance can be enhanced and secondly the possible application with regard to different embroidery work can be increased. The object is achieved by the characterising features of claim 1. Since the retaining frames which serve as supporting and bearing elements for the supporting beams and are embodied in the form of bridges do not lie in the vertical plane of the two supporting beams like the conventional supporting pillars but run transversely thereto, they need not be arranged at the ends of the supporting beams like said support pillars but can be connected to the supporting beams at any point. Since it is also possible to arrange the retaining frames at a distance from the ends of the supporting beams, a low-vibration machine frame can thus be provided with only two retaining frames connected to the supporting beams at suitable points, the length of the supporting beams being given and unchanged. In the same way, the machine frame can be additionally stiffened by adding further retaining frames so that either the tendency of the machine frame to vibrate can be reduced still, further or the possibility of increasing the speed of the machine is provided. Another possibility for increasing the machine performance consists in lengthening the supporting beams by using additional retaining frames in order to - 4 - provide the embroidery machine with further embroidery heads and consequently be able to process a larger embroidery field. As a result of the transverse alignment of the bridge- shaped retaining frames and their large inside width measured in the transverse direction, the machine frame has a free passage space running in the longitudinal direction. For the first time in multi-head embroidery machines, this makes it possible for continuous material webs to be moved through the machine and processed completely unhindered in the longitudinal direction. In comparison, if continuous material webs were to be processed in conventional multi- head embroidery machines, in which the upper and the lower supporting beams are fastened to two support pillars arranged at the ends, the support pillars would stand in the way of the feed and removal of the material webs to and from the embroidery frame and the expansion on both sides of the embroidery frame. This would then have the result; that the sections of the material web adjacent to the embroidery frame would be displaced horizontally through the support pillars with respect to the section of the material web clamped in the embroidery frame whereby folding and warpage would form in the transition region between these sections in the material web. This would result in numerous disturbances and complications in the work sequence whose intensity would increase disproportionately with increasing width of the material web. Since the mutually spaced retaining frames do not impede the transverse access to the embroidery frame support and the embroidery frame optionally inserted therein, the usual- embroidery work on cut material and single pieces of material can be carried out as before without impairment. In this way, single pieces of cut material., smaller single pieces of material or continuous material webs can bo - 5 - embroidered on the multi-head embroidery machine according to the invention using all the embroidery heads, where the embroidery pattern can extend over the entire width of the embroidered material or in particular in the case of material webs, can run only along the edges of the material web in the manner of borders. DE 42 39 746 C2 and DE 42 41 200 A1 certainly disclose solutions for reducing the overall height of the machine frame and for simplifying the base in the machine genre of the shuttle embroidery machines, whereby the machine frame has a U-shaped open cross-section and is constructed of modular units which can be arranged in rows in the longitudinal direction. Since the supporting beams for the needle bars and thread feeders on the one hand and the supporting beams for the shuttles on the other hand lie opposite one another with a horizontal spacing and therefore simple longitudinal structures running in the vertical plane, comprising side stands and longitudinal supports, can be formed for supporting these supporting beams, and a continuous channel running in the vertical plane is formed between them for receiving the material for embroidery which also extends in the vertical plane, these proposed solutions cannot provide any suggestion for creating a machine frame for multi-head embroidery machines in which the supporting beam for the embroidery heads and the supporting beam for the gripper units and the horizontal supporting plate for the embroidery frame support are arranged above one another with vertical. spacing. As a result of the further development of the retaining frame according to claim 2, a holder which is closed in itself in an annular shape and is therefore particularly dimensionally stable is provided for the supporting beams. - 6 - In conventional multi-head embroidery machines, the drive system for the embroidery heads and the gripper units comprises a common drive device where the necessary synchronisation of the embroidery head drive shaft with the gripper drive shaft is provided by means of a toothed belt which runs in a vertical plane. However, such a toothed belt would cross the plane of extension of a material web to be fed to the embroidery frame or being worked upon and thus hinder its free expansion. Claim 3 is therefore proposed to solve this problem, whereby the conventional mechanical synchronisation is replaced by control technology or electronic synchronization known per se. The invention is explained in detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings. In the figures: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a multi-head embroidery machine during the processing of a continuous material web; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section from Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a clamping device for material webs; Fig. A is a schematic diagram of a multi-head embroidery machine during the processing of single pieces of cut material; Fig. 5 is an enlarged section from Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a retaining device for embroidery frames; Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a part of the multi- head embroidery machine where the supporting plate and the material for embroidery have been omitted for the sake of clarity; Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a part of the multi- head embroidery machine viewed from the back, where the supporting plate and the material for embroidery have also been omitted here for the sake of clarity. - 7 - In the multi-head embroidery machine shown in Figures 1 and 4, the machine frame 1 substantially consists of three retaining frames 2 which are arranged in the transverse direction A, are embodied in the form of bridges and are spaced apart from one another, as well as an upper supporting beam 3 and a lower supporting beam 4 which runs parallel thereto at a distance, both running in the longitudinal direction B. The retaining frames 2 consists of two vertical supports 5, an upper transverse support 6 and a lower transverse support 7 . Each of the upper transverse supports 6 has a downwardly directed intermediate piece 8. The upper supporting beam 3 is fastened to the lower end of the intermediate piece 8 so that this is at a distance from the underside of the upper transverse support 6. The lower supporting beam 4 on the other hand rests directly on the upper side of the lower transverse support 7 and is also firmly connected to said support. The inner sides of the vertical supports 5 facing one another have a mutual spacing which at the same time corresponds to the inside width C of the retaining frame 2. Fastened to the front side of the upper supporting beam 3 is a fairly large number of embroidery heads 9 which comprise in a known manner thread feeders 10, needle bars 11 each having a needle 12 and material pressing devices 13. A drive device 14 is provided for driving these machine parts, comprising a motor 15 disposed on the upper supporting beam 3 according to Fig. 7, a central embroidery head drive shaft 16 running through all the embroidery heads 9 and a belt drive 17 connecting the motor 15 and the shaft 16 one to the other. A number of gripper units 18 corresponding to the number of embroidery heads 9 is fastened on the lower supporting beam 4. The gripper units 18 each contain a gripper 19 (Fig. 7) - 8 - which cooperates with the needle 12 of the active needle bar 11 of the allocated embroidery head 9 to form sewing or embroidery stitches. A drive device 20 is used to drive the grippers 19, which according to Fig. 7 consists of a motor 21 located on the lower supporting beam 4, a central gripper drive shaft 22 running through all the gripper units 18 and a belt drive 23 connecting the motor 21 and the shaft 22 one to the other. The motor 15 associated with the embroidery heads 9 is speed-controlled in a manner known per se under the control of the machine controller which is not shown. The motor 21 used to drive the grippers 19 on the other hand is position-controlled in a likewise known manner, where the rotary rotation of the gripper drive shaft 22 is tracked to the rotary position of the embroidery head drive shaft 16. The information on the respective angular position of the two shafts 16, 22 required for this is communicated to the position controller by means of two rotary position sensors 24, 25 arranged at the ends of the two shafts 16, 22. A supporting plate 26 is fastened on the lower supporting beam 4 and receives an embroidery frame support 27 capable of being moved in the longitudinal direction B and the transverse direction A. The embroidery frame support 27 is composed of two longitudinal spars 28 and two transverse spars 29. The longitudinal and transverse spars 28, 29 each consist of a central plate 30 and two inwardly directed guide strips 31 formed on their longitudinal sides. The feed system 32 for the embroidery frame support 27 contains a plurality of U-shaped guide rails 33 which are fastened to the lower supporting beam 4 and run in the transverse direction A, and which are received in recesses of the supporting plate 26. For each of the two longitudinal spars 28, a carriage 34 is received in the guide rails 33 and is supported via a set: of guide rollers - 9 - 35 on the walls of the respective guide rail 33. Fastened to each carriage 34 is a further set of guide rollers 36 which protrudes above the upper side of the supporting plate 26 and according to Fig. 8 is received in one of the longitudinal spars 28 ar.d at the same time runs in its guide strips 31. Each carriage 34 is firmly connected to a toothed belt 37 which is guided via two rollers 38 located at the ends of the guide rail 33. The rear rollers 38 to be seen at the front in Fig. 8 are secured on a common shaft 39 which for its part is connected via a belt drive 40 to a drive motor 41. At one end of the machine frame 1, two U-shaped guide rails 43 running in the longitudinal direction B are fastened on a transverse support 42 located on the lower supporting beam 4. These guide rails 43 each receive a carriage 44 which is supported on a set of guide rollers 45 on the walls of the respective guide rail 43. A further set of guide rollers 48 is affixed to each of the two carriages 44, this being received in the associated transverse spar 29 of the embroidery frame support 27 and at the same time running in its guide strips 31. The two carriages 44 are firmly connected to a tocthed belt 47 which is guided via two rollers 48 located at the ends of the guide rails 43. The outer rollers 48 are affixed to a common shaft 49 which for its part is connected via a belt drive 50 to a drive motor 51. The embroidery frame support 27 can be moved in the transverse direction A by means of the drive motor 41, the maximum scope for movement of the embroidery frame support 27 and the inside width of the retaining frame 2 being matched to one another so that longitudinal spars 28 of the embroidery frame support 2" do not hit against the supports 5. The drive motor 51 is used for moving the embroidery frame support 27 in the longitudinal direction B, where the maximum scope for movement of the embroidery frame support - 10 - 27 corresponds to the centre-to-centre distance of two adjacent embroidery heads 9. A profile rail 52 extending over the entire length of these spars is affixed to the inner side of each of the longitudinal and transverse spars 28, 29. The profile rails 52 consists of a base plate 53, a rear vertical web 54, two strips 55, 56 bent in opposite directions in a hook shape and a substantially horizontally protruding clamping strip 57. The web 54 and the adjacent strip 55 form a channel 58 which is open at the top and the two strips 55, 56 form a guide channel 59 which is also open at the top but tapers in the manner of a slit. If cut pieces of material 60 are to be embroidered in the manner conventionally used in multi-head embroidery machines, according to Figures 4 to 6, a plurality of embroidery frames 61 are inserted in the embroidery frame support 27, said frames consisting of an outer frame 62 and an inner frame 63 in a known manner. Retaining arms 64 are attached to the outer frame 62. Clamping screws 65 are located at the free end of the retaining arms 64, each bearing a shaped piece 66 which can be inserted in the guide channels 59 of the profile rails 52. By tightening the clamping screws 65, the embroidery frames 61 are clamped firmly in the embroidery frame support 27. The insertion of the embroidery frames 61 and the subsequent clamping of the cut pieces of material 60 into the embroidery frames 61 and later removal therefrom i.s carried out in the usual manner from the front longitudinal side of the machine. Since the retaining frames 2 have a relatively large mutual spacing as shown in Figures 1 and 4, these present no hindrance for the operator when carrying out the aforesaid activities. - 11 - For the embroidery of material webs 67 as shown in Fig. 1, a retaining and unwinding device 68 for the raw material shown schematically is located on one side of the multi- head embroidery machine and a retaining and winding device 69 for the finished material likewise only shown schematically is located on the opposite side of the multi- head embroidery machine. The section of the material web 67 to be embroidered is drawn off by the operator from the retaining and unwinding device 68 and is pulled under the material pressing devices 13 of the embroidery heads 9 through onto the embroidery frame support 27 and the profile rails 52 located around this. The section of the material web 67 to be embroidered is now clamped firmly on the profile rails 52 with the aid of a plurality of spring clasps 70 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These spring clasps 70 consist of a flat, horizontal central part 71, a substantially vertically downwardly bent rear arm 72, an inwardly bent front arm 73 and a handle 74 affixed to the central part 71. The section of the material web 67 to be embroidered is clamped around on the profile rails 52 of the longitudinal and transverse spars 28, 29, whereby the relevant section of the material web 67 is initially clamped between the inwardly bent arm 73 of one spring clasp 70 and the substantially horizontally protruding clamping strip 57 of the associated profile rail 52 and then between the downwardly projecting arm 72 and the rear strip 55. In this case, the embroidery frame support 27 with the profile rails 52 thus fulfils the function of an embroidery frame which directly receives the material web 67 . Since the material frame 1 has a free passage space running in the longitudinal direction 3 as a result, of the inside width C of the retaining frame, the operator can place the material web 67 on the embroidery frame support; 27 completely unhindered and firmly clamp the section of the - 12 - material web 67 to be embroidered on the profile rails 52 of the embroidery frame support 27 free from offset. In this way, continuous material webs 67 can be embroidered without any restriction on the multi-head embroidery machine according to the invention using all the embroidery heads 9, in which case the embroidery pattern can extend as desired over the entire width of the material web 67 or can merely run along the edges of the material web in the manner of borders. -13- WO 2006/097182 A1 CLAIMS 1. A multi-head embroidery machine comprising a machine frame (1), comprising an upper supporting beam (3) extending in the longitudinal direction (B) of the machine frame (1) for a plurality of embroidery heads (9) carrying vertically movable needles (12) and a lower supporting beam (4) extending in parallel to the upper supporting beam (3) for a supporting plate (26) and a number of gripper units (18), comprising a drive system (14, 20) for the embroidery heads (9) and the gripper units (18) and comprising a feed system (32) for an embroidery frame support (27) which rests on the supporting plate (26) and can be moved in the longitudinal and transverse direction (B, A), characterised in that the upper and lower supporting beams (3, 4) are fastened to a plurality of retaining frames (2) which extend in the transverse direction (A) of the machine frame (1), are embodied in the form of bridges and are spaced apart from one another, which have an inside width (C) corresponding to the maximum transverse movement of the embroidery frame support (27) at least in the plane of the embroidery frame support (27). 2. The multi-head embroidery machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the retaining frames (2) consist of an upper transverse support (6) for the upper supporting beam (3) and a lower transverse support (7) for the lower supporting beam (4) and two vertical supports (5) joining the upper and lower transverse supports (6, 7) to one another, wherein the upper transverse support (6) is connected to the upper supporting beam (3) via an intermediate piece (8) . 3. The multi-head embroidery machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the drive system comprises -l4- a dedicated drive device (14) for the embroidery head (9) and a dedicated drive device (20) for the gripper units (18), wherein one of the two drive devices (14) is speed-regulated and the other drive device (20) is synchronized with the first drive device (14) by means of a position control. The invention relates to a multi-head embroidery machine comprising a machine frame (1), having an upper supporting beam (3), extending in the longitudinal direction (B) of the machine frame (1), for a plurality of embroidery heads (9) carrying vertically moving needles (12), and a lower supporting beam (4), extending in parallel to the upper supporting beam (3), for a supporting plate (26), and a number of gripper units (18). The machine also comprises a drive system (14, 20) for the embroidery heads (9) and the gripper units (18) and a feed system (32) for an embroidery frame support (27) that can be displaced in the longitudinal and transverse direction (B, A). Both supporting beams (3, 4) are fastened to a plurality of retaining frames (2) that extend in the transverse direction (A) of the machine frame (1), are embodied in the form of bridges and are spaced apart from each other. The retaining frames, in the plane of the embroidery frame support (27), have an inside distance (C) that corresponds to the maximum transverse movement of embroidery frame support. |
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03908-kolnp-2007-correspondence others 1.1.pdf
03908-kolnp-2007-correspondence others.pdf
03908-kolnp-2007-description complete.pdf
03908-kolnp-2007-international exm report.pdf
03908-kolnp-2007-international publication.pdf
03908-kolnp-2007-international search report.pdf
3771-KOLNP-2009-(31-07-2013)-OTHERS.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-ABSTRACT.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-ANNEXURE TO FORM 3.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-CLAIMS.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-DRAWINGS.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-ENGLISH TRANSLATION.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-FORM-1.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-FORM-2.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-OTHERS.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-PETITION UNER RULE 137.pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-PETITION UNER SECTION 8(1).pdf
3908-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 1.2.pdf
Patent Number | 259899 | |||||||||
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Indian Patent Application Number | 3908/KOLNP/2007 | |||||||||
PG Journal Number | 14/2014 | |||||||||
Publication Date | 04-Apr-2014 | |||||||||
Grant Date | 28-Mar-2014 | |||||||||
Date of Filing | 12-Oct-2007 | |||||||||
Name of Patentee | MULLER, THOMAS | |||||||||
Applicant Address | WOLFSGASSE 4, 67744 MEDARD | |||||||||
Inventors:
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PCT International Classification Number | D05B 75/00 | |||||||||
PCT International Application Number | PCT/EP2006/001596 | |||||||||
PCT International Filing date | 2006-02-22 | |||||||||
PCT Conventions:
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