Control system for sewing machine

Claim 2

In a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle for stitching material advanced in a feed direction and controls for operating the sewing machine, the improvement which comprises: means for counting the number of stitches being sewn in a seam; means mounted in spaced relationship with said needle for detecting a material edge following a seam; processing means responsive to said material detect- tion means and said stitch counting means for generating first and second output signals, said first output signal stopping said sewing machine a variable preprogrammed number of stitches after detection of the edge of said material; and means responsive to said second output signal for performing control of the sewing machine.

Claim 3

The sewing machine of Claim 1, wherein said edge detection means comprises at least one on/off sensor mounted ahead of said needle in a direction opposite the material feed direction.

Claim 4

The sewing machine of Claim 1, wherein said edge detection means comprises a pair of on/off sensors mounted in mutually spaced relationship ahead of said needle in a direction opposite the material feed direction.

Claim 5

The sewing machine of Claim 1, wherein said edge detection means comprises a lamp/photosensor and reflector mounted in vertically spaced realtionship ahead of said needle in a direction opposite the material feed direction.

Claim 6

The sewing machine of Claim 1 wherein said edge detection means comprises an infrared emitter and sensor mounted in vertically spaced relationship ahead of said needle in a direction opposite the material feed direction.

Claim 7

The sewing machine of Claim 1, wherein said processing and memory means is responsive to a preprogrammed total stitch count beyond said preprogrammed range of stitch counts to generate a signal stopping said sewing machine by said total stitch count.

Claim 8

In semiautomatic sewing system including a sewing machine with a reciprocable needle for stitching material advanced in a feed direction and controls for operating said sewing machine, with means for counting stitches being sewn, and with sensors for detecting manipulation of the sewing machine controls, the improvement which comprises: means mounted in spaced relationship with said needle for detecting the material periphery following a seam; and a microprocessor controller with plural operational modes coupled to said sewing machine controls and responsive to said stitch counting means and said material detection means, said microprocessor controller in one mode being operable to record the operational sequence of said sewing machine controls as a function of stitch count and to compute the terminal number of stitches for each seam between detection of the material periphery and the end point of said seam; said microprocessor controller in another mode being responsive to said material detection means to operate said sewing machine controls and halt said sewing machine said terminal number of stitches after detection of the material periphery following each seam.

Claim 9

In semiautomatic sewing system including a sewing machine with a reciprocable needle for stitching material advanced in a feed direction and controls for operating said sewing machine, with means for counting stitches being sewn, and with sensors for detecting manipulation of the sewing machine controls, the improvement which comprises: means mounted in spaced relationship with said needle for detecting the material periphery following a seam; and a microprocessor controller with plural operational modes coupled to said sewing machine controls and responsive to said stitch counting means and said material detection means, said microprocessor controller in one mode being operable to record the operational sequence of said sewing machine controls as a function of stitch count and to compute the terminal number of stitches for each seam between detection of the material periphery and the end point of said seam; said microprocessor controller in another mode being responsive to said material detection means to operate said sewing machine controls and halt said sewing machine said terminal number of stitches after detection of the material periphery following each seam.

Claim 10

The semiautomatic sewing system of Claim 7, wherein said microprocessor controller in said other mode is responsive to said material detection means only during a preprogrammed range of stitch counts to avoid spurious signals.

Claim 11

The semiautomatic sewing system of Claim 7, further including: means for selectively controlling the acceleration and deceleration rates of said needle in said other mode.

Claim 12

The semiauthomatic sewing system of Claim 7, further including: means for selectively controlling the maximum speed of said needle in said other mode.

Claim 13

A semiautomatic sewing system, comprising: a sewing machine; said sewing machine including a reciprocable needle for stitching a seam in material advanced along a feed direction, and controls for operating said sewing machine; auxiliary means for performing a predetermined function associated with operation of said sewing machine; means for counting stitches being sewn by said sewing machine; means mounted in spaced relationship with said needle for detecting the material periphery following a seam; a microprocessor controller responsive to said stitch counting means and said material detection means, and being coupled to said sewing machine controls and said auxiliary means; said microprocessor controller having plural operational modes, and being operable in one mode to record the operational sequence of said sewing machine controls as a function of stitch count and to compute the terminal number of stitches for each seam between detection of the material periphery and the end point of said seam; said microprocessor controller in said one mode being further operable to record the operational sequence of said auxiliary means as a function of stitch count; said microprocessor controller in another mode being responsive to said material detection means to operate said sewing machine controls and halt said sewing machine controls and halt said sewing machine said terminal number of stitches after detection of the material periphery following the seam; and said microprocessor controller in said other mode further being operable to control said auxiliary means.

Claim 14

A semiautomatic sewing system, comprising: a sewing machine; said sewing machine including a reciprocable needle for stitching a seam in material advanced along a feed direction, and controls for operating said sewing machine; auxiliary means for performing a predetermined function associated with operation of said sewing machine; means for counting stitches being sewn by said sewing machine; means mounted in spaced relationship with said needle for detecting the material periphery following a seam; a microprocessor controller responsive to said stitch counting means and said material detection means, and being coupled to said sewing machine controls and said auxiliary means; said microprocessor controller having plural operational modes, and being operable in one mode to record the operational sequence of said sewing machine controls as a function of stitch count and to compute the terminal number of stitches for each seam between detection of the material periphery and the end point of said seam; said microprocessor controller in said one mode being further operable to record the operational sequence of said auxiliary means as a function of stitch count; said microprocessor controller in another mode being responsive to said material detection means to operate said sewing machine controls and halt said sewing machine controls and halt said sewing machine said terminal number of stitches after detection of the material periphery following the seam; and said microprocessor controller in said other mode further being operable to control said auxiliary means.

Claim 15

The semiautomatic sewing system of Claim 11, wherein said sewing machine includes a second reciprocable needle and throw-out mechanisms for selectively controlling said needles, and wherein said auxiliary means comprises: actuators coupled to the throw-out mechanisms of said sewing machine needles.

Claim 16

The semiautomatic sewing system of Claim 11, further including: means for commanding said sewing machine to sew a single stitch in said one mode and thereby incrementing the stitch count stored in said microprocessor controller.

Claim 19

The method of Claim 14, wherein the step of controlling auxiliary devices is carried out by: manufally operating said sewing machine and each auxiliary device to sew seams on a similar piece of material; sensing manual operation of said auxiliary device to generate control input signals; storing the control input signals of said auxiliary devices as a function of stitch count; generating subsequent control output signals for said auxiliary devices responsive to stitch count.

Claim 20

In a semi-automatic sewing system including a sewing machine with a reciprocal needle for stitching material advanced in a feed direction and controls for operating said sewing machine, with means for counting stitches being sewn and with sensors for detecting manipulation of the sewing machine controls, the improvement which comprises: means mounted in spaced relationship with said needle for sensing the material periphery following a seam; and a microprocessor controller with plural operational modes coupled to said sewing machine controls and responsive to said stitch counting means and said material sensing means; said microprocessor controller in one mode being operable to record for each seam the operational input sequence of said sewing machine controls as a function of stitch count, the sewing speed for each stitch sewn, the toggle history of said material sensing means, and an adaptive number of terminal stitches between detection of the material periphery by said material sensing means and the endpoint of said seam; said microprocessor controller in another mode being operable to generate output control signals for said sewing machine to initiate countdown of said adaptive number of terminal stitches upon detection of the material periphery by said material detection means and upon correspondence of the sensed and stored sensor toggle histories for each seam.

Claim 21

In a semi-automatic sewing system including a sewing machine with a reciprocal needle for stitching material advanced in a feed direction and controls for operating said sewing machine, with means for counting stitches being sewn and with sensors for detecting manipulation of the sewing machine controls, the improvement which comprises: means mounted in spaced relationship with said needle for sensing the material periphery following a seam; and a microprocessor controller with plural operational modes coupled to said sewing machine controls and responsive to said stitch counting means and said material sensing means; said microprocessor controller in one mode being operable to record for each seam the operational input sequence of said sewing machine controls as a function of stitch count, the sewing speed for each stitch sewn, the toggle history of said material sensing means, and an adaptive number of terminal stitches between detection of the material periphery by said material sensing means and the endpoint of said seam; said microprocessor controller in another mode being operable to generate output control signals for said sewing machine to initiate countdown of said adaptive number of terminal stitches upon detection of the material periphery by said material detection means and upon correspondence of the sensed and stored sensor toggle histories for each seam.

Claim 22

The semi-automatic sewing system of Claim 1, wherein said material sensing means comprises at least one on/off sensor located ahead of said needle in a direction opposite the material feed direction.

Claim 23

The semi-automatic sewing system of Claim 1, wherein said material sensing means comprises an infrared emitter of variable output and an associated sensor located ahead of said needle in a direction opposite the material feed direction.

Claim 24

The semi-automatic sewing system of Claim 1, wherein said microprocessor controller in said other mode monitors the stitches sewn during deceleration of the sewing machine to a seam endpoint and adaptively adjusts the point at which deceleration is initiated in order to minimize the number of slow stitches at the end of each seam.

Claim 25

The semi-automatic sewing system according to Claim 4, wherein said microprocessor controller in said other mode further compares the adaptive number of stitches required to decelerate said sewing machine to a precise stop with the number of stitches remaining to be sewn in the seam and utilizes, as a basis for terminating the seam, the last toggle point of said material sensing means which provides a sufficient number of stitches to decelerate and halt said sewing machine.

Claim 26

The semi-automatic sewing system of Claim 1, further including: means for substantially continuously sensing the position of the reciprocal needle of said sewing machine; ' said microprocessor controller being responsive to said needle position sensing means, and being further operable in said one mode to record the point in the relevant needle reciprocation at which each toggle of said material sensing means occurs; and said microprocessor controller being further operable in said other mode to adaptively adjust said terminal number of stiches for each seam in accordance with the sensed point in the relevant needle reciprocation at which the seam-termination toggle of said mterial sensing means occurs in order to improve seam length accuracy.

Claim 27

The semi-automatic sewing system according to Claim 6, wherein said microprocessor controller in said other mode further compensates for the type of material feed characteristics of said sewing machine.

Claim 28

A semi-automatic sewing system, comprising: a sewing machine; said sewing machine including a reciprocal needle for stitching a seam in material advanced along a feed direction, and controls for operating said sewing machine; means for driving said sewing machine; said driving means including a variable speed motor with a shaft, an electromagnetic brake mounted on the motor shaft, and means for sensing rotation and angular displacement of the motor shaft; means for counting stitches being sewn by said sewing machine; a sensor mounted in spaced relationship ahead of said sewing machine needle for detecting the material edge following a seam; a microprocessor controller operatively associated with said stitch counting means, sewing machine drive means, and sewing machine controls; said microprocessor controller having plural operational modes and being responsive to said material edge sensor and said motor shaft sensing means; said microprocessor controller being operable in one mode to record for each seam the operational sequence of said sewing machine controls as a function of stitch count, the sewing speed profile, and an adaptive number of terminal stitches between detection of the material edge by said sensor and the seam endpoint; and said microprocessor controller in another mode being operable to generate output signals for said sewing machine controls and the brake of said driving means to initiate countdown of said adaptive number of terminal stitches upon detection of the material edge by said sensor.

Claim 29

A semi-automatic sewing system, comprising: a sewing machine; said sewing machine including a reciprocal needle for stitching a seam in material advanced along a feed direction, and controls for operating said sewing machine; means for driving said sewing machine; said driving means including a variable speed motor with a shaft, an electromagnetic brake mounted on the motor shaft, and means for sensing rotation and angular displacement of the motor shaft; means for counting stitches being sewn by said sewing machine; a sensor mounted in spaced relationship ahead of said sewing machine needle for detecting the material edge following a seam; a microprocessor controller operatively associated with said stitch counting means, sewing machine drive means, and sewing machine controls; said microprocessor controller having plural operational modes and being responsive to said material edge sensor and said motor shaft sensing means; said microprocessor controller being operable in one mode to record for each seam the operational sequence of said sewing machine controls as a function of stitch count, the sewing speed profile, and an adaptive number of terminal stitches between detection of the material edge by said sensor and the seam endpoint; and said microprocessor controller in another mode being operable to generate output signals for said sewing machine controls and the brake of said driving means to initiate countdown of said adaptive number of terminal stitches upon detection of the material edge by said sensor.

Claim 32

The method according to Claim 9, wherein said initial piece of material is of different size than subsequent pieces of material.