Multi-story lifting table for providing at least two sewing material holders for a sewing system

Abstract

A multi-story lifting table (20) is used to provide at least two sewing material holders for a sewing system. The multi-story lifting table (20) has a lifting-table frame and two table panels (27, 28) for supporting the sewing material holders, the table panels being disposed one above the other in the manner of stories and being fixedly interconnected. Two roller-conveyor pairs (54, 55) can be moved reciprocatingly by means of a roller-conveyor reciprocating drive between a lowered panel position and a panel position which is raised in comparison with the lowered panel position. In the lowered panel position, roller planes of the roller-conveyor pairs (54, 55) lie below respective table-panel planes of the associated table panels (27, 28). In the raised panel position, the roller planes lie above the table-panel planes for the roller guiding of a movement of the sewing material holder from or into the associated support position on the table panel (27, 28). For the reciprocating movement of the table panels (27, 28) relative to the lifting-table frame (41), a panel lifting drive is used. The result is a multi-story lifting table by means of which a sewing material throughput of the sewing system is increased.

Description

[0001] Tiered lifting table for providing at least two sewing material holders for a sewing machine

[0002] This patent application claims priority from German patent application DE 10 2022 206 255.8, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The invention relates to a tiered lifting table for providing at least two sewing material holders for a sewing system.

[0004] A feed table for providing a fabric holder for a sewing system is known on the market. Such a feed table is used to load a fabric holder with fabric or to remove sewn fabric from a fabric holder. DE 23 18 189 A1 discloses a device for removing and depositing flat parts, in particular textile parts. WO 2018 / 202898 A1 discloses a system for ironing and sewing pockets onto a fabric piece. US 4,708,073 discloses a method for processing fabric pieces as part of a cutting and sewing process. DE 37 34 659 A1 discloses a method and a device for producing multi-layered individual pieces of clothing. DE 35 22 498 A1 discloses a device for guiding textile workpieces. DE 2 102 610 A1 discloses a device for aligning and holding together superimposed fabric pieces.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to further develop such a feed table in such a way that the sewing material throughput of the sewing system is increased. This object is achieved according to the invention by a tiered lifting table with the features specified in claim 1.

[0006] According to the invention, it was recognized that a design of a tiered lifting table with several table tops arranged one above the other in tiers, which can be moved in terms of stroke, as well as pairs of roller conveyors that can be moved independently of them, makes it possible to carry out an exchange between two material holders in a substantially automated manner, so that one of the material holders can be loaded or unloaded while the other material holder is being sewn in the sewing system. This significantly reduces downtime of the sewing system compared to a situation where the sewing system is stationary while the material holder is being loaded. With the plate lifting drive, the table top level of a selected table top can be brought into a lifting position aligned with a worktop level of a worktop of the sewing system, which makes it easier to change the material holder between the table top and the worktop. The lifting drives can be designed as linear drives and / or as lifting cylinders.The roller conveyor lifting drive can be used to move to the various plate positions of the roller conveyor pairs. The roller conveyor lifting drive can be designed independently of the plate lifting drive. The upper fabric holder position can be used to load the fabric holder with fabric to be sewn and / or to remove sewn fabric from the fabric holder.

[0007] An additional displaceability of at least the uppermost pair of roller conveyors according to claim 2 enables an additional workpiece holder receiving position, so that a total of at least three positions can be used for one workpiece holder each on a tiered lifting table with two tabletops: the two workpiece holder storage positions on the two tabletops and the additional workpiece holder receiving position. This facilitates workpiece holder logistics when changing between a finished workpiece holder and one to be sewn, or between a workpiece holder to be loaded and a loaded workpiece holder.

[0008] A tiered lifting table according to claim 3 leads to a further increase in the flexibility of the possible applications when changing between sewing material holders.

[0009] The distance increase in a roller conveyor lifting drive according to claim 4 enables the movement around a workpiece holder placed on the respective tabletop. The distance increase occurs transversely to the path direction of the roller conveyors of the roller conveyor pair. The distance increase can be achieved using one or more pneumatic cylinders. As an alternative to a linear distance increase, the distance increase can also be achieved by pivoting the roller conveyors.

[0010] A roller conveyor interruption and the use of additional support struts enabled by this increases the rigidity of the table top construction.

[0011] A further object of the invention is to provide a sewing system with which such a tiered lifting table can be used to advantage.

[0012] This object is achieved according to the invention by a sewing system having the features specified in claim 6. The material holder gripping device enables driven movement of the material holders between the multi-level lifting table and the worktop of the sewing system. Pins of the gripping device can be used as gripping tools, which engage in complementary bushings of the material holder. Alternatively or additionally, the gripping tool can also have bushings that interact with pins of the material holder.

[0013] In a gantry sewing machine design according to claim 7, the advantages of the multi-level lifting table and the material holder gripper are particularly effective. The gantry sewing machine can have a sewing work area with a width of more than 1 m, more than 1.5 m, more than 2 m, more than 2.5 m, and even more than 3 m.

[0014] A gripping bar of the material holder gripping device according to claim 8 leads to a stable and safe material holder gripping device.

[0015] An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which:

[0016] Fig. 1 Perspective view of a gantry sewing system for sewing material in a sewing work area with a width of more than 1 m including a tiered lifting table for receiving a plurality of sectional sewing material holders, which in turn serve to fix the sewing material to be sewn;

[0017] Fig. 2 is an end view of the sewing system according to viewing direction II in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a sectional material holder, which can be used in the sewing system according to Fig. 1, in a starting position also shown in Fig. 1, with already sewn material being fixed to the material holder in the form of a belt net, with two guide jaws of a guide slot for guiding a deflection movement of the material holder starting from the starting position also being shown;

[0018] Fig. 4 is a side view according to viewing direction IV in Fig. 3;

[0019] Fig. 5 to 8 instantaneous positions of the sectional material holder during the deflection movement in the guide direction of the guide link, wherein in each of the instantaneous positions a removal of the material is possible from the holding frame section of the material holder facing an operator;

[0020] Fig. 9 in a representation similar to Fig. 4 of a side view from viewing direction IX in Fig. 8 with the sewing material holder deflected to the maximum;

[0021] Fig. 10 shows a portal frame of the portal sewing machine with a sewing head with upper stitch-forming tools and two sewing lower parts, each with lower stitch-forming tools, which can be used selectively in conjunction with the sewing head, with the two sewing lower parts and the sewing head each shown in a peripheral parking position; Fig. 11 shows an end view of the portal frame according to Fig. 10, with one of the two sewing lower parts in the parking position, with the other sewing lower part together with the sewing head shown in a sewing position cooperating for stitch formation;

[0022] Fig. 12 shows a complementary situation to Fig. 11 in a representation similar to Fig. 11, with the other sewing lower part now being shown in the parking position;

[0023] Fig. 13 Main components of the gantry sewing system according to Fig. 1, namely the gantry frame with the sewing upper part and the two sewing lower parts, main components of a tiered lifting table with two sewing material holders arranged on table tops arranged one above the other in tiers, and a work plate of the sewing system for supporting the sewing material to be sewn in the sewing material holder as well as a sewing material holder gripping device for transferring the respective sewing material holder from a storage position to a sewing position;

[0024] Fig. 14 shows the tiered lifting table without the sewing material holders from a perspective corresponding to Fig. 13;

[0025] Fig. 15 a side view of the tiered lifting table from the direction of view XV in Fig. 14;

[0026] Fig. 16, also in a side view like Fig. 15, shows the multi-level lifting table with two fabric holders placed on it, each in a fabric holder position on one of the two tabletops of the multi-level lifting table; Fig. 17 is a plan view of the multi-level lifting table from the viewing direction XVII in Fig. 16, with roller conveyor pairs shown in a retracted plate position, in which the two roller conveyors of the respective roller conveyor pair are each assigned to one of the tabletops of the multi-level lifting table;

[0027] Fig. 18 in a representation similar to Fig. 17, the tiered lifting table with the roller conveyors of the roller conveyor pairs extended compared to Fig. 17, so that a distance between the roller conveyors of the respective roller conveyor pair is increased compared to Fig. 17;

[0028] Fig. 19 a side view of the portal frame and the tiered lifting table in the arrangement according to Fig. 13, seen from viewing direction XIX;

[0029] Fig. 20 to 39 in representations corresponding to that of Fig. 19 instantaneous positions of the tiered lifting table and the worktop during a sewing, loading and unloading process which is carried out using two sewing material holders with the sewing system.

[0030] A gantry sewing machine 1, which is shown as a whole in Figs. 1 and 2, is used to sew material in a work area with a width B that is greater than 1 m and, in the embodiment shown, is 3 m. The sewing machine 1 has a gantry frame 2 with an upper bridge bar 3 and a lower bridge bar 4 (see also Fig. 10). The gantry frame 2 also has two edge-side gantry supports 6 and 7, which form a gantry 5 for the material. To facilitate positional relationships, a Cartesian xyz coordinate system is used below. In Fig. 2, the x-direction runs to the right along the width B. The y-direction runs perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in Fig. 2 and into it. The z-direction runs upwards in Fig. 2.

[0031] A portal plane of portal 5 runs parallel to the xz-plane.

[0032] The upper bridge bar 3 serves to guide a sewing head 8 with upper stitch-forming tools 9 in the form of a sewing needle that guides a top thread (not shown). Depending on the design of the gantry sewing unit 1, more than one sewing head 8 can be used, for example, two sewing heads.

[0033] The lower bridge bar 4 serves to guide two sewing lower parts 10, 11 (see also Fig. 12). The two sewing lower parts 10, 11 each have lower stitch forming tools 12, 13 in the form of a looper with a looper thread supply in a looper thread supply container in the form of a spool.

[0034] The looper or bobbin threads of the sewing lower parts 10, 11 can have different colors and also different thread qualities.

[0035] The sewing unit 1 sews a two-thread stitch, for example, a two-thread lockstitch or a two-thread chain stitch. When the lower sewing sections 10, 11 are parked at the edges, the bobbins are accessible via access windows 14, 15 of a unit housing 16 (see Figs. 1 and 2).

[0036] During sewing, a material holder 17 rests at least partially on a worktop 18 of a work table 19 of the sewing unit 1 (see also Fig. 13). Two material holders similar to the material holder 17 are temporarily stored, loaded with material, and removed from the sewn material with the aid of a tiered lifting table 20 of the sewing unit 1. A material holder gripping device 21 having a gripping bar 22 is used to transfer each loaded material holder 17 from a storage position shown in Fig. 1 to a sewing position (see also Fig. 13). The gripping bar 22 is guided linearly at both ends by means of a guide bar 23, 24. This linear guide is driven by drive motors 25, 26. For smaller sewing areas, only one motor can be used in the center of the gripping bar.

[0037] The two bridge rails 3, 4 and the gripping rail 22 run parallel to the x-axis. The two guide rails 23, 24 run parallel to the y-axis.

[0038] The tiered lifting table 20 has two tabletops 27, 28 arranged one above the other in tiers and firmly connected to each other, each supporting a workpiece holder 17. The upper of the two tabletops, tabletop 27, provides an upper workpiece holder position, and the lower of the two tabletops, tabletop 28, provides a lower workpiece holder position. The tabletops 27, 28 and also the worktop 18 run horizontally, i.e., parallel to the xy plane.

[0039] The tiered lifting table 20 represents a sewing material holder storage device.

[0040] The two tabletops 27, 28 are part of a storage table. This material holder storage device also includes a guide slot 29 with two opposing guide jaws 30, 31, each with a slotted guide track 32.

[0041] During operation, the sewing system 1 cooperates with a plurality of the material holders 17, which can be constructed in the same way, so that it is sufficient to describe one of the material holders 17 in more detail below.

[0042] Fig. 3 shows the material holder 17 as well as the upper table plate 27 and the two guide jaws 30, 31 of the guide link 29.

[0043] The material holder 17 has a holding frame 33, relative to which the material 34 to be sewn is secured in the form of crossed straps 35. The holding frame 34 has a plurality of holding frame sections 36, 37, 38, and 39, a total of four in the illustrated embodiment (see also Fig. 4). Adjacent holding frame sections 36 to 39 are connected to one another via section joints 40, 41, and 42 (see, for example, Fig. 9). The joint axes of the section joints 40 to 42 run parallel to the x-axis.

[0044] A pivot point of the section joints 40 to 42 is in or near a neutral fiber of the fabric 34, so that when the holding frame sections 36 to 39 pivot relative to each other, the fabric 34 is neither undesirably stretched nor undesirably compressed. Alternative designs of the fabric holder can also have different numbers of such holding frame sections, namely two, three, five, or more such holding frame sections. Typically, such a fabric holder design has a maximum of twenty such articulated, interconnected holding frame sections.

[0045] A depth extension of the material holder 17 in a direction perpendicular to the joint axes of the section joints 40 to 42, i.e. in the y-direction, is approximately 3 m in the illustrated embodiment and can, depending on the design of the material holder 17, be at least 1 m, at least 1.5 m, at least 2 m, at least 2.5 m and even greater than 3 m. Typically, this depth extension of the material holder in the y-direction is at most 10 m.

[0046] Fig. 3 shows a starting position of the material holder 17 with the previously loaded material 34 which has been sewn by means of the sewing unit 1. Sewing takes place at intersection points 43 at which the transverse and longitudinal straps 35 of the material 34 cross.

[0047] The material holder 17 has a holding base 44 on which the material 34 rests. In the area of ​​the intersection points 43 to be sewn, among other things, as well as any other overlaps to be sewn, the holding base 44 has recesses in which the material 34 is freely accessible from above and below.

[0048] Fixing elements 45 for securing the workpiece 34 are attached to the holding base 44. These fixing elements 45 can be tensioning elements and / or clamping elements. Alternatively or additionally, the workpiece 34 can also be secured to the holding base 44 by frictional engagement. Parts of the holding frame sections 36 to 39 are corresponding holding base sections 44i to 444, which are articulated to one another via the section joints 40 to 42.

[0049] The holding frame 33 has a frame strip 46 which extends at least partially and, in the embodiment shown, completely around the holding frame 33. The two frame strip sections 46i, 402 running along the y-direction are in turn divided into a plurality of strip sections which are articulated to one another via the section joints 40 to 42.

[0050] Each of the holding frame sections 36 to 39 has at least one guide body 47 for guiding interaction with the guide link 29 when moving the material holder 17 along a guide direction F (+ / - y-direction) perpendicular to the joint axes of the section joints 40 to 42. These guide bodies 47 are designed as guide pins which project in the + / - x-direction beyond the holding frame sections 36 to 39 and engage in the opposing link tracks 32 of the guide jaws 30, 31.

[0051] In the embodiment of the material holder 17 shown in the drawing, such guide bodies 47 are attached to the end of the material holder 17 leading in the -y direction and to the end of the material holder 17 trailing in the +y direction, and also at the level of the section joints 40 to 42. Figs. 5 to 8 show an instantaneous position sequence of the material holder 17 during the movement of the material holder 17 in the guide direction F starting from the starting position according to Fig. 3.

[0052] In the current position according to Fig. 5, the holding frame section 36 leading in the guide direction F lies between the guide jaws 30, 31 in a working area of ​​an operating position for releasing and removing the sewing material 34 from the holding frame section 36. In the current position according to Fig. 6, the holding frame section 37 next in the guide direction F is correspondingly in the working area. In the current position according to Fig.

[0053] 7 this is the next holding frame section 38 and in the current position according to Fig. 8 the last holding frame section 39.

[0054] According to the progress of the guided movement of the material holder 17 with the aid of the guide link 29, the holding frame sections 36 to 39 are pivoted and redirected one after the other, similar to a sectional garage door, first from the horizontal to the vertical.

[0055] 8 and 9, in which the holding frame section 39 is accessible to the operator in the working area, the two leading holding frame sections 36 and 37 are deflected by almost 180°, so that in this end position they are arranged almost horizontally. During the deflection movement, the holding frame sections 36 to 38 are tilted by more than 45°, starting from the starting position according to Fig. 3, i.e. starting from a horizontal placement orientation of the material holder 17 on the table top 27. The two holding frame sections 36, 37 are tilted by more than 90° and even by more than 150°. In the sequence according to Figs. 5 to 8, all holding frame sections 36 to 39 are accessible to the operator for removing the sewing material 34. In the reverse sequence, the holding frame sections 39 (position according to Fig. 8), 38 (position according to Fig. 7), 37 (position according to Fig. 6) and 36 (position according to Fig. 5) can then be loaded.In this case, the material holder 17 moves over the guide link 29 in the opposite direction to the guide direction F.

[0056] A shift along the conveying direction F and also in the opposite direction can be carried out with the help of a material holder drive and / or manually.

[0057] The portal frame 2 of the sewing system 1 with the sewing upper and lower parts 8, 10 and 11 is explained in more detail below with reference to Figs. 10 to 12.

[0058] An upper part drive 48 is used to move the sewing upper part 8 along the upper bridge bar 3, i.e. in the + / -x direction. A lower part drive 49 is used to move the sewing lower parts 10, 11 along the lower bridge bar 4, i.e. again in the + / -x direction, independently of the upper part drive 48. The drives 48, 49 and other drives of the sewing unit 1 are controlled via a central control unit which is housed in a control cabinet 50 (see Fig. 1).

[0059] The control of the upper part drive 48 and the lower part drive 49 is such that either the upper part 8 of the sewing material can interact with one of the two lower parts, for example with the lower part 10, or the upper part 8 can interact with the other of the two lower parts, for example with the lower part 11, to form the stitch in the sewing material 34. In the embodiment shown, the lower part drive 49 is designed with exactly one drive source. A coupling of the respective lower part 10, 11 of the sewing material is used to separate one of the lower parts 10, 11 from a drive train of the lower part drive 49, which is designed as a chain or belt.

[0060] Alternatively, the lower part drive 49 can also be designed with two independent drive sources, each for one of the two sewing lower parts 10, 11.

[0061] By means of the lower part drive 49, the sewing lower parts 10, 11 can be moved independently of one another into a parking position in which an exchange of the respective looper thread storage container for a looper thread change storage container, i.e. in particular a bobbin change, is possible via the access windows 14, 15.

[0062] This exchange can be automated, meaning it requires no manual intervention. Alternatively, it can be manual or semi-automatic.

[0063] The upper part drive 48 and / or the lower part drive 49 can have a rack and / or a transmission pinion as the transmission link. Each of the lower sewing parts 10, 11 can have its own transmission pinion.

[0064] Fig. 10 shows the sewing lower part 10 in a left-hand parking position, in which it is accessible via the access window 14. The sewing lower part 11 is shown in Fig. 10 in the right-hand parking position, in which it is accessible via the access window 15. The sewing upper part 8 is shown in Fig. 10 in a right-hand parking position assigned to the sewing lower part 11.

[0065] Fig. 11 shows the upper sewing part 8 and the lower sewing part 11 in a sewing position in which these two sewing parts 8, 11 can interact to form the stitch in the sewing material 34. In this sewing position, the upper sewing part 8 is synchronized with the lower sewing part currently interacting with it to form the stitch, in this case with the lower sewing part 11. This synchronization is specified by the control unit. A spatial synchronization accuracy along a drive displacement direction of the drives 48, 49, i.e. along the x-axis, is better than 0.3 mm. This synchronization accuracy can be in the range of 0.1 mm. The needle and hook must be synchronized because the separate drives must be coupled.

[0066] In the position shown in Fig. 11, the sewing lower part 10, which is not currently sewing, is in the left-hand parking position. A looper thread reservoir exchange can take place in the position shown in Fig. 11 at the sewing lower part 10 while the sewing upper part 8 is sewing with the other sewing lower part 11.

[0067] After the replacement, the sewing lower part 10 is ready for operation again. As soon as the looper thread of the currently sewing sewing lower part 11 runs low, sewing is temporarily stopped, controlled by the control unit, and the sewing lower part 11, which has been sewing until then, is moved to the right-hand parking position according to Fig. 12 using the lower part drive 49. In addition, the interaction of the upper part drive 48 with the lower part drive 49 synchronizes the sewing upper part 8 with the now freshly filled sewing lower part 10. The sewing system 1 can then continue sewing thanks to the interaction of the sewing upper part 8 with the sewing lower part 10, while the looper thread reservoir in the sewing lower part 11 is replaced, with the sewing lower part 11 being accessible via the access window 15.

[0068] The parked sewing lower section is moved close to the sewing lower section after a new bobbin has been loaded. This allows the sewing lower section to decouple from the sewing upper section once the bobbin is empty, and the parked sewing lower section can immediately couple and begin synchronization. This saves considerable time.

[0069] The tiered lifting table 20 of the sewing system 1 is explained in more detail below with reference to Figs. 13 to 39.

[0070] Fig. 13 shows the tiered lifting table 20 together with the portal frame 2 and the work table 19 as main components of the sewing system 1. A lifting table frame 51, by means of which the tiered lifting table 20 is supported on the floor, is omitted in Fig. 13 ff.

[0071] Fig. 13 shows the multi-level lifting table 20 equipped with two material holders 17. The initially upper material holder 17 is also referred to below as material holder 17i and the initially lower material holder 17 is also referred to as material holder 172 (cf. e.g. Fig. 16). The upper of the two material holders 17i rests on the upper table top 27 of the multi-level lifting table 20 in the upper material holder position. The second material holder 172 rests on the lower table top 28 in the lower material holder position. The two table tops 27, 28 are firmly connected to one another via a total of six vertical support struts 52i to 52e and a support plate 53. The support plate 53 lies vertically between the table tops 27, 28 and between the two support struts 523 and 524 spaced furthest from the portal frame 2. The support struts 52i, 523, 524 and 52e are located at the four corners of the aligned table tops 27, 28.The support struts 52z and 52s are located centrally between the support struts 52i and 523 on the one hand and 524 and 52e on the other hand.

[0072] The tiered lifting table 20 has two roller conveyor pairs 54 and 55. The rollers of the roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 can rotate freely. The upper of these two roller conveyor pairs, roller conveyor pair 54, has two opposing roller conveyors 54i and 54z, which are at the same height in the z-direction and spaced from each other in the x-direction. The lower roller conveyor pair 55 has two roller conveyors 55i and 55z, which are again at the same height in the z-direction and spaced from each other in the x-direction. Roller conveyor 54i is located above roller conveyor 55i in the z-direction. Roller conveyor 54z is located above roller conveyor 55z in the z-direction. Of the two roller conveyors 551 and 55z, only roller conveyor 551, which faces the viewer, is visible in the figures.

[0073] The roller conveyors of roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 each run along the y-direction. Roller conveyors 54i, 54z, 55i, and 55z are each interrupted in the y-direction. This interruption creates space for the support struts 52z on the one hand and 52s on the other.

[0074] In the current position according to Figs. 13 to 15, the upper table plate 27 lies between the two upper roller conveyors 54i and 54z of the upper roller conveyor pair 54 and the lower table plate 28 lies between the two roller conveyor pairs 551, 55z of the lower roller conveyor pair 55. The roller conveyors 54i, 54z, 551, 55z can be moved between a retracted roller conveyor position (cf. Fig. 17) and an extended roller conveyor position (cf. Fig. 18) with the aid of a roller conveyor lifting drive 56 (cf. Fig. 2). In the retracted roller conveyor position, an x-distance between the roller conveyors 54i, 54z on the one hand and 55i, 55z on the other hand is smaller than an x-extension of the material holders 17. In the extended roller conveyor position according to Fig. 18, this x-distance between the roller conveyors 54i, 54z on the one hand and 55i, 55z on the other hand is greater than an x-extension of the material holders 17.

[0075] The tiered lifting table 20 also has a plate lifting drive 57 (see Fig. 2) for lifting the table plates 27, 28 relative to the lifting table frame 51.

[0076] Via the roller conveyor lifting drive 56, the two roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 can be displaced between a lowered plate position, shown for example in Fig. 16, and a raised plate position, shown for example in Fig. 31, which is offset in the z-direction compared to the lowered plate position.

[0077] In the lowered plate position, the roller conveyors of the roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 are arranged on opposite sides of the table tops 27, 28 respectively assigned to these roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 such that an upper roller level 58, 59 of the respective roller conveyor pair 54, 55 lies below a table top level 60, 61 of the assigned table top 27, 28. In the raised plate position (cf. e.g. Fig. 31), the upper roller level 58, 59 of the respective roller conveyor pair 54, 55 lies above the table top level 60, 61 of the assigned table top 27, 28. Between the roller levels 58, 59 on the one hand and the table top levels 60, 61 of the assigned table tops 27, 28 on the other hand there is a z-distance d (cf. Fig. 31). In this raised platen position, a roller guide for moving a sewing material holder 17 from or into the respective storage position of the table plate 27, 28 is possible, provided that at the same time the retracted roller conveyor position (cf. Fig.17) in which the two roller conveyors of the respective roller conveyor pair 54, 55 have an x-distance from each other that is smaller than the x-extension of the material holder 17.

[0078] With the plate lifting drive 57, the respective table top level 60, 61 of a selected table top 27, 28 can be brought into a lifting position aligned with a worktop level 62 of the worktop 18 of the work table 19 (see e.g. Fig. 20).

[0079] The platen lifting drive 57 on the one hand and the roller conveyor lifting drive 56 on the other hand can be designed as a linear drive or as a lifting cylinder.

[0080] The upper material holder position can be used to load the material holder 17 with material 34 to be sewn or to remove sewn material 34 from the material holder 17, as already explained above in connection with Figs. 3 to 9.

[0081] The roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 can also be displaced along the z-direction relative to the table plates 27, 28 by means of the roller conveyor lifting drive 56 into a material holder receiving position that is even higher than the raised platen position. This material holder receiving position is shown, for example, in Fig. 26. The respective upper material holder, in the case of the position according to Fig. 26, the material holder 17, is then received in a position that lies above the upper material holder position, which is therefore spaced apart from the upper table plate 27 by a z-distance A in the z-direction. This z-distance A is greater than the z-extension of the material holder 17.

[0082] The lower roller conveyor pair 55 can be displaced in the positive z-direction by means of the roller conveyor lifting drive 56 until its lower roller plane 59 lies above the upper table plane 60 of the upper table plate 27. This instantaneous z-position is shown in Fig. 28. The lower roller conveyor pair 55 can then, in the retracted roller conveyor position, guide one of the material holders 17—in the example shown in Fig. 28, the material holder 17i—on its rollers for movement onto or off the upper table plate 27.

[0083] The material holder gripping device 21, which is shown, for example, in Fig. 1 in a neutral position outside the sewing work area, is used to move the material holders 17i, 17 between the storage positions and a working position on the work plate 18 of the work table 19. In a gripping position not shown in the drawing, a gripping tool of the material holder gripping device 21, which is designed in the form of gripping pins 63, 64 (cf. Fig. 13), grips the material holder 17, which is aligned with the work plate 18 in the z-direction and is present in the tiered lifting table 20 in a storage position on one of the two table plates 27, 28, at the edge for transferring it into a material holder position. This engagement is carried out by the gripping pins 63, 64 in complementary sockets of the material holder 17 to be gripped. The gripping pins 63, 64 can be pneumatically moved into the respective complementary socket.

[0084] With reference to Figs. 19 to 39, an operating cycle of the sewing system 1 and in particular of the tiered lifting table 20 and the material holder gripping device 21 is shown below.

[0085] Fig. 19 shows a starting position of the multi-level lifting table 20 with the upper material holder 17i in the upper storage position on the tabletop 27 and the lower material holder 17 in the lower storage position on the tabletop 28. The roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 are shown in the lowered plate position. The lower tabletop level 61 is aligned with the worktop level 62.

[0086] The upper fabric holder 17i has just finished sewing. The lower fabric holder 172 is ready for sewing.

[0087] Fig. 20 shows the next work step. The material holder gripping device 21 has gripped the material holder 172 at the edge and is pulling it in the positive y-direction through the gantry 5 of the gantry sewing unit 1. The control and regulation device synchronizes the gripper drive 25, 26 with the sewing part drives 48, 49, so that the material 34 is sewn on the material holder 172.

[0088] In the position shown in Fig. 20, the workpiece holder 17i can be unloaded and loaded in conjunction with the guide slot 29, as explained above. Fig. 21 shows the current position after completion of the sewing process of the workpiece 34 on the workpiece holder 172, which lies completely on the work table 19, so that the workpiece holder 17 does not overlap with the stacking table 20 in the y-direction.

[0089] In the current position according to Fig. 21, the material holder 17i is again loaded with material 34 to be sewn in the upper material holder position.

[0090] In the current position according to Fig. 22 (first change position), the tiered lifting table 22 with the table plates 27, 28 and the associated roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 with the plate lifting drive 57 is displaced in the negative z-direction into a change position in which the upper sewing material holder 17i lies completely below the work plate level 62 on the upper table plate 27.

[0091] Fig. 23 shows the current position, where, compared to the position shown in Fig. 22, the roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 are extended such that their x-distance from each other has increased (position shown in Fig. 18). This is achieved by means of the roller conveyor lifting drive 56.

[0092] Fig. 24 shows the situation in which the roller conveyor pairs are shifted into the material holder receiving position in the positive z-direction relative to the two tabletops 27, 28 with the aid of the roller conveyor lifting drive 56. The upper roller conveyor pair 54 passes the z-plane of the material holder 17i located in the upper material holder position. The roller conveyors of the roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 are still extended in the position shown in Fig. 24. Fig. 25 shows the subsequently reached instantaneous position with the roller conveyors of the roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 retracted. The upper roller plane 58 is located above the material holder 17i in the upper material holder receiving position and is aligned with the worktop plane 62.

[0093] Fig. 26 shows the current position at which the finished sewn fabric holder 172 is pushed with the fabric holder gripping device 21 onto the roller conveyors of the upper roller conveyor pair 54 in the negative y-direction.

[0094] Fig. 27 shows the following situation in which, after the material holder 172 has been completely picked up into the material holder receiving position, the entire tiered lifting table 20 is displaced in the positive z-direction by means of the plate lifting drive 57, so that the upper table top level 60 is aligned with the worktop level 62.

[0095] In comparison to the first change position according to Fig. 22, the tiered lifting table 20 in Fig. 27 is now in a second change position.

[0096] Fig. 28 shows the following instantaneous position, in which the roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 are displaced further in the positive z-direction relative to the table tops 27, 28 by means of the roller conveyor lifting drive 56 compared to the position shown in Fig. 27. The lower roller level 59 is located slightly above the upper table top level 60, so that the material holder 17i, in the upper material holder position, now rests on the roller conveyors of the lower roller conveyor pair 55.

[0097] Fig. 29 shows the subsequent current position, in which, after gripping the material holder 17i with the material holder gripping device 21, the material holder 17i is pulled through the portal 5 onto the worktop 18 of the work table 19. This loaded material holder 17i can be sewn now or at a later time, as explained below, as explained above in connection with the material holder 17 in the current position according to Fig. 20. The other material holder 172 is still in the material holder receiving position on the roller conveyors of the roller conveyor pair 54.

[0098] Fig. 30 shows the following current position, in which the entire tiered lifting table 20 with the plate lifting drive 57 is further displaced in the positive z-direction. In this position, the lower tabletop level 61 is aligned with the worktop level 62.

[0099] This shift to the current position according to Fig. 30 takes place after the sewing material holder 17i comes to rest completely on the work table 19 and no longer overlaps with the tiered lifting table 20 in the y-direction.

[0100] Fig. 31 shows the following current position, in which the two roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 have been lowered back into the raised plate position, in which the z-distance d exists between the two roller levels 58, 59 on the one hand and the two tabletop levels 60, 61 on the other. The lower tabletop level 61 remains aligned with the worktop level 62.

[0101] Fig. 32 shows the following instantaneous position during which the finished sewn material 34 can be removed from the material holder 172.

[0102] Fig. 35 shows the current position in which, on the one hand, the material holder 17i can be sewn, provided this has not been done in the current position according to Fig. 29, in accordance with what was explained above with reference to Fig. 20, and in which, on the other hand, the material holder 17 is loaded, as explained above with reference to Figs. 3 ff. The lower tabletop level 61 remains aligned with the worktop level 62.

[0103] Fig. 33 shows the current position in which the still unloaded sewing material holder 172 is completely pushed back onto the roller conveyors of the upper roller conveyor pair 54 and comes to rest at the distance d above the upper table plate 27.

[0104] Fig. 34 shows the following instantaneous position in which the two roller conveyor pairs 54, 55 are displaced in the negative z-direction into the lowered plate position, whereby the sewing material holder 172 is placed on the upper table plate 27.

[0105] Fig. 36 shows the following instantaneous position in which the finished sewn material holder 17i is placed on the lower table plate 28 with the aid of the material holder gripping device 21.

[0106] Fig. 37 shows the following instantaneous position in which the material holder 17i is pulled from the lower table plate 28 back onto the work table 19 for sewing with the aid of the material holder gripping device 21.

[0107] Fig. 38 shows the current position at which the material holder 17i is completely sewn with the sewing unit 1 and is placed on the work table 19, not aligned with the tiered lifting table 20 in the y-direction.

[0108] The current position according to Fig. 39 corresponds to that according to Fig. 21, whereby only the material holders 17i and 172 are swapped, but otherwise the same sewing and loading situation as well as the same positioning of the material holders 17i, 17 in relation to the sewing unit 1 exists. The cycle of Figs. 21 to 39 can now be repeated continuously. As soon as the hook thread of the currently used sewing lower part 10 or 11 runs low, this hook supply is replaced, as explained above in connection with Figs. 10 to 12 in particular, whereby compared to the replacement time of the hook supply, the sewing process is only interrupted for a significantly shorter period when changing the sewing lower parts 10, 11, which lasts, for example, only 25%, 20%, 10% or an even smaller proportion of the replacement time.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Multi-level lifting table (20) for providing at least two sewing material holders (17i, 17) for a sewing system (1), with a lifting table frame (51), with at least two tabletops (27, 28) arranged one above the other in tiers and firmly connected to each other for storing the sewing material holders (17i, 17), wherein the upper of the two tabletops (27) defines an upper (27) sewing material holder storage position and the lower (28) of the two tabletops (27, 28) defines a lower sewing material holder position, with at least two pairs of roller conveyors (54, 55) that are movable between — a lowered plate position in which each roller track pair (54, 55) is arranged on opposite sides of a table plate (27, 28) assigned to that roller track pair (54, 55) such that an upper roller plane (58) of the respective roller track pair (54, 55) lies below a table plate plane (60, 61) of the assigned table plate (27, 28), — a raised plate position compared to the lowered plate position, in which each roller conveyor pair (54, 55) is arranged on opposite sides of the table plate (27, 28) assigned to that roller conveyor pair such that the upper roller plane (58, 59) of the respective roller conveyor pair (54, 55) lies above the table plate plane (60, 61) of the assigned table plate (27, 28), for roller guidance of a displacement of the sewing material holder (17i, 17 ) from or into the respective storage position on the table plate (27, 28), with a plate lifting drive (57) for repositioning the table plates (27, 28) relative to the lifting table frame (51), with a roller conveyor lifting drive (56) for repositioning the roller conveyor pairs (54, 55) relative to the table plates (27, 28). Multi-tier lifting table according to claim 1, characterized in that the uppermost (54) of the roller conveyor pairs (54, 55) can be repositioned by means of the roller conveyor lifting drive (56) to a sewing material holder receiving position raised even further relative to the raised plate position in order to receive one of the sewing material holders (17i, 17) in a position above the upper sewing material holder storage position.Multi-level lifting table according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one roller conveyor pair (55) below the uppermost roller conveyor pair (54) can be displaced by means of the roller conveyor lifting drive (56) into a sewing material holder receiving position which is raised further relative to its plate position compared to a table plate plane (61) of an associated table plate (28), in which the upper roller plane (59) of this roller conveyor pair (55) lies above the table plate plane (60) of the table plate (27) lying above the associated table plate (28). Multi-level lifting table according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the roller conveyor lifting drive (56) is designed such that the distance between the roller conveyors (54i, 54 ; 55i, 55 ) of each of the roller conveyor pairs (54, 55) increases when moving between the plate position and the sewing material holder receiving position at the level of the sewing material holder storage positions. A multi-tier lifting table according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the roller tracks (54i, 54; 551, 55z) of at least one pair of roller tracks (54, 55) are interrupted, the interruption providing space for a support strut (52z, 52s) for connecting the table tops (27, 28) to one another. A sewing system (1) for sewing material (34) in a sewing work area, comprising a worktop (18) for supporting the material (34), stitch forming tools (9, 12) for seam production, a multi-tier lifting table (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, and a material holder gripper (21) which is displaceable between the worktops via a gripper drive (25, 26). — a neutral position outside the sewing work area and — a gripping position in which a gripping tool (22) of the workpiece holder gripping device (21) grasps a workpiece holder (17i, 17z) in a storage position on one of the table tops (27, 28) of the platform lifting table (20) for transfer to a workpiece holder sewing position at its edge. Sewing system according to claim 6, characterized by an embodiment as a portal sewing system. Sewing system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the workpiece holder gripping device (21) comprises a gripping bar (22) as a gripping tool, which is guided linearly at both ends by a guide bar (23, 24).

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