METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STITCHING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHAPED COMPONENT AND COMPONENTS FORMED BY THE METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for applying dots to a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration.A stitching head for a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration, comprising: a needle bar assembly functionally coupled to the head; a looper configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly to perform a plurality of stitches on the decorative component, the looper rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component; a rod assembly configured to drive the looper in a reciprocating motion in the plane, where the rod assembly is functionally coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly in a reciprocating motion, the rod assembly being functionally coupled to the head via a cylinder arm assembly and a downshaft assembly; and where the cylinder arm assembly is rotated in a synchronized manner with a swing frame by a mechanical link connecting a swing frame drive shaft to the cylinder arm assembly.

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STITCHING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL SHAPED COMPONENT AND COMPONENTS FORMED BY THE METHOD

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED REQUESTS

[0002] Reference is made to U.S. patent application ri 16 / 533,345 filed on August 6, 2019, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application No. 14 / 876,636 filed on October 6, 2015, now U.S. patent No. 10,421,413, which claims benefit from U.S. provisional application serial No. 62 / 060,487 filed on October 6, 2014. STATE OF THE ART

[0003] The invention relates to an interior structure for a vehicle interior. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and a method for stitching interior components of a vehicle. Furthermore, various embodiments of the present invention relate to the placement of a decorative point on a trim piece having a three-dimensional configuration, whether or not it is used in a vehicle.

[0004] Most of the stitching found in an automobile interior is of the functional type, where two or more pieces of material (leather, vinyl, TPO, fabric, etc.) are cut from a pattern and sewn together (cut-and-sew) before being wrapped around a component such as a seat cushion, headrest, armrest, console cover, dashboard substrate, etc. Such functional stitching is labor-intensive and is normally used only when necessary in lower and mid-range vehicles. Functional stitching on decorative components such as dashboard fasteners and door panels has generally been reserved for higher-class vehicles due to its cost.

[0005] In recent years, automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have expressed interest in applying the "stitched" look to a wider range of vehicles across a broader price range. A non-functional simulated stitch has been used in some applications, but the possibility of offering a simulated stitch in a contrasting color is not currently feasible in production. Furthermore, an increasing number of OEMs are requesting that a real or "live" stitch be used on decorative components to give the look and feel of a genuine cut-and-stitched component.

[0006] Current methods for placing a decorative stitch on a pre-formed 3D automotive trim component involve penetrating the part (leather, leather / foam, or leather / foam / substrate) with a needle from the top side of the part and engaging with a hook or snag located on the back side of the part. These methods require access to both the front and back sides of the part, which often limits the placement of stitches on the parts. It is often very difficult to place stitches on edges, sharp corners, and highly contoured surfaces, as is often the case with genuinely cut and sewn wrapped automotive interior trim.

[0007] For example, applying stitching in the direction perpendicular to and on the edge of a semi-rigid part remains difficult because the needle plate depth requirements on existing machines prevent the plate from conforming to small radii. Furthermore, stitching around small radii in the plane can also be difficult because predefined clearances for the needle plate movement are required.

[0008] Consequently, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus for producing a non-functional live dot on decorative automotive trim components. It is also desirable to provide a component with such a dot. Summary of the invention

[0009] In one embodiment, an apparatus and a method for applying dots to a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration are proposed.

[0010] In one embodiment, the device has a head with a needle bar assembly functionally coupled to the head; a spooler configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly to perform a plurality of stitches on the decorative component, the spooler rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component; and a rod assembly configured to drive the spooler in a reciprocating motion in the plane, where the rod assembly is functionally coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly in a reciprocating motion.

[0011] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the needle bar assembly can be driven back and forth by an upper drive shaft functionally coupled to the motor and the rod assembly is also driven back and forth by the upper drive shaft via an intermediate drive shaft.

[0012] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the rod assembly may be coupled functionally to the head via a cylinder arm assembly and a descending shaft assembly.

[0013] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, at least one of the cylinder arm assembly and / or the downshaft assembly can be removably fixed to the head so that another cylinder arm assembly and / or another downshaft assembly can be fixed to the head so that the rod assembly is repositioned relative to the needle bar assembly of the head.

[0014] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the cylinder arm assembly and the downshaft assembly can be interchangeable with another cylinder arm assembly and another downshaft assembly so that the rod assembly can be repositioned relative to the needle bar assembly.

[0015] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, another needle and another threader configured to cooperate with the other needle in order to simultaneously produce two discrete patterns of a plurality of points on the decorative component may be provided, the other threader rotating in the plane parallel to the decorative component.

[0016] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the rod assembly can be configured to drive the sulker and the other sulker in a back-and-forth motion in the plane, where the rod assembly is functionally coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly containing two needles in a back-and-forth motion.

[0017] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the snub-nose can be located in a stem housing of the stem assembly which is only slightly larger than one dimension of the snub-nose so that a needle plate of the stem housing can be located near a rear face of the decorative component.

[0018] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the snub can be located in a stem housing of the stem assembly which is only slightly larger than a dimension of the snub so that a needle plate of the stem housing can be located near a back face of the decorative component and where the dimension is aligned or in line with a stitching direction of the plurality of stitches.

[0019] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the dimension may be in the range of 10 to 12 mm.

[0020] In yet another embodiment, a stitching head for a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration and a corner is proposed. The head has: a needle bar assembly functionally coupled to the head; a swaging tool configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly to perform a plurality of stitches on the decorative component, the swaging tool rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component; and a rod assembly configured to drive the swaging tool in a reciprocating motion in the plane, wherein the rod assembly is functionally coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly in a reciprocating motion, wherein the swaging tool is located in a rod housing of the rod assembly that is only slightly larger than one dimension of the swaging tool so that a needle plate of the rod housing can be located near a rear face of the corner of the decorative component.

[0021] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the dimension may be aligned or in line with a stitching direction of the plurality of points.

[0022] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the dimension may be in the range of 10 to 12 mm

[0023] A decorative component having a plurality of points applied to it by a head of one of the preceding embodiments may be provided, and the decorative component may be an interior trim piece of a vehicle.

[0024] Decorative component having a plurality of points applied to it by a head of one of the preceding embodiments, where the interior trim piece may be a dashboard.

[0025] Decorative component having a plurality of points applied to it by a head of one of the preceding embodiments, where at least some of the plurality of points can be applied in the corner of the decorative component.

[0026] In another embodiment, a method for applying stitching to an internal component of a vehicle, comprising at least one layer, is proposed. The method comprises the steps of: a) penetrating the at least one layer at an entry point on a first surface of the at least one layer with a needle, wherein the penetration step causes the needle to reach a bottom dead center of its travel range and also causes a thread to pass through the at least one layer at an exit point, the exit point being on a second surface opposite the first surface; b) grasping the thread with a rotating threader located near the exit point, wherein the rotating threader rotates in a first direction in a plane parallel to the at least one layer; c) retracting the needle through the exit point and the entry point to a top dead center position of its travel range; d) advancement of the component in a first direction; e) rotation of the rotary spool in a second direction in the plane parallel to the at least one layer, the second direction being opposite to the first direction; f) penetration of the at least one layer at another entry point on the first surface of the at least one layer with the needle, where the penetration step causes the upper yarn to pass through the at least one layer at another exit point, the other exit point being on the second surface opposite to the first surface and where the needle engages with a lower yarn located on the rotary spool; g) release of the upper yarn as the rotary spool rotates in the second direction; h) completion of a stitch between the upper yarn and the lower yarn as the rotary spool rotates to a final position in the second direction and the needle reaches the bottom of its downward stroke;and i) repeating steps b to h until a desired quantity of points is formed in the inner component.

[0027] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the outer skin layer can be formed from the group consisting of vinyl, leather and thermoplastic polyolefin.

[0028] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, an interior component is formed by the processes described above and the interior component may be an interior trim piece of a vehicle.

[0029] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, where the interior trim piece may be part of a vehicle dashboard.

[0030] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, an interior component is formed by the processes described above and the interior component may be an interior trim piece of a vehicle.

[0031] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the interior trim piece may be a part of a vehicle dashboard.

[0032] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the outer skin layer may be formed from the group consisting of vinyl, leather and thermoplastic polyolefin; and where an intermediate layer may be applied to a second surface of the outer skin layer, the second surface being opposite the first surface.

[0033] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the intermediate layer may be a foam layer.

[0034] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the interior component may be an interior trim piece of a vehicle.

[0035] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, an internal component can be formed by the processes described above.

[0036] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the interior component may be an interior trim piece of a vehicle.

[0037] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the interior trim piece may be a part of a vehicle dashboard.

[0038] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the outer skin layer may be formed from the group consisting of vinyl, leather and thermoplastic polyolefin; and where an intermediate layer may be applied to a second surface of the outer skin layer, the second surface being opposite the first surface.

[0039] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, an interior component of a vehicle can be formed by the above processes.

[0040] An internal component of a vehicle formed by the above processes is also proposed here.

[0041] A point application head for a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration is disclosed, comprising: a needle bar assembly functionally coupled to the head; a pucker configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly to perform a plurality of points on the decorative component, the pucker rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component; a rod assembly configured to drive the pucker in a reciprocating motion in the plane, where the rod assembly is functionally coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly in a reciprocating motion, the rod assembly being functionally coupled to the head via a cylinder arm assembly and a downshaft assembly;and where the entire cylinder arm assembly is rotated in a synchronized manner with a swinging frame by means of a mechanical link connecting a swinging frame drive shaft to the cylinder arm assembly.

[0042] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the needle bar assembly is driven reciprocating by a functionally coupled upper drive shaft to the motor and the rod assembly is also driven back and forth by the upper drive shaft via an intermediate drive shaft.

[0043] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, at least one of the cylinder arm assembly and / or the downshaft assembly is removably fixed to the head so that another cylinder arm assembly and / or another downshaft assembly can be fixed to the head so that the rod assembly is repositioned relative to the needle bar assembly of the head.

[0044] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, at least one of the cylinder arm assembly and / or the downshaft assembly is removably fixed to the head so that another cylinder arm assembly and / or another downshaft assembly can be fixed to the head so that the rod assembly is repositioned relative to the needle bar assembly of the head.

[0045] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the cylinder arm assembly and the downshaft assembly are interchangeable with another cylinder arm assembly and another downshaft assembly so that the rod assembly can be repositioned relative to the needle bar assembly.

[0046] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, another needle and another spool are configured to cooperate with the other needle in order to simultaneously produce two discrete patterns of a plurality of stitches on the decorative component, the other spool rotating in the plane parallel to the decorative component.

[0047] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, the rod assembly is configured to drive the sulker and the other sulker in a back-and-forth motion in the plane, wherein the rod assembly is functionally coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly containing two needles in a back-and-forth motion.

[0048] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, an upper wire brake is configured to control a size and stabilize a position of an upper wire loop before and during the engagement of the upper wire with the spooler.

[0049] In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as a variant of one of the preceding embodiments, an upper wire brake is configured to control a size and stabilize a position of an upper wire loop before and during the engagement of the upper wire with the spooler. Brief description of the drawings

[0050] Other features, advantages and details will appear, by way of example only, in the following description of embodiments, the description referring to the drawings in which:

[0051] [Fig-1] is a cross-section of an oscillating chain stitch machine according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] [Fig.IA] is a perspective view of a butterfly-shaped pouter oscillating according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] [Fig.2] is a cross-section of an oscillating chain stitch machine with an adjustable lower assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] [Fig.3] is a cross-section of an oscillating stubby drive unit according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention and Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view of a combined rod and stubby assembly;

[0055] [Fig.4] is a cross-sectional view of a design of a swinging sulker rod according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] [Fig.5] is a cross-sectional view of a swinging sulker rod design according to an example of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] [Fig.6] is a view illustrating the formation of a point according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] [Fig.6A] is a view along lines 6A-6A of the [Fig.6];

[0059] [Fig.7] is a view illustrating the formation of a point according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] [Fig.7A] is a view along lines 7A-7A of [Fig.7];

[0061] [Fig.8] is a view illustrating the formation of a point according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] [Fig.8A] is a view along lines 8A-8A of [Fig.8];

[0063] [Fig.9] is a view illustrating the formation of a point according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0064] [Fig.9A] is a view along lines 9A-9A of the [Fig.9];

[0065] [Fig. 10] is a view illustrating the formation of a point according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0066] [Fig.1OA] is a view along lines 10A-10A of [Fig. 10];

[0067] [Fig. 11] is a view illustrating the formation of a point according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0068] [Fig.llA] is a view along lines 11A-11A of [Fig. 11];

[0069] [Fig. 12AB] illustrates the impression of the needle plate for various embodiments of the present invention;

[0070] [Fig. 13] illustrates a pouting hook device in a corner of a room;

[0071] [Fig. 14] illustrates a sulky oscillating according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0072] [Fig. 15] illustrates a method of introducing a cylinder arm or the transport of the entire cylinder arm assembly into a head is illustrated;

[0073] [Fig. 16ABC] illustrates the orientation of an oscillating frame relative to a three-point jack arm during the pricking cycle;

[0074] [Fig. 17ABC] illustrates the use of a wire brake or brake pad to control the size and stabilize the position of the upper wire loop before engaging with the spool;

[0075] [Fig. 17DE] illustrates the use of a wire brake or brake pad to control the size and stabilize the position of the upper wire loop before engaging with the spool;

[0076] [Fig. 18AB] also illustrates the use of the wire brake to control the size and stabilize the position of the upper wire loop before engaging with the spooler;

[0077] [Fig. 18CD] also illustrates the use of the wire brake to control the size and stabilize the position of the upper wire loop before engaging with the snatch; and

[0078] [Fig. 19] is a top view of the snatch 12 when it grasps the upper wire loop.

[0079] Although the drawings represent various embodiments and features of In the present invention, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated to illustrate and explain examples of embodiments of the present invention. The examples shown here illustrate several aspects of the invention, in one form, and such examples should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention in any way. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0080] Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and apparatus that allow the application of a decorative stitch to confined stitch areas of pre-formed parts in the transportation industry, particularly when placing a stitch on an edge formed of small radii or sewing around small radii in the plane. The apparatus also offers the possibility of adjusting the machine parameters to accommodate a wide variety of part sizes without the need to build multiple sewing heads.

[0081] In another embodiment, the invention described herein consists of a stitching method and a head design that improve stitching capacity in areas confined from a three-dimensional shaped part manually or automatically for applications in the transportation industry.

[0082] With reference now to Figures 1 to 4, an oscillating chain stitch machine 10 according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The machine 10 provides a chain stitch using an oscillating butterfly-shaped threader 12 at the end of a combined threader and rod assembly 14 functionally coupled to a cylinder arm assembly 16.

[0083] This particular concept provides an extremely narrow stem housing in the "x" direction (as illustrated at least in Figures IA, 12A and 12B) which is in line with the stitching direction. In one embodiment, the dimension of the stem housing can be in the range of 10 to 12 mm (millimeters); of course, dimensions larger or smaller than this are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention. In a double-needle design, the dimension across the two stem housings can be in the range of 25 to 28 mm, while the dimension in the illustrated "x" direction can be in the range of 10 to 12 mm; of course, dimensions larger or smaller than this are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.This narrow rod housing extends from the cylinder arm to the top of a looper / needle plate, which is smaller than any previously known designs in this application environment. In one embodiment, the oscillating chain stitch machine or head 10 can be used as a stationary machine, with material or product being fed through the machine via one or more feeding devices incorporated in the head or machine 10, or the head or machine 10 can be driven via an external drive (e.g., a 6-axis robot) schematically illustrated by box 18 in order to move the sewing head 10 over and around a stationary workpiece.

[0084] The head or machine 10 comprises a needle bar assembly 20 which is driven by an upper drive shaft 22 functionally coupled to a motor 24 to drive the upper drive shaft 22. An intermediate shaft 26 is also functionally coupled to the upper drive shaft 22 via a belt 28 or any equivalent device such that the rotational movement of the upper drive shaft also causes a rotational movement of the intermediate shaft. The intermediate shaft 26 is also functionally coupled to a down shaft assembly 30, and the down shaft assembly 30 is functionally coupled to the cylinder arm assembly 16, which is, in turn, functionally coupled to the oscillating butterfly-shaped deflector 12 via a rod assembly 14.

[0085] Furthermore, the head 10 can have an adjustable design so that it can be reconfigured to accommodate a variety of different part shapes and sizes through the use of a reconfigurable lower arm assembly 32 (illustrated schematically at least in [Fig. 2]), which consists of an adjustable downshaft position in combination with interchangeable cylinder arm shaft assemblies and housing 16, each having different lengths, in combination with interchangeable downshaft assemblies 30 of different lengths. Thus, and as illustrated at least in [Fig. 2], a vertical clearance between the upper and lower parts of the head can also be adjusted (with or without cylinder arm extensions) by using interchangeable downshaft assemblies 30 and looper shaft / housing components (e.g., interchangeable cylinder arm shaft assemblies and housing 16).

[0086] For example, a first downshaft assembly 30 can be directly coupled to the intermediate shaft 26 in a housing 34 of an upper part 36 of the machine or of the head 10. Then, a second downshaft assembly 30' (illustrated in dotted line in [Fig.2]) can be functionally coupled to a lower part of the first downshaft assembly 30 in order to lengthen the length of the combined downshaft assemblies which, in turn, will place the oscillating spooler 12 further from the needle bar assembly 20 of the head 10.

[0087] In addition, the housing 34 and the intermediate shaft 26 can also be configured to be coupled to the longer downshaft assembly 30” (also shown in dashed form in [Fig. 2]). This allows the location of the downshaft assembly to be moved in the direction of the arrows 38, which in turn allows the downshaft assembly 30” to be used with a cylinder arm shaft and a housing assembly 16’ (also shown in dashed form in [Fig. 2]). This assembly 16’ can be longer than the assembly 16’ to be used with the assembly 30”.Consequently, the interchangeable 16" and 16" cylinder arm shaft and housing assemblies, in combination with the interchangeable 30" and 30" downshaft assemblies, as well as the interchangeable rod components (e.g., spool shaft extensions and housings), allow for a variety of configurations and dimensions, since the components can be interchangeably attached to one another. Furthermore, as will be described here, a double-rod oscillating spool design can be used in combination with any of the described assembly combinations.

[0088] Consequently, these embodiments allow a variable distance 40 between the end of the needle bar assembly 20 and the cylinder arm 16, as well as a variable distance 41 between the end of the needle bar assembly 20 and the descending shaft assembly 30, which in turn allows the head or machine 10 to receive parts of different sizes.

[0089] The description and illustrations referred to above and below refer to a sewing head 10 which can be manipulated on and around a stationary workpiece in an automated manner but are also applicable to a stationary machine.

[0090] As mentioned above, the construction of the head 10 includes an upper shaft 22 which is driven by a servomotor 24. The upper shaft 22 controls the movement of the needle bar assembly 20 and a presser foot, both of which are located in the upper part, or upper head, of the head 10. The upper shaft 22 also drives an intermediate shaft 26 and a lower shaft 42 via a series of belts, pulleys, and gears that convert constant rotary motion into oscillating motion. The oscillating motion is necessary to properly coordinate the movement of the spooler 12 with respect to the needle bar assembly 20.

[0091] In one embodiment, the oscillatory motion consists of a clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the sulcus, as well as an acceleration and deceleration of the sulcus at various times during this motion. A non-limiting possible configuration for ensuring this motion and these accelerations and decelerations is illustrated at least in [Fig. 3]. The intermediate shaft or intermediate drive shaft 26 has a cam 27 which converts a rotary motion into a variable-speed oscillatory motion in conjunction with a cam fork 44 which in turn drives the output shaft or lower shaft 42 via a series of linkages and gears generally designated by reference numeral 45.

[0092] For example, a gear and sector assembly 46 coupled to the cam fork 44 via a linkage 47 causes an oscillating motion of the output shaft 42 and ultimately of a swashplate shaft 48, which is functionally coupled to the swashplate 12. Thus, the gear configuration determines the rotational displacement of the swashplate 12, which, in one embodiment, can be 220 degrees of rotation in one direction and vice versa. Of course, degrees of rotation greater than or less than 220 degrees are also considered to fall within the scope of various embodiments of the present invention. It is understood that the drive means for the oscillating swashplate 12 are not limited to the above description and can be reconfigured accordingly to obtain the same effect.

[0093] The sulker rod assembly 14 may have a single sulker 12 (see at least [Fig. 4]) or the sulker rod assembly may be configured to have a double The spool pin, hereinafter referred to as the double spool pin assembly 50 (see at least [Fig. 5]), depends on the specific stitch configuration desired. As mentioned above, the single or double spool pin can be used in any of the combinations described here. In applications where the double spool pin assembly 50 is used, the head 10 can also be configured to have a second needle added to the needle bar assembly 20 to create double stitch patterns.

[0094] Now referring to [Fig. 4], the sulker 12 is driven by a shaft of The sulker 48 is driven by means of a bevel gear 52 meshing with a bevel gear 54 of the lower shaft 42. Figure 4 also shows bushings 56, collar locks 58, a rod housing 70, a gear housing 72, and a cylinder arm assembly housing 74 to assist in transferring the oscillatory rotational motion from the lower shaft 42 to the sulker 12. Although, as mentioned above, the configuration illustrated in the figures is simply provided as a non-limiting example of an embodiment, various other means of providing oscillatory motion to the sulker 12 are considered to fall within the scope of various embodiments of the present invention.

[0095] In [Fig.5], a second sulker 12, a sulker shaft 48, a collar lock 58 and a bevel gear 52 and a bushing 56 are provided in an extended gear housing 72 in order to drive a pair of sulkers 12.

[0096] A non-limiting example of a sequence necessary to complete a stitch is described below and illustrated at least in Figures 6 to 11. At step 1 ([Fig.6]), the bobbin 12 is in its position of full counterclockwise rotation or at the beginning of its rotation and a needle 72 of the needle bar assembly 20 is at the bottom (bottom dead center BDC) of its stroke.

[0097] Figures 6 to 11 also illustrate at least the part or a portion thereof 74 pierced by the head 10, a needle plate 76, and an opening or hole 78 in the needle plate 76 that allows the needle 72 to enter and exit it. At least a portion of the needle plate 76 may be located around the housing 70 of the threader shank assembly 14. A presser foot 80 of the needle bar assembly 20 is also shown. The presser foot 80 is functionally coupled to the upper drive shaft 22 to provide the desired reciprocating motion of the presser foot 80 as the needle 72 moves up and down between its top dead center and bottom dead center positions. In [Fig. 6], the needle 72 is at the bottom of its stroke (bottom dead center) and the feed dog 12 is at the beginning of its rotation. In addition, the presser foot 80 is in contact with the material 74 but exerts little pressure on it. [Fig.6A] is also a view along lines 6A-6A of [Fig.6].

[0098] In step 2 ([Fig. 7]), the needle 72 begins its upward movement in the direction of the arrow 82, creating a loop 84 in a high thread 86 which is positioned between the tip of the needle 72 and the back face of the previous workpiece 74. Simultaneously, a tip 88 of the looper 12 moves clockwise, relative to the view illustrated in the figures, between the thread loop 84 and the needle 72. In addition, the presser foot 80 applies slight pressure to ensure that the material 74 remains in contact with the needle plate 76 as the needle 72 retracts from the material 74. [Fig. 7A] is a view along lines 7A-7A of [Fig. 7],

[0099] In step 3 ([Fig. 8]), the needle 72 is extended from part 74 and positioned in its fully retracted position (top dead center TDC). The threader 12 has moved to its fully clockwise rotation position, or its maximum rotation position, relative to the view illustrated in the figures, with the upper thread loop 84 fully installed on an arm 90 of the threader 12. The presser foot 80 is also raised from part 74 and begins advancing to the next needle penetration point on part 74. [Fig. 8A] is a view along lines 8A-8A of [Fig. 8],

[0100] In step 4 ([Fig. 9]), the needle 72 has moved downwards in the direction of arrow 73 and has again entered the workpiece 74 and is also engaged with the threader 12. The needle 72 is now on a downward stroke and moves between a lower or bottom thread 92 and the threader 12 as the threader 12 rotates counterclockwise, relative to the view illustrated in the figures. The presser foot 80 has moved downwards in the direction of arrow 73 to be in light contact with the material or workpiece 74 as the needle 72 enters the material. [Fig. 9A] is a view along lines 9A-9A of [Fig. 9],

[0101] At step 5 ([Fig. 10]), the needle 72 continues to move downwards in its descending stroke in the direction of arrow 73 as the bobbin 12 continues its rotation counterclockwise relative to the view illustrated in the figures, releasing the upper thread loop 84. The upper thread 86 is released by the bobbin 12 at step 5 of [Fig. 10]. [Fig. 1OA] is a view along lines 10A-10A of [Fig. 10].

[0102] At step 6 (Figures 11 and 11A, where [Fig. 11A] is a view along lines 11A-1IA of [Fig. 11]), the needle 72 reaches the bottom of its stroke (bottom dead center) and the bobbin 12 reaches its final position of counterclockwise rotation, relative to the views shown, and the upper thread 84 is held against a back face 75 of the material 74 while the bottom thread 92 is pulled as the stitch is completed. Consequently, the loop of upper thread 84 is pulled upwards, which allows the thread to be pulled down 92, as the sewing head 10 moves forward relative to the piece 74, thus completing the stitch.

[0103] The oscillating threader design described herein requires a minimum needle plate depth to accommodate the threaders 12 (see at least Figure 12), since the threaders 12 rotate in a plane parallel to the workpiece 74 (see at least Figures 6 to 11 A) to form the stitch relative to the forward / backward threader movement in a plane perpendicular to the workpiece, which is more commonly found on chain stitch sewing machines. The needle plate depth is dictated by the minimum threader diameter required to handle the desired thread size. This compact design makes it possible to sew radii through the plane on formed workpieces, which was previously not possible with more conventional equipment (see, for example, Figures 13 and 14).

[0104] In [Fig. 13], a corner 96 of a part 74 can be stitched by the head 10 since the threader 12 can be positioned much closer to the back face of the corner 96 of the part 74. This is due to minimal or no play between the needle plate 76 and the part 74 or the corner 96 to ensure a uniform and regular appearance of the stitches, particularly at the corner 96. In contrast, and with reference to [Fig. 14], a threader arm 98 rotates about an axis 100, which is perpendicular, and not parallel, to the back face of the stitched part 74. In [Fig. 14], there is excessive play between the needle plate 76 and the part 74 or the corner 96 and, consequently, an uneven stitch length or skipped stitches may occur near the corner 96 due to this excessive play. Thus, various embodiments of the present invention allow stitching in narrow corners of a part 74.Thus, the radii of the piece can now be dictated by visual appearance instead of machine / sewing process limitations. Furthermore, thanks to the use of an oscillating bobbin winder 12, both a top thread and a bottom thread are used to form a stitch.

[0105] The sewing machine shank, which extends upwards from the end of the cylinder arm 16, terminates at the top of the needle plate 76. The needle plate 76 and / or the dimension of the shank or shank housing 76 in the "x" direction, as illustrated in the accompanying figures, is limited only by the diameter of the spool 12 itself. No other mechanism is present in the shank or shank housing 70 to increase its size at any point along the height of the shank or shank housing 70, which allows the shank or shank housing 70 and its needle plate 76 to be inserted into small areas such as a corner 96 or any other small, hard-to-reach area with minimal play between the needle plate 76 and the back face of the workpiece, resulting in a more efficient stitch pattern.

[0106] It is also understood that the lower shaft (output shaft) can be adjusted relative to the stubby shaft so as to obtain optimal access to the rear face of the part.

[0107] In [Fig. 15], a method for introducing the cylinder arm transport or cylinder arm assembly into the head 10 is illustrated. The cylinder arm transport or cylinder arm assembly 16 can be used to maintain the proper relationship between the needle 72 and the threader 12 during stitch creation. A connecting rod for the cylinder arm 102 is attached to a swing frame drive shaft 101 of the head 10, which is in turn pivotally connected to a driven connecting rod for the cylinder arm 103. The driven connecting rod for the cylinder arm 103 is pivotally connected to a rotating clamp for the cylinder arm 104, which is connected to the cylinder drive assembly 16. This configuration allows the cylinder arm assembly 16 to rotate around the lower shaft 42 in synchronization with the rotation of a swing frame 105 around the swing frame drive shaft 101.Since the rotation of the oscillating frame 105 around the oscillating frame drive shaft 101 controls the position of the needle in the direction of sewing, the linkage of the rotational movement of the cylinder arm assembly 16 to the oscillating frame drive shaft 101 will ensure that the interface of the needle 72 with the spooler 12 will always be correct when the upper needle bar transport is used.

[0108] Figures 16A to 16C illustrate the orientation of the oscillating frame 105 relative to the cylinder arm 16 at three points during the pricking cycle.

[0109] Figures 17A-E illustrate the use of a thread brake or a brake pad 106 to control the size and stabilize the position of the upper thread loop before it engages with the threader 12. Figure 17A shows the needle in the top dead center (TDC) position with the thread brake 106 retracted, allowing the upper thread 86 to move freely through the eye of the needle 72. Figure 17B shows a point along the downward movement of the needle bar 107 where the thread brake 106 begins to move forward toward the needle bar 107, applying resistance to the passage of the upper thread 86 before the thread enters the eye of the needle 72. Figure 17C illustrates the total pressure of the thread brake 106 applied to the thread 86 against the needle bar 107, preventing the passage of the thread high 86 through the eye of the needle 72.As the needle bar continues its descent from this point, the formation of the upper thread loop begins and continues in a suitable position until it is caught by the thread brake 12. Figure 17D illustrates the needle bar 107 at the bottom dead center (BDC) position. Figure 17E illustrates the needle bar 107 at the point in its upward movement where the thread brake 12 engages with the upper thread loop. It is also at this point that the thread brake 106 begins. normally to disengage from the needle bar 107, again allowing the free passage of the upper thread 86 through the eye of the needle 72.

[0110] When the needle bar 107 is at TDC (see at least Figure 17A), a spring steel arm 108 is depressed by a roller assembly 109 (due to the shape of the spring steel arm). The spring steel arm 108 is attached to the wire brake and is configured to provide a pressing force in the direction of the arrow 111.

[0111] As the needle bar 107 descends (and the spring steel arm 108 with it), the stationary roller 109 eventually reaches a point on the spring steel arm 108 where no deflection occurs; at that moment, the brake pad or thread brake 106 applies pressure, locking the thread 86 against the needle bar 107. This occurs with the needle bar 107 at approximately 50% of its downward stroke length.

[0112] The brake pressure remains applied (spring deactivated) until the BMB of the needle stroke and remains applied until about 25% of its upward stroke distance before the start of brake release (start of spring activation).

[0113] The thread brake 106 is fully released at 50% of the upward stroke of the needle bar 107 and remains released (spring activated) for the rest of the upward movement of the needle bar up to TDC.

[0114] The brake engagement and release points noted above are approximate and can be adjusted by moving the position of the roller assembly 109 up or down, depending on the application and the thread used.

[0115] Obviously, it is understood that other means of activating / deactivating the brake are also possible.

[0116] Figures 18A to 18D also illustrate the use of the thread brake 106 to control the size and stabilize the position of the upper thread loop before it engages with the threader 12. Figure 18A shows the needle in the top dead center (TDC) position with the thread brake 106 retracted, allowing the upper thread 86 to move freely through the eye of the needle 72, while Figures 18B and 18C illustrate a point along the downward movement of the needle 72 and the needle bar 107 where the thread brake 106 has been applied. Figure 18D shows the needle bar 107 in the bottom dead center (BDC) position with the thread brake applied.

[0117] Fig. 19 is a top view of the threader 12 when it grasps the upper thread loop.

[0118] It is understood that the location and timing of the engagement / disengagement of the thread brake 106 with / from the needle bar 107 can be adjusted as needed to obtain optimal formation of the upper thread loop before and during grasping by the threader 12.

[0119] In one embodiment, part 74 may be a part of an interior section of a vehicle. In another implementation, this part may be any part of a vehicle interior. For example, a part may include a portion of a vehicle's dashboard. Of course, a part may be located on any surface inside the vehicle. Non-limiting examples include vehicle door panels, vehicle console covers, vehicle console panels, dashboards, vehicle armrests, headliners, seat backs, storage compartments, and any decorative interior vehicle surface. Furthermore, the methodology described herein can be applied to elements or components used in other non-vehicle manufacturing processes, and thus part 74 may refer to any manufactured article.

[0120] The interior part, element, or component 74 may be a single-layer or multi-layer construction. In one embodiment, the component 74 comprises at least one outer skin layer having a substantially smooth outer surface and a lower face facing away from the outer surface. The outer skin layer is preferably made of a very flexible and aesthetically pleasing plastic material. Of course, other natural materials (e.g., leather, etc.) and simulated coatings may be used in various embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, the interior part is a decorative element of a vehicle interior.

[0121] In order to improve the softness of the inner part, and in one embodiment, a layer of padding support material may be provided in the area under the outer skin layer. It is envisaged that the padding support material may have any number of different constructions, although a foam material such as cross-linked polypropylene foam (XLPP) or polyurethane (PU) may potentially be preferred.

[0122] A dimensionally stable plastic substrate panel or other suitable material can also be placed under the padding support material.

[0123] According to one embodiment, the padding support material and the substrate panel can cooperate to provide a support structure to the outer skin layer.

[0124] It is envisaged that the PU foam forming the padding support material can be blown between the outer skin layer and the substrate panel so as to form a multilayer composite structure. It is also envisaged that the padding material is attached to the outer skin layer during a preliminary coating operation so as to form a preliminary layered composite that can then be applied to any substrate panel that may be used. It is also envisaged that the padding material is attached to the outer substrate layer during a preliminary coating operation. preliminary coating to form a preliminary layered composite which can then be wrapped with an outer skin layer.

[0125] Furthermore, the part can be any of a single layer (skin only), a double layer (skin / foam), or a triple layer (skin / foam / substrate). In yet another embodiment, the intermediate foam layer between the skin and the substrate can be a spacer fabric instead of a foam layer. In yet another embodiment, the spacer fabric can be used in conjunction with the foam layer either between the skin and the foam layer, or between the substrate and the foam layer, or between the skin and the foam layer, and between the foam layer and the substrate. Accordingly, the methods and associated apparatus described herein are envisaged as being used with any of the aforementioned part configurations 74.

[0126] In another embodiment, the part 74 may be formed by a vacuum forming process or be a vacuum-formed part that may have a single layer or several layers, some of which may be formed from different materials, and where the part has a three-dimensional configuration with various configurations. Furthermore, the aforementioned part may have rigidity, such that the part cannot be adequately flexed during a stitching process or application.

[0127] As mentioned above, there is a desire to create a non-functional, live stitch on decorative automotive trim components without resorting to costly cutting and sewing technologies. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method is used to apply a double stitch where the stitches are located adjacent (for example, opposite and parallel to each other).

[0128] Various embodiments of the present invention relate to an alternative method for applying decorative stitching to unformed and preformed material constructions used in the transportation industry or in the manufacture of vehicles and vehicle parts. The methods described herein can be used for flat (cut-and-sew) material but offer a greater advantage when used on a part that has a certain degree of rigidity such that it cannot be easily flattened without damaging the material.

[0129] As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” etc., do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but are rather used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, it should be noted that the terms “low” and “high” are used herein, unless otherwise indicated, solely for the convenience of description, and are not limited to any specific spatial position or orientation.

[0130] The modifier "approximately" used in relation to a quantity includes the stated value and has the meaning imposed by the context (for example, includes the degree of error associated with the measurement of the particular quantity).

[0131] Although the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that several changes can be made and equivalents can be substituted for its elements without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, numerous modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its essential scope. Therefore, it is anticipated that the invention will not be limited to the particular embodiment described as the best envisaged way of implementing this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments within the scope of this application.

Claims

Demands

1. A point application head (10) for a decorative component having a three-dimensional configuration, comprising: a needle bar assembly (20) functionally coupled to the head (10); a pucker (12) configured to cooperate with the needle bar assembly (20) to perform a plurality of points on the decorative component, the pucker (12) rotating in a plane parallel to the decorative component; a rod assembly (14) configured to drive the pucker (12) in a reciprocating motion in the plane, wherein the rod assembly (14) is functionally coupled to a motor (24) configured to drive the needle bar assembly (20) in a reciprocating motion, the rod assembly being functionally coupled to the head (10) via a cylinder arm assembly (16) and a downshaft assembly (30);and in which the cylinder arm assembly (16) is rotated in a synchronized manner with a swing frame (105) by a mechanical link connecting a swing frame drive shaft (101) to the cylinder arm assembly (16).

2. Head (10) according to claim 1, wherein the needle bar assembly (20) is driven back and forth by an upper drive shaft (22) functionally coupled to the motor (24) and the rod assembly (14) is also driven back and forth by the upper drive shaft via an intermediate drive shaft.

3. Head (10) according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the cylinder arm assembly (16) and / or the downshaft assembly (30) is removably fixed to the head so that another cylinder arm assembly (16) and / or another downshaft assembly can be fixed to the head so that the rod assembly (14) is repositioned relative to the needle bar assembly (20) of the head (10).

4. 4. Head (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cylinder arm assembly (16) and the downshaft assembly (30) are interchangeable with another cylinder arm assembly and another downshaft assembly such that the rod assembly (14) can be repositioned relative to the needle bar assembly (20).

5. 5. Head (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising another needle and another spool configured to cooperate with the other needle in order to simultaneously produce two discrete patterns of a plurality of points on the decorative component, the other spool rotating in the plane parallel to the decorative component.

6. Head (10) according to claim 5, wherein the rod assembly is configured to drive the spool (12) and the other spool in a reciprocating motion in the plane, wherein the rod assembly (14) is functionally coupled to a motor configured to drive the needle bar assembly (20) containing two needles in a reciprocating motion.

7. 7. Head (10) according to claim 6, further comprising an upper wire brake configured to control a size and stabilize a position of an upper wire loop before and during the engagement of the upper wire with the spooler (12).

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