Automatic mouth-folding sewing device and method

Abstract

This invention provides an automatic face-flat seam sewing device and method that eliminates problems such as still relying to a certain extent on the operator's senses and operation, and requiring one operator to constantly attend to each device, compared to conventional methods. [Solution] In an automatic flatlock sewing device equipped with a flatlock sewing machine, a fabric transport table 3, and a hem edge guide 2, the fabric edge adjustment and transport member 4 was installed on the sewing machine table 11 to the right of the fabric transport table 3, and the auxiliary feed member 5 was screw-fastened to the upper arm of the sewing machine 1 and installed to the left.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic hemming sewing device and a method thereof. In the present invention, front and rear refer to the front-rear direction in the fabric feeding direction, left and right refer to the left-right direction when the sewing machine is viewed from the front, and up and down refer to the up-down direction of the sewing machine.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional automatic hemming sewing device, there is known one provided with a hem edge guide attached in front of the sewing machine to assist so-called hem folding that folds the fabric edge back with a certain width (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also, as an automatic hemming sewing device that automatically performs hemming sewing of small fabrics such as the cuffs of short-sleeved shirts (also referred to as cuff hem sewing, etc.), there is known one provided with a fabric conveyance table attached in front of the sewing machine (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In conventional techniques, when using an automatic flat-felled seam machine to flat-felled seams on small pieces of fabric such as the cuffs of short-sleeved shirts, the operator first places the fabric on a fabric transport table, then holds the front and back of the fabric with both hands, adjusting the fabric edge to be roughly straight along the fabric edge guide provided on the hem edge guide, and while maintaining this, slides the fabric into the guide, and once the airflow from the hem edge guide sufficiently hits the entire fabric edge, the hem fold is formed in the fabric by the air. The operator then slides the fabric with both hands in the direction of the sewing machine's fabric feed, confirming that one end of the fabric has reached below the presser foot of the sewing machine, and then presses a foot switch located at the operator's feet, which lowers the presser foot of the waiting sewing machine above and starts the sewing machine. From this point on, the operator can leave the machine alone to feed the fabric and sew the hem.

[0005] While this simplified the worker's process compared to performing the same sewing with a sewing machine without an automatic face-flat stitching device, it still relied to a certain extent on the worker's intuition and operation. Furthermore, it required one worker to be constantly assigned to each device, meaning that even if two devices were deployed, two workers were still needed.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an automatic face-flat seam sewing device and method that solves the problems of still relying to a certain extent on the operator's senses and operation, and of requiring one operator to constantly attend to each device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the invention described in claim 1 is an automatic face-flat sewing device comprising a sewing machine, a hem edge guide attached in front of the sewing machine, and a fabric transport table attached in front of the sewing machine, characterized in that it comprises a fabric edge adjusting and transporting member that adjusts the position of the fabric edge of the fabric placed on the fabric transport table and feeds it to the hem edge guide, and an auxiliary feed member that feeds the fabric fed into the hem edge guide below the presser foot of the sewing machine.

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the automatic face-flat sewing device described in claim 1, the fabric edge adjustment and conveying member comprises a slide rail installed on the sewing machine table, a conveying base arranged on the slide rail and moving back and forth, a forward and backward moving air cylinder installed on the sewing machine table and connected to the conveying base, an up and down moving air cylinder mounting member installed above the conveying base, an up and down moving air cylinder installed on the up and down moving air cylinder mounting member, a motor mounting member installed at the working end of the up and down moving air cylinder and moving up and down, a first motor and a second motor arranged in front and behind parallel on the motor mounting member with their axial direction in the front and back direction, a first roller and a second roller fixed to the shafts of the first motor and the second motor and rotating, and a first sensor and a second sensor installed in front and behind parallel on the fabric conveying table.

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the automatic face-flat sewing device described in claim 1 or claim 2, the auxiliary feed member comprises an auxiliary feed pad member, an auxiliary feed vertical air cylinder for driving the auxiliary feed pad member up and down, and an auxiliary feed horizontal air cylinder for driving the auxiliary feed pad member back and forth.

[0010] To achieve the above objective, the invention described in claim 4 is an automatic face-flat sewing device according to claim 2, wherein when at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor detects fabric placed on a fabric conveying table in front of the hem edge guide (S1), the vertical air cylinder is driven to bring the first roller and the second roller into contact with the fabric (S2), and at least one of the first roller or the second roller is rotated to move the fabric out of the detection range of the first sensor and the second sensor (S3), and the first roller and the This is an automatic flat-felled seam method that involves rotating the two rollers in the opposite direction to move the fabric to a predetermined position within the detection range of the first and second sensors (S4, S5), driving the forward and backward air cylinder to move the fabric in contact with the first and second rollers into the detection range of the third sensor provided by the hem edge guide (S6), rotating the first and second rollers to feed the fabric to the guide member of the hem edge guide (S7), and driving the up and down air cylinder to separate the first and second rollers from the fabric (S8).

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the invention described in claim 5 is an automatic flat-felled seam device described in claim 3, wherein the fabric is within the detection range of the third sensor provided by the hem edge guide, and the fabric edge adjustment and transport member feeds the fabric to the hem edge guide to form a hem fold, the auxiliary feed pad member is brought into contact with the fabric and driven to feed the fabric below the presser foot of the sewing machine (S9, S10), and then the auxiliary feed pad member is retracted from the fabric and the sewing machine is operated (S11, S12). [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the automatic face-flat sewing apparatus and method of the present invention, it is possible to eliminate problems such as still having to rely to a certain extent on the operator's senses and operation, and requiring one operator to constantly attend to each apparatus, as described below. The invention described in claim 1 is an automatic flat-felled sewing device comprising a sewing machine, a hem edge guide attached in front of the sewing machine, and a fabric transport table attached in front of the sewing machine, characterized in that it comprises a fabric edge adjusting and transporting member that adjusts the position of the fabric edge of the fabric placed on the fabric transport table and feeds it to the hem edge guide, and an auxiliary feed member that feeds the fabric fed into the hem edge guide below the presser foot of the sewing machine, thereby reducing the number of steps that rely on the operator's sense and operation.

[0013] The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that, in the automatic face-flat sewing device described in claim 1, the fabric edge adjustment and transport member comprises a slide rail installed on the sewing machine table, a transport base arranged on the slide rail and moving back and forth, a forward and backward moving air cylinder installed on the sewing machine table and connected to the transport base, an up and down moving air cylinder mounting member installed above the transport base, an up and down moving air cylinder installed on the up and down moving air cylinder mounting member, a motor mounting member installed at the working end of the up and down moving air cylinder and moving up and down, a first motor and a second motor arranged in front and behind parallel on the motor mounting member with their axial direction in the front and back direction, a first roller and a second roller fixed to the shafts of the first motor and the second motor and rotating, and a first sensor and a second sensor installed in front and behind parallel on the fabric transport table. As a result, when the operator places the fabric on the fabric transport table at the start of sewing, the rest of the fabric manipulation is carried out by this device, thus reducing the number of steps that rely on the operator's senses and operation.

[0014] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that, in the automatic face-flat sewing device described in claim 1 or claim 2, the auxiliary feed member comprises an auxiliary feed pad member, an auxiliary feed vertical air cylinder for driving the auxiliary feed pad member up and down, and an auxiliary feed horizontal air cylinder for driving the auxiliary feed pad member back and forth. As a result, after a hem fold is formed on the fabric by the action of the hem edge guide, the process of sliding the fabric in the fabric feed direction of the sewing machine is carried out by this device, thus reducing the process that relies on the operator's senses and operation.

[0015] The invention described in claim 4 is an automatic face-flat sewing device according to claim 2, wherein when at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor detects fabric placed on a fabric transport table in front of the hem edge guide (S1), the vertical air cylinder is driven to bring the first roller and the second roller into contact with the fabric (S2), at least one of the first roller or the second roller is rotated to move the fabric out of the detection range of the first sensor and the second sensor (S3), the first roller and the second roller are rotated in the opposite direction to move the fabric to a predetermined position within the detection range of the first sensor and the second sensor (S4, S5), and the forward and backward air cylinder is driven to move the fabric in contact with the first roller and the second roller so that the hem edge guide has a third This is an automatic flat-felled sewing method in which the fabric is moved within the detection range of the sensor (S6), the first roller and the second roller are rotated to feed the fabric to the guide member of the hem edge guide (S7), and the vertical air cylinder is driven to separate the first roller and the second roller from the fabric (S8). As a result, the process in which the operator places the fabric in the area detected by at least one of the first or second sensors on the fabric transport table at the start of sewing, adjusts the fabric edge to be roughly straight along the fabric edge guide provided on the hem edge guide, slides and feeds the fabric edge to the guide while maintaining this straight position, and forms a hem fold in the fabric due to the action of the hem edge guide is carried out by this device, thus reducing the process that relies on the operator's senses and operation.

[0016] The invention described in claim 5 is an automatic flat-felled seam sewing device as described in claim 3, wherein the fabric is within the detection range of the third sensor provided by the hem edge guide, and the fabric edge adjustment and transport member feeds the fabric to the hem edge guide to form a hem fold, the auxiliary feed pad member is brought into contact with the fabric and driven to feed the fabric below the presser foot of the sewing machine (S9, S10), and then the auxiliary feed pad member is retracted from the fabric and the sewing machine is operated (S11, S12), thereby performing an automatic flat-felled seam sewing. In this way, with the hem fold formed on the fabric by the action of the hem edge guide, the fabric is slid in the fabric feed direction of the sewing machine and fed below the presser foot, and the sewing machine is operated, and the process of sewing while feeding the fabric by the sewing machine is performed by this device, and thus the process that relies on the operator's sense and operation can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] A perspective view from the left front of the automatic face-flat sewing device applied to the present invention. The positive direction of the X axis is to the right, the positive direction of the Y axis is to the back, and the positive direction of the Z axis is to the up. [Figure 2] A perspective view from the right rear of the automatic mouth-folding sewing device applied to the present invention. [Figure 3] A perspective view from the left front of the hem edge guide, fabric conveying table, fabric edge adjusting and conveying member, and auxiliary feeding member of an automatic face-flat sewing device applied to the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view from the left front of the automatic face-flat sewing device applied to the present invention, showing the state of the first and second stages (S1 and S2) when the operation is viewed in stages. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view from the left front of the automatic face-flat sewing device applied to the present invention, showing the state of the 3rd and 4th stages (S3, S4) when the operation is viewed in stages. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view from the left front of the automatic face-flat sewing device applied to the present invention, showing the state at the 5th and 6th stages (S5 and S6) when the operation is viewed in stages. [Figure 7]A perspective view of the automatic hemming sewing machine applied to the present invention, showing the states of the 7th and 8th steps (S7, S8) when the operation is viewed step by step. [Figure 8] A perspective view of the automatic hemming sewing machine applied to the present invention, showing the states of the 9th and 10th steps (S9, S10) when the operation is viewed step by step. [Figure 9] A perspective view of the automatic hemming sewing machine applied to the present invention, showing the states of the 11th and 12th steps (S11, S12) when the operation is viewed step by step. [Figure 10] A perspective view of the automatic hemming sewing machine applied to the present invention, showing the states of the 13th and 14th steps (S13, S14) when the operation is viewed step by step.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on FIGS. 1 to 10. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the automatic hemming sewing machine applied to the present invention. The sewing machine 1 is installed behind the sewing machine table 11 with the fabric feeding direction in the front-rear direction (the positive direction of the Y-axis is the rear direction). In this embodiment, a flat sewing machine is used as the sewing machine 1. As is well known, the upper surface of the fabric conveying table 3 is in the shape of a long plate and is attached and fixed in front of the sewing machine 1 with the longitudinal direction in the front-rear direction. The hem edge guide 2 is attached as is well known to the right side in front of the presser (not shown) of the sewing machine 1. The fabric edge adjusting and conveying member 4 is installed on the sewing machine table 11 on the right side of the fabric conveying table 3. The auxiliary feeding member 5 is screwed to the upper arm (not shown) of the sewing machine 1 and installed on its left side. The fabric 10 of this embodiment is used for cuffs and is a quadrilateral composed of three curves or straight lines and one straight line. By feeding the straight fabric edge to the right side and making the front and back straight and feeding it into the hem edge guide 2, a hem fold is formed.

[0019] Figure 2 is a perspective view from the right rear of an automatic face-flat sewing machine applied to the present invention. The fabric edge adjustment and transport member 4 comprises a slide rail 400 installed on the sewing machine table 11, a transport base 40 positioned on the slide rail 400 and moving back and forth, a forward and backward moving air cylinder 401 installed on the sewing machine table 11 and connected to the transport base 40, and an up and down moving air cylinder mounting member 410 installed above the transport base 40.

[0020] In this embodiment, the slide rail 400 is installed on the sewing machine table 11 to the right of the fabric transport table 3, and the forward / backward air cylinder 401 is installed on the sewing machine table 11 to the right of the slide rail 400. The transport base 40, positioned on the slide rail 400, is connected to the operating end of the forward / backward air cylinder 401, and as a result the forward / backward air cylinder 401 is driven, the transport base 40 moves back and forth. When the forward / backward air cylinder 401 is at its maximum stroke, the transport base 40 is near the front of the sewing machine table 11, away from the sewing machine 1. As the forward / backward air cylinder 401 is retracted, the transport base 40 moves in front of the sewing machine 1, near the middle of the sewing machine table 11. The forward / backward air cylinder 401 can be any linear drive device, such as a solenoid or an electric cylinder.

[0021] Figure 3 is a left front perspective view of the hem edge guide, fabric transport table, fabric edge adjustment and transport member, and auxiliary feed member of an automatic flat-felled sewing machine applied to the present invention. The fabric edge adjustment and transport member 4 includes a vertical air cylinder 41 installed on a vertical air cylinder mounting member 410, a motor mounting member 42 installed at the working end of the vertical air cylinder 41 and moving up and down, a first motor 43 and a second motor 44 arranged in front and behind parallel on the motor mounting member 42 with their axial directions in the front-to-back direction, a first roller 430 and a second roller 440 fixed to the shafts of the first motor 43 and the second motor 44 and rotating, and a first sensor 45 and a second sensor 46 installed in front and behind parallel on the fabric transport table 3. In this embodiment, the first motor 43 and the second motor 44 are aligned with their axes on the same straight line, with the first motor 43 closer to the sewing machine 1, and the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 also have their central axes on the same straight line. The first roller 430 and the second roller 440 also have the same roller diameter.

[0022] In this embodiment, the vertical air cylinder 41 is installed at a 45-degree angle so that its operating end moves from the upper right to the lower left. This improves visibility and makes it easier to place the fabric 10 on the fabric conveying table 3 by retracting the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 to the upper right, making it easier to confirm the position of the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 than if they were simply retracted upwards. The angle is not limited to 45 degrees; for example, 60 degrees or 30 degrees would also be acceptable as long as visibility and ease of placement are achieved. If the sewing machine table 11 is high and the fabric 10 to be placed on the fabric conveying table 3 is more visible from the side, the fabric may be simply retracted upwards without any angle.

[0023] The front-to-back width of the first roller 430 and second roller 440, which are arranged in parallel front to back, is slightly smaller than the front-to-back width of the fabric 10 to be sewn, by adjusting the front-to-back positions of the first motor 43 and second motor 44 and fastening them with screws to the motor mounting member 42. The front-to-back position of the first motor 430 and second motor 440 is adjusted and fastened with screws to the motor mounting member 410 above the transport base 40 so that when the working end of the vertical air cylinder 41 protrudes, the first roller 430 and second roller 440 press against the middle of the fabric 10 placed on the fabric transport table 3 in the left-to-right direction. In this embodiment, the outer circumference of the first roller 430 and second roller 440 is made of nitrile rubber, but this may be replaced with other flexible materials such as other types of rubber, sponge, felt, or resin tape that can contact and feed the fabric 10.

[0024] The first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 are positioned to the right of the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 when they come into contact with the fabric 10. The front-to-back positions of the first sensor 45 and the second roller 440 are adjusted so that they are slightly smaller than the front-to-back width of the fabric 10, making their left-to-right positions the same. The first sensor 45 is positioned closer to the sewing machine 1, and the sensors are installed in parallel on the fabric transport table 3 to detect the presence or absence of the fabric 10 below. As a result, when the right side of the fabric 10 placed on the fabric transport table 3 is within the detection range of at least one of the first sensor 45 or the second sensor 46, the fabric 10 can be moved out of the detection range by rotating at least one of the first roller 430 or the second roller 440 that is in contact with the fabric 10. For example, when the fabric 10 is in contact with the first roller 430 and the second roller 440, and is within the detection range of the first sensor 45 but outside the detection range of the second sensor 46, the fabric 10 can be moved outside the detection range of both the first and second sensors 45 and the second sensor 46 while remaining in contact with the first and second rollers 430 by rotating the first roller 430. This can also be done by rotating the second roller 440 when the fabric 10 is outside the detection range of the first sensor 45 but within the detection range of the second sensor 46, and by rotating the first and second rollers 430 and the second roller 440 when the fabric 10 is within the detection range of both the first and second sensors 46.

[0025] In this embodiment, the auxiliary feed member 5 comprises an auxiliary feed pad member 53, an auxiliary feed up-and-down air cylinder 52 fixed to the working end of the auxiliary feed pad member 53 to drive it up and down, an auxiliary feed forward-and-backward air cylinder 51 fixed to the working end of the auxiliary feed up-and-down air cylinder 52 fixed to the working end of the auxiliary feed pad member 53 to drive it forward and backward, and an auxiliary feed base 50 fixed to the upper arm of the sewing machine 1 with screws. The auxiliary feed forward-and-backward air cylinder 51 may be fixed to the sewing machine table 11 or the fabric transport table 3. The auxiliary feed up-and-down air cylinder 52 and the auxiliary feed forward-and-backward air cylinder 51 may also be swapped. In that case, for example, the auxiliary feed up-and-down air cylinder 52 may be fixed to the auxiliary feed base 50, the auxiliary feed forward-and-backward air cylinder 51 may be fixed to the working end of the auxiliary feed up-and-down air cylinder 52, and the auxiliary feed pad member 53 may be fixed to the working end of the auxiliary feed forward-and-backward air cylinder 51. The auxiliary feed vertical air cylinder 52 and the auxiliary feed horizontal air cylinder 51 can be any linearly moving drive device, such as a solenoid or an electric cylinder.

[0026] The auxiliary feed pad member 53 is plate-shaped with a polyurethane sponge fixed to one end of its lower surface. This could be any other flexible material that can contact and feed the fabric 10. The auxiliary feed pad member 53 is positioned in front of the sewing machine 1, to the left of the hem edge guide 2, and is positioned to stand above the fabric transport table 3, when the working end of the auxiliary feed forward / backward air cylinder 51 is driven to protrude forward and when the working end of the auxiliary feed up / down air cylinder 52 is driven to pull it back upward. When the auxiliary feed up / down air cylinder 52 is driven while the fabric 10 is being fed into the hem edge guide 2, the auxiliary feed pad member 53 descends and the sponge presses against the fabric 10. If the auxiliary feed forward / backward air cylinder 51 is driven in this state, the fabric 10 is moved in the fabric feeding direction, and one end of the fabric 10 can be fed below the presser foot.

[0027] Figures 4 to 10 are perspective views from the left front of the automatic face-flat sewing device applied to the present invention, showing the state at each stage when the operation is viewed in steps. The method of automatic face-flat sewing in this embodiment is described below. Figure 4 shows the state in the first and second stages (S1 and S2). In the first stage (S1), the fabric 10 placed on the fabric transport table 3 in front of the hem edge guide 2 is detected by at least one of the first sensor 45 or the second sensor 46. In Figure 4, the fabric 10 is within the detection range of the first sensor 45 and outside the detection range of the second sensor 46.

[0028] In the second stage (S2), the vertical air cylinder 41 is driven to move the first motor 43 and the second motor 44 from the upper right to the lower left, causing the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 to come into contact with the dough 10. As mentioned above, the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 are positioned to the right of the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 when they come into contact with the middle of the dough 10 in the left-right direction.

[0029] Figure 5 shows the state in stages 3 and 4 (S3 and S4). In stage 3 (S3), at least one of the first roller 430 or the second roller 440 is rotated to move the fabric 10 out of the detection range of the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46. Since the fabric 10 was within the detection range of the first sensor 45 but outside the detection range of the second sensor 46, the first roller 430 rotates and the second roller 440 does not rotate depending on whether or not detection occurred.

[0030] The fourth stage (S4) shows the process of moving the dough 10 to a predetermined position within the detection range of the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 by reversing the rotation of the first roller 430 and the second roller 440. At this stage, the right edge of the dough 10 has just entered the detection range of the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 after the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 have reversed their rotation. The first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 are installed in parallel front to back, and their detection ranges are the same on the left and right. Therefore, immediately after entering these detection ranges, the straight edge of the dough 10 has the same left and right position and becomes straight in the front-to-back direction.

[0031] Figure 6 shows the state in stages 5 and 6 (S5 and S6). In stage 5 (S5), the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 are further rotated to move the fabric 10 to a predetermined position within the detection range of the first sensor 45 and the second sensor 46 to the right. The first roller 430 and the second roller 440 have the same roller diameter, and by rotating them by the same amount, the fabric 10 can be moved to the required position while maintaining a straight edge in the front-to-back direction. As a result, the straight edge of the fabric 10, which is its right end, is aligned left-to-right with the guide portion provided on the guide member 20 of the known hem edge guide 2, which acts as a wall at the right end of the fabric 10 to assist in folding, and is straight in the front-to-back direction. In this embodiment, this is considered the predetermined position. This predetermined position can be adjusted by changing the amount of rotation of the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 if the sewing specifications change, the width of the hem fold changes, and the left-to-right position of the guide portion of the guide member 20 changes.

[0032] In the sixth stage (S6), the aforementioned forward and backward air cylinder 401 is driven to move the fabric 10, which is in contact with the first roller 430 and the second roller 440, into the detection range of the third sensor 21 of the hem edge guide 2. At this time, the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 do not rotate, but slide and move the fabric 10 on the fabric conveying table 3 while pressing down on it from above. The right edge of the fabric 10, in the feeding direction, is contained within the front-to-back width area of ​​the guide member 20 of the hem edge guide 2.

[0033] Figure 7 shows the state in stages 7 and 8 (S7 and S8). Stage 7 (S7) shows how the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 are rotated to feed the fabric to the guide member 20 of the hem edge guide 2. As described above, in stage 6 the fabric 10 is within the detection range of the third sensor 21 of the hem edge guide 2, so as is well known, the hem edge guide 2 assists in forming the hem fold of the fabric 10 by blowing air into the inside of the guide member 20. In conventional techniques, the worker would feed the fabric 10 with both hands until the air sufficiently hit the entire edge of the fabric, but here this is done by the rotation of the first roller 430 and the second roller 440.

[0034] In the eighth stage (S8), the vertical air cylinder 41 is driven to separate the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 from the dough. In this state, one end of the dough 10 on the feeding side has not yet reached below the presser foot. The right edge of the dough 10 is tucked inside the hem edge guide 2 and is sufficiently exposed to air, and from this point onward, the hem fold is formed solely by the airflow.

[0035] Figure 8 shows the state in steps 9 and 10 (S9 and S10). In step 9 (S9), the auxiliary feed pad member 53 is brought into contact with the fabric 10. The fabric 10 is inserted into the hem edge guide 2 and a hem fold is formed. In this state, the auxiliary feed up and down air cylinder 52 is driven, causing the auxiliary feed pad member 53, which is waiting above, to descend and press the sponge against the fabric 10.

[0036] In the tenth step (S10), the auxiliary feed pad member 53 is driven to feed the fabric 10 below the presser foot of the sewing machine 1. Here, the auxiliary feed forward and backward air cylinder 51 is driven to slide the fabric 10, which is in contact with the sponge of the auxiliary feed pad member 53, in the feed direction of the sewing machine 1, and feed one end of the fabric 10 on the feed direction side below the presser foot of the sewing machine 1. In this state, the sewing machine 1 is not operating, and the presser foot is waiting in the upper position.

[0037] Figure 9 shows the state in stages 11 and 12 (S11 and S12). Stage 11 (S11) shows the auxiliary feed pad member 53 being retracted from the fabric 10. Here, the auxiliary feed up and down air cylinder 52 is driven, and the sponge of the auxiliary feed pad member 53 is retracted upward from the fabric 10 in contact with it. At this time, the sewing machine 1 is not yet operating, but simultaneously with or preceding the upward retraction of the auxiliary feed pad member 53, the presser foot descends to press and support the fabric 10.

[0038] In the 12th stage (S12), the operation of sewing machine 1 is shown. As sewing machine 1 operates, the fabric 10 supported by the presser foot moves in the feed direction of sewing machine 1 while forming a seam. The hem edge guide 2 continues to form a hem fold with air in the areas of the fabric 10 where a seam has not yet been formed. After this, the fabric 10 is sewn while being supported by sewing machine 1 and hem edge guide 2. The fourth sensor 22 is installed to the left of the sewing machine needle and detects the fabric 10 while it is being sewn. When sewing progresses and the fabric 10 moves out of the detection range of the fourth sensor 22, the air in the hem edge guide 2 stops and sewing machine 1 stops.

[0039] Figure 10 shows the state in stages 13 and 14 (S13 and S14). In stage 13 (S13), the forward and backward air cylinder 401 is driven to move the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 forward. As the sewing machine 1 starts operating, the first roller 430 and the second roller 440 move forward to prepare for sewing.

[0040] In the 14th stage (S14), the auxiliary feed forward / backward air cylinder 51 is driven to move the auxiliary feed pad member 53 forward. As a result, the auxiliary feed pad member 53, the first roller 430, and the second roller 440 return to the state just before the first stage (S1). In this state, the fabric 10a to be sewn next is placed on the fabric transport table 3, and once the sewing machine 1 is stopped due to detection by the fourth sensor 22, the device is activated after detection by the first sensor 45 or the second sensor 46, allowing continuous flat-felled sewing to be performed. The device can be activated automatically when the conditions for stopping the sewing machine 1 due to detection by the fourth sensor 22 and detection by the first sensor 45 or the second sensor 46 are met, or it can be activated by pressing a switch (not shown) when the detection conditions are met.

[0041] As described above, in this embodiment, the operator's only task is to place the fabric 10 on the fabric transport table 3, while the device of this embodiment performs the subsequent steps of adjusting the fabric edge position and feeding the presser foot downwards. Therefore, by using two of these devices, one operator can operate multiple machines simultaneously. For example, the operator can place the fabric on the first machine, and while the device performs the remaining steps, place the fabric on the second machine. Once sewing on the first machine is complete, the fabric is placed back on the first machine, and so on.

[0042] The automatic face-flat seam sewing device and method described above reduce the number of processes that rely on the operator's senses and skills, while still requiring a certain degree of reliance on the operator's senses and skills, and eliminating problems such as requiring one operator to constantly attend to each device.

[0043] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can implement the invention by adding various modifications to the above embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the present invention also encompasses such modifications. Furthermore, although a flatlock sewing machine was used in this embodiment, the invention is not limited to this, and can be implemented using other chain stitch sewing machines such as a double chain stitch sewing machine or an overlock sewing machine. [Explanation of symbols]

[0044] 1 Sewing machine 2. Hem Edge Guide 3. Dough conveying table 4. Fabric edge adjustment and conveying member 5. Auxiliary feed member 10 Fabric 10a Dough 11 Sewing machine table 20 Guide members 21 Third Sensor 22 Fourth Sensor 40 Transport base 41 Up-and-down air cylinder 42 Motor mounting member 43 First Motor 44 Second motor 45 First Sensor 46 Second Sensor 50 Auxiliary feed base 51 Auxiliary feed forward and backward air cylinder 52 Auxiliary feed up and down air cylinder 53 Auxiliary feed pad member 400 slide rails 401 Forward / Backward Air Cylinder 410 Mounting component for vertically moving air cylinder 430 First Laura 440 Second Laura S1~S14: Stages 1 through 14 of the operation

Claims

1. An automatic face-flat sewing device comprising a sewing machine, a hem edge guide attached in front of the sewing machine, and a fabric transport table attached in front of the sewing machine, characterized in that it comprises a fabric edge adjustment and transport member that adjusts the position of the fabric edge of the fabric placed on the fabric transport table and feeds it to the hem edge guide, and an auxiliary feed member that feeds the fabric fed into the hem edge guide to below the presser foot of the sewing machine.

2. The automatic face-flat sewing device is characterized in that the fabric edge adjustment and transport member comprises a slide rail installed on a sewing machine table, a transport base arranged on the slide rail and moving back and forth, a forward-and-backward moving air cylinder installed on the sewing machine table and connected to the transport base, an up-and-down moving air cylinder mounting member installed above the transport base, an up-and-down moving air cylinder installed on the up-and-down moving air cylinder mounting member, a motor mounting member installed at the working end of the up-and-down moving air cylinder and moving up and down, a first motor and a second motor arranged in front and behind parallel on the motor mounting member with their axial direction in the front-and-back direction, a first roller and a second roller fixed to the shafts of the first motor and the second motor and rotating, and a first sensor and a second sensor installed in front and behind parallel on the fabric transport table.

3. The automatic face-flat sewing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the auxiliary feed member comprises an auxiliary feed pad member, an auxiliary feed vertical air cylinder for driving the auxiliary feed pad member up and down, and an auxiliary feed horizontal air cylinder for driving the auxiliary feed pad member back and forth.

4. A method for automatic flat-felled seams in an automatic flat-felled seam apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when at least one of the first sensor or the second sensor detects fabric placed on a fabric transport table in front of the hem edge guide (S1), the vertical air cylinder is driven to bring the first roller and the second roller into contact with the fabric (S2), at least one of the first roller or the second roller is rotated to move the fabric out of the detection range of the first sensor and the second sensor (S3), the first roller and the second roller are rotated in the opposite direction to move the fabric to a predetermined position within the detection range of the first sensor and the second sensor (S4, S5), the forward and backward air cylinder is driven to move the fabric in contact with the first roller and the second roller into the detection range of a third sensor provided in the hem edge guide (S6), the first roller and the second roller are rotated to feed the fabric to the guide member of the hem edge guide (S7), and the vertical air cylinder is driven to separate the first roller and the second roller from the fabric (S8).

5. An automatic flat-felled seam machine according to claim 3, wherein the fabric is within the detection range of a third sensor provided by the hem edge guide, the fabric edge adjustment and transport member feeds the fabric to the hem edge guide and forms a hem fold, the auxiliary feed pad member is brought into contact with the fabric and driven to feed the fabric below the presser foot of the sewing machine (S9, S10), and then the auxiliary feed pad member is retracted from the fabric and the sewing machine is operated (S11, S12), an automatic flat-felled seam machine method.

Images