System and method for automatically cutting bra cup

Abstract

The present application discloses a system and method for automatically cutting a bra cup. The system comprises: a cutting apparatus, comprising a robot arm and a cutter head assembly; a database storing one or more predefined bra cup styles and one or more corresponding contour parameters and position parameters; and a controller. The cutting apparatus further comprises: a positioning mold assembly and a calibration cover, wherein the calibration cover comprises a plurality of positioning points; the calibration cover calibrates a position parameter of a selected bra cup style on the basis of actual three-dimensional coordinates of the positioning points; the controller generates a moving trajectory of the robot arm on the basis of the calibrated position parameter and the contour parameter of the bra cup style; the robot arm moves according to the generated moving trajectory; and the cutter head assembly performs cutting on a shaped panel on the basis of the contour parameter of the selected bra cup style to form a bra cup. The present application achieves fully automatic production of bra cups.

Description

Systems and methods for automatically cutting bra cups Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to a system and method for automatically cutting bra cups. Background Technology

[0002] Bra cups primarily serve to support, shape, augment, and enhance the breasts. The manufacturing process typically involves cutting fabric into cups, followed by inspection and packaging. However, the production process for bra cups is complex, and existing production lines for cutting, inspecting, and packaging have numerous steps that cannot be fully automated, resulting in low production efficiency and poor product consistency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, embodiments of this application provide a system and method for automatically cutting bra cups to achieve mass fully automated production of bra cups.

[0004] One aspect of this application proposes a system for automatically cutting bra cups, comprising:

[0005] A cutting device is configured to trim a pre-shaped fabric piece into a bra cup. The cutting device includes a robotic arm and a cutter assembly operably connected to the robotic arm. A database is configured to store one or more predefined bra cup styles and their corresponding one or more contour parameters and one or more position parameters. A controller is configured to select a bra cup style from the database based on the pre-shaped fabric piece and control the cutting device to automatically cut the pre-shaped fabric piece according to the selected bra cup style. The cutting device further includes a positioning mold assembly corresponding to the selected bra cup style, which corresponds to the pre-shaped fabric piece and is configured to adjust the position of the pre-shaped fabric piece to a predefined position, and then apply an adhesive force to the pre-shaped fabric piece to hold it in the predefined position. A calibration cap corresponding to a selected bra cup style, the calibration cap including multiple positioning points; the calibration cap is configured to calibrate the position parameters of the selected bra cup style using the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the multiple positioning points at predefined positions; wherein, the controller is further configured to calibrate the position parameters of the selected bra cup style according to the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the multiple positioning points; and generate a walking trajectory of the robot arm based on the calibrated position parameters and contour parameters of the bra cup style; the robot arm is configured to move according to the generated walking trajectory under the control of the controller; the cutting head assembly is further configured to perform a cutting action on the pre-shaped fabric piece fed therein during the movement of the robot arm, so that the cutting device cuts the pre-shaped fabric piece according to the contour parameters of the selected bra cup style to form a bra cup.

[0006] Another aspect of this application proposes a method for automatically cutting bra cups, comprising:

[0007] (1) A system for automatically cutting bra cups according to any embodiment, wherein

[0008] The database is configured to store one or more predefined bra cup styles and their corresponding one or more outline parameters and one or more position parameters; and

[0009] The cutting device is provided with a corresponding calibration cover and positioning mold assembly according to the selected bra cup style;

[0010] (2) The controller controls the robot arm to collect the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points on the calibration cover at predefined positions;

[0011] (3) The controller calibrates the position parameters of the selected bra cup style based on the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points at predefined positions;

[0012] (4) The controller generates the walking trajectory of the robot arm based on the position and contour parameters after calibration of the chest cup pattern;

[0013] (5) The shaped cut pieces are fed into the positioning mold assembly for positioning and adsorption fixation;

[0014] (6) The controller controls the robot arm to move according to the generated walking trajectory, and at the same time controls the cutter assembly to cut the pre-shaped pattern piece fed into it with predefined parameters during the movement of the robot arm, so as to cut the pre-shaped pattern piece into a bra cup corresponding to the selected bra cup style. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The performance and advantages of this application can be further understood by referring to the remainder of this specification and the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used for the same component. In some cases, a sub-label is placed after a label followed by a hyphen to indicate one of many similar components. When a label is mentioned without specifically naming an existing sub-label, it refers to all of these similar components.

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the robot trimming machine of this application.

[0017] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the robot trimming machine of this application.

[0018] Figure 3 is a side view of the robot trimming machine of this application;

[0019] Figure 4 is a second side view of the robot trimming machine of this application;

[0020] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the glue-releasing shell mechanism of this application;

[0021] Figure 6 is a structural schematic diagram of the waste receiving mechanism of this application;

[0022] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an automatic bra cup cutting system in one embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the cutting device structure in one embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the cutting device shown in Figure 8 from another perspective;

[0025] Figure 10 is a partial structural schematic diagram of the cutting device shown in Figure 8;

[0026] Figure 11 is a partial three-dimensional schematic diagram of the cutting device shown in Figure 8;

[0027] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the top cover in one embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the calibration cover in one embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of the mounting structure of the top cover and the vacuum base in one embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 14 in the CC direction;

[0031] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the cutter head assembly structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the cutter head assembly structure according to another embodiment of this application;

[0033] Figure 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method for automatically cutting bra cups according to one embodiment of this application;

[0034] Figure 19 is a schematic diagram of a 3D scan of the calibration cover 2 in a computer according to one embodiment of this application;

[0035] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of a 3D scan of the calibration cover 2 in a computer according to another embodiment of this application;

[0036] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of a 3D scan of the calibration cover 2 in a computer according to another embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 22 is a schematic diagram of a 3D scan of the calibration cover 2 in a computer according to another embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 23 is a schematic diagram of computer-simulated cutting in one embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0039] As used herein and in the claims, “comprising” means including the following elements, but does not exclude other elements. The terms “comprising” and “including” mean including the following elements, but do not exclude other elements. It should be understood that for each embodiment using the terms “comprising” and “including”, this disclosure / application also includes alternative embodiments in which the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” or “having” are replaced with “consistently composed of” or “consistent with.” These alternative embodiments using “consistent with” or “consistently composed of” are to be understood as narrower embodiments of the “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” or “having” embodiments.

[0040] For clarity, "containing" allows for additional elements or features beyond the specified basic elements, while "consisting of" is a closed term that is limited to the elements listed in the claims and excludes any elements, steps, or ingredients not specified in the claims.

[0041] The phrase "consisting substantially of..." limits the scope of the claim to specific materials, components, or steps ("basic elements") that do not materially affect the essential features of the claimed invention. In some embodiments, the essential features are the essential and novel features of the claimed invention.

[0042] As used herein and in the claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form "an / a" also includes the corresponding plural indicator. When a numerical range is mentioned in the specification, the numerical range is understood to include every discrete point within that range. For example, 1-7 represents 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

[0043] As used herein, the terms “about,” “basically,” and “approximately,” “roughly,” are understood to be within the normal tolerance range of the field and not exceeding ±10% of the specified value. By way of example only, approximately 50 refers to all values ​​from 45 to 55, inclusive. As used herein, the phrase “about” also includes specific values; for example, approximately 50 includes 50.

[0044] As used herein and in the claims, the terms "general" or "substantially" mean that it is not necessary to precisely achieve the listed features, angles, shapes, states, structures, or values, but deviations or variations, including, for example, tolerances, measurement errors, measurement accuracy limitations, and other factors known to those skilled in the art, may occur in an amount that does not preclude the effect that the feature is intended to provide. For example, an object having a "general" cylindrical shape means that the object has a precisely cylindrical shape or a nearly precisely cylindrical shape. In another example, an object "substantially" perpendicular to a surface means that the object is either completely perpendicular to the surface or nearly completely perpendicular to the surface, for example, with a deviation of 5%.

[0045] For clarity, "characterized in" (along with their related forms as above) does not limit or change the nature of whether the following list of terms is open or closed. For example, in a claim for "an apparatus comprising A, B, C and characterized in D, E, and F", elements D, E, and F remain open-ended terms, and the claim is intended to include other elements due to the use of the word "comprising" preceding the claim.

[0046] In this application, the term "cut piece" refers to a flat piece of fabric pre-cut to a certain size, which is suitable for heat setting and serves as a qualified raw material for making bra cups.

[0047] In this application, the term "pre-formed fabric piece" refers to a flat fabric piece that, after undergoing a heat-setting process, forms an arched or non-planar shape in a localized area. It can be a pre-formed product with a composite structure formed by multiple fabrics.

[0048] In this application, the term "breast cup" refers to the portion retained after a pre-cut fabric piece has been cut, which includes at least a portion of the fabric piece having an arched or non-planar shape after a heat-setting process.

[0049] In this application, the term "X direction" refers to a direction parallel to the ground plane.

[0050] In this application, the term "Y direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to the ground plane.

[0051] In this application, the term "Z-direction" refers to the direction perpendicular to the X-direction in the horizontal direction.

[0052] In this application, the term "vertical motion" refers to up-and-down movement in a direction perpendicular to the ground plane.

[0053] In this application, terms indicating direction, such as up, down, left, right, inside, outside, top, and bottom, are used with reference to the position of the breast cup production system during normal installation and use.

[0054] In this application, the term "robotic arm" refers to a mechanical connecting arm that controls the swing angle and walking direction of a cutting tool, including at least two movable joints.

[0055] In this application, the term "tool" refers to a component used for cutting, and its shape is not limited.

[0056] In this application, the terms "power unit", "driver", and "drive unit" include, but are not limited to, various types of electric motors and cylinders.

[0057] In this application, the term "actual three-dimensional coordinates" refers to coordinates with reference to the ground plane, including coordinate values ​​in the X, Y, and Z directions.

[0058] In this application, the pre-shaped cut piece, calibration cover, top cover, and selected bra cup style fed into the cutting device all have or include the same or substantially consistent outline, corresponding to the outline of the bra cup formed after the pre-shaped cut piece is cut.

[0059] In this application, "substantially consistent" means that the outlines of the pre-cut pieces, calibration caps, top caps, and selected bra cup styles are the same or substantially the same, with an error not exceeding ±10% of the specified value.

[0060] In this application, the term "calibration" refers to the process of "updating," "replacing," or "correcting" the position parameters of the selected bra style and the corresponding positioning point in the database with data of the actual three-dimensional position parameters of the positioning point.

[0061] To address the current limitations of automated production of bra cups, which requires extensive manual labor and cannot guarantee product consistency, the reliance on manual operation not only leads to significant errors and low production efficiency, but also hinders production due to rising labor costs caused by an aging population and a growing shortage of skilled workers.

[0062] One aspect of this application proposes an automatic bra cup cutting system, comprising: a cutting device configured to trim a pre-shaped fabric piece into a bra cup, the cutting device including a robotic arm and a cutter assembly operably connected to the robotic arm; a database configured to store one or more predefined bra cup styles and their corresponding one or more contour parameters and one or more position parameters; and a controller configured to select a bra cup style from the database based on the pre-shaped fabric piece and control the cutting device to automatically cut the pre-shaped fabric piece according to the selected bra cup style; wherein the cutting device further includes: a positioning mold assembly corresponding to the selected bra cup style, corresponding to the pre-shaped fabric piece, configured to position the pre-shaped fabric piece to a predefined position, and then apply an adhesive force to the pre-shaped fabric piece. The controller is further configured to calibrate the position parameters of the selected bra cup style according to the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the multiple positioning points at the predefined position; and generate a walking trajectory of the robot arm according to the calibrated position parameters and contour parameters of the bra cup style. The robot arm is configured to move according to the generated walking trajectory under the control of the controller. The cutting head assembly is further configured to perform a cutting action on the pre-shaped piece fed into it during the movement of the robot arm, so that the cutting device cuts the pre-shaped piece according to the contour parameters of the selected bra cup style to form a bra cup.

[0063] In one embodiment, the positioning mold assembly includes two top covers, left and right, each having a shape and outline substantially consistent with the selected bra style, and having multiple through holes.

[0064] In one embodiment, the cutting device further includes two vacuum bases, left and right; two top covers are respectively disposed on the two vacuum bases; wherein the vacuum bases are configured to provide upward negative pressure vacuum suction to form an adsorption force on the shaped cut pieces disposed on the top covers; the top covers are configured to support the shaped cut pieces so that the negative pressure vacuum suction provided by the vacuum bases passes through multiple through holes and is applied to the shaped cut pieces fed therein.

[0065] In one embodiment, the positioning mold assembly further includes an upper positioning module and a lower positioning module; the shaped piece includes at least two arched shapes and a middle region located between the arched shapes; the upper positioning module and the lower positioning module are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction; the upper positioning module moves up and down in the vertical direction under the drive of the driving device; after the shaped piece is fed onto the lower positioning module, the upper positioning module presses down vertically on the middle region of the shaped piece so that the two arched parts of the shaped piece are substantially consistent with the position and shape of the left and right top covers respectively.

[0066] In one embodiment, the cutting device further includes positioning pins configured to be detachably connected to the robot arm. The robot arm controls the tip of the positioning pins to obtain positioning points on the calibration cover to obtain the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the positioning points, thereby determining the positional parameters of the selected bra cup style.

[0067] In one embodiment, the positioning point is the intersection of two adjacent line segments on the edge of the calibration cover.

[0068] In one embodiment, the bottom surface shape of the upper positioning module is configured to correspond to the shape of the area between the two arched portions of the fed, shaped fabric piece. In one embodiment, the top surface shape of the lower positioning module is configured to substantially match the bottom surface shape of the upper positioning module. In one embodiment, the lower positioning module is configured to include an area that substantially matches the bottom surface shape of the upper positioning module.

[0069] In one embodiment, the shape of the top cover is substantially the same as that of the calibration cover, and the outline dimensions of the top cover are slightly smaller than those of the calibration cover.

[0070] In one embodiment, the cutter head assembly includes a motor, a circular cutter, and a presser foot; the circular cutter has a central axis, and the presser foot is connected to the circular cutter along the central axis, the presser foot at least surrounding a portion of the edge of the circular cutter and forming a gap therebetween; the motor drives the circular cutter to rotate about the central axis, while the circular cutter cuts the shaped cut piece fed into the gap. In one embodiment, the cutter head assembly includes a laser cutting component. In one embodiment, the cutter head assembly includes a scissor blade.

[0071] In one embodiment, the shape and contour parameters of one or more predefined bra cup styles are obtained by 3D scanning the calibration cover. In another embodiment, the shape and contour parameters of one or more predefined bra cup styles are obtained by importing a bra cup style design drawing. In yet another embodiment, the shape and contour parameters of one or more predefined bra cup styles are obtained by manually inputting calibration cover parameters.

[0072] In one embodiment, a frame is also included, configured to secure the beginning of the robotic arm and the positioning mold assembly.

[0073] In one embodiment, the number and outline of the calibration cap and positioning mold assembly correspond to the number and outline of the bra cup styles stored in the database, and the calibration cap and positioning mold assembly are 3D printed.

[0074] Another aspect of this application proposes a method for automatically cutting bra cups, comprising:

[0075] (1) A system for automatically cutting bra cups according to any embodiment, wherein

[0076] The database is configured to store one or more predefined bra cup styles and their corresponding one or more outline parameters and one or more position parameters; and

[0077] The cutting device is provided with a corresponding calibration cover and positioning mold assembly according to the selected bra cup style;

[0078] (2) The controller controls the robot arm to collect the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points on the calibration cover;

[0079] (3) The controller calibrates the position parameters of the selected bra cup style based on the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points at predefined positions;

[0080] (4) The controller generates the walking trajectory of the robot arm based on the position and contour parameters after calibration of the chest cup pattern;

[0081] (5) The shaped cut pieces are fed into the positioning mold assembly for positioning and adsorption fixation;

[0082] (6) The controller controls the robot arm to move according to the generated walking trajectory, and at the same time controls the cutter assembly to cut the pre-shaped pattern piece fed into it with predefined parameters during the movement of the robot arm, so as to cut the pre-shaped pattern piece into a bra cup corresponding to the selected bra cup style.

[0083] One embodiment also includes a step of generating a bra cup pattern:

[0084] 3D scan one or more calibration caps to obtain the contour and position parameters of one or more chest cup styles, and store them in a database.

[0085] One embodiment also includes a step of adjusting the style of the bra cup:

[0086] The trimmed bra cup is compared with the calibration cap to determine if there is a deviation. If there is no deviation, no adjustment to the bra cup style is required. If there is a deviation, the deviation dimension is measured and the outline parameters of the corresponding bra cup style in the database are modified.

[0087] In one embodiment, the positioning mold assembly includes two top covers, left and right, each having a shape substantially consistent with the selected bra style, and having multiple through holes.

[0088] In one embodiment, the positioning mold assembly further includes an upper positioning module and a lower positioning module; the shaped piece includes at least two arched shapes and a middle region located between the arched shapes; the upper positioning module and the lower positioning module are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction; the upper positioning module moves up and down in the vertical direction under the drive of the driving device; after the shaped piece is fed onto the lower positioning module, the upper positioning module presses down vertically on the middle region of the shaped piece so that the two arched parts of the shaped piece are substantially consistent with the position and shape of the left and right top covers respectively.

[0089] In one embodiment, the positioning point is the intersection of two adjacent line segments on the edge of the calibration cover.

[0090] In another aspect of this application, the robotic trimming machine includes a trimming machine frame. A mold frame is fixedly installed on one side of the bottom end of the inner wall of the trimming machine frame. First movable blocks are slidably connected to both sides of the top of the mold frame. A first cup mold and a second cup mold are respectively fixedly installed on the top of the two first movable blocks. A slitting circular knife is installed in the middle of the inner wall of the trimming machine frame. A knife holder is fixedly installed on one side of the trimming machine frame, and a trimming circular knife is fixedly installed on one side of the knife holder. Glue shell placement mechanisms are installed on both sides of the top of the trimming machine frame. Two trimming robots are mounted on the trimming machine frame, each located on one side of a glue shell placement mechanism. Two waste receiving mechanisms are fixedly installed on one side of the middle of the trimming machine frame. A plurality of cup-shaped vacuum suction molds located on one side of the mold frame are fixedly installed on the trimming machine frame. An upper auxiliary positioning cylinder is fixedly installed on one side of the top of the inner wall of the trimming machine frame. A third servo motor located below the upper auxiliary positioning cylinder is fixedly installed on the trimming machine frame. A cutting servo rotating shaft is fixedly installed at the output end of the third servo motor. A lower auxiliary positioning cylinder is installed in the middle of the cutting servo rotating shaft. The glue shell placement mechanism includes an assembly table and a connecting frame. One side of the bottom of the assembly table is fixedly connected to the top of the connecting frame. A second displacement rod is fixedly installed at both ends of one side of the connecting frame. A second displacement block is slidably connected between the two second displacement rods. A lifting motor is provided at the top of the assembly table. A second lead screw is fixedly installed at the output end of the lifting motor, passing through the assembly table and the second displacement block in sequence. A second height rod is fixedly installed on both sides of the bottom end of the second displacement block. The rod surface is threadedly connected to a second height platform. The top two sides of the second height platform are slidably connected to the middle of two second height rods, respectively. A rubber suction cup is fixedly installed at the bottom of the second height platform. A second positioning block is fixedly installed on one side of the connecting frame. A sliding plate is provided at the bottom of the connecting frame. A rubber recycling storage shell is fixedly installed on the surface of the sliding plate. Two length rods are slidably connected inside the second positioning block. The bottom ends of the two length rods are fixedly connected to the top two sides of the sliding plate, respectively. The bottom of the assembly table is fixedly connected to the trimming machine frame. Both waste receiving mechanisms include a receiving frame and a waste platform. A third lifting cylinder is fixedly installed at the top of the receiving frame. The movable end of the third lifting cylinder is connected to the bottom of the waste platform. Waste baffles are connected to both sides of the top of the waste platform. An opening and closing cylinder is installed between the two waste baffles, and a tilting cylinder is installed between the waste platform and the two waste baffles. The bottom end of the receiving frame is fixedly connected to the trimming machine frame. A third stepper motor that drives the two first movable blocks to slide is fixedly installed on the trimming machine frame. A waste conveying frame is located on the bottom of the inner wall of the trimming machine frame away from the mold frame. An active conveying roller is rotatably connected to one side of the inner wall of the waste conveying frame, and a driven conveying roller is rotatably connected to the other side of the inner wall of the waste conveying frame. A motor is fixedly installed on the surface of the waste conveying frame. A waste conveyor belt is connected to the output end of the motor and the active conveying roller, as well as between the active conveying roller and the driven conveying roller. A second operation panel is fixedly installed on the surface of the trimming machine frame, and an emergency stop button is fixedly installed inside the trimming machine frame.

[0091] The front station flipping station places the cotton cup onto the cup-shaped vacuum suction mold. After the upper and lower auxiliary positioning cylinders position the cotton cup, the vacuum pump is turned on to suction the cotton cup onto the mold. The servo rotating shaft runs under the drive of the servo motor. After passing through the circular knife, the cotton cup is cut into two halves, namely the left cup and the right cup. The servo rotating shaft, the left cup module, and the right cup module each reach the trimming position. Before the cotton cup begins trimming, the glue shell placement mechanism takes a glue shell and puts it on the cotton cup to increase the vacuum suction force. The waste generated by trimming is collected by the waste baffle and dumped to the rear, and then transported away by the waste conveyor belt.

[0092] Other benefits and advantages provided by the various embodiments of this application will be readily apparent from the following description.

[0093] Example 1

[0094] As shown in Figures 1-6, the robotic trimming machine 4 of this embodiment includes a trimming machine frame 4001. A mold frame 4017 is fixedly installed on one side of the bottom of the inner wall of the trimming machine frame 4001. First movable blocks 4015 are slidably connected to both sides of the top of the mold frame 4017. A first cup module 4002 and a second cup module 4003 are respectively fixedly installed on the top of the two first movable blocks 4015. A slitting circular blade 4006 is installed in the middle of the inner wall of the trimming machine frame 4001. A... The machine is equipped with a tool holder 4023, and a trimming round knife 4024 is fixedly installed on one side of the tool holder 4023. Both sides of the top of the trimming machine frame 4001 are equipped with glue shell placement mechanisms 4012. Two trimming robots 4010 are installed on the trimming machine frame 4001, respectively located on one side of the glue shell placement mechanism 4012. Two waste material receiving mechanisms 4013 are fixedly installed on one side of the middle of the trimming machine frame 4001. Several cup-shaped vacuum suction molds 4005 located on one side of the mold frame 4017 are fixedly installed on the trimming machine frame 4001.

[0095] An upper auxiliary positioning cylinder 4004 is fixedly installed on one side of the top of the inner wall of the trimming machine frame 4001. A third servo motor 4009 located below the upper auxiliary positioning cylinder 4004 is fixedly installed on the trimming machine frame 4001. A cutting servo rotating shaft 4008 is fixedly installed at the output end of the third servo motor 4009. A lower auxiliary positioning cylinder 4007 is installed in the middle of the cutting servo rotating shaft 4008. The glue shell placement mechanism 4012 includes an assembly table 401207 and a connecting frame 401206. One side of the bottom of the assembly table 401207 is fixedly connected to the top of the connecting frame 401206. Two second displacement rods 401208 are fixedly installed at both ends of one side of the connecting frame 401206, and the two second displacement rods 401208 are slidably connected. The assembly platform 401207 has a second displacement block 401209. A lifting motor 401213 is installed at the top of the assembly platform 401207. The output end of the lifting motor 401213 passes through the assembly platform 401207 and the second displacement block 401209, and a second lead screw 401210 is fixedly installed thereon. Second height rods 401212 are fixedly installed on both sides of the bottom end of the second displacement block 401209. A second height platform 401211 is threaded onto the surface of the second lead screw 401210. The top two sides of the second height platform 401211 are slidably connected to the middle of the two second height rods 401212, respectively. A rubber suction cup 401201 is fixedly installed at the bottom end of the second height platform 401211. A second positioning block is fixedly installed on one side of the connecting frame 401206. 401205, the bottom end of the connecting frame 401206 is provided with a sliding plate 401203, and a plastic shell recycling storage shell 401202 is fixedly installed on the surface of the sliding plate 401203. Two length rods 401204 are slidably connected inside the second positioning block 401205. The bottom ends of the two length rods 401204 are respectively fixedly connected to the two sides of the top of the sliding plate 401203. The bottom end of the assembly table 401207 is fixedly connected to the trimming machine frame 4001. Both waste receiving mechanisms 4013 include a receiving frame 40131 and a waste platform 40134. A third lifting cylinder 40132 is fixedly installed at the top of the receiving frame 40131. The movable end of the third lifting cylinder 40132 is connected to the bottom end of the waste platform 40134. Waste baffles 40135 are connected to both sides of the top of the material platform 40134. An opening and closing cylinder 40133 is installed between the two waste baffles 40135. A tilting cylinder 40136 is installed between the waste platform 40134 and the two waste baffles 40135. The bottom end of the receiving frame 40131 is fixedly connected to the trimming machine frame 4001. A third stepper motor 4016 that drives the two first movable blocks 4015 to slide is fixedly installed on the trimming machine frame 4001. A waste conveying frame 4018 is located on the bottom side of the inner wall of the trimming machine frame 4001 away from the mold frame 4017. An active conveying roller 4021 is rotatably connected to one side of the inner wall of the waste conveying frame 4018, and a driven conveying roller 4022 is rotatably connected to the other side of the inner wall of the waste conveying frame 4018.A motor 4020 is fixedly mounted on the surface of the waste conveyor frame 4018. A waste conveyor belt 4019 is connected to both the output end of the motor 4020 and the drive conveyor roller 4021, and between the drive conveyor roller 4021 and the driven conveyor roller 4022. A second operation panel 4011 is fixedly mounted on the surface of the trimming machine frame 4001. An emergency stop button 4014 is fixedly mounted inside the trimming machine frame 4001.

[0096] Example 2

[0097] system

[0098] Figure 7 shows an automatic bra cup cutting system 1000 provided in one embodiment of this application. It basically includes a controller 400, a database 300, and a cutting device 200. In one embodiment, the controller 400, database 300, and cutting device 200 are operably directly connected or assembled together; in another embodiment, the controller 400, database 300, and cutting device 200 are remotely connected via a network. The database 300 stores one or more predefined bra cup styles and corresponding contour and position parameters for each style. The controller 400 controls the cutting device 200 to automatically cut pre-shaped pieces according to the selected bra cup style.

[0099] Figures 8 and 9, with reference to Figure 13, show structural schematic diagrams of a cutting device 200 according to one embodiment from different perspectives. The cutting device 200 includes: a robotic arm 23 and a cutting head assembly 22, multiple calibration covers 5 corresponding to each bra cup style (as shown in Figure 13), and a positioning mold assembly. The positioning mold assembly corresponds to the pre-shaped cut piece or the selected bra cup style, and is used to adjust the position of the fed pre-shaped cut piece to a predefined position, then apply an adhesive force to hold it in the predefined position. One of the calibration covers 5 has a shape and contour consistent with the selected bra cup style. The calibration cover includes multiple positioning points, and the position parameters of the selected bra cup style in the database 300 are calibrated or corrected by the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the positioning points at the predefined position, so as to ensure that the position parameters of the selected bra cup style are consistent with reality. As shown in Figure 8, the other end of the robotic arm 23 is fixed to a frame 27; the frame 27 includes two robotic arms 23, and each robotic arm 23 has a cutting head assembly 22 fixed to its end. In optional embodiments, one or more robotic arms may be mounted on the frame 27 as needed. The robotic arm 23 has multiple interconnected joints that can move 360 ​​degrees. Under the control of the robotic arm 23, the cutter head assembly 22 can rotate, move forward, backward, and move up and down within a 360-degree range. The robotic arm 23 and the cutter head assembly 22 are controlled by a controller to move along a predefined trajectory. The controller 400 calibrates the position parameters of the selected bra cup style based on the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the positioning point, and then generates the walking trajectory of the robotic arm 23 based on the calibrated position and contour parameters of the selected bra cup style. The robotic arm 23 moves according to the generated walking trajectory under the control of the controller. During the movement of the robotic arm 23, the cutter head assembly 22 performs a cutting action on the pre-shaped fabric piece fed into it, causing the cutting device to cut the pre-shaped fabric piece according to the contour parameters of the selected bra cup style to form a bra cup. Thus, the robotic arm 23 can control the cutting head assembly 22 to precisely cut the pre-shaped pattern piece into the desired bra cup shape at the predefined position of the positioning mold assembly. The positioning mold assembly and calibration cover correspond one-to-one with the bra cup styles stored in the database, and the positioning mold assembly and calibration cover are 3D printed.

[0100] As shown in Figure 9, the cutting device 200 also includes a second cutter 10, which is a linear motion cutter used to cut the shaped piece into a left half and a right half along the center line of the shaped piece. Before the second cutter performs the cutting, as shown in Figure 10, the upper positioning module 4 and the lower positioning module 3 cooperate to accurately position the shaped piece, so that the second cutter can accurately perform the cutting along the middle position of the shaped piece. After the second cutter completes the cutting, the shaped piece is cut into a left half and a right half, and the left vacuum base and the right vacuum base will be separated by a certain distance, as shown in Figure 11, to provide sufficient space for the cutter head assembly and the robot arm corresponding to the left half and the right half to perform cutting according to the predefined motion trajectory, thereby trimming the bra cup with the required contour.

[0101] calibration

[0102] When producing a new bra cup style, the system first needs to perform position calibration. Calibration requires selecting the left and right calibration covers corresponding to the selected bra cup style. The left and right calibration covers are fixed on the left and right vacuum bases 1 respectively. The calibration cover 5 is only set on the vacuum base 1 during calibration, and it, together with the positioning pin, realizes the acquisition of the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the positioning points on the calibration cover 5. Specifically, during calibration, the vacuum base 1 fixes the calibration cover 5 at the predefined cutting position of the shaped piece; the positioning pin is connected to the robot arm 23, and the robot arm 23 controls the tip of the positioning pin to obtain the actual position parameters of the positioning points on the calibration cover. Then, the controller 400 calibrates or corrects the coordinate parameters of the selected bra cup style in the database with the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the positioning points to unify the two, that is, to unify the virtual position of the selected bra cup style in the computer with the real environment position; after calibration, the left and right calibration covers 5 are removed from the vacuum base 1, the positioning pin is removed from the robot arm, the left and right top covers corresponding to the selected bra cup style are installed on the vacuum base 1, and the cutter head assembly 22 is installed on the robot arm.

[0103] position

[0104] During production, the system pre-selects and fixes a positioning mold assembly, which corresponds to a selected bra cup style to be produced. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the cutting device 200 also includes two vacuum bases 1 and a positioning mold assembly. The positioning mold assembly includes an upper positioning module 4 and a lower positioning module 3, and two top covers 2. As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the two top covers 2 are fixed on the two vacuum bases 1 respectively. As shown in Figure 9, the lower positioning module 3 is set on a bottom column 31, and the upper positioning module 4 is set on a top column 41. The shape of the bottom surface of the upper positioning module 4 basically corresponds to the shape of the middle area of ​​the fed-in pre-shaped cut piece. The shape of the top surface of the lower positioning module 3 basically matches the shape of the bottom surface of the upper positioning module or includes an area that basically matches the shape of the bottom surface of the upper positioning module. Driven by a cylinder, the top column 41 moves vertically up and down to drive the upper positioning module 4 to move vertically. After the shaped piece is fed into the lower positioning module 3, the upper positioning module 4 presses down on the middle position of the shaped piece, making the position and shape of the shaped piece basically consistent with the lower positioning module 3 and the two top covers 2 on the left and right, thus achieving the first positioning of the shaped piece. Then, the vacuum base 1 provides negative pressure vacuum suction upwards, and the top cover 2 supports the shaped piece fed into it. The top cover 2 has multiple through holes 28 (as shown in Figure 12). Under the action of the negative pressure vacuum suction provided by the vacuum base 1, the pressure formed by the airflow sucks the shaped piece onto the top cover 2. At this time, as shown in Figure 10, the shaped piece is in the state after the first positioning is achieved by the cutting device 200. As shown in Figure 11, after the second cutter 10 cuts the pre-shaped piece on the top cover 2 in half, the linear motion component 7 drives the left and right vacuum bases 1, the left and right top covers 2, and the left and right halves of the pre-shaped piece to move in the X and Z directions to reach the predefined position for the robot arm 23 to perform cutting. This position is also the predefined cutting position for the left and right halves of the left and right vacuum bases 1. That is, the positioning mold component performs a second positioning of the pre-shaped piece. This position is also the position where the calibration cover 5 collects the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the positioning point. Then the controller 400 generates the walking trajectory of the robot arm 23; the robot arm 23 cuts the pre-shaped piece into a bra cup with the required contour according to the control of the controller 300.

[0105] The motion component that drives the left and right vacuum bases 1 to separate is the horizontal motion component 7. The structure of the horizontal motion component 7 can be the structure shown in Figure 8-11, or other mechanical structures that achieve horizontal motion in the prior art.

[0106] In one embodiment, the cutting device 200 further includes a waste recycling device, which includes a waste receiving tray disposed at the bottom of the cutting device, a conveyor belt, and a recycling station for storing waste; the conveyor belt is operatively connected to the waste receiving tray and the recycling station; the waste receiving tray receives waste generated from the cutting device, and the conveyor belt transfers the waste from the waste receiving tray to the recycling station.

[0107] In one embodiment, one or more predefined bra cup styles and corresponding contour parameters are obtained by 3D scanning calibration caps. The shape of the calibration caps used for production is consistent with the corresponding bra cup styles in the database. They are also used to make shaping molds for pre-shaped cut pieces, upper positioning modules, and lower positioning modules.

[0108] In one embodiment, the outline size of the top cover 2 is slightly smaller than that of the calibration cover 5 so that the cutter head is not interfered with by the top cover 2 when the cutter head assembly 22 is cutting.

[0109] Figures 14 and 15 show a schematic diagram and a cross-sectional view in the CC direction of the top cover 2 and the vacuum base 1 installed together. The top of the vacuum base 1 is connected to the top cover 2. As shown in Figure 12, the top cover 2 has a through hole for airflow. The bottom of the vacuum base 1 is connected to a vacuum air pressure source. When a pre-shaped piece is placed on the top cover 2, it will be adsorbed onto the top cover 2.

[0110] Figure 16 shows a schematic diagram of the cutter head assembly 22A according to one embodiment. The cutter head assembly 22A includes a motor 24, a circular cutter 25, a presser foot 26, and an interface end 29 for connecting to a robot arm. The circular cutter 25 is coaxially connected to the presser foot 26, and the motor 24 drives the circular cutter 25 to rotate around its axis. The presser foot 26 surrounds a portion of the edge of the circular cutter and forms a gap with it, the gap corresponding to the thickness of the shaped cut piece. When the circular cutter 25 rotates, it cuts the shaped cut piece fed into the gap.

[0111] Figure 17 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of the cutter head assembly 22B according to another embodiment. The cutter head assembly 22B includes a motor 24, scissor heads 30, and an interface end 29 for connecting to a robot arm. In this embodiment, a pre-shaped cut piece is fed between the scissor heads 30 to trim the pre-shaped cut piece.

[0112] In one embodiment, the blade assembly includes a laser cutting component that cuts the pre-shaped piece using a laser.

[0113] Production methods

[0114] Figure 18 shows a flowchart of the automatic bra cup cutting method, including the following steps:

[0115] S1. A system for automatically cropping bra cups, wherein a database is configured to store one or more predefined bra cup styles and their corresponding one or more contour parameters and one or more position parameters; and

[0116] The cutting device is provided with a corresponding calibration cover and positioning mold assembly according to the selected bra cup style;

[0117] S2. The controller controls the robot arm to collect the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points on the calibration cover at predefined positions;

[0118] S3. The controller calibrates the position parameters of the selected bra cup style based on the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points at predefined positions;

[0119] S4. The controller generates the robot arm's walking trajectory based on the position and contour parameters calibrated according to the chest cup pattern;

[0120] S5. The shaped cut pieces are fed into the positioning mold assembly for positioning and adsorption fixation;

[0121] S6. The controller controls the robot arm to move according to the generated walking trajectory, and at the same time controls the cutter head assembly to perform predefined parameters to cut the pre-shaped pattern piece fed into it during the movement of the robot arm, thereby cutting the pre-shaped pattern piece into a bra cup corresponding to the selected bra cup style.

[0122] In one embodiment, the method for automatically cutting bra cups further includes a step of generating bra cup styles: 3D scanning one or more calibration caps to obtain the contour parameters and position parameters of one or more bra cup styles, and storing them in a database.

[0123] In one embodiment, the method for automatically trimming a bra cup further includes the step of adjusting the bra cup style: comparing the trimmed bra cup with the calibration cap to determine if there is a deviation; if there is no deviation, there is no need to adjust the bra cup style in the database; if there is a deviation, the deviation size is measured and the contour parameters of the corresponding bra cup style in the database are modified.

[0124] In one embodiment, the contour parameters of one or more predefined bra cup styles are obtained by importing a bra cup style design drawing. In another embodiment, the contour parameters of one or more predefined bra cup styles are obtained by manually inputting calibration cap parameters.

[0125] Figure 19 shows the 3D scan of the calibration cover 2 in the computer, namely the virtual calibration cover 5B. The virtual calibration cover 5B has three positioning points, namely positioning points 32, 33, and 34. Each positioning point is the intersection of two adjacent arc segments or an arc segment and an adjacent straight line segment on the edge of the virtual calibration cover 5B. Corresponding to the positioning points on the calibration cover 2, these points determine the nodes where the trimmed bra cup contour curve changes or the nodes where the cutting head assembly adjusts its walking direction. The trajectory line displayed on the edge of the virtual calibration cover 5B is the simulated walking trajectory 31 generated by the computer using predefined contour parameters. Correspondingly, in the cutting device, when the controller controls the cutting head assembly 22 to perform cutting, the cutting head assembly 22 will execute a walking trajectory on the shaped piece that is basically consistent with the simulated walking trajectory 31.

[0126] Figure 20 shows another schematic diagram of the virtual calibration cover 5B in the computer for the calibration cover 2. In Figure 20, the first edge line 35 is an edge line on the outline of the virtual calibration cover 5B, and the second edge line 36 is the edge line to which the first edge line 35 of the virtual calibration cover 5B is expected to be adjusted. The distance between the first edge line 35 and the second edge line 36 is the deviation dimension that needs to be adjusted. When the chest cup cut by the cutting device is compared with the calibration cover, and a difference is found in their outlines, the outline parameters of the chest cup style in the database need to be adjusted as shown in Figure 20. In this application, the controller is a computer or part of a computer.

[0127] Figures 21 and 22 show schematic diagrams of creating the outline parameters of the chest cup style corresponding to the calibration cover 2. When the virtual calibration cover 5B is obtained by 3D scanning the calibration cover 2, the virtual calibration cover 5B will be stored in the database as a chest cup style corresponding to the calibration cover 2. Then, each edge segment of the virtual calibration cover 5B is selected, such as the third edge 37 shown in Figure 21 and the fourth edge 38 shown in Figure 22. After each edge segment of the virtual calibration cover 5B is collected, the outline parameters of the corresponding chest cup style are formed. The position parameters of the intersection of each edge segment are used as the position parameters of the corresponding chest cup style. All of them are stored in the database as predefined data.

[0128] As shown in Figure 23, after all the predefined data of the virtual calibration cover 5B is collected, the controller forms a simulated walking trajectory. The process of the virtual cutter head component 22B cutting under the control of the virtual robot arm 23B is demonstrated in the computer through virtual animation. If the system does not report any errors during the virtual animation playback, it means that the walking trajectory has been successfully created. If the system displays an error message during the virtual animation playback, it means that the walking trajectory has not been successfully created and needs to be recreated.

[0129] Numbered Examples

[0130] The present invention is further described in the following numbered embodiments.

[0131] 1. A system for automatically cutting bra cups, comprising:

[0132] A cutting device configured to trim a pre-shaped piece into a bra cup, the cutting device including a robotic arm and a cutter assembly operably connected to the robotic arm;

[0133] The database is configured to store one or more predefined bra cup styles and their corresponding one or more outline parameters and one or more position parameters; and

[0134] The controller is configured to control the cutting device to automatically cut the pre-shaped piece according to a selected bra cup style from the database based on the pre-shaped piece.

[0135] The cutting device further includes:

[0136] The positioning mold assembly corresponding to the selected bra cup style is configured to adjust the position of the shaped piece to a predefined position, and then apply an adhesive force to the shaped piece to hold it in the predefined position;

[0137] A calibration cap corresponding to a selected bra cup style, the calibration cap including multiple positioning points; the calibration cap is configured to calibrate the position parameters of the selected bra cup style using the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the multiple positioning points at predefined positions;

[0138] The controller is further configured to generate the walking trajectory of the robot arm based on the position parameters and contour parameters calibrated according to the chest cup pattern;

[0139] The robotic arm is configured to move according to a generated walking trajectory under the control of the controller;

[0140] The cutting head assembly is further configured to perform a cutting action on the pre-shaped fabric piece fed therein during the movement of the robotic arm, such that the cutting device cuts the pre-shaped fabric piece according to the contour parameters of the selected bra cup style to form a bra cup.

[0141] 2. The system according to Embodiment 1, wherein the positioning mold assembly includes two top covers, left and right, the top covers having a shape and outline substantially consistent with the selected bra cup style, and the top covers having multiple through holes.

[0142] 3. According to any of the above embodiments, the cutting device further includes two vacuum bases, left and right; the two top covers are respectively disposed on the left and right vacuum bases; wherein the vacuum bases are configured to provide upward negative pressure vacuum suction to form an adsorption force on the shaped cut pieces disposed on the top covers; and

[0143] The top cover is configured to support the shaped cut piece so that the negative pressure vacuum suction provided by the vacuum base is applied to the shaped cut piece fed therein through the plurality of through holes.

[0144] 4. According to any of the above embodiments, the positioning mold assembly further includes an upper positioning module and a lower positioning module; the shaped piece includes at least two arched shapes and a middle region located between the arched shapes; the upper positioning module and the lower positioning module are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction; the upper positioning module moves up and down in the vertical direction under the drive of the driving device; when the shaped piece is fed onto the lower positioning module, the upper positioning module presses down vertically on the middle region of the shaped piece so that the two arched portions of the shaped piece are substantially consistent with the positions and shapes of the left and right top covers respectively.

[0145] 5. According to any of the above embodiments, the cutting device further includes a positioning pin, which is configured to be detachably connected to the robot arm. The robot arm controls the tip of the positioning pin to obtain the plurality of positioning points on the calibration cover to obtain the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the plurality of positioning points, thereby determining the position parameters of the selected bra cup style.

[0146] 6. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the plurality of positioning points are the intersection of two adjacent line segments on the edge of the calibration cover.

[0147] 7. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the bottom surface shape of the upper positioning module is configured to correspond to the shape of the area between the two arched portions of the fed pre-shaped cut piece.

[0148] 8. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the shape of the top surface of the lower positioning module is configured to substantially match the shape of the bottom surface of the upper positioning module.

[0149] 9. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the lower positioning module is configured to include a region that substantially matches the bottom shape of the upper positioning module.

[0150] 10. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the shape of the top cover is substantially the same as the shape of the calibration cover, and the outline dimension of the top cover is slightly smaller than the outline dimension of the calibration cover.

[0151] 11. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the cutter assembly includes a motor, a circular cutter, and a presser foot; the circular cutter has a central axis, the presser foot is connected to the circular cutter along the central axis, the presser foot at least surrounds a portion of the edge of the circular cutter and forms a gap therewith; the motor drives the circular cutter to rotate about the central axis, while the circular cutter cuts the shaped cut piece fed into the gap.

[0152] 12. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the blade assembly includes a laser cutting assembly.

[0153] 13. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the blade assembly includes a scissor blade.

[0154] 14. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the shape and contour parameters of the predefined one or more bra cup styles are obtained by 3D scanning calibration of the cover.

[0155] 15. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the shape and contour parameters of the predefined one or more bra cup styles are obtained by importing a bra cup style design drawing.

[0156] 16. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the shape and contour parameters of the predefined one or more bra cup styles are obtained by manually inputting calibration cap parameters.

[0157] 17. The system according to any of the above embodiments, further comprising a frame configured to fix the starting end of the robot arm and the positioning mold assembly.

[0158] 18. The system according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the number and outline of the calibration cover and positioning mold assembly correspond to the number and outline of the bra cup styles stored in the database, and the calibration cover and positioning mold assembly are made by 3D printing.

[0159] 19. A method for automatically cutting bra cups, wherein the method comprises:

[0160] (1) A system for automatically trimming bra cups as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein a database is configured to store one or more predefined bra cup styles and their corresponding one or more contour parameters and one or more position parameters; and

[0161] The cutting device is provided with a corresponding calibration cover and positioning mold assembly according to the selected bra cup style;

[0162] (2) The controller controls the robot arm to collect the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points on the calibration cover at predefined positions;

[0163] (3) The controller calibrates the position parameters of the selected bra cup style based on the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points at predefined positions;

[0164] (4) The controller generates the walking trajectory of the robot arm based on the position parameters and contour parameters after calibration of the chest cup pattern;

[0165] (5) The shaped cut piece is fed into the positioning mold assembly for positioning and adsorption fixation;

[0166] (6) The controller controls the robot arm to move according to the generated walking trajectory, and at the same time controls the cutter assembly to cut the pre-shaped pattern piece fed into it with predefined parameters during the movement of the robot arm, so as to cut the pre-shaped pattern piece into a bra cup corresponding to the selected bra cup style.

[0167] 20. The method according to embodiment 19, further comprising the step of generating the bra cup pattern:

[0168] One or more calibration caps are 3D scanned to obtain the contour and position parameters of one or more chest cup styles, and then stored in the database.

[0169] 21. The method according to embodiment 19, further comprising the step of adjusting the style of the bra cup:

[0170] The trimmed bra cup is compared with the calibration cap to determine if there is a deviation. If there is no deviation, no adjustment to the bra cup style is required. If there is a deviation, the deviation size is measured and the contour parameters of the corresponding bra cup style in the database are modified.

[0171] 22. The method according to embodiment 19, wherein the positioning mold assembly includes two top covers, left and right, the top covers having a shape substantially consistent with the selected bra cup style, and the top covers having multiple through holes.

[0172] 23. The method according to embodiment 22, wherein the positioning mold assembly further includes an upper positioning module and a lower positioning module; the shaped piece includes at least two arched shapes and an intermediate region located between the arched shapes; the upper positioning module and the lower positioning module are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction; the upper positioning module moves up and down in the vertical direction under the drive of the driving device; when the shaped piece is fed onto the lower positioning module, the upper positioning module presses down vertically on the intermediate region of the shaped piece so that the two arched portions of the shaped piece are substantially consistent with the positions and shapes of the left and right top covers respectively.

[0173] 24. The method according to embodiment 19, wherein the positioning point is the intersection of two adjacent line segments on the edge of the calibration cover.

[0174] Therefore, after describing several embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that different modifications, alternative structures, and equivalents can be used without departing from the essence of this application. Accordingly, the above description should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application as defined in the following claims.

[0175] Exemplary embodiments of this application have thus been fully described. Although the description refers to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be implemented with variations of these specific details. Therefore, this application should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

Claims

1. A system for automatically cutting bra cups, comprising: A cutting device configured to trim a pre-shaped piece into a bra cup, the cutting device including a robotic arm and a cutter assembly operably connected to the robotic arm; The database is configured to store one or more predefined bra styles and their corresponding one or more outline parameters and one or more position parameters; and The controller is configured to control the cutting device to automatically cut the pre-shaped piece according to a selected bra cup style from the database based on the pre-shaped piece. The cutting device further includes: The positioning mold assembly corresponding to the selected bra cup style is configured to adjust the position of the shaped piece to a predefined position, and then apply an adhesive force to the shaped piece to hold it in the predefined position; A calibration cover corresponding to a selected bra cup style, the calibration cover including multiple positioning points; the calibration cover is configured to calibrate the position parameters of the selected bra cup style using the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the multiple positioning points at predefined positions; The controller is further configured to generate the walking trajectory of the robot arm based on the position parameters and contour parameters calibrated according to the chest cup pattern; The robotic arm is configured to move according to a generated walking trajectory under the control of the controller; The cutting head assembly is further configured to perform a cutting action on the pre-shaped fabric piece fed therein during the movement of the robotic arm, such that the cutting device cuts the pre-shaped fabric piece according to the contour parameters of the selected bra cup style to form a bra cup.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The positioning mold assembly includes two top covers, left and right, each top cover having a shape and outline substantially consistent with the selected bra style, and each top cover having multiple through holes.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein, The cutting device also includes two vacuum bases, left and right; the two top covers are respectively disposed on the left and right vacuum bases; wherein, the vacuum bases are configured to provide upward negative pressure vacuum suction, forming an adsorption force on the shaped cut pieces disposed on the top covers; and The top cover is configured to support the shaped cut piece so that the negative pressure vacuum suction provided by the vacuum base is applied to the shaped cut piece fed therein through the plurality of through holes.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein, The positioning mold assembly further includes an upper positioning module and a lower positioning module; the shaped piece includes at least two arched shapes and a middle area located between the arched shapes; the upper positioning module and the lower positioning module are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction; the upper positioning module moves up and down in the vertical direction under the drive of the driving device; when the shaped piece is fed onto the lower positioning module, the upper positioning module presses down vertically on the middle area of ​​the shaped piece so that the two arched parts of the shaped piece are basically consistent with the position and shape of the left and right top covers respectively.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The cutting device also includes positioning pins, which are configured to be detachably connected to the robot arm. The robot arm controls the tip of the positioning pins to obtain the multiple positioning points on the calibration cover, thereby obtaining the actual three-dimensional coordinates of the multiple positioning points and determining the position parameters of the selected bra cup style.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of positioning points are the intersections of two adjacent line segments on the edge of the calibration cover.

7. The system according to claim 4, wherein, The bottom surface shape of the upper positioning module is configured to correspond to the shape of the area between the two arched portions of the fed pre-shaped cut piece.

8. The system according to claim 4, wherein, The shape of the top surface of the lower positioning module is configured to substantially match the shape of the bottom surface of the upper positioning module.

9. The system according to claim 4, wherein, The lower positioning module is configured to include an area that substantially matches the bottom shape of the upper positioning module.

10. The system according to claim 2, wherein, The shape of the top cover is basically the same as that of the calibration cover, and the outline size of the top cover is slightly smaller than that of the calibration cover.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The cutter head assembly includes a motor, a circular cutter, and a presser foot; the circular cutter has a central axis, and the presser foot is connected to the circular cutter along the central axis, with the presser foot at least surrounding a portion of the edge of the circular cutter and forming a gap therebetween; the motor drives the circular cutter to rotate around the central axis, while the circular cutter cuts the shaped cut piece fed into the gap.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The cutting head assembly includes a laser cutting component.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The blade assembly includes scissor blades.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The shape and contour parameters of one or more predefined chest cup styles are obtained by calibrating the cover using 3D scanning.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The shape and outline parameters of one or more predefined bra cup styles are obtained by importing the bra cup style design drawing.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The shape and contour parameters of one or more predefined chest cup styles are obtained by manually inputting calibration cap parameters.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes a frame configured to secure the beginning of the robotic arm and the positioning mold assembly.

18. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The number and outline of the calibration cover and positioning mold assembly correspond to the number and outline of the bra cup styles stored in the database, and the calibration cover and positioning mold assembly are made by 3D printing.

19. A method for automatically cutting bra cups, wherein the method comprises: (1) A system for automatically cutting bra cups as described in any one of claims 1-18, wherein a database is configured to store one or more predefined bra cup styles and their corresponding one or more contour parameters and one or more position parameters; and The cutting device is provided with a corresponding calibration cover and positioning mold assembly according to the selected bra cup style; (2) The controller controls the robot arm to collect the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points on the calibration cover at predefined positions; (3) The controller calibrates the position parameters of the selected bra cup style based on the actual three-dimensional coordinates of multiple positioning points at predefined positions; (4) The controller generates the walking trajectory of the robot arm based on the position parameters and contour parameters after calibration of the chest cup pattern; (5) The shaped cut piece is fed into the positioning mold assembly for positioning and adsorption fixation; (6) The controller controls the robot arm to move according to the generated walking trajectory, and at the same time controls the cutter assembly to cut the pre-shaped pattern piece fed into it with predefined parameters during the movement of the robot arm, so as to cut the pre-shaped pattern piece into a bra cup corresponding to the selected bra cup style.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, It also includes the step of generating the bra cup style: One or more calibration caps are 3D scanned to obtain the contour and position parameters of one or more chest cup styles, and then stored in the database.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein, It also includes the step of adjusting the style of the bra cup: The trimmed bra cup is compared with the calibration cap to determine if there is a deviation. If there is no deviation, no adjustment to the bra cup style is required. If there is a deviation, the deviation size is measured and the contour parameters of the corresponding bra cup style in the database are modified.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The positioning mold assembly includes two top covers, left and right, each top cover having a shape substantially consistent with the selected bra style, and each top cover having multiple through holes.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein, The positioning mold assembly further includes an upper positioning module and a lower positioning module; the shaped piece includes at least two arched shapes and a middle area located between the arched shapes; the upper positioning module and the lower positioning module are arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction; the upper positioning module moves up and down in the vertical direction under the drive of the driving device; when the shaped piece is fed onto the lower positioning module, the upper positioning module presses down vertically on the middle area of ​​the shaped piece so that the two arched parts of the shaped piece are basically consistent with the position and shape of the left and right top covers respectively.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein, The positioning point is the intersection of two adjacent line segments on the edge of the calibration cover.

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