Carpet Machinery Needle Head Dynamics for Flexible Stitching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current carpet and rug making machinery lacks flexibility and adjustability, making it difficult to produce samples and specialist rugs with varied designs, as the spacing between needles is hard to adjust and curved or individual sections of stitching are challenging to achieve.

Innovation Solution

A carpet making machine with a support and movement system that allows a needle head to move transversely across a backing material web, forming yarn loops with a loop forming head and independent loop cutting mechanism, enabling adjustable and flexible operation in multiple directions, including simultaneous movement in both the X and Y directions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional carpet making machinery with in line array of needles is used, then commercial production speed is maintained, but flexibility and adjustability for varied designs are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility for varied designsVSAvoidproduction speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The needle array is made movable relative to the backing sheet, allowing dynamic adjustment of needle positions and spacing. The loop forming hook can also be positioned at different locations, enabling the machine to adapt to various design requirements while maintaining efficient production

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The carpet making machine is divided into separable components including the needle array, loop forming hook, and cutting means. This segmentation allows independent adjustment and repositioning of each component to achieve different design configurations without compromising overall production capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If needle spacing is adjusted to vary distance between yarn loops, then design flexibility is improved, but adjustment process becomes difficult and slow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadjustability of needle spacingVSAvoidease of needle spacing adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The needle array is designed to be movable along the backing sheet, allowing operators to easily adjust needle spacing by repositioning the entire array or individual needles to desired locations, making spacing adjustment quick and flexible

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If loop forming needles are moved to create inclined loops, then directional flexibility is improved, but ability to produce curved or individual sections of stitching is difficult or impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility of stitching directionsVSAvoidease of producing curved stitching

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Both the needle array and loop forming hook are made independently movable, allowing them to be positioned at any location on the backing sheet. This dynamic positioning capability enables the creation of curved stitching patterns and individual section variations by simply repositioning the components along the fabric

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The separation of needle array and loop forming hook as independent movable components allows each to be positioned and repositioned independently to create complex curved patterns and directional variations in stitching

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Ease of operation

If commercial carpet making machines are used for sample production, then production speed is maintained, but ease and speed of varying parameters are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of varying parametersVSAvoidproduction speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The machine incorporates multiple movable components including the needle array and loop forming hook that can be independently repositioned. This dynamic design allows rapid parameter changes for sample production while maintaining the capability for efficient production when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS7478605B2Carpet making machinery

Publication Date: 2009.01.20 MODRA TECH PTY LTD

AI summary

The specification discloses carpet making machinery (10) with at least one needle head (26) and an associated loop forming head (27) disposed on either side of a pile forming station (28) through which a backing material web (29) is adapted to move in incremental steps, the needle head (26) and the loop forming head (27) being arranged to move relative to the backing material web (29) at the pile forming station (28) selectably either in a transverse direction, a longitudinal direction, or both a transverse and a longitudinal direction of the backing material web (29) with the stitching of pile forming loops (96) occurring in one direction across the backing material web (29), the needle head (26) further including a plurality of needle units (47) carried by a rotatable carriage (66) rotatable about an axis (45), said carriage (66) being arranged upon rotation to move each said needle unit (47) selectably to an operative position.