Single-Side Carriage Support for Embroidery Sewing Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional embroidery sewing machines with a free-arm type bed portion are bulky, heavy, and costly due to the need for drive mechanisms on both sides of the arm portion, which interferes with carriage operations when sewing tube-like or bag-like workpieces.
Innovation Solution
The embroidery sewing machine design includes a bed portion, a column portion, an arm portion, and a carriage where the carriage is supported by a single side of the arm portion, reducing the machine's size, weight, and part count, while maintaining the ability to move an embroidery frame in both X- and Y-directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If drive mechanisms are provided on both sides of the arm portion for moving the carriage, then the carriage can be stably supported and the embroidery frame can be moved in both X- and Y-directions, but the machine becomes larger, heavier, and more costly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drive mechanism from one side of the arm portion, leaving only a single drive mechanism on one side. The carriage moving portion is configured to move along the arm portion in the X-direction using this single drive mechanism, while the frame moving portion handles Y-direction movement. This extraction eliminates the need for symmetric dual-side drive mechanisms, directly reducing machine weight and size while maintaining operational stability through the coordinated action of the carriage moving portion and frame moving portion.
2Reliability
If drive mechanisms are provided on both sides of the arm portion, then the carriage can be stably supported, but the number of parts and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes one of the two drive mechanisms that would normally be symmetrically placed on both sides of the arm portion. The remaining single drive mechanism is sufficient to move the carriage moving portion along the arm portion. The functionality previously requiring dual drive mechanisms is achieved through the combined action of the carriage moving portion (X-direction) and frame moving portion (Y-direction), thereby reducing part count and production cost while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage moving portion is designed with multi-functionality: it serves both as the support structure for the embroidery frame and as the moving component that travels along the arm portion in the X-direction. This integration means the carriage moving portion performs multiple functions that would otherwise require separate dedicated components, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining operational reliability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the carriage is suspended from both sides of the arm portion, then the carriage is stably supported, but the machine becomes larger and heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the support function from one side of the arm portion, transitioning from a symmetric dual-side suspension structure to an asymmetric single-side support structure. The carriage moving portion is supported by the arm portion at one location and moves along it using a single drive mechanism. This extraction reduces the machine's footprint and weight while the stability is maintained through the guided movement of the carriage moving portion along the arm portion and the coordinated Y-direction movement of the frame moving portion.
Data Source
AI summary
An embroidery sewing machine includes a bed portion, a column portion, an arm portion, and a carriage. The bed portion extends in a first direction. The column portion extends upward from an end portion of the bed portion. The arm portion extends in the first direction from an upper end portion of the column portion. The arm portion includes a support portion provided at one side portion of the arm portion in a second direction crossing the first direction. The carriage includes a frame moving portion and a carriage moving portion. The frame moving portion is configured to move an embroidery frame attached to the carriage. The carriage moving portion is configured to move the frame moving portion in the first direction. The carriage moving portion is supported by the support portion. The carriage moving portion extends downward and has a lower end portion connected to the frame moving portion.