Fabric Alignment Marks for Embroidery-Print Registration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in aligning embroidery and printed patterns on fabrics accurately, as they require fabric transfer between different frames, leading to misalignment issues due to the lack of a positioning mechanism, especially when frame sizes differ, making it time-consuming and difficult to achieve precise alignment.
Innovation Solution
A data processing apparatus and method that form reference marks on the fabric to enable precise alignment of embroidery and printed patterns by appending positional data to image data, using a mark forming system to create alignment marks and a misalignment eliciting system to adjust the position of the fabric, allowing for accurate placement of subsequent patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the fabric is transferred from one frame to another without a positioning mechanism, then the frame can be reused, but the alignment precision between patterns deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by forming reference marks on the fabric before transferring it between frames. These reference marks serve as predetermined positioning indicators that enable accurate alignment during the transfer process, eliminating the need for complex positioning mechanisms while ensuring high alignment precision.
2Manufacturing precision
If repeated adjustments are made to align patterns, then the alignment precision can be improved, but the processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reference marks are formed in advance on the fabric before the actual pattern formation process. This preliminary positioning allows the embroidery and printing operations to proceed with pre-established alignment, eliminating the need for repeated adjustments during processing and significantly reducing processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The reference marks provide visual feedback during the pattern formation process, allowing operators to quickly verify and adjust alignment if necessary. This feedback mechanism enables single-adjustment alignment rather than repeated adjustments, reducing time loss while maintaining precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the frame size is made larger to accommodate both patterns, then the versatility increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the positioning function from the frame structure itself by introducing separate reference marks on the fabric. This segmentation allows the frame to maintain its simple, reusable structure while the reference marks provide the necessary positioning information, achieving versatility without increasing frame complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A printing and embroidering system having a positional data appending system that is adapted to append positional data indicating positions of a first image and a second image with respect to each other to first image data representing the first image to be formed by one of printing and embroidering and second image data representing the second image to be formed by the other one of printing and embroidering, a first image forming unit with a first fabric holding member, which is adapted to form the first image based on the first image data on a fabric being held by the first fabric holding member, and a second image forming unit with a second fabric holding member, which is adapted to form the second image based on the fabric being held by the second fabric holding member, wherein the first image forming unit is provided with a mark forming system, which is adapted to form a predetermined mark represented by the positional data on the fabric, and wherein the second image forming system is provided with a misalignment eliciting system, which is adapted to elicit a misalignment between a position of the predetermined mark formed on the fabric held by the second fabric holding member and a position represented by the positional data appended to the second image data prior to forming the second image.