Laser-Cut Aperture Stitching for Pliable and Hard Panel Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sewing methods for attaching pliable and hard panels result in intermittent stitching, which is not visually ideal and does not allow for a seemingly continuous line of stitches, especially when combining different materials like leather, metal, and wood, where aesthetics such as in wallets or purses require a more uniform appearance.
Innovation Solution
The method involves laser-cutting evenly spaced apertures in pliable panels to guide sewing thread for a seemingly continuous line of stitches, allowing hard panels to be sandwiched and visible through cutouts in the pliable material, with standard fastening means securing the assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional needle piercing sewing method is used to join pliable panels, then the sewing process is simple and flexible, but the stitching line is intermittent and not visually continuous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-cutting apertures in the pliable panel before the sewing process. These pre-positioned apertures guide the needle and thread to create a visually continuous stitching line, eliminating the need for complex freehand stitching while maintaining aesthetic quality.
2Ease of operation
If hand sewing is used to create evenly spaced stitches, then flexibility is maintained, but achieving perfectly straight and evenly spaced apertures is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of measuring and marking aperture positions with a laser cutting system. The laser precisely cuts apertures at evenly spaced intervals along a straight line, ensuring manufacturing precision while the overall sewing process remains flexible and adaptable.
3Productivity
If thick materials like leather are sewn using standard needles, then the sewing process is slow and labor-intensive, but achieving strong joints is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by creating multiple pre-positioned apertures through which the thread passes. This distributes the stitching load across multiple anchor points, creating stronger joints in thick materials like leather while maintaining a reasonable sewing speed through the pre-prepared aperture paths.
4Device complexity
If pliable panels are sewn together without pre-cut apertures, then the process is simpler, but achieving a perfectly straight row of stitches is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces pre-cut apertures as an intermediary element between the needle and the final stitch. These apertures serve as guides that constrain the needle to follow a precise straight path, ensuring manufacturing precision while the sewing operation itself remains relatively simple.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This technique creates a visually appealing, seemingly uninterrupted line of stitching that effectively joins pliable and hard panels, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of items like wallets and bags by allowing the visibility of embedded materials like metal through the pliable panels.
Implementation Method 1
the pliable panels having one or more rows of laser cut apertures
Data Source
AI summary
A pliable panel and hard panel attachment method where a plurality of pliable panels, a thin metallic panel and a wood panel are joined together in a novel manner. The pliable panel can be textile, leather or flexible plastic. The pliable panels have one or more rows of laser cut apertures that allow a length of the sewing thread to sew the pliable panels together. The hard-thin metallic panel is capable of being sandwiched between the pliable panel and the wood panel. The pliable panel members have laser cut apertures that allow the thin metal panel to be seen through the apertures. The metal panel and the wood and pliable panel are held together by rivets. The sewing thread is inserted into the row of apertures in such a way that the resulting sewn pattern appears to be a continuous line of thread.