Pneumatic Cloth Positioning Plate with Abutment and Blowing Device

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing sewing machine positioning devices fail to ensure precise, fast, and repeatable positioning of cloth pieces, often resulting in suboptimal placement and requiring specialized operators.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus featuring a plate with protruding abutment elements and blowing devices that use air jets to position cloth pieces accurately, combined with grippers that grasp the cloth without lifting it, ensuring precise placement and preventing wrinkles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If traditional positioning devices are used, then the cloth piece can be positioned on the sewing machine, but the positioning precision and repeatability are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning precisionVSAvoidpositioning repeatability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical positioning mechanisms with a pneumatic system. Compressed air is directed through nozzles onto the cloth piece, using air pressure to push the cloth into the correct position against a stop. This pneumatic approach eliminates mechanical contact that causes variability, providing consistent and repeatable positioning with high precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs pneumatic elements (nozzles, compressed air supply) to achieve positioning. The air jet creates a controlled pressure field that reliably moves the cloth piece to the desired position, ensuring both precision and repeatability without the limitations of mechanical systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Productivity

If mechanical positioning devices are used, then the cloth piece can be positioned, but the positioning speed is not fast enough

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning speedVSAvoidpositioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By replacing slow mechanical actuation with pneumatic actuation, the system achieves much faster positioning speeds. Compressed air can be delivered instantaneously, allowing the cloth piece to be positioned rapidly while maintaining precision through the controlled air jet and stop mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If movable arms are used to position the cloth piece, then the cloth piece can be moved, but pleating and folds are created on the cloth surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic positioningVSAvoidcloth surface flatness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces direct mechanical contact (movable arms touching the cloth) with pneumatic contact (air jet acting on the cloth). The air pressure moves the cloth without physical grasping or lifting, preventing distortion, pleating, or folding of the fabric surface while still achieving automatic positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

Compressed air acts as an intermediary between the positioning system and the cloth piece. Instead of mechanical arms directly manipulating the cloth, the air jet serves as a non-contact mediator that transfers energy to move the cloth into position without causing surface deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Manufacturing precision

If specialized operators are required for the first arrangement of cloth pieces, then positioning can be performed, but the operation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinitial positioning accuracyVSAvoidoperation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pneumatic positioning system is self-regulating and automatically positions the cloth piece without requiring skilled human intervention. The compressed air supply, nozzle positioning, and stop arrangement work together to achieve precise positioning autonomously, eliminating the need for specialized operators while maintaining high accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

Enables rapid, precise, and repeatable positioning of cloth pieces on sewing machines without the need for specialized operators, maintaining flatness and preventing pleating or folding.

Implementation Method 1

the cloth piece is moved by the air that is blown on the surface of the plate by the blowing device

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir pressure: Pressure Increase

Implementation Method 2

The use of an air jet permits to create a depression on the surface of the plate, depression which perfectly holds the cloth piece flat

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir jet depression: Pressure Drop

Data Source

PatentEP3070195B1Apparatus for the positioning of pieces of cloth on sewing machines

Publication Date: 2017.11.29 VI BE MAC SPA

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AI summary

The present invention refers to an apparatus for the positioning of pieces of cloth on sewing machines. In particular, this apparatus is capable of recovering a piece of cloth from a loader, disposing properly said piece of cloth and transporting the piece of cloth on the sewing machine by a positioning device (14) comprising a plate (52) from whose surface a first abutment element (54) protrudes and on which at least one blowing device (60) is arranged which has a blowing opening (62) flush to the surface of the plate (52)