Sewing Machine Optical Cord Width Detection and Needle Bar Swing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sewing machines face difficulties in maintaining the width of a cord pressed by the presser foot consistent with the width of zigzag stitches, especially with soft cords like woolen yarn, making it troublesome for users to adjust the stitch width accurately.
Innovation Solution
A sewing machine equipped with a needle bar swing mechanism, optical detecting portion, and control portion that calculates the cord width and adjusts the needle bar swing width accordingly, ensuring the cord is pressed uniformly for precise stitching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the user manually measures and adjusts the zigzag stitch width to match the cord width, then the sewing precision can be improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the troublesome adjustment work
Solution Approach 1:
The sewing machine automatically measures the cord width using an optical detecting portion and self-adjusts the needle bar swing width through a control portion, eliminating the need for manual measurement and adjustment by the user. The system serves itself by autonomously adapting to different cord widths.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical adjustment process is replaced with an optical detection system and automated control mechanism. The optical detecting portion uses light to measure cord width, and the control portion electronically adjusts the needle bar swing mechanism, substituting manual mechanical operations with automated optical-electronic systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the user manually adjusts the stitch width for each cord type, then the adaptability can be improved, but the time consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sewing machine performs preliminary automatic measurement of the cord width using the optical detecting portion before the sewing process begins. The control portion then pre-adjusts the needle bar swing width based on this measurement, so that when sewing starts, the settings are already optimized for the specific cord being used, eliminating time-consuming manual adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to different cord widths by automatically detecting the actual width and adjusting the needle bar swing mechanism in real-time. This dynamic adaptation allows the machine to handle various cord types without manual intervention, improving both adaptability and efficiency.
3Device complexity
If the needle bar swing width is fixed, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision deteriorates when sewing different width cords
Solution Approach 1:
The needle bar swing mechanism is designed to be dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The control portion varies the swing width based on the cord width detected by the optical detecting portion, allowing the system to maintain high precision across different cord widths while adding only minimal complexity through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the swing width parameter automatically based on the detected cord width. The control portion adjusts this key parameter dynamically, allowing the same machine to precisely sew cords of varying widths without requiring multiple fixed-setting machines or complex manual reconfiguration.
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
The system allows for automatic adjustment of the needle bar swing width based on the cord width, enabling the sewing machine to maintain consistent stitching, reducing user effort and ensuring beautiful sewing results even with varying cord widths.
Implementation Method 1
The optical detecting portion is configured to optically detect a cord pressed by a presser foot, and to output data representing the cord
Data Source
AI summary
A sewing machine includes a bed, a needle plate, a needle bar, a needle bar swing mechanism, an optical detecting portion, and a control portion. The optical detecting portion is configured to optically detect a cord pressed by a presser foot, and to output data representing the cord. The control portion is configured to calculate a width of the cord based on the data output by the optical detecting portion, calculate a swing width of the needle bar based on the width of the cord, and cause the needle bar swing mechanism to swing the needle bar with the swing width.