Multi-Needle Sewing System Thread Color Management via Detachable Storage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-needle sewing systems face inefficiencies in handling embroidery patterns with multiple thread colors, requiring frequent thread spool replacements and relying on costly dedicated accessories for wireless communication, and are cumbersome due to the need for attaching and removing wireless tags from workpieces.
Innovation Solution
A sewing system with multiple multi-needle machines and a detachable USB storage device that stores embroidery pattern data, allowing each machine to verify thread colors and transfer progress information, enabling seamless thread color management and efficient pattern completion across machines without the need for additional accessories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single multi-needle sewing machine is used, then the device complexity is low, but it cannot handle embroidery patterns with more thread colors than needles available
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the embroidery sewing task across multiple independent multi-needle sewing machines, each handling a portion of the pattern corresponding to the thread colors they possess. The embroidery pattern data is segmented and distributed to appropriate machines based on their thread color capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
A storage device acts as an intermediary between multiple sewing machines, storing embroidery pattern data and thread color information. The storage device enables data exchange and coordination among machines without requiring complex direct interconnections, simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Ease of operation
If wireless tags are attached to workpieces for communication, then the ease of operation improves, but the device complexity and cost increase due to dedicated accessories
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the communication function from the workpiece itself and places it in a separate storage device that contains both the embroidery pattern data and thread color information. This eliminates the need for wireless tags attached to workpieces while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The storage device serves multiple functions: it stores embroidery pattern data, contains thread color information, and acts as a communication interface between sewing machines. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for dedicated wireless communication accessories.
3Adaptability or versatility
If thread spool replacements are performed frequently, then the adaptability to handle diverse thread colors improves, but the productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary verification of thread color availability before starting the embroidery sewing operation. By checking whether each required thread color is available in the system beforehand, the system can plan the sewing sequence to minimize interruptions and ensure continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sewing machine controller continuously monitors thread color availability and compares it with the required thread colors from the embroidery pattern data. This feedback mechanism allows the system to proactively manage thread spool replacements and coordinate between multiple machines to maintain continuous productivity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple multi-needle sewing machines are coordinated, then the adaptability to handle complex patterns improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage device serves as a central intermediary that stores both the embroidery pattern data and thread color information. Multiple sewing machines access this storage device to obtain their instructions, eliminating the need for complex peer-to-peer communication protocols and centralized control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Each sewing machine receives a copy of the relevant embroidery pattern data and thread color information from the storage device. This allows each machine to independently verify thread availability and execute its portion of the sewing task without requiring constant coordination with other machines.
Data Source
AI summary
A sewing system that forms an embroidery pattern on the workpiece cloth by co-operating a sewing mechanism and a transfer mechanism using a count of thread colors determined by a count of thread color data found to match thread color data by a verifier. By removing a storage device attached to one of the plurality of multi-needle sewing machines and attaching the removed storage device to other one or more multi-needle sewing machines, unsewn portions of the embroidery pattern at each of the other one or more multi-needle sewing machines are sewn by reading the progress information by a data reader, verifying whether or not the thread color data contained in the progress information read by the data reader matches thread spool color data of other one or more multi-needle sewing machines and executing a sewing operation based on the verification.