Sewing Machine Ultrasonic Positioning Eliminates Marker Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sewing machines require users to affix and remove markers to set sewing positions and angles on a work cloth, making the process cumbersome and inconvenient.
Innovation Solution
A sewing machine equipped with ultrasonic wave detecting and thickness detecting portions, along with a processor and memory, allows for the identification and control of sewing positions on a work cloth using an ultrasonic pen, eliminating the need for markers by calculating the specified coordinates based on detected ultrasonic waves and cloth thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a marker is affixed to the work cloth to set the sewing position, then the sewing position can be easily identified, but the operation becomes troublesome due to the need to affix and remove the marker
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the marker from the work cloth and replaces it with an ultrasonic wave transmission source. The ultrasonic pen transmits ultrasonic waves to specify positions on the work cloth without physical contact or affixing, eliminating the troublesome marker handling process while maintaining position identification accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical marker affixing system with an ultrasonic wave-based positioning system. The ultrasonic pen uses ultrasonic waves to transmit position information to the detecting portions, substituting the mechanical marker system with a non-contact acoustic field-based system that eliminates the need for physical affixing and removal
2Measurement precision
If the sewing position is set using marker affixing, then the position can be specified, but the process is time-consuming and reduces productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary positioning action using the ultrasonic pen before sewing begins. The user can specify positions on the work cloth in advance by transmitting ultrasonic waves, and the sewing machine stores these position specifications for later execution, eliminating the need for time-consuming marker affixing during the sewing process
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the time-consuming mechanical marker affixing system with an ultrasonic wave-based positioning system that allows rapid position specification. The ultrasonic pen can quickly transmit position information without physical contact, significantly reducing the setup time while maintaining position specification accuracy
3Ease of operation
If the sewing machine uses ultrasonic wave detection, then marker affixing is eliminated, but the system complexity increases with additional detecting portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into the ultrasonic detecting system. The ultrasonic wave detecting portions serve dual purposes: detecting ultrasonic waves for position identification and measuring cloth thickness. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while achieving markerless operation
4Measurement precision
If the sewing machine detects cloth thickness, then positioning accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the thickness detection function with the ultrasonic wave detection system. The same ultrasonic wave detecting portions used for position identification are also employed to measure cloth thickness by analyzing the ultrasonic wave propagation characteristics. This merging of functions improves positioning accuracy through thickness compensation without adding separate dedicated thickness detection components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity
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 solution enables precise and user-friendly setting of sewing positions on the work cloth, improving convenience and accuracy by eliminating errors associated with varying cloth thicknesses and simplifying the sewing process.
Implementation Method 1
at least one ultrasonic wave detecting portion configured to detect an ultrasonic wave
Implementation Method 2
thickness detecting portion configured to detect a thickness of a work cloth
Implementation Method 3
identifying a position, on the work cloth, of a transmission source of the ultrasonic wave, based on information pertaining to the ultrasonic wave that has been detected and on the thickness that has been detected
Data Source
AI summary
A sewing machine includes at least one ultrasonic wave detecting portion, a thickness detecting portion, a processor, and a memory. The at least one ultrasonic wave detecting portion is configured to detect an ultrasonic wave. The thickness detecting portion is configured to detect a thickness of a work cloth. The memory configured to store computer-readable instructions that instruct the sewing machine to execute steps that includes identifying a position, on the work cloth, of a transmission source of the ultrasonic wave, based on information pertaining to the ultrasonic wave that has been detected by the at least one ultrasonic wave detecting portion and on the thickness that has been detected by the thickness detecting portion, and controlling sewing on the work cloth based on the position of the transmission source that has been identified.