JPS5823118B2 - Program-activated suturing device drive - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improved drive system for incrementally moving a carriage along one axis under control of a programmer, and more particularly to a programmable suture sewing machine. The present invention relates to a drive device for moving a fabric holding carriage of a fabric along a predetermined path at high speed without instructions from an operator.

The present invention is a suture sewing machine operable by heretofore known programs, such as co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 235,253, filed May 16, 1972, U.S. Pat. Publication date 19
This represents an improvement over systems such as those exemplified by the perforated tape-controlled suture sewing machine system disclosed in Nov. 13, 1973.

Previously, a carriage holding a piece of fabric to be sewn was moved incrementally in steps along the X and Y axes in a specific manner by a step motor energized in response to a punch-tape controller. It was done.

These step motors were connected directly to the carriage to provide the force that moved the carriage in a programmed manner.

However, the advancement motor has a tendency to move the fabric unevenly past the sewing machine needle, resulting in an uneven stitch closure, especially when sewing at high speeds and over some sharp corners. Ta.

This uneven stitching was mainly due to the large acceleration and deceleration applied to the carriage by the stepping motor and the inertia of the carriage.

These inertial forces become extremely large, especially if the programmer steps the stepping motor at a speed corresponding to the natural frequency of the carriage.

This caused steps to fall off in the carriage of prior art suturing devices, resulting in uneven suturing.3 A linear drive system, generally similar to the improved drive system of the present invention, is generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 25780
No. 26, No. 2940322, No. 3473393, etc.

Notable among several objects of the present invention is the ability to accelerate and decelerate the carriage of a programmable suturing device in a relatively smooth manner to prevent uneven stitch closure by the suturing device. To provide an improved drive device for moving the carriage.1. To provide a drive that can be easily controlled by a programmer to move the carriage along any predetermined path, and to provide a system in which the power for moving the carriage is separate from the continuously driven power shaft. providing a drive such as that provided by an actuator, such as a stepping motor; providing a drive such as moving a carriage at high speed;
To provide a programmable suturing device that includes an improved drive system according to the present invention that operates safely, to provide a device that does not require a skilled operator, to provide a device that is fast and accurate in suturing process, thus resulting in high throughput; To provide an apparatus which can save waste materials with less waste fabric, and which is reliable in operation and economical in maintenance, thereby significantly increasing the production volume and quality of sewn products. Other objects and features of the invention will be partly apparent or partly pointed out below.

In summary, an improved drive system according to the present invention for incrementally linearly moving a driven member along one axis under the control of a programmer includes a rotary power shaft and a continuous a plurality of rollers carried by the driving device and the driven member and each configured to have a respective axis of rotation for rotational contact with the power shaft; a device mounted on the driven member for pivoting about an axis in two planes, each roller having an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of the power shaft; from a neutral position such that the roller is rotated by the power shaft without moving the drive member along the power shaft;
the axis of the roller being pivotable about a pivot to an inclined position relative to the axis of the power shaft to cause linear movement of the driven member along the power shaft; a device that is actuated to pivot each of the rollers about a respective pivot axis to move the driven member in one direction or the other; The rollers are configured to be operative to return each of the rollers to their respective neutral positions in response to movement of the rollers.

Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the accompanying drawings, a suture sewing machine operable by the nophrogram of the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 1.
1, which is designed to perform automatic high-speed suturing operations under the control of a punch-arp controller or programmer 12.

The device is an electrically driven conventional industrial type sewing machine 13 (
(shown in phantom for clarity in FIG. 1).

The sewing machine 13 is suitably mounted on and supported by a frame 15.

As shown, the device is specifically arranged to automatically stitch the collar shape of the shirt, ie automatically stitch along the edges of the shirt collar.

Of course, it will be appreciated that a variety of patterns can be sewn onto fabric or other materials by the present apparatus.

The apparatus includes a positioning device, generally indicated by the reference numeral 16, which holds down a carriage 17 and the material held therein to be sewn (eg, a shirt collar fabric layer, hereinafter referred to as the workpiece), and Needle 19 of sewing machine 13
(also called the work point) at least 2
and a clamp 18 for relative movement along the desired suturing path on two possible axes of movement.

The movement of the carriage and clamp for this positioning purpose based on the predetermined model is determined by the perforation tape.

The carriage 17 consists of a table 21 for supporting the fabric layers to be sewn and several holding elements or fingers 23.

The fingers 23 are hinged in pairs and are lifted up to place the fabric on the table 21 by a pair of small air cylinders 24a, 24b, or 1. It is designed to be lowered to press the fabric against the table.

The table 21 and the fingers 23 are movable as a unit with respect to the frame 15 and the sewing machine 13 both along the vertical X-axis and the horizontal Y-axis shown in FIG.

It will be understood that the clamp 18 and table 21 constitute a work holder for the fabric to be sewn.

The linear movement of the carriage 17 along the Y-axis, Y-axis, is effected by the actuation of the improved drive system of the present invention, generally indicated by the reference numeral 25.

More specifically, one drive device 25 is composed of an X-axis drive device 27 and a Y-axis drive device 29, each of which has one drive device.

The carriage is operable to move the carriage incrementally along the X or Y axis, respectively, under control of programmer 12.

The X-axis drive device 27 includes a separate stepping motor 31 (see FIG. 2) attached to the frame 15 and a
and a linear actuator 33 operable to move the carriage step by step along the Y axis in response to the zero step operation.

The X-axis drive 29 consists of a separate stepping motor 35 and a linear actuator 37 operable to move the carriage step by step along the Y-axis in response to the stepping operation of the motor.

The linear actuators 33, 37 will be described in detail below.

A separate step motor 31.35 is connected to the programmer 12.
It will be appreciated that the motors provide incremental or stepwise rotation of their output shafts in response to pulse inputs to the motor windings from the motor windings.

The step size and step rate of these motors can be varied, but preferably the step size will move the carriage '17 by 0.020 inches (0.050 inch).
8 mm), and is conveniently chosen to move at a speed well commensurate with the maximum sewing speed of the sewing machine 13.

The carriage 17 is mounted by bushings 39a, 39b which are adapted to slide freely and linearly along respective rods 41a, 41b of circular cross section, each of which constitutes a linear bearing surface. It is supported on a frame 15 for biaxial movement along the Y-axis and the Y-axis.

Each rod 41a. 41b is bush 39a, 39bIJ
Both ends are fixed to the frame 15 by brackets 43 so as to move linearly along the Y-axis.

The rods 45 are laterally aligned by the bracket structure 46 (FIG. 3).
a.

Holds 45b.

Ball bush 47a. 47b is bush 39a, 3
9b, and the rods 45a and 45b (
These rods constitute a slider adapted to slide linearly forwards and backwards along the Y-axis (constituting a linear bearing surface) and thus along the Y-axis.

A bar 49 extends between the bushes 47a, 47b and is secured at each end to the bushes 47a, 47b by respective arms 51a, 51b.

This bar 49 holds the clamp 18 and can be moved back and forth along the Y-axis parallel to the Y-axis by operation of the stepping motor 35.

Together, these bars 49, clamps 18 and their combination and bushings can be considered as a carriage 1γ, so that the entire carriage can be moved incrementally along either the Y-axis or the Y-axis. ing.

For the purpose of moving the carriage 17 along the Y-axis, a Y-axis 1 drive 29 is provided at the rear of the frame 15 with a shaft extending longitudinally along the entire length of the frame and pivoted thereon at both ends thereof. It includes 53.

Sprocket 55 and sprockets 57 on this shaft 53
is the linear actuator 3 via the chain belt 59.
It is driven by a stepping motor 35 through 1.

The shaft 53 has three sprockets 6 in addition to the sprocket 55.
1a, 61b.

63, and the respective chenobels (65a, 65b, 67) are wrapped around them.

These Cheno belts have respective idler wheels 69a69b, 7
1 is making me nervous.

A rod 73a and a belt 73b are held between each pair of these belts, i.e., the ends of rod 73a are connected to belts 65a and 67, and the ends of rod 73b are connected to belts 65b and 59. There is.

Thus, the long doors 3a and 73b are displaced together along the Y axis by the actuation of the stepping motor 35 and the linear actuator 37.

The can opening door 3a t 73b has a respective slide bearing 75a, 75b thereon which extends freely to slide along the respective rod.

Each ring 77a,? 7b is these slide bearings 75
a,? 5b is connected to arms 51a and 51b.

Therefore, when the carriage 17 is displaced along the Y axis,
The carriage has the slide bearing 75a.

75b slides freely along the respective Rondo doors 3a, 73b and thus remains parallel to the Y-axis.

However, the stepping motor 35 of the X-axis drive device 29
When receiving stepwise rotation of the output shaft of the Cheno 65a,
65b and 67.59 move the rods 73a and 73b forward and backward with respect to the Y axis.

Thus, the carriage 17 is displaced along the Y axis by the operation of the stepping motor 35.

More specifically, the X-axis 1 drive device 27 and the Y axis.

Since the respective linear actuators 33 and 37 of the axis and drive 29 are similar, it is therefore sufficient to discuss in detail only the linear actuator 33 for the X-axis 1 drive 27; to the differences associated with.

I would like to point out this in particular.

The linear actuator 33 consists of a rotary power shaft 79 that is continuously driven by a belt 80 from a motor 81.

Axis 79 is a smooth cylindrical shaft that extends parallel to the Y-axis (in the case of linear actuator 37, it extends parallel to the Y-axis).

The coaxial shaft 79 is supported within a bearing 83.

The linear actuators 33,37U each consist of a plate member or driven member 8°5 connected to a part of the carriage and movable together with the carriage.

This driven member 85 holds a plurality of rollers 87,
Each is arranged with its axis of rotation such that it is in rolling contact with axis T9.

The driven member 85 of the linear actuator 33 is mounted directly on the carriage 17, and the driven member 85 of the
5a and 65b to the same carriage.

In either the X-axis drive device 27 or the X-axis drive device 29, the driven member 85 is movable together with the carriage.

As shown in Figures 3 and 7, the linear actuator 3
The driven member 85 of No. 7 is entirely parallel to the Y axis and is parallel to the frame 1.
It is mounted on a slider bearing 88 that can slide along a rod 89 that is fixed to 5.

The cheno belt 59 is attached to the driven plate member 85 as shown at 90, so that when the driven members move, the cheno belt 59 is moved around its respective sprockets and thus The carriage will be moved along the Y axis as described above.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the plate-shaped driven member 85 is connected to the shaft 7.
9 and holds a plurality of bearing blocks 91, one for each roller 87, and these rollers are installed so as to rotate around an axis in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation thereof. There is.

More specifically, each roller 8T has a shaft bolt 92
The roller rotates upward, and the axial center line of this shaft bolt constitutes the rotation axis of the roller.

Each axle bolt 92 is supported by a UJ link 93 such that a shaft 95 is attached to each U-link with the axle bolt 92 offset from the axial centerline of the shaft 95.

Each shaft rotates in a respective bearing block 91, about its longitudinal axis lying in the above-mentioned plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rollers, in a neutral position (see FIG. 5), i.e. the axis of rotation of the rollers (i.e. A position where the longitudinal axis of the shaft bolt 92 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of rotation by the axis γ9 of the roller without crossing the driven member 85 or the carriage 17 along the same axis, and an inclined position (see FIG. 6). That is, the roller is pivotably rotatable so that the axis of rotation of the roller moves between positions inclined with respect to the axis of the shaft γ9 in order to linearly move the driven member 85 and the carriage 17 along the same axis. .

When the roller is in its inclined position (the position shown in Figure 6), the angle between the axis of rotation of this roller and the longitudinal axis of shaft 79 corresponds approximately to the pitch angle of the threaded power screw. Therefore, we will call this the pitch angle.

It is noted that the shaft γ9 has a smooth outer surface, so that the rollers 87 roll on the outer surface and draw a helical path on the outer surface to advance the driven member along the same axis 79. I think it will be done.

Since the coax is smooth, each rotation of the roller or driven member along the coax.

(i.e. its pitch) The distance it will travel is
Depending on the pitch angle of the rollers, it can be varied infinitely.

An O-ring 96 made of elastic material, for example rubber, is inserted between the bearing block 91 of one of the rollers 87 and its adjacent U-link 930, so that these rollers come into rolling contact with the shaft 79. During operation (as shown in FIG. 4), the O-rings are compressed to form a device that elastically biases the rollers into coaxial rolling contact.

The stepping motor 31.35 and its corresponding chamber) 97.99 is a device, generally indicated by the reference numeral 101, which is interconnected with the rollers of the respective linear actuator 33.37 and which from the respective neutral position to the charge position.

The rollers are moved in response to signals generated by the programmer 12 and return the rollers to their neutral position in response to movement of the carriage or driven member 85 along the axis 79. I hope that the point is understood.

The device 101 further includes one roller of the rollers 8T with the reference number 8 to distinguish it from the other rollers.
It includes a crank 103 fixed to the outer end of the shaft 95 of the roller constituting the master roller, particularly designated as 7a (see FIG. 4), so that rotation of this crank causes the shaft 95 to rotate, respectively. bearing block 9
The master roller, which is coaxially held in rotation relative to the roller 1, is pivoted between its neutral position and its tilted position.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, this crank 103
is connected to a section of its corresponding chain belt 97 or 99 (depending on whether it forms part of linear actuator 33 or 37).

The chain belt 97 of the linear actuator 33 is connected to the sprocket 10 fixed to the output shaft of the stepping motor 31.
5, sprockets 107a, 107b, 107c
(See Figure 2).

The upper section of this chain belt passes through an opening 109 in the plate member 85 of the linear actuator, and
It is connected to the crank 103 by a pivot link 110.

Thus, the stepping operation of the stepping motor 31 causes the upper area of the check 7 to move in one direction or the opposite direction depending on the direction of rotation of the motor. The movement of 797 causes the crank to rotate and move the rollers to their tilted positions.

Similarly, the chain belt 99 of the linear actuator 29
is extended around the sprocket 111 and sprocket 1130 of the stepping motor 35 to form an upper area and a lower area.

Like the chain belt 9T, the upper section of the chain belt 99 of this linear actuator 37 passes through an opening 109 in the plate member 85 and the pivot link 110
It is fixed to the crank 103 by.

It will be appreciated that reverse rotation of the output shaft of either stepper motor 31 or 35 will result in reverse movement of the carriage along the respective axis.

The device 101 also includes a linkage (see FIG. 4), generally indicated by the reference numeral 115, which interconnects the rollers of each linear actuator 33 or 37 to maintain them at the same pitch angle. ing.

This ring mechanism 115 is a movable, i.e., rotating ring 1
17, which surrounds the shaft 79 and is rotatably held by a plate member 85.

As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, this ring 117 surrounds an opening 121 in plate 85 relative to shaft 79 on one side of plate 850 and is confined by a collar 119 secured to plate 85. Retained.

A flange 123 is attached to collar 119 and extends outwardly beyond the collar.

Ring 117 is slightly thinner than collar 119, and its inner diameter is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of collar 119 so that it can freely rotate about the longitudinal axis of shaft 79 on plate member 85 and on collar 119. It has a relatively large cross section.

A rod end 124 constituting the first spherical bearing device is connected, for example, by a bolt 125 to a U link 93 of the master roller 87a to which the crank 103 is connected.

The threaded end 126 of this rod end 124 is connected to the rod end 126 whose other end is fixed to the rotating ring 117.
It is supported in a hollow hole of a spherical bearing provided at one end of 7.

The crank 103 rotates, and as a result, the master roller 8
By pivoting 7a between its neutral position and its tilted position, the rod end 124 is rotated together with the master roller about its pivot axis (i.e. about the central axis of its shaft 95).

This movement of the rod end includes a force acting on the plane of the ring 11γ and a force acting parallel to the same plane.

The spherical bearings of the rod ends 124 and 127 accommodate rotational movement within limits relative to the ring about any axis, such that movement of the rod end 124 in the plane of the ring is caused by the rond end 127. The ring is rotated relative to the plate member 85.

The other rollers 87 are each connected to the same ring by a similar rod end arrangement.

When the ring rotates, the rod end attachment portion 127 of the other rollers transmits this rotational movement of the ring to the respective U-links 93, causing the rollers to pivot and the rollers 87a to 87a.
Take the same pitch angle as .

Linkage 117 thus subordinates these other rollers 87 to master roller 87a, which is connected to crank 103.

It will be understood that other link mechanisms can be used in arrays as long as the pitch angle can be changed.

In operation, the carriage 17 moves the perforation tape (
(not shown) according to a predetermined pattern.

The controller emits a signal in response to the coat held by the perforated tape.

These signals cause a predetermined workholding movement to be performed by the table 21 and the clamp 23 of the carriage 17 which passes the work point or needle 19 of the sewing machine 13 along a predetermined path for sewing the workpiece. Separate stepping operations of the stepping motors 31 and 35 are caused in this manner.

When either stepper motor 31 or 35 is energized, the corresponding chino 97 or 99 moves incrementally, causing the crank 103 of the corresponding linear actuator 33, 37 to rotate.

When the crank 103 rotates, the master roller 87a
moves from its neutral position to its tilted position, and at the same time,
Via the linkage 115, the other rollers are moved from their neutral positions to inclined positions corresponding to the inclined position of roller 87a.

As soon as the rollers 87 move from their neutral position,
The rollers begin to rotate along the axis 79, and the corresponding Y-axis or Y-axis of the plate member 85 and the carriage 17 connected thereto.
Perform linear motion along the axis.

When the stepping motor 31.37 is stopped, the movement of the plate 85 along its axis 79 (which can be caused by the inclined position of the rollers) is caused by the movement of the plate 85 and its corresponding chino 97. Or cause a relative movement between 99 and 99.

This relative movement causes the crank 103 to rotate in the opposite direction, returning the rollers to their neutral position and stopping movement of the plate and carriage along axis 79.

If the programmer 12 generates a signal to cause the stepping motor 3L 35 to perform a series of steps in rapid succession, the rollers 87 will move to their inclined position without returning to their neutral position. can stay.

Therefore, the carriage 17 continues to move along the corresponding axis at a speed corresponding to the sewing speed of the sewing machine, the speed of the carriage being determined by the rotational speed of the shaft 790 and the pitch angle of the rollers. Ru.

The stepping motors 31 and 35 are compatible with the corresponding chains 797 and 9, respectively.
A portion of the power can be supplied to the carriage 17 via 9 to effect the Y-axis and step-by-step movement of the same along the Y-axis.

The above portion of the power required to move the carriage supplied by the stepping motor is (e.g. 1/1/2 of the total power)
3 or 1/4)! The shape and dimensions of the jack mechanism 115 and the degree of offset of the U-ring 93 and the shaft 95 of the crank 103 from the central axis (i.e., the smaller the degree of offset, the smaller the acting force supplied by the stepping motor. ).

Regarding the rollers and ring device 115 shown in FIG. 4, most of the power is generated through the rollers 8γ rolling on the power shaft Q□ 79 when the rollers 8γ are in their inclined positions. Powered by shaft.

Thus, the linear actuators 33, 37 act as boosters and drives for the stepping motors 31, 35.
sterdrive).

Shifting of the rollers 87 from their corresponding pivot axes (shown in FIG. 4) causes the stepping motor 31.35
rotates the rollers about their corresponding pivot axes to move the rollers toward or away from the driven member 85.

Since these rollers are engaged with the shaft 79, this movement of the rollers toward and away from the driven member exerts an acting force on the driven member and the carriage 17, causing the carriage to move along the X axis. Or move it along the Y axis.

Improvement 1 of the present invention The drive device is capable of moving the carriage of the present sewing machine suturing device in steps, the step size being approximately the size of the above-mentioned co-pending patent application, Application No. 2.
The step size is the same (eg, in discrete steps of about 0.020 inches) and is at the same step rate as the sewing machine operable by my previous program described in No. 35253.

However, the fundamental advantage of the uninvented Improvement 1 drive is that the acceleration and deceleration of the carriage is smoother, which makes the suturing operation by the present suturing device more uniform, especially around sharp corners and other imperfections. This is the case when sewing around a continuous section, and the power supplied to the carriage by the linear actuator (i.e., the stepping motor 31. A shaft 7 that rotates continuously in a balanced state
9 to the carriage.

This last-mentioned advantage allows the use of smaller stepping motors.

The offset of roller 87 relative to the corresponding pivot axis (i.e., the axis of shaft 95) can be varied, or
It will be appreciated that this could be removed if desired, and that force would still only be supplied from the stepping motors to the driven member and carriage 1T when the rollers 87 are offset.

Upon consideration of the foregoing, it will be seen that the advantages of the present invention are accomplished several times and other advantageous results are obtained.

Since various changes can be made to the above-described structure without departing from the scope of the present invention, the matters included in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings are as follows:
All statements should be construed as illustrative and in no way restrictive.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a suturing device operable by a program using the improved drive device of the present invention; FIG.
3 is an elevational view of the right end of the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. FIG. 5 is taken along line 5--5 of FIG. Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing details of the improved drive device, and shows that the roller is in a neutral position with respect to the power shaft and the drive device is held fixed with respect to the same axis. The figure shown, Figure 6, is
FIG. 7 is a diagram similar to the one shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 3 showing another detail of the drive device of the invention; 11... Entire sewing machine device, 12... Programmer-113... Sewing machine, 15...
...Frame, 16... Entire positioning device, 1
7... Carriage, 18... Carriage,
19...Needle, 21...Table, 23...Finger-shaped body, 25... Entire drive device, 27...X-axis drive Device, 29...
・Y axis, drive device, 31.35... step motor, 33, 37... linear actuator,
79...Power shaft, 85...Plate member, 8
7...Roller, 87a...Master roller, 115...Link device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1 A sewing machine comprising a sewing machine, a carriage for carrying a workpiece to be sewn, and a driving member for causing relative movement between the sewing machine and the carriage, and operated by a program. The driven member is driven incrementally along one axis, possibly in a suturing device under control of a programmer. A drive device configured to have a rotary power shaft, a device for continuously driving the rotary power shaft, and a respective rotary axis carried by the driven member and each in rotational contact with the rotary power shaft. a plurality of rollers and a device for mounting each roller on the driven member in a manner pivotable about a pivot axis in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation thereof; Each roller has a neutral position in which its rotational axis is parallel to the axis of the rotational power shaft and the roller is rotated by contact with the rotational power axis without moving the driven member along the rotational power shaft. The rotational axis of the roller is inclined with respect to the axis of the rotational power shaft, and as the rotational power shaft rotates, the roller moves along the axis C of the rotational power shaft, thereby causing the first driven member to rotate. the drive being actuated by the programmer to move each roller along its respective pivot axis and to a tilted position for moving the roller along the axis of the power shaft; a roller pivoting device for pivoting the driven member in one direction or the other along the axis of the rotary power shaft; By pivoting each of the rollers from the neutral position to the inclined position, when each of the rollers moves along the axis of the rotary power shaft together with the first driven member, this movement is caused by the roller pivoting device to A drive characterized in that the drive is connected to each of the rollers so as to cancel the pivot motion given to each roller from the neutral position to the inclined position and cause each of the rollers to return to its neutral position. Device.