Methods and systems for stitching along a predetermined path

• US 10,563,330 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2017
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAD Lab 1 Incorporated
• Original Assignee: One Sciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Blenis, Jr., Robert S., McAfee, Roderick P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Izaguirre, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US15/618,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20170356112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41H 3/007 Methods of drafting or marking-out patterns using computers computer-aided design G06F30/00
• CPC Class Codes: A41H 43/04 Joining garment parts or blanks by gluing or welding mending garments by adhesives or adhesive patches A41H27/00 ; Gluing presses
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/085 Physical layout of switches or displays; Switches co-operating with the display
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/10 Arrangements for selecting combinations of stitch or pattern data from memory ; Handling data in order to control stitch format, e.g. size, direction, mirror image
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/105 Physical layout of switches or displays; Switches co-operating with the display
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/12 characterised by control of operation of machine
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/14 Control of needle movement, e.g. varying amplitude or period of needle movement
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/16 Control of workpiece movement, e.g. modulation of travel of feed dog
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 21/00 Sewing machines with devices for automatically controlling movement of work-carrier relative to stitch-forming mechanism in order to obtain particular configuration of seam, e.g. programme-controlled for sewing collars, for attaching pockets
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 27/08 with differential feed motions
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 35/102 Edge guide control systems with edge sensors
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 81/00 Sewing machines incorporating devices serving purposes other than sewing, e.g. for blowing air, for grinding
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/12 adapted for projection of either still pictures or motion pictures prolonged exhibition of single frame G03B21/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2113/12 Cloth
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/17 Mechanical parametric or variational design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/06 using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0014 Image feed-back for automatic industrial control, e.g. robot with camera robots B25J19/023
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20081 Training; Learning

Abstract

Disclosed is a guiding apparatus for use with a machine to facilitate performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate. The guiding apparatus may include a support member configured to be attached to at least a portion of the machine. Further, the guiding apparatus may include one or more of lighting units, optical sensors, controllers, and user interface components, mounted on the support member, configured to identify an object, obtain position of the object on a substrate and perform an action along a self-guided path in association with that object on the substrate.

Claims

1. A guiding apparatus for use with a machine to facilitate a performance of an action along a self-guided path on a substrate, the guiding apparatus comprising:

a support member configured to be attached to at least a portion of the machine;

a plurality of components mounted on the support member, the plurality of components comprising;

one or more of lighting units, optical sensors, and user interface components;

a processing module configured to operate the machine in order to;

identify an object,

obtain a position of the object on the substrate, and

perform the action along the self-guided path in association with the object on the substrate; and

wherein the processing module is configured to function in a calibration mode in order to;

perform calibration stitching on a calibration substrate,

analyze the calibration stitching on the calibration substrate, and

perform calculations for needle alignment.

2. The guiding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the calibration mode is further operative to facilitate a calibration of one or more of the lighting units, the optical sensors, the controllers, and the user interface components.

3. The guiding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the machine is one of a cutter, a welding machine, a riveting machine, a marking machine, a paint machine, a sewing machine and a 3D printer.

4. The guiding apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a communication module configured to provide data to a sewing machine'"'"'s controller to operate the sewing machine to stitch along a path associated with the object.

5. The guiding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing module is further configured to determine in real time a path to perform one or more of cutting, gluing, welding, riveting, marking, paint, inspecting, sewing and 3D printing.

6. The guiding apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processing module is configured to function in one or more of the multiple available modes further comprising an inspection mode, a training mode, and an operation mode.

7. The guiding apparatus of claim 6, wherein the calibration mode further comprises enabling the processing module to:

test the illumination of at least one optical sensor.

8. The guiding apparatus of claim 6, wherein the inspection mode is configured to enable an operator to verify the calibration of the machine, based on an observation of an actually stitching of a test object.

9. The guiding apparatus of claim 6, wherein the training mode is configured to enable a review that the one or more optical sensors of the apparatus distinguish a background fabric against the material of the object.

10. The guiding apparatus of claim 6, wherein the operation mode comprises enabling the processing module to a detect the object overlaid on the substrate, and control the machine to automatically sew the object onto the substrate.

11. A computer implemented method to facilitate a performance of an action along a self-guided path on a substrate, the computer implemented method comprising:

calibrating an illumination system used to illuminate an object on the substrate;

creating a calibration grid pattern;

sewing the calibration grid pattern;

calibrating, based on the calibration grid pattern, for the action to be performed on the object and the substrate along the self-guided path;

identifying the object on the substrate;

obtaining position of the object on the substrate; and

performing the action along the self-guided path in association with that object on the substrate.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11, further comprising calibrating one or more of lighting units, optical sensors, controllers, and user interface components.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

synchronizing with the frequency of ambient lighting;

acquiring an image of a calibration target;

analyzing the image for uniformity;

iteratively adjusting, upon making a determination of insufficient uniformity, at least one of the output of a lighting unit, an exposure level, and a gain level, and returning to the stage of analyzing the image for uniformity;

determining, upon making a determination of sufficient uniformity, a set of optimal settings;

determining whether any non-uniform information is present; and

storing the set of optimal settings and any non-uniform information in a non-transient computer-readable medium.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

capturing, with an image capture device, an image of calibration grid pattern;

filtering the image to accentuate pattern elements;

identifying coordinates for one or more pattern elements; and

determining location of the image capture device relative to an origin point.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 11, further comprising providing one or more modes of operation, wherein the one or more modes include at least one of a calibration mode, an inspection mode, a training mode, and an operation mode.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 11, wherein the performing the action along the self-guided path on a substrate includes a computer implemented sew patch procedure comprising:

loading a garment;

learning a garment background;

placing one or more patches to be sewn onto the garment;

detecting the one or more patches;

sewing the one or more patches; and

verifying the sewing of the one or more patches.

17. A system for performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate comprising:

a sewing machine;

a guiding apparatus;

a vision system; and

wherein the vision system comprises one or more computing devices capable of facilitating communication between the sewing machine and the guiding apparatus and implementing sewing instructions, wherein the instructions enable the one or more computing devices to operate the sewing machine and the guiding apparatus in order to;

receive a garment;

train a garment background;

receive one or more patches to be sewn onto the garment;

detect the one or more patches;

sew the one or more patches; and

verify the sewing of the one or more patches.

18. The system of claim 17, further wherein the system is configured to calibrate one or more of lighting units, optical sensors, controllers, and user interface components.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the vision system comprises stereoscopic cameras.