Apparatus for manufacturing tufted rugs
First Claim
1. An apparatus for manufacturing tufted rugs, said apparatus comprising:
- an upper gantry oriented along an X-axis and movable along a Y-axis;
a lower gantry oriented parallel to and below said upper gantry, said lower gantry being movable along said Y-axis; and
a tufting head carried by said upper gantry and movable along said X-axis, said tufting head including;
a frame carried by said upper gantry and having at least one pillow block secured thereto, said at least one pillow block defining a through opening oriented along a Z-axis, said through opening defined by each of said at least one pillow block being coaxial one with another;
a cylinder closely received within said through opening defined by each said at least one pillow block, said cylinder being movable along and pivotally about said Z-axis, said cylinder being reciprocal toward and away from a backing material to be tufted;
a piston slidably received within said cylinder, said piston being reciprocated within said cylinder independently from reciprocation of said cylinder, said piston being prevented from axial rotation within said cylinder such that as said cylinder is rotated about said Z-axis, said piston is likewise rotated about said Z-axis;
a needle secured to a distal end of said cylinder, said needle defining a centrally-disposed through opening coaxial with said cylinder, said needle being reciprocated along said Z-axis as said cylinder is reciprocated; and
a blade secured to a distal end of said piston, a longitudunal axis of said blade being coaxial with said cylinder and with said through opening defined by said needle, said blade being projected from and withdrawn into said needle as said cylinder and said piston are independently reciprocated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) is provided for tufting an embroidered rug using an automated tufting machine and an X-Y gantry, wherein the tufting needle to rotate without creating adverse affects in the tufted pattern. A tufting head (42) is carried by an upper gantry (12) and is moveable along the length thereof in the Y-direction via a tufting head motor (66). The upper gantry (12) and a lower gantry (30) are moveable in the X-direction via two upper gantry motors (20). The tufting head (42) includes a cylinder (46), a piston (50), a needle (52), and a blade (54). The cylinder (46) is secured to a frame (44) via at least one pillow block (58) defining a cylindrical opening (60) dimensioned to slidably receive the cylinder (46). The piston (50) carries the blade (54) and is configured to reciprocate within the cylinder (46). The needle (52) is secured to the distal end of the cylinder (46) and defines a centrally disposed through opening (53). The blade (54) is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder (46). A motor (70) is provided for imparting rotation on a drive gear (74) and a secondary gear (78), which are provided for reciprocating the cylinder (46) and piston (50), respectively. A motor (92) is provided for rotating the cylinder (46), piston (50), needle (52) and blade (54) about the Z-axis. Each of the motors (20, 66, 70, 92) is controlled using a conventional computer.
59 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for manufacturing tufted rugs, said apparatus comprising:
-
an upper gantry oriented along an X-axis and movable along a Y-axis; a lower gantry oriented parallel to and below said upper gantry, said lower gantry being movable along said Y-axis; and a tufting head carried by said upper gantry and movable along said X-axis, said tufting head including; a frame carried by said upper gantry and having at least one pillow block secured thereto, said at least one pillow block defining a through opening oriented along a Z-axis, said through opening defined by each of said at least one pillow block being coaxial one with another; a cylinder closely received within said through opening defined by each said at least one pillow block, said cylinder being movable along and pivotally about said Z-axis, said cylinder being reciprocal toward and away from a backing material to be tufted; a piston slidably received within said cylinder, said piston being reciprocated within said cylinder independently from reciprocation of said cylinder, said piston being prevented from axial rotation within said cylinder such that as said cylinder is rotated about said Z-axis, said piston is likewise rotated about said Z-axis; a needle secured to a distal end of said cylinder, said needle defining a centrally-disposed through opening coaxial with said cylinder, said needle being reciprocated along said Z-axis as said cylinder is reciprocated; and a blade secured to a distal end of said piston, a longitudunal axis of said blade being coaxial with said cylinder and with said through opening defined by said needle, said blade being projected from and withdrawn into said needle as said cylinder and said piston are independently reciprocated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. An apparatus for manufacturing tufted rugs, said apparatus comprising:
-
an upper gantry oriented along an X-axis and movable along a Y-axis; a lower gantry oriented parallel to and below said upper gantry, said lower gantry being movable along said Y-axis; and a tufting head carried by said upper gantry and movable along said X-axis, said tufting head including; a frame carried by said upper gantry and having at least one pillow block secured thereto, said at least one pillow block defining a through opening oriented along a Z-axis, said through opening defined by each of said at least one pillow block being coaxial one with another; a cylinder closely received within said through opening defined by each said at least one pillow block, said cylinder being movable along and pivotally about said Z-axis, said cylinder being reciprocal toward and away from a backing materiai to be tufted; a piston slidably received within said cylinder, said piston being reciprocated within said cylinder independently from reciprocation of said cylinder, said piston being prevented from axial rotation within said cylinder such that as said cylinder is rotated about said Z-axis, said piston is likewise rotated about said Z-axis; a needle secured to a distal end of said cylinder, said needle defining a centrally-disposed through opening coaxial with said cylinder, said needle being reciprocated along said Z-axis as said cylinder is reciprocated; and a blade secured to a distal end of said piston, a longitudunal axis of said blade being coaxial with said cylinder and with said through opening defined by said needle, said blade being projected from and withdrawn into said needle as said cylinder and said piston are independently reciprocated; a tufting head reciprocating device for independently reciprocating said cylinder and said piston, said tufting head reciprocating device comprising; a reciprocating device motor provided with an output shaft; a drive gear secured to a distal end of said output shaft; a drive gear cam carried eccentrically by said drive gear; a cylinder collar secured to said cylinder; a cylinder sleeve configured to receive said cylinder collar and to rotate thereabout, said cylinder sleeve defining a receptor for receiving said drive gear cam, said receptor limiting movement of said drive gear cam along said Z-axis such that as said drive gear cam is moved long said Z-axis, said cylinder sleeve receptor, said cylinder sleeve, said cylinder collar, and said cylinder are likewise moved along said Z-axis, said cylinder sleeve receptor allowing lateral movement of said drive cam therein; a secondary gear carried by said frame and cooperating, with said drive gear; a secondary gear cam carried eccentrically by said secondary gear; a piston collar secured to said piston; and a piston sleeve configured to receive said piston collar and to rotate thereabout, said piston sleeve defining a receptor for receiving said secondary gear cam, said receptor limiting movement of said secondary gear cam along said Z-axis such that as said secondary gear cam is moved long said Z-axis, said piston sleeve receptor, said piston sleeve, said piston collar, and said piston are likewise moved along said Z-axis, said piston sleeve receptor allowing lateral movement of said secondary cam therein, said cylinder being reciprocated along said Z-axis by operation of said reciprocating device motor, a displacement of said cylinder being a function of an eccentricity of said drive gear cam with respect to said drive gear, said piston being likewise reciprocated by said operation of said reciprocating device motor and through cooperation of said drive gear and said secondary gear, a displacement of said piston being a function of an eccentricity of said secondary gear cam with respect to said secondary gear, relative reciprocation of said cylinder and said piston being determined by an angular relationship between said drive gear cam and said secondary gear cam; and a cylinder rotating mechanism including a cylinder rotating motor having an output shaft associated with a proximal end of said cylinder, said cylinder being rotating as a result of operation of said cylinder rotating motor. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An apparatus for manufacturing tufted rugs, said apparatus comprising:
-
an upper gantry oriented along an X-axis and movable along a Y-axis, said upper gantry being supported at a proximal and a distal end by one of a pair of support structures oriented along said Y-axis, each said proximal and distal end being provided with an upper gantry drive mechanism including an upper gantry motor, a plurality of upper gantry pulleys, and an upper gantry drive belt, one each of said plurality of upper gantry pulleys being disposed at each end of said one of a pair of support structures, said upper gantry drive belt being tensioned around said plurality of upper gantry pulleys, each said proximal and distal end of said upper gantry being secured to a respective said upper gantry drive belt, said upper gantry motor including an output shaft to which is secured a first of said plurality of upper gantry pulleys such that as said upper gantry motor is operated, said first of said plurality of upper gantry pulleys is rotated, thus moving said upper gantry drive belt in a circuit and moving said upper gantry, said upper gantry motor associated with each of said proximal and distal ends of said upper gantry cooperating to move said proximal and distal ends of said upper gantry at substantially the same rate and in the same direction; a lower gantry oriented parallel to and below said upper gantry, said lower gantry being movable along said Y-axis, said lower gantry being supported at proximal and distal ends therof respectively by said pair of support structures, each said proximal and distal end being provided with a lower gantry drive mechanism including a plurality of lower gantry pulleys, a lower gantry drive belt, a plurality of timing pulleys, and a timing belt, one each of said plurality of lower gantry pulleys being disposed at each end of said one of a pair of support structures, said lower gantry drive belt being tensioned around said plurality of lower gantry pulleys, each said proximal and distal end of said lower gantry being secured to a respective said lower gantry drive belt, a distal end of said output shaft of said upper gantry motor carrying a first of said plurality of timing pulleys, a second of said plurality of timing pulleys being secured coaxially to a first of said plurality of lower gantry pulleys, said timing belt being tensioned around said plurality of timing belt pulleys such that as said motor is operated, said first of said plurality of timing belt pulleys is rotated, thus moving said timing belt in a circuit, said timing belt thus imparting rotation on said second of said plurality of timing belt pulleys and said first of said plurality of lower gantry drive belt pulleys, thus moving a respective of said proximal and distal ends of said lower gantry; and a tufting head carried by said upper gantry and movable along said X-axis, said tufting head including; a frame carried by said upper gantry and having at least one pillow block secured thereto, said at least one pillow block defining a through opening oriented along a Z-axis, said through opening defined by each of said at least one pillow block being coaxial one with another; a cylinder closely received within said through opening defined by each said at least one pillow block, said cylinder being movable along and pivotally about said Z-axis, said cylinder being reciprocal toward and away from a backing material to be tufted; a piston slidably received within said cylinder, said piston being reciprocated within said cylinder independently from reciprocation of said cylinder, said piston being prevented from axial rotation within said cylinder such that as said cylinder is rotated about said Z-axis, said piston is likewise rotated about said Z-axis; a needle secured to a distal end of said cylinder, said needle defining a centrally-disposed through opening coaxial with said cylinder, said needle being reciprocated along said Z-axis as said cylinder is reciprocated; and a blade secured to a distal end of said piston, a longitudunal axis of said blade being coaxial with said cylinder and with said through opening defined by said needle, said blade being projected from and with&
am into said needle as said cylinder and said piston are independently reciprocated;a tufting head reciprocating device for independently reciprocating said cylinder and said piston, said tufting head reciprocating device comprising; a reciprocating device motor provided with an output shaft; a drive gear secured to a distal end of said output shaft; a drive gear cam carried eccentrically by said drive gear; a cylinder collar secured to said cylinder; a cylinder sleeve configured to receive said cylinder collar and to rotate thereabout, said cylinder sleeve defining a receptor for receiving said drive gear cam, said receptor limiting movement of said drive gear cam along said Z-axis such that as said drive gear cam is moved long said Z-axis, said cylinder sleeve receptor, said cylinder sleeve, said cylinder collar, and said cylinder are likewise moved along said Z-axis, said cylinder sleeve receptor allowing lateral movement of said drive cam therein; a secondary gear carried by said flame and cooperating with said drive gear; a secondary gear cam carried eccentrically by said secondary gear; a piston collar secured to said piston; and a piston sleeve configured to receive said piston collar and to rotate thereabout, said piston sleeve defining a receptor for receiving said secondary gear cam, said receptor limiting movement of said secondary gear cam along said Z-axis such that as said secondary gear cam is moved long said Z-axis, said piston sleeve receptor, said piston sleeve, said piston collar, and said piston are likewise moved along said Z-axis, said piston sleeve receptor allowing lateral movement of said secondary cam therein, said cylinder being reciprocated along said Z-axis by operation of said reciprocating device motor, a displacement of said cylinder being a function of an eccentricity of said drive gear cam with respect to said drive gear, said piston being likewise reciprocated by said operation of said reciprocating device motor and through cooperation of said drive gear and said secondary gear, a displacement of said piston being a function of an eccentricity of said secondary gear cam with respect to said secondary gear, relative reciprocation of said cylinder and said piston being determined by an angular relationship between said drive gear cam and said secondary gear cam; and a cylinder rotating mechanism including a cylinder rotating motor having an output shaft associated with a proximal end of said cylinder, said cylinder being rotating as a result of operation of said cylinder rotating motor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
Specification