Localized finishing of garment workpieces

• US 6,090,158 A
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Levi Strauss & Company
• Original Assignee: Levi Strauss & Company
• Inventors: McLaughlin, Richard S.
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LAURA ESTELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/149,755
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 118/712, 118/713, 118/324, 8/400, 8/444, 8/115.52, 223/1, 26/70, 26/28, 26/27, 356/402, 250/226
• US Class Current: 8/400
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 11/0096 to get a faded look
• CPC Class Codes: D06C 23/02 by singeing, teasing, shearing, etching or brushing

Abstract

A method and system is disclosed for producing localized abraded, faded and worn finishing effects on a garment by applying a finishing pattern to its component pre-cut, individual fabric workpieces before assembly by sewing. An optical detection system that contains at least one video camera operatively connected to a controller is used to capture an electronic image of a fabric workpiece which is compared to a set of stored known images contained in memory accessible by the controller. Once the workpiece is identified, the controller locates in memory a finishing pattern to be applied to the workpiece. The workpiece can be secured if necessary to a work surface, and a mechanical or electronic device used to duplicate the abraded, faded and worn pattern on the workpiece. After the finishing pattern has been applied, the workpiece can be released and moved downstream for further processing and sewing into a completed garment.

Claims

1. An automated apparatus for automatically finishing a pre-determined portion of a pre-cut garment workpiece prior to its assembly with other garment workpieces to produce a complete garment, said workpiece having a first side, a second side, and predetermined dimensions, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a work station containing a surface upon which said workpiece is placed for finishing;

(b) a controller for receiving data representative of the size and shape of the workpiece,

(c) a storage means operatively linked to said controller, said storage means containing data corresponding to predetermined workpiece shapes and sizes, along with data corresponding to a finishing pattern to be applied to a portion of each predetermined workpiece having a particular shape and size;

(d) a mechanical device positioned adjacent to said work station, for reproducing said pattern on said portion of said workpiece; and

,

(e) a means for sensing if more workpieces are available to be advanced onto the station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including a means for sensing which of the first side and the second side of said workpiece is resting upon said surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 additionally including a means for inverting the workpiece.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said surface is substantially planar and substantially horizontal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including an optical detection system mounted adjacent to said surface and linked for communication with said controller for capturing and transmitting to said controller an image of said workpiece.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally including a means for securing said workpiece against movement.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said surface is perforated, and said means for securing said workpiece includes a vacuum plenum in communication with said surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said optical detection system includes at least one video camera.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanical device is a tool used to fade said fabric workpiece.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said tool is selected from the group consisting of lasers, abraders, and sprayers.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said tool is controlled by an industrial robot operatively linked to said controller.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanical device is controlled by said controller by projecting an image of said pattern onto said fabric workpiece whereby an operator can manually apply said mechanical device to said projected image to reproduce said pattern.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said finishing pattern is predetermined for each shape workpiece.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said controller scales said finishing pattern based on one or more dimensions of said workpiece.

15. A method for applying a localized finish to a pre-determined portion of a pre-cut fabric workpiece prior to its assembly with other fabric workpieces to produce a complete garment using an apparatus including a work station containing a surface upon which said workpiece is placed for finishing;

a controller for receiving data representative of the location, orientation, and dimensions of the workpiece, a storage means operatively linked to said controller, said storage means containing data corresponding to workpiece shapes and sizes, along with data corresponding to a finishing pattern to be applied to a portion of each workpiece, and a mechanical device positioned adjacent to said work station, for reproducing said pattern on said portion of said workpiece, said fabric workpiece having a first side, a second side, and predetermined dimensions, the method comprising;

(a) advancing the fabric workpiece to the work station;

(b) using the controller to determine the finishing pattern to be applied to a predetermined portion of the workpiece by capturing an electronic image of the workpiece, transmitting the electronic image to the controller whereby the controller can compare said electronic image to at least one stored image to identify the workpiece, and a corresponding finishing pattern;

(c) identifying and removing from the work station any workpiece that does not conform to at least one of the stored images; and

,

(d) reproducing the finishing pattern on a predetermined portion of each identified workpiece using the mechanical device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of reproducing the finishing pattern on a predetermined portion of the workpiece is carried out by an industrial robot operatively linked to the controller.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of determining a finishing pattern to be applied to the workpiece is performed by scaling a predetermined finishing pattern using one or more dimensions of the workpiece.

18. The method of claim 15 additionally including the step of securing the workpiece to the work station before reproducing the finishing pattern so that the workpiece does not move during finishing.

19. A method for applying a localized finish to a pre-determined portion of a pre-cut fabric workpiece prior to its assembly with other fabric workpieces to produce a complete garment using an apparatus including a work station containing a surface upon which said workpiece is placed for finishing;

a controller for receiving data representative of the location, orientation, and dimensions of the workpiece, a storage means operatively linked to said controller, said storage means containing data corresponding to workpiece shapes and sizes, along with data corresponding to a finishing pattern to be applied to a portion of each workpiece, and a mechanical device positioned adjacent to said work station, for reproducing said pattern on said portion of said workpiece, said fabric workpiece having a first side, a second side, and predetermined dimensions, the method comprising;

(a) advancing the fabric workpiece to the work station;

(b) using the controller to determine the finishing pattern to be applied to a predetermined portion of the workpiece by capturing an electronic image of the workpiece, transmitting the electronic image to the controller whereby the controller can compare said electronic image to at least one stored image to identify the workpiece and a corresponding finishing pattern;

(c) removing from the work station any workpiece that does not conform to at least one of the stored images; and

(d) using the mechanical device to reproduce the finishing pattern on a predetermined portion of each workpiece which does conform to at least one of the stored images.

20. An automated apparatus for automatically finishing a pre-determined portion of a pre-cut fabric garment workpiece prior to its assembly with other fabric garment workpieces to produce a complete garment, said fabric workpiece having a first side, a second side, and predetermined dimensions, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a work station containing a surface upon which said fabric workpiece is placed for finishing;

(b) a controller for receiving data representative of the size and shape of the fabric workpiece,

(c) a storage means operatively linked to said controller, said storage means containing data corresponding to predetermined fabric workpiece shapes and sizes, along with data corresponding to a finishing pattern to be applied to a portion of each predetermined fabric workpiece having a particular shape and size; and

,

(d) a means for reproducing said pattern on said portion of said fabric workpiece.