Method and apparatus for manufacturing sewn goods

• US 6,499,513 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2000
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Andrew M. Bakaysza
• Original Assignee: Andrew M. Bakaysza
• Inventors: Couch, Erick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Falik, Andy
• Application Number:
  US09/714,765
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 112/470.03, 112/470.05
• US Class Current: 112/470.03
• CPC Class Codes: A41H 3/08 Patterns on the cloth, e.g. printed
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/34 scanning being effected by a photosensitive device
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/01 indicating an entity as a function of which control, adjustment or change is performed, i.e. input
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/03 indicating an entity which is measured, estimated, evaluated, calculated or determined but which does not constitute an entity which is adjusted or changed by the control process per se
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/216 Orientation, e.g. with respect to direction of movement
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2511/512 Marks, e.g. invisible to the human eye; Patterns
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/174 Textile; fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/12 characterised by control of operation of machine
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 69/28 Applications of servo devices for tool-positioning purposes
• CPC Class Codes: D06H 1/00 Marking textile materials; Marking in combination with metering or inspecting

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sewn article fabrication wherein the article components are strategically imprinted with processing information using an ink that when irradiated is readable by an operator as well as by strategically located sensors. The printed components are then moved through a sewn goods manufacturing process wherein the indicia is detected and used as reference points to accomplish various manufacturing steps, such as cutting, folding, stitching, and relative positioning of garment components. The ink that is used to imprint the processing information is either invisible or substantially invisible to the naked eye, but becomes readable under exciting radiation such as ultraviolet light.

Claims

1. A method for producing from a starting fabric material a printed material having a central portion and a margin circumscribing said central portion for use in manufacturing sewn clothing in accordance with instructional information, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) producing a printed material by imprinting instructional information on the starting material at a location interiorly of the margin of the printed material using a radiation excitable ink; and

(b) controllably emitting radiation toward said printed material to render said instructional information readable.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 in which the sewn goods are manufactured using a processing apparatus that is operated in accordance with instructional information, the method including the further steps of:

(a) introducing said printed material into said processing apparatus; and

(b) reading the instructional information in a manner to cause the processing apparatus to accomplish the operations specified by the instructional information.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of using a radiation excitable ink that is substantially invisible to the naked eye until excited by the radiation.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of imprinting the instructional information on both the upper and lower surfaces of the starting material.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the step of imprinting on the starting material instructional information comprising stitching instructions.

6. A method for producing from a starting fabric material a printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a computer controlled processing apparatus having emitting means for controllably emitting radiation and having sensor means for sensing and transmitting instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus, said method comprising the steps of producing the printed material by imprinting instructional information on the starting fabric material interiorly of the margin of said printed material using a radiation excitable ink;

using said emitting means, emitting radiation toward said central portion of said printed material to excite said radiation excitable ink; and

using said sensor means, reading said instructional information and then transmitting said instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 further comprising the step of imprinting on the starting material instructional information comprises stitching instructions.

8. The method as defined in claim 6 further comprising the step of imprinting on the starting material instructional information comprising starting material positioning instructions.

9. The method as defined in claim 6 further comprising the step of imprinting on the starting material instructional information comprising surface identification information.

10. A method for producing from a starting material a printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a computer controlled sewing apparatus having emitting means for controllably emitting radiation and having sensor means for sensing and transmitting instructional information to the computer of the sewing apparatus comprising the steps of:

(a) using an ink that is excited by radiation, producing a printed starting material by imprinting interiorly of the margin on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the starting material instructional information;

(b) introducing said printed starting material into said sewing apparatus;

(c) exciting said excitable ink using the emitting means of the sewing apparatus; and

(d) reading the instructional information using the sensor means of the sewing apparatus and then transmitting the instructional information to the computer of the sewing apparatus to accomplish the sewing and movement steps specified by the instructional information.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 further comprising the step of using a radiation excitable ink that is excited by ultraviolet radiation.

12. The method as defined in claim 10 further comprising the step of using a radiation excitable ink that is substantially invisible to the naked eye until excited by the radiation.

13. The method as defined in claim 10 further comprising the step of imprinting in the instructional information on both the upper and lower surfaces of the starting material.

14. The method as defined in claim 13 further comprising the step of imprinting on both the upper and lower surfaces of the starting material instructional information comprising surface identification information.

15. The method as defined in claim 10 further comprising the step of using water soluble invisible ink to imprint the instructional information on the starting fabric material.

16. An apparatus for manufacturing sewn goods from a starting material comprising a plurality or starting material components:

(a) printing means for imprinting instructional material onto the starting material using a radiation excitable ink to form a printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin, said instructional material being imprinted interiorly of said margin;

(b) sewing means for sewing the starting material in accordance with said instructional material, said sewing means comprising;

(i) emitting means for controllably emitting radiation in a direction toward said radiation excitable ink, said emitting means comprising a source of ultraviolet radiation; and

(ii) sensor means for sensing radiation emitted by said radiation excitable ink, said sensor comprising an ultraviolet sensor.

17. A method for producing from a starting fabric material a printed material for use in manufacturing sewn clothing in accordance with instructional information comprising buttonhole location instructions, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) producing a printed material by imprinting the instructional information comprising buttonhole location instructions on the starting material using a radiation excitable ink; and

(b) controllably emitting radiation toward said printed material to render said instructional information readable.

18. A method for producing from a starting fabric material a printed material for use in manufacturing sewn clothing in accordance with instructional information comprising button location instructions, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) producing a printed material by imprinting the instructional information comprising button locations on the starting material using a radiation excitable ink; and

(b) controllably emitting radiation toward said printed material to render said instructional information readable.

19. A method for producing from a starting fabric material, a printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a computer controlled processing apparatus having emitting means for controllably emitting radiation and having sensor means for sensing and transmitting instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus, said method comprising the steps of producing the printed material by imprinting instructional information comprising start and stop instructions on the starting fabric material interiorly of the margin of said printed material using a radiation excitable ink;

using said emitting means, emitting radiation toward said central portion of said printed material to excite said radiation excitable ink; and

using said sensor means, reading said instructional information and then transmitting said instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus.

20. A method for producing from a starting fabric material, a printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a computer controlled processing apparatus having emitting means for controllably emitting radiation and having sensor means for sensing and transmitting instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus, said method comprising the steps of producing the printed material by imprinting instructional information comprising starting material feed instructions on the starting fabric material interiorly of the margin of said printed material using a radiation excitable ink;

using said emitting means, emitting radiation toward said central portion of said printed material to excite said radiation excitable ink; and

using said sensor means, reading said instructional information and then transmitting said instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus.

21. A method for producing from a starting fabric material, a printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a computer controlled processing apparatus having emitting means for controllably emitting radiation and having sensor means for sensing and transmitting instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus, said method comprising the steps of producing the printed material by imprinting instructional information comprising component positioning information on the starting fabric material interiorly of the printed material using a radiation excitable ink;

using said emitting means, emitting radiation toward said central portion of said printed material to excite said radiation excitable ink; and

using said sensor means, reading said instructional information and then transmitting said instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus.

22. A method for producing from a starting fabric material, a printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a computer controlled processing apparatus having emmitting means for controllably emitting radiation and having sensor means for sensing and transmitting instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus, said method comprising the steps of producing the printed material by imprinting instructional information comprising buttonhole location instructions on the starting fabric material interiorly of the margin of said printed material using a radiation excitable ink;

using said emitting means, emitting radiation toward said central portion of said printed material to excite said radiation excitable ink; and

using said sensor means, reading said instructional information and then transmitting said instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus.

23. A method for producing from a starting fabric material, a printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a computer controlled processing apparatus having emitting means for controllably emitting radiation and having sensor means for sensing and transmitting instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus, said method comprising the steps of producing the printed material by imprinting instructional information comprising buttonhole location instructions on the starting fabric material interiorly of the margin of said printed material using a radiation excitable ink;

using said emitting means, emitting radiation toward said central portion of said printed material to excite said radiation excitable ink; and

using said sensor means, reading said instructional information and then transmitting said instructional information to the computer of the processing apparatus.

24. A method for producing from a starting fabric material comprising a plurality of starting material components a printed material for use in manufacturing sewn clothing in accordance with instructional information comprising matrix patterns and grid patter said method comprising the steps of:

(a) producing a printed material by imprinting instructional information comprising the matrix patterns and grid patterns on the starting material using a radiation excitable ink; and

(b) controllably emitting radiation toward said printed material to render said instructional information readable.

25. A method for producing from a starting fabric material comprising a plurality of starting material components a printed material for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a processing apparatus for moving the starting material components along a line of travel, said method being accomplished in accordance with instructional information comprising stitching instructions disposed parallel to the line of travel, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) producing a printed material by imprinting the instructional information comprising the stitching instructions on the starting material using a radiation excitable ink; and

(b) controllably emitting radiation toward said printed material to render said instructional information readable.

26. A method for producing from a starting fabric material comprising a plurality of starting material components, each printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin, for use in manufacturing sewn clothing in accordance with instructional information, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) producing a printed material by imprinting the instructional information on the starting material interiorly of the margin of the printed material using a radiation excitable ink; and

(b) controllably emitting radiation toward said printed material to render said instructional information readable.

27. A method for producing from a starting fabric material comprising a plurality of starting material components a printed material for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a robotic cloth movement system, said method being accomplished in accordance with instructional information comprising orientation markings to enable the robotic cloth movement system to orient the components, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) producing a printed material by imprinting the instructional information comprising the orientation markings on the starting material using a radiation excitable ink; and

(b) controllably emitting radiation toward said printed material to render said instructional information readable.

28. A method for producing from a starting fabric material comprising a plurality of starting material components a printed material for use in manufacturing sewn clothing using a processing apparatus having a translatable sewing head, said method being accomplished in accordance with instructional information comprising machine translate lines for indicating the direction of translation of the sewing head, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) producing a printed material by imprinting the instructional information comprising the machine translate lines on the starting material using a radiation excitable ink; and

(b) controllably emitting radiation toward said printed material to render said instructional information readable.

29. A method for producing from a starting fabric material comprising a printed material, said printed material having a central portion circumscribed by a margin, said printed material being fully flexible and foldable during use, said printed material being used in the manufacture of flexible, foldable sewn goods in accordance with instructional information comprising stitching instructions, said method comprising steps of:

(a) producing a printed material by imprinting the instructional information comprising the stitching instructions on the starting material interiorly of the margin of the printed material using a radiation excitable ink; and

(b) controllably emitting radiation toward said printed material to render said instructional information readable.