Independent single end servo scroll pattern attachment for tufting machine and computerized design system

• US 6,502,521 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tuftco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tuftco Corporation
• Inventors: Morgante, Michael R., Bishop, Mike, Prichard, Richard, Stanfield, Randall E., Vaughen, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NERBUN, PETER P
• Application Number:
  US10/001,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20020037388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 112/80.73, 112/80.23, 112/80.01, 112/410, 112/475.23
• US Class Current: 112/80.23
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/08 Arrangements for inputting stitch or pattern data to memory ; Editing stitch or pattern data
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/12 characterised by control of operation of machine
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/18 Thread feeding or tensioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/32 by altering the loop length
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 17/02 Tufted products
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 17/026 characterised by the tufted pile surface
• CPC Class Codes: D05D 2205/085 combined with a display arrangement, e.g. touch sensitive control panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23936 Differential pile length or surface

Abstract

The present invention provides a single end scroll-type yarn feed attachment for tufting machines characterized by independent servo-motor control of yarn feed rolls while eliminating tube banks typical of tufting machine feed attachments and produces new tufted carpet designs.

Claims

1. A tufted carpet comprising:

(a) a generally planar backing fabric having a top surface, a bottom surface and an outer perimeter encompassing a center portion;

(b) a first border surrounding the center portion comprising a first plurality of bights on the outer perimeter of the top surface of the backing fabric;

(c) a second border surrounding the center portion visually distinct from and located interior of said first border, and comprising a second plurality of bights on the outer perimeter of the top surface of the backing fabric;

(d) wherein the plurality of bights comprising at least one of said first and second borders is formed by feeding stitches of yarn in at least three distinct increments of length.

2. The tufted carpet of claim 1 further comprising a design comprised of a third plurality of bights on the top surface of the backing fabric located interior of said second border.

3. The tufted carpet of claim 1 wherein the second plurality of bights are cut pile bights.

4. The tufted carpet of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of bights are loop pile bights.

5. The tufted carpet of claim 1 further comprising a third border visually distinct from and located interior of said second border and comprising a third plurality of bights on the top surface of the backing fabric.

6. The tufted carpet of claim 1 wherein the outer perimeter is four sides of the top surface of the backing fabric.

7. A tufting machine comprising:

(a) a feed mechanism for transporting a backing fabric having a back side and a face side from front to rear through the machine;

(b) a plurality of spaced needles aligned transversely of the machine for reciprocable movement through the back side of backing fabric;

(c) a drive mechanism in communication with said spaced needles to reciprocably move the needles through the backing fabric;

(d) a single end servo driven yarn feed mechanism for supplying yarns at selected rates to said spaced needles, said yarn feed mechanism having separate yarn feed rolls for at least a majority of the yarns supplied to the spaced needles in the tufting machine and said separate yarn feed rolls being independently operable to supply yarns of more than three different lengths for any particular stitch;

(e) a controller in communication with the yarn feed mechanism including a software control program for controlling the operation of the independently operable yarn feed rolls in accordance with a predetermined pattern; and

(f) a looper mechanism for seizing yarns off the spaced needles on the face side of the backing fabric.

8. The tufting machine at claim 7 wherein the separate yarn feed rolls are independently operable to supply yarns of no less than eight different lengths.

9. The tufting machine of claim 7 wherein the predetermined pattern is at least 350 stitches in length.

10. The tufting machine of claim 7 wherein the predetermined pattern is at least 1000 stitches in length.

11. The tufting machine of claim 7 wherein said independently operable separate yarn feed rolls are driven by separate servo motors.

12. The tufting machine of claim 11 wherein a servo motor controller board is electrically connected to at least one of said separate servo motors and to the controller.

13. The tufting machine of claim 12 wherein the controller receives positional information corresponding to the reciprocation of the needles through the backing fabric and sends corresponding information concerning the pattern to the servo motor controller board.

14. A tufting machine comprising:

(a) a feed mechanism for transporting a backing fabric having a back side and a face side from front to rear through the machine;

(b) a plurality of spaced needles aligned transversely of the machine for reciprocable movement through the back side of backing fabric;

(c) a drive mechanism in communication with said spaced needles to reciprocably move the needles through the backing fabric;

(d) a single end servo driven yarn feed mechanism for supplying yarns at selected rates to said spaced needles, said yarn feed mechanism having separate yarn feed rolls for at least a majority of the yarns supplied to the spaced needles in the tufting machine and said separate yarn feed rolls being in communication with a servo motor to supply yarns of more than three different lengths for any particular stitch;

(e) a servo motor controller in communication with the yarn feed mechanism including a software control program for controlling the operation of the independently operable yarn feed rolls in accordance with a predetermined pattern; and

(f) a looper mechanism for seizing yarns off the spaced needles on the face side of the backing fabric.

15. The tufting machine of claim 14 wherein the separate yarn feed rolls are independently operable to supply yarns of no less than eight different lengths.

16. The tufting machine of claim 14 wherein the predetermined pattern is at least 350 stitches in length.

17. The tufting machine of claim 14 wherein the predetermined pattern is at least 1000 stitches in length.

18. The tufting machine of claim 14 wherein said servo motors are mounted to the tufting machine along a substantially arcuate path.

19. The tufting machine of claim 14 wherein a servo motor controller board is electrically connected to at least one of said servo motors and to the controller.

20. The tufting machine of claim 19 wherein the controller receives positional information corresponding to the reciprocation of the needles through the backing fabric and sends corresponding information concerning the pattern to the servo motor controller board.