System and method of producing multi-colored carpets

• US 7,130,711 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mohawk Carpet Corporation (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Dabrowa, Paul, Kuhels, Katrina, Thompson, Charlie, Swift, Ashlee, Poindexter, Dina
• Primary Examiner(s): Calvert, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAUFFMAN, BRIAN K
• Application Number:
  US10/789,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20050188905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 112/102.5, 112/410, 112/2.2, 112/80.01, 112/470.01, 112/475.23, 112/80.23, 700/136, 700/138, 700/131
• US Class Current: 700/131
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/34 by inserting loops of different nature or colour

Abstract

A system and method for producing multi-colored carpets using a tufting machine. The present invention features a system and method for: providing a multi-colored pattern which is analyzed for validity with reference to a particular tufting machine; collecting parameters concerning a particular tufting machine; determining the colors of yarn to load with each needle of the particular tufting machine; and generating a report including a palette of colors used within the pattern, a chart indicating which color of yarns are used within each needle position, and a summary of the number of yarn cones needed to create a carpet of a predetermined size with the particular tufting machine.

Claims

1. A system for validating a pattern for a tufting machine, the system comprising:

a pattern storage unit adapted to store a pattern;

a machine data storage unit adapted to store operational characteristics of a tufting machine; and

a control unit adapted to receive said pattern from said pattern storage unit, receive operational characteristics of said tufting machine from said machine data storage unit, and determine whether said pattern may be implemented on said tufting machine based on said operational characteristics

wherein said control unit is further adapted to determine a number of colors of a portion of said pattern, wherein said portion of said pattern corresponds to at least one needle of said tufting machine, and

wherein said control unit is further adapted to determine whether said number of colors is greater than a predetermined number of colors associated with at least one needle of said tufting machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said control unit is further adapted to analyze at least one pixel of said portion of said pattern and enumerate at least one color of said at least one pixel.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface adapted to receive user input from a user and to provide said user input to said control unit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said user input defines characteristics of said pattern.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a report data storage unit adapted to store report data wherein said report data is generated by said control unit.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said control unit is further adapted to provide said report data to a user interface.