Wiper device

• US 7,134,398 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Fujihara, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Izaguirre, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US11/387,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20060213414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 235 Days
• Field of Search: 112/286, 112/236, 112/240, 112/253, 112/235, 112/287, 112291-298
• US Class Current: 112/286
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 29/06 Presser feet
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 65/06 and for disposing of the severed thread end ; Catching or wiping devices for the severed thread
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 11/20 Arrangements for cutting the needle or lower threads
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 9/02 in machines with vertical needles

Abstract

The wiper device for a sewing machine having a wiper member swingable from the operating position to a non-operating position on an embroidery presser foot, in which a needle thread-end is retained by being clamped between a frictional-resistance applying member fixed to an underside of a thread engagement portion located on a distal end of the wiper member and an upper surface of a cloth presser pressing a workpiece cloth by a returning movement of the wiper member from an operating position in which the wiper member performs a thread wiping operation to a stand-by position.

Claims

1. A wiper device for a sewing machine mounted on an embroidery presser foot having a cloth presser through which a sewing needle is penetratable, the wiper device comprising:

a wiper member that wipes a needle thread end extending from an eye of the sewing needle so as to pull a needle thread-end above a workpiece cloth after the needle thread is cut by a thread cutting unit, wherein the needle thread-end is retained by cooperation of the cloth presser and the wiper member.

2. The wiper device according to claim 1, wherein the wiper member comprises a thread engagement portion, the needle thread-end being retained by being clamped between the thread engagement portion and the cloth presser.

3. The wiper device according to claim 2, wherein the wiper member is supported swingably between an operating position for performing a thread wiping operation and an non-operating stand-by position by the embroidery presser foot, and when the wiper member returns from the operating position to the stand-by position, the needle thread-end is retained by being clamped between the cloth presser and the thread engagement portion.

4. The wiper device according to claim 2, wherein at least either one of the cloth presser or the thread engagement portion is provided with a frictional-resistance applying member for applying frictional resistance on the needle thread-end.

5. The wiper device according to claim 4, wherein the frictional-resistance applying member is fixed to an underside of the thread engagement portion, and the needle thread-end is retained by being clamped between the frictional-resistance applying member and an upper surface of the cloth presser.

6. The wiper device according to claim 4, wherein the frictional-resistance applying member comprises a pile member, the pile member being a base cloth with a short fiber implanted thereon.

7. The wiper device according to claim 2, wherein a shape of the cloth presser and the thread engagement portion in plan view are substantially same.

8. The wiper device according to claim 2, wherein the cloth presser and the thread engagement portion have penetration holes through which a sewing needle is penetratable, respectively.

9. A wiper device for a sewing machine mounted on an embroidery presser foot having a cloth presser through which a sewing needle is penetratable, the wiper device comprising:

a wiper member wiping a needle thread extending from an eye of the sewing needle so as to pull a needle thread-end above a workpiece cloth after cutting the needle thread with a thread cutting unit;

a thread end clamp member formed on the cloth presser;

a thread end clamp portion formed on the wiper member;

wherein the needle thread-end is clampable by cooperation of the thread end clamp member and the thread end clamp portion.

10. The wiper device according to claim 9, wherein the wiper member is supported swingably between an operating position for performing a thread wiping operation and a clamp position for clamping the upper thread-end by cooperation of the thread end clamp member and the thread end clamp portion by an embroidery presser foot.

11. The wiper device according to claim 10, wherein when the wiper member is swung to a release position which is distanced by a predetermined distance toward the operating position from the clamp position, the needle thread-end clamped in cooperation by the thread end clamp member and the thread end clamp portion is released.

12. The wiper device according to claim 11, further comprising a link arm integrally formed on the wiper member and a drive pin driving the wiper member, wherein the link arm has a link slit to which the drive pin is slidably inserted, the link slit comprising a linear portion and a circumferential portion, and the linear portion is inclined with respect to a vertical direction so as to extend rearwardly upward.

13. The wiper device according to claim 9, wherein the thread end clamp member comprises an elastic member having elastic force.

14. The wiper device according to claim 13, wherein the elastic member comprises a plate spring.

15. The wiper device according to claim 9, wherein the thread end clamp member comprises a magnet piece having magnetic force, and the thread end clamp portion comprises a magnetic material.

16. The wiper device according to claim 9, wherein the thread end clamp portion further comprises a thread clamp surface abutting the thread end clamp member and a protrusion provided near the thread clamp surface and guiding the needle thread-end.

17. A wiper device for a sewing machine mounted on an embroidery presser foot having a cloth presser through which a sewing needle is penetratable, the wiper device comprising:

a wiper member wiping a needle thread extending from an eye of the sewing needle so as to pull a needle thread-end above a workpiece cloth after the needle thread is cut by a thread cutting unit, wherein the wiper member comprising a thread engagement portion that clamps the needle thread-end in cooperation with the cloth presser, and

a frictional force applying member, provided on either one of the cloth presser or the thread engagement portion for applying frictional force on the needle thread in a retained state.