JPH0424049A - Automatic sewing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application J] The present invention relates to an automatic sewing device, and particularly to an automatic sewing device that allows a plurality of sewing machines to perform sewing processing in accordance with sewing data created in advance.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, automatic sewing devices are known that supply sewing control information using an information medium such as a floppy disk and perform sewing operations based on this sewing control information.

With such devices, if you want multiple automatic sewing devices to perform the same sewing process at the same time using the same sewing control information, you can copy an information medium such as a floppy disk for the number of automatic sewing devices and insert it into the sewing machine. , it was necessary to load the data.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention 1] In the conventional configuration as described above, when there is a change in the sewing data, the changed data is copied again by the number of information media and installed in the sewing machine, and the data is transferred. I needed to load it.

For this reason, the work of supplying sewing data to the sewing machine, which involves copying and installing information media in the preparation stage of sewing work, occupies a large proportion of the work, and it is not easy to improve work efficiency. This has become a major bottleneck in dealing with this issue.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to easily supply sewing data to an automatic sewing device, and to easily handle changes and editing of sewing data even in high-mix, low-volume production. be.

[Means for Solving the Problems 1] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, sewing data input is performed in an automatic sewing device that causes multiple sewing machines to perform sewing processing according to sewing data created in advance. a sewing data communication path connecting each sewing machine and the sewing data inputting means; and a sewing data communication path connected to the sewing data communication path, which converts the sewing data inputted from the sewing data inputting means into predetermined management data as key data. A configuration is adopted that includes a sewing data management means that stores sewing data and also transfers appropriate sewing data according to the key data designated to each sewing machine.

[Operation] According to the above configuration, it becomes possible to centrally manage the sewing data of the sewing machine by the sewing data management means as a database with predetermined management data as key data.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the example shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a sewing system according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the illustrated system connects a plurality of sewing machines 1, 2.3-...
It is connected via.

The network 4 is configured as a local area network using a communication interface such as the well-known R5232C or SC3I, or a telephone line, and has a configuration equivalent to that used in various computer systems. 1, 2, . . . and the network 4 based on a predetermined protocol.

Among the sewing machines, 1 is a trial sewing machine, which is used to create sewing data when sewing machines 2 and 3 perform an actual sewing process.

The sewing data created with trial sewing machine 1 is used for counting, sewing pattern (expressed in the form of These data are appropriately constructed according to the configuration of the sewing machine to be used from all the data stored therein, and these data are generated by performing a desired sewing operation on the trial sewing machine 1.

The sewing data created by the trial sewing machine 1 is not supplied to the sewing machine 2.3 on a floppy disk as in the conventional case, but is transferred to the host system 5 via the network 4, and is transferred to the sewing machine 2.3 during the actual sewing process. It is supplied to sewing machine 3 as needed.

The host system 5 is comprised of a personal computer, a workstation, etc., and includes an external storage device such as a hard disk drive that can store sewing data created by the trial sewing machine 1 and to be supplied to the sewing machine 2.3 in an amount required by the user. Built-in 51.

The trial sewing machine 1 includes a CPU 15 including a microprocessor as a main control unit, a ROM and a RAM used as a program storage device or a work area.
A memory 12 consisting of a memory 12, a detection switch for detecting the operation of the sewing machine mechanism system 16 such as a pedal, a sewing machine motor, a thread cutter, a presser foot, etc., various detectors 13 such as a spindle detector, a counter, etc., and a data input device. It consists of a keyboard 14, an interface circuit 19 for inputting and outputting data to and from the network 4, and includes all the equipment necessary to create the sewing data described above.

The keyboard 14 of the trial sewing machine 1 is provided with a data transfer switch IO for instructing the transfer of sewing data to the host system 5.

Mechanically, the sewing machine 2.3 also has almost the same configuration as the trial sewing machine I, with a CPU 25 serving as a main control unit, and a CPU 25 for storing sewing data supplied from the host system 5 via the network 4. It consists of a memory 22 consisting of ROM, RAM, etc., a detector 23, a sewing machine mechanism system 26, a keyboard 24 (including a display 24a), and the like.

The keyboard 24 is provided with a reception switch 21 . This key is used to send a transfer request to the host system 5 under manual control in data transfer control, which will be described later.

Although not shown here, both sewing machine 3 and sewing machine 2
It has a similar configuration. Sewing machine 3 keyboard 24
Similarly, a reception switch 21 is provided.

Trial stitch sewing machine 1 CPU15 and sewing machine 2.3 C
By performing data transfer control as shown in FIG. 2, the PU 25 and host system 5 transfer the sewing data created by the trial sewing machine 1, and the sewing machine 2.3 performs sewing control.

First, the user performs sewing work that is actually executed by the sewing machine 2.3 on the trial sewing machine 1, and creates sewing data. The sewing data at this time is the aforementioned count, sewing speed, and other data, and is generated in response to the user's sewing operation or in response to numerical input from the keyboard 14 (step si in FIG. 2).

After completing the series of sewing operations, the user presses the data transfer switch 10 on the keyboard 14 to transmit the created sewing data to the host system 5 via the network 4 (step S2).

The host system 5 associates the transferred data with key data such as the product number, the target sewing product process to which the sewing process belongs, and the model code of the sewing machine used for actual sewing, according to a program created in advance. and stored in the external storage device 51 as a database (step S3
). These key data such as product number, process, model code, etc. may be input from the keyboard 14 of the trial sewing machine 1, or may be automatically generated by the host system 5.

At the production stage, data is transmitted to the operator of the sewing machine 2.3 in advance via the network 4 from the external storage device 51 for the product number, process, and model corresponding to the process performed by the operator or the model of the sewing machine. You may notify. Additionally, the display 24a on the keyboard 24 may be used for this purpose.

When the operator of the sewing machine 2.3 needs to perform sewing using sewing data stored in the host system 5, the operator operates the reception switch 21.31 of the keyboard 24 to send a transfer command to the host system 5. . At this time, the operator inputs part or all of the data such as product number, process, model code, etc. as key data along with the transfer command from the keyboard, and these key data are also transferred to the host system 5 at the same time.

These transfer commands/key data are transferred via the network 4 and detected in the host system 5 (step S4).

The host system 5 searches the sewing data in the external storage device 51 based on key data such as the product number, process, and model code input from the keyboard along with the transfer command (step S5), and the corresponding sewing data (from the trial sewing machine 1 in advance). The input information) is transferred to the sewing machine 2 (or 3) via the network 4 (step S6). If the corresponding sewing data cannot be retrieved, a predetermined error message is transmitted and displayed on the display of the sewing machine 2.3.

With this configuration, there is no need for the conventional troublesome work process of distributing floppies for sewing pigs, and the operator can simply press the receiving switch 21.31 of the sewing machine 2.3.
Production can be started by simply performing the following operations.

Sewing data is searched in the host system 5 according to key data such as product number, process, model code, etc., and the appropriate one is used. It is possible to avoid situations where the entire production process is thrown into disarray due to errors in floppy distribution.

Furthermore, since the data is centrally managed by the host system 5, it is very easy to change, replace, and edit the sewing data. The sewing data is changed or replaced by transferring the data created by the trial sewing machine 1 back to the host system 5.

Alternatively, if the host system 5 itself can execute a CAD system or software such as a sewing data editor, it is also possible to directly edit the sewing data in the host system 5. It is also conceivable that data used in another sewing system be input to the host system 5 via another communication path of the external storage device 51 or a medium such as a floppy disk or magnetic tape.

By doing this, even if the sewing machine 2 is equipped with a device that is not included in the trial sewing machine 1, appropriate sewing data can be transmitted by specifying the model code.

In the above, a configuration has been exemplified in which sewing data is transferred from the host system 5 in response to a transfer request from the sewing machine 2.3 by the receiving switch. It is also possible to forcibly send the information directly to each sewing machine and program it so that the appropriate sewing process is automatically started when the operator starts the sewing machine.

According to such a configuration, there is no risk that the operator may mistakenly load the wrong sewing data into the sewing machine using the key data transmitted together with the transfer command.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above, according to the present invention, in an automatic sewing device that causes multiple sewing machines to perform sewing processing according to jit manufacturing data created in advance, the sewing data input means and each A sewing data communication path that connects the sewing machine and the sewing data input means; Since the configuration consists of a sewing data management means that transfers appropriate sewing data according to the key data specified to the sewing machine, the sewing data of the sewing machine is sewn as a database with the specified management data as key data. The data management means enables centralized management, maintains the uniformity of sewing data, and makes it extremely easy to manage, change, and edit sewing data, eliminating the troublesome work of distributing sewing data and ensuring proper sewing. This has the excellent effect of being able to transfer data without error to the sewing machine that requires it, and controlling the entire production process extremely efficiently and reliably.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sewing production system according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a data transfer control procedure of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1--Test sewing machine 2--Sewing machine 3--Sewing machine 4--Network 5--Host system 10--Data transfer switch J2--Memory 13--Detector 14-- Keyboard 15--
CPU 19--Interface circuit 21--Memory 22--Detector 23--Detector 24--Keyboard 25--CPU 29--Interface circuit

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) In an automatic sewing device that performs sewing processing on a plurality of sewing machines according to sewing data created in advance, the sewing machine includes: a sewing data input means; and a sewing machine that connects each sewing machine and the sewing data input means. a data communication path; the sewing data communication path is connected to the sewing data communication path, and stores the sewing data inputted from the sewing data input means as key data, and also stores the sewing data inputted from the sewing data input means in accordance with the key data designated for each sewing machine. An automatic sewing device comprising sewing data management means for transferring appropriate sewing data. 2) The key data is transferred from the sewing machine to the sewing data management means via a sewing data communication path, and the sewing data management means transmits appropriate sewing data corresponding to the key data to the sewing machine. The automatic sewing device according to item 1.