U.S. patent application number 13/450030 was filed with the patent office on 2012-10-18 for making a decorative design with decorative elements arranged in freely movable fashion.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOKAI KOGYO MISHIN KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Misato MATSUHIRO.
Application Number | 20120260838 13/450030 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46935702 |
Filed Date | 2012-10-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120260838 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MATSUHIRO; Misato |
October 18, 2012 |
MAKING A DECORATIVE DESIGN WITH DECORATIVE ELEMENTS ARRANGED IN
FREELY MOVABLE FASHION
Abstract
Decorative elements are sewn, with a first-type sewing thread,
to a base member in accordance with a first pattern. One surface of
the base member is covered with a see-through cover member, and an
embroidery sewing operation is performed on the superposed base
member and cover member. Then, the sewing thread, sewing the
decorative elements on the base member, is removed from the base
member. The embroidery sewing operation is performed in accordance
with a second pattern surrounding the decorative elements sewn on
the base member in accordance with the first pattern. Thus, the
decorative elements are freely movably accommodated in a space
defined between the base member and the cover member, so that they
can freely move within the space in response to movement of the
base member. Such a decorative design with the movable decorative
elements can be made on the base member easily and efficiently.
Inventors: |
MATSUHIRO; Misato;
(Nagoya-shi, JP) |
Assignee: |
TOKAI KOGYO MISHIN KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Kasugai-shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
46935702 |
Appl. No.: |
13/450030 |
Filed: |
April 18, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
112/475.18 ;
112/113 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D05C 17/00 20130101;
D05C 7/08 20130101; D05D 2303/18 20130101; D05B 35/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
112/475.18 ;
112/113 |
International
Class: |
D05B 3/22 20060101
D05B003/22; D05C 7/00 20060101 D05C007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 18, 2011 |
JP |
2011-091987 |
Claims
1. A decorative design making method comprising: a first step of
temporarily attaching one or more decorative elements to a
to-be-decorated base member in such a manner that the decorative
elements are arranged on the to-be-decorated base member in a first
pattern; a second step of covering one surface of the
to-be-decorated base member, having the decorative elements
arranged thereon, with a see-through cover member, and sewing the
cover member to the to-be-decorated base member in a second
pattern, said second pattern including a closed pattern surrounding
the one or more decorative elements temporarily attached to the
to-be-decorated base member; and a third step of removing temporary
attachment, to the to-be-decorated base member, of the decorative
elements effected by said first step.
2. The decorative design making method as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said first step comprises temporarily sewing, with a
first-type sewing thread, the one or more decorative elements to
the to-be-decorated base member in the first pattern, and said
third step comprises removing the first-type sewing thread from the
to-be-decorated base member.
3. The decorative design making method as claimed in claim 2,
wherein the first-type sewing thread is a soluble thread, and said
third step comprises dissolving the first-type sewing thread.
4. The decorative design making method as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the closed pattern includes at least one narrowed
portion.
5. The decorative design making method as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the one or more decorative elements are one or more
sequins.
6. The decorative design making method as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the one or more decorative elements are one or more
beads.
7. A decorative design making apparatus comprising: a sewing
mechanism; a feeder device for feeding decorative elements; and a
control unit for controlling said sewing mechanism and said feeder
device to temporarily attach one or more of the decorative elements
to a to-be-decorated base member in such a manner that the
decorative elements are arranged on the to-be-decorated base member
in a first pattern and to sew a see-through cover member, covering
one surface of the to-be-decorated base member having the
decorative elements arranged thereon, to the to-be-decorated base
member in a second pattern, said second pattern including a closed
pattern surrounding the one or more decorative elements temporarily
attached to the to-be-decorated base member.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention relates to decorative-design making
methods and apparatus for providing or decorating a to-be-decorated
base member with a decorative design using decorative elements,
such as sequins or beads. More particularly, the present invention
relates to a method and apparatus for making, on a to-be-decorated
base member, a decorative design comprising decorative elements
attached or arranged in a freely movable fashion.
[0002] It has heretofore been known to provide a to-be-decorated
base member with a decorative design, comprising a variety of
patterns and figures, by using decorative elements, such as sequins
and/or beads. Among the conventionally-known methods for attaching
such decorative elements to the to-be-decorated base member is one
in accordance with which decorative elements, such as sequins
and/or beads, are sequentially fed out one by one to a
to-be-decorated base member (also referred to as "to-be-embroidered
member"), set on an embroidery machine, in response to sewing
movement of a sewing needle, so that the decorative elements are
sewn to the to-be-decorated base member or directly attached to the
to-be-decorated base member by an adhesive agent, heat adhesion or
the like. Examples of such a method for attaching decorative
elements to a to-be-decorated base member are disclosed in Japanese
Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2004-167097 which
corresponds to US 2006/0011116 A1 and Japanese Patent Application
Laid-open Publication No. HEI-10-33857.
[0003] According to the aforementioned method for attaching
decorative elements such as sequins and/or beads by sewing or
adhesion (including heat adhesion), the individual decorative
elements are fixedly attached to positions of the to-be-decorated
base member that correspond to a predetermined pattern. However,
because the individual decorative elements, such as sequins and/or
beads, made of a light-reflecting substance are fixedly attached to
the to-be-decorated base member and thus are not movable from their
respective attached positions, they can always achieve only a
limited esthetic effect by light reflection etc. and hence cannot
provide an interesting effect.
[0004] To address such an inconvenience, a special method for
attaching decorative elements to a to-be-decorated base member in
such a manner as to achieve an interesting esthetic effect has been
proposed, according to which two to-be-decorated base members
superposed on each other are sewn together by embroidery sewing or
the like with one or more decorative elements, such as sequins,
freely movably sandwiched between the two to-be-decorated base
members. With this proposed method, a user or human operator has to
manually sew together the to-be-decorated base members with the one
or more decorative elements sandwiched therebetween; however, such
a manual sewing operation cannot be performed efficiently because
the decorative elements tend to scatter. Thus, there has been a
need for a more sophisticated decorative-design making method and
apparatus which allow a human operator to easily and efficiently
realize the aforementioned special method for attaching decorative
elements to a to-be-decorated base member in a freely movable
fashion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In view of the foregoing prior art problems, it is an object
of the present invention to provide an improved decorative-design
making method and apparatus which allow a human operator to easily
and efficiently make, on a to-be-decorated base member, a
decorative design that can create an interesting esthetic effect by
attaching one more decorative elements to the base member in such a
manner that the decorative elements can freely move in response to
movement of the base member.
[0006] In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, the
present invention provides an improved decorative design making
method, which comprises: a first step of temporarily attaching one
or more decorative elements to a to-be-decorated base member in
such a manner that the decorative elements are arranged on the
to-be-decorated base member in a first pattern; a second step of
covering one surface of the to-be-decorated base member, having the
decorative elements arranged thereon, with a see-through cover
member, and sewing the cover member to the to-be-decorated base
member in a second pattern, the second pattern including a closed
pattern surrounding the one or more decorative elements temporarily
attached to the to-be-decorated base member; and a third step of
removing temporary attachment, to the to-be-decorated base member,
of the decorative elements effected by the first step.
[0007] According to the present invention, one or more decorative
elements are temporarily attached to the to-be-decorated base
member in such a manner that the decorative elements are arranged
on the to-be-decorated base member in the first pattern, and then
the cover member is sewn to the base member in the second pattern
including the closed pattern surrounding the decorative elements
temporarily attached to the base member. Such a closed pattern
allows the one or more decorative elements to be easily enclosed in
a closed space defined between the to-be-decorated base member and
the cover member. After such enclosing operation, the temporary
attachment, to the to-be-decorated base member, of the decorative
elements is removed so that the decorative elements are freely
movable within the closed space. Thus, according to the present
invention, there can be provided a unique decorative design where a
figure, pattern, etc., comprising the decorative elements freely
movable within the closed space, can be visually recognized via the
see-through cover member. Further, the present invention allows a
user or human operator to readily and efficiently make, on the
to-be-decorated base member, such a unique decorative design.
Besides, because, in the thus-made decorative design, the
decorative elements are freely movably accommodated in the closed
space, the decorative elements can move freely within the space in
response to movement of the base member. Such a moving decorative
design can achieve a more interesting esthetic effect.
[0008] According to another aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an improved decorative design making apparatus, which
comprises: a sewing mechanism; a feeder device for feeding
decorative elements; and a control unit for controlling the sewing
mechanism and the feeder device to temporarily attach one or more
of the decorative elements to a to-be-decorated base member in such
a manner that the decorative elements are arranged on the
to-be-decorated base member in a first pattern and to sew a
see-through cover member, covering one surface of the
to-be-decorated base member having the decorative elements arranged
thereon, to the to-be-decorated base member in a second pattern,
the second pattern including a closed pattern surrounding the one
or more decorative elements temporarily attached to the
to-be-decorated base member.
[0009] Thus, the present invention can provide an apparatus which
can automatically perform the operation for temporarily attaching
the one or decorative elements to the to-be-decorated base member
in such a manner that the decorative elements are arranged on the
to-be-decorated base member in the first pattern and the operation
of sewing the see-through cover member to the to-be-decorated base
member in the second pattern. In this case, an operation for
removing the temporary attachment, to the to-be-decorated base
member, of the decorative elements may be performed manually by the
human operator or automatically by a particular device added for
that purpose.
[0010] As an example, the operation for temporarily attaching the
one or decorative elements to the to-be-decorated base member in
such a manner that the decorative elements are arranged on the
to-be-decorated base member in the first pattern may comprise
temporarily sewing, with a soluble thread, the one or decorative
elements to the to-be-decorated base member. In such a case, the
operation for removing the temporary attachment, to the
to-be-decorated base member, of the decorative elements can be
performed with ease by dissolving the soluble thread.
[0011] The following will describe embodiments of the present
invention, but it should be appreciated that the present invention
is not limited to the described embodiments and various
modifications of the invention are possible without departing from
the basic principles. The scope of the present invention is
therefore to be determined solely by the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Certain preferred embodiments of the present invention will
hereinafter be described in detail, by way of example only, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of a decorative
design making method of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of a ground fabric in a
state where sewing, to the ground fabric, of sequins has been
completed;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a view showing the ground fabric on which
embroidery sewing has been performed with a tule fabric placed over
the ground fabric;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a view showing an example of a completed ground
fabric provided or decorated with a desired decorative design;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a view showing a manner in which the sequins move
in response to movement of the ground fabric;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a view showing another example of the completed
ground fabric provided with a decorative design having a
communicating portion in a closed area; and
[0019] FIG. 7 is a block diagram conceptually showing an embodiment
of a decorative-design making apparatus of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of a decorative
design making method of the present invention. At first step S1, as
preparations prior to the start of an embroidery operation, a user
or human operator sets a to-be-decorated base member, such as a
fabric (called "ground fabric") on an embroidering frame of an
embroidery sewing machine, sets a decorative element strip--in this
case, a sequin strip having a multiplicity of
continuously-connected sequins (also called spangles)--on a sequin
feeder device, and also sets a liquid-soluble (dissolvable) (e.g.,
water-soluble) thread for use as an upper thread that cooperates
with a lower thread for sewing sequins to the ground fabric. The
following description will be given assuming that only the upper
thread is a water-soluble thread while the lower thread set in a
bobbin is a non-liquid-soluble ordinary thread, although, in some
case, the lower thread too may be a water-soluble thread similarly
to the upper thread.
[0021] At next step S2, the human operator activates the embroidery
sewing machine and temporarily sews the sequins to predetermined
positions of the ground fabric in accordance with temporarily
sewing data having a predetermined sewing pattern (first pattern)
registered therein; namely, this step S2 is a temporary attachment
step of sewing, with the sewing threads, one or more decorative
elements to the to-be-decorated base member in accordance with the
first pattern. In the embroidery sewing machine, as known in the
art, sequins fed out to a sewing position of the machine
sequentially one by one are cut off from the sequin strip, and the
thus-cut-off sequins are sewn onto the ground fabric with the
sewing threads. FIG. 2 shows an example of the ground fabric in a
state where sewing, to the fabric, of the sequins has been
completed through operation of the embroidery sewing machine.
[0022] In FIG. 2, the ground fabric 1, which is the to-be-decorated
base member, is set on the embroidering frame (not shown) of the
embroidery sewing machine. In FIG. 2, the sequins 2 are sewn on the
ground fabric 1 in a matrix pattern (in this case,
two-column-three-row matrix pattern comprising six sequin groups),
each of the sequin groups comprising a multiplicity of the sequins
2. The temporary sewing data defines, for each of the sequin
groups, the number of the sequins 2 and respective sewn positions
of the sequins 2. In the illustrated example of FIG. 2, each of the
sequin groups comprises 48 (forty-eight) sequins 2 sewn, by
continuous sewing threads (upper and lower threads, i.e. sequin
attaching threads), on the ground fabric 1 in a
right-column-six-row matrix configuration. The temporary sewing
data contains data defining six such groups as to the number of the
sequins 2 and respective sewn positions of the sequins 2.
[0023] At next step S3, a tule (cover) fabric 5, which is for
example a finely-meshed fabric formed of fine threads of cotton,
silk, nylon or the like, is placed over one surface of the ground
fabric 1, on which the sequins 2 have been sewn for each of the
groups in accordance with the temporary sewing data, from above the
one surface of the ground fabric 1; thus, the one surface of the
ground fabric 1 is covered with the tule fabric 5. Then, from above
the tule (cover) fabric 5 placed over the ground fabric 1,
embroideries 6 of desired patterns, figures and/or the like are
sewn through the tule (cover) fabric 5 onto the ground fabric 1 in
accordance with a second pattern defined by embroidering data
different from the above-mentioned temporary sewing data and by use
of a second-type sewing thread, such as a flat embroidering thread,
prepared separately from the above-mentioned sewing (sequin
attaching) threads. Namely, this step S3 is a step of performing a
sewing operation with the second-type sewing thread, separate from
the sewing threads (first-type sewing thread), in accordance with
the second pattern that surrounds the one or more decorative
elements sewn to and arranged on the to-be-decorated base member in
accordance with the first pattern. FIG. 3 shows the ground fabric 1
having the embroideries 6 sewn thereon with the tule fabric 5
placed over the ground fabric 1, i.e. sewn thereon through the tule
fabric 5.
[0024] As shown in FIG. 3, the embroideries 6 of figures, patterns
and/or the like are performed on the base member 1 and the tule
fabric 5 (i.e., on the base member 1 through the tule fabric 5) for
each of the groups of multiplicity of sequins 2 in accordance with
the second pattern surrounding the group. Each of the figures,
patterns and/or the like, surrounding the multiplicity of sequins 2
included in each of the sequin groups, defines a closed area.
Namely, the second pattern includes closed patterns each
surrounding one or more decorative elements temporarily attached to
the base member, and such a closed pattern defines the closed area
or space. Note that the tule fabric 5 may be or need not be sewn
along its entire edge to the ground fabric 1. With the tule fabric
5 thus placed over and sewn onto the ground fabric 1, the sequins 2
having been sewn to the ground fabric 1 under the tule fabric 5 can
be seen or visually recognized through the tule fabric 5. Namely,
in the instant embodiment, the tule fabric 5 is a see-through
fabric.
[0025] Upon completion of the sewing of the embroideries 6, the
flow of FIG. 1 proceeds to step S4, where the ground fabric 1 is
removed from the embroidering frame and the thus-removed ground
fabric 1 is immersed in liquid, such as hot water, contained in a
container, or sprayed with liquid, such as hot water; namely, this
step S4 is a temporary attachment removal step of removing, from
the base member, only the sewing thread (upper thread in this case)
sewing the decorative elements to the base member. In this way, the
upper thread 3, sewing the decorative elements to the ground fabric
1, is dissolved with the liquid to permit removal, from the
embroidering frame, of the ground fabric 1. However, needless to
say, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned
scheme of using liquid, such as hot water, to dissolve the upper
thread 3, and the upper thread 3 may be dissolved in any other
suitable manner as long as the upper thread 3 can be dissolved
without damaging the ground fabric 1, sequins 2 and tule fabric 5;
for example, the upper thread 3 may be dissolved with gas, such as
vapor or steam. Namely, the dissolution scheme to be employed here
depends on a form of solubility possessed by the upper thread
3.
[0026] At following step S5, the lower thread (not shown) remaining
on the ground fabric 1 after the dissolution of the upper thread 3
is removed. Because the upper thread 3 has already been dissolved
to be removed by that time and thus there is no entanglement
between the upper thread 3 and the lower thread having so far sewn
the sequins 2 to the ground fabric 1 in cooperation with each
other, the remaining lower thread can be easily removed from the
ground fabric 1. If the lower thread is made of a liquid-soluble
material similarly to the upper thread 3, then the lower thread can
be dissolved to be removed together with the upper thread 3 at step
S4 above, and thus, no separate operation for removing the lower
thread is required. Once the lower thread is removed at step S5,
the ground fabric 1 is dried, so that the ground fabric 1 provided
with a desired decorative design comprising the sequins 2 is
finished up or completed. In the decorative design of the
thus-completed ground fabric 1, the multiplicity of sequins 2 are
freely movably accommodated in each of the closed spaces defined
between the ground fabric 1 and the tule fabric 5.
[0027] FIG. 4 shows an example of the completed ground fabric 1
provided with the desired decorative design. In the completed
ground fabric 1, the multiplicity of sequins 2 are freely movable
in a same direction, in each of the closed areas defined by the
embroideries 6 sewn according to the second pattern, in response to
movement of the ground fabric 1. If, for example, the user or human
operator holds a right upper portion (i.e., right upper portion in
FIG. 4) of the completed ground fabric 1 to lift up the completed
ground fabric 1 and then swings the lifted-up ground fabric 1, the
multiplicity of sequins 2 accommodated in each of the closed areas
defined by the sewing of the embroideries 6 move by gravity toward
a left lower bottom portion of the closed area as the ground fabric
1 slants downwardly with the right upper portion located higher
than the remaining portion, as shown in FIG. 5. In the
aforementioned manner, the instant embodiment can provide the
ground fabric 1 with a decorative design that allows the sequins 2
to move in response to movement of the ground fabric 1, and such a
decorative design can achieve a more interesting esthetic effect
than the conventionally-known counterparts where sequins are
fixedly attached.
[0028] FIG. 6 shows another example of the completed ground fabric
1 having a decorative design made in accordance with the decorative
design making method of the present invention. The decorative
design shown in FIG. 6 is a design generally imitating the shape
and operation of a sand clock; particularly, the decorative design
has a narrowed middle portion.
[0029] The example of the completed ground fabric 1 shown in FIG. 6
is made in generally the same manner as the example of the ground
fabric 1 shown in FIG. 4. Namely, the example of the completed
ground fabric 1 shown in FIG. 6 is made as follows. First, a
multiplicity of sequins 2 are sewn, with upper and lower threads,
onto predetermined positions of the ground fabric 1 (see step S2 of
FIG. 1). Then, a tule fabric 5 is placed over one surface of the
ground fabric 1 having the multiplicity of sequins 2 sewn thereon,
and then embroideries 6 and 7 are sewn, in accordance with a
pattern (second pattern) surrounding all of the sewn sequins 2,
onto two areas (hereinafter referred to as "two design areas") of
the ground fabric 1 in such a manner as to form a shape of a glass
container of a sand clock with a communicating portion (waste or
narrowed portion) 4 between the two design areas as well as shapes
of upper and lower end plates of the sand clock (see step S3).
Then, the upper thread having sewn the sequins 2 onto the ground
fabric 1 is dissolved with hot water or the like (see step S4), and
then the ground fabric 1 is dried after removal of the lower thread
(see step S5).
[0030] More specifically, in the example of the completed ground
fabric 1 shown in FIG. 6, the embroideries 6 are sewn onto the two
design areas with a flat embroidering thread to form a pattern
corresponding to the outline of the glass container of the sand
clock, and the communicating portion (narrowed portion) 4 having a
width at least enough to permit passage therethrough of at least
the sequins 2 is formed as a pattern corresponding to the middle
narrowed portion (waste portion) of the sand clock. Therefore, the
embroideries 6 may be referred to also as "decorative design
outline parts". Thus, as the user or human operator swings the
completed ground fabric 1 while holding one end portion of the
completed ground fabric 1, the sequins 2 move between the two
design areas imitating the glass container of the sand clock
through the communicating portion 4. In this way, the design areas
on the completed ground fabric 1 of FIG. 6 can create an
interesting esthetic effect capable of presenting movement of the
sequins 2 similar to movement of the sand in the sand clock.
Whereas the example of the completed ground fabric 1 of FIG. 6 has
been described in relation to the decorative design where the
communicating portion 4 is formed between the two
sand-clock-imitating design areas, such communicating portions 4
may be formed between adjoining ones of three or more
sand-clock-imitating design areas. Further, a plurality of the
communicating portions 4, rather than just one communicating
portion 4, may be provided between at least one pair of the design
areas.
[0031] FIG. 7 is a block diagram conceptually showing an embodiment
of a decorative-design making apparatus of the present invention.
The decorative-design making apparatus shown in FIG. 7 comprises: a
machine unit M including at least a holder device H, a sequin
feeder device K, a sewing needle N, etc.; and a
decorative-design-making control unit 10 including at least a first
acquisition section 11, a first control section 12, a second
acquisition section 13, a second control section 14, a removal
section 15, etc.
[0032] The holder device H is the embroidering frame that is
capable of holding the to-be-decorated base member A alone but also
capable of holding the to-be-decorated base member A together with
the cover member B placed over or covering the base member A. The
feeder device K sequentially feeds sequins (decorative elements C),
one sequin at a time, to a needle drop position in accordance with
the sewing operation of the sewing needle N. The sewing needle N
performs the sewing operation on the base member A (and the cover
member B) held on the holder device H by moving in a vertical
direction in the figure. Of a plurality of threads prepared in
advance, a sewing thread Da is used for sewing the decorative
elements C to the base member A, while am embroidering thread Db is
used for sewing a decorative design onto the base member A and the
cover member B (more specifically, onto the base member A through
the cover member B). Needless to say, a plurality of sewing needles
N, i.e. one sewing needle N having the sewing thread Da set thereon
in advance and another sewing needle N having the embroidering
thread Db set thereon in advance, may be provided so that any one
of the plurality of sewing needles N can be used depending on
whether the decorative elements C should be sewn onto the base
member A or the decorative design should be sewn onto the base
member A through the cover member B.
[0033] The first acquisition section 11 acquires the
above-mentioned temporary sewing data (i.e., first pattern data).
The first control section 12 drives the sewing needle N in the
vertical direction while moving the holder device H and the sewing
needle N relative to each other in such a manner that the
decorative elements C are sewn onto predetermined positions of the
to-be-decorated base member A, held on the holder device H, in
accordance with the acquired temporary sewing data (first pattern
data). At that time, the sewing thread Da is used. In this manner,
groups of the sequins can be provided on the to-be-decorated base
member A in the pattern as shown in FIG. 2. Namely, the functions
of the first acquisition section 11 and the first control section
12 correspond to step S2 above; that is, the first acquisition
section 11 and the first control section 12 implement a step of
sewing, in accordance with the first pattern, one or more
decorative elements C onto the to-be-decorated base member A with
the first-type sewing thread Da.
[0034] The second acquisition section 13, on the other hand,
acquires the above-mentioned embroidering data (i.e., second
pattern data). The second control section 14 drives the sewing
needle N in the vertical direction while moving the holder device H
and the sewing needle N relative to each other in such a manner
that a decorative design is sewn, in accordance with the second
pattern, onto predetermined positions of the to-be-decorated base
member A, held on the holder device H, through the cover member B
(i.e., together with the cover member B). At that time, the
embroidering thread Db is used. In this manner, the decorative
design can be embroidered, for each of groups of a multiplicity of
the decorative elements C, in such a manner as to surround the
group. Namely, the functions of the second acquisition section 13
and the second control section 14 correspond to step S3 above; that
is, the second acquisition section 13 and the second control
section 14 implement a step of performing an embroidery sewing
operation on the base member A with the second-type sewing thread
Db, separate from the first-type sewing thread Da, in accordance
with the second pattern surrounding the one or more decorative
elements C sewn on the base member A in accordance with the first
pattern. Note that the aforementioned first acquisition section 11,
first control section 12, second acquisition section 13 and second
control section 14 may be realized by a computer-implemented
software program.
[0035] Further, the removal section 15 removes, from the
to-be-decorated base member A, only the sewing thread Da sewing the
decorative elements C on the base member A. In the instant
embodiment, the sewing thread Da is a water-soluble (or
dissolvable) thread, and the removal section 15 removes the sewing
thread Da from the to-be-decorated base member A by immersing the
base member A (and the cover member B) in hot water or spraying the
base member A (and the cover member B) with hot water. Note that,
if the sewing thread Da is not a water-soluble thread, the removal
section 15 may remove the sewing thread Da from the base member A
by cutting a part of the sewing thread Da and pulling the cut end
of the sewing thread Da from the base member A. By the removal
section 15 removing the sewing thread Da from the to-be-decorated
base member A in the aforementioned manner, the to-be-decorated
base member A can be placed in the completed state, i.e. in the
state where a space is defined between the base member A and the
cover member 5 and a multiplicity of the decorative materials C are
freely movably accommodated in the space. Namely, the function of
the removal section 15 corresponds to step S4 above; that is, the
removal section 15 implements a removal step of removing, from the
to-be-decorated base member A, only the sewing thread Da sewing the
decorative elements C on the base member A.
[0036] According to the embodiments of the decorative-design making
method and apparatus of the present invention, as described above,
the cover member (tule fabric 5), constructed to allow the
decorative element (sequin 2) to be seen therethrough, is placed
over the to-be-decorated base member (ground fabric 1) having the
decorative elements (sequins 2) sewn thereon with the first-type or
soluble (e.g., water-soluble) thread, then embroidery sewing is
performed on the to-be-decorated base member (ground fabric 1)
through the cover member (tule fabric 5) with the second-type or
non-soluble (e.g., non-water-soluble) sewing thread different from
the first-type or water-soluble thread, and then the first-type or
soluble thread is dissolved to be removed from the base member
(ground fabric 1). In this way, a closed space is formed between
the to-be-decorated base member and the cover member so that a
multiplicity of the decorative elements (sequins 2) are freely
movably accommodated in the closed space. Thus, there can be made a
unique decorative design where the decorative elements (sequins 2)
that are freely movable in the closed space in response to movement
of the to-be-decorated base member can be seen through the
see-through cover member (tule fabric 5). The freely movable
decorative elements can achieve a more interesting esthetic effect
than the conventionally-known counterparts where sequins are
fixedly attached. The present invention allows the user or human
operator to readily and efficiently make, on the to-be-decorated
base member, a decorative design capable of creating a more
interesting esthetic effect with the individual freely movable
decorative elements (sequins 2).
[0037] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention
have been described above with reference to the accompanying
drawings, the present invention is not so limited and may be
modified variously. For example, whereas the preferred embodiments
have been described above in relation to the case where the tule
fabric 5 is used as the cover member covering the sequins 2 sewn on
the ground fabric 1, the present invention is not so limited, and
any other suitable cover member, such as a lace fabric, may be used
as long as the sequins 2 sewn on the to-be-decorated base member
(ground fabric 1) can be seen through the cover member. Further, if
the to-be-decorated base member is a member that permits passage
therethrough of liquid, such as hot water, and gas, then the cover
member need not necessarily be a member that permits passage
therethrough of liquid, such as hot water, and gas. Furthermore,
the cover member may be of any desired color.
[0038] It is preferable that the ground fabric 1 be a fabric, such
as a satin fabric, having a smooth surface and small skid
resistance rather than a type of fabric, such as a knit fabric,
having a fuzzy surface and great skid resistance. Further, the
to-be-decorated base member need not necessarily be a fabric and
may be a leather-made member or the like.
[0039] Furthermore, whereas the preferred embodiments have been
described above employing, as the decorative elements, sequins 2
having a flat shape, the present invention is not so limited and
the present invention may employ decorative elements having a
three-dimensional shape, such as resin- or glass-made beads.
[0040] Furthermore, whereas the preferred embodiments have been
described above in relation to the case where the decorative design
outline parts (embroideries 6) for defining, on the ground fabric
1, the closed area surrounding the sequins 2 is provided by
embroidery sewing using a flat embroidering thread as the
second-type sewing thread, the present invention is not so limited.
For example, the decorative design outline part may be provided by
any other type of decorative cord sewing, such as cord sewing or
tape sewing using a cord or tape as the second-type sewing
thread.
[0041] Furthermore, the preferred embodiments have been described
above in relation to the case where the sequins 2 are mechanically
sewn onto the ground fabric 1 by means of the embroidery sewing
machine (machine unit) and the decorative design outline parts are
mechanically embroidered onto the ground fabric 1 through the tule
fabric 5 placed on the ground fabric 1 by means of the embroidery
sewing machine (machine unit). Alternatively, either or both of the
aforementioned operation for sewing the sequins 2 onto the ground
fabric 1 and the aforementioned operation for embroidering the
decorative design outline part may be performed manually by the
user or human operator.
[0042] Furthermore, in the aforementioned temporary attachment step
of temporarily attaching one or more decorative elements onto the
to-be-decorated base member in the first pattern, the decorative
elements may be temporarily attached to the to-be-decorated base
member by means of a soluble adhesive agent rather than by means of
the soluble thread. In such a case, in the aforementioned temporary
attachment removal step, the adhesive agent only has to be
dissolved by predetermined liquid or the like.
[0043] This application is based on, and claims priority to, JP PA
2011-091987 filed on 18 Apr. 2011. The disclosure of the priority
application, in its entirety, including the drawings, claims, and
the specification thereof, is incorporated herein by reference.
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