U.S. patent application number 14/473328 was filed with the patent office on 2015-03-05 for workpiece holding frame.
The applicant listed for this patent is TOKAI KOGYO MISHIN KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Yasutami Amakawa, Shunzou Nanba, Hideki Oiwa.
Application Number | 20150059632 14/473328 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50431099 |
Filed Date | 2015-03-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150059632 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Amakawa; Yasutami ; et
al. |
March 5, 2015 |
WORKPIECE HOLDING FRAME
Abstract
A workpiece holding frame includes: a main body having a frame
side; and a holding piece directly attracted by magnetic force
towards the frame side. A sheet-like workpiece is sandwiched and
held between the frame side and the holding piece to make the
workpiece stretched taut at a lower surface of the holding frame.
The workpiece is subjected to selectively both of printing and
embroidery processes without having to change the resulting
stretched-taut state. The holding piece has a groove for
accommodating therein a permanent magnet. The frame side includes a
flat portion and a rib extending perpendicularly along an inner
edge thereof, and the holding piece is disposed so as to be
accommodated in a space of the frame side which is formed by the
flat portion and the rib. The workpiece is bent in contact with an
end edge of the rib to be is stretched taut.
Inventors: |
Amakawa; Yasutami;
(Osaka-shi, JP) ; Nanba; Shunzou; (Ichinomiya-shi,
JP) ; Oiwa; Hideki; (Nagoya-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOKAI KOGYO MISHIN KABUSHIKI KAISHA |
Kasugai-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
50431099 |
Appl. No.: |
14/473328 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
112/103 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D05C 9/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
112/103 |
International
Class: |
D05C 9/04 20060101
D05C009/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 3, 2013 |
JP |
2013-005098 |
Claims
1. A workpiece holding frame which holds a workpiece such that the
workpiece can be subjected to selectively both of printing and
embroidery processes, the workpiece holding frame comprising: a
holding frame main body having at least one frame side; and at
least one holding piece directly attracted by magnetic force
towards the frame side of the holding frame main body, wherein the
workpiece in the form of a sheet is sandwiched and held between the
frame side and the holding piece, causing the workpiece to be in a
stretched taut state at a lower surface of the holding frame,
thereby allowing the workpiece to be subjected to selectively both
of printing and embroidery processes without having to change the
stretched-taut state.
2. The workpiece holding frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
permanent magnet is provided on at least one of the frame side of
the holding frame main body and the holding piece, and the magnetic
force of the permanent magnet directly penetrates the workpiece
sandwiched between the frame side of the holding frame main body
and the holding piece so as to act therebetween.
3. The workpiece holding frame as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
holding piece has a groove for accommodating therein the permanent
magnet.
4. The workpiece holding frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
frame side of said holding frame main body includes a flat portion
and a rib extending approximately perpendicularly along an inner
edge of the flat portion, the holding piece is disposed so as to be
accommodated in a space of the frame side which is formed by the
flat portion and the rib, and the workpiece sandwiched and held
between the frame side and the holding piece is stretched taut on
the holding frame main body in such manner that the workpiece is
bent in a condition where the workpiece is in contact with an end
edge of the rib.
5. The workpiece holding frame as claimed in claim 4, wherein a
height of the rib is 5 mm or less.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention relates generally to frames for
holding a workpiece, such as a fabric, in a stretched-taut state,
and more particularly to a workpiece holding frame detachably
attachable to selectively both of a printing apparatus for
performing printing on a workpiece and an embroidery sewing machine
for performing embroidery on the workpiece while keeping the same
workpiece held thereon.
[0002] Among a wide variety of embroidery products made today are
ones having a combination of printed and embroidered patterns. To
make such a product having a combination of printed and embroidered
patterns, printing of a desired pattern is performed on a fabric
(workpiece) by means of a printing apparatus, and then embroidery
of a desired pattern is performed on the fabric by means of an
embroidery sewing machine. The printing apparatus, which may
comprise for example a printer for use with a personal computer or
the like, includes a print head movable in an X direction, and a
transfer device for moving, in a Y direction, a member, called
"platen", capable of holding a workpiece, such as a T-shirt, in a
stretched-taut state. The platen having the workpiece held thereon
is moved in the Y direction by the transfer device on the basis of
image data while the print head is moved in the X direction, so
that desired printing is performed on the workpiece.
[0003] On the other hand, the embroidery sewing machine includes a
machine head having a sewing needle driven reciprocatively in a
vertical (up-down) direction, and a frame transfer mechanism for
moving the embroidery frame in the X and Y directions. The
embroidery frame, as conventionally known, includes an outer frame
member and an inner frame member, and a workpiece is sandwiched and
held stretched taut between the inner peripheral surface of the
outer frame member and the outer peripheral surface of the inner
frame member. Such an embroidery frame having the workpiece held
thereon in a stretched-taut state is set onto the frame transfer
mechanism and then moved in the X and Y directions, while the
sewing needle of the machine head is driven in the vertical
direction to perform embroidery onto the workpiece.
[0004] Namely, a typical example of the conventionally-known
technique is arranged in such a manner that, when performing
printing on the workpiece, the workpiece is held on the platen of
the printing apparatus in a stretched-taut state, and that, when
performing embroidery on the workpiece, the workpiece is held on
the embroidery frame of the embroidery sewing machine in a
stretched-taut state. Namely, with the typical conventionally-known
technique, it is necessary to perform operations for attaching and
detaching the workpiece to and from the platen and then attaching
and detaching the workpiece to and from the embroidery frame. Thus,
with the conventionally-known technique, much time and labor would
be required, and positional alignment between a print pattern and
an embroidery pattern tends to be difficult. Therefore, it has
heretofore been contemplated to make the embroidery frame
attachable to the printing apparatus so as to attach the embroidery
frame to selectively both of the printing apparatus and the
embroidery sewing machine with the workpiece kept held on the
embroidery frame. However, generally, the embroidery frame
sandwiches the workpiece between the inner peripheral surface of
the outer frame member and the outer peripheral surface of the
inner frame member, and the workpiece is stretched taut at
generally the same height as the lower surfaces of the outer and
inner frame members. Thus, if the embroidery frame is attached
as-is to the printing apparatus, the print head would be located at
a height over the workpiece where it interferes with the inner
frame member, i.e. it is interfered with by the inner frame member.
Therefore, the print head is allowed to move only within a range
where it does not interfere with, or it is not interfered with by,
the inner frame member, i.e. within a limited range in the
neighborhood of the middle of the frame. In such a case, however,
movement of the print head is limited because the print head has a
great horizontal width and depth, which would result in a
considerably reduced printable range. An improved embroidery frame
capable of avoiding such an inconvenience is disclosed in Japanese
Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-036330 (hereinafter referred
to as "Patent Document 1").
[0005] In the embroidery frame disclosed in Patent Document 1, at
the time of embroidering, a workpiece is sandwiched between the
outer frame member and the inner frame member and stretched taut at
generally the same height as the lower surfaces of the outer and
inner frame members, as in the aforementioned conventionally-known
technique. At the time of printing, on the other hand, an auxiliary
frame is inserted from below along the inner peripheral surface of
the inner frame member, more specifically into a space defined by
the inner peripheral surface of the inner frame member, so that the
workpiece is stretched taut at generally the same height as the
upper surfaces of the outer and inner frame members. Because the
workpiece is stretched taut at generally the same height as the
upper surfaces of the outer and inner frame members at the time of
printing, the print head does not interfere with the inner frame
member, and thus, the printable range would not decrease.
[0006] Incidentally, in many of embroidery products comprising a
combination of printed and embroidered patterns, embroidery is
performed after printing in such a manner that an embroidery is
superposed on a part of a printed pattern. The embroidery frame
disclosed in Patent Document 1 first holds a workpiece in a
stretched-taut state by means of outer and inner frame members.
Where printing is to be performed before embroidery, an auxiliary
frame member is pressed or inserted from below along the inner
periphery of the inner frame member (more specifically, into the
space defined by the inner periphery of the inner frame member),
and then the workpiece is stretched taut at generally the same
height as the upper surfaces of the outer and inner frame members.
The embroidery frame placed in that state is set onto a printing
apparatus so that printing is performed on the workpiece. After
completion of the printing, the embroidery frame is removed from
the printing apparatus, and the auxiliary frame member is detached
from the embroidery frame. Then, the workpiece is placed in a state
where the workpiece is stretched taut at generally the same height
as the lower surfaces of the outer and inner frame members. The
embroidery frame placed in this state is set onto an embroidery
sewing machine so that embroidery is performed on the
workpiece.
[0007] With the embroidery frame disclosed in above-described
Patent Document 1, where the auxiliary frame member is pressed into
the space defined by the inner periphery of the inner frame member
when printing is performed, the workpiece can be held stretched
with increased tightness or tautness at the time of printing. Thus,
when embroidery is to be performed subsequently after removal of
the auxiliary frame member, the tautness of the workpiece would
slack, producing unwanted slackness or looseness in the workpiece.
As a consequence, quality of an embroidery made in the
aforementioned manner would deteriorate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In view of the foregoing prior art problems, it is an object
of the present invention to provide a workpiece holding frame with
an improved structure which can subject a workpiece to selectively
both of printing and embroidery processes without having to change
the stretched-taut state of the workpiece on the holding frame.
[0009] In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, the
present invention provides an improved workpiece holding frame
which holds a workpiece such that the workpiece can be subjected to
selectively both of printing and embroidery processes, and which
comprises: a holding frame main body having at least one frame
side; and at least one holding piece directly attracted by magnetic
force towards the frame side of the holding frame main body,
wherein the workpiece in the form of a sheet is sandwiched and held
between the frame side and the holding piece, causing the workpiece
to be in a stretched taut at a lower surface of the holding frame,
thereby allowing the workpiece to be subjected to selectively both
of printing and embroidery processes without having to change the
stretched-taut state.
[0010] According to the present invention, the holding piece that
cooperates functionally with the holding frame main body to
sandwich a workpiece therebetween is constructed such that it is
directly attracted by magnetic force towards the frame side of the
holding frame main body. Accordingly, the overall structure of
holding frame main body can be made low profile. Therefore, in a
state where the holding frame is configured such that a workpiece
in the form of a sheet is sandwiched and held between the frame
side and the holding piece and the workpiece is stretched taut at
the lower surface of the holding frame, the distance between the
lower and upper surfaces of the holding frame becomes relatively
small, and as a result, if the workpiece is subjected to a printing
process without changing the stretched-taut state, an interference
of the upper surface height of the holding frame with the printing
action can be kept to the minimum as much as possible.
Consequently, according to the present invention, a workpiece can
be subjected to selectively both of printing and embroidery
processes without having to change the stretched-taut state of the
workpiece on the holding frame. Further, a deterioration of the
quality of embroidery due to a change in the degree of tautness can
be eliminated.
[0011] According to an embodiment, a permanent magnet is provided
on at least one of the frame side of the holding frame main body
and the holding piece, and the magnetic force of the permanent
magnet directly penetrates the workpiece sandwiched between the
frame side of the holding frame main body and the holding piece
such that it acts between the frame side of the holding frame main
body and the holding piece. According to such a structure, in the
case where the frame side of the holding frame main body and the
holding piece are vertically superposed, the thickness in the
vertical direction is made relatively low profile and the area of
the superposed portion in the lateral direction is made relatively
large, so as to ensure sufficient attractive force (that is, a thin
plate magnet is used), which is fit for making the overall holding
frame structure low profile.
[0012] In the embodiment, the frame side of the holding frame main
body may include a flat portion and a rib extending approximately
perpendicularly along an inner edge of the flat portion, and the
holding piece may be disposed so as to be accommodated in a space
defined by the frame sides, which is formed by the flat portion and
the rib, and the workpiece sandwiched and held between the frame
side and the holding piece is stretched taut on the holding frame
main body in a state bent at an end edge of the rib and in contact
therewith. With such a simplified construction, the workpiece can
be stretched taut, and the simplified overall structure is suitable
for making the overall structure of the holding frame low
profile.
[0013] 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
[0014] 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:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a holding frame
main body of a workpiece holding frame of the present invention as
seen from an upper surface side;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the holding frame main body shown
in FIG. 1 as seen from a lower surface side;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a holding piece of the
holding frame;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the holding piece as seen
from a lower surface side;
[0019] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the holding frame
main body for illustrating the state in which a workpiece and an
interlining are held on the holding frame main body via the holding
piece, as seen from the lower surface side of the holding frame
main body;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a rear view showing the state in which a workpiece
and an interlining are held on the holding frame main body via the
holding piece as seen from the lower surface side;
[0021] FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken at line A-A of
FIG. 6;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the state shown in FIG. 6, as seen
from the upper surface side;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the state shown in FIG. 8;
and
[0024] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an example of a single-head
type embroidery sewing machine to which the preferred embodiment of
the holding frame may be applied.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] A holding frame 6 according to the present invention is
configured by a combination of a holding frame main body 1 shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 and a holding piece 3 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The
holding frame main body 1 is configured by a thin plate made of
magnetic materials such as a steel plate, and is formed by joining,
by means of welding or the like, respective frame sides 1a and 1a'
on right and left sides and respective frame sides 1b and 1b' on
upper and lower sides into a rectangular shape. On opposing inner
edges of the respective frame sides 1a, 1a', 1b and 1b', a rib 2
bent toward a bottom side at a predetermined width from an end of
the inner edge is formed for each frame side, as shown in FIGS. 2
and 5. A height of the rib 2 is, for example, 5 mm or less.
Attaching arms 1c are formed respectively on outer sides of the
right and left frame sides 1a, 1a'. The attaching arms 1c are
provided for attaching the holding frame main body 1 to a frame
driving portion (not shown) of an embroidery machine.
[0026] An explanation will now be given for the holding piece 3
with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The holding piece 3 is provided
for sandwiching a workpiece 7 in the form of a sheet, such as a
fabric, and an interlining 8 between the holding piece 3 and the
holding frame main body 1 by magnetic force, such that the
workpiece 7 in the form of a sheet and the interlining 8 are held
on the holding frame main body 1. As shown in the figures, one
holding piece 3, in a form of a narrow rectilinear shape, is made
of magnetic materials such as a steel plate having a predetermined
thickness, and has a predetermined rigidity and has substantially
no flexibility. The predetermined thickness is, for example,
preferably generally equivalent to the height of the rib 2 of the
holding frame main body 1. A width of one holding piece 3 is
generally the same as widths of the right and left frame sides 1a
and/or upper and lower frame sides 1b of the holding frame main
body 1, and a length of the holding piece 3 is generally the same
as lengths of the respective frame sides 1a and/or 1b of the
holding frame main body 1. Preferably, a plurality of holding
pieces 3 are used. For example, holding pieces 3 (total of four)
are used in correspondence with the respective frame sides 1a and
1b of the holding frame main body 1.
[0027] On a back side of the holding piece 3, a groove 3a having a
constant width is formed and extends at a center portion in a width
direction of the holding piece 3 along a length direction thereof.
Permanent magnets (neodymium magnets, for example) 5 in the form of
plates are embedded in the groove 3a at arbitrary intervals. The
holding piece 3 is directly attracted by the magnetic force of the
permanent magnets 5 so as to be stuck detachably to the frame sides
1a and 1b of the holding frame 6. Further, a plurality of permanent
magnet pieces do not necessarily need to be disposed at intervals,
but instead, a wider space may be provided between the permanent
magnet pieces or the permanent magnet pieces may be disposed to be
in contact with each other, depending on the magnitude of
attractive force thereof to the holding frame main body 1.
Accordingly, the holding frame 6 is configured by including the
holding frame main body 1 and the holding piece 3 attracted by the
magnetic force so as to be stuck detachably to the respective frame
sides 1a, 1a', 1b and 1b' of the holding frame main body 1. As
described later, the workpiece 7 (and the interlining 8) is
sandwiched and held stretched taut between the respective frame
sides 1a, 1a', 1b and 1b' of the holding frame 6 and the holding
piece 3. Such a configuration allows the magnetic force of the
permanent magnets 5 to act between the respective frame sides 1a,
1a', 1b and 1b' of the holding frame 6 and the holding piece 3, the
magnetic force directly penetrating the workpiece 7 (and the
interlining 8) sandwiched therebetween. Further, attractive force
due to the magnetic force of the permanent magnets 5 acts in a
vertical direction (in a height direction). As a result, the
holding frame 6 adopting a holding structure using such permanent
magnets 5 in the form of plates can be configured such that the
thickness thereof would be thin (that is, the height would be low)
(for example, referring to FIG. 7, approximately 5 mm high, which
is the height of the rib 2). Such a low profile holding frame 6 is
extremely advantageous because interference with a print head of a
printer (not shown) does not occur.
[0028] The permanent magnets 5 may be fixed by adhesive or the like
when disposed in the groove 3a of the holding piece 3, or the
permanent magnets 5 may be semi-fixed to the holding piece 3 made
of a magnetic body by magnetic force of its own, instead of being
fixed by adhesive or the like. Further, when fixing the permanent
magnets 5 in the groove 3a of the holding piece 3 by adhesive or
the like, the holding piece 3 may be made of a non-magnetic
material. Also, as a modified example, the permanent magnets 5 may
be provided on the side of the respective frame sides 1a and 1b of
the holding frame main body 1 (for example, being fixed by adhesive
or the like), and in such a case, the holding frame main body 1 may
be made of a non-magnetic material, the holding piece 3 being made
of a magnetic body. As another modified example, the holding piece
3 itself may be configured by a permanent magnet in the form of a
plate.
[0029] Procedures for setting the workpiece 7 and the interlining 8
on the holding frame 6 will now be described with reference to FIG.
5.
(1) First, the holding frame main body 1 is reversed (the back
side, or the lower surface side shall be up), and the workpiece 7
and the interlining 8 are put over the holding frame main body 1 in
this order. (2) Next, with the workpiece 7 and the interlining 8
being in sufficiently stretched taut states, the holding pieces 3
are set to the respective frame sides 1a and 1b of the holding
frame main body 1 from over the interlining 8. Accordingly, the
respective holding pieces 3 are strongly attracted to the
respective frame sides 1a and 1b of the holding frame main body 1
by the magnetic force of the permanent magnet plates, and the
workpiece 7 and the interlining 8 are held surely stretched taut
between the holding piece 3 and the holding frame main body 1.
[0030] An example of specific procedures for setting the holding
piece 3 in step (2) above will now be described with reference to
FIG. 6.
(2-1) In FIG. 6, a holding piece to be set first is 3-1, for
example. A tip 3-1a of the holding piece 3-1 is pressed against an
abutting position 2a of the rib 2, and then the holding piece 3-1
is inclined so as to be stuck on the holding frame main body 1.
(2-2) Next, a tip of a holding piece 3-2 to be set second is made
to abut against an end 3-1b (a portion protruding from an abutting
position 2b of the rib 2) of the holding piece 3-1 so as to be
stuck on the holding frame main body 1 in the same manner as
aforementioned step (2-1). (2-3) Similarly, a holding piece 3-3 to
be set third and a holding piece 3-4 to be set fourth are stuck on
the holding frame main body 1.
[0031] Referring to FIG. 7, which is an enlarged sectional view
taken at line A-A of FIG. 6, explanation will now be given for the
state in which the workpiece 7 and the interlining 8 are attached
to the holding frame main body 1. According to the figure, the
workpiece 7 and the interlining 8 are sandwiched and held between
the holding frame main body 1 and the holding piece 3 by the
magnetic force of the permanent magnet plates 5, and the workpiece
7 and the interlining 8 are in a state bent at a right angle by an
end edge 2e of the rib 2. Accordingly, the tension of holding the
workpiece 7 and the interlining 8 in a stretched-taut state does
not decrease. Further, the tension acting in the space surrounded
by the frame can be increased by pulling the workpiece 7 and the
interlining 8 in an arrow B direction of FIG. 7 when the workpiece
7 and the interlining 8 are set. At this time, the holding piece 3
is not displaced toward the outer side.
[0032] Further, FIG. 7 shows a state where the holding frame 6 is
turned upside down. That is, the top side in this sectional view
represents the lower surface (back surface) side of the holding
frame 6, and the bottom side in this sectional view represents the
upper surface side of the holding frame 6. FIG. 8 is a top view
(plan view) of the state where the workpiece 7 and the interlining
8 are set on the holding frame main body 1, which is a view from
the upper surface side of the holding frame 6 in FIG. 6. FIG. 9 is
a perspective view of a state where the workpiece 7 and the
interlining 8 are set on the holding frame main body 1, as seen
from the upper surface side. As is evident from FIG. 7, the holding
frame 6 according to the present embodiment is configured such that
the workpiece 7 (and the interlining 8) is stretched taut at the
lower surface thereof. Further, as described later, the workpiece 7
(and the interlining 8) can be subjected to selectively both of
printing and embroidery processes without changing the
stretched-taut state of the workpiece 7 (and the interlining 8) in
the holding frame 6. That is, printing and embroidery is performed
on the workpiece 7 (and the interlining 8) from the upper surface
side of the holding frame 6 in the state where the workpiece 7 (and
the interlining 8) stretched taut on the holding frame 6 is located
on the lower surface thereof. Accordingly, the lower surface of the
workpiece 7 (interlining 8) is supported by the platen (not shown)
during printing and is supported by a needle 12 (FIG. 10) during
embroidery, thereby allowing smooth printing and embroidery.
Further, while the upper surface of the holding frame 6 is apart
from the lower surface by nearly 5 mm, the distance is only slight,
and therefore does not hinder printing.
[0033] As shown in FIG. 7, or FIG. 2 or FIG. 5, the respective
sides 1a, 1a', 1b and 1b' of the holding frame main body 1 have, at
the lower surface sides thereof, a flat portion and the rib 2
extending approximately perpendicularly along an inner edge of the
flat portion. The holding piece 3 is disposed such that it is
accommodated in a space defined by the frame sides, which is formed
by the rib 2 and the flat portion on the lower surface side of the
frame sides 1a, 1a', 1b and 1b'. The workpiece 7 (and the
interlining 8) sandwiched and held between the frame sides 1a, 1a',
1b and 1b' and the holding piece 3 is stretched taut at the lower
surface of the holding frame main body 1 in such a manner that the
workpiece 7 (together with the interlining 8) is bent in a
condition where the workpiece 7 (together with the interlining 8)
is in contact with the end edge (lower end edge) of the rib 2.
Here, the rib 2 does not necessarily have to be bent perfectly
perpendicularly, but instead, it may be bent in an arbitrary angle
other than 90 degrees.
[0034] When removing the workpiece 7 and the interlining 8 from the
holding frame 6, the holding piece 3 is stripped away from the
holding frame main body 1. In explanation of the procedures
therefor, referring to FIG. 6 and taking the holding piece 3-1 as
an example, the holding piece 3-1 can be easily stripped off by
lifting an end 3-1e thereof from the bottom side with a finger. As
is evident from the figure, because the length of the holding piece
3-1 is set such that the end 3-1e of the holding piece 3-1
protrudes a little from the end edge of the holding frame main body
1, the holding piece can be stripped off easily, as described
above, using the protruded portion as a grip.
[0035] Next, an example of printing and/or embroidery procedures
will be described. As shown in FIG. 9, in the case of first
performing printing in a state where the workpiece 7 and the
interlining 8 are set on the holding frame main body 1, the holding
frame 6 to which the workpiece 7 and the interlining 8 are set is
placed on a platen (not shown) in the form of a plate of a printer
(not shown) to perform printing. The printer (not shown) may be of
a commonly known type capable of printing arbitrary graphic,
characters, and the like by driving the platen (not shown) in the
form of a plate on a two-dimensional plane in X and Y directions.
In the case of performing embroidery to the workpiece 7 on the
holding frame 6 that has gone through printing of arbitrary graphic
and pattern, the holding frame 6 can be set to an embroidery
machine as is to perform a desired embroidery. For example, by
connecting the attaching arms 1c and 1c provided on selectively
both sides of the holding frame main body 1 to supporting arms 11
and 11 of an embroidery machine 10 as shown in FIG. 10, the holding
frame 6 can be set to a embroidery frame driving mechanism of the
embroidery machine 10. The embroidery machine 10 can be activated
after setting the holding frame 6 to the embroidery frame driving
mechanism of the embroidery machine 10 as thus. Further, the
sequence of performing printing and embroidery processes may be in
any order
[0036] Further, when setting the holding frame 6 to the embroidery
machine 10 for performing embroidery, a height position of a back
surface of the interlining 8 (or a height position of a back
surface of the workpiece 7) in FIG. 9 needs to be generally equal
to that of an upper surface of a needle plate 12 (FIG. 10) of the
embroidery machine 10. To do so, the supporting arm 11 of the
embroidery machine 10 can be configured to match the structure of
the holding frame 6 according to the present embodiment such that
the height position of the back surface of the interlining 8 (or
the height position of the back surface of the workpiece 7) set on
the holding frame 6 is generally equal to that of the upper surface
of the needle plate 12. For example, in the case where an existing
supporting arm (11) is provided on an existing embroidery machine
10, the existing supporting arm (11) may be replaced with a
dedicated supporting arm 11 configured so as to match the structure
of the holding frame 6 according to the present embodiment, or
instead of replacing the supporting arm (11), an arbitrary height
raising member (an attachment for assisting attachment) may be
provided at an attaching portion at a tip of the existing
supporting arm (11).
[0037] According to the present embodiment, when the holding frame
6 is placed on the platen of the printer for printing, the
workpiece 7 is close enough to the printer nozzle since the height
of the rib 2 is only about 5 mm, and therefore a sharp printing can
be performed as well as a printing on a wide range (entire region
shown by the dashed line in FIG. 6) without interfering with the
movement of the print head.
[0038] According to the present invention, when switching from a
printing process to an embroidery process, or from an embroidery
process to a printing process, once the workpiece 7 and the
interlining 8 are held on the holding frame main body 1, nothing
more needs to be done to the holding state. Accordingly, it is
possible to perform high-quality processing without a displacement
occurring between the printing process and the embroidery
process.
[0039] Further, the present invention is not limited to a
rectangular holding frame (6), but is also applicable to a holding
frame having one or more curved frame sides or a round frame side.
In such a case, a plurality of holding pieces (3) having curves
matching curvatures of the holding frame (6) may be used in
combination. Whether using rectilinear or curved holding pieces 3,
the plurality of holding pieces 3 do not necessarily have to be
configured so as to cover the entire length of the curved (or
round) frame sides of the holding frame 6, but instead, the holding
pieces 3 may be configured to sandwich the workpiece 7 between the
frame side and the holding piece 3 at some dispersive
locations.
[0040] This application is based on, and claims priority to,
Japanese Utility Model Application No. 2013-005098 filed on Sep. 3,
2013. 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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