Various examples are provided related to transporting and sewing material in, e.g., automation of sewing robots. Multiple pieces of layered materials can be transported on a flat planar surface while maintaining the material layer's position and orientation relative to one another during a sewing procedure of these materials along any arbitrary seam shape. In one example, among others, a method includes positioning a second piece of material on a first piece of material located on a sewing plane, positioning a material holding apparatus over the pieces of material to secure position and orientation between the pieces of material, locating the pieces of material with respect to an automated sewing machine by repositioning the material holding apparatus, and sewing the second piece of material to the first piece of material. The methods can eliminate the need of custom-made templates for sewing arbitrarily shaped seams with an automated sewing machine.

Various examples are provided related to transporting and sewing material in, e.g., automation of sewing robots. Multiple pieces of layered materials can be transported on a flat planar surface while maintaining the material layer's position and orientation relative to one another during a sewing procedure of these materials along any arbitrary seam shape. In one example, among others, a method includes positioning a second piece of material on a first piece of material located on a sewing plane, positioning a material holding apparatus over the pieces of material to secure position and orientation between the pieces of material, locating the pieces of material with respect to an automated sewing machine by repositioning the material holding apparatus, and sewing the second piece of material to the first piece of material. The methods can eliminate the need of custom-made templates for sewing arbitrarily shaped seams with an automated sewing machine.

Various examples are provided related to transporting and sewing material in, e.g., automation of sewing robots. Multiple pieces of layered materials can be transported on a flat planar surface while maintaining the material layer's position and orientation relative to one another during a sewing procedure of these materials along any arbitrary seam shape. In one example, among others, a method includes positioning a second piece of material on a first piece of material located on a sewing plane, positioning a material holding apparatus over the pieces of material to secure position and orientation between the pieces of material, locating the pieces of material with respect to an automated sewing machine by repositioning the material holding apparatus, and sewing the second piece of material to the first piece of material. The methods can eliminate the need of custom-made templates for sewing arbitrarily shaped seams with an automated sewing machine.

Various examples are provided related to transporting and sewing material in, e.g., automation of sewing robots. Multiple pieces of layered materials can be transported on a flat planar surface while maintaining the material layer's position and orientation relative to one another during a sewing procedure of these materials along any arbitrary seam shape. In one example, among others, a method includes positioning a second piece of material on a first piece of material located on a sewing plane, positioning a material holding apparatus over the pieces of material to secure position and orientation between the pieces of material, locating the pieces of material with respect to an automated sewing machine by repositioning the material holding apparatus, and sewing the second piece of material to the first piece of material. The methods can eliminate the need of custom-made templates for sewing arbitrarily shaped seams with an automated sewing machine.

A needle plate attaching/detaching mechanism includes: a needle plate fixing portion rotatably provided below a needle plate mounted on a sewing machine main body, and movable between a fixed position fixing the needle plate to the sewing machine main body and a non-fixed position where the fixing is released; a driving gear jointly rotatably coupled to the needle plate fixing portion; a transmission mechanism switchable between a transmission state transmitting driving force from a motor to the driving gear and a disconnection state disconnecting the transmission; and an operating member including a manual gear transmitting manual operating force to the driving gear. When the operating member is non-operating, the transmission mechanism is set to the transmission state, and the manual gear is disconnected from the driving gear. In the operating state, the operating member switches the transmission mechanism from transmission to disconnection, and the manual and driving gears are coupled.

A needle plate attaching/detaching mechanism includes: a needle plate fixing portion rotatably provided below a needle plate mounted on a sewing machine main body, and movable between a fixed position fixing the needle plate to the sewing machine main body and a non-fixed position where the fixing is released; a driving gear jointly rotatably coupled to the needle plate fixing portion; a transmission mechanism switchable between a transmission state transmitting driving force from a motor to the driving gear and a disconnection state disconnecting the transmission; and an operating member including a manual gear transmitting manual operating force to the driving gear. When the operating member is non-operating, the transmission mechanism is set to the transmission state, and the manual gear is disconnected from the driving gear. In the operating state, the operating member switches the transmission mechanism from transmission to disconnection, and the manual and driving gears are coupled.

A sewing machine for sewing a stitch into an article is provided. The sewing machine includes a support structure, a first head and a second head. The first head is coupled to the support structure and includes a coupler contained within a second actuator assembly and 360° rotatable relative to the support structure and a first stitching element rotatable with the coupler and translatable via a first actuator assembly relative to the coupler. The second head is coupled to the support structure and includes a coupler contained within the second actuator assembly and 360° degree rotatable relative to the support structure and a second stitching element rotatable with the coupler via the first actuator assembly.

A sewing machine for sewing a stitch into an article is provided. The sewing machine includes a support structure, a first head and a second head. The first head is coupled to the support structure and includes a coupler contained within a second actuator assembly and 360° rotatable relative to the support structure and a first stitching element rotatable with the coupler and translatable via a first actuator assembly relative to the coupler. The second head is coupled to the support structure and includes a coupler contained within the second actuator assembly and 360° degree rotatable relative to the support structure and a second stitching element rotatable with the coupler via the first actuator assembly.

Sewing machine with a sewing machine housing (2) comprising a lower housing part (3), an upper housing part (4) with a sewing head (6) and a stand (5), which connects the lower housing part (3) to the upper housing part (4), wherein the upper housing part (4) comprises a stand-side arm housing section (7), a head-side arm housing section (8) and a joint (23), wherein the joint (23) is arranged in such a manner that the head-side arm housing section (8) can be swiveled between a preparation position for the picking up/delivering of a sewing material and a sewing position for sewing the sewing material.

Provided are: a sewing device provided with a sewing mechanism which performs sewing on a work to be sewn using a sewing-machine needle, while holding the work to be sewn in a state of being shaped in a predetermined shape on a plurality of seating portions arranged in a sewing direction; and a sewing method. When the seating portions are withdrawn from the work to be sewn so as to avoid interference between the sewing mechanism and the seating portions, a guiding mechanism enables movement in a first withdrawing direction for avoiding a first undercut portion of the work to be sewn, and movement in a second withdrawing direction for avoiding a second undercut portion of the work to be sewn.