Disclosed is a guiding apparatus for use with a machine to facilitate performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate. The guiding apparatus may include a support member configured to be attached to at least a portion of the machine. Further, the guiding apparatus may include one or more of lighting units, optical sensors, controllers, and user interface components, mounted on the support member, configured to identify an object, obtain position of the object on a substrate and perform an action along a self-guided path in association with that object on the substrate.

Disclosed is a guiding apparatus for use with a machine to facilitate performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate. The guiding apparatus may include a support member configured to be attached to at least a portion of the machine. Further, the guiding apparatus may include one or more of lighting units, optical sensors, controllers, and user interface components, mounted on the support member, configured to identify an object, obtain position of the object on a substrate and perform an action along a self-guided path in association with that object on the substrate.

A sewing machine includes a bed portion, a conveyance portion, a sewing portion, an image capture portion, a projector, a processor, and a memory. The conveyance portion is configured to convey a sewing object placed on the bed portion. The memory is configured to store marker information and computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes. The processes include causing the image capture portion to perform the image capture at a predetermined timing, during a conveyance period, identifying the marker in a captured image, using the marker information stored in the memory, identifying a projection position corresponding to the identified marker, when the marker is identified, and causing the projector to project the projection image indicating the identified projection position, while following a movement of the marker on the sewing object being conveyed.

Disclosed are various systems and features for use with a machine, such as a sewing machine, to facilitate 3-dimensional vision systems that may enable operations on non-flat objects and paths. Such systems and features may be useful in the context of performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate.

Disclosed are various systems and features for use with a machine, such as a sewing machine, to facilitate 3-dimensional vision systems that may enable operations on non-flat objects and paths. Such systems and features may be useful in the context of performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate.

An attachment (24) for a sewing machine (10) to provide simultaneous sewing and sealing of a seam comprises a reel (23) for dispensing a strip of adhesive thermoplastic polymer (25) between fabric members (7,9) to be sewn. A plurality of heated driven rollers (40, 42, 44) opposed to heated idler rollers (50) having a continuous belt (52) thereover collectively exert heat and pressure on the seam, melting the polymer strip (25) so as to seal the seam. Thread (17) having been treated with adhesive thermoplastic polymer may be employed to seal the punctures in the fabric made by the sewing machine's needle (19). The driven rollers are driven in synchronization with the operation of the sewing machine and are engaged with and withdrawn from the seam responsive to operator command.

An attachment (24) for a sewing machine (10) to provide simultaneous sewing and sealing of a seam comprises a reel (23) for dispensing a strip of adhesive thermoplastic polymer (25) between fabric members (7,9) to be sewn. A plurality of heated driven rollers (40, 42, 44) opposed to heated idler rollers (50) having a continuous belt (52) thereover collectively exert heat and pressure on the seam, melting the polymer strip (25) so as to seal the seam. Thread (17) having been treated with adhesive thermoplastic polymer may be employed to seal the punctures in the fabric made by the sewing machine's needle (19). The driven rollers are driven in synchronization with the operation of the sewing machine and are engaged with and withdrawn from the seam responsive to operator command.

An attachment (24) for a sewing machine (10) to provide simultaneous sewing and sealing of a seam comprises a reel (23) for dispensing a strip of adhesive thermoplastic polymer (25) between fabric members (7,9) to be sewn. A plurality of heated driven rollers (40, 42, 44) opposed to heated idler rollers (50) having a continuous belt (52) thereover collectively exert heat and pressure on the seam, melting the polymer strip (25) so as to seal the seam. Thread (17) having been treated with adhesive thermoplastic polymer may be employed to seal the punctures in the fabric made by the sewing machine's needle (19). The driven rollers are driven in synchronization with the operation of the sewing machine and are engaged with and withdrawn from the seam responsive to operator command.

An attachment (24) for a sewing machine (10) to provide simultaneous sewing and sealing of a seam comprises a reel (23) for dispensing a strip of adhesive thermoplastic polymer (25) between fabric members (7,9) to be sewn. A plurality of heated driven rollers (40, 42, 44) opposed to heated idler rollers (50) having a continuous belt (52) thereover collectively exert heat and pressure on the seam, melting the polymer strip (25) so as to seal the seam. Thread (17) having been treated with adhesive thermoplastic polymer may be employed to seal the punctures in the fabric made by the sewing machine's needle (19). The driven rollers are driven in synchronization with the operation of the sewing machine and are engaged with and withdrawn from the seam responsive to operator command.

Disclosed are various systems and features for use with a machine, such as a sewing machine, to facilitate patch library systems that may enable the storage and retrieval of patch configuration information. Such systems and features may be useful in the context of performing an action along a self-guided path on a substrate.