A sewing machine that sews an embroidery pattern on a sewing object includes an embroidery frame horizontally moving along a direction which a frame surface extends, a needle bar supporting a needle for inserting a thread, and reciprocally moving toward an internal space of the embroidery frame, a memory unit storing image data of the embroidery frame, and embroidery data of the embroidery pattern, and a display unit displaying an image of the embroidery frame, an image of the embroidery pattern within the image of the embroidery frame, and a feature point with a positional relation between the embroidery pattern, and the embroidery frame when actually sewn in accordance with the embroidery data.

Multi-sensor sewing machine with automatic needle speed adjustment. In some embodiments, a sewing machine may include a frame, a needle bar, a motor, a first sensor configured to emit first electromagnetic radiation at a first frequency in order to sense relative movement of the fabric and the frame, a second sensor configured to emit second electromagnetic radiation at a second frequency, that is different from the first frequency, in order to sense relative movement of the fabric and the frame, and a processor. The processor may be configured to control a speed of the motor, determine a translational relative movement of the fabric and the frame based on the sensed relative movement of the first sensor and/or based on the sensed relative movement of the second sensor, and, in response to the determined translational relative movement, alter the speed of the motor.

A sewing machine includes a feed amount setting part and a feed amount adjustment part. In the feed amount setting part, a forward feed amount for one stitch of forward stitching is set. In the feed amount adjustment part, the forward feed amount which is set by the feed amount setting part is compared with the maximum backward feed amount for one stitch of reverse stitching which is determined by a feed mechanism. Then, in the feed amount adjustment part, when the forward feed amount is larger than the maximum backward feed amount, the total amount of backward feed amounts for plural stitches of backward stitching is adjusted so as to coincide with the total amount of the forward feed amounts for one stitch or more of forward stitching.

A method for automatic calibration of a needle position relative to a coordinate system of a sewing machine includes: controlling a X-Y table to move a pallet to bring a sheet under a needle, lowering the needle to penetrate the sheet to form a needle hole and raising the needle, controlling the X-Y table to move the pallet to bring a reference mark and the test hole into an FOV of an image capturing device, obtaining an image of the pallet which contains the reference mark and the needle hole, determining an amount of separation of the needle hole from the reference mark in the image, and calibrating the needle position relative to the coordination system based on the amount of separation thus determined and a reference distance.

A method for automatic calibration of a needle position relative to a coordinate system of a sewing machine includes: controlling a X-Y table to move a pallet to bring a sheet under a needle, lowering the needle to penetrate the sheet to form a needle hole and raising the needle, controlling the X-Y table to move the pallet to bring a reference mark and the test hole into an FOV of an image capturing device, obtaining an image of the pallet which contains the reference mark and the needle hole, determining an amount of separation of the needle hole from the reference mark in the image, and calibrating the needle position relative to the coordination system based on the amount of separation thus determined and a reference distance.

Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for quilting webs without compressing the webs. A quilting machine includes a needle bar to which needles are attached, needle thread passing through each needle, a looper shaft to which loopers are attached, a looper corresponding to each needle and from which looper thread is provided to form stitches, and a retainer bar to which spreaders are attached to facilitate stitching. A drive pulley powered by a first servo motor rotates cranks to move the needles through a cycle and rotates a belt which rotates an indexer pulley. Rotation of the indexer pulley oscillates the looper shaft and reciprocates the retainer bar. Another drive pulley powered by a second servo motor operates to move an input web through the machine between chain stiches.

Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for quilting webs without compressing the webs. A quilting machine includes a needle bar to which needles are attached, needle thread passing through each needle, a looper shaft to which loopers are attached, a looper corresponding to each needle and from which looper thread is provided to form stitches, and a retainer bar to which spreaders are attached to facilitate stitching. A drive pulley powered by a first servo motor rotates cranks to move the needles through a cycle and rotates a belt which rotates an indexer pulley. Rotation of the indexer pulley oscillates the looper shaft and reciprocates the retainer bar. Another drive pulley powered by a second servo motor operates to move an input web through the machine between chain stiches.

A method for automatic calibration of a needle position relative to a coordinate system of a sewing machine includes: controlling a X-Y table to move a pallet to bring a sheet under a needle, lowering the needle to penetrate the sheet to form a needle hole and raising the needle, controlling the X-Y table to move the pallet to bring a reference mark and the test hole into an FOV of an image capturing device, obtaining an image of the pallet which contains the reference mark and the needle hole, determining an amount of separation of the needle hole from the reference mark in the image, and calibrating the needle position relative to the coordination system based on the amount of separation thus determined and a reference distance.

A method for automatic calibration of a needle position relative to a coordinate system of a sewing machine includes: controlling a X-Y table to move a pallet to bring a sheet under a needle, lowering the needle to penetrate the sheet to form a needle hole and raising the needle, controlling the X-Y table to move the pallet to bring a reference mark and the test hole into an FOV of an image capturing device, obtaining an image of the pallet which contains the reference mark and the needle hole, determining an amount of separation of the needle hole from the reference mark in the image, and calibrating the needle position relative to the coordination system based on the amount of separation thus determined and a reference distance.

A sewing machine includes a material sandwiching unit to sandwich two materials having annular edges from above and below while they are stacked so that the material on an inner wheel side is located on the lower side and the material on an outer wheel side is located on the upper side, wherein a part of the material sandwiching unit located above the two materials is vertically movable, the material sandwiching unit includes a curl-removing mechanism to straighten curls occurring on the edges of the two materials, the material sandwiching unit includes inclined parts that serve as the curl-removing mechanism and have edges extending backward from a farther side of the edges toward the edge side at a position where the two materials pass therethrough, and the inclined parts have air ejectors to eject air so as to form airflows that straighten portions of the materials where curls have occurred.