SEWING DEVICE

Abstract

A sewing device includes a power source, an input shaft to which a driving force from the power source is transmitted, an output shaft that outputs the driving force transmitted to the input shaft, and a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force from the input shaft to the output shaft, in which the transmission mechanism includes a first gear that is provided in the output shaft and rotates integrally with the output shaft, a second gear that meshes with the first gear, an intermediate shaft that rotates integrally with the second gear, and a timing belt stretched between the input shaft and the intermediate shaft, in which the second gear is disposed to be movable in a circumferential direction of the first gear. As a result, loosening of the timing belt can be adjusted in a compact configuration.

Claims

1. A sewing device comprising a sewer that forms stitches in a workpiece to be sewed, the sewing device comprising: a power source; an input shaft to which a driving force from the power source is transmitted; an output shaft that outputs the driving force transmitted to the input shaft; and a transmitter that transmits the driving force from the input shaft to the output shaft, wherein the transmitter comprises a first gear that is provided in the output shaft and rotates integrally with the output shaft, a second gear that meshes with the first gear, an intermediate shaft that rotates integrally with the second gear, and a timing belt stretched between the input shaft and the intermediate shaft, wherein the second gear is disposed to be movable in a circumferential direction of the first gear.

2. The sewing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a support member that supports the intermediate shaft at its end portion; a fixing bolt in one of the support member and a predetermined attaching portion that attaches the support member, the fixing bolt being disposed to fix the support member to the attaching portion; and a circular arc-shaped long hole in the other of the support member and the attaching portion, the fixing bolt being inserted in the circular arc-shaped long hole and the circular arc-shaped long hole having its own center of curvature coinciding with a rotation center of the first gear; wherein the support member is attached to the attaching portion to be turnable with the center of curvature of the long hole as its axis.

3. The sewing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a support member that supports the intermediate shaft at its end portion; a fixing bolt in one of the support member and a predetermined attaching portion that attaches the support member, the fixing bolt being disposed to fix the support member to the attaching portion, and a circular arc-shaped long hole in the other of the support member and the attaching portion, the fixing bolt being inserted in the circular arc-shaped long hole, the circular arc-shaped long hole having its own center of curvature coinciding with a rotation center of the first gear wherein the support member is attached to the attaching portion to be turnable with the center of curvature of the long hole as its axis and, furthermore, has a circular arc-shaped contact surface having its own center of curvature coinciding with the rotation center of the first gear, in the input shaft side, and the attaching portion has a load receiving surface that is formed in a circular arc shape having its own center of curvature coinciding with the rotation center of the first gear and slidably contacts the contact surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a sewing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating one state of a driving force transmission mechanism from a lower shaft to a looper in the sewing device illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another state of the driving force transmission mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a situation where the driving force transmission mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2 shifts from one state to another state;

[0019] FIG. 5 is a diagram for describing a configuration around a turning support member that supports an intermediate shaft in the driving force transmission mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2; and

[0020] FIG. 6 is a diagram for describing a configuration around a load receiving surface of an attaching portion that attaches the turning support member illustrated in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a sewing device 1 as the embodiment of the present invention. A sewing device main body 2 in the sewing device 1 is integrally configured with an arm portion 2a and a bed portion 2b being continuous in their respective connection portions. The arm portion 2a is provided with a motor 5 as a power source related to respective operations of a sewing needle 3 and a looper 4.

[0022] Rotational motion of an upper shaft 6 connected to an axis of the motor 5 via a general rotation transmission mechanism 5a including a belt and a pulley, for example, is transmitted to the needle 3 upon being converted into reciprocating motion by a motion conversion mechanism 8 including a crank mechanism 7. The needle 3 is attached to an end portion of a sliding rod 9 as a member for outputting the reciprocating motion in the motion conversion mechanism 8.

[0023] The needle 3 includes two needles 3a and 3b attached to a needle holder 10 in parallel in such a manner that their respective needle tips are oriented in the same direction, and the needle holder 10 is attached to the end portion of the sliding rod 9. Each of the two needles 3a and 3b forms stitches in a workpiece to be sewed (not illustrated) by similar reciprocating motion with a thread inserted into its thread-passing hole.

[0024] The rotational motion of the upper shaft. 6 is transmitted to a lower shaft 12 in the bed portion 2b by a power transmission belt 14 stretched between an upper shaft output pulley 11 provided in the upper shaft 6 and a lower shaft input pulley 13 provided in the lower shaft 12. The rotational motion transmitted to the lower shaft 12 is transmitted to an intermediate shaft 16 by a timing belt 18 stretched between a lower shaft output pulley 15 provided in the lower shaft 12 and an intermediate shaft input pulley 17 provided in the intermediate shaft 16.

[0025] The rotational motion transmitted to the intermediate shaft 16 is transmitted to an driven gear 20 meshing with an intermediate gear 19 provided in the intermediate shaft 16, and a rotation shaft 21 provided with the driven gear 20 rotates. The rotation shaft 21 rotates the looper 41. A portion that transmits a driving force from the lower shaft (input shaft) 12 to the rotation shaft (output shaft) 21 is referred to as a transmission mechanism 35, as described below.

[0026] The looper 4 is provided in a post bed 22 having a substantially hollow prism shape protruding toward the needle tip of the needle 3 from the bed portion 2b in the sewing device main body 2. The post bed 22 is flat on its protrusion end side, to form a mount 23 on which the workpiece to be sewed (not illustrated) is mounted.

[0027] In one embodiment, the mount 23 is formed at a top of a casing 34, described below, which pivotably supports the rotation shaft. 21 in the looper 4 and covers and protects a predetermined portion of the looper 4. The mount 23 is provided with an opening (not illustrated in FIG. 1) through which the needles 3a and 3b can enter or leave a hollow interior of the post bed 22.

[0028] The looper 4 is configured such that two loopers 4a and 4b pivotably supported on the common rotation shaft 21 in the same rotation phase overlap each other in an axial direction with the driven gear 20 sandwiched therebetween. The rotation shaft 21 is provided at a position facing a rear surface of the mount 23 in the post bed 22. The loopers 4a and 4b that rotate by the rotation shaft 21 are positioned to face the protrusion end side of the post bed 22 to respectively correspond to the two needles 3a and 3b. Both the two loopers 4a and 4b turn around the common rotation shaft 21, and similarly function. In the following description, the two loopers 4a and 4b are typically referred to as the looper 4, as needed.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating one state of a driving force transmission mechanism from the lower shaft 12 to the looper 4 in the sewing device 1 illustrated in FIG. 1. The timing belt 18 arranged in the post bed 22 raised from the bed portion 2b is stretched from the lower shaft output pulley 15 in the lower shaft 12 to the intermediate shaft input pulley 17 in the intermediate shaft 16 so that a driving force is transmitted from the lower shaft 12 to the intermediate shaft 16. The driving force transmitted to the intermediate shaft 16 is transmitted to the driven gear 20 as a first gear meshing with the intermediate gear 19 as a second gear provided in the intermediate shaft 16. As a result, the rotation shaft 21 provided with the driven gear 20 rotates. The rotation shaft 21 is an output shaft that outputs a rotation driving force from the lower shaft 12 as an input shaft to the looper 4.

[0030] The intermediate shaft 16 has its shaft end fixed to a turning support plate 24 as a support member. The turning support plate 24 includes a first long hole 25 and a second long hole 26 as two circular arc-shaped long holes that respectively have centers of curvature coinciding with an axis of the rotation shaft 21 and have different radii of curvature. Into the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26, a first fixing bolt 27 and a second fixing bolt 28 corresponding thereto are respectively inserted. The first fixing bolt 27 and the second fixing bolt 28 are fastened to an attaching portion 29 as a strength member provided in an outer shell of the post bed 22.

[0031] The turning support plate 24 has a circular arc-shaped contact surface 30 having its own center of curvature coinciding with a rotation center of the driven gear 20 on the lower shaft 12 side spaced apart from a site to which the shaft end of the intermediate shaft 16 is fixed. The attaching portion 29 in the post bed 22 is provided with a load receiving surface 31 as a circular arc-shaped sliding surface having its own center of curvature coinciding with the rotation center of the driven gear 20 (the axis of the rotation shaft 21) to correspond to the contact surface 30. Even if a large load may be applied to the turning support plate 24 upon change in tension of the timing belt 18, the contact surface 30 of the turning support plate 24 is supported by the load receiving surface 31.

[0032] The turning support plate 24 is movable in a predetermined range in such a manner as to be guided by the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26, respectively, with the first fixing bolt 27 and the second fixing bolt 28 loosened. In a movement process of the turning support plate 24, the contact surface 30 turns with the axis of the rotation shaft 21 as a common center of curvature of the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26, i.e., the center of the driven gear 20 used as its center. The position of the turning support plate 24 is determined at a position where the first fixing bolt 27 and the second fixing bolt 28 are tightened.

[0033] In a state illustrated in FIG. 2, the turning support plate 24 is at a limit position where it has turned in a clockwise direction in a front view. At this limit position, the first fixing bolt 27 contacts a right end of the first long hole 25, and the second fixing bolt 23 contacts a right end of the second long hole 26.

[0034] On the other hand, a top of the outer shell of the post bed 22 constitutes a flat portion 32. A base portion 33 is provided just above the flat portion 32. A casing 34 that supports the looper 4 rotated by the rotation shaft 21 and covers and protects a predetermined portion of the looper 4 is fixed on the base portion 33.

[0035] For a driving force transmission system to the looper 4 in the casing 34, a transmission path dating back to a source of a driving force from the looper 4 side is illustrated as follows. Looper 4.fwdarw.rotation shaft (output shaft) 21.fwdarw.driven gear (first gear) 20.fwdarw.intermediate gear (second gear) 19.fwdarw.intermediate shaft 16.fwdarw.timing belt 18.fwdarw.lower shaft output pulley 15.fwdarw.lower shaft (input shaft) 12.fwdarw.lower shaft input pulley 13.fwdarw.power transmission belt 14.fwdarw.upper shaft output pulley 11.fwdarw.upper shaft 6.fwdarw.rotation transmission mechanism 5a.fwdarw.motor 5. A portion where a driving force from the lower shaft (input shaft) 12 is transmitted to the rotation shaft (output shaft) 21 in the above-described transmission path constitutes a transmission mechanism 35 in the present embodiment.

[0036] Adjustment of the degree of loosening, i.e., the tension of the timing belt 18 is an important factor for rotation of the motor 5 to be appropriately transmitted to the looper 4. The degree of loosening of the timing belt 18 is adjusted when the timing belt 18 has been elongated due to a secular change or when the timing belt 18 has been replaced in periodic maintenance, for example.

[0037] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating another state of the driving force transmission mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, portions corresponding to those illustrated in FIG. 2 are respectively assigned the same reference numerals, and description in FIG. 2 is referred to as appropriate for the portions. In a state illustrated in FIG. 3, the turning support plate 24 is at a limit position where it has turned in a counterclockwise direction in a front view. At this limit position, the first fixing bolt 27 contacts a left end of the first long hole 25, and the second fixing bolt 28 contacts a left end of the second long hole 26.

[0038] Even if the turning support plate 24 turns from the position illustrated in FIG. 2 to the position illustrated in FIG. 3, the respective centers of curvature of the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26 coincide with the axis of the rotation shaft 21. Thus, an inter-axis distance between the driven gear (first gear) 20 in the rotation shaft 21 and the intermediate gear (second gear) 19 in the intermediate shaft. 16 is kept constant. Accordingly, meshing between the driven gear (first gear) 20 and the intermediate gear (second gear) 19 is maintained in a normal state even if the turning support plate 24 moves so that a driving force is transmitted to the rotation shaft 21 that rotates the looper 4 without any difficulty.

[0039] FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing a situation where the driving force transmission mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2 shifts from one state to another state. In FIG. 4, portions corresponding to those illustrated in FIG. 2 are respectively assigned the same reference numerals, and description in FIG. 2 is referred to as appropriate for the portions. In FIG. 4, the turning support plate 24 is indicated by a solid line when at a position illustrated in FIG. 2 and is indicated by a two-dot and dash line when at a position illustrated in FIG. 3. The timing belt 18 is indicated by a broken line when at a position illustrated in FIG. 2 and is indicated by a two-dot and dash line when at a position illustrated in FIG. 3. As illustrated, a movable range of the turning support plate 24 is from a first position indicated by the solid line to a second position indicated by the two-dot and dash line to which the turning support plate 24 has turned in a counterclockwise direction in a front view. The inter-axis distance between the lower shaft (input shaft) 12 and the intermediate shaft 16 differs depending on whether the turning support plate 24 is at the first position or at the second position.

[0040] That is, as the turning support plate 24 turns from the first position to the second position, the inter-axis distance between the lower shaft (input shaft) 12 and the intermediate shaft 16 increases. That is, the intermediate shaft input pulley 17 in the intermediate shaft 16 moves farther away from the lower shaft output pulley 15 in the lower shaft (input shaft) 12. As a result, the loosening of the timing belt 18 stretched between the lower shaft output pulley 15 and the intermediate shaft input pulley 17 decreases to increase the tension thereof. Accordingly, in a compact configuration in which a tension roller or the like is not provided beside the post bed 22, the loosening of the timing belt 18 can be adjusted without changing respective positions of the lower shaft (input shaft) 12 and the rotation shaft (output shaft) 21.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a diagram for describing a configuration around the turning support plate 24 that supports the intermediate shaft 16 in the driving force transmission mechanism illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 5, portions corresponding to those illustrated in FIG. 2 are respectively assigned the same reference numerals, and description in FIG. 2 is referred to as appropriate for the portions. FIG. 5 illustrates how the turning support plate 24 is a pair of a turning support plate 24a on one end side of the intermediate shaft 16 and a turning support plate 24b on the other end side of the intermediate shaft 16.

[0042] In FIG. 5, the pair of turning support plates 24a and 24b are illustrated by being separated from the attaching portion 29 for convenience of illustration. The turning support plate 24a is the above-described turning support plate 24 with reference to FIG. 2. Respective shapes and dimensions in a front view of the turning support plates 24a and 24b are mirror-symmetrical. The contact surface 30 of the turning support plate 24a is an arc-shaped curved surface having a width corresponding to a thickness dimension of the plate-shaped turning support plate 24a and having its center of curvature as the axis of the rotation shaft 21.

[0043] The first fixing bolt 27 and the second fixing bolt 28 are inserted, corresponding to the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26, respectively, in the turning support plate 24a, and the turning support plate 24a is attached to the attaching portion 29 with the first fixing bolt 27 and the second fixing bolt 28.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a diagram for describing a configuration around the load receiving surface 31 of the attaching portion 29 that attaches the turning support plate 24a illustrated in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6, portions corresponding to those illustrated in FIG. 2 are respectively assigned the same reference numerals, and description in FIG. 2 is referred to as appropriate for the portions. A center of curvature of the load receiving surface 31 curved in an arc shape of the attaching portion 29 is the axis of the rotation shaft 21, and coincides with the center of curvature of the curved contact surface 30 of the turning support plate 24a.

[0045] That is, the load receiving surface 31 is curved in a circular arc shape along the contact surface 30 of the turning support plate 24a. Accordingly, the load receiving surface 31 contacts the contact surface 30 of the turning support plate 24a with no clearance to support the turning support plate 24a even if the turning support plate 24a is at any movement position when turning around the axis of the rotation shaft 21. The same applies to the turning support plate 24b. Accordingly, the turning support plates 24a and 24b can be reliably supported by the load receiving surface 31 even if their respective loads increase upon change in the tension of the timing belt 18 to resist the loads.

[0046] The sewing device and the looper positioning method according to the present embodiment have the following effects.

[0047] The sewing device 1 described in the item (1) includes the motor 5 as a power source, the lower shaft 12 as an input shaft to which a driving force from the motor 5 is transmitted, the rotation shaft 21 as an output shaft that outputs the driving force transmitted to the lower shaft 12, and the transmission mechanism 35 that transmits the driving force from the lower shaft. 12 to the rotation shaft 21. The transmission mechanism 35 includes the driven gear 20 as the first gear that is provided in the rotation shaft 21 and rotates integrally with the rotation shaft 21, the intermediate gear 19 as the second gear that meshes with the driven gear 20, the intermediate shaft 16 that rotates integrally with the intermediate gear 19, and the timing belt 18 stretched between the lower shaft 12 and the intermediate shaft 16. The intermediate gear 19 is disposed to be movable in a circumferential direction of the driven gear 20. Loosening (tension) of the timing belt 18 can be adjusted by changing an inter-axis distance between the lower shaft 12 as the input shaft and the intermediate shaft 16 with meshing between the driven gear 20 as the first gear and the intermediate gear 19 as the second gear maintained. In the case of the adjustment, respective positions of the lower shaft 12 as the input shaft and the rotation shaft 21 as an output shaft do not change. The sewing device 1 can be made compact because it is configured such that a tension roller or the like is not required to adjust the tension of the timing belt 18 and the position of the lower shaft 12 as the input shaft does not change.

[0048] The sewing device 1 described in the item (2) further includes the turning support plates 24, 24a, and 24b as the support member that supports the intermediate shaft 16 at its end portion, the first fixing bolt 27 and the second fixing bolt 28 provided in one of the turning support plates 24, 24a, and 24b and the predetermined attaching portion 29 that attaches the turning support plates 24, 24a, and 24b, the fixing bolt being disposed to fix the turning support plates 24, 24a, and 24b to the attaching portion 29, and the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26 as circular arc-shaped long holes provided in the other of the turning support plates 24, 24a, and 24b and the attaching portion 29, the first fixing bolt 27 and the second fixing bolt 28 being inserted in the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26, the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26 having their own centers of curvature coinciding with a rotation center of the driven gear 20 as the first gear. The turning support plates 24, 24a, 24b are attached to the attaching portion 29 to be turnable with the respective centers of curvature of the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26 as their axes. Accordingly, when the turning support plates 24, 24a, and 24b are moved along the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26, the tension of the timing belt 18 can be easily adjusted by changing an inter-axis distance between the lower shaft output pulley 15 in the lower shaft (input shaft) 12 and the intermediate shaft input pulley 17 in the intermediate shaft 16.

[0049] In the sewing device 1 described in the item (3), the turning support plates 24, 24a, and 24b as the support member have the circular arc-shaped contact surface 30 having its own center of curvature coinciding with a rotation center of the driven gear 20 as the first gear in the lower shaft 12 side as the input shaft, and the attaching portion 29 has the load receiving surface 31 that is formed in a circular arc shape having its own center of curvature coinciding with the rotation center of the driven gear 20 and slidably contacts the contact surface 30. Accordingly, the turning support plates 24, 24a, and 24b can sufficiently resist a load due to change in the tension of the timing belt 18 by the load receiving surface 31 of the attaching portion 29.

[0050] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration of details may be appropriately changed within the spirit of the present invention. Although in the above-described embodiment, the turning support plates 24a and 24b are provided with the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26, respectively, and the attaching portion 29 is provided with the first fixing bolt 27 and the second fixing bolt 28, for example, the turning support plates 24a and 24b may be provided with the first fixing bolt 27 and the second fixing bolt 28, respectively, and the attaching portion 29 may be provided with the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26. In this case, when the turning support plate 24, 24a, and 24b are moved along the first long hole 25 and the second long hole 26 provided on the attaching portion 29 side, tension of the timing belt 18 can also be easily adjusted.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0051] 1 . . . Sewing device [0052] 2 . . . Sewing device main body [0053] 2a . . . Arm portion [0054] 2b . . . Bed portion [0055] 3, 3a, 3b . . . Needle [0056] 4, 4a, 4b . . . Looper [0057] 5 . . . Motor [0058] 5a . . . Rotation transmission mechanism [0059] 6 . . . Upper shaft [0060] 7 . . . Crank mechanism [0061] 8 . . . Motion conversion mechanism [0062] 9 . . . Sliding rod [0063] 10 . . . Needle holder [0064] 11 . . . Upper shaft output pulley [0065] 12 . . . Lower shaft (input shaft) [0066] 13 . . . Lower shaft input pulley [0067] 14 . . . Power transmission belt [0068] 15 . . . Lower shaft output pulley [0069] 16 . . . Intermediate shaft [0070] 17 . . . Intermediate shaft input pulley [0071] 18 . . . Timing belt [0072] 19 . . . Intermediate gear (second gear) [0073] 20 . . . Driven gear (first gear) [0074] 21 . . . Rotation shaft (output shaft) [0075] 22 . . . Post bed [0076] 23 . . . Mount [0077] 24, 24a, 24b . . . Turning support plate (support member) [0078] 25 . . . First long hole [0079] 26 . . . Second long hole [0080] 27 . . . First fixing bolt [0081] 28 . . . Second fixing bolt [0082] 29 . . . Attaching portion [0083] 30 . . . Contact surface [0084] 31 . . . Load receiving surface [0085] 32 . . . Flat portion [0086] 33 . . . Base portion [0087] 34 . . . Casing [0088] 35 . . . Transmission mechanism