Vandewiele Nv

Koen Callewaert

Vincent Lampaert

Steven Debaes

Frank Shanley

Frank Marijsse

Liesbeth Luyckx

A tufting machine () comprises a needle bar () shiftable in a needle bar longitudinal direction (L), a plurality of needles () being provided on the needle bar () following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L), each needle () being individually selectable for carrying out a stitch and thereby generating a pile on a backing fabric, further comprising such a yarn threading that, on the needle bar (), groups (G) of the needles () following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L) and comprising a predetermined number of needles () are generated, the needles () of each group (G) having yarns of different properties threaded therethrough, the number of yarns of different properties associated with each group (G) being less than the number needles () within each group (G), such that, within each group (G), at least two needles () have yarns of the same property threaded therethrough.

Tufting machine, method of tufting a fabric, and tufted fabric

A tufting machine and method for operating a tufting machine operating a needle selection mechanism based on pattern data by selecting a needle with yarn required for the pattern such that the selected needle is driven by a needle bar through the backing medium, to form a tuft while a needle that is not required for the pattern is not selected by the needle selection mechanism. Yarn is fed via a yarn feed mechanism comprising a plurality of actively driven yarn drives each driving a respective yarn to a respective needle, the yarn drives being at a location between a yarn creel and the needle. The method being characterised by operating the yarn feed mechanism to deliver at least 70% of the yarn required for a tuft as the needle moves from top dead center to bottom dead center.

Individual needle control tufting machine

A tufting machine () comprises a needle bar () shiftable in a needle bar longitudinal direction (L), a plurality of needles () being provided on the needle bar () following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L), each needle () being individually selectable for carrying out a stitch and thereby generating a pile on a backing fabric, further comprising such a yarn threading that, on the needle bar (), groups (G) of the needles () following each other in the needle bar longitudinal direction (L) and comprising a predetermined number of needles () are generated, the needles () of each group (G) having yarns of different properties threaded therethrough, the number of yarns of different properties associated with each group (G) being less than the number of needles () within each group (G), such that, within each group (G), at least two needles () have yarns of the same property threaded therethrough.

A pattern data processing system configured to determine and compensate for any points of entanglement between different yarns. A point of entanglement is defined as a point where the yarn from one needle crosses and traps the yarn from another needle on the back face of the backing medium. The pattern data processing system is configured to calculate the additional length of back stich caused by each point of entanglement by subtracting an ideal back stich length, calculated as the path which would have been taken by the yarn had it not been entangled in another yarn, from an actual yarn path, calculated as the actual length of the entangled yarn. A controller is configured to include in the amount of yarn fed by a respective yarn feed mechanism for each stitch an amount equivalent to the additional length of back stitch. The invention also includes a tufting machine and method of operating the tufting machine with the pattern data processing system.

Tufting machine and method for operating a tufting machine

A method of preparing a tufting process for tufting a fabric, preferably carpet, having regions () of different color appearance by using at least two different kinds of yarns, yarns of different kinds of yarns (b, w) alternately following each other in a needle bar longitudinal direction of a needle bar of a tufting machine, comprises the steps of: a) defining a predetermined number of color mixing values, b) assigning with each color mixing value a color-related tufting aspect instruction, c) providing a color pattern representation () of the fabric to be tufted comprising a plurality of color regions (), d) assigning with each color region () one of the color mixing values.

Growing community of inventors

Tielt, Belgium

Koen Callewaert