Gerber Garment Technology, Inc.

Gerber Technology, Inc.

Thomas N Clarino

Mary McFadden Altshul

Kevin M Williams

A method for making fabric pattern pieces for assembly into garments, upholstery or the like, with the fabric of each pattern piece having a fabric design with design features arranged in a predetermined manner with respect to the lines defining the boundary of the piece. The fabric design, which is printed on the fabric web by a computer-controlled dye-jet process, is printed only within the outlines of the desired pattern pieces. This avoids the problems previously associated with alignment of the pattern pieces relative to a repeating fabric design preprinted over the entire surface of the fabric web used as the work material and allows a more compact nesting of the pattern pieces on the web. An electronic pattern piece database is generated, including a template each of the desired pattern pieces. A graphical image representative of the desired fabric print design is also generated and combined with the pattern piece templates, care being taken to adjust the fabric print design in each individual pattern piece such that the match criteria are satisfied and the design appears as desired in the corresponding finished fabric piece. The patterned templates are then arranged in nested relation to produce a cutting and printing marker. This marker is utilized to control the printer which prints the desired pattern pieces on a sheet of plain unprinted fabric. The pattern pieces, printed with the appropriately aligned fabric design, are then cut from the fabric web.

Apparatus and method for fabric printing of nested

A pattern alignment system for use during the garment development process prior to the cutting operation includes a table with work surface. There is a digitizer located with the surface. The operator establishes a perimeter of a hide or other fabric piece that has been positioned on the surface with a stylus that presents position signals to a controller in real time. The controller has signals corresponding to a marker and further includes algorithms to compose the drawn lines or points into an electronic representation of the piece perimeter. Defects, textures or the like in the piece are identified in a similar manner. The system includes algorithms which enable the operator to reposition one or more garment segment patterns in the marker to avoid defects or otherwise optimize the segment position on the piece.

Pattern alignment and cutting system

A pattern development system for use during the garment development process includes a digitizer with a work surface. The designer draws the lines of the garment pattern on the work surface with a stylus that enables the digitizer to present position signals to a controller in real time. The controller includes algorithms to compose the drawn lines into a garment pattern as well as compensate for human errors such as multiply drawn lines and missing line portions. The present system is transparent to the designer in operation as it adapts to the human designer rather than forcing the designer to adapt to the system.

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East Haven, CT, United States of America

Thomas N Clarino