The present disclosure relates to a sewing system.

An electric sewing machine using an electric motor as a power source is known. Patent Literature 1 describes a driving device for a stepping motor of a sewing machine that controls ON and OFF of a switching element such that when the stepping motor is stopped, a current flowing from a coil flows back to the coil itself due to self-induction of the coil.

Patent Literature 1: JP2009-095148A

As the sustainable development goals (SDGs) have become more active, there is room for improvement in sewing machines in the related art to reduce power consumption. In particular, there is a demand for reducing the power consumption of sewing machines in sewing factories and the like that have a plurality of sewing machines.

An object of an aspect of the present disclosure is to reduce power consumption of a sewing machine.

A sewing system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of sewing machines configured to operate in a normal mode and a low power standby mode in which standby is performed with lower power consumption than in the normal mode; and a control unit configured to control mode switching of the plurality of sewing machines. The control unit is configured to acquire information related to an operating state of the plurality of sewing machines, and transmit an instruction to transition to the low power standby mode to a sewing machine among the plurality of sewing machines whose operating state satisfies a mode switching condition.

According to the aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce power consumption of the sewing machine.

• [Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a sewing system.
• [Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a sewing machine according to an embodiment.
• [Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of the sewing machine according to the embodiment.
• [Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a part of the sewing machine according to the embodiment.
• [Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the sewing machine according to the embodiment.
• [Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a management device.
• [Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of switching from a normal mode to a low power standby mode.
• [Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of operation history data.
• [Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a process of switching to the low power standby mode by the sewing system.
• [Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process of stopping power supply to the sewing machine by the sewing system.
• [Fig. 11] Fig. 11 is a configuration diagram of a sewing system according to another embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments. The components of the embodiments described below can be appropriately combined. A part of the components may not be used.

Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a sewing system 500. As shown in Fig. 1, the sewing system 500 includes a plurality of sewing machines 1 and a management device 400 that manages the plurality of sewing machines 1. The plurality of sewing machines 1 and the management device 400 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a network NW. In the example shown in Fig. 1, five sewing machines 1, that is, a sewing machine 1A, a sewing machine 1B, a sewing machine 1C, a sewing machine 1D, and a sewing machine 1E are exemplified, but when describing contents common to these sewing machines, they will be referred to as "sewing machine 1", and redundant description will be omitted.

The sewing system 500 is configured as a production facility for sewn products in a sewing factory or the like. The plurality of sewing machines 1 each perform sewing to produce the same or different types of sewn products. The management device 400 communicates with the plurality of sewing machines 1 via the network NW and manages each of the sewing machines 1.

In the example shown in Fig. 1, the sewing system 500 includes a power supply unit 300 that performs power supply to the plurality of sewing machines 1. The power supply unit 300 may be a part of power supply equipment (such as a distribution board) in a facility such as a sewing factory. The power supply unit 300 supplies power from, for example, a commercial power source to each sewing machine 1. The power supply unit 300 is communicably connected to the management device 400 via a network NW. A solid line connecting the various parts in Fig. 1 indicates a communication path (wired or wireless) via the network NW, and a broken line indicates a power supply path from the power supply unit 300. The management device 400 may receive power supply from the power supply unit 300 or may receive power supply from a separate power source.

Next, a configuration example of the sewing machine 1 will be described. A local coordinate system is defined for the sewing machine 1. In the embodiment, the local coordinate system defined in the sewing machine 1 is referred to as a sewing machine coordinate system, as appropriate. The sewing machine coordinate system is defined by an XYZ cartesian coordinate system. In the embodiment, the positional relationship of each part will be described based on the sewing machine coordinate system. The direction parallel to the X-axis in a predetermined plane is defined as an X-axis direction. The direction parallel to the Y-axis in a predetermined plane orthogonal to the X-axis is defined as a Y-axis direction. The direction parallel to the Z-axis orthogonal to a predetermined plane is defined as a Z-axis direction. The direction of rotation or tilt around the X-axis is defined as a θX direction. The direction of rotation or tilt around the Y-axis is defined as a θY direction. The direction of rotation or tilt around the Z-axis is defined as a θZ direction. In the embodiment, a plane including the X-axis and the Y-axis is appropriately referred to as an XY plane. The XY plane is parallel to the predetermined plane. In the embodiment, the XY plane and the horizontal plane are parallel to each other. The Z-axis direction is an upper-lower direction. The +Z direction is an upward direction and the -Z direction is a downward direction. The XY plane may be inclined with respect to the horizontal plane.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the sewing machine 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective view showing a part of the sewing machine 1. In the embodiment, the sewing machine 1 is an electronic cycle sewing machine, but the sewing machine 1 is not limited thereto. The type of the sewing machine 1 is not limited to the examples shown in Figs. 2 to 4, and any type of the sewing machine 1 may be used. The sewing machine 1 includes a table 2, a frame 3, a head 4, a head rotation device 5, a holding member 6, a holding member moving device 7, a shuttle 8 (refer to Fig. 4), a shuttle rotation device 9 (refer to Fig. 4), a power supply switch 10, a start switch 11, a pause switch 12, an emergency stop switch 13, and an operation panel 14.

The table 2 is a base to which the various parts of the sewing machine 1 are assembled. An upper surface of the table 2 is a working surface for sewing work.

The frame 3 is supported on the upper surface of the table 2. The frame 3 has a first pillar portion 31 installed at a corner on the +X side and +Y side of the table 2, a second pillar portion 32 installed at a corner on the -X side and +Y side of the table 2, and a beam portion 30 connecting an upper end portion of the first pillar portion 31 and an upper end portion of the second pillar portion 32. The frame 3 is a so-called portal frame.

The head 4 is supported by the beam portion 30 of the frame 3. The head 4 is disposed above the holding member 6. The head 4 supports a needle bar 40 (refer to Fig. 3). The head 4 is rotatable about a rotation axis AX orthogonal to the upper surface of the table 2 while supporting the needle bar 40. In the embodiment, the rotation axis AX is substantially parallel to the Z-axis. A cover member 33 is disposed around the head 4.

As shown in Fig. 3, the needle bar 40 is supported by the head 4 so as to be able to reciprocate in the Z-axis direction. The needle bar 40 holds a sewing needle 41. The needle bar 40 holds the sewing needle 41 such that the sewing needle 41 is parallel to the Z-axis. In the embodiment, the sewing needle 41 is provided so that the rotation axis AX (see Fig. 2) coincides with the sewing needle 41.

As shown in Fig. 2, a thread winding device 16 is provided on the table 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the head 4 is provided with a thread stand device 17. The upper thread is supplied from the thread winding device 16 via the thread stand device 17 to the sewing needle 41. The upper thread is passed through the eye 42 of the sewing needle 41.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the head rotation device 5 generates power for rotating the head 4 around the rotation axis AX. The head rotation device 5 includes an electric actuator such as a stepping motor.

The holding member 6 holds a sewing object 50. The holding member 6 is a frame-shaped member. The holding member 6 holds the sewing object 50 by sandwiching the periphery of the sewing object 50 from above and below. The holding member 6 is movably supported on the upper surface of the table 2. The holding member 6 is movable while holding the sewing object 50 on the upper surface of the table 2 including a sewing position directly below the sewing needle 41. The holding member 6 is movable within an XY plane parallel to the upper surface of the table 2.

The holding member moving device 7 generates power to move the holding member 6 within the XY plane. The holding member moving device 7 is disposed on the upper surface of the table 2. The holding member moving device 7 includes an X-axis moving device 7X that moves the holding member 6 in the X-axis direction and a Y-axis moving device 7Y that moves the holding member 6 in the Y-axis direction. The X-axis moving device 7X includes an X-axis guide member extending in the X-axis direction at an edge portion on the +Y side of the table 2, and an X-axis drive unit including an electric motor and a ball screw mechanism. The Y-axis moving device 7Y includes a Y-axis guide member extending in the Y-axis direction and a Y-axis drive unit including an electric motor and a ball screw mechanism.

The head 4 includes a middle presser foot 43 (refer to Fig. 3) that presses the sewing object 50 from above. The middle presser foot 43 has an opening through which the sewing needle 41 passes. The middle presser foot 43 presses the sewing object 50 around the sewing needle 41. The sewing needle 41 reciprocates in the Z-axis direction. The middle presser foot 43 prevents the sewing object 50 from lifting up due to the movement of the sewing needle 41. The sewing needle 41 penetrates the sewing object 50 pressed by the middle presser foot 43.

As shown in Fig. 3, a needle plate 20 is disposed below the needle bar 40. The needle plate 20 is fixed to the table 2. The needle plate 20 is disposed directly below the needle bar 40. The needle plate 20 has an opening 26 formed therein through which the sewing needle 41 can pass.

As shown in Fig. 4, the shuttle 8 is disposed directly below the needle plate 20. The shuttle 8 accommodates a bobbin case. The bobbin case holds a bobbin around which a lower thread is wound. The shuttle 8 supplies the lower thread, thereby working in cooperation with the sewing needle 41 to form a stitch on the sewing object 50. The shuttle 8 is supported by a support member 80. The support member 80 is disposed so as to surround the shuttle 8.

The shuttle 8 rotates around the rotation axis CX according to the reciprocating movement of the sewing needle 41. The rotation axis CX is substantially parallel to the XY plane. When the sewing needle 41 that has passed through the sewing object 50 is raised, a loop of the upper thread is formed. The loop of the upper thread is hooked on a hook tip of the shuttle 8. The loop of the upper thread hooked on the hook tip expands with the rotational movement of the shuttle 8 and passes over the surface of the bobbin case. When the loop of the upper thread comes off from the hook tip, the upper thread is drawn to the sewing object 50 and becomes entangled with the lower thread. The upper thread and the lower thread are entangled to form a stitch on the sewing object 50.

The shuttle 8 rotates around the rotation axis AX in synchronization with the head 4. That is, the head 4 and the shuttle 8 rotate together around the rotation axis AX. The shuttle 8 and the support member 80 rotate together around the rotation axis AX. The relative position between the shuttle 8 and the support member 80 is fixed.

The shuttle rotation device 9 generates power for rotating the shuttle 8 around the rotation axis AX. The shuttle rotation device 9 includes an electric actuator such as a stepping motor. The shuttle rotation device 9 drives the head 4 and the shuttle 8 so that they rotate together around the rotation axis AX.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the power supply switch 10, the start switch 11, the pause switch 12, the emergency stop switch 13, and the operation panel 14 are each disposed at an edge portion of the table 2 and are operated by a worker. When the power supply switch 10 is operated, the power supply to the sewing machine 1 is turned on. When the start switch 11 is operated, driving of the sewing machine 1 is started, and the sewing process by the sewing machine 1 is started. The sewing process is a process of forming stitches on the sewing object 50. In the embodiment, the sewing machine 1 forms stitches on the sewing object 50 based on sewing data that has been created in advance. The holding member 6 holds the sewing object 50 and moves within the XY plane including the sewing position based on the sewing data, thereby forming a stitch on the sewing object 50. When the pause switch 12 is operated, driving of the sewing machine 1 is stopped. When the emergency stop switch 13 is operated, the driving of the sewing machine 1 is forcibly stopped.

The operation panel 14 is mounted on the upper surface of the table 2. The operation panel 14 displays various types of information related to the sewing machine 1 and receives various types of information related to operations of the sewing machine 1. The operation panel 14 includes an input device 18 and a display device 19. The input device 18 is configured as a touch screen for designating an input position or coordinates on a display surface of the display device 19. The display device 19 is, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of the sewing machine 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the sewing machine 1 includes a control unit 110, a storage unit 120 connected to the control unit 110, a communication unit 130, the operation panel 14 described above, a power supply circuit 150, and a sewing machine motor 160. The control unit 110 is equipped with a central processing part such as a central processing unit (CPU). The storage unit 120 stores a program executed by the control unit 110 and functions as a work area of the control unit 110. The control unit 110 can control the functional units of the sewing machine 1 in accordance with the data and the commands, thereby implementing various functions. In the present embodiment, the functional units include, for example, the operation panel 14, the communication unit 130, and the sewing machine motor 160, but are not limited to these examples.

The storage unit 120 can store various types of information such as a program 121, sewing machine information 122, and sewn product information 123. The program 121 is a program that causes the control unit 110 to execute functions for implementing processes related to various operations of the sewing machine 1. The sewing machine information 122 includes information such as a sewing machine ID assigned to the sewing machine 1. The sewn product information 123 is information on a sewn product to be sewn (produced) by the sewing machine 1, and is acquired from the management device 400. The sewn product information 123 includes ID information (product number) of the sewn product. The sewn product information 123 may include design data of a sewn portion of the sewing object 50, and the like. A sewn product is produced by performing sewing according to the design data.

The communication unit 130 communicates with, for example, other communication devices. The communication unit 130 can support various communication standards. The communication unit 130 transmits and receives various types of information via, for example, a wired or wireless network. The communication unit 130 supplies the received information to the control unit 110. The communication unit 130 transmits information to a transmission destination instructed by the control unit 110.

The operation panel 14 includes the input device 18 and the display device 19. The input device 18 receives an input from an operator or the like, and supplies the input information to the control unit 110. The display device 19 displays various types of information under the control of the control unit 110.

The power supply circuit 150 supplies power obtained from the power supply unit 300 to each functional unit of the sewing machine 1, including the control unit 110 and the storage unit 120. When the power supply switch 10 is turned on, power is supplied to the power supply circuit 150 from the power supply unit 300. When the power supply switch 10 is turned off, the power supply circuit 150 is cut off from the power supply unit 300. The power supply circuit 150 may include a power converter that converts the power supplied from the power supply unit 300 into a predetermined voltage and current to be supplied to the functional units. The power supply circuit 150 may include a circuit that measures the voltage and the current of each functional unit.

The sewing machine motor 160 is a drive source for various mechanisms of the sewing machine 1. The sewing machine motor 160 includes, for example, a stepping motor and a servo motor. The sewing machine motor 160 generates power for the reciprocating mechanism of the sewing needle 41 using electric power from the power supply circuit 150. The operation of the sewing machine motor 160 is controlled by the control unit 110. The sewing machine motor 160 includes motors for the head rotation device 5, the holding member moving device 7, and the shuttle rotation device 9 described above.

The control unit 110 is a computer that controls the functional units that operate using the power supplied by the power supply circuit 150. The control unit 110 transmits information relating to an operating state of the sewing machine 1 to the management device 400 via the communication unit 130. The information related to the operating state is not particularly limited as long as the information can be used to identify whether the sewing machine 1 is in the operating state or a non-operating state. In the present embodiment, the control unit 110 transmits the operating state of the sewing machine 1 itself (that is, whether it is in the operating state or the non-operating state). In the present specification, the operating state is a state in which the needle bar 40 (the sewing needle 41) is reciprocated by the sewing machine motor 160, and the non-operating state is a state in which the needle bar 40 (the sewing needle 41) is stopped. The control unit 110 acquires the operating state based on the operation of the sewing machine motor 160.

The sewing machine 1 according to the present embodiment operates in a normal mode and a low power standby mode in which the sewing machine 1 is in a standby mode with lower power consumption than in the normal mode. The control unit 110 performs control to switch between the normal mode and the low power standby mode. The control unit 110 switches from the normal mode to the low power standby mode in response to an instruction received from the management device 400. The control unit 110 switches from the low power standby mode to the normal mode in response to a return instruction from the management device 400 or an input operation on the operation panel 14 or the start switch 11.

The normal mode is a mode in which operation is performed using power supplied from the power supply unit 300, and is a mode in which control to reduce power consumption in the low power standby mode is not performed. In the normal mode, the operation of the sewing machine motor 160, the operation of the power supply circuit 150 that controls the voltage and current to the sewing machine motor 160, and the operation of the control unit 110 that controls each functional unit are performed. In the normal mode, the sewing machine 1 can perform the sewing operation (can be in an operating state). In the normal mode, even when the sewing machine 1 is in the non-operating state, the control unit 110 performs position holding control of the sewing machine motor 160, control of the power supply circuit 150, and operation control of each functional unit by the control unit 110. The position holding control is control that keeps the control positions of each motor and actuator of the sewing machine 1, such as the position of the needle bar 40, the position of the head rotation device 5, the position of the holding member moving device 7, and the position of the shuttle rotation device 9, unchanged. This allows the sewing work that is paused to be resumed immediately in the normal mode.

The low power standby mode is a mode in which operation is performed using power supplied from the power supply unit 300, and is a mode in which power consumption is reduced by turning off each functional unit or setting each functional unit in a standby state. The low power standby mode is a mode in which the sewing operations are on standby, and is therefore executed only when the machine is in the non-operating state. In the low power standby mode, the control unit 110 turns off the power supply to the sewing machine motor 160 and does not perform the position holding control. Therefore, the power consumption required for the position holding control is reduced as compared with the normal mode. In the low power standby mode, the control unit 110 does not control the current and the voltage to the sewing machine motor 160 by the power supply circuit 150. Therefore, power consumption in the power supply circuit 150 is reduced as compared with the normal mode. In the low power standby mode, the control unit 110 may stop a part of the power generation operation of the power supply circuit 150. Specifically, the control unit 110 may stop the operation of the power generation circuit for driving the sewing machine motor 160 in the power supply circuit 150. In the low power standby mode, the control unit 110 maintains only the minimum function by transitioning to the standby state or turning off the power supply. Therefore, the power consumption of the control unit 110 is reduced as compared with the normal mode. On the other hand, even in the low power standby mode, power supply may be maintained for functions used, for example, to prepare for the next sewing work (the holding member moving device 7 related to the setting of the sewing object 50, the lighting (not shown), or the like).

The management device 400 is, for example, a computer or a server device. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the management device 400. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the management device 400 includes a display unit 410, an operation unit 420, a communication unit 430, a storage unit 440, and a control unit 450. The control unit 450 is electrically connected to the display unit 410, the operation unit 420, the communication unit 430, the storage unit 440, and the like.

The display unit 410 can display various types of information under the control of the control unit 450. The display unit 410 includes a display panel such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display unit 410 displays various types of information in response to a signal input from the control unit 450.

The operation unit 420 includes one or more devices for receiving a user operation. Examples of the devices for receiving a user operation include a key, a button, a touch screen, and a mouse. The operation unit 420 can supply a signal corresponding to the received operation to the control unit 450.

The communication unit 430 can communicate with, for example, the sewing machine 1, the power supply unit 300, and other communication devices. The communication unit 430 can support various communication standards. The communication unit 430 transmits and receives various types of information via, for example, a wired or wireless network NW. The communication unit 430 can supply the received information to the control unit 450. The communication unit 430 transmits information to a transmission destination instructed by the control unit 450.

The storage unit 440 can store programs and data. The storage unit 440 is also used as a work area for temporarily storing a processing result of the control unit 450. The storage unit 440 can store various types of information such as a program 441, management information 442, and operation history data 443. The program 441 causes the control unit 450 to execute a function or the like for managing the plurality of sewing machines 1. The management information 442 includes information such as the operating state of each sewing machine 1, the current mode (the normal mode or the low power standby mode), and the sewn product information 123 currently being sewn. The operation history data 443 will be described later.

The control unit 450 is an arithmetic processing unit. The control unit 450 can execute commands included in the program 441 stored in the storage unit 440 while referring to the information stored in the storage unit 440 as necessary. Then, the control unit 450 controls the configuration of the sewing machine 1 according to the data and commands, thereby implementing various functions.

By executing the program 441, the control unit 450 can provide a function of managing the operating state of each of the plurality of sewing machines 1, in particular, a function of controlling switching between the normal mode and the low power standby mode. That is, the control unit 450 performs control for switching the mode of the plurality of sewing machines 1.

Specifically, the control unit 450 acquires information related to the operating state from the sewing machine 1, and transmits an instruction to the sewing machine 1 whose operating state satisfies a mode switching condition to transition to the low power standby mode. As a result, the control unit 450 performs control to switch the sewing machine 1 from the normal mode to the low power standby mode depending on the operating state of the sewing machine 1.

In the present embodiment, the mode switching condition includes a continuous non-operating time of the sewing machine 1 exceeding a set value V. The control unit 450 acquires the continuous non-operating time based on the information related to the operating state periodically acquired from the sewing machine 1. The continuous non-operating time is the length of time that the non-operating state continues after transition from the operating state to the non-operating state. In other words, the continuous non-operating time is the length of time during which the needle bar 40 of the sewing machine 1 is continuously stopped. When the sewing machine 1 is in the non-operating state, the control unit 450 counts the continuous non-operating time of the sewing machine 1. When the count value of the continuous non-operating time reaches the set value V (threshold value), the control unit 450 determines that the sewing machine 1 satisfies the mode switching condition, and transitions the sewing machine 1 to the low power standby mode.

Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of switching from the normal mode to the low power standby mode. Fig. 7 is a graph showing changes in the operating state of the sewing machine 1, with the vertical axis of the graph representing the operating state and the horizontal axis representing the elapsed time. The operating state is represented by two values: "operating" and "non-operating".

In Fig. 7, a period from time t0 to time t1, a period from time t2 to time t3, a period from time t4 to time t5, and a period from time t6 onwards correspond to the continuous non-operating time. In the example of Fig. 7, after time t4, at a timing when the continuous non-operating time reaches the set value V (time tc), the control unit 450 determines that the mode switching condition is satisfied. The control unit 450 transmits to the sewing machine 1 an instruction to transition to the low power standby mode at time tc. As a result, the sewing machine 1 operates in the low power standby mode from time tc. In Fig. 7, at time t5, for example, when the worker turns on the start switch 11 to start the sewing work, the sewing machine 1 returns from the low power standby mode to the normal mode. The control unit 450 can also transmit an instruction to return the sewing machine 1 in the low power standby mode to the normal mode in response to an operation input to the operation unit 420, for example.

The length of the non-operating time from time t0 to time t1 and the length of the non-operating time from time t2 to time t3 are shorter than the set value V. Therefore, the control unit 450 does not switch to the low power standby mode during these continuous non-operating times. In the example of Fig. 7, the sewing machine 1 operates in the normal mode from time t0 to time tc and from time t5 onwards.

The set value V (threshold) of the continuous non-operating time can be manually set by a user such as an administrator of the sewing system 500 using the operation unit 420. Alternatively, the control unit 450 may set the set value V of the continuous non-operating time by itself. For example, the control unit 450 can calculate the set value V of the continuous non-operating time based on the operation history data 443 (see Fig. 6).

Specifically, the control unit 450 acquires the operation history data 443 (refer to Fig. 6) of the sewing machine 1 and records the operation history data 443 in the storage unit 440. The operation history data 443 is information that indicates changes in the operating state of the sewing machine 1 over time, and is log data that accumulates and records the operating state in association with time information. The control unit 450 obtains a representative value representing a plurality of continuous non-operating times in the past from the operation history data 443, and calculates the set value V of the continuous non-operating time (that is, the mode switching condition) based on the representative value.

Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation history data 443. Fig. 8 illustrates the operation history data 443 in a graph format, with the vertical axis of the graph representing the operating state and the horizontal axis representing the elapsed time.

In the present embodiment, the operation history data 443 is acquired by teaching work for measuring the operation performance. When producing a sewn product in a sewing factory, the operating time and the non-operating time vary due to various external factors. The teaching work mentioned here means that irregular external factors are eliminated as much as possible, the sewing work is actually performed using the sewing machine 1 with standard sewing content and work flow, and changes in the operating state at that time are measured.

In the example illustrated in Fig. 8, the sewing work for a first sewn product is performed during the operating time from time t11 to time t12. The sewing work for a second sewn product is performed during the operating time from time t13 to time t14. The sewing work for a third sewn product is performed during the operating time from time t15 to time t16. The sewing work for a fourth sewn product is performed during the operating time from time t17 to time t18.

The control unit 450 obtains the maximum (longest) continuous non-operating time from the operation history data 443 covering a certain period as shown in Fig. 8. In the example of Fig. 8, the continuous non-operating time from time t14 to time t15 is the longest. The control unit 450 calculates, as the set value V of the mode switching condition, a time length obtained by adding a certain margin (allowance time) to the maximum continuous non-operating time, for example.

Incidentally, the non-operating time of the sewing machine 1 may include the time for moving the sewn product that has been produced, the time for a worker to take a break or to deal with a problem, the time for preparation work before and after sewing, and the like. The length of the non-operating time required for the preparation work before and after sewing varies depending on the type of sewn product. That is, depending on the type of the sewn product, preparation work before sewing may take a long time, while others can be completed in a short time. Therefore, the length of the operating time and the maximum length of the non-operating time in the operation history data 443 illustrated in Fig. 8 may vary depending on the type of the sewn product.

Therefore, the control unit 450 can record the operation history data 443 of the sewing machine 1 for each sewn product. For example, the product number of the sewn product included in the management information 442 and the operation history data 443 for manufacturing the sewn product with the product number are recorded in association with each other. Then, the control unit 450 calculates the set value V of the continuous non-operating time according to the sewn product based on the operation history data 443. In this case, a set value V(A) corresponding to a product number (A) is applied during the sewing work of the product number (A), and a set value V(B) corresponding to a product number (B) is applied during the sewing work of the product number (B). In this way, the set value V is changed for each sewn product. Accordingly, the switching to the power saving standby mode can be optimized for each sewn product.

The mode switching condition may be other than the continuous non-operating time of the sewing machine 1.

For example, the mode switching condition includes at least one of arrival of a predetermined time and occurrence of a predetermined event. For example, an overall rest time set in the sewing factory where the sewing system 500 is installed is set in the control unit 450. The control unit 450 determines that the mode switching condition is satisfied when the start time point of the rest time arrives, and determines that the mode switching condition is no longer satisfied when the end time point of the rest time arrives. Instead of being specified by time, the break time may be registered in the control unit 450 as a rest time event. When a rest event occurs, the control unit 450 determines that the mode switching condition is satisfied, and when the rest event ends, the control unit 450 determines that the mode switching condition is no longer satisfied.

In addition to switching to the power saving standby mode described above, the power consumption can be further reduced by turning on and off the power supply itself to each sewing machine 1. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the power supply unit 300 is connected to the control unit 450 (see Fig. 6) of the management device 400 via the network NW. Thus, the control unit 450 can control the power supply to the plurality of sewing machines 1 via the power supply unit 300.

When the sewing machine 1 that has transitioned to low power standby mode satisfies a power stop condition, the control unit 450 transmits an instruction to the power supply unit 300 to stop the supply of power to the sewing machine 1 that has met the power stop condition.

Upon receiving the instruction, the power supply unit 300 stops the supply of power to the corresponding sewing machine 1 as shown in Fig. 1. As a result, the power supply to the sewing machine 1 is stopped, so that it is possible to reduce power consumption (so-called standby power) that occurs in the low power standby mode.

The power stop condition includes, for example, all the sewing machines 1 belonging to a predetermined group being transitioned to the low power standby mode. The predetermined group includes two or more sewing machines 1 set in advance among the plurality of sewing machines 1 provided in the sewing system 500. For example, among the five sewing machines 1 shown in Fig. 1, the sewing machines 1A, 1B, and 1C may be grouped together, and the sewing machines 1D and 1E may be grouped together. The predetermined group may include all sewing machines 1 provided in the sewing system 500. In other words, in the example of Fig. 1, all of the sewing machines 1A to 1E may be grouped together.

The number of sewing machines 1 belonging to the predetermined group may be appropriately set according to the scale of the sewing system 500 (the total number of sewing machines 1). When there are a plurality of production lines for producing sewn products, the sewing machines 1 belonging to one production line may be grouped together. The power supply unit 300 can switch on and off the power supply to each sewing machine 1 in units of groups or individually for each sewing machine 1.

The control unit 450 transmits an instruction to the power supply unit 300 to stop the supply of power to all the sewing machines 1 belonging to the group that satisfies the power stop condition. Upon receiving the instruction, the power supply unit 300 stops the power supply to all the sewing machines 1 belonging to the corresponding group all at once on a group basis.

Stopping the power supply from the power supply unit 300 is particularly suitable when switching to the low power standby mode based on the arrival of a predetermined time or the occurrence of an event. This is because all sewing machines 1 belonging to the group are simultaneously in the non-operating state during a predetermined time period, such as during the lunch break at a sewing factory. This allows the management device 400 (control unit 450) to collectively power off the sewing machines 1 belonging to the group, simply by setting a time period in advance, without the worker having to operate the power supply switches 10 of the sewing machines 1 individually.

In a case where the sewing machine 1 belonging to a group to which the power supply is stopped no longer satisfies the power stop condition, or in response to an input operation by the operation unit 420, the control unit 450 transmits an instruction to the power supply unit 300 to resume the power supply. Upon receiving the instruction, the power supply unit 300 resumes the power supply to all the sewing machines 1 belonging to the corresponding group all at once on a group basis.

Next, an example of the operation of the sewing system 500 will be described. Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a process of switching to the low power standby mode by the sewing system 500. The process procedure illustrated in Fig. 9 is implemented by cooperation between the control unit 450 of the management device 400 and the control unit 110 of each sewing machine 1. The process procedure illustrated in Fig. 9 is repeatedly executed.

As shown in Fig. 9, the control unit 110 of each sewing machine 1 starts to operate in the normal mode immediately after startup (step S1). The control unit 450 of the management device 400 starts to acquire information related to the operating state of each sewing machine 1 (step S2A). That is, the control unit 110 of each sewing machine 1 starts to transmit information related to the operating state to the management device 400 via the communication unit 130 (step S2B). The control unit 450 of the management device 400 receives the operating state transmitted from each sewing machine 1 via the network NW through the communication unit 430.

The control unit 450 of the management device 400 determines whether the mode switching condition is satisfied for each sewing machine 1 based on the information related to the operating state acquired from each sewing machine 1 (step S3). Specifically, the control unit 450 determines whether the continuous non-operating time of the sewing machine 1 exceeds a set value. When a time or event for switching is set as the mode switching condition, the control unit 450 determines whether the time has arrived or whether the event has occurred. When it is determined that the mode switching condition is not satisfied, the control unit 450 repeats the determination of step S3 to monitor changes in the operating state acquired from each sewing machine 1 over time, the arrival of the scheduled time, and the occurrence of an event.

When it is determined that the mode switching condition is satisfied, the control unit 450 of the management device 400 transmits, via the communication unit 430, an instruction to transition to the low power standby mode to the sewing machine 1 that satisfies the mode switching condition (step S4A). When there are a plurality of sewing machines 1 that satisfy the mode switching condition, the control unit 450 transmits an instruction to transition to the low power standby mode to the plurality of sewing machines 1. When receiving the instruction to transition to the low power standby mode via the communication unit 130, the control unit 110 of each sewing machine 1 switches an operation mode from the normal mode to the low power consumption mode (step S4B).

Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process of stopping the power supply to the sewing machine 1 by the sewing system 500. The process procedure illustrated in Fig. 10 is implemented by the control unit 450 of the management device 400. The process procedure illustrated in Fig. 10 is repeatedly executed.

The power supply unit 300 starts to supply power to each sewing machine 1 (step S11). The control unit 450 of the management device 400 determines whether there is a group that satisfies the power stop condition (step S12). That is, the control unit 450 determines whether all sewing machines 1 belonging to the same group have transitioned to the low power standby mode. When the sewing system 500 includes a plurality of groups, the control unit 450 determines whether the power stop condition is satisfied for each group. When it is determined that the power stop condition is not satisfied, the control unit 450 repeats the determination of step S12 to monitor the operation mode (the normal mode or the low power standby mode) of each sewing machine 1 belonging to the group over time.

When it is determined that the power stop condition is satisfied, the control unit 450 of the management device 400 transmits, via the communication unit 430 to the power supply unit 300, an instruction to stop the power supply to the group that satisfies the power stop condition (step S13A). When receiving the instruction to stop the power supply to the group that satisfies the power stop condition, the power supply unit 300 stops the power supply to all the sewing machines 1 that belong to the group (step S13B).

When there is a group to which the power supply is stopped, the control unit 450 of the management device 400 determines whether to cancel the power supply stop for that group. The control unit 450 transmits an instruction to the power supply unit 300 to cancel the power supply stop for the group when, for example, the time period set in the mode switching condition (for example, the time period of the rest time) has passed, when a pre-set event has ended, or when an instruction to resume the power supply is received via the operation unit 420. Upon receiving the instruction to cancel the power supply stop, the power supply unit 300 resumes the power supply to all the sewing machines 1 that belong to the group.

An example of the functional configuration of the sewing system 500 according to the present embodiment has been described above. It should be noted that the above configuration is merely an example, and the functional configuration of the sewing system 500 according to the present embodiment is not limited to this example. The functional configuration of the sewing system 500 according to this embodiment can be flexibly modified according to the specifications and operations.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the control unit 450 acquires information related to the operating states of the plurality of sewing machines 1, and transmits an instruction to transition to the low power standby mode to one of the plurality of sewing machines 1 whose operating state satisfies the mode switching condition. As a result, the sewing machine 1 that has received the instruction to switch to the low power standby mode transitions from the normal mode to the low power standby mode, and enters a state in which the power consumption is reduced. As a result, the power consumption of the sewing machine 1 can be reduced. Further, in the present embodiment, since the control unit 450 transmits the instruction to transition to the low power standby mode to each sewing machine 1 via the network NW, there is no need to set the mode switching condition individually for each control unit 110 of the plurality of sewing machines 1. Therefore, the work load of the administrator can be reduced. The number of sewing machines 1 in the sewing system 500 of the present embodiment is not particularly limited, but the more sewing machines 1 there are, the greater the effect of reducing power consumption and workload, which is more effective.

Further, the mode switching condition includes a continuous non-operating time of the sewing machine 1 exceeding the set value V. This allows for appropriate reduction in power consumption even in cases where the sewing machine 1 is left on and the non-operating time continues, such as when the worker is engaged in setup changes, trouble handling, or is away from the desk, without the worker manually switching the mode. Further, the mode switching condition includes at least one of arrival of a predetermined time and occurrence of a predetermined event. This makes it possible to perform processes such as transitioning a plurality of sewing machines 1 collectively to the low power standby mode according to a schedule in the sewing factory.

The control unit 450 acquires the operation history data 443 that indicates changes in the operating state of the sewing machine 1 over time, and calculates the set value for the continuous non-operating time based on the operation history data 443. Accordingly, it is possible to set an appropriate mode switching condition (set value of the continuous non-operating time) according to the operation performance. Further, the control unit 450 acquires the operation history data 443 of the sewing machine 1 for each sewn product, and calculates the set value V of the continuous non-operating time corresponding to the sewn product. According to this, it is possible to optimize the mode switching condition (the set value of the continuous non-operating time) for each sewn product according to the difference in the preparation time depending on the type of the sewn product. As a result, the effect of reducing power consumption can be improved.

Further, when the sewing machine 1 that has transitioned to low power standby mode satisfies the power stop condition, the control unit 450 transmits an instruction to the power supply unit 300 to stop the supply of power to the sewing machine 1 that has met the power stop condition. Accordingly, when the power stop condition is satisfied, the power supply to the sewing machine 1 is stopped, and thus it is possible to further reduce the power consumption. Even in this case, the control unit 450 controls the power supply unit 300 in the installation facility such as a sewing factory, so that the administrator does not have to bear the work load of operating the power supply unit 300.

The power stop condition includes all the sewing machines 1 belonging to a predetermined group among the plurality of sewing machines 1 being transitioned to the low power standby mode. As a result, in a case where the plurality of sewing machines 1 are all in the non-operating state due to the rest time, the temporary suspension of the production line, or the like, the control unit 450 can collectively stop the power supply. This contributes to both an effective reduction in power consumption and suppression of an increase in the work load of the administrator.

In the above-described embodiment, the mode switching conditions for transitioning to the low power standby mode have been exemplified as the continuous non-operating time exceeding the set value, the arrival of a predetermined time, and the occurrence of a predetermined event, but conditions other than those mentioned above may also be set as the mode switching condition. Similarly, although an example in which all the sewing machines 1 belonging to the group have transitioned to the low power standby mode has been described as the power stop condition, a condition other than the above-described condition may also be set as the power stop condition.

The configuration of the sewing machine 1 shown in Figs. 2 to 5 is merely an example. The sewing machine 1 may be any type of sewing machine having any structure. Further, the sewing machine 1 is not limited to one that uses the sewing needle 41 and the thread, and may be an ultrasonic sewing machine that welds a fabric by applying ultrasonic vibration.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the control unit 450 of the management device 400 determines the mode switching condition and controls the transmission of the instruction to transition to the low power standby mode has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, any one sewing machine 1 of the plurality of sewing machines 1 may perform the same management function as the management device 400. In this case, the control unit 110 of the sewing machine 1, which performs the management function, may determine the mode switching conditions for other sewing machines 1 connected via the network NW and control the transmission of the instruction to transition to the low power standby mode.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an example has been described in which the control unit 450 of the management device 400 acquires the information related to the operating state of the sewing machine 1 from each sewing machine 1 (the control unit 110), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Fig. 11 is a configuration diagram of a sewing system according to another embodiment. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 11, the management device 400 (the control unit 450) acquires the information related to the operating state of the sewing machine 1 from an operation information acquiring device 90 that detects the information related to the operating state of the sewing machine 1.

Some types of sewing machines 1 do not have the function of outputting information related to the operating state. The operation information acquiring device 90 is provided together with the sewing machine 1 that does not have the function of outputting the information related to the operating state, and acquires the information related to the operating state from the outside of the sewing machine 1. The operation information acquiring device 90 includes a detection device equipped with sensors that detect detection information to acquire information on the operating state of the sewing machine 1, a control device that processes the detection information to acquire information on the operating state, and a communication device that transmits the information on the operating state to the management device 400. The operation information acquiring device 90 can communicate with the management device 400 via the network NW by the communication device. The sensors of the detection device include, for example, a sensor that detects a change in the state of an operating member that performs a periodic operation in the same cycle as the up and down movement of the needle bar 40. Such a sensor is, for example, a photoelectric sensor that detects rotation of a pulley coupled to a main shaft that transmits a driving force to the needle bar 40. The pulley is used to manually rotate the needle bar 40, and also rotates integrally with the main shaft when driven by the sewing machine motor 160. The control device determines whether the pulley is rotating or stopped based on the detection information from the photoelectric sensor. As a result, the control device generates information related to the operating state of the sewing machine 1 that indicates whether the sewing machine 1 is in the operating state or the non-operating state.

The control unit 450 of the management device 400 acquires information related to the operating state of the sewing machine 1 from the operation information acquiring device 90. Therefore, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 11, the acquisition of the information related to the operating state of the sewing machine 1 in steps S2A and S2B of Fig. 9 is performed by communication between the management device 400 and the operation information acquiring device 90. In step S4A of Fig. 9, the control unit 450 of the management device 400 may directly transmit an instruction to the sewing machine 1 that satisfies the mode switching condition to transition to the low power standby mode, or when the operation information acquiring device 90 can communicate with the control unit 110 of the sewing machine 1, the control unit 450 may transmit an instruction to the sewing machine 1 to transition to the low power standby mode via the operation information acquiring device 90.

Similarly, the determination of whether there is a group that satisfies the power stop condition in step S12 of Fig. 10 can be made based on the acquisition of the information on the operating state from the operation information acquiring device 90.

The sewing machine 1 that has the function of outputting information related to the operating state and the sewing machine 1 that does not have the function may be mixed. In the example of Fig. 11, the sewing machines 1F, 1G, and 1H do not have the function of outputting information related to the operating state. The sewing machines 1D and 1E have the function of outputting information related to the operating state. The control unit 450 of the management device 400 can acquire the information related to the operating states of the sewing machines 1F, 1G, and 1H from the operation information acquiring devices 90 provided therein, and can acquire information related to the operating states of the sewing machines 1D and 1E directly from the sewing machines 1D and 1E.

The present application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-184666 filed on October 27, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

• 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H sewing machine
• 2 table
• 3 frame
• 4 head
• 5 head rotation device
• 6 holding member
• 7 holding member moving device
• 7X X-axis moving device
• 7Y Y-axis moving device
• 8 shuttle
• 9 shuttle rotation device
• 10 power supply switch
• 11 start switch
• 12 pause switch
• 13 emergency stop switch
• 14 operation panel
• 16 thread winding device
• 17 thread stand device
• 18 input device
• 19 display device
• 20 needle plate
• 26 opening
• 30 beam portion
• 31 first pillar portion
• 32 second pillar portion
• 33 cover member
• 40 needle bar
• 41 sewing needle
• 42 eye
• 43 middle presser foot
• 50 sewing object
• 80 support member
• 90 operation information acquiring device
• 110 control unit
• 120 storage unit
• 121 program
• 122 sewing machine information
• 123 sewn product information
• 130 communication unit
• 150 power supply circuit
• 160 sewing machine motor
• 300 power supply unit
• 400 management device
• 410 display unit
• 420 operation unit
• 430 communication unit
• 440 storage unit
• 441 program
• 442 management information
• 443 operation history data
• 450 control unit
• 500 sewing system
• NW network
• V set value of continuous non-operating time