A method and a device for cutting at least an upper thread of a sewing machine provided with a fabric clamping member (20), wherein a length of the thread consumed for a cut can be set within a predetermined interval. The method for cutting at least the upper thread (4) of a sewing machine (1) includes the steps: feeding a predetermined length x of said upper thread (4) utilizing a thread feeder (15), pulling out the upper thread (4) said predetermined length utilizing a displacement of said fabric clamping member (20) from a current position to a second position executing by means of a sewing machine processor (C) program sequences stored in a memory (M) for controlling a thread cutter (10) to perform a cut of at least said upper thread (4).

An apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, instruct the processor to perform processes including acquiring pattern data, specifying an outline of the embroidery pattern based on the pattern data, creating hole data for causing the sewing machine to form a plurality of holes including one or more first holes and one or more second holes, creating first stitch data for causing the sewing machine to sew one or more stitches for the one or more first holes, and creating embroidery data for causing the sewing machine to form one or more first holes, and sew the one or more stitches for the one or more first holes, and causing the sewing machine to form the one or more second holes, before causing the sewing machine to sew an outline pattern.

A threading device for a sewing machine lower looper is disclosed that can thread a lower looper safely and reliably by reliably preventing a main shaft from rotating when an operation of threading the lower looper is carried out.

A thread cutting mechanism is mounted on a sewing machine which includes a sewing platform. The thread cutting mechanism includes a driver assembly and a thread cutting assembly. The driver assembly includes a stepping motor, a swing lever pivotally connected to the stepping motor, and a pushing rod connected to the stepping motor and swing lever and driven jointly with the swing lever by the stepping motor to perform a back-and-forth process. The thread cutting mechanism is disposed on the sewing platform, and includes a thread hooking blade connected to and driven by the swing lever to move back-and-forth along a thread hooking path and to hook back a sewing thread, and a thread cutting blade disposed on the thread hooking path and for cutting the sewing thread when the thread hooking blade hooks back the sewing thread.

A lower thread ending region detection apparatus prevents problems associated with false stitchings occurring from inability to detect lower thread's exhaustion during sewing operation. The lower thread ending region detection apparatus comprises: light control unit, which contacts a part of lower thread wound on a thread bobbin and activates or inactivates at least one of the functions of emitting light, reflecting light, passing light and blocking light, due to the effect of the physical movement force generated depending on whether the lower thread of the ending region is unwound; light receiving unit, which receives the light transferred out by the light control unit and outputs a detection signal; and control and notification unit, which analyzes the detection signal output from the light receiving unit to determine whether the lower thread has reached the ending region and outputs the result to the user.

An apparatus for thread-stitching a book block includes a thread tensioning device configured to store and tension a binding thread. A single actuator, including a servo drive, drives the thread tensioning device. The method includes storing a length of binding thread; in a separate step, tensioning the binding thread; and thread-stitching the book block.

The memory stores computer-readable instructions causing the sewing machine to perform operations including: extracting feature points of a design based on a captured image; extracting feature points of a unit design; generating feature points of a symmetrical design; cross-checking the extracted feature points of the design and the generated feature points of the symmetrical design; determining an arrangement of an embroidery pattern with respect to the symmetrical design; and causing a sewing portion to sew the embroidery pattern.

Thread tensioner for a sewing machine. In one example embodiment, a thread tensioner for a sewing machine includes a first disk, a second disk, a spring, a knob, and a sensor. The second disk is positioned next to the first disk. The spring is configured to apply tension to a thread positioned between the first disk and the second disk by exerting a force against the second disk. The spring defines a length between a first end and a second end. The knob is configured, when rotated in one direction, to travel along a threaded shaft toward the spring and thereby cause the length of the spring to shorten. The knob is configured, when rotated in another direction, to travel along the threaded shaft away from the spring and thereby allow the length of the spring to lengthen. The sensor is configured to track a current length of the spring.

A device includes a processor and a memory. The memory is configured to store a plurality of group information pieces, the number of thread colors to be used in embroidery sewing and computer-readable instructions. Each of the group information pieces is associated with one more thread colors among a plurality of thread colors. The computer-readable instructions cause the processor, when executed, to perform processes that includes acquiring image data including pixels, replacing a color of each of the pixels with a thread color from the thread colors, calculating a frequency of using each of the thread colors, selecting, until the number of thread colors selected from the thread colors is equal the number of thread colors to be used stored in the memory, one thread color from each of the group information pieces sequentially, based on the group information pieces stored in the memory and on the calculated frequency.

A spool of thread holder and threading device for holding a plurality of spools of thread, made up of a frame and a plurality of spool thread holders, said spool thread holders further comprising a rod, a base and a wing. The wing attaches to the rod along the axial length of said rod and the rod extends from the base. Each of the individual spool thread holders comprising the multiple spool thread holder, allows receipt of a spool of thread and the wing maintains the spool of thread adjacent the base. The frame is configured for attachment to a quilting machine to allow thread to unspool from each non-rotating spool of thread during operation under substantially equal tension.

An embroidery data processor includes a color information acquiring unit configured to acquire color information of a workpiece cloth on which an embroidery pattern composed of a plurality of color-based pattern portions is sewn, a color storage unit configured to store data of defined colors, an assignment unit configured to randomly extract colors from the colors stored by the color storage unit for every color-based pattern portion, the extracted colors being used as thread color data specifying colors of the color-based pattern portions respectively, the assignment unit assigning the extracted colors to the respective color-based pattern portions, and a setting unit configured to set a predetermined extraction range containing a similar color or a contrast color based on the color information acquired by the acquiring unit. The assignment unit is configured to extract the color stored by the color storage unit in the set extraction range.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, cause the device to acquire pieces of thread color data, acquire image data representing an image, arrange line segments based on the image data, calculate a ratio of a first area occupied by a specific object with respect to the image, identify one or more pieces of first thread color data based on the ratio, identify one or more pieces of second thread color data based on the image data, allocate, to one or more of first line segments corresponding to the first area, first specific thread color data among the first thread color data, allocate, to one or more of second line segments corresponding to the second area, second specific thread color data among the first thread color data and the second thread color data, connect the line segments, and create embroidery data.

Disclosed is a liquid processing apparatus capable of accurately determining a holding state of a substrate without being influenced by, for example, material or surface condition of a substrate. The liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit that holds a substrate, a camera that photographs a region where a peripheral edge portion of substrate is present when substrate is properly held by the substrate holding unit, and a control unit that determines a holding state of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit based on an image photographed by the camera.

A linear recliner assembly in use with a seat having a seat back pivotally engaged relative to a seat bottom. A housing exhibits a communicating interior between a first and second ends. A drive rod is supported in linearly displaceable fashion from the first end and is secured to the seat bottom. The second end pivotally engages the seatback spaced from its pivot point. A rotatable gear located at a fixed lineal position within the housing receives the drive rod in threadably inter-engaged fashion. A trigger mechanism pivotally secured to the housing exhibits a downwardly biased detent communicating through an opening in the housing to seat between succeeding teeth of the gear. A spring supported within the housing contacts the drive rod. Upon release of the detent, a reclining force applied to the seatback results in displacement of the housing against the drive rod to bias the spring. The spring influencing the drive rod in a reverse direction such that, upon release of said detent when the seatback is in the reclined position, the spring influences the seatback to reverse pivot to a returned upright position.

A linear recliner assembly in use with a seat having a seat back pivotally engaged relative to a seat bottom. A housing exhibits a communicating interior between a first and second ends. A drive rod is supported in linearly displaceable fashion from the first end and is secured to the seat bottom. The second end pivotally engages the seatback spaced from its pivot point. A rotatable gear located at a fixed lineal position within the housing receives the drive rod in threadably inter-engaged fashion. A trigger mechanism pivotally secured to the housing exhibits a downwardly biased detent communicating through an opening in the housing to seat between succeeding teeth of the gear. A spring supported within the housing contacts the drive rod. Upon release of the detent, a reclining force applied to the seatback results in displacement of the housing against the drive rod to bias the spring. The spring influencing the drive rod in a reverse direction such that, upon release of said detent when the seatback is in the reclined position, the spring influences the seatback to reverse pivot to a returned upright position.

A printer includes a controller configured to execute a printed matter producing process including printing page images on a medium in a first position on a conveyance path while conveying the medium along the conveyance path, storing a cut target position for each page image and cutting the medium in a second position downstream of the first position in a conveyance direction when the cut target position reaches the second position, an interrupting process including interrupting the printed matter producing process and storing an uncut position as a cut target position located between the first and second positions when the printed matter producing process is interrupted, when an error occurs during the printed matter producing process, and a resuming process including resuming the printed matter producing process when the error is settled during the interruption of the printed matter producing process, and cutting the medium based on the uncut position.

A printer includes a controller configured to execute a printing process including sequentially printing a plurality of page images on a print medium based on print data while conveying the print medium in a conveyance direction, execute a first interruption process including, when a next cut distance is equal to or less than a printable distance, interrupting the printing process and stopping the print medium such that the next cut position coincides with a cutter position, and cutting the print medium, and execute a second interruption process including, when the next cut distance is more than the printable distance, interrupting the printing process and stopping the print medium such that the next cut position coincides with a position that is located an offset upstream of the cutter position in the conveyance direction.

In one or more embodiments, a control unit reads image data and date information of a main image from a memory card into a RAM. When a watermark printing is set, the control unit combines characters of the date information having a high gradation value with overcoat layer data having a mixture pattern in which pixels having a high gradation value and pixels having a low gradation value are located randomly or alternately in rows and columns to generate overcoat layer print data and stores the data in an overcoat layer data storage area. The control unit generates CMY print data from the image data of the main image to print it on image-receiving paper by using a print processing section. After printing of the main image, the control unit prints the overcoat layer print data so that it is superimposed on the main image on the image-receiving paper.

The invention provides a reading stand. The reading stand may comprising a base portion including at least one base portion sidewall, the base portion sidewall being supported by the base portion; and a platform portion forming a support surface to support the document, the platform portion including at least one page holder to retain the document. The reading stand may further include a side support clip extending from the platform portion such that the base portion sidewall is receivable between the platform portion and the side support clip in an assembled position, the side support clip having a protuberance disposed thereon, the protuberance engageable with the base portion sidewall. The assembled position affords side reading.

Remotely readable valve position indicators and related methods are described. An example apparatus in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure includes a valve body, a valve stem and a fluid flow control apparatus coupled to the valve stem. The fluid flow control apparatus is longitudinally displaceable between a first position and a second position to control fluid flow through a flow aperture of the valve body. The apparatus also includes a valve position indicator including an identifier device coupled to the valve stem. In the first position, the wireless identifier device associated with a first value indicative of the first position of the fluid flow control apparatus. In the second position, the wireless identifier device associated with a second value indicative of the second position of the fluid flow control apparatus.

A threaded fastener driving tool includes a proximal end portion, a distal driving head, and a torsion zone extending proximally from the driving head, The distal driving head has a central portion and a plurality of driving surfaces. Each pair of adjacent driving surfaces define a driving space therebetween. The driving surfaces and driving spaces are configured to engage a threaded fastener. The torsion zone includes a plurality of helical grooves bounded by non-cutting surfaces, each helical groove in communication with and extending proximally from at least one of the driving spaces. The helical grooves are configured to untwist and cause lengthening of the torsion zone when an input torque applied to the proximal end portion is insufficient to overcome an output resistance torque at the driving head. The torsion zone may comprise a plurality of twisted wires or cables. A method of manufacturing the driving tool is disclosed.

A curved manual treadmill for the physical exercises of a user, comprising: a frame extending along a longitudinal direction; a first rotation shaft adapted to rotate around a respective first rotation axis transversal to the longitudinal direction of the frame; a second rotation shaft adapted to rotate around a respective second rotation axis transversal to the longitudinal direction of the frame; a physical exercise surface operatively connected to the first rotation shaft and to the second rotation shaft, so as to generate an endless closed physical exercise path, and a device for resisting the movement of the upper portion of the physical exercise surface operatively associated with at least either the first rotation shaft or the second rotation shaft.

An apparatus for distributing a slurry can include a trough configured to be removably attached to a discharge chute of a ready-mix truck and receive a slurry discharged therefrom where the trough has a front including a flange configured to extend under the discharge chute. The apparatus can include an enclosed basin connected to a lower end of the trough proximate to a midpoint of the enclosed basin and an aperture defined within the enclosed basin and configured to enable the slurry to flow from the trough into the enclosed basin. The enclosed basin can include at least one covered access port where the at least one covered access port is configured to be opened and configured to be closed. The apparatus can include a plurality of drainage nozzles disposed along a bottom of the enclosed basin and configured to distribute the slurry to a plurality of locations.

The invention relates to a method and a device for removing and drawing a synthetic thread to form a fully drawn yarn. The thread is formed by joining a plurality of extruded filaments and is guided by contact on the circumference of heated guide jackets of several driven galette pairs. In order to obtain a gentle and highly homogenized treatment of the filaments, the thread is guided in an S-shaped or Z-shaped thread course by a first galette pair having two guide jackets driven in opposite directions during the removal from a spinning zone and before the drawing. Thus, both sides of the thread can be brought directly into circumferential contact with the guide jackets for in order to heat the thread.

An excavator tooth mounting member attachable to an abutment of an excavator shovel, for supporting an excavator tooth, wherein the abutment has an opening, and having a tooth mounting member with an opening, attachable to the abutment, a two part wedge secured within the openings which can be operated to expand or contract, and a rotary bolt in the wedge.

A read sensing method for an OTP non-volatile memory is provided. The memory array is connected with plural bit lines. Firstly, a selected memory cell of the memory array is determined, wherein one of the plural bit lines connected with the selected memory cell is a selected bit line and the other bit lines are unselected bit lines. Then, the unselected bit lines are precharged to a precharge voltage. Then, the selected bit line is connected with the data line, and the data line is discharged to a reset voltage. After a cell current from the selected memory cell is received, a voltage level of the data line is gradually changed from the reset voltage. According to at least one result of comparing a voltage level of the data line with a comparing voltage, an output signal is generated.

A method is provided for a reading memory even if there is a threshold voltage in an overlapped threshold voltage (VTH) region between a first state distribution and a second state distribution. The method includes ramping a bias on a memory cell a first time to determine a first threshold voltage (VTH1) of the memory cell and determining whether the VTH1 is within the overlapped VTH region. Upon determination that the memory cell is within the overlapped VTH region, the method further includes applying a write pulse to the memory cell; ramping a bias on the memory cell a second time to determine a second threshold voltage (VTH2); and determining the state of the memory cell prior to receiving the write pulse based on a comparison between the VTH1 and the VTH2.

A device and method for inspecting a width of thread roots of a tubular component for exploration or working of hydrocarbon wells, the device including two arms each including a first and a second end, the first ends being connected together by a deformable portion allowing an angular displacement between the second ends, the second ends each carrying a contact element and a mechanism determining the angular displacement.

The present invention relates to an encoder readhead. The readhead includes a housing having an opening for capturing an encoder scale including an elongate rod having a substantially circular cross-section, the opening defining an axial direction along which a captured encoder scale can slide back and forth. A scale reader, which may include an array of Hall sensors, is provided for reading a portion of an encoder scale located in the opening. The housing includes an access portion that allows the encoder scale to be inserted into, and/or removed from, the opening by a relative movement between the housing and the encoder scale in a direction other than the axial direction.

An applicator head for cutting yarn into segments of yarn and depositing the segments of yarn on a deposition surface. The applicator head includes a single mechanism that moves the yarn towards said deposition surface and also cuts the yarn into segments.

Apparatus for producing spread fiber bundles by strategic use of tension control throughout the device and use of higher differential speeds between driven rollers and line speed of the running fiber bundle are provided herein, along with methods for producing spread fibers, prepregs, and articles of manufacture therefrom.

A saddle latigo strap is threaded to secure a saddle. A body portion of a saddle latigo is looped through a permanent saddle rigging. A first end of the saddle latigo having a tapered portion is inserted through a second end. Notches of the body portion are engaged with holes of the first end to secure the saddle.

Methods, apparatuses and systems for detecting defective sectors on a recording medium, the method including calculating a servo gain for each servo sector of a track of a recording medium of a storage device; determining whether the servo gain of each servo sector exceeds a threshold value; and upon determining that the servo gain of a servo sector exceeds the threshold value, determining data sectors included in the servo sector to be defective sectors.

A data readout device (114) for reading out data from at least one data carrier (112) having data modules (116) located at least two different depths within the at least one data carrier (112) is disclosed. The data readout device (114) comprises: —at least one illumination source (122) for directing at least one light beam (124) onto the data carrier (112); -at least one detector (130) adapted for detecting at least one modified light beam modified by at least one of the data modules (116), the detector (130) having at least one optical sensor (132), wherein the optical sensor (132)has at least one sensor region (134), wherein the optical sensor (132)is designed to generate at least one sensor signal in a manner dependent on an illumination of the sensor region (134)by the modified light beam, wherein the sensor signal, given the same total power of the illumination,is dependent on a beam cross-section of the modified light beam in the sensor region (134); and -at least one evaluation device (136) adapted for evaluating the at least one sensor signal and for deriving data stored in the at least one data carrier (112) from the sensor signal. Further, a data storage system (110), a method for reading out data from at least one data carrier (112) and a use of an optical sensor (132) for reading out data are disclosed.

According to one embodiment, when an access destination of a reading request is a second region, a controller performs a first retry reading process by use of a second reading condition in first parameter information. The second region is adjacent to a first region, which is adjacent to a defect region and has a particular width, and is present as a region other than the defect region on a magnetic disk. When the access destination of the reading request is the first region, the controller performs a second retry reading process by use of a fourth reading condition in second parameter information. The second parameter information is set such that a grown defect is registered at an earlier time in the second retry reading process, as compared with that in the first retry reading process.

An apparatus, computer-readable medium, and computer-implemented method for visualizing relationships between pairs of columns, comprising identifying a relationship classification corresponding to two columns in a plurality of columns based on a data type of each column in the two columns, applying one or more statistical measures to data in the two columns to generate association data quantifying a plurality of relationships between data values in a first column of the two columns and data values in a second column of the two columns, wherein the one or more statistical measures are determined based at least in part on the relationship classification, and transforming the association data into a visualization, wherein the visualization comprises one or more indicators corresponding to one or more relationships in the plurality of relationships and wherein a layout of the visualization is determined based on the relationship classification.

We provide a tension adjustment assembly including an externally threaded support member and an at least partially hollow cylinder that is threaded internally. The threads of the cylinder and the threads of the support member are mated, allowing the cylinder to rotate about and travel along the threaded portion of the support member. The cylinder further comprises a ridge about an outer diameter of the cylinder. The tension adjustment assembly also includes an end cap retained on the cylinder by said ridge and able to rotate freely about said cylinder independently of any rotation of the cylinder about the support member. Finally, the tension adjustment assembly includes a foot attached to the end cap. When placed on the end of a tension rod this assembly allows the fit of the rod to a wall to be adjusted by turning the cylinder.

A mower carrying a rotary cutting deck has a height of cut system for adjusting the vertical position of the deck relative to the mower frame for changing or adjusting the height of cut. The height of cut system comprises a pair of parallel cross shafts that carry a plurality of pivotal suspension linkages that connect to the deck, the cross shafts and linkages pivoting jointly with one another and with a pivotal control lever. One of the cross shafts carries a torsion spring to counterbalance the weight of the deck. The control lever is maintained in a plurality of adjusted pivotal positions by a height selection bracket fixed to the frame with the height selection bracket being capable of having its position changed or adjusted relative to the frame by a single adjustment bolt. Each suspension linkage has its effective length adjusted by turning a threaded adjuster carried at the upper end of a connecting rod that is part of each linkage to allow the deck to be leveled relative to a reference plane. The adjustment of the height selection bracket is accomplished without affecting the length adjustments previously made to any of the suspension linkages.

Disclosed is a dart game apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in order to implement the aforementioned object. The dart game apparatus includes: a dart target having a plurality of score areas; a sensing module configured to sense an electrical signal changed as a dart pin hits the dart target; a controller configured to control an overall operation of the dart game apparatus; and a camera module configured to include a plurality of camera units, wherein the camera module includes a first camera unit configured to photograph a throw line which is a location where a player throws a dart and a whole body of the player, a second camera unit configured to photograph at least a part of a body for identifying the player, a third camera unit configured to photograph the entirety of the dart target, and a fourth camera unit configured to photograph at least a partial area in an area formed between the throw line and the dart game apparatus in order to photograph a blind zone which is not photographed by the first camera unit, the second camera unit, and the third camera unit.

Integrated heat spreaders having electromagnetically-formed features, and semiconductor packages incorporating such integrated heat spreaders, are described. In an example, an integrated heat spreader includes a top plate flattened using an electromagnetic forming process. Methods of manufacturing integrated heat spreaders having electromagnetically-formed features are also described.

The pulse width modulator includes a subtraction unit configured to perform subtraction between an m value digital signal and a pulse width modulation signal; a feedforward filter unit configured such that a ΔΣ modulator to which an output signal of the subtraction unit is input and which includes integrators of a second order or higher is in cascade connection, and configured to operate with a sampling frequency FS; a product-sum computing unit configured to operate with a sampling frequency (FS/n) (n: an integer of two or more) to perform product-sum computing of an output signal of each integrator of the feedforward filter unit; and a pulse width modulation unit configured to operate with the sampling frequency (FS/n) to perform pulse width modulation of an output signal of the product-sum computing unit to output a pulse width modulation signal.

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