A system and method for in-line treatment of thread

Abstract

A system for in-line treatment of thread for use with a thread consuming unit is provided. The system includes a treatment unit including at least one discharge device being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one thread when activated. The system further includes a control unit configured to evaluate the thread consumption of a thread consuming device based on operation data and at least one parameter being related to one or more thread consumption parameter, and control the dispensing from the discharge device based on said evaluated thread consumption and/or adjust the thread consumption of the thread consuming device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A system for in-line treatment of thread for use with a thread consuming device configured to make stitches into a substrate, comprising:
 a treatment unit comprising at least one discharge device being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one thread when activated; and   a control unit configured to:
 evaluate the thread consumption of a thread consuming device based on operation data and at least one parameter being related to one or more thread consumption parameter, wherein the thread consumption parameter is related to one or more substrate parameters and to one or more stitches parameters of the thread consuming device, wherein the one or more stitches parameters are related to one or more of: 
   the tension of the at least one thread;   the angle to which the at least one thread is applied to the substrate;   the angle of at least the last stitch;   features related to underlying stitches, or in any combination thereof; and
 control the dispensing from the discharge device based on said evaluated thread consumption, and/or 
 alter the thread consumption of the thread consuming device based on said evaluated thread consumption. 
   
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
 evaluate the thread consumption and/or updating the operation data and/or at least one thread consumption parameter based on a simulation of the thread consumption.   
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the simulation of the thread consumption is performed continuously during the operation of the thread consuming device and/or during the operation of the treatment unit. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the simulations at least are based on stored consumption data comprising information from previous runs of the thread consuming device. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
 evaluate the thread consumption based on stored consumption data comprising information from previous runs of the thread consuming device, and/or   update the operation data and/or at least one thread consumption parameter based on stored consumption data comprising information from previous runs of the thread consuming device.   
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the operation data of the thread consuming device comprises information of positional coordinates of a driving pattern of the thread consuming device. 
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 25 , wherein the thread consuming device is configured to make stitches into a substrate, and wherein the operation data further comprises a number that is related to the current stitch number of the thread consuming device. 
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the one or more substrate parameters are related to one or more of:
 the thickness of the substrate;   the elasticity of the substrate;   the placement of the substrate in the thread consuming device, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 26 , wherein the substrate is a fabric. 
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the nozzles are inkjet nozzles. 
     
     
         30 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the coating substance is a colouring sub stance. 
     
     
         31 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the system further comprises a thread consuming device. 
     
     
         32 . The system according to  claim 20 , wherein the thread consuming device is an embroidery machine, a sewing machine, a knitting machine, a weaving machine, a tufting machine, a thread winding machine, and or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         33 . A method for in-line treatment of at least one thread, comprising:
 providing a treatment unit comprising at least one discharge device being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one thread when activated   providing a control unit,   wherein the method further comprises:   evaluating the thread consumption of a thread consuming device, configured to make stiches into a substrate, based on operation data and at least one parameter being related to one or more thread consumption parameter; wherein the thread consumption parameter is related to one or more substrate parameters and to one or more stitches parameters of the thread consuming device, wherein the one or more stitches parameters are related to one or more of:
 the tension of the at least one thread; 
 the angle to which the at least one thread is applied to the substrate; 
 the angle of at least the last stitch; 
 features related to underlying stitches, or in any combination thereof, and 
   controlling the dispensing of one or more coating substances based on said evaluated thread consumption.   
     
     
         34 . A method for in-line treatment of at least one thread, comprising:
 providing a treatment unit comprising at least one discharge device being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one thread when activated   providing a control unit,   wherein the method further comprises:   evaluating the thread consumption of a thread consuming device, configured to make stiches into a substrate, based on operation data and at least one parameter being related to one or more thread consumption parameter, wherein the thread consumption parameter is related to one or more substrate parameters and to one or more stitches parameters of the thread consuming device, wherein the one or more stitches parameters are related to one or more of:
 the tension of the at least one thread; 
 the angle to which the at least one thread is applied to the substrate; 
 the angle of at least the last stitch; 
 features related to underlying stitches, or in any combination thereof; and 
   altering the thread consumption of the thread consuming device based on said evaluated thread consumption.   
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33 , further comprising:
 evaluating the thread consumption and/or updating the operation data and/or at least one thread consumption parameter based on a simulation of the thread consumption.   
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 33 , further comprising:
 evaluating the thread consumption based on stored consumption data comprising information from previous runs of the thread consuming device, and/or   updating operation data and/or at least one thread consumption parameter based on stored consumption data comprising information from previous runs of the thread consuming device.