Tufting system

Abstract

A tufting needle (100) comprises a shaft (101) having a tapered formation (103) configured to penetrate and open a passage (105) in a resilient backing material (107). The needle (100) further comprises a filament lumen (109) that leads to an opening (117) proximal to the tapered formation (103), to guide a filament (111) through the passage (105) to create a tuft (113) at the resilient backing material (107). A cutting edge (115) is located at the opening (117) of the filament lumen (109) to cut the filament (111).

1 . A tufting needle comprising:
 a shaft having:
 a tapered formation configured to penetrate and open a passage in a resilient backing material from reciprocating movement of the tufting needle along a shaft axis of the shaft; and 
 one or more engagement surfaces to engage with a rotating actuator, wherein the rotating actuator rotates the tufting needle around the shaft axis of the shaft; 
   a filament lumen that leads to an opening proximal to the tapered formation, to guide a filament through the passage to create a tuft at the resilient backing material; and   a cutting edge located at the opening of the filament lumen to cut the filament.   
     
     
         2 . A tufting needle according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaft extends from a first end proximal to the tapered formation to an opposite second end, and at least a portion of the filament lumen is coaxial with the shaft axis. 
     
     
         3 . A tufting needle according to  claim 2 , wherein the tapered formation comprises a bevel surface leading from a needle point at the first end of the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . A tufting needle according to  claim 2 , wherein the cutting edge is, relative to other portions of the opening, axially distal from the first end, wherein the cutting edge is directed to cut by axial movement of the tufting needle along the shaft axis towards the first end. 
     
     
         5 . A tufting needle according to  claim 1 , wherein the opening comprises guide portions configured to guide the filament to the cutting edge. 
     
     
         6 . A tufting needle according to  claim 5 , wherein at least part of the guide portions is substantially V shaped to channel the filament to the cutting edge. 
     
     
         7 . A tufting needle according to  claim 5 , wherein at least part of the guide portions is substantially U shaped to channel the filament to the cutting edge. 
     
     
         8 . A tufting needle according to  claim 5 , wherein at least part of the guide portions includes at least part of the cutting edge. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A tufting needle according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more engagement surfaces include one or more first engagement surfaces as part of a key system, wherein the key system rotates the tufting needle with corresponding rotation of the rotating actuator. 
     
     
         11 . A tufting needle according to  claim 10 , wherein the key system is an axially slidable key to enable, at least in part, the tufting needle to move axially along the shaft axis. 
     
     
         12 . A tufting needle according to  claim 10  wherein the one or more first engagement surfaces are one or more planar surfaces proximal to the second end of the shaft and parallel to the shaft axis. 
     
     
         13 . A tufting needle according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more engagement surfaces include a second engagement surface as part of a reciprocating system, wherein the reciprocating system selectively moves the tufting needle along the shaft axis. 
     
     
         14 . A tufting needle according to  claim 13  wherein the second engagement surface is formed from one or more collars or grooves on the shaft. 
     
     
         15 . A tufting needle according to  claim 13  wherein the second engagement surface is rotatably captured by the reciprocating system. 
     
     
         16 . The tufting needle according to  claim 1  wherein the resilient backing material is a woven fabric. 
     
     
         17 . The tufting needle according to  claim 1  wherein the filament is yarn. 
     
     
         18 . A needle rotator comprising an electric motor having a hollow motor shaft configured to receive and rotate a tufting needle according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . The needle rotator according to  claim 18  wherein the hollow motor shaft comprises one or more engagement surfaces to engage with the needle. 
     
     
         20 . The needle rotator according to  claim 19  wherein the one or more engagement surfaces are part of an axially slidable key system to allow the needle to move axially in the hollow motor shaft. 
     
     
         21 . The needle rotator according to  claim 20  wherein the one or more engagement surfaces are planar surfaces parallel to the motor shaft axis. 
     
     
         22 . The needle rotator according to  claim 18  further comprising a pressing formation on a distal end of the hollow motor shaft. 
     
     
         23 . The needle rotator according to  claim 22  wherein the pressing formation comprises a high friction surface for engaging a filament and a backing material. 
     
     
         24 . The needle rotator according to  claim 22  further comprising a pressure sensor to measure a pressure between the pressing formation and a backing material. 
     
     
         25 . A linear actuator comprising a stator and a moving core, wherein the moving core comprises an aperture to rotatably capture, by a second engagement surface, a tufting needle according to  claim 13 . 
     
     
         26 . The linear actuator of  claim 25  wherein the second engagement surface is formed from one or more collars or grooves on the shaft of the tufting needle. 
     
     
         27 . A tufting gun comprising:
 a filament port to introduce a filament into the tufting gun;   a convergent and divergent jet nozzle formed symmetrically about the filament port and configured to generate a supersonic stream of compressed gas to entrain the filament to a tufting needle according to  claim 1 ; and   a needle rotator comprising an electric motor having a hollow motor shaft configured to receive and rotate the tufting needle according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         28 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The tufting gun of  claim 27  further comprising a linear actuator, wherein the linear actuator comprises:
 a stator and a moving core, wherein the moving core comprises an aperture to rotatably capture, by a second engagement surface, the tufting needle according to  claim 1 , 
 wherein the one or more engagement surfaces of the shaft of the tufting needle include the second engagement surface as part of a reciprocating system, wherein the reciprocating system selectively moves the tufting needle along the shaft axis.