Threadless embroidery method

A threadless embroidery method for textile products and the like, includes the steps of forming a design in a mirror-like fashion on a fabric material, applying a threadless embroidery needle to the reverse side of the fabric material and moving the threadless needle up and down continuously following the design pattern formed on the fabric material, and thereby breaking the surface of the fabric structure thus creating a fuzz texture forming the design on the surface of the fabric material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 The present invention relates to a threadless embroidery method for textile
 products and the like and, more particularly, to a threadless embroidery
 process that creates a breaking of a fabric material by a threadless
 embroidery needle so that a fuzz texture formed by the broken fabric
 creates a design pattern on the fabric material of the textile product.
 2. Description of the Prior Art
 Typically, embroidery has been used when presenting decorative designs or
 labels on textile products or the like. As the form of embroidery
 diversified, embroidery employing several layers to create a
 three-dimensional effect as well as the standard one layer plane
 embroidery have come into practice. These diversified forms lead to
 complex embroidery processes and increased embroidery time. The increase
 in the time to embroider by the machines cause difficulties when mass
 producing products. The problems that arise and slow the process are
 caused by the entanglement of embroidery thread during an embroidery
 process. Additionally, the snapping of embroidery thread caused by the
 speed of the embroidery machine frequently occurs. More delays are caused
 by having to change the embroidery thread each time when a different type
 of thread is required according to the embroidery method involved. Each of
 these problems causes an increase in the embroidery manufacturing time.
 Of course, there have been numerous attempts to eliminate the noted
 problems in the embroidery method of manufacturing. On such attempt is
 found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,981 to Miller. This patent relates to
 baseball style adjustable caps, and more particularly to an emblem bearing
 cap attachment for such caps. Here, the embroidery method was basically
 eliminated in order to solve the noted problems.
 In U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,891 to Muto, there is an embroidery data processing
 apparatus which processes embroidery data needed to control a sewing
 machine to form an embroidery pattern on one or more work sheets. In
 particular, the patent describes to such an apparatus for processing
 embroidery data which commands a sewing machine to form a shadowed
 embroidery pattern including an original embroidery pattern and one or
 more shadow embroidery patterns.
 Another attempt is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,416 to Kawahara. This
 patent relates to a thermally transferable type emblem or ornamental
 decoration piece made of a thermoplastic synthetic resin to be suitably
 used to apply a design by heating and pressing it on the surface of an
 object such as clothing, bags, sports or office equipment, stationery made
 of fiber, textile, synthetic resin, leather, and metal.
 U.S. Pat. No. 5,674,591 to James et al. is directed to nonwoven fabrics
 having a fibrous background portion in one plane thereof and raised
 fibrous portions in another plane thereof. There may be two types of
 raised fibrous portions in another plane thereof, and there may be two
 types of raised portions. The basis weight of the first type of raised
 portion is substantially the same as the basis weight of the background
 portion of the non-woven fabric. The basis weight of the second type of
 raised potion is greater than the basis weight of the background portion.
 U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,004 to Futamura relates to a method of generating
 embroidery data and more specifically to a method of setting a stitch
 pattern for an embroidery region and also to a device capable of setting
 the same and a program storage medium storing a program of setting the
 same.
 U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,962 to Hinshow relates to embroidery and more
 particularly to a method for performing shadow work embroidery with a
 sewing machine which yields shadow work embroidery that looks like fine
 shadow work embroidery performed by hand.
 However, none of the noted prior art patents have been able to eliminate
 the problem of an embroidery thread being snapped or becoming tangled
 during an embroidery process. Additionally, the prior art embroidery are
 slow and remain expensive because of the use of the embroidery thread.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 To carry out the noted objects and other objects of the present invention,
 a desired design to be embroidered is formed in a mirror-like fashion on a
 fabric material, and a threadless embroidery needle is applied to the back
 side of the fabric material. Then, the threadless needle is moved up and
 down continuously following the design pattern of the fabric material
 thereby breaking the front surface of the fabric structure creating a fuzz
 texture forming the design on the front surface of the fabric material.
 It is preferred that a textile material high in density that is easily
 broken, such as cotton, is used when employing the threadless embroidery
 method of the present invention.
 In the process of embroidery, the actual operation of the threadless
 embroidery needle occurs on the opposite side of the fabric material from
 which a design pattern is to be presented. Thus, a design drawing and a
 punching process occur in a mirror-like fashion in a reverse method to
 general practices of embroidery drawing and punching of textile products.
 Also, when punching, a tatami technique, a well-known fill stitch
 technique to those skilled in the art, is used to embroider approximately
 200% more finely than general embroidery so as to sufficiently break the
 fabric structure.
 There are two possible ways to control the extent of breakage of the fabric
 structure, one of which is to reinforce the number of stitches. Another
 way is to adjust the needle size. The first method of reinforcing the
 number of stitches is accomplished by increasing the rotation frequency of
 the embroidery machine engine thus reducing the overall time needed to
 embroider. When the second method of adjusting the needle size is used, it
 is preferred rather than an ordinary plane embroidery needle to facilitate
 the breakage of the fabric material. Thus, textile products embroidered by
 the method of the present invention have a design pattern presented on the
 opposite side of the fabric from which the embroidery has occurred to
 present an effect of a scratched surface design.
 Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a threadless
 embroidery method that simplifies the embroidery process.
 A further object of the present invention is to increase the rotation
 frequency of the embroidery machine engine to reduce the time required to
 embroider.
 A still further object of the present invention is to utilize the fuzz
 texture formed by the broken fabric material as a result of the action of
 a threadless needle to present a design pattern created by a novel
 embroidery method.
 An object of the invention is to have textile products and the like
 characterized by a threadless embroidery method wherein a design to be
 embroidered is formed in a mirror-like fashion on a fabric material.
 A further object of the invention is to provide a threadless embroidery
 needle that is moved up and down continuously over a back side of the
 fabric material following the mirror-like design formed on a reverse side
 of the fabric material to break the fabric structure forming a fuzz
 texture on the front side of the fabric material.
 Another object of the invention is to provide the fuzz texture created by
 the movement of the threadless embroidery needle forming the design on the
 front side of said fabric material.
 It is an object of the invention is that the breakage of the fabric
 material is controlled by either reinforcing the number of embroidery
 stitches or by adjusting the size of the embroidery needle.
 A further object of the invention is that the fabric material used is
 cotton.
 Another object of the invention is that the fabric product is a baseball
 style cap with a visor projecting forward from the crown.
 Another object of the invention is that the fabric products are garments.
 It is an object of the invention that the fabric products are handbags and
 the like.
 Another object of the invention is that the fabric products are footwear.
 It is an object of the invention to provide a threadless embroidery method
 for textile products and the like by forming a design to be embroidered in
 a mirror-like fashion on a fabric material.
 It is a further object of the invention to move a threadless embroidery
 needle up and down continuously over the back side of the fabric material
 following the mirror-like design formed on the reverse side to break the
 fabric structure to form a fuzz texture on the front side of the fabric
 material.
 Another object of the invention is that the fuzz texture created by the
 movement of the threadless embroidery needle forms the design on the front
 side of said fabric material.
 A further object of the invention is that the threadless embroidery method
 employs a tatami technique.
 These together with other objects and advantages which will become
 subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation
 as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to
 the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals
 refer to like parts throughout.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 Although only a few preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in
 detail, and it is to be understood that the embodiments are given by way
 of illustration only. It is not intended that the invention is to be
 limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of
 components set forth in the following description of illustrated in the
 drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being
 practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, in describing the
 preferred embodiment, specific terminology will be resorted to for the
 sake of clarity. It is to be understood that each specific term includes
 all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish
 a similar purpose.
 In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG.
 1 is a perspective view of a baseball style cap with a fuzz texture design
 created by a threadless embroidery needle on an upper visor. FIG. 2 is a
 side view of a baseball style cap with a fuzz texture design created by a
 threadless embroidery needle showing a section of a visor that has been
 embroidered with a threadless needle.
 FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of part S of FIG. 2 showing a fuzz
 texture created on the upper visor.
 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and in particular to a
 baseball style cap, a design pattern to be embroidered is drawn on a
 certain position on fabric 3 and a threadless embroidery needle 7 is used
 to move up and down over the back side of the fabric 9 to break the fabric
 structure to form a fuzz texture 10 on the front side of the fabric 8, the
 fuzz texture 10 creating a design 5 on the front side of the fabric 3, as
 better illustrated in FIG. 4.
 In a baseball style cap the fuzz texture created by the broken fabric
 structure to form an embroidered design is formed on the upper visor 2 of
 the cap.
 Referring to FIG. 3, a visor portion is formed by a peak 6 covered by upper
 and lower fabric material 3, 6. In the drawings of the preferred
 embodiment of the present invention, a threadless embroidered pattern is
 only presented on the upper visor 3. However, alternatively a same method
 of threadless embroidery may be applied on the lower visor 4 as well as a
 crown portion 1 of FIG. 1 to present a fuzz textured design.
 FIG. 4 shows a embroidery process of the present invention in which the
 back side 9 of the fabric 3 is embroidered. In a fashion opposite to a
 general embroidery process, the threadless embroidery needle 7 moves up
 and down continuously to break the structure of fabric material 3 to
 create a fuzz texture 10 on the front side 8 of the fabric 3, and the fuzz
 texture forms a design on the fabric. The threadless embroidery needle 7
 is moved up and down using a tatami technique to finely fill in the design
 to present a more distinct appearance.
 In the embroidery process of the present invention, the embroidery needle 7
 does not use embroidery thread thus the problem of an embroidery thread
 getting tangled, and the time delay caused by changing the embroidery
 thread is eliminated so that the embroidery process is simplified. By
 increasing the rotation frequency of the embroidery machine engine the
 overall time required to embroider is reduced. Also, because there is no
 embroidery thread used, the overall production cost is reduced.
 A textile product or the like embroidered by the threadless embroidery
 method of the present invention is easily produced and presents a clean,
 three-dimensional type design with a faded, soft, aesthetically pleasing
 effect.
 It is preferred that the threadless embroidery method of the present
 invention is carried out as described above in a mirror-like fashion to
 minimize the number of stitches required. However, if a design is drawn in
 a normal fashion on a front side of a fabric material, the design should
 be embroidered threadless from the front side of the fabric as is
 conventional.
 The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be
 varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure
 from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as
 would be recognized by one skilled in the art are intended to be included
 within the scope of the following claims.