Patent ID: 8087366

Claim:
A needle threader for a sewing machine, which is provided on a head of a sewing machine body for threading a needle by causing a needle thread from a needle thread supply to pass through an eye of a needle mounted on a lower end of a needlebar supported on a needlebar frame with a needle clamp being interposed therebetween, the needle threader comprising: a threading shaft which is mounted on the needlebar frame so as to be vertically movable; a threading mechanism including a threading hook provided on a lower end of the threading shaft and a thread guide member, the threading hook and the thread guide member being movable among a thread guide preparation position where the threading hook and the thread guide member are located near a height position of the needle clamp, a threading operation position where a threading operation is carried out with the threading hook being level with the eye of the needle, and a retreat position which is located above the thread guide preparation position and to which the threading hook and the thread guide member are retreated; a vertical moving mechanism which moves the threading shaft vertically so that the threading mechanism is moved between the thread guide preparation position and the threading operation position; a pivot mechanism which pivotally moves the threading hook when the threading mechanism is moved down to the threading operation position, so that the threading hook passes through the eye of the needle, the pivot mechanism pivotally moving the threading hook after the needle thread held by the thread guide member has been hooked by the threading hook, so that the threading hook is returned; and a position changeover unit which displaces the threading mechanism among the thread guide preparation position, the threading operation position and the retreat position.