System and Method of Forming Patterned Tufted Products

The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/806,219, titled System and Method of Forming Patterned Tufted Products, filed Aug. 15, 2024, and which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/533,171, titled System and Method of Forming Patterned Tufted Products, filed Aug. 17, 2023, and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/555,590, titled System and Method of Forming Patterned Tufted Products, filed Feb. 20, 2024, and further claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/683,097, titled Needle Stroke Assembly for Tufting Assembly, filed Aug. 14, 2024.

The disclosures and figures of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/806,219, titled System and Method of Forming Patterned Tufted Products, filed Aug. 15, 2024, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/533,171, titled System and Method of Forming Patterned Tufted Products, filed Aug. 17, 2023, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/555,590, titled System and Method of Forming Patterned Tufted Products, filed Feb. 20, 2024, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/683,097, titled Needle Stroke Assembly for Tufting Assembly, filed Aug. 14, 2024, are all incorporated by reference herein for all purposes as if fully set forth in their entireties.

The present disclosure generally relates to tufted fabrics or products, including systems and methods for forming tufted fabrics or products having patterned designs formed therein, including formation of patterned artificial/synthetic sports grass or turf fabrics or products, and which can include a drive system configured for use in guiding and controlling movement of operative elements thereof, such as controlling the reciprocating motion of one or more push rods coupled to one or more needle bars of a tufting machine in at least one axial direction.

Tufted products such as carpets, rugs, turf, etc., having company branding, such as logos, script designs and other patterned graphics have become increasingly popular. In addition, as the installation of artificial or synthetic grass or turf products has expanded in both indoor and outdoor applications, demand has grown for the formation of such turf products with a greater variety of colors and/or patterns such as team or sponsor logos or various graphic patterns. In the past, to create large tufted product fields, such as turf or artificial grass fields, with graphic patterns or designs such as logos, numbers or other features, has involved installing sections of plain turf or artificial grass at a site and either having to paint a desired design or logo, etc., onto the turf or artificial grass or cutting and removing a portion of the installed turf or artificial grass and inserting and securing (e.g., gluing) a pre-cut logo, number or other design feature having the desired color or colors into place. Such a process is often very labor and time intensive and expensive, and can lead to increased material waste, as well as, in some cases, inaccuracies in terms of the alignment of such later applied logos or other intricate designs. In addition, as players have become larger and stronger, more force can be applied to turf or artificial grass fields during play, which can cause an increased incidence of separation of the turf or artificial grass along seams where the turf has been separated and logos or other designs have been applied.

The formation of patterned tufted products with multiple colors using a tufting machine generally has been accomplished by shifting one or more sliding needle bars or shifting the backing material laterally by a shift mechanism mounted to the needle bar or needle bars of the tufting machine or to a shuttle over which the backing material is passed. As a result, as the push rods reciprocate the needle bar(s) along a vertical axis, the needle bar(s) or backing further can be shifted or slid laterally across the backing material. In addition, during formation of some types of tufted products, such as, for example, tufted products having increased or longer pile heights that can require use longer needles and/or a longer needle stroke lengths or distances to implant yarns of a length needed to form such longer tufts, and for tufting operations where the machines can be subjected to higher load during shifting, such as when shifting of the backing material, the components of the drive systems reciprocating the needle bar(s), such as the push rods, can be subjected to increased vibrational forces and wear. In addition, the ability to accurately control shifting of the needle bars relative to one or more of the vertical and/or horizontal axes further can be reduced at higher operational speeds, and when the needle stroke length or distance of the push rods and the needles during reciprocation is substantially increased to form tufts of an elongated pile height.

Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for systems, apparatus and methods for forming patterned tufted products, including tufted products having increased pile heights and patterned carpets, rugs and artificial/synthetic grass or sports turf products, that address the foregoing and other related and unrelated problems in the art.

Briefly described, the present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for forming patterned tufted products, including carpets for commercial, residential applications, carpets tiles, rugs, sport carpets, including but not limited to artificial grass or turf, landscape applications, and/or other tufted products. In embodiments, the systems can include tufting machines of varying configurations (e.g., different gauges, gauge parts for forming loop, cut or cut and loop tufted products, etc. . . . ). In embodiments, the tufting machines can be operated to perform methods of tufting for forming tufted products that can include patterned designs including multiple different colors, varying pile heights, and/or loop pile and/or cut pile tufts. In one example embodiment, the patterned tufted products formed using the systems and methods of the present disclosure can be formed from various colors and/or types of yarns, including synthetic grass or turf type filaments or yarns, and/or other yarns, which can be inserted into a backing material to form patterned artificial/synthetic grass or turf products, as well as tufted products including carpets and rugs.

In embodiments, the yarns can include one or more yarns for forming carpets and rugs (e.g., shag carpets), or for forming sports carpets or turf products, which can include combinations of one or more of filaments and/or ribbon yarns for forming sports fields and landscape applications. In embodiments, the systems and methods of the present disclosure generally can include and/or can be adapted to be utilized in a tufting machine including at least one row of needles that can be reciprocated into and out of a backing material passing below the needles to insert a plurality of yarns into the backing material for forming tufts of such yarns therein.

In embodiments, the tufting machine can comprise a hollow needle tufting machine having a plurality of needles mounted in spaced series along a needle bar. In some embodiments, the tufting machine can include more than one needle bar having a plurality of needles spaced therealong (e.g. a pair of needle bars each carrying a plurality of needles could be provided). In embodiments, the needles can be arranged in in-line, staggered, or in other arrangements along the one or more needle bars. In addition, a backing material can be fed through a tufting zone of the tufting machine while the needles are reciprocated into and out of the backing material by a drive system. Yarns can be introduced into the backing material as the needles are reciprocated into and out of the backing material.

In embodiments, the tufting machine(s) can include a drive system for driving reciprocation of the one or more needle bars thereof, and which is configured to support and provide enhanced control of the reciprocation of the needle bar or needle bars of the tufting machine, as well as providing support and stability and guidance for the needles during reciprocation thereof. In some embodiments, the drive system can multiple drive shafts connected to a series of drive assemblies and to a drive motor for driving operation of the drive assemblies, which in turn will drive a series of push rods coupled to the at least one needle bar in a reciprocating motion along a substantially linear path of travel to reciprocate the needles into and out of the backing material. In embodiments, the drive system will include a plurality of needle stroke support assemblies configured to receive push rods of the drive system therethrough, and which will control the movement of the push rods to help maintain a substantially linear motion thereof and resist side-to-side or non-linear movement of the push rods during reciprocation during a tufting operation.

As a result, increased control and accuracy of the location of the needles at selected stitch locations of a pattern being tufted can be provided while also enabling substantial increases in the needle stoke lengths or distances, for example, for formation of tufts of yarns having increased pile heights, for use in guiding and controlling a reciprocating movement of needles having increased lengths, and to enable enhanced stability, control, and accuracy in placement of tufts by a plurality of hollow needles in a hollow needle tufting machine.

The drive systems can be used for the formation of loop pile tufts, cut pile tufts, and/or combinations thereof, wherein production rates for tufted articles formed with cut pile tufts can be substantially matched to production rates for similarly formed tufted articles formed with loop pile tufts. Such tufted articles can include, for example and without limitation, carpets, rugs, artificial grass or turf, and other tufted articles or materials.

In embodiments, the drive system of the tufting machine can include a plurality of push rods connected to and driven by the one or more drive assemblies, and also can include a plurality of needle stroke support assemblies configured to guide and help maintain the push rods in line with their substantially vertical, linear path of travel for driving reciprocation of the needle bar(s), and thus the needles along a substantially consistent path into and out of the backing material. In embodiments, each needle stroke support assembly can include a series of support, including an upper or first support (which, in embodiments, can comprise a plate) through which the push rods are received and a lower or second support coupled to the frame of the tufting machine and which can act as a brace or strut and can have a first guide mounted therealong. In embodiments, each of the push rods will extend through a first or upper support and will connect to a push rod foot coupled to the needle bar.

In embodiments, the push rod foot of each push rod can have a second guide that interacts with the first guide positioned along the lower or second support. In embodiments, as the push rods reciprocate, they can pass through a passage defined through a bearing assembly of the first support. The engagement of the push rod within the bearing assembly generally will substantially contain/restricts the movement of the push rods against a side-to-side or non-linear motion (e.g., in a first direction, transverse direction with respect to the path of travel of the push rods), to help guide and maintain the substantially linear movement of the push rods and the needle bar during each needle stroke. In addition, as the push rods are reciprocated, the second guides positioned along the push rod feet can slide along the first guides of the second supports, such that the push rods are further supported by and/or coupled to the frame of the tufting machine to further help control movement of the push rods and maintain their substantially linear motion during reciprocation.

The needle stroke support assemblies thus can be configured to provide support for the push rods at multiple points of engagement and/or along multiple axes. For example, the first support can be adapted to provide support and stability against movement of the push rods in a direction that is generally transverse to their linear path of travel, while the engagement of the second guide positioned along each push rod foot with a corresponding first guide of the second support can provide support and stability to the push rods along an axis that is substantially parallel to their linear path of travel. The support provided to the push rods along one or more axes or points of engagement by the needle stroke support assemblies can help reduce pressure applied to the push rods and resist limit excessive vibratory and/or side-to-side movement of the push rods to help stabilize the push rods during the stroke/reciprocation of the needles into and out of the backing, enabling increased stability and accuracy of the reciprocation of the needles, for example, in embodiments such as where the needle stroke lengths are increased, longer pile heights are to be formed in a pattern, longer needles are used, in tufting machines with hollow needles, or combinations thereof.

In embodiments, one or both of the first and second guides can include slides and guide tracks that can comprise a reduced friction material, or, in some embodiments, can include at least one bearing assembly, which can have one or more sets/series of bearings, which can include linear bearings, ball bearings or other roller bearings or guiding structures, located along one or both sides of the linear motion bearing guide for guiding and controlling the sliding motion of the guide track therethrough. A plurality of first guides can be attached at one or more locations along the needle bar so as to securely couple the needle bar to the push rods while facilitating lateral movement of the needle bar with respect to the push rods.

In embodiments, particular colors of yarns can be assigned to or associated with each of the needles, e.g., the needles can be provided with a selected color thread-up such as an ABC, ABCD, ABCDE, ABCDEF, etc. . . . , with yarns of a selected color or colors being fed directly to each needle. In some embodiments, each of the needles can include a body having a shank or first portion extending from a first end to a second end or tip that can be formed with a tapered or pointed configuration and can include an eye through which at least one yarn can be received, and in embodiments, can be mounted in spaced series along a standard needle bar. In other embodiments, the needles can comprise hollow needles including a tubular body having a first end, a second end terminating at a tip, which can include a cutting surface defined about an opening, and a passage defined therethough and extending from the first end to the second end. In such embodiments, the yarns can be fed directly into their associated hollow needles using air from at least one injector, and in some embodiments, two injectors can be provided, one on each side of the hollow needle. One or more yarns of a selected color thus can be fed directly into an associated hollow needle without having to feed multiple colors of yarns into funnels for each hollow needle and then selectively feeding one of those color yarns to the hollow needle.

In addition, in some embodiments, yarn tubes can be mounted along the needle bar, in communication with each of the needles to help maintain the yarns within the needles. In embodiments, the yarn tubes can extend at an angle into and through openings in the needle bar, for guiding the yarns to their corresponding needles. In some embodiments, the yarn tubes can be positioned adjacent the needle bar and can communicate with and feed into passages extending through the needle bar for feeding into the passages defined though associated hollow needles. In other embodiments, the yarns are fed directly into passages formed along the needle bar and into the hollow needles.

In embodiments, the needle bar(s) can be coupled to a shift mechanism, such as a servo motor driven shift mechanism, a rack-and-pinion type shift mechanism, or other shift mechanism, for shifting the needles transversely with respect to the backing material. In some embodiments, a backing support or shuttle on which the backing material is supported during a tufting operation can be coupled to a shift mechanism, and can be shifted in conjunction with, or, in embodiments, independently of the shifting of the needles. In optional embodiments, the backing can be shifted or the needle bar(s) can be shifted transversely, or both the backing and needle bar(s) can be shifted transversely. In still other embodiments, only the shuttle supporting the backing may be connected to a shift mechanism such that the backing can be shifted with a lateral position of the needles being substantially consistent as the backing is moved transversely with respect to the needles, or with the needles being shifted in different increments and/or in a different direction.

In some embodiments, the systems of the present disclosure further can comprise a tufting machine having a plurality of hollow needles, a yarn feed system, a yarn selection system, a yarn cutting system, and a control system. In embodiments, the yarn feed system can include a yarn feed mechanism or pattern attachment having a plurality of yarn feed devices each configured to feed one or more yarns to the hollow needles. For example, in embodiments, the yarn feed mechanism can include a single or double end yarn feed mechanism having a plurality of individual yarn feed devices that can be selectively controlled for feeding one or two yarns, or in some embodiments, more than two yarns to one or more associated needles. In addition, in some embodiments, the yarn feed devices of the yarn feed system can include yarn feed rolls driven by a servo motor, which can be sized or otherwise configured to control feeding of selected lengths of yarn per revolution of a yarn feed roll to form individual stitches or tufts and/or to form tufts of selected pile heights. For example in embodiments, at least some of the yarn feed devices can include one or more feed rollers that can be configured with a larger diameter to feed a prescribed amount of yarn(s) per revolution and to help feed yarns such as polymer yarns or filaments as generally used for artificial turf or grass, and a drive roll having a smaller diameter than the feed rollers to compensate for potential reduction in torque for feeding the yarns due to the increased size of the feed rollers.

In embodiments, the yarn selection system can be arranged along a path of travel or pathway of the yarns from the yarn feed system to the needles. In embodiments, the yarn selection system can include a series of yarn jerkers each coupled to an actuator and positioned along the path of travel of the yarns from the yarn feed system to the needles for selectively engaging the yarns being fed to the needles. The yarn jerkers can be selectively controlled to extend and retract along a selected length or travel, which can, in embodiments, be set or adjusted to a selected distance. The yarn jerkers can be moved between extended and retracted positions to enable feeding of selected yarns to the needles or to retract or hold non-selected yarns from being fed through the needles in accordance with a pattern being formed.

In addition, in embodiments, the yarn jerkers can be coupled to or can be incorporated with jerker modules that can comprise or include the actuators for controlling the movement of the yarn jerkers between their extended and retracted positions. For example, in embodiments, the jerker modules can include a plurality of bores each receiving a piston rod therein, though other types of actuators also can be provided. In some example embodiments, the jerker modules (and/or the actuators thereof) can comprise double acting air cylinders configured without a mechanical spring return, and which can, in embodiments, use air supplied to different portions of bores of the jerker modules (and/or actuators thereof) to cause selective movement of the pistons along the bores so as to control extension and retraction of the yarn jerkers.

In embodiments, the cutting system is positioned below the backing support and can be selectively actuated to cut yarns carried by the needles to form tufts of the yarns in the backing material. In embodiments, the cutting system can include a series of knives or one or more cutting blades. In some embodiments, the knives or one or more cutting blades can be individually mounted along a knife bar or can be received in modules that can be mounted along a knife bar.

In some embodiments, the knives or one or more cutting blades can be maintained in a substantially stationary position, with the cutting edges of the knives or one or more cutting blades arranged at a substantially fixed elevation or position with respect to the penetration depth or lower portion of the stroke of the needles penetrating into the backing. In embodiments, the knives or one or more cutting blades can be moved up and down, toward and away from the needles as the needles penetrate the backing, with the knives or one or more cutting blades being moved separately or together between a retracted, non-engaging or no-cut position, and one or more extended cutting positions for engaging and cutting the yarns carried by the needles into the backing.

In some embodiments, the cutting system can include a plurality of individually controllable knife modules or blocks each with a body in which a knife or at least one cutting blade is mounted, and a multi-position actuator, such as, for example, an air cylinder that can be selectively controlled or fired selectively to move its corresponding or associated knife or at least one cutting blade between a no-cut and at least first and second cutting positions (e.g., non-engaging and one or more engaging positions) in relation to a stroke of the needles as the needles are reciprocated into and out of the backing.

In embodiments, the knives can have a substantially flat cutting edge or surface adapted for cutting flat ribbon yarns or filaments such as used for artificial grass or turf.

In other embodiments, the cutting system can comprise at least one elongated cutting blade or plate that can take the place of at least a portion of the knives of the series of knives. In embodiments, the at least one cutting blade can have an elongated, substantially flattened cutting edge. In addition, the at least one cutting blade or plate can be moved between a non-engaging/no-cut position and an engaging/cutting position to cut a series of yarns.

In addition, in embodiments, the cutting system can include one or more muti-position actuators. In embodiments, controlled flows of pressurized air or other fluid can be supplied to the multi-position actuators from an air supply by the control system to move the knives or at least one cutting blade between various selected cutting positions to form cut pile tufts of selected pile heights, and a non-engaging or no-cut position to form loop pile tufts. For example, in embodiments, the multi-position actuator can include a 3-position actuator (such as a 3-position pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder), a servo or stepper motor, or other actuator. In embodiments, the multi-position actuator can include a 4-way fluid valve for selectively controlling a supply of fluid (e.g., air) to the multi-position actuator. In embodiments, at least two positions for each of the knives or at least one cutting blade can be provided, for example, a high cut position, low cut position, and a no-cut or loop position could be provided.

In some embodiments, other gauge parts (e.g., loopers, hooks, level cut loop loopers, clips, etc. . . . ) also can be provided, in addition to the knives or at least one cutting blade of the cutting system.

In embodiments, the control system can be linked to the yarn feed system, yarn selection system, cutting system, and to other operative components of the tufting machine (e.g., a main shaft and/or one or more drive motors therefor). The control system can be linked to one or more drive motors of a backing feed system, to an air supply (which, in some example embodiments, can include a compressor, blower or tank) for controlling flows of pressurized air to the jerker modules of the yarn selection system and/or actuators of the cutting system. In embodiments, the control system can comprise one or more processors and programming configured to cooperatively control the feeding of yarns to the hollow needles by the yarn feed system, control engagement of one or more yarn jerkers of the yarn selection system to pull back non-selected yarns, and/or control movement of one or more knives or one or more cutting blades of the yarn cutting system to form a selected pattern.

In embodiments, the control system can include instructions or programming that can be executed to control the various operative systems or components of the tufting machine in a cooperative manner to form patterns using an increased number of colors or types of yarns that can be formed without having to expand the gauge spacing between the needles. For example, and without limitation, in embodiments, patterned articles including 4, 8, 16, and possibly more colors of yarns can be formed, with the hollow needles of the tufting machine arranged at a selected gauge spacing. For example, a gauge spacing of approximately 1″, and with a substantially consistent feeding of yarns to each of the needles. Other needle spacings also can be provided.

In some embodiments, the needles can be arranged at spacings that can be selected based on a tufting gauge for the tufted products. For example, in embodiments, the needles can be arranged at gauge spacings of approximately ¼″ to 1″, and in some embodiments, gauge spacings of approximately ¼″, ⅜″, ½″, ⅝″, ¾″, ⅞″, 1″, 1¼″, 1⅜″, 1½″, 1⅝″, 1¾″, 1 ⅞″, and/or 2″ can be used. Thus, in embodiments, the needle bar can be configured with the needles arranged at a true gauge spacing that generally matches the gauge of the tufting machine, which further generally can match the desired or selected gauge of the tufted product being produced.

In addition, it is contemplated that, in some embodiments, other desired gauge fabrics based on a multiple or a fraction of the gauge spacing of the needles can be created by shifting the backing, shifting the needles or both, enabling a variety of different colors to be presented and tufted at a variety of gauge spacings. The needles also can be mounted at a closer spacing. The backing, the needles, or both can be shifted transversely as needed to form selected patterns. For example, in some embodiments, the backing can be shifted transversely while the needles are not shifted, with the needles being maintained in a substantially fixed lateral position as they are reciprocated into and out of the backing. Thus, patterns having a construction with tufts or groups of yarns arranged at different spacings in a gauge direction (e.g., in a direction along the needle bar or transversely across the backing) and in a longitudinal direction (e.g., in the direction in which the backing is fed), can be produced.

According to aspects of the present disclosure, a tufting machine is provided, including at least one needle bar having a plurality of needles spaced therealong, a yarn feed system including a pattern attachment (e.g., a single end yarn feed mechanism), a needle bar shift mechanism (e.g., a servo motor or rack and pinion driven shift mechanism) coupled to the at least one needle bar and configured to control shifting of the needles across a backing, and an air induced yarn selection system, with a yarn feed pathway defined therethrough for the yarns.

In addition, or alternatively, a backing shift mechanism can be provided, which, in various embodiments, can be used in conjunction with a needle bar shift mechanism (being controlled independently of the needle bar shift mechanism or independently controlled) and/or as a replacement for a needle bar shift mechanism.

In embodiments, the needles and/or the backing can be shifted and the yarn feed system and the yarn selection system controlled to present a measured feed length of yarn per tuft in the backing per revolution of the main drive shaft. In embodiments, there may be one yarn fed per individual yarn feed devices of the yarn feed system to each of the needles. In embodiments, the yarn selection system can be positioned between the yarn feed system and the needles, and can include a series of yarn jerkers. In embodiments, the yarn jerkers that can be selectively controlled to retract or pull a non-sewing end of a non-selected yarn back (e.g., extension and retraction of the yarn jerkers can be controlled by controlling a supply of pressurized air to an actuator associated with each yarn jerker), and allow only selected yarns (e.g., desired colors or types of yarns) to be fed to the needles.

In embodiments, the yarn feed system of the tufting machine can include a single or double end yarn feed mechanism that, in some embodiments, further can be provided with enlarged feed roll systems configured to feed tuft lengths of yarns to be consumed by turf or shag carpets, fields, rugs, or other tufted products, with a pile height of a selected height, such as, for example, based on an industry standard height for artificial grass or turf fields. In some embodiments, yarn or tuft lengths for forming pile heights exceeding three inches can be provided.

In embodiments, the tufting machine is controlled by a control system that can include one or more processors and programming to control the yarn feed, yarn jerker actuation, backing feed rolls, yarn feed puller rolls, a needle bar shift mechanism, and/or a backing shifter.

According to other aspects of the present disclosure, a method is provided for operating a tufting system to form tufted turf or artificial products with logos or other designs integrated therein. In embodiments, the tufting system can comprise a hollow needle tufting machine having a plurality of spaced hollow needles that can be threaded with or directly fed by a series of different color or types of yarns based on a desired thread-up. For example, in an embodiment, if 3-4 colors are used in the pattern, the needles can have a yarns thread-up sequence of ABC or ABCD, with at least two of the yarns being different color or type yarns (e.g., yarns A and B, C and/or D, or any combination thereof, can be one color, while the other yarn or yarns of the thread-up sequence can be different color or type yarns; or each of yarns A, B, C and D can be of different colors and/or types).

In some embodiments, such as for forming sports carpets such as sports turf fields, a larger number of colors can be used. For example, in some applications, such as for forming a sports turf field 6 colors can be used, including at least one green yarn and a white yarn for the bulk of the field, with the remaining yarns being accent colors for forming logos, etc.

In some embodiments, the needles can be grouped in sets of needles, and can include different thread-ups. For example, in embodiments, for a tufted turf product, for areas where mostly green yarns are to be tufted, a set of needles can be provided with an ABCD, ABCDE, ABCDEF, or other thread-up sequence, with, in embodiments, multiple ones, or all, of the yarns of the thread-up sequence being one color (e.g., green), while for other areas where different colors or types or yarns are to be tufted, another set of needles can have a thread-up sequence with several different color or types of yarns.

In embodiments, the needle bar shift mechanism can be controlled to shift the needles across the backing to displace the colors and/or types of yarns as needed, resulting in the ability to present and mix different colors and/or types of yarns in the face of the tufted product, which can allow for enhanced color control in the finished carpet design. For example, in some embodiments, the needles can be shifted one or more gauge steps or portions to enable multiple colors and/or types of yarns to be presented to one or more stitch locations of the pattern being formed; and when a particular color or type yarn is not desired in the face, one or more yarn feed devices of the yarn feed system that are feeding such a non-selected color or type yarn can be controlled to stop the color or type yarn from being fed. Corresponding yarn jerkers for such non-selected yarns can be actuated to hold or otherwise maintain the non-selected yarns with their needles.

In some embodiments, the non-selected yarns can be retracted with the reciprocation of their needles out of the backing and can be retained within the needles, or within yarn tubes connected thereto, to help maintain the non-selected yarns with their needles when the non-selected yarns are held back by the yarn jerkers.

In embodiments, where a yarn is selected to be retained for forming a tuft or stitch of the pattern, the yarn feed system can be controlled to feed a desired length or amount of each selected yarn for forming a tuft or stitch of a desired length or pile height while the yarn jerkers are moved to a position to allow passage of a length of each of the selected yarns sufficient to form a tuft of a selected pile height to be blown and/or flow through their associated needles. In embodiments, the yarn feed rollers of the yarn feed devices of the yarn feed system that control feeding of such selected yarns can be configured with a diameter/size configured to feed a desired or selected amount or length of yarn per revolution that is sufficient to substantially form a tuft of a predetermined length for forming a tuft or stitch of a desired or selected pile height. In embodiments, the selected yarns exit the yarn tubes and are directed into the passages of their associated needles as the needles are reciprocated into and out of the backing, such that the selected yarns are presented/inserted into the backing and can be engaged with corresponding gauge parts (e.g. being engaged and cut by knives or a cutting blade, or being engaged by other gauge parts, such as loopers, hooks, level cut loop loopers, clips, etc. . . . ) for forming stitches or tufts in the backing.

In embodiments, the backing can be moved incrementally, while in other embodiments, the backing can be fed substantially continuously through the tufting zone or region. In some embodiments, such as where the backing is shifted transversely while the needles are maintained in a substantially set position, the backing can be shifted to generally align stitch locations of a pattern being tufted with a selected color of yarns being carried by the needles. The backing can be shifted transversely in various increments or steps, which can include shifting the backing by a distance based on the gauge spacing of the needles, and which, in some embodiments, may not be tied to the gauge spacing of the needles (e.g., the backing can be shifted across distances or lengths that are less than or greater than the gauge spacing between the needles). The backing can be shifted multiple times in both directions across the tufting zone to enable presentation of the selected color yarns to corresponding stitch locations of the pattern, and moved along its path of travel per the pattern steps.

In embodiments, the feeding of the backing can be controlled such that the actual stitch rate at which the backing is fed can comprise an effective process stitch rate that is greater than a desired pattern stitch rate for the pattern being formed. In embodiments, the control of the feeding of the yarns by the yarn feed system and the yarn selection system can be controlled by the control system in conjunction with control of the backing material at a higher effective or actual stitch rate to enable a substantially increased number of penetrations of the needles per inch into the backing material, (e.g., each needle in the thread-up sequence can be inserted at each stitch location of the pattern). Non-selected colors or types of yarns may not be placed in the backing and selected colors or types of yarns can be placed into the backing to form the desired tufts in order to substantially avoid a missing color or type of yarn or a gap being created and shown or otherwise appearing in the pattern fields of the patterned tufted article. The finished patterned tufted article thus can be provided with a number of tufts per inch that substantially matches a desired or prescribed pattern stitch rate, or other numbers of stitches per inch, such that the resultant finished patterned tufted article can be formed with a density of visible and/or retained face yarns or tufts that can approximately match a desired density of the pattern.

In certain scenarios, the ends of the needles maybe configured with a flattened and/or extended cutting surface configured to better cut flat ribbon yarns. For example, in embodiments, the distal ends of the needles can be formed with an altered cutting angle and an increased cutting surface configured to increase a shear angle and shearing surface of the needle for more consistent cutting of flat ribbon yarns used in typical turf applications. In addition, in embodiments, the cutting system can include a series of generally flat knives; or in some embodiments, one or more cutting blades can be used in place of a series of knives.

In embodiments, the knives or cutting blade(s) can be moveable between various cutting positions, including a first, retracted position and at least a second, extended cutting position where the cutting edges of the knives or cutting blade(s) contact the cutting surfaces of the needles when the needles penetrate the backing. In embodiments, the knives or cutting blade(s) can be positioned in modules that can be mounted in series along a knife bar and can be selectively moved to their cutting positions by the control system together as a set, in groups, or moved individually when a selected yarn is presented to each stitch location. The knives or cutting blade(s) and can be maintained in a lowered, non-engaging or no-cut position when needles of the non-selected yarns penetrate the backing at such stitch locations.

In some embodiments, the knives or cutting blade(s) can be mounted in a substantially fixed position with respect to the stroke or depth of penetration of the needles into the backing. In embodiments, the knives or cutting blade(s) can be positioned to engage with an associated or corresponding needle. In embodiments, as the needles penetrate the backing, the cutting surfaces of the needles can engage the cutting edges of the knives.

In addition, in embodiments, the feeding of the yarns from the yarn feed system and actuation of the yarn jerkers can be controlled by the control system to be actuated in accordance with a position or sequence of the rotation of the main shaft. In embodiments, a position or sequence of the rotation of the main shaft can be related to a stitch or tuft of the pattern being formed to actuate the yarn jerkers in first and second directions, for example, between retracted and extended positions. For example, in some embodiments, different stitch lengths or amounts of yarn making up a total stitch length of each selected yarn to be fed for forming a tuft or stitch of a desired pile height can be fed at an increased or decreased rate during different portions of the tufting cycle, or at different times based on the rotation or position of the main shaft (e.g., in embodiments, the yarn feed devices of the yarn feed system can be operated to feed different percentages or amounts of yarns in view of where the main shaft is in a revolution thereof, as opposed to feeding a substantially consistent amount of yarn during a revolution of the main drive shaft). In embodiments, such control of the feeding or of different amounts or lengths of the yarns during different portions of the rotation of the main shaft can allow for enhanced color control in the finished patterns/designs.