Claims:1. A method, using a system / a robot, for piecing of broken yarns (28) and/or spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, said method comprising:
detecting, by at least one monitoring mechanism (1), said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences, and transmitting/indicating at least one signal/information associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences;
receiving, by said robot, from said monitoring mechanism, said signal/information associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences detected;
stopping, by at least one spindle stopper arm (16) of said robot, by applying at least one spindle brake (23), a rotation of said spindle (24) with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences detected having a cop (25) with plurality of yarns coiled, at least one traveller (27), and at least one ring (26);
sucking, by using at least one suction slot (20) of said spindle stopper arm (16), said yarn (28) in which said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences is detected;
positioning, after verifying using at least one sensor (40) of said spindle stopper arm (16), said traveller (27) preferably in front of said ring (26);
holding, by using at least one yarn gripper (21) of said spindle stopper arm (16), said yarn (28) sucked;
pulling, by a magnetic force produced by using at least one magnet strip (39) of said spindle stopper arm (16), said traveller;
moving, at least one yarn positioning arm (17, 29) of said robot, such that, said yarn (28) passes through at least two yarn guide rods (30, 41) of said yarn positioning arm (17, 29);
changing, by moving said yarn guide rods (30) in inverse directions, direction of said yarn (28) thereby making said yarn (28) preferably parallel to a ring rail of said ring spinning machine;
inserting, by using said yarn positioning arm (29) of said robot, said yarn into said traveller (27) by moving said yarn (28) and by using at least one yarn pusher (31);
releasing, by said spindle stopper arm (16), said spindle brake (23) applied thereby resuming said rotation of said spindles, whilst, moving said yarn picker arm (15) in swiveling direction thereby threading said yarn (28) into at least one guiding elements of a ring frame (9) of said ring spinning machine;
receiving, by using at least two fingers (19) of said yarn piecing arm (18), said yarn (28) from said from the yarn picker arm (15);
approaching, by using said yarn piecing arm (18), towards at least two delivery rollers (35, 36) of said ring frame for taking said yarn (28) from said fingers (19) of said the yarn piecing arm (18);
sucking, by using at least on suction tube (33) on said ring frame, an drafted material (yarn) (34) present in a storage unit of said robot or said delivery rollers (35, 36);
piecing, by moving said fingers (19) in opposite direction, said yarn (28) and said drafted material (34) together by twisting and joining.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spindle defect occurrences is at least one of yarn breakages, slipping spindles, rogue spindles creating repetitive breaks, idle spindles, low quality spindles which creates bad quality yarn exceeding the set limits by the user or any combination thereof.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signal/information associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences comprises information on the detected yarn break

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said signal/information associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences is transmitted and indicated by an indicating means selectively comprising bulbs, LEDs, sensor(s), or any combination thereof.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprises, recognizing, using at least one sensor (22), said yarn (28) sucked by said suction slot (20), wherein said sensor (22) is preferably selected from a capacitive or an image based sensor.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprises, transporting said robot by mean of at least one transportation system upon receipt of said signal/information from said monitoring mechanism.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprises detecting and capturing said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences in said spindle by means of one or more image capturing means, wherein said image capturing means being provided or located in/on said ring spinning machine, and upon capturing images said image capturing means communicates said information (image) to at least one transportation system having said robot and material so as to trigger movement and/or stopping of said transportation system for transporting said robot and material to attend yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences at any particular spindle or spindles for restoring and resumption of said ring spinning machine.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, comprises, scanning and communicating to said transportation system by said image capturing means, said robot and/or the status of delivery of yarn to a bobbin of said spindle continuously during said movement of transportation system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sensor (40) is preferably selected from a vision sensor.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after inserting, said yarn into said traveller (27) by moving said yarn (28) and by using at least one yarn pusher (31), the method comprises:
moving, by using said yarn picker arm (15), said yarn (28);
retaining original position of said yarn picker arm (15), whilst making said traveller (27) to move along with same direction of said yarn picker arm (15); and
sensing, by using at least one vision sensor (42) of said yarn positioning arm (28) said movement of said traveller (27).

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after receiving said yarn (28) from said yarn picker arm (15), the method comprises:
verifying, by using at least one sensor, if said yarn (28) is received.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after piecing, said yarn (28) and said drafted material together by twisting and joining, the method comprises:
inserting twist to said drafted material (34) continuously and thereby continuing yarn production in said ring spinning machine.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprises, removing, using said robot, defective material, defect preferably selected from slip and rogue spindles, in said spindle by said fingers (19) of said yarn piecing arm (18), wherein, in case of defective materials:
stopping, using said spindle stopper arm (16), said spindle (24) by means of pulling said spindle brake (23);
picking, using said fingers (19) of said yarn piecing arm (18), defective cop and loads in the respective containers (4);

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprises, activating, using said robot, a roving stop motion (38) by:
switching ON said roving stop motion (38) by using fingers (19) of the yarn piecing arm (18), thereby resuming a supply of input roving material automatically to a drafting zone (37), wherein after resumption of supply of roving, said robot (14) starts piecing.

15. A system, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, having at least one robot for piecing of broken yarns (28) and/or spindle defect occurrences, said system comprising:
at least one monitoring mechanism to detect said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences in said spindle (24), and transmit/indicate a signal/information to said robot associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences detected; and
said robot, in response to receipt of said signal/information, carry a textile material traversing along a longitudinal axis of said ring spinning machine for attending/piecing said yarn breakage and/or spindle defect occurrences; wherein
said robot comprises at least one yarn picker arm (15), at least one spindle stopper arm (16), at least one yarn positioning arm (17, 29), and at least one yarn piecing arm (18); and
said spindle stopper arm (16) to:
stop a rotation of said spindle (24) with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences detected having a cop (25) with plurality of yarns coiled, at least one traveller (27), and at least one ring (26) by applying at least one spindle brake (23);
suck by using at least one suction slot (20) of said spindle stopper arm (16), said yarn (28) in which said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences is detected;
position, after verifying using at least one sensor (40) of said spindle stopper arm (16), said traveller (27) preferably in front of said ring (26);
hold, by using at least one yarn gripper (21) of said spindle stopper arm (16), said yarn (28) sucked;
pull, by a magnetic force produced by using at least one magnet strip (39) of said spindle stopper arm (16), said traveller;
said yarn positioning arm (17, 29) to:
move such that said yarn (28) passes through at least two yarn guide rods (30, 41) of said yarn positioning arm (17, 29);
change by moving said yarn guide rods (30) in inverse directions, direction of said yarn (28) thereby making said yarn (28) preferably parallel to a ring rail of said ring spinning machine;
insert said yarn into said traveller (27) by moving said yarn (28) and by using at least one yarn pusher (31);
said spindle stopper arm (16) to:
release said spindle brake (23) applied thereby resuming said rotation of said spindles, whilst, moving said yarn picker arm (15) in swiveling direction thereby threading said yarn (28) into at least one guiding elements of a ring frame (9) of said ring spinning machine;
said yarn piecing arm (18) to:
receive, by using at least two fingers (19) of said yarn piecing arm (18), said yarn (28) from said from the yarn picker arm (15);
approach, by using said yarn piecing arm (18), towards at least two delivery rollers (35, 36) of said ring frame to take said yarn (28) from said fingers (19) of said the yarn piecing arm (18);
suck, by using at least on suction tube (33) on said ring frame, a drafted material (yarn) (34) present in a storage unit of said robot or said delivery rollers (35, 36);
piece by moving said fingers (19) in opposite direction said yarn (28) and said drafted material (34) together by inserting a twist and joint.

16. A system, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, having at least one robot for piecing of broken yarns (28) and/or spindle defect occurrences, said system comprising:
at least one monitoring mechanism to detect said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences in said spindle (24), and transmit a signal/information to said robot associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences detected, wherein said spindle (24) comprises a spindle brake (23) to stop rotation of said spindle (24) thereby stops rotation of at least one chop (25) enclosed in at least one traveller (27) rotating over at least one ring (26) associated with said spindle (24);
said ring spinning machine comprises a suction tube (33), and at least two delivery rollers (35, 36), on at least one ring frame (9), to provide a drafted material (34);
said robot for piecing of said broken yarns and/or said spindle defect occurrences in said spindle (24), comprises :
at least one spindle stopper arm (16) to pull said spindle brake (23) and stop rotation of said spindle (24);
at least one yarn picker arm (15) comprising:
at least one suction slot (20) to suck and pass therefrom said yarn (28) selected from said spindle (24) stopped;
at least one sensor (22) to verify said passing of said yarn (28);
at least one yarn gripper (21) to catch said yarn (28) passed thereby barring said yarn (28) to fall back into said spindle (24);
at least one magnet strip (39) to energies and provide magnetic force relocate said traveller (27); and
at least one sensor (40) to facilitate said relocation, preferably in front of said ring (26);
at least one yarn positioning arm (17, 29) comprising:
at least two yarn guide rods (30, 41) to enable said yarn (28) to pass through said yarn guide rods (41);
at least one yarn pusher (31) to push said yarn (28) forward and position, preferably below, said traveler (27) thereby insert said yarn (28) into said traveler (27);
at least one sensor to sense a movement of said traveler (27) and detect said piecing of said broken yarns (28) and/or spindle defect occurrences inside said traveller (27);
at least one yarn piecing arm (18) comprising:
at least two fingers (19) of the yarn piecing arm (18) to pick said yarn pieced from said yarn picker arm (15);
at least one sensor to detect said pick;
wherein:
said yarn piecing arm (18) is configured to move said yarn (28) picked in said fingers (19) to said delivery rollers (35, 36) of the ring frame, whilst said drafted material (34) comes out from said delivery rollers (35, 36) and gets sucked by said suction tube (33); and
said fingers (19) holding said yarn (28) keeps said yarn (28) near said drafted material (34) thereafter which said fingers (19) moves in an opposite direction which inserts a twist and joint by keeping said yarn (28) and said drafted material (34) together to piece said broken yarns and/or said spindle defect occurrences.

17. The system as claimed in claims 15 or 16, wherein said spindle defect occurrences is at least one of yarn breakages, slipping spindles, rogue spindles creating repetitive breaks, idle spindles, low quality spindles which creates bad quality yarn exceeding the set limits by the user or any combination thereof.

18. The system as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein said signal/information associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences comprises information on the detected yarn break .

19. The system as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein said signal/information associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences is transmitted and indicated by an indicating means selectively comprising bulbs, LEDs, sensor(s), or any combination thereof.

20. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said spindle stopper arm (16) comprises at least one sensor (22) to recognize/verify said yarn (28) sucked by said suction slot (20), wherein said sensor (22) is preferably selected from a capacitive or an image based sensor.

21. The system as claimed in claim 15 or 16, comprises at least one transportation system to receive said signal/information from said monitoring mechanism and thereby transport said robot.

22. The system as claimed in claim 15 or 16, detects and captures said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences in said spindle by means of one or more image capturing means, wherein said image capturing means is provided or located in/on said ring spinning machine, and upon capturing images said image capturing means communicates said information (image) to at least one transportation system having said robot and material so as to trigger movement (starting) and/or stopping of said transportation system for transporting said robot and material to attend yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences at any particular spindle or spindles to restore and resume said ring spinning machine.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein said image capturing means scan and communicate the status of delivery of yarn to a bobbin of said spindle continuously during said movement of said transportation system and/or said robot, to said transportation system.

24. The system as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein movement of said spindle stopper arm (16) generates said magnetic force magnet strip (39).

25. The system as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein said sensor (40) is preferably selected from a vision sensor.

26. The system as claimed in claim 15 or 16, wherein, when said yarn is inserted into said traveller (27) by moving said yarn (28) and by using at least one yarn pusher (31), the system:
move, by using said yarn picker arm (15), said yarn (28);
retain original position of said yarn picker arm (15), whilst making said traveller (27) to move along with same direction of said yarn picker arm (15); and
sense, by using at least one vision sensor (42) of said yarn positioning arm (28) said movement of said traveller (27).

27. The system as claimed in claim 15 or 16, comprises at least one sensor to verify if said yarn (28) is received from said yarn picker arm (15).

28. The system as claimed in claim 15 or 16, after piecing, said system insert twist to said drafted material (34) continuously and thereby continue yarn production in said ring spinning machine.

29. The system as claimed in claim 15, 16 or 17, wherein said robot is configured to remove a defective material, defect preferably selected from slip and rogue spindles, in said spindle by said fingers (19) of said yarn piecing arm (18), wherein, in case of defective materials is detected, the robot:
stops, using said spindle stopper arm (16), said spindle (24) by means of pulling said spindle brake (23); and
picks, using said fingers (19) of said yarn piecing arm (18), defective cop and loads in the respective containers (4);

30. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said robot is configured to activate, a roving stop motion (38) by:
switching ON said roving stop motion (38) by using fingers (19) of the yarn piecing arm (18), thereby resuming a supply of input roving material automatically to a drafting zone (37), wherein after resumption of supply of roving, said robot (14) starts piecing.

31. A robot, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences, said robot comprising:
a storage means to store a textile material (yarn);
a receiver to receive a signal/information for said spindle of said ring spinning machine;
a control system having at least one microprocessor with at least one program modules to preform operations of:
at least one spindle stopper arm (16) to stop rotation of said spindle of said ring spinning machine with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences;
at least one yarn picker arm (15) to selected said yarn with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences, and hold said yarn;
at least one yarn positioning arm (17, 29) to position said yarn held over said spindle and said textile material in line with said yarn held over said spindle, preferably parallel to a ring rail;
at least one yarn piecing arm (18) to pick said textile material and holds said textile material near said yarn;
wherein:
when said spindle stopper arm (16) releases said spindle brake (23), after said textile material is picked, said spindle (24) and cop (25) start rotation, such that said yarn picker arm (15) moves in swiveling direction thereby enabling said textile material to be threaded into at least one guiding elements of a ring frame of said ring spinning machine; and
said yarn piecing arm (18) is configured to move in opposite direction which inserts a twist and joint by keeping the yarn (28) and said textile material together thereby achieving a piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences.

32. A robotic mechanism, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences, said robot comprising: a spindle stopper arm to stop the spindle,
a magnetic arm which contains two magnetic plates joined together at one end and
a yarn picker which takes the yarn from the cop and facilitates piecing.
Characterized in that
when a yarn breaks,
the said spindle stopper arm comes forward and locks the spindle brake and operatively stops the spindle;
then the magnetic arm comes near the cop and the two magnetic plates opens out and covers the cop and then closes again facilitating the magnetic plates to attract the traveller for positioning appropriately during which the yarn picker which has suction slot searches for the yarn end in the cop from bottom to top whereby once the yarn gets sucked into the yarn picker, it lifts up in such a way that the yarn unravels from the cop and passed through various guiding elements of the ring frame;
said yarn picker with the yarn from the cop moves up further and keeps close to the drafted material getting delivered from the front roller pair and getting inside the pneumafil duct thus making the drafted material to get into the yarn picker suction slot where the yarn is already available whereby with the yarn and the drafted material together in the suction slot of the yarn picker, piecing takes place either pneumatically by means of air rotation or mechanically by means of twisting arms available in the yarn picker thereafter the spindle stopper arm releases the spindle brake thereby enabling the spindle to rotate and this makes the yarn to start running and wound over the cop by means of rotation of traveller over the ring which is a part of usual ring spinning process.

33. A robot mechanism, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, said robot comprising:
a yarn picker arm;
a hook arrangement comprising a hooker arm or gripper like arrangement to pick the yarn from the cop,
CHARACTERIZED IN THAT
the hooker arm is configured to come down along with the yarn in such a way that the yarn is laid below the traveller of the ring and move in a circular path in such a way that the yarn gets laid in the traveler, and
once the yarn gets laid in the traveller, the hooker arm is adapted to come up and make another rotary movement in such a way that the yarn gets laid in thread guide means in between the cop and the delivery rollers and thereafter, the hooker arm is adapted to move back to its initial position.

34. The mechanism as claimed in claim 33, wherein the yarn picker arm is adapted to move up along with the yarn and suck the drafted material coming out from the delivery rollers.

35. The mechanism as claimed in claim 33, optionally the yarn picker arm itself makes rotary movement to guide the yarn into the lappet hooks or any other thread guides.
, Description:TECHNICAL FIELD

[001] The present subject matter described herein, in general, relates to field of textile yarn, and more particularly to a method for an automatic detection of a yarn breakage and/or a spindle defects, and automatic piecing method and apparatus therefore.

BACKGROUND

[002] Ring spinning is a method of spinning fibres, such as cotton, flax or wool, to make a yarn. Ring spinning machine having means for spinning a yarn from a roving supplied by a fly frame and for winding said yarn onto a cop, is well known in the prior-art. The ring spinning technique is normally a labor intensive method.

[003] It is also well known that, in ring spinning machine the yarns tends to break because of various reasons like low quality material, fast speed of machine, heat generated during the spinning, and the like reasons. The main job of the labors involved in the method is to continuously monitor the spinning machine and check if there is an occurrence of the yarn breakage during the process. The labors may also be responsible for finding a spindle defect occurrences that may include but not limited to a yarn breakages, slipping spindles, rogue spindles creating repetitive breaks, or any combination thereof. If the labors find any such yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences, they have to promptly attend the yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences or it may cause a huge monitory as well as quality losses in the textile production.

[004] However, as humans are involved, the process of monitoring is not effective and efficient as the human intervention involves substantial delay in detection of the above defects, and even if the defect is detected, attending such defects is a time consuming process. Further, if the defect occurs at multiple points in the machine, it is very difficult to attend the same by a single labor/person. Hence, plurality of labors are to be hired and accordingly the initial cost of the process is increased. In spite of the increased initial cost, the human interventions are not reliable, effective and efficient.

[005] In recent years, many technologies have been developed to avoid dependency of humans in the spinning/textile production process. One of the prior-art documents, CN 102560770 B discloses automatic detection of yarn breakage, automatic piecing method and apparatus. In the document CN102560770 B the yarn breakage automatic detection, automatic piecing method, the ring rail flanking additional rail and dolly, moving trolley carrying wire spool is used, the controller controls the moving carriage reciprocates on the guide rail, inductance coil probe detection off head, robot will use the intercepted virtual strip length of wire and yarn pipe.

[006] Another prior-art document, EP0421157B1, discloses a ring spinning machine having means for spinning a yarn from a roving supplied by a fly frame and for winding said yarn onto a cop, and having a travelling service carriage which carries an auxiliary bobbin with an auxiliary yarn, from which, in the event of rectification of a yarn break, a piece of yarn is applied to the cop and pieced to the roving, characterized in that the service carriage is provided with means for monitoring the success of an attempt to rectify a yarn break, which means are connected to a control unit which controls means on the service carriage for removing from the cop a piece of auxiliary yarn used in a failed attempt, before a further attempt is made to rectify the yarn break.

[007] However, the above mentioned prior-art documents and the traditionally available approaches suffer with the following issues/drawbacks:
1. In spite of having an automatic detection of the defects in the machine, the prior-art techniques involves humans for attending the defects. For example, when the defect is detected in the machine, the humans/labors are carried to that particular location using automatic system and then the humans attend the defects. However, due to the involvement of the humans in the process, there still exists the above mentions issues including the human interventions which are not reliable, effective and efficient. Further, it has been experienced that skilled labors are not frequently available which is one of the major constraints for the spinning the industry.
2. Also, some of the prior-art documents discloses use of an automated device/apparatus/robot for achieving the above mentioned purpose. However, the time taken by these robots is considerably much and there is still exists scope of improvement in the automated process.

[008] Hence, there is a dire need to provide an automated robot to achieve the task of automatic monitoring of the overall spinning machines to automatically detect the above defects and automatically attend the defects and continue the ring spinning machine without any manual intervention thereby achieving effective, efficient and productive process with overall decrease in time of normal spinning process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[009] The following presents a simplified summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the present invention. It is not intended to identify the key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concept of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description of the invention presented later.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a robot along with the required textile material traversing along an entire longitudinal axis of a ring spinning machine for attending to a yarn breakage and/or other spindle defects ensuring quicker restoration of the yarn spinning process of the spindle of the ring spinning machine and also eliminating the production of inferior yarns due to other spindle defects.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to eliminate a human operation / human intervention for attending spindle defects by means of the robot. This avoids human fatigue and thereby other benefits can be attained.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method, using a system / a robot, for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine.

[0013] Yet object of the present invention is to provide a system, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, having at least one robot for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences.

[0014] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and / or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, having at least one robot which is capable of replenishing an empty roving bobbin from the supply area in a Ring spinning machine with a new full roving bobbin for producing yarn and later the same robot for piecing the yarn.

[0015] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a system, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, having at least one robot for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences.

[0016] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a robot, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences.

[0017] Accordingly, in one implementation, an integrated sensing, control and resurrecting system for yarn breakage and other spindle defects occurrences in a ring spinning machine is disclosed. A control system integrating an individual spindle monitoring system and a transportation system is provided. The transportation system navigates and facilitates movement of a robot for attending to the yarn breakage and other spindle defects upon detection by the spindle monitoring system, and the information related to yarn breakage occurrence and spindle defects in the spindles being sensed by the individual spindle monitoring system and communicated to the transporting system. The transportation system is capable of carrying the robot along with the required textile material traversing along the entire longitudinal axis of the ring spinning machine for attending to the yarn breakage and other spindle defects ensuring quicker restoration of the yarn spinning process of the spindle of the ring spinning machine and also eliminating the production of inferior yarns due to other spindle defects. The transportation system is effectively used for one or multiple ring spinning machines for attending to yarn breakage occurrences and other spindle defects.

[0018] In one implementation, a transportation system capable of carrying a robot fitted on the transportation system whose operations are automatically controllable based on the yarn breakage and other spindle defect occurrences in the ring spinning machine is disclosed. The operation of the robot is controlled by the control system.

[0019] In one implementation, a system, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, having at least one robot for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences is disclosed. The system comprises of at least one monitoring mechanism to detect said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences in said spindle, and transmit/indicate a signal/information to said robot associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences detected; and said robot in the transportation system, in response to receipt of said signal/information, carry a textile material traversing along a longitudinal axis of said ring spinning machine for attending/piecing said yarn breakage and/or spindle defect occurrences;
wherein said robot in the transportation system being configured to use the textile material when the roving bobbin has emptied in a spindle position;
wherein said robot comprises
at least one yarn picker arm,
at least one spindle stopper arm,
at least one yarn positioning arm, and
at least one yarn piecing arm; and
said spindle stopper arm configured to stop a rotation of said spindle with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences detected having a cop with plurality of yarns coiled, at least one traveller, and at least one ring by applying at least one spindle brake or in direct operative engagement with the said spindle, suck by using at least one suction slot of said spindle stopper arm, said yarn in which said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences is detected, position, after verifying using at least one sensor of said spindle stopper arm, said traveller preferably in front of said ring, hold, by using at least one yarn gripper of said spindle stopper arm, said yarn sucked, pull, by a magnetic force produced by using at least one magnet strip of said spindle stopper arm, said traveller. Alternatively, the yarn can be taken either by means of magnet strips, electromagnet, permanent magnet, suction pneumatic system or by means of an optically guided finger. The yarn positioning arm is configured to move such that said yarn passes through at least two yarn guide rods of said yarn positioning arm, change by moving said yarn guide rods in inverse directions, direction of said yarn thereby making said yarn preferably parallel to a ring rail of said ring spinning machine, insert said yarn into said traveller by moving said yarn and by using at least one yarn pusher. The spindle stopper arm is configured to release said spindle brake applied or the spindle thereby resuming said rotation of said spindles, whilst, moving said yarn picker arm in swiveling direction thereby threading said yarn into at least one guiding elements of a ring frame of said ring spinning machine. The yarn piecing arm is configured to receive, by using at least two fingers of said yarn piecing arm, said yarn from said from the yarn picker arm, approach, by using said yarn piecing arm, towards at a pair of delivery rollers of said ring frame to take said yarn from said fingers of said the yarn piecing arm, suck, by using at least on suction tube on said ring frame, an drafted material (yarn) present in a storage unit of said robot or said delivery rollers, and piece by moving said fingers in opposite direction said yarn and said drafted material together by inserting a twist and joint. The yarn piecing can be alternatively done through pneumatic twisting or through motor twisting. A person skilled in the art would be aware of various types of pneumatic twisting or motor twisting and the same has not been elaborated in the present document. It should be understood that the types of pneumatic twisting or motor twisting which can be used with the system of the present invention in an effective manner would be considered by a person skilled in the art.

[0020] In one implementation, a system, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, having at least one robot for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences is disclosed. The system comprises at least one monitoring mechanism to detect said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences in said spindle, and transmit a signal/information to said robot associated with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences detected, wherein said spindle comprises a spindle brake to stop rotation of said spindle thereby stops rotation of at least one cop enclosed in at least one traveller rotating over at least one ring associated with said spindle. The ring spinning machine comprises a suction tube, and at least two delivery rollers, on at least one ring frame, to provide a drafted material. The robotic mechanism for piecing of said broken yarns and/or said spindle defect occurrences in said spindle, comprises at least one spindle stopper arm to pull said spindle brake and stop rotation of said spindle or in direct operative engagement with the said spindle capable of stopping the said spindle, at least one yarn picker arm comprises at least one suction slot to suck and pass therefrom said yarn selected from said spindle stopped; at least one sensor to verify said passing of said yarn, at least one yarn gripper to catch said yarn passed thereby barring said yarn to fall back into said spindle, at least one magnet strip to energies and provide magnetic force relocate said traveller; and at least one sensor to facilitate said relocation, preferably in front of said ring. Alternatively, the yarn can be taken either by means of magnet strips, electromagnet, permanent magnet, suction pneumatic system or by means of an optically guided finger The yarn positioning arm comprises at least two yarn guide rods to enable said yarn to pass through said yarn guide rods; at least one yarn pusher to push said yarn forward and position, preferably below, said traveler thereby insert said yarn into said traveler; at least one sensor to sense a movement of said traveler and detect said piecing of said broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences inside said traveller. The yarn piecing arm comprises at least two fingers of the yarn piecing arm to pick said yarn pieced from said yarn picker arm, at least one sensor to detect said pick. The system further comprises, said yarn piecing arm) configured to move said yarn picked in said fingers to said delivery rollers of the ring frame, whilst said drafted material comes out from said delivery rollers and gets sucked by said suction tube; and said fingers holding said yarn keeps said yarn near said drafted material thereafter which said fingers moves in an opposite direction which inserts a twist and joint by keeping said yarn and said drafted material together to piece said broken yarns and/or said spindle defect occurrences.

[0021] In an alternate embodiment, the robotic mechanism can carry a modified yarn picker arm. The modified picker arm has the provision to pick the yarn and hold using holding arrangements such as a suction or a gripper. A hook arrangement is available with the robot which has a hook or gripper like arrangement to pick the yarn. Once the yarn is picked from the cop, the hooker arm comes forward and the hook of the hooker arm catches the yarn. In this stage, an element makes the traveller to come in front position and restricts traveller movement for facilitating yarn piecing. Such an element for example can be a magnet. The hooker arm comes down along with the yarn in such a way that the yarn is laid below the traveller of the ring and the hooker arm moves in a circular path in such a way that the yarn gets laid in the traveller. Once the yarn gets laid in the traveller, the hooker arm comes up and makes another rotary movement in such a way that the yarn gets laid in the lappet hook or any other thread guides like balloon control rings available in between the cop and the delivery rollers. After this stage, the hooker arm moves back to its initial position. The yarn picker arm with suction activated moves up along with the yarn and sucks the drafted material coming out from the delivery rollers. Alternatively, instead of the hooker arm makes the movement to guide the thread to the lappet hooks or any other thread guides, the yarn picker arm itself makes rotary movement to guide the yarn into the lappet hooks or any other thread guides. The yarn picker arm inserts the yarn from the cop to the pneumafil duct where the drafted material is getting sucked already. Once the yarn was sucked by the pneumafil duct, the piecing unit joins the yarn from the cop and the drafted material from the delivery pneumatically or by mechanical means like mending fingers or by electric motor twisting. During this piecing operation, the spindle stopper arm releases the spindle brake or spindle which make the pieced yarn to get delivered continuously from the delivery rollers to the cop of the spindle.

[0022] In another alternate embodiment, the robotic mechanism can carry a spindle stopper arm to stop the spindle, a magnetic arm which contains two magnetic plates joined together at one end and a yarn picker which takes the yarn from the cop and facilitates piecing. When a yarn breaks, the spindle stopper arm comes forward and locks the spindle brake and operates in such a way that the spindle stops running. The spindle stopper arm can function pneumatically, mechanically, electronically or in any combination of these principles. Then the magnetic arm comes near the cop and the two magnetic plates opens out and covers the cop and then closes again. In this condition, the magnetic plates attract the traveller. The magnetic plates again open out and come backward. This makes the traveller to position in front of the ring periphery. During this traveller positioning by the magnetic arm, the yarn picker which has suction slot searches for the yarn end in the cop from bottom to top. Successful suction of the yarn from the cop can be identified by electronic or optical means. Once the yarn gets sucked into the yarn picker, it lifts up in such a way that the yarn unravels from the cop and passed through various guiding elements of the ring frame. The yarn picker with the yarn from the cop moves up further and keeps close to the drafted material which is getting delivered from the front roller pair and getting inside the pneumafil duct. This makes the drafted material to get into the yarn picker suction slot where the yarn is already available. With the yarn and the drafted material together in the suction slot of the yarn picker, piecing takes place either pneumatically by means of air rotation or mechanically by means of twisting arms available in the yarn picker During yarn piecing the spindle stopper arm releases the spindle brake which facilitates spindle to run and the pieced yarn starts running and gets wound on the cop.

[0023] In one implementation, a robotic mechanism, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences is disclosed. The mechanism comprises, a storage means to store a textile material (yarn); a receiver to receive a signal/information for said spindle of said ring spinning machine; a control system having at least one microprocessor with at least one program modules to preform operations of: at least one spindle stopper arm) to stop rotation of said spindle of said ring spinning machine with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences; at least one yarn picker arm to selected said yarn with said yarn breakage and/or said spindle defect occurrences, and hold said yarn; at least one yarn positioning arm to position said yarn held over said spindle and said textile material in line with said yarn held over said spindle, preferably parallel to a ring rail; at least one yarn piecing arm to pick said textile material and holds said textile material near said yarn. The mechanism further comprises, when said spindle stopper arm releases said spindle brake or the spindle, after said textile material is picked, said spindle and cop start rotation, such that said yarn picker arm moves in swiveling direction thereby enabling said textile material to be threaded into at least one guiding elements of a ring frame of said ring spinning machine; and said yarn piecing arm is configured to move in opposite direction which inserts a twist and joint by keeping the yarn and said textile material together thereby achieving a piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences.

[0024] In one implementation, a transportation system upon receiving signals for its navigation from the individual spindle monitoring system gets ready for its operating cycle. For example, if the modified transportation system is at one end of the ring frame and if there are occurrences of two yarn breakages or two spindle defects simultaneously in the ring frame, the modified transportation system gets the signal for it to navigate to the spindle break or spindle defect position from its instantaneous position and it stops for attending the yarn break or spindle defect. Once the modified transportation system stops, the robot starts its operations for attending to yarn breakage occurrences and other spindle defects.

[0025] Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0026] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

[0027] Figure 1 illustrates a system, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, having at least one robotic mechanism for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 illustrates an operation of a robot which shows how the yarn from the cop gets picked by the yarn picker arm, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 3 illustrates a stage where the yarn picker arm moves from the top position to the front position of the ring cop, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 4 illustrates a stage wherein the yarn positioning arm is moved, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 5 illustrates a stage where the yarn positioning arm moves to the top most position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 6 illustrates stage where the yarn guide rods moves to its opposite directions in their guide rails, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 7 illustrates a stage where the yarn pusher pushes the yarn forward and positions it just below the traveller, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 8 illustrates a stage where the yarn pusher comes back to its original/initial position, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 9 illustrates a stage where the threaded yarn is taken to the top position by the yarn picker arm, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 10 illustrates a stage where the yarn is taken the fingers of the yarn piecing arm nearer to the yarn delivery from the front delivery rollers of the ring frame, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 11 illustrates the default positions of the various components of robot after successful piecing of yarn, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 12 illustrates a function of the robot as a defective material segregator, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 13 illustrates a function of the robot for activating the roving stop motion, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 14 shows the operation of a robotic mechanism which shows the spindle stopper arm activates the spindle brake and stops the spindle and the yarn picker picks the yarn from the cop

[0041] Figure 15 illustrates a stage where the magnetic strip attracts the traveller to front position and the yarn hooker arm comes forward and the yarn hook gets engaged to the yarn picked by the yarn picker.

[0042] Figure 16 illustrates a stage where the yarn hook picks the yarn and the yarn hooker arm with the yarn moves in such a way that the yarn is positioned in front of the traveller.

[0043] Figure 17 illustrates a stage where the yarn hooker arm moves in such a way that the yarn gets inserted into the traveller.

[0044] Figure 18 illustrates the stage where the hooker arm moves in such a way that it inserts the yarn into various guiding elements like lappet hooks. In this stage, the spindle stopper arm moves backward to release the spindle brake and the magnetic strip moves backward to release the traveller from magnetic attraction. The yarn picker is ready to move upward for yarn piecing.

[0045] Figure 19 illustrates the stage where the yarn picker moves to the delivery position of the drafted material. The drafted material along with the picked yarn from the cop is pieced together either pneumatically or mechanically. In this stage the spindle brake is released by the spindle stopper arm to facilitate the spindle to run.

[0046] Figure 20 shows the stage where the yarn starts running after piecing. The various components of the robot are in their default positions and ready to attend the next defective spindle.

[0047] Figure 21 shows the stage of an alternate embodiment of the robot wherein the spindle stopper arm stopped the spindle by means of mechanical or pneumatic means and the magnetic plates covered the cop and is above the ring and near to the traveller. The yarn picker arm is near the cop which is in search of the yarn for picking.

[0048] Figure 22 shows the elevation of the illustration given for Figure 21 wherein the cop is covered by the magnetic plates and the traveller is at the back position.

[0049] Figure 23 shows the elevation of the embodiment wherein both the magnetic plates comes backward which makes the traveller to get attracted and comes to the forward position in the ring in between the two magnetic plates. This facilitates easy insertion of yarn into the traveller in successive stages.

[0050] Figure 24 shows the stage where the yarn picker arm picks the yarn from the cop. The magnetic plates keeps the traveller in between them in front position for facilitating easy insertion of yarn into the traveller.

[0051] Figure 25 shows the stage wherein the yarn picker comes down and moves in such a way that it inserts the yarn into the traveller. The traveller is held in its position by the magnetic plates. Now, the spindle stopper arm is ready to release the spindle brake in the next stage.

[0052] Figure 26 shows the stage wherein the yarn picker passes the yarn through the lappet hook and any other guiding components in the ring frame and approaches near the delivery rollers. The drafted material gets sucked by the suction arrangement of the yarn picker and both the yarn and the drafted material are joined together pneumatically by air or mechanically by means of twisting arrangement inside the yarn picker. During this stage, the spindle stopper arm releases the spindle brake and this makes the spindle to rotate which enables yarn production process.

[0053] Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and may have not been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figure may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Throughout the drawings, it should be noted that like reference numbers are used to depict the same or similar elements, features, and structures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0054] The following description with reference to the accompanying drawings is provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of exemplary embodiments of the invention. It includes various specific details to assist in that understanding but these are to be regarded as merely exemplary.

[0055] Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications of the embodiments described herein can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions are omitted for clarity and conciseness.

[0056] The terms and words used in the following description and claims are not limited to the bibliographical meanings, but, are merely used by the inventor to enable a clear and consistent understanding of the invention. Accordingly, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are provided for illustration purpose only and not for the purpose of limiting the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0057] It is to be understood that the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0058] By the term “substantially” it is meant that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly, but that deviations or variations, including for example, tolerances, measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations and other factors known to those of skill in the art, may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect the characteristic was intended to provide.

[0059] Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.

[0060] It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

[0061] Accordingly, as shown in figure 1, a system, automatically controllable based on at least one yarn breakage and/or at least one spindle defect occurrences in at least one spindle of at least one ring spinning machine, having at least one robot for piecing of broken yarns and/or spindle defect occurrences, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The present invention provides an integrated sensing, control and resurrecting system for yarn breakage and other spindle defects occurrences in a ring spinning machine. Accordingly, a control system (2) integrating an individual spindle monitoring system (1) and a transportation system (3) is provided. The transportation system (3) can navigate and facilitate movement of a robot (14) for attending to the yarn breakage and other spindle defects upon detection by the spindle monitoring system (1), and the information related to yarn breakage occurrence and other spindle defects in the spindles being sensed by the individual spindle monitoring system (1) and communicated to the transporting system (3). The transportation system (3) which is capable of carrying the robot (14) along with the required textile material traversing along the entire longitudinal axis of the ring spinning machine for attending to the yarn breakage and other spindle defects ensuring quicker restoration of the yarn spinning process of the spindle of the ring spinning machine and also eliminating the production of inferior yarns due to other spindle defects. The transportation system (3) can be effectively used for one or multiple ring spinning machines for attending to yarn breakage occurrences and other spindle defects. The main objective of this invention is to eliminate the human operation for attending spindle defects by means of the robot (14). This avoids human fatigue and thereby other benefits can be attained.

[0062] In one implementation, the transportation system (3) can carry a robot (14) which is fitted on the transportation system (3) whose operations are automatically controllable based on the yarn breakage and other spindle defect occurrences in the ring spinning machine. The operation of the robot (14) is controlled by the control system (2).

[0063] In one implementation, the robot (14) may be a general purpose robot or a special robot tailor made for this invention and may work based on any technologies like Pneumatics, Hydraulics, Electrical drives and the like. The special robot tailor made may be a vision guided robot which works on the combination of elements like camera, optical sensor, magnetic sensor, magnetic elements etc.

[0064] In one implementation, the transportation system (3) upon receiving signals for its navigation from the Individual spindle monitoring system (1) gets ready for its operating cycle. For example, if the modified transportation system (3) is at one end of the Ring frame (9) and if there are occurrences of two yarn breakages or two spindle defects simultaneously in the Ring frame (9), the modified transportation system gets the signal for it to navigate to the spindle break (12) or spindle defect position from its instantaneous position and it stops for attending the yarn break (12) or spindle defect. Once the modified transportation system (1) stops, the robot (14) starts its operations.

[0065] Figure 2 explains how the yarn (28) from the cop (25) gets picked by the yarn picker arm (15). In one implementation, first, the spindle stopper arm (16) lowers down and catches the spindle brake (23) and pulls upward. This makes the spindle brake (23) to stop the spindle (24) which makes the ring cop (25) to stop and thus the traveller (27) which is rotating over the ring (26) stops. Now, the yarn picker arm (15) moves forward above the ring cop (25). Suction Air is used to suck the yarn (28) through the suction slot (20). Once air is sucked, the yarn (28) from the cop gets picked and passes through the suction slot (20). The successful picking of yarn (28) is verified by the sensor (22). This sensor (22) can be of capacitive or image based sensor which recognizes the yarn (28). Once the yarn (28) is sucked the yarn gripper (21) catches the yarn (28) so that it will not fall back again to the cop (25).

[0066] Figure 3 explains the stage where the yarn picker arm (15) moves from the top position to the front position of the ring cop (25). In one implementation, the yarn picker arm moves little side wards. The magnet strip (39) energizes and the traveller (27) gets pulled by magnetic force of the magnet strip (39) and now the traveller comes to the front position of the ring (26). The yarn picker arm’s vision sensor (40) facilitates the positioning of the traveller exactly in the front of the ring (26).

[0067] Figure 4 explains the stage where the yarn positioning arm (29) moves upward in such a way that the yarn passes in between the three yarn guide rods as shown in the figure 4.

[0068] Figure 5 explains the stage where the yarn positioning arm (29) moves to the top most position so that it is now ready for the yarn guide rods (30) to get moved.

[0069] Figure 6 explains the stage where the yarn guide rods (30) moves to its opposite directions in their guide rails as shown in the figure. This makes the yarn (28) direction changed in such a way that the yarn (28) now becomes almost parallel to the ring rail.

[0070] Figure 7 explains the stage where the yarn pusher (31) pushes the yarn (28) forward and positions it just below the traveller (27). The two bottom guides (41) now will be available below the yarn. At this stage, the yarn positioning arm (29) moves a little upward which makes the yarn to get inserted into the traveller (27).

[0071] Figure 8 explains the stage where the yarn pusher (31) comes back. Now the yarn picker arm (15) moves up and takes the yarn (28) upward. The yarn picker arm (15) moves side wards and comes to its home position which makes the traveller to move along with the direction of the yarn picker arm (15). This movement is sensed by a vision sensor (42) available in front of the yarn positioning arm (28). When the movement of the traveller is recognized by the vision sensor, it means the yarn is successfully threaded inside the traveller (27). If successful threading is not achieved, then the sequence of operations will start again.

[0072] Figure 9 explains the stage where the threaded yarn is taken to the top position by the yarn picker arm (15). When this stage starts, the spindle stopper arm (16) releases the spindle brake (23) which makes the spindle (24) and cop (25) to start rotating. This further makes the traveller (27) rotating over the ring (26). Now, the yarn picker arm (15) moves in swiveling direction in such a way that the yarn (28) is threaded into any guiding elements of ring frame like lappet hook (32). At this stage, the yarn piecing arm (18) comes forward and the fingers (19) of the yarn piecing arm (18) picks the yarn (28) from the yarn picker arm (15). Successful picking is verified by a sensor available in the piecing arm (18). This sensor can work on capacitive or optical principle. Once successful picking is made by the piecing arm (18), the yarn picker arm (15) moves back facilitating for the next stage i.e. yarn piecing or yarn joining.

[0073] Figure10 shows the stage where the yarn (28) is taken the fingers (19) of the yarn piecing arm (18) nearer to the yarn delivery from the front delivery rollers (35 and 36) of the ring frame. The drafted material (34) usually comes out from the front delivery rollers (35 and 36) and gets sucked by the suction tube (33). In this stage, the fingers (19) holding the yarn (28) keeps the yarn (28) near the drafted material (34) and the fingers move in opposite direction which inserts a twist and joint by keeping the yarn (28) and the drafted material (34) together. Thus a successful piecing or joining is achieved. Once successful piecing is achieved, the yarn (28) starts inserting twist to the drafted material (34) continuously and yarn production starts.

[0074] It may be understood that when the production of yarn starts, the traveller (26) achieves rotation continuously. This rotation will be verified by the spindle monitoring system (1) by means of the individual spindle sensor (6).

[0075] Figure 11 shows the stage where the piecing of yarn (28) completed successfully and the yarn (28) starts running. The various components of robot (14) reaches its initial position and ready to attend next spindle defect.

[0076] Figure 12 explains the function of the robot (14) as a defective material segregator. In one implementation, the fingers (19) of the yarn piecing arm (18) act as a defective material remover. In case of defective materials like slip and rogue spindles, the spindle stopper arm (16) stops the spindle (24) by means of pulling the spindle brake (23) upward. Now, the fingers (19) of the yarn piecing arm (18) pick the defective cop and loads in the respective containers (4). By this way, automated segregation of defective textile materials is possible by means of the robot (14).

[0077] Figure 13 explains the function of the robot (14) for activating the roving stop motion (38). In one implementation, the fingers (19) of the yarn piecing arm (18) is capable of switching ON the roving stop motion thereby resuming the supply of input roving material automatically to the drafting zone (37). After resumption of supply of roving, the robot (14) once again starts its piecing operations as explained earlier through Figures 2 to Figure 10.

[0078] Figure 14 explains another alternate embodiment of robot (14) wherein the spindle stopper arm (16) applies the spindle brake (23) which stops the spindle (24). A yarn picker (15) picks the yarn (28) from the cop (25) either pneumatically or mechanically or through electrical drives.

[0079] Figure 15 explains the stage where the yarn hook (44) in the yarn hooker arm (43) comes to pick the yarn (28). During this stage the magnetic strip (45) comes forward and this attracts the traveller (27) to the front position in the ring (26) for facilitating easy insertion of the yarn (28) into the traveller (27).

[0080] Figure 16 explains the stage where the yarn hook (44) of the yarn hooker arm (43) picks the yarn (28) and positions in front of the traveller (27) for facilitating easy insertion of the yarn (28) into the traveller (27).

[0081] Figure 17 explains the stage where the yarn hook (44) of the yarn hooker arm (43) moves and inserts the yarn (28) into the traveller (27).

[0082] Figure 18 explains the stage where the yarn hook (44) of the yarn hooker arm (43) carries the yarn (28) and inserts into the lappet hook (32) or any other such guiding elements in Ring frame. In this stage, the magnetic strip (45) moves backward to make the traveller (27) free from magnetic force and the spindle stopper arm (16) moves backward and makes the spindle brake (23) free so as to enable the spindle (24) to start rotating. Simultaneously, the yarn piecing arm (15) which is carrying the one end of the yarn (28) moves upward towards the front delivery rollers (35 and 36).

[0083] Figure 19 explains the stage where the yarn hooker arm (43) moves away from the yarn (28) and the yarn piecing arm (15) is to the closest position to the delivery rollers (35 and 36). The suction pressure of the piecing arm makes the drafted material (34) to get into the suction slot (46) of the yarn piecing arm. Now the yarn piecing takes place either pneumatically through twisting and joining the yarn (28) and the drafted material (34) together or through mechanical means by means of piecing fingers (46) which moves in opposite direction to make twisting and thereby piecing of yarn (28) with the drafted material (34).

[0084] Figure 20 explains the stage where the yarn piecing was done successfully and the various components of the robot (14) reaches its initial position and ready for attending next defective spindle position. The spindle (24) starts rotating and the yarn (28) starts running and get wound on the cop (25)

[0085] Figure 21 explains another alternate embodiment wherein magnetic plates (49) available in the magnetic arm (48) of the robot (14) covers the cop (25). The spindle stopper arm (46) activates the spindle brake (23) thus the spindle (24) is stopped from rotation. The yarn picker (50) having a suction slot (51) travels in multiple axis in search of the broken yarn (28). The magnetic plates (49) attracts the traveller (27) which is locked over the ring (26).

[0086] Figure 22 is the elevation of the Figure 21 wherein the magnetic plates (49) covers the cop (25) and attracts the traveller (27) which is locked over the ring (26). The yarn picker (50) is closer to the cop (25).

[0087] Figure 23 explains the stage wherein the magnetic plates (49) moves backward inside the magnetic arm (48) making the traveller (27) to get attracted and move over the ring (26) and comes to the front position to facilitate easy insertion of the yarn (28) inside the traveller (27)

[0088] Figure 24 explains the stage wherein the traveller (27) is in front position and the yarn picker (50) is ready to come down for insertion of yarn (28) into the traveller (27) which is positioned by the magnetic force of the magnetic plates (49).

[0089] Figure 25 explains the stage wherein the yarn picker (50) carries the yarn (28) downward in front of the traveller and moves in such a way that the yarn (28) gets inserted into the traveller (27).

[0090] Figure 26 explains the stage wherein the yarn (28) is taken by the yarn picker (50) through the lappet hook (32) and any other such guiding elements in ring frame. Then the yarn (28) which is being sucked by the suction slot (51) of the yarn picker (50) is positioned in front of the delivery rollers (35 and 36) from where the drafted material (34) is coming out and getting into the pneumafil suction (33). When the suction slot (51) of yarn picker (50) is positioned near the delivery rollers (35 and 36), the drafted material (34) gets sucked into the suction slot (51) of the yarn picker (50) and yarn piecing takes place pneumatically by means of air twisting inside the suction slot (51) or mechanically by means of piecing arms inside the suction slot (51) of the yarn picker (50). The spindle stopper arm (46) releases the spindle brake (23) thereby enabling the spindle (24) to rotate and this makes the yarn (28) to start running and gets wound over the cop (25) by means of rotation of traveller (27) over the ring (26) which is a part of usual ring spinning process. Once yarn runs successfully the various components of the robot like the magnetic arm (48), yarn picker (50), spindle stopper arm (46) comes to its home position and gets ready to attend the next defective spindle position.

[0091] In one implementation, the movement of the arms of the robot (14) uses various technologies like pneumatics, hydraulics, electrical drives etc. The movement of the arm, movement lengths, rotary and swivel actions wherever required are programmable by through the control system (2). The air required for various activities are also programmable through the control system (2).

[0092] A person of ordinary skill in the art may be aware that in combination with the examples described in the embodiments disclosed in this specification, units/assemblies and algorithm steps may be implemented by electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether the functions are performed by hardware or software depends on a particular applications and design constraint conditions of the technical solution. A person skilled in the art may use different methods to implement the described functions for each particular application, but it should not be considered that the implementation goes beyond the scope of the present invention.

[0093] It may be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art that for the purpose of convenient and brief description, for a detailed working process of the foregoing system, robot, and unit, reference may be made to a corresponding process in the foregoing device/apparatus embodiments, and details are not described herein again.

[0094] In the several embodiments provided in the present application, it should be understood that the disclosed system, apparatus, robot and device may be implemented in other manners. For example, a plurality of units or components or mechanisms may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not performed. In addition, the displayed or discussed mutual couplings or direct couplings or communication connections may be implemented through some interfaces. The indirect couplings or communication connections between the apparatuses or units may be implemented in electronic, mechanical, or other forms.

[0095] The various mechanisms described as separate parts may or may not be physically separate, and the parts displayed as mechanisms may or may not be physical units, may be located in one position, or may be distributed at various location of the device. Some or all of the units may be selected to achieve the objective of the solution of the embodiment according to actual needs.

[0096] In addition, the mechanisms in the embodiments of the present invention may be integrated into one processing unit, or each of the mechanisms may exist alone physically, or two or more mechanisms may be integrated into one mechanism.

[0097] Although a method for automatic yarn breakage and spindle defects detection and a robot therefor, it is to be understood that the embodiments disclosed in the above section are not necessarily limited to the specific features or methods or devices described. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as examples of implementations of method for automatic yarn breakage and spindle defects detection and a robot therefor.