AUTOMATIC WINDER AND YARN WINDING METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic 5 winder
adapted to wind a yarn unwound from a yarn supplying bobbin
to form a package, and a yarn winding method for unwinding
the yarn from the yarn supplying bobbin and winding the yarn
using the automatic winder.
10
2. Description of the Related Art
In a bobbin transport system described in Japanese
Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-104628, in a bobbin
supplying section, a lead-out device prepares a bobbin to
15 a state to be supplied to a winding unit, for example, by
dropping a yarn end of the bobbin supplied from a ring
spinning machine into a core tube of the bobbin, and the
like. The bobbin prepared to the state to be supplied to
the winding unit is then supplied to a plurality of winding
20 units of the automatic winder. In the winding unit, the
yarn unwound from the supplied bobbin is wound to form a
package. Furthermore, in Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication No. 2003-104628, the bobbin discharged from the
winding unit is returned to the bobbin supplying device.
25 Among the bobbins returned to the bobbin supplying device,
the bobbin in which the yarn is normally unwound and the
yarn is barely remaining thereon is returned to the ring
spinning machine after the residual yarn is removed by a
bobbin stripper, which is a residual yarn processing device.
30 If the bobbin is discharged from the winding unit due to
lead-out mistake, yarn joining failure, and the like, the
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bobbin is returned to the lead-out device without the
residual yarn removed. The bobbin is then prepared to the
state of being supplied to the winding unit in the lead-out
device, and again supplied to the winding unit.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent 5 Publication No.
2003-104628, the bobbin discharged from the winding unit
due to the lead-out mistake, the yarn joining failure, and
the like is again supplied to the winding unit, as described
above. However, the bobbin discharged from the winding
10 unit due to the yarn joining failure usually has a smaller
amount of yarn than the initial state, and hence in the
lead-out device, a distance between a portion where the yarn
of the bobbin is wound and a distal end of the core tube
is large, and the yarn end dropped into the core tube may
15 fall out from the core tube while being fed towards the
winding unit. In such a case, the bobbin is discharged due
to the lead-out mistake in the winding unit.
Furthermore, the bobbin discharged from the winding
unit due to the yarn joining failure may also be a bobbin
20 in which the yarn joining operation has been carried out
several times due to unsatisfactory quality of the yarn.
In such a case, even if the bobbin is again supplied to the
winding unit, the probability is high that the bobbin is
discharged from the winding unit due to the yarn joining
25 failure.
Therefore, if the bobbin discharged from the winding
unit due to the lead-out mistake, the yarn joining failure,
and the like is again supplied to the winding unit,
production efficiency of the package in the automatic
30 winder may be lowered.
As opposed to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication
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No. 2003-104628, consideration is also made to returning
the bobbin discharged from the winding unit due to the
lead-out mistake, the yarn joining failure, and the like
to the ring spinning machine after removing the residual
yarn by the bobbin stripper, similarly to the bobbin 5 n in
which the yarn is normally unwound. In such a case, however,
an amount of yarn that is removed by the bobbin stripper
and discarded becomes large.
10 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide
an automatic winder and a yarn winding method which does
not lower production efficiency of a package and which
reduces a discarding amount of a yarn as much as possible.
15 An automatic winder according to the present
invention includes a plurality of tray-type winding units
arranged in an arrangement direction and adapted to wind
a yarn of a yarn supplying bobbin loaded on a tray to form
a package; a tray transporting device adapted to transport
20 the tray; at least one magazine-type winding unit arranged
in the arrangement direction with the plurality of
tray-type winding units and including a magazine device
adapted to store the yarn supplying bobbin, the at least
one magazine-type winding unit adapted to wind the yarn of
25 the yarn supplying bobbin supplied from the magazine device
to form a package; and a machine control device arranged
at an end in the arrangement direction and adapted to
control the plurality of tray-type winding units and the
magazine-type winding unit.
30
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an automatic winder
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating
an electrical configuration of the automatic winder;
FIG. 3 is a view of a plurality of tray-type 5 winding
units and two magazine-type winding units seen from the
front;
FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of a tray transport
path of FIG. 1;
10 FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V
of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a side view of a tray-type winding unit;
FIG. 7 is a side view of the magazine-type winding
unit;
15 FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for
determining a transport destination of a tray discharged
to a return path;
FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 when a
residual amount of yarn is small;
20 FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 according
to a first alternative embodiment;
FIG. 11 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 according
to a second alternative embodiment;
FIG. 12A is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for
25 counting the number of trays existing in a range in which
the magazine-type winding unit is arranged in a return path
in the second alternative embodiment, and FIG. 12B is a
flowchart illustrating a procedure for determining a timing
to discharge the yarn supplying bobbin from the
30 magazine-type winding unit in the second alternative
embodiment;
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FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a region where the yarn
supplying tray discharged from the magazine-type winding
unit passes in a third alternative embodiment;
FIG. 14A is a side view of a lower side portion of
the magazine-type winding unit according to 5 a fourth
alternative embodiment, and FIG. 14B is a plan view of FIG.
14A seen from a direction of an arrow B;
FIG. 15 is a view corresponding to FIG. 1 according
to a fifth alternative embodiment; and
10 FIG. 16 is a flowchart corresponding to FIG. 8
according to the fifth alternative embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will
15 be hereinafter described.
(Overall configuration of automatic winder)
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, an automatic winder
1 according to the present embodiment unwinds a yarn Y from
a yarn supplying bobbin 8 manufactured by a ring spinning
20 machine 2 to form a package P, and includes a plurality of
(e.g., about 44 to 60) tray-type winding units 3, two
magazine-type winding units 4, a tray transporting device
5, and a doffing device 6. Description will be made below
with a front-back direction, a left-right direction, and
25 an upper-lower direction defined as illustrated in FIGS.
1 and 3. Furthermore, description will be made below with
a front side and a back side in the front-back direction,
a right side and a left side in the left-right direction,
and an upper side and a lower side in the upper-lower
30 direction defined as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.
The plurality of tray-type winding units 3 are
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arranged on the left side of the ring spinning machine 2
with a distance from the ring spinning machine 2. The
plurality of tray-type winding units 3 are arranged in the
left-right direction (“arrangement direction” according to
the present invention). The two magazine-type 5 winding
units 4 are arranged on the left side of the plurality of
tray-type winding units 3. The two magazine-type winding
units 4 are arranged in the left-right direction along with
the plurality of tray-type winding units 3. The plurality
10 of tray-type winding units 3 and the two magazine-type
winding units 4 are attached to a common frame 20 extending
in the left-right direction so as to be arranged in the
left-right direction. The tray-type winding unit 3 and the
magazine-type winding unit 4 are adapted to wind the yarn
15 Y unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin 8 manufactured in
the ring spinning machine 2 to form the package P. The tray
transporting device 5 transports a tray 7 for loading the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 between the ring spinning machine
2 and the plurality of tray-type winding units 3. The
20 doffing device 6 is configured to be movable in the
left-right direction above the plurality of tray-type
winding units 3. The doffing device 6 doffs the package
P formed by the plurality of tray-type winding units 3. The
doffing device 6 does not, however, doff the package P
25 formed by the two magazine-type winding units 4.
(Tray transporting device)
Next, a description will be made on the tray
transporting device 5. The tray transporting device 5
includes a tray transport path 11, a lead-out device 12,
30 a bobbin stripper (residual yarn processing device) 13, a
reading device 14, and residual yarn sensors 15, 16. The
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tray transport path 11 includes a main transport path 21,
a first bypass path 22a, a second bypass path 22b, and a
branched collecting path 23.
The main transport path 21 includes a supply path 21a
for transporting the tray 7 to the plurality of tray-5 type
winding units 3, and a return path 21b for collecting the
tray 7 from the plurality of tray-type winding units 3. The
supply path 21a is arranged on the back side of the plurality
of tray-type winding units 3, and extends in the left-right
10 direction. The supply path 21a is not arranged in a range
in which the two magazine-type winding units 4 are arranged
in the left-right direction. The return path 21b is
arranged on the front side of the plurality of tray-type
winding units 3, and extends in the left-right direction.
15 The return path 21b is also not arranged in the range in
which the two magazine-type winding units 4 are arranged
in the left-right direction.
The first bypass path 22a connects a halfway portion
of the supply path 21a and a halfway portion of the return
20 path 21b. The first bypass path 22a is a path for returning
the tray from the return path 21b to the supply path 21a.
The second bypass path 22b connects a portion downstream
(left side) in a tray transport direction of a connecting
portion with the first bypass path 22a of the supply path
25 21a, and a portion upstream (left side) in the tray
transport direction of a connecting portion with the first
bypass path 22a of the return path 21b. The second bypass
path 22b is a path for storing the yarn supplying bobbin
8 in which the lead-out process has not been normally
30 carried out by the lead-out device 12, and returning the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 to the return path 21b. In the
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present embodiment, the second bypass path 22b corresponds
to a tray storing section of the present invention adapted
to store the tray 7 loaded with the yarn supplying bobbin
8 in which the lead-out process has failed.
The branched collecting path 23 is branched from 5 a
portion downstream (right side) in the tray transport
direction of the plurality of tray-type winding units 3 of
the return path 21b, and bypasses connecting portions of
the return path 21b with the first bypass path 22a and the
10 second bypass path 22b to again merge with the return path
21b. As will be described later, the branched collecting
path 23 separates the tray 7 from the main transport path
21 and stores the tray 7, the tray 7 being loaded with the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 discharged without the yarn Y
15 normally unwound therefrom in the tray-type winding unit
3. In the present embodiment, the branched collecting path
23 corresponds to the tray storing section of the present
invention adapted to store the tray 7 loaded with the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 from which the yarn Y is not normally
20 unwound.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, the tray transport
path 11 includes a transporting base body 31, a guide rail
32 formed on an upper surface of the transporting base body
31, and a conveyor 33 arranged along and below the guide
25 rail 32. The main transport path 21, the first bypass path
22a, and the branched collecting path 23 are respectively
configured by the guide rail 32 and the conveyor 33.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the tray 7 includes a tray
main body member 41 on which the yarn supplying bobbin 8
30 is loaded. The tray main body member 41 includes a
circular-disc shaped base portion 42, a loading portion 43
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arranged on an upper surface of the base portion 42, and
a core bar 44 arranged on an upper surface of the loading
portion 43. The core bar 44 is a bar-shaped portion having
an outer diameter slightly smaller than an inner diameter
of a core tube 8a of the yarn supplying bobbin 8. The 5 core
bar 44 includes a plurality of (e.g., three) holding claws
44a arranged so as to appear on the side surface thereof.
The plurality of holding claws 44a are arranged at an equal
interval in a circumferential direction of the core bar 44.
10 Each holding claw 44a is urged in a direction in which the
holding claw 44a projects out from a circumferential
surface of the core bar 44 by a spring member (not
illustrated) arranged in the core bar 44.
A lower end portion of the core tube 8a of the yarn
15 supplying bobbin 8 is inserted into the core bar 44. In
this case, the lower end face of the core tube 8a makes
contact with an upper surface of the loading portion 43.
Furthermore, in such a state, the plurality of holding claws
44a project out from the side surface of the core bar 44
20 and are pushed against an inner surface of the core tube
8a. The yarn supplying bobbin 8 is thereby held by the tray
main body member 41 in an upright state. There may also
be employed the tray 7 that supports the yarn supplying
bobbin 8 with only the core bar 44 that does not have the
25 holding claws 44a.
An IC tag 45 adapted to rewritably store various types
of data is arranged inside the base portion 42 of the tray
main body member 41. The IC tag 45 stores a tray number,
and information related to the quality of the loaded yarn
30 supplying bobbin 8, and the like, as will be described later.
The IC tag 45 is protected by being covered by a cover member
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46 attached to an upper part of the base portion 42.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base portion 42
of the tray 7 is accommodated in a space below the guide
rail 32 and is loaded on the conveyor 33. The loading
portion 43 of the tray 7 is movably locked to a lower 5 part
of the guide rail 32. When the conveyor 33 is driven, the
tray 7 loaded on the conveyor 33 is transported along the
guide rail 32. In this case, the tray 7 is transported to
the left side in the supply path 21a, and the tray 7 is
10 transported to the right side in the return path 21b.
The lead-out device 12 is arranged at a portion
downstream (left side) in the tray transport direction of
the connecting portion with the first bypass path 22a of
the supply path 21a. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the lead-out
15 device 12 drops the yarn end of the yarn supplying bobbin
8 supplied from the ring spinning machine 2 into the core
tube 8a so that the yarn end of the yarn supplying bobbin
8 can be caught by the tray-type winding unit 3 (lead-out
process). After the lead-out process is performed on the
20 yarn supplying bobbin 8 in the lead-out device 12, the tray
7 loaded with the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is transported
towards the plurality of tray-type winding units 3 along
the supply path 21a.
The bobbin stripper 13 is arranged on the first bypass
25 path 22a. The bobbin stripper 13 removes the residual yarn
remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 after the yarn Y
is unwound in the plurality of tray-type winding units 3
before the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is returned from the
return path 21b to the ring spinning machine 2.
30 The reading device 14 is arranged at a portion
immediately upstream of a branched portion with the
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branched collecting path 23 in the transport direction of
the tray 7 of the return path 21b. The reading device 14
reads the information stored in the IC tag 45 of the tray
7. As will be described later, the transport destination
(whether to be transported towards the bobbin stripper 5 er 13,
returned to the supply path 21a through the first bypass
path 22a, or transported to the branched collecting path
23) of the tray 7 transported on the return path 21b is
determined based on the information stored in the IC tag
10 45.
The residual yarn sensor 15 is arranged at a portion
slightly upstream (left side) in the tray transport
direction of the connecting portion with the first bypass
path 22a of the return path 21b. The residual yarn sensor
15 15 is adapted to detect whether or not the yarn Y is remaining
on the yarn supplying bobbin 8. The residual yarn sensor
16 is arranged at a portion immediately upstream of the
bobbin stripper 13 in the tray transport direction of the
first bypass path 22a. The residual yarn sensor 15 is
20 adapted to detect the residual yarn amount of the yarn
supplying bobbin 8.
In the present embodiment, a portion (portion
surrounded with chain dashed line in FIG. 1) including the
first bypass path 22a, the second bypass path 22b, the
25 branched collecting path 23, the lead-out device 12, the
bobbin stripper 13, the reading device 14, and the residual
yarn sensors 15, 16 of the tray transporting device 5 is
a bobbin preparing device 9 adapted to prepare the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 loaded on the tray 7 to be supplied to
30 the plurality of tray-type winding units 3. In the present
embodiment, the bobbin preparing device 9 is arranged on
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the right side of the plurality of tray-type winding units
3. Thus, the two magazine-type winding units 4 and the
bobbin preparing device 9 are arranged to sandwich the
plurality of tray-type winding units 3 in the transport
direction5 .
Furthermore, in addition to the configuration
described above, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the tray
transporting device 5 includes a control section 34
communicably connected to a machine control device 10 of
10 the automatic winder 1 and adapted to control the operation
of the driving section of the conveyor 33, the lead-out
device 12, the bobbin stripper 13, and the like.
(Tray-type winding unit)
Next, a description will be made on the tray-type
15 winding unit 3. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the tray-type
winding unit 3 includes a tray-type yarn supplying section
51 adapted to unwind the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin
8 and supply the yarn Y, a yarn processing section 52 adapted
to carry out various processes with respect to the yarn Y
20 supplied from the tray-type yarn supplying section 51, and
a winding section 53 adapted to wind the yarn Y processed
by the yarn processing section 52 around a winding tube 70
to form the package P. The tray-type yarn supplying section
51, the yarn processing section 52, and the winding section
25 53 are arranged in this order from the bottom to the top.
The tray-type winding unit 3 includes a unit control section
54 communicably connected with the machine control device
10 of the automatic winder 1.
The tray-type yarn supplying section 51 includes a
30 tray supplying/discharging section 61 adapted to pull in
the tray 7 transported from the tray transporting device
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5 and discharge the tray 7 to the tray transporting device
5, a read/write device 62 capable of communicating data with
the IC tag 45 of the tray 7, and an unwinding assisting device
63 adapted to assist the unwinding of the yarn Y from the
5 yarn supplying bobbin 8.
The tray-type yarn supplying section 51 includes a
panel member 65, and a tray passage 66 (see FIG. 1) connected
to the supply path 21a and the return path 21b is formed
in the panel member 65. The tray supplying/discharging
10 section 61 is arranged on the lower side of the panel member
65. The tray supplying/discharging section 61 first pulls
in the tray 7 transported from the supply path 21a of the
tray transporting device 5 to the tray passage 66. The tray
7 pulled into a holding position A (hatched tray position
15 in FIG. 1) located at substantially the middle of the tray
passage 66 is held while unwinding the yarn Y from the yarn
supplying bobbin 8. Furthermore, the tray 7 loaded with
the yarn supplying bobbin 8, in which the unwinding of the
yarn Y is terminated, is discharged from the tray passage
20 66 to the return path 21b.
The read/write device 62 is arranged above the panel
member 65. The read/write device 62 carries out reading
and writing of data with the IC tag 45 of the tray 7 held
by the tray supplying/discharging section 61.
25 The unwinding assisting device 63 includes a movable
tube body 63a placed over an upper end portion of the yarn
supplying bobbin 8. The movable tube body 63a is lowered
as the unwinding of the yarn Y advances to regulate the
bulging (balloon) of the yarn Y being unwound, thus
30 stabilizing the unwinding tension. The movable tube body
63a can be raised and lowered by a motor (not illustrated).
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The winding section 53 includes a cradle 71 with a
pair of cradle arms that support the winding tube 70 in a
freely rotatable and removable manner, and a traverse drum
72 that can be brought into contact with a surface of the
winding tube 70 supported by the cradle 71 or a surface 5 ace of
the package P formed on the winding tube 70. When the
traverse drum 72 is rotatably driven by the motor (not
illustrated) while the traverse drum 72 is in contact with
the winding tube 70 (or the surface of the package P), the
10 winding section 53 causes the winding tube 70 to rotate
accompanying the rotation of the traverse drum 72 while
traversing the yarn Y to form the package P on an outer
circumference of the winding tube 70.
The yarn processing section 52 includes a yarn filler
15 81, a tension applying device 82, a yarn joining device 83,
a yarn clearer 84, and a waxing device 85 in this order from
the lower side.
The yarn filler 81 is adapted to detect the presence
or absence of the travelling yarn Y between the unwinding
20 assisting device 63 and the tension applying device 82. The
tension applying device 82 is adapted to apply
predetermined tension on the travelling yarn Y. The
tension applying device 82 may be a gate-type tension
applying device including fixed comb teeth and movable comb
25 teeth, which are movably arranged with respect to the fixed
comb teeth, for example.
The yarn joining device 83 is adapted to join a yarn
from the yarn supplying side (lower yarn) and a yarn from
the winding side (upper yarn) after the yarn clearer 84
30 detects a yarn defect and cuts the yarn Y, after the yarn
breaks by tension while the yarn is being unwound from the
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yarn supplying bobbin 8, or when the yarn of the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 runs out and a new yarn supplying bobbin
8 is supplied. The yarn joining device 83 may be, for
example, a so-called air splicer that includes an
untwisting nozzle adapted to untwist the upper yarn end 5 and
the lower yarn end, and a twisting nozzle adapted to apply
a whirling airflow on both untwisted yarn ends to twist the
yarn ends. Although not illustrated, the yarn joining
device 83 includes a yarn introducing lever adapted to
10 introduce the yarn Y, a cutter adapted to cut the yarn Y,
a clamp adapted to grip the introduced yarn Y, and the like.
The yarn joining device 83 also includes a counter 83a
adapted to count the number of yarn joining operations for
the yarn supplying bobbin 8.
15 The yarn clearer 84 is adapted to detect a yarn defect
such as slub, and the presence or absence of the yarn Y,
and includes a cutter (not illustrated) for cutting the yarn
when the yarn defect is detected. The waxing device 85 is
adapted to apply wax on the yarn Y.
20 A lower yarn catching and guiding member 86 and an
upper yarn catching and guiding member 87 are respectively
arranged below and above the yarn joining device 83.
The lower yarn catching and guiding member 86 is
configured in a pipe form, and can be vertically swung with
25 a shaft 86a as a center by a motor (not illustrated) and
also includes a suction port 86b at a distal end portion.
Furthermore, a negative pressure source 88 is connected to
the lower yarn catching and guiding member 86, and the air
is sucked from the suction port 86b at the distal end to
30 catch the yarn end. A shutter 90 that opens/closes between
the lower yarn catching and guiding member 86 and the
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negative pressure source 88 is arranged between the lower
yarn catching and guiding member 86 and the negative
pressure source 88. When carrying out the yarn joining
operation in the yarn joining device 83, the lower yarn
catching and guiding member 86 is swung to a lower po5 sition
with the shaft 86a as the center to catch the lower yarn
at the relevant position. Then, the lower yarn catching
and guiding member 86 is swung to an upper position with
the shaft 86a as the center while catching the lower yarn
10 to guide the lower yarn to the yarn joining device 83.
The upper yarn catching and guiding member 87 is
configured in a pipe form, and can be vertically swung with
a shaft 87a as a center by a motor (not illustrated) and
also includes a mouth 87b at a distal end portion.
15 Furthermore, a negative pressure source 89 is connected to
the upper yarn catching and guiding member 87, and the air
is sucked from the mouth 87b at the distal end to catch the
yarn end. A shutter 91 that opens/closes between the upper
yarn catching and guiding member 87 and the negative
20 pressure source 89 is arranged between the lower yarn
catching and guiding member 87 and the negative pressure
source 89. When carrying out the yarn joining operation
in the yarn joining device 83, the upper yarn catching and
guiding member 87 is swung to an upper position with the
25 shaft 87a as the center to catch the upper yarn at the
relevant position. Then, the upper yarn catching and
guiding member 87 is swung to a lower position with the shaft
87a as the center while catching the upper yarn to guide
the upper yarn to the yarn joining device 83.
30 In the tray-type winding unit 3, for example, when
the quality of the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is
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not satisfactory, the unwound yarn Y is frequently broken
by tension and the yarn joining operation is carried out
a number of times. If the number of yarn joining operations
counted by the counter 83a is greater than or equal to a
predetermined number of times (e.g., three times or more5 ),
the yarn joining operation is not carried out and the tray
7 (yarn supplying bobbin 8) is discharged to the return path
21b. In this case, information indicating that the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 is a defective bobbin having
10 unsatisfactory quality is written to the IC tag 45 by the
read/write device 62.
If the yarn breakage by tension frequently occurs in
the yarn supplying bobbin 8, the yarn Y is not normally
unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin 8. In the present
15 embodiment, when the number of yarn joining operations
counted by the counter 83a is greater than or equal to the
predetermined number of times, the yarn supplying bobbin
8 is determined as the defective bobbin in which the yarn
breakage by tension has frequently occurred. In other
20 words, in the present embodiment, the counter 83a adapted
to count the number of yarn joining operations corresponds
to an unwinding defect detecting means according to the
present invention.
When the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin 8 runs
25 out and a new yarn supplying bobbin 8 is supplied, the yarn
end of the newly supplied yarn supplying bobbin 8 is sucked
and caught as the lower yarn by the lower yarn catching and
guiding member 86. In this case, if the yarn end of the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 is dropped inside the core tube 8a,
30 the yarn end of the yarn supplying bobbin 8 can be caught
by the lower yarn catching and guiding member 86, but the
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yarn end of the yarn supplying bobbin 8 may fall out from
the core tube 8a due to vibration and flow of air during
the transport of the tray 7. In the yarn joining operation
other than the cases described above, the yarn joining
operation may fail due to factors such as failure to 5 catch
the upper yarn by the upper yarn catching and guiding member
87, failure to catch the lower yarn by the lower yarn
catching and guiding member 86, and the like. In the
present embodiment, the yarn joining operation is
10 repeatedly executed when the yarn joining operation has
failed, and the tray 7 (yarn supplying bobbin 8) is
discharged to the return path 21b if the yarn joining
operation is not successful even after the yarn joining
operation is repeated for a predetermined number of times
15 (e.g., three times).
Also when the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin 8
runs out and a new yarn supplying bobbin 8 is supplied, the
tray 7 loaded with the yarn supplying bobbin 8, from which
the yarn Y is unwound up to this point, is discharged to
20 the return path 21b.
The unit control section 54 is configured by a CPU
(Central Processing unit), which is an arithmetic
processing unit, a ROM (Read-Only Memory) that stores a
program to be executed by the CPU and data used in the program,
25 a RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily stores data
at the time of execution of the program, an input/output
interface that carries out input/output of data with the
outside, and the like, and is communicably connected to the
machine control device 10 of the automatic winder 1.
30 (Magazine-type winding unit)
Next, a description will be made on the magazine-type
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winding unit 4. As illustrated in FIG. 7, in the
magazine-type winding unit 4, the tray-type yarn supplying
section 51 of the tray-type winding unit 3 is replaced with
a magazine-type yarn supplying section 100.
The magazine-type yarn supplying section 105 0
includes a magazine device 101, a guide shoot 102, a bobbin
supporting section 103, and a yarn guiding lever 104.
The magazine device 101 is provided with a plurality
of bobbin accommodation holes 101a arranged in a
10 circumferential direction and adapted to each accommodate
the yarn supplying bobbin 8. In the present embodiment,
the operator collects the yarn supplying bobbin 8 which is
loaded on the tray 7 stored in the branched collecting path
23 and sets the yarn supplying bobbin 8 in the bobbin
15 accommodation hole 101a, as will be described later.
A bobbin receiving board 106 adapted to receive the
plurality of yarn supplying bobbins 8 accommodated in each
of the plurality of bobbin accommodation holes 101a is
arranged below the magazine device 101. A cutout 106a is
20 formed in the bobbin receiving board 106.
The magazine device 101 can be rotated with a shaft
101b as a center by a motor (not illustrated). When a
certain bobbin accommodation hole 101a is positioned above
the cutout 106a, the yarn supplying bobbin 8 accommodated
25 in the relevant bobbin accommodation hole 101a drops into
the guide shoot 102 through the cutout 106a. The magazine
device 101 includes a yarn end holding section 105. The
yarn end holding section 105 sucks and holds the yarn end
of the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin 8 accommodated
30 in the magazine device 101. In the present embodiment, the
operator catches the yarn end of the yarn supplying bobbin
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8 and brings the yarn end closer to the yarn end holding
section 105 before accommodating the yarn supplying bobbin
8 in the bobbin accommodation hole 101a so that the yarn
end of the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is sucked by the yarn
end holding section 5 105.
The guide shoot 102 guides the yarn supplying bobbin
8 dropped from the magazine device 101 to the bobbin
supporting section 103. The bobbin supporting section 103
includes a peg 108 that holds the yarn supplying bobbin 8
10 by being inserted to the lower end portion of the core tube
8a of the yarn supplying bobbin 8, and a springboard 109
(“bobbin discharging device” of the present invention) that
discharges the yarn supplying bobbin 8 held by the peg 108
to the outside of the bobbin supporting section 103.
15 The peg 108 can be swung in the front-back direction
by a motor (not illustrated), and takes a posture tilted
towards the front side so that its distal end portion faces
the guide shoot 102 side during the supplying of the yarn
supplying bobbin 8, and takes an upright posture during the
20 winding of the yarn Y.
The springboard 109 waits in a horizontal state as
illustrated in FIG. 7 when the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is
held in the upright state by the peg 108. In this case,
the lower end of the yarn supplying bobbin 8 makes contact
25 with the springboard 109. The springboard 109 is swung
forward from this state, so that the yarn supplying bobbin
8 loaded thereon is flipped towards the front side thus
discharging the yarn supplying bobbin 8. The springboard
109 is driven by the same motor as the peg 108, for example.
30 A bobbin collecting box 110 (“bobbin collecting section”
of the present invention) is arranged in front of the
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magazine-type winding unit 4. The bobbin collecting box
110 has the upper end opened, so that the flipped yarn
supplying bobbin 8 drops into the bobbin collecting box 110.
The yarn guiding lever 104 is arranged between the
magazine device 101 and the guide shoot 102, and is 5 swung
with a vertically extending swing shaft 104a as a center
by a motor (not illustrated)
In the magazine-type winding unit 4, when replacing
the yarn supplying bobbin 8, the yarn supplying bobbin 8
10 is supplied from the magazine device 101 to the bobbin
supporting section 103, and thereafter, the yarn guiding
lever 104 is swung towards the back side with the lower yarn
catching and guiding member 86 swung to the front position,
as illustrated with a chain dashed line in FIG. 7. The yarn
15 Y between the magazine device 101 (yarn end holding section
105) and the peg 108 is thereby guided to a proximity of
the suction port 86b of the lower yarn catching and guiding
member 86 by the yarn guiding lever 104. The yarn Y is
thereby sucked from the suction port 86b, and guided to the
20 yarn joining device 83 by the lower yarn catching and
guiding member 86.
(Machine control device)
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the machine control device
10 is communicably connected to each of the control section
25 34 of the tray transporting device 5, the unit control
section 54 of the plurality of tray-type winding units 3,
and the unit control section 54 of the magazine-type winding
unit 4, and controls the operation of the tray transporting
device 5, the plurality of tray-type winding units 3, and
30 the two magazine-type winding units 4. As illustrated in
FIGS. 2 and 3, the machine control device 10 includes an
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input section 10a, a display section 10b, and a lamp 10c.
The input section 10a is configured to enable input of
various types of conditions necessary for the control of
each device of the automatic winder 1. The display section
10b can display the operation status of each device of 5 the
automatic winder 1 or the display related to abnormality
of each device. The lamp 10c is lighted to notify the
occurrence of abnormality to the operator when some kind
of abnormality occurs in each device of the automatic winder
10 1.
(Determination of transport destination of yarn
supplying bobbin discharged to return path)
Next, a description will be made on a procedure for
determining the transport destination of the tray 7 (yarn
15 supplying bobbin 8) discharged from the tray-type winding
unit 3 to the return path 21b. As illustrated in FIG. 8,
firstly, the tray 7 discharged to the return path 21b has
the information related to the quality of the bobbin read
from the IC tag 45 when passing the reading device 14 (S101).
20 If the yarn supplying bobbin 8 loaded on the tray 7 is a
defective bobbin (S102: YES), the tray 7 is transported
towards the branched collecting path 23 (S103).
The tray 7 transported to the branched collecting
path 23 is stored on the branched collecting path 23. The
25 yarn supplying bobbin 8 which is loaded on the tray 7 stored
on the branched collecting path 23 is collected by the
operator. The collected yarn supplying bobbin 8 is set in
the bobbin accommodation hole 101a of the magazine device
101 of the magazine-type winding unit 4. An empty yarn
30 supplying bobbin 8 is loaded on the tray 7, from which the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 is collected, by the operator. In
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other words, in the present embodiment, the tray 7
transported to the branched collecting path 23 waits at the
branched collecting path 23 until the collecting of the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 is completed (until the yarn supplying
bobbin 8 is collected and the empty yarn supplying 5 bobbin
8 is loaded instead) (S104: NO). After the collecting of
the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is completed (S104: YES), the
tray is returned from the branched collecting path 23 to
the return path 21b and transported towards the ring
10 spinning machine 2 (S105).
If the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is not a defective
bobbin (S102: NO), the tray 7 is transported downstream of
the return path 21b, and whether or not the yarn Y is
remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is determined by
15 the residual yarn sensor 15 (S106). If the yarn Y is not
remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 (S106: NO), the
tray 7 is transported towards the ring spinning machine 2
(S105). If the yarn Y is remaining on the yarn supplying
bobbin 8 (S106: YES), the tray is transported towards the
20 first bypass path 22a (S107).
The tray 7 transported to the first bypass path 22a
is determined whether or not the residual amount of the yarn
Y on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is greater than or equal
to the upper limit amount based on the detection result of
25 the residual yarn sensor 16 (S108). If the residual amount
of the yarn Y on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is greater than
or equal to a predetermined amount (S108: YES), the lead-out
process is carried out in the lead-out device 12 without
removing the residual yarn by the bobbin stripper 13 (S109).
30 If the lead-out process is successful (S110: YES), the tray
7 is supplied to the tray-type winding unit 3 (S111). If
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the lead-out process has failed (S110: NO), the tray 7 is
transported towards the second bypass path 22b (S112).
The tray 7 transported to the second bypass path 22b
in S112 is stored in the second bypass path 22b. The yarn
supplying bobbin 8 which is loaded on the tray 7 stored 5 in
the second bypass path 22b is collected by the operator.
The collected yarn supplying bobbin 8 is set in the bobbin
accommodation hole 101a of the magazine device 101 of the
magazine-type winding unit 4. The empty yarn supplying
10 bobbin 8 is loaded on the tray 7, from which the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 is collected, by the operator. In other
words, in the present embodiment, the tray 7 transported
to the second bypass path 22b in S112 waits at the second
bypass path 22b until the collecting of the yarn supplying
15 bobbin 8 is completed (S113: NO). After the collecting of
the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is completed (S113: YES), the
tray 7 is returned from the second bypass path 22b to the
return path 21b (returns to S106). The tray 7 returned to
the return path 21b is checked whether the yarn Y is not
20 remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 (S106: YES), and
is transported towards the ring spinning machine 2 (S105).
If the residual amount of the yarn on the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 is smaller than the predetermined amount
(S108: NO), the residual yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin
25 8 is removed by the bobbin stripper 13 (S114). The tray
7 is thereafter transported to the second bypass path 22b
through the supply path 21a (S115). In this case, the tray
7 passes through the lead-out device 12, but the lead-out
process by the lead-out device 12 is not carried out since
30 the yarn Y is not remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin
8. The tray 7 transported to the second bypass path 22b
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in S115 is returned to the return path 21b (returns to S106).
The tray 7 returned to the return path 21b is checked whether
the yarn Y is not remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin
8 (S106: YES), and transported towards the ring spinning
machine 2 (S105). As described above, if the yarn 5 supplying
bobbin 8, in which the lead-out process has failed, is
stored in the second bypass path 22b, this prevents the
returning of the tray 7 loaded with the empty yarn supplying
bobbin 8, in which the residual yarn of the yarn supplying
10 bobbin 8 is removed by the bobbin stripper 13, to the return
path 21b. Thus, if the yarn supplying bobbin 8, in which
the lead-out process has failed, is transported to the
second bypass path 22b in S112, the notification is
preferably made to the operator to urge the collecting of
15 the yarn supplying bobbins 8, in which the lead-out process
has failed.
According to the embodiment described above, in the
tray-type winding unit 3, the yarn supplying bobbin 8
(defective bobbin) in which yarn breakage occurred by
20 tension over a number of times has a high possibility of
yarn breakage occurring by tension over a number of times
even if the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is returned from the
first bypass path 22a to the supply path 21a, subjected to
the lead-out process by the lead-out device 12, and again
25 supplied to the tray-type winding unit 3. As a result, the
production efficiency of the package P in the tray-type
winding unit 3 degrades. If the residual amount of the yarn
Y on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is large, the discarding
amount of the yarn Y becomes large if the residual yarn is
30 removed by the bobbin stripper 13.
As is apparent from comparing FIG. 5 and FIG. 9, if
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the residual amount of the yarn Y on the yarn supplying
bobbin 8 discharged from the tray-type winding unit 3 is
not too large (e.g., smaller than or equal to half the yarn
amount of fully-wound package), the distance between the
portion where the yarn Y is wound in the core tube 5 8a and
the upper end portion where the yarn end is dropped in the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 becomes large compared to the case
where the residual amount of the yarn of the yarn supplying
bobbin 8 is large (e.g., greater than half the yarn amount
10 of fully-wound package). Thus, if the residual amount of
the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin 8 discharged from
the tray-type winding unit 3 is not too large, the lead-out
process by the lead-out device 12 tends to fail. In some
yarn supplying bobbins 8, the lead-out by the lead-out
15 device 12 tends to fail even if the residual amount of the
yarn Y is large. In this case, consideration is made to
remove, by the bobbin stripper 13, the yarn Y of the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 in which the lead-out process has failed,
but then, the discarding amount of the yarn Y becomes large.
20 In the present embodiment, therefore, if the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 is the defective bobbin (S102: YES), the
tray 7 is transported to the branched collecting path 23
(S103). The yarn supplying bobbin 8 which is loaded on the
tray 7 stored in the branched collecting path 23 is
25 collected. In the present embodiment, if the lead-out
process has failed (S110: NO), the tray 7 is transported
to the second bypass path 22b (S112). The yarn supplying
bobbin 8 which is loaded on the tray 7 stored in the second
bypass path 22b is then collected. In the magazine-type
30 winding unit 4, the yarn Y is unwound from the collected
yarn supplying bobbin 8 to form the package P. The lowering
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in the production efficiency of the package P in the
tray-type winding unit 3 thus can be prevented, and the
discarding amount of the yarn Y can be reduced.
In the present embodiment, the bobbin collecting box
110, to which the yarn supplying bobbin 8 discharged 5 d from
the magazine-type winding unit 4 is dropped, is arranged
on the front side of the two magazine-type winding units
4. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the two
magazine-type winding units 4 and the bobbin preparing
10 device 9 are arranged to sandwich the plurality of tray-type
winding units 3 in the left-right direction. The return
path 21b extending in the left-right direction across the
plurality of tray-type winding units 3 is not located in
a range in which the two magazine-type winding units 4 are
15 arranged. The yarn supplying bobbin 8 discharged from the
magazine-type winding unit 4 thus does not interfere with
the yarn supplying bobbin 8 which is loaded on the tray 7
transported through the return path 21b.
In the embodiment described above, the plurality of
20 tray-type winding units 3 and the two magazine-type winding
units 4 are arranged in the left-right direction by being
attached to the common frame 20 extending in the left-right
direction. Therefore, the degree of freedom in the
arrangement of the plurality of tray-type winding units 3
25 and the two magazine-type winding units 4 is improved. Thus,
when installing the plurality of tray-type winding units
3 and the two magazine-type winding units 4, the two
magazine-type winding units 4 can be easily arranged on the
left side of the plurality of tray-type winding units 3 as
30 in the present embodiment, or the two magazine-type winding
units 4 can be arranged on the right side of the plurality
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of tray-type winding units 3, as will be described later
in a second alternative embodiment (see FIG. 11).
The sum of the number of tray-type winding units 3
and the number of magazine-type winding units 4 is
determined by the width and the like of the space to 5 arrange
the automatic winder 1. Among the yarn supplying bobbins
8, from which the yarn Y is unwound in the automatic winder
1, the number of yarn supplying bobbins 8 from which the
yarn Y is unwound in the magazine-type winding unit 4 is
10 usually very small (e.g., 10% or less) compared to the
number of yarn supplying bobbins 8 from which the yarn Y
is unwound in the tray-type winding unit 3. Therefore, even
if the number of magazine-type winding units 4 is smaller
than or equal to one-tenth of the number of tray-type
15 winding units 3, the yarn Y can be sufficiently unwound from
the yarn supplying bobbin 8 transported to the branched
collecting path 23 to form the package P. If the number
of magazine-type winding units 4 is smaller than or equal
to one-tenth of the number of tray-type winding units 3,
20 the number of tray-type winding units 3 can be increased
by such an amount and the production efficiency of the
package P in the plurality of tray-type winding units 3 can
be improved.
In the magazine-type winding unit 4 of the present
25 embodiment, the yarn Y unwound from the yarn supplying
bobbin 8 with small amount of residual yarn is wound to form
the package P. Thus, the number of yarn supplying bobbins
8 used to form one package P is greater in the package P
formed by the magazine-type winding unit 4 than the package
30 P formed by the tray-type winding unit 3, and hence the
number of yarn joining operations becomes greater by such
30 / 62
an amount. As a result, a difference is created in the
quality of the package P formed by the tray-type winding
unit 3 and the package P formed by the magazine-type winding
unit 4. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the
doffing device 6 doffs only the package P formed by 5 the
tray-type winding unit 3 and does not doff the package P
formed by the magazine-type winding unit 4. Thus, the
packages P of different qualities can be prevented from
mixing. The package P formed by the magazine-type winding
10 unit 4 is doffed manually by the operator, which is a burden
on the operator. However, the number of packages P formed
by the magazine-type winding unit 4 is usually small
compared to the number of packages P formed by the tray-type
winding unit 3. Therefore, the burden of the operator is
15 small if the doffing device 6 doffs only the package P formed
by the magazine-type winding unit 4 and the operator
manually doffs the package P formed by the tray-type winding
unit 3, as opposed to the present embodiment.
In the present embodiment, since two magazine-type
20 winding units 4 are arranged apart from the plurality of
tray-type winding units 3, the two magazine-type winding
units 4 can be used for different purposes such as carrying
out the unwinding of the yarn Y by one magazine-type winding
unit 4 for the defective bobbin, and carrying out the
25 unwinding of the yarn Y by the other magazine-type winding
unit 4 for the yarn supplying bobbin 8 in which the lead-out
process has failed, for example.
In the embodiment described above, since the
magazine-type winding unit 4 is arranged apart from the
30 plurality of tray-type winding units 3, the yarn Y unwound
from the yarn supplying bobbin 8 of a yarn type different
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from the yarn type being wound in the tray-type winding unit
3 is wound to form the package P in the magazine-type winding
unit 4 while continuing the forming of the package P in the
plurality of tray-type winding units 3, for example, to
5 carry out the winding test.
Next, a description will be made on alternative
embodiments, in which various changes are made to the
present embodiment.
In the embodiment described above, the bobbin
10 collecting box 110 is arranged in front of the two
magazine-type winding units 4, but the present invention
is not limited thereto. In a first alternative embodiment,
as illustrated in FIG. 10, in front of the two magazine-type
winding units 4, there is arranged a bobbin collecting
15 conveyor 201 that extends in the left-right direction
across the two magazine-type winding units 4 and that
extends to a left side (side opposite to the plurality of
tray-type winding units 3) of a range in which the
magazine-type winding units 4 is arranged. The bobbin
20 collecting box 110 is arranged on the left side of the bobbin
collecting conveyor 201.
In this case, the yarn supplying bobbin 8 discharged
from the magazine-type winding unit 4 is dropped onto the
bobbin collecting conveyor 201, and transported to the
25 bobbin collecting box 110 by the bobbin collecting conveyor
201. In this case as well, the two magazine-type winding
units 4 and the bobbin preparing device 9 are arranged to
sandwich the plurality of tray-type winding units 3 in the
left-right direction, similarly to the embodiment
30 described above. In the left-right direction, the return
path 21b is not arranged in the range in which the two
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magazine-type winding units 4 are arranged, and the bobbin
collecting conveyor 201 is not arranged in the range in
which the plurality of tray-type winding units 3 are
arranged. Therefore, the yarn supplying bobbin 8
discharged from the magazine-type winding unit 4 does 5 not
interfere with the yarn supplying bobbin 8 which is loaded
on the tray 7 transported through the return path 21b.
In the embodiment described above, the two
magazine-type winding units 4 and the bobbin preparing
10 device 9 are arranged to sandwich the plurality of tray-type
winding units 3 in the left-right direction, but the present
invention is not limited thereto. In a second alternative
embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the two
magazine-type winding units 4 are arranged between the
15 plurality of tray-type winding units 3 and the bobbin
preparing device 9 in the left-right direction. In other
words, the two magazine-type winding units 4 and the bobbin
preparing device 9 are all arranged on the right side (same
side) of the plurality of tray-type winding units 3 in the
20 left-right direction. Furthermore, in the second
alternative embodiment, an upstream sensor 211a and a
downstream sensor 211b for detecting the tray 7 are arranged
at portions located on both sides of the range in which the
two magazine-type winding units 4 are located in the
25 left-right direction of the return path 21b, respectively.
In the second alternative embodiment, the upstream sensor
211a and the downstream sensor 211b correspond to a tray
detecting section according to the present invention.
Furthermore, in the second alternative embodiment,
30 a number M of trays 7 that exist at the portion located within
a range in which the two magazine-type winding units 4 are
33 / 62
arranged in the return path 21b is stored in the RAM and
the like of the unit control section 54 of the magazine-type
winding unit 4. As illustrated in FIG. 12A, when the power
of the automatic winder 1 is turned ON, the unit control
section 54 of the magazine-type winding unit 4 resets 5 ts the
number M of trays 7 stored in the RAM and the like to zero
(S201).
If the tray 7 is detected by the upstream sensor 211a
(S202: YES), the unit control section 54 of the
10 magazine-type winding unit 4 increments the number M of
trays 7 stored in the RAM and the like by one (S203), and
proceeds to S204. If the tray 7 is not detected by the
upstream sensor 211a (S202: YES), the process merely
proceeds to S204.
15 Next, if the tray 7 is detected by the downstream
sensor 211b (S204: YES), the unit control section 54 of the
magazine-type winding unit 4 decrements the number M of
trays 7 stored in the RAM and the like by one (S205), and
returns to S202. If the tray 7 is not detected by the
20 downstream sensor 211b (S204: NO), the process returns to
S202. While the power of the automatic winder 1 is turned
ON, the unit control section 54 of the magazine-type winding
unit 4 repeatedly carries out the processes of S202 to S205.
After the tray 7 is detected by the upstream sensor
25 211a and until the tray 7 is detected by the downstream
sensor 211b, the tray 7 exists in the range in which the
two magazine-type winding units 4 are arranged in the return
path 21b. Therefore, as described above, when the number
M of trays 7 is incremented by one when the tray 7 is detected
30 by the upstream sensor 211a and when the number of trays
7 is decremented by one when the tray 7 is detected by the
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downstream sensor 211b, the value of M becomes 0 if there
is no tray 7 in the range in which the two magazine-type
winding units 4 are arranged in the return path 21b and the
value of M becomes the number of trays 7 existing within
the relevant range if the tray 7 exists in this 5 range.
In the second alternative embodiment, when
discharging the yarn supplying bobbin 8 in the
magazine-type winding unit 4, the yarn supplying bobbin 8
is caused to wait if the number M of trays 7 stored in the
10 RAM and the like is greater than or equal to one (S301: NO),
as illustrated in FIG. 12B. The yarn supplying bobbin 8
is discharged (S302) when the number of trays 7 stored in
the RAM and the like becomes zero (S301: YES). That is,
the control section 34 of the tray transporting device 5
15 causes the unit control section 54 of the magazine-type
winding unit 4 to execute the discharging operation of the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 when no tray 7 is detected by the
upstream sensor 211a and the downstream sensor 211b, which
are the tray detecting sections.
20 In the case of the second alternative embodiment, the
two magazine-type winding units 4 and the bobbin preparing
device 9 are all arranged on the right side of the plurality
of tray-type winding units 3 in the left-right direction,
and thus the distance between the two magazine-type winding
25 units 4 and the bobbin preparing device 9 is short compared
to the embodiment described above. Thus, the operation of
setting the yarn supplying bobbin 8 stored in the branched
collecting path 23 in the bobbin accommodation hole 101a
of the magazine device 101 of the magazine-type winding unit
30 4 can be easily carried out.
In the second alternative embodiment, however, the
35 / 62
return path 21b exists between the magazine-type winding
unit 4 and the bobbin collecting box 110, and thus when the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 is discharged from the
magazine-type winding unit 4 to the bobbin collecting box
110, the yarn supplying bobbin 8 discharged from 5 m the
magazine-type winding unit 4 may interfere with the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 which is loaded on the tray 7 transported
through the return path 21b.
Thus, in the second alternative embodiment, the
10 number of trays 7 existing in the range in which the two
magazine-type winding units 4 are arranged in the return
path 21b is counted, and the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is
discharged from the magazine-type winding unit 4 at a timing
at which there is no tray 7 (M=0) in the range, as described
15 above. The interference between the yarn supplying
bobbins 8 described above thus can be prevented.
Furthermore, in the second alternative embodiment,
the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is discharged from the
magazine-type winding unit 4 at the timing at which there
20 is no tray 7 (M=0) in the range where the two magazine-type
winding units 4 are arranged in the return path 21b, but
the present invention is not limited thereto. For example,
in a third alternative embodiment, as illustrated in FIG.
13, the yarn supplying bobbin 8 flipped by the springboard
25 109 goes over a region where the yarn supplying bobbin 8
which is loaded on the tray 7 transported through the return
path 21b passes and is dropped into the bobbin collecting
box 110 in the magazine-type winding unit 4. In FIG. 13,
a path of the flipped yarn supplying bobbin 8 is indicated
30 by an arrow C, and part of the state of the flipped yarn
supplying bobbin 8 until the yarn supplying bobbin 8 drops
36 / 62
into the bobbin collecting box 110 is illustrated with a
chain dashed line. In the third alternative embodiment,
the size and the like of the springboard 109 are determined
so that the yarn supplying bobbin 8 flipped by the
springboard 109 goes over the region where the 5 yarn
supplying bobbin 8 which is loaded on the tray 7 transported
through the return path 21b passes, as described above.
In this case, the yarn supplying bobbin 8 discharged
from the magazine-type winding unit 4 does not interfere
10 with the yarn supplying bobbin 8 which is loaded on the tray
7 transported through the return path 21b, and thus the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 can be discharged from the magazine-type
winding unit 4 at an arbitrary timing. In the third
alternative embodiment, the springboard 109 for
15 discharging the yarn supplying bobbin 8, the upstream
sensor 211a, the downstream sensor 211b, and the unit
control section 54 of the magazine-type winding unit 4
correspond to an interference avoiding means according to
the present invention.
20 In the third alternative embodiment, the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 is flipped by the springboard 109 so as
to go over the region where the yarn supplying bobbin 8 which
is loaded on the tray 7 transported through the return path
21b passes, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
25 For example, a path that guides the yarn supplying bobbin
8 discharged from the magazine-type winding unit 4 to the
bobbin collecting box 110 may be arranged above the return
path 21b, and the yarn supplying bobbin 8 discharged from
the magazine-type winding unit 4 may be prevented from
30 passing the region where the yarn supplying bobbin 8 which
is loaded on the tray 7 transported through the return path
37 / 62
21b passes with a different method such as discharging the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 from the magazine-type winding unit
4 to the path.
In the second and third alternative embodiments, the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 discharged from the magazine-5 type
winding unit 4 is discharged to the bobbin collecting box
110 arranged on the opposite side with the return path 21b
therebetween, but the present invention is not limited
thereto. In a fourth alternative embodiment, as
10 illustrated in FIGS. 14A and 14B, a machine 231 is arranged
at a lower end portion of the magazine-type winding unit
4, and a circular turn table 232 that rotates with a
vertically extending rotation shaft 232a as a center is
arranged on the machine 231. The peg 108, similar to the
15 embodiment described above, is arranged in each of the three
portions, in which a center angle is spaced apart by about
120, of the upper surface of the turn table 232. In the
fourth alternative embodiment, the yarn supplying bobbins
8 can be respectively attached to the three pegs 108.
20 Furthermore, in the fourth alternative embodiment,
when the turn table 232 is rotated, one peg 108 of the three
pegs 108 can be selectively located at a position
(“unwinding position” in the present invention) where the
yarn Y is unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin 8, similar
25 to the embodiment described above, and the two remaining
pegs 108 can be located at positions (“discharging position”
in the present invention) away from the unwinding position.
In the fourth alternative embodiment, when the yarn Y of
the yarn supplying bobbin 8 supported by the peg 108 located
30 at the unwinding position runs out, the turn table 232 is
rotated by about 120 to move the relevant peg 108 to the
38 / 62
discharging position and move a different peg 108 to the
unwinding position. The yarn supplying bobbin 8 is
supplied to the peg 108 newly moved to the unwinding
position from the magazine device 101 to continue forming
the package P. The empty yarn supplying bobbin 8 5 supported
by the peg 108 moved from the unwinding position to the
discharging position is, for example, collected by the
operator.
In the case of the fourth alternative embodiment, the
10 yarn supplying bobbin 8 of the magazine-type winding unit
4 is not discharged towards the opposite side with the
return path 21b therebetween, and hence the yarn supplying
bobbin 8 discharged from the magazine-type winding unit 4
does not interfere with the yarn supplying bobbin 8 which
15 is loaded on the tray 7 transported through the return path
21b. In the fourth alternative embodiment, the turn table
232 that moves the peg 108 from the unwinding position to
the discharging position corresponds to a bobbin
discharging means according to the present invention. In
20 the fourth alternative embodiment, the turn table 232 is
also the interference avoiding means according to the
present invention.
In the fourth alternative embodiment, the three pegs
108 are arranged on the turn table 232, and thus while the
25 yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin 8 supported by one of
the three pegs 108 is being unwound and wound, the empty
yarn supplying bobbin 8 supported by one of the two
remaining pegs 108 may be collected and the yarn supplying
bobbin 8 may be supplied from the magazine device 101 to
30 the other peg 108. In this case, the turn table 232 is
rotated by about 120 after the yarn Y of the yarn supplying
39 / 62
bobbin 8 supported by the relevant one peg 108 runs out,
so that the peg 108, on which the new yarn supplying bobbin
8 is already held, arrives at the unwinding position and
the formation of the package P in the magazine-type winding
unit 5 4 can be immediately resumed.
In the fourth alternative embodiment, the three pegs
108 are arranged on the turn table 232, but two or four or
more pegs 108 may be arranged on the turn table 232. The
peg 108 is not limited to being arranged on the rotatable
10 turn table 232. For example, a plurality of pegs 108 lined
in the left-right direction may be arranged on the upper
surface of the slide member that slides in the left-right
direction, and one of the plurality of pegs 108 may be
located at the unwinding position and the other pegs 108
15 may be located at the discharging positions away from the
unwinding position when the slide member is moved in the
left-right direction.
In the embodiment described above, the IC tag 45 is
arranged on the tray 7 and the determination of S102 to S104
20 is carried out based on the information stored in the IC
tag 45, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
In a fifth alternative embodiment, the IC tag 45 is not
arranged on the tray 7. In correspondence therewith, the
reading device 14 (see FIG. 1) is not arranged on the return
25 path 21b, as illustrated in FIG. 15. Furthermore, as
illustrated in FIG. 15, the tray transport path 11 does not
include the branched collecting path 23 (see FIG. 1).
In the fifth alternative embodiment, when the tray
7 passes the portion where the residual yarn sensor 15 is
30 arranged in the return path 21b, whether or not the yarn
Y is remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is determined
40 / 62
from the detection result of the residual yarn sensor 15
(S401), as illustrated in FIG. 16. If the yarn Y is not
remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 (S401: NO), the
tray 7 is transported towards the ring spinning machine 2
(S402). If the yarn Y is remaining on the yarn 5 supplying
bobbin 8 (S401: YES), the tray 7 is transported towards the
first bypass path 22a (S403).
The tray 7 transported to the first bypass path 22a
is determined whether or not the residual amount of the yarn
10 Y on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is greater than or equal
to a predetermined amount based on the detection result of
the residual yarn sensor 16 (S404). If the residual amount
of the yarn Y on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is greater than
or equal to the predetermined amount (S404: YES), the
15 lead-out process is carried out in the lead-out device 12
without removing the residual yarn by the bobbin stripper
13 (S405). If the lead-out process is successful (S406:
YES), the tray 7 is supplied to the tray-type winding unit
3 (S407). If the lead-out process has failed (S406: NO),
20 the tray 7 is transported towards the second bypass path
22b (S408).
The tray 7 transported to the second bypass path 22b
in S408 is stored in the second bypass path 22b. The yarn
supplying bobbin 8 which is loaded on the tray 7 stored in
25 the second bypass path 22b is collected by the operator.
The collected yarn supplying bobbin 8 is set in the bobbin
accommodation hole 101a of the magazine device 101 of the
magazine-type winding unit 4. On the tray 7, from which
the yarn supplying bobbin 8 is collected, the operator loads
30 an empty yarn supplying bobbin 8. In other words, in the
fifth alternative embodiment, the tray 7 transported to the
41 / 62
second bypass path 22b in S408 waits in the second bypass
path 22b until the collecting of the yarn supplying bobbin
8 is completed (S409: NO). After the collecting of the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 is completed (S409: YES), the tray 7 is
returned from the second bypass path 22b to the return 5 n path
21b (returns to S401). The tray 7 returned to the return
path 21b is checked whether the yarn Y is not remaining on
the yarn supplying bobbin 8 (S401: YES), and transported
towards the ring spinning machine 2 (S402).
10 If the residual amount of the yarn on the yarn
supplying bobbin 8 is smaller than the predetermined amount
(S404: NO), the residual yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin
8 is removed by the bobbin stripper 13 (S410). The tray
7 is thereafter transported to the second bypass path 22b
15 through the supply path 21a (S411). In this case, the tray
7 passes the lead-out device 12, but the lead-out process
by the lead-out device 12 is not carried out since the yarn
Y is not remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin 8. The tray
7 transported to the second bypass path 22b in S411 is
20 returned to the return path 21b (returns to S401). The tray
7 returned to the return path 21b is determined that the
yarn Y is not remaining on the yarn supplying bobbin 8 (S401:
YES), and transported towards the ring spinning machine 2
(S402). If the yarn supplying bobbin 8 in which the
25 lead-out process has failed is stored in the second bypass
path 22b, this prevents the tray 7 loaded with the empty
yarn supplying bobbin 8, in which the residual yarn of the
yarn supplying bobbin 8 is removed by the bobbin stripper
13, from returning to the return path 21b. Thus, when the
30 yarn supplying bobbin 8, in which the lead-out process has
failed in S405, is transported to the second bypass path
42 / 62
22b, notification is preferably made to the operator to urge
the collecting of the yarn supplying bobbin 8, in which the
lead-out process has failed.
In the embodiment described above, the doffing device
6 doffs only the package P formed by the plurality 5 ty of
tray-type winding units 3, and does not doff the package
P formed by the magazine-type winding unit 4. However, the
present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the
doffing device 6 may doff only the package P formed by the
10 magazine-type winding unit 4, and may not doff the package
P formed by the plurality of tray-type winding units 3.
Alternatively, for example, if there is no great difference
in quality between the package P formed by the plurality
of tray-type winding units 3 and the package P formed by
15 the magazine-type winding unit 4, the doffing device 6 may
doff both the package P formed by the plurality of tray-type
winding units 3 and the package P formed by the
magazine-type winding unit 4.
In the embodiment described above, the automatic
20 winder 1 includes two magazine-type winding units 4, but
the present invention is not limited thereto. The
automatic winder 1 merely needs to include at least one
magazine-type winding unit 4. In this case, the number of
magazine-type winding units 4 is not limited to smaller than
25 or equal to one-tenth of the number of tray-type winding
units 3. The number of magazine-type winding units 4 may
be greater than one-tenth of the number of tray-type winding
units 3.
In the embodiment described above, the plurality of
30 tray-type winding units 3 and the two magazine-type winding
units 4 are attached to the common frame 20 extending in
43 / 62
the left-right direction thereof, but the present invention
is not limited thereto. A frame to which the plurality of
tray-type winding units 3 are attached may be different from
a frame to which the two magazine-type winding units 4 are
5 attached.
In the embodiment described above, the ring spinning
machine 2 directly supplies the yarn supplying bobbin 8 to
the tray 7, but the method for supplying the yarn supplying
bobbin 8 is not limited thereto. For example, there may
10 be employed a bobbin supplying device adapted to once
collect the yarn supplying bobbins 8 spun by the ring
spinning machine 2 in a container, and supply the yarn
supplying bobbins 8 from the container to the tray 7.
For example, if the yarn is not normally unwound in
15 the tray-type winding unit (when yarn breakage by tension
frequently occurred, when yarn joining operation failed,
or the like), the yarn supplying bobbin, on which the yarn
is remaining, is discharged from the tray-type winding unit.
Even if the yarn supplying bobbin, on which the yarn is
20 remaining, discharged from the tray-type winding unit due
to winding failure is again supplied to the tray-type
winding unit, the probability is high that the unwinding
of the yarn and a so-called lead-out process enabling the
yarn end of the yarn supplying bobbin to be caught before
25 the supply to the tray-type winding unit are not normally
carried out. Thus, when again supplying the yarn supplying
bobbin, on which the yarn is remaining, to the tray-type
winding unit, the production efficiency of the package in
the automatic winder may be lowered. In the present
30 invention, at least one magazine-type winding unit is
arranged apart from the plurality of tray-type winding
44 / 62
units. In such a case, for example, the yarn supplying
bobbin, on which the yarn is remaining, is set in the
magazine device by an operator, and the yarn can be unwound
from the yarn supplying bobbin and wound in the
magazine-type winding unit. Thus, the lowering in 5 the
production efficiency of the package in the automatic
winder can be prevented. The discarding amount of the yarn
also can be reduced.
The automatic winder according to the present
10 invention further includes a common frame extending in the
arrangement direction and to which the plurality of
tray-type winding units and the magazine-type winding unit
are attached.
According to the present invention, the tray-type
15 winding units and the magazine-type winding unit are
attached to the common frame, so that a degree of freedom
in the arrangement of the tray-type winding units and the
magazine-type winding unit can be increased.
In the automatic winder according to the present
20 invention, a number of the magazine-type winding units is
smaller than or equal to one-tenth of a number of the
tray-type winding units.
Normally, a proportion of the yarn supplying bobbins
in which the lead-out process has failed or the yarn
25 supplying bobbins in which the yarn is not normally unwound
with respect to the yarn supplying bobbins in which the
lead-out process is successful and the yarn is normally
unwound in the tray-type winding unit is extremely small.
In the present invention, the number of magazine-type
30 winding units is smaller than or equal to one-tenth of the
number of tray-type winding units, and hence the number of
45 / 62
tray-type winding units can be made large. Thus, the
winding can be automatically and efficiently carried out
in the large number of tray-type winding units for the
majority of the yarn supplying bobbins in which the lead-out
process is successful and the yarn is normally unwound. 5 On
the other hand, the winding of the yarn can be carried out
in the small number of magazine-type winding units for the
yarn supplying bobbin in which the lead-out process has
failed and the yarn supplying bobbin in which the yarn is
10 not normally unwound, whereby the discarding amount of the
yarn can be reduced.
In the automatic winder according to the present
invention, the tray transporting device includes a bobbin
preparing device adapted to prepare for supply of the yarn
15 supplying bobbin to the tray-type winding unit with respect
to the yarn supplying bobbin loaded on the tray, and the
at least one magazine-type winding unit and the bobbin
preparing device are arranged to sandwich the plurality of
tray-type winding units in the arrangement direction.
20 According to the present invention, the yarn
supplying bobbin discharged from the magazine-type winding
unit can be prevented from interfering with the yarn
supplying bobbin which is loaded on the tray transported
between the tray-type winding unit and the bobbin preparing
25 device.
In the automatic winder according to the present
invention, the tray transporting device includes a return
path extending in the arrangement direction along the
plurality of tray-type winding units and through which the
30 tray discharged from the plurality of tray-type winding
units is transported, the magazine-type winding unit
46 / 62
includes a bobbin discharging device adapted to discharge
the yarn supplying bobbin, the automatic winder further
includes a bobbin collecting section adapted to collect the
bobbin discharged by the bobbin discharging device, the
return path is not arranged in a range in which the 5 at least
one magazine-type winding unit is arranged in the
arrangement direction, and the bobbin collecting section
is not arranged in a range in which the plurality of
tray-type winding units are arranged in the arrangement
10 direction.
According to the present invention, the yarn
supplying bobbins discharged from the magazine-type
winding unit and collected by the bobbin collecting section
do not interfere with the yarn supplying bobbins which are
15 loaded on the tray transported through the return path.
In the automatic winder according to the present
invention, the tray transporting device includes a return
path extending in the arrangement direction along the
plurality of tray-type winding units and through which the
20 tray discharged from the plurality of tray-type winding
units is transported, the magazine-type winding unit
includes a bobbin discharging device adapted to discharge
the yarn supplying bobbin, the automatic winder further
includes a bobbin collecting conveyor adapted to transport
25 and collect the yarn supplying bobbin discharged by the
bobbin discharging device, the return path is not arranged
in a range in which the at least one magazine-type winding
unit is arranged in the arrangement direction, and the
bobbin collecting conveyor is not arranged in a range in
30 which the plurality of tray-type winding units are arranged
in the arrangement direction.
47 / 62
According to the present invention, the yarn
supplying bobbins which are discharged from the
magazine-type winding unit and transported by the bobbin
collecting conveyor do not interfere with the yarn
supplying bobbins which are loaded on the tray transp5 orted
through the return path.
In the automatic winder according to the present
invention, the tray transporting device further includes
a bobbin preparing device adapted to prepare for supply of
10 the yarn supplying bobbin to the tray-type winding unit with
respect to the yarn supplying bobbin loaded on the tray,
and the at least one magazine-type winding unit and the
bobbin preparing device are arranged on a same side in the
arrangement direction with respect to the plurality of
15 tray-type winding units.
According to the present invention, the bobbin
preparing device can be arranged close to the magazine-type
winding unit. Therefore, for example, there can be easily
carried out the operation of setting, the yarn supplying
20 bobbin, on which the yarn is remaining, discharged from the
tray-type winding unit and returned to the bobbin preparing
device, in the magazine device arranged in the
magazine-type winding unit.
In the automatic winder according to the present
25 invention, the tray transporting device includes a return
path extending in the arrangement direction along the
plurality of tray-type winding units and through which the
tray discharged from the plurality of tray-type winding
units is transported, the magazine-type winding unit
30 includes a bobbin discharging device adapted to discharge
the yarn supplying bobbin, and the automatic winder further
48 / 62
includes a bobbin collecting section arranged on a side
opposite to the magazine-type winding unit with the return
path therebetween and adapted to collect the bobbin
discharged from the magazine-type winding unit, and an
interference avoiding means adapted to avoid 5 interference
between the yarn supplying bobbin which is loaded on the
tray transported through the return path and the yarn
supplying bobbin which is discharged from the magazine-type
winding unit.
10 According to the present invention, the return path
is also arranged in the range in which the magazine-type
winding unit is arranged in the arrangement direction, and
hence the yarn supplying bobbin discharged from the
magazine-type winding unit may interfere with the yarn
15 supplying bobbin which is loaded on the tray transported
through the return path. In the present invention, such
interference between the yarn supplying bobbins can be
prevented by the interference avoiding means.
In the automatic winder according to the present
20 invention, the magazine-type winding unit includes, as the
interference avoiding means, the bobbin discharging device
adapted to discharge the yarn supplying bobbin so that the
discharged yarn supplying bobbin does not pass a region
where the yarn supplying bobbin which is loaded on the tray
25 transported through the return path passes.
According to the present invention, the yarn
supplying bobbin discharged from the magazine-type winding
unit does not pass the region where the yarn supplying
bobbin which is loaded on the tray transported through the
30 return path passes, and hence the interference between the
yarn supplying bobbins described above can be prevented.
49 / 62
Furthermore, the yarn supplying bobbin can be discharged
from the magazine-type winding unit at an arbitrary timing
regardless of a position of the tray.
In the automatic winder according to the present
invention, the bobbin discharging device discharges 5 the
yarn supplying bobbin from the magazine-type winding unit
so that the discharged yarn supplying bobbin goes over a
region where the yarn supplying bobbin which is loaded on
the tray transported through the return path passes.
10 According to the present invention, the yarn
supplying bobbin is discharged from the magazine-type
winding unit so as to go over the region where the yarn
supplying bobbin which is loaded on the tray transported
through the return path passes, whereby the yarn supplying
15 bobbin can be easily discharged from the magazine-type
winding unit so as not to pass such a region.
In the automatic winder according to the present
invention, the magazine-type winding unit includes the
bobbin discharging device adapted to discharge the yarn
20 supplying bobbin from the magazine-type winding unit so
that the discharged yarn supplying bobbin traverses a
region where the yarn supplying bobbin which is loaded on
the tray transported through the return path passes, the
interference avoiding means includes a tray detecting
25 section adapted to detect presence or absence of the tray
in a range in which the at least one magazine-type winding
unit is arranged in the return path, and a unit control
section adapted to control an operation of the bobbin
discharging device, and the unit control section causes the
30 bobbin discharging device to discharge the yarn supplying
bobbin from the magazine-type winding unit when no tray is
50 / 62
detected by the tray detecting section.
According to the present invention, when the yarn
supplying bobbin discharged from the magazine-type winding
unit traverses the region where the yarn supplying bobbin
which is loaded on the tray transported through the re5 turn
path passes, the yarn supplying bobbin is discharged from
the magazine-type winding unit at a timing at which there
is no tray in the range in which the magazine-type winding
unit is arranged in the return path, and hence the
10 interference between the yarn supplying bobbins described
above can be prevented.
In the automatic winder according to the present
invention, the magazine-type winding unit includes, as the
interference avoiding means, the bobbin discharging device
15 configured to move the yarn supplying bobbin between an
unwinding position where the yarn is unwound and a
discharging position away from the unwinding position, and
adapted to discharge the yarn supplying bobbin by moving
the yarn supplying bobbin from the unwinding position to
20 the discharging position.
According to the present invention, the yarn
supplying bobbin can be discharged by moving the yarn
supplying bobbin, from which the yarn has run out, from the
unwinding position to the discharging position. In this
25 case, the interference between the yarn supplying bobbins
described above does not occur when moving the yarn
supplying bobbin from the unwinding position to the
discharging position. In the case of the present invention,
for example, the operator collects the yarn supplying
30 bobbin moved to the discharging position.
The automatic winder according to the present
51 / 62
invention further includes an unwinding defect detecting
means adapted to detect that the yarn is not normally
unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin in the tray-type
winding unit, wherein the bobbin preparing device includes
a tray storing section adapted to store the tray loaded 5 d with
the yarn supplying bobbin in which detection is made that
the yarn is not normally unwound by the unwinding defect
detecting means.
According to the present invention, the tray loaded
10 with the yarn supplying bobbin in which the yarn is not
normally unwound is stored in the tray storing section, the
yarn supplying bobbin which is loaded on the tray stored
in the tray storing section is set in the magazine device,
and the yarn unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin is wound
15 in the magazine-type winding unit, whereby the lowering in
the production efficiency of the package in the automatic
winder can be prevented, and the discarding amount of the
yarn can be reduced.
In the automatic winder according to the present
20 invention, the bobbin preparing device includes a lead-out
device adapted to carry out a lead-out process for catching
a yarn end of the yarn supplying bobbin loaded on the tray
in the tray-type winding unit, and a tray storing section
adapted to store the tray loaded with the yarn supplying
25 bobbin in which the lead-out process by the lead-out device
has failed.
According to the present invention, the tray loaded
with the yarn supplying bobbin in which the lead-out process
has failed is stored in the tray storing section, the yarn
30 supplying bobbin which is loaded on the tray stored in the
tray storing section is set in the magazine device, and the
52 / 62
yarn unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin is wound in the
magazine-type winding unit, whereby the lowering in the
production efficiency of the package in the automatic
winder can be prevented, and the discarding amount of the
5 yarn can be reduced.
The automatic winder according to the present
invention further includes a doffing device adapted to doff
the formed package, wherein the doffing device doffs only
the package formed by the plurality of tray-type winding
10 units out of the package formed by the plurality of
tray-type winding units and the package formed by the at
least one magazine-type winding unit.
When setting, in the magazine device, the yarn
supplying bobbin in which the yarn is not normally unwound
15 in the tray-type winding unit and unwinding the yarn from
the yarn supplying bobbin and winding the yarn in the
magazine-type winding unit, quality may differ between the
package formed in the tray-type winding unit and the package
formed in the magazine-type winding unit. Thus, if the
20 relevant packages are doffed together, the packages of
different qualities may be mixed up.
In the present invention, only the package formed by
the tray-type winding unit is doffed by the doffing device,
so that the packages of different qualities can be prevented
25 from being mixed. The package formed by the magazine-type
winding unit is, for example, manually doffed by the
operator, which becomes a burden on the operator. However,
of the yarn supplying bobbins supplied to the tray-type
winding units, the proportion of the yarn supplying bobbin
30 in which the yarn is not normally unwound is usually
extremely small. In other words, the number of packages
53 / 62
formed in the magazine-type winding unit is small compared
to the number of packages formed in the plurality of
tray-type winding units. Therefore, the burden of the
operator is small compared to the case where only the
package formed by the magazine-type winding unit is d5 offed
with the doffing device and the operator carries out the
doffing operation on the package formed by the tray-type
winding unit, as opposed to the present invention.
A yarn winding method according to the present
10 invention relates to a yarn winding method for winding a
yarn unwound from a yarn supplying bobbin to form a package,
the method including: setting, in the magazine device, the
yarn supplying bobbin which is discharged from the
tray-type winding unit and loaded on the tray stored in the
15 tray storing section, and unwinding and winding a yarn from
the yarn supplying bobbin supplied from the magazine device
in the magazine-type winding unit.
According to the present invention, the yarn
supplying bobbin in which the yarn is not normally unwound
20 and the yarn supplying bobbin in which the lead-out process
has failed are set in the magazine device, and the yarn
unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin is wound in the
magazine-type winding unit, whereby the lowering in the
production efficiency of the package in the automatic
25 winder can be prevented and the discarding amount of the
yarn can be reduced.
The unit control section is also arranged in each of
the tray-type winding units, and the machine control device
is communicably connected to the unit control section
30 arranged in each of the tray-type winding units and the
magazine-type winding unit. According to the present
54 / 62
invention, the lowering in the production efficiency of the
package in the plurality of tray-type winding units can be
prevented. Furthermore, the discarding amount of the yarn
can be reduced.

WE CLAIM:
1. An automatic winder characterized by comprising:
a plurality of tray-type winding units arranged in
an arrangement direction and adapted to wind a yarn of 5 a
yarn supplying bobbin loaded on a tray to form a package;
a tray transporting device adapted to transport the
tray;
at least one magazine-type winding unit arranged in
10 the arrangement direction with the plurality of tray-type
winding units and including a magazine device adapted to
store the yarn supplying bobbin, the at least one
magazine-type winding unit adapted to wind the yarn of the
yarn supplying bobbin supplied from the magazine device to
15 form a package; and
a machine control device arranged at an end in the
arrangement direction and adapted to control the plurality
of tray-type winding units and the magazine-type winding
unit.
20
2. The automatic winder according to claim 1,
characterized by further comprising a common frame
extending in the arrangement direction and to which the
plurality of tray-type winding units and the magazine-type
25 winding unit are attached.
3. The automatic winder according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein a number of the magazine-type winding units is
smaller than or equal to one-tenth of a number of the
30 tray-type winding units.
56 / 62
4. The automatic winder according to any one of
claims 1 to 3,
wherein the tray transporting device includes
a bobbin preparing device adapted to prepare for
supply of the yarn supplying bobbin to the tray-type 5 winding
unit with respect to the yarn supplying bobbin loaded on
the tray; and
the at least one magazine-type winding unit and the
bobbin preparing device are arranged to sandwich the
10 plurality of tray-type winding units in the arrangement
direction.
5. The automatic winder according to claim 4,
wherein the tray transporting device includes a
15 return path extending in the arrangement direction along
the plurality of tray-type winding units and through which
the tray discharged from the plurality of tray-type winding
units is transported,
the magazine-type winding unit includes a bobbin
20 discharging device adapted to discharge the yarn supplying
bobbin,
the automatic winder further includes a bobbin
collecting section adapted to collect the bobbin discharged
by the bobbin discharging device,
25 the return path is not arranged in a range in which
the at least one magazine-type winding unit is arranged in
the arrangement direction, and
the bobbin collecting section is not arranged in a
range in which the plurality of tray-type winding units are
30 arranged in the arrangement direction.
57 / 62
6. The automatic winder according to claim 4,
wherein the tray transporting device includes a
return path extending in the arrangement direction along
the plurality of tray-type winding units and through which
the tray discharged from the plurality of tray-type 5 winding
units is transported,
the magazine-type winding unit includes a bobbin
discharging device adapted to discharge the yarn supplying
bobbin,
10 the automatic winder further includes a bobbin
collecting conveyor adapted to transport and collect the
yarn supplying bobbin discharged by the bobbin discharging
device,
the return path is not arranged in a range in which
15 the at least one magazine-type winding unit is arranged in
the arrangement direction, and
the bobbin collecting conveyor is not arranged in a
range in which the plurality of tray-type winding units are
arranged in the arrangement direction.
20
7. The automatic winder according to any one of
claims 1 to 3, wherein
the tray transporting device further includes a
bobbin preparing device adapted to prepare for supply of
25 the yarn supplying bobbin to the tray-type winding unit with
respect to the yarn supplying bobbin loaded on the tray,
and
the at least one magazine-type winding unit and the
bobbin preparing device are arranged on a same side in the
30 arrangement direction with respect to the plurality of
tray-type winding units.
58 / 62
8. The automatic winder according to claim 7,
wherein
the tray transporting device includes a return path
extending in the arrangement direction along the 5 plurality
of tray-type winding units and through which the tray
discharged from the plurality of tray-type winding units
is transported,
the magazine-type winding unit includes a bobbin
10 discharging device adapted to discharge the yarn supplying
bobbin, and
the automatic winder further includes a bobbin
collecting section arranged on a side opposite to the
magazine-type winding unit with the return path
15 therebetween and adapted to collect the bobbin discharged
from the magazine-type winding unit, and
an interference avoiding means adapted to avoid
interference between the yarn supplying bobbin which is
loaded on the tray transported through the return path and
20 the yarn supplying bobbin which is discharged from the
magazine-type winding unit.
9. The automatic winder according to claim 8,
wherein the magazine-type winding unit includes, as the
25 interference avoiding means, the bobbin discharging device
adapted to discharge the yarn supplying bobbin so that the
discharged yarn supplying bobbin does not pass a region
where the yarn supplying bobbin which is loaded on the tray
transported through the return path passes.
30
10. The automatic winder according to claim 9,
59 / 62
wherein the bobbin discharging device discharges the yarn
supplying bobbin from the magazine-type winding unit so
that the discharged yarn supplying bobbin goes over a region
where the yarn supplying bobbin which is loaded on the tray
transported 5 through the return path passes.
11. The automatic winder according to claim 8,
wherein
the magazine-type winding unit includes the bobbin
10 discharging device adapted to discharge the yarn supplying
bobbin from the magazine-type winding unit so that the
discharged yarn supplying bobbin traverses a region where
the yarn supplying bobbin which is loaded on the tray
transported through the return path passes,
15 the interference avoiding means includes
a tray detecting section adapted to detect presence
or absence of the tray in a range in which the at least one
magazine-type winding unit is arranged in the return path,
and
20 a unit control section adapted to control an
operation of the bobbin discharging device, and
the unit control section causes the bobbin
discharging device to execute a discharging operation of
discharging the yarn supplying bobbin from the
25 magazine-type winding unit when it is detected by the tray
detecting section, that no tray is in the range.
12. The automatic winder according to claim 8,
wherein the magazine-type winding unit includes, as the
30 interference avoiding means, the bobbin discharging device
configured to move the yarn supplying bobbin between an
60 / 62
unwinding position where the yarn is unwound and a
discharging position away from the unwinding position, and
adapted to discharge the yarn supplying bobbin by moving
the yarn supplying bobbin from the unwinding position to
5 the discharging position.
13. The automatic winder according to any one of
claims 4 to 12, characterized by further comprising:
an unwinding defect detecting means adapted to detect
10 that the yarn is not normally unwound from the yarn
supplying bobbin in the tray-type winding unit, wherein
the bobbin preparing device includes a tray storing
section adapted to store the tray loaded with the yarn
supplying bobbin in which detection is made that the yarn
15 is not normally unwound by the unwinding defect detecting
means.
14. The automatic winder according to any one of
claims 4 to 13, wherein
20 the bobbin preparing device includes
a lead-out device adapted to carry out a lead-out
process for catching a yarn end of the yarn supplying bobbin
loaded on the tray in the tray-type winding unit, and
a tray storing section adapted to store the tray
25 loaded with the yarn supplying bobbin in which the lead-out
process by the lead-out device has failed.
15. The automatic winder according to claim 13 or
14, characterized by further comprising:
30 a doffing device adapted to doff the formed package,
wherein the doffing device doffs only the package
61 / 62
formed by the plurality of tray-type winding units out of
the package formed by the plurality of tray-type winding
units and the package formed by the at least one
magazine-type winding unit.
5
16. A yarn winding method for winding a yarn unwound
from a yarn supplying bobbin to form a package using the
automatic winder according to claim 13 or 14, the method
characterized by comprising:
10 setting, in the magazine device, the yarn supplying
bobbin which is discharged from the tray-type winding unit
and loaded on the tray stored in the tray storing section ,
and unwinding and winding a yarn from the yarn supplying
bobbin supplied from the magazine device in the
15 magazine-type winding unit.
17. The automatic winder according to claim 11 and
12, wherein
the unit control section is also arranged in each of
20 the tray-type winding units, and
the machine control device is communicably connected
to the unit control section arranged in each of the
tray-type winding units and the magazine-type winding unit.