BOBBIN HOLDING DEVICE, BOBBIN SETTING DEVICE, AND YARN WINDING MACHINE .
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bobbin holding
device, a bobbin setting device, and a yarn winding machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a yarn winding machine, when a yarn is wound around
a bobbin and a package is fully wound, the package is doffed
by a doffing device, and a new bobbin tube is set in a cradle
by a supply device (gripper). A device described in JP
3-213529 A, for example, is known for a device adapted to
supply the bobbin tube to the doffing device. In a bobbin
preparing device described in JP 3-213529 A, a bobbin tube
is conveyed by a conveyor arranged along a direction in
which spinning units are arranged side by side, and a bobbin
catcher knocks away the bobbin tube conveyed by the conveyor
and supplies a bobbin tube with respect to a bobbin magazine
of the doffing device stopped at a position of a spinning
unit where doffing request is made. -
25 BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the doffing device described above, a gripper
acquires, from the bobbin magazine, the bobbin tube knocked
away to the bobbin magazine, and the gripper sets a bobbin
tube in the cradle. The doffing device may not be equipped
30 with the bobbin magazine. In the case of such configuration,
a structure that holds the bobbin tube conveyed by the
conveyor and directly supplies the bobbin tube to the
gripper is required..
It is an object of the present invention to provide
a bobbin holding device, a bobbin setting device, and a yarn
5 winding machine capable of directly holding the bobbin tube
conveyed by the conveyor.
A bobbin holding device according to one aspect of
the present invention includes a receiving section adapted
to receive a bobbin tube conveyed by a conveyor; a first
10 holding section adapted to directly hold the bobbin tube;
and a moving section adapted to move the receiving section
and the first holding section together to a first position
of receiving the bobbin tube conveyed by the conveyor with
the receiving section and a second position different from
15 the first position.
A bobbin holding device according to another aspect
of the present invention includes a receiving section
adapted to receive a bobbin tube conveyed by a conveyor;
and a first holding section arranged in the receiving
20 section and adapted to directly hold the bobbin tube.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a spinning machine, which
25 is a yarn winding machine, according to one embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a configuration of the
spinning machine;
FIG. 3(a) is a view illustrating a first state of the
bobbin holding device, and FIG. 3(b) is a view illustrating
30 a second state of the bobbin holding device;
FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an operation of the
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bobbin holding device; and
FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the operation of the
bobbin holding device.
5 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will
be hereinafter described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals are
denoted on the same or corresponding elements in the
10 description of the drawings, and the redundant description
will be omitted.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a spinning machine
(yarn winding machine) 10 includes a plurality of spinning
units (yarn winding units) 1, a bobbin preparing device 60,
15 a belt conveyor 70, a doffing device (bobbin setting device)
100, and a machine control device (control section) 140.
The plurality of spinning units 1 are arranged to be
adjacent to each other along a predetermined direction. As
illustrated in FIG. 2, the machine control device 140
20 comprehensively manages each of the spinning units 1, the
bobbin preparing device 60, the belt conveyor 70, and the
doffing device 100.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the spinning unit 1 spins
a fiber bundle F fed from a draft device 2 with a spinning
25 device 3 to produce a yarn Y, and winds the produced yarn
Y with a winding device 4 to form a package P. In the present
embodiment, an upstream in a traveling direction of the yarn
Y is simply referred to as upstream, and a downstream in
the traveling direction of the yarn Y is simply referred
30 to as downstream. In the present embodiment, a side (right
side in the plane of drawing of FIG. 1) on which a passage
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for an operator is provided with respect to the spinning
machine 10 is referred, to as a front side, and the opposite
side is referred to as a back side. An upper side in a
machine height direction is simply referred to as an upper
5 side, and a lower side in the machine height direction is
simply referred to as a lower side.
The spinning unit 1 includes the draft device 2, the
spinning device 3, a yarn accumulating device 5, a yarn
monitoring device 6, and the winding device 4 in such order
10 from the upstream along a traveling path of the yarn Y. The
spinning unit 1 includes a yarn joining device 9. Each
section of the spinning unit 1 is controlled by a unit
controller provided for each spinning unit 1.
The draft device 2 is adapted to draft a sliver S to
15 produce the fiber bundle F. The draft device 2 includes
a back roller pair 21, a third roller pair 22, a middle roller
pair 23 provided with apron belts 25, and a front roller
pair 24 in order from the upstream. Each roller pair 21,
22, 23, 24 feeds the sliver S supplied from a can (not
20 illustrated) from the upstream toward the downstream while
drafting.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the spinning device 3 is
adapted to spin the fiber bundle F produced in the draft
device 2 with a whirling airflow to produce the yarn Y.
25 Specifically (although not illustrated) , the spinning
device 3 includes a fiber guiding section, a whirling
airflow generating nozzle, and a hollow guide shaft body.
The fiber guiding section is adapted to guide the fiber
bundle F fed from the draft device 2 to a spinning chamber
30 in the spinning device 3. The whirling airflow generating
nozzle is arranged at a periphery of a path of the fiber
5 / 34
bundle F to generate the whirling airflow in the spinning
chamber. Thus, the fiber end is inverted and whirled in
the spinning chamber. The hollow guide shaft body is
adapted to guide the spun yarn Y from the spinning chamber
5 to outside the spinning device 3. The yarn Y produced by
the spinning device 3 is nipped by a delivery roller 7 and
a nip roller 8, and fed toward the yarn accumulating device
5. The delivery roller 7 and the nip roller 8 may be omitted,
and the yarn Y may be pulled out from the spinning device
10 3 by the yarn accumulating device 5.
The yarn accumulating device 5 includes a yarn
accumulating roller 51, a drive motor 52, and a yarn hooking
member 53. The drive motor 52 rotates the yarn accumulating
roller 51. The yarn hooking member 53 winds the yarn Y
15 around the yarn accumulating roller 51. The yarn
accumulating device 5 winds the yarn Y around the yarn
accumulating roller 51 to temporarily accumulate the yarn
Y.
The yarn hooking member 53 is supported in a
20 relatively rotatable manner with respect to the yarn
accumulating roller 51. A permanent magnet is attached to
one of the yarn accumulating roller 51 or the yarn hooking
member 53, and a magnetic hysteresis material is attached
to the other component. Such magnetic means generates a
25 torque counteracting the relative rotation of the yarn
hooking member 53 with respect to the yarn accumulating
roller 51. Therefore, only when a force exceeding the
torque is applied on the yarn hooking member 53 (when a
tension greater than or equal to a predetermined value is
30 applied on the yarn Y), the yarn hooking member 53 is
relatively rotated with respect to the yarn accumulating
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roller 51, and the yarn Y wound around the yarn accumulating
roller 51 is unwound. When a force exceeding the torque
is not applied on the yarn hooking member 53, the yarn
hooking member 53 is integrally rotated with the yarn
5 accumulating roller 51, and the yarn Y is wound around the
yarn accumulating roller 51.
Therefore, the yarn accumulating device 5 unwinds the
yarn Y when the tension of the yarn Y rises at the downstream
of the yarn accumulating device 5, and accumulates the yarn
10 Y when the tension of the yarn Y lowers (when the yarn Y
starts to slacken) at the downstream of the yarn
accumulating device 5. Thus, the yarn accumulating device
5 can resolve the slackening of the yarn Y and apply an
appropriate tension on the yarn Y. Furthermore, the yarn
15 accumulating device 5 can absorb the fluctuation in the
tension of the yarn Y at the downstream of the yarn
accumulating device 5, and prevent the fluctuation of the
tension from influencing the traveling of the yarn Y at the
upstream of the yarn accumulating device 5.
20 A first guide 11 is arranged in proximity to the
upstream of the yarn accumulating device 5 . The first guide
11 guides the yarn Y to the yarn accumulating device 5. A
pair of second guide 12 and third guide 13 is arranged in
proximity to the downstream of the yarn accumulating device
25 5 . The pair of second guide 12 and third guide 13 stabilizes
the behavior of the yarn Y unwound from the yarn
accumulating device 5. The first guide 11 and the second
guide 12 are movable to draw the yarn Y toward the yarn
accumulating device 5 when performing a yarn joining
30 operation, and the like.
The winding device 4 is adapted to wind the yarn Y
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produced by the spinning device 3 to form the package P.
The winding device 4 includes a cradle arm 41, a winding
drum 42, and a yarn pull-out device 43.
The cradle arm (second holding section) 41 is adapted
5 to rotatably hold a bobbin T for winding the yarn Y. The
cradle arm 41 can be swung to the upper side and the lower
side with a basal end as a center, and is biased to swing
toward the lower side with the basal end as the center. Thus,
the cradle arm 41 can bring the package P into contact with
10 the winding drum 42 at an appropriate pressure even if the
yarn Y is wound around the bobbin T and the diameter of the
package P gradually becomes large.
When a drive force of the drive motor (not
illustrated) is transmitted, the winding drum 42 is rotated
15 while making contact with an outer circumferential surface
of the bobbin T or the package P. A traverse groove for
traversing the yarn Y at a predetermined width is formed
on an outer circumferential surface of the winding drum 42.
Therefore, the winding drum 42 can wind the yarn Y around
20 the bobbin T while traversing the yarn Y to form the package
P.
The yarn pull-out device 43 is arranged in proximity
to the upstream of the winding drum 42. The yarn pull-out
device 43 is adapted to generate an airflow so as to flow
25 toward the lower side along the outer circumferential
surface of the package P when performing the yarn joining
operation, and the like. Thus, the yarn pull-out device
43 can pull out the yarn Y from the package P, and guide
the yarn Y from the package P to a fourth guide 16 arranged
30 in proximity to the upstream of the yarn pull-out device
43. A downstream yarn conveying section 93 of the yarn
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joining device 9, to be described later, is thus swung
toward the upper side with a basal end 93a as a center to
cause a distal end 93b to be positioned in proximity to the
upstream of the fourth guide 16, thus catching the yarn Y
5 from the package P with a suction airflow.
The yarn monitoring device 6 is adapted to monitor
the thickness of the traveling yarn Y with an optical sensor
When detecting a yarn defect (area with abnormality in
thickness, and the like of the yarn Y) , the yarn monitoring
10 device 6 transmits a yarn defect detection signal to the
unit controller. Upon receiving the yarn defect detection
signal, the unit controller operates a cutter 14 arranged
in proximity to the upstream of the yarn monitoring device
6 and causes the cutter 14 to cut the yarn Y. The yarn
15 monitoring device 6 is not limited to the optical sensor,
and may be, for example, a capacitance type sensor, and the
like. The yarn monitoring device 6 may detect foreign
substances contained in the yarn Y. Instead of arranging
the cutter 14 separate from the yarn monitoring device 6,
20 the yarn monitoring device 6 may include the cutter. The
cutter 14 may be omitted, and a spinning operation by the
spinning device 3 may be stopped to cut the yarn Y.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the yarn joining device 9
is adapted to carry out the yarn joining operation of the
25 yarn Y in the spinning unit 1. In other words, when the
yarn Y is disconnected between the spinning device 3 and
the package P for some reason in the spinning unit 1, the
yarn joining device 9 joins the yarn Y from the spinning
device 3 and the yarn Y from the package P at a yarn joining
30 position in the spinning unit 1.
The yarn joining device 9 includes a yarn joining
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section 91, an upstream yarn conveying section 92, the
downstream yarn conveying section 93, and a carriage main
body 97. The carriage main body 97 is movable along a pair
of rails 18a, 18b.
5 The yarn joining section 91 is a splicer device
adapted to carry out the yarn joining operation by twisting
the yarn Y from the spinning device 3 and the yarn Y from
the package P with the whirling airflow. The yarn joining
section 91 is not limited to the splicer device, and may
10 be, for example, a mechanical knotter, and the like.
The upstream yarn conveying section 92 is adapted to
convey the yarn Y from the spinning device 3 to the yarn
joining section 91 when the yarn joining section 91 carries
out the yarn joining operation in the spinning unit 1. The
15 upstream yarn conveying section 92 is configured to a
pipe-form, and is attached to the carriage main body 97 so
as to be swingable to the upper side and the lower side with
a basal end 92a as a center. When swung toward the lower
side with the basal end 92a as the center, the upstream yarn
20 conveying section 92 causes the distal end 92b to be
positioned in proximity to the downstream of the delivery
roller 7 and the nip roller 8 to catch the yarn Y from the
spinning device 3 with the suction airflow. When swung
toward the upper side with the basal end 92a as the center,
25 the upstream yarn conveying section 92 conveys the yarn Y
from the spinning device 3 to the yarn joining section 91.
The downstream yarn conveying section 93 is adapted
to convey the yarn Y from the package P to the yarn joining
section 91 when the yarn joining section 91 carries out the
30 yarn joining operation in each of a first spinning unit la
and a second spinning unit lb. The downstream yarn
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conveying section 93 is configured to a pipe-form, and is
attached to the carriage main body 97 so as to be swingable
to the upper side and the lower side with the basal end 93a
as a center. When swung toward the upper side with the basal
5 end 93a as the center, the downstream yarn conveying section
93 causes the distal end 93b to be positioned in proximity
to the upstream of the winding device 4 to catch the yarn
Y from the package P with the suction airflow. When swung
toward the lower side with the basal end 93a as the center,
10 the downstream yarn conveying section 93 conveys the yarn
Y from the package P to the yarn joining section 91.
The bobbin preparing device 60 (not illustrated in
FIG. 1) supplies a bobbin (bobbin tube) T around which the
yarn is not wound. For example, the bobbin preparing device
15 60 is arranged at one end side of the machine in the direction
in which the plurality of spinning units 1 are arranged side
by side. A plurality of bobbins T is stored in the bobbin
preparing device 60. The bobbin preparing device 60 is
adapted to supply the bobbin tube to the belt conveyor 70
20 based on a command of the machine control device 140. When
supplying the bobbin T to the belt conveyor 70, the bobbin
preparing device 60 supplies the bobbin T while aligning
the direction of the bobbin T to a predetermined direction.
The bobbin T has a substantially circular truncated cone
25 shape (cone shape) that is tapered from one end (large
diameter end) toward the other end (small diameter end),
and has a hollow structure. In the conveying direction of
the belt conveyor 70, the bobbin preparing device 60
supplies the bobbin T to the belt conveyor 70 with one end
30 side (end with larger diameter) of the bobbin T on the front.
The belt conveyor 70 is adapted to convey the bobbin
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T supplied from the bobbin preparing device 60. The belt
conveyor 70 is extended along the direction in which the
plurality of spinning units 1 are arranged side by side,
and is arranged at the upper part on the back side of the
5 spinning machine 10 in the machine. As illustrated in FIG.
1, the belt conveyor 70 includes a pair of guides 72a, 72b
adapted to prevent the dropping of the bobbin T. When the
bobbin T is supplied from the bobbin preparing device 60,
the belt conveyor 70 conveys the bobbin T up to a stopping
10 position of the doffing device 100. The belt conveyor 70
is operated based on the command of the machine control
device 140.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the doffing device 100
travels the upper side of the spinning unit 1 along the rail
15 R arranged in the machine, and stops at the position of the
spinning unit 1 of the fully wound package P to carry out
the doffing operation. The rail R is extended along the
direction in which the spinning units 1 are arranged side
by side, and is arranged at the upper part on the front side
20 of the spinning machine 10 . The doffing device 100 includes
a bobbin holding device 110 and a bobbin replacing device
130 . The bobbin holding device 110 and the bobbin replacing
device 130 are operated based on a command of the machine
control device 140.
25 The bobbin holding device 110 receives and holds the
bobbin T conveyed by the belt conveyor 70, and supplies the
bobbin T to the bobbin replacing device 130 . As illustrated
in FIGS. 3 to 5, the bobbin holding device 110 includes
a receiving section 112, a bobbin holding section (first
30 holding section) 114, an air cylinder (switching section)
116, an arm section (moving section) 118, and a drive
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section (moving section) 120.
The receiving section 112 receives the bobbin T
conveyed by the belt conveyor 70. The receiving section
112 is a plate-shaped member, and has a receiving surface
5 112s adapted to receive the bobbin T (to make contact with
the bobbin T) . The receiving surface 112s is greater than
the diameter of the bobbin T. As illustrated in FIG. 3,
when the bobbin T is conveyed by the belt conveyor 70, the
receiving section 112 waits on the belt conveyor 70 so that
10 a plane direction of the receiving surface 112s intersects
(becomes orthogonal with) the conveying direction.
The bobbin holding section 114 directly holds the
bobbin T. The bobbin holding section 114 is arranged on
the receiving surface 112s side of the receiving section
15 112. The bobbin holding section 114 is positioned in an
internal space K of the bobbin T to hold the bobbin T from
the inner side. The bobbin holding section 114 includes
a pair of holding portions 114a, 114b, an elastic portion
114c, and a displacement portion 114d. The holding
20 portions 114a and 114b are, for example, column-shaped
members, and are arranged on an edge side of the receiving
surface 112s of the receiving section 112. The holding
portions 114a and 114b are arranged to extend substantially
parallel to each other with a predetermined interval in the
25 receiving section 112. The holding portions 114a and 114b
are arranged to freely move in a direction of approaching
to each other and a direction of separating from each other
in the receiving section 112. When moving in the direction
of approaching to each other, the movement of the pair of
30 holding portions 114a and 114b is limited after reaching
smaller than or equal to a predetermined interval so as not
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to move any further. The holding portions 114a and 114b
are supported by the receiving section 112 in a freely
swinging manner, and may be configured to swing with a shaft
on the basal end side as the center. According to such
5 configuration as well, the pair of holding portions are
arranged to freely move in the direction of approaching to
each other and the direction of separating from each other.
The elastic portion 114c is attached to the holding
portions 114a and 114b. The elastic portion 114c is, for
10 example, a rubber, a coil spring, and the like, and has an
annular shape. The elastic portion 114c is arranged to
surround the holding portions 114a and 114b at the basal
end side of the holding portions 114a andll4b. The elastic
portion 114c biases the pair of holding portions 114a and
15 114b in a direction of approaching each other.
The displacement portion 114d is arranged between the
pair of holding portions 114a and 114b. The displacement
portion 114d has, for example, a substantially circular
truncated cone shape. The displacement portion 114d is
20 arranged such that the diameter becomes smaller toward the
receiving section 112. A piston rod 116a of the air
cylinder 116 is coupled to the displacement portion 114d.
The displacement portion 114d displaces to a position (FIG.
3(a)) spaced apart from the receiving section 112 and a
25 position (FIG. 3(b)) close to the receiving section 112
according to the movement of the piston rod 116a. When
.moved by the receiving section 112, a diameter of the
displacement portion 114d gradually becomes larger with
respect to the pair of holding portions 114a and 114b making
30 contact with the side surfaces of the displacement portion
114d, so that the displacement portion 114d moves the pair
14 / 34
of holding portions 114a and 114b in the direction of
separating away from each other.
In the bobbin holding section 114, the holding and
the releasing of the bobbin T by the holding portions 114a
5 and 114b are carried out by the displacement of the
displacement portion 114d. As illustrated in FIG. 3(a),
in the bobbin holding section 114, when the displacement
portion 114d is at a position spaced apart from the
receiving section 112, the pair of holding portions 114a
10 and 114b are positioned at a predetermined position
(initial position) by the elastic portion 114c, and an inner
surface Ts of the bobbin T and the pair of holding portions
114a and 114b are spaced apart (first state) . In this case,
the bobbin holding section 114 does not hold the bobbin T.
15 As illustrated in FIG. 3(b), in the bobbin holding section
114, when the displacement portion 114d is at the position
close to the receiving section 112, the pair of holding
portions 114a and 114b are moved by the displacement portion
114d in the direction of separating away from each other,
20 and the inner surface Ts of the bobbin T and the pair of
holding portions 114a and 114b are brought into contact
(second state). In this case, the bobbin holding section
114 holds the bobbin T. The bobbin holding section 114 is
switched to the first state of not holding the bobbin T and
25 the second state of holding the bobbin T according to the
operation.of the piston rod 116a.
The arm section 118 is coupled to the receiving
section 112, and is adapted to support the receiving section
112 and the bobbin holding section 114. The arm section
30 118 is, for example, a column-shaped member. One end of
the arm section 118 is coupled to the receiving section 112,
15 / 34
and the other end is coupled to the drive section 120. As
illustrated in FIG. 4, the arm section 118 is swung with
a shaft 118a as the center by the drive section 120 (e.g.,
motor). When the arm section 118 is swung, the receiving
5 section 112 and the bobbin holding section 114 are moved
together to a first position of receiving the bobbin T
conveyed by the belt conveyor 70 with the receiving section
112, and a second position (position different from the
first position) of transferring the bobbin T to a gripper
10 (supply device) 132, to be described later.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the arm section 118 is swung
and positioned at the position of transferring the bobbin
T to the gripper 132, and furthermore, when the bobbin T
is gripped by the gripper 132 and the holding of the bobbin
15 T by the bobbin holding section 114 is released (when the
bobbin holding section 114 is in the first state), the
bobbin holding section 114 is moved (swung) in a direction
(right side in FIG. 5) of separating away from the bobbin
T (gripper 132) with a shaft 118b as the center by the drive
20 section (not illustrated).
A description will now be made on the operation of
the bobbin holding device 110 having the configuration
described above. When the bobbin T is supplied from the
bobbin preparing device 60, the bobbin holding device 110
25 positions the receiving section 112 on the belt conveyor
70 to wait there, as illustrated in FIG. 3. ' In this case,
the displacement portion 114d of the bobbin holding section
114 is positioned spaced apart from the receiving section
112, and the bobbin holding section 114 is in the first state
30 of not holding the bobbin T. When the bobbin T is conveyed
by the belt conveyor 70, the bobbin holding device 110
16 / 34
receives the bobbin T with the receiving section 112. The
bobbin holding section 114 is positioned in an internal
space K of the bobbin T in this case.
After the bobbin holding section 114 is positioned
5 in the internal space K of the bobbin T, the bobbin holding
device 110 contracts the piston rod 116a of the air cylinder
116. The bobbin holding section 114 is then switched to
the second state of holding the bobbin T. Thus, the pair
of holding portions 114a and 114b of the bobbin holding
10 section 114 is brought into contact with the inner surface
Ts of the bobbin T, whereby the bobbin holding section 114
holds the bobbin T. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, when
the bobbin holding section 114 holds the bobbin T, the
bobbin holding device 110 swings the arm section 18 by means
15 of the drive section 120, and moves the receiving section
112 and the bobbin holding section 114 from the first
position on the belt conveyor 70 to the second position.
The bobbin T is gripped by the gripper 132 at the second
position, and the bobbin holding device 110 releases the
20 bobbin T from the bobbin holding section 114. After
releasing the bobbin T, the bobbin holding device 110 swings
the arm section 118 with the shaft 118b as the center by
means of the drive section 120 and removes the bobbin
holding section 114 from the internal space K of the bobbin
25 T, as illustrated in FIG. 5.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the bobbin replacing device
130 includes the gripper (supply device) 132. The gripper
132 receives the bobbin T held by the bobbin holding device
110, and sets the bobbin T in the cradle arm 41. The gripper
30 132 is arranged to be swingable around the shaft 132a as
the center, and is adapted to be swung in a downward
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direction to move to the second position of the bobbin
holding section 114 of the bobbin holding device 110 to grip
the bobbin T with a chuck nail 132b provided at the distal
end. The gripper 132 is further swung in the downward
5 direction from the position of receiving the bobbin T from
the bobbin holding section 114 to arrange the bobbin T at
a predetermined position (target position) of the cradle
arm 41.
In addition to the gripper 132, the bobbin replacing
10 device 130 includes a yarn catching device, an opener, and
a yarn guiding lever, all of which are not illustrated. The
yarn catching device is adapted to pull up the yarn Y to
the upper side of the winding drum 42 and interpose the yarn
Y between the cradle arm 41. The opener is adapted to make
15 contact with a cradle lever (not illustrated) arranged in
the cradle arm 41 and open/close the cradle arm 41 through
the cradle lever to enable doffing of the package P and
attachment of the bobbin T. The yarn guiding lever is
adapted to guide the yarn Y pulled up by the yarn catching
20 device so as to be sandwiched between the large diameter
end of the bobbin T and a bobbin holder (not illustrated) .
Next, a description will be made on the operation of
the doffing device 100.
When the package P rotated at high speed by the winding
25 drum 42 is fully wound, the spinning unit 1 operates the
cutter 14 to cut the yarn Y and terminates the winding
operation of the package P. At the same time as the
operation of the spinning unit 1, the doffing device 100
travels along the rail R and stops at immediately above the
30 fully wound package P of the spinning unit 1. The bobbin
preparing device 60 supplies the bobbin T to the belt
18 / 34
conveyor 70.
When the doffing device 100 is stopped at immediately
above the fully wound package P, the bobbin replacing device
130 of the doffing device 100 pivots the opener to open the
5 cradle arm 41 and detach (doff) the package P. The package
P is mounted on a conveying device (not illustrated) by way
of a package guide (not illustrated) and conveyed to a
predetermined place.
The bobbin replacing device 130 detaches (doffs) the
10 package P from the cradle arm 41, and then again opens the
cradle arm 41 with the opener. The yarn catching device
of the bobbin replacing device 130 catches the yarn Y spun
out from the spinning device 3, and pulls the yarn Y up to
the vicinity of the winding device 4 . The bobbin replacing
15 device 130 guides the yarn Y to a bunch winding position
with the yarn guiding lever. After the yarn guiding lever
guides the yarn Y to the bunch winding position, the bobbin
replacing device 130 swings the gripper 132 toward the
winding drum 42 . When the bobbin replacing device 130 pulls
20 up the yarn Y to the vicinity of the winding device 4, a
seed yarn is pulled out from a seed yarn bobbin (not
illustrated) held by the bobbin replacing device 130, the
seed yarn and the yarn Y from the spinning device 3 are joined
with the yarn joining section 91, the yarn Y is caught by
25 the yarn catching device of the bobbin replacing device 130,
and the yarn Y is pulled up to the vicinity of the winding
device 4.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, after receiving the bobbin
T conveyed by the belt conveyor 70 at the first position,
30 the bobbin holding device 110 of the doffing device 100
causes the bobbin T to be held by the bobbin holding section
19 / 34
114, and positions the bobbin, holding section 114 at the
second position (transfer position) of transferring the
bobbin T to the gripper 132, as illustrated in FIG. 4. When
the bobbin T is gripped by the chuck nail 132b of the gripper
5 132 at the transfer position, the bobbin holding device 110
removes the bobbin holding section 114 from the internal
space K of the bobbin T, as illustrated in FIG. 5.
When the bobbin T is gripped by the gripper 132, the
machine control device 140 issues a command to the bobbin
10 preparing device 60 to supply a new bobbin T to the belt
conveyor 70. The machine control device 140 then issues
a command to the bobbin holding device 110 to hold the bobbin
T newly conveyed by the belt conveyor 70. The bobbin
holding device 110 receives the new bobbin T and holds the
15 bobbin T based on such command. The bobbin holding device
110 can transfer the holding bobbin T to the gripper 132
in the next doffing operation.
After the gripper 132 grips the bobbin T held by the
bobbin holding device 110, the gripper 132 arranges the
20 bobbin T between the bobbin holder of the cradle arm 41
opened by the opener. The bobbin replacing device 130
closes the cradle arm 41 with the bobbin T making contact
with the winding drum 42. As a result, the bobbin T is
sandwiched in a freely rotating manner by the bobbin holder
25 of the cradle arm 41. Thus, the yarn Y is sandwiched by
the large diameter end of the bobbin T and the bobbin holder
to be in a state the bunch winding can be carried out.
After a series of operations from the doffing of the
package P by the doffing device 100 to the attachment of
30 the bobbin T is terminated, the spinning unit 1 carries out
the bunch winding, and then rotates the bobbin T at high
20 / 34
speed while traversing the yarn Y in the axial direction
of the bobbin T by the winding drum 42 to start the winding
of the package P.
As described above, the bobbin holding device 110 of
5 the spinning machine 10 of the present embodiment receives
the bobbin T conveyed by the belt conveyor 70 with the
receiving section 120 and directly holds the bobbin T with
the bobbin holding section 114. The bobbin holding device
110 thus can directly hold the bobbin T conveyed by the belt
10 conveyor 70. Furthermore, the bobbin holding device 110
moves the receiving section 112 and the bobbin holding
section 114 together to the first position of receiving the
bobbin T and the second position different from the first
position by means of the arm section 118 and the drive
15 section 120. The bobbin holding device 110 thus moves the
bobbin holding section 114 to the second position of
supplying the bobbin T to the gripper 132 with the arm
section 118 and the drive section 120 to directly supply
the bobbin T to the gripper 132. Therefore, the spinning
20 machine 10 does not need to separately have the
configuration of receiving the bobbin T and the
configuration of moving the bobbin T from the belt conveyor
70, whereby the configuration can be simplified.
In the present embodiment, the bobbin holding section
25 114 is positioned in the internal space K of the hollow
bobbin T to hold the bobbin T from the inner side of the
bobbin T. The bobbin T is, for example, formed to a tubular
shape with paper. Therefore, if the bobbin T is gripped
from the outer circumferential surface side, the bobbin T
30 may be crushed. The bobbin holding section 114 is thus
positioned on the inner side of the bobbin T to hold the
21 / 34
bobbin T. The bobbin T has a strength with respect to the
force applied from the inner side. Therefore, the bobbin
holding section 114 can hold the bobbin T without crushing
the bobbin T. Normally, when the bobbin T is conveyed by
5 the belt conveyor 70, the bobbin T is conveyed in a laid
state (state in which at least a part of the outer
circumferential surface of the bobbin T is brought into
contact with the belt conveyor 70). Thus, the bobbin
holding device 110 can receive the end (end face) of the
10 bobbin T with the receiving section 112, and at the same
time, position the bobbin holding section 114 in the
internal space K of the bobbin T.
In the present embodiment, the bobbin holding device
110 includes the air cylinder 116 adapted to switch the
15 bobbin holding section 114 to the first state of not holding
the bobbin T and the second state of holding the bobbin T.
The bobbin holding section 114 does not make contact with
the inner surface Ts of the bobbin T in the first state,
and makes contact with the inner surface Ts of the bobbin
20 T in the second state. Thus, the bobbin holding device 110
can carry out the holding and the releasing of the bobbin
T by switching the state of the bobbin holding section 114
with the air cylinder 116.
In the present embodiment, the machine control device
25 140 has the bobbin holding section 114 hold another bobbin
T conveyed by the belt conveyor 70 while supplying the
bobbin T to the cradle arm 41 of the winding device 4 by
the gripper 132. Thus, the spinning machine 10
simultaneously performs two operations, and hence can
30 enhance the operation efficiency. The bobbin holding
device 10 can immediately transfer the holding bobbin T held
22 / 34
by the bobbin holding section 114 to the gripper 132 in the
next doffing operation. Therefore, the spinning machine
10 can rapidly carry out the doffing operation.
The present invention is not limited to the
5 embodiment described above. For example, in the
embodiment described above, the spinning machine 10 is
described as the yarn winding machine by way of example,
but the yarn winding machine may be an automatic winder.
In the embodiment described above, the configuration
10 in which the bobbin holding device 110 is arranged in the
doffing device 100 is described by way of example, but the
bobbin holding device 110 may be arranged in each spinning
unit 1.
In the embodiment described above, the air cylinder
15 116 is described as the switching section of the bobbin
holding device 110 by way of example, but the switching
section is not limited to the air cylinder and may be other
mechanisms.
In the embodiment described above, the configuration
20 in which the bobbin T is gripped by the gripper 132, and
after the bobbin holding section 114 releases the bobbin
T, the bobbin holding section 114 is removed from the
internal space K of the bobbin T is described by way of
example, but a configuration in which the bobbin T is moved
25 in a direction of being extracted from the bobbin holding
section 114 by the gripper 132 to remove the bobbin holding
section 114 from the internal space K of the bobbin T may
be adopted.
In the embodiment described above, the configuration
30 in which the bobbin holding device 110 receives the new
bobbin T and sets the bobbin T in the cradle arm 41 in the
23 / 34
doffing operation is described by way of example, but the
reception of the new bobbin T by the doffing device 100 may
be carried out when the doffing operation is not being
carried out, that is, during standby.
5 In the embodiment described above, the configuration
in which the bobbin holding section 114 is positioned in
the internal space K of the bobbin T to hold the bobbin T
is described by way of example, but the method of holding
the bobbin T is not limited thereto, and merely needs to
10 be a configuration capable of directly holding the bobbin
T.
In the embodiment described above, the configuration
in which the bobbin T held by the bobbin holding device 110
is directly transferred with respect to the gripper 132 of
15 the bobbin replacing device 130 is described by way of
example, but the bobbin holding device 110 may transfer the
bobbin T to a bobbin stocker (storage section) arranged in
each spinning unit 1. In this case, the gripper 132 of the
bobbin replacing device 130 acquires the bobbin T from the
20 bobbin stocker. Thus, in the yarn winding machine, the
bobbin can be supplied from the bobbin stocker to the cradle
arm, and hence the operation efficiency can be enhanced.
The bobbin holding device 110 may be equipped with the
bobbin stocker (storage section).
25 In the embodiment described above, the configuration
of detaching the fully-wound package P from the cradle arm
41 in the doffing device 100 and conveying the package P
is described by way of example, but the doffing device 100
may only have the function of replacing the bobbin T.
30 In the embodiment described above, the configuration
in which the bobbin T has a circular truncated cone shape
24 / 34
(cone shape) is described by way of example, but the shape
of the bobbin T may be, for example, a circular column shape
(cylindrical shape).
In the embodiment described above, the case in which
5 the bobbin T is made of paper is described by way of example,
but the bobbin T may be made from materials such as plastic,
and the like, for example.
The bobbin holding device receives the bobbin tube
conveyed by the conveyor with the receiving section and
10 directly holds the bobbin tube with the first holding
section. The bobbin holding device thus can directly hold
the bobbin tube conveyed by the conveyor. Furthermore, the
bobbin holding device moves the receiving section and the
first holding section together to the first position of
15 receiving the bobbin tube and the second position different
from the first position by means of the moving section. The
bobbin holding device thus moves the first holding section
to the second position of supplying the bobbin tube to the
gripper with the moving section, for example, to directly
20 supply the bobbin tube to the gripper.
The bobbin holding device receives the bobbin tube
conveyed by the conveyor with the receiving section and
directly holds the bobbin tube with the first holding
section. The bobbin holding device thus can directly hold
25 the bobbin tube conveyed by the conveyor.
According to one embodiment, the bobbin holding
device may further include a moving section adapted to move
the first holding section to a first position of receiving
the bobbin tube conveyed by the conveyor with the receiving
30 section and a second position different from the first
position. The bobbin holding device thus moves the first
25 / 34
holding section to the second position of supplying the
bobbin tube to the gripper with the moving section, for
example, to directly supply the bobbin tube to the gripper.
According to one embodiment, the first holding
5 section may be positioned in an internal space of the hollow
bobbin tube to hold the bobbin tube from an inner side of
the bobbin tube. The bobbin tube is, for example, formed
to a tubular shape with paper. Therefore, if the bobbin
tube is gripped from the outer circumferential surface side,
10 the bobbin tube has a possibility of being crushed. The
first holding section is thus positioned on the inner side
of the bobbin tube to hold the bobbin tube. The bobbin tube
has a strength with respect to the force applied from the
inner side. Therefore, the first holding section can hold
15 the bobbin tube without crushing the bobbin tube. Normally,
when the bobbin tube is conveyed by the conveyor, the bobbin
tube is conveyed in a laid state (state in which at least
a part of the outer circumferential surface of the bobbin
tube is brought into contact with the conveyor) . Thus, in
20 the bobbin holding device, the end (end face) of the bobbin
tube can be received with the receiving section, and at the
same time, the first holding section can be positioned in
the internal space of the bobbin tube.
According to one embodiment, the bobbin holding
25 device further includes a switching section adapted to
switch the first holding section to a first state of not
holding the bobbin tube and a second state of holding the
bobbin tube; wherein the first holding section may not make
contact with the inner side of the bobbin tube in the first
30 state, and may make contact with the inner side of the bobbin
tube in the second state. Thus, in the bobbin holding
26 / 34
device, the bobbin tube can be held and released by
switching the state of the first holding section with the
switching section.
According to one embodiment, the moving section
5 includes an arm section adapted to support the receiving
section and the first holding section; and a drive section
adapted to drive the arm section. Thus, the bobbin tube
can be moved from the first position to the second position
in the bobbin holding device.
10 A bobbin setting device according to the present
invention includes the bobbin holding device described
above, and a supply device adapted to receive the bobbin
tube from the bobbin holding device and supply the bobbin
tube to a target position.
15 In the bobbin setting device, the supply device
receives the bobbin tube held by the bobbin holding device
and supplies the bobbin tube to the target position. The
bobbin setting device thus can supply the bobbin tube
conveyed by the conveyor to the target position.
20 A yarn winding machine according to another further
aspect of the present invention includes the bobbin setting
device described above; a conveyor adapted to convey a
bobbin tube; and a plurality of yarn winding units, each
of the plurality of yarn winding units including a second
25 holding section adapted to rotatably hold the bobbin tube
and a winding device adapted to wind a yarn around the bobbin
tube held by the second holding section to form a package;
wherein the bobbin setting device supplies the bobbin tube
to the second holding section, which is a target position,
30 by the supply device.
In the yarn winding machine, the supply device
27 / 34
receives the bobbin tube held by the bobbin holding device
and the supply device supplies the bobbin tube to the second
holding section. The configuration of the yarn winding
machine can be simplified since the supply device supplies
5 the bobbin tube received from the first holding section of
the bobbin holding device to the yarn winding unit as it
is.
According to one embodiment, the yarn winding machine
further includes a control section adapted to control an
10 operation of the bobbin setting device; wherein the control
section may cause the first holding section to hold another
bobbin tube conveyed by the conveyor when the supply device
is supplying the bobbin tube to the second holding section.
Thus, the yarn winding machine can simultaneously perform
15 two operations, and hence can enhance the operation
efficiency of the yarn winding machine.
A yarn winding machine according to another further
aspect of the present invention includes the bobbin setting
device described above; a conveyor adapted to convey a
20 bobbin tube; a plurality of yarn winding units, each of
the plurality of yarn winding units including a second
holding section adapted to rotatably hold the bobbin tube
and a winding device adapted to wind a yarn around the bobbin
tube held by the second holding section to form a package;
25 and a storage section arranged in correspondence to each
of the plurality of yarn winding units and adapted to store
the bobbin tube supplied from the bobbin setting device;
wherein the bobbin setting device moves the bobbin tube from
the conveyor to the storage section by a moving section of
30 the bobbin holding device, and supplies the bobbin tube from
the storage section to the second holding section, which
28 / 34
is the target position, by the supply device.
The yarn winding machine includes a storage section
adapted to store the bobbin tube supplied from the bobbin
setting device. Thus, in the yarn winding machine, the
5 bobbin tube can be supplied from the storage section to the
second holding section, and hence the operation efficiency
can be enhanced.
A yarn winding machine according to another further
aspect of the present invention includes the bobbin setting
10 device described above; a conveyor adapted to convey a
bobbin tube; and a plurality of yarn winding units, each
of the plurality of yarn winding units including a second
holding section adapted to rotatably hold the bobbin tube
and a winding device adapted to wind a yarn around the bobbin
15 tube held by the second holding section to form a package;
wherein the bobbin holding device is arranged in each of
the plurality of yarn winding units.
The yarn winding machine has the bobbin holding
device arranged in each of the plurality of yarn winding
20 units. Thus, the yarn winding machine can receive the
bobbin from the conveyor when the bobbin tube is necessary
in each yarn winding unit.
According to the present invention, the bobbin tube
conveyed by the conveyor can be directly held.

WE CLAIM:
1. A bobbin holding device comprising:
a receiving section adapted to receive a bobbin tube
5 conveyed by a conveyor;
a first holding section adapted to directly hold the
bobbin tube; characterized by
a moving section adapted to move the receiving
section and the first holding section together to a first
10 position of receiving the bobbin tube conveyed by the
conveyor with the receiving section and a second position
different from the first position.
2. A bobbin holding device characterized by
15 a receiving section adapted to receive a bobbin tube
conveyed by a conveyor; and
a first holding section arranged in the receiving
section and adapted to directly hold the bobbin tube.
20 3. The bobbin holding device according to claim 2,
further characterized by a moving section adapted to move
the first holding section to a first position of receiving
the bobbin tube conveyed by the conveyor with the receiving
section and a second position different from the first
25 position.
4 . The bobbin holding device according to any one
of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first holding
section is positioned in an internal space of the hollow
30 bobbin tube to hold the bobbin tube from an inner side of
the bobbin tube.
30 / 34
5. The bobbin holding device according to claim 4,
further comprising a switching section adapted to switch
the first holding section to a first state of not holding
5 the bobbin tube and a second state of holding the bobbin
tube, characterized in that
the first holding section does not make contact with
the inner side of the bobbin tube in the first state, and
makes contact with the inner side of the bobbin tube in the
10 second state.
6. The bobbin holding device according to claim 1
or 3, characterized in that the moving section includes an
arm section adapted to support the receiving section and
15 the first holding section; and a drive section adapted to
drive the arm section.
7. A bobbin setting device comprising:
a bobbin holding device according to any one of claims
20 1 to 6; and
a supply device adapted to receive the bobbin tube
from the bobbin holding device and supply the bobbin tube
to a target position.
25 8. A yarn winding machine comprising:
a bobbin setting device according to claim 7;
a conveyor adapted to convey a bobbin tube; and
a plurality of yarn winding units, each of the
plurality of yarn winding units including a second holding
30 section adapted to rotatably hold the bobbin tube and a
winding device adapted to wind a yarn around the bobbin tube
31 / 34
held by the second holding section to form a package;
characterized in that
the bobbin setting device supplies the bobbin tube
to the second holding section, which is a target position,
5 by the supply device.
9. The yarn winding machine according to claim 8,
further comprising a control section adapted to control an
operation of the bobbin setting device, characterized in
10 that
the control section causes the first holding section
to hold another bobbin tube conveyed by the conveyor while
the supply device is supplying the bobbin tube to the second
holding section.
15
10. A yarn winding machine comprising:
a bobbin setting device according to claim 7;
a conveyor adapted to convey the bobbin tube;
a plurality of yarn winding units, each of the
20 plurality of the yarn winding units including a second
holding section adapted to rotatably hold the bobbin tube
and a winding device adapted to wind a yarn around the bobbin
tube held by the second holding section to form a package;
and
25 a storage section arranged in correspondence to each
of the plurality of yarn winding units and adapted to store
the bobbin tube supplied from the bobbin setting device;
characterized in that
the bobbin setting device moves the bobbin tube from
30 the conveyor to the storage section by the moving section
of the bobbin holding device, and
32 / 34
supplies the bobbin tube from the storage section to
the second holding section, which is a target position, by
the supply device.
5 11. A yarn winding machine comprising:
a bobbin holding device according to any one of claims
1 to 6;
a conveyor adapted to convey the bobbin tube; and
a plurality of yarn winding units, each of the
10 plurality of yarn winding units including a second holding
section adapted to rotatably hold the bobbin tube and a
winding device adapted to wind a yarn around the bobbin tube
held by the second holding section to form a package;
characterized in that
15 the bobbin holding device is arranged in each of the
plurality of yarn winding units.