Title of Invention
SPINNING MACHINE, YARN WINDING SYSTEM, AND
METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING YARN SUPPLY BOBBIN
5 Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a spmmng frame, a yam
winding system, and a method for manufacturing a yam supply bobbin.
Background Art
[0002] Patent Literature 1 describes a yam winding system (spinning
10 winder) which includes: a spinning frame including a plurality of
spinning units each configured to generate yam from a yam raw
material supplied from a previous step machine including a plurality of
previous step units and wind the yam around a bobbin to form a yam
supply bobbin; an automatic winder including a plurality of winding
15 units each configured to unwind yam from the yam supply bobbin to
wind the unwound yam in a package; and a bobbin transfer device
configured to place the yam supply bobbin on a tray and supply the yam
supply bobbin from the spinning frame to each ofthe winding units.
[0003] The bobbin transfer device is provided with a yam end finding
20 device that performs a yam end finding process so that a yarn end ofthe
yam supply bobbin generated in the spinning frame is easily caught in
the automatic winder. The yam end finding process is a process of
unwinding yam from the surface of a yam supply bobbin by allowing a
suction flow to act on the filled bobbin, and inserting the unwound yam
25 end into the inside of a tubular bobbin. Such a yam end finding
process is performed whereby the yam end of a yam supply bobbin can
1
be easily caught in the automatic winder.
Citation List
Patent Literature
FP16-0173-00IN-MRT
[0004] [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Examined Patent Publication No.
5 2011-20836
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0005] However, yam end finding is not always successful in the yarn
end finding device. In particular, in a partial yam supply bobbin
1 0 having a winding end formed by a lack of material, which is a state in
which yam of a roved yarn bobbin runs out, the success rate of finding
the yam end of the yam supply bobbin that is so thin to slip out tends to
be low.
[0006] An object of the present invention is then to provide a spinning
15 frame configured to form a yarn supply bobbin with an improved
success rate of the yarn end finding process, a yam winding system, and
a method for manufacturing a yam supply bobbin.
Solution to Problem
[0007] A spinning frame according to one aspect of the present
20 invention is a spinning frame configured to wind yam spun from roved
yam supplied from a previous step around a bobbin to form a yarn
supply bobbin. The spinning frame includes: a state acquisition unit
configured to acquire a first state in which a roved yam bobbin around
which the roved yarn is wound has run out of the roved yam and/or a
25 second state corresponding to a predetermined timing before finishing
winding the yam for performing doffing of the yarn supply bobbin
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around which the yarn is being wound; a plurality of roller pairs
configured to draft the roved yarn; a plurality of drive units configured
to drive at least one roller of the roller pair in each of the roller pairs;
and a control unit configured to control at least one of the drive units
5 such that the yarn after spinning becomes thick, when the state
acquisition unit acquires the first state being reached or the second state
being reached.
[0008] In the spinning frame, when a first state (a lack of material)
being reached or a second state being reached is acquired, the drive unit
10 is controlled such that yarn after spinning becomes thicker than before
the first state being reached or the second state being reached is
acquired. More specifically, when the first state being reached or the
second state being reached is acquired, the roved yarn positioned
upstream from a plurality of roller pairs is drafted to become roved yarn
15 thicker than before the first state being reached or the second state being
reached is acquired (hereinafter referred to as "thick roved yarn").
Thus, the winding end of the yarn supply bobbin is formed with yarn
formed by twisting thick roved yarn. That is, at the winding end of the
yarn supply bobbin, yarn thicker than before the first state being
20 reached or the second state being reached is acquired (hereinafter
referred to as "thick yarn portion") is formed. Since such a winding
end of the yarn supply bobbin is formed with yarn thicker than when
such control is not performed, the success rate of the yarn end finding
process in the yarn end finding device can be improved.
25 [0009] In an embodiment, the state acquisition unit may acquire the
first state being reached, based on detection of presence or absence of
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the roved yam in a path of the roved yam from a roved yam supply unit
supporting the roved yam bobbin to the roller pairs.
[0010] In the spinning frame, the first state can be acquired with a
simple configuration.
5 [0011] In an embodiment, the state acquisition unit may acquire the
second state being reached, based on a length of the yam wound around
the yam supply bobbin.
[0012] In the spinning frame, the second state can be acquired with a
simple method.
10 [00 13] In an embodiment, when the first state being reached or the
second state being reached is acquired, the control unit may control at
least one of the drive units such that feeding speed of the roved yam fed
from a roller pair disposed on a most upstream side is increased.
[0014] In the spinning frame, the thickness of yam spun after the first
15 state being reached or the second state being reached is acquired can be
increased with simple control, compared with before the first state being
reached or the second state being reached is acquired.
[0015] In an embodiment, the spinning frame may further include an
output unit configured to output information for calculating the length
20 of a thick yam portion, which is the yam spun after the first state being
reached or the second state being reached is acquired, to an automatic
winder to be supplied with the yam supply bobbin.
[0016] In the spinning frame, since the length of a thick yam portion,
which is yam spun after the first state being reached or the second state
25 being reached is acquired, can be calculated in the automatic winder,
unnecessary cutting of yam ofthe yam supply bobbin can be suppressed
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in the splicing process. In addition, since the thick yam portion can be
cut reliably in the splicing process, the quality of the splicing portion
can be improved.
[0017] A yam winding system according to one aspect of the present
5 invention includes: the spinning frame described above; an automatic
winder configured to unwind the yam from the yam supply bobbin to
wind the unwound yam in a package; and a bobbin transfer device
configured to supply the yam supply bobbin from the spinning frame to
the automatic winder. The bobbin transfer device includes a yam end
10 finding process unit configured to fmd a yam end of the yam supply
bobbin.
[0018] In the spinning frame of the yam winding system, when the first
state being reached or the second state being reached is acquired, the
drive unit is controlled such that yam after spinning becomes thicker
15 than before the first state being reached or the second state being
reached is acquired. More specifically, when the first state being
reached or the second state being reached is acquired, roved yam
positioned upstream from a plurality of roller pairs is drafted to become
thick roved yam. Thus, the winding end of the yam supply bobbin is
20 formed with yam formed by twisting thick roved yam. That is, at the
winding end of the yam supply bobbin, a thick yam portion is formed.
Such a winding end of the yam supply bobbin is formed with yam
thicker than when such control is not performed. As a result, in the
bobbin transfer device of the yam winding system, the success rate of
25 the yam end finding process in the yam end finding device can be
improved.
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[0019] In an embodiment, the automatic winder may further include: an
acquisition unit configured to acquire information for calculating the
length of a thick yam portion, which is yam spun after the first state
being reached or the second state being reached is acquired; and a
5 splicing device configured to cut the thick yam portion in the yam
supply bobbin based on the information acquired in the acquisition unit
and splice together a yam end of the cut yam on the yam supply bobbin
side and a yam end of yam on the package side.
[0020] In the yam winding system, the automatic winder that has
10 acquired information for calculating the length of a thick yam portion
fed from the spinning frame can calculate the length of the thick yarn
portion, which is yam spun after the first state being reached or the
second state being reached is acquired. Thus, in the splicing process,
urmecessary cutting of yam of the yam supply bobbin can be
15 suppressed. In addition, since the thick yam portion can be cut reliably
in the splicing process, the quality of the splicing portion can be
improved.
[0021] A method for manufacturing a yam supply bobbin according to
one aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a yam
20 supply bobbin using a spinning frame including a plurality of roller
pairs each configured to draft roved yam and a plurality of drive units
each configured to drive at least one roller of the roller pair in each of
the roller pairs. The method includes controlling at least one of the
drive units such that the yam after spinning becomes thick, when a first
25 state in which a roved yam bobbin around which the roved yam is
wound has run out of the roved yam is acquired and/or a second state
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corresponding to a predetermined timing before finishing winding yam
for performing doffing of the yam supply bobbin around which the yam
is being wound is acquired.
[0022] In the method for manufacturing a yam supply bobbin, when the
5 first state being reached or the second state being reached is acquired,
the drive unit is controlled such that yam after spinning becomes thicker
than before the first state being reached or the second state being
reached is acquired. More specifically, when the first state being
reached or the second state being reached is acquired, the roved yam
10 positioned upstream from a plurality of roller pairs is drafted to become
thick roved yam. Thus, the winding end of the yam supply bobbin is
formed with yam formed by twisting thick roved yam. That is, at the
winding end of the yam supply bobbin, a thick yam portion is formed.
Since such a winding end ofthe yam supply bobbin is formed with yam
15 thicker than when such control is not performed, the success rate of the
yam end fmding process in the yam end finding device can be
improved, in this method for manufacturing a yam supply bobbin.
Advantageous Effects oflnvention
[0023] According to one aspect of the present invention, a yam supply
20 bobbin with an improved success rate of the yam end finding process
can be formed.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0024] FIG. 1 is a front view of a yam winding system according to one
embodiment;
25 FIG. 2 is a perspective view of trays, empty bobbins, and a yarn
supply bobbin that are conveyed in the yam winding system in FIG. 1;
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FIG. 3 is a side view of a spinning unit of the yarn winding
system in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a side view of a winder unit of the yarn winding system
in FIG. 1; and
5 FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the yarn winding system
in FIG. 1.
Description of Embodiments
[0025] One embodiment will be described in detail below with
reference to the drawings. In the drawings, like or equivalent elements
10 are designated by like numerals, and duplicate description is omitted.
[0026] As depicted in FIG. 1, a yarn winding system 1 includes a roving
frame 2, a spinning frame 3, an automatic winder 4, and a bobbin
transfer device 5. The roving frame 2 generates roved yarn 13 (see
FIG. 3) from a sliver and winds the roved yam 13 onto a bobbin 9 (see
15 FIG. 3) to fonn a roved yam bobbin 10 (see FIG. 3). As depicted in
FIG. 3, the spinning frame 3 generates yarn 14 from the roved yam 13,
and winds the yam 14 to form a yam supply bobbin 11. As depicted in
FIG. 4, the automatic winder 4 winds the yam 14 from the yam supply
bobbin 11 to form a package 15. As depicted in FIG. 1, the bobbin
20 transfer device 5 transfers the yarn supply bobbin 11 from the spinning
frame 3 to the automatic winder 4, and transfers an empty bobbin 12
(bobbin around which yarn is not wound) from the automatic winder 4
to the spinning frame 3. The bobbin transfer device 5 is provided with
a bobbin preparation device and a residual yam processing device, for
25 example. The bobbin preparation device performs preliminary
preparation for the automatic winder 4 to process the yam of the yam
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supply bobbin 11. When yam remains on the bobbin 12 that has been
discharged from the yam supply bobbin 11, the residual yam processing
device removes the yam to form an empty bobbin 12. For this
purpose, the bobbin transfer device 5 has a complicated transfer path
5 having many curves.
[0027] The yarn supply bobbin 11 and the empty bobbin 12 are
transferred in a manner being set on respective trays 6. As depicted in
FIG. 2, each of the trays 6 has a disk-like base portion 61, a pin 62
protruding upward from the base portion 61, and a radio frequency (RF)
10 tag 63 embedded in the base portion 61. The pin 62 is inserted into the
bottom portion 12a of each of the bobbins 12, whereby the yarn supply
bobbin 11 and the empty bobbin 12 are set on the respective trays 6 with
the top portions 12b of the bobbins 12 facing upward. The RF tag 63
stores therein information on the yam supply bobbin 11 set on the tray
15 6. In the yam winding system 1, the status of the yam supply bobbin
11 set on the tray 6 is managed by a radio frequency identification
(RFID: individual identification using radio waves) technology.
[0028] As depicted in FIG. 1, the roving frame 2 includes a control
device 21 configured to control operation of the roving frame 2 and a
20 plurality of roving units 22 each configured to form a roved yarn bobbin
10. The control device 21 includes a display unit 2la such as a display
and an operation unit 2lb such as input keys. The display unit 2la
displays, for example, an operating status of each of the roving units 22.
The operation unit 21 b accepts, for example, the settings of operating
25 conditions of each roving unit 22 from the operator.
[0029] The spinning frame 3 includes a control device 31 configured to
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control operation of the spinning frame 3 and a plurality of spinning
units 32 each configured to form a yam supply bobbin 11. The control
device 31 includes a display unit 31 a such as a display and an operation
unit 31 b such as input keys. The display unit 31 a displays, for
5 example, an operating status of each of the spinning units 32. The
operation unit 31 b accepts, for example, the settings of operating
conditions of each of the spinning units 32 from the operator.
[0030] As depicted in FIG. 3, the spinning unit 32 includes a roved yam
supply unit 36, a roved yam detecting unit (state acquisition unit) 37, a
10 drafting device (a plurality of roller pairs) 33, and a twisting device 34.
[0031] The roved yam supply unit 36 supports a roved yam bobbin 10
having roved yam 13 wound on a bobbin 9. The roved yam detecting
unit 37 detects the presence or absence of roved yam 13 in the path of
roved yam 13 from the roved yam supply unit 36 to the drafting device
15 33. The roved yam detecting unit 37 sends the detection information
as to the presence or absence of roved yam 13 to the control device 3 1
(see FIG. 5). An example of the roved yam detecting unit 37 is a
photoelectric sensor.
[0032] The drafting device 33 includes a back roller pair (roller pair)
20 331, a middle roller pair (roller pair) 332, and a front roller pair (roller
pair) 333. In the drafting device 33, the back roller pair 331, the
middle roller pair 332, and the front roller pair 333 are rotated at a
predetermined speed ratio, whereby roved yam 13 that has been
unwound from the roved yam bobbin 10 is drafted.
25 [0033] The back roller pair 331 includes a bottom roller 331a and a top
roller 331 b, which are disposed to be opposed to each other with the
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travel path of yam 13 interposed therebetween. A first drive motor
(drive unit) 331c is connected to the bottom roller 331a through a
not-illustrated output shaft.
[0034] The middle roller pair 332 includes a bottom roller 332a and a
5 top roller 332b, which are disposed to be opposed to each other with the
travel path of roved yam 13 interposed therebetween. Around the
bottom roller 332a and the top roller 332b, apron belts are each wound.
A second drive motor (drive unit) 332c is connected to the bottom roller
332a through a not-illustrated output shaft.
10 [0035] The front roller pair 333 includes a bottom roller 333a and a top
roller 333b, which are disposed to be opposed to each other with the
travel path of roved yam 13 interposed therebetween. A third drive
motor (drive unit) 333c is connected to the bottom roller 333a through a
not-illustrated output shaft.
15 [0036] An example of the first drive motor 331c, the second drive
motor 332c, and the third drive motor 333c is a servo motor. The first
drive motor 331c, the second drive motor 332c, and the third drive
motor 333c each have a not-illustrated rotary encoder and independently
controlled by the control device 31 through a servo motor drive circuit
20 and a servo driver.
[0037] As depicted in FIG. 5, the control device 31 includes a central
processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), and a random
access memory (RAM). As depicted in FIG. 5, the control device 31
includes an output unit 311 and a drive control unit (control unit) 312 as
25 conceptual parts that execute a variety of control processing in the
spinning frame 3. Such a conceptual part can be configured as
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software, for example, by loading a program stored in the ROM onto the
RAM for execution by the CPU. The control device 31 may be
configured as hardware formed of electronic circuits or the like.
[0038] A state acquisition unit 310 acquires a lack of material (first
5 state), based on detection of the presence or absence of roved yam 13 in
the path of roved yam 13 from the roved yam supply unit 36 supporting
the roved yam bobbin 10 to the drafting device 33. In the present
embodiment, the state acquisition unit 310 detennines that the material
has run out when acquiring information that roved yam 13 fails to be
10 detected from the roved yam detecting unit 37.
[0039] When the state acquisition unit 310 acquires a lack of material, a
drive control unit 312 controls at least one of the first drive motor 331c,
the second drive motor 332c, and the third drive motor 333c such that
the roved yam 13 after drafting becomes thicker than before a lack of
15 material is acquired. In the present embodiment, when the state
acquisition unit 310 acquires a lack of material, the control device 31
controls the first drive motor 331c such that the feeding speed of roved
yam 13 fed from the back roller pair 331 disposed on the most upstream
side in the drafting device 33 becomes higher than before a lack of
20 material is acquired.
[0040] The output unit 311 outputs information for calculating the
length of a thick yam portion, which is yam 14 formed from roved yam
13 drafted after a lack of material is acquired, to the automatic winder 4
to be supplied with the yam supply bobbin 11. The information for
25 calculating the length of a thick yam portion includes various draft
conditions in the drafting device 33, the yam kind, the winding
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condition, and the timing when the draft condition in the drafting device
33 is changed after the state acquisition unit 310 acquires a lack of
material. Alternatively, the length of the thick yam portion formed in
the spinning frame 3 may be calculated or measured, and the result may
5 be output to the automatic winder 4 to be supplied with the yam supply
bobbin 11. These pieces of information are stored as setting values,
for example, in the ROM in the control device 31 or a not-illustrated
storage unit.
[0041] As depicted in FIG. 3, the twisting device 34 includes a spindle
10 shaft 341, a ring rail 342, a ring 343, and a traveller 344. The spindle
shaft 341 holds the bottom portion 12a of a bobbin 12 with the top
portion 12b of the bobbin 12 facing upward, and rotates the bobbin 12.
The ring rail 342 is movable in the axial direction of the bobbin 12.
The ring 343 is fixed to the ring rail 342. The traveller 344 is
15 supported by the ring 343 and is movable along the ring 343.
[0042] In the twisting device 34, roved yam 13 that has been drafted by
the drafting device 33 is inserted into a space between the ring 343 and
the traveller 344, and an end portion of the roved yam 13 is fixed to the
bobbin 12. In this state, when the spindle shaft 341 rotates the bobbin
20 12, the traveller 344 moves along the ring 343 in a manner being pulled
by the roved yam 13. At this time, the ring rail 342 gradually moves
from the bottom portion 12a side to the top portion 12b side while
reciprocating within a predetermined range along the axial direction of
the bobbin 12. In the twisting device 34, rotation of the traveller 344
25 lags behind rotation of the bobbin 12, whereby the roved yam 13 is
twisted to form yam 14, and the yam 14 is wound by the bobbin 12 to
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form a yam supply bobbin 11.
[0043] The spinning frame 3 including the spinning units 32 each
configured as described above is of what is called a simultaneous
doffing type as depicted in FIG. 1. Specifically, the spinning frame 3
5 stocks a plurality of empty bobbins 12 transferred from the automatic
winder 4 by the bobbin transfer device 5, simultaneously sets the empty
bobbins 12 on the respective spinning units 32, and simultaneously
starts yam winding. When winding of yam has been completed in the
respective spinning units 32 and yam supply bobbins 11 have been
10 formed, the spinning frame 3 simultaneously doffs all of the yam supply
bobbins 11. Subsequently, the spinning frame 3 pulls empty bobbins
12 that have been already stocked out of the corresponding trays 6 and
simultaneously sets the empty bobbins on the respective spinning units
32 again and, instead, simultaneously sets the doffed yam supply
15 bobbins 11 on the trays 6.
[0044] The automatic winder 4 includes a control device 41 configured
to control operation of the automatic winder 4 and a plurality of winder
units 42 each configured to form a package 15. The control device 41
includes a display unit 41a such as a display and an operation unit 41b
20 such as input keys. The display unit 41a displays, for example, an
operating status of each of the winder units 42. The operation unit 41b
accepts, for example, the settings of operating conditions of each of the
winder unit 42 from the operator. The control device 41 also controls
operation of the bobbin transfer device 5.
25 [0045] The control device 41 includes a central processing unit (CPU),
a read only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM).
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As depicted in FIG. 5, the control device 41 includes an acquisition unit
411 as a conceptual part that executes various control processing in the
automatic winder 4. Such a conceptual part is configured as software,
for example, by loading a program stored in the ROM onto the RAM
5 for execution by the CPU. The control device 41 may be configured
as hardware formed of electronic circuits or the like.
[0046] The acquisition unit 411 is a part that acquires information for
calculating the length of a thick yam portion, which is yam 14 formed
from roved yam 13 drafted after a lack of material is acquired. In the
10 present embodiment, the acquisition unit 411 acquires information
transmitted from the control device 31 in the spirming frame 3 through a
wired or wireless network.
[0047] Examples of the information acquired by the acquisition unit
411 include, for example, various draft conditions in the drafting device
15 33, the yam kind, the winding condition, and the timing when the draft
condition in the drafting device 33 is changed after a lack of material is
acquired by the state acquisition unit 310. In the acquisition unit 411,
the length of a thick yam portion, which is yam 14 formed of roved
yam 13 drafted after a lack of material is acquired, based on the
20 acquired information as described above. The acquisition unit 411
sends the calculated length of the thick yam portion to the unit
controlling unit 52 in the winder unit 42.
[0048] As depicted in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the winder unit 42 includes a
winding device 43, a tension applying device 44, a yam monitoring
25 device 45, an upper yam catching device 46, a lower yam catching
device 47, a splicing device 48, and a unit controlling unit 52.
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[0049] The winding device 43 includes a cradle 43a and a winding
drum 43b. The cradle 43a supports a package 15. The winding drum
43b rotates the package 15 while traversing the yam 14. Thus, the
yam 14 is wound from a yam supply bobbin 11 set at a predetermined
5 position to form the package 15. The tension applying device 44
applies a predetermined tension to the yam 14 that is travelling from the
yam supply bobbin 11 to the package 15.
[0050] The yam monitoring device 45 monitors the travelling yam 14
to detect a yam defect (thickness abnormality of yam 14, mixing of
10 foreign matter into yam 14, etc.). When a yam defect has been
detected, the yam 14 is cut by a cutter separately provided. When the
yam 14 has been cut, the upper yam catching device 46 catches a yam
end of the yam 14 on the package 15 side, and guides the yam end to
the splicing device 48. When the yam 14 has been cut, the lower yarn
15 catching device 47 catches a yam end of the yarn 14 on the yam supply
bobbin 11 side, and guides the yam end to the splicing device 48. The
splicing device 48 splices the yam ends that have been guided by the
upper yam catching device 46 and the lower yam catching device 47 to
each other.
20 [0051] The unit controlling unit 52 controls the operation of the
winding device 43, the tension applying device 44, the yarn monitoring
device 45, the upper yarn catching device 46, the lower yam catching
device 47, the splicing device 48, and others in the winder unit 42. For
example, the unit controlling unit 52 controls the splicing device 48
25 such that a thick yam portion in the yam supply bobbin 11 is cut based
on the information acquired in the acquisition unit 411 and the yam end
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of the cut yarn 14 on the yam supply bobbin 11 side is spliced to a yam
end of yam 14 on the package 15 side.
[0052] The bobbin transfer device 5 supplies a yam supply bobbin 11
from the spinning frame 3 to the automatic winder 4. As depicted in
5 FIG. 1, the bobbin transfer device 5 includes an RF writer 51 and a yam
end finding device (yam end fmding process unit) 53.
[0053] When a yam supply bobbin 11 is transferred from the spinning
frame 3 to the automatic winder 4, the RF writer 51 writes information
on the yarn supply bobbin 11 on the RF tag 63 of the tray 6 on which
10 the yam supply bobbin 11 is set. The infonnation on the yam supply
bobbin 11 includes unit identification information for identifying a
spinning unit 32 that has formed the yam supply bobbin 11 and doffmg
information for identifying timing of simultaneous doffmg. The RF
writer 51 may be provided to an exit of the spinning frame 3 in the
15 transfer direction of the yam supply bobbin 11. Alternatively, the RF
writer 51 may be provided to every spinning unit 32.
[0054] When the yam supply bobbin 11 has been set on the winder unit
42 of the automatic winder 4, the information written on the RF tag 63
by the RF writer 51 is read by an RF reader 49 provided to each of the
20 winder units 42, and is transmitted to the control device 41 of the
automatic winder 4. Based on this information, the control device 41
can identify the spinning unit 32 that has formed the yam supply bobbin
11 and the timing of simultaneous doffing for the yam supply bobbin 11
set on the winder unit 42.
25 [0055] The yam end finding device 53 is disposed as a part of the
bobbin preparation device in the bobbin transfer device 5. This yam
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end finding device 53 is a device that performs a yam end finding
process so that yam 14 of a yam supply bobbin 11 can be easily caught
by the automatic winder 4. The yam end finding process is a process
of unwinding yam 14 from the surface of the yam supply bobbin 11 by
5 allowing a suction flow to act on the yam supply bobbin 11 transferred
on the tray 6, and inserting the unwound yam end into the inside of a
tubular bobbin 12. With this process, the yam end of the yam supply
bobbin 11 can be easily caught in the automatic winder 4 downstream
from the yam end finding device 53.
10 [0056] The operation effects in the yam winding system 1 of the
foregoing embodiment and the method for manufacturing a yam supply
bobbin by the yam winding system 1 will be described. In the
foregoing embodiment, when the state acquisition unit 310 acquires a
lack of material, the first drive motor 3 31 c is controlled such that the
15 roved yarn 13 after drafting becomes thicker than before a lack of
material is acquired. More specifically, when a lack of material is
acquired, roved yam 13 positioned upstream from the drafting device 33
is drafted to become roved yam 13 thicker than before a lack of material
is acquired. Thus, the winding end of the yam supply bobbin 11 is
20 formed with yam 14 formed by twisting thick roved yam. That is, at
the winding end of the yam supply bobbin 11, yam 14 thicker than
before a lack of material is acquired (hereinafter referred to as "thick
yam portion") is formed. Since such a winding end of the yam supply
bobbin 11 is formed with yam 14 thicker than when such control is not
25 performed, the yam end finding device 53 easily catches the winding
end of the yarn supply bobbin 11. That is, the success rate of the yam
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end finding process in the yarn end finding device 53 can be improved.
[0057] In the foregoing embodiment, the effect of improving the
success rate of the yarn end finding process is particularly high when
yarn 14 of Ne30 count to Ne40 count (English cotton count) is
5 generated.
[005 8] In the foregoing embodiment, the state acquisition unit 310
determines a lack of material, based on the information from the roved
yarn detecting unit 3 7 detecting the presence or absence of roved yarn
13 in the path of roved yarn 13 from the roved yarn supply unit 36 to the
10 drafting device 33. A lack of material therefore can be acquired with a
simple configuration.
[0059] In the foregoing embodiment, when the state acquisition unit
310 acquires a lack of material, the drive control unit 312 controls the
first drive motor 331c such that the feeding speed of roved yarn 13 fed
15 from the back roller pair 331 disposed on the most upstream side in the
drafting device 33 becomes higher than before a lack of material is
acquired. Thus, the thickness of roved yarn 13 drafted by the drafting
device 33 after a lack of material is acquired can be increased with
simple control, compared with before a lack of material is acquired.
20 [0060] In the foregoing embodiment, the automatic winder 4 that has
acquired the information for calculating the length of a thick yarn
portion fed from the spinning frame 3 can calculate the length of the
thick yarn portion formed with roved yarn 13 drafted after a lack of
material is acquired. Thus, in the splicing process performed by the
25 splicing device 48, unnecessary cutting of yarn 14 of the yarn supply
bobbin 11 can be suppressed. In addition, since the thick yarn portion
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can be cut reliably in the splicing process performed by the splicing
device 48, the quality of the splicing portion can be improved.
[0061] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been
described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.
5 [0062]
In the foregoing embodiment, as an example of the method for
increasing the thickness of roved yam 13 after a lack of material is
acquired, the first drive motor 331c is controlled such that the feeding
speed of roved yam 13 fed from the back roller pair 331 in the drafting
10 device 33 becomes higher than before a lack of material is acquired.
The present invention, however, is not limited to this example. For
example, in addition to or instead of the control of the first drive motor
331c, the second drive motor 332c or the third drive motor 333c may be
controlled such that the feeding speed of roved yam 13 fed from the
15 front roller pair 333 or the middle roller pair 332 in the drafting device
33 becomes lower than before a lack of material is acquired.
[0063]
In the foregoing embodiment and modification, the back roller
pair 331, the middle roller pair 332, and the front roller pair 333 are
20 each independently driven. The present invention, however, is not
limited to this example. For example, the bottom roller 331a and the
bottom roller 332a are coupled to each other through a gear train, for
example, to share a single drive motor. In this case, for example, the
drive motor is controlled such that the feeding speed ofroved yam 13
25 fed from the back roller pair 331 on the most upstream side in the
drafting device 33 becomes higher than before a lack of material is
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acquired. This configuration also can increase the thickness of roved
yarn 13 after a lack of material is acquired.
[0064]
In the foregoing embodiment and modifications, it is determined
5 that the material has run out when information that roved yarn 13 fails
to be detected is acquired from the roved yarn detecting unit 37. The
present invention, however, is not limited to this example. For
example, a lack of material may be acquired by detecting the presence
or absence of roved yarn 13 wound on the bobbin 9 supported in the
10 roved yam supply unit 36. Alternatively, a lack of material may be
acquired by predicting that the material will run out or assuming that the
material has run out based on information such as the unwinding time
and the unwinding speed in the roved yam bobbin l 0.
15
[0065]
In the foregoing embodiment or modifications, in addition to or
instead of when the state acquisition unit 310 acquires a lack of
material, when the state acquisition unit 31 0 acquires a second state
corresponding to a predetermined timing before finishing winding yarn
for performing doffing of the yam supply bobbin 11 around which yam
20 14 is being wound, the drive control unit 312 may control at least one of
the first drive motor 331c, the second drive motor 332c and the third
drive motor 333c such that roved yam 13 after drafting becomes thicker
before the second state is acquired.
[0066] An example of "the predetermined timing before finishing
25 winding yam for performing doffing of the yam supply bobbin 11
around which yarn 14 is being wound (second state)" includes "timing
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when the length of yam 14 wound on the yam supply bobbin 11
becomes a predetermined length (for example, 0.5 to 1.0 m) before
doffing is performed" or "timing when the time left before doffing is
performed reaches a predetermined time (for example, 2 to 3 seconds)".
5 These timings can be acquired based on the length of yam 14 wound
around the yam supply bobbin 11. The length of yam 14 wound
around the yam supply bobbin 11 can be acquired, for example, by the
state acquisition unit 31 0 acquiring that a predetermined time is reached
based on the measurement by a counter which measures the time since
10 winding on the yam supply bobbin 11 is started.
[0067] The start of winding on the yam supply bobbin 11 can be
acquired as appropriate, for example, from the control device 31 or a
unit controlling unit (not illustrated) that controls the spinning unit 32.
Alternatively, when the control device 31 or the spinning unit 32
15 includes a counter that measures the time since the winding on the yarn
supply bobbin 11 is started, the state acquisition unit 310 may acquire
the time from the control device 31 or the spinning unit 32.
[0068] Alternatively, the timing may be acquired, for example, by
counting the number of revolutions of a drive motor (not illustrated)
20 rotating the spindle shaft 341 since the winding on the yam supply
bobbin 11 is started, and determining whether the predetermined
number of times is reached.
[0069] When such control m the fourth modification is performed
instead of the control in the foregoing embodiment, the winding end of
25 the yam supply bobbin 11 formed at the time of doffing (for example, at
the time of simultaneous doffing in the spinning frame 3) is formed with
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yarn 14 thicker than when such control is not performed, thereby
improving the success rate of the yam end finding process in the yam
end finding device 53.
[0070] When such control in the fourth modification is performed in
5 addition to the control in the foregoing embodiment, the winding end of
the (partial) yam supply bobbin 11 formed at the time of a lack of
material is formed with yam 14 thicker than when such control is not
performed. In addition, the winding end of the (full) yam supply
bobbin 11 formed, for example, at the time of doffing (for example,
10 simultaneous doffing in the spinning frame 3) is formed with yam 14
thicker than when such control is not performed. Thus, the success
rate of the yam end finding process in the yam end finding device 53
can be improved.
[0071] When the state acquisition unit 310 acquires the second state
15 whereby the draft state of the drafting device 33 is changed, the output
unit 311 may transmit to the automatic winder 4 information such as
various draft conditions in the drafting device 33, the yam kind, the
winding condition, the timing when the draft condition in the drafting
device 33 is changed after the state acquisition unit 310 acquires that a
20 predetermined timing before finishing winding yam for perfonning
doffing is reached, and the length of yam 14 wound on the yam supply
bobbin 11 until the doffing as described above is performed. In this
case, the automatic winder 4 that has acquired information for
calculating the length of a thick yarn portion fed from the spinning
25 frame 3 can calculate the length of a thick yam portion formed by roved
yam 13 drafted after a predetermined timing before finishing winding
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yam for performing doffing is reached. Thus, in the splicing process
performed by the splicing device 48, unnecessary cutting of yam 14 of
the yam supply bobbin 11 can be suppressed. In addition, since the
thick yam portion can be cut reliably in the splicing process performed
5 by the splicing device 48, the quality of the splicing portion can be
improved.
[0072]
The respective drive motors (the first drive motor 331c, the
second drive motor 332c and the third drive motor 333c) are connected
10 to the bottom rollers 331a, 332a, 333a in the example in the foregoing
embodiment and modifications, but may be connected to the top rollers
331 b, 332b, 333b. Alternatively, respective drive motors may be
connected to the bottom rollers 331a, 332a, 333a and the top rollers
331 b, 332b, 333b.
15 [0073] In the foregoing embodiment and modifications, as an example
of the information for calculating the length of a thick yam portion, the
setting values (for example, various draft conditions in the drafting
device 33, the yam kind, the winding condition, and the timing when
the draft condition in the drafting device 33 is changed after the state
20 acquisition unit 310 acquires a lack of material) have been illustrated by
way of example. However, information indicating the state of yam
acquired from a sensor or the like may be used. In this case,
information of yam can be acquired in units of spinning units 32, and
the accuracy can be improved.
25 [0074] In the splicing process in the splicing device 48, in addition to
the setting value infonnation in units of the spinning frame 3 as in the
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foregoing embodiment and modifications, information in units of the
spinning units 32 (including, for example, the spinning condition set in
units of the spinning units 32, in addition to the information of yam
acquired by a sensor or the like,) can also be used. In this case, for
5 example, the RFID technology described above may be mediated to
allow the winder unit 42 that uses the yam supply bobbin 11 to acquire
information that the yam supply bobbin II is manufactured in a certain
spinning unit 32.

CLAIMS
1. A spinning frame configured to wind yam spun from roved yarn
supplied from a previous step around a bobbin to form a yam supply
5 bobbin, the spinning frame comprising:
a state acquisition unit configured to acqmre a first state in
which a roved yam bobbin around which the roved yam is wound has
run out of the roved yam and/or a second state corresponding to a
predetermined timing before finishing winding the yam for performing
10 doffmg of the yam supply bobbin around which the yam is being
wound;
a plurality of roller pairs configured to draft the roved yam;
a plurality of drive units configured to drive at least one roller of
the roller pair in each of the roller pairs; and
15 a control unit configured to control at least one of the drive units
20
25
such that the yarn after spinning becomes thick, when the state
acquisition unit acquires the first state being reached or the second state
being reached.
2. The sp1nnmg frame according to claim 1, wherein the state
acquisition unit is configured to acquire that the first state is being
reached, based on detection of presence or absence of the roved yarn in
a path of the roved yam from a roved yam supply unit supporting the
roved yarn bobbin to the roller pairs.
3. The spinning frame according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the state
26
5
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acquisition unit is configured to acquire that the second state is being
reached, based on a length of the yarn wound around the yam supply
bobbin.
4. The spinning frame according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
wherein when the first state being reached or the second state being
reached is acquired, the control unit is configured to control at least one
of the drive units such that feeding speed of the roved yam fed from a
roller pair disposed on a most upstream side is increased.
5. The spinning frame according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the
spinning frame further includes an output unit configured to output
information for calculating the length of a thick yarn portion, which is
the yarn spun after the first state being reached or the second state being
15 reached is acquired, to an automatic winder to be supplied with the yam
supply bobbin.
6. A yarn winding system comprising:
the spinning frame according to any one of claims 1 to 5;
20 an automatic winder configured to unwind the yam from the
yam supply bobbin to wind the unwound yam in a package; and
a bobbin transfer device configured to supply the yam supply
bobbin from the spinning frame to the automatic winder, wherein
the bobbin transfer device includes a yam end finding process
25 unit configured to find a yam end of the yarn supply bobbin.
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7. The yarn winding system according to claim 6, wherein the
automatic winder further comprising:
an acquisition unit configured to acqmre information for
calculating the length of a thick yam portion, which is yam spun after
5 the first state being reached or the second state being reached is
acquired; and
a splicing device configured to cut the thick yam portion in the
yam supply bobbin based on the information acquired in the acquisition
unit and splice together a yarn end of the cut yam on the yam supply
10 bobbin side and a yam end of yam on the package side.
8. A method for manufacturing a yam supply bobbin using a
spinning frame including a plurality of roller pairs each configured to
draft roved yam and a plurality of drive units each configured to drive at
15 least one roller of the roller pair in each of the roller pairs, the method
comprising controlling at least one of the drive units such that the yam
after spinning becomes thick, when a first state in which a roved yam
bobbin around which the roved yam is wound has run out of the roved
yam is acquired and/or a second state corresponding to a predetermined
20 timing before finishing winding yam for performing doffing of the yam
supply bobbin around which the yam is being wound is acquired.