Field of the Invention
5 The present invention relates to a traverse arm and
a yarn winding machine
2. Description of the Related Art
The yarn winding machine includes a traverse device
10 adapted to traverse a yarn to be wound around a winding
bobbin. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication No. 2014-69931 discloses, as the traverse
device, an arm type traverse device including a traverse
arm adapted to swing. The traverse arm is provided with
15 a traverse guide adapted to guide the yarn at a tip-end
portion of an arm body.
The traverse guide may be subjected to abrasion by
use since the traverse guide makes contact with the yarn.
The traverse guide thus includes a guide member made of a
20 material superior in abrasion resistance such as ceramic
at a portion that makes contact with the yarn. The guide
member is fixed to the traverse guide, for example, by an
adhesive. In such a configuration, a gap may be formed
between the traverse guide and the guide member depending
25 on the adhered state, for example, and the yarn may get
caught at the gap.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide
30 a traverse arm and a yarn winding machine capable of
preventing the yarn from getting caught while suppressing
2
the abrasion caused by the contact with the yarn.
A traverse arm according to one aspect of the present
invention is adapted to traverse a yarn by swinging, the
traverse arm including a body section having a yarn guiding
5 section adapted to guide the yarn, wherein a surface layer
having a hardness higher than that of the body section is
formed by performing surface treatment on a surface
including at least the yarn guiding section of the body
section.
10 A yarn winding machine according to another aspect
of the present invention includes the above-described
traverse arm; a driving section adapted to swing the
traverse arm; and a winding section adapted to wind the yarn
traversed by the swing of the traverse arm into a package.
15
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view of an automatic winder including
a winder unit according to one embodiment;
FIG. 2 is a front view schematically illustrating the
20 winder unit;
FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a traverse device;
FIG. 4A is a side view of a traverse arm;
FIG. 4B is a front view of the traverse arm;
FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the traverse arm;
25 FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an arm body; and
FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a cross-sectional
configuration taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
30 A preferred embodiment of the present invention will
be hereinafter described in detail with reference to the
3
».
accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals are
denoted on the same or corresponding components in the
description of the drawings, and redundant description will
be omitted.
5 An overall configuration of an automatic winder 1
including a winder unit (yarn winding machine) 2 of the
present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
1. In the following description, "upstream" and
"downstream" respectively indicate upstream and downstream
10 in a travelling direction of a yarn Y at the time of yarn
winding.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the automatic winder (yarn
winding machine) 1 includes a plurality of winder units 2
arranged next to each another and a machine control device
15 4. The machine control device 4 is adapted to control
(manage) the operation of the entire automatic winder 1.
The automatic winder 1 may further include an automatic
doffing device (not illustrated).
As illustrated in FIG. 2, each winder unit 2 includes
20 a winding unit body 3 and a unit control section 17 as the
main components.
The unit control section 17 is configured to include,
for example, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Random
Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), an
25 Input-and-Output (I/O) port, and a communication port.
The ROM stores a program for controlling each component of
the winder unit 2. Each section (details will be described
later) of the winder unit 2 and the machine control device
4 are connected to the I/O port and the communication port,
30 thus enabling communication of control information and the
like. The unit control section 17 thus can control an
4
operation of each of the sections of the winder unit 2.
The winding unit body 3 includes a yarn supplying
section 5, a yarn unwinding assisting device 7, a tension
applying device 9, a yarn monitoring device 11, a yarn
5 joining device 13, and a winding section 15 on a yarn
travelling path between a yarn supplying bobbin 6 and a
contact roller 22.
The yarn supplying section 5 is provided at a lower
part of the winder unit 2. The yarn supplying section 5
10 is configured to hold the yarn supplying bobbin 6 fed by
a bobbin feeding system (not illustrated) at a
predetermined position.
The yarn unwinding assisting device 7 assists
unwinding of the yarn Y from the yarn supplying bobbin 6
15 by lowering a regulating member 8 covering a core tube of
the yarn supplying bobbin 6 in conjunction with the
unwinding of the yarn Y from the yarn supplying bobbin 6.
The regulating member 8 makes contact with a balloon of the
yarn Y formed at an upper part of the yarn supplying bobbin
20 6 by rotation and a centrifugal force of the yarn Y unwound
from the yarn supplying bobbin 6 to control the balloon of
the yarn Y to an appropriate size, thus assisting the
unwinding of the yarn Y. A sensor (not illustrated) for
detecting a chase portion of the yarn supplying bobbin 6
25 is provided in proximity to the regulating member 8. When
this sensor detects lowering of the chase portion, the yarn
unwinding assisting device 7 lowers the regulating member
8 by an air cylinder (not illustrated), for example,
following the lowering of the chase portion.
30 The tension applying device 9 applies a predetermined
tension on the travelling yarn Y. The tension applying
5
device 9 may be, for example, a gate type tension applying
device in which movable comb teeth are arranged with respect
to fixed comb teeth. Since the yarn Y bends and passes
through between the engaged comb teeth, resistance is
5 applied on the travelling yarn Y and thereby allowing an
appropriate tension to be applied on the yarn Y. Other than
the gate type tension applying device, a disc type tension
applying device, for example, may be employed as the tension
applying device 9.
10 The yarn monitoring device 11 includes a sensor (not
illustrated) adapted to detect an abnormal portion (yarn
defect) of the yarn Y. A cutter 12, which is adapted to
immediately cut the yarn Y when the yarn monitoring device
11 detects the yarn defect, is provided in proximity to the
15 yarn monitoring device 11.
The yarn joining device 13 joins a lower yarn from
the yarn supplying bobbin 6 and an upper yarn from a winding
bobbin 14 at the time of yarn cutting performed after the
yarn monitoring device 11 detects a yarn defect, yarn
20 breakage during unwinding of the yarn Y from the yarn
supplying bobbin 6, and the like. The yarn joining device
adapted to join the upper yarn and the lower yarn may be
a mechanical knotter, a splicer using fluid such as
compressed air, or the like.
25 A lower yarn catching member 16 adapted to catch a
lower yarn and to guide the lower yarn to the yarn joining
device 13 is arranged below the yarn joining device 13. An
upper yarn catching member 18 adapted to catch an upper yarn
and to guide the upper yarn to the yarn joining device 13
30 is arranged above the yarn joining device 13.
The winding section 15 includes a cradle 20 adapted
6
to support the winding bobbin 14 for winding the yarn Y,
and the contact roller 22 that rotates when brought into
contact with a peripheral surface of the winding bobbin 14.
The winding section 15 includes a rotary drive source (not
5 illustrated) adapted to rotatably drive the winding bobbin
14 supported by the cradle 20. By driving and rotating the
winding bobbin 14, the yarn Y can be wound around the outer
periphery of the winding bobbin 14. The winding bobbin 14
around which the yarn Y is wound is referred to as a package
10 P.
The winder unit 2 includes an arm type traverse device
24 in proximity to the cradle 20, the traverse device 24
being adapted to traverse the yarn Y to be wound around the
winding bobbin 14. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the traverse
15 device 24 includes a traverse drive motor (driving section)
26 and a traverse arm 30.
The traverse drive motor 26 is a drive source adapted
to swing the traverse arm 30 and is configured by a servo
motor and the like. The traverse drive motor 26 has a
20 swing-drive shaft 28 as an output shaft. The swing-drive
shaft 28 is connected to a base-end portion of the traverse
arm 30 in a longitudinal direction of the traverse arm 30.
The traverse arm 30 is fixed to the swing-drive shaft 28
in a relatively non-rotatable manner. As illustrated in
25 FIG. 3, in a state where the traverse arm 30 is fixed to
the swing-drive shaft 28, the longitudinal direction of the
traverse arm 30 and the swing-drive shaft 28 are
substantially perpendicular to each other.
A traverse guide 32 is provided at a tip-end portion
30 of the traverse arm 30 (end portion opposite to the base-end
portion in the longitudinal direction). The traverse
7
guide 32 is formed into a shape by which the yarn Y to be
wound around the winding bobbin 14 can be guided (shape by
which the yarn Y can be arranged inside or shape by which
the traverse guide 32 can hook the yarn Y).
5 Since a rotor of the traverse drive motor 26 repeats
forward/reverse rotations and thereby swings the traverse
arm 30 within a predetermined range with the swing-drive
shaft 28 as a center, the traverse guide 32 reciprocates
with respect to a direction of a winding width of the package
10 P (left-right direction in FIG. 2) . By rotating the winding
bobbin 14 in a state where the yarn Y is guided by the
traverse guide 32, the yarn Y is wound around the winding
bobbin 14 while being traversed, thereby forming a
predetermined-shaped package P.
15 Next, the traverse arm 30 will be described in detail.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4C and FIG. 5, the traverse
arm 30 includes an arm body (body section) 31 and a mounting
member 33.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the arm body 31 is
20 formed into a tapered shape. In a longitudinal direction
of the arm body 31, a side where the swing-drive shaft 28
is mounted and a side opposite thereof (side where the
traverse guide 32 is formed) are respectively referred to
as a "base-end (other end)" and a "tip-end (one end)" . The
25 arm body 31 is made of a processed plate member. In the
present embodiment, the arm body 31 is made of a pressed
aluminum plate or a pressed aluminum alloy plate. The
material for forming the arm body 31 may be magnesium,
magnesium alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, resin, or the
30 like.
The traverse guide 32 is provided at a tip-end portion
8
of the arm body 31. The traverse guide 32 and the arm body
31 are integrally molded. In other words, the traverse
guide 32 is formed with the arm body 31 by processing an
aluminum plate or an aluminum alloy plate by a press machine.
5 The traverse guide 32 is formed into a shape by which the
yarn Y can be guided by the traverse guide 32. Specifically,
the traverse guide 32 is formed into a hook shape.
A yarn guiding section 35 adapted to guide the yarn
Y (to hook the yarn Y) is formed in the traverse guide 32.
10 The yarn guiding section 35 is a cutout groove formed in
the traverse guide 32. The yarn guiding section 35 extends
along the longitudinal direction of the arm body 31 and is
opened on a base-end side (direction of the base-end
portion) . The yarn Y to be traversed by the traverse device
15 24 slides and travels while making contact with the yarn
guiding section 35.
The mounting member 33 is mounted to the base-end
portion of the arm body 31. The mounting member 33 is
mounted to the swing-drive shaft 28. In other words, the
20 arm body 31 is fixed to the swing-drive shaft 28 via the
mounting member 33. The arm body 31 has a center of the
swing located at the base-end portion. The mounting member
33 is a member different from the arm body 31. The mounting
member 33 is made of aluminum, for example, and is formed
25 by using a cutting machine, and the like. The mounting
member 33 is provided with a mounting hole 37 for mounting
the swing-drive shaft 28. A key groove 39 for preventing
the traverse arm 30 from relatively rotating with respect
to the swing-drive shaft 28 is formed in the mounting hole
30 37.
The arm body 31 and the mounting member 33 are, for
9
example, fixed by screws. The arm body 31 is provided with
a plurality of (three herein) through holes 41, 42, 43, and
the screws are screwed into the mounting member 33 via the
through holes 41, 42, 43. The mounting member 33 is thereby
5 mounted to the arm body 31.
As illustrated in FIG. 6, a surface layer 44 is formed
on a surface 31a of the arm body 31 having the
above-described configuration. In the present embodiment,
the surface layer 44 is formed over the entire surface 31a
10 of the arm body 31 including the yarn guiding section 35.
The surface layer 44 is formed by surface treatment. The
surface treatment is treatment performed on the surface 31a
of the arm body 31 to enhance the abrasion resistance and
the like of the surface 31a of the arm body 31. Specifically,
15 the surface treatment is, for example, treatment for
forming a film on the surface 31a of the arm body 31, or
treatment for improving the surface 31a of the arm body 31.
The surface layer 44 includes a first layer 45 and
a second layer 46. The first layer 45 is directly formed
20 on the surface 31a of the arm body 31, and the second layer
46 is formed on the first layer 45. The first layer 45 is,
for example, chromium-based plating. The first layer 45
may be a single layer or may be a multi-layer. The component
of the material of the first layer 45 may contain a gradient
25 composition.
In the present embodiment, the second layer 46 is,
for example, a film of DLC (Diamond Like Carbon), and is
formed by plasma CVD. The arm body 31 is made black by the
second layer 46 of the DLC. The second layer 46 has a
30 hardness (Vicker's hardness) higher than that of the arm
body 31. In the present embodiment, the arm body 31 is made
10
of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and thus the hardness of the
second layer 46 is higher than the hardness of aluminum or
aluminum alloy (e.g., 50 Hv to 150 Hv). The hardness of
the second layer 46 made of DLC is, for example, 1300 Hv
5 or more and 1500 Hv or less. The thickness of the second
layer 46 may be appropriately set, and is, for example, 5
urn or more and 10 fj.m or less.
As described above, the traverse arm 30 of the present
embodiment has the surface layer 44 formed on the surface
10 31a of the arm body 31 including the yarn guiding section
35 by the surface treatment. The second layer 46 of the
surface layer 44 has a hardness higher than that of the arm
body 31. Thus, in the traverse arm 30, abrasion resistance
of the yarn guiding section 35 can be ensured. Since the
15 abrasion resistance of the yarn guiding section 35 can be
ensured by the surface layer 44, the traverse arm 30 does
not need to include another member having abrasion
resistance on the traverse guide 32. Thus, a gap, a step,
or the like that may become the cause of the yarn Y getting
20 caught is not formed in the traverse arm 30. Therefore,
the yarn Y can be prevented from getting caught.
In the present embodiment, the second layer 46 of the
surface layer 44 is the film of the DLC. Thus, by forming
the film of DLC on the surface 31a of the arm body 31, the
25 abrasion resistance of the yarn guiding section 35 can be
ensured.
In the present embodiment, the arm body 31 is made
of aluminum or aluminum alloy. Therefore, the speed of
swinging of the traverse arm 30 can be increased.
30 In the present embodiment, the surface layer 44 is
formed over the entire surface 31a of the arm body 31. When
11
performing the surface treatment on a part of the arm body
31, a masking operation and the like are required, and hence
the process becomes more complex. If the surface layer 44
is formed over the entire surface 31a of the arm body 31,
5 the masking operation and the like are not required, and
thus the manufacturing can be simplified. Furthermore, if
the surface layer 44 is formed over the entire surface 31a
of the arm body 31, the surface layer 44 functions as a rust
prevention (anti-corrosion layer), and hence rust
10 prevention (anti-corrosion) treatment is not required to
be separately performed on the traverse arm 30.
In the present embodiment, the yarn guiding section
35 is a cutout groove formed in the traverse guide 32.
Therefore, the gap, the step, or the like to which the yarn
15 Y gets caught is not formed.
In the present embodiment, the surface layer 44
includes the first layer 45. For example, the first layer
45 made of chromium-based plating has satisfactory
adhesiveness with the surface 31a of the arm body 31 made
20 of aluminum or aluminum alloy, and the second layer 46 made
of DLC has satisfactory adhesiveness with the first layer
45. Therefore, stripping of the second layer 46 (the
surface layer 44) can be prevented by providing the first
layer 45.
25 The present invention is not limited to the
above-described embodiment. For example, in the
above-described embodiment, the film of DLC has been
described by way of example as the second layer 46 of the
surface layer 44. The second layer 46 of the surface layer
30 44 merely needs to have a hardness higher than that of the
arm body 31, and may be made of, for example, ceramic,
12
titanium nitride, hard chromium, or the like.
Alternatively, the second layer 46 may be formed to contain
a plurality of materials of the DLC, the ceramic, the
titanium nitride, and the hard chromium.
5 In the case of the ceramic, the surface layer can be
formed on the surface 31a of the arm body 31 by a plasma
powder spraying method, an explosion spraying method, or
the like. The hardness of the ceramic is, for example, 800
Hv or more and 850 Hv or less. The thickness of the surface
10 layer made of ceramic is, for example, 30 una or more and
200 (am or less.
In the case of titanium nitride, the surface layer
can be formed on the surface 31a of the arm body 31 by a
PVD ion plating method. The hardness of the titanium
15 nitride is, for example, 2200 Hv or more and 2500 Hv or less.
The thickness of the surface layer made of titanium nitride
is, for example, 2 urn or more and 4 um or less.
In the case of hard chromium, the surface layer can
be formed on the surface 31a of the arm body 31 by a plating
20 bath. The hardness of the hard chromium is, for example,
800 Hv or more and 1000 Hv or less.
In the above-described embodiment, a configuration
in which the surface layer 44 includes the first layer 45
and the second layer 46 has been described by way of example.
25 However, the first layer 45 may not be provided. In other
words, if the surface layer 44 is formed by only one layer,
i.e., the second layer 46, the second layer 46 may be
directly formed on the surface 31a of the arm body 31. Since
the first layer 45 is not provided between the surface 31a
30 of the arm body 31 and the second layer 46, the weight of
the traverse arm 30 becomes lighter. Furthermore, since
13
the process of forming the first layer 45 is not required,
the traverse arm 30 can be more easily manufactured.
In the above-described embodiment, a configuration
in which the surface layer 44 includes the first layer 45
5 and the second layer 46 has been described by way of example,
but the surface layer 44 may include other layers.
In the above-described embodiment, a mode of forming
the surface layer 44 over the entire surface 31a of the arm
body 31 has been described by way of example, but the surface
10 layer 44 merely needs to be formed on the surface 31a of
at least the yarn guiding section 35.
In the above-described embodiment, the mounting
member 33 is formed as a member different from the arm body
31, but may be integrally molded.
15 A traverse arm according to one aspect of the present
invention is adapted to traverse a yarn by swinging, the
traverse arm including a body section having a yarn guiding
section adapted to guide the yarn, wherein a surface layer
having a hardness higher than that of the body section is
20 formed by performing surface treatment on a surface
including at least the yarn guiding section of the body
section.
The traverse arm has the surface layer formed on the
surface of the yarn guiding section. The surface layer has
25 a hardness higher than that of the body section. Thus, in
the traverse arm, abrasion resistance of the yarn guiding
section can be ensured. Since the abrasion resistance of
the yarn guiding section can be ensured by the surface layer,
the traverse arm does not need to include another member
30 having abrasion resistance on the body section. Thus, a
gap, a step, or the like that may become the cause of the
14
yarn getting caught is not formed in the traverse arm.
Therefore, the yarn can be prevented from getting caught.
In one embodiment, the surface layer may contain at
least one of diamond like carbon, ceramic, titanium nitride,
5 or hard chromium. The abrasion resistance can be ensured
by forming the surface layer with such materials.
In one embodiment, the body section may be made of
aluminum, aluminum alloy, magnesium, magnesium alloy,
titanium, titanium alloy, or resin. The weight of the
10 traverse arm thus can be lightened. Therefore, the speed
of swinging of the traverse arm can be increased.
In one embodiment, the surface layer may be directly
formed on the surface of the body section. Since an
intermediate layer is not provided between the body section
15 and the surface layer, the weight of the traverse arm
becomes lighter. Furthermore, since the process for
forming the intermediate layer is not required, the
traverse arm can be more easily manufactured.
In one embodiment, the surface layer may be formed
20 on the entire body section. When performing the surface
treatment on a part of the body section, for example, the
masking operation and the like are required, and hence the
process becomes more complex. If the surface layer is
formed over the entire body section, the masking operation
25 and the like are not required, and thus the manufacturing
can be simplified.
In one embodiment, the yarn guiding section is a
cutout groove formed in the body section. Thus, the gap,
the step, or the like to which the yarn gets caught is not
30 formed by forming the yarn guiding section with the cutout
groove. Therefore, the yarn can be further prevented from
15
getting caught.
In one embodiment, the body section has the yarn
guiding section at one end in a longitudinal direction of
the body section, and has a center of swing located at the
5 other end, and the yarn guiding section extends along the
longitudinal direction and is opened in a direction of the
other end. In one embodiment, the one end in the
longitudinal direction of the body section may be formed
into a hook shape.
10 A yarn winding machine according to another aspect
of the present invention includes the above-described
traverse arm; a driving section adapted to swing the
traverse arm; and a winding section adapted to wind the yarn
traversed by the swing of the traverse arm into a package.
15 In such a yarn winding machine, the traverse arm is
provided. Thus, the yarn can be prevented from getting
caught at the traverse arm when the traverse arm traverses
the yarn by the drive of the driving section. As a result,
the quality of the yarn to be wound into the package can
20 be maintained.
In one embodiment, the traverse arm may be fixed to
a drive shaft of the driving section. Thus, if the traverse
arm is fixed to the drive shaft without interposing a gear
and the like, the drive of the driving section is directly
25 transmitted to the traverse arm, and thus the traverse arm
can be accurately driven.
According to the present invention, the yarn can be
prevented from getting caught while suppressing the
abrasion caused by the contact with the yarn.
30

We claim:
1. A traverse arm adapted to traverse a yarn by
swinging, the traverse arm comprising:
5 a body section having a yarn guiding section adapted
to guide the yarn,
wherein a surface layer having a hardness higher than
that of the body section is formed by performing surface
treatment on a surface including at least the yarn guiding
10 section of the body section.
2. The traverse arm according to claim 1, wherein
the surface layer contains at least one of diamond like
carbon, ceramic, titanium nitride, or hard chromium.
15
3. The traverse arm according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the body section is made of aluminum, aluminum alloy,
magnesium, magnesium alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, or
resin.
20
4. The traverse arm according to any one of claims
1 to 3, wherein the surface layer is directly formed on the
surface of the body section.
25 5. The traverse arm according to any one of claims
1 to 4, wherein the surface layer is formed on the entire
body section.
6. The traverse arm according to any one of claims
30 1 to 5, wherein the yarn guiding section is a cutout groove
formed in the body section.
17
7. The traverse arm according to any one of claims
1 to 6, wherein the body section has the yarn guiding section
at one end in a longitudinal direction of the body section,
5 and has a center of swing located at the other end, and
the yarn guiding section extends along the
longitudinal direction and is opened in a direction of the
other end.
10 8. The traverse arm according to any one of claims
1 to 7, wherein the one end in the longitudinal direction
of the body section is formed into a hook shape.
9. A yarn winding machine comprising:
15 the traverse arm according to any one of claims 1 to
8;
a driving section adapted to swing the traverse arm;
and
a winding section adapted to wind the yarn traversed
20 by the swing of the traverse arm into a package.
10. The yarn winding machine according to claim 9,
wherein the traverse arm is fixed to a drive shaft of the
driving section.