YARN TRAVELLING INFORMATION ACQUIRING DEVICE AND METHOD,
AND YARN PROCESSING DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
5 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a yarn travelling
information acquiring device and a yarn processing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
10 A yarn clearer for monitoring yarn quality serves as an
example of a yarn travelling information acquiring device. For
example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-7214
describes a yarn clearer arranged in a machine system including
a plurality of spinning units and adapted to monitor yarn quality
15 in each spinning unit, and a contamination detection method of a
detection head of each yarn clearer. In a technique described in
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-7214, the
contamination of the detection head is detected from yarn thickness
data or the like obtained based on a yarn unevenness signal output
20 from the yarn clearer of a certain spinning unit.
A sensor section (detecting section) of the yarn clearer
includes a light emitting element (light emitting section) and a
light receiving element (light receiving section), and a
transparent window is arranged between the sensor section and the
25 light emitting element (between the sensor section and a yarn path,
and between the light emitting element and the yarn path). This
window is arranged to prevent dusts and/or yarn wastes, for example,
from entering into the sensor section. However, the window may get
contaminated (dirty) if the dusts and/or the yarn wastes or the
30 like attach to this transparent window. If the window gets
contaminated, calculation of a travelling speed of the yarn and/or
detection of a yarn defect may not be carried out. In the
conventional technique described above, it is difficult to
accurately detect an abnormality of the detecting section such as
contamination of the window, and the like.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a yarn
5 travelling information acquiring device and a yarn processing
device capable of accurately detecting an abnormality of a detecting
section.
A yarn travelling information acquiring device comprising:
a detecting section including a light emitting section adapted to
10 emit light to a yarn path where a yarn travels, and a light receiving
section adapted to receive the light emitted from the light emitting
section; a correction processing section adapted to adjust a control
value for emitting the light from the light emitting section in
accordance with an amount of the light received by the light
15 receiving section when the yarn is not present in the yarn path;
a control value acquiring section adapted to acquire control value
information indicating a control value of the light emitting
section; and a determining section adapted to determine whether
or not an abnormality is generated in the detecting section in
20 accordance with the control value information acquired by the
control value acquiring section.
A yarn processing device comprising: the yarn travelling
information acquiring device; a yarn processing section adapted
to execute a processing with respect to the yarn; and a control
25 section adapted to control the processing executed by the yarn
processing section in accordance with travelling information of
the yarn acquired by the yarn travelling information acquiring
device.
A yarn travelling information acquiring method with the
30 following steps: using a detecting section including a light
emitting section emitting light to a yarn path where a yarn travels,
and a light receiving section receiving the light emitted from the
light emitting section; adjusting a control value for emitting the
light from the light emitting section in accordance with an amount
of the light received by the light receiving section when the yarn
is not present in the yarn path; acquiring control value information
indicating a control value of the light emitting section; and
determining whether or not an abnormality is generated in the
5 detecting section in accordance with the control value information
acquired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a winder unit;
10 FIG. 2 is a front view of the winder unit;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a
clearer according to one embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of
a contamination determination processing in an analyzer;
15 FIGS. 5A to 5D are views illustrating each condition included
in a conditional equation of contamination;
FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a conditional equation of
contamination;
FIGS. 7A and 7B are views illustrating temporal change in
20 brightness of a light emitting section;
FIGS. 8A and 83 are views illustrating temporal change in
drive voltage of the light emitting section;
FIGS. 9A and 9B are views illustrating another example of the
conditional equation of contamination;
25 FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure
of a lifetime determination processing in the analyzer;
FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of
a clearer according to another embodiment; and
FIGS. 12A and 12B are views illustrating another further
30 example of the conditional equation of contamination.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described below with reference to the drawings.
A winder unit 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 unwinds a spun
yarn 2 0 from a yarn supplying bobbin 21 and winds the spun yarn
20 around a winding bobbin 22 while traversing the spun yarn 20
to form a package 30 of a prescribed length and a prescribed form.
5 An automatic winder (yarn winding machine, yarn processing device)
of the present embodiment includes a plurality of winder units 10
arranged in a line, and a machine control device (not illustrated)
arranged at one end in a direction in which the winder units 10
are arranged.
10 Each of the winder units 10 includes a unit frame 11 (FIG.
1) arranged on a left or right side in front view, and a winding
unit main body 16 arranged at a side of the unit frame 11. The
winding unit main body 16 includes a magazine-type supplying device
60, a winding section 31, and a supplying bobbin holding section
15 71.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the magazine-type supplying device
60 includes a magazine holding section 61, which extends obliquely
upward from a lower part of the winder unit 10 at a front side of
the winder unit 10, and a bobbin accommodating device 62, which
20 is attached to a distal end of the magazine holding section 61.
The bobbin accommodating device 62 includes a magazine can 63. The
magazine can 63 is formed with a plurality of accommodation holes
to which a supply bobbin 70 can be set. The magazine can 63 can
be intermittently driven, rotated, and fed by a motor (not
25 illustrated), and the magazine can 63 can drop the supply bobbin
70 one at a time to a bobbin supply path (not illustrated) of the
magazine holding section 61 by the intermittent drive and a control
valve (not illustrated) of the magazine can 63. The supply bobbin
70 is introduced to a supplying bobbin holding section 71.
30 In place of the magazine-type supplying device 60 illustrated
in FIG. 1, a transport conveyor (not illustrated) arranged at a
lower part of the automatic winder may be used to supply the yarn
supplying bobbin 21 from a yarn supplying bobbin supplying section
(not illustrated) to the supplying bobbin holding section 71 of
each winder unit 10.
The winding section 31 winds the spun yarn 20, which has been
unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin 21, around the winding bobbin
22 to form the package 30. Specifically, the winding section 31
5 includes a cradle 23, which is configured to be able to grip the
winding bobbin 22, and a winding drum 24, which is adapted to
traverse the spun yarn 20 and to drive the winding bobbin 22. The
cradle 23 can swing in a direction of approaching or separating
with respect to the winding drum 24 . The package 30 is thus brought
10 into contact with or separated from the winding drum 24. As
illustrated in FIG. 2, a spiral-shaped traverse groove 27 is formed
on an outer peripheral surface of the winding drum 24, and the spun
yarn 20 is traversed by the traverse groove 27.
The winding bobbin 22 is rotated by driving and rotating the
15 winding drum 24 arranged facing the winding bobbin 22. The spun
yarn 20 is wound around the rotating winding bobbin 22 while being
traversed by the traverse groove 27. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the
winding drum 24 is coupled to an output shaft of a drum drive motor
53. An operation of the drum drive motor 53 is controlled by a motor
20 control section 54. The motor control section 54 performs control
to operate and stop the drum drive motor 53 in response to a control
signal from a unit control section (control section) 50.
A rotation sensor 42 is attached to the winding drum 24. The
rotation sensor 42 is electrically connected to an analyzer 52 or
25 the like arranged in a clearer 15, to be described later. The
rotation sensor 42 is configured as a rotary encoder, for example,
and transmits a pulse signal to the analyzer 52 every time the
winding drum 24 rotates by a prescribed angle. The pulse signal
output by the rotation sensor 42 is referred to as a rotation pulse
30 signal.
The winding unit main body 16 has a structure in which an
unwinding assisting device 12, a tension applying device 13, a yarn
joining device 14, and a clearer head (detecting section) 49 of
the clearer (yarn travelling information acquiring device) 15 are
arranged in this order from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 side on
a yarn travelling path between the yarn supplying bobbin 21 and
the winding drum 24. The yarn processing section is at least one
of the magazine-type supplying device 60, the winding section 31,
5 the unwinding assisting device 12, the tension applying device 13,
and the yarn joining device 14, for example.
The unwinding assisting device 12 assists the unwinding of
the spun yarn 20 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 by lowering a
regulating member 40 covering a core tube of the yarn supplying
10 bobbin 21 accompanying unwinding of the spun yarn 20 from the yarn
supplying bobbin 21. The regulating member 40 makes contact with
a balloon that is formed at an upper part of the yarn supplying
bobbin 21 when the spun yarn 20 unwound from the yarn supplying
bobbin 21 is swung around, thus applying an appropriate tension
15 to the balloon and assisting unwinding of the spun yarn 20.
The tension applying device 13 applies a prescribed tension
on the travelling spun yarn 20. The tension applying device 13
applies constant tension to the spun yarn 20, thereby improving
quality of the package 30.
20 The clearer 15 detects defects by detecting thickness
unevenness of the spun yarn 20 by an appropriate sensor.
Specifically, the clearer 15 includes the clearer head 49 and the
analyzer 52 (FIG. 2) . Two yarn unevenness detecting sensors 43 and
4 4 are arranged in the clearer head 49. The yarn defect such as
25 slub can be detected by processing signals from the yarn unevenness
detecting sensors 43 and 44 by the analyzer 52. A cutter (not
illustrated) for immediately cutting the spun yarn 20 when the
clearer 15 detects a yarn defect is arranged in proximity to the
clearer head 49.
30 The clearer 15 may also function as a yarn travelling
information acquiring device for acquiring travelling information
of the spun yarn 20. The travelling information of the yarn is
information indicating a state of the travelling spun yarn 20. The
configuration of acquiring the travelling information of the spun
yarn 20 by the clearer 15 will be described later.
The yarn joining device 14 joins a lower yarn from the yarn
supplying bobbin 21 and an upper yarn from the package 30 after
the clearer 15 detects a yarn defect and cuts the spun yarn 20,
5 or after a yarn breakage during unwinding of the spun yarn 20 from
the yarn supplying bobbin 21. The yarn joining device 14 may be
a mechanical-type or a type that uses fluid such as compressed air.
A lower yarn guiding pipe 25 for catching and guiding the lower
yarn from the yarn supplying bobbin 21, and an upper yarn guiding
10 pipe 2 6 for catching and guiding the upper yarn from the package
30 are respectively arranged below and above the yarn joining device
14 . A suction port 32 is formed at a tip end of the lower yarn guiding
pipe 25. A suction mouth 34 is arranged at a tip end of the upper
yarn guiding pipe 26. The lower yarn guiding pipe 25 and the upper
15 yarn guiding pipe 26 are respectively connected to an appropriate
negative pressure source (not illustrated), to provide a suction
flow at the suction port 32 and the suction mouth 34.
At the time of yarn cut or yarn breakage, the suction port
32 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 catches the lower yarn at a
20 position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and is then swung upward
around a shaft 33 to guide the lower yarn to the yarn joining device
14 . Almost at the same time, the upper yarn guiding pipe 26 is swung
upward around a shaft 35 from the illustrated position to catch,
by the suction mouth 34, the upper yarn unwound from the package
25 30 that is reversely rotated by the drum drive motor 53.
Subsequently, the upper yarn guiding pipe 26 is swung downward
around the shaft 35 to guide the upper yarn to the yarn joining
device 14 . The yarn joining device 14 then performs the yarn joining
operation of the lower yarn and the upper yarn.
30 Next, the clearer 15 will be described in detail with
reference to FIG. 3.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the clearer head 49 includes the
first yarn unevenness detecting sensor (light receiving section)
43 and the second yarn unevenness detecting sensor (light receiving
section) 44, and two Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converters 45 and 46.
The analyzer 52 is configured by hardware such as a Central
Processing Unit (CPU) 47, a Random Access Memory (RAM) 48, and a
Read Only Memory (ROM) (not illustrated), and software such as a
5 program stored in "the 'RDM. With the cooperative operation of the
hardware and the software, the CPU 47 can function as a yarn
travelling speed calculating section 65, a yarn quality measuring
section 66, a zero-point correction processing section (correction
processing section) 67, a drive voltage acquiring section (control
10 value acquiring section) 68, a determining section 72, an update
processing section 73, and the like. The pulse signals from the
rotation sensor 42 are input to the analyzer 52.
The first yarn unevenness detecting sensor 43 and the second
yarn unevenness detecting sensor 44 are arranged with an appropriate
15 distance in-between in a yarn travelling direction. The first yarn
unevenness detecting sensor 43 is arranged downstream and the second
yarn unevenness detecting sensor 44 is arranged upstream. In the
present embodiment, the yarn unevenness detecting sensors 43 and
44 are adapted to detect thickness unevenness of the spun yarn 20.
20 Specifically, the yarn unevenness detecting sensors 43 and 44 are
configured as optical sensors. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) 36
(first light emitting section) and 37 (second light emitting
section) are arranged as light sources on an opposite side of the
yarn unevenness detecting sensors 43 and 44 with a yarn path Ya
25 of the spun yarn 20 therebetween. In other words, the yarn
unevenness detecting sensor 43 is arranged to face the LED 36 with
the yarn path Ya therebetween. The yarn unevenness detecting
sensor 44 is arranged to face the LED 37 with the yarn path Ya
therebetween. The yarn unevenness detecting sensors 43 and 44
30 respectively receive light irradiated from the LEDs 36 and 37, and
detect a light receiving amount thereof. Since the light receiving
amount of the yarn unevenness detecting sensors 43 and 44 changes
when the thickness of the travelling spun yarn 20 changes, the
clearer 15 can detect the thickness unevenness of the spun yarn
20. The output signals (yarn thickness unevenness signals) from
the yarn unevenness detecting sensors 43 and 44 are converted from
an analog value to a digital value (A/D converted) , and then output
to the analyzer 52.
5 The CPU 47 arranged in the analyzer 52 monitors the A/D
converted yarn thickness unevenness signals to measure the quality
of the spun yarn 20. For example, since the thickness of the spun
yarn 20 is found to be abnormal at an area where the quality of
the spun yarn 20 has a problem, the defect of the spun yarn 20 can
10 be detected by detecting the abnormality in the thickness of the
spun yarn 20 by the CPU 47. Since the quality of the spun yarn 20
is measured by the CPU 47, the CPU 47 thus can function as the yarn
quality measuring section 66.
The yarn supplying bobbin 21 normally has a yarn spun by a
15 ring spinning machine. Slight thickness unevenness may
periodically occur in such a yarn. The cause of the periodic yarn
thickness unevenness may include core shift of a draft roller that
drafts a sliver in the ring spinning machine. The periodic
thickness unevenness in a spinning process causes moire to be
20 generated in a woven cloth in the subsequent weaving process. The
CPU 47 serving as the yarn quality measuring section 66 performs
a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) calculation of the yarn thickness
unevenness signal to detect the periodic thickness unevenness of
the spun yarn 20 . In order to accurately perform the FFT calculation,
25 the number of waveform data per unit length of the spun yarn 20
is required to be accurately made constant when sampling the yarn
thickness unevenness signal in the A/D converter.
The CPU 47 of the present embodiment acquires information
relating to a travelling state of the spun yarn 20, and changes
30 a sampling period (cycle) of the second A/D converter 4 6 according
to the travelling state. Specifically, the CPU 47 generates a pulse
signal each time the spun yarn 20 travels a specific length (e.g.,
1 mm), and transmits the pulse signal to the second A/D converter
46. This pulse signal is referred to as a fixed yarn length pulse
10
signal. In accordance with this fixed yarn length pulse signal,
the second A/D converter 46 samples the analog signals coming from
the first yarn unevenness detecting sensor 43 through a first
amplification circuit 91, and converts the analog signals into
5 digital signals. Accordingly, since the number of data per unit
length of the spun yarn 20 can be accurately maintained constant,
the FFT calculation can be accurately performed in the CPU 47 and
the periodic thickness unevenness can be reliably detected. By
accurately maintaining the number of data per unit length of the
10 spun yarn 20 constant, the CPU 47 can accurately perform an
evaluation of the length of the thickness unevenness of the spun
yarn 20 even with a sporadic yarn defect without periodicity, and
detection accuracy of the analyzer 52 can be improved. Since a fixed
yarn length pulse signal is information relating to the travelling
15 state of the spun yarn 20, the fixed yarn length pulse signal can
be referred to as one type of yarn travelling information.
Next, the configuration for acquiring the fixed yarn length
pulse signal will be described.
The clearer 15 of the present embodiment includes the first
20 A/D converter 45 apart from the second A/D converter 46.
The first A/D converter 45 is an A/D converter which performs
sampling of the yarn thickness unevenness signal in order to acquire
the fixed yarn length pulse signal by the CPU 47. Specifically,
the first A/D converter 45 samples the analog signals from the two
25 yarn unevenness detecting sensors 43 and 44 through the first
amplification circuit 91 and a second amplification circuit 92
respectively, and converts the analog signals to digital signals.
The obtained digital signals are input to the analyzer 52. The CPU
47 arranged in the analyzer 52 functions as the yarn travelling
30 speed calculating section 65 to detect the travelling speed of the
spun yarn 20 using the input digital signals. Since the travelling
speed of the spun yarn 20 is also information relating to the
travelling state of the spun yarn 20, the travelling speed can be
referred to as one type of yarn travelling information.
11
If the travelling speed of the spun yarn 20 is obtained, the
travelled length of the spun yarn 20 within a prescribed period
of time can be detected in accordance with the travelling speed.
The CPU 47 generates and acquires the fixed yarn length pulse signal
5 in accordance with the travelling speed of the spun yarn 20, and
transmits the fixed yarn length pulse signal to the second A/D
converter 46. Accordingly, the yarn thickness unevenness signal
can be sampled for every fixed yarn length of the spun yarn 20 in
the second A/D converter 46.
10 Next, a method of acquiring the travelling speed (yarn
travelling information) of the spun yarn 20 by the clearer 15 will
be described in detail.
First, in the first A/D converter 45, the analog waveforms
output from the yarn unevenness detecting sensors 43 and 44 are
15 sampled. A sampling frequency fsl at this time is changed as needed
in proportion to a rotation speed of the winding drum 24.
Accordingly, when the signal waveforms of the yarn unevenness
detecting sensors 43 and 44 are sampled by the first A/D converter
45, the number of data acquired per unit length of the spun yarn
20 20 thus can be maintained substantially constant. A calculation
load of the CPU 47 thus can be reduced compared with when the sampling
frequency is fixed.
As described above, the rotation sensor 42 outputs the
rotation pulse signal every time the winding drum 24 rotates a
25 prescribed angle. Therefore, the number of rotation pulse signals
output per unit time is proportional to the rotation speed of the
winding drum 24. The CPU 47 of the analyzer 52 acquires the
rotational information of the winding drum 24 in accordance with
the rotation pulse signal received from the rotation sensor 42.
30 The rotational information of the winding drum 24 is information
relating to the rotation speed of the winding drum 24, and may be,
for example, a peripheral speed of the winding drum 24, an angular
speed of the winding drum 24, or the number of rotation pulse signals
output per unit time. That is, the information relating to the
12
rotation speed of the winding drum 24 just needs to be acquired
in some form in accordance with the rotation pulse signal.
The CPU 47 obtains the sampling frequency fsl through a
process of multiplying a prescribed coefficient to the rotational
5 information of the winding drum 24 obtained in the above manner,
and sets the obtained sampling frequency fsl in the first A/D
converter 45. The sampling frequency fsl of the first A/D converter
45 may be changed as needed in proportion to the rotation speed
of the winding drum 24.
10 In order to temporarily carry the waveform data input from
the first A/D converter 45, the analyzer 52 has a storage range
configured as a ring buffer (downstream ring buffer 55 and upstream
ring buffer 56) on the RAM 48. Specifically, data obtained by
sampling the output signal (first yarn thickness unevenness signal)
15 from the first yarn unevenness detecting sensor 43 is accumulated
in the downstream ring buffer 55. The data obtained by sampling
the output signal (second yarn thickness unevenness signal) from
the second yarn unevenness detecting sensor 44 is accumulated in
the upstream ring buffer 56. Although the size of the downstream
20 ring buffer 55 and the upstream ring buffer 56 is not particularly
limited, the downstream ring buffer 55 and the upstream ring buffer
56 can respectively carry 128 pieces of data in the present
embodiment.
The clearer 15 according to the present embodiment has a
25 function of detecting the abnormality of the clearer head 49. As
illustrated in FIG. 3, the clearer head 49 includes the first
amplification circuit 91 and the second amplification circuit 92.
The first amplification circuit 91 is arranged between the first
yarn unevenness detecting sensor 43 and the A/D converters 45 and
30 4 6, and is adapted to amplify the analog signal from the first yarn
unevenness detecting sensor 43. The second amplification circuit
92 is arranged between the second yarn unevenness detecting sensor
44 and the A/D converter 45, and is adapted to amplify the analog
signal from the second yarn unevenness detecting sensor 44. The
13
analyzer 52 includes an amplification adjusting section 81 adapted
to adjust a gain in the first amplification circuit 91 and a gain
in the second amplification circuit 92. The analyzer 52 includes
a drive adjusting section 82 adapted to adjust a drive voltage to
5 be applied to the LEDs 36 and 37 by controlling drive circuits 83
and 84. The drive voltage to be applied to the LEDs 36 and 37 is
a control value for emitting light from the LEDs 36 and 37. When
the drive voltage to be applied to the LEDs 36 and 37 changes, the
current flowing through the LEDs 36 and 37 changes. The luminance
10 of the LEDs 36 and 37 is adjusted by the change of current.
The analyzer 52 includes a storage section 86 adapted to store
various voltage values for the LEDs 36 and 37, such as an initial
drive level (initial control value), a normal-time level
(normal-time control value), an abnormality level
15 (abnormality-time control value), and a lifetime level (lifetime
control value). The analyzer 52 includes a timer 87 adapted to
measure time, and a communicating section 88 adapted to perform
communication with a setting device 100. The setting device 100
includes an instructing section 101 and corresponds to the
20 above-described machine control device, but the setting device 100
may be incorporated in the analyzer 52.
The CPU 47 of the analyzer 52 has each of the following
functions. Specifically, the CPU 47 functions as the yarn
travelling speed calculating section 65 and detects the travelling
25 speed of the spun yarn 20. The CPU 47 functions as the yarn quality
measuring section 66 and measures the quality of the spun yarn 20.
The CPU 47 functions as the zero-point correction processing section
67, and outputs a signal that instructs adjustment of the drive
voltage to the drive adjusting section 82 to perform the zero-point
30 correction processing of each of the LEDs 36 and 37 . This zero-point
correction is the processing of adjusting the drive voltage to be
applied to the LEDs 36 and 37 such that a voltage related to the
detection signal of when nothing is arranged in the yarn path Ya
becomes a prescribed voltage. According to the zero-point
14
correction processing, the light receiving amount of the yarn
unevenness detecting sensors 43 and/or 44 is maintained constant.
The CPU 47 functions as the drive voltage acquiring section 68,
and acquires information indicating the drive voltage of each of
5 LEDs 36 and 37 from the drive adjusting section 82, and outputs
the acquired information to the storage section 86. The CPU 47
functions as the determining section 72, and determines whether
or not an abnormality is generated in the clearer head 49, and
detects whether or not the LEDs 36 and 37 reached their lifetime.
10 The CPU 47 functions as the update processing section 73, and updates
the normal-time voltage, which is the voltage value stored in the
storage section 86.
The abnormality of the clearer head 49 detected by the
analyzer 52 includes, for example, contamination of the clearer
15 head 49, and degradation (i.e., lifetime) of the LED 36 and/or the
LED 37. The clearer head 49 may include a transparent window (not
illustrated) between the LEDs 36 and 37, and the yarn unevenness
detecting sensors 43 and 44. The clearer head 49 gets contaminated
when dust and/or yarn wastes attach to the window.
20 The normal-time level stored in the storage section 86 is a
value appropriately set between the initial drive voltage and the
lifetime drive voltage illustrated in FIG. 8B. The LEDs 36 and 37
have temporal properties of brightness illustrated in FIG. 7A. In
the present embodiment, the brightness is not stable for about 0.1
25 hours from the start of light emission of the LED 36 and/or 37,
and thus the drive level is also not stable (see FIGS. 7A and 8A).
The CPU 47 thus prohibits the storing of the normal-time level to
the storage section 86 until elapse of the time in which the drive
level stabilizes. The CPU 47 stores the normal-time level in the
30 storage section 86 after elapse of the time in which the drive level
stabilizes.
Hereinafter, the processing executed by the CPU 47 of the
analyzer 52 will be described. The CPU 47 executes a contamination
determination processing and a lifetime determination processing.
15
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the
contamination determination processing in the analyzer 52 . The CPU
47 first performs the zero-point correction processing prior to
the contamination determination processing. The CPU 47 then
5 acquires the drive level (control value information) of the LEDs
36 and 37 (step SI) . In step SI, the CPU 47 acquires the information
indicating the drive voltage of each of the LEDs 36 and 37 from
the drive adjusting section 82, and outputs the acquired information
to the storage section 86. The storage section 86 sequentially
10 stores the information output from the CPU 47.
The CPU 47 then calculates a difference between the
normal-time level (normal-time voltage) and the present drive level
(step S2). Provided that the present drive levels of the LEDs 36
and 37 are respectively VA and VB, and the normal-time levels of
15 the LEDs 36 and 37 are respectively VAO and VBO/ the CPU 47 calculates
the difference D^ = I VA-VAO I and DB = I VB-VBO I between the normal-time
level and the present drive level in each of the LEDs 36 and 37.
The CPU 47 then determines whether or not the differences DA and
DB satisfy any one of the following conditional equations of
20 contamination (1) to (4) (step S3).
DA-DB < ai ... (1) (see FIG. 5A)
DB-DA > bi ... (2) (see FIG. 5B)
DA > a2 ... (3) (see FIG. 5C)
DB > b2 ... (4) (see FIG. 5D)
25 By overlapping the four conditional equations (1) , (2) , (3) ,
and (4), a region illustrated in FIG. 6 is obtained as the
conditional equation of contamination. Among the region
illustrated in FIG. 6, the white region without shaded lines is
the region in which the clearer head 4 9 is determined to be under
30 the normal state, and the region with the shaded lines is the region
in which the clearer head 4 9 is determined to be under the abnormal
state.
Next, if a determination is made that the above conditional
equation of contamination is satisfied, the CPU 47 performs the
16
abnormality processing (step S4). An example of the abnormality
processing includes various processing such as (i) notifying that
the abnormality is generated by an alarm lamp (not illustrated)
or the like provided on a notification section 102, and (ii) blowing
5 air to a yarn travelling space of the clearer 15 (so-called blast
processing) . The notification of abnormality by the alarm lamp can
be executed with the notification section 102 by the communication
of the communicating section 88 and the setting device 100. For
the blast processing, in preparation for when foreign substances
10 and/or dust and the like accumulate in the yarn travelling space,
the clearer 15 includes an air blowing mechanism (not illustrated)
adapted to blow air to blow away accumulated substances.
The CPU 47 then terminates the contamination determination
processing. Provided that a normal-time level is VQ and an
15 abnormality level is VTH^ if a determination is made that the
conditional equation of contamination IVQ-VAI > VTH is not satisfied
in step S3, the CPU 47 terminates the contamination determination
processing without notifying the abnormality.
According to the clearer 15 of the present embodiment
20 described above, the drive voltage to be applied to the LEDs 36
and 37 is adjusted by the zero-point correction processing section
67 in accordance with the light receiving amount of the yarn
unevenness detecting sensors 43 and 44 in a state where the yarn
20 is not arranged on the yarn path Ya. As illustrated in FIG. 7B,
25 the light emitting properties of the LEDs 36 and 37 change by time.
If a transparent window is arranged between the LEDs 36 and 37 and
the yarn unevenness detecting sensor 43 and/or 44, the light
receiving amount of the yarn unevenness detecting sensor 43 and/or
44 decreases when the window becomes contaminated. Even when the
30 transparent window is contaminated, the drive voltage is adjusted
by the zero-point correction processing section 67 such that the
light receiving amount of the yarn unevenness detecting sensor 43
and/or 44 is maintained constant. Furthermore, a determination is
made as to whether or not the abnormality is generated in the clearer
17
head 4 9 in accordance with the drive voltage information. The drive
voltage information is associated with the temporal change of the
light emitting properties of the LEDs 36 and 37 and/or the
contamination of the window of the clearer head 4 9, and the like.
5 Therefore, the abnormality of the clearer head 4 9 can be accurately
detected by such a determination processing.
Since a determination as to whether or not an abnormality is
generated in the clearer head 49 is made in accordance with the
normal-time voltage, the abnormality of the clearer head 4 9 can
10 be more accurately detected.
The normal-time voltage VAO and VBO can be appropriately
determined between the initial drive voltage and the lifetime drive
voltage, and the determination level of abnormality can be
appropriately set. For example, the determination level of
15 abnormality can be set according to the usage purpose of the clearer
15 and/or the type of spun yarn 20, thus enhancing the versatility
of the clearer 15.
The determining section 72 determines whether or not an
abnormality is generated in the clearer head 4 9 in accordance with
20 the difference DA= I VA-VAO I between the drive voltage and the
normal-time voltage in the LED 36 , and the difference DB= I VB-VBO I
between the drive voltage and the normal-time voltage in the LED
37. The abnormality can be accurately detected even in the clearer
head 49 including a plurality of LEDs 36 and 37.
25 The automatic winder includes the notification section 102
for notifying the abnormality when the determining section 72
determines that the abnormality is generated in the clearer head
49. The abnormality thus can be immediately notified to the
operator or the like.
30 The conditional equation of contamination is not limited to
the equations (1) to (4) above. For example, one of the equations
(1), (2), and (5) may be satisfied.
DA-DB < ai ... (1) (see FIG. 5A)
DB-DA > bi ... (2) (see FIG. 5B)
18
DA+DB > a2+b2 ... (5) (see FIG. 9A)
By overlapping the three conditional equations (1) , (2) , and
(5) , a region illustrated in FIG. 9B is obtained as the conditional
equation of contamination. If the LED 36 and the LED 37 are elements
5 having the same property (e.g., temperature property and/or
lifetime property) or elements of the same type, ai and bi are the
same, and 32 and b2 are the same.
The conditional equation of contamination may be the region
in which the end of the region illustrated in FIG. 6 is formed into
10 an arcuate shape, as illustrated in FIG. 12A, or may be the region
in which the end of the region illustrated in FIG. 9B is formed
into an arcuate shape, as illustrated in FIG. 12B.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure
of the lifetime determination processing in the analyzer 52. First,
15 the input of completion of cleaning is made by the operator to the
clearer 15 (step S21). The processing performed in step S21 may
be (i) an input operation from a button (not illustrated) arranged
on the clearer 15 by the operator, or may be (ii) an automatic
detection of completion of cleaning by the analyzer 52. When
20 automatically detecting the completion of cleaning, if the cleaning
is performed with the LEDs 36 and 37 shielded by the cleaning member,
a darker value is detected compared to when the LEDs 36 and 37 are
shielded by the spun yarn 20. Therefore, if the detection time of
such a dark value is long, the CPU 47 can determine the completion
25 of the cleaning by detecting the end of the detection time.
The CPU 47 then performs the zero-point correction (step S22) .
The CPU 47 then acquires the drive level (drive voltage information)
of the LEDs 36 and 37 (step S23) . In step S23, the CPU 47 acquires
the information indicating the drive voltage of each of the LEDs
30 36 and 37 from the drive adjusting section 82, and outputs the
acquired information to the storage section 86. The storage
section 86 sequentially stores the information output from the CPU
47.
The CPU 47 then compares the initial level and the drive level
19
(step S24) . Provided that the present drive levels of the LEDs 36
and 37 are V^ and VB, and the initial levels of the LEDs 36 and 37
are VZA and VZB, the CPU 47 calculates the differences |VZA-VAI and
I VZB-VB I between the initial level and the drive level in each of
5 the LEDs 36 and 37. The CPU 47 determines whether or not the
differences |VZA-VAI and I VZB-VB I satisfy at least one of the
following conditional equations of lifetime (6) and (7) (step S25) .
IVZA-VAI > VLA . . . (6)
I VZB-VB I > VLB . . . (7)
10 The initial levels VZA and VZB can be stored in advance in the
storage section 8 6 at the time of manufacturing of the automatic
winder, at the time of shipment of the automatic winder, at the
time of installation of the automatic winder in a spinning factory,
at the time before the start of winding of the package 30 by the
15 automatic winder, or the like. VLA and VLB are lifetime drive
voltages. If the LED 36 and the LED 37 are elements having the same
property (e.g., temperature property and/or lifetime property) or
elements of the same type, VLA and VLB niay be the same.
Next, if a determination is made that at least one of the
20 conditional equations of lifetime (6) and (7) is satisfied, the
CPU 47 saves the present drive level in the storage section 86 as
the normal-time level (step S26) . The processing of step S26
corresponds to the update processing of the normal-time level by
the update processing section 73. The CPU 47 then terminates the
25 lifetime determination processing.
If a determination is made that both conditional equations
of lifetime (6) and (7) are not satisfied, the CPU 47 performs
lifetime notification (step S27). Specifically, the CPU 47
transmits to the notification section 102 by communication between
30 the communicating section 88 and the setting device 100 that the
LED 36 or the LED 37 has reached the lifetime, and the notification
section 102 notifies that the LED 36 or the LED 37 has reached the
lifetime. The CPU 47 then terminates the lifetime determination
processing. Even if a determination is made that the conditional
20
equations of lifetime (6) and (7) are not satisfied, the CPU 47
may perform the contamination notification without performing the
lifetime notification for a prescribed number of times (permitted
number of times) . Thus, even if the cleaning of the clearer 15 is
5 not sufficient, the contamination notification can be immediately
made without performing the lifetime notification, thus urging the
operator or the like to perform the cleaning.
According to the above lifetime determination processing, the
normal-time voltage stored in the storage section 86 is updated
10 by the update processing section 73. The LEDs 36 and 37 have
lifetime properties illustrated in FIG. 7B. The lifetime property
has a sufficiently long temporal element than the temporal property,
but the brightness of the LEDs 36 and 37 gradually decreases. By
updating the normal-time voltage stored in the storage section 86
15 by the update processing section 73, the clearer 15 can detect the
abnormality that complies more with the actual condition in view
of the lifetime properties of the LEDs 36 and 37.
The determining section 72 determines whether or not the LED
36 and/or 37 has reached the lifetime in accordance with the
20 difference IVZA-VAI and/or I VZB-VB I between the present drive voltage
of the LED 36 and/or 37 and the initial drive voltage of the LED
36 and/or 37. According to such a configuration, a detection can
be accurately carried out as to whether the LED 36 and/or 37 has
reached the lifetime.
25 FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of
a clearer 15A according to another embodiment. The clearer 15A
illustrated in FIG. 11 differs from the clearer 15 illustrated in
FIG. 3 in that the clearer lA includes a clearer head 49A (analyzer
52A) including a single LED 36. Accompanied therewith, a CPU 47A
30 of the clearer 15A does not include the yarn travelling speed
calculating section 65. The clearer 15A does not include the drive
circuit 84, the second yarn unevenness detecting sensor 44, the
second amplification circuit 92, and the upstream ring buffer 56.
The processing similar to the above embodiment can be
21
performed in the clearer 15A including one LED 36, which is the
light source. The contamination determination processing by the
clearer 15A differs from the contamination determination processing
by the clearer 15 in that, in steps S2 and S3 illustrated in FIG.
5 4, the CPU 47A compares the normal-time level (normal-time voltage)
and the present drive level. That is, provided that the present
drive level is VA and the normal-time level is Vo, the CPU 47A
calculates the difference IVQ-VAI between the normal-time level and
the present drive level. The CPU 47A then determines whether the
10 conditional equation of contamination I VQ-VRI > VTH is satisfied when
the abnormality level is VTH (step S3) . If a determination is made
that the conditional equation of contamination IVQ-VAI > VTH is
satisfied, the CPU 47A performs the abnormality processing (step
S4) . The abnormality of the LED 36 can also be accurately detected
15 by the clearer 15A.
The embodiments of the present invention have been described
above, but the present invention is not limited to the above
embodiments. For example, the normal-time voltage may be the
initial drive voltage of the light emitting section, or may be the
20 drive voltage at completion of the cleaning of the detecting section
(including window or the like) or the cleaning of at least one of
the light emitting section and the light receiving section. In the
lifetime determination processing, a determination may be made as
to whether or not the light emitting section has reached the lifetime
25 in accordance with the difference between the present drive voltage
of the light emitting section and the lifetime drive voltage related
to the lifetime of the light emitting section. The embodiments
described above are not limited to a case of having the drive voltage
as the control value, and the current to be supplied to the light
30 emitting section may be adopted as the control value.
The embodiments described above are not limited to a case in
which the notification section 102 is arranged in the setting device
100, and a notification lamp such as an LED may be arranged in the
clearer 15 as the notification section. The setting device 100 may
22
be arranged in each winder unit other than the machine control device,
and may be arranged for every group configured by a prescribed number
of winder units.
The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to
5 the embodiments of outputting, from the drive voltage acquiring
section 68 to the storage section 86, the information indicating
the drive voltage acquired by the CPU 47 (the drive voltage acquiring
section 68) from the drive adjusting section 82. The information
indicating the drive voltage output by the CPU 47 to the drive
10 adjusting section 82 may be stored as it is in the storage section
86 without being once acquired from the drive adjusting section
82 by the CPU 47 (the drive voltage acquiring section 68).
The clearer 15 (the yarn travelling information acquiring
device) of the present invention is not limited to being provided
15 in the automatic winder, and may be provided in other yarn processing
devices such as a fine spinning machine, which includes an air-jet
spinning device (yarn processing section), for example.
A yarn travelling information acquiring device of the present
invention includes a detecting section including a light emitting
20 section adapted to emit light to a yarn path where a yarn travels,
and a light receiving section adapted to receive the light emitted
from the light emitting section, a correction processing section
adapted to adjust a control value for emitting the light from the
light emitting section in accordance with an amount of the light
25 received by the light receiving section when the yarn is not present
in the yarn path, a control value acquiring section adapted to
acquire control value information indicating a control value of
the light emitting section, and a determining section adapted to
determine whether or not an abnormality is generated in the
30 detecting section in accordance with the control value information
acquired by the control value acquiring section.
According to the yarn travelling information acquiring device,
the control value for emitting the light from the light emitting
section is adjusted in accordance with the amount of the light
23
received by the light receiving section when the yarn is not present
in the yarn path. Light emitting properties of the light emitting
section change with time. If a transparent window is arranged
between the light emitting section and the light receiving section,
5 the amount of the light received by the light receiving section
decreases when the window becomes contaminated. Even in such a case,
the control value is adjusted by the correction processing section
such that the amount of the light received by the light receiving
section is maintained constant. Further, a determination is made
10 as to whether or not the abnormality is generated in the detecting
section in accordance with the control value information. As
described above, the control value information is associated with
temporal change in the light emitting properties of the light
emitting section and/or contamination of the window of the detecting
15 section. Therefore, the abnormality of the detecting section can
be accurately detected by such a determination processing.
The yarn travelling information acquiring device further
includes a storage section adapted to store a prescribed value of
the control value as a normal-time control value, wherein the
20 determining section is adapted to determine whether or not an
abnormality is generated in the light emitting section in accordance
with a present control value and the normal-time control value of
the light emitting section. According to such a configuration,
since a determination is made as to whether or not the abnormality
25 is generated in the detecting section (the light emitting section)
in accordance with the normal-time control value, the abnormality
of the detecting section (the light emitting section) can be more
accurately detected.
The normal-time control value is a value between an initial
30 control value of the light emitting section and a lifetime control
value relating to a lifetime of the light emitting section.
According to such a configuration, the normal-time control value
can be appropriately determined between the initial control value
and the lifetime control value, and a determination level of
24
abnormality can be appropriately set. For example, the
determination level of abnormality can be set according to a usage
purpose of the yarn travelling information acquiring device and/or
a type of a yarn, thus enhancing versatility of the yarn travelling
5 information acquiring device.
The normal-time control value is an initial control value of
the light emitting section. In this case, the abnormality of the
detecting section can be accurately detected even at an initial
stage in which the yarn travelling information acquiring device
10 is started to be used.
The normal-time control value is a control value at completion
of cleaning of the detecting section. Since the contamination is
removed at the completion of cleaning of the detecting section,
according to such a configuration, the abnormality of the detecting
15 section can be accurately detected.
The yarn travelling information acquiring device further
includes an update processing section adapted to update the
normal-time control value stored in the storage section. The light
emitting section has a lifetime property. The lifetime property
20 has a sufficiently long temporal element than a temporal property,
but brightness of the light emitting section is gradually reduced.
By updating the normal-time control value, the detection of
abnormality that complies more with an actual condition in view
of the lifetime property of the light emitting section can be carried
25 out.
The light emitting section includes a first light emitting
section and a second light emitting section, and the determining
section is adapted to determine whether or not an abnormality is
generated in the detecting section in accordance with a difference
30 between the control value and the normal-time control value in the
first light emitting section and a difference between the control
value and the normal-time control value in the second light emitting
section. According to such a configuration, the abnormality can
be accurately detected even in the detecting section including a
25
plurality of light emitting sections.
The determining section is adapted to determine whether or
not the light emitting section has reached a lifetime in accordance
with a difference between a present control value of the light
5 emitting section and an initial control value of the light emitting
section. According to such a configuration, detection can be
accurately made that the light emitting section has reached the
lifetime.
The determining section is adapted to determine whether or
10 not the light emitting section has reached a lifetime in accordance
with a difference between a present control value of the light
emitting section and a lifetime control value relating to a lifetime
of the light emitting section. According to such a configuration,
detection can be accurately made that the light emitting section
15 has reached the lifetime.
The yarn travelling information acquiring device further
includes a notification section adapted to notify generation of
an abnormality in the detecting section when the determining section
determines that the abnormality is generated in the detecting
20 section. According to such a configuration, for example, the
abnormality can be immediately notified to an operator.
A yarn processing device includes the yarn travelling
information acquiring device described above, a yarn processing
section adapted to execute a processing with respect to the yarn,
25 and a control section adapted to control the processing executed
by the yarn processing section in accordance with the travelling
information of the yarn acquired by the yarn travelling information
acquiring device. According to the yarn processing device, the
yarn processing section can be controlled using accurate travelling
30 information of the yarn acquired by the yarn travelling information
acquiring device.
According to the present invention, the abnormality of the
detecting section can be accurately detected.
26

WE CLAIM:
1. A yarn travelling information acquiring device
comprising:
a detecting section including a light emitting section
5 adapted to emit light to a yarn path where a yarn travels, and a
light receiving section adapted to receive the light emitted from
the light emitting section,
a correction processing section adapted to adjust a control
value for emitting the light from the light emitting section in
10 accordance with an amount of the' light received by the light
receiving section when the yarn is not present in the yarn path,
a control value acquiring section adapted to acquire control
value information indicating a control value of the light emitting
section, and
15 a determining section adapted to determine whether or not an
abnormality is generated in the detecting section in accordance
with the control value information acquired by the control value
acquiring section.
20 2. The yarn travelling information acquiring device
according to claim 1, further comprising a storage section adapted
to store a prescribed value of the control value as a normal-time
control value,
wherein the determining section is adapted to determine
25 whether or not an abnormality is generated in the light emitting
section in accordance with a present control value and the
normal-time control value of the light emitting section.
3. The yarn travelling information acquiring device
30 according to claim 2, wherein the normal-time control value is a
value between an initial control value of the light emitting section
and a lifetime control value relating to a lifetime of the light
emitting section.
27
4. The yarn travelling information acquiring device
according to claim 2, wherein the normal-time control value is an
initial control value of the light emitting section.
5 5. The yarn travelling information acquiring device
according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the normal-time control
value is a control value at completion of cleaning of the detecting
section.
10 6. The yarn travelling information acquiring device
according to any one of claim 2 through claim 5, further comprising
an update processing section adapted to update the normal-time
control value stored in the storage section.
15 7. The yarn travelling information acquiring device
according to any one of claim 2 through claim 5, wherein the light
emitting section includes a first light emitting section and a
second light emitting section, and
the determining section is adapted to determine whether or
20 not an abnormality is generated in the detecting section in
accordance with a difference between the control value and the
normal-time control value in the first light emitting section and
a difference between the control value and the normal-time control
value in the second light emitting section.
25
8. The yarn travelling information acquiring device
according to any one of claim 1 through claim 7, wherein the
determining section is adapted to determine whether or not the light
emitting section has reached a lifetime in accordance with a
30 difference between a present control value of the light emitting
section and an initial control value of the light emitting section.
9. The yarn travelling information acquiring device
according to any one of claim 1 through claim 7, wherein the
28
determining section is adapted to determine whether or not the light
emitting section has reached a lifetime in accordance with a
difference between a present control value of the light emitting
section and a lifetime control value relating to a lifetime of the
5 light emitting section.
10. The yarn travelling information acquiring device
according to any one of claim 1 through claim 9, further comprising
a notification section adapted to notify generation of an
10 abnormality in the detecting section when the determining section
determines that the abnormality is generating in the detecting
section.
11. A yarn processing device comprising:
15 the yarn travelling information acquiring device according
to any one of claim 1 through claim 10,
a yarn processing section adapted to execute a processing with
respect to the yarn, and
a control section adapted to control the processing executed
20 by the yarn processing section in accordance with travelling
information of the yarn acquired by the yarn travelling information
acquiring device.
12. A yarn travelling information acquiring method with the
25 following steps:
using a detecting section including a light emitting section
emitting light to a yarn path where a yarn travels, and a light
receiving section receiving the light emitted from the light
emitting section,
30 adjusting a control value for emitting the light from the
light emitting section in accordance with an amount of the light
received by the light receiving section when the yarn is not present
in the yarn path,
acquiring control value information indicating a control
29
value of the light emitting section, and
determining whether or not an abnormality is generated in the
detecting section in accordance with the control value information
acquired.
5
13. The yarn travelling information acquiring method
according to claim 12, further comprising the step of:
storing a prescribed value of the control value as a
normal-time control value, and
10 determining whether or not an abnormality is generated in the
light emitting section in accordance with a present control value
and the normal-time control value of the light emitting section.
14. The yarn travelling information acquiring method
15 according to claim 13, wherein the normal-time control value is
a value between an initial control value of the light emitting
section and a lifetime control value relating to a lifetime of the
light emitting section.
20 15. The yarn travelling information acquiring method
according to claim 13, wherein the normal-time control value is
an initial control value of the light emitting section.
16. The yarn travelling information acquiring method
25 according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the normal-time control
value is a control value at completion of cleaning of the detecting
section.
17. The yarn travelling information acquiring method
30 according to any one of claim 13 through claim 16, further comprising
the step of updating the stored normal-time control value.
18. The yarn travelling information acquiring method
according to any one of claim 13 through claim 16, wherein the light
30
emitting section includes a first light emitting section and a
second light emitting section,
the method further comprising the step of:
determining whether or not an abnormality is generated in the
5 detecting section in accordance with a difference between the
control value and the normal-time control value in the first light
emitting section and a difference between the control value and
the normal-time control value in the second light emitting section.
10 19. The yarn travelling information acquiring method
according to any one of claim 12 through claim 18, further comprising
the step of determining whether or not the light emitting section
has reached a lifetime in accordance with a difference between a
present control value of the light emitting section and an initial
15 control value of the light emitting section.
20. The yarn travelling information acquiring method
according to any one of claim 12 through claim 18, further comprising
the step of determining whether or not the light emitting section
20 has reached a lifetime in accordance with a difference between a
present control value of the light emitting section and a lifetime
control value relating to a lifetime of the light emitting section.
21. The yarn travelling information acquiring method
25 according to any one of claim 12 through claim 20, further comprising
the step of notifying generation of an abnormality in the detecting
section when determining that the abnormality is generating in the
detecting section.