The present invention relates to a yarn winding
device including a yarn storage device and a yarn joining
device. Specifically, the present invention relates to a
control carried out when pulling out a yarn from the yarn
storage device during a yarn joining operation.
10
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a yarn winding device
adapted to wind a yarn from a yarn storage device to form
a package while temporarily storing the yarn unwound from
15 a yarn supplying bobbin on the yarn storage device. When
the yarn winding device unwinds all the yarn of the yarn
supplying bobbin, a new yarn supplying bobbin is supplied.
The yarn winding device carries out winding of the new yarn
supplying bobbin after the yarn joining device carries out
20 a yarn joining operation of the yarn from the new yarn
supplying bobbin and the yarn from the yarn storage device.
JP 2010-47407 A and WO 2011/040545 A1 disclose this type
of yarn winding device.
The yarn from the yarn supplying bobbin and the yarn
25 from the yarn storage device are guided to the yarn joining
device to carry out the yarn joining operation by the yarn
joining device. Specifically, such yarns are caught with
a pipe-shaped yarn guiding member that can generate a
suction flow. The yarn guiding member guides the yarn to
30 the yarn joining device by swinging while catching the yarn.
Alternatively, the yarn guiding member guides the yarn to
3 / 35
the yarn joining device by blowing the caught yarn.
JP 2010-47407 A discloses a yarn winding device
adapted to store the yarn when a storage arm interiorly
provided with a yarn passage rotates about a yarn pool
5 section. The yarn winding device includes a clearer
adapted to detect a yarn defect and a length thereof. When
the yarn defect is detected, the yarn winding device
estimates the length of the yarn defect based on a pulse
signal transmitted from a driving section of the yarn
10 storage device. Thus, the length of the yarn defect can
be accurately estimated. Furthermore, WO 2011/040545 A1
discloses a yarn winding device adapted to store the yarn
on an outer peripheral surface of the storage roller by
rotating the storage roller.
15 In order to pull out the yarn from the yarn storage
device and guide the yarn to the yarn joining device, the
storage arm, the storage roller, and the like of the yarn
storage device need to be rotated in a direction opposite
to a direction of winding. However, JP 2010-47407 A and
20 WO 2011/040545 A1 do not describe the details on the number
of reverse rotations of the storage arm and the storage
roller when carrying out the yarn joining operation. For
example, when instructing a reverse rotation time in order
to reversely rotate the storage arm or the storage roller,
25 a length of the yarn to be pulled out varies according to
the reverse rotation speed and the time until the reverse
rotation speed is reached. Thus, it is necessary to
instruct the reverse rotation time with margin so that the
yarn of required length is surely pulled out. In this case,
30 the yarn to be discarded becomes long and the time required
for the yarn joining operation becomes long.
4 / 35
Furthermore, in the yarn winding device adapted to
suck and catch the yarn on the surface of the storage roller
as described in WO 2011/040545 A1, the surface of the
storage roller is sucked for a long time when the catching
5 of the yarn fails. As a result, the yarns wound around the
storage roller may get entangled.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in view of the
10 above circumstances, and a main object thereof is to provide
a yarn winding device that can pull out a yarn from a yarn
storage device by an appropriate amount when pulling out
the yarn from the yarn storage device to guide the yarn to
a yarn joining device.
15 The problems to be solved in the present invention
are as described above, and the means for solving such
problems and the effects thereof will be described below.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a
yarn winding device having the following configuration is
20 provided. More specifically, the yarn winding device
includes a yarn supplying section, a yarn storage device,
a package forming section, a yarn joining device, a storage
yarn pull-out section, and a control section. The yarn
supplying section is adapted to supply a yarn. The yarn
25 storage device is adapted to wind the yarn from the yarn
supplying section and temporarily store the yarn when a
storage winding section is rotated. The package forming
section is adapted to pull out the yarn from the yarn storage
device and wind the yarn around a winding bobbin to form
30 a package. The yarn joining device is adapted to join a
disconnected yarn from the yarn supplying section and the
5 / 35
yarn from the yarn storage device when the yarn is
disconnected between the yarn supplying section and the
yarn storage device. The storage yarn pull-out section is
adapted to pull out the yarn from the yarn storage device
5 from the yarn storage device and guide the yarn to the yarn
joining device. The control section is adapted to carry
out a reverse rotation control of rotating the storage
winding section in a direction opposite to a direction of
winding when guiding the yarn from the yarn storage device
10 to the yarn joining device. The control section carries
out a reverse rotation control of controlling the storage
winding section such that a number of reverse rotations of
the storage winding section becomes an instructed number
of reverse rotations, which is the number of times to rotate
15 the storage winding section in a direction opposite to the
direction of winding.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a winding unit
20 arranged in an automatic winder according to one embodiment
of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a winding unit
immediately after a yarn blown by an upper yarn pull-out
section is caught by an upper yarn catching section;
25 FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a winding unit
illustrating a state in which a lower yarn and an upper yarn
are guided to a yarn joining device;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating a length
required for guiding the yarn pulled out from the yarn
30 storage device to the yarn joining device;
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view illustrating a length
6 / 35
required for removing all yarn defects in the yarn by
carrying out a yarn joining operation;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of
calculating an instructed number of reverse rotations; and
5 FIG. 7 is a schematic enlarged side view of a winding
unit arranged in an automatic winder according to an
alternative embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
10 Embodiments of the present invention will be
hereinafter described. First, an outline of an automatic
winder (yarn winding device) will be described with
reference to FIG. 1. The automatic winder has a
configuration in which a plurality of winding units 2 are
15 arranged in a row. The automatic winder includes a machine
management device (not illustrated) adapted to intensively
manage the winding units 2, and a blower box (not
illustrated) including a compressed air source and a
negative pressure source.
20 As illustrated in FIG. 1, the winding unit 2 mainly
includes a control section 50, a yarn supplying bobbin
supporting section (yarn supplying section) 7, and a
winding section (package forming section) 8. The winding
unit 2 unwinds a yarn (spun yarn) 20 of a yarn supplying
25 bobbin 21 supported by the yarn supplying bobbin supporting
section 7, and winds the yarn into a package 30. In the
following description, an upstream side and a downstream
side when seen in a travelling direction of the yarn are
simply referred to as “upstream” and “downstream”.
30 The control section 50 is configured by hardware such
as CPU, ROM, RAM (not illustrated), and software such as
7 / 35
a control program stored in the ROM. Each section of the
winding unit 2 is controlled by a cooperative operation of
the hardware and the software. The control section 50 of
each winding unit 2 can communicate with the
5 above-described machine management device. Thus, the
operations of the plurality of winding units 2 arranged in
the automatic winder can be intensively managed in the
machine management device.
The automatic winder includes an input section 51
10 adapted to input winding conditions and the like of the
control section 50. The input section 51 may be provided
for each winding unit 2, or may be arranged in the machine
management device.
The yarn supplying bobbin supporting section 7 holds
15 the yarn supplying bobbin 21 in a substantially upright
state. The yarn supplying bobbin supporting section 7 can
discharge the empty yarn supplying bobbin 21. A magazine
type bobbin supplying device 26 is arranged on the front
side of the winding unit 2. The bobbin supplying device
20 26 includes a rotary magazine can 27. The magazine can 27
can hold a plurality of spare yarn supplying bobbins 21.
The bobbin supplying device 26 intermittently rotatably
drives the magazine can 27 to supply a new yarn supplying
bobbin 21 to the yarn supplying bobbin supporting section
25 7.
The winding section 8 includes a cradle 23 to which
a winding bobbin 22 can be set, and a traverse drum 24 adapted
to traverse the yarn 20 and drive the winding bobbin 22.
The traverse drum 24 is arranged facing the winding
30 bobbin 22. When the traverse drum 24 is rotatably driven
by a motor (not illustrated), the winding bobbin 22 and the
8 / 35
package 30 rotate accompanying the rotation of the traverse
drum 24. Thus, the yarn 20 stored in the yarn storage device
19, to be described later, can be wound into a package 30.
A traverse groove (not illustrated) is formed on the
5 outer peripheral surface of the traverse drum 24, and the
yarn 20 can be traversed at a predetermined width by the
traverse groove. According to the above configuration,
the package 30 of a predetermined shape can be formed by
winding the yarn 20 around the winding bobbin 22 while
10 traversing the yarn 20.
The winding unit 2 includes an unwinding assisting
device 10, a lower yarn blow-up section 11, a gate type
tensor 12, an upper yarn catching section (storage yarn
catching section) 13, a yarn joining device 14, a yarn trap
15 15, a cutter (cutting section) 16, a yarn monitoring device
(yarn defect detection device) 17, an upper yarn pull-out
section (storage yarn pull-out section) 18, and a yarn
storage device 19 in this order from the yarn supplying
bobbin supporting section 7 towards the winding section 8
20 on a yarn travelling path between the yarn supplying bobbin
supporting section 7 and the winding section 8.
The unwinding assisting device 10 brings a movable
member 10a into contact with a balloon formed at the upper
part of the yarn supplying bobbin 21 when the yarn 20 unwound
25 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 is swung. The size of
the balloon thus can be appropriately controlled, and the
unwinding of the yarn 20 is assisted.
The lower yarn blow-up section 11 is an air sucker
device arranged between the yarn supplying bobbin
30 supporting section 7 and the yarn joining device 14, and
feeds a lower yarn from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 towards
9 / 35
the yarn joining device 14 during the yarn joining
operation.
The gate type tensor 12 applies a predetermined
tension on the travelling yarn 20. The gate type tensor
5 12 of the present embodiment is a gate type tensor in which
movable comb teeth are arranged with respect to fixed comb
teeth. The movable comb teeth are swung by a rotary
solenoid such that the movable comb teeth are engaged with
or released from the fixed comb teeth. A disc type tension
10 applying device, for example, may be arranged in place of
the tension applying device of the gate type tensor 12.
The upper yarn catching section 13 is arranged
between the yarn joining device 14 and the yarn supplying
bobbin supporting section 7. The upper yarn catching
15 section 13 is connected to the negative pressure source (not
illustrated), and can generate a suction airflow during the
yarn joining operation. The processes carried out by each
section of the winding unit 2 during the yarn joining
operation will be described later.
20 The yarn trap 15 is arranged between the yarn joining
device 14 and the yarn storage device 19. A distal end of
the yarn trap 15 is formed as a tubular member, and is
provided proximate to the travelling path of the yarn 20.
The yarn trap 15 is connected to the negative pressure
25 source (not illustrated), and generates the suction airflow
at the distal end to suck and remove contaminants such as
fluffs attached to the travelling yarn 20.
The yarn monitoring device 17 is configured to detect
the yarn defect such as slub by monitoring a thickness of
30 the yarn 20 with an optical or capacitance sensor. When
the yarn defect is detected, the yarn monitoring device 17
10 / 35
outputs to the control section 50 a disconnected signal
instructing cutting and removal of the yarn defect. Since
the yarn defect sometimes has a length of a certain extent,
specifically, the disconnected signal is output to the
5 control section 50 at timing at which the yarn defect is
no longer detected. A cutter 16 adapted to immediately cut
the yarn 20 according to the disconnected signal input
through the control section 50 is arranged in proximity to
the yarn monitoring device 17. The yarn monitoring device
10 17 outputs the length of the detected yarn defect to the
control section 50.
The yarn joining device 14 joins the lower yarn from
the yarn supplying bobbin 21 and an upper yarn from the yarn
storage device 19 in the disconnected state when the yarn
15 defect is detected by the yarn monitoring device 17 and the
yarn 20 is cut by the cutter 16, when the yarn 20 unwound
from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 breaks, when replacing
the yarn supplying bobbin 21, and the like. The yarn
joining device 14 may be a type that uses fluid such as
20 compressed air or a mechanical-type.
The upper yarn pull-out section 18 is an air sucker
device arranged immediately upstream of the yarn storage
device 19, and is adapted to feed the upper yarn from the
yarn storage device 19 towards a yarn guiding pipe 36 by
25 the compressed air.
The yarn storage device 19 temporarily stores the
yarn 20 unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin 21. As
illustrated in FIG. 1, the yarn storage device 19 mainly
includes a storage roller (storage winding section) 61, a
30 storage roller drive motor 62, and an annular member 63.
The storage roller 61 is formed as a substantially
11 / 35
cylindrical member, and pulls out the yarn 20 from the yarn
supplying bobbin 21 by rotating about a center axis line,
and winds and stores the yarn 20 around the outer peripheral
surface thereof. The storage roller drive motor 62 is a
5 motor capable of controlling a rotation amount of a stepping
motor, a servo motor, or the like. The storage roller drive
motor 62 rotatably drives the storage roller 61 about the
center axis line. The operation of the storage roller drive
motor 62 is controlled by the control section 50. In the
10 following description, rotating the storage roller 61 in
the direction opposite to the direction of winding the yarn
20 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 may be referred to as
“reversely rotate” and the like.
The winding unit 2 stores a constant amount of yarn
15 20 in the yarn storage device 19, and thus the yarn 20 stored
in the yarn storage device 19 can be wound even when the
unwinding of the yarn 20 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21
is interrupted for some reason (e.g., when the yarn joining
operation is carried out). Thus, the winding of the yarn
20 20 to the package 30 can be continued even when the unwinding
of the yarn 20 is interrupted.
The annular member 63 is arranged in proximity to the
end on the downstream of the storage roller 61. The yarn
20 stored in the yarn storage device 19 is passed between
25 the annular member 63 and the surface of the storage roller
61 and pulled out towards the downstream. According to such
a configuration, an appropriate tension can be applied to
the yarn 20 unwound from the storage roller 61, so that the
unwinding of the yarn 20 can be stabilized.
30 When the yarn joining operation is carried out, the
control section 50 first blows up the yarn 20 from the yarn
12 / 35
supplying bobbin 21 upward by the lower yarn blow-up section
11. The blown-up yarn 20 is sucked and caught by the yarn
trap 15 (see FIG. 2). Thus, the yarn 20 from the yarn
supplying bobbin 21 can be guided to the yarn joining device
5 14.
The yarn end formed by the yarn breakage, the yarn
cutting, or the like is wound by the storage roller 61. Thus,
the control section 50 reversely rotates the storage roller
61 for a predetermined number of times while generating the
10 suction flow in the upper yarn pull-out section 18. Thus,
the yarn end of the yarn 20 located at the surface of the
storage roller 61 is sucked and caught by the upper yarn
pull-out section 18. The process of calculating how much
the storage roller 61 is reversely rotated will be described
15 later.
The upper yarn pull-out section 18 blows the sucked
and caught yarn 20 towards the yarn guiding pipe 36. The
yarn 20 is fed along the yarn guiding pipe 36, and sucked
and caught by the upper yarn catching section 13 (see FIG.
20 2). The yarn guiding pipe 36 is provided with a slit (not
illustrated) along a longitudinal direction, and the yarn
20 can be taken out from the slit by continuing the sucking
of the yarn 20 by the upper yarn catching section 13. Thus,
the yarn 20 from the yarn storage device 19 can be guided
25 to the yarn joining device 14 (see FIG. 3). In this case,
the yarn 20 is also guided to a detection region of the yarn
monitoring device 17, and thus success or failure of the
pull-out of the yarn 20 can be determined based on the
detection result of the yarn monitoring device 17.
30 The control section 50 activates the yarn joining
device 14 with the yarn from the yarn supplying bobbin 21
13 / 35
and the yarn from the yarn storage device 19 guided to the
yarn joining device 14 to join the yarns 20. After the yarn
joining operation is completed, the control section 50
resumes the winding of the yarn 20 to the yarn storage device
5 19 by rotating the yarn storage device 19 in the direction
of winding.
Even when the yarn 20 is in the disconnected state
between the yarn supplying bobbin 21 and the yarn storage
device 19 as described above, the winding of the yarn 20
10 into the package 30 in the winding section 8 can be continued
without being interrupted. In other words, in the
automatic winder of the present embodiment, the yarn
storage device 19 is interposed between the yarn supplying
bobbin supporting section 7 and the winding section 8, and
15 a constant amount of yarn 20 is stored on the yarn storage
device 19. The winding section 8 is configured to wind the
yarn 20 stored on the yarn storage device 19. Therefore,
even when the supply of the yarn 20 from the yarn supplying
bobbin 21 is interrupted for some reason (e.g., when the
20 yarn joining operation is carried out), the winding of the
yarn 20 into the package 30 can be continued.
Thus, the winding operation in the winding section
8 is not interrupted by the yarn joining operation, so that
the package 30 can be stably produced at high speed. Since
25 the yarn storage device 19 is arranged between the yarn
supplying bobbin 21 and the winding section 8, the winding
in the winding section 8 can be carried out without being
affected by variation of tension at the time of unwinding
the yarn 20 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21.
30 Next, a description will be made on the process of
determining the number of times to reversely rotate the
14 / 35
storage roller 61 during the yarn joining operation with
reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.
In the present embodiment, when reversely rotating
the storage roller 61, the number of times to reversely
5 rotate the storage roller 61 is instructed rather than the
time during which the storage roller 61 is reversely rotated.
Hereinafter, the instructed number of times to reversely
rotate may be referred to as the instructed number of
reverse rotations. The “instructed number of reverse
10 rotations” in the present specification is not limited to
an integer, and includes a value between the integers (e.g.,
1.5 rotations or the like). Furthermore, the “instructed
number of reverse rotations” merely needs to substantially
instruct the number of times to reversely rotate the storage
15 roller 61, and for example, includes a case of instructing
an angle (720 degrees or the like) to reversely rotate.
In the present embodiment, the instructed number of
reverse rotations is calculated based on a “length L1
required for pulling out the yarn 20”, a “length L2 required
20 for guiding the yarn 20 from the yarn storage device 19 to
the yarn joining device 14”, a “length L3 required for
sucking the yarn 20 with the upper yarn catching section
13”, and a “length L4 for removing all yarn defects
contained in the yarn 20”.
25 First, a description will be made on the “length L1
required for pulling out the yarn 20 (hereinafter referred
to as length L1)” with reference to FIG. 4. As described
above, when carrying out the yarn joining operation, the
yarn end of the yarn 20 is wound around the storage roller
30 61, and this yarn end needs to be caught to pull out the
yarn 20. At this time, the control section 50 cannot
15 / 35
specify at which position of the storage roller 61 the yarn
end of the yarn 20 exists.
When the storage roller 61 makes one rotation,
regardless of where the yarn end is located on the storage
5 roller 61, the yarn end reliably passes in front of a suction
port of the upper yarn pull-out section 18. Thus, a length
(hereinafter referred to as outer peripheral length) of one
round of the outer peripheral surface of the storage roller
61 is calculated as the length L1. The outer peripheral
10 length of the storage roller 61 can be expressed as “length
of the yarn 20 wound or unwound by rotating the storage
roller 61 once”.
The length L1 can be calculated from a radius (radius
r of FIG. 4) or a diameter of the storage roller 61. The
15 radius or the diameter of the storage roller 61 may be stored
in the control section 50 (or machine control device,
similarly hereinafter) in advance at the time of product
shipment. The outer peripheral length (i.e., length L1)
of the storage roller 61 may be stored in the control section
20 50 in advance. Furthermore, when the radius and the like
of the storage roller 61 are not stored in advance or when
the storage roller 61 is replaced, the radius and the like
input by the operator using the input section 51 can be
stored in the control section 50.
25 Next, a description will be made on the “length L2
required for guiding the yarn 20 from the yarn storage
device 19 to the yarn joining device 14 (hereinafter
referred to as length L2)” with reference to FIG. 4. FIG.
4 illustrates a state where the yarn 20 is guided to the
30 yarn joining device 14. As illustrated in FIG. 4, at least
the yarn 20 having a length from the yarn storage device
16 / 35
19 to the yarn joining device 14 is required in order to
guide the yarn 20 to the yarn joining device 14.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, in the layout of the present
embodiment, the length L2 is calculated by adding a length
5 L21 of the yarn path from the yarn storage device 19 to the
yarn monitoring device 17, and a length L22 of the yarn path
from the yarn monitoring device 17 to the yarn joining
device 14. A starting point of the length L21 is preferably
an area, where the yarn 20 is pulled out, in the yarn storage
10 device 19 (upstream end of the storage roller 61 in the
present embodiment). A terminating point of the length L22
is preferably a position where the yarn 20 to be joined in
the yarn joining device 14 is cut.
Depending on the layout of the yarn winding device,
15 the yarn 20 may not pass the yarn monitoring device 17 or
the yarn 20 may pass other devices. In this case as well,
the length L2 can be calculated by obtaining the “length
of the yarn path from the yarn storage device to the yarn
joining device in the yarn path when the yarn is guided to
20 the yarn joining device”.
Next, a description will be made on the “length L3
required for sucking the yarn 20 with the upper yarn
catching section 13 (hereinafter referred to as length L3)”
with reference to FIG. 4. In order to guide the yarn 20
25 to the yarn joining device 14, the yarn 20 needs to be sucked
by the upper yarn catching section 13.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, in the layout of the present
embodiment, the length L3 is calculated by adding a length
L31 from the position where the yarn 20 is cut in the yarn
30 joining device 14 to the upstream guide of the yarn joining
device 14, a length L32 from the guide to the upper yarn
17 / 35
catching section 13, and a length L33 for causing the
suction force to act on the yarn 20 caught by the upper yarn
catching section 13. Furthermore, a starting point of the
length L31 is preferably a position where the yarn 20 to
5 be joined in the yarn joining device 14 is cut.
In the present embodiment, the yarn 20 is guided to
make a slight detour using the yarn guiding pipe 36, and
thus a correction value that takes into consideration such
an amount can be further added to obtain the length L3.
10 Depending on the layout of the yarn winding device,
the yarn may pass other devices. In this case as well, the
length L3 can be calculated by obtaining the “length of the
yarn path from the yarn joining device to the upper yarn
catching section (portion of catching the upper yarn on the
15 upstream side of the yarn joining device) in the yarn path
when the yarn is guided to the yarn joining device”.
The length L2 and the length L3 can be calculated based
on the layout of each device and the yarn path. The layout
of each device and the yarn path, or the calculated lengths
20 L2 and L3 may be stored in the control section 50 in advance
at the time of product shipment, similarly to the length
L1. When the layout or the component is replaced, the value
input by the operator using the input section 51 can be
stored in the control section 50.
25 Next, a description will be made on the “length L4
for removing all yarn defects contained in the yarn 20
(hereinafter referred to as length L4)”. As illustrated
in FIG. 5, the yarn defect may have a length of a certain
extent. In this case, after the yarn joining operation,
30 to remove all the portions including the yarn defect, the
portion including the yarn defect needs to be prevented from
18 / 35
remaining on the yarn storage device 19 side of the yarn
joining device 14. Therefore, in addition to the length
L1 and the length L2, an amount corresponding to the length
of the yarn defect needs to be further pulled out from the
5 storage roller 61.
The yarn monitoring device 17 monitors the yarn
defect during the winding, and cuts the yarn 20 by the cutter
16 after detecting that all the yarn defects have passed
and a normal yarn is obtained. Thus, a slight displacement
10 may occur between the upstream end of the yarn defect and
the yarn cutting position (i.e., position of yarn end). In
view of the above, the length L4 is calculated by adding
a length L41 of the yarn 20 of the portion including the
yarn defect and a length L42 of the normal yarn from the
15 position where the yarn defect is not detected to the yarn
end.
Next, a description will be made on a process in which
the control section calculates the instructed number of
reverse rotations when carrying out the yarn joining
20 operation based on the lengths L1 to L4 described above,
with reference to FIG. 6. First, the control section 50
calculates the lengths L1, L2, and L3 described above (S101,
S102, S103). When the lengths L1, L2, and L3 are stored,
the lengths may be read out.
25 The control section 50 carries out a determination
on whether or not the cause of the yarn joining operation
is the detection of the yarn defect (S104). When the cause
of the yarn joining operation is other than the yarn defect
(e.g., replacement of yarn supplying bobbin 21), the yarn
30 20 merely needs to be guided to the yarn joining device 14
(portion to be removed such as a yarn defect is not present).
19 / 35
Therefore, the length L to be reversely rotated
(hereinafter referred to as length L) is calculated by
adding the length L1, the length L2, and the length L3
(S105).
5 The control section 50 acquires the length L4 from
the yarn monitoring device 17 when the cause of the yarn
joining operation is the detection of the yarn defect (S106).
The control section 50 carries out the determination on
whether or not the acquired length L4 is longer than the
10 length L3 (S107).
When the length L4 is longer than the length L3, the
yarn 20 can be passed from the yarn joining device 14 to
the upper yarn catching section 13 using the yarn 20 of the
portion corresponding to the length L4. In other words,
15 the yarn 20 of the portion to be removed serves as the length
L3.
Furthermore, the yarn 20 can be passed from the yarn
storage device 19 to the yarn joining device 14 by pulling
out the yarn 20 by an amount corresponding to the length
20 L1 and the length L2. Furthermore, the portion including
the yarn defect is not supplied to the yarn joining device
14 by adding the length L4. Therefore, the yarn defect can
be removed from the yarn 20. Accordingly, when the length
L4 is longer than the length L3, the length L to be reversely
25 rotated is calculated by adding the length L1, the length
L2, and the length L4 (S108).
When the length L4 is shorter than the length L3, the
yarn 20 cannot be passed to the upper yarn catching section
13 even when the length L4 is added to the length L1 and
30 the length L2. Therefore, when the length L4 is shorter
than the length L3, the length L to be reversely rotated
20 / 35
is calculated by adding the length L1, the length L2, and
the length L3 (S105).
The control section 50 determines the length L in the
above manner, and divides the length L by the outer
5 peripheral length of the storage roller 61 to calculate the
instructed number of reverse rotations corresponding to the
length L (S109). The control section 50 controls the
storage roller drive motor 62 such that the storage roller
61 is reversely rotated by an amount corresponding to the
10 reverse rotation instructed length calculated in the above
manner. An instructing mode of the instructed number of
reverse rotations includes, for example, a mode of
instructing with the number of pulses, the width of the
pulse, and the like.
15 Thereafter, the control section 50 determines
whether or not the yarn monitoring device 17 has detected
the presence of the yarn 20. When the yarn monitoring
device 17 has not detected the presence of the yarn 20, the
pull-out of the yarn 20 is assumed to have failed as
20 described above. Thus, for example, the pull-out of the
yarn 20 is carried out again after the yarn end is made easy
to catch by rotating the storage roller 61 once in the
winding direction, and the like. When the pull-out of the
yarn 20 has failed continuously for a predetermined number
25 of times, the control section 50 sets out an alarm to notify
the operator.
As described above, the automatic winder includes the
yarn supplying bobbin supporting section 7, the yarn
storage device 19, the winding section 8, the yarn joining
30 device 14, the upper yarn pull-out section 18, and the
control section 50. The yarn supplying bobbin supporting
21 / 35
section 7 supplies the yarn 20. The yarn storage device
19 winds and temporarily stores the yarn 20 supplied by the
yarn supplying bobbin supporting section 7 when the storage
roller 61 is rotated. The winding section 8 pulls out the
5 yarn 20 from the yarn storage device 19 and winds the yarn
20 around the winding bobbin 22 to form the package 30. When
the yarn 20 is disconnected between the yarn supplying
bobbin supporting section 7 and the yarn storage device 19,
the yarn joining device 14 joins the yarn 20 from the yarn
10 supplying bobbin supporting section 7 and the yarn 20 from
the yarn storage device 19. The upper yarn pull-out section
18 pulls out the yarn 20 from the yarn storage device 19
from the yarn storage device 19 and guides the yarn 20 to
the yarn joining device 14. When guiding the yarn 20 from
15 the yarn storage device 19 to the yarn joining device 14,
the control section 50 calculates the instructed number of
reverse rotations, which is the number of times to rotate
the storage roller 61 in a direction opposite to the
direction of winding, and carries out a reverse rotation
20 control of controlling the storage roller 61 such that the
number of reverse rotations of the storage roller 61 become
the instructed number of reverse rotations.
Thus, when pulling out the yarn 20 from the yarn
storage device 19, the number of times to reversely rotate
25 the storage roller 61 is instructed so that the length of
the yarn 20 to be pulled out from the yarn storage device
19 can be reliably controlled. Therefore, the length of
the yarn 20 to be discarded can be suppressed, and the time
required for the yarn joining operation can be reduced.
30 In the automatic winder of the present embodiment,
the instructed number of reverse rotations is calculated
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based on the length (length L1) of the yarn 20 stored or
unwound when the storage roller 61 makes one rotation, and
the distance (length L2) of the yarn path from the yarn
storage device 19 to the yarn joining device 14.
5 The length of the yarn 20 stored (unwound) when the
storage roller 61 makes one rotation is thus taken into
consideration, so that the number of reverse rotations
required for the yarn end to be caught by the upper yarn
pull-out section 18 from the start of reverse rotation can
10 be estimated. Furthermore, the distance of the yarn path
from the yarn storage device 19 to the yarn joining device
14 is taken into consideration, so that the number of
reverse rotations required for guiding the pulled out yarn
20 to the yarn joining device 14 can be estimated.
15 In the automatic winder of the present embodiment,
the storage roller 61 winds the yarn 20 around the outer
peripheral surface thereof to store the yarn 20. The length
(length L1) of the yarn 20 stored or unwound when the storage
roller 61 makes one rotation is calculated based on the
20 radius or the diameter of the storage roller 61.
Thus, the storage amount (unwound amount) per one
rotation of the storage roller can be calculated by carrying
out a simple computation from the radius or the diameter.
Moreover, the automatic winder of the present
25 embodiment includes the upper yarn catching section 13
adapted to suck the yarn 20 pulled out from the yarn storage
device 19 by the upper yarn pull-out section 18 and catch
the yarn 20 on the upstream of the yarn joining device 14.
The instructed number of reverse rotations is further
30 determined based on the distance (length L3) of the yarn
path from the yarn joining device 14 to the upper yarn
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catching section 13.
Thus, the number of reverse rotations required for
guiding the pulled out yarn 20 to the yarn joining device
14 can be more accurately estimated.
5 The automatic winder of the present embodiment
further includes the yarn monitoring device 17 and the
cutter 16. The yarn monitoring device 17 detects the defect
of the yarn 20 from the upstream of the yarn storage device
19. The cutter 16 cuts the yarn 20 on the upstream of the
10 yarn defect when the yarn defect is detected by the yarn
monitoring device 17. The instructed number of reverse
rotations is also determined based on the length of the yarn
defect detected by the yarn monitoring device 17.
Thus, the number of reverse rotations required for
15 guiding the pulled out yarn 20 to the yarn joining device
14 can be more accurately estimated while removing all the
detected yarn defects. Furthermore, not only when the yarn
supplying bobbin 21 is newly supplied, but the yarn 20 can
also be pulled out by the required sufficient length even
20 when the yarn defect is detected.
Next, a description will be made on an alternative
embodiment of the above-described embodiment with
reference to FIG. 7. In the description of the alternative
embodiment, the same reference numerals are denoted in the
25 figures for the members same as or similar to those of the
above-described embodiment, and the description thereof
may be omitted.
In the above-described embodiment, the storage
roller 61 is reversely rotated by an amount corresponding
30 to the instructed number of reverse rotations with respect
to the storage roller 61 in a stationary state. In other
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words, the counting of the number of reverse rotations is
started immediately after the storage roller 61 starts to
rotate reversely. On the other hand, in this alternative
embodiment, the counting of the number of reverse rotations
5 is started from the timing at which the storage roller 61
starts to rotate reversely and the upper yarn pull-out
section 18 catches the yarn 20. Thus, in this alternative
embodiment, the length L1 in the above-described embodiment
does not need to be taken into consideration, so that the
10 instructed number of reverse rotations becomes “length L2
+ length L3” or “length L2 + length L4”.
The winding unit 2 of this alternative embodiment
includes a pull-out yarn detecting section 18a, illustrated
in FIG. 7, adapted to detect the catching of the yarn 20
15 by the upper yarn pull-out section 18. The pull-out yarn
detecting section 18a is an optical sensor arranged in a
suction passage 18b. The pull-out yarn detecting section
18a may be a reflective sensor adapted to detect a reflected
light, in which the irradiated light is reflected by the
20 yarn 20, or may be a transmissive sensor adapted to detect
shielding of the irradiated light by the yarn 20. The
pull-out yarn detecting section 18a is not limited to the
optical sensor, and may be a capacitance sensor or a contact
sensor. The pull-out yarn detecting section 18a outputs
25 the detection result to the control section 50. The control
section 50 starts the counting of the number of reverse
rotations when determined that the yarn 20 is present from
the detection result.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention
30 have been described above, but the above-described
configurations may be modified as below.
25 / 35
In the above-described embodiment, the yarn storage
device 19 in which the yarn 20 is wound around the outer
peripheral surface by rotating the storage roller 61 is used.
Alternatively, a yarn storage device may be used in which
5 the yarn is stored in the storage body by rotating, about
the storage body, an arm-shaped winding member (storage
winding section) interiorly provided with the yarn passage.
In this case, L1 to L4 are calculated from the number of
rotations of the arm-shaped winding member.
10 In the above-described embodiment, the success and
failure of the pull-out of the yarn 20 is determined by
detecting the presence of the yarn 20 by the yarn monitoring
device 17, but the success and failure of the pull-out of
the yarn 20 may be determined by the pull-out yarn detecting
15 section 18a.
In the above-described embodiment, the storage
roller drive motor 62 is controlled by the control section
50 adapted to carry out the control of each section of the
winding unit 2, but the storage roller drive motor 62 may
20 be controlled by a motor control section arranged
separately from the control section 50. In the
above-described embodiment, the reverse rotation control
is carried out by the control section 50 arranged for each
winding unit 2, but the process carried out in the reverse
25 rotation control may be partially or entirely carried out
in the machine control device. Only the detection of the
state of the yarn 20 may be carried out in the yarn monitoring
device 17, and the analysis may be carried out in the control
section 50 or the machine control device.
30 In the above-described embodiment, an example of
supplying the yarn supplying bobbin 21 by the magazine type
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bobbin supplying device 26 has been described, but a yarn
winding device including the tray type bobbin supplying
device may be adopted.
The configuration of the present invention is not
5 limited to the automatic winder, and is also applicable to
other types of yarn winding devices including the yarn
storage device and the yarn joining device.
Thus, when pulling out the yarn from the yarn storage
device, the number of times to reversely rotate the storage
10 winding section is instructed to accurately control a
length of the yarn pulled out from the yarn storage device.
Therefore, a length of the yarn to be discarded can be
suppressed, and the time required for the yarn joining
operation can be reduced.
15 In the above-described yarn winding device, the
control section calculates the instructed number of reverse
rotations, which is the number of times to rotate the
storage winding section in a direction opposite to the
direction of winding in the reverse rotation control, and
20 the instructed number of reverse rotations is preferably
calculated based on a length of a yarn stored when the
storage winding section makes one rotation and a distance
of a yarn path from the yarn storage device to the yarn
joining device.
25 Thus, by taking into consideration the length of the
yarn stored (unwound) when the storage winding section
makes one rotation, the number of reverse rotations
required for the yarn end to be caught by the storage yarn
pull-out section from the start of reverse rotation can be
30 estimated. Furthermore, by taking into consideration the
distance of the yarn path from the yarn storage device to
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the yarn joining device, the number of reverse rotations
required for guiding the pulled out yarn to the yarn joining
device can be estimated.
In the above-described yarn winding device, the
5 following configuration is preferably adopted. More
specifically, the storage winding section is a storage
roller adapted to wind the yarn around an outer peripheral
surface and store the yarn. The length of the yarn stored
when the storage winding section makes one rotation is
10 calculated based on a radius or a diameter of the storage
roller.
Thus, the storage amount (unwound amount) per one
rotation of the storage roller can be calculated by simply
carrying out a simple computation from the radius or the
15 diameter. Conventionally, the winding amount per one
rotation of the package is estimated, but since the diameter
of the package becomes larger with increase in the winding
amount of the yarn, a sensor for detecting the package
diameter and the like is required in order to calculate the
20 winding amount per one rotation. In this regard, since the
storage roller has a constant diameter, the length of the
yarn wound per one rotation can be easily and accurately
calculated as opposed to the package.
In the above-described yarn winding device, the
25 following configuration is preferably adopted. More
specifically, in the yarn winding device, the storage yarn
pull-out section includes a storage yarn catching section
adapted to suck the yarn pulled out from the yarn storage
device and catch the yarn at upstream of the yarn joining
30 device. The instructed number of reverse rotations is
further determined based on a distance of a yarn path from
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the yarn joining device to the storage yarn catching
section.
Thus, the number of reverse rotations required for
guiding the pulled out yarn to the yarn joining device can
5 be more accurately estimated.
In the above-described yarn winding device, the
following configuration is preferably adopted. More
specifically, the yarn winding device includes a yarn
defect detection device and a cutting section. The yarn
10 defect detection device is adapted to detect a defect of
the yarn wound by the yarn storage device. The cutting
section is adapted to cut the yarn at upstream of the defect
of the yarn when the defect of the yarn is detected by the
yarn defect detection device. The instructed number of
15 rotations is further determined based on a length of the
yarn defect detected by the yarn defect detection device.
Thus, the number of reverse rotations required for
guiding the pulled out yarn to the yarn joining device can
be more accurately estimated while removing all the
20 detected yarn defects. Furthermore, not only when the yarn
supplying bobbin is supplied, but the yarn can be pulled
out by the required sufficient length even when the yarn
defect is detected.
In the above-described yarn winding device, the
25 following configuration is preferably adopted. More
specifically, the yarn winding device includes a yarn
detecting section adapted to detect presence of the yarn
at a predetermined area of the yarn path. The control
section carries out the reverse rotation control again when
30 the yarn is not detected by the yarn detecting section after
the termination of the reverse rotation control.
29 / 35
Thus, the failure of the pull-out of the yarn can be
detected, so that the pull-out of the yarn can be
automatically carried out again without calling an operator.
Furthermore, the length of the yarn to be pulled out can
5 be accurately controlled in the present invention, and
hence the failure of the pull-out of the yarn can be more
accurately detected.
In the above-described yarn winding device, the yarn
defect detection device preferably functions as a yarn
10 detecting section.
Thus, the number of components in the yarn winding
device can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost of the
yarn winding device can be reduced.
In the above-described yarn winding device, the
15 following configuration is preferably adopted. More
specifically, the storage yarn pull-out section sucks the
yarn from the yarn storage device, passes the yarn through
a suction passage formed inside the storage yarn pull-out
section, and pulls out the yarn. A pull-out yarn detecting
20 section adapted to detect the presence of the yarn is
arranged on the suction passage. The control section
starts counting of the number of reverse rotations of the
storage yarn pull-out section at a timing at which the yarn
is detected by the pull-out yarn detecting section.
25 Thus, the pull-out of the yarn can be immediately
detected, whereby the amount of yarn to be pulled out can
be further suppressed as compared to the case where the
storage yarn pull-out section is rotated once in the reverse
direction to pull out the yarn. Furthermore, since the
30 pull-out of the yarn can be rapidly detected, the mistakes
in pulling out the yarn can be reliably detected at an early
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stage.
In the above-described yarn winding device, an input
section to which the instructed number of reverse rotations
or a value used to calculate the instructed number of
5 reverse rotations are input is preferably arranged.
Thus, it is possible to easily deal with change in
the type of yarn, change in the position of the yarn storage
device, the yarn joining device, and the like, or change
in the shape of the yarn storage device. The yarn supplying
10 section is preferably a yarn supplying bobbin supporting
section adapted to support the yarn supplying bobbin for
supplying the yarn.
31 / 35
WE CLAIM:
1. A yarn winding device comprising:
a yarn supplying section adapted to supply a yarn;
5 a yarn storage device adapted to wind the yarn from
the yarn supplying section and temporarily store the yarn
when a storage winding section is rotated;
a package forming section adapted to pull out the yarn
from the yarn storage device and wind the yarn around a
10 winding bobbin to form a package;
a yarn joining device adapted to join a disconnected
yarn from the yarn supplying section and a yarn from the
yarn storage device when the yarn is disconnected between
the yarn supplying section and the yarn storage device;
15 a storage yarn pull-out section adapted to pull out
the yarn from the yarn storage device from the yarn storage
device and guide the yarn to the yarn joining device (14);
characterized in that:
a control section adapted to carry out a reverse
20 rotation control of rotating the storage winding section
in a direction opposite to a direction of winding when
guiding the yarn from the yarn storage device to the yarn
joining device ,
wherein the control section controls the storage
25 winding section such that a number of reverse rotations of
the storage winding section becomes a determined instructed
number of reverse rotations in the reverse rotation
control.
30 2. The yarn winding device according to claim 1,
characterized in that
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the control section calculates the instructed number
of reverse rotations in the reverse rotation control, and
the instructed number of reverse rotations is
calculated based on a length of a yarn stored when the
5 storage winding section makes one rotation and a distance
of a yarn path from the yarn storage device to the yarn
joining device.
3. The yarn winding device according to claim 2,
10 characterized in that
the storage winding section is a storage roller
adapted to wind the yarn around an outer peripheral surface
and store the yarn, and
the length of the yarn stored when the storage winding
15 section makes one rotation is calculated based on a radius
or a diameter of the storage roller.
4. The yarn winding device according to claim 2 or
3, characterized in that
20 the storage yarn pull-out section includes a storage
yarn catching section adapted to suck the yarn pulled out
from the yarn storage device and catch the yarn at upstream
of the yarn joining device , and
the instructed number of reverse rotations is further
25 determined based on a distance of a yarn path from the yarn
joining device to the storage yarn catching section .
5. The yarn winding device according to any one of
claims 2 to 4, characterized by further comprising:
30 a yarn defect detection device adapted to detect a
defect of the yarn wound by the yarn storage device; and
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a cutting section adapted to cut the yarn at upstream
of the defect of the yarn when the defect of the yarn is
detected by the yarn defect detection device ,
wherein the instructed number of rotations is further
5 determined based on a length of the yarn defect detected
by the yarn defect detection device.
6. The yarn winding device according to claim 5,
characterized by further comprising:
10 a yarn detecting section adapted to detect presence
of the yarn at a predetermined area of the yarn path,
wherein the control section carries out the reverse
rotation control again when the yarn is not detected by the
yarn detecting section after termination of the reverse
15 rotation control.
7. The yarn winding device according to claim 6,
characterized in that
the yarn defect detection device functions as the
20 yarn detecting section.
8. The yarn winding device according to any one of
claims 1 to 5, characterized in that
the storage yarn pull-out section sucks the yarn from
25 the yarn storage device , passes the yarn through a suction
passage formed inside the storage yarn pull-out section ,
and pulls out the yarn,
a pull-out yarn detecting section adapted to detect
the presence of the yarn is arranged on the suction passage,
30 and
the control section starts counting of the number of
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reverse rotations of the storage yarn pull-out section at
a timing at which the yarn is detected by the pull-out yarn
detecting section.
5 9. The yarn winding device according to claim 6,
characterized in that
the storage yarn pull-out section sucks the yarn from
the yarn storage device , passes the yarn through a suction
passage formed inside the storage yarn pull-out section ,
10 and pulls out the yarn,
a pull-out yarn detecting section adapted to detect
the presence of the yarn is arranged on the suction passage,
the pull-out yarn detecting section functions as the
yarn detecting section, and
15 the control section starts counting of the number of
reverse rotations of the storage yarn pull-out section at
a timing at which the yarn is detected by the pull-out yarn
detecting section.
10. The yarn winding device according to any one of
20 claims 2 to 9, characterized by further comprising:
an input section to which the instructed number of
reverse rotations or a value used to calculate the
instructed number of reverse rotations are input.
11. The yarn winding device according to any one of
25 claims 1 to 10, characterized in that
the yarn supplying section is a yarn supplying bobbin
supporting section adapted to support the yarn supplying
bobbin for supplying the yarn.