YARN WINDING MACHINE AND YARN WITHDRAWAL METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
5 The present invention relates to a yarn winding
machine and a yarn withdrawal method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as an art in this field, there has
10 been known a yarn withdrawal method of a winding
package that is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication No. 2-75674. In the yarn withdrawal method
of the winding package, when a suction mouth adapted to
suck a yarn end of the package is adjacent to the
15 package, an initial driving to reversely rotate a
winding drum at a low speed is started and, after the
rotation is performed a set number of times, the
winding drum is switched to a normal reverse rotation,
which is faster.
20
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a yarn winding machine, when a yarn wound
around the package is cut, the yarn end of the package
is caught by the suction mouth in the above-described
25 manner and then the caught yarn is guided to a yarn
joining device. In the yarn winding machine, since
there is a room for further improvement in movement
time in which the suction mouth guides the yarn to the
yarn joining device, improvement in operation
30 efficiency has been demanded.
An object of the present invention is to provide
a yarn winding machine and a yarn withdrawal method
that allow for improvement in operation efficiency.
A yarn winding machine comprises a driving section
adapted to rotationally drive a package around which a
5 yarn is wound; a first catching and guiding device
adapted to catch and guide a yarn end of the package;
and a control section adapted to control movements of
the driving section and the first catching and guiding
device, wherein when the first catching and guiding
10 device is located at a catching region and starts
catching the yarn end of the package, the control
section is adapted to control the driving section to
rotationally drive the package at a first speed, the
first speed being one of yarn-end catching speeds;
15 after the package is rotationally driven at the first
speed, the control section is adapted to maintain the
first catching and guiding device at the catching
region, and to control the driving section to
rotationally drive the package at a second speed, the
20 second speed being one of the yarn-end catching speeds
and faster than the first speed, and when the first
catching and guiding device moves from the catching
region to a guiding target, the control section is
adapted to control the driving section to rotationally
25 drive the package at a yarn guiding speed, the yarn
guiding speed being faster than the yarn-end catching
speeds.
A yarn withdrawal method for withdrawing a yarn
end of a package in a yarn winding machine including a
30 driving section adapted to rotationally drive the
package around which the yarn is wound, and a catching
and guiding device adapted to catch and guide the yarn
end of the package, the yarn withdrawal method
comprises rotationally driving the package at a first
speed, which is one of the yarn-end catching speeds,
5 when the catching and guiding device is located at a
catching region and starts catching the yarn end of the
package; after the package is rotationally driven at
the first speed, maintaining the catching and guiding
device at the catching region, and rotationally driving
10 the package at a second speed, the second speed being
one of the yarn-end catching speeds and faster than the
first speed; and when moving the catching and guiding
device from the catching region to a guiding target,
rotationally driving the package at a yarn guiding
15 speed, the yarn guiding speed being faster than the
yarn-end catching speeds.
B R I E F DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
F I G . 1 is a schematic front view illustrating an
20 automatic winder including a winder unit according to
one embodiment;
F I G . 2 is a schematic diagram and a block diagram
illustrating a structure of the winder unit;
F I G . 3 is an enlarged left-side view illustrating
25 a portion in proximity to a traverse device of the
winder unit;
F I G . 4 is an enlarged right-side view of a portion
in proximity to a cradle of the winder unit;
F I G . 5 is a left-side view of the winder unit;
30 F I G . 6 is a left-side view of the winder unit;
F I G . 7 is a left-side view of the winder unit;
FIG. 8 is a left-side view illustrating a package
moving to a non-contact position or a contact position;
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a relation
between rotational speeds of the package and movements
5 of an upper-yarn catching member;
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a relation
between the rotational speeds of the package and the
movements of the upper-yarn catching member according
to an alternative embodiment; and
10 FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a relation
between the rotational speeds of the package and the
movements of the upper-yarn catching member according
to a still further alternative embodiment.
15 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention
will be hereinafter described in detail with reference
to the attached drawings. The same reference numerals
are denoted on the same or corresponding portions
20 throughout the drawings, and redundant description will
be omitted.
An overall configuration of an automatic winder 1
including a winder unit (yarn winding machine) 10 of
the present embodiment will be described with reference
25 to FIG. 1. "Upstream" and "downstream" in the present
specification respectively indicate upstream and
downstream in a traveling direction of a yarn 20 at the
time of yarn winding.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the automatic winder 1
30 includes as main components, a plurality of the winder
units 10 arranged next to each other, an automatic
doffing device 80 and a machine setting device 90.
Each of the winder units 10 is capable of forming
a package 30 by winding the yarn 20 unwound from a yarn
supplying bobbin 21 while traversing the yarn 20.
5 When the package 30 is fully wound in each winder
unit 10, the automatic doffing device 80 travels to a
position of the relevant winder unit 10 and removes the
fully-wound package 30 from the winder unit 10. The
automatic doffing device 80 may supply an empty bobbin
10 to the winder unit 10 after removing the package 30.
The machine setting device 90 includes as main
components, a setting section 91 and a display section
92. The setting section 91 is capable of performing
setting to each winder unit 10 when an operator inputs
15 a predetermined set value or selects an appropriate
control method. The display section 92 is capable of
displaying a winding status of the yarn 20 of each
winder unit 10, contents of an occurred trouble, or the
like.
20 Next, a configuration of the winder unit 10 will
be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 2 to
8. As illustrated in FIG. 2, each winder unit 10
includes a winding unit main body 16 and a unit control
section (control section) 50.
25 The winding unit main body 16 includes a yarn
unwinding assisting device 12, a tension applying
device 13, a splicer device (yarn joining device,
guiding target) 14 and a clearer (yarn defect detecting
device) 15 sequentially arranged from a side of the
30 yarn supplying bobbin 21 in a yarn traveling path
between the yarn supplying bobbin 21 and a contact
roller 29.
A yarn supplying section 11 adapted to supply the
yarn 20 to the winding bobbin 22 is provided in a lower
part of the winding unit main body 16 in a direction of
5 machine height. The yarn supplying section 11 is
capable of holding at a predetermined position, the
yarn supplying bobbin 21 transported by a bobbin
transporting system, which is not illustrated.
By lowering a regulating member 40 adapted to
10 cover a core tube of the yarn supplying bobbin 21 in
conjunction with unwinding of the yarn 20 from the yarn
supplying bobbin 21, the yarn unwinding assisting
device 12 assists the unwinding of the yarn 20 from the
yarn supplying bobbin 21. The regulating member 40
15 makes contact with a balloon of the yarn 20, which is
formed in an upper portion of the yarn supplying bobbin
21 with swinging and centrifugal force of the yarn 20
unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin 21, and controls
the balloon to an appropriate size to assist unwinding
20 of the yarn 20. A sensor (not illustrated) adapted to
detect a chase section of the yarn supplying bobbin 21
is provided in proximity to the regulating member 40.
When the sensor detects lowering of the chase section,
the yarn unwinding assisting device 12 can lower the
25 regulating member 40 with an air cylinder (not
illustrated), e.g., following the chase section.
The tension applying device 13 applies a
predetermined tension on the travelling yarn 20. The
tension applying device 13 may be, e.g., a gate type in
30 which movable comb teeth are arranged with respect to
fixed comb teeth. The movable comb teeth can be swung
by a rotary solenoid such that the movable comb teeth
and the fixed comb teeth are engaged with each other or
released from each other. The tension applying device
13 may be, e.g., a disc type other than the above-
5 described gate type.
The splicer device 14 joins a lower yarn from the
yarn supplying bobbin 21 and an upper yarn from the
package 30 at the time of a yarn cut performed by the
clearer 15 upon detection of a presence a yarn defect,
10 at the time of a yarn breakage during unwinding of the
yarn 20 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21, or the like.
As a yarn joining device adapted to join the upper yarn
and the lower yarn in such a manner, a mechanic type, a
type that uses fluid such as compressed air, or the
15 like may be employed.
The clearer 15 includes a clearer head 49 in which
a sensor (not illustrated) adapted to detect a
thickness of the yarn 20 is arranged, and an analyzer
52 adapted to process a yarn thickness signal from the
20 sensor. , The clearer 15 detects the yarn defect such as
a slub by monitoring the yarn thickness signal from the
sensor. A cutter (cutting device) 39 is provided in
proximity to the clearer head 49 to immediately cut the
yarn 20 when the clearer 15 detects the yarn defect.
25 The clearer 15 may detect a presence or an absence of a
foreign substance included in the yarn 20 as a presence
or an absence of the yarn defect.
Above and below the splicer device 14, there are
respectively provided a lower-yarn catching member
30 (second catching and guiding device) 25 adapted to
catch a yarn end from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 and
guide the yarn end to the splicer device 14 and an
upper-yarn catching member (first catching and guiding
device, catching and guiding device) 26 adapted to
catch a yarn end from the package 30 and guide the yarn
5 end to the splicer device 14. The lower-yarn catching
member 25 includes a lower-yarn pipe arm 33 and a
lower-yarn suction mouth 32 that is formed at a tip end
of the lower-yarn pipe arm 33. The upper-yarn catching
member 26 includes an upper-yarn pipe arm 36 and an
10 upper-yarn suction mouth (suction mouth) 35 that is
formed at a tip end of the upper-yarn pipe arm 36.
The lower-yarn pipe arm 33 and the upper-yarn pipe
arm 36 are respectively swingable with shafts 34 and 37
as a center. An appropriate negative pressure source
15 is connected to each of the lower-yarn pipe arm 33 and
the upper-yarn pipe arm 36. In this manner, suction
flow is generated in the lower-yarn suction mouth 32
and the upper-yarn suction mouth 35, and thereby the
yarn ends of the upper yarn and the lower yarn can be
20 sucked and caught.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the upper-yarn
catching member 26 is arranged in a movable manner such
that the upper-yarn suction mouth 35 is positioned at a
catching region R1, a standby region R2 and a yarn
25 joining region R3. The catching region R1 is located
in proximity to the package 30 and is a region where a
yarn end 30a of the package 30 can be caught. The
standby region R2 is a region where the upper-yarn
suction mouth 35 is located farther away from the
30 package 30 than the catching region R1 by the upperyarn
pipe arm 36 of the upper-yarn catching member 26
being swung in a direction to be farther away from the
package 30 than the catching region R1. The yarn
joining region R3 is a region where the yarn end 30a,
which has been caught in the catching region R1, is
5 guided to the splicer device 14 and can be joined by
the splicer device 14. The standby region R2 and the
yarn joining region R3 are regions where the upper-yarn
catching member 26 is positioned when moving from the
catching region R1 to the splicer device 14.
10 As illustrated in FIG. 2, the winding unit main
body 16 includes a cradle 23 adapted to support the
winding bobbin 22 in a removable manner and the contact
roller 29 capable of rotating while making contact with
a peripheral surface of the winding bobbin 22 or a
15 peripheral surface of the package 30. The winding unit
main body 16 includes in proximity to the cradle 23, an
arm-type traverse device 70 adapted to traverse the
yarn 20, and is capable of winding the yarn 20 around
the package 30 while traversing the yarn 20 with the
20 traverse device 70.
A guide plate 28 is arranged slightly upstream of
a traverse position. The guide plate 28 guides the
upstream yarn 20 to the traverse position. A ceramic
traverse fulcrum 27 is arranged further upstream of the
25 guide plate 28. The traverse device 70 traverses the
yarn 20 in a winding width direction of the package 30
(a direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2) with the
ceramic traverse fulcrum 27 as a fulcrum.
The cradle 23 is capable of swinging with a
30 swinging shaft 48 as a center. An increase in a yarn
layer diameter of the package 30 associated with
winding the yarn 20 around the winding bobbin 22 can be
absorbed with swinging the cradle 23.
A package driving motor (driving section) 41
formed of a servomotor, e. g., is mounted to the cradle
5 23. The winder unit 10 winds the yarn 20 by
rotationally driving the winding bobbin 22 with the
package driving motor 41. The package driving motor 41
is capable of rotationally driving the winding bobbin
22 (package 30) in a winding direction as well as in an
10 unwinding direction A.
A motor shaft of the package driving motor 41 is
coupled to the winding bobbin 22 so as not to be
relatively rotatable with respect to the winding bobbin
22 when the winding bobbin 22 is supported by the
15 cradle 23 (a so-called direct drive system). Movements
of the package driving motor 41 are controlled by a
package driving control section (control section) 42.
The package driving control section 42 controls the
package driving motor 41 to operate or stop in response
20 to a drive signal from the unit control section 50. As
the package driving motor 41, various motors such as a
step motor, an induction motor, and the like may be
employed without being limited to the servomotor.
An angle sensor 44 adapted to detect an angle of
25 the cradle 23 is mounted to the swinging shaft 48. The
angle sensor 44 is formed of a rotary encoder, e.g.,
and transmits an angle signal, which corresponds to the
angle of the cradle 23, to the unit control section 50.
Since the angle of the cradle 23 changes as a wound
30 diameter of the package 30 increases, the diameter of
the package 30 can be detected by detecting a swing
angle of the cradle 23 with the angle sensor 44. Any
appropriate configuration may be employed to detect the
diameter of the package 30 other than the angle sensor
44. For example, a configuration that uses a Hall IC
5 or an absolute type encoder may be employed to detect
the diameter of the package 30.
Next, a layout of a configuration of the traverse
device 70 and a configuration in proximity to the
traverse device 70 will be described with reference to
10 FIG. 3. In the present embodiment, since the contact
roller 29 is arranged such that an axial direction
thereof corresponds to a lateral direction of the
winding unit main body 16, side views such as FIG. 3,
e-g., can be a view in the axial direction of the
15 contact roller 29. In FIG. 3, rotation of the package
30 in the winding direction is clockwise and rotation
of the package 30 in the unwinding direction is
counterclockwise.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the traverse device 70
20 includes a traverse driving motor 76, an output shaft
77 and a traverse arm (traverse guide) 74.
The traverse driving motor 76 is adapted to drive
the traverse arm 74 and is formed of a servomotor or
the like. As illustrated in FIG. 2, operations of the
25 traverse driving motor 76 are controlled by a traverse
control section 78. The traverse driving motor 76 may
be another motor such as a step motor, a voice coil
motor, or the like.
The traverse control section 78 is formed of
30 hardware such as a dedicated microprocessor or the like
and is adapted to control the traverse driving motor 76
to operate or stop in response to a signal from the
unit control section 50.
Power of the traverse driving motor 76 is
transmitted to a base-end portion of the traverse arm
5 74 via the output shaft 77 illustrated in F I G . 3.
Since a rotor of the traverse driving motor 76
forwardly and reversely rotates, the tr'averse arm 74
swings into and/or out of the page of F I G . 3 (in a
left-right direction (traverse direction) of F I G . 2).
10 The traverse arm 74 in FIG. 3 indicates a position at a
traverse end portion.
A hook-shaped yarn guiding section 73 is formed at
a tip-end portion of the traverse arm 74. The yarn
guiding section 73 can hold and guide the yarn 20. The
15 yarn guiding section 73 reciprocates in a state of
holding the yarn 20, thereby allowing traverse of the
yarn 20.
Next, a configuration of the cradle 23 will be
described in further detail with reference to F I G . 4.
20 As illustrated in F I G . 4, the winding unit main body 16
includes a rotating plate 17 adapted to be capable of
rotating with the swinging shaft 48 as a center. The
cradle 23 swings with the swinging shaft 48 as a center
in a unified manner with the rotating plate 17. A
25 spring 18 formed as a tension spring for gradually
decreasing contact pressure, and an air cylinder
(switching device) 60 are connected to the rotating
plate 17. A predetermined swinging torque can be
applied to the cradle 23 by the spring 18 and the air
30 cylinder 60.
The air cylinder 60 is formed as a double-acting
cylinder that includes a piston 601 in an interior
thereof. In FIG. 4, compressed air of air pressure P1
and compressed air of air pressure P2 are respectively
supplied to a cylinder chamber in a right side and a
5 cylinder chamber in a left side of a drawing of the
piston 601.
An electro-pneumatic regulator 61 is connected to
a pipe that supplies the compressed air of the air
pressure P2 to the air cylinder 60. The electro-
10 pneumatic regulator 61 is capable of adjusting the air
pressure P2 steplessly. The electro-pneumatic
regulator 61 performs control of the air pressure P2
based on a control signal input from the unit control
section 50.
15 In a configuration illustrated in FIG. 4, since
force of the air cylinder 60 to pull the cradle 23
increases when the air pressure P2 is reduced, torque
that causes the cradle 23 to swing to a front side of
the winding unit main body 16 with the swinging shaft
20 48 as a center increases. Since the contact roller 29
is arranged closer to the front side of the winding
unit main body 16 than the swinging shaft 48, contact
pressure between the package 30 and the contact roller
29 can be increased with the decrease of the air
25 pressure P2. On the contrary, since the force of the
air cylinder 60 to pull the cradle 23 decreases when
the air pressure P2 is increased, torque that causes
the cradle 23 to swing to a rear side of the winding
unit main body 16 with the swinging shaft 48 as a
30 center increases. Consequently, the contact pressure
between the package 30 and the contact roller 29 can be
weakened. By further increasing the air pressure P2,
the package 30 can even be located away from a surface
of the contact roller 29.
The air cylinder 60 can swing the cradle 23 and
5 thereby move the package 30. In this case, the package
30 can be moved to a position where the package 30 is
located away from the contact roller 29 (a position
where the package 30 is not in contact with the contact
roller 29) and a position where the package 30 is in
10 contact with the contact roller 29. In other words,
the air cylinder 60 can switch the package 30 and the
contact roller 29 between a contacting state and a noncontacting
state.
The unit control section 50 includes a Central
15 Processing Unit (CPU), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a
Read Only Memory (ROM), an Input-and-Output (I/O) port
and a communication port. A program to control each
component of the winding unit main body 16 is recorded
in the ROM. Each section, which is provided in the
20 winding unit main body 16, and the machine setting
device 90 are connected to the 1/0 port and the
communication port, which enables communication of
control information or the like. Consequently, the
unit control section 50 can control movements of each
25 section provided in the winding unit main body 16.
The unit control section 50 transmits a drive
signal to the package driving control section 42 to
control a rotational driving (rotational speed) of the
package driving motor 41. The unit control section 50
30 controls movements of the lower-yarn catching member 25
and the upper-yarn catching member 26 (swings of the
lower yarn pipe arm 33 and the upper yarn pipe arm 36)
by controlling a motor, which is not illustrated.
The setting section 91 of the machine setting
device 90 illustrated in FIG. 1 sets a number of
5 rotations, which is a number of times the package 30 is
rotated at a yarn-end catching speed (to be described
later in detail) in the unwinding direction A, when
continuation of the yarn 20 is disconnected
(hereinafter referred to as a "yarn disconnection and
10 the like") such as a yarn cut performed by the clearer
15 upon detection of a yarn defect, or a yarn breakage
during unwinding of the yarn 20 from the yarn supplying
bobbin 21. The setting section 91 sets the number of
rotations of the package 30 based on, e.g., the
15 diameter of the package 30 detected by the angle sensor
44 or the like. In a case, e.g., where the diameter of
the package 30 is small, the setting section 91 sets
the number of rotations large since the yarn end 30a is
unlikely to come off a surface of the package 30.
20 While in a case where the diameter of the package 30 is
large, the setting section 91 sets the number of
rotations small since the yarn end 30a is likely to
come off the surface of the package 30. The setting
section 91 transmits the set of number of rotations of
25 the package 30 to the unit control section 50.
The setting section 91 may set the number of
rotations of the package 30 in the unwinding direction
A at the time of the yarn disconnection and the like
based on information that has been set and input in
30 advance. In other words, the setting section 91 sets
the number of rotations of the package 30 based on
information input from the setting section 91 with a
key operation and the like by an operator. In such a
configuration, the operator can set the number of
rotations of the package 30 to a desired number.
5 In the above-described winder unit 10, when the
yarn disconnection and the like occurs, the lower yarn
and the upper yarn are required to be joined by the
splicer device 14. Thus, the upper yarn of the package
30 is required to be caught and withdrawn with the
10 upper yarn suction mouth 35, and the lower yarn of the
yarn supplying bobbin 21 is required to be caught with
the lower yarn suction mouth 32. Control of a
withdrawing operation of the upper yarn and a yarn
withdrawal method both performed in the winder unit 10
15 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2
to 9.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, during winding operation
before the yarn disconnection and the like occurs, the
surface of the package 30 is in contact with the
20 contact roller 29. A position of the package 30 where
the package 30 is in contact with the contact roller 29
is hereinafter referred to as a "contact position" and
is indicated by a reference symbol "Q2" in FIGS. 4 and
8.
25 Immediately after the yarn disconnection and the
like occurs during the winding operation, the unit
control section 50 transmits a drive signal to the
electro-pneumatic regulator 61. Since the electropneumatic
regulator 61 is driven based on the drive
30 signal, the air pressure P2 of the air cylinder 60 is
changed, thereby, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 8,
causing the cradle 23 to be driven in a direction in
which the cradle 23 moves away from the contact roller
29. The unit control section 50 transmits a drive
signal to the traverse control section 78 to drive the
5 traverse driving section 76 and causes the traverse arm
74 to standby at a position located at one end in the
traverse direction.
The package 30 is moved away from the contact
roller 29 and is held at a predetermined position where
10 the package 30 is not in contact with the contact
roller 29. The position of the transferred package 30
of this time is hereinafter referred to as a "noncontact
position" and is indicated by a reference
symbol "Ql" in FIG. 8. Simultaneously, the unit
15 control section 50 transmits the drive signal to the
package driving control section 42 to decelerate and
stop the rotation of the package 30 and then to start
the rotation of the package 30 in the unwinding
direction (a direction indicated by an arrow A). At
20 this time, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the unit control
section 50 rotationally drives the package driving
motor 41 at the yarn-end catching speed.
The unit control section 50 sets the yarn-end
catching speed, e.g., as follows. In the case where
25 the diameter of the package 30 is small, since the yarn
end 30a is unlikely to come off the surface of the
package 30, the unit control section 50 sets the yarnend
catching speed so as to slowly rotate the package
30. In the case where the diameter of the package 30
30 is large, since the yarn end 30a is likely to come off
the surface of the package 30, the unit control section
50 sets the yarn-end catching speed faster in
comparison with the case where the diameter of the
package 30 is small.
Furthermore, the unit control section 50 swings
5 the upper yarn pipe arm 36 by transmitting a drive
signal to the upper-yarn catching member 26 and, as
illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 9, moves the upper yarn
suction mouth 35 to a position at the catching region
R1 in proximity to the surface of the package 30.
10 Under a state where the package 30 at the non-contact
position Q1 is rotated at the yarn-end catching speed
in the unwinding direction A, the upper yarn suction
mouth 35 performs the catching operation. By the
above-described catching operation, the yarn end 30a of
15 the upper yarn connected to the package 30 can be
sucked and caught by the upper yarn suction mouth 35.
When the package 30 is rotated at the yarn-end
catching speed the number of times set by the setting
section 91 and the yarn end 30a is sucked and caught by
20 the upper yarn suction mouth 35 in the above-described
catching operation, the unit control section 50 drives
the cradle 23 in a direction in which the cradle 23
becomes closer to the contact roller 29. Consequently,
the package 30 returns to the contact position Q2 where
25 the package 30 is in contact with the contact roller 29.
At this time, since the rotation of the package 30 in
the unwinding direction A is continued, the package 30
rotates in the unwinding direction A while being in
contact with the contact roller 29, and thereby the
30 contact roller 29 rotates with the package 30.
When the yarn end 30a of the package 30 is sucked
and caught by the upper yarn suction mouth 35, the unit
control section 50 controls the upper-yarn catching
member 26 to swing the upper yarn pipe arm 36 and, as
illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 9, moves the upper yarn
5 suction mouth 35 to a position at a standby region R2
where the upper yarn suction mouth 35 is located away
from the package 30, and then stop the upper yarn
suction mouth 35. Simultaneously, the unit control
section 50 transmits the drive signal to the package
10 driving control section 42 and, as illustrated in FIG.
9, rotationally drives the package 30 at a yarn guiding
speed, which is faster than the yarn-end catching speed,
in the unwinding direction A. With the above-described
catching operation, the upper yarn of the package 30 is
15 further sucked and caught by the upper yarn suction
mouth 35.
In a case, e.g., where the clearer 15 detects a
yarn defect of the yarn 20 and cuts the yarn 20 with
the cutter 39, a standby time (stopping time) of the
20 upper-yarn catching member 26 at the standby region R2
may be set based on a length of the yarn defect of the
yarn 20, which is detected by the clearer 15.
Subsequently, the unit control section 50 controls
the upper-yarn catching member 26 to swing the upper
25 yarn pipe arm 36 and, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9,
move the upper yarn suction mouth 35 to the yarn
joining region R3. Simultaneously, the unit control
section 50 transmits the drive signal to the package
driving control section 42 to decelerate and stop the
30 rotation of the package 30. Consequently, the package
30 stops being rotationally driven. As described above,
the yarn end 30a of the package 30 is caught with the
upper yarn suction mouth 35 and the yarn 20 is guided
to the splicer device 14.
As described above, in the winder unit 10 of the
5 present embodiment, when the upper-yarn catching member
26 is located at the standby region R2 after catching
at the catching region R1, the yarn end 30a of the
package 30 rotating at the yarn-end catching speed, the
unit control section 50 controls the package driving
10 motor 41 to rotationally drive the package 30 at the
yarn guiding speed that is faster than the yarn-end
catching speed. Consequently, in the winder unit 10,
the yarn 20 can be guided to the splicer device 14 at a
high speed by the upper-yarn catching member 26,
15 thereby allowing reduction in time. In the winder unit
10, operation efficiency thus can be improved.
In the present embodiment, the unit control
section 50 performs control such that the upper-yarn
catching member 26 catches the yarn end 30a of the
20 package 30 at the catching region R1 and then moves to
the standby region R2. Consequently, in the winder
unit 10, the upper-yarn catching member 26 can be
prevented from sucking and catching the yarn 20 on the
surface of the package 30 other than the yarn end 30a
25 of the package 30.
In the present embodiment, the unit control
section 50 controls the package driving motor 41 to
rotationally drive the package 30 the number of
rotations set by the setting section 91 at the yarn-end
30 catching speed. Then, after the package 30 has been
rotated the number of rotations, the unit control
section 50 controls the package driving motor 41 to
proceed to an operation of rotationally driving the
package 30 at the yarn guiding speed. In this manner,
in the winder unit 10, by assuming without using a
5 sensor and the like that the upper-yarn catching member
26 has caught the yarn end 30a of the package 30,
switching from the yarn-end catching speed to the yarn
guiding speed can be performed with a simple
configuration and control.
10 In the present embodiment, when continuation of
the yarn 20 is disconnected, the unit control section
50 controls the traverse arm 74 to standby at one end
in the traverse direction. Therefore, in the winder
unit 10, when performing the yarn joining operation or
15 the like upon disconnection of the yarn 20, the yarn 20
can be restrained from being caught in the traverse arm
74. Consequently, damage on the traverse arm 74 and/or
a disconnection of the yarn 20 guided by the upper-yarn
catching member 26 can be prevented.
20 In the present embodiment, when the upper-yarn
catching member 26 catches the yarn end 30a of the
package 30, in other words, when the upper yarn suction
mouth 35 of the upper-yarn catching member 26 is
located at the catching region R1, the air cylinder 60
25 of the winder unit 10 brings the package 30 and the
contact roller 29 into the non-contacting state.
Consequently, in the winder unit 10, when catching the
yarn end 30a of the package 30, the yarn end 30a can be
prevented from being sandwiched between the package 30
30 and the contact roller 29 and sticking to the surface
of the package 30. In the winder unit 10, the yarn end
30a of the package 30 thus can be reliably caught.
The present invention is not limited to the abovedescribed
embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the
unit control section 50 may control the package driving
5 motor 41 such that the rotational speed of the package
30 under the yarn-end catching speed is changed in two
stages. The yarn-end catching speed includes a first
speed in which the upper-yarn catching member 26 starts
catching the yarn end 30a of the package 30 and a
10 second speed that is faster than the first speed.
The unit control section 50 controls the package
driving motor 41 such that the package 30 is rotated at
the second speed after being rotationally driven at the
first speed. Consequently, the yarn end 30a of the
15 package 30 can be reliably caught by the upper yarn
suction mouth 35 of the upper-yarn catching member 26.
As illustrated in FIG. 11, the unit control
section 50 rotationally drives the package 30 at the
yarn-end catching speed in the unwinding direction A,
20 and causes the upper yarn suction mouth 35 of the
upper-yarn catching member 26 to be located at the
catching region R1 to catch the yarn end 30a of the
package 30. After rotationally driving the package 30
in the un-winding direction A a predetermined number of
25 times, the unit control section 50 moves the upper yarn
suction mouth 35 of the upper-yarn catching member 26
in the direction to be located away from the package 30
and rotationally drives the package 30 in the winding
direction. Then, after rotationally driving the
30 package 30 in the winding direction a predetermined
number of times, the unit control section 50
rotationally drives the package 30 at the yarn-end
catching speed in the unwinding direction A and causes
the upper yarn suction mouth 35 of the upper-yarn
catching member 26 to be located at the catching region
5 R1 again.
Subsequently, the unit control section 50
rotationally drives the package 30 at the yarn guiding
speed in the unwinding direction A and causes the upper
yarn suction mouth 35 of the upper-yarn catching member
10 26 to be located at the standby region R2.
Consequently, since a slack .of the yarn 20 can be
eliminated on the package 30, the upper-yarn catching
member 26 can be prevented from catching the yarn 20
that is located on a surface layer of the package 30.
15 In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, after
rotationally driving the package 30 at the yarn-end
catching speed in the unwinding direction A, the
package 30 is rotationally driven in the winding
direction. However, without rotationally driving the
20 package 30 in the winding direction at this point, the
rotational driving in the unwinding direction A may be
maintained. Even in this case, the slack in the yarn
20 can be eliminated on the package 30. In this case,
a stopping time at the catching region R1 when the
25 upper yarn suction mouth 35 temporarily moves to the
catching region R1 may be short.
In the above-described embodiment, although the
upper yarn suction mouth 35 is stopped at the standby
region R2, the upper yarn suction mouth 35 is not
30 required to be stopped at the standby region R2.
In the above-described embodiment, the package 30
is rotationally driven directly by the package driving
motor 41, however, in the present invention, any method
in which the contact roller 29 is driven to rotate the
package 30 may be employed. In this case, if the
5 package 30 is moved to the non-contact position Q1 and
rotated in the unwinding direction A, a mechanism for
rotating the package 30 in the unwinding direction A is
further provided in the winder unit 10. In the case of
the method in which the contact roller 29 is driven to
10 rotate the package 30, rotational speed of the package
30 is not directly controlled, but rotational speed of
the contact roller 29 is controlled.
In the above-described embodiment, although the
rotational speeds (yarn-end catching speed, yarn
15 guiding speed) of the package 30 are controlled by
controlling the package driving motor 41 with the unit
control section 50, the unit control section 50 is
sufficient to control a peripheral speed of the package
30 (travelling speed of the yarn 20) as the rotational
20 driving of the package 30.
In the above-described embodiment, although the
arm-type traverse device 70 is described as an example,
the traverse device may be a drum including a traverse
groove, a belt-type traverse or a rod-type traverse.
25 In the above-described embodiment, although the
configuration in which the winder unit 10 includes the
air cylinder (switching device) 60 is described as an
example, the winder unit 10 needs not necessarily
include the air cylinder 60.
30 In the above-described embodiment, although an
assumption is made that the upper-yarn catching member
26 has caught the yarn 20 when the package 30 is
rotationally driven in the unwinding direction A the
number of rotations set by the setting section 91, a
sensor may be provided in the upper-yarn catching
5 member 26, and the sensor may detect that the yarn 20
has been caught by the upper-yarn catching member 26.
In the above-described embodiment, although the
diameter of the package 30 is detected by detecting the
swing angle of the cradle 23 with the angle sensor 44,
10 the diameter of the package 30 may be detected by
another method. The diameter of the package 30 can be
obtained based on, e-g., a total length of the yarn 20
that has been wound into the package 30, a winding
speed of the yarn 20 and a yarn type (a thickness and
15 the like of the yarn 20).
The diameter of the package 30 may also be
obtained by measuring time from the start of winding
the yarn 20. In a case where the winding speed and the
yarn type (the thickness and the like of the yarn 20)
20 are known, the diameter of the package 30 can be
obtained by calculation based on the time elapsed from
the start of winding the yarn 20. By storing in
advance a relation between the time elapsed from the
start of winding and the diameter of the package 30 in
25 the unit control section 50, the diameter of the
package 30 can be obtained based on the elapsed time.
When the winding is interrupted by the yarn
disconnection, the yarn joining operation, or the like,
measurement of the elapsed time from the start of
30 winding is interrupted.
The diameter of the package 30 may also be
calculated based on the travelling speed of the yarn 20.
Specifically, a traverse angle is calculated with the
travelling speed of the yarn 20 and a traverse speed.
Furthermore, the peripheral speed of the package 30 is
5 obtained based on the traverse angle and the yarn
travelling speed. Then, the diameter of the package 30
is calculated based on the rotational speed of the
package 30 and the peripheral speed of the package 30.
A yarn winding machine includes a driving section
10 adapted to rotationally drive a package around which a
yarn is wound, a first catching and guiding device
adapted to catch and guide a yarn end of the package
and a control section adapted to control movements of
the driving section and the first catching and guiding
15 device. When the first catching and guiding device is
located at a catching region where the first catching
and guiding device catches the yarn end of the package,
the control section controls the driving section to
rotationally drive the package at a yarn-end catching
20 speed. When the first catching and guiding device
moves from the catching region to a guiding target, the
control section controls the driving section to
rotationally drive the package at a yarn guiding speed
that is faster than the yarn-end catching speed. The
25 yarn-end catching speed includes a first speed, at
which the first catching and guiding device starts
catching the yarn end of the package, and a second
speed that is faster than the first speed. The control
section may control the driving section to rotate the
30 package at the second speed after rotationally driving
the package at the first speed.
Consequently, the yarn can be guided to the
guiding target at a high speed by the first catching
and guiding device, thereby allowing reduction in the
time for guiding the yarn to the guiding target by the
5 first catching and guiding device. In the yarn winding
machine, operation efficiency thus can be improved.
In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine may
further include a setting section adapted to set a
number of rotations, which is a number of times the
10 package is rotated at the yarn-end catching speeds.
The control section may control the driving section to
rotationally drive the package at the yarn-end catching
speeds while the package is being rotated the number of
rotations set by the setting section, and after the
15 package is rotated the number of rotations, the control
section controls the driving section to rotationally
drive the package at the yarn guiding speed. When the
package has rotated the number of rotations at the
yarn-end catching speed, the yarn winding machine
20 assumes that the yarn end of the package has been
caught by the catching and guiding device, and proceeds
to a control in which the package is rotationally
driven at the yarn guiding speed. By assuming without
using a sensor or the like that the first catching and
25 guiding device has caught the yarn end of the package,
switching from the yarn-end catching speed to the yarn
guiding speed can be performed with a simple
configuration and control.
In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine may
30 further include a yarn supplying section adapted to
supply the yarn to be wound around the package, a
second catching and guiding device adapted to catch and
guide a yarn end from the yarn supplying section, and a
yarn joining device adapted to join the yarn of the
package guided by the first catching and guiding device
5 and the yarn from the yarn supplying section guided by
the second catching and guiding device when
continuation of the yarn between the yarn supplying
section and the package is disconnected. When guiding
the yarn of the package by the first catching and
10 guiding device to the yarn joining device, the control
section may control the driving section to rotationally
drive the package at the yarn guiding speed. This
allows reduction in the time for yarn joining operation
when continuation of the yarn is disconnected.
15 In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine may
further include a yarn defect detecting device adapted
to detect a presence or an absence of a yarn defect
included in the yarn wound around the package, and a
cutting device adapted to cut the yarn upon detection
20 of the presence of the yarn defect by the yarn defect
detecting device. When the cutting device cuts the
yarn, the control section may control the first
catching and guiding device to catch the yarn end of
the package while rotationally driving the package at
25 the yarn-end catching speeds, and then to control the
first catching and guiding device to guide the yarn of
the package while rotationally driving the package at
the yarn guiding speed. The yarn defect can be removed
in a short time when the presence of the yarn defect is
30 detected.
In one embodiment, the first catching and guiding
device may include a suction mouth adapted to suck the
yarn end of the package. The first catching and
guiding device may be arranged such that the suction
mouth is movable to a catching region, a standby region
5 located farther away from the package than the catching
region and a yarn joining region where the yarn of the
package is guided to the yarn joining device. When the
suction mouth is located at the standby region, the
control section may control the driving section to
10 rotationally drive the package at the yarn guiding
speed. Consequently, the suction mouth of the first
catching and guiding device can be reliably moved to
the catching region, the standby region and the yarn
joining region. Furthermore, in the yarn winding
15 machine, since the package is rotationally driven at
the yarn guiding speed at the standby region even in a
case of a long yarn defect, the yarn defect can be
collected in a short time.
In one embodiment, the driving section may
20 directly drive the package. The package can be
reliably rotated at the yarn-end catching speeds and
the yarn guiding speed.
In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine may
further include a contact roller adapted to be rotated
25 in contact with the package, and a traverse guide. The
traverse guide is arranged independently from the
contact roller and is adapted to traverse the yarn to
be wound around the package. When continuation of the
yarn is disconnected, the control section may control
30 the traverse guide to standby at one end in a traverse
direction of the traverse guide. When performing the
yarn joining operation or the like upon disconnection
of the yarn, the yarn can be restrained from being
caught in the traverse guide.
In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine may
5 further include a contact roller adapted to be rotated
in contact with the package, and a switching device.
The switching device switches the package and the
contact roller between a contacting state and a noncontacting
state. When the first catching and guiding
10 device catches the yarn end of the package, the
switching device may switch the package and the contact
roller to the non-contacting state. When catching the
yarn end of the package, the yarn end can be prevented
from being sandwiched between the package and the
15 contact roller and from sticking to a surface of the
package. In the yarn winding machine, the yarn end of
the package thus can be reliably caught.
Further, a yarn withdrawal method for withdrawing
a yarn end of a package in a winding machine including
20 a driving section adapted to rotationally drive the
package around which the yarn is wound, and a catching
and guiding device adapted to catch and guide the yarn
end of the package is enclosed. ~ h k yarn withdrawal
method includes rotationally driving the package at a
25 first speed, which is one of the yarn-end catching
speeds, when the catching and guiding device is located
at a catching region where the catching and guiding
device catches the yarn end of the package, and starts
catching the yarn end of the package. The yarn
30 withdrawal method further includes, after the package
is rotationally driven at the first speed, maintaining
the catching and guiding device at the catching region
and rotationally driving the package at a second speed,
which is one of the yarn-end catching speeds and is
faster than the first speed. The withdrawal method
5 further includes, when moving the catching and guiding
device from the catching region to a guiding target,
rotationally driving the package at a yarn guiding
speed, which is faster than the yarn-end catching
speeds.
10 In the yarn withdrawal method, when the catching
and guiding device moves to the guiding target after
catching the yarn end of the package at the yarn-end
catching speed at the catching region, the package is
rotationally driven at the yarn guiding speed, which is
15 faster than the yarn-end catching speeds. Consequently,
in the yarn withdrawal method, the yarn can be guided
to the guiding target at a high speed by the catching
and guiding device, thereby allowing reduction in the
time for guiding the yarn to the guiding target. In
20 the yarn withdrawal method, operation efficiency thus
can be improved.

We Claim
1. A yarn winding machine comprising:
a driving section adapted to rotationally drive a
package around which a yarn is wound;
5 a first catching and guiding device adapted to
catch and guide a yarn end of the package; and
a control section adapted to control movements of
the driving section and the first catching and guiding
device,
10 wherein when the first catching and guiding device
is located at a catching region and starts catching the
yarn end of the package, the control section is adapted
to control the driving section to rotationally drive
the package at a first speed, the first speed being one
15 of yarn-end catching speeds;
after the package is rotationally driven at the
first speed, the control section is adapted to maintain
the first catching and guiding device at the catching
region, and to control the driving section to
20 rotationally drive the package at a second speed, the
second speed being one of the yarn-end catching speeds
and faster than the first speed, and
when the first catching and guiding device moves
from the catching region to a guiding target, the
25 control section is adapted to control the driving
section to rotationally drive the package at a yarn
guiding speed, the yarn guiding speed being faster than
the yarn-end catching speeds.
30 2. The yarn winding machine according to claim 1,
further comprising a setting section adapted to set a
number of rotations, the number of rotations being a
number of times the package is rotated at the yarn-end
catching speeds,
wherein the control section is adapted to control
5 the driving section to rotationally drive the package
at the yarn-end catching speeds while the package is
being rotated the number of rotations set by the
setting section, and
after the package is rotated the number of
10 rotations, the control section is adapted to control
the driving section to rotationally drive the package
at the yarn guiding speed.
3. The yarn winding machine according to claim 1
15 or claim 2, further comprising:
a yarn supplying section adapted to supply the
yarn to be wound around the package;
a second catching and guiding device adapted to
catch and guide a yarn end from the yarn supplying
20 section; and
a yarn joining device adapted to join the yarn of
the package guided by the first catching and guiding
device and the yarn from the yarn supplying section
guided by the second catching and guiding device when
25 continuation of the yarn between the yarn supplying
section and the package is disconnected,
wherein when guiding the yarn of the package by
the first catching and guiding device to the yarn
joining device, the control section is adapted to
30 control the driving section to rotationally drive the
package at the yarn guiding speed.
4. The yarn winding machine according to any one
of claim 1 through claim 3, further comprising:
a yarn defect detecting device adapted to detect a
5 presence or an absence of a yarn defect included in the
yarn wound around the package; and
a cutting device adapted to cut the yarn upon
detection of the presence of the yarn defect by the
yarn defect detecting device,
10 wherein when the cutting device cuts the yarn, the
control section is adapted to control the first
catching and guiding device to catch the yarn end of
the package while rotationally driving the package at
the yarn-end catching speeds, and then to control the
15 first catching and guiding device to guide the yarn of
the package while rotationally driving the package at
the yarn guiding speed.
5. The yarn winding machine according to any one
20 of claim 1 through claim 4, wherein the first catching
and guiding device includes a suction mouth adapted to
suck the yarn end of the package, and is arranged such
that the suction mouth is adapted to be movable to the
catching region, a standby region and a yarn joining
25 region, the standby region being a region located
farther away from the package than the catching region,
and the yarn joining region being a region where the
yarn of the package is guided to the yarn joining
device, and
30 when the suction mouth is located at the standby
region, the control section is adapted to control the
driving section to rotationally drive the package at
the yarn guiding speed.
6. The yarn winding machine according to any one
5 of claim 1 through claim 5, wherein the driving section
is adapted to directly drive the package.
7. The yarn winding machine according to any one
of claim 1 through claim 6, further comprising:
10 a contact roller adapted to be rotated in contact
with the package; and
a traverse guide arranged independently from the
contact roller and adapted to traverse the yarn to be
wound around the package,
15 wherein when continuation of the yarn is
disconnected, the control section is adapted to control
the traverse guide to standby at one end in a traverse
direction of the traverse guide.
20 8. The yarn winding machine according to any one
of claim 1 through claim 6, further comprising:
a contact roller adapted to be rotated in contact
with the package; and
a switching device adapted to switch the package
25 and the contact roller between a contacting state and a
non-contacting state,
wherein when the first catching and guiding device
catches the yarn end of the package, the switching
device is adapted to switch the package and the contact
30 roller to the non-contacting state.
9. A yarn withdrawal method for withdrawing a
yarn end of a package in a yarn winding machine
including a driving section adapted to rotationally
drive the package around which the yarn is wound, and a
5 catching and guiding device adapted to catch and guide
the yarn end of the package, the yarn withdrawal method
comprising:
rotationally driving the package at a first speed,
which is one of yarn-end catching speeds, when the
10 catching and guiding device is located at a catching
region and starts catching the yarn end of the package;
after the package is rotationally driven at the
first speed, maintaining the catching and guiding
device at the catching region, and rotationally driving
15 the package at a second speed, the second speed being
one of the yarn-end catching speeds and faster than the
first speed; and
when moving the catching and guiding device from
the catching region to a guiding target, rotationally
20 driving the package at a yarn guiding speed, the yarn
guiding speed being faster than the yarn-end catching
speeds.
10. A yarn winding machine, substantially as herein
25 described with reference to accompanying drawings and
examples.
11. A yarn withdrawal method, substantially as herein
described with reference to accompanying drawings and
30 examples.