YARN WINDING MACHINE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a yarn winding
machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional yarn winding machine, Japanese
Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-200432 describes a
textile machine including a service device adapted to
perform a predetermined service to a unit using suction
force by a blower, a detecting means adapted to directly
or indirectly detect a variation or reduction in the suction
force by the blower, and a control means adapted, when the
variation or reduction in the suction force by the blower
is detected during a service being performed by the service
device, to control the service device to prohibit
performing the service after a cycle of such a service is
completed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
However, in the textile machine described in Japanese
Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-200432, the service
device performs yarn joining operation using the suction
force by the blower, and when a collecting section such as
a dust box or the like adapted to collect a fiber in the
suction airflow is arranged between the service device and
the blower, a defect is likely to occur in a yarn joining
portion.
The reason is that since the service cycle is
performed until completed even if the variation or
reduction in the suction force by the blower due to cleaning
of the collecting section is detected during the service
being performed by the service device, the yarn joining
operation is performed in the service cycle under a state
where the suction force by the blower is insufficient.
An object of the present invention is thus to provide
a yarn winding machine capable of preventing the defect from
occurring in the yarn joining portion due to cleaning of
the collecting section.
A yarn winding machine of the present invention
includes a plurality of yarn winding units, a yarn joining
section adapted to perform yarn joining operation using
suction airflow in each of the plurality of yarn winding
units, a collecting section adapted to collect a fiber in
the suction airflow circulated from the yarn joining
section, a switching section adapted to switch a mode of
the collecting section between a collection mode that
enables the collecting section to collect the fiber and a
cleaning mode for cleaning the collecting section, a
movement detecting section adapted to detect a first
movement of the switching section when the mode of the
collecting section is switched by the switching section
from the collection mode to the cleaning mode, and a control
section adapted to control the yarn joining section to stop
the yarn joining operation when the first movement is
detected by the movement detecting section in a case where
the yarn joining section is performing the yarn joining
operation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a spinning machine
according to an embodiment of a yarn winding machine of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of a spinning unit of the spinning
machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3A is a view illustrating a movement of a shutter
of the spinning machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3B is a view illustrating a next movement of the
shutter of FIG. 3A;
FIG. 3C is a view illustrating a next movement of the
shutter of FIG. 3B;
FIG. 3D is a view illustrating a next movement of the
shutter of FIG. 3C;
FIG. 4 is a back view illustrating an interior portion
of a blower box of the spinning machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5A is an external view illustrating a structure
of a switching section of the spinning machine of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5A ;
FIG. 6A is an external view illustrating a movement
of the switching section when being switched from a
collection mode to a cleaning mode in the spinning machine
of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 6A;
FIG. 7A is an external view illustrating a structure
of the switching section in the cleaning mode in the
spinning machine of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A preferable embodiment of the present invention will
be hereinafter described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals are
denoted on the same or corresponding portions throughout
the drawings, and redundant description will be omitted.
[Configuration of a spinning machine]
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a spinning machine (a yarn
winding machine) 1 includes a plurality of spinning units
(yarn winding units) 2, a yarn joining vehicle (a yarn
joining section) 3, a blower box 4, and a motor box 5. The
plurality of spinning units 2 are arranged in a row. Each
of the spinning units 2 is adapted to produce a yarn Y and
to wind the produced yarn Y around a package P. The yarn
joining vehicle 3 is adapted to perform yarn joining
operation in a spinning unit 2 where the yarn Y has been
disconnected. The blower box 4 accommodates, for example,
an air supply source for generating suction flow, whirling
flow, or the like in each section of the spinning unit 2.
The motor box 5 accommodates, for example, a motor for
supplying power to each section of the spinning unit 2.
In the following description, in a path (that is, a
yarn path) where the yarn Y travels, a side where the yarn
Y is produced is referred to as an upstream side, and a side
where the yarn Y is wound is referred to as a downstream
side. Furthermore, a side where the yarn path is located
with respect to the yarn joining vehicle 3 is referred to
as a front side, and a side opposite thereto is referred
to as a back side. In the' present embodiment, a working
passage (not illustrated) that extends in an arrangement
direction of the plurality of spinning units 2 is arranged
on a front side of the spinning machine 1. An operator can
perform an operation, monitoring, and the like of each of
the spinning units 2 from the working passage.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the spinning
units 2 includes a draft device 6, a pneumatic spinning
device 7, a yarn monitoring device 8, a tension sensor 9,
a yarn accumulating device 50, a waxing device 11, and a
winding device 12 in this order from the upstream side. The
devices are directly or indirectly supported by a machine
frame 13 such that the upstream side is an upper side in
a machine height direction (in other words, such that the
downstream side is a lower side in the machine height
direction).
The draft device 6 is adapted to draft a sliver S to
produce a fiber bundle F. The draft device 6 includes a
pair of back rollers 61, a pair of third rollers 62, a pair
of middle rollers 64, each of which is provided with an apron
belt 63, and a pair of front rollers 65 in this order from
the upstream side (a side where the sliver S is supplied
in a path where the sliver S and the fiber bundle F travel) .
Each of the pairs of rollers 61, 62, 64, and 65 is adapted
to cause the sliver S supplied from a sliver can (not
illustrated) to travel from the upstream side to the
downstream side while drafting the sliver S.
The pneumatic spinning device 7 is adapted to apply
twists by whirling flow of air to the fiber bundle F drafted
by the draft device 6 to produce the yarn Y. More
specifically (although not illustrated), the pneumatic
spinning device 7 includes a spinning chamber, a fiber
guiding section, a whirling flow generating nozzle, and a
hollow guide shaft body. The fiber guiding section is
adapted to guide the fiber bundle F fed from the draft device
6 located at the upstream side into the spinning chamber.
The whirling flow generating nozzle is arranged around the
path where the fiber bundle F travels and is adapted to
generate the whirling flow in the spinning chamber. A fiber
end of the fiber bundle F that has been guided into the
spinning chamber is inverted and whirled by the whirling
flow. The hollow guide shaft body is adapted to guide the
spun yarn Y from the spinning chamber to outside the
pneumatic spinning device 7.
The yarn monitoring device 8 is adapted to detect a
yarn defect in the travelling yarn Y between the pneumatic
spinning device 7 and the yarn accumulating device 50 and
to transmit a yarn defect detection signal to a unit control
device 10. The yarn monitoring device 8 detects as the yarn
defect, for example, an abnormality in thickness of the yarn
Y and/or a foreign substance in the yarn Y. The tension
sensor 9 is adapted to measure tension of the travelling
yarn Y between the pneumatic spinning device 7 and the yarn
accumulating device 50 and to transmit a tension
measurement signal to the unit control device 10. The
waxing device 11 is adapted to apply wax to the travelling
yarn Y between the yarn accumulating device 50 and the
winding device 12. The unit control device 10 is arranged
for every spinning unit 2 and is adapted to control
operations of the spinning unit 2 under control of a machine
control device 20 serving as a superordinate controller.
Between the pneumatic spinning device 7 and the
winding device 12, the yarn accumulating device 50
accumulates the travelling yarn Y by winding the yarn Y
around a yarn accumulating roller. The yarn accumulating
device 50 has a function to stably draw the yarn Y from the
pneumatic spinning device 7, a function to accumulate the
yarn Y fed from the pneumatic spinning device 7 to prevent
the yarn Y from slackening, for example, at the time of yarn
joining operation by the yarn joining vehicle 3, and a
function to adjust tension of the yarn Y on a side of the
winding device 12 to prevent variation in the tension of
the yarn Y on the side of the winding device 12 from
propagating to a side of the pneumatic spinning device 7.
The winding device 12 is adapted to wind the yarn Y
produced by the pneumatic spinning device 7 around the
package P to form the package P. The winding device 12
includes a cradle arm 21, a winding drum 22, and a traverse
device 23. The cradle arm 21 is swingably supported by a
support shaft 24 and adapted to bring a surface of a bobbin
B or the package P (that is, the bobbin B with the yarn Y
wound therearound) that is rotatably supported into contact
with a surface of the winding drum 22 at an appropriate
pressure. The winding drum 22 is adapted to be driven by
an electric motor (not illustrated) provided to every
spinning unit 2 and to rotate the bobbin B being in contact
therewith or the package P being in contact therewith. The
traverse device 23 is adapted to be driven by a shaft 25
provided in common to the plurality of spinning units 2 and
to traverse the yarn Y with respect to the rotating bobbin
B or the rotating package P in a predetermined width.
The yarn joining vehicle 3 is adapted to travel to
a spinning unit 2 in which the yarn Y has been disconnected
and to perform yarn joining operation using suction airflow
in such a spinning unit 2. The yarn joining vehicle 3
includes a splicer (a yarn joining device) 31, a suction
nozzle (a yarn catching and guiding device) 32, a suction
mouth (a yarn catching and guiding device) 33, and a
travelling device 34.
The suction nozzle 32 is swingably supported by a
support shaft 32a and is adapted to suck and catch a yarn
end of the yarn Y from the pneumatic spinning device 7 using
the suction airflow and to guide the caught yarn end to the
5 splicer 31. The suction mouth 33 is swingably supported
by a support shaft 33a and is adapted to suck and catch a
yarn end of the yarn Y from the winding device 12 using the
suction airflow and to guide the caught yarn end to the
splicer 31. In other words, the suction nozzle 32 and the
10 suction mouth 33 each catches the yarn Y using the suction
airflow and guides the caught yarn Y to the splicer 31.
The splicer 31 is adapted to join the yarn ends
respectively guided by the suction nozzle 32 and the suction
mouth 33 using the suction airflow. In other words, the
15 splicer 31 performs yarn joining using the suction airflow.
The travelling device 34 is adapted to cause the yarn
joining vehicle 3 to travel along a rail (not illustrated)
provided across the plurality of spinning units 2 . In other
words, the travelling device 34 travels among the plurality
20 of spinning units 2.
The suction airflow is supplied to the yarn joining
vehicle 3 via a suction duct 14 provided from the blower
box 4 across the plurality of spinning units 2 . A plurality
of supply openings 15 are formed in the suction duct 14.
25 Each of the supply openings 15 is formed at a position in
the suction duct 14 that corresponds to each spinning unit
2 to supply the suction airflow to the yarn joining vehicle
3. A plurality of shutters 16 are provided to the suction
duct 14 to correspond to each supply opening 15. Each of
30 the shutter 16 is adapted to open/close each supply opening
15 by contact with a tip-end portion 35a of a vehicle-side
9/33
duct 35 provided to the yarn joining vehicle 3. In other
words, each shutter 16 opens/closes each supply opening 15
in conjunction with travelling of the travelling device 34 .
[Configuration and operations of a shutter]
5 As illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3D, the shutter 16
includes a plurality of shutter portions 16b arranged in
a radial manner with a support shaft 16a as a center, and
is rotatably supported by the support shaft 16a. A cutout
portion 16c is formed between the shutter portions 16b
10 arranged next to each other in a rotational direction with
the support shaft 16a as a center. The shutter 16 is
arranged such that the shutter portion 16b and the cutout
portion 16c are alternately located on the supply opening
15 when the shutter 16 is rotated with the support shaft
15 16a as a center.
Operations of the shutter 16 are now described. As
illustrated in FIG. 3A, in a state where a supply opening
15 is closed by the shutter portion 16b located on the supply
opening 15, when the yarn joining vehicle 3 becomes close
20 to a spinning unit 2 corresponding to such a supply opening
15, as illustrated in FIG. 3B, the shutter 16 is rotated
by contact with the tip-end portion 35a of the vehicle-side
duct 35. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the supply
opening 15 is opened by the cutout portion 16c located on
25 the supply opening 15, and the supply opening 15 and the
vehicle-side duct 35 communicates to each other, and thus
supply of the suction airflow to the yarn joining vehicle
3 becomes possible.
Then, when the yarn joining vehicle 3 is moved away
30 from the relevant spinning unit 2, as illustrated in FIG.
3D, the shutter 16 is further rotated by contact with the
10 / 33
tip-end portion 35a of the vehicle-side duct 35, and the
supply opening 15 is closed by the shutter portion 16b
located on the supply opening 15. At this time, when
suction force of the suction airflow sufficiently acts on
5 the supply opening 15, the supply opening 15 can be
prevented from being opened by the shutter portion 16b
displaced from the supply opening 15.
[Configuration and operations of a blower box]
As illustrated in FIG. 4, a cotton waste accumulation
10 box 41, a main duct 42, a main blower 43, and a main blower
motor 44 are arranged in the blower box 4. A suction duct
17 adapted to supply suction airflow to the draft device
6 and the pneumatic spinning device 7 is connected to the
cotton waste accumulation box 41. A suction opening 43a
15 of the main blower 43 is connected to the cotton waste
accumulation box 41 via the main duct 42. A discharge
opening 43b of the main blower 43 is open to outside of the
blower box 4.
Furthermore, a yarn waste accumulation box (a fiber
20 accumulation box, a collecting section) 45 provided with
a door 45a, a sub-blower 46, a sub-blower motor 47, and a
sub-duct 48 are arranged in the blower box 4. A suction
duct 14 adapted to supply suction airflow to the yarn
joining vehicle 3 is connected to the yarn waste
25 accumulation box 45. A suction opening 46a of the
sub-blower 46 is connected to the yarn waste accumulation
box 45. A discharge opening 46b of the sub-blower 46 is
connected to a middle portion of the main duct 42 via the
sub-duct 48 .
30 With the above-described configuration, when
the main blower 43 is operated by the main blower motor 44,
11 / 33
and the sub-blower 46 is operated by the sub-blower motor
47, the suction airflow circulates in a flow of the suction
duct 17, the cotton waste accumulation box 41, the main duct
42, the suction opening 43a of the main blower 43, and the
5 discharge opening 43b of the main blower 43 (see a solid
arrow in FIG. 4). Furthermore, the suction airflow
circulates in a flow of the suction duct 14, the yarn waste
accumulation box 45, the suction opening 46a of the
sub-blower 46, the discharge opening 46b of the sub-blower
10 46, the sub-duct 48, and the main duct 42 (see a broken arrow
in FIG. 4) .
The cotton waste accumulation box 41 is adapted to
collect by a filter (not illustrated), cotton waste in the
suction airflow circulated from the draft device 6 and the
15 pneumatic spinning device 7 via the suction duct 17. The
collected cotton waste is accumulated in the cotton waste
accumulation box 41 and automatically discharged outside
the blower box 4 by a cotton waste discharge conveyor (not
illustrated) under a predetermined condition. The cotton
20 waste includes a fiber piece of a natural fiber such as
cotton or the like, a synthetic fiber, or another fiber.
The yarn waste accumulation box 45 is adapted to
collect by a filter (not illustrated), yarn waste in the
suction airflow circulated from the yarn joining vehicle
25 3 via the suction duct 14. The collected yarn waste is
accumulated in the yarn waste accumulation box 45 and
removed in cleaning by an operator via a door 45a under a
predetermined condition. A static pressure sensor (a
static pressure measurement section) 74 adapted to measure
30 static pressure of the suction airflow in the yarn waste
accumulation box 45 is arranged- in the yarn waste
12 / 33
accumulation box 45.
As illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a lever (a switching
section) 71 is arranged on an outer surface of the sub-duct
48. The lever 71 is swingably supported by a support shaft
5 71a that passes through the sub-duct 48. A plate-like
shutter 72 is mounted to a portion, which is located inside
the sub-duct 48, of the support shaft 71a. Accordingly,
when an operator swings the lever 71, the shutter 72 is swung
in conjunction, and circulation of the suction airflow to
10 the sub-duct 48 is permitted or prohibited. FIG. 5A is an
external view of the sub-duct 48, and FIG. 5B is a
cross-sectional view of the sub-duct 48.
The lever 71 functions as the switching section
adapted to switch a mode of the yarn waste accumulation box
15 45 to a collection mode or a cleaning mode. The collection
mode is a mode for enabling the yarn waste accumulation box
45 to collect the yarn waste. In the collection mode, the
shutter 72 is arranged to be parallel to a circulation
direction of the suction airflow in the sub-duct 48, and
20 the shutter 72 goes into a state of permitting the
circulation of the suction airflow to the sub-duct 48. The
cleaning mode is a mode for cleaning the yarn waste
accumulation box 45. In the cleaning mode, the shutter 72
is arranged to be perpendicular to the circulation
25 direction of the suction airflow in the sub-duct 48, and
the shutter 72 goes into a state of prohibiting the
circulation of the suction airflow to the sub-duct 48.
The sub-duct 4'8 is provided with a proximity sensor
(a movement detecting section) 73 adapted to detect a
30 movement of the lever 71 and at least a part of a portion
that moves in conjunction with the lever 71. The proximity
13 / 33
sensor 73 detects a first movement and a second movement
of the lever 71. The first movement is a movement of the
lever 71 when the mode of the yarn waste accumulation box
45 is switched by the lever 71 from the collection mode to
5 the cleaning mode. The second movement is a movement of
the lever 71 when the mode of the yarn waste accumulation
box 45 is switched by the lever 71 from the cleaning mode
to the collection mode . The proximity sensor 73 is arranged
to be capable of detecting the first movement at a position
10 where the lever 71 that swings 90 degrees has swung about
10 degrees when the mode of the yarn waste accumulation box
45 is switched by the lever 71 from the collection mode to
the cleaning mode.
[Movements of a spinning machine at the time of cleaning
15 a yarn waste accumulation box]
Operations of the spinning machine 1 at the time of
cleaning the yarn waste accumulation box 45 are now
described. The main blower 43 and the sub-blower 46
continue operations before cleaning, during cleaning, and
20 after cleaning of the yarn waste accumulation box 45.
Furthermore, each spinning unit 2 continues to generate and
wind the yarn Y before cleaning, during cleaning, and after
cleaning of the yarn waste accumulation box 45 unless the
yarn Y is disconnected.
25 First, when the mode of the yarn waste accumulation
box 45 is in the collection mode, as illustrated in FIGS.
5A and 5B, the shutter 72 is in the state of permitting the
circulation of the suction airflow to the sub-duct 48 . Thus,
the suction airflow circulates in the flow of the suction
30 duct 14, the yarn waste accumulation box 45, the suction
opening 46a of the sub-blower 46, the discharge opening 46b
14 / 33
of the sub-blower 46, the sub-duct 48, and the main duct
42 (see the broken arrow in FIG. 4), and the yarn waste is
accumulated in the yarn waste accumulation box 45. At this
time, the machine control device (a control section) 20
5 permits the yarn joining vehicle 3 to perform travelling
operation and yarn joining operation. The travelling
operation by the yarn joining vehicle 3 means travelling
by the travelling device 34, and the yarn joining operation
by the yarn joining vehicle 3 means catching of the yarn
10 Y and guiding of the yarn Y to the splicer 31 by the suction
nozzle 32 and the suction mouth 33, and yarn joining by the
splicer 31.
When an amount of the yarn waste accumulated in the
yarn waste accumulation box 45 increases and the static
15 pressure measured by the static pressure sensor 74 becomes
a predetermined value or less, the machine control device
20 flashes a lamp (not illustrated) , for example, to notify
the operator that the yarn waste accumulation box 45 needs
to be cleaned. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 6A and
20 6B, when the operator tries to switch the mode of the yarn
waste accumulation box 45 from the collection mode to the
cleaning mode by swinging the lever 71, the first movement
of the lever 71 (that is, the movement of the lever 71 when
the mode of the yarn waste accumulation box 45 is switched
25 from the collection mode to the cleaning mode) is detected
by the proximity sensor 73. FIG. 6A is an external view
of the sub-duct 48, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view
of the sub-duct 48.
In a case where the yarn joining vehicle 3 is
30 performing the travelling operation or the yarn joining
operation, when the first movement of the lever 71 is
15 / 33
detected by the proximity sensor 73, the machine control
device 20 controls the yarn joining vehicle 3 to stop the
travelling operation or the yarn joining operation. In a
case where the yarn joining vehicle 3 is not performing the
5 travelling operation or the yarn joining operation, when
the first movement of the lever 71 is detected by the
proximity sensor 73, the machine control device 20 does not
permit the yarn joining vehicle 3 to perform the travelling
operation and the yarn joining operation.
10 A stop of the travelling operation is specifically
described as follows. In a case where the travelling device
34 is travelling, when the first movement of the lever 71
is detected by the proximity sensor 73, the machine control
device 20 controls the travelling device 34 to stop
15 travelling. More specifically, in the case where the
travelling device 34 is travelling, the travelling device
34 is immediately stopped on the spot.
A stop of the yarn joining operation is specifically
described as follows. First, in a case the suction nozzle
20 32 and the suction mouth 33 are catching the yarn Y or guiding
the yarn Y to the splicer 31, when the first movement of
the lever 71 is detected by the proximity sensor 73, the
machine control device 20 controls the suction nozzle 32
and the suction mouth 33 to stop the catching of the yarn
25 Y or the guiding of the yarn Y to the splicer 31.
More specifically, in a case where the suction nozzle
32 is moving towards a catching position, the suction nozzle
32 returns to a standby position without reaching the
catching position. In a case where the suction nozzle 32
30 is sucking the yarn Y at the catching position, the suction
nozzle 32 immediately stops the suction operation and
16 / 33
returns to the standby position without catching the yarn
Y. The catching position is a position where the suction
nozzle 32 catches the yarn Y spun from the pneumatic
spinning device 7 at a downstream position in proximity to
5 the pneumatic spinning device 7 when the pneumatic spinning
device 7 starts to spin. The standby position is a position
where the suction nozzle 32 does not interfere with winding
at the time of winding the yarn Y in the spinning unit 2.
In a case where the suction mouth 33 is moving towards
10 a catching position, the suction mouth 33 returns to a
standby position without reaching the catching position.
In a case where the suction mouth 33 is sucking the yarn
Y at the catching position, the suction mouth 33 immediately
stops the suction operation and returns to the standby
15 position without catching the yarn Y. The catching
position is a position where the suction mouth 33 catches
a yarn end from the package P at an upstream position in
proximity to the winding device 12 when the winding device
12 starts to wind the yarn around the package P. The standby
20 position is a position where the suction mouth 33 does not
interfere with winding at the time of winding the yarn Y
in the spinning unit 2.
In a case where the splicer 31 is performing the yarn
joining, when the first movement of the lever 71 is detected
25 by the proximity sensor 73, the machine control device 20
controls the splicer 31 to stop the yarn joining. More
specifically, in the case where the splicer 31 is performing
the yarn joining, the splicer 31 immediately stops the yarn
joining and returns to a standby state. However, even when
30 the splicer 31 is performing the yarn joining, the splicer
31 does not necessarily need to stop the yarn joining in
17 / 33
a case where the yarn joining has been substantially
completed.
As illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B, when the mode of
the yarn waste accumulation box 45 becomes the cleaning mode,
5 the shutter 72 goes into the state of prohibiting the
circulation of the suction airflow to the sub-duct 48 . Thus,
the static pressure of the suction airflow in the yarn waste
accumulation box 45 decreases, causing the door 45a to be
capable of being opened/closed. In this manner, the door
10 45a is capable of being opened/closed when the mode of the
yarn waste accumulation box 45 is switched from the
collection mode to the cleaning mode. The operator then
opens the door 45a and removes the yarn waste accumulated
in the yarn waste accumulation box 45. FIG. 7A is an
15 external view of the sub-duct 48, and FIG. 7B is a
cross-sectional view of the sub-duct 48.
When cleaning is completed, the operator closes the
door 45a and switches the mode of the yarn waste
accumulation box 45 from the cleaning mode to the collection
20 mode by swinging the lever 71. At this time, the second
movement of the lever 71 (that is, the movement of the lever
71 when the mode of the yarn waste accumulation box 45 is
switched from the cleaning mode to the collection mode) is
detected by the proximity sensor 73. Furthermore, the
25 static pressure of the suction airflow in the yarn waste
accumulation box 45 increases.
In a case where the yarn joining vehicle 3 has stopped
the travelling operation or the yarn joining operation,
when the second movement is detected by the proximity sensor
30 73 and the static pressure measured by the static pressure
sensor 74 exceeds a predetermined value, the machine
18 / 33
control device 20 controls the travelling device 34 to
restart travelling or controls the suction nozzle 32 and
the suction mouth 33, and the splicer 31 to perform the yarn
joining operation from the beginning. In a case where the
5 machine control device 20 controls the travelling device
34 to restart travelling, when a plurality of spinning units
2 requires yarn joining, the machine control device 20 may
control the travelling device 34 to restart travelling
towards a spinning unit 2 intended before the stop, or
10 determine priority of the spinning units 2 in which yarn
joining is to be performed and then control the travelling
device 34 to travel towards a spinning unit 2 different from
the spinning unit 2 intended before the stop. In a case
where the yarn joining vehicle 3 has not stopped the
15 travelling operation and the yarn joining operation, when
the second movement is detected by the proximity sensor 73
and the static pressure measured by the static pressure
sensor 74 exceeds the predetermined value, the machine
control device 20 permits the yarn joining vehicle 3 to
20 perform the travelling operation and the yarn joining
operation.
[Effects]
As described above, in the spinning machine 1, in the
case where the yarn joining vehicle 3 is performing the yarn
25 joining operation, when the first movement of the lever 71
of when the mode of the yarn waste accumulation box 45 is
switched from the collection mode to the cleaning mode is
detected, the yarn joining operation of the yarn joining
vehicle 3 is stopped. The yarn joining operation thus can
30 be prevented from being continued under a state where
suction force of the suction airflow is insufficient due
19 / 33
to cleaning of the yarn waste accumulating box 45.
Accordingly, with the spinning machine 1, a defect can be
prevented from occurring at a yarn joining portion due to
cleaning of the yarn waste accumulation box 45. If the yarn
5 joining operation is performed under the state where the
suction force of the suction airflow is insufficient,
suction force by the suction nozzle 32 and the suction mouth
33 decreases and the yarn joining is performed by the
splicer 31 under a state where appropriate tension is not
10 applied to the yarn Y. The defect thus occurs at the yarn
joining portion. Furthermore, the yarn Y may be removed
from the suction nozzle 32 and the suction mouth 33.
Relating to the stop of the yarn joining operation,
specifically, in the case where the splicer 31 is performing
15 the yarn joining, when the first movement of the lever 71
is detected, the machine control device 20 controls the
splicer 31 to stop the yarn joining. In the case where the
suction nozzle 32 and the suction mouth 33 are catching the
yarn Y or guiding the yarn Y, when the first movement of
20 the lever 71 is detected, the machine control device 20
controls the suction nozzle 32 and the suction mouth 33 to
stop the catching of the yarn Y or the guiding of the yarn
Y. By the operations, the yarn joining operation can be
appropriately stopped in accordance with a movement
25 condition of the yarn joining vehicle 3.
In the spinning machine 1, in the case where the
travelling device 34 is travelling, when the first movement
of the lever 71 is detected, the machine control device 20
controls the travelling device 34 to stop travelling. Thus,
30 the shutter 16 can be prevented from being rotated in the
suction duct 14, and thus the supply opening 15 can be
20 / 33
prevented from being opened under the state where the
suction force of the suction airflow is insufficient due
to cleaning of the yarn waste accumulation box 45.
Accordingly, since the suction force of the suction airflow
5 can be prevented from further decreasing due to the opening
of the supply opening 15, the suction force of the suction
airflow can be efficiently recovered after cleaning of the
yarn waste accumulation box 45. The shutter 16 is supported
by the support shaft 16a to be easily rotated under the state
10 where the suction force of the suction airflow in the
suction duct 14 is insufficient.
In the spinning machine 1, in the case where the yarn
joining vehicle 3 has stopped the yarn joining operation,
when the second movement of the lever 71 of when the mode
15 of the yarn waste accumulation box 45 is switched from the
cleaning mode to the collection mode is detected and the
static pressure of the suction airflow in the yarn waste
accumulation box 45 exceeds the predetermined value, the
machine control device 20 controls the yarn joining vehicle
20 3 to perform the yarn joining operation from the beginning.
Accordingly, since the yarn joining operation is performed
from the beginning under a state where the suction force
of the suction airflow is sufficiently recovered, an
appropriate yarn joining portion can be obtained.
25 In the spinning machine 1, the proximity sensor 73
detects a movement of the lever 7 and at least a part of
a portion that moves in conjunction with the lever 71.
Accordingly, the first movement of the lever 71 when the
mode of the yarn waste accumulation box 45 is switched from
30 the collection mode to the cleaning mode can be promptly
and reliably detected.
21 / 33
In the spinning machine 1, the yarn waste
accumulation box 45 is provided with the door 45a capable
of being opened/closed when the mode of the yarn waste
accumulation box 45 is switched from the collection mode
5 to the cleaning mode. Accordingly, the door 45a can be
opened when the mode of the yarn waste accumulation box 45
is switched from the collection mode to the cleaning mode,
and yarn waste accumulated in the yarn waste accumulation
box 4 5 can be removed.
10 Although an embodiment of the present invention has
been described, the present invention is not limited to the
above-described embodiment. For example, the switching
section of the present invention is not limited to the lever
71 and may be the door 45a itself, a handle of the door 45a,
15 a mode switching button, or the like. In other words, the
switching section of the present invention may be a
component that is operated when a mode of a collecting
section such as the yarn waste accumulation box 45 or the
like is switched from the collection mode to the cleaning
20 mode and when the mode of such a collecting section is
switched from the cleaning mode to the collection mode. A
substance that is collected by the yarn waste accumulation
box 45 is not limited to the yarn waste and may be a fiber
in the suction airflow.
25 A yarn winding machine of the present invention is
not limited to the spinning machine 1 and may be another
textile machine adapted to wind a yarn such as an automatic
winder or the like. A yarn winding unit of the present
invention is not limited to the spinning unit 2 and may be
30 another unit adapted to wind a yarn such as a winder unit
of the automatic winder, or the like. A yarn joining
22 / 33
section of the present invention may be provided to a
plurality of yarn winding units, or a plurality of the yarn
joining sections may be provided to the plurality of yarn
winding units. Alternatively, one yarn joining section of
5 the present invention may be provided to one yarn winding
unit.
A control section of the present invention is merely
required to be a control device adapted to directly or
indirectly control at least a yarn joining section, and a
10 position where the control section is arranged, for example,
is not limited. As an example, at least one among a control
device provided to a yarn winding machine (the machine
control device 20 in the above-described embodiment), a
control device provided to a yarn winding unit (the unit
15 control device 10 in the above-described embodiment), and
a control device provided to the yarn joining section can
form the control section of the present invention.
In the spinning machine 1, each device is arranged
such that the yarn Y supplied at an upper side is wound at
20 a lower side, but each device may be arranged such that a
yarn supplied at the lower side is wound at the upper side.
Furthermore, in the spinning machine 1, a bottom roller of
the draft device 6 and a traverse mechanism of the traverse
device 23 are driven by power from the motor box 5 (that
25 is, driven in common in the plurality of spinning units 2) ,
but each section (for example, the draft device 6, the
pneumatic spinning device 7, the winding device 12, and the
like) of the spinning unit 2 may be independently driven
for every spinning unit 2.
30 The pneumatic spinning device 7 may further include
a needle arranged to be held by the fiber guiding section
23 / 33
and to protrude into the spinning chamber to prevent twists
of the fiber bundle F from propagating to an upstream side
of the pneumatic spinning device 7. Alternatively, the
pneumatic spinning device 7 may prevent the twists of the
5 fiber bundle F from propagating to the upstream side of the
pneumatic spinning device 7 by a downstream end of the fiber
guiding section instead of such a needle. Furthermore, the
pneumatic spinning device 7 may include a pair of air jet
nozzles adapted to apply twists to a fiber bundle in
10 opposite directions from each other.
The tension sensor 9 may be arranged upstream of the
yarn monitoring device 8 in a travelling direction of the
yarn Y. In the spinning machine 1, the yarn accumulating
device 50 has the function to draw the yarn Y from the
15 pneumatic spinning device 7, but the yarn Y may be drawn
by a delivery roller and a nip roller. The waxing device
11, the tension sensor 9, and the yarn monitoring device
8 are not required to be provided to the spinning unit 2.
The unit control device 10 is not required to be provided
20 to every spinning unit 2, but may be provided to every
plurality of the spinning units 2.
The winding device 12 is not required to be driven
by a drive motor provided to every spinning unit 2, but may
be driven by a drive source provided in common to a plurality
25 of the spinning units 2. In this case, when reversely
rotating the package P, the cradle arm 21 is moved by an
air cylinder (not illustrated) to locate the package P away
from the winding drum 22 and the package P is reversely
rotated by a reversely-rotating roller (not illustrated)
30 provided to the yarn joining vehicle 3.
A yarn winding machine of the present invention
24 / 33
includes a plurality of yarn winding units, a yarn joining
section adapted to perform yarn joining operation using
suction airflow in each of the plurality of yarn winding
units, a collecting section adapted to collect a fiber in
5 the suction airflow circulated from the yarn joining
section, a switching section adapted to switch a mode of
the collecting section between a collection mode that
enables the collecting section to collect the fiber and a
cleaning mode for cleaning the collecting section, a
10 movement detecting section adapted to detect a first
movement of the switching section when the mode of the
collecting section is switched by the switching section
from the collection mode to the cleaning mode, and a control
section adapted to control the yarn joining section to stop
15 the yarn joining operation when the first movement is
detected by the movement detecting section in a case where
the yarn joining section is performing the yarn joining
operation.
In the yarn winding machine, in the case where the
20 yarn joining section is performing the yarn joining
operation, when the first movement of the switching section
is detected, the yarn joining operation of the yarn joining
section is stopped. Accordingly, the yarn joining
operation can be prevented from being continued under a
25 state where suction force of the suction airflow is
insufficient due to cleaning of the collecting section.
Thus, with the yarn winding machine, a defect can be
prevented from occurring at a yarn joining portion due to
cleaning of the collecting section.
30 The yarn winding machine of the present invention
further includes a static pressure measuring section
25 / 33
adapted to measure static pressure of the suction airflow
in the collecting section. The movement detecting section
may detect, in addition to the first movement, a second
movement of the switching section when the mode of the
5 collecting section is switched by the switching section
from the cleaning mode to the collection mode. The control
section may control the yarn joining section to perform the
yarn joining operation from the beginning when the second
movement is detected by the movement detecting section and
10 static pressure measured by the static pressure measuring
section exceeds a predetermined value in a case where the
yarn joining section has stopped the yarn joining operation.
With this configuration, since the yarn joining operation
is performed from the beginning under a state where suction
15 force of the suction airflow is sufficiently recovered, an
appropriate yarn joining portion can be obtained.
In the yarn winding machine of the present invention,
the yarn joining section includes a yarn joining device
adapted to perform yarn joining using the suction airflow,
20 and a yarn catching and guiding device adapted to catch a
yarn using the suction airflow and to guide the yarn to the
yarn joining device. The control section may control the
yarn joining device to stop the yarn joining when the first
movement is detected by the movement detecting section in
25 a case where the yarn joining device is performing the yarn
joining. The control section may control the yarn catching
and guiding device to stop the catching of the yarn or the
guiding of the yarn when the first movement is detected by
the movement detecting section in a case where the yarn
30 catching and guiding device is catching the yarn or guiding
the yarn. With this configuration, the yarn joining
26 / 33
operation can be appropriately stopped in accordance with
a movement condition of the yarn joining section.
In the yarn winding machine of the present invention,
the yarn joining section further includes a travelling
5 device adapted to travel among the plurality of yarn winding
units, and the control section may control the travelling
device to stop travelling when the first movement is
detected by the movement detecting section in a case where
the travelling device is travelling. With this
10 configuration, the travelling operation can be
appropriately stopped in accordance with a movement
condition of the travelling device.
The yarn winding machine of the present invention may
further include a suction duct arranged across the
15 plurality of yarn winding units from the collecting section
and provided with a plurality of supply openings adapted
to supply the suction airflow to the yarn joining section,
and a plurality of shutters provided to the suction duct
and adapted to open/close each of the plurality of supply
20 openings in conjunction with the travelling of the
travelling device. As described above, since the
travelling of the travelling device is stopped when the
first movement of the switching section is detected, the
shutter can be prevented from being operated, and thus the
25 supply opening can be prevented from being opened under a
state where the suction force of the suction airflow is
insufficient due to cleaning of the collecting section.
Accordingly, since the suction force of the suction airflow
can be prevented from further decreasing due to the opening
30 of the supply opening, the suction force of the suction
airflow can be efficiently recovered after cleaning of the
27 / 33
collecting section.
In the yarn winding machine of the present invention,
the switching section is a lever, and the movement detecting
section may detect a movement of the lever and at least a
5 part of a portion that moves in conjunction with the lever.
With this configuration, the first movement of the
switching section can be promptly and reliably detected.
In the yarn winding machine of the present invention,
the collecting section is a fiber accumulation box in which
10 a fiber is accumulated, and the fiber accumulation box may
be provided with a door arranged to be capable of being
opened/closed when the mode of the collecting section is
switched from the collection mode to the cleaning mode.
With this configuration, the door can be opened when the
15 mode of the collecting section is switched from the
collection mode to the cleaning mode, and the fiber
accumulated in the fiber accumulation box can be removed.
In the yarn winding machine of the present invention,
each of the plurality of yarn winding units may include a
20 draft device adapted to draft a fiber bundle, a pneumatic
spinning device adapted to apply twists to the fiber bundle
drafted by the draft device to produce a yarn, and a winding
device adapted to wind the yarn produced by the pneumatic
spinning device around a package. With this configuration,
25 a defect can be prevented from occurring at a yarn joining
portion in the yarn wound around the package.
The present invention can provide a yarn winding
machine capable of preventing a defect from occurring at
a yarn joining portion due to cleaning of the collecting
section.

We claim:
1. A yarn winding machine comprising:
a plurality of yarn winding units;
a yarn joining section adapted to perform yarn
joining operation using suction airflow in each of the
plurality of yarn winding units ;
a collecting section adapted to collect a fiber in
the suction airflow circulated from the yarn joining
section;
a switching section adapted to switch a mode of the
collecting section between a collection mode that enables
the collecting section to collect the fiber and a cleaning
mode for cleaning the collecting section;
a movement detecting section adapted to detect a
first movement of the switching section when the mode of
the collecting section is switched by the switching section
from the collection mode to the cleaning mode; and
a control section adapted to control the yarn joining
section to stop the yarn joining operation when the first
movement is detected by the movement detecting section in
a case where the yarn joining section is performing the yarn
joining operation.
2. The yarn winding machine according to claim 1,
further comprising a static pressure measuring section
adapted to measure static pressure of the suction airflow
in the collecting section, wherein
the movement detecting section is adapted to detect,
in addition to the first movement, a second movement of the
switching section when the mode of the collecting section
is switched by the switching section from the cleaning mode
to the collection mode, and
the control section is adapted to control the yarn
joining section to perform the yarn joining operation from
the beginning when the second movement is detected by the
movement detecting section and static pressure measured by
the static pressure measuring section exceeds a
predetermined value in a case where the yarn joining section
has stopped the yarn joining operation.
3. The yarn winding machine according to claim 1 or
claim 2, wherein
the yarn joining section includes a yarn joining
device adapted to perform yarn joining using the suction
airflow and a yarn catching and guiding device adapted to
catch a yarn using the suction airflow and to guide the yarn
to the yarn joining device, and
the control section is adapted:
to control the yarn joining device to stop the yarn
joining when the first movement is detected by the movement
detecting section in a case where the yarn joining device
is performing the yarn joining; and
to control the yarn catching and guiding device to
stop the catching of the yarn or the guiding of the yarn
when the first movement is detected by the movement
detecting section in a case where the yarn catching and
guiding device is catching the yarn or guiding the yarn.
4 . The yarn winding machine according to any one of
claim 1 through claim 3, wherein
the yarn joining section further includes a
travelling device adapted to travel among the plurality of
yarn winding units, and
the control section is adapted to control the
travelling device to stop travelling when the first
movement is detected by the movement detecting section in
a case where the travelling device is travelling.
5. The yarn winding machine according to claim 4,
further comprising:
a suction duct arranged across the plurality of yarn
winding units from the collecting section and provided with
a plurality of supply openings adapted to supply the suction
airflow to the yarn joining section; and
a plurality of shutters provided to the suction duct
and adapted to open/close each of the plurality of supply
openings in conjunction with the travelling of the
travelling device.
6. The yarn winding machine according to any one of
claim 1 through claim 5, wherein
the switching section is a lever, and
the movement detecting section is adapted to detect
a movement of the lever and at least a part of a portion
that moves in conjunction with the lever.
7 . The yarn winding machine according to any one of
claim 1 through claim 6, wherein
the collecting section is a fiber accumulation box
where the fiber is accumulated, and
the fiber accumulation box is provided with a door
arranged to be capable of being opened/closed when the mode
of the collecting section is switched from the collection
mode to the cleaning mode.
8. The yarn winding machine according to any one of
claim 1 through claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of
yarn winding units includes:
a draft device adapted to draft a fiber bundle;
a pneumatic spinning device adapted to apply twists
to the fiber bundle drafted by the draft device to produce
a yarn; and
a winding device adapted to wind the yarn produced
by the pneumatic spinning device around a package.