Description:BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a yarn winding unit and a yarn winding method.

2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H8-040640 discloses a yarn supplying device for use in a textile machine. This device includes a gripper tube that supplies, by using a suction air, a yarn end of a lower yarn to be spliced.
The above device includes a yarn supplying hook (escorting means). In this yarn supplying hook, the gripper tube moves across another yarn stretching path when the gripper tube is swung, escorts the yarn, and positions the yarn in a splicing device at an end point position. The yarn supplying hook is provided on a front plate of a flap that is provided at an end portion of the gripper tube. Furthermore, a yarn guiding device that grips the lower yarn at a position between the yarn supplying hook and a pivoting shaft of the flap is provided on the front plate.
In the above conventional device, the lower yarn is supplied to the splicing device by swinging the gripper tube. However, in such a device, a configuration for escorting the lower yarn had to be complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a yarn winding unit and a yarn winding method capable of lifting a lower yarn, which is a first yarn, without complicating a device configuration.
A yarn winding unit according to one aspect of the present invention includes a supply bobbin holding section that holds a supply bobbin; a magazine-type storing device that includes a bobbin storing device that stores therein the supply bobbin, and supplies the supply bobbin to the supply bobbin holding section by causing the same to fall down from the bobbin storing device; a winding device that winds a yarn unwound from the supply bobbin to form a package; a yarn joining device that joins a first yarn on the supply bobbin side and a second yarn on the package side; a first yarn guiding pipe that is pivotable in an up-down direction around a first pivoting shaft at a location above the supply bobbin holding section; a yarn shifting guide that is arranged at a height between the first pivoting shaft and the supply bobbin holding section, and hooks and shifts the first yarn stretched between the supply bobbin held in the supply bobbin holding section and the bobbin storing device by rotating around a second pivoting shaft; and a control section that controls rotation of the yarn shifting guide so as to position the same at a waiting position at which the yarn shifting guide waits till the supply bobbin is supplied to the supply bobbin holding section, a circumventing position at which the first yarn is drawn such that the first yarn circumvents a passing path of a tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe, and an escort position at which the first yarn is present on the passing path.
A yarn winding method according to another aspect of the present invention is used by a yarn winding unit that winds a yarn unwound from a supply bobbin holding section that holds a supply bobbin to form a package. The yarn winding unit includes a magazine-type storing device that includes a bobbin storing device in which the supply bobbin can be stored; a yarn joining device that joins a first yarn on the supply bobbin side and a second yarn on the package side; a first yarn guiding pipe that is pivotable in an up-down direction around a first pivoting shaft at a location above the supply bobbin holding section; and a yarn shifting guide that is arranged at a height between the first pivoting shaft and the supply bobbin holding section, and hooks the first yarn by rotating around a second pivoting shaft. The yarn winding method includes bobbin supplying in which the supply bobbin is caused to fall down from the bobbin storing device and supplied to the supply bobbin holding section by the magazine-type storing device; yarn shifting in which the first yarn stretched between the supply bobbin held by the supply bobbin holding section and the bobbin storing device is hooked by the yarn shifting guide. In the yarn shifting, the yarn shifting guide is rotated from a waiting position at which the yarn shifting guide waits till the supply bobbin is supplied to the supply bobbin holding section to a circumventing position at which the first yarn is drawn such that the first yarn circumvents a passing path of a tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe; the first yarn guiding pipe is rotated downward such that the tip end part thereof passes by the side of the first yarn; and the yarn shifting guide is rotated from the circumventing position to an escort position at which the first yarn is present on the passing path.
The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a yarn winding unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view cum a partial cross-sectional view showing a supply bobbin holding section, a bobbin storing device, a first yarn guiding pipe, and a yarn shifting guide.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the bobbin storing device, the first yarn guiding pipe, and the yarn shifting guide.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing a rotation range of the first yarn guiding pipe.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a rotation range of the yarn shifting guide.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a comparison between a lifting operation of a first yarn relating to an embodiment and a lifting operation of a first yarn relating to a comparative example.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe.
FIG. 8A is a diagram showing a state in which the yarn shifting guide is positioned at a waiting position. FIG. 8B is a diagram showing a state in which the yarn shifting guide is positioned at a circumventing position.
FIG. 9A is a diagram showing at a state in which the yarn shifting guide is positioned such that the yarn can be escorted.
FIG. 9B is a perspective view showing a state in which the first yarn is lifted by the yarn shifting guide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show an automatic winder (yarn winding machine) 1 according to the present invention. The automatic winder 1 includes a winder unit (yarn winding unit) 10. Although not shown in the drawings, a plurality of such winder units 10 are arranged side-by-side in the automatic winder 1. Each of the winder units 10 winds a spun yarn 20, unwound from a supply bobbin 21, onto a winding bobbin 22 while traversing the spun yarn 20 to form a package 30 of a predetermined shape. Each of the winder units 10 includes a winding unit main body 16. The winding unit main body 16 includes a main body section 17, a magazine-type storing device 60, a yarn shifting guide 80, a winding device 31, and a supply bobbin holding section 71. The yarn shifting guide 80, the winding device 31, and the supply bobbin holding section 71 are, for example, mounted on the main body section 17 of the winder unit 10.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the magazine-type storing device 60 includes a magazine holding section 61 that extends diagonally from a lower portion of the main body section 17 in a machine height direction toward a front-upward direction of the winder unit 10, and a bobbin storing device 62 that is mounted on a tip end of the magazine holding section 61. The bobbin storing device 62 includes a magazine can 63 that has an inclined central axis L3. Cylindrical storing parts 64 in each of which the supply bobbin 70 can be set are formed on the magazine can 63. The cylindrical storing parts 64 are arranged at an equal interval in a circumferential direction of the central axis L3 of the magazine can 63. Each cylindrical storing part 64 can store one supply bobbin 70.
As shown in FIG. 2, the magazine-type storing device 60 includes a disc-shaped receiving plate 65 that is fixed to the magazine holding section 61. A notch 65a of a size corresponding to one storing part 64 is formed on the receiving plate 65 at one location in a circumferential direction. A control section 90 controls a driving motor 60a to rotationally drive the magazine can 63 intermittently. When the magazine can 63 is rotationally driven, the notch 65a moves relative to the magazine can 63, and the supply bobbin 70 among the supply bobbins 70 stored in the magazine can 63 that corresponds with the position of the notch 65a falls down via a chuter 67. The control section 90 intermittently rotates the magazine can 63 such that the supply bobbins 70 fall down from the magazine-type storing device 60 one-by-one. The fallen supply bobbins 70 are supplied to the supply bobbin holding section 71.
Moreover, the magazine-type storing device 60 includes a yarn end holding port 66. The yarn end holding port 66 is an upper end of a suction space formed along the central axis L3 inside the magazine can 63. A suction air current is generated inside the yarn end holding port 66 by a not-shown negative pressure source connected to the magazine can 63. When an operator sets a new supply bobbin 70 in the storing part 64, a yarn end of the supply bobbin 70 is sucked into the yarn end holding port 66. Accordingly, the yarn end is held in the yarn end holding port 66 in advance, enabling the catching of a lower yarn (first yarn) 20a by a later-explained lower yarn guiding pipe (first yarn guiding pipe) 25. The supply bobbin holding section 71 is positioned at a lower end of the chuter 67. The supply bobbin 70 that slides down via the chuter 67 is held in the supply bobbin holding section 71.
The winding device 31 winds around the winding bobbin 22 the spun yarn 20 unwound from the supply bobbin 21 to form the package 30. Specifically, the winding device 31 includes a cradle 23 that holds the winding bobbin 22, and a winding drum 24 for traversing the spun yarn 20 and driving the winding bobbin 22. The cradle 23 is capable of pivoting so as to move towards or away from the winding drum 24. Accordingly, the package 30 can contact or get separated from the winding drum 24. The winding bobbin 22 is driven rotationally by rotationally driving the winding drum 24 arranged opposing the winding bobbin 22. The spun yarn 20 is wound around the rotating winding bobbin 22 while being traversed by a not-shown helical traversing groove on an outer peripheral surface of the winding drum 24.
The winding unit main body 16 includes on a yarn running path between the supply bobbin 21 and the winding drum 24, sequentially from the supply bobbin 21, an unwinding assisting device 12, a tension applying device 13, a yarn joining device 14, and a clearer head 49 that includes a yarn monitoring device 15.
The unwinding assisting device 12 assists the unwinding of the spun yarn 20 supplied from the supply bobbin 21 by causing a regulating member 40 that covers a core tube of the supply bobbin 21 to move down in coordination with the unwinding of the spun yarn 20 supplied from the supply bobbin 21. The regulating member 40 assists the unwinding of the spun yarn 20 by contacting a balloon formed above the supply bobbin 21 by the swaying action of the spun yarn 20 unwound from the supply bobbin 21 and applying an appropriate tension to the balloon.
The tension applying device 13 applies a predetermined tension to the running spun yarn 20. The quality of the package 30 can be improved by applying the predetermined tension to the spun yarn 20 by the tension applying device 13.
The yarn monitoring device 15 detects, by using a sensor, a defect in the spun yarn 20 by detecting a yarn unevenness (thickness unevenness) as a parameter of the quality of the spun yarn 20. A first yarn unevenness sensor 43 and a second yarn unevenness sensor 44 are arranged in the clearer head 49. Yarn defects, such as slub, are detected by using respective signal from the first yarn unevenness sensor 43 and the second yarn unevenness sensor 44. A not-shown cutter that cuts the spun yarn 20 immediately when the yarn defect is detected by the yarn monitoring device 15 is provided near the clearer head 49. The yarn monitoring device 15 can be caused to function as a sensor that also acquires a running speed of the spun yarn 20.
When the yarn monitoring device 15 cuts the spun yarn 20 upon detecting the yarn defect, or when the spun yarn 20 breaks while it is being unwound from the supply bobbin 21, the yarn joining device 14 joins the lower yarn 20a on the supply bobbin 21 side and a not-shown upper yarn (second yarn) on the package 30 side. Even when the supply bobbin 70 is newly supplied (at the time of a bobbin change), the yarn joining device 14 joins the lower yarn 20a stretched between the supply bobbin 21 held by the supply bobbin holding section 71 and the yarn end holding port 66 of the magazine can 63, and the upper yarn on the package 30 side. At this time, the lower yarn 20a is engaged with a flap portion 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 and is lifted up without getting cut. As the yarn joining device 14, a mechanical yarn joining device, a yarn joining device that uses fluids such as compressed air, and the like can be used.
The lower yarn guiding pipe 25 that catches and guides the lower yarn 20a on the supply bobbin 21 side, and an upper yarn guiding pipe 26 that catches and guides the upper yarn on the package 30 side are respectively arranged on a lower side and an upper side in the machine height direction of the winder unit 10 with respect to the yarn joining device 14. A suction port 32 is provided on the flap portion (tip end part) 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25. A suction mouth 34 is provided on a tip end of the upper yarn guiding pipe 26. A not-shown appropriate negative pressure source is connected to each of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 and the upper yarn guiding pipe 26, and can cause the suction air current to act in the suction port 32 and the suction mouth 34. The negative pressure source used in the bobbin storing device 62, and the negative pressure source used in the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 and the upper yarn guiding pipe 26 can be provided commonly or separate negative pressure sources can be provided.
When the yarn breaks or is disconnected, the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 is rotated downward till a catching preparation position H3 (see FIG. 4), and the flap portion 50 in which the suction port 32, which is biased by a spring and is normally in a closed state, is opened. The flap portion 50 is pivotable around a pivoting axis 53 (see FIG. 7). Accordingly, the suction port 32 is exposed, and the lower yarn 20a is caught by the suction port 32. Almost at the same time, the upper yarn guiding pipe 26 rotates upward around a pivoting shaft 35 from the position shown in FIG. 7, and the upper yarn unwound from the package 30 is caught by the suction mouth 34. Subsequently, the upper yarn guiding pipe 26 rotates downward around the pivoting shaft 35, and guides the upper yarn to the yarn joining device 14. Subsequently, the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 rotates around a pivoting shaft (first pivoting shaft) 33, and guides the lower yarn 20a to the yarn joining device 14. The yarn joining device 14 performs the yarn joining of the lower yarn 20a and the upper yarn. Catching operation of the lower yarn 20a when the supply bobbin 70 is to be supplied varies from that explained above, and will explained in detail later.
Next, the catching operation of the lower yarn 20a stretched between the supply bobbin 21 held by the supply bobbin holding section 71 and the yarn end holding port 66 of the bobbin storing device 62 that is performed by the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 is pivotable upward and downward around the pivoting shaft 33 in the upward direction of the supply bobbin holding section 71. A pivoting axis L1 of the pivoting shaft 33, for example, extends in a latitudinal direction (horizontal direction). However, it is allowable that the pivoting axis L1 is slightly inclined with respect to the latitudinal direction. The flap portion 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 forms an arc-shaped trajectory (passing path) when rotated (also see FIG. 4). A yarn path of the spun yarn 20 that is unwound from the supply bobbin 21 and passes through the clearer head 49, and the trajectory of the flap portion 50 are located on the same plane. Such a plane can be a vertical plane, or can be a plane that is slightly inclined with respect to the vertical plane.
In the magazine can 63, which is in an inclined posture, the position of the storing part 64 in which the supply bobbin 70 supplied to the supply bobbin holding section 71 has been stored (that is, the position of the notch 65a) is a position that opposes the yarn path explained above, and is a position that includes the plane explained above. Moreover, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in each storing part 64, a slit 68 that extends in an up-down direction is formed on a wall surface 64a formed therein. The slit 68 extends in a direction that is parallel to the central axis L3. The slit 68 passes through the storing part 64 in the up-down direction (a direction parallel to the central axis L3). The slit 68 is arranged along the plane explained above in the storing part 64 when the supply bobbin 70 is supplied from the storing part 64 to the supply bobbin holding section 71.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, a chamfered portion 69 is formed at a lower end of the slit 68 by cutting out a part of the wall surface 64a so as to expand the width of the slit 68 in a triangular shape. The chamfered portion 69 tapers down such that the width of the slit 68 widens towards the bottom. Accordingly, at the time of later-explained lifting of the lower yarn 20a, the lower yarn 20a can be easily maintained in the storing part 64.
The winder unit 10 further includes the yarn shifting guide 80 that is arranged at a height between the pivoting shaft 33 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 and the supply bobbin holding section 71. The yarn shifting guide 80 rotates around a pivoting shaft (second pivoting shaft) 83. As shown in FIG. 2, the yarn shifting guide 80 includes a driving motor 82 that is controlled by the control section 90 to rotationally drive the pivoting shaft 83, and a guide main body 84 that is fixed to a tip end of the pivoting shaft 83. As shown in FIG. 3, a pivoting axis L2 of the pivoting shaft 83, for example, extends in a vertical direction (up-down direction). However, the pivoting axis L2 can make an inclination with respect to the vertical direction. As the driving motor 82, for example, a stepping motor can be used. The flat plate-shaped guide main body 84, which extends in a substantial horizontal direction, rotates, for example, in the horizontal plane within a predetermined rotation range (see FIG. 5).
As shown in FIG. 5, the guide main body 84 includes a base part 85 and a tip end part 86. A base end portion of the base part 85 is fixed to the pivoting shaft 83. The tip end part 86 is connected to a tip end of the base part 85. The base part 85 is crescent-shaped, and is curved so as to expand toward the yarn path of the spun yarn 20. The tip end part 86 extends straight so as to bend from the tip end of the base part 85. A valley portion 87 that is recessed with respect to the yarn path of the spun yarn 20 is formed between the base part 85 and the tip end part 86. By rotating the guide main body 84 around the pivoting shaft 83, the yarn shifting guide 80 hooks the lower yarn 20a stretched between the supply bobbin 21 held by the supply bobbin holding section 71 and the yarn end holding port 66 of the magazine can 63 onto the valley portion 87, and controls the position of the lower yarn 20a.
Conventionally, as the guide main body 84 (yarn shifting guide 80), a configuration in which two guide main bodies are provided at a predetermined interval on an upper side and a lower side, and a cutter that enters between these guide main bodies so as to cut the lower yarn 20a is known in the art. In the present embodiment, the guide main body on the lower side among the two guide main bodies is omitted, and only one guide main body 84 is provided. Accordingly, the configuration is simplified than that of the conventional yarn shifting guide. However, as a matter of course, the cutter that was required in the conventional configuration near the position when the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 is rotated downward is also omitted.
In the winder unit 10, the pivoting shaft 33 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 is provided on the main body section 17. An arm that forms the main body of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 extends in a U-shape that is open toward the main body section 17 (one end of the U-shape is the pivoting shaft 33 and the other end is the flap portion 50). Moreover, the pivoting shaft 83 of the yarn shifting guide 80 is positioned on the main body section 17 side (back side shown in FIG. 3) of the central axis L3 of the bobbin storing device 62. Accordingly, among the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 and the yarn shifting guide 80 provided as the configuration for lifting the lower yarn 20a, no member or device is arranged on the side away from the main body section 17 in the direction of the pivoting axis L1 (opposite side in the horizontal direction) from the lower yarn guiding pipe 25. In other words, the arm portion that corresponds to the bottom of the U-shape of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 only protrudes to a side away from the main body section 17.
The winder unit 10 includes the control section 90 (see FIG. 2) that controls the rotation of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25, the rotation of the guide main body 84 of the yarn shifting guide 80, and the rotation of the magazine can 63. The control section 90 is constituted by CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and the like. The control section 90 controls a not-shown driving motor of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25, the driving motor 82 of the yarn shifting guide 80, and the driving motor 60a of the magazine can 63. Such controls are performed, for example, by loading a computer program stored in the ROM into the RAM, and executing the computer program in the CPU.
FIG. 4 is a side view showing the rotation range of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25. Moreover, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the rotation range of the yarn shifting guide 80. The control section 90 performs a control so as to rotate the guide main body 84 of the yarn shifting guide 80 and the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 to a range and a position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In the rotation range of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 in the up-down direction, a waiting position H1 is indicated by a solid line, and various positions other than the waiting position H1 are indicated by virtual lines. In the rotation range of the guide main body 84 in the latitudinal direction, a waiting position P1 is shown by a solid line, and various positions other than the waiting position P1 are shown by virtual lines.
As shown in FIG. 4, the control section 90 controls the rotation of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 such that the flap portion 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 is positioned at the waiting position H1, a yarn circumventing position H2 that is positioned at a height above the waiting position H1 at which the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 is substantially horizontal, the catching preparation position H3 that is positioned slightly below the waiting position H1, and a yarn catching position H4 that is positioned slightly above the waiting position H1. The waiting position H1 is positioned at, for example, above the height of the guide main body 84. The catching preparation position H3 is, for example, a position in which the flap portion 50 is near to an extent that it does not contact the guide main body 84. Furthermore, an origin position that serves as a reference for an operation is provided below the catching preparation position H3.
As shown in FIG. 5, the control section 90 controls the guide main body 84 such that the guide main body 84 of the yarn shifting guide 80 is positioned at the waiting position P1, a circumventing position P2 in which the guide main body 84 is rotated in the back direction toward the yarn path by a first rotation angle θ1 from the waiting position P1, and an escort position P3 in which the guide main body 84 is rotated in the opposite front direction by a second rotation angle θ2 that is smaller than the first rotation angle θ1. The waiting position P1 is positioned in front of the lower yarn 20a stretched between the supply bobbin 21 held by the supply bobbin holding section 71 and the yarn end holding port 66 of the magazine can 63, and is a position in which the guide main body 84 does not engage with the lower yarn 20a. The guide main body 84 is caused to wait at the waiting position P1 until the supply bobbin 70 is supplied to the supply bobbin holding section 71. The circumventing position P2 is a position in which the lower yarn 20a is drawn so that the lower yarn 20a circumvents the trajectory (passing path) of the flap portion 50 provided on the lower yarn guiding pipe 25. The circumventing position P2 is positioned at an innermost side of the rotation range of the guide main body 84. The escort position P3 is a position in which the lower yarn 20a is present on the trajectory (passing path) of the flap portion 50 provided in the lower yarn guiding pipe 25.
The waiting position P1 is a start point of the rotation range of the yarn shifting guide 80. The circumventing position P2 is an end point of the rotation range of the yarn shifting guide 80. Moreover, the escort position P3 is an intermediate position positioned between the start point and the end point on the rotation range of the yarn shifting guide 80. The intermediate position according to the present embodiment is positioned near the end point (shifted toward the end point) than the start point. The control section 90 controls the rotation of the yarn shifting guide 80 so as to position the yarn shifting guide 80 at the start point, the end point, and the intermediate position between the start point and the end point.
Now regarding the rotation range (angle) of the yarn shifting guide 80 controlled by the control section 90, the first rotation angle θ1 can be, for example, less than 120 degrees. The second rotation angle θ2 can be less than 20 degrees.
As shown in FIG. 7, a lifting assisting section 56 is provided on the flap portion 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 to easily engage with the lower yarn 20a on an upper surface 51a (rear surface) of a flap main body 51. The width of the lifting assisting section 56 is smaller than that of the flap portion 50. The width of the lifting assisting section 56 is a length in a direction parallel to the pivoting axis L1 of the pivoting shaft 33. The lifting assisting section 56 includes a rear surface portion 56a attached to the upper surface 51a of the flap portion 50, and an end surface portion 56c attached to a tip end surface 52 of the flap portion 50. An inclined surface portion 57 that rises from the upper surface 51a and forms an inverted V shape is formed between the rear surface portion 56a and the end surface portion 56c. The inclined surface portion 57 guides the lower yarn 20a to a lower end (bottom) of the inclined surface portion 57. However, this configuration is simply an example. Specific shape and configuration of the flap portion 50 are not limited to the flap portion 50 shown in FIG. 7.
Next, a flow of a control processing (yarn winding method) performed by the control section 90 will be explained. FIG. 6 is a view showing a comparison between a lifting operation of the lower yarn 20a relating to the present embodiment and a lifting operation of the lower yarn 20a relating to a comparative example. In FIG. 6, a part in the operation according to the embodiment that is different from the operation according to the comparative example is underlined. As shown in FIG. 6, first, the control section 90 controls the lower yarn guiding pipe 25, and positions the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 at the waiting position H1. The control section 90 controls the driving motor 82 and positions the guide main body 84 at the waiting position P1. Subsequently, the lower yarn 20a is detected.
FIG. 8A is a view showing a state in which the yarn shifting guide 80 is positioned at the waiting position P1. FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 9A are views viewed from the direction A shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and show the lower yarn 20a that extends from the yarn end holding port 66 of the bobbin storing device 62 to the supply bobbin 21 extending straight in the up-down direction. The lower yarn 20a that passes through the slit 68 of the magazine can 63 is positioned in front of the flap portion 50 in FIG. 8A. The lower yarn 20a is inclined so as to extend inward as it runs downward. When the lower yarn 20a is detected, the control section 90 controls the lower yarn guiding pipe 25, and positions the same at the yarn circumventing position H2. Subsequently, when the supply bobbin 70 is dropped and then held by the supply bobbin holding section 71 (bobbin supply step), the control section 90 controls the driving motor 82 to position the guide main body 84 to the circumventing position P2 (see FIGS. 8B and 5) (yarn shifting step). Then, the control section 90 controls the lower yarn guiding pipe 25, and positions the same at the catching preparation position H3. At this time, the flap portion 50 comes down; however, because the lower yarn 20a circumvents the guide main body 84 (shifts slightly to the right as shown in FIG. 8B), instead of coming in contact with the lower yarn 20a, the flap portion 50 moves to the lower side of the lower yarn 20a.
Subsequently, the control section 90 controls the driving motor 82, and positions the guide main body 84 at the escort position P3 (see FIGS. 9A and 5). Accordingly, the lower yarn 20a protrudes toward the left side of the circumventing position P2. The lower yarn 20a is positioned above the flap portion 50, more specifically, above the inclined surface portion 57 of the lifting assisting section 56. Subsequently, the control section 90 controls the lower yarn guiding pipe 25, and raises the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 to position the same at a splice position by the yarn joining device 14. During this step, the inclined surface portion 57 of the flap portion 50 catches the lower yarn 20a at the yarn catching position H4, and escorts the lower yarn 20a upward. As shown in FIG. 9B, the lower yarn 20a is not cut and is lifted by the back surface of the flap portion 50. Subsequently, the yarn joining operation is performed in the yarn joining device 14.
A cut portion of the lower yarn 20a (a portion on the bobbin storing device 62 side) is sucked into the yarn end holding port 66 and then discarded.
As explained above, in a series of operations, at the yarn shifting step, the guide main body 84 is rotated from the waiting position P1 at which the guide main body 84 waits till the supply bobbin 70 is supplied to the supply bobbin holding section 71 to the circumventing position P2 at which the lower yarn 20a is drawn such that the lower yarn 20a circumvents the passing path of the flap portion 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25. Next, the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 is rotated downward such that the flap portion 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 passes by the side of the lower yarn 20a. Also, the guide main body 84 is rotated from the circumventing position P2 to the escort position P3 at which the lower yarn 20a exists on the passing path of the flap portion 50. As shown in FIGS. 8B and 9A, while the yarn shifting guide 80 is positioned at the circumventing position P2 and the escort position P3, the lower yarn 20a hooked on the yarn shifting guide 80 passes through the storing part 64 of the magazine can 63 (is positioned in the storing part 64). Subsequently, when the lower yarn 20a is lifted, the lower yarn 20a passes through the slit 68 and separates from the storing part 64.
Thus, in the winder unit 10, the rotation of the yarn shifting guide 80 is controlled by the control section 90, and the yarn shifting guide 80 is positioned at the waiting position P1, the circumventing position P2, and the escort position P3. At the circumventing position P2, the lower yarn 20a is drawn, and the lower yarn 20a circumvents the passing path of the flap portion 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25. Therefore, when the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 is rotated downward, a positional relationship in which the flap portion 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 passes by the side of the lower yarn 20a (see FIG. 8B) can be established. At the escort position P3, because the lower yarn 20a is present on the passing path of the flap portion 50 of the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 (see FIG. 9A), the lower yarn 20a is engaged with the flap portion 50 and escorted (see FIG. 9B) when the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 is rotated upward. In the conventional device, a yarn shifting guide is a component that can be provided for hooking the lower yarn and cutting the yarn with a cutter. Using this existing component, position control of the lower yarn 20a explained above can be performed, and the lower yarn 20a can be lifted by the lower yarn guiding pipe 25. Unlike the conventional device explained above, the device configuration is not complicated. The lower yarn 20a can be guided to the yarn joining device 14 in a more stable manner than in the case of catching the lower yarn 20a after being cut by the cutter. Moreover, compared to the conventional device, a step at which the lower yarn is cut by the cutter is omitted, and because the lower yarn is cut after it is lifted by the lower yarn guiding pipe 25, the configuration is advantageous from the viewpoint of cycle time.
Moreover, the operation explained above can be performed while waiting for a doffing operation by a doffing device. While waiting for the doffing operation, the doffing device cannot catch the lower yarn 20a. Therefore, the operation to be performed at the time of the bobbin change explained above is once performed, and after the lower yarn guiding pipe 25 returns to the catching preparation position H3, the doffing device waits for a normal doffing operation.
The driving motor 82 of the yarn shifting guide 80 is positioned on the main body section 17 side of the central axis L3 of the bobbin storing device 62. Because the pivoting shaft 33 and the pivoting shaft 83 are located on the main body section 17 side, the space on the opposite side of the main body section 17 is not occupied by these devices. Accordingly, the configuration is advantageous from the viewpoint of layout (or space efficiency) in the entire unit.
Because the lower yarn 20a is positioned in the storing part 64 formed in the bobbin storing device 62 while the yarn shifting guide 80 is rotationally controlled, the posture of the lower yarn 20a is stabilized.
The rotation range of the guide main body 84 is less than 120 degrees. To achieve this, the rotation range set in the conventional configuration (where a cutter is used) needs to be expanded only slightly. Only few changes are needed to be done in the control, and almost no modification to the conventional device configuration is required.
Embodiments of the present invention are explained above; however, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments explained above. For example, the yarn shifting guide 80 can be installed on a side opposite to the main body section 17. Moreover, the rotation angle of the guide main body 84 is not limited to less than 120 degrees, and can be set to an appropriate rotation angle that exceeds 120 degrees.
A yarn winding unit according to one aspect of the present invention includes a supply bobbin holding section that holds a supply bobbin; a magazine-type storing device that includes a bobbin storing device that stores therein the supply bobbin, and supplies the supply bobbin to the supply bobbin holding section by causing the same to fall down from the bobbin storing device; a winding device that winds a yarn unwound from the supply bobbin to form a package; a yarn joining device that joins a first yarn on the supply bobbin side and a second yarn on the package side; a first yarn guiding pipe that is pivotable in an up-down direction around a first pivoting shaft at a location above the supply bobbin holding section; a yarn shifting guide that is arranged at a height between the first pivoting shaft and the supply bobbin holding section, and hooks and shifts the first yarn stretched between the supply bobbin held in the supply bobbin holding section and the bobbin storing device by rotating around a second pivoting shaft; and a control section that controls rotation of the yarn shifting guide so as to position the same at a waiting position at which the yarn shifting guide waits till the supply bobbin is supplied to the supply bobbin holding section, a circumventing position at which the first yarn is drawn such that the first yarn circumvents a passing path of a tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe, and an escort position at which the first yarn is present on the passing path.
According to the above yarn winding unit, the rotation of the yarn shifting guide is controlled by the control section, and the yarn shifting guide is positioned at the waiting position, the circumventing position, and the escort position. At the circumventing position, the first yarn is drawn, and the first yarn circumvents the passing path of the tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe. Therefore, when the first yarn guiding pipe is rotated downward, a positional relationship in which the tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe passes by the side of the first yarn can be established. At the escort position, because the first yarn is present on the passing path of the tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe, the first yarn is engaged with the tip end part and escorted when the first yarn guiding pipe is rotated upward. In the conventional device, a yarn shifting guide is a component that can be provided for hooking the first yarn and cutting the yarn with a cutter. Using this existing component, position control of the first yarn explained above can be performed, and the first yarn can be lifted by the first yarn guiding pipe. Unlike the conventional device explained above, the device configuration is not complicated. The first yarn can be guided to the yarn joining device in a more stable manner than in the case of catching the first yarn after being cut by the cutter.
In the above yarn winding unit, the first pivoting shaft of the first yarn guiding pipe can be provided on a main body section of the yarn winding unit, and the second pivoting shaft of the yarn shifting guide can be positioned near the main body section from a central axis of the bobbin storing device. According to this configuration, because the first pivoting shaft and the second pivoting shaft are located on the main body section side, the space on the opposite side of the main body section is not occupied by these devices. Accordingly, the configuration is advantageous from the viewpoint of layout (or space efficiency) in the entire unit.
In the above yarn winding unit, the bobbin storing device can include a cylindrical storing part in which the supply bobbin is stored, and the first yarn drawn by the yarn shifting guide can be positioned inside the storing part while the yarn shifting guide is positioned at the circumventing position or the escort position. According to this configuration, because the first yarn is positioned in a slit formed in the bobbin storing device while the yarn shifting guide is rotationally controlled, the posture of the first yarn is stabilized.
In the above yarn winding unit, a rotation angle between the waiting position and the circumventing position around the second pivoting shaft can be less than 120 degrees. According to this configuration, the rotation range of the yarn shifting guide needs to be expanded only slightly than the rotation range set in the conventional configuration (where a cutter is used). Only few changes are needed to be done in the control, and almost no modification to the conventional device configuration is required.
The control section controls the rotation of the yarn shifting guide so as to position the yarn shifting guide at a start point which is the waiting position, an end point which is the circumventing position, and an intermediate position which is the escort position between the start point and the end point.
A yarn winding method according to another aspect of the present invention is used by a yarn winding unit that winds a yarn unwound from a supply bobbin holding section that holds a supply bobbin to form a package. The yarn winding unit includes a magazine-type storing device that includes a bobbin storing device in which the supply bobbin can be stored; a yarn joining device that joins a first yarn on the supply bobbin side and a second yarn on the package side; a first yarn guiding pipe that is pivotable in an up-down direction around a first pivoting shaft at a location above the supply bobbin holding section; and a yarn shifting guide that is arranged at a height between the first pivoting shaft and the supply bobbin holding section, and hooks the first yarn by rotating around a second pivoting shaft. The yarn winding method includes bobbin supplying in which the supply bobbin is caused to fall down from the bobbin storing device and supplied to the supply bobbin holding section by the magazine-type storing device; yarn shifting in which the first yarn stretched between the supply bobbin held by the supply bobbin holding section and the bobbin storing device is hooked by the yarn shifting guide. In the yarn shifting, the yarn shifting guide is rotated from a waiting position at which the yarn shifting guide waits till the supply bobbin is supplied to the supply bobbin holding section to a circumventing position at which the first yarn is drawn such that the first yarn circumvents a passing path of a tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe; the first yarn guiding pipe is rotated downward such that the tip end part thereof passes by the side of the first yarn; and the yarn shifting guide is rotated from the circumventing position to an escort position at which the first yarn is present on the passing path.
According to such yarn winding method, the same effects and advantages as that of the yarn winding unit explained above can be achieved.
According to the present invention, the first yarn can be lifted without complicating the device configuration.
In the above explanation, the meaning of "a plurality of" also includes "a predetermined number of".
Although the invention has been explained with respect to specific embodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the scope of the claims.
, Claims:We claim:

1. A yarn winding unit (10) comprising:
a supply bobbin holding section (71) that holds a supply bobbin (21, 70);
a magazine-type storing device (60) that includes a bobbin storing device (62) that stores therein the supply bobbin (21, 70), and supplies the supply bobbin (21, 70) to the supply bobbin holding section (71) by causing the same to fall down from the bobbin storing device (62);
a winding device (31) that winds a yarn unwound from the supply bobbin (21) to form a package (30);
a yarn joining device (14) that joins a first yarn (20a) on the supply bobbin (21) side and a second yarn on the package (30) side;
a first yarn guiding pipe (25) that is pivotable in an up-down direction around a first pivoting shaft (33) at a location above the supply bobbin holding section (71);
a yarn shifting guide (80) that is arranged at a height between the first pivoting shaft (33) and the supply bobbin holding section (71), and hooks and shifts the first yarn (20a) stretched between the supply bobbin (21) held in the supply bobbin holding section (71) and the bobbin storing device (62) by rotating around a second pivoting shaft (83); and
a control section (90) that controls rotation of the yarn shifting guide (80) so as to position the same at a waiting position at which the yarn shifting guide (80) waits till the supply bobbin (21) is supplied to the supply bobbin holding section (71), a circumventing position at which the first yarn (20a) is drawn such that the first yarn (20a) circumvents a passing path of a tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe (25), and an escort position at which the first yarn (20a) is present on the passing path.

2. The yarn winding unit (10) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first pivoting shaft (33) of the first yarn guiding pipe (25) is provided on a main body section (17) of the yarn winding unit (10), and the second pivoting shaft (83) of the yarn shifting guide (80) is positioned near the main body section (17) from a central axis of the bobbin storing device (62).

3. The yarn winding unit (10) as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the bobbin storing device (62) includes a cylindrical storing part (64) in which the supply bobbin (70) is stored, and the first yarn (20a) drawn by the yarn shifting guide (80) is positioned inside the storing part (64) while the yarn shifting guide (80) is positioned at the circumventing position or the escort position.

4. The yarn winding unit (10) as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein a rotation angle between the waiting position and the circumventing position around the second pivoting shaft is less than 120 degrees.

5. The yarn winding unit (10) as claimed in one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the control section (90) controls the rotation of the yarn shifting guide (80) so as to position the yarn shifting guide (80) at a start point which is the waiting position, an end point which is the circumventing position, and an intermediate position which is the escort position between the start point and the end point.

6. A yarn winding method used by a yarn winding unit (10) that winds a yarn unwound from a supply bobbin holding section (71) that holds a supply bobbin (21) to form a package (30), wherein
the yarn winding unit (10) including
a magazine-type storing device (60) that includes a bobbin storing device (62) in which the supply bobbin (70) can be stored;
a yarn joining device (14) that joins a first yarn (20a) on the supply bobbin (21) side and a second yarn on the package (30) side;
a first yarn guiding pipe (25) that is pivotable in an up-down direction around a first pivoting shaft (33) at a location above the supply bobbin holding section (71); and
a yarn shifting guide (80) that is arranged at a height between the first pivoting shaft (33) and the supply bobbin holding section (71), and hooks the first yarn (20a) by rotating around a second pivoting shaft (83), and
the yarn winding method including
bobbin supplying in which the supply bobbin (70) is caused to fall down from the bobbin storing device (62) and supplied to the supply bobbin holding section (71) by the magazine-type storing device (60);
yarn shifting in which the first yarn (20a) stretched between the supply bobbin (21) held by the supply bobbin holding section (71) and the bobbin storing device (62) is hooked by the yarn shifting guide (80), wherein in the yarn shifting
the yarn shifting guide (80) is rotated from a waiting position at which the yarn shifting guide (80) waits till the supply bobbin (21) is supplied to the supply bobbin holding section (71) to a circumventing position at which the first yarn (20a) is drawn such that the first yarn (20a) circumvents a passing path of a tip end part of the first yarn guiding pipe (25);
the first yarn guiding pipe (25) is rotated downward such that the tip end part thereof passes by the side of the first yarn (20a); and
the yarn shifting guide (80) is rotated from the circumventing position to an escort position at which the first yarn (20a) is present on the passing path.