CN111793888A

CN111793888A - Tank for inserts of knitted fabric made on a flat knitting machine

Info

Publication number: CN111793888A
Application number: CN202010271146.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 弗里德·兰德克; 克里斯·希勒; 马丁·多尔克
Original assignee: H Stoll GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Carlmeyerstol R & D Co ltd
Priority date: 2019-04-08
Filing date: 2020-04-08
Publication date: 2020-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2040-04-08
Also published as: EP3722474A1; CN111793888B; EP3722474B1

Abstract

A tank for inserts (70) of knitted fabric made on a flat knitting machine, which tank is part of a device (10) for inserting inserts (70) of a flat knitting machine (100), wherein the device (10) also comprises a gripping mechanism (50) with a gripper (51) for receiving an insert (70) from the tank (40), wherein different kinds of inserts (70) can be stored in the tank (40) and can be output onto the gripper (51).

Description

Tank for inserts of knitted fabric made on a flat knitting machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a tank for inserts of knitted fabrics made on a flat knitting machine.

Background

Nowadays, increasingly high demands are made on knitted fabrics produced on flat knitting machines (flachtstickmaschene). In particular, increasingly complex designs and designs are required. Furthermore, the number of subsequent processes required after the knitting process is reduced. This is of great importance in particular for so-called intelligent textiles, which perform additional functions by integrating elements such as sensors, chips, batteries or LEDs. These inserts are currently introduced into the knitted goods mostly manually during or after the production of the knitted goods.

However, in the case of the introduction during the production of the knitted goods, the production loom must be permanently monitored by a person, since the loom pauses when the additional element is inserted, i.e. the production of the knitted fabric is interrupted. The result is increased human input.

To avoid this, proposals have been made for automatically embedding such elements.

US 7,246,508B 1 describes a device for embedding elements for stabilizing the shape of the neck opening in knitted fabrics made on flat knitting machines, such as jackets. In this case, the stacker motor of the collar inserts is moved along with the slider along the flat knitting machine above the needle bed until the insertion position in the knitted fabric is reached, and one of the collar inserts can be inserted into the knitted fabric by means of the slider. The device cannot handle inserts other than the collar insert.

DE 4308251C 2 discloses a functional element which works autonomously and can be used in particular to insert additional elements into a knitted fabric. The functional element is fixed to the thread guide rail, thus reducing the number of possible thread guides involved in the knitting process. Furthermore, the functional element interferes with the movement of the thread guide, since it always stays in the same area as the thread guide. The device also cannot: handling different types of inserts, in particular different shapes.

However, a variety of different elements such as batteries or LEDs are often incorporated in smart textiles.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a possibility for providing these different types of inserts and for introducing them into the knitted fabric by the gripper mechanism.

This object is achieved by a tank for inserts of knitted fabric produced on a flat knitting machine, which tank is part of a device for introducing inserts of a flat knitting machine, wherein the device also comprises a gripping mechanism with a gripper for receiving a knitted insert from the tank, characterized in that different kinds of inserts can be stored in the tank and can be output onto the gripper.

Here, these inserts vary in size, shape, material and mode of operation. In this way, different inserts can be introduced into the knitted fabric at different positions during the knitting process without the need for readjustment of the flat knitting machine.

The tank can have at least one tank receptacle for the insert. The tank container may also be provided with multiple chambers for different inserts. Alternatively, a plurality of containers for different components may be provided on the tank. Preferably, at least one tank container is provided on the tank in an exchangeable manner, so that it can be filled elsewhere, not only on a flat knitting machine. Readjustment to another insert is also facilitated by one or more replaceable tank containers.

Of course, it is also possible to provide a plurality of tanks according to the invention on a flat knitting machine.

Further advantages result if the tank has means for dividing the individual inserts. For this purpose, for example, sliders can be provided which remove the uppermost or lowermost insert from the stack of inserts, respectively.

Furthermore, a mechanism for positioning the insert in the delivery position can be provided on the gripper. The insert is held in the delivery position until the gripper of the gripper mechanism removes the insert and introduces it into the knitted fabric. Different delivery positions can preferably be set for the insert. Depending on the size and shape of the inserts, these inserts can thus be fixed in the delivery position, in which they can be reliably removed by the gripper.

It is also advantageous to provide a monitoring device for checking the state (Lage) of the insert in the delivery position. In this case, both the presence and the orientation of the insert can be monitored at the delivery position. Examples of monitoring means are optical gratings, mechanical keys or optical sensors.

In addition to or instead of the material container, the tank may be equipped with a receptacle for the roll of material and a mechanism for cutting off sections of material in order to create an insert from the material or to release an insert placed on the roll of material. In this way, film-like inserts can be produced in the magazine in an economical manner, for example by means of a cutting mechanism, or inserts arranged on a band-shaped carrier can be stored in the magazine, released and delivered to the delivery site.

For certain inserts, the tank may also have an antenna for transmitting data to the microchips present in these inserts.

The storage tank can also be arranged on the flat knitting machine, preferably spatially separate from the gripping mechanism. The tank can be mounted on the knitting machine in a position that does not interfere with the knitting process. However, it is also conceivable to move the magazine together with the gripper mechanism by means of a carriage.

Drawings

An embodiment of a device for inserting an insert into a knitted fabric of a flat knitting machine with a tank according to the invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic partial view of a flat knitting machine with a device for introducing an insert;

fig. 2a is a detailed perspective view of a gripping mechanism of the device for introducing inserts of fig. 1, with the gripper in a rest position;

FIG. 2b is a cross-sectional view of the flat knitting machine in the area of a gripping mechanism with the gripper in the position of FIG. 2 a;

fig. 3a is a detail perspective view of a gripping mechanism of the device for introducing inserts of fig. 1 with a gripper in a receiving position of the inserts;

FIG. 3b is a cross-sectional view of the flat knitting machine in the area of a gripper mechanism with the gripper in the position of FIG. 3 a;

fig. 4a is a detail perspective view of a gripper mechanism of the device for introducing inserts of fig. 1, with a gripper with an insert received;

FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view of the flat knitting machine in the area of a gripper mechanism with the gripper in the position of FIG. 4 a;

FIG. 5a is a detailed perspective view of a grasping mechanism of the apparatus for introducing inserts of FIG. 1 with a grasper in a delivery position of the insert;

FIG. 5b is a cross-sectional view of the flat knitting machine in the area of a gripper mechanism with the gripper in the position of FIG. 5 a;

FIG. 6a is a detailed perspective view of a gripping mechanism of the device for introducing inserts of FIG. 1 with a gripper after the inserts have been introduced into the knitted fabric;

FIG. 6b is a cross-sectional view of the flat knitting machine in the area of a gripper mechanism with the gripper in the position of FIG. 6 a;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the tank of the device for introducing inserts;

fig. 8 is a schematic view of a tank with a receptacle for a roll of material.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a partial region of a flat knitting machine 100 known per se with front and rear needle beds not shown here. The front and rear carriages 20, 20 'are moved along the needle beds, on which carriages the knitting cams 30, 30' (strickschloser) are fixed.

The flat knitting machine 100 has a device 10 for inserting an insert 70 (fig. 4b) into a knitted fabric produced on the flat knitting machine, which device is composed of a magazine 40 for the insert 70, which magazine is arranged rigidly beside the left side of the needle bed, not shown here, and a gripping mechanism 50 for the insert 70.

The tank 40 is designed for storing and dispensing inserts 70, which can be stored for this purpose in the tank container 41 and dispensed when required by means of a delivery mechanism not shown in detail here. The conveying device can thereby reach a predetermined delivery position of the insert 70. The predetermined delivery position can be adjusted according to the different possible sizes of the insert 70 to be delivered. Sensors are also provided which monitor the presence of the insert 70, the position of the insert in the tank container 41 and the position of the delivery mechanism.

The transport device may have, for example, slide elements which bring the respective insert 70 into a predetermined position for receiving by means of a gripper of the device for inserting the insert 70. The movement can be introduced into the slide in a motor-driven manner by means of a gear box, a toothed rack, a belt drive or the like.

Furthermore, an NFC writer or an antenna for writing data is arranged on the magazine 40, thereby making it possible to transmit data to the microchip integrated in the insert 70.

The gripper mechanism 50 is fastened laterally to the carriage 20 and is therefore carried along by the carriage. The gripping mechanism 50 receives the inserts 70 from the magazine 40, which are brought by the magazine 40 to a defined delivery position, and guides these inserts into a predefined receiving area inside a piece of knitting fabric, not shown here, which has just been produced on the flat knitting machine 100.

The following fig. 2a to 6b show in each case, by means of a perspective view (a) and a sectional view (b) of the flat knitting machine 100, a schematic illustration of a process for inserting the insert 70 with the gripper 50, which begins in the rest position of the gripper 51 of the gripper 50.

Fig. 2a, 2b show a gripper mechanism 50 with a gripper 51, wherein the gripper 51 is in a rest position. The gripper is pivoted for this purpose into a rear end position. In this position, the gripper 51 does not collide with components such as the yarn guides 60, when the carriage 20 is moved along the bed to load the components necessary for knitting, such as needles or sinkers (platinens).

If the insert 70 is to be inserted into the knitted fabric, the carriage 20, 20' is moved into the position shown in fig. 3a, 3b before the magazine 40, which is not shown here for the sake of clarity. The gripper 51 of the gripper mechanism 50 is moved from its rear end position or rest position, driven by the first motor 58, into a vertical position in which it can reliably grip the insert 70. At the same time, the gripper jaws 52, 52' of the gripper 51 are moved away from one another by the drive of the second motor 59, thus freeing up space for receiving the insert 70. In the example shown, only one of the gripping jaws 52, 52' is moved for this purpose. The opposing gripping jaws 52 are of rigid design. However, it is also conceivable to make the two gripping jaws 52, 52' movable.

Fig. 4a, 4b show a view in which the insert 70 is moved by the advancing mechanism of the tank 40, not shown here, between the gripping jaws 52, 52 'into the defined receiving position, and the gripping jaws 52, 52' are moved toward one another by means of the second motor 59, so that the insert 70 remains clamped between them.

Fig. 5a, 5b show the gripper mechanism 50 after the carriages 20, 20 'have been moved through the knitting area of the flat knitting machine 100 into a position in which the insert 70 held between the gripper jaws 52, 52' of the gripper 51 is to be inserted into the formed knitted fabric. For this purpose, pockets can be formed in the knitted fabric, for example, as receiving regions for the inserts 70 during a previous knitting process.

Next, the gripper 51 moves toward the comb gap 80 of the flat knitting machine 100. In the example shown, the motion is a pivoting motion, which is induced by the first motor 58. Alternatively, the movement can also be performed linearly, or in any combination of rotational and linear movements.

By the movement of gripper 51 towards comb gap 80, insert 70 is inserted into the pocket formed during the previous knitting process.

Fig. 6a, 6b show views of the gripper mechanism 50 after the gripper jaws 52, 52' have been opened by means of the second motor 59 and the ejection mechanism 53 on the gripper 51 has been moved from the upper rest position into the ejection position, towards the comb gap 80, likewise by means of the second motor 59. By this movement of the ejector 53, the insert 70 is moved out of the region between the gripper jaws 52, 52' and into the receiving region of the knitted fabric.

Subsequently, the carriages 20, 20' move towards the magazine 40, counter to their current knitting direction. In this case, the gripper 51 and the ejection mechanism 53 remain in their positions shown in fig. 6a, 6 b. Thereby reliably inserting the insert 70 into the knitted fabric.

After the gripper 51 and the reject plunger 53 have been moved back into their rest position by means of the first and

second motors

58, 59, the knitting process for the knitted fabric can be performed again. In this case, for example, the pocket (into which the insert 70 has been inserted) can be partially or completely closed.

Fig. 7 shows the tank 40 in a side view. The tank 40 has a tank container 41, one side wall of which is omitted in this view, whereby the inserts 70, which are stacked one above the other in the tank container 41, can be seen. The part 45 which is loaded by the spring force presses the insert 70 in the tank container 41 downwards.

The carriage 42 can be moved back and forth by means of one or more belts 44 under the drive of a motor 43 towards the carriages 20, 20' not shown here or the gripping mechanism 50 not shown here, which is indicated by the double arrow B.

When moving toward the carriage 20, 20 'or toward the gripping mechanism 50, the lowermost insert 70 in the tank container 41 is gripped and moved toward the carriage 20, 20' or the gripping mechanism 50 to the defined delivery position GP.

In order to monitor the presence and position of the insert 70 at the delivery location GP, a sensor 46 is present in this region of the tank 40.

The tank container 41 may be constructed according to a building block system, whereby different sized inserts may be handled, and/or a movable stopper may be built into the tank container 41. It is also possible to provide the tank container 41 in a replaceable manner. The tank container can thus be replaced by another container having a different insert 70.

Fig. 8 shows a second embodiment of a tank 40' with a receptacle 47 for a roll of material MR, for example a roll consisting of plastic film. Furthermore, a cutting mechanism 48 is provided, with which the insert 70 can be cut off from the material web MB of the material roll MR. To this end, the free end of the material band MB is advanced by means of the motor 43' to the delivery position GP and then cut by means of the mechanism 48. The resulting insert 70 may be, for example, a reinforcement for a knit made on the flat knitting machine 100.

Claims

1. Tank for inserts (70) of knitted fabric made on a flat knitting machine, which tank is part of a device (10) for introducing inserts (70) of a flat knitting machine (100), wherein the device (10) also comprises a gripping mechanism (50) with a gripper (51) for receiving an insert (70) from the tank (40), characterized in that different kinds of inserts (70) can be stored in the tank (40) and can be output onto the gripper (51).

2. -tank according to claim 1, characterized in that it has at least one tank receptacle (41) for an insert (70).

3. Tank according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one tank container (41) is exchangeably provided on the tank.

4. -tank according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has means for dividing said insert (70).

5. -tank according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has means for positioning the insert (70) in the delivery position (GP) on the gripper (51).

6. -tank according to claim 5, characterized in that different delivery positions can be adjusted for the insert (70).

7. A tank according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that monitoring means are provided for checking the status of the insert (70) in the delivery position (GP).

8. Tank according to claim 7, characterized in that the monitoring means have a light barrier, mechanical keys or optical sensors.

9. -tank according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a receptacle (47) for a roll (MR) of material and means (48) for cutting off a section of the band (MB) of material of the roll (MR) of material in order to create an insert (70) from the band (MB) of material or to release an insert (70) placed on the band (MB) of material.

10. -tank according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has an antenna for transmitting data to the microchip present in the insert (70).

11. -tank according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is provided on the flat knitting machine (100) spatially separated from the gripping means (50).