Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B15/00—Details of, or auxiliary devices incorporated in, weft knitting machines, restricted to machines of this kind
  • D04B15/32—Cam systems or assemblies for operating knitting instruments
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B35/00—Details of, or auxiliary devices incorporated in, knitting machines, not otherwise provided for
  • D04B35/02—Knitting tools or instruments not provided for in group D04B15/00 or D04B27/00
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B15/00—Details of, or auxiliary devices incorporated in, weft knitting machines, restricted to machines of this kind
  • D04B15/66—Devices for determining or controlling patterns ; Programme-control arrangements
  • D04B15/68—Devices for determining or controlling patterns ; Programme-control arrangements characterised by the knitting instruments used
  • D04B15/78—Electrical devices
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B15/00—Details of, or auxiliary devices incorporated in, weft knitting machines, restricted to machines of this kind
  • D04B15/94—Driving-gear not otherwise provided for
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B15/00—Details of, or auxiliary devices incorporated in, weft knitting machines, restricted to machines of this kind
  • D04B15/94—Driving-gear not otherwise provided for
  • D04B15/96—Driving-gear not otherwise provided for in flat-bed knitting machines
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B7/00—Flat-bed knitting machines with independently-movable needles
  • D04B7/04—Flat-bed knitting machines with independently-movable needles with two sets of needles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a new type of knitting machine for manufacturing a knitted fabric and a new method for knitting the above-mentioned knitted fabric.
• a known knitting fabric hereinbefore is knitted by moving a plurality of knitting needles arranged linearly in a needle bed fixed on a frame of a knitting machine into a knitting position, a tuck position, or a welt position, either by plurality of cams arranged in a carriage moving reciprocally along the needle bed, or by plurality of disks for linearly moving a corresponding knitting needle, or by plurality of actuators, one for each needle, for linearly moving a corresponding knitting needle.
• the shape, the manner of moving, and the bed of a knitting needle which is the primary unit in the manufacture of a knitted fabric and thereby the main portion of a knitting machine, is based on U.S. Patent 39 934 granted in 1863 to the American inventor LW. Lamb. Since the knitting needles according to this invention make linear movements they are arranged in rectangular slabs, which have a rectangular cross section, and transversally incised grooves functioning as needle beds, hence such a machine is called the flat knitting machine. The knitting needle of the circular knitting machine makes linear movements also, the only difference being the needle bed is of a cylindric shape.
• the sliding movement of the moving member of the needle has to be equal to the sliding movement of the loop forming member, since these two members are on the same straight line, directly connected by the stem of the needle, and there is no transmission unit between to change the transmission ratio.
• the thickness of the wall between two adjacent knitting needles has to be larger than the width of the groove of the needle bed, which limits the density of the arrangement of the knitting needles in the needle bed.
• the length, the width, and the height of the needle bed are in the ratio of approximately 100 : 10 : 1, consequently the needle bed has a small moment of inertia making an angle of about 35 degrees with the horizontal plane, which causes bending of the needle bed.
• the knitting machines are provided with a massive frame, which greatly increases the weight of the needle bed and the cost of manufacture.
• a knitting machine with the individual operation of the knitting needle, each having an actuator for linearly moving a corresponding knitting needle faces difficulties because its actuator is of a linear type having more complicated workmanship, larger dimensions and higher manufacturing costs than the actuator of a rotational type. Because of the lack of space the actuators are arranged in a multistage manner, in the upper and lower stages and beside each other which requires complicated straight and folded arm mechanisms to connect actuators to the corresponding knitting needle. All these increases the mass of the running mechanism and thereby the moment of inertia, which deteriorates the dynamic characteristics of a driving system.
• An object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned problems caused by the linear movement of the knitting needle by changing the form, the manner of moving and the guiding system of the knitting needle in order to increased the knitting speed and the density of the arrangement of the knitting needles per unit length of the knitting machine, and to provide a knitting method capable of knitting a fabric which cannot be knitted by the known knitting method.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an actuator which integrates several functions and represents one knitting module suitable to be used as a driver and carrier of the above-mentioned knitting needle.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a flat knitting machine capable of employing the above-mentioned knitting module.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide a circular knitting machine capable of implementing the above-mentioned knitting module.
• a knitting needle having a loop forming member, characterized in that a stem of the knitting needle, between its needle turning member and its loop forming member, whereon slides a loop in the process of forming a knitted fabric, has a curved profile and by its shape represents an arc of a circle having its centre in the needle axle around which it can make an angular motion, whereby the distance between the stem of the knitting needle and the needle axle is a radius of the knitting needle, hence the above-mentioned knitting needle will hereinafter be referred to as a radial knitting needle, or in the abbreviated form RKN, having the central angle RKN defined by the end points of the circular arc; and the needle axle which bears the RKN mounted to the frame of the knitting machine allowing the RKN an angular motion in the plane pe ⁇ endicular to the needle axle, whereby the RKN is connected to the needle axle by a knitting needle turning member, which is a lever whereon acts a mechanical force
• an actuator which is a rotary electric motor characterized in that the magnetic flux of a stator is common for all the actuators lying on the same axis of the flat knitting machine or in the same circle of the circular knitting machine and being produced by the plurality of the permanent magnets having the shape of a section of a circle, arranged in parallel, side by side, along the axle of a rotor of the flat knitting machine, or radially in the circular knitting machine, separated by an air gap, with the direction of magnetic polarization parallel with the axle of the rotor and so magnetically oriented that the magnetic fluxes of the individual permanent magnets are connected to each other in series, creating a common direct current magnetic flux of the stator of all the actuators producing in every air gap a homogenous magnetic field of the same density; the rotor of the actuator consisting of a V-shaped carrier, between the arms of which is mounted a coreless type coil resembling by its form an isosceles trapeze and placed in the air
• a flat knitting machine including at least one thread feeding unit, characterized in that said knitting machine comprises a plurality of KMs arranged in parallel, side by side, extending in either direction along the needle axle, and mounted on the frame of the knitting machine in such a way that every KM can have its own needle axle or several KMs can form a segment, sharing the same needle axle, all the needle axles lying thereby on the same axis and supported by the housing of KM; all the KMs are linked to the central parallel bus system of the knitting machine integrating thus all electronic nodes of the system.
• a circular knitting machine including at least one thread feeding unit, comprising a plurality of KMs arranged radially, side by side, in a circle the diameter of which is equal to the diameter of the circular knitting machine and mounted on the frame of the machine, whereby every KM has its own needle axle supported on the housing of the KM and all the KMs are connected to the central parallel bus system of the knitting machine integrating thus all electronic nodes of the system.
• a particular advantage of the described angular vibratory motion of the RKN consists in the fact that the RKN turns on a ball bearing mounted on the needle axle which now functions as a guide of the RKN in the loop forming process, whereby the resulting friction is reduced to a minimum, lubrication of the knitting machine becomes unnecessary, and a higher speed in the movement of the knitting needle is obtained with minimal abrasion.
• ball bearings sliding bearings can be used. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an actuator which can be used as a driving unit for several different devices in addition to knitting machines.
• the particularly convenient form of the RKN turning member having the shape of a simple lever and connecting the RKN to its bed on the needle axle, allows for reduction of the working motion of the RKN torque producing member, because the RKN makes only an angular movement, hence only the turning angle of the RKN is of importance, while the working motion of the RKN torque producing member depends on the distance from the force striking point on the lever arm to the centre of rotation, so that a transmission ratio can be adjusted by using a simple lever principle.
• the RKNs offer a considerable advantage by their ability to be arranged very closely to each other on the needle axle increasing thereby the density of arrangement of RKNs per unit length of the needle axle, considering that between two RKNs there is a carrier of the needle axle, the thickness of which is not to be greater than 1/4 the thickness of the RKN and which functions as a connection between the needle axle and the machine frame, defining thereby the distance between two adjacent RKNs.
• the short knitting machines provide an opportunity for mounting the needle axle at its end sides on the frame of the knitting machine by only two supporting members, so that the RKNs can be arranged side by side on the needle axle between the carriers realizing thereby the maximal density of the arrangement.
• a significant advantage is obtained with KM, where the RKN is firmly attached to a rotor of an actuator, uniting thereby two members in one element, namely the RKN turning member and the loop forming member, the needle axle thus becoming also the axle of the rotor of the actuator whereby good dynamic characteristics of the actuator are achieved since a moment of inertia of the running mechanism is reduced to a minimum, and the thickness of one KM is not to be greater than the distance between two adjacent RKNs.
• a special design of the carrier of the rotor of KM allows for an easy reading of the position of the rotor through an incremental pulse emitter.
• the KM comprises all the necessary elements for forming the loops, namely the loop forming member and the needle turning member, the only unit to be added to produce a knitted fabric being a thread feeding unit.
• the KMs are arranged in parallel, side by side and mounted on the flat base of the machine frame whereon is attached a printed circuit board with a connector for each KM connecting through a parallel bus system all the KMs to each other and with the main computer of the knitting machine. Since the flat knitting machine is built according the modular principle, the production of the knitting machine is simplified and its maintenance is made easy.
• Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating a radial knitting needle (RKN);
• Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating one segment comprised of the RKNs
• Figs. 3(a) through 3(d) are the views illustrating a working cycle of the RKN when forming a knew knit loop in a typical knitting example;
• Figs. 4(a) through 4(d) are the views illustrating a working cycle of the RKN when forming a tuck loop;
• Figs. 5(a) through 5(e) are the views illustrating a working cycle of the RKN when transferring a loop
• Fig. 6 is a side view of a knitting module (KM);
• Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view taken along a line A-A of the magnetic circle illustrated in Fig. 6;
• Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating a flat knitting machine comprised of KMs according to Fig. 6. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• Fig. 1 through Figs. 5 are shown the form, the manner of moving, and the bed of the RKN in accordance with the present invention.
• Fig. 1 three functional elements can be recognized of the RKN: a) The stem of the RKN 2 with a loop forming member 2a and 2b, b) The RKN turning member 3 with a butt 3a, c) The bearing of the RKN 8
• the stem of the RKN 2 has a form of an arc of a circle with a radius rn and a central angle QN at which one end there is a hook 2b and a latch 2a representing a loop forming member, whereas the other end is connected to a lever representing a turning member 3.
• the stem of the RKN 2 may also comprise a spring 28 for the transfer of a loop.
• An optimum ratio between the length of the arc representing the stem of RKN 2 and the radius is 1 : 1, resulting thus in the central angle of exactly 1 rad, so that for a stem of RKN having the length of 40 mm, being approximately the required length for the illustrated RKN, the radius of the RKN is also 40 mm.
• the RKN turning member is lever 3 connecting the RKN 2 with its bearing 8 on a needle axle 6 and whereon acts a force Fn through a butt 3a causing a turn of the RKN 2 around a needle axle 6 in the direction of an arrow A or B, as the direction of the force Fn.
• the length of the butt 3a is approximately 1/2 of the radius of the RKN 2, so that the working motion of the RKN 2 turning member is equal to one half of the length of the stem of the RKN 2.
• the bearing of the RKN 8 is impressed into the RKN turning member 3 and pulled over the needle axle 6 allowing the RKN to make turns around the needle axle 6 with minimal friction.
• the bearing 8 can be a miniature ball bearing the thickness of which depends on the gauge of the knitting machine and varies from 1 mm for gauge 24 to 8 mm for gauge 2.
• the needle axle 6 is mounted through supporting plates 7 on a machine frame 5 and the supporting plates 7 traverse between the two RKNs 2 embracing the needle axle 6, as illustrated in Fig 2.
• the needle axle 6 is shared by as many RKNs 2 as can be placed within 1 inch, whereby the number of RKNs 2 on one axle can be greater or smaller, depending on the gauge of the knitting machine, thus the RKNs 2 arranged on one needle axle 6 represent one segment (Fig. 2).
• FIG. 3(a) shows the RKN 2 in its starting position, so that the hook 2b is at the same height as the limiting member 39 and holding the just knitted loop 80. If the RKN 2 be turned for angle _L around the needle axle 6 in the direction of arrow A, reaching the position shown in Fig. 3(b), then, because of the relative movement of the RKN 2 to the loop 80, the latch 2a will turn approximately 180 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the RKN 2 in the opposite direction of the hook 2b, opening thus the hook 2b, whereby the loop 80 is outside the radius of the latch 2a.
• the delivering and the receiving RKNs 2 are in the starting position holding the corresponding just knitted loops 80 and 82. Then the delivering RKN 2 turns for the angle UTR in the direction of arrow A around the needle axle 6 arriving into position shown in Fig. 5(b), whereby the loop 80 slides over the stem of RKN 2 entering in the area of a transferring spring. In that moment the receiving RKN 2 begins to turn for the angle _TK in the direction of the arrow A, so that the hook 2b of the receiving RKN 2 passes through a gap of the delivering RKN 2 and through the delivering loop 80 respectively, as shown in Fig. 5(c).
• the delivering RKN 2 turns in the direction of arrow B toward the starting position, whereby the delivering loop 82 slides from the delivering RKN 2 passing entirely over into the receiving RKN (Fig. 5(d)). Then the receiving RKN 2 retr a c s into its starting position shown in Fig.5(e), where the delivering loop 82 is found in the hook 2b of the receiving RKN 2.
• Figs. 6 through 8 the preferred embodiment of the knitting module (KM) 1, which integrates an actuator 3 as the driving element for turning the RKN 2 and also the RKN 2 itself, being integrated into the KM 1.
• KM 1 comprising the following components: a) Actuator 3 b) RKN 2 c) Position controlling apparatus 4
• the actuator 3 as illustrated in Fig. 6, is a direct current electric motor with permanent magnets 36a and 36b supported on the stator of KM 30 and a movable coreless type coil 42 attached to the rotor 40, which rotor 40 is without a commutator because the rotational angle ° of the rotor 40 is less than 180 degrees.
• the distance between two adjacent KMs 1 corresponds to the gauge of a knitting machine, which is defined by the number of knitting needles per inch, thus in a knitting machine having gauge 14 it is necessary to arrange 14 KMs 1 per inch, and consequently one KM 1 would 5 have a thickness of 1.81 mm. Since the walls of the stator 30 and the rotor 40 of KM 1 are very thin and together cannot exceed 1.81 mm for the knitting machine of the said gauge, the magnetic circuit of stator _s, created by the permanent magnets 36a and 36b, is not closed in each KM 1 individually but it is common for all the KMs 1 lying along the same axis XI, as shown in Fig. 7.
• Permanent magnets 36a and 36b by their shape represent a section of a circle where: Ro: external radius ri: internal radius 10 rm: central radius
• Permanent magnets 36a and 36b are impressed in the body of the stator 30, which is made of nonmagnetic material.
• the thickness be of the coils 42a and 42b is 5% smaller than the thickness ba of the carriers 40a and 40b so that the coils 42a and 42b are safely protected from undesired mechanical contact with the permanent magnets 36a and 36b(Fig. 7).
• N Number of turns of the coils 42a and 42b rm: Central radius of the permanent magnet
• an incremental controller 90 (Fig. 6), comprising two optocouplers 91 and 92, attached to the stator 30 and thus, through the obtained signals, making it possible to recognize the rotational direction of the rotor 40.
• RKN 2 has a form as described in Fig. 1 whereby the function of a turning member and of a bearing assumes the rotor 40, since the RKN 2 is through a pin 48 supported to the rotor 40.
• the stem of the RKN 2 leans against a limiting member 39 which is an extension of the stator of KM 30 (Fig. 6).
• a limiting member 39 which is an extension of the stator of KM 30 (Fig. 6).
• Against the tip of the limiting member 39 also leans the loop 80 when forming a new loop 81 (Fig. 3).
• Position controlling apparatus 4 (hereinafter, referred to in abbreviated form as PCA) has a function to control and regulate the position of the rotor 40 in the loop forming process and comprises a microcontroller that is through a bus system connected with a main computer 100. operating as a host computer, from which it receives the information about a form of turning to be executed within the given parameters of [for] the turning angles, so that the PCA 4 is capable of turning independently the rotor 40 in accordance with the given position. Information about the actual position of the rotor 40 the PCA 4 receives from the incremental pulse emitter 90. Power supply and the link with the main computer 100 are realized through a connector 105.
• Fig. 8 is shown a flat knitting machine for knitting of rib knitted fabrics, which is comprised of KM l-i, 1-2, l- 3 , .., 1-n being arranged in parallel side by side along an [the] axis XI and X2, respectively, and mechanically attached to a machine frame 5 supported at its ends 5c and 5d by two legs 60 and 60', a running device 70 mounted on a supporting rail 85 having at least one thread feeding unit 84 and reciprocally moving along the machine frame 5 feeding a thread 83 to the RKN 2, and a host computer 100 which controls the knitting process synchronizing operation of the KMs l-i, 1-2, 1-3,.., 1-n and of the running device 70.
• the KMs 1 are grouped in segments the width of which corresponds with the width of one holding member 51 whereby the KMs are supported on the machine frame 5. All the KMs 1 of one segment have the needle axle 6 in common.
• All the KMs 1-1, 1-2, 1-3,.., 1-n are connected through a parallel bus-system with each other and with the main computer 100.
• Bus system is built as a printed circuit board having connectors for every KMs 1 making thus each KMs 1 easily replaceable.
• Besides the parallel bus system it is possible also to employ a serial bus system whereby a speed for transfer of data is [being] reduced.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Knitting Machines (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=4156499

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (4)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1995
  • 1995-08-28 CA CA002157055A patent/CA2157055A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 1996
  • 1996-08-28 WO PCT/CA1996/000579 patent/WO1997008374A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1996-08-28 AU AU67299/96A patent/AU6729996A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-08-28 EP EP96927488A patent/EP0847458B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1996-08-28 JP JP09509654A patent/JP2000512347A/ja active Pending
  • 1996-08-28 DE DE69601134T patent/DE69601134T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-08-28 KR KR1019980701579A patent/KR19990044339A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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