EP2661520B1

EP2661520B1 - Weaving machine with lubricating systems

Info

Publication number: EP2661520B1
Application number: EP11768017.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Geert Geerardyn; Dirk Sampers; Kristof Roelstraete
Original assignee: Picanol NV
Current assignee: Picanol NV
Priority date: 2010-12-09
Filing date: 2011-10-13
Publication date: 2018-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2031-10-13
Also published as: TR201820855T4; CN103314147A; EP2661520A2; WO2012076219A2; WO2012076219A3; CN103314147B; BE1019695A3

Description

The invention concerns a weaving machine comprising a first lubricating system, wherein the first lubricating system supplies a first lubricating fluid to elements of a first machine device. The invention also concerns a method for lubricating such a weaving machine.
A known lubricating system for a weaving machine comprises an oil pump and oil ducts to guide lubricating oil along elements in order to lubricate these elements. By guiding lubricating oil along the elements, the elements are lubricated and heat is exchanged between the elements and the lubricating oil.
EP2 4210 084 A1 is prior art under Article 54(3) EPC and does not disclose the cooling of a drive motor driving the beat-up device.
A lubricating system is described in EP 1 613 799 B1 , wherein lubricating oil is guided by means of an oil pump to elements of the shed forming device to be lubricated. Herein this lubricating system serves to lubricate the drive mechanism for the weaving frames and serves to lubricate a transmission mechanism that is formed by levers, which transmission mechanism is arranged between the drive mechanism and the weaving frames. The lubricating oil of the lubricating system is also used for cooling the drive motor of the shed forming device.
A lubricating system for a weaving machine is described in US 4,444,292 , wherein a heat exchanger is provided to cool the lubricating oil. A lubricating oil has a certain viscosity and provides a most efficient lubrication at a certain temperature. At excessive temperatures of the lubricating oil, the live time and the lubricating properties of the lubricating oil decrease considerably. The lubricating system also comprises filters and valves.
A lubricating system for a weaving machine is described in JP 10-251943 A , which discloses the features of the preamble of claim 1, wherein an oil reservoir and an oil pump for lubricating oil are provided. The oil pump is used to supply the lubricating oil from the oil reservoir via a distribution tube to a drive of a shed forming device, a drive of the weaving machine as well as a drive of a sley. A similar lubricating system for a weaving machine is described in JP 2004-100095 A , wherein an oil reservoir for lubricating oil is cooled.
Post-published document EP 2 410 085 A1 shows a system and a method for lubricating a weaving machine comprising a first lubricating system supplying a first lubricating fluid, a second lubricating system supplying a second lubricating fluid, and a device arranged to exchange heat between the first lubricating fluid and the second lubricating fluid.
It is an object of the invention to improve in a weaving machine the lubricating of elements and the exchange of heat between these elements and a lubricating fluid.
The object of the invention is solved according to claim 1 by providing a second lubricating system for supplying a second lubricating fluid to elements of a second machine device, wherein the second machine device comprises a beat-up device, which beat-up device is driven by a drive motor, wherein the second lubricating system is also used for cooling the drive motor driving the beat-up device, and wherein the at least one second lubricating system comprises a second pump for the lubricating fluid, and by providing a device arranged to exchange heat between the first lubricating fluid and the second lubricating fluid, wherein the device comprises a heat exchanger with a partition that is arranged between the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system and the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system.
The invention is based on the consideration that elements of different machine devices of a weaving machine, more particularly elements of a shed forming device and elements of a beat-up device dissipate energy in a different way, for example due to friction losses, resulting in different temperatures of the accompanying lubricating fluid. According to the invention, at least two distinct lubricating systems are provided. According to the invention, distinct lubricating systems are defined as lubricating systems with own open or closed circulation circuits comprising a pump for lubricating fluid, wherein a flow of the lubricating fluid in a first circulation circuit is different of the flow of the lubricating fluid in a second circulation circuit.
The device arranged to exchange heat between the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system and the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system comprises a heat exchanger with a partition that is arranged between the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system and the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system. Due to the partition, heat can be exchanged between the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system and the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system, while the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system and the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system remain separated from each other. This allows to use two different types of lubricating fluids, more particularly lubricating oils. The different lubricating fluids, for example, can not only differ in viscosity and composition, but can also differ in purity, more particularly concerning the presence of an amount of impurities in the lubricating oil, for example the presence of weaving dust.
In an embodiment, different types of lubricating fluids, more particularly lubricating oils, are used as first and second lubricating fluid, wherein each lubricating fluid is chosen according to the prevailing conditions of the respective lubricating system. In other embodiments, the same type of lubricating fluid is used in both lubricating systems. When providing two lubricating systems, the temperature of the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system that lubricates in one embodiment elements of the shed forming device is normally different from the temperature of the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system that lubricates in one embodiment elements of the beat-up device. Usually, the temperature of the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system is dependent from the binding that is woven and is, for example, between 80°C and 100°C, while the temperature of the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system is, for example, about 50°C. Due to this difference in temperature, in some embodiments different types of lubricating fluids are used for the first lubricating system and the second lubricating system. In order to avoid that the temperature in the lubricating fluid for the shed forming device becomes too high, it is known to limit the rotational speed of the weaving machine, this means the number of beaten up weft threads per time unit is limited. The invention offers the advantage that the temperature of the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system can be decreased by transferring heat to the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system. Therefore, in comparison with known weaving machines, the invention allows for a certain binding that is woven to increase the rotational speed of the weaving machine. According to the invention, the temperature of the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system can be, for example, between 60°C and 70°C dependent on the binding that is woven, while the temperature of the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system can be, for example, about 55°C. Due to the more even temperatures, in some embodiments, the same type of lubricating fluid is used in both lubricating systems.
In an embodiment, the weaving machine comprises more than two lubricating systems. In other embodiments, several machine devices are arranged in a common lubricating system. In an embodiment, a first lubricating system is provided for elements of a shed forming device and a second lubricating system is provided for elements of at least a beat-up device. In an embodiment a second lubricating system is provided for elements of at least two machine devices from a group comprising a beat-up device, a warp beam device, a cloth beam device and/or a selvage tucking-in device.
According to an embodiment, the heat exchanger comprises a first inlet and a first outlet for the first lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system, a second inlet and a second outlet for the second lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system, and a partition that is arranged between the first lubricating fluid of the first
lubricating system and the second lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system. According to an embodiment, the heat exchanger is used as a so called counter-flow heat exchanger.
According to an embodiment, the weaving machine also comprises a cooling system that is arranged to cool the lubricating fluid of at least one of the first and the second lubricating system. The cooling system can comprise a cooling fluid, for example water to cool the lubricating fluid. Preferably, the cooling system is arranged to cool the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system. This allows further cooling of the lubricating fluid if the exchange of heat between the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system and the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system is insufficient to limit the temperature of the lubricating fluid of at least one of the lubricating systems.
According to an embodiment, the weaving machine also comprises a heat source that allows to heat lubricating fluid of at least one of the first and the second lubricating system, for example the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system. This allows to obtain in short time a desired operating temperature of the lubricating fluid after a start of the weaving machine.
According to an embodiment the first pump and the second pump are driven by a same drive motor. According to an embodiment, the drive motor is a controllable drive motor, for example a drive motor the speed of which can be controlled by a control unit. This allows a compact construction of the lubricating systems.
The object of the invention is also solved by a method using a weaving machine having at least two lubricating systems comprising a pump each, wherein the method comprises exchanging heat between a lubricating fluid of a first lubricating system and a lubricating fluid of a second lubricating system by means of a heat exchanger with a partition that is arranged between the lubricating fluid of the first lubricating system and the lubricating fluid of the second lubricating system.
In what follows, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail using following schematic drawings, wherein through these drawings the same or similar parts are indicated with the same reference numbers.

Fig. 1: shows schematically a perspective drawing of a weaving machine according to the invention.
Fig. 2: shows a weaving machine according to Fig. 1 wherein a shed forming device, a beat-up device and lubricating systems are schematically represented.
Fig. 3: shows a variant of Fig. 2, not according to the claims.
Fig. 4: shows another variant of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5: shows another variant of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 and 2 show schematically a weaving machine with a shed forming device 1, a beat-up device 2, a warp beam device 3, a cloth beam device 4 and selvage tucking-in devices 5. The weaving machine comprises a first lubricating system 6 that supplies a first lubricating fluid 7 to elements 44 of a first machine device 8 that comprises the shed forming device 1. The weaving machine also comprises a second lubricating system 9 that supplies a second lubricating fluid 10 to elements 45 of a second machine device 11 that comprises the beat-up device 2, the warp beam device 3, the cloth beam device 4 and the selvage tucking-in devices 5. The shed forming device 1 can be a dobby, a cam box, an eccentric system as well as a jacquard device. As lubricating fluid 7, 10 a lubricating oil having a suitable viscosity is used.
The first lubricating system 6 comprises a pump 12 for the lubricating fluid 7, ducts 13 to guide lubricating fluid 7 to and from the machine device 8, a reservoir 14 for lubricating fluid 7, a filter 15 for the lubricating fluid 7, a valve 16 to be able to guide lubricating fluid 7 to the elements 44 of the machine device 8 to be lubricated at certain moments and a sensor 17 to measure the temperature of the lubricating fluid 7.
The second lubricating system 9 comprises a pump 18 for the lubricating fluid 10, ducts 19 to guide lubricating fluid 10 to and from the machine device 11, a reservoir 20 for lubricating fluid 10, a filter 21 for lubricating fluid 10, valves 22 to be able to guide lubricating fluid 10 to the elements 45 of the machine device 11 to be lubricated at certain moments and a sensor 23 to measure the temperature of the lubricating fluid 10.
According to the invention the weaving machine comprises a device 24 arranged to exchange heat between the first lubricating fluid 7 and the second lubricating fluid 10. With heat is meant in the context of the description of the invention energy in the form of heat. The device 24 comprises a heat exchanger 25 with a partition 26 that is arranged between the lubricating fluid 7 of the first lubricating system 6 and the lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating system 9. At the heat exchanger 25 ducts 13 are connected to guide lubricating fluid 7 through the heat exchanger 25 and ducts 19 to guide lubricating fluid 9 through the heat exchanger 25. The heat exchanger 25 comprises a first inlet 27 and a first outlet 28 for the lubricating fluid 7 and a second inlet 29 and a second outlet 30 for the lubricating fluid 10.
In the embodiment shown the pump 12 and the pump 18 are driven by a same drive motor 31. The drive motor 31 is a controllable drive motor. A pump 12, 18 can according to a variant not shown be driven by a drive of the weaving machine. The shed forming device 1 is driven by a drive motor 32, while the beat-up device 2 is driven by a drive motor 33.
As can be seen in Fig. 2 there is arranged a cooling system 34 for cooling the first lubricating fluid 7 of the first lubricating system 6. The cooling system 34 can make use of a cooling fluid, for example water. According to a variant not shown the cooling system 34 can cool the second lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating system 9 in addition or instead of the first lubricating fluid 7.
As can be seen in Fig. 2 there is arranged a heat source 35 to heat the second lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating system 9. According to a variant not shown the heat source 35 can heat the first lubricating fluid 7 of the first lubricating system 6 in addition or instead of the second lubricating fluid 10.
In the embodiment of Fig. 2 the lubricating fluid 7 of the first lubricating system 6 and the lubricating fluid 10 of the first lubricating system 9 are completely separated from one another. The lubricating fluid 7 flows through a closed circulation circuit 36 of the first lubricating system 6 that comprises the pump 12, ducts 13, the reservoir 14, the filter 15 and a valve 16. The circulation circuit 36 provides in the lubrication of the elements 44 of the first machine device 8 that in this embodiment comprises the shed forming device 1. The lubricating fluid 10 flows through a closed circulation circuit 37 of the second lubricating system 9 that comprises the pump 18, ducts 19, the reservoir 20, the filter 21 and valves 22. The circulation circuit 37 provides in the lubrication of the second machine device 11 that comprises in this embodiment at least the beat-up device 2 and more particularly in addition to the beat-up device 2 also a warp beam device 3, a cloth beam device 4 and/or a selvage tucking-in device 5. In this embodiment the flow of lubricating fluid 7 in the first circulation circuit 36 is separate from the flow of lubricating fluid 10 in the second circulation circuit 37. At the heat exchanger 25 heat can be exchanged by means of the heat exchanger 25 between the first lubricating fluid 7 and the second lubricating fluid 10. In this embodiment heat can be exchanged at the partition 26 of the heat exchanger 25.
The sensor 17 is used to measure the temperature of the first lubricating fluid 7. Based on this temperature the drive motor 31 of the pump 12 can be controlled. The sensor 23 is used to measure the temperature of the second lubricating fluid 10. Based on that temperature the drive motor 31 of the pump 18 can be controlled. In the embodiment shown both pumps 12 and 18 are driven by a same drive motor 31. However due to the presence of two pumps 12 and 18 the flow of lubricating fluid 7 in the first circulation circuit 36 is separate from the flow of the lubricating fluid 10 in the second circulation circuit 37. The pumps 12 and 18 can whether or not be executed differently, more particularly whether or not deliver a different flow rate at a certain rotational speed of the drive motor 31. The pump 12 for the first lubricating system 6 can be controlled as a function of the binding that is woven, the number of heald frames that is used, the movement course of the heald frames, the weight of the heald frames and/or other weaving parameters. Depending on the binding, this means the successive pattern at which warp threads move up and down, the force and the power that the shed forming device 1 has to deliver will change, so that for certain bindings much force and power is necessary, while for other bindings little force and power is necessary. This will result in an accompanying temperature of the lubricating fluid 7 of the first lubricating system 6. The temperature that is measured with the corresponding sensor 17, 23 is also dependent of the rotational speed of the weaving machine, so that it is recommended to cool or to limit the rotational speed of the weaving machine if the temperature in one of the lubricating systems 7, 10 becomes too high.
As shown in the embodiment of Fig. 2 a bypass 38 is provided at the heat exchanger 25, which bypass 38 comprises a controllable valve 39. The bypass 38 allows in a cold weaving machine or in a too hot weaving machine that lubricating fluid 7 does exchange less heat with the lubricating fluid 10. In a cold weaving machine this allows to heat the lubricating fluid 10 for the beat-up device 2 with a heat source 35, so that less heat of the heat source 35 is used in order to heat the lubricating fluid 7. In order to prevent that lubricating fluid 7 flows through the heat exchanger 25 a shut off valve 46 can be provided. For example, the shut off valve 46 shuts off the flow of lubricating fluid 7 after the valve 39 allows the flow of lubricating fluid 7 to pass along the bypass 38. This also excludes in a too hot weaving machine a further heating of the lubricating fluid 10 of the beat-up device 2 via the heat exchanger 25.
In Fig. 3 an embodiment (not according to the claims) is shown wherein - in contrast to the invention - the heat exchanger 25 does not comprise a partition 26. In the embodiment of Fig. 3 the pump 12 is driven by a drive motor 41 while the pump 18 is driven by a drive motor 42. In this case the flow of the first lubrication fluid 7 is different and independent from the flow of the second lubrication fluid 10.
It is clear that the lubricating fluid 7, 10 of a lubricating system 6, 9 can also be used for cooling a drive motor 32 or 33. As can be seen in Fig. 3 lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating system 9 can also be used for cooling the main drive motor 33 of the beat-up device 2 of the weaving machine, more particularly the drive motor 33 for the beat-up device 2 that drives the sley of the weaving machine. In case the shed forming device 1 is driven by an own drive motor 32, as is known from WO 2004/092467 , the drive motor 32 for the shed forming device 1 can also be cooled by the lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating system 9, as the temperature of the lubricating fluid 10 of the second lubricating system 9 usually is lower than the temperature of the lubricating fluid 7 of the first lubricating system 6. This is also advantageous in order to limit the temperature of the first lubricating system 6. According to a variant not shown the lubricating fluid 7 of the first lubricating system 6 is used for the cooling the drive motor 32.
In the embodiment of Fig. 4 the shed forming device 1 is driven via a mechanical transmission 40 by the drive motor 33 that drives the beat-up device 2. In the embodiments shown in Fig. 1 to 4 a control unit 43 is provided that is able to control a drive motor 31, 41, 42 for a pump 12 or 18. The control unit 43 can also control the valves 16, 22, 39 and the drive motors 32 and 33. The control unit 43 is shown in Fig. 4.
The control unit 43 can also control the cooling system 34 and the heat source 35. The device 24 with the heat exchanger 25 is intended to carry out the necessary heat exchange during normal operation of the weaving machine. The cooling system 34 and the heat source 35 are only intended to be used at the start of the operation of the weaving machine and/or in exceptional circumstances. During normal operation of the weaving machine the cooling system 34 and the heat source 35 are not in operation. The device 24 according to the invention is also intended to limit the energy supplied to the weaving machine. The device 24 allows that for cooling the shed forming device 1 during normal operation of the weaving machine no additional cooling system 34 has to be activated. The device 24 also allows that the lubricating fluid 10 for the beat-up device 2 will have a sufficient temperature without the need of an additional heat source 35, so that friction in the beat-up device 2 will also be limited.
The elements 44 of the shed forming device 1 are for example cams, bearings, axles and other mechanical parts of the shed forming device 1. The elements 45 of the beat-up device 2 are for example cams, bearings, axles, transmissions and other mechanical parts of the beat-up device 2.
In the embodiment of Fig. 5 a cooling system 47 and a cooling system 48 are provided at the heat exchanger 25. The cooling system 47, for example, consists of a heat pump, while the cooling system 48, for example, comprises a pump 49, a cooling device 50 and ducts 51 for a cooling liquid. According to a variant, not shown, only one cooling system 47 or 48 is provided. The arranging of at least one cooling system 47, 48 at the heat exchanger 25 for the lubricating fluid 7, 10 is advantageous because in this case as well the heat exchanger 25 as the at least one cooling system 47, 48 can be executed compactly.
It is clear that the weaving machine in addition to the first lubricating system 6 and the second lubricating system 9 also can comprise a third lubricating system with an own circulation circuit, for example a lubricating system for elements of a warp beam device, a lubricating system for elements of a cloth beam device, a lubricating system for elements of a selvage tucking-in device and/or lubricating systems for elements of other weaving machine parts. In weaving machines usually most of the weaving machine parts are lubricated by means of the second lubricating system 9 that lubricates the beat-up device 2.
The invention offers the advantage that the temperature of the lubricating fluid can be kept more as desired and that the weaving machine can also be brought to temperature in a short time, so that lubricating fluid can be used with an optimal viscosity for lubricating weaving machine parts. Furthermore this allows more freedom to choose a suitable lubricating fluid, more particularly a suitable lubricating oil. This is also advantageous to limit the energy consumption of the weaving machine. Because too hot lubricating fluid is avoided and the lubricating fluid comes to temperature in a short time, the lubricating fluid can also lubricate sufficiently at any time, which is advantageous for the lubrication of elements of the shed forming device as well as for the lubrication of the elements of the beat-up device. Due to the invention it is in principle possible to use the same type of lubricating fluid for both lubricating systems.
The lubricating system and the method according to the invention shown in the claims are not limited to the embodiments shown and described as example, but can also comprise variants and combinations of these embodiments that fall under the claims.

Claims

Weaving machine comprising a first machine device (8), a second machine device (11), wherein the second machine device (11) comprises a beat-up device (2), which beat-up device (2) is driven by a drive motor (33), a first lubricating system (6), wherein the first lubricating system (6) supplies a first lubricating fluid (7) to elements (44) of the first machine device (8) and the first lubricating system (6) comprises a first pump (12) for the first lubricating fluid (7), wherein the weaving machine comprises at least one second lubricating system (9), wherein the at least one second lubricating system (9) supplies a second lubricating fluid (10) to elements (45) of the second machine device (11), wherein the weaving machine further comprises a device arranged to exchange heat between the first lubricating fluid and the second lubricating fluid, characterised in that the second lubricating system (9) is also used for cooling the drive motor (33) driving the beat-up device (2), and the at least one second lubricating system (9) comprises a second pump (18) for the second lubricating fluid (10), and in that said device (24) which is arranged to exchange heat comprises a heat exchanger (25) with a partition (26) that is arranged between the lubricating fluid (7) of the first lubricating system (6) and the lubricating fluid (10) of the second lubricating system (9).
Weaving machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the first machine device (8) comprises a shed forming device (1).
Weaving machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the second machine device (11) comprises at least one further device selected from a group comprising a warp beam device (3), a cloth beam device (4) and/or a selvage tucking-in device (5).
Weaving machine according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the heat exchanger (25) comprises a first inlet (27) and a first outlet (28) for the lubricating fluid (7) of the first lubricating system (6) and a second inlet (29) and a second outlet (30) for the lubricating fluid (10) of the second lubricating system (9).
Weaving machine according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the weaving machine comprises a cooling system (34, 47, 48) arranged to cool the lubricating fluid (7, 10) of at least one of the first and the second lubricating system (6, 9) .
Weaving machine according to claim 5, characterised in that the cooling system (34, 47) is arranged to cool the first lubricating fluid (7) of the first lubricating system (6).
Weaving machine according any of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the weaving machine comprises a heat source (35) arranged to heat the lubricating fluid (7, 10) of at least one of the first or second lubricating system (6, 9).
Weaving machine according to claim 7, characterised in that the heat source (35) is arranged to heat the second lubricating fluid (10) of the second lubricating system (9).
Weaving machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the first pump (12) for lubricating fluid (7) and the second pump (18) for lubricating fluid (10) are driven by a same drive motor (31).
Weaving machine according to claim 9, characterised in that drive motor (31) is a controllable drive motor.
Method for lubricating a weaving machine, that comprises a first machine device (8), a second machine device (11), wherein the second machine device (11) comprises a beat-up device (2), which beat-up device (2) is driven by a drive motor (33), a first lubricating system (6) with a first pump (12) and a second lubricating system (9) with a second pump (18), wherein the first lubricating system (6) supplies a first lubricating fluid (7) to elements (44) of the first machine device (8) and the second lubricating system (9) supplies a second lubricating fluid (10) to elements (45) of the second machine device (11), wherein the second lubricating system (9) is also used for cooling the drive motor (33) driving the beat-up device (2), wherein the method comprises the exchanging of heat between the first lubricating fluid (7) and the second lubricating fluid (10) by means of a heat exchanger (25) with a partition (26) that is arranged between the lubricating fluid (7) of the first lubricating system (6) and the lubricating fluid (10) of the second lubricating system (9).
Method according to claim 11, characterised in that the first machine device (8) comprises a shed forming device.
Method according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that the second machine device (11) comprises at least one further device selected from a group comprising a beat-up device (2), a warp beam device (3), a cloth beam device (4) and/or a selvage tucking-in device (5).