EP3000757A1

EP3000757A1 - Yarn winding device, yarn joining method, and yarn joining unit

Info

Publication number: EP3000757A1
Application number: EP15180338.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hiroshi Mima
Original assignee: Murata Machinery Ltd
Current assignee: Murata Machinery Ltd
Priority date: 2014-08-29
Filing date: 2015-08-10
Publication date: 2016-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2035-08-10
Also published as: CN106185471A; JP2016050059A; EP3000757B1; CN106185471B

Abstract

In a yarn defect removing operation for removing a yarn defect, a yarn stored in a yarn storage section is first pulled out towards a yarn supplying section and sucked and held with a lower air sucker (S201). Next, the lower air sucker is retracted (S202), and a lift lever is swung to lift up the yarn (S203). Then, a yarn is introduced to a yarn joining device by a yarn moving lever (S204). Thus, a yarn portion on a yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and a yarn portion on a yarn storage section side of the yarn defect are introduced to the yarn joining device in a state connected to each other. The yarn defect is removed by cutting the introduced yarn by a cutter of the yarn joining device (S205).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a yarn winding device adapted to wind a yarn unwound from a yarn supplying bobbin to form a package, a yarn joining method for carrying out a yarn joining operation in the yarn winding device, and a yarn joining unit for carrying out the yarn joining operation in the yarn winding device and the like.

2. Description of the Related Art

An automatic winder described in WO 2011/040544 A1 is configured by arranging a plurality of yarn winding devices. In each yarn winding device, when a yarn defect is detected by a yarn clearer, the yarn is cut by a cutter arranged in the yarn clearer. Thereafter, the yarn stored in an accumulator is pulled out, the pulled-out yarn is caught by an upper side relay pipe and guided to a yarn joining execution section of the yarn joining section. The yarn (yarn from a yarn supplying section side) located at the periphery of a yarn detecting section is caught by a lower side relay pipe and guided to the yarn joining execution section of the yarn joining section. The two yarns guided to the yarn joining execution section are then joined. In WO 2011/040544 A1 , the yarn from the yarn supplying section side and the yarn from the accumulator side (winding section side) can be joined after removing the yarn defect.
As described above, in WO 2011/040544 A1 , the yarn is cut when the yarn defect is detected, and thereafter, the yarn from the accumulator side is caught by the upper side relay pipe and guided to the yarn joining execution section of the yarn joining section, and the yarn from the yarn supplying section side is caught by the lower side relay pipe and guided to the yarn joining execution section. In this case, however, the catching of the yarn pulled out from the accumulator side by the upper side relay pipe and the catching of the yarn from the yarn supplying section side by the lower side relay pipe tend to fail. As a result, the time required for the yarn joining operation tends to become long such that the operation needs to be repeatedly performed a number of times until the catching of the yarn by the upper side and lower side relay pipe is successful.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a yarn winding device, a yarn winding method, and a yarn joining unit that can reduce the time required for the yarn joining operation when removing the yarn defect.
A yarn winding device of the present invention includes a yarn supplying section including a bobbin supporting section adapted to support a yarn supplying bobbin; a winding section adapted to wind a yarn unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin to form a package; a yarn joining section adapted to join a yarn from a yarn supplying section side and a yarn from a winding section side; a yarn introducing section adapted to introduce the yarn from the yarn supplying section side and the yarn from the winding section side to the yarn joining section; a yarn cutting section provided in the yarn joining section, and adapted to cut each of the yarn from the yarn supplying section side and the yarn from the winding section side introduced to the yarn joining section to remove an unnecessary portion of the yarn from the yarn supplying section side and of the yarn from the winding section side; a yarn defect detecting section provided between the yarn supplying section and the winding section and adapted to detect a yarn defect; and a control section adapted to, when the yarn defect is detected by the yarn defect detecting section, cause the yarn introducing section to introduce a yarn portion on a yarn supplying section side than the yarn defect and a yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect to the yarn joining section in a state connected to each other, cause the yarn cutting section to cut each of the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect introduced to the yarn joining section to remove the yarn defect, and cause the yarn joining section to join the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn from which the yarn defect is removed.
When the yarn with the yarn defect is cut and then the yarn from the yarn supplying section side and the yarn from the winding section side are introduced to the yarn joining section to carry out the yarn joining operation, introduction of the yarn to the yarn joining section tends to easily fail, for example, the catching of the yarn end may fail. As a result, the operation for the yarn joining operation may need to be repeated a number of times. In the present invention, the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect are introduced to the yarn joining section in a state connected to each other, and thereafter, the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect are cut to remove the yarn defect. Therefore, compared to the case described above, the introduction of the yarn to the yarn joining section is less likely to fail, and the time required for the yarn joining operation can be reduced.
The yarn winding device of the present invention further includes a yarn storage section provided between the yarn joining section and the winding section, and adapted to store a yarn unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin, wherein the winding section pulls out and winds the yarn stored in the yarn storage section.
According to the present invention, by providing the yarn storage section, the winding of the yarn by the winding section can be continued even during the yarn joining operation. Furthermore, a sufficient amount of yarn to continue the winding of the yarn by the winding section during the yarn joining operation needs to be stored in the yarn storage section. However, if the amount of yarn to be stored in the yarn storage section is increased, the yarn storage section may need to be enlarged. If the amount of yarn to be stored in the yarn storage section is large, the yarn stored in the yarn storage section may be discarded in a great amount when trouble arises in the yarn storage section, and the like. In the present invention, the introduction of the yarn to the yarn joining section is less likely to fail and the time required for the yarn joining operation can be reduced, so that the amount of yarn to be stored in the yarn storage section can be reduced.
In the yarn winding device of the present invention, the yarn storage section is configured to selectively carry out unwinding and storing of the yarn from the yarn supplying bobbin and returning of the stored yarn towards the yarn supplying section, the control section causes, when the yarn defect is detected by the yarn defect detecting section, the yarn storage section to stop the unwinding of the yarn from the yarn supplying bobbin, and return the stored yarn towards the yarn supplying section by a length by which the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect are introduced to the yarn joining section.
According to the present invention, since the yarn stored in the yarn storage section is returned towards the yarn supplying section by a length by which the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect are introduced to the yarn joining section, the yarn is introduced to the yarn joining section by the yarn introducing section, and the yarn is cut by the yarn cutting section so as to remove the yarn defect.
The yarn winding device of the present invention further includes a yarn catching section arranged on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn joining section and adapted to catch the yarn returned from the yarn storage section; wherein the control section returns the yarn stored in the yarn storage section towards the yarn supplying section until the yarn defect is caught by the yarn catching section.
According to the present invention, the yarn stored in the yarn storage section is returned towards the yarn supplying section by the length by which the yarn defect can be caught by the yarn catching section, so that the yarn stored in the yarn storage section can be reliably returned towards the yarn supplying section by a length by which the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect are introduced to the yarn joining section.
In the yarn winding device of the present invention, the yarn defect detecting section is arranged between the yarn storage section and the yarn catching section.
According to the present invention, the yarn defect is introduced to the yarn defect detecting section while the yarn is returned from the yarn storage section towards the yarn supplying section and the yarn defect is caught by the yarn catching section. Thus, the yarn defect detecting section can also be used to check if the yarn defect is returned.
In the yarn winding device of the present invention, the yarn introducing section includes a lift lever adapted to move the yarn portion located on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn joining section towards the winding section side of the yarn joining section, and a yarn moving lever adapted to move the yarn in a state moved by the lift lever towards the yarn joining section to introduce the yarn to the yarn joining section.
According to the present invention, the yarn portion located on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn joining section is moved towards the winding section side of the yarn joining section by the lift lever, and thereafter, the yarn is introduced to the yarn joining section by the yarn moving lever, so that the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect can be introduced to the yarn joining section in a state connected to each other.
The yarn winding device of the present invention further includes a yarn pull-out section adapted to pull out the yarn returned from the yarn storage section towards the yarn supplying section.
According to the present invention, the yarn returned from the yarn storage section towards the yarn supplying section can be reliably pulled out towards the yarn supplying section.
The yarn winding device of the present invention further includes a yarn detecting section adapted to detect running out of the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin; and a yarn passing section adapted to pass the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin to the yarn introducing section, wherein the control section causes, when the running out of the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin is detected by the yarn detecting section, the yarn passing section to pass the yarn of the newly supplied yarn supplying bobbin to the yarn introducing section, the yarn introducing section to introduce the yarn from the winding section side and the yarn from the yarn supplying section side passed from the yarn passing section to the yarn joining section, and the yarn joining section to join the introduced yarns.
According to the present invention, when the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin runs out, the yarn from the winding section side and the yarn of the newly supplied yarn supplying bobbin are joined, so that the formation of the package can be continued. In the present invention, the yarn of the newly supplied yarn supplying bobbin is passed to the yarn introducing section by the yarn passing section, and the yarn from the winding section side and the yarn from the yarn supplying section side passed from the yarn passing section are introduced to the yarn joining section by the yarn introducing section. Thus, using the yarn introducing section for yarn introducing the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect in a state connected to each other, the yarn from the yarn supplying section side and the yarn from the winding section side that are not connected to each other can be introduced to the yarn joining section at the time of replacement of the yarn supplying bobbin.
In the yarn winding device of the present invention, the yarn supplying section includes a bobbin replacing section adapted to replace the yarn supplying bobbin; the bobbin replacing section includes a plurality of the bobbin supporting sections, and a moving section adapted to move the plurality of bobbin supporting sections to selectively locate one bobbin supporting section of the plurality of bobbin supporting sections at an unwinding position where the yarn is unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin and locate the remaining bobbin supporting sections at positions away from the unwinding position, and the control section causes, when the running out of the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin is detected by the yarn detecting section, the moving section to move the bobbin supporting section located at the unwinding position to a position away from the unwinding position, and move the bobbin supporting section supporting the yarn supplying bobbin around which the yarn is wound to the unwinding position, and the yarn passing section to pass the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin around which the yarn is wound to the yarn introducing section.
According to the present invention, when the yarn supplying bobbin runs out, the moving section moves the bobbin supporting section supporting the yarn supplying bobbin from which the yarn has been unwound from the unwinding position to the position away from the unwinding position, and moves the bobbin supporting section newly supplied with the yarn supplying bobbin to the unwinding position, so that the yarn supplying bobbin can be promptly replaced.
In the yarn winding device of the present invention, the moving section is a turn table configured to be rotatable with a rotation shaft parallel to an axis direction of the yarn supplying bobbin supported by the bobbin supporting section as a center, and the plurality of bobbin supporting sections are arranged along a peripheral direction of the turn table.
According to the present invention, when the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin runs out, the turn table is rotated so that the yarn supplying bobbin can be promptly replaced.
A yarn joining method of the present invention is a yarn joining method for carrying out a yarn joining operation in a yarn winding device including a yarn supplying section including a bobbin supporting section adapted to support a yarn supplying bobbin, a winding section adapted to wind a yarn unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin to form a package, and a yarn joining section provided between the yarn supplying section and the winding section and adapted to join a yarn from a yarn supplying section side and a yarn from a winding section side, the yarn joining method including: introducing a yarn to the yarn joining section with a yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of a yarn defect and a yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect connected to each other; cutting each of the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect introduced to the yarn joining section to remove the yarn defect; and joining the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the cut yarn.
A yarn joining unit of the present invention includes a yarn joining section adapted to carry out a yarn joining operation; a yarn introducing section adapted to introduce a yarn to the yarn joining section; a yarn cutting section provided in the yarn joining section and adapted to cut the introduced yarn to remove an unnecessary portion of the yarn; and a control section adapted to cause the yarn introducing section to introduce two yarn portions located on both sides of the yarn defect to the yarn joining section in a state connected to each other, cause the yarn cutting section to cut the two introduced yarn portions to remove the yarn defect, and cause the yarn joining section to join the two cut yarn portions
When the yarn with the yarn defect is cut, and then the yarn from the yarn supplying section side and the yarn from the winding section side are introduced to the yarn joining section to carry out the yarn joining operation, introduction of the yarn to the yarn joining section tends to easily fail, for example, the catching of the yarn end may fail. As a result, the operation for the yarn joining operation may need to be repeated a number of times. In the present invention, the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect are introduced to the yarn joining section in a state connected to each other, and thereafter, the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect are cut to remove the yarn defect. Therefore, compared to the case described above, the introduction of the yarn to the yarn joining section is less likely to fail, and the time required for the yarn joining operation can be reduced.
In the yarn joining unit of the present invention, the yarn introducing section is configured to introduce each of the two unconnected yarns to the yarn joining section.
Thus, according to the present invention, using the yarn introducing section for introducing the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect and the yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect in a state connected to each other, the yarn from the yarn supplying section side and the yarn from the winding section side that are not connected to each other can be introduced to the yarn joining section at the time of replacement of the yarn supplying bobbin.
According to the present invention, when carrying out the yarn joining operation after removing the yarn defect, the introduction of the yarn to the yarn joining section is less likely to fail, and the time required for the yarn joining operation can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a schematic configuration of a winding unit;
FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1 seen from a direction of an arrow II;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of a yarn winding device;
FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of a portion in proximity to a turn table of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4B is a plan view of the turn table;
FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating a structure of a yarn storage section;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for describing an operation of the winding unit;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of the yarn defect removing operation;
FIGS. 8A and 8B are views illustrating a yarn processing section and a peripheral portion thereof when seen from a direction of FIG. 2 in a middle of the yarn defect removing operation, where FIG. 8A illustrates a state where the yarn is pulled out from the yarn storage section in the yarn defect removing operation, and FIG. 8B illustrates a state where the lower air sucker is retracted;
FIGS. 9A and 9B are views illustrating the yarn processing section and the peripheral portion thereof when the yarn is lifted up by the lift lever in the yarn defect removing operation, where FIG. 9A is a view seen from the direction of FIG. 1, and FIG. 9B is a view seen from the direction of FIG. 2;
FIGS. 10A and 10B are views illustrating the yarn processing section and the peripheral portion thereof when the yarn is introduced to the yarn joining device by the yarn moving lever in the yarn defect removing operation, where FIG. 10A is a view seen from the direction of FIG. 1, and FIG. 10B is a view seen from the direction of FIG. 2;
FIGS. 11A and 11B are views illustrating the yarn processing section and the peripheral portion thereof after the yarn is cut by a cutter in the yarn defect removing operation, where FIG. 11A is a view seen from the direction of FIG. 1, and FIG. 11B is a view seen from the direction of FIG. 2;
FIGS. 12A and 12B are views illustrating the yarn processing section and the peripheral portion thereof after the untwisted yarn portion is pulled out from the untwisting nozzle by the yarn pull-out lever, where FIG. 12A is a view seen from the direction of FIG. 1, and FIG. 12B is a view seen from the direction of FIG. 2;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of the bobbin replacing operation;
FIGS. 14A and 14B are views illustrating the yarn processing section and the peripheral portion thereof when seen from the direction of FIG. 1 in the middle of the bobbin replacing operation, where FIG. 14A illustrates a state where the yarn supplying bobbin is moved and the yarn is brought close to the lift lever by a yarn passing lever, and FIG. 14B illustrates a state where the yarn is lifted up by the lift lever;
FIGS. 15A and 15B are views illustrating the yarn processing section and the peripheral portion thereof when seen from the direction of FIG. 1 in the middle of the bobbin replacing operation, where FIG. 15A illustrates a state where the yarn is introduced to the yarn joining device by the yarn moving lever, and FIG. 15B illustrates a state where the yarn is lifted up by the lift lever after the yarn from the yarn supplying section side is cut by the cutter; and
FIG. 16 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 according to one alternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described.
A winding unit 1 ("yarn winding device" of the present invention") according to the present embodiment forms an automatic winder by being arranged in a left and right direction of FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, the winding unit 1 includes a yarn supplying section 11, a yarn storage section 12, a winding section 13, and a yarn processing section 14. In FIG. 1, the illustration of a magazine device 23, a guide chute 24, and the like, to be described later, is omitted. In FIG. 2, the illustration of a yarn passing lever (yarn passing section) 68, a lead-out nozzle 69, and the like, to be described later, are omitted. Hereinafter, the left and right direction of FIG. 1 is referred to as "left and right direction", where the left side and the right side in FIG. 1 are respectively referred to as "left side" and "right side". Furthermore, a perpendicular direction in a plane of drawing of FIG. 1 is referred to as "front and back direction", where the front side and the rear side in the perpendicular direction in the plane of drawing of FIG. 1 are respectively referred to as "front side" and "rear side". Furthermore, the up and down direction of FIG. 1 is referred to as "up and down direction", where the upper side and the lower side in FIG. 1 are respectively referred to as "upper side" and "lower side".
The yarn supplying section 11 includes a turn table 21 ("moving section" of the present invention), three pegs 22 ("bobbin supporting section" of the present invention), the magazine device 23, the guide chute 24, and an unwinding assisting device 26.
The turn table 21 is a circular plate-shaped member. The turn table 21 can be rotated with a rotation shaft 21a extending in the up and down direction as a center by a turn table drive motor 19a. The three pegs 22 are provided at portions spaced apart by about 120 degrees with the rotation shaft 21a as the center on the upper surface of the turn table 21. When the turn table 21 is rotated, the three pegs 22 rotate integrally with the turn table 21 with the rotation shaft 21a as the center, and the positions thereof are changed. The peg 22 is fixed in an upright state. Alternatively, the peg 22 may be swung in the front and back direction. In this case, when a yarn supplying bobbin B is supplied from the magazine device 23, to be described later, the distal end portion thereof is in a posture tilted to be directed towards the guide chute 24 (front side) and is in an upright posture during the winding of the yarn Y.
In the winding unit 1, the yarn Y is unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin B supported by the peg 22 (position of the peg 22 is hereinafter referred to as "unwinding position") located on the most rear side of FIG. 4B of the three pegs 22. As will be described later, the yarn supplying bobbin B is supplied from the magazine device 23 to the peg 22 (position of the peg 22 is hereinafter referred to as "supplying position") located on the most left side of FIG. 4B of the three pegs 22. Furthermore, when the yarn supplying bobbin B is replaced, as will be described later, the yarn supplying bobbin B, around which the yarn Y is no longer wound, is supported by the peg 22 (position of the peg 22 is hereinafter referred to as "discharging position") located on the most right side of FIG. 4B of the three pegs 22. The yarn supplying bobbin B supported by the peg 22 located at the discharging position is collected by an operator. Alternatively, the yarn supplying section 11 may be provided with a flip-up plate for flipping up the peg 22, and the yarn supplying bobbin B may be discharged by flipping up the peg 22 located at the discharging position by the flip-up plate.
In the present embodiment, the turn table 21 and the three pegs 22 are combined to correspond to a bobbin replacing section according to the present invention.
The magazine device 23 is provided with a plurality of bobbin accommodation holes 23a arranged in a peripheral direction and adapted to accommodate the yarn supplying bobbin B. A bobbin receiving plate 31 adapted to receive the plurality of yarn supplying bobbins B accommodated in the plurality of bobbin accommodation holes 23a is provided on the lower side of the magazine device 23. The bobbin receiving plate 31 includes a cutout 31a.
The magazine device 23 can be swung with a swing shaft 23b as a center by a magazine drive motor 19b. When a certain bobbin accommodation hole 23a is positioned above the cutout 31a, the yarn supplying bobbin B accommodated in the bobbin accommodation hole 23a is dropped to the guide chute 24 through the cutout 31a. The guide chute 24 guides the yarn supplying bobbin B dropped from the magazine device 23 to the peg 22 located at the supplying position.
The unwinding assisting device 26 includes an upper balloon regulating device 36, and a lower balloon regulating device 37. The upper balloon regulating device 36 includes a plurality of balloon hold-down members 36a arranged to surround the portion on the upper side of the yarn supplying bobbin B supported by the peg 22 located at the unwinding position. The lower balloon regulating device 37 includes a plurality of balloon hold-down members 37a arranged on a lower side of the upper balloon regulating device 36 and arranged to surround the portion at the central portion in a height direction of the yarn supplying bobbin B supported by the peg 22 located at the unwinding position.
The plurality of balloon hold-down members 36a and the plurality of balloon hold-down members 37a are driven by an unwinding assisting device drive section 18a so as to be moved in a radial direction of the yarn supplying bobbin B. In a state where the remaining amount of the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin B is large (e.g., greater than or equal to half of the fully-wound state), the plurality of balloon hold-down members 36a are moved towards the radially inner side of the yarn supplying bobbin B and brought close to the yarn supplying bobbin B. Thus, the yarn Y unwound from the portion on the upper side of the yarn supplying bobbin B makes contact with the balloon hold-down member 36a, and a so-called balloon that occurs when the unwound yarn bulges out towards the radially outer side of the yarn supplying bobbin B is suppressed. In a state where the remaining amount of the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin B is small (e. g. , less than half of the fully-wound state), the plurality of balloon hold-down members 37a are moved towards the radially inner side of the yarn supplying bobbin B and brought close to the yarn supplying bobbin B with the plurality of balloon hold-down members 36a located on the radially inner side of the yarn supplying bobbin B. Thus, the yarn Y unwound from the portion on the lower side of the yarn supplying bobbin B makes contact with the balloon hold-down member 37a, and the balloon of the unwound yarn Y is suppressed.
The yarn storage section 12 is arranged on an upper side (downstream of yarn path) of the yarn supplying section 11. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the yarn storage section 12 includes a yarn storage body 41 and a winding arm 42.
The yarn storage body 41 is formed in a column shape such that the diameter becomes smaller towards the upper side. Grooves 41b extending parallel to an axis 41a are formed at equal intervals in the peripheral direction on the outer peripheral surface of the yarn storage body 41. An output shaft 43 extending in the up and down direction is provided at a portion located concentrically to the axis 41a on a lower side of the yarn storage body 41. The yarn storage body 41 is supported by a bearing 44 at an upper end portion of the output shaft 43. The yarn storage body 41 is supported from below by a supporting body 45.
The winding arm 42 is provided with a yarn path 42a through which the yarn can travel, and is coupled to the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 43. The winding arm 42 linearly extends from the outer peripheral surface of the output shaft 43 towards the radially outer side, and is curved at the distal end portion, so that the opening of the yarn path 42a at the distal end portion faces the outer peripheral surface of the lower end portion of the yarn storage body 41.
A yarn path 43a extending in the up and down direction is formed inside the output shaft 43. The yarn path 43a is opened at the lower end portion, and connected to the yarn path 42a of the winding arm 42 at the upper end portion. An upper air sucker 46 ("pull-out section" of the present invention) is attached to the lower end portion of the output shaft 43. A yarn path 46a and an injection path 46b are formed inside the upper air sucker 46. The yarn path 46a extends in the up and down direction and is opened at both upper and lower end portions, and is connected to the yarn path 43a at the upper end portion. The injection path 46b is connected to a middle portion of the yarn path 46a, and is inclined with respect to the up and down direction so as to be located on the lower side as the injection path 46b comes closer to the connecting portion with the yarn path 46a. The injection path 46b is connected to a pressure air source 48 via an electromagnetic valve 47. When the electromagnetic valve 47 is opened, compressed air of the pressure air source 48 flows into the yarn path 46a from the injection path 46b, and a downward airflow is generated in the yarn path 46a.
The output shaft 43 is attached to a winding arm drive motor 19c, and can be rotated by the winding arm drive motor 19c. In the present embodiment, the yarn Y unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin B in advance is inserted to the yarn path 43a from the lower side, and pulled out towards the yarn storage body 41 through the yarn path 43a and the yarn path 42a. Furthermore, the yarn Y pulled out towards the yarn storage body 41 is wound around the yarn storage body 41 in a clockwise direction when seen from the upper side. When the output shaft 43 is rotated in the clockwise direction when seen from the upper side in this state, the winding arm 42 is also rotated in the clockwise direction when seen from the upper side. The yarn Y is thereby wound around the outer peripheral surface of the lower end portion of the yarn storage body 41. The yarn storage body 41 is a tubular body in which the outer periphery becomes narrower towards the upper side, and thus the yarn Y wound around the yarn storage body 41 is fed towards the upper side along the outer peripheral surface of the yarn storage body 41. The yarn Y unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin B is thereby stored in the yarn storage body 41.
When the output shaft 43 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction when seen from the upper side, the winding arm 42 is also rotated in the counterclockwise direction when seen from the upper side. The yarn Y wound around the yarn storage body 41 is thereby unwound from the yarn storage body 41 and returned towards the yarn supplying section 11. In this case, in the present embodiment, the electromagnetic valve 47 is opened as described above, so that the downward airflow is generated in the yarn path 46a. Thus, the yarn Y returned from the yarn storage body 41 can be reliably pulled out towards the yarn supplying section 11.
The winding section 13 includes a cradle 51 with a pair of cradle arms adapted to rotatably and removably support a winding tube 50, and a traverse drum 52 adapted to make contact with a surface of the winding tube 50 supported by the cradle 51 or a surface of a package P formed on the winding tube 50. The winding section 13 rotatably drives the traverse drum 52 by a traverse drum drive motor 19d with the traverse drum 52 making contact with the winding tube 50 (or surface of the package P) so that the winding tube 50 rotates accompanying the rotation of the traverse drum 52. Thus, the yarn Y wound around the yarn storage body 41 is unwound, and the unwound yarn Y is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the winding tube 50. A traverse groove 52a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the traverse drum 52. The yarn Y is wound around the winding tube 50 while being traversed.
A yarn guide 56 and a tension applying device 57 are provided between the yarn storage section 12 and the winding section 13. The yarn Y unwound from the yarn storage body 41 is hooked to the yarn guide 56, and then fed to the winding section 13 after tension is applied by the tension applying device 57.
The yarn processing section 14 includes a yarn detecting section 61, a yarn clearer 62 ("yarn defect detecting section" of the present invention), a yarn joining device 63, a lower air sucker 64, a yarn guide 65, a lift lever 66, two yarn moving levers 67a, 67b, a yarn passing lever 68, the lead-out nozzle 69, and two yarn pull-out levers 70a, 70b.
The yarn detecting section 61 is arranged substantially immediately above (downstream of the yarn path) of the yarn supplying bobbin B supported by the peg 22 located at the unwinding position, and is adapted to detect presence or absence of the travelling yarn Y. The yarn detecting section 61 includes a plurality of (e. g. , three) yarn sensors 61a that is arranged along a peripheral direction of the yarn supplying bobbin B supported by the peg 22 located at the unwinding position, and that can detect presence or absence of the yarn. The yarn detecting section 61 determines that the travelling yarn is present if the yarn Y is detected in at least one yarn sensor 61a, and determines that the travelling yarn Y is not present if the yarn Y is not detected in all the yarn sensors 61a. Thus, erroneous determination that the travelling yarn Y is not present can be prevented from being made such as when the yarn Y is swung and the yarn Y cannot be detected by some yarn sensors 61a. Furthermore, since the presence or the absence of the travelling yarn can be detected depending on whether or not the yarn Y is not detected in all the yarn sensors 61a in the yarn detecting section 61, when there is no yarn Y around the yarn supplying bobbin B, for example, this can be immediately detected. Thus, the yarn end of the yarn Y unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin B can be prevented from getting involved in the yarn storage body 41, and the yarn Y can be easily caught during the replacement of the yarn supplying bobbin B, to be described later.
The yarn clearer 62 is arranged immediately below the upper air sucker 46. The yarn clearer 62 detects a yarn defect such as slub, and the presence or the absence of the yarn Y. As opposed to the WO 2011/040544 A1 and the like, the yarn clearer 62 of the present embodiment may not include the cutter for cutting the yarn.
The yarn joining device 63 is arranged below the yarn clearer 62. As will be described later, the yarn joining device 63 joins the yarn from the yarn supplying side and the yarn from the winding side when the yarn clearer 62 detects the yarn defect and the yarn defect is to be removed, when the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin B runs out and the yarn supplying bobbin B is to be replaced, and the like.
The yarn joining device 63 is a so-called air splicer, and includes a lower yarn untwisting nozzle 71, an upper yarn untwisting nozzle 72, a yarn joining hole 73, an upper yarn clamp 74, a lower yarn clamp 75, a lower yarn cutter 76, and an upper yarn cutter 77. The yarn joining device 63 is driven by a yarn joining device drive section 18b. In the present embodiment, the lower yarn cutter 76 and the upper yarn cutter 77 are combined to correspond to a "yarn cutting section" of the present invention.
The lower yarn untwisting nozzle 71 is provided at a portion in proximity to the upper left end of the yarn joining device 63. The upper yarn untwisting nozzle 72 is provided at a portion in proximity to the lower right end of the yarn joining device 63. The untwisting nozzles 71, 72 extend in the front and back direction, and are opened at the end on the front side. The untwisting nozzles 71, 72 are connected to a negative pressure source (not illustrated), and adapted to suck the yarn end portion of the yarn Y introduced to the yarn joining device 63 and untwist the sucked yarn end portion.
The yarn joining hole 73 is provided at a central part of the yarn joining device 63, and is opened at both upper and lower ends and at the front side end. An injection port 73a adapted to inject the compressed air towards the yarn joining hole 73 is formed at the portion to become the wall in the left and right direction of the yarn joining hole 73, and when the compressed air is injected from the injection port 73a to the yarn joining hole 73, the whirling airflow for the yarn joining operation is generated in the yarn joining hole 73.
The upper yarn clamp 74 is provided at the upper right end of the yarn joining device 63. The lower yarn clamp 75 is provided at the lower left end of the yarn joining device 63. The clamps 74, 75 are for holding the yarn Y when the yarn Y is introduced to the yarn joining device 63, as will be described later.
The lower yarn cutter 76 is provided at the upper left end of the yarn joining device 63, and is located on the upper side of the lower yarn clamp 75. The lower yarn cutter 76 cuts the yarn Y at the portion located above the portion held by the lower yarn clamp 75 to remove the unnecessary portion of the yarn Y. The upper yarn cutter 77 is provided at the lower right end of the yarn joining device 63, and is located on the lower side of the upper yarn clamp 74. The upper yarn cutter 77 cuts the yarn Y at the portion located below the portion held by the upper yarn clamp 74 to remove the unnecessary portion of the yarn Y.
The lower air sucker 64 is provided between the yarn detecting section 61 and the yarn joining device 63. An internal space 64a extending in the front and back direction and opened at the end on the front side is formed inside the lower air sucker 64. The lower air sucker 64 is connected to the negative pressure source (not illustrated) to be able to suck and catch the yarn Y. The lower air sucker 64 is driven by a lower air sucker drive section 18c to be able to move in the front and back direction. The yarn guide 65 is arranged immediately below the lower air sucker 64. The yarn Y unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin B and passed through the yarn detecting section 61 is hooked to the yarn guide 65, and then fed towards the upper side.
The lift lever 66 is provided on the right side of the yarn clearer 62. The lift lever 66 can be swung with a swing shaft 66a extending in the front and back direction as a center by a lift lever drive motor 19e. Except for when the yarn joining operation is carried out, as will be described later, the lift lever 66 extends over a range where the yarn joining device 63, the lower air sucker 64, and the yarn guide 65 are arranged below the portion attached to the swing shaft 66a. As will be described later, the lift lever 66 is for lifting the yarn Y when the yarn joining operation is carried out.
The two yarn moving levers 67a, 67b are arranged on the left side of the yarn joining device 63, and attached to a swing shaft 67c extending in the up and down direction. The yarn moving lever 67a is located above the yarn joining device 63. The yarn moving lever 67b is located below the yarn joining device 63. Except for when the yarn joining operation is carried out, as will be described later, the yarn moving lever 67a and the yarn moving lever 67b extend parallel to each other towards the front side from the portion attached to the swing shaft 67c. Furthermore, the swing shaft 67c to which the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b are attached is swung by the yarn moving lever drive motor 19f. When the swing shaft 67c is swung, the yarn moving levers 67a and 67b are integrally swung with the swing shaft 67c as the center. The yarn moving levers 67a, 67b can introduce the yarn Y lifted by the lift lever 66 to the yarn joining device 63, as will be described later.
In the present embodiment, the lift lever 66 and the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b are combined to correspond to a yarn introducing section according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the yarn joining device 63, the lower air sucker 64, the lift lever 66, and the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b are combined to correspond to a yarn joining unit according to the present invention.
The yarn passing lever 68 is arranged on the left side of the lower air sucker 64 and the yarn guide 65. The yarn passing lever 68 can be swung with a swing shaft 68a extending in the front and back direction as a center by a yarn passing lever drive motor 19g. Furthermore, except for when the yarn supplying bobbin B is replaced, as will be described later, the yarn passing lever 68 extends towards the upper left side from the portion attached to the swing shaft 68a. The lead-out nozzle 69 is arranged on the left side of the yarn passing lever 68. An internal space 69a extending in the front and back direction and opened at the end on the front side is formed inside the lead-out nozzle 69. The internal space 69a is connected to the negative pressure source (not illustrated) so that the yarn Y can be sucked and caught. In the present embodiment, when the yarn supplying bobbin B is supplied from the magazine device 23 to the peg 22 located at the supplying position, the operator hooks the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin B on the yarn passing lever 68, and causes the yarn end of the yarn Y to be sucked and caught by the lead-out nozzle 69.
The two yarn pull-out levers 70a, 70b are arranged on the right side of the yarn joining hole 73, and attached to a swing shaft 70c extending in the up and down direction. The yarn pull-out lever 70a is located above the lower yarn untwisting nozzle 71. The yarn pull-out lever 70b is located below the upper yarn untwisting nozzle 72. Except for when the yarn joining operation is carried out, as will be described later, the yarn pull-out lever 70a and the yarn pull-out lever 70b extend parallel to each other towards the front side from the portion attached to the swing shaft 70c. Furthermore, the swing shaft 70c to which the yarn pull-out levers 70a, 70b are attached is swung by a yarn pull-out lever drive motor 19h. When the swing shaft 70c is swung, the yarn pull-out levers 70a and 70b are integrally swung with the swing shaft 70c as the center. The yarn pull-out lever 70a is for pulling out the untwisted yarn end portion from the lower yarn untwisting nozzle 71, as will be described later. The yarn pull-out lever 70b is for pulling out the untwisted yarn end portion from the upper yarn untwisting nozzle 72, as will be described later.

(Control device)

Next, a description will be made on a control device 10. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the control device 10 is configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit), which is an arithmetic processing unit, a ROM (Read-Only Memory) storing a program executed by the CPU and data used in the program, a RAM (Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing data during execution of the program, and the like. These carry out reception of detection results of the yarn detecting section 61 and the yarn clearer 62, control of the operation of the motors 19a to 19h, the drive sections 18a to 18c, and the electromagnetic valve 47, and the like.

(Operation of winding unit)

Next, a description will be made on the operation of the winding unit 1. As illustrated in FIG. 6, in the winding unit 1, when the power is turned ON and the required yarn hooking and the like are carried out, the winding arm 42 is rotated in the clockwise direction when seen from the upper side, a storing operation of unwinding the yarn Y from the yarn supplying bobbin B supported by the peg 22 located at the unwinding position and storing the unwound yarn Y by winding the unwound yarn Y around the yarn storage body 41, and a winding operation of unwinding the yarn Y stored in the yarn storage body 41 and winding the yarn Y around the winding tube 50 by the winding section 13 are started (S101). While the yarn defect is not detected by the yarn clearer 62 (S102: NO) and the travelling yarn Y is detected by the yarn detecting section 61 (S103: NO), the storing operation and the winding operation are continued.
When the yarn defect is detected by the yarn clearer 62 (S102: YES), the storing operation is stopped (S104), the yarn defect is removed by the yarn defect removing operation, to be described later (S105), and then the storing operation is resumed (S106) and the process returns to S102. When the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin B runs out and the travelling yarn Y is no longer detected by the yarn detecting section 61 (S103: YES), the storing operation (winding of the yarn Y by the winding arm 42) is stopped (S107), the bobbin replacing operation, to be described later, is carried out (S108), and then the storing operation is resumed (S109) and the process returns to S102. The winding operation is continued also during S104 to S106 and during S107 to S109.

(Yarn defect removing operation)

Next, a description will be made on the yarn defect removing operation of S105. As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8A, in the yarn defect removing operation, the yarn Y wound around the yarn storage body 41 is first unwound and pulled out towards the yarn supplying section 11, and the pulled-out yarn Y is sucked and held by the lower air sucker 64 (S201). More specifically, in step S201, the winding arm 42 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction when seen from the upper side, so that the yarn Y wound around the yarn storage body 41 is unwound and returned towards the yarn supplying section 11. Furthermore, the downward airflow is generated in the yarn path 46a of the upper air sucker 46, as described above, to pull out the returned yarn Y towards the yarn supplying section 11. The pulled-out yarn Y is then sucked and held by the lower air sucker 64. In this case, the yarn Y wound around the yarn storage body 41 is unwound by a length of an extent the yarn defect Ya is sucked and caught by the lower air sucker 64. In the present embodiment, the yarn clearer 62 is arranged above the lower air sucker 64. Thus, a yarn defect Ya pulled out from the yarn storage body 41 is introduced to the yarn clearer 62 when being sucked and caught by the lower air sucker 64. Thus, the yarn clearer 62 can also be used to check that the yarn defect Ya has been pulled out.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, the lower air sucker 64 is retracted to the rear side to the position where the lower air sucker 64 does not interfere with the lift lever 66 (S202). As illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the lift lever 66 is then swung by about 90 degrees in the clockwise direction when seen from the direction of FIG. 9A (S203). Thus, the portion of the yarn Y below the yarn joining device 63, which faces the lift lever 66 as a result of S202, is lifted above the yarn joining device 63.
Then, as illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b are swung by about 90 degrees in the counterclockwise direction when seen from the upper side (S204). The yarn portion between the yarn supplying bobbin B and the lift lever 66 ("yarn portion on the yarn supplying section side of the yarn defect" in the present invention) is then held down by the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b, and introduced to the lower yarn clamp 75, the lower yarn cutter 76, and the yarn joining hole 73. The yarn portion between the upper air sucker 46 and the lower air sucker 64 ("yarn portion on the winding section side of the yarn defect" in the present invention) is then held down by the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b, and introduced to the upper yarn clamp 74, the upper yarn cutter 77, and the yarn joining hole 73. Thus, the yarn portion between the yarn supplying bobbin B and the lift lever 66 and the yarn portion between the upper air sucker 46 and the lower air sucker 64 are introduced to the yarn joining device 63 in a state connected to each other.
The yarn Y is then cut in this state by the cutters 76, 77 (S205). Then, as illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, a cut yarn between the portion cut by the lower yarn cutter 76 and the portion cut by the upper yarn cutter 77 in the yarn Y are removed. This cut yarn includes the yarn defect Ya sucked and held by the lower air sucker 64, and thus the yarn defect is removed. The yarn end portion of the yarn Y (lower yarn) from the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn end portion of the yarn Y (upper yarn) from the yarn storage section 12 side (winding section 13 side) of the cut yarn Y are sucked by the lower yarn untwisting nozzle 71 and the upper yarn untwisting nozzle 72, respectively. In FIG. 11A, the yarn portion removed in S205 is indicated with a chain dashed line, for reference. Then, the sucked yarn end portions are untwisted by the untwisting nozzles 71, 72 (S206).
As illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the yarn pull-out levers 70a, 70b are swung to pull out the untwisted yarn end portion from the untwisting nozzles 71, 72 and the yarn end portions are introduced to the yarn joining hole 73 (S207). More specifically, when the yarn pull-out lever 70a is swung, the yarn Y (upper yarn) on the winding section 13 side of the upper yarn untwisting nozzle 72 and the yarn joining hole 73 is held by the yarn pull-out lever 70a, so that the untwisted yarn end portion of the yarn Y (upper yarn) located in the upper yarn untwisting nozzle 72 is pulled out from the upper yarn untwisting nozzle 72 and introduced to the yarn joining hole 73. Similarly, when the yarn pull-out lever 70b is swung, the yarn Y (lower yarn) on the yarn supplying section 11 side of the lower yarn untwisting nozzle 71 and the yarn joining hole 73 is held by the yarn pull-out lever 70b, so that the untwisted yarn end portion of the yarn Y (lower yarn) located in the lower yarn untwisting nozzle 71 is pulled out from the lower yarn untwisting nozzle 71 and introduced to the yarn joining hole 73.
Next, the whirling airflow is generated in the yarn joining hole 73 as described above, so that the yarn joining operation of the yarn end portion from the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn end portion from the yarn storage section 12 side (winding section 13 side), which are cut in S205, untwisted in S206, and pulled out from the untwisting nozzles 71, 72 and introduced to the yarn joining hole 73 in S207 is performed (S208). After the yarn joining operation is completed, the yarn pull-out levers 70a, 70b, the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b, the lift lever 66, and the lower air sucker 64 are returned to their original positions (S209), and the process proceeds to S106.
As opposed to the present invention, for example, as described in WO 2011/040544 A1 , the yarn clearer 62 may include the cutter for cutting the yarn, and when the yarn defect Ya is detected by the yarn clearer 62, the yarn Y may be cut by the cutter, and thereafter, the yarn from the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn from the yarn storage section 12 side may be introduced to the yarn joining device 63 (hereinafter referred to as comparative example). However, in the case of the comparative example, when the yarn from the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn from the yarn storage section 12 side are introduced into the yarn joining device 63, the yarn ends need to be caught, and such catching of the yarn ends may end up unsuccessful. Thus, in the case of the comparative example, the operation for introducing the yarn to the yarn joining device 63 may need to be repeated over a number of times.
On the other hand, in the present embodiment, as described above, the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section 11 side of the yarn defect Ya and the yarn portion on the yarn storage section 12 side (winding section 13 side) of the yarn defect Ya are introduced to the yarn joining device 63 in a state connected to each other, and then the yarn Y may be cut by the cutters 76, 77 to remove the yarn defect Ya. Therefore, the introduction of the yarn Y to the yarn joining device 63 is less likely to fail compared to the comparative example.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the winding operation is continued even while the yarn defect removing operation of S104 is being carried out. Thus, the yarn Y of an amount greater than or equal to the amount to be wound by the winding section 13 needs to be stored on the yarn storage body 41 during the yarn defect removing operation. However, in order to increase the amount of yarn Y stored on the yarn storage body 41, the yarn storage body 41 needs to be enlarged, which leads to enlargement of the device. Furthermore, when some kind of trouble occurs in the yarn storage section 12, the yarn Y stored in the yarn storage body 41 may need to be discarded in the course of solving the trouble. In this case, the amount of yarn Y to be discarded increases if the amount of yarn Y stored on the yarn storage body 41 is large.
In the present embodiment, the introduction of the yarn Y to the yarn joining device 63 is less likely to fail as described above, and thus the time required for the yarn defect removing operation of S104 can be reduced as compared to the comparative example. Therefore, the amount of yarn Y stored on the yarn storage body 41 can be reduced.

(Bobbin replacing operation)

Next, a description will be made on the bobbin replacing operation of S108. As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14A, in the bobbin replacing operation, the yarn end of the yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side is first sucked and caught by the lower air sucker 64 (S301). Then, the turn table 21 is rotated by about 120 degrees in the clockwise direction when seen from the upper side, so that the peg 22 located at the unwinding position is moved to the discharging position (moved away from the unwinding position) and the peg 22 located at the supplying position is moved to the unwinding position (S302). The yarn passing lever 68 is then swung in the clockwise direction when seen from the direction of FIG. 14A (S303) . The yarn portion hooked to the yarn passing lever 68 is then moved towards the right side and brought close to the lift lever 66. Note that S301, S302, and S303 may be carried out in reverse order from that described above, or may be carried out in parallel. Moreover, S302 and S303 may be carried out in reverse order from that described above, or may be carried out in parallel.
As illustrated in FIG. 14B, the lift lever 66 is then swung by about 90 degrees in the clockwise direction when seen from the direction of the figure (S304). Thus, the yarn portion in proximity to the yarn passing lever 68 is lifted above the yarn joining device 63.
Then, as illustrated in FIG. 15A, the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b are swung by about 90 degrees in the clockwise direction when seen from above (S305). The yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side (winding section 13 side) sucked and caught by the lower air sucker 64 is thereby introduced to the upper yarn clamp 74, the upper yarn cutter 77, and the yarn joining hole 73. The yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin B is introduced to the lower yarn clamp 75, the lower yarn cutter 76, and the yarn joining hole 73.
The yarn Y from the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side are cut by the cutters 76, 77, respectively (S306). Then, as illustrated in FIG. 15B, the yarn portion between the lower yarn cutter 76 and the lead-out nozzle 69 of the yarn Y from the yarn supplying section 11 side is removed, and sucked by the lead-out nozzle 69. The yarn end portion of the cut yarn Y (lower yarn) from the yarn supplying section 11 side is sucked by the lower yarn untwisting nozzle 71. The portion between the upper yarn cutter 77 and the lower air sucker 64 of the yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side is removed, and sucked and removed by the lower air sucker 64. The yarn end portion of the cut yarn Y (upper yarn) from the yarn storage section 12 side is sucked by the upper yarn untwisting nozzle 72. Similarly to S206, the sucked yarn end portions are untwisted by the untwisting nozzles 71, 72 (S307).
Similarly to S207, when the yarn pull-out levers 70a, 70b are swung, the untwisted yarn portion in the untwisting nozzles 71, 72 is pulled out and introduced to the yarn joining hole 73 (S308). Similarly to S208, the whirling airflow is generated in the yarn joining hole 73 to perform the yarn joining operation of the yarn Y from the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side (winding section 13 side) (S309) . After the yarn joining operation is completed, the yarn pull-out levers 70a, 70b, the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b, the lift lever 66, and the yarn passing lever 68 are returned to their original positions (S310), and the process proceeds to S109. The yarn passing lever 68 may be returned to the original position at a different timing after S304.
In the present embodiment, as described above, while the yarn Y is unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin B supported by the peg 22 located at the unwinding position, the yarn supplying bobbin B is supplied in advance from the magazine device 23 to the peg 22 located at the supplying position. Then, in the bobbin replacing operation of S108, the turn table 21 is rotated as in S302, so that the peg 22 located at the unwinding position is moved to the discharging position and the peg 22 located at the supplying position is moved to the unwinding position. Thus, the yarn supplying bobbin B can be replaced promptly, and the time after the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin B runs out and the storing operation is stopped until the storing operation is resumed can be reduced.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, as described above, the yarn Y of the newly supplied yarn supplying bobbin B is passed to the lift lever 66 by the yarn passing lever 68, so that the yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side and the yarn Y from the yarn supplying section 11 side passed to the lift lever 66 can be introduced to the yarn joining device 63 using the lift lever 66 and the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b. In other words, in the yarn defect removing operation described above, using the lift lever 66 and the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b for introducing the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section 11 side of the yarn defect Ya and the yarn portion on the yarn storage section 12 side (winding section 13 side) of the yarn defect Ya to the yarn joining device 63 in a state connected to each other, the yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side and the yarn Y from the yarn supplying section 11 side that are not connected to each other can be introduced to the yarn joining device 63 in the bobbin replacing operation.
The detailed description will be omitted herein, but in the winding unit 1, apart from when the yarn defect is removed or when the yarn supplying bobbin B is replaced, yarn breakage in which the yarn Y breaks by its tension may occur. In this case, for example, the yarn Y from the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side are manually introduced to the yarn joining device 63 by the operator. Depending on the position where the yarn breakage of the yarn Y occurred, the yarn Y may be continued to be detected by the yarn detecting section 61 even after the occurrence of yarn breakage, and thus a dedicated sensor is required to be separately provided, for example, to accurately detect the yarn breakage. The frequency of the occurrence of yarn breakage is small compared to the detection of the yarn defect and the replacement of the yarn supplying bobbin B.
Next, a description will be made on an alternative embodiment in which various changes are made on the present embodiment.
In the above-described embodiment, three pegs 22 are provided on the upper surface of the turn table 21, and the peg 22 located at the unwinding position is switched by rotating the turn table 21, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the number of pegs 22 may be two or four or more. Alternatively, a plurality of pegs 22 may be provided on a slider that moves in one direction such as the front and back direction and the left and right direction, and the peg 22 located at the unwinding position may be switched by moving the slider in the one direction.
In the above-described embodiment, the yarn supplying bobbin B is supplied from the magazine device 23 to the peg 22 located at the supplying position, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The yarn supplying bobbin B may be supplied to the peg 22 located at the supplying position by a bobbin supplying device different from the magazine device 23. Alternatively, the operator may manually supply the yarn supplying bobbin B to the peg 22 located at the supplying position.
Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to providing the plurality of pegs 22 in the yarn supplying section 11. For example, only one peg 22 may be provided in the yarn supplying section 11. In this case, for example, the yarn Y is unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin B supported by the peg 22. When the yarn Y of the yarn supplying bobbin B runs out, the yarn supplying bobbin B, from which the yarn Y has run out, is discharged from the peg 22, and thereafter, a new yarn supplying bobbin B is supplied to the peg 22 to replace the yarn supplying bobbin B.
In the above-described embodiment, by providing the yarn passing lever 68, the lift lever 66 and the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b for introducing the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn portion on the yarn storage section 12 side to the yarn joining device 63 in a state connected to each other in the yarn defect removing operation can be used for introducing the yarn Y from the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side that are not connected to each other to the yarn joining device 63 in the bobbin replacing operation, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the yarn passing lever 68 may not be provided, and a mechanism for introducing the yarn Y from the yarn supplying section 11 side and the yarn Y from the yarn storage section 12 side, which are not connected to each other, to the yarn joining device 63 in the bobbin replacing operation may be provided apart from the lift lever 66 and the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b.
In the above-described embodiment, the yarn portion located below the yarn joining device 63 is lifted above the yarn joining device 63 by the lift lever 66, and the yarn Y is introduced to the yarn joining device 63 by the yarn moving levers 67a, 67b in this state, but the present invention is not limited thereto. According to another configuration of introducing the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section 11 side of the yarn defect Ya and the yarn portion on the yarn storage section 12 (winding section 13) side of the yarn defect Ya to the yarn joining device 63 in a state connected to each other, such yarn portions may be introduced to the yarn joining device 63.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the yarn
Y returned from the yarn storage body 41 towards the yarn supplying section 11 is pulled out towards the yarn supplying section 11 by the upper air sucker 46, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in the yarn defect removing operation, the yarn Y is not cut until the yarn Y is introduced to the yarn joining device 63, and thus the yarn Y returned from the yarn storage body 41 towards the yarn supplying section 11 can be pulled out towards the yarn supplying section 11 by simply sucking the yarn Y by the lower air sucker 64. In such a case, the upper air sucker 46 may not be provided.
In the above-described embodiment, the yarn clearer 62 is arranged above (on the yarn storage section 12 side) the lower air sucker 64, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The yarn clearer 62 may be arranged below (on the yarn supplying section 11 side) the lower air sucker 64.
Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the yarn Y stored in the yarn storage body 41 is returned towards the yarn supplying section 11 until the yarn defect is sucked and caught by the lower air sucker 64, but the present invention is not limited thereto. If the yarn defect Ya arrives at the portion of the yarn Y, which is removed when the yarn Y is cut by the cutter 76, 77 in S205, the length of the yarn Y returned from the yarn storage body 41 towards the yarn supplying section 11 may be shorter as compared to the above-described embodiment, and the yarn defect Ya may not reach the lower air sucker 64.
In the above-described embodiment, the yarn storage section 12 winds the yarn Y around the yarn storage body 41 by the winding arm 42, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In one alternative embodiment, a yarn storage section 100 includes a rotary storage drum 101, a yarn guide 102, a yarn guiding member 103, a blow-down nozzle 104, and the like, as illustrated in FIG. 16.
The rotary storage drum 101 is a drum rotated with an axis E as a center by a rotary storage drum motor 106. Tapered portions 101a, 101b in which the diameter becomes smaller towards the end on the opposite side are provided on both ends in an axial direction of the rotary storage drum 101. The portion between the tapered portion 101a and the tapered portion 101b of the rotary storage drum 101 is a straight portion 101c having a substantially constant diameter. The yarn Y supplied from the yarn supplying section 11 side is mainly wound around the straight portion 101c to be stored on the rotary storage drum 101. An annular member 109 made of rubber material and the like is wound around the end on the tapered portion 101b side of the straight portion 101c. The yarn Y unwound from the rotary storage drum 101 is passed through a gap between the straight portion 101c and the annular member 109, and fed towards the winding section 13. Thus, a so-called balloon is suppressed in which the yarn Y unwound from the rotary storage drum 101 and fed towards the winding section 13 bulges out in a radial direction of the rotary storage drum 101 by a centrifugal force.
The yarn guide 102 is arranged on the winding section 13 side (upper right side in the figure) in the axial direction of the rotary storage drum 101, and is located on the axis E of the rotary storage drum 101. The yarn Y unwound from the rotary storage drum 101 and passed through a gap between the straight portion 101c and the annular member 109 is hooked to the yarn guide 102, and then fed from the yarn guide 102 towards the winding section 13.
The yarn guiding member 103 is a linearly extending pipe, and is arranged so that an end (upper left end in FIG. 16) on one side faces the tapered portion 101a. The yarn Y traveled from the yarn supplying section 11 side to the yarn guiding member 103 is guided to the tapered portion 101a by the yarn guiding member 103.
The blow-down nozzle 104 is arranged adjacent to the yarn guiding member 103, and includes a yarn flow path 104a connected to an internal flow path 103a of the yarn guiding member 103, and a blow-down flow path 104b which is connected to the yarn flow path 104a and which extends so as to be inclined with respect to the yarn flow path 104a. The yarn flow path 104a faces the internal flow path 103a at the end on the yarn guiding member 103 side, and extends towards the lower right side from the end on the yarn guiding member 103 side and is curved towards the lower side at the end on the side opposite to the yarn guiding member 103. A pressure air source 108 is connected to the blow-down flow path 104b via an electromagnetic valve 107.
In this alternative embodiment, when the rotary storage drum 101 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction when seen from the tapered portion 101b side in the axial direction, the yarn Y is unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin B. The unwound yarn Y is guided to the tapered portion 101a by the blow-down nozzle 104, the yarn guiding member 103, and the like, and wound around the tapered portion 101a. The yarn Y wound around the tapered portion 101a is moved to the straight portion 101c along the inclination of the outer peripheral surface of the tapered portion 101a. The yarn Y is thus stored in the straight portion 101c.
When the rotary storage drum 101 is rotated in a direction opposite to the winding direction, the yarn Y wound around the rotary storage drum 101 is unwound from the rotary storage drum 101 and returned towards the yarn supplying section 11. Furthermore, in this case, the electromagnetic valve 107 is opened to cause the pressure air of the pressure air source 108 to flow into the yarn flow path 104a through the blow-down flow path 104b, so that the air flow from the yarn guiding member 103 towards the yarn clearer 62 (rotary storage drum 101) is generated in the yarn flow path 104a. Thus, even if the cut yarn is wound around the rotary storage drum 101 by unintended yarn cutting, the yarn end of the wound yarn can be sucked and returned from the rotary storage drum 101. Therefore, the yarn Y returned from the rotary storage drum 101 can be reliably pulled out towards the yarn supplying section 11.
Moreover, in the above-described embodiment, the yarn storage section 12 is provided between the yarn supplying section 11 and the winding section 13, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The yarn storage section 12 may not be provided, and the winding section 13 may unwind the yarn Y from the yarn supplying bobbin B and wind the unwound yarn Y around the winding tube 50 to form the package P. In this case, when the yarn defect Ya is detected by the yarn clearer 62, the winding of the yarn Y by the winding section 13 is stopped and the winding tube 50 is rotated in a reverse direction from the winding direction to return the wound yarn Y towards the yarn supplying section 11. After the yarn defect removing operation is completed, the winding of the yarn Y by the winding section 13 is resumed. When the travelling yarn Y is no longer detected by the yarn detecting section 61, the winding of the yarn Y by the winding section 13 is stopped, and the winding of the yarn Y by the winding section 13 is resumed after the bobbin replacing operation is completed.
In the above-described embodiment, the yarn Y is traversed by being guided by the traverse groove 52a of the traverse drum 52, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the yarn Y may be traversed by a so-called arm-type traverse device including an arm for reciprocating the yarn Y in the axial direction of the winding tube 50.

Claims

A yarn winding device (1) comprising:
a yarn supplying section (11) including a bobbin supporting section (22)adapted to support a yarn supplying bobbin (B);

a winding section (13) adapted to wind a yarn (Y) unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin (B) to form a package (P);

a yarn joining section (63) adapted to join a yarn (Y) from a yarn supplying section (11) side and a yarn (Y) from a winding section (13) side;

a yarn introducing section (66, 67a, 67b) adapted to introduce the yarn (Y) from the yarn supplying section side (11) and the yarn (Y) from the winding section (13) side to the yarn joining section (63);

a yarn cutting section (76, 77) provided in the yarn joining section (63), and adapted to cut each of the yarn (Y) from the yarn supplying section (11) side and the yarn from the winding section (13) side introduced to the yarn joining section (63) to remove an unnecessary portion of the yarn (Y) from the yarn supplying section (11) side and the yarn from the winding section (13) side;

a yarn defect detecting section (62) provided between the yarn supplying section (11) and the winding section (13) and adapted to detect a yarn defect (Ya); characterized by

a control section (10) adapted to, when the yarn defect (Ya) is detected by the yarn defect detecting section (62),

cause the yarn introducing section (66, 67a, 67b) to introduce a yarn portion on a yarn supplying section (11) side of the yarn defect (Ya) and a yarn portion on a winding section (13) side of the yarn defect (Ya) to the yarn joining section (63) in a state connected to each other,

cause the yarn cutting section (76, 77) to cut each of the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section (11) side of the yarn defect (Ya) and the yarn portion on the winding section (13) side of the yarn defect (Ya) introduced to the yarn joining section (63) to remove the yarn defect (Ya), and

cause the yarn joining section (63) to join the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section (11) side and the yarn portion on the winding section (13) side of the yarn (Y) from which the yarn defect (Ya) is removed.
The yarn winding device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by further comprising:
a yarn storage section (41) provided between the yarn joining section (63) and the winding section (13), and adapted to store a yarn (Y) unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin (B) supported by the yarn supplying section (11),

wherein the winding section (13) pulls out and winds the yarn (Y) stored in the yarn storage section (41).
The yarn winding device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that
the yarn storage section (41) is configured to selectively carry out unwinding and storing of the yarn (Y) from the yarn supplying bobbin (B) and returning of the stored yarn (Y) towards the yarn supplying section (11),
the control section (10) causes, when the yarn defect (Ya) is detected by the yarn defect detecting section (62), the yarn storage section (41) to stop the unwinding of the yarn (Y) from the yarn supplying bobbin (B), and
return the stored yarn (Y) towards the yarn supplying section (11) by a length by which the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section (11) side of the yarn defect (Ya) and the yarn portion on the winding section (13) side of the yarn defect (Ya) are introduced to the yarn joining section (63).
The yarn winding device (1) according to claim 3, characterized by further comprising:
a yarn catching section (64) arranged on the yarn supplying section (11) side of the yarn joining section (63) and adapted to catch the yarn (Y) returned from the yarn storage section (41);

wherein the control section (10) returns the yarn (Y) stored in the yarn storage section (41) towards the yarn supplying section (11) until the yarn defect (Ya) is caught by the yarn catching section (64).
The yarn winding device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the yarn defect detecting section (62) is arranged between the yarn storage section (41) and the yarn catching section (64).
The yarn winding device (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that
the yarn introducing section (66, 67a, 67b) includes
a lift lever (66) adapted to move the yarn portion located on the yarn catching section (64) side of the yarn joining section (63) towards the winding section (13) side of the yarn joining section (63), and
a yarn moving lever (67a, 67b) adapted to move the yarn (Y) in a state moved by the lift lever (66) towards the yarn joining section (63) to introduce the yarn (Y) to the yarn joining section (63).
The yarn winding device (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by further comprising a yarn pull-out section (46) adapted to pull out the yarn (Y) from the yarn storage section (41) towards the yarn supplying section (11).
The yarn winding device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by further comprising
a yarn detecting section (61) adapted to detect running out of the yarn (Y) of the yarn supplying bobbin (B); and
a yarn passing section (68) adapted to pass the yarn of the yarn supplying bobbin (B) to the yarn introducing section (66, 67a, 67b),
wherein the control section (10) causes, when the running out of the yarn (Y) of the yarn supplying bobbin (B) is detected by the yarn detecting section (61), the yarn passing section (68) to pass the yarn (Y) of the newly supplied yarn supplying bobbin (B) to the yarn introducing section (66, 67a, 67b), the yarn introducing section (66, 67a, 67b) to introduce the yarn (Y) from the winding section (13) side and the yarn (Y) from the yarn supplying section (11) side passed from the yarn passing section (68) to the yarn joining section (63), and the yarn joining section (63) to join the introduced yarns (Y).
The yarn winding device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that
the yarn supplying section (11) includes a bobbin replacing section adapted to replace the yarn supplying bobbin (B),
the bobbin replacing section (21, 22) includes
a plurality of the bobbin supporting sections (22), and
a moving section (21) adapted to move the plurality of bobbin supporting sections (22) to selectively locate one bobbin supporting section (22) of the plurality of bobbin supporting sections (22) at an unwinding position where the yarn (Y) is unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin (B), and
the control section (10) causes, when the running out of the yarn (Y) of the yarn supplying bobbin (B) is detected by the yarn detecting section (61), the moving section (21) to move the bobbin supporting section (22) located at the unwinding position to a position away from the unwinding position, and move the bobbin supporting section (22) adapted to support the yarn supplying bobbin (B) around which the yarn is wound to the unwinding position, and the yarn passing section (68) to pass the yarn (Y) of the yarn supplying bobbin (B) around which the yarn (Y) is wound to the yarn introducing section (66, 67a, 67b).
The yarn winding device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that
the moving section (21) is a turn table (21) configured to be rotatable with a rotation shaft (21a) parallel to an axis direction of the yarn supplying bobbin (B) supported by the bobbin supporting section (22) as a center, and
the plurality of bobbin supporting sections (22) are arranged along a peripheral direction of the turn table (21).
A yarn joining method for carrying out a yarn joining operation in a yarn winding device (1) including a yarn supplying section (11) including a bobbin supporting section (22) adapted to support a yarn supplying bobbin (B), a winding section (13) adapted to wind a yarn (Y) unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin (B) to form a package (P), and a yarn joining section (63) provided between the yarn supplying section (11) and the winding section (13) and adapted to join a yarn (Y) from a yarn supplying section (11) side and a yarn from a winding section (13) side, the yarn joining method comprising:
introducing a yarn (Y) to the yarn joining section (63) with a yarn portion on a yarn supplying section (11) side of a yarn defect (Ya) and a yarn portion on a winding section (13) side of the yarn defect (Ya) connected to each other;

cutting each of the yarn portions on the yarn supplying section (11) side of the yarn defect (Ya) and the yarn portion on the winding section (13) side of the yarn defect (Ya) introduced to the yarn joining section (63) to remove the yarn defect (Ya); and

joining the yarn portion on the yarn supplying section (11) side and the yarn portion on the winding section (13) side of the cut yarn (Y).
A yarn joining unit (63, 64, 66, 67a, 67b) comprising:
a yarn joining section (63) adapted to carry out a yarn joining operation;

a yarn introducing section (66, 67a, 67b) adapted to introduce a yarn (Y) to the yarn joining section (63);

a yarn cutting section (76, 77)provided in the yarn joining section (63) and adapted to cut the introduced yarn (Y) to remove an unnecessary portion of the yarn (Y); and

a control section (10) adapted to cause the yarn introducing section (66, 67a; 67b) to introduce two yarn portions located on both sides of the yarn defect (Ya) to the yarn joining section (63) in a state connected to each other, cause the yarn cutting section (76, 77) to cut the two introduced yarn portions to remove the yarn defect (Ya), and cause the yarn joining section (63) to join the two cut yarn portions.
The yarn joining unit (63, 64, 66, 67a, 67b) according to claim 12, characterized in that the yarn introducing section (66, 67a, 67b) is configured to introduce each of the two unconnected yarns to the yarn joining section (63).