EP3751033B1 - Cone warping machine and method for operating same - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a cone warping machine with a warping drum and with a warping table arranged to the side of the warping drum, which carries a warping reed for supplying threads, the warping drum and the warping table being displaceable relative to one another, the cone warping machine having a robot arm, and the robot arm for Fixation of a warping belt is set up on the warping drum.

Using a cone warping machine, single threads coming from a creel can be warped next to one another. A group of threads is fed to the cone warping machine via a warping reed which is arranged on a warping table of the cone warping machine. The threads are combined to form a warp belt in which the threads are arranged next to one another. The warping tape is wound onto the warping drum during a warping process. The warping drum rotates during the warping process. The warping table and the warping drum are moved parallel to a longitudinal axis of the warping drum and relative to one another, so that the warping belt is wound up along a lateral surface of the warping drum. The warping drum has a conical shape, at least in sections, so that adjacent threads can be laterally supported on one another during the warping process. After a warping belt has been warped onto the warping drum, another warping belt can be started to the side of it.

Several manual steps are required to skew each warping belt. Since a large number of warping belts are warped onto the warping drum, these work steps add up quickly.

the EP 2 169 098 A1 describes a cone warping machine with a robotic arm. The robot arm carries a measuring device that allows a lap of warping tape to be measured that is formed on the warping drum during the warping process. When warping, the warping drum and the warping table must be relocated relative to one another, taking into account the current size of the warping tape lap. An outer contour of the warp wrap can be measured by means of the robot arm, which allows improved control of this process. This improves the warping quality. Nevertheless, the user has to carry out many work steps manually.

the EP 487 722 A1 describes a device that automates the reading of a crosshair in a warping machine. Various components of the device bring the warp threads fed to the warping machine into position during the reading process. Thread-separating cords are drawn in between the warp threads using so-called lease tapes. the DE 44 43 627 A1 describes a method and a device for inserting thread-separating cords into the thread bands of a cone warping machine. A robot arm is used to position the thread ribbons.

the EP 659 914 A1 describes a method and an apparatus for winding up warp ribbons. A manipulator is used with the peeling belts Thermoplastic strips are welded, the warping belts cut and these are fixed on a warping belt roll of a warping drum. For this purpose, the manipulator has tape dispensers, heating jaws, a cutting device and a feeder for fastening the warping tapes to the warping drum. With this complex structure, however, the warp belt must be passed through the manipulator. The manipulator cannot be flexibly adapted to changing applications during operation, for example to different warping bandwidths.

In contrast, the invention is based on the object of providing a cone warping machine which allows a simpler device, has a simpler structure and can be flexibly adapted to different applications.

The object is achieved by providing a conical warping machine of the type described at the outset, in which the robot arm according to the invention has at least one tool for manipulating the warping belt and more than one axis of rotation or thrust. A tool for manipulating the warp belt is to be understood as a tool that can physically interact with the warp belt, that is to say, for example, can grasp the warp belt, cut it or manipulate it in some other way.

The robotic arm is thus an industrial manipulator. An industrial manipulator is one Robot that enables interaction with its environment. The industrial manipulator can take over work steps that previously had to be carried out by human operators. Less manual intervention is required, which speeds up the warping process.

It is advantageous if the robot arm has a gripping tool. According to the invention, the gripping tool can be designed as a pair of pliers. According to the invention, however, the gripping tool can also be designed as a humanoid robot hand. It is also possible according to the invention that a suction device is used as the gripping tool, which can suck in one or more threads. The warping belt can be gripped with a gripping tool and fixed to the warping drum. From the prior art it is known to fix the warping belt on the warping drum by means of a fastening device. It is thus possible according to the invention for the warping drum to have clamping plates into which the warping belt can be inserted. Alternatively, it is possible that the warping tape is provided with an adhesive strip and glued onto the warping drum. This can also be done by means of the robot arm. In addition, other fastening options are conceivable.

It is particularly advantageous if the robot arm has a cutting tool. The robot arm preferably has a combined gripping and cutting tool. A cutting tool is a tool that can be used to cut materials. According to the invention, the dividing tool can be a knife, scissors, a wedge cutter, a laser cutter or a dividing tool of some other type.

According to the invention, it is possible for the robot arm to have a knotting tool. With a knotting tool, threads can be knotted together. According to the invention, it is possible for the robot arm to be used to knot one end of the warp belt. In addition, two thread ribbons can be connected to one another. During the warping process, there are thus various advantageous possible uses for the knotting tool.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the robot arm has two spaced-apart gripping tools for fixing the warping tape and a dividing tool for dividing the warping tape. The dividing tool is preferably arranged between the gripping tools. The robot arm is thus able to first fix the warp belt on both sides to a designated separation point and then to split it up. According to the invention, the warping machine can be equipped with an additional robot arm which serves to insert the warping belt into the gripping tools which are spaced apart from one another. According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the warping machine has means on the warping table which serve to fix the warping belt. In this case, the robot arm only serves to cut the warp belt.

The conical warping machine preferably has a platform which is arranged to the side of the warping drum and on which the robot arm rests, wherein the warping drum and the platform can be displaced relative to one another. According to the invention, the platform can sit on a side rail aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the warping drum. On this the platform can be moved parallel to the warping drum. According to the invention, the shift by means of of a drive. The radius of action of the robot arm is ultimately limited by its length. The robot arm can be displaced by means of the platform in order to bring an initially inaccessible surface area of the warping drum into its radius of action.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the platform is formed by the share table. The robot arm is therefore always moved with the warping table. Since the warping table is usually located where the warping belt is to be manipulated, the robot arm is optimally positioned in this embodiment of the invention.

The robot arm has more than one axis of rotation or thrust. The robot arm is therefore particularly flexible and can use its tools at different positions in the area of the warping table and the warping drum.

The invention also relates to a method for operating a cone warping machine, with the following steps: relocating a warping drum of the cone warping machine and a warping table of the cone warping machine relative to one another until the warping table is located opposite a warping start area of the warping drum, picking up a warping tape from the warping table and fixing the Warping belt on the warping drum in the starting area by a robot arm of the conical warping machine. According to the invention, the warping belt is picked up from the warping table by the robot arm, the robot arm having at least one tool for manipulating the warping belt and more than one axis of rotation or thrust.

The warping process begins in the initial warping area. The warping machine first picks up the warping belt lying on the warping table. This is to be understood as meaning that the warping machine grasps the warping belt or one end of the warping belt, sucks it in or in some other way takes. The robot arm brings the warping belt to the warping drum and fixes it to the warping drum in the warping start area. It is possible that a clamping device is provided in the start of the warping area, in which the warping band can be clamped. In this case, the robot arm inserts one end of the warp belt into the clamping device. According to the invention, it is also possible for the robot arm to fix the warping belt to the warping drum by means of an adhesive strip. According to a further variant of the method according to the invention, the robot arm ties the warping belt to the warping drum. But it is also conceivable that the warping belt is fixed to the warping drum in a different way.

The method is preferably designed such that the robot arm picks up the warping belt by means of a gripping tool and / or attaches it to the warping drum. As stated above, however, other variants for receiving the warping belt are also conceivable according to the invention.

The method advantageously also comprises the following steps: warping of the warping belt on the warping drum with rotation of the warping drum and displacement of the warping drum and the warping table relative to one another until the warping table is located opposite a warping end area of the warping drum, manual or machine cutting of the warping belt so that a The warp tape lap formed on the warping drum by the warping band is severed from a fed portion of the warping band, and one end of the warping band lap is fixed to the warping drum in the warping end region by the robot arm.

The warping area is an area of the warping drum in which the warping process is completed and the warping belt is attached to the Warping drum is fixed. During the warping process, the warping tape was wound onto the warping drum and now forms a warping tape lap that rests on the warping drum. According to the invention, the warp tape is divided in order to separate the warp tape lap from the rest of the warp tape. The warp strap can be severed manually by auxiliary personnel, for example by means of scissors. However, it is also possible for the warping belt to be severed by machine, for this purpose the conical warping machine can have a severing device. One end of the warp wrap is then fixed to the warping drum by the robot arm so that it does not hang down loosely. For this purpose, the end of the warping tape roll is preferably fastened to the warping drum by means of clamping. This can be done in that the end of the warp wrap is clamped into the warp wrap itself.

It is particularly preferred if the robot arm fixes the end of the warp tape to the warping drum by the robot arm clamping the end of the warp tape between two warp tape layers of the warp tape. For this purpose, according to the invention, at least one warp layer can be lifted or pushed aside by the robot arm and the end of the warp can be pushed into a gap that is created in the warp roll. It is alternatively possible that the end of the warp tape roll is fastened in or on the warp tape roll or directly on the warping drum in some other way. According to a further variant of the method according to the invention, the end of the warping tape roll is fixed in the warping end area in a clamping device of the warping drum.

It is advantageous if the robot arm cuts the warp belt. According to the invention, the robot arm can split the warp belt by means of shear cutting, by means of a laser beam or in some other way. According to the invention, it is also possible for the dividing step to be carried out not by the robot arm, but by a separating device of another type. So it is conceivable that a separating device is arranged on the warping table, which divides the warping belt.

The robot arm preferably carries out the following steps in order to cut the warp band: Fixing the warp band on both sides to a provided dividing line and dividing the warp band along the dividing line. According to the invention, this can be implemented in such a way that the robot arm grips the warp belt with two gripping tools and uses a cutting tool between these in order to cut the warp belt along the dividing line.

When carrying out the method, a platform of the conical warping machine carrying the robot arm and the warping drum are preferably moved relative to one another in order to bring a surface area of the warping drum into an action radius of the robot arm. The platform and the warping drum are preferably moved relative to one another and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the warping drum. The relative movement ensures that the robot arm can carry out pending work steps in the warping start area or in the warping end area of the warping drum. It is preferred if the robot arm is moved together with the warping table. Thus, according to the invention, it is possible for the robot arm to sit on the share table, that is to say the aforementioned platform is formed by the share table. It is particularly preferred when performing the method according to the invention is moved independently of the sharpening table. In this case, the robot arm does not sit on the flock table, but rather on a platform that can move independently of the flock table.

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Konusschärmaschine,
• Fig. 2 eine schematische Ansicht eines Abschnitts einer Schärtrommel der Konusschärmaschine, an dem ein Roboterarm der Konusschärmaschine ein Schärband fixiert,
• Fig. 3 eine schematische Ansicht eines Greif- und Schneidwerkzeugs des Roboterarms und
• Fig. 4 eine schematische Ansicht eines Abschnitts eines Schärbandwickels, an dem der Roboterarm ein Schärband fixiert.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings. It shows:

• Fig. 1 a schematic view of a cone warping machine according to the invention,
• Fig. 2 a schematic view of a section of a warping drum of the cone warping machine on which a robot arm of the cone warping machine fixes a warping belt,
• Fig. 3 a schematic view of a gripping and cutting tool of the robot arm and
• Fig. 4 a schematic view of a section of a warp wrap to which the robot arm fixes a warp.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a cone warping machine 1 according to the invention. The cone warping machine 1 has a warping drum 2 and a warping table 3. The warping drum 2 can be set in rotation by a motor, moreover it can be displaced parallel to its longitudinal axis. The warping table 3 is guided on a side rail 4 and can be displaced on this, the warping table 3 moving parallel to the longitudinal axis of the warping drum 2. A warping reed 5 is seated on the warping table 3, by means of which, for example, yarns coming from a yarn creel are fed to the conical warping machine and bundled. The bundled threads together form a warp belt.

In order to start the warping process, the warping drum 2 and the warping table 3 are first displaced relative to one another in such a way that the warping table 3 is located opposite a warping start area 6 of the warping drum 2. The warping belt is now attached to the warping drum 2 in the warping start area 6.

The warping drum 2 is then set in rotation. The warping drum 2 and the warping table 3 are displaced relative to one another until the warping table 3 is located opposite a warping end region 7 of the warping drum 2. The warp tape is now wound on the warping drum 2 in the longitudinal direction and forms a warp tape lap on the warping drum 2. The process is repeated several times so that a large number of warping tape layers are warped onto the warping drum 2.

A robot arm 8, which sits on the warping table 3, is used to support the user during the warping process. The work steps carried out by the robot arm 8 are explained below.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of the warping start area 6 of the warping drum 2 of the cone warping machine, on which the robot arm 8 of the cone warping machine 1 fixes a warping belt 9. The warping drum 2 has several openings 10 in which clamping devices are arranged. By means of a manipulator head 11, the robot arm 8 grips the warp belt 9 lying on the warping table, not shown here, and fixes it in an opening 10 of the by means of a clamping device Warping drum 2. The warping belt 9 can now be warped onto the warping drum 2.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of the manipulator head 11 of the robot arm. After the warping belt 9 has been skimmed, it is to be divided. Two gripping tools 13 are arranged on a mount 12 of the manipulator head 11, each having two gripping fingers and being spaced apart from one another. A dividing tool 14 with a notched cutting edge is arranged between the gripping tools 13. The dividing tool 14 can be displaced by a motor relative to the mount 12 in order to cut through the warp band 9 fixed by the gripping tools 13. After cutting through, an end of the warp tape 9 belonging to the warp tape roll is to be fixed to the warping drum. For this purpose, the end of the warp tape 9 can be clamped between two warp tape layers of the warp tape roll.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a section of the warp wrap 15, the robot arm 8 of the conical warping machine clamping one end of the warp wrap 15 in the warp wrap 15. The warp tape roll 15 consists of several warp tape layers 16, that is to say layers of the warp tape 9 wound one on top of the other, which are pinned onto the warping drum. The robot arm 8 pushes a warp tape layer 16 aside and arranges one end of the warp tape roll 15 in a gap 17 created in the process by means of its manipulator head 11. The manipulator head 11 is then pulled out of the gap 17 so that the gap 17 closes. The end of the warp tape roll 15 is now clamped in the warp tape roll 15 between adjacent warp tape layers 16. The warping process can now begin again with a further section of the warping belt 9.

REFERENCE LIST

1.

Cone warping machine

2.

Warping drum

3rd

Sharp table

4th

Side rail

5.

Schärriet

6th

Starting area

7th

Warping area

8th.

Robotic arm

9.

Warp

10.

opening

11.

Manipulator head

12th

Version

13th

Gripping tool

14th

Slicing tool

15th

Warp wrap

16.

Warp position

17th

gap

Claims (14)

1. Cone warping machine (1) having a warping drum (2) and having a warping table (3) arranged laterally to the warping drum (2), which supports a warping reed (5) for feeding threads, wherein the warping drum (2) and the warping table (3) can be displaced relative to one another, wherein the cone warping machine (1) has a robotic arm (8), and wherein the robotic arm (8) is configured to attach a warp section (9) to the warping drum (2), characterised in that the robotic arm (8) has at least one tool for manipulating the warp section (9) and more than one rotational axis or thrust axis.
2. Cone warping machine (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the robotic arm (8) has a gripping tool (13).
3. Cone warping machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the robotic arm (8) has a dividing tool (14).
4. Cone warping machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the robotic arm (8) has a knotting tool.
5. Cone warping machine (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the robotic arm (8) has two gripping tools (13), spaced from one another, for attaching the warp section (9) and a dividing tool (14) for dividing the warp section (9)
6. Cone warping machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cone warping machine (1) has a platform arranged laterally to the warping drum (2), on which the robotic arm (8) sits, wherein the warping drum (2) and the platform can be displaced relative to one another.
7. Cone warping machine according to claim 6, characterised in that the platform is formed by the warping table (3).
8. Method for operating a cone warping machine (1), comprising the steps of:

   - displacing a warping drum (2) of the cone warping machine (1) and a warping table (3) of the cone warping machine (1) relative to one another until the warping table (3) is located opposite a warping start region (6) of the warping drum (2),

   - picking up a warp section (9) from the warping table (3) and

   - attaching the warp section (9) to the warping drum (2) in the warping start region (6) by means of a robotic arm (8) of the cone warping machine (1), characterised in that picking-up the warp section (9) from the warping table (3) is performed by the robotic arm (8), wherein the robotic arm (8) has at least one tool for manipulating the warp section (9) and more than one rotational axis or thrust axis.
9. Method according to claim 8, characterised in that the robotic arm (8) picks up the warp section (9) using a gripping tool (13) and/or attaches it to the warping drum (2) using a gripping tool.
10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterised by the additional steps of:

    - warping the warp section (9) on the warping drum (2) while the warping drum (2) is rotating and while the warping drum (2) and the warping table (3) are displaced relative to one another until the warping table (3) is located opposite a warping end region (7) of the warping drum (2),

    - manually or mechanically dividing the warp section (9), such that a warp section winding (15) formed on the warping drum (2) by the warp section (9) is separated from a fed segment of the warp section (9) and

    - attaching one end of the warp section winding (15) to the warping drum (2) in the warping end region (7) by means of the robotic arm (8).
11. Method according to claim 10, characterised in that the robotic arm (8) attaches the end of the warp section winding (15) to the warping drum (2), by the robotic arm (8) clamping the end of the warp section winding (15) between two warp section layers (16) of the warp section winding (15).
12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the robotic arm (8) divides the warp section (9).
13. Method according to claim 12, characterised in that the robotic arm (8) performs the following steps:

    - attaching the warp section (9) on both sides of a designated dividing line,

    - dividing the warp section (9) along the dividing line.
14. Method according to any of claims 8 to 13, characterised in that a platform of the cone warping machine (1) supporting the robotic arm (8) and the warping drum (2) are displaced relative to one another, in order to bring a surface region of the warping drum (2) into a radius of action of the robotic arm (8).

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