EP4296208A1

EP4296208A1 - Bobbin conveying system and bobbin conveying method

Info

Publication number: EP4296208A1
Application number: EP23179484.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yasuo Okuyama
Original assignee: TMT Machinery Inc
Current assignee: TMT Machinery Inc
Priority date: 2022-06-22
Filing date: 2023-06-15
Publication date: 2023-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 2043-06-15
Also published as: TW202400500A; JP2024001829A; EP4296208B1; CN117262902A; CN117262902B; JP7767231B2

Abstract

The number of rows of stocker pegs 26 provided by a stocker 20 is one greater than the number of rows of cart pegs 13 provided by a traveling creel cart 10. In a state in which one row of the stocker pegs 26 is bobbin-less and empty bobbins 6 are hung on all remaining rows of the stocker pegs 26, a first process and a second process are alternately performed under the control of a transfer control computer 40 to exchange empty bobbins 6 in the stocker 20 with full bobbins 5 in the traveling creel cart 10. In the first process, full bobbins 5 hung on one row of cart pegs 13 are moved to one row of stocker pegs 26, which are bobbin-less. In the second process, empty bobbins 6 hung on one row of stocker pegs 26 are moved to one row of cart pegs 13 where the full bobbins 5 has been removed in the first process. The traveling creel cart 10 conveys full bobbins 5 to the stocker 20 and replaces them with empty bobbins 6 in the stocker 20, and then conveys the empty bobbins 6.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the conveyance of bobbins in yarn processing machines such as false twisting machines.

BACKGROUND ART

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open H4-280777 (hereinafter referred to as "PTL 1") discloses a package transfer method applied to a winder or the like. In this transfer method, when a package on a creel becomes empty and needs to be replaced with a full package according to the operation of a winder, the package is replaced via a creel loader that holds the full package horizontally.
A package that is empty can be described as an empty bobbin. A full package can be described as a full bobbin.
In the configuration of PTL 1, the full packages are temporarily placed on a package supporter once before they are suspended on the creel. Pegs for hanging the package are provided on both sides of the package supporter. First, full packages are suspended on one side of the package supporter, and the pegs on the other side are left without the package. At this time, the side of the package supporter with the pegs in the no-package state is ready to face the creel loader.
The creel loader removes the empty packages from the creel of the winder, transfers them to the package supporter, and hangs them on each of the pegs in the no-package state. The package supporter is then reversed, and the side on which the full package is hung faces the creel loader.
The creel loader transfers the full packages from the package supporter to the creel of the winder where it has just taken the empty packages. The creel loader then takes the adjacent empty packages on the creel and transfers them to the package supporter.
During this process, the empty packages in the package supporter are pulled out and full packages are suspended instead.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open H5-319696 (hereinafter referred to as "PTL 2") discloses a package transfer method used for a weft yarn supply system to loom or the like. In PTL 2, a package carrier capable of grasping a plurality of packages can supply packages to a weft yarn supply system and collect an empty tube.
An empty tube can be described as an empty bobbin. A package can be described as a full bobbin.
The package carrier includes a plurality of chucks. The package carrier receives the plurality of packages at a receiving station. At the receiving station, the packages are grasped by the plurality of chucks of the package carrier though, at least one chuck is left without a package. The package carrier travel from the receiving station to a weft station. At the weft station, the package carrier grasps the empty tube in the chuck without a package and supply the package instead.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a bobbin conveying systems applied to yarn processing machines such as false twisting machines, there is a need for more efficient conveying of empty and full bobbins.
In PTL 1, it is unclear how empty packages are handled after the empty packages are removed from a package supporter.
In PTL 2, it is difficult to improve the efficiency of conveyance since one chuck must always remain without a package when the package carrier receives packages at a receiving station.
The present invention is made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to improve the overall conveying efficiency, including empty and full bobbins.
The problem to be solved by this invention is as described above, and means to solve the problem and effects will be described below.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, a bobbin conveying system having the following configuration is provided. That is, the bobbin conveying system has a stocker, a bobbin transfer robot, a traveling creel cart, and a controller. The stocker includes a plurality of rows of stocker pegs, and is capable of hanging and storing a full bobbin and an empty bobbin on each stocker peg. The bobbin transfer robot removes the full bobbins stored in the stocker and attaches them to a creel of a yarn processing machine, and removes the empty bobbins from the creel and stores them in the stocker. The traveling creel cart includes a plurality of rows of cart pegs and conveys a full bobbin or an empty bobbin hanging on each cart peg. The controller controls the stocker and the traveling creel cart. The stocker is configured to be able to move full bobbins hung on the cart pegs of the traveling creel cart to the stocker pegs, and to move empty bobbins hung on the stocker pegs to the cart pegs. The number of rows of the stocker pegs provided by the stocker is equal to the number of rows of the cart pegs provided by the traveling creel cart plus one. In a state in which one row of the stocker pegs is bobbin-less and empty bobbins are hung on all remaining rows of the stocker pegs, the controller controls the stocker and the traveling creel cart so that the stocker and the traveling creel cart cooperatively perform the exchange operation of replacing empty bobbins of the stocker with full bobbins of the traveling creel cart by alternating a following first process and a following second process. In the first process, the full bobbins hung on one row of cart pegs of the traveling creel cart are moved to one row of stocker pegs that is in a bobbin-less state to set one row of the cart pegs in a bobbin-less state. In the second process, one row of empty bobbins hung on the stocker pegs are moved to one row of the cart pegs that is in a bobbin-less state after the removal of the full bobbins in the first process to set one row of the stocker pegs in a bobbin-less state. After the traveling creel cart has conveyed full bobbins to the stocker and exchanged them with empty bobbins in the stocker, the controller controls the traveling creel cart so as to convey the empty bobbins to a different location other than the stocker.
This allows the full bobbins hung on the cart pegs of all rows of the traveling creel cart to be stored in the stocker. The empty bobbins in the stocker can be transported to another location by hanging them on the cart pegs of all rows of the traveling creel cart that has conveyed the full bobbins. The entire conveying capacity of the traveling creel cart can be effectively utilized, since the full bobbins or the empty bobbins can be conveyed with the bobbins hung on the cart pegs of all the rows of the traveling creel carts. Since the exchange operation starts when one row of stocker pegs of the stocker is bobbins-less, the bobbin exchange operation between the stocker and the traveling creel cart can be performed smoothly.
In the aforementioned bobbin conveying system, it is preferable to have the following configuration. That is, the number of tiers of the stocker pegs provided by the stocker is equal to the number of tiers of the cart pegs provided by the traveling creel cart. The controller controls the stocker and the traveling creel cart so that all empty bobbins in the stocker are replaced with all full bobbins in the traveling creel cart in the exchange operation.
This allows further increase in conveyance efficiency.
In the above described bobbin transfer system, it is preferable to have the following configuration. That is, the traveling creel cart conveys full bobbins from the installation position of the spinning winder that winds yarn onto an empty bobbin to form a full bobbin to the installation position of the stocker. The traveling creel cart conveys the empty bobbins retrieved by the replacement operation from the installation position of the stocker to return them to the installation position of the spinning winder.
This allows for an automatic reuse system for empty bobbins.
In the aforementioned bobbin conveying system, it is preferable to have the following configuration. That is, the stocker peg is capable of moving circularly along a looped path. A row of the stocker pegs that deliver full bobbins or empty bobbins to the cart pegs is changed by the circular movement.
This allows the row of stocker pegs that deliver bobbins to be switched in a short time.
In the aforementioned bobbin transfer system, it is preferred that the bobbin transfer robot waits without performing the operation of removing full bobbins from the stocker while the exchange operation is being performed.
This prevents the exchange operation between the traveling creel cart and the stocker from being interrupted and reduces the stopping time of the traveling creel cart.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the following bobbin transfer method is provided. That is, the bobbin conveying method is applied to a system having a stocker, a bobbin transfer robot, and a traveling creel cart. The stocker includes a plurality of rows of stocker pegs and capable of hanging and storing a full bobbin and an empty bobbin on each stocker peg. The bobbin transfer robot removes full bobbins stored in the stocker and attaches them to a creel of a yarn processing machine, and removes empty bobbins from the creel and stores them in the stocker. The traveling creel cart includes a plurality of rows of cart pegs and conveys a full bobbin or an empty bobbin hanging on each cart peg. The stocker is configured to be able to move full bobbins hung on the cart pegs of the traveling creel cart to the stocker pegs, and to move empty bobbins hung on the stocker pegs to the cart pegs. The number of rows of the stocker pegs provided by the stocker is equal to the number of rows of the cart pegs provided by the traveling creel cart plus one. The bobbin conveying method is a method for replacing the empty bobbins in the stocker with the full bobbins in the traveling creel cart by alternating between a first and a second process, in a state in which one row of the stocker pegs is bobbin-less and empty bobbins are hung on all remaining rows of the stocker pegs. The first process is the process of moving full bobbins hung on one row of cart pegs of the traveling creel cart to one row of stocker pegs that is in a bobbin-less state to set one row of the cart pegs in a bobbin-less state. The second process is the process of moving empty bobbins hung on one row of the stocker pegs to one row of cart pegs that is in a bobbin-less state after the removal of full bobbins in the first process to set one row of the stocker pegs in a bobbin-less state. The traveling creel cart conveys the full bobbins to the stocker to replace the empty bobbins in the stocker, and then conveys the empty bobbins to a different location other than the stocker.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram showing an overall configuration of a bobbin conveying system according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective diagram showing a configuration around a stocker.
FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view showing an operation of moving full bobbins from a first row of cart pegs of a traveling creel cart to stocker pegs.
FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing an operation of moving empty bobbins from stocker pegs of a stocker to a first row of cart pegs.
FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing an operation of moving full bobbins from a second row of cart pegs of a traveling creel cart to stocker pegs.
FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view showing an operation of moving empty bobbins from stocker pegs of a stocker to a second row of cart pegs.
FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing an operation of moving full bobbins from a third row of cart pegs of a traveling creel cart to stocker pegs.
FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view showing an operation of moving empty bobbins from stocker pegs of a stocker to a third row of cart pegs.
FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view showing an operation of delivering a full bobbin from a stocker peg of a stocker to a creel robot.
FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view showing an operation of a creel robot removing an empty bobbin from a creel of a draw-texturing machine.
FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of a creel robot setting a full bobbin on a creel of a draw-texturing machine.
FIG. 12 is a schematic plan view showing an operation of a creel robot delivering an empty bobbin from a creel robot to a stocker peg of a stocker.

EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective diagram of an overall configuration of a bobbin conveying system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective diagram showing a configuration around a stocker 20.
The bobbin conveying system 1 shown in FIG. 1 conveys full bobbins from a spinning winder 60 to a draw-texturing machine 70.
The draw-texturing machine 70 is a kind of false twisting machine and a kind of yarn processing machine. Other types of yarn processing machines include air processing machines. The draw-texturing machine 70 can produce draw textured yarns called DTY by drawing and false twisting a type of yarn called POY (Partially Oriented Yarn). POY is an abbreviation for Partially Oriented Yarn. DTY is an abbreviation for Draw Textured Yarn. The draw-texturing machine 70 includes a plurality of processing positions for draw and false twist processing.
A full bobbin 5 has a predetermined length of POY wound around a core tube. The full bobbin 5 is formed when POY is made in the spinning apparatus of the spinning winder 60 and the POY is wound around the core tube in the winding apparatus of the spinning winder 60.
The full bobbin 5 is set on a creel 71 provided by the draw-texturing machine 70. The creel 71 is provided with a number of pegs 72 in a plurality of rows and in a plurality of tiers. The full bobbin 5 is hung on the peg 72 and the yarn is unreeled from the full bobbin 5 toward the processing position.
The bobbin conveying system 1 includes a traveling creel cart 10, a stocker 20, a creel robot (transfer robot) 30, and a transfer control computer (controller) 40.
The traveling creel cart 10 has a traveling member 11 and a carrier 12.
The traveling member 11 is provided to be able to travel along a rail 15 laid on a ceiling. The rail 15 is disposed to connect an installation position of the spinning winder 60 and an installation position of the stocker 20.
The carrier 12 is disposed to be suspended from the traveling member 11. The carrier 12 is constructed in the form of a frame. A plurality of cart pegs 13 are fixed to a side of the carrier 12. Each of the cart pegs 13 can be hung with a full bobbin 5 or an empty bobbin 6. In the carrier 12, the cart pegs 13 are disposed in a matrix of three rows horizontally and four tiers vertically.
As shown in FIG. 2, each cart peg 13 is constituted by two bar-shaped members disposed at a suitable distance in the horizontal direction. After inserting a rod member into the core tube of a bobbin that is hung on the cart peg 13, the bobbin is hung on the rod member when the rod member is raised between the bar-shaped members. When the rod member is lowered between the bar-shaped members with the two bar-shaped members inserted into the core tube of the bobbin hung on the rod member, the bobbin is hung on the cart peg 13. A stocker peg 26 and a peg 72 of the creel 71, described below, are also constituted by two bar-shaped members in the same manner as the cart peg 13.
The traveling creel cart 10 stops at a first stop position S1, which is in the vicinity of the spinning winder 60, as shown by the chain line in FIG. 1. The traveling creel cart 10 stopped at the first stop position S1 is supplied with full bobbins 5 from the spinning winder 60. The number of full bobbins 5 supplied is twelve for three multiplied by four. The traveling creel cart 10 loaded with the full bobbins 5 travels toward the stocker 20. The traveling creel cart 10 stops at a second stop position S2, which is in the vicinity of the stocker 20. The traveling creel cart 10 supplies twelve full bobbins 5 to the stocker 20 at the second stop position S2.
The traveling creel cart 10 unloads twelve full bobbins 5 and carries them out to the stocker 20, and concurrently, twelve empty bobbins 6 are carried in from the stocker 20. The traveling creel cart 10 loaded with the empty bobbins 6 travels toward the spinning winder 60. The traveling creel cart 10 stops at the first stop position S 1. The traveling creel cart 10 unloads twelve empty bobbins 6 and carries them out to the spinning winder 60, and concurrently, twelve full bobbins 5 are carried in from the spinning winder 60. The traveling creel cart 10 loaded with the full bobbins 5 travels toward the stocker 20. The traveling creel cart 10 stops again at the first stop position S 1. The above operation is repeated.
The stocker 20 has four traveling units 21 and transfer rods 22, as shown in FIG. 2. Each traveling unit 21 has a traveling member 23 and a peg frame 24.
The traveling member 23 is provided to be able to travel along a rail 25. The rails 25 are disposed to be elliptical in plan view. The four traveling units 21 are disposed to divide the loop-shaped path defined by the rail 25 into four equal parts.
The peg frame 24 is shaped like an elongated vertical bar. A plurality of stocker pegs 26 are fixed to the peg frame 24. On each stocker peg 26, a full bobbin 5 or an empty bobbin 6 can be hung. In each peg frame 24, four stocker pegs 26 are disposed top to bottom in the vertical direction. Since the number of traveling units 21 is four, the stocker 20 has sixteen stocker pegs 26 (i.e., four multiplied by four).
In plan view, the stocker pegs 26 are disposed to protrude outside of the looped rail 25. As the traveling unit 21 travels along the rail 25, the orientation of the stocker peg 26 changes. This allows the orientation of the full bobbins 5 or empty bobbins 6 hung on the stocker peg 26 to be changed.
The four traveling units 21 are fixed to an endless drive member, not shown in the figure. The drive member can be configured, for example, as a chain or a belt. The drive member is disposed substantially parallel to the rail 25. An actuator, not shown in the figure, drives the drive member to make the four traveling units 21 travel along the rail 25 simultaneously.
The transfer rods 22 are arranged to correspond to a predetermined position of the traveling unit 21. The predetermined position is the position where the stocker pegs 26 deliver the bobbins with the cart pegs 13 of the traveling creel cart 10 stopped in the vicinity of the stocker 20. The position of the stocker peg 26 when the traveling unit 21 is in that position is hereinafter referred to as a first delivery position P1. The stocker pegs 26 in the first delivery position P1 face the cart pegs 13 of the traveling creel cart 10 stopping at the second stop position S2. The cart pegs 13 are arranged in three rows in the traveling creel cart 10, and which row of cart pegs 13 faces the stocker peg 26 at the first delivery position P1 can be changed by adjusting the stop position of the traveling creel cart 10.
The transfer rod 22 is a bar-shaped member arranged generally horizontally. The transfer rods 22 are disposed in four vertical rows corresponding to the stocker pegs 26. The peg frame 24 has four passage holes 27 corresponding to the stocker pegs 26. The transfer rod 22 can move in a direction toward or away from the traveling creel cart 10 stopping at the second stop position S2. When the transfer rod 22 moves toward approaching the traveling creel cart 10, the transfer rod 22 protrudes through the passage hole 27 toward the traveling creel cart 10.
The four transfer rods 22 are fixed to a common base member 28 that is elongated in the vertical direction. The base member 28 is fixed to the frame of the stocker 20 via a guiding mechanism, not shown in the figure. The guiding mechanism guides a direction of movement of the base member 28.
Although not shown, the stocker 20 includes actuators for driving the base member 28 in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. As the transfer rod 22 moves upward between the two bar-shaped members of the cart peg 13, the full bobbin 5 hung on the cart peg 13 can be lifted by the transfer rod 22. As the transfer rod 22 moves upward between the two bar-shaped members of the stocker peg 26, the empty bobbin 6 hung on the stocker peg 26 can be lifted by the transfer rod 22. When the transfer rod 22 moves downward, the lifting state is released.
As the transfer rod 22 moves upward and moves longitudinally with the bobbin lifted, the bobbin can be delivered between the cart peg 13 and the stocker peg 26.
Consider the case where the stocker peg 26 and the cart peg 13 in the first delivery position P1 are facing each other, the stocker peg 26 is bobbin-less, and a full bobbin 5 is hung on the cart peg 13. The transfer rod 22 lifts up the full bobbin 5 hung on the cart peg 13, pulls it toward the stocker peg 26, and then releases the lifting. This allows the full bobbin 5 to be moved from the cart peg 13 to the stocker peg 26.
Consider the case where the stocker peg 26 and the cart peg 13 in the first delivery position P1 are facing each other, an empty bobbin is hung on the stocker peg 26, and the cart peg 13 is bobbin-less. The transfer rod 22 lifts the empty bobbin 6 on the stocker peg 26 and pushes it toward the cart peg 13, then releases the lifting. This allows the empty bobbin 6 to be moved from the stocker peg 26 to the cart peg 13.
The four transfer rods 22 move simultaneously with the base member 28. Thus, the delivery of the full bobbins 5 or the empty bobbins 6 is performed simultaneously for four tiers.
The creel robot 30 has a working head 31, a full bobbin transfer rod 32, and an empty bobbin transfer rod 33.
The working head 31 is movable in a direction parallel to the direction in which a number of pegs 72 are arranged horizontally in the creel 71. By moving in the direction described above, the working head 31 is movable between the stocker 20 and the creel 71. Additionally, the working head 31 is movable in the vertical direction. The configuration for moving the working head 31 in this way can be realized by a combination of a known XY drive mechanism and an actuator.
The full bobbin transfer rod 32 and the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 are located in a lower part of the working head 31. The full bobbin transfer rod 32 and the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 are both shaped like an elongated bar. In plan view, the longitudinal directions of the full bobbin transfer rod 32 and the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 differs by 90 degrees. The working head 31 includes a swivel actuator, not shown, which can swivel the full bobbin transfer rod 32 and the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 around a vertical axis.
The working head 31, not shown, includes actuators for driving the full bobbin transfer rod 32 in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. As the full bobbin transfer rod 32 moves upward between the two bar-shaped members of the stocker peg 26, the full bobbin 5 hung on the stocker peg 26 can be lifted by the full bobbin transfer rod 32. The full bobbin transfer rod 32 can move in its longitudinal direction and can also swivel with the working head 31. When the full bobbin transfer rod 32 moves downward between the two bar-shaped members of the peg 72 described below, which is provided by the creel 71, the lifting of the full bobbin 5 is released.
Similarly, the working head 31 includes actuators for driving the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. The empty bobbin transfer rod 33 moves upward between the two bar-shaped members of the peg 72, described below, so that the empty bobbin 6 hung on the peg 72 can be lifted by the empty bobbin transfer rod 33. The empty bobbin transfer rod 33 can move in its longitudinal direction and can also swivel with the working head 31. When the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 moves downward between the two bar-shaped members of the stocker peg 26, the lifting of the empty bobbin 6 is released.
When the generation of an empty bobbin 6 is detected at any of the pegs 72 of the creel 71, the creel robot 30 moves the working head 31 to a position corresponding to a predetermined position of the traveling unit 21 provided by the stocker 20. This predetermined position is the position where the stocker peg 26 delivers the bobbin to the full bobbin transfer rod 32 or the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 of the work head 31, which is stationary in the vicinity of the stocker 20. The position of the stocker peg 26 when the traveling unit 21 is in that position may hereinafter be referred to as a second delivery position P2.
As will be described in detail below, the creel robot 30 can use the full bobbin transfer rod 32 and the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 to exchange the full bobbins 5 hung on the stocker peg 26 at the second delivery position P2 and the empty bobbins 6 generated in the creel 71.
Next, an exchange operation of full bobbins 5 and empty bobbins 6 between the traveling creel cart 10 and the stocker 20 will now be described in detail. FIG. 3- FIG. 12 show an operation of the traveling creel cart 10, the stocker 20, and the creel robot 30 in sequence. The following control is realized by a transfer control computer 40 shown in FIG. 1, etc., and computers provided by the traveling creel cart 10, stocker 20, and creel robot 30, not shown, respectively. The transfer control computer 40 integrates and controls each of the computers provided by the traveling creel cart 10, stocker 20, and creel robot 30.
As mentioned above, the stocker 20 includes four rows of stocker pegs 26. As shown in FIG. 3, three of the four rows of stocker pegs 26 are hung with empty bobbins 6, while the remaining row is in a bobbin-less state. The stocker 20 waits for the arrival of the traveling creel cart 10 when a row of stocker pegs 26 in a bobbin-less state is at the first delivery position P1.
As shown in FIG. 3, the traveling creel cart 10 loaded with full bobbins 5 stops at the second stop position S2. At this time, the row of cart pegs 13 corresponding to the first row in the traveling direction in the traveling creel cart 10 faces the stocker pegs 26 in a bobbin-less state at the first delivery position P1. In this state, the stocker 20 operates the transfer rod 22. The transfer rod 22 lifts the full bobbin 5 that was hanging on the cart peg 13 and moves it down to the stocker peg 26. The movement of the full bobbins 5 is performed simultaneously for four tiers. The stocker 20 then moves the four traveling units 21 along the rail 25 for one pitch. In the stocker 20, a pitch means the interval at which the plurality of traveling units 21 are disposed in the traveling path.
As a result, the stocker pegs 26 on which the full bobbins 5 are hung move from the first delivery position P1 to another location, and instead, another stocker pegs 26 at another location hanging the empty bobbins 6 reach the first delivery position P1. The stocker pegs 26 moved to the first delivery position P1 face the cart pegs 13 from which the full bobbins 5 were just removed. FIG. 4 shows this state.
The stocker 20 operates the transfer rods 22 to move the empty bobbins 6 hanging on the stocker pegs 26 to the cart pegs 13, as shown in FIG. 4. The traveling creel cart 10 then moves forward for one pitch of the row of cart pegs 13 and stops. This causes the row of cart pegs 13 opposite the stocker pegs 26 at the first delivery position P1 to switch backward by one row.
The operations shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 are similar to those described in FIG. 3, and therefore the description is omitted. The operations shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8 are similar to those described in FIG. 4, and therefore the description is omitted.
In the present embodiment, the following operations: [A] moving full bobbins 5 from cart pegs 13 to stocker pegs 26 in a bobbin-less state by one row; and [B] moving empty bobbins 6 from stocker pegs 26 to cart pegs 13 in a bobbin-less state by one row, are repeated alternately for three rows.
This allows the three rows of full bobbins 5 (i.e., twelve full bobbins) in the traveling creel cart 10 and the three rows of empty bobbins 6 (i.e., twelve empty bobbins) on the stocker 20 to be replaced. As shown in FIG. 8, the traveling creel cart 10 loaded with twelve empty bobbins 6 moves from the second stop position S2 to the first stop position S1. This allows the empty bobbins 6 to be automatically returned to the spinning winder 60 for reuse.
In order to avoid interrupting the bobbin exchange operation between the traveling creel cart 10 and the stocker 20 while the bobbin exchanging for one row is repeated three times, the creel robot 30 stands by without removing the full bobbins 5 from the stocker 20. Therefore, the bobbin exchange operation between the traveling creel cart 10 and stocker 20 can be performed quickly. Creel robot 30 is standing by without performing any particular work. After all the empty bobbins 6 in the stocker 20 have been replaced with full bobbins 5, the creel robot 30 performs the operation of retrieving the empty bobbins 6 and supplying the full bobbins 5 based on a request from the draw-texturing machine 70.
Specifically, the creel robot 30 moves the work head 31 to a position corresponding to any of the four stocker pegs 26 at the second delivery position P2. The creel robot 30 swivels the lower part of the working head 31 so that the full bobbin transfer rod 32 is facing the target stocker peg 26, as shown in FIG. 9. The creel robot 30 operates the full bobbin transfer rod 32 and inserts the full bobbin transfer rod 32 into the inside of the core tube of the full bobbin 5 hung on the stocker peg 26. The full bobbin transfer rod 32 then rises slightly to lift the full bobbin 5 and then moves away from the stocker peg 26.
The creel robot 30 then moves the working head 31 to a position corresponding to the peg 72 where the empty bobbin 6 was generated in the creel 71. In parallel with the movement of the working head 31, the creel robot 30 swivels the lower part of the working head 31 so that the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 is facing the creel 71.
After the working head 31 arrives at the desired position, the creel robot 30 operates the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 to insert the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 into the inside of the core tube of the empty bobbin 6 hung on the peg 72, as shown in FIG. 10. At this time, the orientation of the tip of peg 72 of creel 71 is temporarily changed so that it is facing the empty bobbin transfer rod 33. The change in the orientation of the peg 72 can be realized, for example, by the working head 31 being provided with a swivel mechanism, not shown in the figure, which rotates and drives the peg 72. The empty bobbin transfer rod 33 then rises slightly to lift the empty bobbin 6 and then moves away from the peg 72.
The creel robot 30 swivels the lower part of the working head 31 so that the full bobbin transfer rod 32 is facing the peg 72. Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the creel robot 30 operates the full bobbin transfer rod 32 and moves it above the peg 72 and closer to the base of the peg 72. As a result, the peg 72 is inserted into the inside of the core tube of the full bobbin 5 that moves with the full bobbin transfer rod 32. Thereafter, the full bobbin transfer rod 32 is lowered slightly to release the lifting. This allows the full bobbin 5 to be hung on the peg 72. The orientation of the peg 72 is then returned to its original position.
Next, the creel robot 30 moves the working head 31 to a position corresponding to the stocker peg 26 from which the full bobbin 5 was removed at the second delivery position P2. In parallel with the movement of the work head 31, the creel robot 30 swivels the lower part of the work head 31 so that the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 is facing the stocker 20.
After the work head 31 arrives at the desired position, the creel robot 30 operates the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 as shown in FIG. 12, moving it above the stocker peg 26 and closer to the base of the stocker peg 26. As a result, the stocker peg 26 is inserted into the inside of the core tube of the empty bobbin 6 that moves with the empty bobbin transfer rod 33. Thereafter, the empty bobbin transfer rod 33 is lowered slightly to release the lifting. This allows the empty bobbin 6 to be hung on the stocker peg 26. The creel robot 30 then waits for a new request from the draw-texturing machine 70.
Until all twelve full bobbins 5 stored in stocker 20 have been replaced with empty bobbins 6, creel robot 30 continues to supply full bobbins 5 to creel 71 and collect empty bobbins 6 upon request from the draw-texturing machine 70. Unlike the transfer rod 22 of the stocker 20, which replaces four tiers of bobbins simultaneously, the creel robot 30 replaces a bobbin one tier at a time. When all the full bobbins 5 hanging on the four stocker pegs 26 at the second delivery position P2 are used, the stocker 20 is driven. This allows the traveling unit 21 with the full bobbins 5 hanging on the stocker pegs 26 to be moved from another location to the second delivery position P2. When all the full bobbins 5 stored in the stocker 20 are gone, the stocker 20 outputs a stock request signal and waits for the traveling creel cart 10 loaded with the full bobbins 5 to arrive at the second stop position S2. When the traveling creel cart 10 arrives, the system returns to the state shown in FIG. 3, and the above operation is repeated.
As described above, the bobbin transfer system 1 in the present embodiment includes a stocker 20, a creel robot 30, a traveling creel cart 10, and a transfer control computer 40. The stocker 20 has a plurality of rows of stocker pegs 26, and a full bobbin 5 and an empty bobbin 6 can be hung and stored on each stocker peg 26. The creel robot 30 removes the full bobbin 5 stored in the stocker 20 and attaches it to the creel 71 of the draw-texturing machine 70, and removes the empty bobbin 6 from the creel 71 and stores in the stocker 20. The traveling creel cart 10 includes a plurality of rows of cart pegs 13 and conveys the full bobbin 5 or empty bobbin 6 hanging on each cart peg 13. The transfer control computer 40 controls the stocker 20 and the traveling creel cart 10. The stocker 20 is configured to move the full bobbin 5 hung on the cart peg 13 of the traveling creel cart 10 to the stocker peg 26, and to move the empty bobbin 6 hung on the stocker peg 26 to the cart peg 13. The number of rows of stocker pegs 26 provided by one stocker 20 is equal to the number of rows of cart pegs 13 provided by one traveling creel cart 10 plus one. In a state in which one row of the stocker pegs 26 is bobbin-less and empty bobbins are hung on all remaining rows of the stocker pegs 26, the transfer control computer 40 controls the stocker 20 and traveling creel cart 10 so that the stocker 20 and traveling creel cart 10 cooperatively perform the exchange operation of replacing empty bobbins 6 of the stocker 20 with full bobbins 5 of the traveling creel cart 10 by alternating a first and second processes. In the first process (FIG. 3, FIG. 5, and FIG. 7), the full bobbins 5 hung on one row of stocker pegs 13 of the traveling creel cart 10 are moved to one row of stocker pegs 26, which is in a bobbin-less state to set one row of the cart pegs 13 in a bobbin-less state. In the second process (FIG. 4, FIG. 6, and FIG. 8), empty bobbins 6 hung on one row of stocker pegs 26 are moved to one row of cart pegs 13 from which full bobbins 5 has been removed in the first process to set one row of the stocker pegs 26 in a bobbin-less state. The transfer control computer 40 controls the traveling creel cart 10 so that the traveling creel cart 10 conveys the full bobbin 5 to the stocker 20, replaces the empty bobbin 6 in the stocker 20, and then conveys the empty bobbin 6 to a different location other than the stocker 20.
This allows the full bobbins 5 hung on the cart pegs 13 in all rows of the traveling creel cart 10 to be stored in the stocker 20. The empty bobbins 6 in the stocker 20 can be transported to another location by hanging them on the cart pegs 13 of all rows of traveling creel cart 10 that has conveyed the full bobbins 5. Since the conveyance can be performed with full bobbins 5 or empty bobbins 6 hanging on all rows of cart pegs 13 of the traveling creel cart 10, the entire conveyance capacity of the traveling creel cart 10 can be effectively utilized. Since the exchange operation is started from the situation where one row of stocker pegs 26 is bobbin-less in stocker 20, the bobbin exchange operation between the stocker 20 and the traveling creel cart 10 is performed smoothly.
In the present embodiment of the bobbin conveying system 1, the number of tiers of stocker pegs 26 provided by one stocker 20 is equal to the number of tiers of cart pegs 13 provided by one traveling creel cart 10. The transfer control computer 40 controls the stocker 20 and the traveling creel cart 10 so that all empty bobbins 6 in the stocker 20 are exchanged with all full bobbins 5 in the traveling creel cart 10 in the exchange operation.
This can further increase conveyance efficiency.
In the present embodiment of the bobbin conveying system 1, the traveling creel cart 10 conveys the full bobbins 5 from the installation position of the spinning winder 60, which winds the yarn onto an empty bobbin 6 to form a full bobbin 5, to the installation position of the stocker 20. The traveling creel cart 10 conveys the empty bobbins 6 retrieved by exchange operation from the installation position of the stocker 20 back to the installation position of the spinning winder 60.
This allows for an automatic reuse system for the empty bobbins 6.
In the present embodiment of the bobbin conveying system 1, the stocker peg 26 is capable of moving circularly along a looped path defined by the rail 25. The row of stocker pegs 26 that deliver the full bobbins 5 or empty bobbins 6 to the cart pegs 13 is changed by the circular movement.
This allows the rows of stocker pegs 26 that deliver bobbins to be switched in a short time.
In the present embodiment of the bobbin conveying system 1, while the bobbin exchange operation between the traveling creel cart 10 and the stocker 20 is being performed, the creel robot 30 waits without performing the operation of removing the full bobbins 5 from the stocker 20.
This prevents the bobbin exchange operation between the traveling creel cart 10 and the stocker 20 from being interrupted and reduces the stop time of the traveling creel cart 10.
While suitable embodiments of the invention have been described above, the above configuration can be modified, for example, as follows. The changes may be made independently or in any combination of several changes.
Each stocker peg 26 consists of two bar-shaped members arranged in parallel. Alternatively, the stocker peg 26 may be composed of a single bar-shaped member. The same applies to the cart peg 13 and the peg 72.
The number of rows of cart pegs 13 in the traveling creel cart 10 is not limited to three, but can be two or four or more. The number of rows of stocker pegs 26 in stocker 20 is not limited to four, but can be three or five or more. The number of tiers of cart pegs 13 and the number of tiers of stocker pegs 26 can also be changed. The number of tiers of cart pegs 13 and the number of tiers of stocker pegs 26 may be only one.
In stocker 20, traveling unit 21 may be configured to travel along a non-loop path.
The rail 15 where the traveling creel cart 10 travels may be configured in a non-loop style.
The configuration is not limited to having the number of tiers of stocker pegs 26 equal to the number of tiers of cart pegs 13. For example, the number of tiers of cart pegs 13 may be four and the number of tiers of stocker pegs 26 may be two. In this case, one traveling creel cart 10 will supply full bobbins 5 to two stockers 20.
The traveling creel cart 10 can also convey empty bobbins retrieved from the stocker 20 by the exchange operation to a different location than the spinning winder 60 (e.g., a disposal location for the empty bobbins 6).

Claims

A bobbin conveying system (1) comprising:
a stocker (20) having a plurality of rows of stocker pegs (26) and capable of hanging and storing a full bobbin (5) and an empty bobbin (6) on each stocker peg (26);

a bobbin transfer robot (30) that removes a full bobbin (5) stored in the stocker (20) and attaches the full bobbin (5) to a creel (71) of a yarn processing machine (70), and removes an empty bobbin (6) from the creel (71) and stores the empty bobbin (6) in the stocker (20);

a traveling creel cart (10) having a plurality of rows of cart pegs (13) and conveying a full bobbin (5) or an empty bobbin (6) hanging on each cart peg (13); and

a controller (40) that controls the stocker (20) and the traveling creel cart (10), wherein

the stocker (20) is configured to be able to move full bobbins (5) hung on the cart pegs (13) of the traveling creel cart (10) to the stocker pegs (26), and to move empty bobbins (6) hung on the stocker pegs (26) to the cart pegs (13),

the number of rows of the stocker pegs (26) provided by the stocker (20) is equal to the number of rows of the cart pegs (13) provided by the traveling creel cart (10) plus one, and

the controller (40),

in a state in which one row of the stocker pegs (26) is bobbin-less and empty bobbins (6) are hung on all remaining rows of the stocker pegs (26),

controls the stocker (20) and the traveling creel cart (10) so that the stocker (20) and the traveling creel cart (10) cooperatively perform an exchange operation of replacing empty bobbins (6) in the stocker (20) with full bobbins (5) on the traveling creel cart (10) by alternating the following processes:
a first process of moving full bobbins (5) hung on one row of cart pegs (13) of the traveling creel cart (10) to one row of the stocker pegs (26) that is in a bobbin-less state to set one row of the cart pegs (13) in a bobbin-less state; and

a second process of moving one row of empty bobbins (6) hung on the stocker pegs (26) to one row of the cart pegs (13) that is in a bobbin-less state after the removal of the full bobbins (5) in the first process to set one row of stocker pegs (26) in a bobbin-less state,

as well as controlling the traveling creel cart (10), after the traveling creel cart (10) has conveyed full bobbins (5) to the stocker (20) and exchanged the full bobbins (5) with empty bobbins (6) in the stocker (20), so as to convey the empty bobbins (5) to a different location other than the stocker (20).
A bobbin conveying system (1) according to claim 1, wherein,
the number of tiers of the stocker pegs (26) provided by the stocker (20) is equal to the number of tiers of the cart pegs (13) provided by the traveling creel cart (10), and

the controller (40) controls the stocker (20) and the traveling creel cart (10) so that all empty bobbins (6) in the stocker (20) are replaced with all full bobbins (5) in the traveling creel cart (10) in the exchange operation.
The bobbin conveying system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
the traveling creel cart (10) conveys full bobbins (5) from an installation position of a spinning winder (60) that winds yarn onto an empty bobbin (6) to form a full bobbin (5) to an installation position of the stocker (20), and

the traveling creel cart (10) conveys the empty bobbins (6) retrieved by the exchange operation from the installation position of the stocker (20) to return the empty bobbins (6) to the installation position of the spinning winder (60).
The bobbin conveying system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein
the stocker peg (26) is capable of moving circularly along a looped path, and

the row of the stocker pegs (26) that deliver full bobbins (5) or empty bobbins (6) to the cart pegs (13) is changed by the circular movement.
The bobbin conveying system (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein
the controller (40) is configured to control the bobbin transfer robot (30), and

the controller (40) controls the bobbin transfer robot (30) so that the bobbin transfer robot (30) waits without performing the operation of removing full bobbins (5) from the stocker (20) while the exchange operation is being performed.
A bobbin conveying method comprising:
a stocker (20) having a plurality of rows of stocker pegs (26) and capable of hanging and storing a full bobbin (5) and an empty bobbin (6) on each stocker peg (26);

a bobbin transfer robot (30) that removes a full bobbin (5) stored in the stocker (20) and attaches the full bobbin (5) to a creel (71) of a yarn processing machine (70), and removes an empty bobbin (6) from the creel (71) and stores the empty bobbin (6) in the stocker (20); and

a traveling creel cart (10) having a plurality of rows of cart pegs (13) and conveying a full bobbin (5) or an empty bobbin (6) hanging on each cart peg (13), wherein

the bobbin transfer method is a method in a system where the stocker (20) is configured to be able to move full bobbins (5) hung on the cart pegs (13) of the traveling creel cart (10) to the stocker pegs (26), and to move empty bobbins (6) hung on the stocker pegs (26) to the cart pegs (13),

the number of rows of the stocker pegs (26) provided by the stocker (20) is equal to the number of rows of the cart pegs (13) provided by the traveling creel cart (10) plus one,

in a state in which one row of the stocker pegs (26) is bobbin-less and empty bobbins (6) are hung on all remaining rows of the stocker pegs (26),

an exchange operation of replacing empty bobbins (6) in the stocker (20) with full bobbins (5) in the traveling creel cart (10) is performed by alternating the following processes:
a first process of moving full bobbins (5) hung on one row of cart pegs (13) of the traveling creel cart (10) to one row of the stocker pegs (26) that is in a bobbin-less state to set one row of the cart pegs (13) in a bobbin-less state; and

a second process of moving one row of empty bobbins (6) hung on the stocker pegs (26) to one row of the cart pegs (13) that is in a bobbin-less state after the removal of the full bobbins (5) in the first process to set one row of stocker pegs (26)in a bobbin-less state, and

after the traveling creel cart (10) has conveyed full bobbins (5) to the stocker (20) and exchanged the full bobbins (5) with empty bobbins (6) in the stocker (20), the traveling creel cart (10) conveys the empty bobbins (6) to a different location other than the stocker (20).