EP4624403A1

EP4624403A1 - Yarn winding apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP4624403A1
Application number: EP25157863.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kyohei Yoshino; Masashi Kawai; Takehiro Tsutsumi
Original assignee: Toray Industries Inc; TMT Machinery Inc
Current assignee: Toray Industries Inc; TMT Machinery Inc
Priority date: 2024-03-26
Filing date: 2025-02-14
Publication date: 2025-10-01
Also published as: JP2025149112A; CN120698295A

Abstract

An object is to achieve stable switching of a bobbin B onto which a yarn Y is wound. The following members are included: a yarn holding member 43 configured to move the yarn Y toward a slit S formed on the front side of a wound region W of the bobbin B at a winding position, in a switching operation of switching the bobbin B at the winding position by rotating a turret; and a regulatory guide 28 which restricts the yarn Y which runs on the downstream side of the yarn holding member 43 in a yarn running direction from moving toward the slit S, in the switching operation. A controller performs tapered winding, and in the switching operation, before the turret is rotated, the controller controls the reciprocating width of the traverse guide 22 is at a switching width Ls that is narrower than the minimum reciprocating width Lmin with which the tapered winding is performed. The regulatory guide 28 is provided on the slit S side of the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the switching width Ls in the front-rear direction and is provided inside the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width Lmin.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a yarn winding apparatus configured to form a package by winding a yarn onto a bobbin.
Patent Literature 1 ( Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-084362 ) discloses a yarn winding machine (yarn winding apparatus) configured to wind a yarn spun out from a spinning apparatus onto a bobbin to form a package. This yarn winding machine includes two bobbin holders (attachment units) to each of which multiple bobbins are attached, and a turret (rotating body) that is rotatable and rotatably supports the two bobbin holders. As the turret is rotated, one of the following states is established: a state in which the bobbins attached to one bobbin holder are at winding positions whereas the bobbins attached to the other bobbin holder are at standby positions; and a state in which the bobbins attached to the one bobbin holder are at the standby positions whereas the bobbins attached to the other bobbin holder are at the winding positions. A yarn is wound onto each bobbin at the winding position while the yarn is being traversed by the traverse guide, with the result that a package is formed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the above-described yarn winding apparatus, when the bobbins on which the yarns are wound are switched, the turret is rotated so that the packages are moved from the winding positions to the standby positions and empty bobbins are moved to the winding positions. At this stage, the yarns are still connected to the packages at the standby positions. Subsequently, yarn threading is performed for the empty bobbins at the winding positions. The yarn threading is an action to cause a slit formed in the vicinity of an end portion in the axial direction of each bobbin to capture a yarn. In the yarn threading, the yarn connected to the package at the standby position is shifted to one side in the axial direction (i.e., to the side where the slit is formed in the empty bobbin) by a moving guide that is slidable along the axial direction of the bobbin.
At this time, as the yarn is shifted by the moving guide, a surface layer of the yarn on the package may drop off to the outer side in the axial direction. When the surface layer of the yarn on the package drops off, the tension of the yarn decreases, with the result that the yarn threading to the empty bobbin is not successfully done. In order to prevent the surface layer of the yarn on the package from dropping off, it is conceivable to provide a regulating member which restricts the movement of the yarn in the axial direction on the downstream side of the moving guide in the yarn running direction. Such a regulating member is positioned to prevent the yarn from moving out from a predetermined traverse width, when the yarn is wound with the predetermined traverse width.
On the other hand, when tapered winding is performed by gradually decreasing the traverse width, the regulating member is positioned to restrict the yarn from moving out from the minimum traverse width (i.e., the traverse width when the package is fully formed) . In this connection, if the turret is rotated to switch the bobbin for yarn winding before the package is fully formed, i.e., when the traverse width is not minimum, the yarn may be positioned on one side of the regulating member in the axial direction. In this state, if the yarn is shifted to one side in the axial direction by the moving guide, a surface layer of the yarn on the package drops off and the yarn threading to the empty bobbin cannot be successfully done, with the result that the switching of the bobbin cannot be stably done.
An object of the present invention is to provide a yarn winding apparatus in which switching of a bobbin on which a yarn is wound can be stably done at the time of tapered winding.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a yarn winding apparatus which is configured to form a package by winding a yarn onto a wound region of a bobbin at a winding position includes: two attachment units to which bobbins are attached so that an axis of each bobbin extends along one direction; a rotating body which supports the two attachment units and rotates about a rotational shaft extending along the one direction to take one of: a state in which the bobbin attached to one attachment unit among the two attachment units is at the winding position whereas the bobbin attached to the other attachment unit is at a standby position different from the winding position; and a state in which the bobbin attached to the one attachment unit is at the standby position whereas the bobbin attached to the other attachment unit is at the winding position; a traverse guide which is provided on the upstream side of the winding position in a yarn running direction and is configured to traverse a running yarn; a traverse driving unit which is configured to reciprocally move the traverse guide at least in the one direction; a traverse control unit which is capable of controlling the reciprocating width of reciprocal movement of the traverse guide performed by the traverse driving unit; a moving guide which is configured to move the yarn in the one direction toward a yarn threading portion formed on one side in the one direction of the wound region of the bobbin at the winding position in a switching operation of switching between the bobbin at the winding position and the bobbin at the standby position by rotating the rotational body, the yarn being connected to the package having moved to the standby position and running on the downstream side of the winding position in the yarn running direction; and a regulating member which restricts the yarn from moving toward the yarn threading portion in the one direction in the switching operation, the yarn being connected to the package having moved to the standby position and running on the downstream side of the moving guide in the yarn running direction. The traverse control unit performs tapered winding by gradually decreasing the reciprocating width when winding the yarn onto the bobbin, and before the rotating body is rotated in the switching operation, and the traverse control unit controls the traverse guide to perform reciprocal movement with a switching width that is narrower than a minimum reciprocating width in a movable range in which the traverse guide reciprocates with the minimum reciprocating width when the tapered winding is performed. The regulating member is provided on the yarn threading portion side of the movable range of the traverse guide that performs the reciprocal movement with the switching width in the one direction and is provided inside the movable range of the traverse guide that performs the reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width.
According to this arrangement of the present invention, in the switching operation, before the rotating body is rotated, the reciprocating width of the traverse guide is at the switching width that is narrower than the minimum reciprocating width with which the tapered winding is performed. Furthermore, the regulating member is provided on the yarn threading portion side in the one direction of the movable range of the traverse guide that performs reciprocal movement with the switching width. Therefore, when the rotating body is rotated in the switching operation, it is possible to avoid the yarn connected to the package having moved to the standby position from being on the yarn threading portion side of the regulating member in the one direction. Furthermore, the regulating member is provided in the movable range of the traverse guide that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width. Therefore, when the yarn is moved toward the yarn threading portion by the moving guide, the regulating member restricts the movement of the yarn connected to the package having moved to the standby position to the outside of the minimum reciprocating width with which the tapered winding is performed. It is therefore possible to suppress the surface layer of the yarn from dropping off from the package. On this account, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a failure of yarn threading to an empty bobbin and to stably perform switching of a bobbin to which the yarn is wound.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the yarn winding apparatus of the first aspect is arranged so that, when the minimum reciprocating width is Lmin, the regulating member is provided on the inner side in the one direction of an end on the yarn threading portion side by at least 0.1 Lmin of the movable range of the traverse guide that performs the reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width.
When the regulating member is provided in the vicinity of an end of the movable range of the traverse guide that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width, the yarn disadvantageously accumulates at an end portion of the package (to be specific, an end portion of a linear portion of a tapered-wound package) at the time of yarn threading. On this account, the winding diameter of the package increases and the tension increases, with the result that the end portion of the package is deformed. According to the arrangement of the present invention, because the regulating member is, to a certain extent, provided on the inner side of an end of the movable range of the traverse guide that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width, the deformation of the end portion of the package is suppressed.
According to a third aspect of the invention, the yarn winding apparatus of the first or second aspect is arranged so that, to each of the attachment units, bobbins are attachable to be aligned in the one direction.
With this arrangement of the present invention, in the yarn winding apparatus capable of simultaneously winding the yarns onto the bobbins at the winding positions, it is possible to stably perform switching of the bobbins to which the yarns Y are wound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a spun yarn take-up machine of an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the spun yarn take-up machine.
FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a traverse device and its surroundings.
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the traverse device and its surroundings.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an electric configuration of the yarn winding apparatus.
FIG. 6 is a schematic front view showing bobbins attached to two bobbin holders and their surroundings.
FIG. 7 is a schematic side view showing the bobbins attached to the two bobbin holders and their surroundings.
FIG. 8(a) and FIG. 8(b) are front views of the yarn winding apparatus during a switching operation.
FIG. 9(a) and FIG. 9(b) are front views of the yarn winding apparatus during the switching operation.
FIG. 10 is a schematic side view showing the bobbins attached to the two bobbin holders and their surroundings during the switching operation.
FIG. 11 is a schematic side view showing the bobbins attached to the two bobbin holders and their surroundings during the switching operation.
FIG. 12 is a schematic side view showing the bobbins attached to the two bobbin holders and their surroundings during the switching operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following will describe a preferred embodiment of the present invention. For the sake of convenience, directions shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are referred to as a front-rear direction, a left-right direction, and an up-down direction. The up-down direction (the up-down direction in the plane of each of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) is a vertical direction in which the gravity acts. The left-right direction (the left-right direction in the plane of FIG. 2) is a predetermined direction orthogonal to the up-down direction. The front-rear direction (the left-right direction in the plane of FIG. 1) is orthogonal to both the up-down direction and the left-right direction. A direction in which each yarn Y runs is referred to as a yarn running direction.

(Spun Yarn Take-Up Machine)

The following will describe a spun yarn take-up machine 1 of the present embodiment, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a side view of the spun yarn take-up machine 1. FIG. 2 is a front view of the spun yarn take-up machine 1.
The spun yarn take-up machine 1 is configured to take up yarns Y spun out from a spinning apparatus 2, to wind the yarns Y onto respective bobbins B, and to form packages P. The spinning apparatus 2 is, for example, configured to discharge molten polymer which is a material of the yarns Y, for example. While the material of the yarns Y is, for example, a polyester-based material such as PET, the disclosure is not limited to this arrangement. While the yarn Y is, for example, a monofilament yarn made of a single filament, the disclosure is not limited to this arrangement.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the spun yarn take-up machine 1 includes a first godet roller 11, a second godet roller 12, and a yarn winding apparatus 13 (yarn winding apparatus of the present invention).
The first godet roller 11 is a roller having an axis substantially in parallel to the left-right direction. The first godet roller 11 is positioned below the spinning apparatus 2, for example. On the first godet roller 11, yarns Y are wound while being aligned in the left-right direction. The first godet roller 11 is rotationally driven by an unillustrated motor. As a result, the first godet roller 11 feeds the yarns Y to the downstream side in a yarn running direction.
The second godet roller 12 is a roller having an axis substantially in parallel to the left-right direction. The second godet roller 12 is provided downstream of the first godet roller 11 in the yarn running direction. The second godet roller 12 is provided above and rearward of the first godet roller 11. The second godet roller 12 is rotationally driven by an unillustrated motor. As a result, the second godet roller 12 feeds the yarns Y to the downstream side in the yarn running direction.
The yarn winding apparatus 13 is arranged to be able to perform a winding operation of forming the packages P by winding the yarns Y onto the respective bobbins B at winding positions (described later). The yarn winding apparatus 13 is provided downstream of the second godet roller 12 in the yarn running direction. The yarn winding apparatus 13 is provided below the second godet roller 12.

(Structure of Yarn Winding Apparatus)

The structure of the yarn winding apparatus 13 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of a later-described traverse device 30 and its surroundings. FIG. 4 is a schematic profile of the traverse device 30 and its surroundings. FIG. 4 is a profile viewed from the right side. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an electric configuration of the yarn winding apparatus 13.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the yarn winding apparatus 13 includes a frame 20, fulcrum guides 21, traverse guides 22, a turret 23 (rotating body of the present invention), two bobbin holders 24 (attachment units of the present invention), a contact roller 25, and a controller 26.
The frame 20 is a member either to which constituent features of the take-up winder 13 are attached or in which components of the yarn winding apparatus 13 are accommodated. The frame 20 is provided at, for example, a rear end portion of the yarn winding apparatus 13. Each fulcrum guide 21 functions as a fulcrum when a yarn Y is traversed by each traverse guide 22. Each fulcrum guide 21 is arranged to guide a yarn Y to the downstream side in the yarn running direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the fulcrum guides 21 are provided for the respective yarns Y. The fulcrum guides 21 are aligned in the front-rear direction.
The traverse guides 22 are provided for the respective yarns Y. The traverse guides 22 are aligned in the front-rear direction. Each traverse guide 22 is driven by, e.g., a traverse motor 31 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 5; a traverse driving unit of the present invention), and is configured to reciprocally move in the front-rear direction. With this arrangement, the yarns Y threaded to the traverse guides 22 are traversed about the fulcrum guides 21. The moving direction of the traverse guide 22 should be at least the front-rear direction, and may be a direction inclined relative to the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the moving direction of the traverse guide 22 may be in parallel to the front-rear direction.
To be more specific, the traverse guides 22 are included in, for example, traverse devices 30 (see FIG. 3), respectively. The traverse devices 30 are aligned in the front-rear direction. The traverse devices 30 which are adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction may be arranged to partially overlap each other in the front-rear direction as shown in FIG. 3. Each traverse device 30 includes, e.g., the above-described traverse motor 31, a driving pulley 32, two driven pulleys 33, and an endless belt 34. These members are attached to, e.g., a plate-shaped base member included in the traverse device 30. In order to avoid a complex drawing, the base member is not illustrated.
The traverse motor 31 is, for example, a servo motor with an unillustrated rotary encoder. The rotation angle of a rotational shaft of the traverse motor 31 is detected by the rotary encoder. This makes it possible to calculate the position of a traverse guide 22 in the front-rear direction based on, e.g., a predetermined calculation formula.
The driving pulley 32 is a pulley on which the endless belt 34 is wound. The driving pulley 32 is rotationally driven in forward and reverse directions by the traverse motor 31.
Being similar to the driving pulley 32, the two driven pulleys 33 are pulleys on which the endless belt 34 is wound. The two driven pulleys 33 are passively rotated by the action of the endless belt 34. The rotational axis direction of each driven pulley 33 is substantially in parallel to the rotational axis direction of the driving pulley 32. As shown in FIG. 3, the two driven pulleys 33 include a driven pulley 33a provided on the front side and a driven pulley 33b provided on the rear side. A line segment (not illustrated) connecting the rotation axis center of the driven pulley 33a with the rotation axis center of the driven pulley 33b may be tilted relative to the front-rear direction. The driven pulley 33b of one traverse device 30 and the driven pulley 33a of another traverse device 30 arranged behind the one traverse device 30 may be positioned to at least partially overlap each other in the front-rear direction, for example.
The endless belt 34 is wound onto the driving pulley 32 and the two driven pulleys 33. The traverse guide 22 is attached to a substantially linear portion of the endless belt 34, which is located between the two driven pulleys 33. As the traverse motor 31 rotationally drives the driving pulley 32, the endless belt 34 is driven and the traverse guide 22 is reciprocated in the front-rear direction (the axial direction of bobbin B).
The traverse guide 22 can be at any position in a predetermined area (movable area) in the front-rear direction in accordance with the rotational angle of the rotational shaft of the traverse motor 31. In other words, the traveling range of the traverse guide 22 can be changed at will within the movable area. For example, when the winding operation is being performed, the traverse guide 22 is reciprocated within a traverse region T (see FIG. 4) to form a yarn layer YL constituting a package P.
By controlling the operation of the traverse motor 31 with the controller 26, it is possible to change the reciprocating width (traverse width) of the reciprocal movement of the traverse guide 22 during the winding operation, for example. In other words, the controller 26 functions as a traverse control unit of the present invention.
In the present embodiment, during the winding operation, the reciprocating width of the traverse guide 22 is gradually decreased from the maximum reciprocating width Lmax to the minimum reciprocating width Lmin, while tapered winding is performed (see FIG. 4). The reciprocating width is a length along the front-rear direction. In this operation, the yarn Y is wound onto a wound region W at a central portion in the axial direction (front-rear direction) of the bobbin B. The width (i.e., the length along the front-rear direction) of the wound region W is Lmax. As a result of the tapered winding, both end portions of the package P are tilted in shape. In a taper-wound package P, a portion where the yarn Y is wound by reciprocally moving the traverse guide 22 with the minimum reciprocating width Lmin is termed a linear portion. The maximum reciprocating width Lmax is, for example, the total length of a traverse region T along the front-rear direction. The minimum reciprocating width Lmin is, for example, 60 mm or more. With a surface of a package P for which winding is in progress, a later-described contact roller 25 is in contact. As long as the package P is not deformed by a contact pressure applied by the contact roller 25, the minimum reciprocating width Lmin may be less than 60 mm.
The traverse guide 22 is able to reach the outside of the traverse region T. For example, at one end portion (front end portion in FIG. 4) in the axial direction (front-rear direction) of the bobbin B, a slit S (yarn threading portion of the present invention) in which a yarn Y is threaded is formed over the entirety or part of the circumference of the bobbin B in the circumferential direction. The slit S may be formed in a rear end portion in the axial direction of the bobbin B. The slit S is located outside the wound region W (traverse region T) in the front-rear direction. For example, in FIG. 4, the slit S is located forward of the wound region W (traverse region T) . The traverse guide 22 is able to move to a position substantially identical with that of the slit S in the front-rear direction. As the yarn Y is moved to the substantially same position as the slit S in the front-rear direction by the traverse guide 22, it is possible to allow the slit S to catch the yarn Y and to thread the yarn Y to the bobbin B.
The structure of the traverse device 30 is not limited to the above-described one. For example, instead of the traverse motors 31 provided to correspond to the respective driving pulleys 32, a single traverse motor (not illustrated) that simultaneously drives the driving pulleys 32 may be provided as a driving source.
The turret 23 is a disc-shaped member. The turret 23 is rotatably supported by the frame 20. The position of the rotation shaft of the turret 23 coincides with the center position of the turret 23. The rotational shaft of the turret 23 extends along the front-rear direction. The turret 23 is rotationally driven by a turret motor 101 (see FIG. 5).
The two bobbin holders 24 are both long in the front-rear direction. By the turret 23, the two bobbin holders 24 are rotatably supported at their rear end portions. When viewed in the front-rear direction, for example, the two bobbin holders 24 are provided to be point symmetric about the rotation axis center C of the turret 23 (see FIG. 2). The axial direction of each bobbin holder 24 is substantially in parallel to the front-rear direction (see FIG. 1). To each bobbin holder 24, bobbins B are attached to be lined up in the front-rear direction. Each bobbin B is attached to the bobbin holder 24 so that the axis of the bobbin B is in parallel to the front-rear direction. In the present embodiment, for example, six bobbins B are attached to each bobbin holder 24. It is noted that the number of bobbins B attachable to the bobbin holder 24 not limited to this number. Each of the two bobbin holders 24 is rotationally driven by an individual winding motor 102 (see FIG. 5).
As the turret 23 rotates, one of the following states is established: a state in which the bobbins B attached to one bobbin holder 24 among the two bobbin holders 24 are at winding positions whereas the bobbins B attached to the other bobbin holder 24 are at standby positions; and a state in which the bobbins B attached to the one bobbin holder 24 are at the standby positions whereas the bobbins B attached to the other bobbin holder 24 are at the winding positions. The winding position is in the vicinity of the later-described contact roller 25. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, multiple bobbins B1 attached to a bobbin holder 24A among two bobbin holders 24A and 24B are at the winding positions, whereas multiple bobbins B2 attached to the bobbin holder 24B are at the standby positions. In this state, the bobbin holder 24A is positioned above the bobbin holder 24B. In the following explanation, the bobbin holder 24 in which the attached bobbins B are located at the winding positions may be referred to as the upper bobbin holder 24. The yarns Y sent from the second godet roller 12 to the yarn winding apparatus 13 are simultaneously wound onto the bobbins B at the winding positions.
The contact roller 25 is provided immediately above the upper bobbin holder 24. The axial direction of the contact roller 25 is substantially in parallel to the front-rear direction. The contact roller 25 is configured to make contact with the surfaces of the packages P supported by the upper bobbin holder 24. With this, the contact roller 25 applies a contact pressure to the surface of each package P to adjust the shape of each package P.
The controller 26 includes, e.g., a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM which are not illustrated. As shown in FIG. 5, the controller 26 is electrically connected to each component of the yarn winding apparatus 13 (see, e.g., the traverse motor 31, the turret motor 101, and the winding motor 102 described above). The controller 26 is configured to be able to control the operation of each component of the yarn winding apparatus 13.
In the yarn winding apparatus 13 structured as described above, when the upper bobbin holder 24 is rotationally driven, the yarns Y traversed by the traverse guides 22 are wound onto the bobbins B at the winding positions, with the result that the packages P are formed. When switching the bobbins B (bobbins B at the winding positions) on which the yarns Y are wound, the turret 23 is rotated to switch the upper and lower positions of the two bobbin holders 24 so that the empty bobbins B become at the winding positions. Then the yarn threading to the empty bobbins B is performed and the formation of packages P starts again. At this stage, the bobbin holder 24 to which the fully-formed packages P are attached is moved to the lower position. The fully-formed packages P are collected by, e.g., an unillustrated package collector. The operation of the yarn winding apparatus 13, which is to rotate the turret 23 for switching between the bobbins B at the winding positions and the bobbins B at the standby positions, is referred to as a switching operation for the sake of convenience.

(Other Arrangements)

The following will further describe the structure of the yarn winding apparatus 13 with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. FIG. 6 is a front view showing the bobbins B1 and B2 attached to the respective bobbin holders 24 and their surroundings. FIG. 7 shows the bobbins B1 and B2 attached to the respective bobbin holders 24 and their surroundings. FIG. 7 is a profile viewed from the left side. FIGs. 6 and 7 show a state after the rotation of the turret 23 in the switching operation, in which an empty bobbin B2 is at the winding position. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, in this state, after the turret 23 is rotated in the switching operation, a yarn Y is connected to a package P attached to the lower bobbin holder 24. As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the yarn winding apparatus 13 further includes a separator 27 and regulatory guides 28.
The separator 27 is configured to temporarily hold and move the yarns Y at the time of the switching operation. As shown in FIG. 6, the separator 27 includes a rotation shaft 41, a supporting member 42, and a yarn holding member 43.
The rotation shaft 41 extends in the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 6). The rotation shaft 41 supports the support member 42 to be rotatable. The supporting member 42 is, for example, a substantially plate-shaped member extending in the front-rear direction. The supporting member 42 is driven and moved between a standby position (see two-dot chain lines in FIG. 6) and a yarn holding position (see full lines in FIG. 6) by a rotational drive unit 103 (see FIG. 5). The standby position is a position that does not overlap the turret 23 when viewed in the front-rear direction, for example. The yarn holding position is a position of the supporting member 42, where the yarns Y are held by the yarn holding member 43. The rotational drive unit 103 may include, for example, an unillustrated motor as a driving source. Alternatively, the rotational drive unit 103 may include, for example, an unillustrated air cylinder as a driving source. The rotational drive unit 103 is electrically connected to the controller 26 (see FIG. 5).
The yarn holding member 43 is configured to hold the yarns Y so that the yarns Y are separated from each other in the front-rear direction (the axial direction of the bobbins B). To be more specific, the yarn holding member 43 holds the yarns Y which are connected to the packages P that have moved to the standby positions and run on the downstream side in the yarn running direction of the winding positions (position of the bobbin B2 in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7). The yarn holding member 43 has, for example, holding grooves 43a (see FIG. 7) provided to correspond to the respective yarns Y. Each of the holding grooves 43a is capable of capturing and holding a single yarn Y. A portion where each holding groove 43a is formed in the yarn holding member 43 is equivalent to the moving guide of the present invention. FIG. 7 shows only one holding groove 43a in a case where the supporting member 42 is positioned at the yarn holding position. In the vicinity of an entrance through which the yarn Y enters and leaves the holding groove 43a, a protrusion (not illustrated) may be provided to avoid the drop off of the held yarn Y, for example.
For example, the entire separator 27 is moved in the front-rear direction (indicated by an arrow in FIG. 7) by a movement drive unit 104 (see FIG. 5). The movement drive unit 104 may include, e.g., an unillustrated air cylinder as a driving source. Alternatively, the movement drive unit 104 may include an unillustrated linear actuator as a driving source. The movement drive unit 104 is electrically connected to the controller 26 (see FIG. 5).
The yarn holding member 43 is driven and moved between, for example, a yarn capturing position (see full lines in FIG. 7) and a yarn shifting position (see dotted lines in FIG. 7) by the movement drive unit 104. The yarn capturing position is a position of the yarn holding member 43, where the yarns Y are captured by the respective holding grooves 43a. The yarn shifting position is in the vicinity of the location where the slit S is formed in the empty bobbin B in the left-right direction. The yarn shifting position may coincide with the position of the slit S in the left-right direction. The yarn shifting position is a position of the yarn holding member 43 when yarns Y are threaded to empty bobbins B. The yarn shifting position is located forward of the yarn capturing position. After capturing the yarn Y by each holding groove 43a at the capturing position, the yarn holding member 43 moves to the yarn shifting position, with the result that the yarn Y is shifted to the slit S on the front side. As a result, the yarn Y running on the downstream side of the winding position (position of the empty bobbin B) in the yarn running direction moves toward the slit S in the front-rear direction.
The regulatory guides 28 are provided on the two supporting members 51 extending in the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 6). Each supporting member 51 is supported by the turret 23 at its rear end portion. For example, the two supporting members 51 are provided to be point symmetric about the rotation axis center C of the turret 23 (see FIG. 6). Each supporting member 51 is provided with the regulatory guides 28 corresponding to the yarns Y on a one-to-one basis. In the present embodiment, each supporting member 51 is provided with, for example, six regulatory guides 28.
A regulatory guide 28A provided on a supporting member 51A among two supporting members 51A and 51B is used when a yarn Y connected to a package P attached to the bobbin holder 24A (i.e., a package P having moved to the standby position) is threaded to a bobbin B2 attached to the bobbin holder 24B in the switching operation (see FIG. 6 and FIG. 7). A regulatory guide 28B provided on a supporting member 51B is used when a yarn Y connected to a package P attached to the bobbin holder 24B (i.e., a package P having moved to the standby position) is threaded to a bobbin B1 attached to the bobbin holder 24A in the switching operation.
The following will explain the disposition of each regulatory guide 28 (regulatory guide 28A in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7) used for yarn threading in the switching operation. This regulatory guide 28 is provided on the downstream side in the yarn running direction of the yarn holding member 43 which is at the yarn capturing position (see full lines in FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 6, the regulatory guide 28 overlaps a yarn path between the yarn holding member 43 and the package P when viewed in the front-rear direction, when the regulatory guide 28 is at a position where the yarn holding member 43 is at the yarn capturing position and the yarn Y connected to the package P at the standby position is captured by the retaining groove 43a. As shown in FIG. 7, in the left-right direction, the regulatory guide 28 is provided in the vicinity of a front end portion of the linear portion of the package P connected to the corresponding yarn Y. The position in the front-rear direction of the regulatory guide 28 will be detailed later.
In the switching operation, the regulatory guide 28 restricts forward movement of the yarn Y which is connected to the package P having moved to the standby position and runs on the downstream side of the yarn holding member 43 in the yarn running direction. In other words, when the yarn holding member 43 moves from the yarn capturing position (see full lines in FIG. 7) to the yarn shifting position (see dotted lines in FIG. 7), the yarn Y running on the downstream side of the yarn holding member 43 in the yarn running direction is restricted from moving toward the slit S on the front side by the regulatory guide 28.

(Outline of Switching Operation)

Now, the switching operation will be outlined with reference to FIG. 8(a) to FIG. 12. FIG. 8(a) to FIG. 9(b) are front views of the yarn winding apparatus 13 in the switching operation. FIG. 10 to FIG. 12 show the bobbins B1 and B2 attached to the respective bobbin holders 24 and their surroundings in the switching operation. FIG. 10 to FIG. 12 are profiles seen from the left side.
Assume that the bobbins B1 are at the winding positions, and a package P is formed on each of the bobbins B1 (see FIG. 8(a)). The switching operation is performed when a package P is fully formed. In addition to this, the switching operation may be performed before a package P is fully formed. In other words, for example, the following case may occur: when the formation of a package P is in progress, an abnormality is found in a production step performed on the upstream of the yarn winding apparatus 13, the abnormality is resolved without cutting the yarn Y, and then the switching operation is performed before the package P is fully formed. When the switching operation is performed at the full formation of the package P, the reciprocating width of the reciprocal movement of the traverse guide 22 immediately before the start of the switching operation is equal to the minimum reciprocating width Lmin. When the switching operation is performed before the full formation of the package P, the reciprocating width of the reciprocal movement of the traverse guide 22 immediately before the start of the switching operation may be more than the minimum reciprocating width Lmin.
To begin with, the controller 26 controls the traverse motor 31 (see FIG. 5) to cause the traverse guide 22 to perform reciprocal movement with a switching width Ls (see FIG. 10) that is narrower than the minimum reciprocating width Lmin (traverse width when the package P is fully formed), in the movable range of the minimum reciprocating width Lmin. The switching width Ls is the width with which the traverse guide 22 does not reach a position on the slit S side of the regulatory guide 28 in the front-rear direction. In the present embodiment, the slit S is positioned forward of the regulatory guide 28 in the front-rear direction. The traverse guide 22 performs the reciprocal movement with the switching width Ls at a position rearward of the regulatory guide 28 in the front-rear direction. At this stage, the reciprocating width of the traverse guide 22 is changed but t traversal is continued.
Subsequently, the controller 26 controls the turret motor 101 (see FIG. 5) to rotate the turret 23, so as to move the packages P away from the contact roller 25 (see FIG. 8(b)). During this operation, the bobbin holder 24A is rotating, each traverse guide 22 is reciprocating, and the yarns Y are being wound onto the bobbins B1. Furthermore, the controller 26 controls a winding motor 102 which is configured to rotationally drive the bobbin holder 24B to start the rotation of the bobbin holder 24B (and empty bobbins B2). The controller 26 rotates the turret 23 until the bobbins B2 reach the winding positions in the vicinity of the contact roller 25 (see FIG. 8(b)). At this stage, the yarns Y come into contact with the respective rotating bobbins B2.
In regard to the above, as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the regulatory guide 28 is, in the front-rear direction, positioned forward of (on the slit S side of) the movable range of the traverse guide 22 which performs the reciprocal movement with the switching width Ls. Before the turret 23 is rotated, the reciprocating width of the traverse guide 22 is at the switching width Ls. Therefore, when the turret 23 is rotated and the bobbins B at the winding positions are switched, the yarns Y are not positioned forward of (on the slit S side of) the regulatory guide 28. In other words, as shown in FIG. 11, the yarns Y are positioned rearward of the regulatory guide 28.
Subsequently, the controller 26 controls the rotational drive unit 103 (see FIG. 5) to rotate the separator 27 and to move the supporting member 42 from the standby position to the yarn holding position (see FIG. 9(a)). At this stage, the holding grooves 43a are positioned at the yarn capturing position (indicated by full lines in FIG. 7). As a result, the yarns Y which are being traversed are captured by the yarn holding member 43 through the entrances of the corresponding holding grooves 43a.
Subsequently, the controller 26 controls the traverse motor 31 to move each traverse guide 22 in the front-rear direction to a position in the vicinity of the slit S of the corresponding bobbin B2 (see full lines in FIG. 12). In this state, the controller 26 controls the movement drive unit 104 (see FIG. 5) to move each holding groove 43a in the front-rear direction to the yarn shifting position in the vicinity of the slit S of the corresponding bobbin B2 (see FIG. 12). At this stage, for example, the traverse guide 22 and the holding groove 43a are positioned outside the traverse region T.
At this stage, the yarn Y running on the downstream side of the winding position (position of the empty bobbin B2) in the yarn running direction is moved by the yarn holding member 43 toward the slit S in the front-rear direction (i.e., forward in FIG. 12). The yarn Y running on the downstream side of the yarn holding member 43 in the yarn running direction is shifted to one side in the front-rear direction and makes contact with the regulatory guide 28. The yarn Y running on the downstream side of the yarn holding member 43 in the yarn running direction is restricted from moving toward one side (slit S side) in the front-rear direction by the regulatory guide 28. In other words, the yarn Y which is on the downstream side of the regulatory guide 28 in the yarn running direction and is connected to the package P does not move to one side (slit S side) of the regulatory guide 28 in the front-rear direction.
In this regard, as shown in FIG. 12, the regulatory guide 28 is provided in the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width Lmin. The distance dL between the regulatory guide 28 (to be more specific, a part of the regulatory guide 28 where the regulatory guide 28 makes contact with the yarn Y) and an end on one side (front side in FIG. 12, slit S side) in the front-rear direction of the movable range of the traverse guide 22 which performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width Lmin is equal to or longer than 0.1 Lmin. As such, the movement of the yarn Y connected to the package P is restricted by the regulatory guide 28 and hence the yarn Y is not allowed to move to the outside of the linear portion of the package P in the front-rear direction.
Subsequently, the controller 26 controls the traverse motor 31 to move each traverse guide 22 in the front-rear direction to a position substantially identical with that of each slit S (see dotted lines in FIG. 12). As a result, the yarn Y is threaded to the slit S of the rotating bobbin B2. A high tension is applied to the yarn Y threaded to the slit S, and the yarn Y on the package P side in the yarn running direction is cut by the tension. As a result, the package P is separated from the yarn Y.
Subsequently, the controller 26 is on standby for a predetermined time. As a result, bunch winding (straight winding) is performed in the vicinity of the slit S of the rotating bobbin B2, and hence a bunch YB is formed (see FIG. 4). Subsequently, the controller 26 rotates the separator 27 and moves the supporting member 42 from the yarn holding position to the standby position (see FIG. 9(b)). Then the controller 26 moves the traverse guide 22 to the traverse region T. In doing so, tail winding is performed for the bobbin B2 and a tail YT (see FIG. 4) is formed. Subsequently, the controller 26 reciprocates the traverse guide 22 in the traverse region T, and the yarn Y is wound onto the bobbin B2. The switching operation is completed in this way.

(Characteristics of Embodiment)

As described above, the yarn winding apparatus 13 of the present embodiment forms a package P by winding a yarn Y onto a wound region W of a bobbin B at the winding position. The yarn winding apparatus 13 includes: two bobbin holders 24 to which bobbins B are attached so that the axial direction of each bobbin B extends along the front-rear direction; a turret 23 which rotatably supports end portions of the two bobbin holders 24 and rotates about a rotational axis extending along the front-rear direction so as to be switched between a state in which bobbins B1 attached to a bobbin holder 24A that is one of the two bobbin holders 24 are at winding positions whereas bobbins B2 attached to the other bobbin holder 24B are at standby positions different from the winding positions and a state in which the bobbins B1 attached to the one bobbin holder 24A are at the standby positions whereas the bobbins B2 attached to the other bobbin holder 24B are at the winding positions; a traverse guide 22 which is provided on the upstream side of the winding position in the yarn running direction and is configured to traverse the running yarn Y; a traverse motor 31 which is configured to reciprocally move the traverse guide 22 at least in the front-rear direction; a controller 26 which is able to control the reciprocating width of the reciprocal movement of the traverse guide 22 by the traverse motor 31; a yarn holding member 43 which is configured to move the yarn Y connected to a package P having moved to the standby position and running on the downstream side of the winding position in the yarn running direction toward a slit S formed forward of a wound region W of a bobbin B at the winding position in the front-rear direction, in a switching operation of switching between bobbins B at the winding positions and bobbins B at the standby positions by rotating the turret 23; and a regulatory guide 28 which restricts, in the switching operation, the movement in the front-rear direction of the yarn Y connected to the package P having moved to the standby position and running on the downstream side of the yarn holding member 43 in the yarn running direction toward the slit S. The controller 26 performs tapered winding by gradually decreasing the reciprocating width of the traverse guide 22 when winding the yarn Y onto the bobbin B, and before the turret 23 is rotated in the switching operation, the controller 26 controls the traverse guide 22 to perform reciprocal movement with a switching width Ls that is narrower than the minimum reciprocating width Lmin in a movable range in which the traverse guide 22 reciprocates with the minimum reciprocating width Lmin when the tapered winding is performed. The regulatory guide 28 is provided on the slit S side of the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the switching width Ls in the front-rear direction and is provided inside the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width Lmin.
According to the arrangement described above, in the switching operation, before the turret 23 is rotated, the reciprocating width of the traverse guide 22 is at the switching width Ls that is narrower than the minimum reciprocating width Lmin with which the tapered winding is performed. Furthermore, the regulatory guide 28 is provided on the slit S side in the front-rear direction of the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the switching width Ls. Therefore, when the turret 23 is rotated in the switching operation, it is possible to avoid the yarn Y connected to the package P having moved to the standby position from being on the slit S side of the regulatory guide 28 in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the regulatory guide 28 is provided in the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width Lmin. Therefore, when the yarn Y is moved toward the slit S by the yarn holding member 43, the regulatory guide 28 restricts the movement of the yarn Y connected to the package P having moved to the standby position to the outside of the minimum reciprocating width Lmin with which the tapered winding is performed. It is therefore possible to suppress the surface layer of the yarn Y from dropping off from the package P. On this account, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a failure of yarn threading to an empty bobbin B and to stably perform switching of a bobbin B to which the yarn Y is wound.
In the yarn winding apparatus 13 of the present embodiment, the distance dL between the regulatory guide 28 (to be more specific, a part of the regulatory guide 28 where the regulatory guide 28 makes contact with the yarn Y) and an end on one side in the front-rear direction of the movable range of the traverse guide 22 which performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width (Lmin) is equal to or longer than 0.1 Lmin. Furthermore, the regulatory guide 28 is provided on the inner side in the front-rear direction of the end on the slit S side by at least 0.1 Lmin, in the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width.
When the regulatory guide 28 is provided in the vicinity of an end of the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width, the yarn Y disadvantageously accumulates at an end portion of the package (to be specific, an end portion of a linear portion of a tapered-wound package P) at the time of yarn threading. On this account, the winding diameter of the package P increases and the tension increases, with the result that the end portion of the package is deformed. According to the arrangement above, because the regulatory guide 28 is, to a certain extent, provided on the inner side of an end of the movable range of the traverse guide 22 that performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width, the deformation of the end portion of the package is suppressed.
In addition to the above, the yarn winding apparatus 13 of the present embodiment is arranged so that, to each bobbin holder 24, bobbins B are attachable so as to be aligned in the front-rear direction. On this account, in the yarn winding apparatus 13 capable of simultaneously winding the yarns Y onto the bobbins B at the winding positions, it is possible to stably perform switching of the bobbins B to which the yarns Y are wound.
Furthermore, in the yarn winding apparatus 13 of the present embodiment, the minimum reciprocating width Lmin of the traverse guide 22 in the tapered winding is 60 mm or more. The shorter the length of the linear portion of the package P is, the greater the contact pressure applied to the surface of the package P by the contact roller 25 is. There is a risk of deformation of the package P when a large contact pressure is applied to the surface of the package P. With the arrangement above, a sufficient length of the linear portion of the package P is secured, and deformation of the package P by the contact pressure from the contact roller 25 is suppressed.
The embodiment of the present invention is described hereinabove. However, the specific structure of the present invention shall not be interpreted as to be limited to the above described embodiment. The scope of the present invention is defined not by the above embodiment but by claims set forth below, and shall encompass the equivalents in the meaning of the claims and every modification within the scope of the claims.
The embodiment above describes that the distance dL between the regulatory guide 28 and an end on one side in the front-rear direction of the movable range of the traverse guide 22 which performs reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width is equal to or longer than 0.1 Lmin. However, the disclosure is not limited to this arrangement. The distance dL may be less than 0.1 Lmin.
In the embodiment above, the bobbins B are attached to each bobbin holder 24. However, the disclosure is not limited to this arrangement. The number of bobbins B attached to each bobbin holder 24 may be one.
In the embodiment above, the present invention is applied to the spun yarn take-up machine 1. However, the disclosure is not limited to this arrangement. The present invention is applicable to a textile machine that is different from the spun yarn take-up apparatus.

Claims

A yarn winding apparatus (13) configured to form a package (P) by winding a yarn (Y) onto a wound region (W) of a bobbin (B) at a winding position, comprising:
two attachment units (24) to which bobbins (B) are attached so that an axis of each bobbin (B) extends along one direction;

a rotating body (23) which supports the two attachment units (24) and rotates about a rotational shaft extending along the one direction to take one of: a state in which the bobbin (B) attached to one attachment unit (24) among the two attachment units (24) is at the winding position whereas the bobbin (B) attached to the other attachment unit (24) is at a standby position different from the winding position; and a state in which the bobbin (B) attached to the one attachment unit (24) is at the standby position whereas the bobbin (B) attached to the other attachment unit (24) is at the winding position;

a traverse guide (22) which is provided on the upstream side of the winding position in a yarn running direction and is configured to traverse a running yarn (Y);

a traverse driving unit (31) which is configured to reciprocally move the traverse guide (22) at least in the one direction;

a traverse control unit (26) which is capable of controlling the reciprocating width of reciprocal movement of the traverse guide (22) performed by the traverse driving unit (31);

a moving guide (43) which is configured to move the yarn (Y) in the one direction toward a yarn threading portion (S) formed on one side in the one direction of the wound region (W) of the bobbin (B) at the winding position in a switching operation of switching between the bobbin (B) at the winding position and the bobbin (B) at the standby position by rotating the rotational body (23), the yarn (Y) being connected to the package (P) having moved to the standby position and running on the downstream side of the winding position in the yarn running direction; and

a regulating member (28) which restricts the yarn (Y) from moving toward the yarn threading portion (S) in the one direction in the switching operation, the yarn (Y) being connected to the package (P) having moved to the standby position and running on the downstream side of the moving guide (43) in the yarn running direction,

the traverse control unit (26) performing tapered winding by gradually decreasing the reciprocating width when winding the yarn (Y) onto the bobbin (B), and before the rotating body (23) is rotated in the switching operation, the traverse control unit (26) controlling the traverse guide (22) to perform reciprocal movement with a switching width that is narrower than a minimum reciprocating width in a movable range in which the traverse guide (22) reciprocates with the minimum reciprocating width when the tapered winding is performed, and

the regulating member (28) being provided on the yarn threading portion (S) side of the movable range of the traverse guide (22) that performs the reciprocal movement with the switching width in the one direction and being provided inside the movable range of the traverse guide (22) that performs the reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width.
The yarn winding apparatus (13) according to claim 1, wherein,
when the minimum reciprocating width is Lmin,

the regulating member (28) is provided on the inner side in the one direction of an end on the yarn threading portion side by at least 0.1 Lmin of the movable range of the traverse guide (22) that performs the reciprocal movement with the minimum reciprocating width.
The yarn winding apparatus (13) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, to each of the attachment units (24), bobbins (B) are attachable to be aligned in the one direction.