EP4775518A1

EP4775518A1 - Yarn cutting-sucking device

Info

Publication number: EP4775518A1
Application number: EP25214197.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Takayuki Iwaki
Original assignee: TMT Machinery Inc
Current assignee: TMT Machinery Inc
Priority date: 2025-01-10
Filing date: 2025-11-07
Publication date: 2026-07-15
Also published as: JP2026121164A; CN122355110A

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to reliably cut yarns (Y).

In a yarn cutting-sucking device (7), a movement mechanism (712) is able to perform: first movement in which a yarn gathering member (711) is moved so that a yarn holding portion (711h) is moved leftward at a first speed to gather and guide yarns (Y) to a cutter; and second movement in which the yarn gathering member (711) is moved so that the yarn holding portion (711h) is moved at a second speed faster than the first speed and presses the yarns (Y), which are gathered and guided to the cutter (75) in the first movement, onto the cutter (75) to cut the yarns (Y).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a yarn cutting-sucking device configured to cut and suck yarns.
Patent Literature 1 ( Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-180610 ) discloses a yarn cutting-sucking device including: a cutter movable in an arrangement direction in which yarns are aligned; and a suction device which is movable in the arrangement direction similarly as the cutter and which is configured to suck the yarns cut by the cutter. In the device of Patent Literature 1, as the cutter is moved in the arrangement direction, the yarns are cut in order one by one.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the device of Patent Literature 1, when the cutter is moved in the arrangement direction (parallel direction) so as to cut the yarns, a pressing force may be applied to the yarns by the cutter so that the yarns move away from the cutter. As a result, the yarns may not be cut.
An object of the present invention is to provide a yarn cutting-sucking device which is able to reliably cut yarns.
A yarn cutting-sucking device of the present invention is configured to cut and suck yarns which run while being aligned in a parallel direction, and this yarn cutting-sucking device comprises: a yarn path regulatory guide including a yarn guide portion configured to align the yarns in the parallel direction and to guide the yarns; a cutter which is provided on one side of the yarn guide portion in the parallel direction in order to cut the yarns; a sucking unit configured to suck the yarns cut by the cutter; a yarn gathering member which includes a yarn holding portion configured to hold the yarns and which is configured to hold the yarns by using the yarn holding portion, to gather the yarns, and to press the yarns onto the cutter while the yarns are guided by the yarn path regulatory guide; and a movement mechanism configured to move the yarn gathering member. The movement mechanism is able to perform: first movement in which the yarn gathering member is moved so that the yarn holding portion is moved at a first speed from the other side to the one side in the parallel direction to gather and guide the yarns to the cutter; and second movement in which the yarn gathering member is moved so that the yarn holding portion is moved at a second speed faster than the first speed and presses the yarns, which are gathered and guided to the cutter in the first movement, onto the cutter to cut the yarns.
According to the present invention, the yarns are cut not by moving the cutter in the parallel direction but by pressing the yarns gathered by the yarn gathering member onto the cutter. This prevents the movement of the yarns due to a pressing force of the cutter, and thus prevents the failure in cutting the yarns. Furthermore, in the first movement, the yarn holding portion is configured to move at the (slow) first speed and to gather and guide the yarns to the cutter. This prevents the yarns from being broken when the yarns guided by the yarn path regulatory guide are gathered at the cutter by the yarn gathering member. It is therefore possible move the yarns to the position of the cutter, and finally to suck the yarns by using the sucking unit. In the first movement, the yarns are gathered and guided to the cutter. In the second movement, these yarns are pressed onto the cutter by the yarn holding portion moving at the (fast) second speed and are cut. This makes it possible to reliably cut the yarns.
Preferably, the cutter is V-shaped and includes a groove portion, and the movement mechanism is configured to move the yarn gathering member so that the yarn holding portion moves toward the groove portion.
With this arrangement, when the yarns are guided to the groove portion while being held by the yarn holding portion, the movement of these yarns is regulated. As a result, these yarns are reliably cut by the cutter.
Preferably, the cutter includes a first blade including a first blade part and a second blade which includes a second blade part and which overlaps the first blade in the parallel direction, the first blade part includes a portion corresponding to the groove portion, the second blade part includes a portion corresponding to the groove portion, and at least these portions of the first blade part and the second blade part are separated from each other in the parallel direction.
With this arrangement, when the yarns are guided to the groove portion while being held by the yarn holding portion, these yarns are pushed into a gap between the first blade part and the second blade part so as to receive a shear force. As a result, these yarns are reliably cut.
Preferably, the movement mechanism is configured to rotate the yarn gathering member in the second movement.
This easily makes the second speed faster than the first speed by rotating the yarn gathering member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a profile of a yarn production system including a yarn cutting-sucking device of First Embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of a spinning apparatus and the yarn cutting-sucking device which are included in the yarn production system of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section view of the yarn cutting-sucking device.
FIG. 4 is a profile of a cutter included in the yarn cutting-sucking device of FIG. 3 when viewed from the right side.
FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along a line V-V in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the yarn cutting-sucking device.
FIG. 7 is a profile which corresponds to FIG. 4 and which shows the operation of a yarn gathering member included in the yarn cutting-sucking device.
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross section view which corresponds to FIG. 3 and which shows a locus of a yarn holding portion of the yarn gathering member.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a yarn cutting-sucking device of Second Embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To begin with, the following will describe a yarn production system 1 including a yarn cutting-sucking device 7 of First Embodiment of the present invention, with reference to FIG. 1.
An up-down direction which will be used in the following description is defined on the premise that the yarn production system 1 is placed to be available. Furthermore, a leftward direction on the plane of FIG. 1 is defined as a forward direction of the yarn production system 1, and a rightward direction on the plane of FIG. 1 is defined as a rearward direction of the yarn production system 1. A left-right direction is defined on the premise that the yarn production system 1 is viewed in the front-rear direction.
As shown in FIG. 1, the yarn production system 1 includes the spinning apparatus 2 and a spun yarn take-up apparatus 3.
The spinning apparatus 2 is configured to spin out molten polymer downward as yarns Y, and includes yarn spinning units 20 (see FIG. 2) aligned in the left-right direction.
The spun yarn take-up apparatus 3 is configured to take up the yarns Y spun out from the spinning apparatus 2, and includes the yarn cutting-sucking device 7, godet rollers 8 and 9, and a winding device 10 as shown in FIG. 1.
The yarn cutting-sucking device 7 is configured to cut and suck the yarns Y which are aligned in the left-right direction and which run from the spinning apparatus 2 toward the godet rollers 8 and 9 and the winding device 10. For example, when any of the yarns Y is broken, etc. in the winding device 10 provided downstream of the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 in a yarn running direction (running direction of the yarns Y in the spun yarn take-up apparatus 3), the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 is activated. As shown in FIG. 2, the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 includes a yarn gathering guide 71, a yarn path regulatory guide 72, a cutter 75, and a sucking unit 79. The yarn cutting-sucking device 7 will be detailed later.
The godet rollers 8 and 9 are provided downstream of the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 in the yarn running direction. When the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 operates so that the yarns Y are cut by the cutter 75 and are sucked by the sucking unit 79, these yarns Y are sucked and handed over to a suction gun (not illustrated) in yarn threading subsequent to the above. After that, the yarns Y which are sucked and handed over to the suction gun are wound onto the godet rollers 8 and 9 and then onto the winding device 10.
The winding device 10 includes two bobbin holders 11, a base 12, a turret 13 provided at the base 12, a supporting frame 14, a guide supporter 15, supporting guides 16, traverse devices 17, and a contact roller 18.
Each of the two bobbin holders 11 is a shaft member extending in the front-rear direction, and is cantilevered at its rear end by the turret 13. Each bobbin holder 11 is able to hold bobbins B aligned in the front-rear direction. For example, eight yarns Y spun out from each yarn spinning unit 20 (see FIG. 2) of the spinning apparatus 2 are respectively wound onto eight bobbins B.
The supporting frame 14 extends in the front-rear direction to be substantially in parallel to each bobbin holder 11. The supporting frame 14 is cantilevered at its rear end by the base 12.
The guide supporter 15 is provided at an upper part of the supporting frame 14, and extends in the front-rear direction.
The supporting guides 16 are provided at the guide supporter 15. The supporting guides 16 are aligned in the front-rear direction to correspond to the bobbins B.
The traverse devices 17 are provided at the supporting frame 14. The traverse devices 17 are aligned in the front-rear direction to correspond to the bobbins B and the supporting guides 16. Each traverse device 17 is configured to traverse a yarn Y about a corresponding supporting guide 16 in the front-rear direction.
The contact roller 18 is rotatably supported by the supporting frame 14.
The winding device 10 is configured to start winding the yarns Y, which are traversed by the traverse devices 17, onto the bobbins B held by upper one of the two bobbin holders 11. While the yarns Y are wound, the contact roller 18 is moved up or down and/or the turret 13 is rotated. In this way, packages P are formed in accordance with the increase in diameter of the packages P formed by winding the yarns Y onto the bobbins B.
The following will detail the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 with reference to FIG. 3 to FIG. 8.
As described with reference to FIG. 2, the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 includes the yarn gathering guide 71, the yarn path regulatory guide 72, the cutter 75, and the sucking unit 79.
As shown in FIG. 3, the yarn path regulatory guide 72 extends in the left-right direction and is configured to guide the yarns Y. The left-right direction is a direction in which the yarns Y are aligned, and is equivalent to a "parallel direction" of the present invention. The yarn path regulatory guide 72 includes slits 72a aligned in the left-right direction. The slits 72a penetrate the yarn path regulatory guide 72 in the up-down direction as shown in FIG. 3, and have openings on the rear side of the slits 72a as shown in FIG. 6. The yarns Y pass through the respective slits 72a in the up-down direction. With this arrangement, the movement of the yarns Y in the left-right direction is regulated, and the running of the yarns Y becomes stable. The slits 72a are equivalent to a "yarn guide portion" of the present invention. This yarn guide portion is configured to allow the yarns Y to be aligned in the left-right direction and to guide these yarns Y.
As shown in FIG. 2, another function of the yarn path regulatory guide 72 is to regulate intervals of the yarns Y which are sent at arrangement intervals of the yarn spinning units 20 of the spinning apparatus 2 to be narrower than the arrangement intervals of the yarn spinning units 20. While being aligned at the intervals regulated by the yarn path regulatory guide 72, the yarns Y guided by the yarn path regulatory guide 72 are wound onto the godet rollers 8 and 9.
As shown in FIG. 3, the sucking unit 79 includes an external cylinder 791, an inner cylinder 792, and a suction source (not illustrated). The external cylinder 791 and the inner cylinder 792 are cylindrical in shape, and have the same center axis extending along the left-right direction. The inner cylinder 792 is fixed to the external cylinder 791. The outer diameter of the inner cylinder 792 is smaller than the inner diameter of the external cylinder 791. The inner cylinder 792 includes a portion provided inside the external cylinder 791, a protruding portion which protrudes rightward as compared to a right end face of the external cylinder 791, and an opening portion provided at a right end of this protruding portion. The suction source is connected to the inner cylinder 792 via an electromagnetic valve. When the electromagnetic valve is open, a suction force of the suction source is transmitted to the inner cylinder 792 so that a leftward suction force is generated inside the inner cylinder 792. The sucking unit 79 is provided to the left of the yarns Y, and the inner cylinder 792 is provided so that its opening portion faces upstream parts of the yarns Y on an upstream side of the yarn path regulatory guide 72 in the yarn running direction. The yarns Y cut by the cutter 75 are sucked into the inner cylinder 792 through the opening portion of the inner cylinder 792.
As shown in FIG. 3, the cutter 75 is provided to the left of the slits 72 of the yarn path regulatory guide 72. The "to the left of" is equivalent to the "on one side in the parallel direction" of the present invention. In the yarn running direction, the cutter 75 is provided upstream of the yarn path regulatory guide 72 and downstream of the opening portion of the inner cylinder 792 of the sucking unit 79. Because of the positional relationship between the opening portion of the inner cylinder 792 of the sucking unit 79 and the cutter 75, the yarns Y are cut by the cutter 75, and upstream portions of the yarns Y are sucked in the inner cylinder 792 of the sucking unit 79. The upstream portions mean portions of the yarns Y upstream of the cutter 75 in the yarn running direction, which portions are spun out from the spinning apparatus 2.
The cutter 75 includes a first blade 751, a second blade 752, a guider 753, and a holding unit 754. The holding unit 754 holds the first blade 751, the second blade 752, and the guider 753. The holding unit 754 is attached to the right end of the inner cylinder 792 via an attaching member 77. The attaching member 77 extends downward from a lower surface of the right end of the inner cylinder 792. The cutter 75 is provided so that leading ends of the first blade 751 and the second blade 752 are oriented rightward and upward.
The first blade 751 overlaps the second blade 752 in the left-right direction and the up-down direction. The first blade 751 is provided above (see FIG. 3) and to the left (see FIG. 4) of the second blade 752. A leading end portion of the first blade 751 is a first blade part 751c, and a leading end portion of the second blade 752 is a second blade part 752c. The first blade part 751c and the second blade part 752c are separated by a gap D (see FIG. 5) in the left-right direction and the up-down direction.
As shown in FIG. 4, the first blade 751 includes the first blade part 751c and a first base part 751b connected to the first blade part 751c. The second blade 752 includes the second blade part 752c and a second base part 752b connected to the second blade part 752c.
A ridgeline 751a of the first blade part 751c intersects with a ridgeline 752a of the second blade part 752c. The cutter 75 is formed of the first blade part 751c and the second blade part 752c, is V-shaped, and includes a groove portion C which is equivalent to an intersecting portion of the ridgelines 751a and 752a.
As the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 is activated, the yarns Y are guided to the groove portion C by the yarn gathering guide 71. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, the yarns Y are pushed into the gap D between the first blade part 751c and the second blade part 752c so as to receive a shear force. As a result, the yarns Y are cut.
The yarn gathering guide 71 is provided for gathering the yarns Y guided by the yarn path regulatory guide 72 and guiding these yarns Y to the cutter 75. As shown in FIG. 6, the yarn gathering guide 71 includes a yarn gathering member 711 and a movement mechanism 712 configured to move the yarn gathering member 711. In the yarn running direction, the yarn gathering guide 71 is provided upstream of the yarn path regulatory guide 72 and downstream of the cutter 75.
The movement mechanism 712 includes a cylinder 712s, a piston rod 712r, a driving source (not illustrated), and pins 712p and 712q (see FIG. 7). The cylinder 712s is cylindrical in shape, and has a center axis extending along the left-right direction. The piston rod 712r includes an axis portion which extends along the left-right direction and which is slidably provided in the cylinder 712s. The piston rod 712r is configured to move leftward or rightward by driving of the driving source.
The yarn gathering member 711 includes a base end supported by the axis portion of the piston rod 712r, and a leading end at which a yarn holding portion 711h is provided. The yarn holding portion 711h holds the yarns Y, and is formed of a recess. The base end of the yarn gathering member 711 is supported rotatably about an axis extending along the left-right direction (see FIG. 7) by a right end of the axis portion of the piston rod 712r. The axis portion of the piston rod 712r protrudes from the cylinder 712s.
Before the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 is activated, the yarn gathering member 711 is provided at an initial position P1 indicated by dotted lines of FIG. 6. The yarn gathering member 711 at the initial position P1 is provided above and to the right of the slits 72a in the yarn path regulatory guide 72. The pin 712q is provided so as to make contact with the yarn gathering member 711 at the initial position P1. The yarn gathering member 711 at the initial position P1 is configured to make contact with the pin 712q so as to rotate counterclockwise about the axis portion of the piston rod 712r as shown in FIG. 7. Because of this, the yarn gathering guide 711 is provided at a position indicated by two-dot chain lines of FIG. 7, and the center of the yarn holding portion 711h is provided at a position H1.
When the yarn cutting-sucking device 7 is activated, the piston rod 712r is moved leftward by the driving of the driving source so that the yarn gathering member 711 is moved leftward. At this time, the yarn gathering member 711 is moved leftward in the left-right direction, i.e., moved "from the other side to one side in the parallel direction" from a position which is slightly separated from and provided above an upper surface of the yarn path regulatory guide 72 so that the yarn gathering member 711 is moved from the initial position P1 indicated by dotted lines of FIG. 6 to a final position P4 indicated by solid lines of FIG. 6 via a collecting complete position P2 indicated by one-dot chain lines of FIG. 6 and a cutting position P3 indicated by two-dot chain lines of FIG. 6.
The yarn holding portion 711h is configured to move from the initial position P1 to the collecting complete position P2 so as to overlap the slits 72a in order in the up-down direction. The yarn holding portion 711h at the cutting position P3 overlaps the groove portion C of the cutter 75 in the up-down direction. The yarn holding portion 711h at the final position P4 is provided to the left of the groove portion C of the cutter 75.
The movement of the yarn gathering member 711 from the initial position P1 to the cutting position P3 via the collecting complete position P2 is equivalent to "first movement" of the present invention, and the movement of the yarn gathering member 711 from the cutting position P3 to the final position P4 is equivalent to "second movement" of the present invention. The yarns Y gathered in the first movement are pressed onto the groove portion C of the cutter 75 and are cut in the second movement.
In the "first movement", when the yarn gathering member 711 is moved from the initial position P1 to the collecting complete position P2, the yarn gathering member 711 moves leftward along a plane orthogonal to the up-down direction so that the yarn holding portion 711 holds the yarns Y in order one by one.
In the "first movement", when the yarn gathering member 711 is moved from the collecting complete position P2 to the cutting position P3, the yarn gathering guide 711 moves leftward (see FIG. 8) so that the yarn holding portion 711h moves toward the groove portion C.
In the "first movement", the movement mechanism 712 is configured to move the yarn gathering member 711 at a "first speed". In the "first movement", the yarn holding portion 711h of the yarn gathering member 711 is moved leftward at the "first speed" in the left-right direction so as to gather the yarns Y and to guide these yarns Y the cutter 75.
In the "second movement", the yarn gathering member 711 is moved leftward, rearward, and downward (see FIG. 8) so that the yarn holding portion 711h is moved away from the groove portion C. When the yarn gathering member 711 is moved from the cutting position P3 to the final position P4, the yarns Y are cut.
In the "second movement", the movement mechanism 712 is configured to rotate the yarn gathering member 711 as described later. In the "second movement", the yarn holding unit 711h of the yarn gathering member 711 is moved at a "second speed" faster than the "first speed" so that the yarns Y which have been gathered and guided to the cutter 75 in the "first movement" are pressed onto the cutter 75 and are cut.
FIG. 7 indicates the yarn gathering member 711 at the final position P4 by using solid lines, and indicates the yarn gathering member 711 at the initial position P1, the collecting complete position P2, or the cutting position P3 by using two-dot chain lines. In each of FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, the center of the yarn holding portion 711h of the yarn gathering member 711 at the initial position P1 is denoted as H1, the center of the yarn holding portion 711h of the yarn gathering member 711 at the collecting complete position P2 is denoted as H2, the center of the yarn holding portion 711h of the yarn gathering member 711 at the cutting position P3 is denoted as H3, and the center of the yarn holding portion 711h of the yarn gathering member 711 at the final position P4 is denoted as H4. The positions H1, H2, and H3 are identical with each other in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. The position H4 is provided behind and below the positions H1, H2, and H3.
The yarn gathering member 711 at the initial position P1 is configured to make contact with the pin 712q so as to rotate counterclockwise about the axis portion of the piston rod 712r as shown in FIG. 7. With this arrangement, the center of the yarn holding portion 711h in the first movement is: at the position H1 when the yarn gathering member 711 is at the initial position P1; at the position H2 when the yarn gathering member 711 is at the collecting complete position P2; and at the position H3 when the yarn gathering member 711 is at the cutting position P3. In this regard, the positions H1, H2 and H3 are identical with each other in the front-rear direction.
The pin 712p is provided in an area through which the yarn gathering member 711 moving from the cutting position P3 to the final position P4 passes. In the second movement, the yarn gathering member 711 is configured to make contact with the pin 712p so as to rotate clockwise about the axis portion of the piston rod 712r as shown in FIG. 7. Because of this, the center of the yarn holding portion 711h is moved from the position H3 to the position H4 (see FIG. 6 to FIG. 8).
As such, throughout the period before and after the yarns Y are pressed onto the groove portion C of the cutter 75 in the "second movement", the movement mechanism 712 rotates the yarn gathering member 711 rearward and downward. In the "first movement", the speed of the yarn gathering member 711 and that of the yarn holding portion 711h included in the yarn gathering member 711 in the left-right direction are defined by the driving force of the driving source. Meanwhile, in the "second movement", the speed of the yarn holding portion 711h is obtained by adding a velocity vector of rotation to a velocity vector in the left-right direction. Therefore, the traveling speed (second speed) of the yarn holding portion 711h in the second movement is higher than the traveling speed (first speed) of the yarn holding portion 711h in the first movement. This second speed is adjustable by arranging the pins 712p and 712q (see FIG. 6 and FIG. 7), etc.
As described above, in the present embodiment, the yarns Y are cut not by moving the cutter 75 in the left-right direction but by pressing the yarns Y gathered by the yarn gathering member 711 onto the cutter 75. This prevents the movement of the yarns Y due to a pressing force of the cutter 75, and thus prevents the failure in cutting the yarns Y. Furthermore, in the first movement, the yarn holding portion 711h is configured to move at the slow first speed and to gather and guide the yarns Y to the cutter 75. This prevents the yarns Y from being broken when the yarns Y guided by the yarn path regulatory guide 72 are gathered at the cutter 75 by the yarn gathering member 711. It is therefore possible move the yarns Y to the position of the cutter 75, and finally to suck the yarns Y by using the sucking unit 79. In the "first movement", the yarns Y are gathered and guided to the cutter 75. In the "second movement", these yarns Y are pressed onto the cutter 75 by the yarn holding portion 711h moving at the (fast) second speed and are cut. This makes it possible to reliably cut the yarns Y.
The cutter 75 is V-shaped, and includes the groove portion C. The movement mechanism 712 is configured to move the yarn gathering member 711 so that the yarn holding portion 711h moves toward the groove portion C (see FIG. 6). With this arrangement, when the yarns Y are guided to the groove portion C while being held by the yarn holding portion 711h, the movement of these yarns Y is regulated. As a result, these yarns Y are reliably cut by the cutter 75.
The cutter 75 includes the first blade 751 including the first blade part 751c, and the second blade 752 which includes the second blade part 752c and which overlaps the first blade 751 in the left-right direction (see FIG. 4). A portion of the first blade part 751c corresponds to the groove portion C, and a portion of the second blade part 752c corresponds to the groove portion C. At least these portions of the first blade part 751c and the second blade part 752c are separated from each other in the left-right direction (see FIG. 5). With this arrangement, when the yarns Y are guided to the groove portion C while being held by the yarn holding portion 711h, these yarns Y are pushed into the gap D between the first blade part 751c and the second blade part 752c so as to receive the shear force. As a result, these yarns Y are reliably cut.
In the "second movement", the movement mechanism 712 is configured to rotate the yarn gathering member 711 (see FIG. 7). This easily makes the second speed faster than the first speed by rotating the yarn gathering member 711.

The following will describe a yarn cutting-sucking device 207 of Second Embodiment of the present invention, with reference to FIG. 9.
The yarn cutting-sucking device 207 is different in a yarn gathering guide 271 from First Embodiment, and other structures of the yarn cutting-sucking device 207 are the same as in First Embodiment.
In the yarn gathering guide 271, a movement mechanism 2712 includes a fixing portion 271a, a spring 271s, and a pin 271p in addition to a cylinder 712s, a piston rod 712r, and a driving source (not illustrated) which are similarly structured as in First Embodiment. Furthermore, the movement mechanism 2712 does not include pins 712p and 712q (see FIG. 7).
A central portion of a yarn gathering member 711 is supported rotatably about an axis extending along the up-down direction by a right end of an axis portion of the piston rod 712r. The fixing portion 271a is fixed to a position to the left of the right end of the axis portion of the piston rod 712r supporting the yarn gathering member 711.
The spring 271s connects the fixing portion 271a to the yarn gathering member 711, so as to bias the yarn gathering member 711 clockwise as shown in the FIG. 9.
When the yarn cutting-sucking device 207 is activated, the piston rod 712r is moved leftward by the driving of the driving source so that the yarn gathering member 711 is moved leftward. At this time, the yarn gathering member 711 is moved leftward in the left-right direction, i.e., moved "from the other side to one side in the parallel direction" from a position which is slightly separated from and provided above an upper surface of a yarn path regulatory guide 72 so that the yarn gathering member 711 is moved from the initial position P1 indicated by dotted lines of FIG. 9 to a final position P4 indicated by solid lines of FIG. 9 via a collecting complete position and a cutting position (not illustrated).
In the present embodiment, similarly as in First Embodiment, the yarns Y are gathered and guided to a cutter 75 in "first movement" which is from the initial position P1 to the cutting position, and these yarns Y are pressed onto a groove portion C of the cutter 75 and are cut in "second movement" which is from the cutting position to the final position P4. The pin 271p is provided so as to make contact with the yarn gathering member 711 in the "second movement".
In the "first movement", the yarn gathering member 711 is configured to move leftward along a plane orthogonal to the up-down direction so that a yarn holding portion 711h holds the yarns Y in order one by one. In the "first movement", a movement mechanism 2712 is configured to move the yarn gathering member 711 and the yarn holding portion 711h included in the yarn gathering member 711 at a "first speed".
In the "second movement", the yarn gathering member 711 is configured to make contact with the pin 271p so as to rotate counterclockwise about the axis portion of the piston rod 712r against a biasing force of the spring 271s as shown in FIG. 9. In the "second movement", a movement mechanism 2712 is configured to move the yarn holding portion 711h included in the yarn gathering member 711 at a "second speed" faster than the first speed.
As such, throughout the period before and after the yarns Y are pressed onto the groove portion C of the cutter 75 in the "second movement", the movement mechanism 2712 rotates the yarn gathering member 711. In the "first movement", the speed of the yarn gathering member 711 and that of the yarn holding portion 711h included in the yarn gathering member 711 in the left-right direction are defined by the driving force of the driving source. Meanwhile, in the "second movement", the speed of the yarn holding portion 711h is obtained by converting the linear movement of the piston rod 712r in the leftward direction to the rotational movement of rotation about the axis portion of the piston rod 712r. Therefore, the traveling speed (second speed) of the yarn holding portion 711h in the second movement is higher than the traveling speed (first speed) of the yarn holding portion 711h in the first movement. This second speed is adjustable by the arrangement of the pin 271p, the biasing force of the spring 271s, etc.
As described above, although the present embodiment is different in the yarn gathering guide from First Embodiment, the same effects as in First Embodiment are obtained. For example, the yarns Y are cut not by moving the cutter 75 in the left-right direction but by pressing the yarns Y, which are gathered by the yarn gathering member 711, onto the cutter 75. This prevents the movement of the yarns Y due to a pressing force of the cutter 75, and thus prevents the failure in cutting the yarns Y. Furthermore, in the first movement, the yarn holding portion 711h is configured to move at the slow first speed and to gather and guide the yarns Y to the cutter 75. This prevents the yarns Y from being broken when the yarns Y guided by the yarn path regulatory guide 72 are gathered at the cutter 75 by the yarn gathering member 711. It is therefore possible move the yarns Y to the position of the cutter 75, and finally to suck the yarns Y by using the sucking unit 79. In the "first movement", the yarns Y are gathered and guided to the cutter 75. In the "second movement", these yarns Y are pressed onto the cutter 75 by the yarn holding portion 711h moving at the (fast) second speed and are cut. This makes it possible to reliably cut the yarns Y.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
For example, while in the embodiments above the yarn gathering member is formed of a single member, the yarn gathering member may be formed of plural members. When the yarn gathering member is formed of plural members, the yarns may be handed over between these members during the first movement.
While in the embodiments above the first blade part and the second blade part are entirely separated from each other in the parallel direction, the first blade part with a portion corresponding to the groove portion and the second blade part with a portion corresponding to the groove portion may be separated from each other in the parallel direction at least at these portions.
The cutter may not include the first blade and the second blade and may be formed of a single V-shaped blade. The cutter may not be V-shaped and may include a linear blade part.
The first movement may include a directional component which is not a directional component from the other side to one side in the parallel direction. For example, in the embodiments above, the first movement may be the movement of the yarn holding portion in a direction including a component of the up-down direction and/or the front-rear direction in addition to a component of the leftward direction which is a direction from the other side to one side in the parallel direction.
The second movement may include any directional component as long as this movement allows the yarns to be pressed onto the cutter and to be cut. For example, when a blade part of the cutter is oriented rightward and downward in the embodiments above, the second movement may be the movement of the yarn holding portion in a direction including a component of the leftward direction and that of an upward direction.
In the second movement, the movement mechanism may not rotate the yarn gathering member. For example, in the second movement, the movement mechanism may be configured not to rotate the yarn gathering member but to move the yarn holding portion in the parallel direction or in a direction including a component of the parallel direction and a component of a direction intersecting with the parallel direction.
While in the embodiments above the movement mechanism is mechanically structured so that the second speed is higher than the first speed, the disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the rotation speed, etc. of the motor forming the driving source may be electrically controlled so that the second speed is higher than the first speed.

Claims

A yarn cutting-sucking device (7; 207) configured to cut and suck yarns (Y) which run while being aligned in a parallel direction, the yarn cutting-sucking device (7; 207) comprising:
a yarn path regulatory guide (71; 271) including a yarn guide portion (72a) configured to align the yarns (Y) in the parallel direction and to guide the yarns (Y);

a cutter (75) which is provided on one side of the yarn guide portion (72a) in the parallel direction in order to cut the yarns (Y);

a sucking unit (79) configured to suck the yarns (Y) cut by the cutter (75);

a yarn gathering member (711) which includes a yarn holding portion (711h) configured to hold the yarns (Y), and which is configured to hold the yarns (Y) by using the yarn holding portion (711h), to gather the yarns(Y), and to press the yarns (Y) onto the cutter (75) while the yarns (Y) are guided by the yarn path regulatory guide(71; 271); and

a movement mechanism (712; 2712) configured to move the yarn gathering member (711), and

the movement mechanism (712; 2712) being able to perform: first movement in which the yarn gathering member (711) is moved so that the yarn holding portion (711h) is moved at a first speed from the other side to the one side in the parallel direction to gather and guide the yarns (Y) to the cutter (75); and second movement in which the yarn gathering member (711) is moved so that the yarn holding portion (711h) is moved at a second speed faster than the first speed and presses the yarns (Y), which are gathered and guided to the cutter (75) in the first movement, onto the cutter (75) to cut the yarns (Y).
The yarn cutting-sucking device (7; 207) according to claim 1, wherein, the cutter (75) is V-shaped and includes a groove portion (C), and
the movement mechanism (712; 2712) is configured to move the yarn gathering member (711) so that the yarn holding portion (711h) moves toward the groove portion (C).
The yarn cutting-sucking device (7; 207) according to claim 2, wherein, the cutter (75) includes a first blade (751) including a first blade part (751c) and a second blade (752) which includes a second blade part (752c) and which overlaps the first blade (751) in the parallel direction,
the first blade part (751c) includes a portion corresponding to the groove portion (C), the second blade part (752c) includes a portion corresponding to the groove portion (C), and at least these portions of the first blade part (751c) and the second blade part (752c) are separated from each other in the parallel direction.
The yarn cutting-sucking device (7; 207) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, the movement mechanism (712; 2712) is configured to rotate the yarn gathering member (711) in the second movement.