EP4793213A1 - Yarn feed package supplying device - Google Patents

Yarn feed package supplying device

Info

Publication number
EP4793213A1
EP4793213A1 EP26155260.8A EP26155260A EP4793213A1 EP 4793213 A1 EP4793213 A1 EP 4793213A1 EP 26155260 A EP26155260 A EP 26155260A EP 4793213 A1 EP4793213 A1 EP 4793213A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
yarn feed
push
end portion
feed package
reaction force
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP26155260.8A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Takayuki Iwaki
Masato Yamamoto
Yusuke Riyama
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TMT Machinery Inc
Original Assignee
TMT Machinery Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by TMT Machinery Inc filed Critical TMT Machinery Inc
Publication of EP4793213A1 publication Critical patent/EP4793213A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H67/00—Replacing or removing cores, receptacles, or completed packages at paying-out, winding, or depositing stations
    • B65H67/02—Arrangements for removing spent cores or receptacles and replacing by supply packages at paying-out stations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H67/00—Replacing or removing cores, receptacles, or completed packages at paying-out, winding, or depositing stations
    • B65H67/06—Supplying cores, receptacles, or packages to, or transporting from, winding or depositing stations
    • B65H67/064—Supplying or transporting cross-wound packages, also combined with transporting the empty core
    • B65H67/065—Manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring the packages from one station to another, e.g. from a conveyor to a creel trolley
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/30—Handled filamentary material
    • B65H2701/31—Textiles threads or artificial strands of filaments

Landscapes

  • Replacing, Conveying, And Pick-Finding For Filamentary Materials (AREA)

Abstract

To provide a yarn feed package supplying device that can suppress breakage of components when a yarn feed package is delivered or received and can also deliver or receive a yarn feed package, without any problem regardless of variations in distance to the delivery target or the distance from the receiving target. The yarn feed package supplying device includes: a push-out mechanism configured to push out a yarn feed package P hooked on pegs 70, from the distal end portions thereof; and a base part 62. The push-out mechanism includes a push-out member 92, a cylinder 75 configured to move the push-out member 92, and a reaction force absorbing mechanism 130. The push-out member 92 comes into contact with an end surface 161 of a paper tube 160 of the yarn feed package P, which is hooked on the pegs 70, when the push-out member 92 is moved toward the distal end portions. The cylinder 75 is supported by the base part 62, and exerts a pushing force F2 larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package P. The reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 is actuated by a force smaller than the pushing force F2 of the cylinder 75 when a reaction force F4 larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package P is exerted, thereby absorbing the reaction force F4 exerted on the push-out member 92.

Description

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention relates to a yarn feed package supplying device.
    • DESCRIPTION OF THE BACKGROUND ART
  • There is a known yarn feed exchange robot that, in a false twisting system, receives a yarn feed package, in which yarn is wound around a cylindrical paper tube, at a package station, and that conveys and supplies the received yarn feed package to a creel (see Patent Document 1, for example).
  • Patent Document 1 discloses a yarn feed exchange robot 4 that receives a full yarn feed package 6a from a peg shaft 76 of a package transfer device 10 of a package station 5, and that mounts the full package 6a onto peg shafts 7 of a creel 2. This yarn feed exchange robot 4 includes a yarn feed delivery device 75 (yarn feed package supplying device), which has an air cylinder 83, a holder 86 supporting the air cylinder 83, and a package engaging/disengaging member 85 being constituted of plates 91, 93. A peg shaft 88 is fixed at the distal end portion of the holder 86. When the yarn feed delivery device 75 delivers the full yarn feed package 6a to the peg shaft of the creel 2, the plates 91, 93 enter a paper tube 8 due to the extension of the air cylinder 83. A pressing plate 89 coming into contact with the shaft end portion of the paper tube 8 is attached at the distal end of a piston rod 84 of the air cylinder 83. When the yarn feed package 6a supported on the peg shaft 88 is caused to be mounted on the peg shafts 7 of the creel 2, the yarn feed package 6a is pushed out by the pressing plate 89 according to the extension of the air cylinder 83, thereby being delivered to the peg shafts 7 of the creel 2 from the peg shaft 88. The creel 2 includes a large number of (a plurality of) pairs of peg shafts 7, and the yarn feed delivery device 75 can deliver the yarn feed package 6a to any of the plurality of peg shafts 7.
  • When the yarn feed delivery device 75 receives the full yarn feed package 6a from the peg shaft 76 of the package transfer device 10, the plates 91, 93 are caused to enter the paper tube 8 together with the pressing plate 89 according to the extension of the air cylinder 83. When the distal end of the plate 93 comes out from the end portion of the paper tube 8, a hook portion 98 is lifted, thereby hooking the shaft end portion of the paper tube 8 onto the hook portion 98. Then, the yarn feed package 6a is removed from the peg shaft 76 and moved, by pulling, onto the peg shaft 88 of the holder 86. The package station 5 also includes a plurality of peg shafts 76, and the yarn feed delivery device 75 can withdraw a yarn feed package 6a from any of the plurality of peg shafts 76.
    • (Prior Art Documents) (Patent Documents)
  • Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-56351
    • (Problems to be Solved)
  • In the case in which the yarn feed delivery device 75 can deliver a yarn feed package 6a to any of the plurality of pairs of peg shafts 7 as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the distance from the proximal end portion of the air cylinder 83 to the creel 2 may vary depending on the peg shafts 7 constituting the delivery destination. In a case in which the distance from the proximal end portion of the air cylinder 83 to the creel 2 is small, when the pressing plate 89 pushes out the yarn feed package 6a according to the extension of the air cylinder 83, there may be cases in which the yarn feed package 6a comes into contact with the creel 2, and a force larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package 6a is exerted on the air cylinder 83. When a force larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package 6a is exerted on the air cylinder 83, components of the yarn feed delivery device 75, including the air cylinder 83 and members disposed around the air cylinder 83, may be broken, and therefore such a case is not preferable.
  • Also in a case in which the yarn feed delivery device 75 can receive a yarn feed package 6a by withdrawing the yarn feed package 6a from any of the plurality of peg shafts 76 of the package transfer device 10, the distance from the proximal end portion of the air cylinder 83 to the package transfer device 10 may vary depending on the peg shaft 76, from which the yarn feed package 6a is withdrawn. In the case in which the distance from the proximal end portion of the air cylinder 83 to the package transfer device 10 is small, the pressing plate 89 also enters the paper tube when the plates 91, 93 enter the paper tube 8 and hence, there may be cases in which the yarn feed package 6a pushed by the pressing plate 89 may come into contact with the package transfer device 10, and therefore a force larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package 6a may be exerted on the air cylinder 83. When a force larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package 6a is exerted on the air cylinder 83, as described above, the components of the yarn feed delivery device 75 may be broken. Accordingly, such a case is not preferable. A similar problem occurs also in a case in which the distance between the yarn feed delivery device 75 and the peg shafts 7 of the creel 2 differs from the distance between the yarn feed delivery device 75 and the peg shaft 76 of the package transfer device 10.
    • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention has been made in view of the above-described technical problems, and an object thereof is to provide a yarn feed package supplying device that can suppress breakage of components when a yarn feed package is delivered or received, and to provide a yarn feed package supplying device that can deliver a yarn feed package to a delivery target, to which a yarn feed package is pushed out, or that can receive a yarn feed package from a withdrawal target, from which a yarn feed package is received, without any problem even when the distance to the delivery target or the distance from the withdrawal target varies depending on the target.
    • (Means for Solving Problems)
  • A first aspect of the present invention is a yarn feed package supplying device comprising:
    • a yarn feed holding part configured to allow a yarn feed package having a yarn layer formed by winding yarn around a cylindrical member to be hooked thereon, one end portion of the yarn feed holding part being a free end;
    • a push-out mechanism configured to push out the yarn feed package hooked on the yarn feed holding part, from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part; and
    • a support part, wherein
    • the push-out mechanism includes
      • a push-out member,
      • a push-out member driving part configured to move the push-out member relative to the yarn feed holding part within a predetermined range in a direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the one end portion or in a direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion, and
      • a reaction force absorbing mechanism,
    • the push-out member is configured to come into contact with an end surface of the cylindrical member of the yarn feed package hooked on the yarn feed holding part, when the push-out member is moved in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the one end portion,
    • the push-out member driving part is supported by the support part, and is configured to be capable of exerting a pushing force on the push-out member, the pushing force being larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the one end portion, and
    • the reaction force absorbing mechanism is configured such that, when a reaction force larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package is exerted on the push-out member in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion, the reaction force absorbing mechanism is actuated by a force smaller than the pushing force to absorb the reaction force exerted on the push-out member.
  • According to the above-described first aspect of the yarn feed package supplying device, the yarn feed package supplying device includes the reaction force absorbing mechanism configured such that, when a reaction force larger than the force necessary to push out a yarn feed package is exerted on the push-out member, the reaction force absorbing mechanism is actuated by a force smaller than the pushing force to absorb the reaction force exerted on the push-out member. Accordingly, even when an excessively large reaction force is exerted on the push-out member, such a reaction force is absorbed and hence, it is possible to suppress breakage of various members or various parts that constitute the yarn feed package supplying device, including the push-out member and the push-out member driving part. In addition, even when a plurality of delivery targets, to which a yarn feed package is pushed out, are provided, and the distance to each of the plurality of targets varies depending on the target, the reaction force absorbing mechanism is provided and hence, the movement of the push-out member in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the one end portion is automatically controlled according to the distance to the target and hence, a yarn feed package can be delivered to any of the plurality of targets without any problem.
  • A second aspect of the present invention is preferably the yarn feed package supplying device in the above-described first aspect, wherein the reaction force absorbing mechanism absorbs the reaction force exerted on the push-out member by supporting the push-out member driving part with respect to the support part such that the push-out member driving part is moved relative to the support part in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion when the reaction force is exerted on the push-out member in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion, the reaction force being larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package.
  • According to the above-described second aspect of the yarn feed package supplying device, even in a case in which a reaction force larger than the force necessary to push out a yarn feed package is exerted on the push-out member in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion when the yarn feed package is pushed out from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part, the push-out member driving part is moved relative to the support part in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion, thereby absorbing such a reaction force. Therefore, with a simple configuration, it is possible to suppress breakage of various members or various parts that constitute the yarn feed package supplying device, including the push-out member driving part and the push-out member. In addition, even when a plurality of delivery targets, to which a yarn feed package is pushed out, are provided, and the distance to each of the plurality of targets varies depending on the target, the yarn feed package can be delivered to any of the plurality of targets without any problem.
  • A third aspect of the present invention is preferably the yarn feed package supplying device in the above-described second aspect, wherein
    • the push-out member driving part is a cylinder including a shell portion and a rod portion being extendable and retractable relative to the shell portion,
    • the push-out member is attached at a distal end portion of the rod portion, and
    • the reaction force absorbing mechanism absorbs the reaction force, exerted on the push-out member, by supporting the cylinder with respect to the support part such that the shell portion is moved relative to the support part in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion when the reaction force larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package is exerted on the push-out member in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion.
  • According to the above-described third aspect of the yarn feed package supplying device, the push-out member driving part includes the cylinder having the shell portion and the rod portion, which is extendable and retractable relative to the shell portion. Even in a case in which a reaction force larger than the force necessary to push out a yarn feed package is exerted on the push-out member in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion when the yarn feed package is pushed out from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part, the shell portion is moved relative to the support part in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion, thereby absorbing such a reaction force. Therefore, with a simple configuration, it is possible to suppress breakage of various members or various parts that constitute the yarn feed package supplying device, including the shell portion, the rod portion, and the push-out member. In addition, even when a plurality of delivery targets, to which a yarn feed package is pushed out, are provided, and the distance to each of the plurality of targets varies depending on the target, the yarn feed package can be delivered to any of the plurality of targets without any problem.
  • A fourth aspect of the present invention is preferably the yarn feed package supplying device in any one of the above-described first to third aspects, wherein
    • the push-out mechanism further includes a withdrawing member configured to withdraw a yarn feed package hooked on a holding part of a storage, through the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part,
    • with movement of the push-out member, the withdrawing member is moved in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the one end portion or in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion,
    • when the withdrawing member is moved in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the one end portion, the withdrawing member is moved to the other end surface, which is an end surface of the cylindrical member on a side opposite to the yarn feed holding part, through a hollow portion of the cylindrical member of the yarn feed package and, after the withdrawing member is moved to the other end surface, the withdrawing member is lifted upward, and is moved in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion in a contact state with the other end surface, thereby enabling withdrawal of the yarn feed package onto the yarn feed holding part through the one end portion, and
    • in a case in which the push-out member comes into contact with the end surface of the cylindrical member of the yarn feed package, and the reaction force larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package is exerted on the push-out member in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion when the withdrawing member is moved to a position beyond the other end surface of the cylindrical member or when the withdrawing member is moved to the position beyond the other end surface of the cylindrical member and is lifted upward, the reaction force absorbing mechanism absorbs the reaction force exerted on the push-out member by allowing the push-out member driving part to move relative to the support part in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion.
  • According to the above-described fourth aspect of the yarn feed package supplying device, even in a case in which the push-out member comes into contact with the end surface of the cylindrical member of the yarn feed package and a reaction force larger than the force necessary to push out a yarn feed package is exerted on the push-out member in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the other end portion when the yarn feed package is withdrawn from the storage onto the yarn feed holding part, such a reaction force is absorbed by the reaction force absorbing mechanism and hence, it is possible to suppress breakage of various members or various parts that constitute the yarn feed package supplying device, including the push-out member driving part and the push-out member. In addition, even when the distance to the delivery target, to which a yarn feed package is pushed out, differs from the distance from the holding part of the storage (the withdrawal target, from which a yarn feed package is received), the reaction force absorbing mechanism is provided and hence, the movement of the push-out member in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part toward the one end portion is automatically controlled according to the distance to the target. Accordingly, a yarn feed package can be delivered to each target, and can be received from each target without any problem.
    • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
    • FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the arrangement configuration of an entire false twisting system.
    • FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a creel stand, a rail, and a creel robot of the false twisting system.
    • FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the creel robot.
    • FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of a yarn feed package supplying device as viewed from above, with robot-side pegs located on the viewer's side.
    • FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an example of the yarn feed package supplying device, when viewed with the robot-side pegs located on the depth side.
    • FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an example of a push-out mechanism, as viewed from the upper left front side.
    • FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of the push-out mechanism, as viewed from the upper right front side.
    • FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) are diagrams showing examples of a situation in which a yarn feed package hooked on the robot-side pegs is delivered to creel-side pegs, wherein FIG. 8(A) is a side view, and FIG. 8(B) is a perspective view.
    • FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of a situation in which a yarn feed package is temporarily stored in a raw yarn storage.
    • FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an example of the raw yarn storage, as viewed from the back side.
    • FIG. 11 is a side view of an example of the raw yarn storage and the yarn feed package supplying device before the yarn feed package is withdrawn from storage-side pegs to the robot-side pegs.
    • FIGS. 12(A) and 12(B) are diagrams (diagrams for first step) showing, in chronological order, examples of a situation in which the yarn feed package hooked on the storage-side pegs is withdrawn to the robot-side pegs.
    • FIGS. 13(A) and 13(B) are diagrams (diagrams for second step) showing, in chronological order, examples of the situation in which the yarn feed package hooked on the storage-side pegs is withdrawn to the robot-side pegs.
    • FIGS. 14(A) and 14(B) are diagrams (diagrams for third step) showing, in chronological order, examples of the situation in which the yarn feed package hooked on the storage-side pegs is withdrawn to the robot-side pegs.
    • FIGS. 15(A) and 15(B) are diagrams (diagrams for fourth step) showing, in chronological order, an example of the situation in which the yarn feed package hooked on the storage-side pegs is withdrawn to the robot-side pegs.
    • FIG. 16 is a schematic view for illustrating the reason the distance from a proximal end portion of a cylinder to a front surface of a storage-side peg support part differs between before and after a hook portion is lifted.
    • FIG. 17 is a side view of an example of a creel stand and a yarn feed package supplying device before the yarn feed package is delivered from the robot-side pegs to the creel-side pegs.
    • FIGS. 18(A) and 18(B) are diagrams (diagrams for first step) showing, in chronological order, examples of a situation in which the yarn feed package hooked on the robot-side pegs is delivered to the creel-side pegs.
    • FIGS. 19(A) and 19(B) are diagrams (diagrams for second step) showing, in chronological order, examples of a situation in which the yarn feed package hooked on the robot-side pegs is delivered to the creel-side pegs.
    • FIGS. 20(A) and 20(B) are diagrams (diagrams for third step) showing, in chronological order, examples of a situation in which the yarn feed package hooked on the robot-side pegs is delivered to the creel-side pegs.
    • FIGS. 21(A) and 21(B) are diagrams (diagrams for fourth step) showing, in chronological order, examples of a situation in which the yarn feed package hooked on the robot-side pegs is delivered to the creel-side pegs.
    • FIG. 22 is a side view showing an example of the creel stand and the yarn feed package supplying device, and is also a diagram showing the operation mode of a reaction force absorbing mechanism when an excessively large reaction force is exerted on the cylinder.
    DESCRIPTIONS OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
  • Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 21. For convenience of explanation in this specification, a front-rear direction, a left-right direction, and an up-down direction are defined as shown in each drawing. The front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction are mutually orthogonal. In the present embodiment, the direction in which a yarn feed package P, hooked on a robot-side peg 70 described later, is pushed out toward a creel-side peg 28 is defined as the "front".
    • [1. Summary of false twisting system 1]
  • First, the summary of a false twisting system 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example of the arrangement configuration of the entire false twisting system 1.
  • As shown in FIG. 1, in the false twisting system 1 to which the present embodiment is applied, a long straight rail 16 is provided along the left-right direction. A creel robot 50 travels on this rail 16 to supply a yarn feed package P (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example) to a creel stand 20. The yarn feed package P is a take-up package formed by winding yarn around a cylindrical paper tube 160 (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example), and supplies yarn to be used in a manufacturing process performed by a false twister or the like. An example of yarn to be wound around the paper tube 160 is synthetic fiber, such as polyester. The above-mentioned "paper tube" corresponds to "cylindrical member" of the present invention.
  • The creel stand 20 includes a creel stand 20A and a creel stand 20B, the creel stand 20A being disposed at a position forward of the rail 16, the creel stand 20B being disposed at a position rearward of the rail 16. Although the creel stand 20A and the creel stand 20B differ in arrangement direction, the creel stand 20A and the creel stand 20B have the same configuration. The creel robot 50 (see FIG. 2 described later, for example) can supply a yarn feed package P (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example) to both the creel stand 20A and the creel stand 20B.
  • A machine base (false twister) 10A is provided at a position forward of the creel stand 20A. The machine base 10A mainly includes, for example, a false twisting part 12A and a winding part 14A. Yarn that is unwound from a yarn feed package P (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example) is supplied to the false twisting part 12A from the creel stand 20A. The yarn supplied to the false twisting part from the creel stand 20A is false-twisted at the false twisting part 12A, and is wound up at the winding part 14A.
  • A machine base (false twister) 10B is provided at a position rearward of the creel stand 20B. The machine base 10B mainly includes, for example, a false twisting part 12B and a winding part 14B. Yarn that is unwound from a yarn feed package P (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example) is supplied to the false twisting part 12B from the creel stand 20B. The yarn supplied to the false twisting part from the creel stand 20B is false-twisted at the false twisting part 12B, and is wound up at the winding part 14B.
  • A raw yarn storage 32 is disposed adjacent to the creel stand 20A, to the left of the creel stand 20A, for example. Yarn feed packages P are supplied to the raw yarn storage 32 from a conveying device not shown in the drawing, and the raw yarn storage 32 can temporarily store the plurality of yarn feed packages P (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example). The yarn feed package P temporarily stored in the raw yarn storage 32 is taken out by the creel robot 50 (see FIG. 2), and is conveyed and supplied to the creel stand 20A, 20B. The above-described "raw yarn storage 32" corresponds to "storage" of the present invention.
  • The false twisting system 1 to which the present embodiment is applied includes the creel stands 20A, 20B on both sides of the rail 16 in the front-rear direction, and is configured such that the yarn feed package P can be supplied to both the creel stands 20A, 20B by the creel robot 50. However, the configuration is not limited to such a configuration. For example, the false twisting system may include the creel stand 20 only at a position forward or rearward of the rail 16, and may be configured such that the yarn feed package P can be supplied to this creel stand 20 by the creel robot 50.
    • [2. Creel stand 20]
  • The above-described creel stand 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the creel stand 20A, the rail 16, and the creel robot 50 of the false twisting system 1. As described above, the creel stand 20A and the creel stand 20B (see FIG. 1) have the same configuration and hence, hereinafter, the description will be made mainly for the creel stand 20A, and the description of the configuration of the creel stand 20B will be omitted.
  • As shown in FIG. 2, the creel stand 20A includes a plurality of stand bodies 21A arranged along the rail 16 at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction. Although FIG. 2 shows five stand bodies 21A arranged along the left-right direction, the number of stand bodies 21A is not limited to five.
  • Each stand body 21A includes, for example, two struts 22A, one strut 23A, and a plurality of partition plates 24A, the two struts 22A being arranged along the rail 16 at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction, the one strut 23A being disposed on a side opposite to the rail 16 relative to the struts 22A, the plurality of partition plates 24A being arranged in the up-down direction. As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2, each strut 22A includes a pair of pegs 28A and a peg support part 25A, the pair of pegs 28A allowing a yarn feed package P to be hooked thereon, the peg support part 25A supporting the pair of pegs 28A.
  • The proximal end portions of the pegs 28A are supported on the peg support part 25A, and distal end portions of the pegs 28A are free ends, thereby allowing the yarn feed package P, in which yarn is wound around a paper tube 160 to form a yarn layer, to be hooked on the pegs 28A. The peg support part 25A is provided on the strut 22A in such a way as to be rotatable by using the axial direction of the strut 22A as an axis at the center of rotation. When the peg support part 25A is rotated by using the axial direction of the strut 22A as the axis at the center of rotation, the direction in which the distal end portions of the pegs 28A are oriented (that is, the axial directions of the pegs 28A) changes. When a yarn feed package is supplied from the creel robot 50, the peg support part 25A is rotated such that the distal end portions of the pegs 28A are oriented toward the creel robot 50. Although not shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of pegs 28A and a plurality of peg support parts 25A are provided in the up-down direction in such a way as to correspond to the partition plates 24A. Each peg support part 25A includes a cutout part 26A, and the function of this cutout part 26A will be described later. Note that "distal end portion" and "proximal end portion" of the peg 28A respectively correspond to "one end portion" and "the other end portion" of the present invention.
  • Hereinafter, in this specification, when it is unnecessary to distinguish the creel stand 20A and the creel stand 20B from each other for the description, the creel stand 20A and the creel stand 20B are simply referred to as "creel stand 20". The same also applies for the peg support parts 25 and the pegs 28.
    • [3. Creel robot 50]
  • The summary of the above-described creel robot 50 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of the creel robot 50.
    • [3-1. Summary of creel robot 50]
  • As shown in FIG. 3, the creel robot 50 mainly includes a body part 52, a traveling mechanism 54, a yarn feed package supplying device 60, a paper tube collection device 150, an elevating/lowering mechanism 55, and a rotating mechanism 56.
  • The body part 52 is elongated in the up-down direction to have a height substantially equal to that of the creel stand 20A (see FIG. 2). The traveling mechanism 54 is configured to be moveable on the rail 16 (see FIG. 2) in the left-right direction. Consequently, the creel robot 50 can move between the raw yarn storage 32 (see FIG. 1) and the creel stand 20, which is a delivery destination of the yarn feed package P (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example).
  • The yarn feed package supplying device 60 is supported on the body part 52, and has both a function of withdrawing the yarn feed package P (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example) from the raw yarn storage 32 (see FIG. 1) to robot-side pegs 70 and a function of pushing out the yarn feed package P received from the raw yarn storage 32, and of delivering the yarn feed package P to the creel stand 20. Although the detailed structure of the yarn feed package supplying device 60 will be described later, the yarn feed package supplying device 60 includes the pair of pegs 70 that allow the yarn feed package P (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B), for example) to be hooked thereon.
  • Hereinafter, in this specification, the peg 70 included in the yarn feed package supplying device 60 is referred to as "robot-side peg 70", and the peg 28 included in the creel stand 20 (see FIG. 2 for both the peg 70 and the peg 28) is referred to as "creel-side peg 28". The above-mentioned "robot-side peg 70" corresponds to "yarn feed holding part" of the present invention. The above-described "creel-side peg 28" corresponds to "delivery target, to which a yarn feed package is pushed out" of the present invention.
  • The paper tube collection device 150 is supported on the body part 52 via the yarn feed package supplying device 60, and is a device that collects, from the creel-side peg 28(see FIG. 2), paper tubes from which yarn has been unwound (hereinafter referred to as "empty paper tubes"). Collected empty paper tubes are collected to a collection box not shown in the drawing.
  • The elevating/lowering mechanism 55 is a mechanism that elevates/lowers the yarn feed package supplying device 60 and the paper tube collection device 150 in the up-down direction. As described above, the plurality of creel-side pegs 28 are provided in the up-down direction and hence, the yarn feed package supplying device 60 and the paper tube collection device 150 are elevated/lowered according to the height of the creel-side peg 28, which is the delivery destination of the yarn feed package P (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example) or a collection destination of an empty paper tube.
  • The rotating mechanism 56 is a mechanism that causes both the yarn feed package supplying device 60 and the paper tube collection device 150 to rotate by using a shaft member 57 as the rotary shaft, the axial direction of the shaft member 57 extending in the up-down direction. In FIG. 3, the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 are oriented in the left direction, and the paper tube collection device 150 (more specifically, the opening portion of the paper tube collection device 150) is oriented in the rear direction. As described above, the creel stand 20 includes the creel stand 20A (see FIG. 1), which is disposed at the position forward of the rail 16, and the creel stand 20B (see FIG. 1), which is disposed at the position rearward of the rail 16. Therefore, when a yarn feed package P is delivered to the creel-side pegs 28A of the creel stand 20A (see FIG. 2), the rotating mechanism 56 rotates both the yarn feed package supplying device 60 and the paper tube collection device 150 such that the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 are oriented forward. In contrast, when a yarn feed package P is delivered to creel-side pegs (not shown) of the creel stand 20B, the rotating mechanism 56 rotates both the yarn feed package supplying device 60 and the paper tube collection device 150 such that the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 are oriented rearward. Further, when an empty paper tube is collected from the creel-side pegs 28A of the creel stand 20A, the rotating mechanism 56 rotates both the yarn feed package supplying device 60 and the paper tube collection device 150 such that the paper tube collection device 150 is oriented forward. In contrast, when an empty paper tube is collected from the creel-side pegs (not shown) of the creel stand 20B, the rotating mechanism 56 rotates both the yarn feed package supplying device 60 and the paper tube collection device 150 such that the paper tube collection device 150 is oriented rearward.
    • [3-2. Yarn feed package supplying device 60]
  • Next, the detailed structure of the yarn feed package supplying device 60 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of the yarn feed package supplying device 60, as viewed from above, with the robot-side pegs located on the viewer's side. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an example of the yarn feed package supplying device 60, when viewed with the robot-side pegs located on the depth side. That is, in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 are oriented toward the creel stand 20A.
  • As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the yarn feed package supplying device 60 mainly includes a base part 62, the pair of robot-side pegs 70, a push-out mechanism 74, and a reaction force absorbing mechanism 130, the base part 62 being supported on the body part 52 of the creel robot 50 (see FIG. 3 for both), the push-out mechanism 74 being movable forward and backward relative to the base part 62. Although the base part 62 is rotatable relative to the body part 52 by using the shaft member 57 (see FIG. 3) as the rotary shaft, the base part 62 is fixed relative to the body part 52 in the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction.
    • (Base part 62)
  • The base part 62 mainly includes a horizontal portion 63 and a front surface portion 64, the horizontal portion 63 having a horizontal upper surface, the front surface portion 64 being provided to extend downward from the end portion of the horizontal portion 63 on the front side. The front surface portion 64 is a surface extending along the left-right direction and the up-down direction. A cylinder support frame 66 is provided at the intermediate portion of the horizontal portion 63 in the front-rear direction, the cylinder support frame 66 supporting a cylinder 75 described later. The front surface portion 64 and the cylinder support frame 66 respectively have an opening 65 and an opening 67 to allow the cylinder 75 described later to be disposed in a penetrating manner. The above-described "base part 62" corresponds to "support part" of the present invention.
  • A support roller 69 is provided in the opening 65 of the front surface portion 64, the support roller 69 being capable of supporting a portion to be supported 85 included in a fixed member 80 described later (see FIG. 5) from below. A support member 68 is provided in the opening 67 of the cylinder support frame 66, the support member 68 being capable of supporting the cylinder 75 described later from below.
    • (Robot-side peg 70)
  • The pair of robot-side pegs 70 are provided horizontally and in parallel, and the distal end portions of the pair of robot-side pegs 70 are free ends. The proximal end portions of the pair of robot-side pegs 70 are fixed and mounted on the front surface portion 64 of the base part 62 with the axial directions of the pair of robot-side pegs 70 extending horizontally, thereby allowing the yarn feed package P, in which yarn is wound around the paper tube 160 to form a yarn layer, to be hooked on the pair of robot-side pegs 70. In FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the pair of robot-side pegs 70 are provided to extend from the front surface portion 64 toward the creel stand 20A (that is, toward the front side). The distal end portions of the pair of robot-side pegs 70 are inclined downward. In this specification, in each of the pair of robot-side pegs 70, a boundary between a horizontal portion and a portion inclined downward is referred to as "boundary portion 70a". Wall parts 71 are provided at positions adjacent to the pair of robot-side pegs 70 in the left-right direction, the wall parts 71 being capable of coming into contact with one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 in the axial direction (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later). Each wall part 71 is mounted on the front surface portion 64 of the base part 62 via a wall mounting member 72.
    • (Push-out mechanism 74)
  • The push-out mechanism 74 is a mechanism for pushing out, from the free ends of the robot-side pegs 70, the yarn feed package P hooked on the robot-side pegs 70. The push-out mechanism 74 mainly includes the cylinder 75, a fixed member 80, and a movable member 90, the cylinder 75 being extendable and retractable relative to the base part 62, that is, the body part 52 of the creel robot 50, the fixed member 80 being fixed to the cylinder 75, the movable member 90 being provided in such a way as to be movable relative to the fixed member 80. The above-mentioned "cylinder 75" corresponds to "push-out member driving part" of the present invention.
  • The cylinder 75 moves a push-out member 92 described later relative to the robot-side pegs 70 within a predetermined range in the direction from the proximal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the distal end portions and the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions. The cylinder 75 includes a longitudinal shell portion 76 and a rod portion 77 (see FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 described later), and an air cylinder, for example, is used for the cylinder 75. The proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 (more specifically, the shell portion 76) is supported by a support member 132 provided to extend downward from the lower end portion of the right end portion of the base part 62. The rod portion 77 is extendable and retractable relative to the shell portion 76 along the axial direction.
  • The fixed member 80 and the movable member 90 will be described with reference to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an example of the push-out mechanism 74 (excluding the shell portion 76), as viewed from the upper left front side. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an example of the push-out mechanism 74 (excluding the shell portion 76), as viewed from the upper right front side. Directions shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are directions with the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 (see FIG. 4) oriented toward the creel stand 20A (see FIG. 1).
  • The fixed member 80 mainly includes a base 82 and the portion to be supported 85 that may be supported on the above-described support roller 69 (see FIG. 4, FIG. 5). The base 82 is a member having a substantially L shape when viewed in a plan view, and is fixed to the distal end portion of the rod portion 77. The base 82 includes a fixed-side shaft member 84, the axial direction of which extends in the left-right direction. The portion to be supported 85 is a flat plate-like longitudinal member having a flat surface extending along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, and is fixed to the base 82. The portion to be supported 85 includes a tapered portion 86 at the rear end portion (rear end portion in FIG. 6) thereof, the tapered portion 86 being inclined upward from the front side toward the rear side. The portion to be supported 85 includes a supporting shaft 87 (see FIG. 6) at a position obliquely in front of and below the fixed-side shaft member 84, the axial direction of the supporting shaft 87 extending horizontally in the left-right direction. The portion to be supported 85 also has an elongated hole (hereinafter referred to as "fixed-side elongated hole 88 (see FIG. 7)") at a position obliquely behind and below the fixed-side shaft member 84, the elongated hole being elongated in the up-down direction.
  • The movable member 90 includes the push-out member 92 and the withdrawing member 100. The push-out member 92, the withdrawing member 100, and a movable-side shaft part 104 are integrally formed. The functions of the push-out member 92 and the withdrawing member 100 will be described later.
  • The push-out member 92 is a member having a substantially L shape when viewed in a plan view, and has a side surface portion 94 and a contact surface 98, the side surface portion 94 having a flat surface extending along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, the contact surface 98 having a flat surface extending along the left-right direction and the up-down direction. The contact surface 98 can contact an upper end surface 161a and a lower end surface 161b described later of the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 (see FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) described later, for example) at a first portion 981 and a second portion 982, which are located at different positions in the up-down direction (height direction). The push-out member 92 is formed such that a portion that comes into contact with the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 extends in the height direction. The push-out member 92 is pivotally supported on the supporting shaft 87 (see FIG. 6) at the side surface portion 94, thereby being rotatable relative to the fixed member 80 (more specifically, the base 82) by using the supporting shaft 87 as the rotary shaft. The supporting shaft 87 is provided between the first portion 981 and the second portion 982 in the height direction.
  • The push-out member 92 includes the movable-side shaft part 104 at the side surface portion 94, the axial direction of the movable-side shaft part 104 extending in the left-right direction. This movable-side shaft part 104 engages with the above-described fixed-side elongated hole 88. The push-out member 92 also has an elongated hole (hereinafter referred to as "movable-side elongated hole 96 (see FIG. 6)") that engages with the above-described fixed-side shaft member 84. The fixed-side elongated hole 88 engages with the movable-side shaft part 104, and the fixed-side shaft member 84 engages with the movable-side elongated hole 96, so that the rotation range of the push-out member 92, which is rotated relative to the fixed member 80 by using the supporting shaft 87 as the rotary shaft, is restricted to a certain range. The rotation range of the push-out member 92, which is restricted by the fixed-side shaft member 84, the movable-side elongated hole 96, the fixed-side elongated hole 88, and the movable-side shaft part 104, includes a posture in which the contact surface 98 of the movable member 90 is erected to be orthogonal to the robot-side pegs 70 (that is, a posture extending along the up-down direction, hereinafter, this posture is referred to as "zero posture"). The movable member 90 is rotatable, with the zero posture as a reference, within a certain range in one direction (in the direction in which the contact surface 98 is oriented downward) using the supporting shaft 87 as the rotary shaft.
  • In the same manner as the portion to be supported 85, the withdrawing member 100 is a flat plate-like longitudinal member having a flat surface extending along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, and extends forward from the center portion of the contact surface 98 in the up-down direction. The withdrawing member 100 includes a longitudinal portion 102 and a hook portion 106, the longitudinal portion 102 having a longitudinal shape extending horizontally in the front-rear direction, the hook portion 106 being provided at the end portion of the longitudinal portion 102 on the front side. As described above, the withdrawing member 100 is integrally formed with the push-out member 92 and hence, when the push-out member 92 rotates relative to the fixed member 80 by using the supporting shaft 87 as the rotary shaft, the withdrawing member 100 also rotates integrally therewith.
  • An elastic member 110 is provided between the supporting shaft 87 and the movable-side shaft part 104, the supporting shaft 87 being a member included in the fixed member 80, the movable-side shaft part 104 being a member included in the movable member 90. A torsion spring, for example, is used for the elastic member 110. One end portion of the torsion spring is connected to the base 82, and the other end portion of the torsion spring is connected to the movable-side shaft part 104. When the movable member 90 is rotated in one direction relative to the zero posture by using the supporting shaft 87 as the rotary shaft, the elastic member 110 exerts a force on the movable member 90 toward the other direction, which is opposite to the one direction. That is, the movable member 90 is configured such that an elastic force is applied to the movable member 90 by the elastic member 110 in a direction in which the movable member 90 is returned to the zero posture. Provided that the elastic member 110 can exert a force in the direction in which the movable member 90 is returned to the zero posture, the elastic member 110 is not limited to the torsion spring.
  • Next, the action of the movable member 90 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B). FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) are diagrams showing examples of the situation in which the yarn feed package P hooked on the robot-side pegs 70 is delivered to the creel-side pegs 28, wherein FIG. 8(A) is a side view, and FIG. 8(B) is a perspective view.
  • As shown in FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B), the push-out member 92 is provided between the pair of robot-side pegs 70 in such a way as to avoid the pair of robot-side pegs 70 in the horizontal direction. The push-out member 92 is configured such that the contact surface 98 comes into contact with and pushes both the upper end surface 161a (see FIG. 8(B)) and the lower end surface 161b (see FIG. 8(B)) of the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 in the axial direction, the upper end surface 161a and the lower end surface 161b being portions located on a straight line that passes through the center of the paper tube 160 in the radial direction and that extends in the up-down direction along the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160. The upper end surface 161a and the lower end surface 161b are located at positions that are line-symmetric with respect to the horizontal center line that passes through the center of the paper tube 160 in the radial direction and that extends along the longitudinal direction. Further, the robot-side pegs 70 are located at positions higher than that of the creel-side pegs 28, and the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 are inclined downward. With such a configuration, the yarn feed package P hooked on the robot-side pegs 70 can be pushed out toward the creel-side pegs 28 in a well-balanced manner, and therefore can be smoothly delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 toward the creel-side pegs 28.
  • Hereinafter, in this specification, of both end surfaces of the paper tube 160 in the axial direction, the surface that can contact the contact surface 98 is referred to as "one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160", and the end surface on the side opposite to the one end surface 161 is referred to as "the other end surface 163". Further, in the paper tube 160, a portion that is hooked by the hook portion 106 is referred to as "the other end portion 162". Note that the "one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160" and the "other end surface 163" correspond to the "one end surface" and the "other end surface," respectively, of the present invention.
    • (Reaction force absorbing mechanism 130)
  • Returning to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 will be described. The reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 is a mechanism in which, when a force larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package P (hereinafter, referred to as "excessively large reaction force") is exerted on the cylinder 75 in the rearward direction (in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions thereof), the mechanism absorbs such an excessively large reaction force. A situation in which an excessively large reaction force is exerted will be described later.
  • The reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 mainly includes a support member 132, a first shaft member 134, a second shaft member 136, and elastic members 138, the first shaft member 134 being provided to the base part 62, the second shaft member 136 being provided to the support member 132, the elastic member 138 being provided to the base part 62. The reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 is connected to the end portion (proximal end portion) of the cylinder 75 on a side opposite to the base 82. Consequently, the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 is supported on the base part 62 via the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130.
  • The first shaft member 134 is a shaft member that pivotally supports the upper end portion of the support member 132, the axial direction of the shaft member extending in a direction (that is, the left-right direction) that is orthogonal to the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 to the proximal end portions, and that is along the horizontal direction. Therefore, the support member 132 is rotatable relative to the base part 62 by using the first shaft member 134 as the rotary shaft. The second shaft member 136 is a shaft member, the axial direction of which extends in the left-right direction, and the second shaft member 136 pivotally supports the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 (the shell portion 76) at the lower end portion of the support member 132 such that the cylinder 75 is rotatable relative to the support member 132. The origin position of the support member 132 is, for example, defined as the position at which the first shaft member 134 and the second shaft member 136 are aligned on the same straight line extending in the up-down direction. When the support member 132 is rotated from the origin position by using the first shaft member 134 as the rotary shaft, the elastic members 138 apply an elastic force to the support member 132 in the direction in which the support member 132 is returned to the origin position. For example, when an excessively large reaction force is exerted on the cylinder 75 in a state in which the support member 132 is at the origin position, the support member 132 rotates by using the first shaft member 134 as the rotary shaft such that the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 moves rearward. However, when the excessively large reaction force exerted on the cylinder 75 is reduced or eliminated, the support member 132 is returned to the origin position by an elastic force applied by the elastic members 138. A preferable magnitude of the elastic force applied to the support member 132 by the elastic members 138 will be described later.
    • [4. Raw yarn storage 32]
  • Next, the summary of the raw yarn storage 32 will be described with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of a situation in which the yarn feed package P is temporarily stored in the raw yarn storage 32. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an example of the raw yarn storage 32, as viewed from the back side (the front side in FIG. 9).
  • As shown in FIG. 9, the raw yarn storage 32 includes a columnar member 34 elongated in the up-down direction. A plurality of peg support parts 35, each of which supports a pair of pegs 38, are provided to this columnar member 34 in the up-down direction. The proximal end portions of the pegs 38 are supported on the peg support parts 35, and the distal end portions of the pegs 38 are free ends, thereby allowing the yarn feed package P, in which yarn is wound around the paper tube 160 to form a yarn layer, to be hooked on the pegs 38. Hereinafter, in this specification, the pegs 38 included in the raw yarn storage 32 are referred to as "storage-side pegs 38". The peg support part 35 that supports the storage-side pegs 38 is referred to as "storage-side peg support part 35". The above-described "storage-side peg support part 35" corresponds to "the holding part of the storage" of the present invention. The above-described "storage-side pegs 38" correspond to "withdrawal target, from which the yarn feed package is received" of the present invention.
  • Each storage-side peg support part 35 has an opening 36 at a position between the pair of storage-side pegs 38. This opening 36 is provided to prevent the hook portion 106 (see FIG. 4, for example) from interfering with the storage-side peg support part 35 when the yarn feed package P hooked on the storage-side pegs 38 is withdrawn to the creel-side pegs 28 by the yarn feed package supplying device 60 (see FIG. 4, for example).
  • As shown in FIG. 10, a hook portion lifting mechanism 40 is provided on the rear side (the front side in FIG. 10) of the columnar member 34. This hook portion lifting mechanism 40 includes a vertically movable part 42 having a flat plate shape, a shaft member 45 having a longitudinal shape, a link mechanism 44, and a lift part 46.
  • The vertically movable part 42 is configured to be movable in the up-down direction. The shaft member 45 is provided in such a way as to penetrate through the vertically movable part 42 with the axial direction of the shaft member 45 extending in the left-right direction. For example, when the vertically movable part 42 moves in the downward direction, the shaft member 45 moves in the downward direction, and therefore the lift part 46 is actuated to rotate upward (in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 10) via the link mechanism 44 by using a supporting shaft 48 as the rotary shaft, the axial direction of the supporting shaft 48 extending in the left-right direction. In contrast, when the vertically movable part 42 moves in the upward direction, the shaft member 45 moves in the upward direction, and therefore the lift part 46 is actuated to rotate in the downward direction (in the clockwise direction in FIG. 10) via the link mechanism 44 by using the supporting shaft 48 as the rotary shaft.
  • In the present embodiment, a detector (not shown in the drawing) is provided that detects extension of the rod portion 77 (see FIG. 6, for example) to a predetermined length (for example, the farthest end) relative to the shell portion 76 (see FIG. 4, for example). When the extension of the rod portion 77 to the predetermined length relative to the shell portion 76 is detected, the vertically movable part 42 is moved in the downward direction. Further, when the rod portion 77 extends to the predetermined length relative to the shell portion 76, the hook portion 106 is located above the lift part 46. Therefore, when the lift part 46 is actuated to rotate upward by using the supporting shaft 48 as the rotary shaft, the hook portion 106 is lifted. At this point of operation, the hook portion 106 is lifted to a height at which the hook portion 106 is hooked onto the other end portion 162 of the paper tube 160 (see FIG. 8(A)).
    • [5. Withdrawing of yarn feed package P from raw yarn storage 32 to yarn feed package supplying device 60]
  • Next, a description will be made, with reference to FIG. 11 to FIG. 15(B), for a situation in which the yarn feed package P hooked on the storage-side pegs 38 is withdrawn from the storage-side pegs 38 to the robot-side pegs 70 by the yarn feed package supplying device 60. FIG. 11 is a side view of an example of the raw yarn storage 32 and the yarn feed package supplying device 60 before the yarn feed package P is withdrawn from the storage-side pegs 38 to the robot-side pegs 70. More specifically, FIG. 11 is a side view of an example of the raw yarn storage 32 and the yarn feed package supplying device 60 when the creel robot 50 moves to the front side of the raw yarn storage 32, and therefore the storage-side pegs 38 face the robot-side pegs 70. FIG. 12(A), FIG. 12(B), FIG. 13(A), FIG. 13(B), FIG. 14(A), FIG. 14(B), FIG. 15(A), and FIG. 15(B) are diagrams showing, in chronological order, examples of the situation in which the yarn feed package P hooked on the storage-side pegs 38 is withdrawn to the robot-side pegs 70. In FIG. 11 to FIG. 15(B), for the sake of convenience, only the yarn feed package supplying device 60 of the creel robot 50 is shown. The distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 shown in FIG. 11 to FIG. 15(B) are oriented toward the raw yarn storage 32 (see FIG. 1). The positional relationship between the storage-side pegs 38 and the robot-side pegs 70 in the up-down direction is set such that the storage-side pegs 38 are slightly higher than the robot-side pegs 70.
  • As shown in FIG. 11, before the yarn feed package P is withdrawn from the storage-side pegs 38 to the robot-side pegs 70 with the storage-side pegs 38 facing the robot-side pegs 70, the cylinder 75 is in a retracted state. In this state, the push-out member 92 is in the zero posture by the action of the above-described elastic member 110 (see FIG. 6), so that the longitudinal portion 102 of the withdrawing member 100 maintains a substantially horizontal state. Although the portion to be supported 85 is supported on the support roller 69, the cylinder 75 is not supported on the support member 68.
  • When the cylinder 75 is actuated in the extending direction (when the rod portion 77 is actuated forward relative to the shell portion 76) from the state shown in FIG. 11, as shown in FIG. 12(A) and 12(B), both the push-out member 92 and the withdrawing member 100 move forward in such a way as to approach the storage-side pegs 38. When the push-out member 92 and the withdrawing member 100 move forward, the portion to be supported 85 comes to be supported on the support roller 69 at the tapered portion 86. Therefore, the entire push-out mechanism 74 is turned downward about the second shaft member 136, so that the push-out member 92 and the withdrawing member 100 are inclined such that the hook portion 106 is oriented downward. Consequently, the withdrawing member 100 can enter the hollow portion of the paper tube 160.
  • When the cylinder 75 is further actuated in the extending direction (when the rod portion 77 is further actuated forward relative to the shell portion 76) from the state shown in FIG. 12(B), the push-out member 92 and the withdrawing member 100 move forward. That is, the withdrawing member 100 passes through the hollow portion of the paper tube 160, and moves toward the other end portion 162 of the paper tube 160. Further, as shown in FIG. 13(A), the cylinder 75 (more specifically, the shell portion 76) comes to be supported on the support member 68 instead of the support of the fixed member 80 on the support roller 69. When the withdrawing member 100 is moved until the hook portion 106, which is located at the distal end portion of the withdrawing member 100, moves to a position beyond the other end portion 162 of the paper tube 160 to penetrate through the paper tube 160, as shown in FIG. 13(B), the hook portion 106 is located on the lift part 46. As described above, the opening 36 (see FIG. 9) is provided in the storage-side peg support part 35 and hence, the hook portion 106 penetrates through this opening 36, and moves to a position above the lift part 46.
  • When the lift part 46 is actuated to rotate upward by using the supporting shaft 48 as the rotary shaft in the state shown in FIG. 13(B), as shown in FIG. 14(A), the hook portion 106 of the withdrawing member 100 is lifted to a height at which the hook portion 106 can be hooked onto the other end portion 162 of the paper tube 160, and the withdrawing member 100 comes into contact with the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160. When the cylinder 75 is actuated in the retracting direction (when the rod portion 77 is actuated rearward relative to the shell portion 76) in the state shown in FIG. 14(A), as shown in FIG. 14(B), the hook portion 106 comes into contact with the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160, and is hooked onto the other end portion 162 of the paper tube 160.
  • When the cylinder 75 is further actuated in the retracting direction (when the rod portion 77 is further actuated rearward relative to the shell portion 76) in the state shown in FIG. 14(B), the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 is pushed by the hook portion 106 of the withdrawing member 100, so that the yarn feed package P hooked on the storage-side pegs 38 is moved toward the rear side. As described above, the withdrawing member 100 has a function of withdrawing, to the robot-side pegs 70, the yarn feed package P hooked on the storage-side pegs 38. Then, the yarn feed package P is hooked on the robot-side pegs 70 as shown in FIG. 15(A). When the cylinder 75 is further actuated in the retracting direction (when the rod portion 77 is further actuated rearward relative to the shell portion 76) in the state shown in FIG. 15(A), as shown in FIG. 15(B), the yarn feed package P is completely moved to the robot-side pegs 70, and delivery of the yarn feed package P from the storage-side pegs 38 to the robot-side pegs 70 is completed. When the delivery of the yarn feed package P from the storage-side pegs 38 to the robot-side pegs 70 is completed, the creel robot 50 (see FIG. 3) conveys the yarn feed package P, delivered from the raw yarn storage 32, to the creel stand 20, and supplies the yarn feed package P to the creel stand 20. During conveyance of the yarn feed package P by the creel robot 50, a force in the retracting direction of the cylinder 75 (rear direction) is exerted on the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 by the hook portion 106. The one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 is in contact with the wall parts 71. Therefore, when the creel robot 50 conveys the yarn feed package P, the yarn feed package P can be conveyed in a stable state in which the yarn feed package P is sandwiched between the hook portion 106 and the wall parts 71.
  • A distance from the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 to a front surface 35a of the storage-side peg support part 35 (see FIG. 13(B)) differs between before and after the hook portion 106 is lifted by the hook portion lifting mechanism 40. This will be simply described with reference to FIG. 16. FIG. 16 is a schematic view for illustrating the reason the distance from the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 to the front surface 35a of the storage-side peg support part 35 differs between before and after the hook portion 106 is lifted by the hook portion lifting mechanism 40.
  • In FIG. 16, the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 is taken as "α", a distance from the proximal end portion α of the cylinder 75 to the front surface 35a of the storage-side peg support part 35 (for example, the surface on the rear side in FIG. 15) before the hook portion 106 is lifted is taken as "L1", and a distance from the proximal end portion α of the cylinder 75 to the front surface 35a of the storage-side peg support part 35 after the hook portion 106 is lifted is taken as "L2". In this case, the relationship of "L2 < L1" is established. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13(B), when the hook portion 106 is lifted to a height position at which the hook portion 106 can be hooked onto the other end portion 162 of the paper tube 160, with the contact surface 98 of the push-out member 92 in contact with the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 and with the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 in contact with the front surface 35a of the storage-side peg support part 35, since the position of the storage-side peg support part 35 is fixed and prevented from moving, an excessively large reaction force (rearward force) is exerted on the rod portion 77 and subsequently on the cylinder 75.
  • A difference in the distance from the proximal end portion α of the cylinder 75 to the front surface 35a of the storage-side peg support part 35 occurs not only between before and after the hook portion 106 is lifted by the hook portion lifting mechanism 40. For example, the plurality of columnar members 34 are not necessarily located at the same position and hence, the distance from the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 to the front surface 35a of the storage-side peg support part 35 may also vary when the storage-side pegs 38 are changed, the storage-side pegs 38 being the target onto which the yarn feed package P is withdrawn. Therefore, in a case in which the distance from the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 to the front surface 35a of the storage-side peg support part 35 is small, there may be cases in which, when the hook portion 106 of the withdrawing member 100 is moved toward the other end portion 162 of the paper tube 160 through the hollow portion of the paper tube 160, the hook portion 106 is moved by more than a set distance. For example, there are cases in which the push-out member 92 attempts to further move forward relative to the shell portion 76 in a state in which the contact surface 98 of the push-out member 92 is in contact with the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160, and the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 is in contact with the front surface 35a of the storage-side peg support part 35. In this case, as described above, the position of the storage-side peg support part 35 is fixed and prevented from moving and hence, an excessively large reaction force (rearward force) is exerted on the rod portion 77 and subsequently on the cylinder 75.
  • On this point, the yarn feed package supplying device 60 of the present embodiment is provided with the above-described reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 and hence, even when an excessively large reaction force is exerted on the rod portion 77 and subsequently on the cylinder 75, the cylinder 75 (the shell portion 76 of the cylinder 75) retracts rearward, and therefore such an excessively large reaction force is absorbed. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress breakage of various members or various parts that constitute the yarn feed package supplying device 60, including the cylinder 75 and the push-out member 92.
    • [6. Delivery of yarn feed package P from the yarn feed package supplying device 60 to creel stand 20]
  • Next, the situation in which the yarn feed package P conveyed by the creel robot 50 to the creel stand 20 is delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel-side pegs 28 by the yarn feed package supplying device 60 will be described with reference to FIG. 17 to FIG. 21(B). FIG. 17 is a side view of an example of the creel stand 20 and the yarn feed package supplying device 60 before the yarn feed package P is delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel-side pegs 28. More specifically, FIG. 17 is a side view of an example of the creel stand 20 and the yarn feed package supplying device 60 when the creel robot 50 moves to the front side of the creel stand 20, and therefore the creel-side pegs 28 face the robot-side pegs 70. FIG. 18(A), FIG. 18(B), FIG. 19(A), FIG. 19(B), FIG. 20(A), FIG. 20(B), FIG. 21(A), and FIG. 21(B) are diagrams showing, in chronological order, an example of the situation in which the yarn feed package P hooked on the robot-side pegs 70 is delivered to the creel-side pegs 28. In FIG. 17 to FIG. 21(B), for the sake of convenience, only the yarn feed package supplying device 60 of the creel robot 50 is shown. The creel stand 20 shown in FIG. 17 to FIG. 21(B) is the creel stand 20A disposed at the position forward of the rail 16, and the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 are oriented toward the creel stand 20A (see FIG. 1). Although the yarn feed package supplying device 60 is oriented forward when the yarn feed package P is delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel stand 20A, and the yarn feed package supplying device 60 is oriented rearward when the yarn feed package P is delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel stand 20B, the situation in which the yarn feed package P is delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel stand 20A is the same as the situation in which the yarn feed package P is delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel stand 20B. Accordingly, in the description made hereinafter, the creel stand 20A and the creel stand 20B are collectively referred to as "creel stand 20" without distinction.
  • As shown in FIG. 17, before the yarn feed package P is delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel-side pegs 28 with the creel stand 20 facing the robot-side pegs 70, the cylinder 75 is in a retracted state. In this state, the push-out member 92 is in a zero posture by the action of the above-described elastic member 110 (see FIG. 6), so that the longitudinal portion 102 of the withdrawing member 100 maintains a substantially horizontal state. Although the portion to be supported 85 is supported on the support roller 69, the cylinder 75 is not supported on the support member 68. The robot-side pegs 70 are set at a position higher than that of the creel-side pegs 28.
  • The one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 is in contact with the wall parts 71, and the other end portion 162 of the paper tube 160 is hooked on the hook portion 106. Therefore, when the creel robot 50 conveys the yarn feed package P to the position that faces the robot-side pegs 70, the yarn feed package P is conveyed in a stable state in which the yarn feed package P is sandwiched between the hook portion 106 and the wall parts 71.
  • When the cylinder 75 starts to be actuated in the extending direction (when the rod portion 77 is actuated forward relative to the shell portion 76) from the state shown in FIG. 17, as shown in FIG. 18(A), the push-out member 92 moves forward, and the contact surface 98 approaches the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160. At this point of operation, the withdrawing member 100 also moves forward, and therefore hooking of the hook portion 106 onto the other end portion 162 of the paper tube 160 is released.
  • When the rod portion 77 is further actuated forward relative to the shell portion 76 from the state shown in FIG. 18(A), as shown in FIG. 18(B), the push-out member 92 pushes the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 with the contact surface 98, thereby pushing out the yarn feed package P from the free ends of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the creel-side pegs 28. As described above, the push-out member 92 has a function of pushing out, toward the creel-side pegs 28, the yarn feed package P hooked on the robot-side pegs 70. The push-out member 92 shown in FIG. 18(B) is in the zero posture or a posture close to the zero posture. The portion to be supported 85 is no more supported on the support roller 69, and the cylinder 75 is rotated relative to the support member 132, and therefore the withdrawing member 100 is inclined such that the hook portion 106 is oriented downward. Consequently, the yarn feed package P can be pushed out toward the creel-side pegs 28 without causing interference between the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 and the hook portion 106.
  • When the rod portion 77 is further actuated forward relative to the shell portion 76 from the state shown in FIG. 18(B), the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 is pushed by the contact surface 98, so that the yarn feed package P is further moved toward the creel-side pegs 28 as shown in FIG. 19(A) and FIG. 19(B). In the present embodiment, it is assumed that a center of gravity G of the yarn feed package P is located on a center line C that passes through the center of the yarn feed package P in the axial direction. In FIG. 19(A), the position of the center of gravity G is supported by the boundary portion 70a of each robot-side peg 70. In contrast, in FIG. 19(B), the boundary portion 70a of each robot-side peg 70 is located at a position rearward of the position of the center of gravity G, so that the position of the center of gravity G is not supported by the boundary portion 70a of each robot-side peg 70. When the position of the center of gravity G of the yarn feed package P is no more supported by the boundary portion 70a of each robot-side peg 70, due to a height difference between the robot-side pegs 70 and the creel-side pegs 28, as shown in FIG. 19(B), the yarn feed package P is inclined in the counterclockwise direction on the paper on which FIG. 19(B) is shown. When the yarn feed package P is inclined in the counterclockwise direction, the push-out member 92 is also inclined in the counterclockwise direction following the yarn feed package P.
  • When the rod portion 77 is further actuated forward relative to the shell portion 76 from the state shown in FIG. 19(B), the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 is pushed by the contact surface 98, so that the yarn feed package P is further moved toward the creel-side pegs 28. Then, through the processes shown in FIG. 20(A), FIG. 20(B), FIG. 21(A), and FIG. 21(B), the yarn feed package P comes to be supported on the creel-side pegs 28. When the yarn feed package P is delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel-side pegs 28, there may be cases in which the yarn feed package P performs pendulum motion in the height direction due to the height difference between the robot-side pegs 70 and the creel-side pegs 28. In such a case, the contact surface 98 performs the pendulum motion in such a way as to follow the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160.
  • As shown in FIG. 21(B), when the yarn feed package P is delivered from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel-side pegs 28, there is a concern of the hook portion 106 interfering with the creel-side peg support part 25. In view of the above, the cutout part 26 (see the cutout part 26A in FIG. 2) is provided in the creel-side peg support part 25 as shown in FIG. 2, thereby preventing interference between the hook portion 106 and the creel-side peg support part 25.
  • When the delivery of the yarn feed package P from the robot-side pegs 70 to the creel-side pegs 28 is completed, the contact surface 98 of the push-out member 92 is brought into a non-contact state with the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160, and the push-out member 92 is returned to the zero posture by the action of the elastic member 110 (see FIG. 6). Therefore, when the robot-side pegs 70 receive the yarn feed package P, the push-out member 92 can be caused to remain in an erected state.
  • As described above, the rotation range of the movable member 90, which uses the supporting shaft 87 as the rotary shaft, is restricted to a certain range. For example, when the push-out member 92 is rotated more than necessary, there is a concern that the contact surface 98 does not come into contact with the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160, and the push-out member 92 enters the hollow portion of the paper tube 160, thereby preventing the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 from being pushed by the contact surface 98. In view of the above, the rotation range of the movable member 90 is restricted. With such a configuration, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 cannot be pushed by the contact surface 98.
    • [7. Reaction force exerted on cylinder 75 when yarn feed package P is delivered to creel stand 20]
  • As described above, there may be cases in which an excessively large reaction force may be exerted on the cylinder 75 when the yarn feed package P is withdrawn from the raw yarn storage 32 onto the yarn feed package supplying device 60. In addition to the above, there may also be cases in which an excessively large reaction force is exerted on the cylinder 75 when the yarn feed package P is delivered from the yarn feed package supplying device 60 to the creel stand 20. This is because the distance from the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 to a front surface 25a of the creel-side peg support part 25 varies depending on the creel-side peg support part 25 that supports the creel-side pegs 28, which constitute the delivery destination of the yarn feed package P. Therefore, when the distance from the proximal end portion of the cylinder 75 to the front surface 25a of the creel-side peg support part 25 is small, there may be cases in which the push-out member 92 attempts to further move forward relative to the shell portion 76 in a state in which the contact surface 98 of the push-out member 92 is in contact with the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 and the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 is in contact with the front surface 25a of the creel-side peg support part 25. In this case, the position of the creel-side peg support part 25 is fixed and prevented from moving and hence, an excessively large reaction force (rearward force) is exerted on the rod portion 77 and subsequently on the cylinder 75.
  • In view of the above, the yarn feed package supplying device 60 of the present embodiment is provided with the above-described reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 and hence, even when an excessively large reaction force (rearward force in FIG. 22) is exerted on the rod portion 77 and subsequently on the cylinder 75, the cylinder 75 (the shell portion 76 of the cylinder 75) retracts rearward as shown in FIG. 22, and therefore such a reaction force is absorbed. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress breakage of various members or various parts that constitute the yarn feed package supplying device 60, including the cylinder 75 and the push-out member 92. FIG. 22 is a side view showing an example of the creel stand 20 and the yarn feed package supplying device 60, and is also a diagram showing the operation mode of the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 when an excessively large reaction force is exerted on the cylinder 75.
  • Next, a preferable magnitude of an elastic force applied to the support member 132 by the elastic members 138 will be described with reference to FIG. 17 and FIG. 22.
  • First, an elastic force exerted on the support member 132 by the elastic members 138, that is, an elastic force exerted on the support member 132 in the clockwise direction (the direction against the above-described excessively large reaction force) in FIG. 22 by using the first shaft member 134 as the rotary shaft is taken as "F1". Further, a force of a forward component of the elastic force F1 is taken as "first push-out limit force F11" (see FIG. 17), and a force of a component in the direction in which the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 is pushed by the contact surface 98 (that is, the axial direction of the cylinder 75) when the support of the portion to be supported 85 by the support roller 69 is removed, and therefore the hook portion 106 is inclined downward is taken as "second push-out limit force F12" (see FIG. 22).
  • The extension thrust of the cylinder 75, that is, the maximum extension force of the cylinder 75 when the rod portion 77 extends in the extending direction (the forward direction in FIG. 17 and FIG. 22) relative to the shell portion 76 (hereinafter referred to as "maximum extension force of the cylinder 75") is taken as "F2" (see FIG. 17 and FIG. 22). The maximum extension force of the cylinder 75 is a pushing force larger than a force that is necessary to push out the yarn feed package P with respect to the push out member 92 in the direction from the proximal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the distal end portions. The cylinder 75 has the same maximum extension force F2 (pushing force) irrespective of whether the longitudinal direction of the cylinder 75 is horizontal.
  • The maximum resistance force generated when the yarn feed package P supported on the robot-side pegs 70 is pushed out, that is, the maximum static frictional force generated between the robot-side pegs 70 and the yarn feed package P (more specifically, the inner peripheral surface of the paper tube 160) is taken as "F3" (see FIG. 17). This maximum static frictional force F3 is a force exerted in the rearward direction. When the contact surface 98 of the push-out member 92 pushes the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 by a force larger than the maximum static frictional force F3 by the action of the cylinder 75, the yarn feed package P supported on the robot-side pegs 70 can be pushed out from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70.
  • An excessively large reaction force exerted on the contact surface 98 and subsequently on the rod portion 77 of the cylinder 75 in the rearward direction due to a contact of the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 with the front surface 25a of the creel-side peg support part 25 is taken as "F4" (see FIG. 21).
  • To push out the yarn feed package P hooked on the robot-side pegs 70 toward the creel-side pegs 28 under the above-described conditions, it is necessary that the force relationships of "first push-out limit force F11 > maximum static frictional force F3, and second push out limit force > maximum static friction force F3" and "maximum extension force F2 of cylinder 75 > maximum static frictional force F3" are established. This is because in the case in which the first push-out limit force F11 and the second push-out limit force F12 are smaller than the maximum static frictional force F3, when the yarn feed package P is pushed out forward, before the yarn feed package P starts to move forward, the support member 132 may rotate in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 17 by using the first shaft member 134 as the center axis. Further, if the maximum extension force F2 of the cylinder 75 is not larger than the maximum static frictional force F3, the yarn feed package P cannot be pushed out forward.
  • When the excessively large reaction force F4 is exerted on the cylinder 75 in the rearward direction, to absorb such an excessively large reaction force F4 by the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130, it is necessary that the force relationship of "excessively large reaction force F4 > first push-out limit force F11, and excessively large reaction force F4 > second push-out limit force F12" is established. To achieve this, it is necessary that the force relationship of "maximum extension force F2 of cylinder 75 > first push-out limit force F11 and second push-out limit force F12" is established. As described above, the position of the creel-side peg support part 25 is fixed and prevented from moving and hence, this force relationship of "excessively large reaction force F4 > first push-out limit force F11 and second push-out limit force F12" is established. Considering the inclination of the cylinder 75 that occurs when support of the portion to be supported 85 by the support roller 69 is removed to cause the hook portion 106 to be inclined downward, it can be regarded that the first push-out limit force F11 approximates the second push-out limit force F12. In this case, by setting the elastic force F1 to a magnitude at which the force relationship of "maximum extension force F2 of cylinder 75 > first push-out limit force F11 ≅ second push-out limit force F12 > maximum static frictional force F3" is established, when the yarn feed package P is pushed out by the contact surface 98, the yarn feed package P can be moved forward, whereas when the excessively large reaction force F4 (a force larger than the second push-out limit force F12) is exerted on the cylinder 75, the entire cylinder 75 can be moved rearward to release the excessively large reaction force F4.
    • [8. Manner of operation and advantageous effects]
  • The yarn feed package supplying device 60 of the present embodiment includes: the robot-side pegs 70 configured to allow a yarn feed package P, in which yarn is wound around the paper tube 160 to form a yarn layer, to be hooked thereon, the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 being free ends; the push-out mechanism 74 configured to push out the yarn feed package P hooked on the robot-side pegs 70, from the one end portions of the robot-side pegs 70; and the base part 62. The push-out mechanism 74 includes: the push-out member 92; the cylinder 75 configured to move the push-out member 92 relative to the robot-side pegs 70 within a predetermined range in the direction from the proximal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the distal end portions or in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions; and the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130. The push-out member 92 is configured to come into contact with the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 of the yarn feed package P hooked on the robot-side pegs 70, when the push-out member 92 is moved in the direction from the proximal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the distal end portions. The cylinder 75 is supported by the base part 62, and is configured to be capable of exerting the maximum extension force (pushing force) F2 on the push-out member 92, the maximum extension force F2 being larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package P in the direction from the proximal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the distal end portions. The reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 is configured such that, when a reaction force (excessively large reaction force) F4 larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package P is exerted on the push-out member 92 in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions, the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 is actuated by a force smaller than the maximum extension force F2 to absorb the excessively large reaction force F4 exerted on the push-out member 92, the maximum extension force F2 being the maximum force that can be exerted on the push-out member 92 by the cylinder 75. Accordingly, even when the excessively large reaction force F4 is exerted on the push-out member 92, such a reaction force is absorbed and hence, it is possible to suppress breakage of various members or various parts that constitute the yarn feed package supplying device 60, including the push-out member 92 and the cylinder 75. In addition, even when the distance to each pair of the plurality of pairs of creel-side pegs 28 (the distance between each pair of the plurality of pairs of creel-side pegs 28 and the robot-side pegs 70) varies depending on the pair of the creel-side pegs 28, the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 is provided and hence, the movement of the push-out member 92 in the direction from the other end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the one end portions is automatically controlled according to the distance to each pair of the creel-side pegs 28. That is, when an excessively large reaction force starts to be exerted on the push-out member 92 that is moved in the direction from the proximal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the distal end portions, the push-out member 92 is no longer moved and hence, it is possible to absorb variations in distance to the plurality of respective creel-side pegs 28, and therefore the yarn feed package P can be pushed out and delivered to any of the plurality of creel-side pegs 28 without any problem.
  • The reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 can absorb the reaction force F4 by supporting the cylinder 75 with respect to the base part 62 such that the cylinder 75 is moved relative to the base part 62 in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions when the reaction force F4 is exerted on the push-out member 92 in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions, the reaction force F4 being larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package P. Therefore, with a simple configuration, it is possible to suppress breakage of various members or various parts that constitute the yarn feed package supplying device 60, including the cylinder 75 and the push-out member 92. Further, even when the distance to each pair of the plurality of pairs of creel-side pegs 28 varies depending on the pair of the creel-side pegs 28, the yarn feed package P can be delivered to any of the plurality of creel-side pegs 28 without any problem.
  • The push-out mechanism 74 further includes the withdrawing member 100 configured to withdraw a yarn feed package P hooked on the storage-side peg support part 35 of the raw yarn storage 32, onto the robot-side pegs 70 from the distal end portions. With the movement of the push-out member 92, the withdrawing member 100 is moved in the direction from the proximal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the distal end portions or in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions and, when the withdrawing member 100 is moved in the direction from the proximal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the distal end portions, the withdrawing member 100 is moved to the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 through the hollow portion of the paper tube 160 of the yarn feed package P, the other end surface 163 being on the side opposite to the robot-side pegs 70, and after the withdrawing member 100 is moved to the other end surface 163, the withdrawing member 100 is lifted upward, and is moved in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions in a contact state with the other end surface 163, thereby enabling withdrawal of the yarn feed package P onto the robot-side pegs 70 from the distal end portions. Further, in the case in which the push-out member 92 comes into contact with the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 of the yarn feed package P, and a reaction force (excessively large reaction force) larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package P is exerted on the push-out member 92 in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions when the withdrawing member 100 is moved to the position beyond the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 or when the withdrawing member 100 is moved to the position beyond the other end surface 163 of the paper tube 160 and is lifted upward, the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 allows the cylinder 75 to move relative to the base part 62 in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions. Accordingly, even in the case in which the push-out member 92 comes into contact with the one end surface 161 of the paper tube 160 of the yarn feed package P, and the excessively large reaction force F4 is exerted in the direction from the distal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the proximal end portions when the yarn feed package P is withdrawn from the raw yarn storage 32 onto the robot-side pegs 70, such a reaction force F4 is absorbed by the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 and hence, it is possible to suppress breakage of various members or various parts that constitute the yarn feed package supplying device 60, including the cylinder 75 and the push-out member 92. In addition, even when the distance to the creel-side pegs 28 (the distance between the creel-side pegs 28 and the robot-side pegs 70) differs from the distance from the storage-side peg support part 35 of the raw yarn storage 32 (the distance between the storage-side peg support part 35 and the robot-side pegs 70), the reaction force absorbing mechanism 130 is provided and hence, the movement of the push-out member 92 in the direction from the other end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the one end portions is automatically controlled according to the distance to the creel-side pegs 28 and the distance from the storage-side peg support part 35. That is, when an excessively large reaction force starts to be exerted on the push-out member 92 that moves in the direction from the proximal end portions of the robot-side pegs 70 toward the distal end portions, the push-out member 92 is no longer moved and hence, it is possible to absorb a distance difference between the distance to the creel-side pegs 28 and the distance from the storage-side peg support part 35, and therefore the yarn feed package P can be pushed out to be delivered to the creel-side pegs 28, and the yarn feed package P can be withdrawn and received from the storage-side peg support part 35 without any problem.
    • [9. Modified Examples]
  • Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, in the embodiments described above, when the cylinder 75 receives an excessive reaction force, the support member 132 that holds the cylinder 75 rotates relative to the base part 62 using the first shaft member 134 as the rotational axis, thereby moving the entire cylinder 75 rearward. In other words, the embodiments are configured to be able to absorb excessive reaction force by rotating the cylinder 75. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, instead of absorbing the excessive reaction force by rotating the cylinder 75, the cylinder 75 may be moved rearward in parallel with respect to the base part 62, as shown in, for example, FIG. 14(A), so that the excessive reaction force can be absorbed.
  • In addition, in the embodiments described above, the cylinder 75 is disposed below the base part 62. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the cylinder 75 may be disposed above the base part 62 as long as the reaction force acting on the cylinder 75 can be absorbed. Furthermore, the push-out member driving part is not limited to a cylinder; and may be any mechanism that is capable of moving the push-out member, such as a combination of a ball screw and a motor for rotationally driving the ball screw.
    • (Reference Numerals)
    • 25
    Creel-side peg support part
    32
    Raw yarn storage
    35
    Storage-side peg support part
    60
    Yarn feed package supplying device
    62
    Base part
    70
    Robot-side peg
    74
    Push-out mechanism
    75
    Cylinder
    92
    Push-out member
    98
    Contact surface
    100
    Withdrawing member
    130
    Reaction force absorbing mechanism
    134
    First shaft member
    160
    Paper tube
    161
    One end surface of the paper tube
    163
    The other end surface of the paper tube
    P
    Yarn feed package

Claims (4)

  1. A yarn feed package supplying device (60) comprising:
    a yarn feed holding part (70) configured to allow a yarn feed package (P) having a yarn layer formed by winding yarn around a cylindrical member (160)to be hooked thereon, one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) being a free end;
    a push-out mechanism (74) configured to push out the yarn feed package (P) hooked on the yarn feed holding part (70), from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70); and
    a support part (62), wherein
    the push-out mechanism (74) includes
    a push-out member (92),
    a push-out member driving part (75) configured to move the push-out member (92) relative to the yarn feed holding part (70) within a predetermined range in a direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the one end portion or in a direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion, and
    a reaction force absorbing mechanism (130),
    the push-out member (92) is configured to come into contact with an end surface (161) of the cylindrical member (160) of the yarn feed package (P) hooked on the yarn feed holding part (70), when the push-out member (92) is moved in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the one end portion,
    the push-out member driving part (75) is supported by the support part (62), and is configured to be capable of exerting a pushing force (F2) on the push-out member (92), the pushing force (F2) being larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package (P) in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the one end portion, and
    the reaction force absorbing mechanism (130) is configured such that, when a reaction force (F4) larger than a force necessary to push out the yarn feed package (P) is exerted on the push-out member (92) in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion, the reaction force absorbing mechanism (130) is actuated by a force smaller than the pushing force (F2) to absorb the reaction force (F4) exerted on the push-out member (92).
  2. . The yarn feed package supplying device (60) according to claim 1, wherein
    the reaction force absorbing mechanism (130) absorbs the reaction force (F4) exerted on the push-out member (92) by supporting the push-out member driving part (75) with respect to the support part (62) such that the push-out member driving part (75) is moved relative to the support part (62) in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion when the reaction force (F4) is exerted on the push-out member (92) in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion, the reaction force (F4) being larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package (P).
  3. . The yarn feed package supplying device (60) according to claim 2, wherein
    the push-out member driving part (75) comprises a cylinder including a shell portion and a rod portion being extendable and retractable relative to the shell portion,
    the push-out member (92) is attached at a distal end portion of the rod portion, and
    the reaction force absorbing mechanism (130) absorbs the reaction force (F4), exerted on the push-out member (92), by supporting the cylinder with respect to the support part (62) such that the shell portion is moved relative to the support part (62) in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion when the reaction force (F4) larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package (P) is exerted on the push-out member (92) in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion.
  4. . The yarn feed package supplying device (60) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein
    the push-out mechanism (74) further includes a withdrawing member (100) configured to withdraw a yarn feed package (P) hooked on a holding part (35) of a storage (32), onto the yarn feed holding part (70) through the one end portion,
    with movement of the push-out member (92), the withdrawing member (100) is moved in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the one end portion or in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion,
    when the withdrawing member (100) is moved in the direction from the other end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the one end portion, the withdrawing member (100) is moved to the other end surface (163), which is an end surface of the cylindrical member (160) on a side opposite to the yarn feed holding part (70), through a hollow portion of the cylindrical member (160) of the yarn feed package (P) and, after the withdrawing member (100) is moved to the other end surface (163), the withdrawing member (100) is lifted upward, and is moved in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion in a contact state with the other end surface (163), thereby enabling withdrawal of the yarn feed package (P) onto the yarn feed holding part (70) through the one end portion, and
    in a case with the push-out member (92) coming into contact with the end surface (161) of the cylindrical member (160) of the yarn feed package (P), and the reaction force (F4) larger than the force necessary to push out the yarn feed package (P) is exerted on the push-out member (92) in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion when the withdrawing member (100) is moved to a position beyond the other end surface (163) of the cylindrical member (160) or when the withdrawing member (100) is moved to the position beyond the other end surface (163) of the cylindrical member (160) and is lifted upward, the reaction force absorbing mechanism (130) absorbs the reaction force (F4) exerted on the push-out member (92) by allowing the push-out member driving part (75) to move relative to the support part (62) in the direction from the one end portion of the yarn feed holding part (70) toward the other end portion.
EP26155260.8A 2025-02-14 2026-01-30 Yarn feed package supplying device Pending EP4793213A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2025022749 2025-02-14

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4793213A1 true EP4793213A1 (en) 2026-08-19

Family

ID=98566947

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP26155260.8A Pending EP4793213A1 (en) 2025-02-14 2026-01-30 Yarn feed package supplying device

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP4793213A1 (en)
CN (1) CN122561678A (en)

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Publication number Publication date
CN122561678A (en) 2026-08-14