JP2018096020A - Method for adjusting warp knitting machine and auxiliary device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for adjusting a warp knitting machine in order to monitor a knitting tool area and generate an adjustment signal, for making adjustment easy.SOLUTION: There are provided a method for adjusting a warp knitting machine (1) and an auxiliary device with which a knitting tool area (3, 5) is monitored and an adjustment signal is generated. A camera (10) is used for monitoring the knitting tool area (3, 5) and the knitting tool area (3, 5) is displayed on a display (11).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a method for adjusting a warp knitting machine, wherein a knitting area is monitored and an adjustment signal is generated.
The invention also relates to an auxiliary device for adjusting the warp knitting machine, comprising an auxiliary device for monitoring the area of the knitting tool and an active element for generating an adjustment signal.

  In the operation of the warp knitting machine, the knitting tools together form a loop. For example, a guide needle or other yarn guide must be moved relative to a knitting needle, also called an actuation needle, to form a loop. The knitting needle is disposed on the knitting needle bar. The guide needle is disposed on one or a plurality of guide bars. Depending on the so-called degree of refinement of the machine, i.e. the number of knitting needles per inch wide, the knitting needles are spaced apart by a relatively small distance.

  Through this gap, the yarn guide, also known as the “needle array”, must pass through the knitting needles without colliding. Therefore, it is important that at the machine zero or neutral position, the yarn guides are arranged as centrally as possible between the two knitting needles and the guides are adjusted accordingly. Another possibility is to do what is known as “pattern movement” when the machine is stopped. Thereby, the yarn guide can be adjusted around the knitting needles of the needle bar.

  To make the proper settings, the operator uses a magnifying glass to view the knitting area. Depending on the perceived position of the knitting tool, the operator activates different switches or push buttons on the control panel to generate an adjustment signal. The control panel is connected to the controller of the warp knitting machine via a cable, and changes the position of the bar according to the adjustment signal.

Chinese Patent No. 104131410 discloses the use of a control panel wirelessly connected to the warp knitting machine controller.
To use the magnifying glass and the control panel at the same time, some skill is required on the operator side. In many cases, multiple operator controls on the control panel must be activated at one time, for example, turning a key switch to a position and simultaneously holding a particular button while moving it.

  An object of the present invention is to simplify the work of adjusting a warp knitting machine.

  This object is achieved with a procedure of the type mentioned above by the fact that a camera is used to monitor the knitting area and the knitting area is represented on the display.

  The camera and display make it possible to observe the knitting tool area. By generating the adjustment signal, the operator can monitor the movement of the individual bars performed by the operator and the knitting tools connected thereto.

  Preferably, a camera having a zoom function is used. Since the knitting tools can be magnified and displayed on the display, the operator can easily identify how the knitting tools are positioned relative to each other. A magnifying glass is no longer needed.

  It is preferable to use a display provided with an actuating element for generating an adjustment signal. Thus, the operator need only operate the display or the device carrying the display to generate the desired adjustment signal. This means that the operator can easily and immediately detect the effect of the adjustment signal produced by the operator.

  It is preferred to use a touch sensitive display having a field of display designated as the actuating element. Thus, the display is configured as a “touch screen”. For example, by tapping the right end of the display, a specific bar is moved to the right, and by tapping the left end of the display screen, the corresponding bar can be moved to the left.

  The designated area is preferably displayed on the display. In order to simplify the work of the operator, the designated area can be labeled with, for example, “left” and “right”.

  A communication device with a camera, in particular a mobile phone or a portable computer, for example a tablet, is preferably used. Most mobile phones already have a built-in camera. Many portable computers, particularly so-called tablet computers, have a built-in camera. Since both communication devices can also execute application programs, so-called “apps”, such application programs support the adjustment of the warp knitting machine. When the actuating element is actuated, the application program sends a corresponding control command as an adjustment signal to the warp knitting machine.

  It is preferable to connect the communication device to the controller of the warp knitting machine by wireless means. For example, such a connection can be made via a WLAN. The only prerequisite for this is that the communication device and the warp knitting machine, more precisely, the controller of the warp knitting machine are provided with an appropriate interface.

  Alternatively, a wired connection can be used. For example, a fixedly mounted wired camera can be used to send the image to the display. From here, the bar can be adjusted. Of course, it is also possible to use a fixed camera that transfers the corresponding image information to the display by wireless means.

  The display is preferably part of the display device, and part of the display device is arranged on the warp knitting machine. A display device can in principle have a plurality of displays. For example, one display can be arranged on the communication device and another display can be arranged on the warp knitting machine. In that case, the display of the warp knitting machine already provided in the controller of the warp knitting machine can be used. As a result, the operator can select a position for observing the knitting tool region on the display.

  In this case, it is preferable to connect the communication device to a remote maintenance device. By using a remote maintenance device, adjustments can be performed by remote maintenance devices or teleservice from geographically distant points, for example from the manufacturer of warp knitting machines.

  This object is achieved by an auxiliary device of the type described above, which has a camera that can capture the knitting area and a display that can display the knitting area.

The operator can use the display to display the knitting tool area and check whether the adjustment signal has the desired effect. Further, the camera can be moved to a different position on the warp knitting machine. For example, the adjustment can be performed by monitoring the knitting tool region from the front or the back.

  The camera preferably has a zoom function. The knitting tool area is enlarged and displayed on the display, and adjustment is easy.

  The display is preferably designed as a touch-sensitive display, and the control element is preferably formed by a designated area of the display. The adjustment signal can be generated by touching the display or by touching a specified area of the display more precisely.

  The camera is preferably arranged in a communication device, in particular a mobile phone or a portable computer, for example a tablet computer. The operator only needs to hold the communication device up to the machine and position it so that the camera can capture the knitting area. The necessary adjustment signals can also be generated, for example using a communication device.

  It is also advantageous if the auxiliary device is wirelessly connected to the warp knitting machine controller. Such a wireless connection can be set by, for example, a WLAN connection. What is required for this purpose is that the warp knitting machine and the auxiliary device each have an appropriate interface. In this case, for example, the knitting tool region may be displayed on the display of the warp knitting machine. Such displays are often already available as components of warp knitting machine controllers. A control element for generating the adjustment signal can also be provided here.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described by way of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for adjusting a warp knitting machine having an auxiliary device.

The warp knitting machine 1 includes a guide bar 2 on which a plurality of guide needles 3 are arranged. Instead of the guide needle 3, another thread guide can be provided.
The warp knitting machine further includes a knitting needle 4 in which a series of knitting needles 5 are arranged adjacent to each other. In the operation of the warp knitting machine 1, the guide needle 3 and the knitting needle 5 cooperate to form a loop. As part of this process, for example, the guide needle 3 passes around the knitting needle 5.

  The guide needles 3 are arranged at a relatively small distance from each other. For example, in the case of the definition of E20, 20 guide needles 3 are provided per inch. Therefore, the distance between the guide needles is about 1 mm. The same applies to the spacing of the knitting needles 5 relative to each other. In order to facilitate a collision-free interaction between the guide needle 3 and the knitting needle 5, the guide needle 3 is ideally arranged as centrally as possible with respect to the knitting needle 5.

  The expression of the warp knitting machine here is very simplified. In practice, more knitting tools are provided, such as pool hooks and evercomb hooks. The representation of these knitting tools has been omitted for clarity. These knitting tools must be adjusted in the same way with respect to the other knitting tools.

  The warp knitting machine 1 includes a machine controller 6 including a display 7. The machine controller 6 is also provided with an antenna 8 or other receiving device for WLAN, ie a wireless network.

  In order to perform the desired adjustment, the operator must monitor the knitting tool region, and generates an adjustment signal according to the relative position of the guide needle 3 and the knitting needle 5, and the machine controller 6 guides the adjustment signal. The relative positional relationship between the bar 2 and the knitting needle bar 4 is adjusted. In most cases it is sufficient to adjust the position of one of the two bars 2, 4 parallel to the longitudinal direction. The adjustment signal may be a pulse, for example, from pulse to pulse, the machine controller 6 moves a particular bar 2, 4 addressed or controlled at a rate of millimeters, eg 0.05 mm or 0.1 mm. The operator can then visually monitor whether the adjustments made were successful in positioning the guide needle 3 and the knitting needle 5 relative to each other, or whether further adjustments should be made.

  This monitoring was previously done with a magnifying glass, so the knitting area could be seen on a larger scale. However, such handling is relatively complicated.

In front of the warp knitting machine 1, an auxiliary device 9 for viewing the knitting tool region is shown enlarged. The auxiliary device forms part of the auxiliary device for adjusting the warp knitting machine 1 or completely forms the auxiliary device. This is further explained below.

  The auxiliary device 9 includes a camera 10 and a display 11. The camera 10 has a zoom function. That is, the knitting tool region can be enlarged and displayed on the display 11, and the guide needle bar 2 provided with the guide needle 3 and the knitting needle bar 4 provided with the knitting needle 5 can be better identified. Preferably, the magnification can be adjusted so that the operator can display the knitting needle area, that is, the knitting needles 3, 5 as large as necessary.

The auxiliary device can be configured as a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone such as a “smart phone” or a portable computer such as a tablet PC or notebook, for example.

  The display 11 is configured as a touch sensor type display. The display 11 includes a specific area configured as a control element. These areas 12 and 13 can be displayed on the display 11. The regions 12 and 13 can also be indicated by information suggesting the effect. In this exemplary embodiment, region 12 is indicated by “L” and region 13 is indicated by “R”. Therefore, when the area 12 is tapped, the guide bar 2 moves to the left, and when the area 13 is tapped, the guide bar 2 moves to the right.

  A list of available bars can be pre-displayed on the display in a manner not shown in detail, and the appropriate bar can be selected depending on the particular area of the touch-sensitive display 11.

The corresponding adjustment signal is sent to the antenna 8 of the machine controller 6, which can cause the desired movement of the guide bar 2 or the knitting needle bar 4.

  Further, the image displayed on the display 11 of the auxiliary device may be displayed on the display 7 of the machine controller 6 or only on the display 7. If this display 7 is also configured as a touch-sensitive active display, on the machine controller 6 by arranging the auxiliary device appropriately so that the camera 10 records the knitting area using the knitting tools 3, 5. Direct adjustments can also be made.

  Relevant information, ie an image of the knitting area using the knitting tools 3, 5, can also be transmitted to a remote device such as the teleservice of the manufacturer of the warp knitting machine. The adjustment can also be performed over a larger distance by return transfer of the corresponding adjustment signal.

  All that is necessary for the adjustment is to assign the auxiliary device 9 to the warp knitting machine 1 using suitable means. This can be achieved, for example, via an IP address. As mentioned above, the auxiliary device also needs to be assigned to a specific bar to be adjusted in a specific situation. However, this is also possible easily.

  In order to achieve the adjustment, a so-called “app” can be executed on the auxiliary device 9. Such an app or application program may be provided by the manufacturer of the warp knitting machine.

Claims (15)

A method for adjusting a warp knitting machine (1) in which a knitting tool region (3, 5) is monitored and an adjustment signal is generated,
A method in which a camera (10) is used to monitor a knitting tool area (3, 5) and the knitting tool area (3, 5) is displayed on a display (11).   2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a camera (10) with a zoom function is used.   3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a display (11) is used, on which an actuating element for generating an adjustment signal is arranged.   4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a touch-sensitive display (11) is used and designated areas (12, 13) of the display (11) are used as activity elements.   5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the designated area (12, 13) is displayed on a display (11).   6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a communication device comprising a camera (10), in particular a mobile phone or a portable computer, is used.   The method according to claim 6, wherein the communication device is wirelessly connected to the controller (6) of the warp knitting machine (1).   The method according to claim 6, wherein the communication device is connected by a cable to the controller (6) of the warp knitting machine (1).   The display (11) is a part of the display device (7, 11), and the part (7) of the display device (7, 11) is arranged on the warp knitting machine (1). 9. The method according to 8.   10. A method according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the communication device is connected to a remote maintenance device. In an auxiliary device (9) for monitoring the knitting tool area (3, 5) and an auxiliary device for adjusting the warp knitting machine (1) having an active element for generating an adjustment signal,
The auxiliary device comprises a camera (10) and a display (11), the knitting area (3, 5) is recorded by the camera (10), and the knitting area (3, 5) is displayed on the display (11). Auxiliary device.   The auxiliary device according to claim 11, wherein the camera (10) comprises a zoom function.   13. Auxiliary device according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the display (11) is configured in a touch-sensitive manner and the active element is formed by a designated area (12, 13) of the display (11).   Auxiliary device according to any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the camera (10) is arranged on a communication device, in particular a mobile phone or a portable computer. The auxiliary device according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the auxiliary device (9) is wirelessly connected to a controller of the warp knitting machine.

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