JP7515707B2 - Yarn length measuring device and knitting yarn buffer device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a yarn length measuring device capable of measuring the yarn length of knitting yarn unwound from a buffer device and a knitting yarn buffer device technology.

Conventionally, technology for measuring the length of a knitting yarn that is unwound from a buffer device and fed to a knitting machine has been publicly known, as described in, for example, Patent Document 1.

Patent document 1 discloses a technology that can measure the amount of yarn that is pulled out when it is accumulated on a rotating drum.

In the technology described in Patent Document 1, optical sensors are placed at four locations around the rotating drum, spaced 90 degrees apart in the circumferential direction, and each optical sensor detects the blockage of light by the yarn being pulled out, thereby measuring the amount of yarn being pulled out.

Japanese Patent No. 6250274

However, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, even if optical sensors are placed in four locations, they cannot detect the thread passing between the sensors, leaving room for improvement in the accuracy of thread length measurement.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the problem it aims to solve is to provide a yarn length measuring device and a knitting yarn buffer device that can achieve highly accurate yarn length measurement.

The problem that this invention aims to solve is as described above, and next we will explain the means for solving this problem.

That is, the yarn length measuring device of the present invention comprises a rotating member that is rotatably mounted on a predetermined mounting member, an introduction section that is provided at a position offset from the rotation axis of the rotating member and introduces the knitting yarn unwound from the upstream side in the yarn feeding direction to the downstream side in the yarn feeding direction, an outlet section that outlets the knitting yarn introduced from the introduction section to a yarn feeding path downstream in the yarn feeding direction, and a rotation amount detection section for detecting the amount of rotation of the rotating member.
By configuring in this manner, highly accurate yarn length measurement can be achieved.

The outlet portion may be provided on the rotation axis of the rotating member.
By configuring in this way, the load on the knitting yarn can be reduced.

The introduction portion may be formed at a position where the shortest distance to the rotation axis is shorter than 20 mm.
By configuring in this manner, it is possible to achieve more accurate yarn length measurement.

The rotation amount detection portion may have a detectable portion that rotates integrally with the rotating member, and detect the amount of rotation by detecting a change in a surface of the detectable portion that accompanies the rotation of the detectable portion.
By configuring in this manner, it is possible to achieve more accurate yarn length measurement.

In addition, the buffer device of the present invention includes the yarn length measuring device of the present invention, and a bobbin around which knitting yarn is wound and stored, and which is positioned upstream of the yarn length measuring device in the yarn feeding direction.
By configuring in this manner, highly accurate yarn length measurement can be achieved.

The effect of the present invention is that it is possible to achieve highly accurate thread length measurement.

1 is a front view showing an overall configuration of a flat knitting machine equipped with a yarn length measuring device and a buffer device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration related to control of the flat knitting machine. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a yarn supplying device including a yarn length measuring device and a buffer device. FIG. FIG. 1A is a front view showing how the yarn length measuring device measures the yarn length of a knitting yarn, and FIG. 1A is a front view showing a rotating member according to a second embodiment, FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing a rotating member according to a third embodiment, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view showing a rotating member according to a fourth embodiment. 13A is a front view showing a rotating member according to a fifth embodiment, and FIG. 13B is a front view showing a rotating member according to a sixth embodiment.

In the following explanation, the directions indicated by the arrows U, D, F, B, L, and R in the figures are defined as the upward, downward, forward, backward, leftward, and rightward directions, respectively. In addition, for the sake of convenience, some components may be omitted from the illustrations in each figure.

First, we will describe the overall configuration of the flat knitting machine 1 equipped with the yarn feeding device 100 relating to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the flat knitting machine 1 mainly comprises a needle bed 10, a carriage 20, a yarn guide rail 30, a servo motor 40, a yarn stand 50, a control unit 60 and a yarn feeding device 100.

The needle beds 10 shown in FIG. 1 are arranged facing each other from the front to the rear with a needle gap (not shown) between them. The front and rear needle beds 10 are arranged, for example, in an inverted V shape in side view, inclining upward toward the front and rear center (the opposing sides). Each needle bed 10 is provided with a large number of knitting needles 11 aligned along the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the needle bed 10. The front and rear needle beds 10 can move relatively left and right when transferring stitches to each other.

A pair of carriages 20 are arranged in front and behind so as to face the front and rear needle beds 10 from above. The front and rear carriages 20 are connected by a bridge 20a arranged to straddle multiple yarn guide rails 30. The carriage 20 can be moved back and forth along the longitudinal direction of the needle bed 10 by a servo motor 40 (see FIG. 2). The carriage 20 is provided with a needle selection mechanism (not shown) and a cam mechanism 21 (see FIG. 2) for selectively operating the knitting needles 11 of the needle bed 10.

The yarn guide rails 30 shown in Figure 1 are arranged above the needle gap and extend along the longitudinal direction of the needle bed 10. A yarn carrier 31 that supplies the knitting yarn Y is supported on the yarn guide rails 30 so that it can move.

A yarn cone 51 around which knitting yarn Y is wound is provided on the yarn stand 50 shown in FIG. 1. The knitting yarn Y from the yarn cone 51 is fed to the yarn carrier 31 via yarn feeding path A. Here, yarn feeding path A is the path along which the knitting yarn Y is fed from the yarn cone 51 to the yarn carrier 31. In addition, a top spring 52 is provided above the yarn cone 51. The top spring 52 applies tension to the knitting yarn Y that is pulled out from the yarn cone 51 and fed downstream in the yarn feeding direction (towards the yarn carrier 31). The top spring 52 is located on the yarn feeding path A.

The control unit 60 shown in Figure 2 is for controlling the operation of the flat knitting machine 1. The control unit 60 is equipped with an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU, and a memory unit such as a RAM or ROM. The memory unit of the control unit 60 stores various information and programs used to control the flat knitting machine 1. The control unit 60 is provided at an appropriate location of the flat knitting machine 1 (for example, within the main body of the flat knitting machine 1 (below the rear needle bed 10)).

The control unit 60 is connected to the servo motor 40 and can control the operation of the servo motor 40. The control unit 60 can move the carriage 20 arbitrarily by controlling the operation of the servo motor 40. The control unit 60 can also detect the position of the carriage 20 based on the number of rotations of the servo motor 40. The control unit 60 is also connected to the carriage 20 (more specifically, the cam mechanism 21) and can control the operation of the carriage 20.

The control unit 60 controls each part of the flat knitting machine 1 based on a knitting program created in advance. Specifically, the control unit 60 controls the operation of the servo motor 40 to move the carriage 20 back and forth along the longitudinal direction of the needle bed 10. At this time, a cam mechanism 21 mounted on the carriage 20 moves the knitting needle 11 forward and backward relative to the needle gap, thereby performing knitting operations such as knitting, tucks, and misses, and transferring stitches between the front and rear needle beds 10. By repeating such back and forth movement of the carriage 20, the knitted fabric K is knitted.

Next, the configuration of the yarn supplying device 100 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 6. The yarn supplying device 100 stores the knitting yarn Y from the yarn cone 51 and supplies the stored knitting yarn Y to the yarn carrier 31 with a substantially constant tension. As shown in Figure 1, the yarn supplying device 100 is disposed to the side of the flat knitting machine 1 (on the left side in the illustrated example). The yarn supplying device 100 is located in the yarn supply path A. Note that, in the illustrated example, one yarn supplying device 100 is shown, but multiple yarn supplying devices 100 (for example, the number of yarn supplying devices 100 corresponding to the number of yarn carriers 31) can be installed as necessary. The yarn supplying device 100 mainly includes a support unit 110, a buffer device 120, a resistance applying unit 130, a yarn length measuring device 200, and a control unit 300.

The support part 110 shown in FIG. 3 supports the buffer device 120 and the thread length measuring device 200, which will be described later. The support part 110 is formed, for example, by combining multiple plate-shaped members. The support part 110 is installed on an appropriate installation target. The support part 110 includes an upper guide part 111 and a lower guide part 112.

The upper guide portion 111 is a portion into which the knitting yarn Y is introduced from the top spring 52. The upper guide portion 111 has a hole that penetrates in the vertical direction and through which the knitting yarn Y passes. The upper guide portion 111 is supported via an appropriate arm that protrudes to the right from the right surface of the support portion 110.

The lower guide portion 112 is a portion through which the knitting yarn Y is guided from the buffer device 120 described later. The lower guide portion 112 has a hole that penetrates in the vertical direction and through which the knitting yarn Y passes. The lower guide portion 112 is supported below the upper guide portion 111 via an appropriate arm that protrudes to the right from the right surface of the support portion 110.

The buffer device 120 shown in Figure 3 pulls out the knitting yarn Y from the yarn cone 51 and stores the knitting yarn Y. The knitting yarn Y stored in the buffer device 120 is pulled out (reeled out) downstream in the yarn feeding direction as necessary. The buffer device 120 is provided on the support section 110 so as to be positioned between the upper guide section 111 and the lower guide section 112. The buffer device 120 includes a housing 121, a drive section 122, a winding section 123, and a bobbin 124.

The housing 121 accommodates the drive unit 122 described below. The housing 121 is fixed to the right surface of the support unit 110.

2 and 3 drives the winding portion 123 described below. The drive portion 122 is provided inside the housing 121. The drive portion 122 has an appropriate drive source (e.g., a motor, etc.).

The winding section 123 shown in Figure 3 winds the knitting yarn Y from the upper guide section 111 onto a bobbin 124, which will be described later. The winding section 123 is located below the housing 121 and is provided so as to be freely rotatable relative to the housing 121. The winding section 123 rotates around a rotation axis that faces in the vertical direction by the driving force of the drive section 122. The winding section 123 rotates clockwise in a plan view.

The bobbin 124 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is capable of storing the knitting yarn Y. The bobbin 124 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axial direction facing up and down. The bobbin 124 is provided in the housing 121 so as to be located below the winding section 123. The bobbin 124 stores the knitting yarn Y by winding the knitting yarn Y around its outer circumferential surface. The knitting yarn Y is wound around the bobbin 124 by the winding section 123 in a fixed winding manner (so that the yarn length per revolution is roughly the same).

The knitting yarn Y stored in the bobbin 124 is pulled out (unwound) in accordance with the knitting operation of the flatbed knitting machine 1 (the carriage 20, the yarn carrier 31, etc.) and fed downstream in the yarn feeding direction. The position of the knitting yarn Y unwound from the bobbin 124 changes so as to rotate clockwise in a plan view along the outer circumferential surface of the bobbin 124.

The resistance imparting portion 130 shown in Figures 3 and 4 provides frictional resistance to the knitting yarn Y pulled out from the bobbin 124. The resistance imparting portion 130 is disposed below the bobbin 124. The resistance imparting portion 130 is formed in a shape that opens in the vertical direction so that the knitting yarn Y can pass through. The resistance imparting portion 130 comprises a contact portion 131, a receiving portion 132, and a biasing portion 133. Note that in Figures 3 and 4, the resistance imparting portion 130 is illustrated as a cross-sectional view.

The abutment portion 131 is a portion that abuts against the lower end of the bobbin 124. The abutment portion 131 is formed in a generally upside-down truncated cone shape that is cylindrical and opens at the top and bottom. The surface of the abutment portion 131 that abuts against the bobbin 124 is an inclined surface that increases in diameter as it approaches the top in a cross-sectional view. In this embodiment, the angle of the inclined surface with respect to the horizontal direction is formed to be approximately 25 degrees. The abutment portion 131 is formed, for example, from a film or the like.

The receiving portion 132 is a portion that receives the biasing force of the biasing portion 133 described below. The receiving portion 132 is formed so as to extend downward from the lower end of the abutting portion 131. The receiving portion 132 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape that opens at the top and bottom. The inner diameter of the opening formed at the top of the receiving portion 132 is smaller than the inner diameter of the opening formed at the bottom.

The biasing portion 133 biases the receiving portion 132 upward. For example, a compression coil spring can be used as the biasing portion 133. The upper end of the biasing portion 133 abuts against the upper portion of the receiving portion 132 (the portion surrounding the opening). The lower end of the biasing portion 133 is supported by the support portion 110 via an appropriate member (in this embodiment, the rotation support portion 220 described later). The biasing portion 133 biases the abutment portion 131 via the receiving portion 132 so as to press it against the lower end of the bobbin 124.

The contact portion 131 of the resistance applying portion 130 as described above is pressed against the lower end of the bobbin 124, so that frictional resistance can be applied to the knitting yarn Y between the contact portion 131 and the bobbin 124. With the above configuration, when the knitting yarn Y is pulled out downstream in the yarn feeding direction, a certain amount of tension can be applied to the knitting yarn Y passing between the contact portion 131 and the bobbin 124. This makes it possible to prevent the knitting yarn Y pulled out from the bobbin 124 from being pulled out too far due to inertia. In addition, the resistance applying portion 130 (the contact portion 131, the receiving portion 132, and the biasing portion 133) as a whole has an opening through which the knitting yarn Y pulled out from the bobbin 124 passes. The knitting yarn Y to which tension is applied by the contact portion 131 passes through the opening and is fed to the lower guide portion 112.

In addition, in the flat knitting machine 1, a configuration can be adopted in which an appropriate tensioner is provided downstream in the yarn feeding direction from the lower guide section 112 to take up slack in the knitting yarn Y pulled out from the lower guide section 112. In this way, even if slack occurs in the knitting yarn Y due to the movement of the carriage, the slack in the knitting yarn Y can be absorbed by the tensioner.

The yarn length measuring device 200 shown in Figures 4 to 6 is capable of measuring the yarn length of the knitting yarn Y pulled out from the bobbin 124. The yarn length measuring device 200 is disposed below the bobbin 124 (downstream in the yarn feeding direction). The yarn length measuring device 200 includes a rotating member 210, a rotation support unit 220, and a rotation amount detection unit 230.

The rotating member 210 shown in Figures 4 and 5 is provided rotatably relative to the bobbin 124. The rotating member 210 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axial direction facing the vertical direction. In other words, the rotating member 210 has an internal space that penetrates in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, from the viewpoint of suppressing vibration during rotation, the vertical length of the rotating member 210 is formed to be relatively small (for example, smaller than the outer diameter of the disk portion 231 described later). The vertical length of the rotating member 210 can be, for example, 50 mm to 100 mm.

The rotating member 210 is also formed with an upper portion having a larger diameter than the lower portion. The radius of the upper portion of the rotating member 210 is smaller than the radius of the portion around which the knitting yarn Y of the bobbin 124 is wound. The rotating member 210 is supported by a rotation support portion 220 (described later) so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis B that faces in the vertical direction. The rotation axis B is located at the center of the rotating member 210 when viewed from above (see FIG. 6(b)).

The rotating member 210 is provided below the bobbin 124. The rotating member 210 is arranged so that approximately the upper half is located within the opening of the resistance imparting portion 130 (the abutment portion 131, the receiving portion 132, and the biasing portion 133). The rotating member 210 is also arranged so that the rotation axis B generally coincides with the center of the bobbin 124 in a plan view. The rotating member 210 has an introduction portion 211 and an outlet portion 212.

The introduction section 211 introduces the knitting yarn Y from the bobbin 124 downstream in the yarn feeding direction. The introduction section 211 is formed so as to open in the horizontal direction at the upper part of the rotating member 210. The introduction section 211 is formed so as to communicate the outer peripheral surface of the upper part of the rotating member 210 with the internal space of the rotating member 210.

As shown in FIG. 5, the introduction portion 211 is provided at a position off the rotation axis B. More specifically, the introduction portion 211 is located radially outward of the rotation axis B. In this embodiment, the shortest distance L (radial distance) from the introduction portion 211 to the rotation axis B is formed to be shorter than 20 mm. Here, the shortest distance L is the distance from the part of the introduction portion 211 that is located outermost with respect to the rotation axis B (the outer peripheral surface of the upper part of the rotating member 210) to the rotation axis B. In this embodiment, the shortest distance L is the radius of the upper part of the rotating member 210.

The outlet section 212 outputs the knitting yarn Y introduced from the introduction section 211 to the yarn supply path A downstream in the yarn supply direction. The outlet section 212 is formed so as to open downward at the lower end of the rotating member 210. The outlet section 212 communicates with the internal space of the rotating member 210 and is provided on the rotation axis B.

The rotation support part 220 shown in Figures 4 and 6 (a) supports the rotating member 210 so that it can rotate around the rotation axis B. The rotation support part 220 has a through hole that penetrates in the vertical direction, and the lower part of the rotating member 210 is inserted into the through hole. The rotation support part 220 has an appropriate bearing (not shown) for smoothly rotating the rotating member 210. The rotation support part 220 is fixed to the right surface of the support part 110 so as to be located below the resistance applying part 130. A recess capable of holding the lower end part of the biasing part 133 is formed on the upper surface of the rotation support part 220.

The rotation amount detection unit 230 shown in Figures 4 and 6 is capable of detecting the amount of rotation of the rotating member 210. The rotation amount detection unit 230 is housed inside the rotation support unit 220. The rotation amount detection unit 230 includes a disk portion 231 and a sensor portion 232.

The disk portion 231 rotates integrally with the rotating member 210. The disk portion 231 is formed in a generally disk shape with its thickness oriented in the vertical direction. The disk portion 231 is fixed to the rotating member 210 with the rotating member 210 inserted through an opening in the center of the disk portion 231 in a plan view. As shown in FIG. 6(b), appropriate slits 231a are formed on the surface of the disk portion 231. Note that while FIG. 6(b) illustrates the slits 231a on a portion of the surface of the disk portion 231, the slits 231a are formed over substantially the entire surface (entire circumference) of the disk portion 231.

The sensor unit 232 is capable of detecting changes in the surface of the disk unit 231 as the disk unit 231 rotates. The sensor unit 232 constitutes an optical encoder. Specifically, the sensor unit 232 is an optical sensor capable of detecting changes in the surface of the disk unit 231 by detecting the passage of light (e.g., infrared rays) through the slits 231a of the disk unit 231 or the blocking of light by parts other than the slits 231a. The amount of rotation of the disk unit 231 (rotating member 210) can be detected by using the detection result of the sensor unit 232. Note that the sensor unit 232 is not limited to one that detects changes in the surface of the disk unit 231 by detecting the passage or blocking of light, but one that detects changes in the surface of the disk unit 231 by detecting the reflection of light irradiated on the surface of the disk unit 231 can be adopted. In addition, the sensor unit 232 is not limited to one that constitutes an optical encoder, and may be one that constitutes another type of encoder, such as a magnetic type. Specifically, the sensor unit 232 is not limited to an optical sensor, and various sensors capable of detecting changes in the surface of the disk unit 231, such as a magnetic sensor, can be used. Furthermore, the sensor unit 232 is not limited to a component constituting an encoder, and may be a component constituting another detection device capable of detecting changes in the surface of the disk unit 231. Furthermore, the sensor unit 232 does not necessarily have to detect changes in the surface of the disk unit 231, so long as it can detect the amount of rotation of the disk unit 231.

The control unit 300 shown in FIG. 2 is for controlling the operation of the yarn supplying device 100. The control unit 300 includes an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU, a storage unit such as a RAM or a ROM, etc. The storage unit of the control unit 300 stores various information and programs used to control the yarn supplying device 100. The control unit 300 is connected to the drive unit 122 of the buffer device 120 and can control the operation of the drive unit 122. The control unit 300 is also connected to the rotation amount detection unit 230 (sensor unit 232) and can obtain the detection result of the sensor unit 232. The control unit 300 is also connected to the control unit 60 so as to be able to communicate with the control unit 60 and can exchange information with the control unit 60. In this embodiment, an example in which the control unit 300 and the control unit 60 are separate has been shown, but instead of such a configuration, the control unit 300 and the control unit 60 may be configured as an integrated unit.

The following describes how yarn is fed by the yarn feeding device 100.

First, the control unit 300 stores the knitting yarn Y in the buffer device 120. As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 300 drives the drive unit 122 (winding unit 123) to pull out the knitting yarn Y from the yarn cone 51 and wind it around the bobbin 124 to store it. At this time, the control unit 300 controls the operation of the winding unit 123 based on the yarn length per revolution of the knitting yarn Y wound around the bobbin 124 and the drive amount of the drive unit 122, etc., to wind a certain amount of the knitting yarn Y around the bobbin 124. Note that the yarn length per revolution of the knitting yarn Y may be input to the control unit 300 as an appropriate value, or may be calculated by the control unit 300 using information such as the circumference and diameter of the bobbin 124 that has been stored in advance.

As shown in Figure 1, the knitting yarn Y stored in the bobbin 124 is pulled out from the bobbin 124 in accordance with the knitting operation of the flatbed knitting machine 1. The yarn length of the knitting yarn Y pulled out from the bobbin 124 is measured by a yarn length measuring device 200. The measurement of the yarn length by the yarn length measuring device 200 will be described later.

The control unit 300 acquires the measurement result of the yarn length of the knitting yarn Y pulled out from the bobbin 124, and drives the drive unit 122 (winding unit 123) based on the yarn length measurement result, thereby pulling out the knitting yarn Y and winding it around the bobbin 124. In this way, by winding the knitting yarn Y of the length pulled out around the bobbin 124, a certain amount of knitting yarn Y can be stored in the bobbin 124.

Below, using Figure 6, we will explain how to measure thread length using the thread length measuring device 200.

When the knitting yarn Y is pulled out from the bobbin 124 in accordance with the knitting operation of the flatbed knitting machine 1, the rotating member 210 rotates clockwise in a plan view in accordance with the operation of the knitting yarn Y. More specifically, when the knitting yarn Y wound around the bobbin 124 is pulled out, the position of the knitting yarn Y unwound from the bobbin 124 changes so as to rotate clockwise in a plan view along the outer circumferential surface of the bobbin 124. With such operation of the knitting yarn Y, the introduction portion 211 of the rotating member 210, which is provided at a position off the rotation axis B, is pressed against the knitting yarn Y (see FIG. 6(a)). As a result, the rotating member 210 rotates clockwise in a plan view around the rotation axis B.

The rotation amount detection unit 230 detects changes in the surface of the disk portion 231 that rotates integrally with the rotating member 210. The control unit 300 acquires the detection result of the rotation amount detection unit 230 and measures the yarn length pulled out from the bobbin 124 based on the detection result. The control unit 300 can measure the yarn length pulled out from the bobbin 124 by performing a calculation using, for example, the amount of rotation of the rotating member 210 (the number of revolutions of the knitting yarn Y pulled out from the bobbin 124) and the yarn length per revolution of the knitting yarn Y wound around the bobbin 124.

The control unit 300 can store the measured yarn length. The control unit 300 can also measure the yarn length consumed for each knitting operation (e.g., per loop length) based on information related to the number of rotations of the servo motor 40 and the operation of the carriage 20 obtained from the control unit 60.

The yarn supplying device 100 configured as described above can achieve highly accurate yarn length measurement. That is, for example, in a yarn supplying device in which optical sensors are arranged at four locations around the bobbin 124 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, each optical sensor detects the blocking of light by the knitting yarn Y being pulled out, and the amount of knitting yarn Y pulled out can be measured. However, in such a case, even if optical sensors are arranged at four locations, the yarn passing between each optical sensor cannot be detected, so there is room for improvement in the accuracy of yarn length measurement. In addition, it is possible to increase the number of optical sensors in order to improve the accuracy of yarn length measurement, but in this case, it is considered that the cost will increase.

On the other hand, in the yarn feeding device 100 according to the present embodiment, the rotating member 210 rotates due to the movement of the knitting yarn Y led to the yarn feeding path A downstream in the yarn feeding direction, so that highly accurate yarn length measurement can be realized by detecting the amount of rotation of the rotating member 210. In addition, the above configuration can realize highly accurate yarn length measurement with a simple configuration compared to a configuration in which the number of optical sensors for detecting the knitting yarn Y is increased, for example. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of yarn length measurement while suppressing cost increases. In addition, according to the configuration of the yarn feeding device 100, the radial dimension of the rotation amount detection unit 230 can be made smaller than when an optical sensor is provided around the bobbin 124, and the device can be made more compact.

In addition, in this embodiment, the outlet portion 212 of the rotating member 210 is provided on the rotation axis B. This makes it possible to reduce the load on the knitting yarn Y passing through the internal space of the rotating member 210.

In addition, in this embodiment, the introduction portion 211 of the rotating member 210 is formed at a position where the shortest distance L to the rotation axis B is relatively short (shorter than 20 mm). This makes it easier to prevent the rotating member 210 from continuing to rotate due to inertia when the lead-out of the knitting yarn Y stops (i.e., when the operation of the knitting yarn Y stops), thereby realizing more accurate yarn length measurement.

In addition, in this embodiment, by detecting changes in the surface of the disk portion 231 (rotation amount detection portion 230), which rotates integrally with the rotating member 210 due to the movement of the knitting yarn Y, more accurate yarn length measurement can be achieved.

The disk portion 231 according to this embodiment is one embodiment of a detection target portion according to the present invention.
Moreover, the rotation support portion 220 according to this embodiment is one embodiment of a predetermined mounting member according to the present invention.

The above describes the first embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea of the invention described in the claims.

For example, in the present embodiment, the introduction portion 211 of the rotating member 210 is formed at a position where the shortest distance L to the rotation axis B is shorter than 20 mm, but the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the shortest distance L may be 20 mm or more.

In addition, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the abutment portion 131 of the resistance applying portion 130 is formed such that the angle of the inclined surface relative to the horizontal direction in a cross-sectional view is approximately 25 degrees, but the present invention is not limited to this. The angle of the inclined surface relative to the horizontal direction may be formed at an even larger angle (for example, approximately 45 degrees). The angle of the inclined surface relative to the horizontal direction may also be formed at an angle smaller than 25 degrees.

In addition, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the contact portion 131 of the resistance applying portion 130 is formed into a generally upside-down truncated cone shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the contact portion 131 may be formed into a generally disk shape. In this case, the upper surface of the disk is brought into contact with the lower end surface of the bobbin 124. Also in this case, an opening is formed in the center of the disk through which the knitting yarn Y from the bobbin 124 can pass.

Below, we will explain other embodiments of the rotating member 210 (second to sixth embodiments).

7A shows a rotating member 210A according to the second embodiment, which differs from the rotating member 210 according to the first embodiment in the configuration of the introduction section 211. The rotating member 210A is also formed to have a larger vertical dimension than the rotating member 210 according to the first embodiment.

The rotating member 210A is formed so that the introduction section 211 opens diagonally upward. The rotating member 210A has a cutout so that a part of the outer peripheral surface of the upper part faces diagonally upward, and the introduction section 211 is formed on this upward facing surface. The lead-out section 212 of the rotating member 210A is located on the rotation axis B of the rotating member 210B, and the introduction section 211 is located radially outward from the rotation axis B. According to the configuration of the rotating member 210A according to the second embodiment, for example, even if the distance between the bobbin 124 and the rotating member 210A becomes large, it is possible to easily introduce the knitting yarn Y into the introduction section 211.

The rotating member 210B according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 7(b) is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axial direction facing the vertical direction. The rotating member 210B has an inlet portion 211 formed on its upper surface so as to open in the upward direction, and an outlet portion 212 formed on its lower surface so as to open in the downward direction. The outlet portion 212 is located on the rotation axis B of the rotating member 210B, and the inlet portion 211 is located radially outward from the rotation axis B. The rotating member 210B also has a path formed therein that is inclined in the vertical direction so as to connect the inlet portion 211 and the outlet portion 212.

The rotating member 210C according to the fourth embodiment shown in Fig. 7(c) is formed of a plate-like member bent into a substantially L-shape. The rotating member 210C has an inlet portion 211 formed to penetrate the plate surface facing the horizontal direction, and an outlet portion 212 formed to penetrate the plate surface facing the vertical direction. The outlet portion 212 is located on the rotation axis B of the rotating member 210C, and the inlet portion 211 is located radially outward of the rotation axis B. According to the above configuration, the rotating member 210C can be formed relatively easily by drilling holes in the plate-like member.

The rotating member 210D according to the fifth embodiment shown in Fig. 8(a) includes a rotating body 213 rotatably mounted around a rotation axis B relative to the bobbin 124, and an arm 214 extending horizontally from the rotating body 213. The rotating body 213 is rotatably supported by an appropriate member (e.g., a rotation support portion 220). The introduction portion 211 of the rotating member 210D is formed in a cylindrical shape that opens in the vertical direction, and is provided at the tip of the arm 214.

The outlet portion 212 of the rotating member 210D is formed in a cylindrical shape that opens in the vertical direction, and is provided on the rotation axis B below the rotating body 213. Note that, although the outlet portion 212 is shown diagrammatically in the example shown, the outlet portion 212 is formed integrally with the rotating member 210D. The rotating member 210D according to the fifth embodiment can use a rotation amount detection unit 230 (encoder) similar to that of the first embodiment.

The rotating member 210E according to the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 8(b) differs from the rotating member 210D according to the fifth embodiment in the configuration of the introduction section 211. In the rotating member 210E, the introduction section 211 is formed in a hook shape that can hook the knitting yarn Y. With the above configuration, the knitting yarn Y can be easily introduced into the introduction section 211.

The configurations of the second to sixth embodiments described above also make it possible to realize a rotating member in which the outlet portion 212 is provided on the rotation axis B and the introduction portion 211 is provided at a position offset from the rotation axis B. The second to sixth embodiments described above provide substantially the same effects as the first embodiment of the present invention.

Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and appropriate modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of the invention described in the claims.

For example, in each of the above embodiments, the buffer device 120 and the thread length measuring device 200 are formed separately, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the buffer device 120 and the thread length measuring device 200 may be formed integrally. In this case, for example, a configuration in which the thread length measuring device 200 is provided on the bobbin 124 can be adopted. In addition, when the thread length measuring device 200 is provided on the bobbin 124, for example, a configuration in which the outlet portion 212 of the rotating member 210D according to the fifth embodiment and the rotating member 210E according to the sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is formed as a separate member from the introduction portion 211 can be adopted. In this case, the outlet portion 212 may be supported rotatably or non-rotatably by an appropriate member.

In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the outlet portion 212 of the rotating member 210 is provided on the rotation axis B, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the outlet portion 212 may be provided at a position that is off the rotation axis B. However, from the viewpoint of reducing the load on the knitting yarn Y, it is desirable to provide the outlet portion 212 at a position close to the rotation axis B.

In addition, in each of the above embodiments, a flat knitting machine 1 is shown as an example of a knitting machine, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to various other knitting machines (e.g., circular knitting machines, warp knitting machines, etc.). In other words, the yarn feeding device 100 according to this embodiment can be arranged in the yarn feeding path A of various knitting machines.

In addition, in each of the above embodiments, an example has been shown in which the yarn length is measured by the control unit 300 provided in the yarn supplying device 100, but the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, some or all of the functions of the control unit 300 can be performed by a control unit (e.g., a personal computer) provided separately from the yarn supplying device 100. For example, the yarn length can be measured by a PC or the control unit 60 arranged outside the flat knitting machine 1.

The present invention can be applied to a yarn length measuring device capable of measuring the yarn length of a knitting yarn reeled out from a buffer device and a knitting yarn buffer device.

1 Flat knitting machine 100 Yarn supplying device 120 Buffer device 200 Yarn length measuring device

Claims (5)

A rotating member that is rotatably provided with respect to a predetermined mounting member;
an introduction section that is provided at a position offset from the rotation axis of the rotating member and introduces the knitting yarn unwound from the upstream side in the yarn feeding direction to the downstream side in the yarn feeding direction;
a lead-out section that leads out the knitting yarn introduced from the lead-in section to a yarn feeding path downstream in the yarn feeding direction;
a rotation amount detection unit for detecting an amount of rotation of the rotating member;
Equipped with
The introduction section is
integrally formed with the rotating member,
The shortest distance to the rotation axis is less than 20 mm.
The rotating member is
It is formed to rotate by the movement of the knitting yarn led to the yarn supply path on the downstream side in the yarn supply direction.
Yarn length measuring device. The lead-out portion is
Provided on the rotation axis of the rotating member,
The yarn length measuring device according to claim 1. The lead-out portion is
The rotary member is integrally formed in a cylindrical shape.
The yarn length measuring device according to claim 1 or 2. The rotation amount detection unit
a detection target portion that rotates integrally with the rotating member,
a change in a surface of the detection target portion caused by the rotation of the detection target portion is detected to detect the amount of rotation;
The yarn length measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. A knitting yarn buffer device comprising: a yarn length measuring device according to any one of claims 1 to 4; and a bobbin on which the knitting yarn is wound and stored, the bobbin being positioned upstream of the yarn length measuring device in a yarn feeding direction.

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