Yarn winding machine

Abstract

 A winder unit 10 includes a winding unit main body 16 adapted to form a package 30 by winding a yarn 20, an upper-yarn catching member 26 adapted to suck and catch the yarn 20 from the package 30 and to guide the yarn 20, and a unit control section 50 adapted to control the upper-yarn catching member 26 to perform a catching operation at a catching region R1 to suck and catch the yarn 20 from the package 30, a standby operation to be under standby at a standby region R2 that is further away from the package 30 than the catching region R1, and a guiding operation to guide the yarn 20 to a yarn joining region R3, and adapted to adjust the standby operation according to a diameter of the package 30 and/or a length of a defect included in the yarn 20.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a yarn winding machine.

2. Description of the Related Art

[0002] Conventionally, as an art in this field, there is known a yarn withdrawal method of a winding package that is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2-75674. In the yarn withdrawal method of the winding package, when a suction mouth adapted to suck a yarn end from the package is adjacent to the package, an initial driving to reversely rotate a winding drum at a low speed is started and, after the rotation is performed a set number of times, the winding drum is switched to a normal reverse rotation, which is faster.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] In a yarn winding machine, when the yarn end from the package is sucked and caught, a double withdrawal in which a yarn on a surface of the package is also sucked and caught may occur, which may cause defect to the package.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a yarn winding machine capable of preventing defect in the package.

[0005] A yarn winding machine according to the present invention includes a winding device adapted to form a package by winding a yarn, a first catching and guiding device adapted to suck and catch the yarn from the package and to guide the yarn, and a control section adapted to control the first catching and guiding device. The first catching and guiding device includes a suction opening adapted to suck the yarn from the package. The control section is adapted to control the first catching and guiding device to perform a catching operation at a catching region to suck and catch the yarn from the package, a standby operation to be under standby at a standby region that is further away from the package than the catching region, and a guiding operation to guide the yarn to a target region. The control section is adapted to adjust at least one of a stopped position of the suction opening at the standby region, a period of time the suction opening is stopped at the standby region, a speed at which the suction opening moves from the catching region to the standby region, and acceleration of the suction opening moving from the catching region to the standby region.

[0006] In the yarn winding machine, the control section controls the first catching and guiding device to perform the catching operation at the catching region to suck and catch the yarn from the package and then to perform the standby operation to be under standby at the standby region where the first catching and guiding device is further away from the package than the catching region. The standby operation of the first catching and guiding device is adjusted according to a diameter of the package and/or a length of a yarn defect included in the yarn. This allows prevention of a double withdrawal in which a yarn on a surface of the package is also sucked and caught when sucking a yarn end from the package. In addition, the yarn from the package can be reliably caught. Therefore, in the yarn winding machine, defect in the package can be prevented. Furthermore, in the yarn winding machine, the standby operation can be appropriately adjusted according to the diameter of the package and/or the length of the yarn defect included in the yarn.

[0007] In one embodiment, the control section may adjust operation of the first catching and guiding device according to the diameter of the package and a rotational speed of the package. With this configuration, in the yarn winding machine, the yarn of the package can be further reliably caught. Furthermore, in the yarn winding machine, the yarn from the package, which is being caught by the first catching and guiding device, is prevented from being released from a caught status and the yarn on the surface of the package is prevented from being caught.

[0008] In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine further includes a diameter acquiring section adapted to acquire the diameter of the package. The control section may adjust operation of the first catching and guiding device such that a distance from the package to the catching region and a distance from the package to the standby region become large according to an increase in the diameter of the package acquired by the diameter acquiring section. With this configuration, in the yarn winding machine, the yarn from the package can be appropriately sucked and caught according to the diameter of the package.

[0009] In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine further includes a yarn defect detecting section adapted to detect the length of the yarn defect when the yarn defect is included in the yarn being wound around the package. The control section may adjust the operation of the first catching and guiding device according to the length of the yarn defect detected by the yarn defect detecting section. With this configuration, in the yarn winding machine, since a standby time of the suction opening at the standby region can be set long in a case where the length of the yarn defect is large, the yarn defect can be appropriately removed.

[0010] In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine may further include an input section adapted to input a control value relating to the adjustment. With this configuration, in the yarn winding machine, since an operator can input a desired control value, the yarn from the package can be appropriately sucked and caught.

[0011] In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine further includes a motor adapted to independently drive the first catching and guiding device. With this configuration, in the yarn winding machine, the operation of the first catching and guiding device can be independently and accurately controlled.

[0012] In one embodiment, the winding device may include a driving section adapted to rotationally drive the package in an unwinding direction under a first speed when the first catching and guiding device is located at the catching region, and adapted to rotationally drive the package in the unwinding direction under a second speed, which is higher than the first speed, when the first catching and guiding device is located at the standby region. With this configuration, in the yarn winding machine, a sufficient length of the yarn can be sucked and caught by the first catching and guiding device.

[0013] In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine may further include a yarn supplying section adapted to supply the yarn to be wound around the package, a second catching and guiding device adapted to catch the yarn from the yarn supplying section and to guide the yarn, and a yarn joining device adapted to join the yarn from the package guided by the first catching and guiding device and the yarn from the yarn supplying section guided by the second catching and guiding device after continuation of the yarn between the yarn supplying section and the package is disconnected. With this configuration, in the yarn winding machine, since the yarn is guided under a state where the yarn on the surface of the package is prevented from being caught, yarn joining operation can be appropriately performed and then winding of the yarn around the package can be smoothly resumed.

[0014] In one embodiment, a yarn supplying bobbin around which a yarn is wound may be set in the yarn supplying section. With this configuration, in the yarn winding machine, the yarn joining operation can be appropriately performed and then the winding of the yarn around the package can be smoothly resumed.

[0015] In one embodiment, the yarn winding machine may further include a traverse guide provided independently from a contact roller adapted to rotate in contact with the package, and adapted to traverse the yarn wound around the package. The control section may control the traverse guide to be under standby at one end in a traverse direction when continuation of the yarn is disconnected. With this configuration, in the yarn winding machine, when the yarn joining operation or the like is performed upon disconnection of continuation of the yarn, the yarn is prevented from being caught in the traverse guide.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] 

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an automatic winder including a winder unit according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view and a block diagram illustrating a structure of the winder unit;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged left-side view illustrating a portion in proximity to a traverse device of the winder unit;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged right-side view of a portion in proximity to a cradle of the winder unit;

FIG. 5 is a left-side view of the winder unit;

FIG. 6 is a left-side view of the winder unit;

FIG. 7 is a left-side view of the winder unit;

FIG. 8 is a left-side view illustrating a package moving to a non-contact position or a contact position;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a relation between rotational speeds of the package and operations of an upper-yarn catching member;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a relation between the rotational speeds of the package and the operations of the upper-yarn catching member according to an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a relation between the rotational speeds of the package and the operations of the upper-yarn catching member according to a still further alternative embodiment; and

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a relation between the rotational speeds of the package and the operations of the upper-yarn catching member according to a further alternative embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be hereinafter described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The same reference numerals are denoted on the same or corresponding portions throughout the drawings, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0018] An overall configuration of an automatic winder 1 including a winder unit (yarn winding machine) 10 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. "Upstream" and "downstream" in the present specification respectively indicate upstream and downstream in a travelling direction of a yarn 20 at the time of yarn winding.

[0019] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the automatic winder 1 includes a plurality of the winder units 10 arranged next to each other, an automatic doffing device 80 and a machine setting device 90.

[0020] Each of the winder units 10 is capable of forming a package 30 by winding a yarn 20 unwound from a yarn supplying bobbin 21 while traversing the yarn 20.

[0021] When the package 30 is fully wound in each winder unit 10, the automatic doffing device 80 travels to a position of the relevant winder unit 10 and removes the fully-wound package 30 from the winder unit 10. The automatic doffing device 80 may supply an empty bobbin to the winder unit 10 after removing the package 30.

[0022] The machine setting device 90 includes a setting section (input section) 91 and a display section 92. The setting section 91 is capable of performing setting to each wider unit 10 when an operator inputs a predetermined set value (control value) or selects an appropriate control method. The display section 92 is capable of displaying a winding status of the yarn 20 of each winder unit 10, contents of an occurred trouble, or the like.

[0023] Next, a configuration of the winder unit 10 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 8. As illustrated in FIG. 2, each winder unit 10 includes a winding unit main body 16 and a unit control section (control section) 50.

[0024] The winding unit main body 16 includes a yarn unwinding assisting device 12, a tension applying device 13, a splicer device (yarn joining device) 14 and a clearer (yarn defect detecting section) 15 sequentially arranged from a side of the yarn supplying bobbin 21 in a yarn travelling path between the yarn supplying bobbin 21 and a contact roller (winding device) 29.

[0025] A yarn supplying section 11 adapted to supply the yarn 20 to the winding bobbin 22 is provided in a lower part of the winding unit main body 16 in a direction of machine height. The yarn supplying section 11 is capable of holding at a predetermined position, the yarn supplying bobbin 21 transported by a bobbin transportation system, which is not illustrated.

[0026] By lowering a regulating member 40, which covers a core tube of the yarn supplying bobbin 21, in conjunction with unwinding of the yarn 20 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21, the yarn unwinding assisting device 12 assists the unwinding of the yarn 20 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21. The regulating member 40 makes contact with a balloon of the yarn 20, which is formed in an upper portion of the yarn supplying bobbin 21 with swinging and centrifugal force of the yarn 20 unwound from the yarn supplying bobbin 21, and controls the balloon to an appropriate size to assist unwinding of the yarn 20. A sensor (not illustrated) adapted to detect a chase section of the yarn supplying bobbin 21 is provided in proximity to the regulating member 40. When the sensor detects lowering of the chase section, the yarn unwinding assisting device 12 can lower the regulating member 40 with, e.g., an air cylinder (not illustrated) following the chase section.

[0027] The tension applying device 13 applies a predetermined tension on the travelling yarn 20. The tension applying device 13 may be, e.g., a gate type in which movable comb teeth are arranged with respect to fixed comb teeth. The movable comb teeth can be swung by a rotary solenoid such that the movable comb teeth and the fixed comb teeth are engaged with each other or released from each other. The tension applying device 13 may be, e.g., a disc type other than the above-described gate type.

[0028] The splicer device 14 joins a lower yarn from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 and an upper yarn from the package 30 at the time of a yarn cut performed by the clearer 15 upon detection of a yarn defect, at the time of a yarn breakage during unwinding of the yarn 20 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21, or the like. As a yarn joining device adapted to join the upper yarn and the lower yarn in such a manner, a mechanical type, a type that uses fluid such as compressed air, or the like may be employed.

[0029] The clearer 15 includes a clearer head 49 in which a sensor (not illustrated) adapted to detect a thickness of the yarn 20 is arranged, and an analyzer 52 adapted to process a yarn thickness signal from the sensor. The clearer 15 detects a yarn defect such as a slub by monitoring the yarn thickness signal from the sensor. A cutter 39 is provided in proximity to the clearer head 49 to immediately cut the yarn 20 when the clearer 15 detects the yarn defect. The clearer 15 may detect a presence or an absence of a foreign substance included in the yarn 20 as a presence or an absence of the yarn defect.

[0030] Below and above the splicer device 14, there are respectively provided a lower-yarn catching member (second catching and guiding device) 25 adapted to catch a yarn end from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 and to guide the yarn end to the splicer device 14 and an upper-yarn catching member (first catching and guiding device) 26 adapted to catch a yarn end from the package 30 and to guide the yarn end to the splicer device 14. The lower-yarn catching member 25 includes a lower-yarn pipe arm 33 and a lower-yarn suction opening 32 that is formed at a tip end of the lower-yarn pipe arm 33. The upper-yarn catching member 26 includes an upper-yarn pipe arm 36 and an upper-yarn suction opening (suction opening) 35 that is formed at a tip end of the upper-yarn pipe arm 36.

[0031] The lower-yarn pipe arm 33 and the upper-yarn pipe arm 36 are respectively swingable with shafts 34 and 37 as a center. An appropriate negative pressure source is connected to each of the lower-yarn pipe arm 33 and the upper-yarn pipe arm 36. By generating suction flow in the lower-yarn suction opening 32 and the upper-yarn suction opening 35, the yarn ends of the upper yarn and the lower yarn can be sucked and caught. The upper-yarn catching member 26 is swung independently from the lower-yarn catching member 25 with a motor 38. As the motor 38, various types of motors such as a servomotor, a step motor or an induction motor may be employed.

[0032] As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the upper-yarn catching member 26 is arranged in a movable manner such that the upper-yarn suction opening 35 is positioned at a catching region R1, a standby region R2 and a yarn joining region (target region) R3. The catching region R1 is located in proximity to the package 30 and is a region where a yarn end 30a of the package 30 can be caught. The standby region R2 is a region where the upper-yarn suction opening 35 is further away from the package 30 than the catching region R1 by the upper-yarn pipe arm 36 of the upper-yarn catching member 26 being swung in a direction to be further away from the package 30 than the catching region R1. The yarn joining region R3 is a region where the yarn end 30a, which has been caught in the catching region R1, is guided to the splicer device 14 and can be joined by the splicer device 14. The standby region R2 and the yarn joining region R3 are regions where the upper-yarn catching member 26 is positioned when moving from the catching region R1 to the splicer device 14.

[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the winding unit main body 16 includes a cradle (winding device) 23 adapted to support the winding bobbin 22 in a removable manner and a contact roller 29 capable of rotating while making contact with a peripheral surface of the winding bobbin 22 or a peripheral surface of the package 30. The winding unit main body 16 includes in proximity to the cradle 23, an arm-type traverse device (winding device) 70 adapted to traverse the yarn 20. The winder unit 10 is capable of winding the yarn 20 around the package 30 while traversing the yarn 20 with the traverse device 70.

[0034] A guide plate 28 is arranged slightly upstream of a traverse position to guide the upstream yarn 20 to the traverse portion. A ceramic traverse fulcrum 27 is arranged further upstream of the guide plate 28. The traverse device 70 traverses the yarn 20 in a winding width direction of the package 30 (a direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2) with the traverse fulcrum 27 as a fulcrum.

[0035] The cradle 23 is capable of swinging with a swinging shaft 48 as a center. An increase in a yarn layer diameter of the package 30 associated with winding of the yarn 20 around the winding bobbin 22 can be absorbed with swinging the cradle 23.

[0036] A package driving motor (driving section, winding device) 41 formed of, e.g., a servomotor is mounted to the cradle 23. The winder unit 10 winds the yarn 20 by rotationally driving the winding bobbin 22 with the package driving motor 41. The package driving motor 41 is capable of rotationally driving the winding bobbin 22 (the package 30) in a winding direction as well as in an unwinding direction A.

[0037] A motor shaft of the package driving motor 41 is coupled to the winding bobbin 22 so as not to be relatively rotatable with respect to the winding bobbin 22 when the winding bobbin 22 is supported by the cradle 23 (a so-called direct drive system). Operation of the package driving motor 41 is controlled by a package driving control section (control section) 42. The package driving control section 42 controls the package driving motor 41 to operate or stop in response to a drive signal from the unit control section 50. As the package driving motor 41, various types of motors such as a step motor or an induction motor may be employed without being limited to the servomotor.

[0038] An angle sensor (diameter acquiring section) 44 adapted to detect an angle of the cradle 23 is mounted to the swinging shaft 48. The angle sensor 44 is formed of, e.g., a rotary encoder and transmits an angle signal, which corresponds to the angle of the cradle 23, to the unit control section 50. Since the angle of the cradle 23 changes as a wound diameter of the package 30 increases, the diameter of the package 30 can be detected by detecting a swing angle of the cradle 23 with the angle sensor 44. Any appropriate configuration may be employed to detect the diameter of the package 30 other than the angle sensor 44. For example, a configuration that uses a Hall IC or an absolute type encoder may be employed to detect the diameter of the package 30.

[0039] Next, a layout of a configuration of the traverse device 70 and a configuration in proximity to the traverse device 70 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. In the present embodiment, since the contact roller 29 is arranged such that an axial direction thereof corresponds to a lateral direction of the winding unit main body 16, a side view such as FIG. 3 can be a view in the axial direction of the contact roller 29. In FIG. 3, rotation of the package 30 in the winding direction is clockwise and rotation of the package 30 in the unwinding direction is counterclockwise.

[0040] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the traverse device 70 includes a traverse driving motor 76, an output shaft 77 and a traverse arm (traverse guide) 74.

[0041] The traverse driving motor 76 is adapted to drive the traverse arm 74 and is formed of a servomotor or the like. As illustrated in FIG. 2, operation of the traverse driving motor 76 is controlled by a traverse control section 78. The traverse driving motor 76 may be another motor such as a step motor or a voice coil motor.

[0042] The traverse control section 78 is formed of hardware such as a dedicated microprocessor or the like and is adapted to control the traverse driving motor 76 to operate or stop in response to a signal from the unit control section 50.

[0043] Power of the traverse driving motor 76 is transmitted to a base-end portion of the traverse arm 74 via an output shaft 77 illustrated in FIG. 3. Since a rotor of the traverse driving motor 76 forwardly and reversely rotates, the traverse arm 74 swings into and/or out of the page of FIG. 3 (in a left-right direction (traverse direction) of FIG. 2). The traverse arm 74 in FIG. 3 indicates a position at a traverse end portion.

[0044] A hook-shaped yarn guiding section 73 is formed at a tip-end portion of the traverse arm 74. The yarn guiding section 73 can hold and guide the yarn 20. The yarn guiding section 73 reciprocates the yarn 20 in a state of holding the yarn 20, thereby allowing traverse of the yarn 20.

[0045] Next, a configuration of the cradle 23 will be described in further detail with reference to FIG. 4. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the winding unit main body 16 includes a swinging plate 17 adapted to be capable of swinging with the swinging shaft 48 as a center. The cradle 23 swings with the swinging shaft 48 as a center in a unified manner with the swinging plate 17. A spring 18 formed as a tension spring to gradually decrease contact pressure and an air cylinder 60 are connected to the swinging plate 17. A predetermined swinging torque can be applied to the cradle 23 with the spring 18 and the air cylinder 60.

[0046] The air cylinder 60 is configured as a double-acting cylinder that includes a piston 601 in an interior thereof. In FIG. 4, compressed air of air pressure P1 and compressed air of air pressure P2 are respectively supplied to a cylinder chamber in a right side and a cylinder chamber in a left side of a drawing of the piston 601.

[0047] An electro-pneumatic regulator 61 is connected to a pipe that supplies the compressed air of the air pressure P2 to the air cylinder 60. The electro-pneumatic regulator 61 is capable of adjusting the air pressure P2 steplessly. The electro-pneumatic regulator 61 performs control of the air pressure P2 based on a control signal input from the unit control section 50.

[0048] In a configuration illustrated in FIG. 4, since force of the air cylinder 60 to pull the cradle 23 increases when the air pressure P2 is decreased, torque that causes the cradle 23 to swing to a front side of the winding unit main body 16 with the swinging shaft 48 as a center increases. Since the contact roller 29 is arranged closer to the front side of the winding unit main body 16 than the swinging shaft 48, contact pressure between the package 30 and the contact roller 29 can be increased with the decrease in the air pressure P2. On the contrary, since the force of the air cylinder 60 to pull the cradle 23 is weakened when the air pressure P2 is increased, torque that causes the cradle 23 to swing to a rear side of the winding unit main body 16 with the swinging shaft 48 as a center increases. Consequently, the contact pressure between the package 30 and the contact roller 29 can be weakened. By further increasing the air pressure P2, the package 30 can even be located away from a surface of the contact roller 29.

[0049] The air cylinder 60 can swing the cradle 23 and thereby move the package 30. In this case, the package 30 can be moved to a position where the package 30 is located away from the contact roller 29 (a position where the package 30 is not in contact with the contact roller 29) and a position where the package 30 is in contact with the contact roller 29.

[0050] The unit control section 50 includes, e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), an Input-and-Output (I/O) port and a communication port. A program to control each component of the winding unit main body 16 is recorded in the ROM. Each section, which is provided in the winding unit main body 16, and the machine setting device 90 are connected to the I/O port and the communication port, allowing communication of control information or the like. Consequently, the unit control section 50 can control operations of each section provided in the winding unit main body 16.

[0051] The unit control section 50 transmits a drive signal to the package driving control section 42 to control a rotational driving (rotational speed) of the package driving motor 41. The unit control section 50 controls operations of the lower-yarn catching member 25 and the upper-yarn catching member 26 (swings of the lower-yarn pipe arm 33 and the upper-yarn pipe arm 36). Specifically, the unit control section 50 controls the motor 38 of the upper-yarn catching member 26 to perform a catching operation at the catching region R1 to suck and catch the yarn 20 , a standby operation to be under standby at the standby region R2 and a guiding operation to guide the yarn 20 to the yarn joining region R3.

[0052] The unit control section 50 adjusts the upper-yarn catching member 26 according to the package diameter of the package 30 detected by the angle sensor 44, a length of the yarn defect in the yarn 20 detected by the clearer 15 and a rotational speed of the package 30. The unit control section 50 adjusts at least one of a stopped position of the upper-yarn suction opening 35 at the standby region R2, a period of time the upper-yarn suction opening 35 is stopped at the standby region R2, a speed at which the upper-yarn catching member 26 moves from the catching region R1 to the standby region R2 and acceleration of the upper-yarn catching member 26 moving from the catching region R1 to the standby region R2.

[0053] Specifically, the unit control section 50 sets, e.g., a period of standby time (stopping time) of the upper-yarn catching member 26 at the standby region R2 based on the length of the yarn defect of the yarn 20 detected by the clearer 15. The unit control section 50 sets a separation distance between the package 30 and the catching region R1 and a separation distance between the package 30 and the stopped position of the upper-yarn suction opening 35 at the standby region R2 to be large according to an increase in the diameter of the package 30 detected by the angle sensor 44. That is, the unit control section 50 controls the upper-yarn catching member 26 such that the upper-yarn suction opening 35 is further away from the package 30 as the diameter of the package becomes large. The unit control section 50 sets the stopped position of the upper-yarn suction opening 35 at the standby region R2 according to the rotational speed (a yarn guiding speed) of the package 30.

[0054] The setting section 91 of the machine setting device 90 illustrated in FIG. 1 sets a number of rotations, which is a number of times the package 30 is rotated at a yarn-end catching speed (to be described later in detail) in the unwinding direction A when continuation of the yarn 20 is disconnected (hereinafter referred to as a "yarn disconnection and the like") by a yarn cut performed by the clearer 15 upon detection of the yarn defect, a yarn breakage during unwinding of the yarn 20 from the yarn supplying bobbin 21, or the like. The setting section 91 sets the number of rotations of the package 30 based on, e.g., the diameter of the package 30 detected by the angle sensor 44, or the like. In a case, e.g., where the diameter of the package 30 is small, the setting section 91 sets the number of rotations large since the yarn end 30a is unlikely to come off a surface of the package 30. In a case where the diameter of the package 30 is large, the setting section 91 sets the number of rotations small since the yarn end 30a is likely to come off the surface of the package 30. The setting section 91 transmits the set number of rotations of the package 30 to the unit control section 50.

[0055] The setting section 91 may set the number of rotations of the package 30 in the unwinding direction A at the time of the yarn disconnection and the like based on information that has been set and input in advance. In other words, the setting section 91 sets the number of rotations of the package 30 based on information input from the setting section 91 with a key operation and the like by an operator. In such a configuration, the operator can set the number of rotations of the package 30 to a desired number.

[0056] In the above-described winder unit 10, when the yarn disconnection and the like occurs, the lower yarn and the upper yarn are required to be joined by the splicer device 14. Thus, the lower yarn from the yarn supplying bobbin 21 is required to be caught by the lower-yarn suction opening 32, and the upper yarn from the package 30 is required to be caught and withdrawn by the upper-yarn suction opening 35. Control of a withdrawal operation of the upper yarn and a yarn withdrawal method both performed in the winder unit 10 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 9.

[0057] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the surface of the package 30 is in contact with the contact roller 29 during winding operation before the yarn disconnection and the like occurs. As just described, a position of the package 30 where the package 30 is in contact with the contact roller 29 is hereinafter referred to as a "contact position" and is indicated by a reference symbol "Q2" in FIGS. 4 and 8.

[0058] Immediately after the yarn disconnection and the like occurs during the winding operation, the unit control section 50 transmits a drive signal to the electro-pneumatic regulator 61. Since the electro-pneumatic regulator 61 is driven based on the drive signal, the air pressure P2 of the air cylinder 60 is changed, thereby, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 8, causing the cradle 23 to be driven in a direction to be located away from the contact roller 29. The unit control section 50 transmits a drive signal to the traverse control section 78 to drive the traverse driving motor 76 and causes the traverse arm 74 to be under standby at a position located at one end in the traverse direction.

[0059] The package 30 is moved away from the contact roller 29 and is held at a predetermined position where the package 30 is not in contact with the contact roller 29. The position of the moved package 30 of this time is hereinafter referred to as a "non-contact position" and is indicated by a reference symbol "Q1" in FIG. 8. Simultaneously, the unit control section 50 transmits the drive signal to the package driving control section 42 to decelerate and stop the rotation of the package 30 and then to start rotating the package 30 in the unwinding direction (a direction indicated by an arrow A). At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the unit control section 50 rotationally drives the package driving motor 41 at the yarn-end catching speed (a first speed).

[0060] The unit control section 50 sets the yarn-end catching speed, e.g., as follows. In the case where the diameter of the package 30 is small, since the yarn end 30a is unlikely to come off the surface of the package 30, the unit control section 50 sets the yarn-end catching speed so as to slowly rotate the package 30. In the case where the diameter of the package 30 is large, since the yarn end 30a is likely to come off the surface of the package 30, the unit control section 50 sets the yarn-end catching speed faster in comparison with the case where the diameter of the package 30 is small.

[0061] Furthermore, the unit control section 50 swings the upper-yarn pipe arm 36 by transmitting a drive signal to the upper-yarn catching member 26 and, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 9, moves the upper-yarn suction opening 35 to a position at the catching region R1 in proximity to the surface of the package 30. Then, under a state where the package 30 at the non-contact position Q1 is being rotated at the yarn-end catching speed in the unwinding direction A, the upper-yarn suction opening 35 performs the catching operation. With the above-described catching operation, the yarn end 30a of the upper yarn connected to the package 30 can be sucked and caught by the upper-yarn suction opening 35.

[0062] When the package 30 is rotated at the yarn-end catching speed the number of times set by the setting section 91 and the yarn end 30a is sucked and caught by the upper-yarn suction opening 35 in the above-described catching operation, the unit control section 50 drives the cradle 23 in a direction to be closer to the contact roller 29. Consequently, the package 30 returns to the contact position Q2 where the package 30 is in contact with the contact roller 29. At this time, since the rotation of the package 30 in the unwinding direction A is continued, the package 30 rotates in the unwinding direction A while being in contact with the contact roller 29, and thereby the contact roller 29 rotates with the package 30.

[0063] When the yarn end 30a of the package 30 is sucked and caught by the upper-yarn suction opening 35, the unit control section 50 controls the upper-yarn catching member 26 to swing the upper-yarn pipe arm 36 and, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 9, moves the upper-yarn suction opening 35 to a position at the standby region R2 where the upper-yarn suction opening 35 is located away from the package 30 and then stops the upper-yarn suction opening 35. Simultaneously, the unit control section 50 transmits the drive signal to the package driving control section 42 and, as illustrated in FIG. 9, rotationally drives the package 30 under the yarn guiding speed, which is faster than the yarn-end catching speed, in the unwinding direction A. With the above-described catching operation, the upper yarn of the package 30 is further sucked and caught by the upper-yarn suction opening 35.

[0064] Subsequently, the unit control section 50 controls the upper-yarn catching member 26 to swing the upper-yarn pipe arm 36 and, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 9, moves the upper-yarn suction opening 35 to the yarn joining region R3. Simultaneously, the unit control section 50 transmits the drive signal to the package driving control section 42 to decelerate and stop the rotation of the package 30. Consequently, the package 30 stops to be rotationally driven. As described above, the yarn end 30a of the package 30 is caught by the upper-yarn suction opening 35 and the yarn 20 is guided to the splicer device 14.

[0065] As described above, in the winder unit 10 of the present embodiment, the unit control section 50 controls the upper-yarn catching member 26 to perform the catching operation to suck and catch the yarn end 30a of the package 30 at the catching region R1, and then to perform the standby operation to stop and be under standby at the standby region R2 where the upper-yarn catching member 26 is further away from the package 30 than the catching region R1. The standby operation of the upper-yarn catching member 26 is adjusted according to the diameter of the package 30, the length of the yarn defect included in the yarn 20 and the rotational speed of the package 30. Accordingly, this allows prevention of a double withdrawal in the winder unit 10 in which a yarn 20 on the surface of the package 30 is also sucked and caught when sucking the yarn end 30a from the package 30. In addition, the yarn end 30a of the package 30 can be reliably caught. In the winder unit 10, a defect in the package 30 thus can be prevented.

[0066] In the present embodiment, when the upper-yarn catching member 26 is located at the standby region R2 after catching at the catching region R1 the yarn end 30a of the package 30 rotating at the yarn-end catching speed, the unit control section 50 controls the package driving motor 41 to rotationally drive the package 30 at the yarn guiding speed that is faster than the yarn-end catching speed. Consequently, in the winder unit 10, the yarn 20 can be guided to the splicer device 14 at a high speed by the upper-yarn catching member 26, thereby allowing reduction in time. In the winder unit 10, operation efficiency thus can be improved.

[0067] In the present embodiment, the unit control section 50 controls the package driving motor 41 to rotationally drive the package 30 at the yarn-end catching speed the number of rotations set by the setting section 91. Then, after the package 30 is rotated the number of rotations, the unit control section 50 controls the package driving motor 41 to proceed to the operation of rotationally driving the package 30 at the yarn guiding speed. In this manner, in the winder unit 10, by assuming without using a sensor and the like that the upper-yarn catching member 26 has caught the yarn end 30a of the package 30, switching from the yarn-end catching speed to the yarn guiding speed can be performed with a simple configuration and control.

[0068] In the present embodiment, when continuation of the yarn 20 is disconnected, the unit control section 50 controls the traverse arm 74 to be under standby at one end of the traverse direction. Therefore, in the winder unit 10, when performing the yarn joining operation or the like upon disconnection of the yarn 20, the yarn 20 can be prevented from being caught in the traverse arm 74. Consequently, damage on the traverse arm 74 and/or a disconnection of the yarn 20 guided by the upper-yarn catching member 26 can be prevented.

[0069] In the present embodiment, when the upper-yarn catching member 26 catches the yarn end 30a of the package 30, in other words, when the upper-yarn suction opening 35 of the upper-yarn catching member 26 is located at the catching region R1, the air cylinder 60 of the winder unit 10 brings the package 30 and the contact roller 29 into the non-contact state. Consequently, in the winder unit 10, when catching the yarn end 30a of the package 30, the yarn end 30a can be prevented from being sandwiched between the package 30 and the contact roller 29 and from sticking to the surface of the package 30. In the winder unit 10, the yarn end 30a of the package 30 thus can be reliably caught.

[0070] In the present embodiment, the upper-yarn catching member 26 is driven by the independently arranged motor 38. In the winder unit 10, operation of the upper-yarn catching member 26 thus can be independently and accurately controlled.

[0071] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the unit control section 50 may control the package driving motor 41 such that the rotational speed of the package 30 at the yarn-end catching speed is changed in two stages. The yarn-end catching speed includes the first speed at which the upper-yarn catching member 26 starts catching the yarn end 30a of the package 30 and a second speed that is faster than the first speed.

[0072] The unit control section 50 controls the package driving motor 41 such that the package 30 is rotated under the second speed after being rotationally driven under the first speed. Consequently, the yarn end 30a of the package 30 can be reliably caught by the upper-yarn suction opening 35 of the upper-yarn catching member 26.

[0073] As illustrated in FIG. 11, the unit control section 50 rotationally drives the package 30 at the yarn-end catching speed in the unwinding direction A, and causes the upper-yarn suction opening 35 of the upper-yarn catching member 26 to be located at the catching region R1 to catch the yarn end 30a of the package 30. After rotationally driving the package 30 in the unwinding direction A a predetermined number of times, the unit control section 50 moves the upper-yarn suction opening 35 of the upper-yarn catching member 26 in the direction to be located away from the package 30 and rotationally drives the package 30 in the winding direction. Then, after rotationally driving the package 30 in the winding direction a predetermined number of times, the unit control section 50 rotationally drives the package 30 at the yarn-end catching speed in the unwinding direction A and causes the upper-yarn suction opening 35 of the upper-yarn catching member 26 to be located at the catching region R1 again.

[0074] Subsequently, the unit control section 50 rotationally drives the package 30 at the yarn guiding speed in the unwinding direction A and causes the upper-yarn suction opening 35 of the upper-yarn catching member 26 to be located at the standby region R2. Consequently, since a slack of the yarn 20 can be eliminated on the package 30, the upper-yarn catching member 26 can be prevented from catching the yarn 20 that is located on a surface layer of the package 30.

[0075] In an embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, the package 30 is rotationally driven in the winding direction after being rotationally driven at the yarn-end catching speed in the unwinding direction A. However, the rotational driving in the unwinding direction A may be maintained instead of rotationally driving the package 30 in the winding direction at this point. Even in this case, the slack of the yarn 20 can be eliminated on the package 30. In this case, a stopping time at the catching region R1 when the upper-yarn suction opening 35 temporarily moves to the catching region R1 may be short.

[0076] As illustrated in FIG. 12, when the upper-yarn catching member 26 is located at the catching region R1 and the standby region R2, the unit control section 50 may control the rotational speed of the package driving motor 41 to be constant.

[0077] In the above-described embodiment, the package 30 is rotationally driven directly by the package driving motor 41, however, in the present invention, any method in which the contact roller 29 is rotationally driven to rotate the package 30 may be employed. In this case, if the package 30 is moved to the non-contact position Q1 and is rotated in the unwinding direction A, a mechanism for rotating the package 30 in the unwinding direction A is further provided in the winder unit 10. In the case of the method in which the contact roller 29 is rotationally driven to rotate the package 30, the rotational speed of the package 30 is not directly controlled, but rotational speed of the contact roller 29 is controlled.

[0078] In the above-described embodiment, although the unit control section 50 controls the rotational speeds (yarn-end catching speed, yarn guiding speed) of the package 30 by controlling the package driving motor 41, a peripheral speed of the package 30 (travelling speed of the yarn 20) merely needs to be controlled as the rotational driving of the package 30.

[0079] In the above-described embodiment, although the arm-type traverse device 70 is described as an example, the traverse device may be a drum having a traverse groove, a belt-type traverse or a rod-type traverse.

[0080] In the above-described embodiment, although the configuration in which the winder unit 10 includes the air cylinder 60 is described as an example, the winder unit 10 does not necessarily include the air cylinder 60.

[0081] In the above-described embodiment, although an assumption is made that the upper-yarn catching member 26 has caught the yarn 20 when the package 30 is rotationally driven in the unwinding direction A the number of rotations set by the setting section 91, a sensor may be provided in the upper-yarn catching member 26, and the sensor may detect that the yarn 20 has been caught by the upper-yarn catching member 26.

[0082] In the above-described embodiment, the diameter of the package 30 is detected by detecting the swing angle of the cradle 23 with the angle sensor 44. However, the package diameter may be detected by another method. The diameter of the package 30 can be obtained based on, e.g., a total length of the yarn 20 that has been wound around the package 30, a winding speed of the yarn 20 and a yarn type (a thickness or the like of the yarn 20).

[0083] The diameter of the package 30 may also be obtained by measuring time from the start of winding the yarn 20. In a case where the winding speed and the yarn type (the thickness or the like of the yarn 20) are known, the diameter of the package 30 can be obtained by calculating based on the time elapsed from the start of winding the yarn 20. By storing in advance a relation between the time elapsed from the start of winding and the diameter of the package 30 in the unit control section 50, the diameter of the package 30 can be obtained based on the elapsed time. When the winding is interrupted by the yarn disconnection, the yarn joining operation, or the like, measurement of the elapsed time from the start of winding is interrupted.

[0084] The diameter of the package 30 may also be calculated based on the travelling speed of the yarn 20. Specifically, a traverse angle is calculated by the travelling speed of the yarn 20 and the traverse speed. Furthermore, the peripheral speed of the package 30 is obtained based on the traverse angle and the yarn travelling speed. Then, the diameter of the package 30 is calculated based on the rotational speed of the package 30 and the peripheral speed of the package 30.

Claims

1. A yarn winding machine (10) comprising:

a winding device (23, 29, 41, 70) adapted to form a package (30) by winding a yarn (20);

a first catching and guiding device (26) having a suction opening (35) adapted to suck the yarn (20) from the package (30), the first catching and guiding device (26) being adapted to suck and catch the yarn (20) and to guide the yarn (20); and

a control section (50) adapted to control the first catching and guiding device (26),

characterized in that the control section (50) is adapted to control the first catching and guiding device (26) to perform a catching operation at a catching region (R1) to suck and catch the yarn (20) from the package (30), a standby operation to be under standby at a standby region (R2) that is further away from the package (30) than the catching region (R1), and a guiding operation to guide the yarn (20) to a target region (R3), and

the control section (50) is adapted to adjust at least one of a stopped position of the suction opening (35) at the standby region (R2), a period of time the suction opening (35) is stopped at the standby region (R2), a speed at which the suction opening (35) moves from the catching region (R1) to the standby region (R2), and acceleration of the suction opening (35) moving from the catching region (R1) to the standby region (R2).

2. The yarn winding machine (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control section (50) is adapted to adjust operation of the first catching and guiding device (26) according to a diameter of the package (30) and a rotational speed of the package (30).

3. The yarn winding machine (10) according to claim 2, further comprising a diameter acquiring section (44) adapted to acquire the diameter of the package (30),
characterized in that the control section (50) is adapted to adjust operation of the first catching and guiding device (26) such that a distance from the package (30) to the catching region (R1) and a distance from the package (30) to the standby region (R2) become large according to an increase in the diameter of the package (30) acquired by the diameter acquiring section (44).

4. The yarn winding machine (10) according to any one of claim 1 through claim 3, further comprising a yarn defect detecting section (15) adapted to detect a length of a yarn defect when the yarn defect is included in the yarn (20) being wound around the package (30),
characterized in that the control section (50) is adapted to adjust operation of the first catching and guiding device (26) according to the length of the yarn defect detected by the yarn defect detecting section (15).

5. The yarn winding machine (10) according to any one of claim 1 through claim 4, characterized by an input section (91) adapted to input a control value relating to the adjustment.

6. The yarn winding machine (10) according to any one of claim 1 through claim 5, characterized by a motor (38) adapted to independently drive the first catching and guiding device (26).

7. The yarn winding machine (10) according to any one of claim 1 through claim 6, characterized in that the winding device (23, 29, 41, 70) includes a driving section (41) adapted to rotationally drive the package (30) in an unwinding direction (A) under a first speed when the first catching and guiding device (26) is located at the catching region (R1), and adapted to rotationally drive the package (30) in the unwinding direction (A) under a second speed when the first catching and guiding device (26) is located at the standby region (R2), the second speed being higher than the first speed.

8. The yarn winding machine (10) according to any one of claim 1 through claim 7, characterized by:

a yarn supplying section (11) adapted to supply the yarn (20) to be wound around the package (30);

a second catching and guiding device (25) adapted to catch the yarn (20) from the yarn supplying section (11) and to guide the yarn (20); and

a yarn joining device (14) adapted to join the yarn (20) from the package (30) guided by the first catching and guiding device (26) and the yarn (20) from the yarn supplying section (11) guided by the second catching and guiding device (25) after continuation of the yarn (20) between the yarn supplying section (11) and the package (30) is disconnected.

9. The yarn winding machine (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that a yarn supplying bobbin (21) around which a yarn is wound can be set in the yarn supplying section (11).

10. The yarn winding machine (10) according to any one of claim 1 through claim 9, further comprising a traverse guide (74) provided independently from a contact roller (29) adapted to rotate in contact with the package (30), the traverse guide (74) being adapted to traverse the yarn (20) wound around the package (30),
characterized in that the control section (50) is adapted to control the traverse guide (74) to be under standby at one end in a traverse direction when continuation of the yarn (20) is disconnected.

Drawing