TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a bobbin holder. More particularly, it relates to
a bobbin holder which is a principal functional part indispensable for roving and
spinning processes in a spinning factory.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A conventional bobbin holder is of the structure wherein a rolling contact bearing
structure portion of which the bearing itself is adapted to have a rotating-resistant
value of substantially 0 is disposed axially of the bobbine holder; and a "braking
mechanism", adapted to make a brake shoe 7Bd (see Fig. 7) to press against a rotating
part by means of a coiled spring 3Bp separately provided, is provided with the bearing
portion. Accordingly, unless the pressing force by the coiled spring is changed, the
braking-torque b·k on the bearing side is substantially constant, where b is produced
by multiplying the pressing force by a friction coefficient µ; k is the distance from
the rotation center of the rotation part to the point of action of frictional force.
[0003] Thus, in view of the fact that

, or the braking-torque b·k on the bearing side maintains a close equivalence to
the rotating-torque R·T on the roving bobbin side, which exerts on the rotating part
as roving is withdrawn, the roving withdrawing-tension T increases in inverse proportion
to a decrease in the outer radius R of a roving bobbin due to withdrawing of roving.
This results in the so-called "two dimensional relation" between T and R. Practically,
with roving bobbins now available, the radius R
f of a full bobbin is 3 to 6 times larger than the radius Ro of the empty bobbin. Accordingly,
even if the roving withdrawing-tension T
f with a full bobbin (radius R
f) is set at 2.0g., the roving withdrawing-tension T
o with the empty bobbin (radius R
o) amounts really up to 6 to 12g., which exposes a defect of going far out of the optimum
allowance (3.0 ± 1g.) according to spinning technology.
[0004] As shown in Fig. 7, in the conventional bobbin holder the space 4B in the periphery
of the bearing portion is narrowed by being substantially filled with the bearing
structure. A fly involving dust dragged into the space one after another is piled
up and up, and finally, lead to a fatal phenomenon such that they are tightly wound
around a pivot member 3Br. Further, reciprocating shock load produced by doffing and
donning operation of a bobbin causes steel balls 5B to hit and damage upper and lower
raceways 22R and 35R, and the hit damage progresses every time the doffing and donning
operation of a bobbin is carried out. Thus, the factors accounting for a fatal defect
acts synergetically, and a braking-torque is accumulatedly increased from the value
initially set, resulting in a marked and continuative rise in the braking-torque b·k
on the bearing side in an unexpectedly short period (1 to 2 years). This leads to
an extreme reduction in effective life of the bobbin holder BH and to a sharp increase
in problems which are fatal to both the quality of yarn and the productive operation.
With the prior art, it is already hard to solve these problems, and particularly it
is now impossible to automatize production steps, make them continuous and obtain
finer and higher-grade yarn.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0005] There is a close negative correlation between the twist coefficient of roving being
supplied and the drafting characteristic of a spinning machine. Accordingly, a subject
matter which should be urgently achieved for improving and stabilizing the quality
of spun yarn is to develop a bearing structure capable of constantly and proportionally
feeding relaxedly twisted roving at the very limit of allowance, with an appropriate
tension for a long period of time. According to reliable data obtained from the group
equipped with spindles in a scale of about ten thousand spindles, an expected value
of roving withdrawing-tension T in each spindle or between spindles each other is
restricted within the range of 3.0 ± 1.0g. throughout all counts of spun yarn and
throughout all the kinds of spinning products. The main object of the present invention
is to realize a novel bearing structure provided with a function capable of meeting
above-mentioned technical requirement and put it to practical use, and to establish
a comprehensive and rational system related to production or assembly, adjustment,
maintenance, protection and the like.
[0006] A so-called "thrust bearing method based on sliding-contact" according to the present
invention is based on a property such that the "rotational friction torque B·K'' varies
in proportion with an increase or decrease in a load P of rotating part (hereinafter
referred to as "roving bobbin weight"), which load consists mainly of the weight of
a roving bobbin varying in proportion to the radius R of the roving bobbin. Further,
the sliding-contact thrust bearing possesses novel features while utilizing the related
arts disclosed in Japanese Patents Nos. 996924 and 995381, Japanese Patent Application
No. 162304/1984 and the like which are associated with the present invention. Thus,
the method has been intensively developed as a highly innovative art. By virtue of
the present invention, a way has been opened for application of a braking property
inherent to the sliding-contact thrust bearing to a bobbin holder BH, while a basic
system has been accomplished for enhancing the reliability of bearing function of
the bobbin holder BH to the highest level.
[0007] Thus, according to the present invention, there is provided a bobbin holder comprising
a rotatable portion which is rotated by a bobbin-rotating-torque T·R varying in proportion
with variation in the radius of a roving bobbin as the roving is withdrawn from the
roving bobbin while suspending the roving bobbin (refer to Fig. 1), a fixing portion
for fixing the bobbin holder to a creel bar or the like, and a suspending mechanism
for rotatably and pivotally suspending the rotatable portion from the fixing portion,
wherein the suspending mechanism comprises a pivot member having a partially conical
step portion formed at least in either of the rotatable portion and the fixing portion,
and an engaging bore formed in the other of the two for engaging with the partially
conical step portion to support the weight P of the rotatable portion (roving bobbin
weight) so as to generate a frictional force proportional to the roving bobbin weight
P in cooperation with the partially conical step portion, thereby generating a braking-torque
B·K working on the rotatable portion and varying in proportion with an increase or
decrease in the roving bobbin weight P proportional to the radius R of the roving
bobbin, the bobbin-rotating torque T·R being well-balanced with the braking-torque
B·K such that a roving withdrawing-tension T always becomes substantially constant.
[0008] Further, the bobbin holder of the present invention is so arranged that at least
a portion of a member constituting the periphery of the engaging bore is made appropriately
replaceable so as to enable to alter the bore of the engaging bore as far as the pivot
member is engageable therewith and/or in a coefficient of friction of the member constituting
the periphery of the engaging bore, whereby the braking-torque B·K can be variably
adjusted.
[0009] To realize such arrangement, developed is, for example, a "selective combination
(or recombination) mating system" based on an originally-devised semi-cylindrical
bearing member which is formed of, a bisected and molded half so that the bore-diameter
of the bearing (engaging bore) can be properly altered as far as the pivot member
can be engaged therewith, while at the same time the coefficient of friction can be
properly selected, whereby a bearing arrangement capable of setting stepwise the braking-torque
B·K of the sliding-contact bearing to a desired level is completed. With the bearing
arrangement, the urgent subject matter, or variably setting the tension of roving
being supplied has been attained.
[0010] According to Couloms' law, the braking-torque B·K in the "sliding-contact thrust
bearing" of the present invention is represented by the following equation (1):
Further, since the rotating torque T·R applied to the rotatable portion because
of withdrawing of the roving from the surface of the roving bobbin Bb having radius
R (refer to Fig. 1) maintains a perfect equilibrium with the braking-torque B·K, the
following equation (2) is valid:
Here, making the value d/2·µ constant (hereinafter referred to as "resistance coefficient
K" ) leads to the following equation (3) with respect to the roving withdrawing-tension
T:
On the other hand, since the roving bobbin weight P continues to decrease gradually
in proportion with a gradual decrease in the radius R of the roving bobbin due to
withdrawing of the roving, the ratio of P to R (P/R) can be considered to be substantially
constant. Accordingly, throughout the process from when the roving bobbin is full
(the radius of the roving bobbin is R
f) to when it is empty (the radius of the roving bobbin is R
o), the roving withdrawing-tension T can be set specific and constant.
[0011] In addition to the above function, these has been realized means capable of easily
and rationally specifying or adjusting the value K (

) in the equation (3) for setting the roving withdrawing-tension T to a desired value
by providing a bearing member having a bore-diameter d of the engaging bore of the
bearing side which can be altered within the range allowing engagement with the pivot
member having a predetermined diameter, and a friction coefficient µ inherent to the
bearing member, for example, semi-cylindrical and molded halves having the same bore-diameter
d and same or different friction coefficient µ.
[0012] As will be described with reference to Fig. 3, in the bobbin holder of the present
invention, the roving withdrawing-tension T has a so-called "three dimensional relation"
with the bore-diameter d of the engaging bore on the bearing side and the friction
coefficient µ of the bearing member serving as a parameters. Fig. 3 is a schematic
diagram showing an example of characteristic graph providing as an aim for setting
conditions for functions of the bearing member, wherein an empirical value "braking-torque
coefficient OB (

)" is represented in a coordinate system in which bore-diameter d of the bearing
member is represented in terms of X-axis while the roving withdrawing-tension T is
represented in term of Y-axis.
[0013] When a bearing bore-diameter d₁ is to be determined for basically setting a roving
withdrawing-tension T₁₁ on the basis of this graph, a line T₁₁-C₁₁ is drawn parallel
to the X-axis from T₁₁, and a point of intersection C₁₁ of the line T₁₁-C₁₁ with an
oblique line OB₁ representing a friction coefficient initially selected is orthogonally
projected on the X-axis to find the bearing bore-diameter d₁.
[0014] In turn, when a braking-torque value is to be fine-adjusted by replacing one of the
two semi-cylindrical and molded halves sharing the bearing bore thus determined with
another one to alter only the braking-torque coefficient inherent to the bearing member
from tanϑ1 to tanϑ2, a line segment d₁-c₁₁ is extended to give a line segment d₁-c₁₂,
and a point of intersection c₁₂ of the line segment d₁-c₁₂ with an oblique line OB₂
is orthogonally projected on the Y-axis to find a point T₁₂ which is a roving withdrawing-tension
T₁₂ resulting from the fine adjustment. Other adjustments are achieved likewise. Thus,
as a result of the present invention, a selection system has been prepared and established
for arbitrary and stepwise adjustment to keep the roving withdrawing-tension T constant.
[0015] Further, in the present invention, a space large enough is formed in the periphery
of the bearing member, and an originally-devised dustproof band area composed of rotatable
and concentrically partitioned spaces is provided in the space for assuredly protecting
the bearing function for a long period (10 years or more). Specifically, formed is
a circular annular space with the suspending mechanism assuming the axis thereof,
which space comprises an upper circular annular groove formed in a top of an inner
wall of the fixing portion of the bobbin holder and a lower circular annular groove
formed in a top end of the rotatable portion, which grooves face vertically opposite
to each other in a substantially symmetrical relation; and put freely in the circular
annular space and on the bottom of the lower circular annular groove is a dustproof
cylinder substantially isolating the suspending mechanism from the outside of the
bobbin holder, both upper and lower portions of which ring are overlapped remaining
a clearance with the above-mentioned two grooves. The dustproof ring completely embraces
the suspending mechanism while concentrically partitioning the circular annular space
into a plurality of spaces.
[0016] It has been verified that this structure possesses an outstanding dustproof effect
based on an active dust-collecting phenomenon by interwinding of fly going toward
the bearing portion; that is, for example, shown in Fig. 2, fly and dust coming into
a peripheral space
a gathers other fly to form matted and ball-like-shaped matters having a dust-collecting-effect
while a suspended rotor 2A rotates slowly, and most of the ball-like-shaped matters
remain in the chamber
a with the help of a thin cylinder 401, and the same dust collecting phenomenon as
the above also behaves in next spaces b₁ and b₂.
[0017] It should be noted that a coiled spring 402 can be mounted in the space to incorporate
a braking mechanism for a special purpose into the arrangement of the invention (refer
to Fig. 2). In this case the upper and lower parallel faces are adaped to effectively
serves as friction faces.
[0018] In the bobbin holder of the present invention, realized is connecting means allowing
easy doffing and donning and capable of remarkably improving the durability and close
fitting property of the connecting portion.
[0019] Specifically, in the constitution of the connecting means, the rotatable portion
of the bobbin holder comprises a suspended body for suspending the bobbin, which suspened
rotor has a cylindrical chamber opened in a top end thereof, a substantially cylindrical
block fitted into the cylindrical chamber, a circular annular recess, substantially
rectangular in section, of which three sides are formed of a slope formed on the entire
outer circumference of the block at the upper edge thereof and a groove of V-shaped
section formed on the entire inner circumference of the cylindrical chamber at a location
corresponding to the slope, and a C-shaped snap ring resiliently closely fitted into
the circular annular recess, whereby the weight of the rotatable portion is uniformly
dispersed over the entire circumference of the C-shaped snap ring, while the three
parts (the suspended rotor, the block and the C-shaped snap ring) are integrated using
the weight of the rotatable portion exquisitely to make the connection secured and
close.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020]
Fig. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of a sliding-contact thrust bearing
structure in a bobbin holder of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of a sliding-contact thrust
bearing in a bobbin holder of the present invention, wherein a rotatable isolation
band area composed of self-cleaning partitioned chambers, and the pivot shown in Fig.
1 is invertedly provided;
Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the correlation among roving withdrawing-tension
T, bearing bore-diameter d and friction coefficient µ of a bearing member, based on
which are set functional conditions associated with the bearing member in the bobbin
holder shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a plan view showing an original C-shaped snap ring for use in a bobbin holder
of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing an example of a integrated structure using the
C-shaped snap ring showin in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view for illustrating vector distribution of the force exerted
inside the integrated structure shown in Fig. 5 by the load applied to the rotatable
portion and a balanced condition of the vector distribution;
Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional bearing arrangement
based solely on rolling contact system and provided with a braking mechanism.
DENOTATION OF NUMERALS
[0021]
- 1A
- upper structure
- 2A
- suspended rotor
- 3A
- bolt for mounting to a creel
- 4A
- space in the periphery of the bearing
- 61
- pivot head
- 62
- pivot base
- dS
- diameter of a wire forming a snap ring
- DH
- inside diameter of the top portion of a cylinder
- DS
- operative diameter of a snap ring
- DC
- free diameter of a snap ring
- T
- roving withdrawing-tension
- d
- bearing bore-diameter
- P
- roving bobbin weight
- F
- internal force
- OB
- braking-torque coefficient (tanϑ)
- a, b₁, b₂ and c
- annular dustproof spaces
- Bb
- bobbin
- BH
- bobbin holder
- Rb
- roving bobbin
- 101
- pivot housing
- 102
- top cap
- 201
- block
- 202
- C-shaped snap ring
- 303
- junction pin
- 401
- thin cylinder
- 402
- brake spring
- 601
- circumferential contacting face
- 606
- pivot
- 10G
- intermediate chamber
- 11G
- upper chamber
- 12G
- lower chamber
- 10H
- small bore of intermediate chamber
- 20H
- small bore of lower chamber
- 20E
- section of a wire forming C-shaped snap ring
- 22G
- V-shaped groove
- 22U
- annular recess
- 102M
- upper circular annular groove
- 202M
- lower circular annular groove
BEST MODE FOR EFFECTING THE INVENTION
[0023] The present invention will be described in detail by way of an embodiment with reference
to the drawings.
[0024] In the present invention, a conventional bearing structure and its peripheral space
is modified and converted into a novel "original thrust bearing structure based on
a sliding-contact method" thereby radically improving functional characteristics of
the bearing itself. Referring to Fig. 1, an upper structure 1A comprises an assembled
construction wherein a bolt 30 and a thrust bearing (hereinafter referred to as "pivot")
606 are made separate and independent according to a new idea, and coaxially and jointedly
housed in a coupler (hereinafter referred to as "pivot housing") 101 comprising an
original bearing member composed of bisected and molded halves.
[0025] In detail, the pivot housing 101 is formed by mating two bisected cylindrical and
molded members obtained by splitting a cylindrical member along the axis thereof.
In the body of the pivot housing 101, an upper chamber 11G and an intermediate chamber
10G are coaxially and serially formed. The upper chamber 11G accommodates a bolt head
31 fixedly, while the intermediate chamber 10G accomodates rotatably and pivotally
the upper end of the pivot 606, or the pivot head 61 shaped to have a conical or a
similarly curved surface, whereby a bolt 3A and the pivot 606 are coaxially jointed
with each other with intervention of the pivot housing 101. The pivot housing 101
is pressed from below to fit into a top cap 102 along the axis y-y of the top cap
102, and further, the top cap 102 and the pivot housing 101 are fastened by means
of a bolt 30, a washer 33 and a nut 32 to integratedly form the upper structure 1A.
In a lower structure, on the other side, a lower chamber 12G, which is digged in the
center of a block 201 disposed on the top of a suspended rotor 2A, accommodates an
enlarged bottom base 62 of the pivot 606 along a small window 20H opening extending
upwardly and coaxially with the axis y-y. When the bobbin holder HB thus constructed
is suspended from the creel, the suspended rotor 2A is completely suspended and holded
through the pivot 606 of which the head 61 is embraced in the intermediate chamber
10G of the pivot housing 101, and a frictional force is generated between a circumferential
contacting face 601 of the bearing bore having a predetermined bore-diameter d and
formed in the center of the bottom of the intermediate chamber and the conical face
of the pivot head 61 of the pivot 606, whereby the braking-torque (

) which is inherent to "sliding-contact bearing structure", completely works.
[0026] In this case, although the block 201 defining the lower chamber 12G can be of the
monolithic type or the bisected type, the latter is preferable in view of superior
effectiveness and convenience in function, molding and assembling. The top end face
of the lower chamber 12G can be made substantially conical for allowing pivotal movement
thereat. In addition, it is also possible to form a bearing structure wherein the
lower and intermediate chambers 2G, 10G shown in Fig. 1 are inversed as shown in Fig.
2. Otherwise, it has been verified that the bearing structure, wherein the lower chamber
12G is made similar in shape to the intermediate chamber 10G; the chambers 12G, 10G
share the pivot 606 of which opposite ends are made similar each other in shape; and
two rotatable and slidable portions are coaxially disposed one above the other, is
optimal for use as the bearing in the bobbin holder BH. That is because either smaller
one in generated frictional force of the two rotatable and slidable portions, slides
and rotates, and if there occures an increase in the frictional force exerting on
the sliding and rotating portion by some reason, the other portion begins to slide
and rotate in compensation for the former, thereby maintaining the braking-torque
constant.
[0027] Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of an original arrangement for fixedly and closely integrating
a predetermined portion of a cylinder 22 formed in the top portion of the suspended
rotor 2A with the block 201 fitted into the cylinder 22 from above. A conical face
G₁ formed on the shoulder of the block 201 and a V-shaped groove 22G formed in the
inner wall of the cylinder 22 so as to cross the axis y-y at right angles cooperate
to share the lower edge portion G₂ thereof and form an annular recess 22U having a
rectangular section (formed of three faces G₁, G₃ and G₄) of which the bottom face
G₃ is made to have a width equivalent to the diameter d
S of a wire forming a C-shaped snap ring 202 (refer to Fig. 4) to be described later.
The C-shaped snap ring 202 originally formed of the wire having the diameter d
S has a free outer diameter D
c (outer diameter in unforced condition) and is fitted into the annular recess 22U
along the inner wall of the cylinder while being bent so as to reduce the free outer
diameter D
c, whereby a structure wherein the cylinder 22, the block 201 and the C-shaped snap
ring 202 are closely integrated each other can be implemented with well-balancing
in terms of vectors of the internal force working on the three orthogonally crossed
circumferential faces including the two circumferential slopes G₁ and G₄ of the annular
recess 22U and the bottom circumferential face G₃ according to statics principle.
[0028] The outer diameter D
S of the C-shaped snap ring 202 when fitted into the annular recess 22U is substantially
the sum of the inner diameter D
H of the cylinder 22 and the wire diameter of the C-shaped snap ring d
S and made the same or smaller than the free diameter D
c, or

.
[0029] With such structure, a close integration and secured coupling of the suspended rotor
2A, the block 201 and the C-shaped snap ring 202 can be obtained with skillfully utilizing
the roving bobbin weight P.
[0030] Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating a vector distribution of the force derived
from the roving bobbin weight P and exerting on the pressure-contacted circumferential
faces G₁, G₃ and G₄ shown in Fig. 5. Specifically, it shows a well-balanced distribution
of vector F derived from the roving bobbin weight P in terms of orthogonal coordinate
system X-Y passing through the three pressure-contact points P₁, P₂ and P₃ with the
center O of the cross section of the wire forming the C-shaped snap ring 202 assumed
as the original. Another internal force F
o working on the point O which is derived from the restoring force of the C-shaped
snap ring 202 causes the ring 202 to be assuredly closely fitted into the annular
recess 22U and will not permit it to come out of the recess 22U even when the roving
bobbin weight P of roving is not imposed.
[0031] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of an originally-arranged dustproof structure in the present
invention which exhibits a high effect of preventing entrance of fly and dust toward
the bearing. The inner top end face of the top cap 102 and the top end face of the
suspended rotor 2A face opposite and parallel to each other horizontally. The two
faces are formed with upper and lower circular annular grooves 102M and 201M with
the axis y-y assuming a center thereof, respectively. The two circular annular grooves
102M and 201M are disposed substantially vertically symmetric so as to define a space
around the bearing portion with the pivot 606 assumed as an axis. In the space, there
is freely put a thin cylinder 401 having a predetermined height for remaining a gap
between a top end of the cylinder 401 and a ceiling of the upper circular annular
groove 102M. Thereby, the upper and lower portions of the cylinder 401 are overlapped
remaining a clearance with the upper and lower circular annular grooves 102M and 201M,
respectively. The circumferental wall of the thin cylinder 401 slowly rotating in
the space around the pivot 606 and the un-rotating wall (inner wall of the top cap
102) facing opposite thereto define concentrically partitioned dustproof spaces
a, b₁, b₂ and c which causes the fly to interwind. The dustproof spaces form an annular
dustproof band area which encloses the bearing structure and actively prevents from
and cuts off the ambient atmosphere with well-utilizing the interwinding phenomenon
of the fly.
APPLICABILITY TO INDUSTRY
[0032] The functional innovation of the bearing portion in the bobbin holder of the present
invention remarkably contributes to improvement in a bobbin holder itself. That is,
it has been verified that dispersion of the roving withdrawing-tension T in a spindle
or between spindles is stably confined to the range of ± 0.5g with respect to a specific
standard value for a long period (semipermanently according to practical experiments).
Particularly, it is worth noting the results of the invention such that has been realized
a safe, sure and stable feeding of extra relaxedly twisted roving and extra fine roving
which has heretofore been considered to be practically impossible.
[0033] In pursuit of steadily matching with the progress of rationalization of a equipment
in spinning factories such as larger package, higher speed, further automatization,
further continuous operations and so forth, the present invenion opens the door for
higher technology and is expected, at present, to highly contribute to overall technology,
in other words, to improve the quality of yarn, stabilize the operations and enhance
the serviceability ratio of new equipement. More specifically speaking,
(1) It has practically been verified that the present invention enables to marvelously
prolong the effective life of a bearing to a semipermanent period by a remarkably
enhanced bearing capability for load, highly improved durability, increased reliability
and safety to a marked level, and an excellent tenacity along with a restorability
against operational shock load to a bobbin;
(2) A bobbin holder of "maintenance free" for a long period (15 years or more) has
been realized by additionally providing an orignally-devised superior fly proof structure
to avoid fatal deterioration of bearing functions;
(3) Roving withdrawing-tension control in a factory can be completely intensified
by rationally optimizing the roving withdrawing-tension T with ease as well as by
the previous items (1) and (2);
(4) Indefinite contribution to cost reduction has been made by rationalizing and simplfying
the bearing arrangement thereby promoting normalization and standardization for more
general purposes, as well as by enabling automatization of assembly of parts;
(5) The integrated structure by means of an originally-devised C-shaped snap ring
possesses load dispersing effect based on the balance of force and is hence far superior
in all properties such as load characteristic, durability as well as convenience,
safety and reliability to a conventional structure by means of pin 303, calking or
the like. Therefore, it is expected from now on to be applied to general industrial
fields, particularly to a plastic molding field broadly; and
(6) The results of the present invention are not limited to the application herein
described, and can be widely utilized as a precise bearing for special purpose in
general industrial machines or devices (electronic devices, especially).