Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a system for a texturing process that uses quality
data obtained during winding to rank packages, and in particular, to an automatic
system for a texturing process that can automatically transfer not only full packages
but also small packages and that can reliably associate packages with quality data.
Background of the Invention
[0002] An single-spindle independent type automatic doffing device having in each spindle
a mechanism for doffing produced packages to perform a separate doffing operation
has been introduced into a draw texturing machine consisting of a large number of
spindles. The draw texturing machine has in each spindle a storage arm for holding
doffed packages. A package doffed by each spindle is held in the storage am located
at the spindle that has produced the package and waits until it is automatically discharged
to a transfer system or handled by an operator.
[0003] The amount of yarn wound around a package is controlled by a yarn length observer
(a doffing timer), and packages around which the yarn has been wound up to a specified
length (referred to as "full packages") are doffed. Doffing, however, is carried out
even if the yarn has been cut, so the doffed packages are not always full. Conventional
systems automatically discharge full packages on a storage arm to the transfer system
for transfer, whereas the other packages doffed by their yarn cut are handled by the
operator.
[0004] The packages doffed by their yarn cut (referred to as "half packages") can be sold
as commodities unless the amount of wound yarn is significantly small. These packages
are referred to as "small packages". Packages with a significantly small amount of
wound yarn can not be sold as commodities. These packages are referred to as "very
small packages". The operator transfers the small packages to the transfer system
while removing and disposing of the very small packages to the transfer system.
[0005] If data obtained by the draw texturing machine, e.g., quality data represented by
the value of the tension of the yarn, is used as individual information on each package
for grading, data obtained by a controller on the machine body must be associated
with corresponding packages. In the conventional systems, which automatically transfer
only full packages, only those packages for which the yarn length observer considers
the specified time has passed must be extracted and associated with the data, so the
association is relatively simple and is not subjected to mistakes, provided that the
order of package transferal is observed.
[0006] Recently, however, there has been increasing demand for the automation of the transfer
of not only full packages but also small packages, which conventionally are transferred
manually. If the small packages are also automatically transferred, the association
becomes difficult because a reference required to determine packages to be disposed
of (a reference required to distinguish small packages from very small packages) depends
on the operator's subjective viewpoint provided that a cut-yarn message is conveyed
only to the operator, as in the conventional system.
[0007] The draw texturing machine is normally programmed not to generate quality data for
several minutes (e.g., three minutes) after the start of winding. This is to prevent
unwanted data from increasing because the yarn is likely to be cut at the beginning
of winding due to a yarn threading error. Those packages for which the yarn is cut
within this winding start period are disposed of by the operator as very small packages.
If, however, the yarn is cut about 3 minutes after the start of winding, the operator
must subjectively determine whether the package is to be disposed of, i.e., whether
data has been generated for the package, thereby precluding the number of data from
corresponding to the number of packages. This problem occurs because the controller
and operator separately distinguish small packages used as commodities from very small
packages to be disposed of throughout the process, including the winding start period.
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic system for a texturing
process that can solve the above problem and that can automatically transfer not only
full packages but also small packages while reliably associating packages with quality
data.
Summary of the Invention
[0009] To achieve this object, the present invention provides an automatic system for a
texturing process characterized in that the system comprises a means for detecting
the size of a package, a means for generating quality data of a yarn during winding
for the package, and a means for determining depending on the detected size of the
package whether the package is to be disposed of or discharged to a transfer system
in order to add disposal information to the quality data on packages to be disposed
of and to perform different operations during doffing depending on whether the package
is to be disposed of or discharged to the transfer system.
[0010] The system may include a means for transmitting the quality data to the transfer
system in response to the discharge of the package to the transfer system, and a means
for prohibiting quality data with disposal information added thereto from being transmitted
to the transfer system.
[0011] The system may include a means for transmitting the quality data to the transfer
system in response to the discharge of the package to the transfer system, and a means
for transmitting quality data with disposal information added thereto to the transfer
system.
[0012] The means for detecting the size of the package comprises a doffing timer that measures
the time required for winding so that the disposal information is added based on the
value of the time measured by the doffing timer.
[0013] Packages to be discharged to the transfer system may be discharged from a cradle,
whereas packages to be disposed of may be held in the cradle while being separated
from a friction roller.
[0014] The system includes an inspection means for inspecting the weight and appearance
of a package, and a host computer so that both inspection data provided by the inspection
means and the quality data are sent to the host computer, where both sets of data
are combined to rank the package.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0015] Figure 1 shows a configuration of a winding control mechanism in an automatic system
for a texturing process according to the present invention.
[0016] Figure 2 shows a composition of data used to rank packages in an automatic system
for a texturing process according to the present invention.
[0017] Figure 3 is a layout of a plant into which an automatic system for a texturing process
according to the present invention is introduced.
[0018] Figure 4 is a layout of a single spindle in a draw texturing machine.
[0019] Figure 5 shows a configuration of a winding section in a draw texturing machine.
[0020] Figure 6 shows changes in tension during winding in a draw texturing machine.
[0021] Figure 7 is a block diagram of an automatic system for a texturing process according
to the present invention.
Detailed Description of the Preffered Embodiments
[0022] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference
to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a configuration of a winding control mechanism in
an automatic system for a twisting process according to this invention, and Figure
2 shows the composition of data used to rank packages. In addition, the configuration
and operation of the entire automatic system and its components are described with
reference to Figure 3, which is a layout of a factory, Figure 4, which is a layout
drawing of a draw texturing machine, Figure 5, which shows a configuration of a winding
section, Figure 6, which shows changes in tension, and Figure 7, which is a block
diagram of the system.
[0023] In Figure 3, 1 is a draw texturing machine, 4 is an STS (Sky Train System that is
a self-traveling transfer cart consisting of a carrier 40 (described below) suspended
from and supported on a track provided on a ceiling), 6 is a tray loading device for
transferring to a tray a package installed on a transfer cart of the STS, 7 is a weight
inspection device, 8 is a sampling device, 9 is a knitting inspection device, 10 is
an automatic warehouse, 11 is a warehouse crane, 12 is an appearance inspection device,
13 is a labeler that reads an ID number added to each tray to determine the draw texturing
machine and spindle to which the ID number corresponds, 14 is a bagging device, 15
is a packing device, 16 is a labeler that indicates the rank of boxed packages, and
17 is a seal device for wrapping packages with plastic films.
[0024] As shown in Figure 3, the draw texturing machine 1 unwinds a yarn from a supply package
P1 on a creel 19, applies a draw texturing processing to the yarn, and rewinds it
around a package P2. In the draw texturing machine 1, a large number of spindles each
comprise an automatic doffing device of a single-spindle independent type, and a tension
sensor 35 described below. The draw texturing machine obtains and stores yarn quality
data such as the tension of the yarn for each package, and ejects the full package
P2 to a storage arm 38 (Figure 4) provided in each spindle for temporary storage.
Each spindle in the draw texturing machine 1 winds a specified length of yarn at the
same speed and ejects the full package P2 from each spindle every time period corresponding
to the specified length in order to store it on the storage arm 38.
[0025] Package shutters 39 are provided that simultaneously open the storage arm 38 in each
spindle of the draw texturing machine 1 to simultaneously eject only the package P2
at the tip of the arm, and simultaneously operate every time period for slightly shorter
than the time period corresponding to the specified length. By operating the package
shutter 39 every time period slightly shorter than the time period corresponding to
the specified length, not only full packages but also small packages can be automatically
transferred. Since the packages P2 are simultaneously ejected from the spindles disposed
along the machine body, they are loaded on the transfer cart 4 of the STS in the order
of the spindles along the machine body. Thus, the packages P2 ejected from the draw
texturing machine 1 in the order of the corresponding spindles are transferred to
the tray loading device 6 in a tray circulating device 20, where they are loaded on
trays, thereby enabling the trays to be associated with the spindles of the draw texturing
machine 1.
[0026] The tray circulating device 20 inspects the package P2 loaded on the tray for its
weight (the weight inspection device 7), knitting (the sampling device 8 and knitting
inspection device 9), and appearance (the appearance inspection device 12). Data on
each package (inspection data) from these inspection means is sent to a host computer
73 (Figure 7) to rank the packages as "A", "B" or "C" while also using data on the
quality of the yarn (quality data, which is described below) from the draw texturing
machine 1. These ranks are written in an ID number on the tray with the package P2
loaded thereon. The package P2 is subsequently stored in the automatic warehouse 10
in such a manner that each storage position is associated with each of the ranks "A",
"B" and "C". The result of the knitting inspection is also manually written in the
ID number on the package P2 in the automatic warehouse 10 to determine the rank of
this package in the warehouse 10. Packages P2 of a specified rank are then removed
from the automatic warehouse 10 and transferred through the bagging device 14, packing
device 15, labeler 16, and seal device 17.
[0027] In Figure 4, the draw texturing machine 1 comprises feed rollers 24, 28, 30, heaters
25, 29, a cooling plate 26, and a belt type false twisting device 27. A yarn (filament
yarn) Y drawn from the supply package P1 by the first feed roller 24 is introduced
into the primary heater 25, passes through the cooling plate 26 and the belt type
false twisting device 27 to the second feed roller 28, and further travels through
the secondary heater 29 and the third feed roller 30 so as to be wound and formed
into the wound package P2. Twisting formed by the belt type false twisting device
27 propagates to the primary heater 25 and is thermally fixed by the primary heater
25. In other words, the upstream side of the bolt type false twisting device 27 is
a twisting side, while the downstream side is an untwisting side. In the draw texturing
machine 1, such a unit is configured as a single spindle and a large number of such
spindles are located in the direction of the thickness of the sheet of the drawing.
[0028] As shown in Figure 4, the belt type false twisting device 27 consists of two belts
33 and 34 crossing each other, and the tension of the processed yarn Y is detected
by the tension sensor 35 provided on the downstream side of the belt type false twisting
device 27. The tension sensor 35 measures the untwisting tension and controls the
contact pressure of the two belts to adjust the nipping force of the belt type false
twisting device 27 so that the untwisting tension falls within a specified control
range. In addition, a yarn cut detection sensor 36 is provided on the downstream side
of the secondary heater 29, 37 is a yarn cutter that cuts the yarn on the upstream
side of the first feed roller 24 in response to detection by the yarn cut detection
sensor 36, thereby preventing the intertwinement of the yarn in the middle of the
yarn path.
[0029] The draw texturing machine 1 includes an single-spindle independent type automatic
doffing device. Each spindle automatically perform s doffing operations such as the
replacement of paper tubes used for the draw texturing machine 1 and the threading
of the yarn. The fully wound packages P2 are held on the storage arms 38, and the
package shutters 39 are opened and closed to simultaneously load the packages on the
carrier 40 comprising the transfer cart 4 of the STS. The packages P2 discharged in
this manner are then transferred to the tray loading device 6 shown in Figure 3.
[0030] If the tension sensor 35 detects an abnormal tension in the yarn, the yarn is cut
during winding and the corresponding package P2 is doffed even though it is not full.
In addition, if the yarn is cut due to a mechanical error, the yarn cut detection
sensor 36 that detects a cut in the yarn is operated to activate a lamp informing
the operator that the yarn has been cut and to allow the half package P2 to be doffed.
When winding is aborted in this manner, the controller 70 on the machine body shown
in Figure 1 references the value of the doffing timer 50 (the means for detecting
the size of the package) to detect the size of the package. Depending on the detected
size, the controller 70 informs the operator whether the package is to be disposed
of or discharged to the transfer system.
[0031] As the means for providing this information, this embodiment uses a cradle driving
shaft 56 in the automatic doffing device 52. If the package P2 is to be disposed of,
the cradle driving shaft 56 separates a cradle 55 from a friction roller 66 and then
stops the cradle 55 instead of opening it in order to urge the operator to remove
the package.
[0032] In addition, if any package has been manually removed, there will be a gap in the
order of the packages removed from each spindle. The controller 70 then automatically
marks (disposal information) the quality data on the removed package based on the
value of the doffing timer 50 in order to indicate that package is absent, thereby
facilitating the subsequent association of the tray ID numbers with the spindles and
preventing package grading errors through the comparison between the quality data
based on the tension of the yarn and the inspection data on the appearance. In addition,
based on the disposal information, the controller 70 can determine spindles that have
produced very small packages as well as the number of such very small packages. The
controller 70 can output the identity and the number of such very small packages as
required.
[0033] A tension control mechanism 41 and a winding control mechanism 42 are described with
reference to Figures 1 and 6. These mechanisms maintain the appropriate tension of
the yarn based on the quality data from the tension sensor 35, and if the tension
exceeds an allowable range, the winding of the yarn is aborted to allow the half package
to be doffed. In addition to this operation, the quality data is stored in the host
computer 73 (Figure 7) so as to be used to rank the full packages P2.
[0034] The tension control mechanism 41 is composed of the tension sensor 35 located on
the downstream side of the belt type false twisting device 27 relative to the traveling
path of the yarn, and a tension control section 46 for driving a contact pressure
control means 45 of the belt type false twisting device 27 based on the value detected
by the tension sensor 35.
[0035] A yarn tension target value To, a target range including an appropriate interval
(e.g., ± 2gr) above and below the target value To, and an allowable range including
allowable upper and lower limits (e.g., ±10gr) relative to the target value To as
shown in Figure 6 are input to the tension control section 46 beforehand, and the
contact pressure of the false twisting device 27 is adjusted using the contact pressure
control means 45 so that a untwisting tension T falls within the target range (Tu
> T > Td). If an abnormal untwisting tension T (T > Tmax, T < Tmin) is detected during
this control, that tension value and the corresponding detection time period (a yarn
length L; e.g., L1) are input to a winding control section 47 in the winding control
mechanism 42. If the tension exceeds the target range (Tu > T > Td), that tension
value and the corresponding detection time period (a yarn length M; e.g., M1) are
detected. Based on the degrees to which the target and allowable ranges are exceeded,
the yarn can be ranked relative to the quality of the texturing processing.
[0036] The winding control section 47 in the winding control mechanism 42 is integrated
with the tension control section 46 into the controller 70 provided on the machine
body of the draw texturing machine 1, controls the winding mechanism 49 in the draw
texturing machine 1, and doffs the full package P2 based on a specified length signal
from the doffing timer 50 provided in each spindle. Based on information from the
tension control section 46, the winding control section 47 determines the quality
of the package P2 around which the yarn is being wound, and if an error is detected,
stops the winding to doff the package immediately. In addition to the tension abnormal
value and the abnormal detection time period L (L1 + L2 + ··· ) becoming a cumulative
value of a yarn length, both of which are input information, tension abnormal detection
times (frequency) N are counted, and these values are compared with preset allowable
values (acceptable references). If, for example, the length L of part of the yarn
subjected to an abnormal tension is 10 m or less, that package is ranked as "a", whereas
if the length L is more than 10 m, that package is ranked as "b". In the latter case,
once the package has been ranked as "b", an instruction is provided to the drive section
53 in the automatic doffing device 52 provided on each winding mechanism 49 to doff
the package P2 around which the yarn is being wound.
[0037] Those automatically transferred packages that are ranked as "a" can be further ranked.
Of the "a" rank packages for which the length L of part of the yarn subjected to an
abnormal tension is 10 m or less, those packages for which the length L is 5 m or
less are ranked as "a1", whereas those packages for which the length L is more than
5 m and less than 10 m are ranked as "a2". Alternatively, the yarn length M in the
case in which the target range (Tu > T > Td) is exceeded can be combined with the
yarn length L to rank the packages as "a1" or "a2". Since the untwisting tension T
in the draw texturing machine 1 relates to the quality of the texturing processing,
it can be used to rank the yarn quality of the package P2 in order to facilitate the
determination of comprehensive rankings "A", "B" and "C", which are described below.
[0038] The automatic doffing device 52 is composed of a yarn cutting means 54 for cutting
the processed yarn Y to be wound, the cradle driving shaft 56 that moves, forward
and backward, the cradle 55 that grips the wound package P2 and that also opens and
closes the cradle as required, a paper tube supplying drive shaft 59 that vertically
moves a paper tube stocker 58 in which empty paper tubes are accommodated, and a yarn
threading arm 60 that threads a yarn into a new paper tube 57. The yarn cutting means
54 is provided near a traverse device 61 in the winding mechanism 49, and is composed
of a cutter 64 having a yarn capturing groove 63 including a cutting edge 62, and
an actuator (not shown in the drawings) that lifts the cutter 64 up to the level of
the yarn path, as shown in Figure 5.
[0039] In response to an instruction from the winding control section 47, the actuator lifts
the cutter 64 to capture and cut the processed yarn Y being traversed. The cut yarn
Y is held in an air sucker 65 provided at the front end of the traverse device 61,
and after the exchange of the paper tube, the yarn threading arm 60 is swiveled to
draw the yarn to the end of the new paper tube for threading. In addition, after the
yarn has been cut, the cradle 55 is opened to eject the wound package P2 onto the
storage arm 38 provided in the rear of the winding mechanism 49. Then, when the paper
tube stocker 58 lowers to allow the cradle 55 to grip the new paper tube, the cradle
driving shaft 56 causes the cradle 55 to fall forward until it contacts the friction
roller 66 for a new winding process.
[0040] In Figure 1, 36 is the yarn cut detection sensor that detects if the yarn has been
cut due to an abnormal tension or a mechanical error in order to start doffing. The
doffed package is temporarily held on the storage arm 38 provided in each spindle.
Based on an instruction output from the controller 70 on the machine body every time
period shorter than the time period corresponding to the specified length, the package
shutters 39 simultaneously ejects the leading packages from the spindles along the
machine body.
[0041] The system block diagram in Figure 7 is described below. The major devices described
above are disposed in the order of a creel robot 2, the draw texturing machine 1,
STS 4, tray loading device 6, weight inspection device 7, knitting inspection device
9, appearance inspection device 12, automatic warehouse 10, and labeler 13. The packages
P2 discharged from the draw texturing machine 1 are arranged in the order of the spindles
and are transferred to the automatic warehouse 10 in this order. Data on the quality
of the yarn in the draw texturing machine 1 is input to the controller 70 on the machine
body, while data on the package P2 from the weight inspection device and the appearance
inspection device 12 is input to a personal computer 71 at the site.
[0042] The STS 4, tray loading device 6, and automatic warehouse 10 enable a transfer controller
75 to transfer the package P2 while associating the ID number of the tray with the
source of the package P2. A personal computer 74 for the labeler 13 outputs data required
for labels. The controller 70 on the machine body, onsite personal computer 71, labeler
personal computer 74, and transfer controller 75 are connected to the host computer
73 via a main communication network 72. The host computer 73 combines data for each
spindle from a yarn quality monitor means such as the tension sensor 35 with data
for each package P2 from the inspection means such as the appearance inspection device
12 to determine the rank of each package P2.
[0043] The controller 70 on the machine body including an indicator indicating data or conditions
required for operations, a temperature control device, various alarm devices, and
a machine operation panel is provided at each end of the machine body of the draw
texturing machine 1. The controller 70 on the machine body can process data on the
quality of the yarn from the tension sensor 35 in the draw texturing machine 1 to
control the tension of the yarn and determine the source of the package (the spindle
that has produced that package and the time of the production). The controller 70
inputs the quality data to the host computer 73 for the transfer system via a main
communication network 72.
[0044] Data on the weight of the package P2 from the weight inspection device 7, on the
acceptability of dyeing from the knitting inspection device 9, and on the appearance
of the package P2 from the appearance inspection device 12 are input to the site personal
computer 71. This data can be displayed on the onsite personal computer 71 and output
at the site (through a monitor or by means of print out). In addition, if the transfer
controller 75 loads on the tray a package P2 discharged to the machine body of the
draw texturing machine 1, the package P2 is associated with the corresponding tray
ID number and transferred and each set of inspection data from the site personal computer
71 is associated with the corresponding tray ID number and then input to the host
computer 73 via the main communication network 72.
[0045] In this manner, the yarn quality data from the controller 70 on the machine body
and the inspection data on the package P2 from the onsite personal computer 71 is
input to the host computer 73 and can be output using an appropriate means such as
a monitor or a printer. Therefore, data such as that shown in Figure 2 can be output
from the host computer 73 as a list. The yarn type, doffing date and time, machine
number (MC No.), spindle number (SP No.), and grade "A", "B" or "C" can be identified
for each package P2 loaded on the tray. In addition, the host computer 73 stores individual
data on the packages P2 stored in the automatic warehouse 10 and can operate the warehouse
crane 11 to remove packages P2 of a desired rank.
[0046] Data on those packages such as ID No. 144-48 in Figure 2, which have been discharged
from the draw texturing machine 1 as half packages due to an abnormal tension and
which have been determined to be disposed of, is marked so as to indicate that those
packages are absent. In other words, data consisting of the word "ejected" is stored
in the remark column of the list. The yarn quality data, however, is transmitted to
the host computer 73 as production control data for the transfer system in the same
miner as the other data. This serves to ensure that the packages are not confused
when they are ranked after the appearance inspection using the quality data based
on the yarn tension.
[0047] Although in this embodiment, the means for detecting the size of the package is composed
of the doffing timer 50, the doffing timer 50 also controls the winding start time
period. That is, the doffing timer 50 controls the time that has passed since the
start of winding following the refilling of empty paper tubes. In this case, no quality
data is generated until a predetermined amount of time has passed (this value is variable
but is assumed to be three minutes herein). This is to prevent unwanted data from
increasing because the yarn is likely to be cut at the beginning of winding due to
a yarn threading error.
[0048] If the yarn is cut within the winding start time period, that package is determined
to be very small and the cradle driving shaft 56 in the automatic doffing device 52
separates the cradle 55 from the friction roller 66 to stop the cradle instead of
opening it, thereby informing the operator that this is a very small package. The
operator then removes this very small package. Of course, there is no quality data
on this package. After three minutes, corresponding to the winding start time period,
have passed, the generation of quality data is initiated. If the yarn is subsequently
cut within a predetermined time (this value is variable but is assumed to be ten minutes
herein), the package is determined to be very small from the elapsed time. The operator
is then informed through the separation and stoppage of the cradle 55 that said very
small package has been produced, and generated quality data is marked so as to indicate
that the package is to be disposed of, as described above.
[0049] The operator determines the appropriate action to be taken based on the condition
of the cradle 55 instead of his or her subjective judgment, and removes the very small
package and pressed a start button. When the start button is pressed, an yarn threading
operation is automatically performed and winding is then resumed. If additional time
passes and the yarn is cut 10 minutes or more after the resumption of winding, the
package is determined to be large enough to be sold as a commodity, i.e., it is determined
to be a small package. The small package is then automatically discharged to the transfer
system together with full packages. During the discharge, the very small package is
not discharged to the transfer system because it has already been removed by the operator
as described above. Since quality data is provided for those spindles for which three
minutes have passed, however, if the yarn is cut within 10 minutes and the package
is then disposed of, then the quality data for this spindle is contained in the communication
via the main communication network 72. Since disposal information is added to the
quality data for this spindle, this data can be excluded during ranking to allow the
number of data to correspond to the number of packages.
[0050] In the above embodiments, the disposal information is added to the quality data on
the very small package and the quality data is transmitted to the transfer system
as in the full and small packages, but the quality data on the very small package
can be prevented from being transmitted to the transfer system. That is, although
the disposal information is added to the quality data on the very small package to
facilitate production control by the controller 70 on the machine body of the draw
texturing machine, the quality data with the disposal information added thereto can
be prohibited from being transmitted to the host computer 73 for the transfer system.
In this case, the host computer 73 is not required to execute exclusion processing
of quality data on very small packages.
[0051] In addition, in the above embodiments, the cradle driving shaft 56 in the automatic
doffing device 52 performs different operations to inform the operator whether the
package is to be disposed of or discharged to the transfer system, but the present
invention is not limited to this aspect. For example, all packages may be simultaneously
discharged to the storage arm 38 without distinguishing between full packages and
small packages and very small packages, and a lamp may be provided on the storage
arm and turned on during doffing to inform the operator of a package to be disposed
of.
[0052] The present invention provides the following excellent effects.
[0053] To automatically transfer not only full packages but also small packages that are
conventionally transferred manually in order to save labor, the operator can reliably
distinguish between small and very small packages according to instructions from the
automatic doffing device instead of the operator's subjective judgment, and can use
the disposal information to identify quality data indicating that package is absent
in order to reliably associate the package with the quality data even if a very small
package has been disposed of prior to automatic transfer. In addition, since the disposal
information is added to the quality data on the very small package, the controller
on the machine body of the draw texturing machine can determine spindles that have
produced very small packages as well as the number of such spindles.
[0054] Since quality data on very small packages that have been removed by the operator
is not transmitted, packages can be reliably associated with the quality data without
the need to remove quality data with the disposal information added thereto on the
transfer system side.
[0055] Since quality data on very small packages that have been removed by the operator
is transmitted to the transfer system together with the disposal information, the
transfer system can reliably associate packages with quality data, and the transmitted
quality data can be used to control the production of packages that have been disposed
of.
[0056] The doffing timer enables the size of the package to be detected reliably using a
simple configuration.
[0057] Controlling the operation of the cradle driving shaft enables the operator to reliably
distinguish between small and very small packages instead of providing a new member
for informing the operator of package sizes.
[0058] Combining the weight and appearance inspections of the package with the quality data
enables packages other than very small ones to be reliably ranked in detail.