YARN WINDING MACHINE AND YARN WINDING METHOD

Abstract

 A spinning unit (2) of a spinning machine includes a yarn supplying section (5), a winding device (26), a yarn joining device (23), and a joint monitoring device (25). The yarn supplying section (5) is adapted to supply a spun yarn (10). The winding device (26) is adapted to wind the spun yarn (10) into a package (50). The yarn joining device (23) has a cutter (100). The joint monitoring device (25) monitors the spun yarn (10). The spinning machine (the spinning unit 2) cuts the continuous spun yarn (10) by the cutter (100) of the yarn joining device (23) in accordance with a monitoring result of the joint monitoring device (25).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to a yarn winding machine including a yarn joining device.

2. Description of the Related Art

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a yarn winding machine adapted to wind a yarn around a bobbin to form a package. Such a yarn winding machine generally includes a yarn monitoring device adapted to detect a defect of a yarn and a yarn joining device adapted to carry out yarn joining. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-067892 (Patent Document 1) discloses this type of yarn winding machine.

[0003] The yarn winding machine of Patent Document 1 is configured to include a yarn supplying section; a winding device adapted to wind a yarn into a package; a package rotation speed detecting section adapted to detect a rotation speed of the package; a yarn joining device adapted to join the yarn to form a joint; a joint monitoring device adapted to monitor the joint; and a determining section adapted to determine whether or not the joint is normal. The determining section determines whether or not the joint formed by the yarn joining device is normal based on a travelling speed of the yarn acquired in accordance with a detection result of the package rotation speed detecting section and a monitoring result by the joint monitoring device.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes that quality of the joint can be accurately determined by accurately acquiring the yarn travelling speed at the time of resuming the winding in accordance with an actual measurement value of the rotation speed of the package, and determining the quality of the joint in accordance with the yarn travelling speed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, if a defect of the joint is detected by the joint monitoring device, a yarn joining cart including the yarn joining device cuts the defective joint with a cutter arranged separately from the yarn joining device to remove the defective joint. However, a cost increases if the cutter is separately arranged. Furthermore, if the yarn is cut by the cutter as in Patent Document 1 when the defective joint is detected, the yarn may irregularly move around due to rapid release of a tension applied to the yarn, twist contraction of the yarn, or the like. The yarn end thus becomes difficult to be caught and efficiency of the yarn joining is lowered.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a yarn winding machine capable of cutting a yarn without specially adding a cutter.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a yarn winding machine includes a yarn supplying section, a winding device, a yarn joining device, and a yarn monitoring device. The yarn supplying section is adapted to supply a yarn. The winding device is adapted to wind the yarn into a package. The yarn joining device has a cutter. The yarn monitoring device is adapted to monitor the yarn. The cutter of the yarn joining device is adapted to cut the continuous yarn in accordance with a monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device.

[0008] Thus, the yarn can be cut by the cutter arranged in the yarn joining device without specially providing the cutter. Therefore, the yarn can be cut with a simple configuration in accordance with the monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device.

[0009] In the yarn winding machine described above, the yarn monitoring device is arranged downstream than the yarn joining device in a travelling direction of the yarn during winding of the package. The cutter is adapted to cut the yarn in accordance with the monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device.

[0010] Thus, the joint of the yarn formed by the yarn joining device can be fed towards the downstream by the winding of the winding device, and non-defectiveness/defectiveness of the joint can be immediately determined by the yarn monitoring device. Therefore, if the formed joint is non-defective, the winding can be continued, and even if the joint is defective, the joint defect can be detected at an initial stage of acceleration of a winding speed of the winding device and the winding can be stopped in a short time. As a result, the yarn joining can be efficiently carried out when carrying out the yarn joining again.

[0011] In the yarn winding machine described above, the cutter is preferably adapted to cut the yarn after stopping winding of the winding device when the yarn monitoring device detects a defect in a joint of the yarn.

[0012] Thus, the cut yarn end is not wound into the package in the winding device. Therefore, the yarn end can be reliably caught when carrying out the yarn joining again.

[0013] In the yarn winding machine described above, the yarn joining device includes a holding member adapted to hold the yarn. The cutter is adapted to cut the yarn held by the holding member in accordance with the monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device.

[0014] Thus, the yarn end formed by the cutting of the yarn can be prevented from moving around due to rapid release of a tension of the yarn and/or twist contraction of the yarn.

[0015] In the yarn winding machine described above, a position where the holding member holds the yarn is preferably arranged downstream than a position where the cutter cuts the yarn in the travelling direction of the yarn during the winding of the package.

[0016] Thus, the yarn end from the downstream (from the package) of the yarn ends formed by cutting the yarn can be held by the holding member. Therefore, the yarn end leading from the package can be prevented from moving around, and the yarn joining can be efficiently carried out when carrying out the yarn joining again.

[0017] The yarn winding machine described above includes a yarn catching section adapted to catch the yarn from the package. The holding member is adapted to release the yarn after the yarn catching section moves to a position where the yarn catching section can catch the yarn held by the holding member.

[0018] Thus, the yarn can be delivered to the yarn catching member while the yarn is held by the holding member so as not to move, and thus the yarn catching member can catch the yarn very easily. Therefore, the catching operation of the yarn can be smoothly carried out, and the efficiency of the yarn joining operation can be further improved.

[0019] In the yarn winding machine described above, the yarn joining device includes a guide member and a yarn moving lever. A first slit and a second slit are formed on the guide member. The first slit is a slit to which a first yarn end that is a yarn end of the yarn from the yarn supplying section is introduced for yarn joining. The second slit is a slit to which a second yarn end that is a yarn end of the yarn from the package is introduced for the yarn joining. The yarn moving lever is adapted to perform a yarn moving operation during the yarn joining to move the first yarn end to an inner side of the first slit and to move the second yarn end to an inner side of the second slit. The guide member includes a first cut-guiding section adapted to guide the continuous yarn to one of the first slit and the second slit when performing the yarn moving operation by the yarn moving lever for cutting the yarn.

[0020] Thus, the continuous yarn is accurately guided by the first cut-guiding section of the guide member into the slit for cutting. As a result, the cutting of the yarn can be reliably carried out.

[0021] In the yarn winding machine described above, the yarn joining device includes a guide member and a yarn moving lever. A first slit and a second slit are formed on the guide member. The first slit is a slit to which a first yarn end that is a yarn end of the yarn from the yarn supplying section is introduced for yarn joining. The second slit is a slit to which a second yarn end that is a yarn end of the yarn from the package is introduced for the yarn joining. The yarn moving lever is adapted to perform a yarn moving operation during the yarn joining to move the first yarn end to an inner side of the first slit and to move the second yarn end to an inner side of the second slit. The yarn moving lever includes a second cut-guiding section adapted to guide the continuous yarn to one of the first slit and the second slit when performing the yarn moving operation by the yarn moving lever for cutting the yarn.

[0022] Thus, the continuous yarn is accurately guided by the second cut-guiding section of the yarn moving lever into the slit for cutting. As a result, the cutting of the yarn can be reliably carried out.

[0023] The yarn winding machine includes a control section. The control section is adapted to control the yarn joining device to cut the continuous yarn in accordance with the monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device.

[0024] Thus, the yarn can be automatically cut by the cutter of the yarn joining device in accordance with the monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a yarn winding method relates to a method for winding a yarn in a yarn winding machine including a yarn supplying section, a winding device, a yarn joining device, and a yarn monitoring device. The yarn supplying section is adapted to supply a yarn. The winding device is adapted to wind the yarn into a package. The yarn joining device can join the yarn. The yarn monitoring device is adapted to monitor the yarn. In the yarn winding method, the yarn joining device cuts the yarn in accordance with the monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device.

[0026] Thus, the yarn can be cut by the yarn joining device without specially providing the configuration for cutting the yarn. Therefore, according to the yarn winding method, the yarn can be efficiently wound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] 

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a configuration of a spinning unit arranged in a spinning machine according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a yarn joining device seen from a side;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the yarn joining device seen from a front side;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration for controlling a spinning unit;

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating a state of when a catching and guiding device catches a yarn;

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a state of when the catching and guiding device guides a spun yarn to the yarn joining device;

FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating a state of an instance when the spun yarn starts to be wound around a yarn accumulating device;

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a state where the yarn is cut by a cutter of the yarn joining device and held by a clamp section of the yarn joining device when a defect of a joint is detected; and

FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating a state where a yarn end held by the yarn joining device is caught by the second catching and guiding device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0028] A spinning machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. "Upstream" and "downstream" respectively refer to upstream and downstream in a travelling direction of a fiber bundle and a spun yarn during winding of the yarn.

[0029] A spinning machine (yarn winding machine) includes a plurality of spinning units (yarn winding units) 2 arranged in a line, and a machine control device (not illustrated) that collectively manages the plurality of spinning units 2. As illustrated in FIG. 1, each spinning unit 2 winds a yarn (spun yarn 10) supplied from a yarn supplying section 5 by a winding device 26 to form a package 50.

[0030] The spinning machine includes a control section (reference numeral 80 in FIG. 4) that can communicate with the machine control device. The control section 80 is configured as a computer including hardware such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Read Only Memory (ROM), and a Random Access Memory (RAM), and software such as control program, and is adapted to control each section of the spinning unit 2. The control section 80 may be arranged for each spinning unit 2 or may be arranged for a plurality of spinning units 2.

[0031] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the spinning unit 2 includes the yarn supplying section 5, a yarn accumulating device 22, and a winding device 26 in this order from upstream to downstream.

[0032] The yarn supplying section 5 supplies the yarn (the spun yarn 10) to be wound by the winding device 26. In the present embodiment, the yarn supplying section 5 includes a draft device 7, a spinning device 9, a delivery roller 21, and a nip roller 31.

[0033] The draft device 7 includes four draft rollers and opposing rollers, each facing the corresponding draft roller. The four draft rollers are a back roller 16, a third roller 17, a middle roller 19 provided with a rubber apron belt 18, and a front roller 20 in this order from the upstream. Each draft roller is rotatably driven at a predetermined speed.

[0034] The draft device 7 sandwiches and transports a sliver 15, which is supplied from a sliver case (not illustrated) through a sliver guide, between the draft rollers and the opposing rollers, and the sliver 15 is stretched (drafted) to a predetermined fiber amount (or thickness) to obtain a fiber bundle 8.

[0035] The spinning device 9 is arranged immediately downstream of the front roller 20. The spinning device 9 applies twists to the fiber bundle 8 supplied from the draft device 7 to produce the spun yarn 10. The spinning device 9 of the present embodiment is configured as a pneumatic spinning device adapted to generate a whirling airflow therein and to act the whirling airflow on the fiber bundle 8 to apply twists to the fiber bundle.

[0036] A delivery roller 21, which is rotatably driven at a predetermined speed, and a nip roller 31, which can make contact with or move away from the delivery roller 21, are arranged downstream of the spinning device 9. The delivery roller 21 is rotatably driven while the spun yarn 10 discharged from the spinning device 9 is sandwiched with the delivery roller 21 and the nip roller 31 to feed the spun yarn 10 towards the downstream.

[0037] The spun yarn 10 is supplied to the winding device 26 by the yarn supplying section 5 (the draft device 7, the spinning device 9, the delivery roller 21, and the nip roller 31) configured as above. The delivery roller 21 and the nip roller 31 may be omitted, and the spun yarn 10 may be pulled out from the spinning device 9 by the yarn accumulating device 22.

[0038] A yarn quality monitoring device 40 adapted to monitor the quality of the spun yarn 10 is arranged immediately downstream of the delivery roller 21 and the nip roller 31. The yarn quality monitoring device 40 monitors a state (thickness or the like) of the travelling spun yarn 10 by a light transmissive sensor, and detects a yarn defect (abnormal area in the spun yarn 10) contained in the spun yarn 10. The yarn quality monitoring device 40 is not limited to the light transmissive sensor and may be a capacitance sensor to monitor the spun yarn 10. Foreign substances contained in the spun yarn 10 may be monitored as the yarn defect.

[0039] The spinning is stopped in the spinning device 9 when the yarn defect is detected by the yarn quality monitoring device 40, and thus a strength of the spun yarn 10 is lowered at the portion of the spinning device 9 and the spun yarn 10 is disconnected. The spinning device 9 thus has a function of a cutting section adapted to cut the spun yarn 10 when the yarn quality monitoring device 40 detects the yarn defect. Thus, the cutter is not required to be specially provided in the yarn quality monitoring device 40 and the like, for example, and a simple configuration can be realized. However, the cutter may be arranged in the yarn quality monitoring device 40 and the like.

[0040] The winding device 26 winds the spun yarn 10 around a bobbin 51 while traversing to form the package 50. The winding device 26 includes a cradle arm 52 and a winding drum 53.

[0041] The cradle arm 52 includes a supporting section 55 adapted to rotatably support the bobbin 51, and can bring an outer peripheral surface of the package 50 into contact with an outer peripheral surface of the winding drum 53. The package 50 is rotated by driving and rotating the winding drum 53 with the package 50 making contact with the winding drum 53. The spun yarn 10 is thus wound into the package 50. A traverse groove (not illustrated) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the winding drum 53. The traverse groove allows the spun yarn 10 to be wound into the package 50 to be traversed at a predetermined width.

[0042] The winding device 26 includes a brake mechanism (not illustrated) for applying brake on the rotation of the package 50. Although a structure of the brake mechanism is arbitrary, the brake mechanism may include, for example, a brake shoe that makes contact with a member that integrally rotates with the package 50, and a pneumatic cylinder for pushing the brake shoe.

[0043] The yarn accumulating device 22 is arranged immediately downstream of the yarn quality monitoring device 40 and between the yarn supplying section 5 and the winding device 26. The yarn accumulating device 22 includes a yarn accumulating roller 41 and an accumulating motor 42 for rotatably driving the yarn accumulating roller 41. The yarn accumulating device 22 winds the spun yarn 10 around an outer peripheral surface of the yarn accumulating roller 41 to temporarily accumulate the spun yarn 10.

[0044] A yarn hooking member 43 is attached to a downstream end of the yarn accumulating roller 41. The yarn hooking member 43 is supported in a relatively rotatable manner with respect to the yarn accumulating roller 41. A permanent magnet is attached to one of the yarn hooking member 43 and the yarn accumulating roller 41, and a magnetic hysteresis material is attached to the other of the yarn hooking member 43 and the yarn accumulating roller 41. Such magnetic means generates a torque against the relative rotation of the yarn hooking member 43 with respect to the yarn accumulating roller 41. Therefore, only when a force greater than the torque is applied to the yarn hooking member 43 (when a yarn tension greater than or equal to a predetermined value is applied), the yarn hooking member 43 relatively rotates with respect to the yarn accumulating roller 41, and the spun yarn 10 wound around the yarn accumulating roller 41 can be unwound. When a force greater than the torque is not applied to the yarn hooking member 43, the yarn accumulating roller 41 integrally rotates with the yarn hooking member 43, and the spun yarn 10 is accumulated around the yarn accumulating roller 41.

[0045] Thus, the yarn accumulating device 22 operates to unwind the spun yarn 10 when the yarn tension at the downstream is increased, and stop the unwinding of the spun yarn 10 when the yarn tension is decreased (the spun yarn 10 starts to slacken). Thus, the yarn accumulating device 22 can resolve the slackening of the spun yarn 10 and apply an appropriate tension to the spun yarn 10. Furthermore, since the yarn hooking member 43 operates to absorb fluctuation in the yarn tension applied to the spun yarn 10 between the yarn accumulating device 22 and the winding device 26, the yarn hooking member 43 can prevent the fluctuation in the yarn tension from affecting the spun yarn 10 between the spinning device 9 and the yarn accumulating device 22.

[0046] The accumulating motor 42 is configured as an electric motor that can rotate forwardly and reversely, and can also reversely rotate the yarn accumulating roller 41 to forcibly unwind the spun yarn 10 wound around the yarn accumulating roller 41.

[0047] A second guide 62 that suppresses movement of the spun yarn 10 unwound from the yarn accumulating roller 41 is arranged downstream of the yarn accumulating roller 41.

[0048] A yarn joining device 23 is arranged downstream of the second guide 62. The yarn joining device 23 carries out the yarn joining of a spun yarn 10 (first yarn) from the spinning device 9 and a spun yarn 10 (second yarn) from the package 50 when the spun yarn 10 between the spinning device 9 and the package 50 is disconnected for some reason. In the present embodiment, the yarn joining device 23 is a splicer device adapted to twist yarn ends by a whirling airflow generated by compressed air. However, the yarn joining device 23 is not limited to the splicer device, and for example, a mechanical knotter and the like may be adopted.

[0049] The spinning unit 2 includes a catching and guiding device adapted to guide the spun yarn 10 to the yarn joining device 23. The catching and guiding device is configured by a first catching and guiding device 27 adapted to guide the first yarn, and a second catching and guiding device (yarn catching section) 28 adapted to guide the second yarn.

[0050] A basal end portion of the first catching and guiding device 27 is swingably supported. The first catching and guiding device 27 can be vertically swung with this basal end portion as a center of swing. The first catching and guiding device 27 is formed in a hollow form, and is connected to a blower (not illustrated) serving as a negative pressure source so as to be able to generate a suction airflow at the distal end portion. The first catching and guiding device 27 is swung downward to move to a position where a yarn end of the first yarn can be caught (see chain line in FIG. 1) . After catching the first yarn, the first catching and guiding device 27 is swung upward to guide the first yarn to the yarn joining device 23.

[0051] A basal end portion of the second catching and guiding device 28 is swingably supported. The second catching and guiding device 28 can be vertically swung with this basal end portion as a center of swing. The second catching and guiding device 28 is also formed in a hollow form, and is connected to a blower (not illustrated) serving as a negative pressure source so as to be able to generate a suction airflow at the distal end portion. The second catching and guiding device 28 is swung upward to move to a position where a yarn end of the second yarn can be caught (see the chain line in FIG. 1). After catching the second yarn, the second catching and guiding device 28 is swung downward to guide the second yarn to the yarn joining device 23.

[0052] The yarn joining device 23 is driven under this state, so that the first yarn and the second yarn are joined and the spun yarn 10 is connected between the spinning device 9 and the package 50. The winding of the spun yarn 10 into the package 50 thus can be resumed.

[0053] A joint monitoring device (yarn monitoring device) 25 is arranged between the yarn joining device 23 and the winding device 26. The joint monitoring device 25 is arranged downstream of the yarn joining device 23, and non-defectiveness/defectiveness of the joint formed by the yarn joining of the yarn joining device 23 is determined. The joint monitoring device 25 is configured to detect a thickness and the like of the joint by the capacitance sensor or the light transmissive sensor, similarly to the yarn quality monitoring device 40 in the present embodiment. However, the configuration of the joint monitoring device 25 is not particularly limited to the configuration including such a sensor. The joint monitoring device 25 may monitor not only the joint, but also a thickness abnormality of the spun yarn 10 and/or presence and/or absence of the foreign substances contained in the spun yarn 10, similarly to the yarn quality monitoring device 40.

[0054] A third guide 63 for guiding the spun yarn 10 is arranged immediately downstream of the joint monitoring device 25. The third guide 63 bends a travelling path of the spun yarn 10 and guides the spun yarn 10 towards the winding device 26.

[0055] Next, with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the yarn joining device 23 will be described in detail. The yarn joining device 23 includes a yarn joining nozzle 92, guide plates (guide members) 93, 94, yarn moving levers 95, 96, clamp sections 97, 98, yarn holding levers 103, 104, cutters 99, 100, and untwisting chambers 105, 106 as main components.

[0056] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the yarn joining nozzle 92 is arranged on a front side of the yarn joining device 23 (side facing the travelling path of the spun yarn 10). The yarn joining nozzle 92 is provided with a V-shaped groove opened towards the travelling path of the spun yarn 10 and includes a twist applying chamber 92a at an inner side of the groove. The twist applying chamber 92a is formed in a circular column shape with both ends in the yarn travelling direction opened. A slit is formed on a front side of the twist applying chamber 92a so that the spun yarn 10 can be inserted inside the twist applying chamber 92a. The yarn joining nozzle 92 injects compressed air into the twist applying chamber 92a to generate the whirling airflow in the twist applying chamber 92a, and joins the first yarn guided by the first catching and guiding device 27 and the second yarn guided by the second catching and guiding device 28 to form the joint.

[0057] The guide plate 93, the yarn moving lever 95, the clamp section 97, the yarn holding lever 103, the cutter 99, and the untwisting chamber 105 are arranged upstream of the yarn joining nozzle 92. The guide plate 94, the yarn moving lever 96, the clamp section 98, the yarn holding lever 104, the cutter 100, and the untwisting chamber 106 are arranged downstream of the yarn joining nozzle 92.

[0058] The guide plates 93 and 94 are both formed in a plate shape, and are arranged substantially perpendicular to the travelling path of the spun yarn 10 during normal winding. The description "during normal winding" refers to a state where the spun yarn 10 between the yarn supplying section 5 and the winding device 26 is continuous and the winding device 26 is winding the spun yarn 10.

[0059] The guide plate 93 is provided with two slits, a first slit 101 and a second slit 102, arranged next to one another and opened at a travelling path side of the spun yarn 10. The guide plate 94 is provided with two slits, a first slit 201 and a second slit 202, arranged next to one another and opened at the travelling path side of the spun yarn 10. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the first slit 101 of the guide plate 93 and the first slit 201 of the guide plate 94 are arranged at substantially corresponding positions in a direction of the travelling path of the spun yarn 10. The second slit 102 of the guide plate 93 and the second slit 202 of the guide plate 94 are arranged at substantially corresponding positions in the direction of the travelling path of the spun yarn 10.

[0060] When joining the disconnected spun yarn 10 in the yarn joining device 23, the first catching and guiding device 27 guides the first yarn into the first slits 101 and 201, and the second catching and guiding device 28 guides the second yarn into the second slits 102 and 202.

[0061] The two yarn moving levers 95 and 96 are configured to be simultaneously swingable in a direction (closing direction) of entering between the guide plates 93 and 94 and a direction (opening direction) of exiting from between the guide plates 93 and 94 with a shaft arranged to the side of the yarn joining nozzle 92 as a center. By being swung in the closing direction, the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 can push the first yarn guided by the first catching and guiding device 27 to an inner side of the first slits 101 and 201 and can push the second yarn guided by the second catching and guiding device 28 to an inner side of the second slits 102 and 202. By being swung in the closing direction, the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 can guide the first yarn and the second yarn into the twist applying chamber 92a.

[0062] The clamp section 97 is attached to the guide plate 93. The clamp section 98 is attached to the guide plate 94. Each of the clamp sections 97 and 98 can sandwich and clamp the spun yarn 10. Specifically, the clamp section 97 can clamp and hold the spun yarn 10 that has entered the first slits 101 and 201. The clamp section (holding section) 98 can clamp and hold the spun yarn 10 that has entered the second slits 102 and 202.

[0063] The yarn holding levers 103 and 104 are arranged to be simultaneously swingable about a shaft arranged in proximity to a swing shaft of the yarn moving levers 95 and 96. In order to carry out the yarn joining by the yarn joining nozzle 92, the yarn holding levers 103 and 104 are configured to hold the first yarn and the second yarn by being swung in the closing direction and define positions of the first yarn and the second yarn.

[0064] The cutter 99 is attached to the guide plate 93. The cutter 100 is attached to the guide plate 94. The cutters 99 and 100 can cut the spun yarn 10. Specifically, the cutter 99 can cut the spun yarn 10 that has entered the first slits 101 and 201, and the cutter 100 can cut the spun yarn 10 that has entered the second slits 102 and 202.

[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 2, each of the untwisting chambers 105 and 106 is formed in an elongate space. An opening of the untwisting chamber 105 and an opening of the untwisting chamber 106 are arranged with the yarn joining nozzle 92 therebetween. The first yarn can be sucked into the untwisting chamber 105, and the second yarn can be sucked into the untwisting chamber 106. The whirling airflow is generated in the untwisting chambers 105 and 106 by injecting the compressed air into the untwisting chambers 105 and 106. Before the yarn joining is carried out by the yarn joining nozzle 92, the yarn end of the first yarn is sucked into the untwisting chamber 105 and untwisted by the whirling airflow, and the yarn end of the second yarn is sucked into the untwisting chamber 106 and untwisted by the whirling airflow.

[0066] The yarn joining device 23 includes a cam (not illustrated). When the cam is rotated, the yarn moving operation of the yarn moving levers 95 and 96, the clamping operation of the clamp sections 97 and 98, the cutting operation of the cutters 99 and 100, and the holding operation of the yarn holding levers 103 and 104 are carried out. The yarn joining device 23 also includes a valve (not illustrated) which is opened and closed to control supply and stop of the compressed air to the yarn joining nozzle 92 and the untwisting chambers 105 and 106. The valve is also opened in conjunction with rotation of the cam.

[0067] The following yarn joining operation is carried out by the yarn joining device 23 configured as described above. That is, the first yarn in the first slits 101 and 201 and the second yarn in the second slits 102 and 202 are moved by the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 swung in the closing direction so as to be introduced into the yarn joining nozzle 92. The first yarn and the second yarn are clamped by the clamp sections 97 and 98 under this state. Thereafter, the cutter 99 cuts the first yarn, and the cutter 100 cuts the second yarn. An excess portion of the first yarn is sucked by the first catching and guiding device 27 and discarded. An excess portion of the second yarn is sucked by the second catching and guiding device 28 and discarded. The first yarn cut to a predetermined length is sucked into the untwisting chamber 105 and untwisted by the whirling airflow. The second yarn cut to a predetermined length is sucked into the untwisting chamber 106 and untwisted by the whirling airflow. Thereafter, an untwisted portion of the first yarn is pulled out from the untwisting chamber 105 and an untwisted portion of the second yarn is pulled out from the untwisting chamber 106 by further swinging the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 in the closing direction. The untwisted portion of the first yarn and the untwisted portion of the second yarn are introduced to the twist applying chamber 92a of the yarn joining nozzle 92. The yarn holding levers 103 and 104 are swung in the closing direction under this state, and the positions of the first yarn and the second yarn are determined by the yarn holding levers 103 and 104. Then, the untwisted portions are twisted by the whirling airflow generated in the twist applying chamber 92a, so that the first yarn and the second yarn are joined and thereby becomes continuous. Thereafter, the yarn holding levers 103 and 104 are swung in the opening direction to release the spun yarn 10, and the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 are also swung in the opening direction so that the spun yarn 10 returns to the travelling path during the normal winding.

[0068] Next, a description will be made on an electrical configuration of the spinning unit 2 with reference to FIG. 4. In addition to the control section 80, the yarn quality monitoring device 40, the accumulating motor 42, and the joint monitoring device 25, the spinning unit 2 further includes a draft motor 111, a spinning valve 112, a delivery motor 113, a catching and guiding motor 114, a yarn joining cam motor 115, a winding drum motor 116, and a winding brake valve 117.

[0069] The draft motor 111 is, for example, a plurality of electric motors, and can drive each of the back roller 16, the third roller 17, the middle roller 19, and the front roller 20 of the draft device 7 at a predetermined speed.

[0070] The spinning valve 112 is configured as an electromagnetic valve arranged on a path for supplying the compressed air from an appropriate compressed air source to the spinning device 9. The spinning valve 112 can switch whether or not to generate the whirling airflow for twisting and spinning the fiber bundle 8 in the spinning device 9.

[0071] The delivery motor 113 is an electric motor that can drive the delivery roller 21 at a predetermined speed.

[0072] The catching and guiding motor 114 is a forward/reverse rotatable electric motor that can vertically swing the first catching and guiding device 27 and the second catching and guiding device 28.

[0073] The yarn joining cam motor 115 is an electric motor that can rotatably drive the cam (not illustrated) arranged in the yarn joining device 23. As described above, the cam operates the yarn moving levers 95, 96, the yarn holding levers 103, 104, the clamp sections 97, 98, the cutters 99, 100, and the like of the yarn joining device 23. The yarn joining cam motor 115 is configured as a motor that can forwardly rotate and can also reversely rotate, and thus may carry out an operation opposite to the normal operation with respect to the yarn joining device 23 in a predetermined case.

[0074] The winding drum motor 116 is an electric motor that can rotatably drive the winding drum 53. The winding drum motor 116 can forwardly rotate and reversely rotate the winding drum 53.

[0075] The winding brake valve 117 is an electromagnetic valve arranged on a path for supplying the compressed air to an appropriate actuator (e.g., pneumatic cylinder) for actuating the brake mechanism of the winding device 26. The winding brake valve 117 is configured to be able to switch the brake and the release of the brake of the package 50 in the winding device 26.

[0076] The control section 80 controls each section of the spinning unit 2 as described above. Specifically, the draft motor 111, the delivery motor 113, the accumulating motor 42, the catching and guiding motor 114, the yarn joining cam motor 115, and the winding drum motor 116 are electrically connected to the control section 80, and the control section 80 can control the rotation/stop, the rotation speed, or the like of each motor. The spinning valve 112 and the winding brake valve 117 are also electrically connected to the control section 80, and the control section 80 can control the opening/closing of each valve. Furthermore, the yarn quality monitoring device 40 and the joint monitoring device 25 are electrically connected to the control section 80, and output the monitoring result associated with the yarn quality and the non-defectiveness/defectiveness of the joint to the control section 80.

[0077] Next, a description will be made on the operation of the spinning unit 2 during the yarn joining with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7.

[0078] Two typical cases in which the spun yarn 10 is disconnected include: a case where yarn breakage occurs during the winding of the spun yarn 10 into the package 50; and a case where the spun yarn 10 is cut at the portion of the spinning device 9 as a result of the yarn quality monitoring device 40 detecting the yarn defect and the spinning in the spinning device 9 being stopped. When the joint monitoring device 25 detects the joint defect, the spun yarn 10 is also cut and disconnected, and then the yarn joining is carried out again. However, the operation of the spinning unit 2 in this case is different from the normal yarn joining. This will be described later.

[0079] For example, when the yarn quality monitoring device 40 detects the yarn defect, the control section 80 carries out a control to close the spinning valve 112, and stop the winding drum motor 116 and the draft motor 111. As a result, the spinning device 9 stops the spinning, the winding device 26 stops the winding of the package 50, and the draft device 7 stops the drafting of the fiber bundle 8. When the control section 80 controls the actuator (not illustrated), a first guide 61 moves from the state of FIG. 1 to a position away from the yarn accumulating device 22 (see FIG. 5).

[0080] Furthermore, the control section 80 carries out a control to rotate the catching and guiding motor 114 and swing the second catching and guiding device 28 upward from the state of FIG. 1. The distal end of the second catching and guiding device 28 is thereby brought close to the outer peripheral surface of the package 50 as illustrated in FIG. 5, and thus the second catching and guiding device 28 can suck and catch the second yarn. Thereafter, the control section 80 carries out a control to reversely rotate the winding drum motor 116 to reversely rotate the package 50 by a predetermined amount. The control section 80 further drives the catching and guiding motor 114. The second catching and guiding device 28 thereby guides the second yarn to a position where the yarn joining by the yarn joining device 23 can be carried out as illustrated in FIG. 6. As a result, the second yarn is introduced to the second slit 102 formed in the guide plate 93 and the second slit 202 formed in the guide plate 94 of the yarn joining device 23.

[0081] Before or after this operation, the control section 80 controls the draft motor 111 and the spinning valve 112, and resumes the drafting of the fiber bundle 8 by the draft device 7 and the spinning by the spinning device 9. The control section 80 controls to rotate the catching and guiding motor 114 prior to this to swing the first catching and guiding device 27 downward from the state of FIG. 1. Thus, the first catching and guiding device 27 can suck and catch the first yarn produced by the spinning device 9, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The control section 80 further rotates the catching and guiding motor 114, and the first catching and guiding device 27 guides the first yarn to a position where the yarn joining by the yarn joining device 23 can be carried out as illustrated in FIG. 6. As a result, the first yarn is introduced to the first slit 101 formed in the guide plate 93 and the first slit 201 formed in the guide plate 94 of the yarn joining device 23.

[0082] The first yarn and the second yarn are thereby guided to the yarn joining device 23, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0083] After the first catching and guiding device 27 and the second catching and guiding device 28 guide the first yarn and the second yarn to the yarn joining device 23, respectively, the control section 80 controls the first guide 61 to move closer to the yarn accumulating device 22 (see FIG. 7). The spun yarn 10 is thereby guided to proximity of the yarn accumulating device 22, and the spun yarn 10 can be hooked to the yarn hooking member 43 of the yarn accumulating device 22. As a result, the spun yarn 10 starts to be accumulated around the yarn accumulating roller 41.

[0084] At substantially the same time, the control section 80 controls to rotate the yarn joining cam motor 115. The yarn joining device 23 thereby carries out the yarn joining operation as described above, and joins the first yarn and the second yarn.

[0085] After the yarn joining is completed, the control section 80 controls to start the rotation of the winding drum motor 116. As a result, the winding drum 53 and the like that have been stopped are again driven to return to the state of FIG. 1, and the winding of the package 50 is resumed.

[0086] Next, a description will be made on monitoring (inspecting) the formed joint and removing the defective joint after the yarn joining is carried out in the yarn joining device 23 of the spinning unit 2.

[0087] After the yarn joining of the spun yarn 10 is carried out by the yarn joining device 23, the control section 80 controls the winding drum motor 116 to rotate the package 50 stopped in the winding device 26. However, the control section 80 controls the winding drum motor 116 such that the acceleration of the rotation of the package 50 becomes smaller than normal until the joint is inspected by the joint monitoring device 25.

[0088] As the spun yarn 10 is wound by the winding device 26, the joint formed by the yarn joining of the yarn joining device 23 passes through the joint monitoring device 25. The joint monitoring device 25 inspects the joint, and determines non-defectiveness/defectiveness of the joint. If determined by the joint monitoring device 25 that the joint is non-defective, the control section 80 controls the winding drum motor 116 to raise the rotation speed of the package 50 at the normal (large) acceleration. In the spinning unit 2, the spun yarn 10 is wound while being monitored by the yarn quality monitoring device 40.

[0089] If determination is made by the joint monitoring device 25 that the joint is defective, the control section 80 controls the winding drum motor 116 and the winding brake valve 117 so as to immediately stop the rotation of the package 50. The acceleration of the rotation of the package 50 is more or less gradual at the beginning as described above, and thus the rotation speed of the package 50 is not so high at the time point when the non-defectiveness/defectiveness of the joint is determined by the joint monitoring device 25. Since the brake mechanism immediately applies brake on the rotation of the package 50, the time from detection of the defective joint until stop of rotation of the package 50 can be shortened.

[0090] If the defect of the joint is detected by the joint monitoring device 25, the control section 80 controls the spinning valve 112 and stops the supply of compressed air with respect to the spinning device 9. As a result, the spun yarn 10 is cut in the spinning device 9. Furthermore, the control section 80 stops the draft motor 111, the delivery motor 113, and the like.

[0091] The control section 80 then controls the yarn joining cam motor 115 to rotate the cam of the yarn joining device 23 by a predetermined angle, and carries out a part of the yarn joining operation (i.e., the yarn moving operation of the yarn moving levers 95 and 96, the clamping operation of the clamp sections 97 and 98, and the cutting operation of the cutters 99 and 100). As a result, the (continuous) spun yarn 10 on the travelling path during the normal winding is moved to the yarn joining device 23 by the yarn moving levers 95 and 96. Although the details will be described later, the guide plate 94 and the yarn moving lever 95 have a predetermined shape, and the spun yarn 10 enters, not the first slits 101 and 201, but the second slits 102 and 202 when the continuous spun yarn 10 is moved to the yarn joining nozzle 92 (the twist applying chamber 92a) by the yarn moving levers 95 and 96. Therefore, the continuous spun yarn 10 is inserted to the second slits 102 and 202 by the yarn moving levers 95 and 96, clamped by the clamp section 98, and cut by the cutter 100.

[0092] The second yarn is thereby clamped by the clamp section 98, and the first yarn falls off from the yarn joining device 23. The first yarn is not required to be clamped since the first yarn is discarded, as will be described later.

[0093] The control section 80 controls to reversely rotate the accumulating motor 42 while maintaining the state in which the yarn joining device 23 is clamping the second yarn. As a result, the yarn accumulating roller 41 of the yarn accumulating device 22 reversely rotates, and thus the spun yarn 10 (the first yarn) accumulated around the yarn accumulating roller 41 is unwound and sucked into a suction section (not illustrated) and discarded.

[0094] The control section 80 carries out a control to drive the catching and guiding motor 114 from the state of FIG. 8, and once swing the second catching and guiding device 28 upward. However, in this case, the control section 80 controls the second catching and guiding device 28 to once come to a rest in a middle of the upward swinging stroke at a position of solid line of FIG. 9 where the distal end is positioned in proximity to the clamp section 98 of the yarn joining device 23. The control section 80 carries out the control to reversely rotate the yarn joining cam motor 115 under this state, release the clamping of the second yarn by the clamp section 98, and rotate the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 in the opening direction. The second yarn is thereby caught by the second catching and guiding device 28.

[0095] Thus, in the present embodiment, the yarn end of the second yarn is clamped by the clamp section 98 until being caught by the second catching and guiding device 28. Therefore, for example, the position of the yarn end is stabilized as compared to a case where the yarn end of the second yarn is wound into the package 50. Accordingly, a catching mistake by the second catching and guiding device 28 can be satisfactorily reduced as much as possible.

[0096] After releasing the clamping by the clamp section 98, the control section 80 carries out a control to reversely rotate the winding drum motor 116 to reversely rotate the package 50 by a predetermined amount. The amount by which the package 50 is reversely rotated in this case is the amount by which the joint determined as defective by the joint monitoring device 25 is pulled out from the package 50 by a sufficient distance.

[0097] Thereafter, the control section 80 carries out a control to drive the catching and guiding motor 114, and swing the second catching and guiding device 28 downward. The second catching and guiding device 28 thereby guides the second yarn to a position where the yarn joining by the yarn joining device 23 can be carried out. As a result, the second yarn is introduced to the second slit 102 formed in the guide plate 93 and the second slit 202 formed in the guide plate 94 of the yarn joining device 23.

[0098] Before or after this operation, the control section 80 resumes the drafting of the fiber bundle 8 by the draft device 7 and the spinning by the spinning device 9. The control section 80 controls the first catching and guiding device 27 to be swung downward from the state of FIG. 8 prior to this. Thus, the first catching and guiding device 27 can catch the first yarn produced by the spinning device 9. As a result, the first yarn is introduced to the first slit 101 formed in the guide plate 93 and the first slit 201 formed in the guide plate 94 of the yarn joining device 23.

[0099] As a result of the above operation, the first yarn and the second yarn are arranged similarly to the state of FIG. 6, and thus the control section 80 carries out the control to cause the yarn joining device 23 to carry out the normal yarn joining operation. The yarn joining operation is similar to the case when the yarn defect is detected by the yarn quality monitoring device 40 described above, and thus the description thereof will be omitted. After the yarn joining is completed, the state of the spun yarn 10 returns to the state of FIG. 1, and thus the control section 80 controls the winding drum motor 116 to rotate the package 50 stopped in the winding device 26. The newly formed joint is inspected by the joint monitoring device 25 similarly to the previous joint.

[0100] Thus, when the joint monitoring device 25 detects the defect of the joint, the spinning unit 2 in the spinning machine of the present embodiment does not cut the spun yarn 10 by the specially provided cutter, but cuts the spun yarn 10 by the cutter 100 for cutting the excess yarn during the yarn joining in the yarn joining device 23. Therefore, a cutter is not required to be specially added to the spinning unit 2, whereby a simple configuration can be realized and a cost can be reduced. Furthermore, a portion of the spun yarn 10 located downstream of a cut area (position close to the package 50) is clamped by the clamp section 98 before the spun yarn 10 is cut by the cutter 100 of the yarn joining device 23. Therefore, the second yarn is clamped by the clamp section 98 from the time of the yarn cut, and the second catching and guiding device 28 catches the second yarn in a manner of receiving the second yarn from the clamp section 98. Therefore, the second yarn does not move irregularly by the cutting of the spun yarn 10, and thus the second catching and guiding device 28 can smoothly catch the second yarn, and the defective joint can be efficiently removed.

[0101] Next, a description will be made on the configuration for smoothly introducing the continuous spun yarn 10 to the second slits 102 and 202 to cut the spun yarn 10 by the cutter 100 when the joint defect is found.

[0102] As described above, if the joint defect is detected by the joint monitoring device 25, the spun yarn 10 is cut by the yarn joining device 23 while the portion of the spun yarn 10 located downstream of the cut area is being clamped. Therefore, the continuous spun yarn 10 is required to be introduced to the second slits 102 and 202. If the spun yarn 10 enters the first slits 101 and 201, the spun yarn 10 is cut by the cutter 99, and the first yarn located upstream of the cut area (the position close to the yarn supplying section 5) is clamped by the clamp section 97. In this case, the second yarn is not clamped, and thus the spun yarn 10 cannot be prevented from moving around by an impact of cutting. In other words, the second yarn cannot be smoothly caught by the second catching and guiding device 28.

[0103] The spun yarn 10 may enter the first slit 101 of the guide plate 93, and enter the second slit 202 of the guide plate 94. In this case, the spun yarn 10 cannot be cut by the cutters 99 and 100.

[0104] The spun yarn 10 may enter the second slit 102 of the guide plate 93, and enter the first slit 201 of the guide plate 94. In this case, the spun yarn 10 is cut by the cutters 99 and 100 at two areas, and hence the spun yarn 10 between the cut areas may remain in the yarn joining nozzle 92 and inhibit the yarn joining.

[0105] In the yarn joining device 23 of the present embodiment, the shapes of the downstream guide plate 94 and the upstream yarn moving lever 95 are configured as below to reliably introduce the continuous spun yarn 10 to both the second slit 102 of the guide plate 93 and the second slit 202 of the guide plate 94.

[0106] Hereinafter, description will be made in detail with reference to FIG. 3. A projection 93a is formed between the two slits 101 and 102 of the guide plate 93. A projection 94a is formed between the two slits 201 and 202 of the guide plate 94. The projection 93a is provided with a guiding surface 93b that guides the spun yarn 10 to the first slit 101 and a guiding surface 93c that guides the spun yarn 10 to the second slit 102. The two guiding surfaces 93b and 93c are both formed in a tapered shape. The guiding surface 93b is smoothly continued to an inner wall of the first slit 101. The guiding surface 93c is smoothly continued to an inner wall of the second slit 102. A projection length of the projection 94a is longer than a projection length of the projection 93a. The projection 94a is provided with only a guiding surface (first cut-guiding section) 94c adapted to guide the spun yarn 10 to the second slit 202. The guiding surface 94c is formed in a tapered shape, and is smoothly continued to the inner wall of the second slit 202.

[0107] The yarn moving levers 95 and 96 are both formed in a shape bent towards one side. A yarn guiding section 95a adapted to make contact with the spun yarn 10 and guide the spun yarn 10 is formed on an inner peripheral side of the yarn moving lever 95. A yarn guiding section 96a adapted to make contact with the spun yarn 10 and guide the spun yarn 10 is formed on an inner peripheral side of the yarn moving lever 96. The yarn moving lever 95 is formed to be longer than the yarn moving lever 96. The yarn guiding section 95a is provided with a V-shaped bent portion (second cut-guiding section) 95b.

[0108] The operation of the above configuration will be described. When the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 are swung in the closing direction from the state of FIG. 3, the upstream yarn moving lever 95 first makes contact with the continuous spun yarn 10. In a course where the upstream yarn moving lever 95 approaches the guide plates 93 and 94 while making contact with the spun yarn 10, the spun yarn 10 applied with a tension naturally moves to an area of the bent portion 95b. The bent portion 95b is arranged at a position substantially corresponding to the second slit 202 in a state immediately before the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 enter between the guide plate 93 and the guide plate 94. Therefore, the spun yarn 10 that moved to the bent portion 95b smoothly enters the second slit 202.

[0109] The spun yarn 10 moved by the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 first makes contact with the downstream projection 94a. The spun yarn 10 is introduced into the second slit 102 by the guiding surface 94c of the projection 94a.

[0110] The guide plate 94 and the yarn moving lever 95 of the yarn joining device 23 have shape characteristics described above, and thus when the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 move the continuous spun yarn 10, the spun yarn 10 is guided to enter the second slit 102 formed in the guide plate 93 and the second slit 202 formed in the guide plate 94. Therefore, the spun yarn 10 can be reliably cut by the cutter 100 while being clamped by the clamp section 98.

[0111] As described above, the spinning unit 2 of the spinning machine of the present embodiment includes the yarn supplying section 5, the winding device 26, the yarn joining device 23, and the joint monitoring device 25. The yarn supplying section 5 is adapted to supply the spun yarn 10. The winding device 26 is adapted to wind the spun yarn 10 into the package 50. The yarn joining device 23 has the cutter 100. The joint monitoring device 25 monitors the spun yarn 10. The spinning machine (the spinning unit 2) cuts the continuous spun yarn 10 by the cutter 100 of the yarn joining device 23 in accordance with the monitoring result of the joint monitoring device 25.

[0112] Thus, the spun yarn 10 can be cut by the cutter 100 of the yarn joining device 23 without specially providing the cutter. Therefore, the spun yarn 10 can be cut with a simple configuration in accordance with the monitoring result of the joint monitoring device 25.

[0113] In the spinning machine of the present embodiment, the joint monitoring device 25 is arranged downstream of the yarn joining device 23. The spinning machine cuts the spun yarn 10 by the cutter 100 in accordance with the monitoring result of the joint of the spun yarn 10 by the joint monitoring device 25.

[0114] Thus, the joint of the spun yarn 10 formed by the yarn joining device 23 can be fed downstream by the winding of the winding device 26, and non-defectiveness/defectiveness of the joint can be immediately determined by the joint monitoring device 25. Therefore, if the formed joint is non-defective, the winding can be continued. If the joint is defective, the joint defect can be detected at an initial stage of acceleration of a winding speed of the winding device 26, and the winding can be stopped in a short period of time. As a result, the yarn joining can be efficiently carried out when carrying out the yarn joining again.

[0115] The spinning machine of the present embodiment cuts the spun yarn 10 by the cutter 100 after stopping the winding of the winding device 26 when the defect is detected in the joint of the spun yarn 10 by the joint monitoring device 25.

[0116] Thus, the cut yarn end is not wound into the package 50 rotating (through inertia) in the winding device 26. Therefore, the yarn end can be reliably caught when carrying out the yarn joining again.

[0117] In the spinning machine of the present embodiment, the yarn joining device 23 includes the clamp section 98 adapted to hold the spun yarn 10. The cutting of the spun yarn 10 carried out by the cutter 100 in accordance with the monitoring result of the joint monitoring device 25 is carried out while the spun yarn 10 is being held by the clamp section 98.

[0118] Thus, the yarn end formed by the cutting of the spun yarn 10 can be prevented from moving around due to rapid release of the tension of the spun yarn 10 and/or twist contraction of the spun yarn 10, and the like.

[0119] In the spinning machine of the present embodiment, the area where the clamp section 98 of the yarn joining device 23 holds the spun yarn 10 is on the downstream of the cut area of the spun yarn 10 by the cutter 100.

[0120] Thus, the second yarn, which is the yarn end on the downstream side (the package 50 side) of the yarn ends formed by cutting the spun yarn 10 can be held by the clamp section 98. Therefore, the yarn end of the second yarn leading from the package 50 can be prevented from moving around, and the yarn joining can be efficiently carried out when carrying out the yarn joining again.

[0121] The spinning machine of the present embodiment includes the second catching and guiding device 28 adapted to catch the spun yarn 10 from the package 50. The clamp section 98 is adapted to release the holding of the spun yarn 10 after the second catching and guiding device 28 moves to a position where the second catching and guiding device 28 can catch the spun yarn 10 held by the clamp section 98.

[0122] Thus, the second yarn is held by the clamp section 98 such that the yarn end (the second yarn) from the package 50 does not move and the second yarn is delivered to the second catching and guiding device 28, whereby the second catching and guiding device 28 can very easily catch the spun yarn 10. Therefore, the catching operation of the spun yarn 10 can be smoothly carried out, and the efficiency of the yarn joining can be further improved.

[0123] In the spinning machine of the present embodiment, the yarn joining device 23 includes the guide plates 93, 94 and the yarn moving levers 95, 96. The guide plate 93 is provided with the first slit 101 to which the yarn end of the first yarn from the yarn supplying section 5 is introduced for the yarn joining and the second slit 102 to which the yarn end of the second yarn from the package 50 is introduced for the yarn joining. The guide plate 94 is provided with the first slit 201 to which the yarn end of the first yarn is introduced for the yarn joining and the second slit 202 to which the yarn end of the second yarn is introduced for the yarn joining. The yarn moving levers 95 and 96 are adapted to perform a yarn moving operation during the yarn joining to move the yarn end of the first yarn to the inner side of the first slits 101 and 201 and to move the yarn end of the second yarn to the inner side of the second slits 102 and 202. The downstream guide plate 94 includes the guiding surface 94c adapted to guide the spun yarn 10 to the second slit 202 when the yarn moving operation is carried out by the yarn moving levers 95 and 96 to cut the continuous spun yarn 10.

[0124] Thus, the continuous spun yarn 10 is reliably introduced into the second slit 202, which is the slit for cutting, by the guiding surface 94c of the guide plate 94. As a result, the spun yarn 10 can be reliably cut by the cutter 100 of the yarn joining device 23.

[0125] In the spinning machine of the present embodiment, the upstream yarn moving lever 95 includes the bent portion 95b adapted to guide the spun yarn 10 to the second slit 102 when the yarn moving operation is carried out by the yarn moving lever 95 (96) to cut the continuous spun yarn 10.

[0126] Thus, the continuous spun yarn 10 is reliably introduced into the second slit 102, which is the slit for cutting, by the bent portion 95b of the yarn moving lever 95. As a result, the spun yarn 10 can be reliably cut by the cutter 100 of the yarn joining device 23.

[0127] The spinning machine of the present embodiment includes the control section 80. The control section 80 is adapted to carry out the control such that the yarn joining device 23 cuts the continuous spun yarn 10 in accordance with the monitoring result of the joint monitoring device 25.

[0128] Thus, the spun yarn 10 can be automatically cut by the cutter 100 of the yarn joining device 23 in accordance with the monitoring result of the joint monitoring device 25.

[0129] The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the structure described above may be modified as below.

[0130] Instead of arranging the yarn joining device 23 and the joint monitoring device 25 for each spinning unit 2, an operation cart that can move among the spinning units 2 may be arranged and the operation cart may carry out the yarn joining operation and the monitoring of the joint.

[0131] When the first catching and guiding device 27 catches the first yarn and the second catching and guiding device 28 catches the second yarn, the catching may be assisted by an appropriate assisting device. For example, the yarn end may be blown towards the distal end of the first catching and guiding device 27 and/or the distal end of the second catching and guiding device 28 by injecting the compressed air from an appropriate place. In this case, a catching success rate of the first yarn and the second yarn can be improved. A yarn guide and the like for regulating the position of the spun yarn 10 may be further arranged. In this case, the yarn end fed by the blown airflow can be stably delivered to the first catching and guiding device 27 and/or the second catching and guiding device 28.

[0132] How many times the package 50 has rotated from the detection of the defect of the joint by the joint monitoring device 25 until the stop of the package 50 may be detected, and the rotation amount for reversely rotating the package 50 before the yarn joining operation may be controlled in accordance with the detection result. In other words, the amount in which the package 50 rotates until the rotation stops differs according to the wound amount of the spun yarn 10 in the package 50 at the time point the joint defect is detected and/or the rotation speed of the package 50 at the time point the joint defect is detected. The control section 80 thus may obtain the rotation amount until the stop of the package 50 by an appropriate rotation detecting section arranged in the winding device 26, and control the reverse rotation amount of the package 50 in accordance with the obtained rotation amount. The rotation detecting section may be, for example, a rotation sensor configured to generate a pulse signal each time the package 50 is rotated by a predetermined angle. Thus, the package 50 can be reversely rotated only by the minimum rotation amount at which the defective joint can be pulled out and removed according to the situation. As a result, the package 50 is prevented from being unnecessarily reversely rotated, the waste of the spun yarn 10 can be reduced, and the operation efficiency can be improved.

[0133] In the embodiment described above, the joint monitoring device 25 that monitors the joint of the spun yarn 10 is arranged separately from the yarn quality monitoring device 40 that monitors the quality of the spun yarn 10. However, both the joint of the spun yarn 10 and the quality of the spun yarn 10 may be monitored by one yarn monitoring device.

[0134] The structure for guiding the continuous spun yarn 10 to the second slits 102 and 202 is not limited to the guiding surface 94c and the bent portion 95b described above. For example, a large guiding surface 94c adapted to guide the spun yarn 10 to the second slits 102 and 202 may be arranged on the upstream guide plate 93. Furthermore, a bent portion similar to the bent portion provided in the upstream yarn moving lever 95 may be arranged in the downstream yarn moving lever 96.

[0135] The continuous spun yarn 10 may be introduced, not to the second slits 102 and 202, but to the first slits 101 and 201, and the spun yarn 10 may be cut by the cutter 99. In this case, the second yarn cannot be held, but the first yarn can be held by the clamp section 97.

[0136] In the embodiment described above, the spun yarn 10 is cut by the cutter 100 of the yarn joining device 23 when the defective joint is detected, and after holding the second yarn by the clamp section 98, the second catching and guiding device 28 is once brought to rest at the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 9, and the clamping of the clamp section 98 is controlled to be released under this state. However, the second catching and guiding device 28 is not necessarily brought to a rest as long as the second yarn can be reliably caught by the second catching and guiding device 28.

[0137] In the embodiment described above, the winding drum motor 116 adapted to drive the winding drum 53 of the winding device 26 is arranged for each spinning unit 2. However, alternatively, the winding drum 53 may be driven by a drive shaft commonly arranged for the plurality of spinning units 2. In this case, a package driving mechanism separate from the winding drum 53 is preferably arranged to rotate the package 50 at a lower acceleration than normal as described above or to reversely rotate the package 50 immediately after the completion of the yarn joining.

[0138] The spinning machine of the embodiment described above has a layout in which the package 50 is arranged on the upper side of the spinning unit 2. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be applied to the spinning machine (e.g., disclosure of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-77576) in which the package 50 is arranged on the lower side of the spinning unit 2. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to an automatic winder adapted to wind the yarn unwound from a yarn supplying bobbin to form a package. In this case, a bobbin setting section adapted to set the yarn supplying bobbin corresponds to the yarn supplying section.

Claims

1. A yarn winding machine comprising:

a yarn supplying section (5) adapted to supply a yarn (10);

a winding device (26) adapted to wind the yarn (10) into a package (50);

a yarn joining device (23) having a cutter (100); and

a yarn monitoring device (25) adapted to monitor the yarn (10),

wherein the cutter (100) of the yarn joining device (23) is adapted to cut the continuous yarn (10) in accordance with a monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device (25).

2. The yarn winding machine according to claim 1, wherein the yarn monitoring device (25) is arranged downstream of the yarn joining device (23) in a travelling direction of the yarn (10) during winding of the package (50), and the cutter (100) is adapted to cut the yarn (10) in accordance with the monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device (25).

3. The yarn winding machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cutter (100) is adapted to cut the yarn (10) after stopping winding of the winding device (26) when the yarn monitoring device (25) detects a defect in a joint of the yarn (10).

4. The yarn winding machine according to claim 3, wherein the yarn joining device (23) includes a holding member (98) adapted to hold the yarn (10), and the cutter (100) is adapted to cut the yarn (10) held by the holding member (98) in accordance with the monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device (25).

5. The yarn winding machine according to claim 4, wherein a position where the holding member (98) holds the yarn (10) is arranged downstream of a position where the cutter (100) cuts the yarn (10) in the travelling direction of the yarn (10) during the winding of the package (50).

6. The yarn winding machine according to claim 5, further comprising a yarn catching section (28) adapted to catch the yarn (10) from the package (50), and the holding member (98) is adapted to release the yarn (10) after the yarn catching section (28) moves to a position where the yarn catching section (28) can catch the yarn (10) held by the holding member (98).

7. The yarn winding machine according to any one of claim 3 through claim 6, wherein
the yarn joining device (23) includes a guide member (93, 94) and a yarn moving lever (95, 96),
a first slit (101, 201) and a second slit (102, 202) are formed on the guide member (93, 94), the first slit (101, 201) being a slit to which a first yarn end that is a yarn end of the yarn (10) from the yarn supplying section (5) is introduced for yarn joining, and the second slit (102, 202) being a slit to which a second yarn end that is a yarn end of the yarn (10) from the package (50) is introduced for the yarn joining,
the yarn moving lever (95, 96) is adapted to perform a yarn moving operation during the yarn joining to move the first yarn end to an inner side of the first slit (101, 201) and to move the second yarn end to an inner side of the second slit (102, 202), and
the guide member (93, 94) includes a first cut-guiding section (94c) adapted to guide the continuous yarn (10) to one of the first slit (101, 201) and the second slit (102, 202) when performing the yarn moving operation by the yarn moving lever (95, 96) for cutting the yarn (10).

8. The yarn winding machine according to any one of claim 3 through claim 6, wherein
the yarn joining device (23) includes a guide member (93, 94) and a yarn moving lever (95, 96),
a first slit (101, 201) and a second slit (102, 202) are formed on the guide member (93, 94), the first slit (101, 201) being a slit to which a first yarn end that is a yarn end of the yarn (10) from the yarn supplying section (5) is introduced for yarn joining, and the second slit (102, 202) being a slit to which a second yarn end that is a yarn end of the yarn (10) from the package (50) is introduced for the yarn joining,
the yarn moving lever (95, 96) is adapted to perform a yarn moving operation during the yarn joining to move the first yarn end to an inner side of the first slit (101, 201) and to move the second yarn end to an inner side of the second slit (102, 202), and
the yarn moving lever (95, 96) includes a second cut-guiding section (95b) adapted to guide the continuous yarn (10) to one of the first slit (101, 201) and the second slit (102, 202) when performing the yarn moving operation by the yarn moving lever (95, 96) for cutting the yarn (10).

9. The yarn winding machine according to claim 7, wherein the yarn moving lever (95, 96) includes a second cut-guiding section (95b) adapted to guide the continuous yarn (10) to one of the first slit (101, 201) and the second slit (102, 202) when performing the yarn moving operation by the yarn moving lever (95, 96) for cutting the yarn (10).

10. The yarn winding machine according to any one of claim 1 through claim 9, further comprising a control section (80) adapted to control the yarn joining device (23) to cut the continuous yarn (10) in accordance with the monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device (25).

11. A yarn winding method in a yarn winding machine including a yarn supplying section (5) adapted to supply a yarn (10), a winding device (26) adapted to wind the yarn (10) into a package (50), a yarn joining device (23) adapted to join the yarn (10), and a yarn monitoring device (25) adapted to monitor the yarn (10), the method comprising:

cutting the continuous yarn (10) by the yarn joining device (23) in accordance with a monitoring result of the yarn monitoring device (25).

Drawing