BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a tire cord fabric weaving loom for weaving a tire
cord fabric including a tire fabric section. In particular, the present invention
relates to a tire cord fabric weaving loom that successively obtains a weaving amount
of the tire cord fabric on the basis of a rotation amount of a main shaft of the loom
(corresponding to a "loom main shaft" in the present invention, and, hereinafter,
also simply referred to as a "main shaft") during weaving and that stores the weaving
amount of the tire cord fabric that has been woven as a woven length in a loom control
apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] In a loom, when a weaving flaw (weaving defect) that is unacceptable in terms of
quality is found in a woven fabric, a so-called "flaw returning operation" is performed
to repair the flaw. The flaw returning operation is an operation in which the fabric
is returned to a state before the weaving flaw was generated. To be more specific,
in the flaw returning operation, the loom is returned to a state before an area of
the fabric between the cloth fell and a portion where a weaving flaw occurred was
woven. The loom is operated so that weft yarns that have been woven into the area
are extracted from the fabric and so that the cloth fell of the fabric from which
the weft yarns have been extracted is returned to a position corresponding to the
forward-most position of a reed of the loom.
[0003] In a loom for weaving a general fabric (hereinafter, referred to as a "normal loom"),
the flaw returning operation is performed as follows: the loom main shaft (driving
motor) is rotated backward one rotation at a time; a weft yarn is extracted from the
fabric by placing the weft yarn in a pick-finding state (a state in which the warp
is shed and the weft yarn is exposed to the cloth fell) each time the loom main shaft
is rotated backward; and the operation of rotating the loom main shaft and extracting
a weft warn is repeatedly performed until all weft yarns in the area are extracted.
[0004] However, in a case where the loom is a tire cord fabric weaving loom (hereinafter,
also referred to as a "tire cord loom"), the flaw returning operation is generally
performed without rotating the main shaft, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent
Application Publication No.
2012-149365.
[0005] To be more specific, a tire cord loom is a loom for weaving a tire cord fabric including
a tire fabric section, which has a weft density (for example, 1 yarn/inch) that is
considerably lower than that of a general fabric. The tire cord fabric is a rubber
reinforcement fabric that is used to produce a carcass layer that forms a skeleton
of a rubber tire. The carcass layer is manufactured by coating the tire fabric section
of the tire cord fabric with a rubber material. The tire cord loom continuously weaves
one unit of tire fabric section, which is a part of the tire fabric section having
a preset woven length.
[0006] However, the tire cord fabric woven by the tire cord loom includes not only the tire
fabric section but also a tabby section. The tabby section forms a boundary of one
unit of the tire cord section and has a weft density as high as that of a general
fabric so as to keep the shape of the fabric of the tire cord section. Accordingly,
the tire cord loom weaves the tire cord fabric through a continuous weaving process
in which a step of weaving the one unit of the tire cord section and a step of weaving
the tabby section having a predetermined length are repeatedly performed. Only the
tire cord section of the tire cord fabric, which is woven in this way, is used as
a product (used for a rubber tire). The tabby section is discarded in a manufacturing
process of a rubber tire. Accordingly, a fabric quality is not required for the tabby
section.
[0007] While weaving the tire cord fabric with the tire cord loom, if a weaving flaw (a
weaving defect that causes a quality problem) is found in the tire fabric section,
the flaw returning operation is performed as described above. However, in the tire
fabric section of the tire cord fabric, because the weft density is very low as described
above and the warp holds the weft with only a weak force, it is possible to extract
a weft yarn without placing the weft yarn in a pick-finding state. Therefore, in contrast
to that of a normal loom, the flaw returning operation of the tire cord loom is performed
without rotating the main shaft backward. To be specific, the flaw returning operation
is performed as follows: first, an operator (loom operator) removes weft yarns from
an area of a tire fabric section on the loom from which it is necessary (or possible)
to remove the weft yarns; then, the operator, for example, manually presses a button
to operate (rotate backward) only a take-up mechanism and a let-off mechanism to move
the cloth fell position of the tire fabric section, from which the weft yarns have
been removed, toward the warp let-off side. Thus, in a tire cord loom, the flaw returning
operation is performed as an operation (warp feeding operation) of feeding, toward
the warp let-off side, a part of a woven tire fabric section from which weft yarns
have been removed and in which only warp yarns remain.
[0008] Examples of a weaving defect of a tire cord fabric (tire fabric section) that may
cause a quality problem include a case where tuck-in of an end portion of weft yarns,
which is generally performed when weaving a tire cord section as described in Japanese
Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2011-111700, is not normally (desirably) performed. Such a state in which tuck-in is not normally
performed (tuck-in failure) is not problematic if it occurs temporarily. However,
if it occurs due to a mechanical problem or a control-related problem, the tuck-in
failure may continuously occur after the first time it occurs. Such a case causes
a quality problem of the tire fabric section.
[0009] Moreover, in contrast to a general loom, which uses warp yarns released from a warp
beam, a tire cord loom generally uses warp yarns released from a creel device that
is independent of the loom and that includes yarn supply packages in the same number
as the number of the warp yarns. In this case, if some of the yarn supply packages
have a quality problem, the problem causes a defect in a warp yarn that extends in
the warp direction in a tire fabric section. Also in such a case, the flaw returning
operation is performed to remove the portion in which the warp yarn is defective.
[0010] Weaving of the tire fabric section, which has a very low weft density as described
above, is performed with a warp feeding velocity that is considerably higher than
that of a normal loom. Therefore, at a time when an operator finds the weaving defect,
defective weaving may have been performed by an amount corresponding to several tens
of meters of the warp (which may be as long as 100 m). In this case, an operator performs
an operation of returning the several tens of meters of the fabric (warp row).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is required that looms, including tire cord looms, to manage the woven length
of a fabric that has been woven during weaving as accurately as possible. For example,
the woven length is calculated on the basis of the rotation amount (the number of
rotations) of the main shaft during weaving and the weft density of a fabric that
is being woven. During weaving, a weaving amount (weaving amount for one rotation
of the main shaft (for one loom cycle)) corresponding to the weft density is added
each time the main shaft rotates once. The accumulated value is stored in a control
device of the loom or the like and managed.
[0012] In the case of a normal loom, when a flaw returning operation is performed as described
above, the main shaft is rotated backward one rotation at a time in the flaw returning
operation. Therefore, each time the main shaft is rotated backward once, a weaving
amount corresponding to one rotation of the main shaft is subtracted from the accumulated
value, so that the correspondence between the accumulated value stored in the loom
(a woven length obtained by calculation) and the actual woven length is maintained.
[0013] However, in the case of a tire cord loom, the flaw returning operation (warp feeding
operation) is not performed by rotating (rotating backward) the main shaft but is
performed by rotating only the take-up device and the let-off mechanism backward as
described above. Therefore, with existing tire cord looms, when the flaw returning
operation is performed, it is not possible to obtain the length of the area that is
returned due to the flaw returning operation. As a result, although the actual woven
length is decreased due to the flaw returning operation, the accumulated value is
maintained at a value before the flaw returning operation was performed. Therefore,
with existing tire cord looms, when the flaw returning operation is performed, the
woven length stored in the loom control apparatus (the accumulated value) becomes
different from the actual woven length. Moreover, as described above, the flaw returning
operation of the tire cord loom may be performed so as to return several tens of meters
of the warp. Accordingly, existing tire cord looms have a problem in that it is not
possible to manage the woven length accurately when the flaw returning operation is
performed.
[0014] An object of the present invention, which addresses the problem with existing tire
cord looms, is to enable a tire cord fabric weaving loom to manage the woven length
accurately even when a flaw returning operation is performed.
[0015] To achieve the object, a weaving management method according to the present invention,
which is used in a tire cord fabric weaving loom as described above, includes detecting
a movement amount of a movement member, which moves as a warp row moves, in a process
of a warp feeding operation that is performed by moving the warp row toward a let-off
mechanism in a state in which rotation of a loom main shaft is stopped while the loom
is stopped; obtaining a return length of the tire cord fabric that has been returned
due to the warp feeding operation on the basis of the detected movement amount; and
subtracting the obtained return length from the stored woven length stored in the
loom control apparatus.
[0016] A weaving management apparatus according to the present invention, which is used
in the tire cord fabric weaving loom as described above in which the loom control
apparatus causes a take-up mechanism and a let-off mechanism to rotate backward while
the loom is stopped to perform a warp feeding operation with which a warp row is moved
toward the let-off mechanism in a state in which rotation of a loom main shaft is
stopped, includes a detection device that detects a movement amount of a movement
member, which moves as the warp row moves, during the warp feeding operation; and
a computing device that obtains a return length of the tire cord fabric that has been
returned due to the warp feeding operation on the basis of a detected movement amount
that is the movement amount of the movement member detected by the detection device.
[0017] In the present invention, the warp feeding operation refers to the flaw returning
operation of the tire cord loom. To be specific, the flaw returning operation is an
operation for returning a woven fabric to a state before an area including a weaving
defect was woven. In the case of a tire cord loom, the flaw returning operation is
performed when a weaving defect as described above is found in a tire fabric section,
for which a fabric quality is required. As described above, the flaw returning operation
of the tire cord loom is performed by extracting weft yarns from the woven tire fabric
section beforehand so that the tire cord section has only the warp yarns and by continuously
feeding the warp row toward the let-off mechanism. Accordingly, because the operation
that the tire cord loom performs for flaw returning can be regarded as an operation
of feeding the warp row, in the present invention, the flaw returning operation is
a warp feeding operation. The flaw returning operation (warp feeding operation) is
an operation for returning the fabric, and the return length of the fabric that is
returned corresponds to the movement amount of the warp row that is fed as described
above.
[0018] In the present invention, a "return length" (to be obtained) is not limited to the
length of the entirety of the area that is returned (needs to be returned) by performing
the warp feeding operation (flaw returning operation) as described above. The return
length may be the length of a part of the area. That is, in the present invention,
the phrase "obtaining a return length" includes the following two cases: a case where
the length of the area that has been returned due to the warp feeding operation is
obtained as the return length at a time after the warp feeding operation has been
finished; and a case where the length of a part of the fabric that has been returned
before a certain time during the warp feeding operation is obtained as the return
length and this is repeatedly performed until the warp feeding operation is finished
(on and after the second time, the length of a part that has been returned since the
previous time at which the previous return length was obtained is obtained). The latter
case includes the following two cases: a case where, at each predetermined interval,
the length of the tire cord fabric returned in the interval is obtained as the return
length; and a case where a predetermined length of the tire cord fabric is set as
a predetermined return length, and the return length is obtained by detecting the
time at which the tire cord fabric having the predetermined return length is returned.
[0019] In the present invention, the "detected movement amount" is not limited to a detection
value of the movement amount of the movement member itself. The detected movement
amount may be a detection value of a driving amount of a driving device (motor or
the like) in a case where the movement member is a member that is driven by the driving
device. That is, the movement amount of the movement member is proportional to the
driving amount of the driving device, and the movement amount of the driving device
can be used instead of the movement amount of the movement member. Therefore, the
detected movement amount is not limited to a detection value of the movement amount
of the movement member that is detected directly, and may be a detection value of
the movement amount of the driving device, which can be regarded as the movement amount
of the movement member that is indirectly detected.
[0020] Moreover, in the present invention, the term "loom control apparatus" refers a control
system of a loom in general, which incudes a take-up control device that controls
driving of the take-up mechanism and a let-off control device that controls driving
of the let-off mechanism. A memory unit is not limited to a single memory, and may
include a plurality of memories.
[0021] In the present invention described above, the movement member may be a take-up roller
of the take-up mechanism, over which the tire cord fabric that has been woven is looped
and which is rotated by a take-up motor, and a rotation amount of the take-up roller
may be detected as the detected movement amount. Then, the return length may be obtained
on the basis of the detected rotation amount of the take-up roller as the detected
movement amount. In this case, the detection device as a device is a rotation detection
device that detects the rotation amount of the take-up roller, and the computing device
obtains the return length on the basis of the detected rotation amount. The detected
rotation amount of the take-up roller is not limited to a detection value of the rotation
amount of the take-up roller itself, and may be a detection value of the rotation
amount of the take-up motor, which is a driving device that rotates the take-up roller
as described above.
[0022] The tire cord fabric weaving loom to which the present invention is applied may regard
one loom cycle that corresponds to one rotation of the loom main shaft as one step
of weaving, count the steps successively as weaving progresses, and store a count
value of the steps. The count value may be stored in the memory unit. Here, one loom
cycle corresponds to one rotation of the loom main shaft as described above. That
is, a loom performs a series of movements (weaving cycle) in which one weft insertion
is performed while the loom main shaft rotates once, and the loom performs weaving
by repeatedly performing the series of movements. Therefore, one weaving cycle (one
loom cycle), which is repeatedly performed, corresponds to one rotation of the loom
main shaft.
[0023] In the above case, the number of steps corresponding to the return length of the
tire cord fabric that has been returned due to the warp feeding operation may be obtained
on the basis of the detected movement amount of the movement member detected during
the warp feeding operation, and the obtained number of steps may be subtracted from
the stored count value. As a device, the computing device may have a function of obtaining
the number of steps corresponding to the return length of the tire cord fabric that
has been returned due to the warp feeding operation.
[0024] In the process of the warp feeding operation, an imaginary main shaft rotation signal
may be output each time the detected movement amount coincides with a unit movement
amount that is a movement amount of the movement member in the one step during weaving;
and each time the imaginary main shaft rotation signal is output, a weaving amount
for the one step may be subtracted as the return from the stored woven and one may
be subtracted from the stored count value as the number of steps. In this case, as
an apparatus, the movement amount of the movement member in the one step may be stored
as a unit movement amount in the memory unit; the apparatus may include a comparator
that compares the detected movement amount with the unit movement amount and that
outputs an imaginary main shaft rotation signal to the computing device each time
the detected movement amount coincides with the unit movement amount; and the computing
device may have a function of changing the woven length stored in the memory unit
to a woven length obtained by subtracting the weaving amount for the one step each
time the comparator outputs the imaginary main shaft rotation signal, and a function
of subtracting one as the number of steps from the count value of the steps stored
in the memory unit.
[0025] With the present invention, when the warp feeding operation as described above is
performed in the tire cord loom, the movement amount of the movement member, which
moves as the warp row moves during the warp feeding operation, is detected; and the
return length of the tire cord fabric returned due to the warp feeding operation is
obtained on the basis of the detection value. Then, by subtracting the obtained return
length from the woven length stored in the loom control apparatus, it is possible
to make the woven length stored in the loom control apparatus coincide with the actual
woven length after the warp feeding operation is performed. Thus, even when the warp
feeding operation is performed without rotating the main shaft in the tire cord loom,
which obtains a woven length (weaving amount) on the basis of the rotation amount
of the main shaft, it is possible to manage the woven length accurately. The subtraction
of the return length from the stored woven length may be automatically performed by
the loom control apparatus (computing device) or by an operator by manually operating
an input device of the loom or the like.
[0026] In looms, including tire cord looms, a woven fabric is looped over a take-up roller
of a take-up mechanism, and the fabric is fed toward a cloth roller as the take-up
roller rotates, and the weft density of a fabric that is woven is controlled on the
basis of the rotation amount of the take-up roller. In other words, the take-up roller
is rotated so that the weft density of the woven fabric coincides with a set value
of the weft density, and driving of the take-up motor that rotates the take-up roller
is controlled in accordance with the set value. The driving of the take-up motor is
controlled by performing proportional control with respect to the rotation amount
of the main shaft so that the take-up roller rotates by a rotation amount corresponding
to the weft density each time the main shaft rotates once (one loom cycle).
[0027] Thus, in a loom (tire cord loom), the relationship between a weaving amount for one
rotation of the main shaft (one loom cycle) corresponding to the weft density and
the rotation amount of the take-up roller (take-up motor) is obtained (set) beforehand.
Therefore, in the present invention, by using the take-up roller as the movement member
and by using the rotation amount of the take-up roller (take-up motor) that is detected
(detected rotation amount) as the detected movement amount, it is possible to easily
obtain the length of the warp row (returned fabric) moved due to the warp feeding
operation on the basis of the detected rotation amount. Accordingly, the present invention
can be easily realized by using such a structure.
[0028] In looms, including tire cord looms, a shedding device, which drives a heald frame
to cause warp yarns to perform a shedding motion, drives the heald frame in synchronism
with the rotation of the main shaft so that the heald frame moves in accordance with
a predetermined shedding pattern (such as a plain weaving pattern) during weaving.
In the shedding pattern, two or more loom cycles (steps) constitute one repeat. That
is, in the shedding pattern, one repeat includes two or more shedding steps. Accordingly,
the shedding device repeatedly performs a series of movements in each cycle of the
loom corresponding to one repeat of the shedding pattern, and, at each time in one
repeat, the shedding device is in a phase state corresponding to the time.
[0029] In the tire cord loom, because the warp feeding operation is performed in a state
in which the main shaft is stopped as described above, the shedding device is also
stopped during the warp feeding operation. Accordingly, when the loom is stopped and
the warp feeding operation is performed (at a time at which the loom is restarted),
the phase state of the shedding device is the same as that at a time at which the
loom was stopped. Because the weaving state of the fabric (to what extent the fabric
has been woven) is returned during the warp feeding operation, the weaving state of
the fabric changes. Therefore, when the warp feeding operation is performed in such
a tire cord loom, the tire cord loom may enter a state in which the weaving state
of the fabric after the warp feeding operation does not correspond to the phase state
of the shedding device, in other words, a state in which a shedding step at a time
at which a warp yarn at a position closest to the cloth fell is inserted after the
warp feeding operation does not coincide with a shedding step corresponding to the
phase state of the shedding device while the loom is stopped. If the loom is restarted
in such an uncoincided state, the initial weft insertion after the restart is not
performed correctly, and a weaving defect occurs.
[0030] There are some looms that regard one loom cycle (one rotation of the main shaft)
as one step of weaving and recognize (manage) the progress of weaving by successively
counting the steps each time the main shaft rotates once. Some tire cord looms operate
in the same way. The count value of the steps corresponds to the state of progress
of weaving as described above, and the progress of weaving corresponds to the weaving
state of the fabric during weaving.
[0031] When applying the present invention to such a tire cord loom, on the basis of the
detected movement amount of the movement member detected during the warp feeding operation,
by subtracting the number of steps corresponding to the return length from the count
value of the steps, it is possible to make the count value correspond to the weaving
state of the fabric returned due to the warp feeding operation and to recognize the
weaving state of the fabric after the warp feeding operation by using the count value.
Thus, on the basis of the returned count value and the phase state of the shedding
device while the loom is stopped, these two can be easily made to coincide, and therefore
an occurrence of a weaving defect as described above can be prevented. The subtraction
may be automatically performed by the loom control apparatus (computing device) or
by an operator by manually operating the input device of the loom or the like.
[0032] The subtraction of the return length from the stored woven length may be performed,
for example, as follows: after the time at which the warp feeding operation is finished,
the length of the entirety of the area returned due to the warp feeding operation
is obtained on the basis of the detected movement amount of the movement member from
the start to the end of the warp feeding operation, and the obtained length is subtracted
from the stored woven length; or the weaving amount for one step is successively subtracted
each time the movement amount (the unit movement amount) of the movement member is
detected during the warp feeding operation, and this is repeatedly performed until
the warp feeding operation finishes. The latter method is automatically performed
by the loom control apparatus (computing device), because it is performed in a warp
feeding process of continuously feeding the warp row.
[0033] Likewise, the subtraction of the number of steps corresponding to the return length
from the stored count value of the steps may be performed, for example, as follows:
after the time at which the warp feeding operation is finished, the number of steps
corresponding to the detected movement amount is obtained on the basis of the detected
movement amount of the movement member from the start to the end of the warp feeding
operation, and the number of steps is subtracted from the stored count value; or the
number of steps, which is one, is subtracted from the count value each time the movement
amount (the unit movement amount) of the movement member is detected during the warp
feeding operation, and this is repeatedly performed until the warp feeding operation
finishes. The latter method is automatically performed by the loom control apparatus
(computing device), as with the subtraction of the return length described above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034]
Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a tire cord weaving apparatus including a tire
cord fabric weaving loom to which the present invention is applied;
Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the tire cord fabric weaving loom to which the
present invention is applied; and
Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a loom control apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0035] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference
to the drawings.
[0036] Fig. 1 illustrates a tire cord weaving apparatus 1 including a tire cord fabric weaving
loom (tire cord loom) 10 to which the present invention is applied. The tire cord
weaving apparatus 1 is the entire apparatus for weaving a tire cord fabric W (hereinafter,
also simply referred to as a "fabric W"). The tire cord weaving apparatus 1 includes
the tire cord loom 10 that weaves the tire cord fabric W, a warp supply section 20
that supplies a large number of warp yarns t to the tire cord loom 10 as a sheet-shaped
warp row T, and a cloth winding device 30 that winds the tire cord fabric W woven
by the tire cord loom 10.
[0037] Regarding the warp supply section 20, only a tension device 21, which is a part of
the warp supply section 20 is illustrated in Fig. 1, while a creel device, which holds
yarns to be used as the warp yarns t, is omitted. That is, the warp supply section
20 includes a creel device in addition to the tension device 21 shown in Fig. 1. The
creel device is disposed upstream of the tension device 21 and holds yarn supply packages
in the same number as the number of the warp yarns t to be supplied to the tire cord
loom 10. The yarns are simultaneously released from the yarn supply packages of the
creel device and supplied to the tire cord loom 10 as the warp row T. The tension
device 21 of the warp supply section 20 arranges a large number of yarns, which have
been released from the creel device, into a sheet-like shape and applies a predetermined
tension so that the tensions of the yarns become uniform. Description of the structure
of the tension device 21, which is publicly known, will be omitted.
[0038] Thus, the tire cord loom 10 of the tire cord weaving apparatus 1 differs from a normal
loom in that the tire cord loom 10 does not include a section for supplying warp yarns
and a section for winding a fabric that has been woven. Instead, these sections exist
independently from the tire cord loom 10 as the warp supply section 20 and the cloth
winding device 30. In the tire cord weaving apparatus 1, the tire cord loom 10 weaves
the fabric W by using the warp row T supplied from the warp supply section 20 as described
above. The fabric W woven by the tire cord loom 10 is fed out from the tire cord loom
10 and wound by the cloth winding device 30, which is independent from the tire cord
loom 10. The cloth winding device 30, which is also called an "independent winding
device", is of a type that winds the fabric W in a state in which a cloth roll, in
which the fabric W is wound around a cloth roller, is placed on a pair of rollers.
Because the structure of the cloth winding device 30 is known, description of the
structure will be omitted.
[0039] The tire cord loom 10 is the same as a normal loom in the structure (a shedding device,
a weft insertion device, and the like) of a section that performs weft insertion (weft
insertion section). As described above, the tire cord loom 10 does not include a section
that supplies warp yarns. Instead, the tire cord loom 10 includes a let-off mechanism
11. To be specific, a normal loom feeds warp yarns, which are wound around a warp
beam, in the form of a warp row toward the weft insertion section by rotating a let-off
beam, which is included in the loom. At the same time, the loom controls the tension
of the warp yarns by controlling the rotation of the warp beam. In contrast, in the
tire cord loom 10, the warp row T is supplied from the warp supply section 20 as described
above. In the tire cord loom 10, the warp row T, which is supplied from the warp supply
section 20, is fed by the let-off mechanism 11 toward the weft insertion section.
At the same time, the let-off mechanism 11 controls the tension of the warp yarns
t of the warp row T.
[0040] To be specific, the let-off mechanism 11 includes a let-off roller 11 a, a nip roller
11 b, and a let-off motor ML (Fig. 2). The let-off roller 11 a is rotated so as to
feed the warp row T, which is looped over the let-off roller 11 a, toward the weft
insertion section. The nip roller 11 b guides the warp row T toward the peripheral
surface of the let-off roller 11 a and is in pressed contact with the let-off roller
11 a so as to nip the warp row T between the nip roller 11 b and the let-off roller
11 a. The let-off motor ML rotates the let-off roller 11 a. Because the nip roller
11 b is in pressed contact with the let-off roller 11 a as described above, the nip
roller 11 b is rotated as the let-off motor ML rotates the let-off roller 11 a.
[0041] The warp row T, which is supplied from the warp supply section 20, is diverted (guided)
by a guide roller 15c toward the nip roller 11 b. Then, the warp row T is looped over
the nip roller 11 b to be guided to a nip between the nip roller 11 b and the let-off
roller 11a. After passing through the nip, the warp row T is looped over the peripheral
surface of the let-off roller 11 a. Accordingly, as the let-off motor ML rotates the
let-off roller 11 a and the nip roller 11 b is rotated as described above, the warp
row T is actively fed onto the peripheral surface of the let-off roller 11 a via the
nip and is fed toward the weft insertion section as the let-off roller 11 a rotates.
[0042] The warp row T, which is fed from the let-off mechanism 11, is looped over a tension
roller 15b via a guide roller 15a and guided toward the weft insertion section. As
with a normal loom, a tension detector 15d is connected to the tension roller 15b.
The tension detector 15d detects a load that the tension roller 15b receives from
the warp row T due to the tension of the warp yarns t. On the basis of the detection
value, the tension of the warp yarns t of the warp row T is detected. On the basis
of the detection value, driving of the let-off motor ML, which rotates the let-off
roller 11 a, is controlled so that the tension of the warp yarns t is maintained at
a desired target tension. The driving of the let-off motor ML is controlled by a let-off
control device 120 of a loom control apparatus 100, which will be described below.
[0043] In the weft insertion section, a plurality of heald frames HF cause the warp row
T (warp yarns t) to perform a shedding motion, a weft insertion device (not shown)
inserts a weft yarn into a shed formed by the shedding motion, and a reed R beats
the inserted weft against the cloth fell. Accordingly, the weft yarn is woven into
the warp row T, and the tire cord fabric W is woven. The fabric W, which has been
woven in this way, is guided toward a take-up mechanism 13 via a guide roller 17a.
[0044] The reed R is driven by a driving mechanism (not shown), which is driven by the main
shaft MS, so as to reciprocate once in each cycle of the loom (each loom cycle). The
heald frames HF are driven by a shedding device (not shown), which is driven by the
main shaft MS (or a dedicated driving motor), so as to perform a motion in accordance
with a predetermined shedding pattern. The main shaft MS, which drives the shedding
device, is rotated by a main motor MM with a velocity corresponding to a preset rotation
velocity of the loom. Although the tire cord fabric W has a fabric structure, the
purpose of inserting weft yarns is only to maintain the arranged state of the warp
row T. Therefore, the texture of the tire cord fabric W is simple, and, in general,
the shedding pattern is a plain weaving pattern. A crank shedding device is an example
of a shedding device that causes the heald frames HF to perform a shedding motion
in accordance with the plain weaving pattern.
[0045] The take-up mechanism 13, which has the same structure as that of a normal loom,
includes a take-up roller 13a, a pair of press rollers 13b and 13c, and a take-up
motor MT. The take-up roller 13a is rotated so as to feed the fabric W, which is looped
over the take-up roller 13a, with a predetermined feed velocity (feed amount per unit
time). The press rollers 13b and 13c are in pressed contact with the take-up roller
13a so as to nip the fabric W between the take-up roller 13a and the press rollers
13b and 13c. The take-up motor MT rotates the take-up roller 13a. Because the press
rollers 13b and 13c are in pressed contact with the take-up roller 13a as described
above, the press rollers 13b and 13c rotate as the take-up motor MT rotates the take-up
roller 13a.
[0046] In the take-up mechanism 13, the fabric W is first looped over the press roller 13b
on the upstream side, is thereby guided toward the nip between the press roller 13b
and the take-up roller 13a, and is looped over the peripheral surface of the take-up
roller 13a via the nip. Subsequently, the fabric W passes through the nip between
the take-up roller 13a and the press roller 13c on the downstream side, which is on
the peripheral surface of the take-up roller 13a, is looped over the press roller
13c, and is guided toward a guide roller 17b disposed below the take-up mechanism
13.
[0047] Thus, in the take-up mechanism 13, the fabric W is nipped between the take-up roller
13a and the pair of press rollers 13b and 13c. Therefore, as the take-up motor MT
rotates the take-up roller 13a and as the press rollers 13b and 13c are rotated as
described above, the fabric W is fed with a feed velocity corresponding to the rotation
velocity of the take-up roller 13a. A take-up control device 130 of the loom control
apparatus 100 (described below) controls driving of the take-up motor MT, which rotates
the take-up roller 13a. The fabric W fed out from the take-up mechanism 13 is looped
over the guide roller 17b and diverted, is fed toward the cloth winding device 30
described above, and is wound around a fabric roll (cloth roller) on the cloth winding
device 30.
[0048] Fig. 3 illustrates the loom control apparatus 100 of the tire cord loom 10 described
above. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the loom control apparatus 100 includes a main control
device 110; the let-off control device 120, which controls driving of the let-off
motor ML of the let-off mechanism 11; and the take-up control device 130, which controls
driving of the take-up motor MT of the take-up mechanism 13. The main control device
110 includes a controller 113, which performs control of driving of the main motor
MM and the like; a memory 111, which is an example of a memory unit and which is connected
to the controller 113; and a computing unit 115, which is an example of a computing
device and which is connected to the controller 113 and the memory 111. The let-off
control device 120 and the take-up control device 130 are connected to the controller
113 of the main control device 110.
[0049] Moreover, an input device 19 is connected to the memory 111 of the main control device
110. The input device 19 has, for example, a touch screen and allows an operator to
input weaving conditions, such as various setting values and conditions, by using
a setting screen and the like displayed on the screen. The weaving conditions input
through the input device 19 are sent to the memory 111 of the main control device
110 and stored in the memory 111. The input device 19 also functions as a display
device that displays weaving-related information and the like, which have been sent
from the computing unit 115 to the memory 111 and stored in the memory 111, on the
screen. Moreover, the input device 19 also functions as an operation unit that allows
an operator to operate some devices of the loom by pressing operation buttons and
the like displayed on the screen.
[0050] Examples of weaving conditions input through the input device 19 include the following:
a set value of the weft density (set weft density) of each of a tire fabric section
and a tabby section, as fabric sections included in the tire cord fabric W; a set
value of the rotation velocity (set rotation velocity) of the main shaft MS when weaving
each fabric section; and a weaving amount (set weaving amount) of each fabric section.
The weaving conditions further include a target tension value (set tension value)
for each fabric section, which are used by the let-off mechanism 11 to control the
tension of the warp yarns t as described above.
[0051] During weaving, the main control device 110 controls driving of the main motor MM
in accordance with the set rotation velocity for each fabric section and the set weaving
length for each fabric section, which have been input through the input device 19
and stored in the memory 111 of the main control device 110 as described above. For
example, when weaving the tire fabric section, the controller 113 of the main control
device 110 reads the set rotation velocity for the tire fabric section from the memory
111 and controls driving of the main motor MM so that the main shaft MS is rotated
with the set rotation velocity. Thus, the tire cord loom 10 performs weaving in an
operation state in which the main shaft MS is rotated with the set rotation velocity
for the tire fabric section.
[0052] An encoder EN1 that detects the rotation amount of the main motor MM is connected
to the main motor MM. The encoder EN1 outputs a rotation amount signal S1, which indicates
the rotation amount of the main motor MM, to the computing unit 115 of the main control
device 110. The rotation amount of the main motor MM is proportional to the rotation
amount of the main shaft MS with a predetermined ratio. Accordingly, the computing
unit 115 can recognize the rotation amount of the main shaft MS on the basis of the
rotation amount signal S1 from the encoder EN1. Then, the computing unit 115 outputs
a signal corresponding to the rotation amount of the main shaft MS to the controller
113. The main control device 110 (the controller 113) also outputs control signals
and the like to other devices (for example, a weft insertion device) of the tire cord
loom 10. The controller 113 outputs the control signals and the like on the basis
of operation conditions for the other devices, which are included in the weaving conditions
stored in the memory 111, and the signal indicating the rotation amount of the main
shaft MS, which is sent from the computing unit 115. Thus, the controller 113 controls
the tire cord loom 10 so that the other devices perform predetermined motions (for
example, weft insertion motions of the weft insertion device) at predetermined timings.
[0053] On the basis of rotation amount signal S1 from the encoder EN1, the computing unit
115 can recognize that the main shaft MS is rotated once each time the rotation amount
of the main motor MM becomes a rotation amount corresponding to one rotation of the
main shaft MS. One rotation of the main shaft MS corresponds to one loom cycle, and
one loom cycle is regarded as corresponding to one step of weaving (one weaving step)
that is continuously performed. Each time the computing unit 115 recognizes that the
main shaft MS is rotated once as described above, the computing unit 115 counts up
(increments) the number of weaving steps, which has been obtained, by one. The counted
number of weaving steps (count value) is stored in the memory 111 as the number of
weaving steps performed in weaving. The count value of weaving steps is reset each
time the fabric sections (the tire fabric section and the tabby section) are switched,
and the count is restarted when weaving of the switched fabric section is started.
[0054] Moreover, the main control device 110 has a function of calculating the woven length
of the fabric W that has been woven. To be more specific, the fabric W is woven by
a weaving amount corresponding to a set weft density in each loom cycle (each weaving
step). Each time the computing unit 115 of the main control device 110 recognizes
that the main shaft MS is rotated once (one loom cycle is performed) as described
above when weaving each fabric section, the computing unit adds a weaving amount (weaving
amount obtained from the set weft density) for one loom cycle to the woven length
that has been obtained. For example, if it is assumed that the weft density of the
tire fabric section is one yarn/inch, a weaving amount for one loom cycle (one weaving
step) is one inch, and the computing unit 115 adds the weaving amount (one inch) to
the woven length each time the main shaft MS rotates once.
[0055] A weaving amount that is obtained by successively adding the weaving amount for one
loom cycle in this way is the woven length of the fabric W that has been woven, and
the obtained woven length is stored in the memory 111. However, a method of calculating
the woven length is not limited to the method of successively adding the weaving amount
for one loom cycle as described above. The woven length may be calculated, at a time
at which the woven length is required, from the count value of weaving steps at the
time, which is stored in the memory 111, and the set weft density.
[0056] Regarding the woven length, which is obtained as described above, the memory 111
stores the woven length of a fabric section that is being woven and the woven length
from the time at which weaving was started. The woven length of the fabric section
that is being woven is reset when the fabric section to be woven is switched. The
woven length stored in the memory 111 in this way can be displayed on the screen of
the input device 19. An operator can recognize the progress of weaving from the display.
[0057] Moreover, the main control device 110 has a function of changing the rotation velocity
of the main shaft MS (the main motor MM) to switch the weaving section to be woven
on the basis of the woven length obtained as described above. That is, as described
above, the weft density differs considerably between the tire fabric section and the
tabby section of the tire cord fabric W. The tire cord loom 10 weaves these fabric
sections by changing the rotation velocity of the main shaft MS. To do so, in the
main control device 110, the computing unit 115 has a function of comparing the obtained
woven of the fabric section that is being woven and a set weaving amount that is stored
in the memory 111 and that is set for the fabric section that is being woven. For
example, while weaving the tire fabric section, the computing unit 115 successively
compares the woven length of the tire fabric section, which is being woven, and the
set weaving amount of the tire fabric section stored in the memory 111. When the woven
length of the tire fabric section, which is being woven, reaches the set weaving amount,
the computing unit 115 outputs a switching command signal for switching the fabric
section to the controller 113.
[0058] When the switching command signal is input, the controller 113 changes the control
state of the main motor MM so as to change the rotation velocity of the main motor
MM. To be specific, when the switching command signal is input in a state in which
the controller 113 controls driving of the main motor MM in accordance with the set
rotation velocity for weaving the tire fabric section, the controller 113 reads the
set rotation velocity for weaving the tabby section from the memory 111 and changes
the control state of the main motor MM to a control state corresponding to the set
rotation velocity for weaving the tabby section. As a result, the main shaft MS is
rotated with a rotation velocity that is substantially equal to the set rotation velocity
for weaving the tabby section.
[0059] In the take-up mechanism 13, when the main shaft MS is rotated as described above
during weaving, the take-up roller 13a is rotated so as to feed the fabric W by an
amount corresponding to the set weft density of a fabric section that is being woven
while the main shaft MS rotates once. The rotation amount of the take-up roller 13a
(take-up rotation amount) for each rotation of the main shaft MS can be obtained beforehand
from the set weft density and the diameter of the take-up roller 13a. The take-up
motor MT rotates the take-up roller 13a so that the take-up roller 13a rotates by
such a take-up rotation amount while the main shaft MS rotates once.
[0060] As described above, the take-up control device 130 controls driving of the take-up
motor MT. Driving of the take-up motor MT is controlled on the basis of the rotation
amount of the main motor MM, which rotates the main shaft MS, so that the take-up
roller 13a is rotated as described above in accordance with the rotation of the main
shaft MS. To do so, the rotation amount signal S1 from the encoder EN1 is input to
the take-up control device 130. The set weft density of the fabric section that is
being woven, which is one of the set weft densities of the fabric sections stored
in the memory 111, is input to the take-up control device 130.
[0061] On the basis of the rotation amount signal S1 from the encoder EN1 and the set weft
density of the fabric section that is being woven, the take-up control device 130
controls driving of the take-up motor MT so that the take-up roller 13a is rotated
by the take-up rotation amount while the main shaft MS rotates once. That is, the
take-up control device 130 controls driving of the take-up motor MT so that the rotation
amount of the take-up motor MT becomes a driving rotation amount with which the take-up
roller 13a is rotated by the take-up rotation amount while the main motor MM rotates
by an such an amount that the main shaft MS is rotated once. Thus, the take-up control
device 130 drives the take-up motor MT in synchronism with the main motor MM and in
proportion to the rotation of the main motor MM so that the take-up motor MT rotates
by the driving rotation amount for each rotation amount of the main motor MM with
which the main shaft MS is rotated once.
[0062] An encoder EN2 that detects the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT is connected
to the take-up motor MT. The encoder EN2 outputs (feeds back) a rotation amount signal
S2 corresponding to the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT to the take-up control
device 130, which controls driving of the take-up motor MT. During weaving, as described
above, the take-up control device 130 obtains a basic velocity of the take-up motor
MT by using the rotation amount signal S1 from the encoder EN1 and the set weft density
of the fabric section that is being woven. Moreover, the take-up control device 130
controls driving of the take-up motor MT on the basis of a driving amount corresponding
to the basic velocity and the rotation amount signal S2 from the encoder EN2.
[0063] Because the take-up mechanism 13 feeds (moves) the fabric W as described above, the
warp row T (warp yarns t), which is continuous with the fabric W at the cloth fell,
is pulled by the fabric W toward the take-up mechanism 13. Therefore, in the let-off
mechanism 11, the let-off motor ML rotates the let-off roller 11 a, which feeds the
warp row T, so that the warp row T (warp yarns t) moves as the warp row T is pulled.
As described above, the let-off control device 120 controls driving of the let-off
motor ML.
[0064] To do so, the rotation amount signal S1 from the encoder EN1 is input to the let-off
control device 120; and the set weft density of the fabric section that is being woven,
which is one of the set weft densities of the fabric sections stored in the memory
111, is input to the let-off control device 120. On the basis of the rotation amount
signal S1 from the encoder EN1 and the set weft density of the fabric section that
is being woven, the let-off control device 120 obtains the basic velocity for controlling
driving of the let-off motor ML.
[0065] However, the let-off control device 120 controls driving of the let-off motor ML
so that the tension of the warp yarns t fed by the let-off roller 11 a coincides with
a predetermined target tension for the fabric section that is being woven. To do so,
a detection signal indicating a detection value obtained by the tension detector 15d
described above is input to the let-off control device 120. Moreover, the set tension
value for the fabric section that is being woven, which is one of the set tension
values for the fabric sections stored in the memory 111, is input to the let-off control
device 120. The let-off control device 120 compares the set tension value with a detected
tension value that is obtained from the detection value of the tension detector 15d.
On the basis of the comparison result, the let-off control device 120 adjusts the
basic velocity, which has been obtained as described above, as necessary.
[0066] Moreover, an encoder EN3 that detects the rotation amount of the let-off motor ML
is connected to the let-off motor ML. The encoder EN3 outputs (feeds back) a rotation
amount signal S3 corresponding to the rotation amount of the let-off motor ML to the
let-off control device 120, which controls driving of the let-off motor ML. During
weaving, the let-off control device 120 controls driving of the let-off motor ML on
the basis of a driving amount corresponding to the basic velocity (or an adjusted
basic velocity) and the rotation amount signal S3 from the encoder EN3.
[0067] While the tire cord loom 10 described above is weaving a tire fabric section, if
a weaving flaw (weaving defect) described above is found in the tire fabric section
that has been woven, the loom is stopped and the flaw returning operation (warp feeding
operation) is performed. An operator stops the loom by pressing the stop button of
the loom. As described above, the flaw returning operation is performed by rotating
backward the let-off roller 11 a of the let-off mechanism 11 and the take-up roller
13a of the take-up mechanism 13 simultaneously (cooperatively) in a state in which
the loom is stopped, that is, in a state in which the rotation of the main shaft MS
is stopped. With the tire cord loom 10, the flaw returning operation is performed
in such a way that, by removing weft yarns from a woven tire fabric section beforehand
so that the tire fabric section has only warp yarns, and by feeding (returning) the
warp yarns toward the let-off mechanism 11 by rotating the let-off roller 11 a and
the take-up roller 13a backward as described above.
[0068] For this purpose, the tire cord loom 10 includes a simultaneous backward rotation
button that is used to rotate backward the let-off roller 11 a and the take-up roller
13a (hereinafter, also referred to as the "rollers") simultaneously. For example,
the simultaneous backward rotation button is displayed on the touch screen of the
input device 19. The let-off roller 11 a and the take-up roller 13a are rotated backward
simultaneously so that these rollers respectively rotate with rotation velocities
that have been set for the rollers beforehand. To do so, the rotation velocities of
the rollers in the simultaneous backward rotation are stored in the memory 111 of
the main control device 110 beforehand. The rotation velocities are respectively set
for the let-off roller 11 a and the take-up roller 13a, which have different diameters,
so that the movement amount per unit time of the fabric W that is fed (returned) as
the take-up roller 13a rotates is equal to the movement amount per unit time of the
warp row T that is fed (returned) as the let-off roller 11 a rotates.
[0069] When the simultaneous backward rotation button of the input device 19 is pressed,
the input device 19 outputs a simultaneous backward rotation command signal for the
simultaneous backward rotation to the controller 113 of the main control device 110.
When the simultaneous backward rotation command signal is input, the controller 113
reads the rotation velocities from the memory 111 and outputs velocity command signals
corresponding to the rotation velocities to the let-off control device 120 and the
take-up control device 130, respectively. Because the simultaneous backward rotation
(flaw returning operation) is performed in the state in which the main shaft MS is
stopped, the basic velocity, which is obtained on the basis of the rotation amount
of the main shaft MS, is not generated in each of the let-off control device 120 and
the take-up control device 130. Accordingly, the let-off control device 120 controls
driving of the let-off motor ML in accordance with the velocity command signal from
the controller 113, and the take-up control device 130 controls driving of the take-up
motor MT in accordance with the velocity command signal from the controller 113. Thus,
the let-off roller 11 a and the take-up roller 13a are rotated backward with the rotation
velocities stored in the memory 111.
[0070] The input device 19 continuously outputs the simultaneous backward rotation command
signal to the controller 113 while the simultaneous backward rotation button on the
touch screen is pressed. While the simultaneous backward rotation command signal is
input to the controller 113, the controller 113 continuously outputs the velocity
command signals to the let-off control device 120 and the take-up control device 130.
In other words, the controller 113 outputs the velocity command signals only while
the simultaneous backward rotation command signals are output from the input device
19 (while the button on the touch screen is pressed). When the output of the command
signals is stopped (when the button on the touch screen is released), the controller
113 stops outputting the velocity command signals. Then, the let-off control device
120 causes the let-off motor ML to rotate backward as described above while the controller
113 outputs the velocity command signal, and the take-up control device 130 causes
the take-up motor MT to rotate backward as described above while the controller 113
outputs the velocity command signal.
[0071] With such a structure, while an operator presses the simultaneous backward rotation
button on the touch screen of the input device 19, the let-off roller 11 a and the
take-up roller 13a are rotated backward with the aforementioned rotation velocities
and the warp row T is continuously fed toward the let-off mechanism 11. When the operator
releases his/her hand from the simultaneous backward rotation button, the backward
rotations of the let-off roller 11 a and the take-up roller 13a are stopped (the movement
of the warp row T is stopped). However, regarding the operation of feeding the warp
row T when the button is on the touch screen is pressed, for example, the warp row
T may be fed by a predetermined amount when the button on the touch screen is pressed
once.
[0072] With the flaw returning operation (warp feeding operation) described above, an operator
determines an area, from the cloth fell, of a woven tire fabric section that needs
to be returned (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "return area") as a weaving defect
has been found; and the return area is returned. That is, on the tire cord loom 10,
the tire fabric section that is being woven is returned to a state before the return
area was woven.
[0073] As described above, the warp feeding operation is performed in the state in which
the main shaft MS is stopped, that is, without rotating the main shaft MS (the main
motor MM) backward. Therefore, with existing tire cord looms, the woven length (the
accumulated value of the weaving amount) that is obtained on the basis of the rotation
amount of the main shaft MS remains the same as the woven length that was obtained
at the time at which the loom was stopped before performing the flaw returning operation,
unless an operator performs correction or the like. As a result, with existing tire
cord looms, regarding the tire fabric section that is being woven, the actual woven
length after the flaw returning operation is performed and the woven length stored
in the loom control apparatus do not coincide. If these woven lengths do not coincide,
it is not possible to accurately perform management of the woven length of the fabric
W and the like.
[0074] In the flaw returning operation, if the operator checks the number of weft yarns
extracted from the tire fabric section, it is possible to calculate the (weaving amount)
of the return area, which is to be returned by the flaw returning operation as described
above. However, as described above, the length of the return area to be returned by
the flaw returning operation may be as long as several tens of meters, and the number
of weft yarns existing in the return area may be extremely large. Accordingly, the
operation of checking the number of the weft yarns by counting the weft yarns, which
is extremely cumbersome and is burdensome for the operator, is not usually performed.
[0075] In contrast, with the present invention, during a warp feeding operation that is
performed as a flaw returning operation of the tire cord loom 10, the return length
of the tire fabric section to be returned as described above due to the warp feeding
operation is obtained by using the movement amount (detected movement amount) of a
movement member that moves as the warp row T (warp yarns t), which is fed toward the
let-off mechanism 11 as described above, moves. Then, by subtracting the obtained
return length from the woven length of the tire fabric section that has been woven,
which is stored in the memory 111, regarding the tire fabric section that is being
woven, it is possible to make the actual woven length after the warp feeding operation
coincide with the woven length stored in the memory 111.
[0076] In the present embodiment, the movement member is the take-up roller 13a of the take-up
mechanism 13, and the computing unit 115 of the main control device 110 obtains the
return length on the basis of the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT (a detected
rotation amount as a detected movement amount), which rotates the take-up roller 13a.
Accordingly, with the present embodiment, during a warp feeding operation, the computing
unit 115 functions as a part (computing device) of a weaving management apparatus
according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, it is defined beforehand
that the return length obtained at a time is a length corresponding to the weaving
amount for one loom cycle (one weaving step), and the operation of obtaining the return
length is repeatedly performed in the process of the warp feeding operation. Moreover,
in the present embodiment, the computing unit 115 has a function of subtracting the
obtained return from the woven of the tire fabric section stored in the memory 111
each time the return is obtained.
[0077] Detection of the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT during the warp feeding
operation is performed by the encoder EN2, which detects the rotation amount of the
take-up motor MT to control driving of the take-up motor MT during weaving. Accordingly,
during the warp feeding operation, the encoder EN2 also functions as a part (of a
detection device (rotation detection device)) of a weaving management apparatus according
to the present invention. Moreover, the take-up control device 130 sends the rotation
amount signal S2, which represents the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT detected
by the encoder EN2, to the main control device 110. Accordingly, during the warp feeding
operation, the take-up control device 130 also functions as a part of the weaving
management apparatus. The take-up control device 130 outputs the rotation amount signal
S2 while the simultaneous backward rotation button is pressed and the velocity command
signal from the controller 113 of the main control device 110 is input as described
above.
[0078] The tire cord loom 10 according to the present embodiment weaves the fabric sections
by driving the heald frames HF in accordance with the plain weaving pattern described
above. Moreover, a shedding device, which drives the heald frames HF in this way,
is driven by the main shaft MS and causes the heald frames HF to perform predetermined
motions in accordance with the rotation of the main shaft MS. As is well known, in
the plain weaving pattern, one repeat includes two shedding steps, and one repeat
is performed in two loom cycles (two weaving steps).
[0079] In this case, because the warp feeding operation is performed in the state in which
the main shaft MS is stopped as described above, the shedding device is also stopped
during the warp feeding operation. That is, during the warp feeding operation, the
shedding device is in a phase state in one repeat of the shedding pattern at the time
at which the loom was sopped when the stopping operation was performed as described
above. On the other hand, as a result of the warp feeding operation, the weaving state
of the fabric W on the loom (to what extent the fabric W has been woven) changes compared
with that at the time at which the loom was stopped. Here, it is assumed that, for
example, the two shedding steps of the plain weaving pattern are first and second
shedding steps and that the shedding device is in a phase state in which a weft yarn
inserted in the second shedding step remains closest to the cloth fell in the state
in which the loom was stopped before performing the warp feeding operation. Then,
as a result of the weft yarns being extracted for the warp feeding operation as described
above, even though the phase state of the shedding device does not change, the weft
yarn that remains closest to the cloth fell in the tire fabric section after performing
the warp feeding operation may be a weft yearn inserted in the first shedding step.
[0080] If the tire cord loom 10 is restarted in such a state, a warp shed that is first
formed after the restart as the shedding device drives the heald frames HF is such
that a waft yarn of the tire cord section that remains closest to the cloth fell is
exposed to the cloth fell. As a result, another weft yarn is further inserted into
the warp shed in which the weft yarn has been already inserted, and a problem arises
in that a weaving defect occurs. In the case where the shedding pattern is a plain
weaving pattern, such a problem occurs if the number of removed weft yarns is an odd
number. Therefore, adjustment may be performed by using the number of weft yarns removed.
However, the number of removed weft yarns is not usually checked as described above,
such a problem may arise.
[0081] In contrast, in the present embodiment, during the warp feeding operation, the computing
unit 115 of the main control device 110 has a function of obtaining the number of
weaving steps corresponding to the return length on the basis of the rotation amount
of the take-up motor MT that rotates the take-up roller 13a as the movement member
described above. As described above, the return length in the present embodiment corresponds
to a weaving amount for one weaving step. Accordingly, the number of weaving steps
corresponding to the return length is one. That is, in the present embodiment, at
each time the return length in the warp feeding operation is obtained, the number
of weaving steps (hereinafter, also referred to as "the return step number") corresponding
to the of the fabric W that has been returned by the time (the return length/the corresponding
to the weaving amount for one weaving step) is obtained. Moreover, in the present
embodiment, the computing unit 115 has a function of subtracting one, which is the
return step number, from the count value of weaving steps that have been performed
to weave the tire fabric section that is being woven, which is stored in the memory
111, each time the return length is obtained.
[0082] With this structure, after performing the warp feeding operation, for example, the
count value of weaving steps, which has been reduced as described above, may be displayed
on the screen of the input device 19. By doing so, an operator can check on the screen
the weaving state of the tire fabric section on the loom after the warp feeding operation,
that is, the count value of weaving step that has been performed, which corresponds
to the tire fabric section that has been returned. Thus, the operator can easily check
whether or not the weaving state of the tire fabric section corresponds to the phase
state of the shedding device at the time at which the tire cord loom 10 is restarted.
Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an occurrence of a weaving defect as described
above.
[0083] Hereinafter, the weaving management apparatus according to the present embodiment
will be described in further detail.
[0084] In order to manage the woven length as described above, the memory 111 of the main
control device 110 of the loom control apparatus 100 stores the rotation amount of
the take-up motor MT for one rotation of the main shaft MS (one weaving step). That
is, as described above, during weaving, the take-up roller 13a is rotated by the take-up
rotation amount each time the main shaft MS rotates once. The take-up motor MT, which
rotates the take-up roller 13a, is driven by the driving rotation amount each time
the main shaft MS rotates once (each time the main motor MM rotates by such an amount
that that the main shaft MS is rotated once). The take-up rotation amount of the take-up
roller 13a is obtained from the set weft density and the diameter of the take-up roller
13a. The driving rotation amount of the take-up motor MT can be obtained from the
take-up rotation amount of the take-up roller 13a and the reduction ratio of a transmission
mechanism that transmits the rotation of the take-up motor M to the take-up roller
13a. The driving rotation amount, which is obtained in this way, is stored in the
memory 111.
[0085] As a component of the weaving management apparatus, the main control device 110 includes
a comparator 117 that compares the driving rotation amount stored in the memory 111
with the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT during a warp feeding operation.
The comparator 117 is connected to the memory 111 and the take-up control device 130,
and is also connected to the computing unit 115. The comparator 117 compares the rotation
amount signal S2, which represents the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT and
which is output from the take-up control device 130 during the warp feeding operation,
with the driving rotation amount stored in the memory 111. On the basis of the comparison
result, the comparator 117 outputs an imaginary main shaft rotation signal. Accordingly,
in the present embodiment, the driving rotation amount of the take-up motor MT corresponds
to a unit movement amount in the present invention. A structure related to the comparison
operation performed by the comparator 117 may be, for example, as follows.
[0086] First, the rotation amount signal S2, which is output from the take-up control device
130 to the comparator 117, is a pulse row signal including continuous pulses each
representing a unit rotation amount of the take-up motor MT. As the rotation amount
signal S2 is input, the comparator 117 successively counts the number of pulses included
in the rotation amount signal S2. The driving rotation amount, which is stored in
the memory 111, is set as a set value (set pulse number) that corresponds to the driving
rotation amount when the unit rotation amount is regarded as one pulse.
[0087] The comparator 117 successively compares the count value of the pulse number based
on the rotation amount signal S2 with the set pulse number stored in the memory 111.
At a time at which the count value coincides with the set pulse number, the comparator
117 outputs the imaginary main shaft rotation signal RS to the computing unit 115.
At the time at which the comparator 117 outputs the imaginary main shaft rotation
signal RS, the comparator 117 resets the count value and starts counting again from
one as the rotation amount signal S2 is input subsequently. Thus, during the warp
feeding operation, each time the take-up motor MT is rotated backward by the driving
rotation amount (each time the take-up roller 13a is rotated by the take-up rotation
amount), that is, each time the fabric W for one weaving step is returned due to the
warp feeding operation, the comparator 117 outputs the imaginary main shaft rotation
signal RS.
[0088] In this case, the count value of the pulse number obtained by the comparator 117
is a detected movement amount (detected rotation amount). Accordingly, in the case
of this example, the comparator 117 also functions as a part of a detection device
(rotation detection device) of a weaving management apparatus according to the present
invention. That is, in the present embodiment, the rotation detection device, as a
detection device, is constituted by the encoder EN2, which detects the rotation amount
of the take-up motor MT and outputs the rotation amount signal S2, and the comparator
117, which obtains the detected rotation amount on the basis of the rotation amount
signal S2.
[0089] Each time the imaginary main shaft rotation signal RS is input from the comparator
117, the computing unit 115 determines that the fabric W (tire fabric section) for
one weaving step has been returned. In other words, at a time at which the computing
unit 115 receives the imaginary main shaft rotation signal RS, which is output from
the comparator 117 on the basis of the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT (the
take-up roller 13a) detected by the encoder EN2 (detected rotation amount as a detected
movement amount), the computing unit 115 enters a state in which the computing unit
115 recognizes that the length of the fabric W returned by the time during the warp
feeding operation has become a weaving amount for one weaving step, which is the woven
length in the present embodiment (a state in which the computing unit 115 has obtained
a weaving amount for one weaving step as the return length). In accordance with the
determination, the computing unit 115 performs subtraction of the return length obtained
from the set weft density (weaving amount for one weaving step) of the tire fabric
section stored in the memory 111 from the woven of the tire fabric section stored
in the memory 111.
[0090] As described above, the take-up control device 130 continuously outputs the rotation
amount signal S2 to the comparator 117 while the simultaneous backward rotation button
is pressed, that is, while the warp feeding operation is being performed. The comparator
117 repeatedly performs the comparison operation while the rotation amount signal
S2 is being input, and outputs the imaginary main shaft rotation signal RS on the
basis of the comparison result. During the warp feeding operation, the computing unit
115 repeatedly subtracts the return length from the woven length stored in the memory
111 each time the imaginary main shaft rotation signal RS is generated (each time
the fabric W is returned by a length corresponding to a weaving amount for one weaving
step). Thus, at a time at which the warp feeding operation is finished, the woven
length stored in the memory 111 coincides with the actual woven length as a result
of returning the fabric W due to the warp feeding operation. Accordingly, even when
the warp feeding operation is performed while the main shaft MS is stopped, the woven
length stored in the memory 111 coincides with the actual woven length of the fabric
W at a time at which the tire cord loom 10 is restarted. Therefore, the woven length
of the fabric W can be managed without causing a problem.
[0091] The computing unit 115 subtracts one, which is the return step number, from the count
value of weaving steps stored in the memory 111 as described above, each time it is
detected that the take-up motor MT is rotated backward by the driving rotation amount
and the imaginary main shaft rotation signal RS is output from the comparator 117,
that is, each time the fabric W is returned by a weaving amount for one weaving step
(= the return length). That is, at a time at which the imaginary main shaft rotation
signal RS is input, the computing unit 115 enters a state in which the computing unit
115 has obtained the number of weaving steps corresponding to the length of the fabric
W that has been returned at the time. Accordingly, the computing unit 115 performs
subtraction of one, which is the return step number, from the count value of weaving
steps stored in the memory 111. Thus, the count value of weaving steps stored in the
memory 111 at a time at which the warp feeding operation is finished coincides with
the weaving state of the tire fabric section of the fabric W returned due to the warp
feeding operation.
[0092] For example, by displaying the count value of weaving steps stored in the memory
111 on the screen of the input device 19, an operator can check on the screen the
weaving state of the tire fabric section of the fabric W returned due to the warp
feeding operation. Accordingly, at a time before restarting the tire cord loom 10,
the operator can determine whether or not the weaving state of the tire fabric section
of the fabric W on the loom corresponds to the phase state of the shedding device
at the time. In other words, the operator can determine whether or not a shedding
step of the plain weaving pattern that is first performed after the restart differs
from a shedding step in which a waft yarn that remains at a position closest to the
cloth fell was inserted.
[0093] Thus, for example, if it is determined that these shedding steps are the same, an
occurrence of a weaving defect as described above can be prevented by performing an
operation of returning the fabric W further by the amount for one weaving cycle and
making the shedding steps differ from each other. That is, it is possible to provide
the operator with information for preventing the weaving defect by making the count
value of the weaving step stored in the memory 111 coincide with the weaving state
of the tire fabric section of the fabric W returned due to the warp feeding operation
and by enabling the operator to check the count value.
[0094] Heretofore, an embodiment of the present invention has been described. However, the
present invention is not limited to the embodiment and may be carried out in the following
modified embodiments.
- (1) In the embodiment described above, it is assumed that the take-up roller 13a of
the take-up mechanism 13 is a movement member (a member that moves as the warp row
moves during the warp feeding operation) in the present invention, and the movement
amount of the movement member is detected by detecting the rotation amount of the
take-up motor MT, which rotates the take-up roller 13a. However, the present invention
is not limited to such an embodiment. For example, even when the take-up roller 13a
is used as the movement member, instead of detecting the movement amount of the movement
member by detecting the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT, the rotation amount
of the take-up roller 13a may be directly detected. That is, a rotation detection
device, which is a detection device for detecting the rotation amount of the take-up
roller 13a, may be additionally provided, and the rotation detection device may obtain
a detected rotation amount as a detected movement amount. In this case, the comparator
117 compares the take-up rotation amount of the take-up roller 13a with the detected
rotation amount obtained by the rotation detection device, and the take-up rotation
amount of the take-up roller 13a is stored in the memory unit (the memory 111).
[0095] Regarding a movement member, it may be assumed that the let-off roller 11 a of the
let-off mechanism 11, which is rotated backward simultaneously with the take-up mechanism
13 during the warp feeding operation, is the movement member. In this case, the movement
amount of the movement member may be detected by detecting the rotation amount of
the let-off motor ML by using the encoder EN3, or as in the case of the take-up roller
13a, the rotation amount of the let-off roller 11 a may be directly detected. Moreover,
the movement member is not limited to the take-up roller 13a or the let-off roller
11 a as described above. The movement member may be the press roller 13b (or 13c),
which is rotated by the take-up roller 13a in the take-up mechanism 13; the nip roller
11 b, which is rotated by the let-off roller 11 a in the let-off mechanism 11; or
any of other rollers (such as the guide roller 15a and the guide roller 17b) that
are rotated as the warp row T or the fabric W moves. In a case where any of these
rollers is used as the movement member, a rotation detection device that detects the
rotation amount of the movement member is additionally provided as a detection device.
[0096] Furthermore, the movement member is not limited to one of existing rollers of the
tire cord loom 10 and may be a dedicated member for the weaving management apparatus
according to the present invention. For example, a pair of rollers may be provided
between the tension roller 15b and the heald frames HF so as to nip some of the warp
yarns t of the warp row T in the vertical direction. The pair of rollers are rotatably
supported, and are rotated as the warp yarns t move. In this case, one of the pair
of rollers may be used as a movement member according to the present invention, and
the rotation amount of the roller may be detected by a rotation detector. The pair
of rollers may be disposed so as to nip the warp yarns t regardless of whether weaving
is performed or the loom is stopped, or the pair of rollers may be separated from
each other during weaving and may nip the warp yarns t only during the warp feeding
operation.
[0097] As described above, in the present invention, one of a plurality of rollers (rotation
members) that are included in the tire cord loom 10 and that rotate as the warp row
T and the fabric W move during the warp feeding operation may be set as a movement
member. When setting one of the rotation members other than the take-up roller 13a
as the movement member, the rotation amount of the rotation member for one weaving
step (one rotation of the main shaft MS) during weaving is obtained beforehand and
stored in the memory unit, and the comparator compares the rotation amount stored
in the memory with the detected rotation amount detected by the rotation detector.
[0098] A movement member according to the present invention is not limited the rotation
member that rotates as the warp row T (the fabric W) moves as described above. For
example, the fabric W or the warp yarns t of the warp row T may be set as the movement
member. To be specific, a detector (sliding sensor) that is disposed in contact with
the fabric W or the warp yarns t and that detects a movement of the fabric W or the
warp yarns t may be provided, and a time (movement time) during which the warp row
T (the fabric W) moves during the warp feeding operation is detected. In this case,
from the movement velocity of the warp row T (the fabric W) obtained beforehand and
the movement time, the movement amount of the warp row T (the fabric W) during the
warp feeding operation, that is, the length of the fabric W returned due to the warp
feeding operation may be obtained.
(2) In the embodiment described above, the return length obtained by the computing
unit 115, which is an example of a computing device, is a length corresponding to
a weaving amount for one loom cycle (for one weaving step); during the warp feeding
operation, a time at which the fabric W for this length is returned (a time at which
the length of the returned fabric W reaches the length corresponding to the weaving
amount for one weaving step, which is the return length) is obtained: and the weaving
amount for one weaving step is subtracted from the woven length stored in the memory
111 at the time. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment
and may be, for example, as follows.
[0099] First, regarding detection of the movement amount of the movement member (the rotation
amount of the take-up roller 13a in the case of the embodiment), the movement amount
of the movement member throughout the period from the start to the end of the warp
feeding operation is detected. The computing device obtains the total length of the
area of the fabric W (the return area) returned due to the warp feeding operation,
which is the return length, from the movement amount detected (detected movement amount)
and from the movement amount of the movement member for one weaving step and the weaving
amount for one weaving step, which are stored in the memory unit. In this case, the
computing device may subtract the obtained length of the entirety of the return area
(the return length) from the woven length stored in the memory unit after the warp
feeding operation.
[0100] In this case, the subtraction of the return length from the woven length stored in
the memory unit may be automatically performed by the computing device (the computing
unit 115) as in the embodiment described above. However, an operator may perform the
subtraction. That is, the computing device only obtains the return length, and the
obtained return length is displayed on the screen of the input device 19. Then, the
operator may see the display and perform the subtraction by operating the input device
19. Thus, in a weaving management apparatus according to the present invention, the
computing device is not limited to a device having a function of performing the subtraction,
and may have only the function of obtaining the return length regarding the present
invention.
[0101] At predetermined intervals, the computing device may perform an operation of obtaining
the length of the fabric W returned in the interval; and, each time this operation
is performed, the computing device may subtract the obtained return length from the
woven length stored in the memory unit. Regarding the warp feeding operation, in a
case where the return area of the fabric W is not returned with a single operation
but is returned with a plurality of operations and where the movement of the warp
row T (pressing of the simultaneous backward rotation button by an operator) in each
operation is performed in an arbitrary time, the length of the fabric W returned in
each operation may be obtained as the return length each time the operation is performed.
[0102] In the case of these examples, the comparator for outputting the imaginary main shaft
rotation signal RS, which is included in the embodiment, is not necessary. Instead,
a movement amount detector that obtains the detected movement amount on the basis
of a detection signal (the rotation amount signal S2 in the case of the embodiment)
from a detector that detects the movement amount of the movement member (the encoder
EN2 that detects the rotation amount of the take-up roller 13a in the case of the
embodiment) may be provided. In this case, at a time at which the return length is
obtained as described above, the movement amount detector may output the detected
movement amount to the computing device. The computing device or the take-up control
device 130 may have a function corresponding to the function of the movement amount
detector.
(3) In the embodiment described above, during the warp feeding operation, each time
the fabric W having a length corresponding to a weaving amount for one weaving step
is returned, one, which is the number of weaving steps, is subtracted from the count
value of the weaving steps stored in the memory 111. That is, in the embodiment, each
time the predetermined return length is obtained, the number of weaving steps corresponding
to the return length is subtracted from the count value of the weaving steps stored
in the memory unit. However, in the present invention, it is not necessary to subtract
the return step number from the count value of the weaving steps stored in the memory
unit. For example, if it is possible to determine whether or not the weaving state
of the fabric W and the phase state of the shedding device on the loom correspond
to each other, the computing device need not have the function of obtaining the return
step number and the function of performing subtraction of the return step number.
[0103] In the case where the computing device has the function of obtaining the return step
number, it is not necessary that the computing device obtain the return step number
in the same way as in the embodiment. For example, in the case of obtaining, at predetermined
intervals, the length of the fabric W returned in the interval as described above,
the computing device may obtain the number of weaving steps corresponding to the return
length as the return step number each time the return length is obtained. Then, the
computing device may subtract the obtained return step number from the count value
of the weaving steps stored in the memory unit.
[0104] Regarding a method of obtaining the return step number, from the length of the return
area, which is the entire area of the fabric W that is returned due to the warp feeding
operation, the computing device may simultaneously obtain the number of weaving steps
corresponding to the length of the return area at a time at which the warp feeding
operation is finished. In this case, it is not necessary that the computing device
perform the subtraction of the obtained return step number. Instead of the count value
of weaving steps, which is the result of the subtraction, the obtained return length
may be displayed on the screen of the input device 19. In this case, the operator
may see the display and perform the subtraction by operating the input device 19.
The subtraction itself may be omitted in a case where it is possible to check the
correspondence between the weaving state of the fabric W and the phase state of the
shedding device after the warp feeding operation by only displaying the return step
number and where a problem does not occur even if the count value of the weaving steps
stored in the memory unit does not coincide with the number of weaving steps that
have been performed on the fabric W after the warp feeding operation.
(4) In the embodiment described above, the memory 111, which stores weaving conditions
for weaving and the like, also functions as a memory unit of a weaving management
apparatus according to the present invention. However, regarding the memory unit,
for example, the loom control apparatus 100 (the main control device 110) may include,
in addition to a memory that stores setting values of weaving conditions for weaving
and the like, another memory that stores the woven length and the count value of weaving
steps, and the other memory may function as the memory unit. The woven length and
the count value of weaving steps may be stored in different memories, and the two
memories may constitute the memory unit in the present invention.
[0105] In the embodiment described above, the comparator 117 counts the pulse number of
a rotation amount signal, which is a pulse row signal, and thereby the detected rotation
amount (detected movement amount) is obtained. Alternatively, a counter may be provided
between the comparator 117 and the take-up control device 130, and the counter may
count the pulse number and output the count value to the comparator 117 each time
a pulse in the pulse row signal is input. In this case, the counter and the encoder
EN2 constitute the rotation amount detection device. The take-up control device 130
may have a function corresponding to the function of the counter.
[0106] In the embodiment described above, the comparator 117 resets the count value each
time the imaginary main shaft rotation signal RS is output. However, instead of resetting
the count value, the pulse number may be counted continuously throughout the warp
feeding operation. In this case, each time the count value increases by the set pulse
number, it may be determined that the count value has increased, and the imaginary
main shaft rotation signal RS may be output each time the determination is made. In
this case, a time at which it is determined that the detected movement amount has
increased by a unit movement amount corresponds to a time at which the detected movement
amount coincides with the unit movement amount according to the present invention.
[0107] In the embodiment described above, the rotation amount signal S2, which is output
from the encoder EN2 that detects the rotation amount of the take-up motor MT (the
take-up roller 13a as a movement member) is a pulse row signal; and the detected rotation
amount is the count value of the pulse number. However, in the present invention,
the detected movement amount (detected rotation amount) detected by the detection
device (rotation detection device) is not limited to such a count value of the pulse
number and may be the absolute value of the movement amount (rotation amount). That
is, the detection device (rotation detection device) may detect the absolute value
of the movement amount of the movement member.
[0108] The present invention is not limited to any of the embodiments described above and
may be modified in various ways within the spirit and scope of the present invention.