YARN WINDER

Abstract

 Yarn threading from a yarn threading member to fulcrum guides is properly performed. A spun yarn take-up machine 1 is arranged so that, as a yarn threading member 30 is moved relative to fulcrum guides 20 while yarns Y sucked and held by a suction gun 80 are retained by the yarn threading member 30, yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is performed. The spun yarn take-up machine 1 includes a yarn contact portion 51 which is positioned to be able to make contact with the yarns Y running between the yarn threading member 30 and the suction gun 80.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a yarn winder.

[0002] Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-188784) discloses a yarn winder (spun yarn take-up winder of Patent Literature 1) which includes a winding device (winding unit of Patent Literature 1) configured to wind yarns spun out from a spinning apparatus. To be more specific, the winding device includes: a bobbin holder to which bobbins on which the yarns are wound, respectively, are attached to be aligned along a predetermined arrangement direction; and fulcrum guides which are aligned in the arrangement direction and function as fulcrums when the yarns are traversed. The yarn winder of Patent Literature 1 further includes a yarn threading member (yarn threading guide of Patent Literature 1) by which the yarns are threaded to the fulcrum guides. The yarn threading member has grooves that are lined up to correspond to the fulcrum guides in number.

[0003] When threading the running yarns to the respective fulcrum guides, an operator causes the grooves of the yarn threading member to retain the yarns. Thereafter, the yarn threading member moves in a direction of obliquely traversing the fulcrum guides aligned in the arrangement direction. As a result, the yarns are threaded one by one to the fulcrum guides from the yarn threading member.

[0004] The yarn winder of Patent Literature 1 employs a suction gun (sucking holding member) which is configured to suck plural yarns together when the yarns spun out from the spinning apparatus are threaded to the fulcrum guides. To be more specific, the yarns that are sucked together by the suction gun are threaded to the grooves of the yarn threading member. Thereafter, while the yarns are maintained to be sucked by the suction gun, the yarn threading member is moved so that the yarn threading from the yarn threading member to the fulcrum guides is performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] However, if yarn shaking caused by an airflow generated at a suction port of the suction gun sucking the yarns is propagated to the yarns running on the upstream of the yarn threading member in the yarn running direction, problems such as entanglement of neighboring yarns and inability of positioning the yarns retained by the yarn threading member occur. Due to this, transfer of the yarns from the yarn threading member to the fulcrum guides may not be properly performed.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to properly perform yarn threading from a yarn threading member to fulcrum guides.

[0007] A yarn winder of the present invention comprises: a bobbin holder to which bobbins are attached along a predetermined arrangement direction; fulcrum guides which are aligned in the arrangement direction, are provided to correspond to yarns which are to be wound onto the respective bobbins, and function as fulcrums of traversal when the yarns are traversed; and a yarn threading member which are movable while holding the yarns in a separated manner, yarn threading to the fulcrum guides being performed by moving the yarn threading member relative to the fulcrum guides while the yarns sucked and held by a sucking holding member configured to suck and hold yarns are held by the yarn threading member, the yarn winder further comprising a yarn contact portion which is provided at a location where the yarns running between the yarn threading member and the sucking holding member are able to make contact with the yarn contact portion.

[0008] In the present invention, as the yarns sucked by the sucking holding member are made contact with the yarn contact portion at a location between the sucking holding member and the yarn threading member, it is possible to prevent yarn shaking caused by an airflow generated by the sucking holding member from being propagated to the yarn threading member. On this account, yarn shaking is suppressed when the yarns held by the yarn threading member are handed over to the fulcrum guides. It is therefore possible to properly perform yarn threading from the yarn threading member to the fulcrum guides.

[0009] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged so that the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides is performed from one side to the other side in the arrangement direction, and the yarn contact portion is provided on the other side of a fulcrum guide that is on the other side of the remaining fulcrum guides in the arrangement direction.

[0010] If the yarn threading member moves beyond the yarn contact portion in the arrangement direction while yarn threading to the fulcrum guides is being performed, the yarns may be detached from the yarn contact portion, depending on the positional relationship between the yarn contact portion and the sucking holding member. To avoid this problem, it is necessary to adjust the position of the sucking holding member. However, depending on the structure of the apparatus, the layout of the sucking holding member may be restricted by the existence of, for example, another member. According to the present invention, regardless of the positional relationship between the yarn contact portion and the sucking holding member, the yarn threading member does not move beyond the yarn contact portion in the arrangement direction while yarn threading to the fulcrum guides is being performed. It is therefore possible to avoid detachment of the yarns from the yarn contact portion while yarn threading to the fulcrum guides is being performed.

[0011] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged such that the yarn contact portion extends in a predetermined extending direction.

[0012] This arrangement of the present invention facilitates the yarns to make contact with the yarn contact portion extending in the extending direction.

[0013] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged such that the yarn contact portion is tilted or curved so that an end portion of the yarn contact portion on one side in the extending direction is below an end portion on the other side.

[0014] After the completion of the handover of the yarns from the yarn threading member to the fulcrum guides, the yarns are separated from the yarn contact portion in order to proceed to the step of winding the yarns onto the bobbins attached to the bobbin holder. According to the present invention, the yarns slide on the yarn contact portion by gravity, along the direction that is in parallel to the extending direction and is from the end portion on the other side toward the end portion on the one side of the yarn contact portion. With this arrangement, the force required for moving the yarns is reduced and the yarns are smoothly separated from the yarn contact portion.

[0015] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged so that the bobbin holder is provided on the one side of the yarn contact portion in the extending direction.

[0016] According to the present invention, the bobbin holder is provided on one side of the yarn contact portion in the extending direction. On this account, after the yarns are moved downward along the yarn contact portion and are separated from the yarn contact portion at a location on one side of the yarn contact portion in the extending direction, the yarns are at locations close to the bobbin holder as compared to the yarn contact portion. It is therefore possible to directly move the yarns separated from the yarn contact portion to the position where the bobbin holder is provided, without allowing the yarns to move beyond the yarn contact portion in the extending direction. Due to this, after the completion of the handover of the yarns from the yarn threading member to the fulcrum guides, it is possible to smoothly proceed to the step of winding each yarn onto the bobbin attached to the bobbin holder.

[0017] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged such that the yarns move toward the end portion of the yarn contact portion on the one side in the extending direction, while being in contact with the yarn contact portion, and a drop prevention portion is provided to prevent the yarns from dropping off from an end portion of the yarn contact portion on the other side in the extending direction.

[0018] In the present invention, it is possible to prevent the yarns in contact with the yarn contact portion from unintentionally dropping off from the end portion of the yarn contact portion on the other side.

[0019] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged such that the yarn threading member has retaining grooves which retain the yarns, respectively, and the retaining grooves are aligned along a direction in parallel to the extending direction.

[0020] According to the present invention, until the yarns threaded to the respective retaining grooves of the yarn threading member reach the yarn contact portion, the running plane of each yarn passing through the yarn path is maintained to be in parallel to the extending direction. To put it differently, the running plane of the yarns running between the retaining grooves and the yarn contact portion is not twisted. On this account, the bending angle of the yarn in contact with the yarn contact portion is identical between the yarns, and hence the yarn quality influenced by the bending angle is identical between the yarns.

[0021] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged such that the yarn contact portion is shaped so that the yarns are able to make contact with the yarn contact portion while yarn threading from the yarn threading member to the fulcrum guides is being performed.

[0022] In the present invention, it is possible to keep the yarns to be in contact with the yarn contact portion during the yarn threading from the yarn threading member to each fulcrum guide. That is to say, it is possible to avoid at least one of the yarns from being detached from the yarn contact portion during the yarn threading from the yarn threading member to each fulcrum guide. On this account, yarn shaking is reliably suppressed when the yarns held by the yarn threading member are handed over to the fulcrum guides. The yarn threading from the yarn threading member to the fulcrum guides is therefore further properly done.

[0023] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged such that the yarn contact portion is a contact surface with which the yarns are able to make surface-contact.

[0024] The larger the contact area between the yarns and the yarn contact portion is, the smaller the load on each yarn from the yarn contact portion is. According to the present invention, because the yarns are in surface-contact with the yarn contact portion, the contact area between each yarn and the yarn contact portion is large. On this account, as compared to a case where the yarns make contact with an edge-shaped yarn contact portion, i.e., a case where the yarns are in point-contact with the yarn contact portion, the load on the yarns is small. This suppresses yarn breakage or deflection of the yarns due to the contact between the yarns and the yarn contact portion.

[0025] Preferably, the yarn winder of the present invention further comprises a wind guide which is provided for guiding the yarns threaded to the fulcrum guides to wind positions where the yarns are wound onto the bobbins attached to the bobbin holder, the yarn contact member and the wind guide being integrally formed.

[0026] According to the present invention, after the completion of the handover of the yarns from the yarn threading member to each fulcrum guide, the yarns separated from the yarn contact portion are directly threaded to the wind guide that is integrally formed with the yarn contact portion. Due to this, it is possible to smoothly proceed to the step of winding each yarn onto the bobbin attached to the bobbin holder.

[0027]  The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged such that the wind guide is provided below the yarn contact portion, and a guide portion is provided to extend along a vertical direction and to guide the yarns from the yarn contact portion to the wind guide.

[0028] Thanks to the guide portion, the yarns separated from the yarn contact portion are smoothly guided to the wind guide. Due to this, after the completion of the handover of the yarns from the yarn threading member to the fulcrum guides, it is possible to smoothly proceed to the step of winding each yarn onto the bobbin attached to the bobbin holder.

[0029] Preferably, the yarn winder of the present invention further comprises a driving mechanism which is configured to move the yarn threading member between a yarn threading start position where the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides starts and a yarn threading completion position where the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides is completed.

[0030] In the arrangement in which the yarn threading member is moved by the driving mechanism, when yarn shaking of the yarns held by the yarn threading member occurs, the position of the yarn handed over to the fulcrum guide cannot be adjusted by finely adjusting the position of the yarn threading member. Inclusion of the yarn contact portion of the present invention is quite effective in this arrangement.

[0031] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged such that a working space in which an operator performs the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides by handling the sucking holding member is on either one side or the other side of the bobbin holder in the arrangement direction, which side is the side close to the yarn contact portion in the arrangement direction.

[0032] In the present invention, the operator is allowed to perform operations in a wide space around which the bobbin holder and the fulcrum guides are not provided.

[0033] The yarn winder of the present invention is preferably arranged such that, in a yarn running direction in which the yarns run, the yarn threading member is provided on the downstream side of the fulcrum guides.

[0034] The yarns sucked by the sucking holding member are converged at the sucking holding member. That is to say, the pitch of the yarns held by the yarn threading member decreases toward the sucking holding member provided on the downstream side of the yarn threading member. In this regard, in the present invention, the yarn threading member is provided on the downstream side of the fulcrum guides in the yarn running direction. On this account, instead of threading the yarns whose pitch narrows on the downstream side of the yarn threading member to the fulcrum guides, the yarns having a uniform pitch are threaded to the fulcrum guides. Due to this, as compared to a case where the yarn threading member is provided on the upstream of the fulcrum guides, yarn threading to the fulcrum guides can be easily done in the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] 

FIG. 1 is a side view of a spun yarn take-up machine of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a winding device.

FIG. 3 illustrates movement of fulcrum guides.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a yarn threading member.

FIG. 5 shows the yarn threading member moving from a yarn threading start position to a yarn placement completion position.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front view of a metal plate member.

FIG. 7 is a top view showing a state in which yarns running between the yarn threading member and a suction gun are in contact with a yarn contact portion.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the metal plate member when yarns running between the yarn threading member and the suction gun are in contact with the yarn contact portion.

FIG. 9 is a front view of a first separator and a second separator.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the first separator on which yarns are threaded, which is viewed from above.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a state in which a yarn is handed over from the first separator to the second separator.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a state in which the second separator has been moved to a yarn winding position.

FIG. 13 is a front view showing a state in which the yarn is wound onto each bobbin from the second separator.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a yarn threading member of a modification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] The following will describe an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, directions shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 will be consistently used as an up-down direction, a left-right direction, and a front-rear direction, for convenience of explanation. The up-down direction is a vertical direction in which the gravity acts. The left-right direction is a direction orthogonal to the up-down direction. The front-rear direction (arrangement direction of the present invention) is a direction which is orthogonal to the up-down direction and the left-right direction, and in which bobbins B (described later) are aligned. A direction in which a yarn Y (described later) runs will be referred to as a yarn running direction.

(Spun Yarn Take-Up Machine 1)

[0037] The following will outline a spun yarn take-up machine 1 (i.e., a yarn winder of the present invention) of an embodiment, with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a side view of the spun yarn take-up machine 1. The near side on the sheet of FIG. 1 corresponds to the right side.

[0038] The spun yarn take-up machine 1 is configured to simultaneously form packages P by taking up plural (e.g., 32 in the present embodiment) yarns Y spun out from a spinning apparatus 2 and winding the yarns Y onto bobbins B. The spun yarn take-up machine 1 of the present embodiment is, for example, arranged to wind 32 yarns spun out from the spinning apparatus 2 by using a pair of winding devices 5 (described later) each of which winds 16 yarns. Each yarn Y is a multi-filament yarn having filaments (not illustrated) . Each filament is a synthetic fiber made of, e.g., polyester.

[0039] The spun yarn take-up machine 1 includes, for example, a first godet roller 3, a second godet roller 4, a pair of winding devices 5, a controller 6, a yarn threading member 30 (see FIG. 4), and a metal plate member 50 (see FIG. 2). The first godet roller 3 and the second godet roller 4 are arranged to take up yarns Y and feed them to the downstream side in the yarn running direction. The first godet roller 3 and the second godet roller 4 are supported by a long supporting body 7 that extends obliquely rearward and upward from a location above front end portions of the pair of winding devices 5. It is noted that FIG. 1 shows one of the paired winding devices 5. Furthermore, the yarn threading member 30 is not shown in FIG. 1.

[0040] The first godet roller 3 is a roller having a rotational axis substantially in parallel to the left-right direction. The first godet roller 3 is attached to a front end portion of the supporting body 7. The first godet roller 3 is rotationally driven by an unillustrated motor. The yarns Y spun out from the spinning apparatus 2 are sent to the second godet roller 4 while being aligned in the left-right direction and wound onto the first godet roller 3.

[0041] The second godet roller 4 is a roller having a rotational axis substantially in parallel to the left-right direction. The second godet roller 4 is provided above and rearward of the first godet roller 3. The second godet roller 4 is rotationally driven by an unillustrated motor. The second godet roller 4 is provided obliquely rearward of and above the first godet roller 3 and is attached to the supporting body 7. The second godet roller 4 is arranged to be movable along the extending direction of the supporting body 7. The second godet roller 4 is, for example, movable by a roller movement mechanism 9 including an unillustrated motor, pulleys, and an endless belt, between a front position indicated by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 1 and a rear position indicated by solid lines. The front position is forward of and below the rear position, and is closer to the first godet roller 3 than the rear position is to the first godet roller 3. The front position is a position where yarn threading onto the second godet roller 4 is performed. The rear position is a position where a winding operation of winding a yarn Y onto a bobbin B attached to a bobbin holder 13 is performed. The rear position is also a position where yarn threading to later-described fulcrum guides 20 is performed.

[0042] Each of the yarns Y is sent from the first godet roller 3 to the second godet roller 4, and then sent to one of the paired winding devices 5. A half of the yarns Y is sent to one winding device 5 and the remaining half of the yarns Y is sent to the other winding device 5. A yarn path of the yarns Y running from the first godet roller 3 to the second godet roller 4 extends obliquely rearward and upward.

[0043] In the yarn running direction, a regulatory guide 8 is provided between the first godet roller 3 and the second godet roller 4. The regulatory guide 8 holds the yarns Y to be aligned in the left-right direction at predetermined intervals in the left-right direction.

[0044] Each of the paired winding devices 5 is configured to simultaneously form packages P by winding the yarns Y onto the bobbins B. The paired winding devices 5 are provided below the first godet roller 3 and the second godet roller 4. The paired winding devices 5 are disposed to be symmetric in the left-right direction (i.e., plane-symmetric). To be more specific, the winding device 5 on the left side and the winding device 5 on the right side are provided on the respective sides of the second godet roller 4 in the left-right direction and are arranged to oppose each other over a yarn path of the yarns Y sent from the second godet roller 4. Each of the paired winding devices 5 is configured to wind a half (e.g., 16 in the present embodiment) of the yarns sent from the second godet roller 4.

[0045] The controller 6 is, for example, a typical computer device and is configured to control the entire spun yarn take-up machine 1. The controller 6 is electrically connected to sections of the spun yarn take-up machine 1 and controls the sections based on a predetermined program. The controller 6 includes an unillustrated input unit to which an input from an operator can be made.

(Structure of Winding Device 5)

[0046] The following will detail the winding device 5 with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3. FIG. 2 is a front view of the winding device 5. The near side on the sheet of FIG. 2 corresponds to the front side. FIG. 3 illustrates the movement of later-described fulcrum guides 20. The following will detail the arrangement of the winding device 5 that is the left one among the paired winding devices 5. As described above, the winding devices 5 are arranged to be symmetric in the left-right direction. Because the right winding device 5 is structurally identical with the left winding device 5, the right winding device 5 will not be explained. As shown in FIG. 2, the winding device 5 includes a supporting frame 11, a turret 12, and two bobbin holders 13.

[0047] The supporting frame 11 is a member extending in the front-rear direction. The supporting frame 11 is cantilevered by a standing base 14 and protrudes forward (see FIG. 1). The turret 12 is a disc-shaped member having a rotational axis substantially in parallel to the front-rear direction. The turret 12 is supported by the base 14 to be rotatable. The turret 12 is rotationally driven by an unillustrated turret motor. Each of the two bobbin holders 13 are rotatably supported by the turret 12 and protrude forward from the front surface of the turret 12. The rotational axis direction of each bobbin holder 13 is substantially in parallel to the front-rear direction. When viewed in the front-rear direction, the two bobbin holders 13 are point-symmetric about the center of the turret 12 (see FIG. 1). To each bobbin holder 13, the bobbins B provided for the respective yarns Y are attached to be lined up in the front-rear direction. The bobbins B are rotatably supported by each of the two bobbin holders 13. Each of the two bobbin holders 13 is independently rotated and driven by an unillustrated winding motor.

[0048] Each winding device 5 includes guide units 15, traverse guides 16, and a contact roller 17. Above the supporting frame 11, a guide supporter 18 is provided to extend in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 1). The guide units 15 are attached to the guide supporter 18 and are arranged to be movable in the front-rear direction. The guide units 15 are provided to correspond to the respective bobbins B and are aligned along the front-rear direction. Each of the guide units 15 includes a main body 19 and a fulcrum guide 20. The main body 19 is movably attached to the guide supporter 18. The fulcrum guide 20 is fixed to the main body 19 and functions as a fulcrum of the traversal of the yarn Y traversed by each traverse guide 16.

[0049] The guide units 15 (i.e., the fulcrum guides 20) are arranged to be movable between distanced positions (see FIG. 1) where the yarns Y are wound onto the bobbins B and gathered positions (see FIG. 3) where the guide units 15 are close to one another in the front-rear direction as compared to the distanced positions. To be more specific, for example, guide units 15 neighboring to each other in the front-rear direction are connected with each other by an unillustrated belt. The rearmost guide unit 15 is movable in the front-rear direction by, for example, an unillustrated linear slider. As the linear slider is driven, the guide units 15 are movable between the distanced positions where the units are distanced from one another and gathered positions where the units are gathered on the front side as compared to the distanced positions. As described below, yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is performed when the fulcrum guides 20 are at the gathered positions.

[0050] The traverse guides 16 are aligned in the front-rear direction. Each of the traverse guides 16 is configured to traverse a corresponding yarn Y in the front-rear direction by being driven by, e.g., an unillustrated traverse motor. The contact roller 17 is a roller having a rotational axis substantially in parallel to the front-rear direction, and is provided immediately above the upper bobbin holder 13. The contact roller 17 is configured to make contact with the surfaces of the packages P supported by the upper bobbin holder 13. With this, the contact roller 25 applies a contact pressure to the surfaces of the packages P, to adjust the shape of each package P.

[0051] In the winding device 5 structured as described above, when the upper bobbin holder 13 is rotationally driven, the yarns Y traversed by the traverse guides 16 are wound onto the bobbins B, with the result that the packages P are formed. When the formation of the packages P is completed, the turret 12 is rotated to switch over the upper and lower positions of the two bobbin holders 13. As a result, the bobbin holder 13 having been at the lower position is moved to the upper position, which allows the yarns Y to be wound onto the bobbins B attached to the bobbin holder 13 having been moved to the upper position, to form packages P again. The bobbin holder 13 to which the fully-formed packages P are attached is moved to the lower position. The fully-formed packages P are then collected by, e.g., an unillustrated package collector.

(Yarn Threading Member 30)

[0052] The following will describe the yarn threading member 30 with reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5. The yarn threading member 30 is used for threading the yarns Y to the fulcrum guides 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the yarn threading member 30 is provided on the downstream side of the fulcrum guides 20 in the yarn running direction. The yarn threading member 30 is provided to correspond to each winding device 5. Therefore, a pair of yarn threading members 30 are provided in the present embodiment. The paired yarn threading members 30 are substantially symmetric in the left-right direction and are structurally identical with each other. The following will detail the arrangement of the yarn threading member 30 corresponding to the winding device 5 that is the left one among the paired winding devices 5, and the yarn threading member 30 corresponding to the winding device 5 that is the right one will not be described.

[0053] The yarn threading member 30 is a flat plate member that is more or less comb-shaped. As shown in FIG. 4, the yarn threading member 30 has retaining grooves 31 in which the yarns Y are retained, respectively. The retaining grooves 31 are aligned at least in the left-right direction. The retaining grooves 31 are aligned in a direction in parallel to the extending direction of a later-described yarn contact portion 51. The inlet of each retaining groove 31 is formed at a rear portion of the yarn threading member 30. The pitch of the retaining grooves 31 is substantially identical with the pitch in the left-right direction of the yarns Y, which is defined by the regulatory guide 8. The pitch of the retaining grooves 31 indicates the distance between the centers of neighboring retaining grooves 31. The yarn threading member 30 retains the yarns Y to be separated from one another, as the yarns Y are threaded into the respective retaining grooves 31. As shown in FIG. 4, in the yarn threading member 30 of the present embodiment, the pitch of the inlets of the retaining grooves 31 is substantially identical with the pitch of the bottom portions of the grooves. Alternatively, for example, as shown in FIG. 14, the yarn threading member 30 may be arranged such that the pitch of the bottom portions of the retaining grooves 31 is wider than the pitch of the inlets of the grooves. To be more specific, as the retaining grooves 31 are arranged to be different from one another in terms of the depth direction of the retaining groove 31 from the inlet to the bottom portion, the pitch of the bottom portions of the retaining grooves 31 is arranged to be wider than the pitch of the inlets of the grooves. Because the pitch of the yarns threaded to the yarn threading member 30 is wide, yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 can be easily done. In this case, the pitch of the inlets of the retaining grooves 31 is substantially identical with the pitch in the left-right direction of the yarns Y, which is defined by the regulatory guide 8.

[0054] The yarn threading member 30 is attached to the winding device 5 through a driving mechanism 40. To be more specific, between the supporting frame 11 and the guide supporter 18 of the winding device 5 in the up-down direction, a supporting member 35 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 5) which is positionally fixed is provided. The supporting member 35 is, for example, a member extending in the front-rear direction. The driving mechanism 40 is attached to the supporting member 35 of the winding device 5. The yarn threading member 30 is attached to the driving mechanism 40 through a substantially L-shaped interposed member (see FIG. 5). In other words, the yarn threading member 30 is attached to the supporting member 35 of the winding device 5 through the driving mechanism 40.

(Driving Mechanism 40)

[0055] The spun yarn take-up machine 1 of the present embodiment further includes the driving mechanism 40 which is configured to move the yarn threading member 30. The driving mechanism 40 is provided to correspond to each winding device 5. Therefore, a pair of driving mechanisms 40 are provided in the present embodiment. The paired driving mechanisms 40 are substantially symmetric in the left-right direction and are structurally identical with each other. The following will detail the arrangement of the driving mechanism 40 corresponding to the winding device 5 that is the left one among the paired winding devices 5, and the driving mechanism 40 corresponding to the winding device 5 that is the right one will not be described.

[0056] The driving mechanism 40 moves the yarn threading member 30 between a yarn threading start position where yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 starts and a yarn threading completion position where yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is completed. The yarn threading start position is in the vicinity of the rearmost fulcrum guide 20 among the fulcrum guides 20 at the gathered positions (see two-dot chain lines in FIG. 5). The yarn threading completion position is forward of the frontmost fulcrum guide 20 among the fulcrum guides 20 (see solid lines in FIG. 5). In the left-right direction, the yarn threading start position is to the right of the yarn threading completion position. The yarn threading member 30 at the yarn threading start position moves obliquely leftward and forward to reach the yarn threading completion position.

[0057] The driving mechanism 40 is attached to the supporting member 35 of the winding device 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the driving mechanism 40 includes a support arm 61, a guide rail 62, a swing arm 63, a linear slider 64, and an air cylinder (not illustrated). In summary, the support arm 61 to which the yarn threading member 30 is attached through the interposed member 42 moves at least in the front-rear direction along the guide rail 62, in response to an action of the linear slider 64. The guide rail 62 is able switch the direction of the movement of the support arm 61 and the yarn threading member 30 by swinging together with the swing arm 63 in response to an action of the air cylinder (not illustrated).

[0058]  The support arm 61 is a long member extending at least in the front-rear direction. At a front end portion of the support arm 61, the yarn threading member 30 is fixed through the interposed member 42. The guide rail 62 is a substantially linear rail extending at least in the front-rear direction. The guide rail 62 is disposed to guide the support arm 61 at least in the front-rear direction.

[0059] The swing arm 63 is, for example, a plate-shaped arm extending at least in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 5, for example, the swing arm 63 is provided at a front portion of the driving mechanism 40. A rear end portion of the swing arm 63 is connected to the supporting member 35 through a swing shaft 75 having an axis extending in the up-down direction. The swing arm 63 is therefore able to swing together with the guide rail 62. As the swing arm 63 swings about the swing shaft 75, the direction in which the guide rail 62 extends is changed. Due to this, the direction in which the support arm 61 and the yarn threading member 30 move is changed.

[0060] The linear slider 64 is a device configured to move the support arm 61 in the front-rear direction. The linear slider 64 is, for example, a known rodless cylinder that is driven by compressed air. The linear slider 64 includes a cylinder main body 81 and a slider 82. The cylinder main body 81 extends in the front-rear direction. The cylinder main body 81 is fixed to a rear portion of the supporting member 35 by means of, for example, an unillustrated fastener. In other words, the cylinder main body 81 is integrated with the supporting member 35. Alternatively, the cylinder main body 81 may be welded to the supporting member 35, for example. The slider 82 is arranged to be slidable in the front-rear direction along the cylinder main body 81. To the slider 82, the support arm 61 is swingably attached. As the compressed air is supplied to the cylinder main body 81 and the compressed air is discharged from the cylinder main body 81, the slider 82 is movable between a position in the vicinity of the front end portion and a position in the vicinity of the rear end portion of the cylinder main body 81.

[0061] The unillustrated air cylinder is configured to swing the swing arm 63 and the guide rail 62. In place of the air cylinder, another cylinder mechanism driven by fluid or a motor-driven driving mechanism (e.g., a ball screw mechanism or a rack-and-pinion mechanism) may be employed.

[0062] As the driving mechanism 40 described above moves the yarn threading member 30 retaining the separated yarns Y, yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is performed. In the present embodiment, yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 by the yarn threading member 30 is performed from the rear side to the front side in the front-rear direction. The rear side in the front-rear direction is equivalent to one side in the arrangement direction in the present invention. The front side in the front-rear direction is equivalent to the other side in the arrangement direction in the present invention.

[0063] Typically, a suction gun 80 (sucking holding member of the present invention; see FIG. 7) which is configured to suck plural yarns Y together is used when the yarns Y spun out from the spinning apparatus 2 are threaded to the fulcrum guides 20. To be more specific, the yarns Y that are sucked together by the suction gun 80 are threaded to the retaining grooves 31 of the yarn threading member 30. Thereafter, while the yarns Y are maintained to be sucked by the suction gun 80, the yarn threading member 30 is moved by the driving mechanism 40 so that the yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides is performed. However, if yarn shaking caused by an airflow generated at a suction port 80a of the suction gun 80 sucking the yarns Y is propagated to the yarns Y running on the upstream of the yarn threading member 30 in the yarn running direction, problems such as entanglement of neighboring yarns Y and inability of positioning the yarns Y retained by the yarn threading member 30 occur. Due to this, transfer of the yarns Y from the yarn threading member 30 to the respective fulcrum guides 20 may not be properly performed. In order to properly perform yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20, the spun yarn take-up machine 1 of the present embodiment includes the yarn contact portion 51.

(Metal Plate Member 50)

[0064] The following will describe the metal plate member 50 including the yarn contact portion 51 with reference to FIG. 2, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7. The metal plate member 50 is provided to correspond to each winding device 5. Therefore, a pair of metal plate members 50 are provided in the present embodiment. The paired metal plate members 50 are substantially symmetric in the left-right direction and are structurally identical with each other. The following will detail the arrangement of the metal plate member 50 corresponding to the winding device 5 that is the left one among the paired winding devices 5, and the metal plate member 50 corresponding to the winding device 5 that is the right one will not be described.

[0065]  As shown in FIG. 2, the metal plate member 50 is provided at a right portion of the winding device 5. The metal plate member 50 is placed on the floor surface through a leg portion 60. Behind the metal plate member 50, the leg portion 60 extends to reach the vicinity of the upper end of the metal plate member 50 (see FIG. 6). The metal plate member 50 is a plate member which extends in the left-right direction and in the up-down direction. When viewed in the front-rear direction, the metal plate member 50 is more or less trapezoidal in shape. When viewed in the front-rear direction, the upper left corner and the lower left corner of the metal plate member 50 are rounded.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 2, in the up-down direction, the top surface of the metal plate member 50 is positioned below the fulcrum guide 20. Alternatively, the top surface of the metal plate member 50 may be positioned above the fulcrum guide 20.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 6, on the top surface of the metal plate member 50, the yarn contact portion 51 capable of making contact with the yarns Y is formed. The top surface of the metal plate member 50 is tilted so that the left end is below the right end. To put it differently, the extending direction of the yarn contact portion 51 is an obliquely rightward and upward direction. In other words, the yarn contact portion 51 is tilted so that an end portion on the left side (one side) in the extending direction is below an end portion on the right side (the other side). In the present embodiment, when viewed in the up-down direction, the left-right direction is in parallel to the extending direction. When viewed in the front-rear direction, the extending direction is tilted relative to the left-right direction. A non-limiting example of the tilt of the extending direction relative to the left-right direction when viewed in the front-rear direction is 10 degrees.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 7, the metal plate member 50 is provided at a position where the yarn contact portion 51 is able to make contact with the yarns Y running between the yarn threading member 30 and the suction gun 80. To be more specific, the metal plate member 50 is provided forward of the frontmost fulcrum guide 20 in the front-rear direction. In other words, the yarn contact portion 51 is provided forward of the frontmost fulcrum guide 20 in the front-rear direction.

[0069] The yarn contact portion 51 is shaped so that the yarns Y are able to make contact with the yarn contact portion 51 while yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed. This arrangement will be detailed as below. The yarns Y in contact with the yarn contact portion 51 moves obliquely leftward and downward toward the left end portion of the yarn contact portion 51, in accordance with the yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20. The length in the extending direction of the yarn contact portion 51 is sufficient for preventing the yarns Y moving in accordance with the yarn threading from dropping off from the left end portion of the yarn contact portion 51, while the yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 2, the metal plate member 50 is to the right of the bobbin holder 13 in the left-right direction. To put it differently, the bobbin holder 13 is to the left of (i.e., on one side of) the yarn contact portion 51 in the left-right direction (or the extending direction). To be more specific, the bobbin holder 13 at the winding position where the yarns Y are wound onto the bobbins B to form the packages P is to the left of (on one side of) the yarn contact portion 51 in the left-right direction (or the extending direction).

[0071] The yarn contact portion 51 is preferably a contact surface with which the yarns Y are able to make surface-contact. For example, the yarn contact portion 51 has a contact surface that is rounded when viewed in the left-right direction.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 6, on the top surface of the metal plate member 50, a drop prevention portion 52 is formed to prevent the yarns Y from dropping off from the right end portion of the yarn contact portion 51 on the other side in the left-right direction (or the extending direction). The drop prevention portion 52 is a protruding portion formed at a right end portion of the top surface of the metal plate member 50. The upper end of the drop prevention portion 52 is above the right end portion of the yarn contact portion 51.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 6, to the leg portion 60, a lambda guide 53 (wind guide of the present invention) is attached. The lambda guide 53 is a guide for guiding the yarns Y threaded to the fulcrum guides 20 by the yarn threading member 30 to wind positions where the yarns Y are wound onto the bobbins B attached to the bobbin holder 13 at the winding position. The lambda guide 53 is provided below the yarn contact portion 51. The lambda guide 53 is movable between a standby position (see FIG. 6) and a swing position (see FIG. 11). To be more specific, for example, the lambda guide 53 is movable from the standby position to the swing position (see a solid arrow in FIG. 6) such that the lambda guide 53 is driven by an unillustrated air cylinder to swing leftward about a rotational shaft 53a extending in the front-rear direction. In accordance with the threading to the lambda guide 53, the yarns Y are threaded to a later-described first separator 91. The yarns Y threaded to the first separator 91 are captured by a second separator 92 (described later), and are then guided to wind positions that are set for the respective bobbins B. The process of guiding from the lambda guide 53 to the wind positions through the first separator 91 and the second separator 92 will be detailed later.

[0074] In the present embodiment, the metal plate member 50 is provided with the yarn contact portion 51 and the drop prevention portion 52. The lambda guide 53 is attached to the leg portion 60. The metal plate member 50 is connected to the leg portion 60. In short, the yarn contact portion 51, the drop prevention portion 52, and the lambda guide 53 are integrally formed.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 6, a guide portion 54 is formed on the left side surface of the metal plate member 50. The guide portion 54 is provided to guide the yarns Y from the yarn contact portion 51 to the lambda guide 53. The guide portion 54 extends along the up-down direction. In the present embodiment, the guide portion 54 is a side surface of the metal plate member 50 extending from the left end portion of the yarn contact portion 51 to the lambda guide 53.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 9, the spun yarn take-up machine 1 of the present embodiment includes the first separator 91 and the second separator 92. The following will detail the first separator 91 and the second separator 92 corresponding to the winding device 5 that is the left one among the paired winding devices 5, and the first separator 91 and the second separator 92 corresponding to the winding device 5 that is the right one will not be described. It is noted that FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 do not show the first separator 91 and the second separator 92. Furthermore, members such as the turret 12 are omitted in FIG. 9 for the sake of simplicity.

[0077] The first separator 91 is configured to temporarily hold the yarns Y threaded to the lambda guide 53 and then hand over the yarns to the second separator 92. The first separator 91 is, for example, attached to the leg portion 60. The first separator 91 may be attached to a member different from the leg portion 60. As shown in FIG. 9, the first separator 91 includes plural first separator guides 91a and a rotational shaft 91b.

[0078] The first separator guides 91a are aligned along the front-rear direction (see FIG. 10). The first separator guides 91a are movable between distanced positions where the yarns Y are wound onto the bobbins B and gathered positions (see FIG. 10) where the guides are close to one another in the front-rear direction as compared to the distanced positions. The first separator guides 91a are, for example, movable between the distanced positions and the gathered positions by an unillustrated linear slider. The pitch in the front-rear direction of the neighboring first separator guides 91a at the distanced positions is substantially identical with the pitch in the front-rear direction of the neighboring fulcrum guides 20 at the distanced positions. The pitch in the front-rear direction of the neighboring first separator guides 91a indicates the distance in the front-rear direction between contact points of the neighboring first separator guides 91a. The contact point is a point where the first separator guide 91a makes contact with the yarn Y. The pitch in the front-rear direction of the neighboring fulcrum guides 20 indicates the distance in the front-rear direction between contact points of the neighboring fulcrum guides 20. The contact point is a point where the fulcrum guide 20 makes contact with the yarn Y.

[0079] Each first separator guide 91a is a guide to which the yarns Y threaded to the lambda guide 53 at the swing position are threaded, on the upstream in the yarn running direction of the lambda guide 53 and on the downstream in the yarn running direction of each fulcrum guide 20. Each first separator guide 91a is, for example, a plate member having a surface substantially in parallel to the horizontal plane. Each first separator guide 91a is concave in shape and is open rearward.

[0080] The rotational shaft 91b extends in the front-rear direction. The first separator 91 is swingable between a standby position (see FIG. 9) and a handover position (see FIG. 11) by rotating about the rotational shaft 91b. The first separator 91, for example, swings by being driven by an unillustrated air cylinder.

[0081] The second separator 92 is configured to move the yarns Y handed over from the first separator 91 to the wind position where the yarns Y are wound onto the bobbins B. The second separator 92 is, for example, attached to the base 14. The second separator 92 may be attached to a member different from the base 14. As shown in FIG. 9, the second separator 92 includes plural second separator guides 92a, a rotational shaft 92b, and a driving mechanism 92c.

[0082] The second separator guides 92a are aligned along the front-rear direction (not illustrated). The pitch in the front-rear direction of the neighboring second separator guides 92a is substantially identical with the pitch in the front-rear direction of the neighboring first separator guides 91a. The pitch in the front-rear direction of the neighboring second separator guides 92a indicates the distance in the front-rear direction between contact points of the neighboring second separator guides 92a. The contact point is a point where the second separator guide 92a makes contact with the yarn Y.

[0083] Each second separator guide 92a is, for example, a plate member having a surface intersecting with the horizontal plane. Each second separator guide 92a is concave in shape and is open rearward.

[0084] The rotational shaft 92b extends in the front-rear direction. The second separator 92 is swingable between a standby position (see FIG. 9), a handover position (see FIG. 11), and a yarn winding position (see FIG. 13) by rotating about the rotational shaft 92b. The second separator guide 92a swings by being driven by the driving mechanism 92c. The driving mechanism 92c includes, for example, an air cylinder and a piston.

(Process of Yarn Threading)

[0085] The following will describe a process of threading the yarns Y to the fulcrum guides 20 by using the above-described yarn threading member 30. The following description does not include a step in which an operator threads the yarns Y spun out from the spinning apparatus 2 onto the first godet roller 3 and the second godet roller 4 by operating the suction gun 80. In the present embodiment, the working space W in which the operator performs the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 by handling the suction gun 80 is forward of the bobbin holder 13 in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 1). To put is differently, the working space W is on the front side or the rear side in the front-rear direction of the bobbin holder 13, which side is close to the yarn contact portion 51 in the front-rear direction.

[0086] To begin with, prior to the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20, the controller 6 moves the fulcrum guides 20 to the gathered positions (see FIG. 3). The driving mechanism 40 moves the yarn threading member 30 to the yarn threading position (not illustrated) that is forward of the frontmost fulcrum guide 20 and is to the right of the fulcrum guides 20. The operator then operates the suction gun 80 to thread the yarns Y, which are threaded on the second godet roller 4 at the rear position, to the respective retaining grooves 31 of the yarn threading member 30 at the yarn threading position.

[0087] Subsequently, the driving mechanism 40 moves the yarn threading member 30 to the yarn threading start position (indicated by two-dot chain lines in FIG. 5). Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 8, the operator moves the suction gun 80 to a position that is forward of the metal plate member 50 and below the yarn contact portion 51, so as to cause the yarns Y sucked and held by the suction gun 80 to make contact with the yarn contact portion 51. At this stage, the yarns Y preferably make contact with a part of the yarn contact portion 51, which is to the right of a substantially central part of the yarn contact portion 51.

[0088] While the yarns Y sucked and held by the suction gun 80 are in contact with the yarn contact portion 51, the driving mechanism 40 moves the yarn threading member 30 from the yarn threading start position to the yarn threading completion position (see solid lines in FIG. 5) . As a result, the handover of the yarns Y from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is completed. In other words, the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is completed.

[0089] After the completion of the handover of the yarns Y from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20, the operator operates the suction gun 80 to separate the yarns Y from the yarn contact portion 51. To be more specific, the operator moves the suction gun 80, which is at the position forward of the metal plate member 50 and below the yarn contact portion 51, further leftward, so as to separate the yarns Y from the left end portion of the yarn contact portion 51.

[0090] As the yarns Y are separated from the left end portion of the yarn contact portion 51 on account of the movement of the suction gun 80, the operator stops the leftward movement in the left-right direction of the suction gun 80. Almost at the same time as the stop of the movement in the left-right direction of the suction gun 80, the operator moves the suction gun 80 downward so as to move the yarns Y downward along the guide portion 54 formed on the left side surface of the metal plate member 50.

[0091] With the arrangement of the present embodiment, the operator is able to separate the yarns Y from the yarn contact portion 51 and move them to a low position simply by moving the suction gun 80 downward in the up-down direction. To be more specific, as the suction gun 80 is moved downward, the yarns Y slide down along the inclination of the yarn contact portion 51, and are then guided to a low position where the lambda guide 53 is provided, along the guide portion 54 on the left side surface of the metal plate member 50. To supplement the explanation above, in the present embodiment, the metal plate members 50 in each of which the yarn contact portion 51 formed at the top surface is tilted are provided to be symmetric in the left-right direction. On this account, for example, the operator is able to simultaneously separate the yarns Y from the yarn contact portion 51 of each of the paired metal plate members 50 by moving the suction gun 80 downward, the suction gun 80 sucking and holding the yarns Y which are to be wound by the paired winding devices 5. To be more specific, to begin with, the operator causes the yarns Y to make contact with the yarn contact portion 51 of each of the paired metal plate members 50 that are symmetric in the left-right direction, and then disposes the suction gun 80 at a substantial center in the left-right direction of the paired winding devices 5 that are symmetric in the left-right direction. In this state, the suction gun 80 is moved downward, with the result that the yarns Y are simultaneously separated from the left and right yarn contact portions 51.

[0092] Subsequently, the operator threads the yarns Y, which have been moved downward along the guide portion 54 on the left side surface of the metal plate member 50, to the lambda guide 53 attached to a lower portion of the metal plate member 50. In accordance with the threading to the lambda guide 53, the yarns Y are threaded to the first separator 91. Thereafter, the controller 6 swings the lambda guide 53 by driving the unillustrated swing mechanism and guides the yarns Y to the respective wind positions by suitably swinging the first separator 91 and the second separator 92. The yarns Y are therefore wound onto the respective bobbins B attached to the bobbin holder 13, and the subsequent winding operation is performed.

[0093] The following will describe steps from the threading of the yarns Y to the lambda guide 53 to the guiding of the yarns Y to the respective wind positions and the winding of the yarns Y onto the bobbins B. The first separator guides 91a are, for example, moved to the gathered positions in advance before the yarn threading to the fulcrum guide 20.

[0094]  In accordance with the threading to the lambda guide 53, the yarns Y are threaded to the first separator guides 91a of the first separator 91. To be more specific, the yarns Y threaded to the lambda guide 53 have already been threaded to the fulcrum guides 20 at a location upstream of the lambda guide 53 in the yarn running direction. Each yarn Y running between the lambda guide 53 and each fulcrum guide 20 is threaded to each first separator guide 91a at the gathered position, at a location between the lambda guide 53 and each fulcrum guide 20 (see FIG. 10). When the yarns Y are threaded to the first separator guides 91a, the unillustrated linear slider moves the first separator guides 91a to the distanced positions.

[0095] Subsequently, the controller 6 swing the lambda guide 53 about the rotational shaft 53a to the swing position by driving the unillustrated swing mechanism (see FIG. 11). Furthermore, the controller 6 swings the first separator 91 from the standby position to the handover position by driving the unillustrated air cylinder (see FIG. 11). Furthermore, the controller 6 swings the second separator 92 from the standby position to the handover position by driving the driving mechanism 92c (see FIG. 11). The first separator 91 swings to take one of the standby position and the handover position by being driven by the air cylinder (not illustrated) that is arranged so that the stroke is switchable in two stages. In other words, the first separator 91 is arranged so as not to swing beyond the handover position. The second separator 92 is arranged so as not to swing beyond the handover position, thanks to an unillustrated stopper.

[0096] When the first separator 91 swings to the handover position and the second separator 92 swings to the handover position, handover of each yarn Y from each first separator guide 91a to each second separator guide 92a is performed. To be more specific, when the first separator 91 swings to the handover position and the second separator 92 swings to the handover position, each yarn Y is temporarily threaded to both the first separator guide 91a and the second separator guide 92a. In this state, the first separator 91 is returned to the standby position. As a result, each yarn Y is detached from each first separator guide 91a and is threaded to only each second separator guide 92a. In this way, the handover of the yarns Y from the first separator 91 to the second separator 92 is completed. It is noted that the lambda guide 53 is maintained at the swing position until the winding operation of winding the yarns Y onto the bobbins B attached to the bobbin holder 13 is performed.

[0097]  Subsequently, the controller 6 moves the second separator 92 to a predetermined position between the standby position and the handover position by driving the driving mechanism 92c (see FIG. 12). To be more specific, the controller 6 moves the second separator 92 to a position which is between the standby position and the yarn winding position and is in the vicinity of the rotation center of the turret 12 (see FIG. 12). Subsequently, by rotating the turret 12, the controller 6 moves the bobbin holder 13 to which bobbins B with no yarns Y thereon are attached, to the winding position (see solid arrows in FIG. 12). At this stage, the second separator 92 is at the above-described predetermined position and the lambda guide 53 is at the swing position.

[0098] On this account, the yarns Y running between the second separator 92 and the lambda guide 53 are at around the rotation center of the turret 12, i.e., at around the center of the orbit of the two bobbin holders 13. This arrangement makes it possible to avoid the rotating bobbin holder 13 from making contact with the yarns Y.

[0099] When the bobbin holder 13 reaches the winding position, the controller 6 moves the second separator 92 to the yarn winding position by driving the driving mechanism 92c (see FIG. 13). When the bobbin holder 13 reaches the winding position, the unillustrated stopper provided for the bobbin holder 13 prevents the bobbin holder 13 from moving beyond the yarn winding position. Consequently, the yarns Y threaded to the second separator guides 92a are guided to the respective wind positions corresponding to the bobbins B. Each yarn Y guided to each wind position is wound onto each bobbin B. To be more specific, a groove extending along the circumferential surface and a hook are formed at an end portion of each bobbin B, and in accordance with the contact with the rotating bobbin B, the yarn Y having been guided to the wind position is threaded to the hook. In this way, each yarn Y is wound onto each bobbin B.

(Effects)

[0100] In the spun yarn take-up machine 1 of the present embodiment, as the yarn threading member 30 is moved relative to the fulcrum guides 20 while the yarns Y sucked and held by the suction gun 80 are retained by the yarn threading member 30, yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is performed, and the spun yarn take-up machine 1 includes the yarn contact portion 51 which is positioned to be able to make contact with the yarns Y running between the yarn threading member 30 and the suction gun 80. In the present embodiment, as the yarns Y sucked by the suction gun 80 are made contact with the yarn contact portion 51 at a location between the suction gun 80 and the yarn threading member 30, it is possible to prevent yarn shaking caused by an airflow generated by the suction gun 80 from being propagated to the yarn threading member 30. On this account, yarn shaking is suppressed when the yarns Y held by the yarn threading member 30 are handed over to the fulcrum guides 20. It is therefore possible to properly perform yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20.

[0101] In the present embodiment, the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is performed from the rear side (one side) to the front side (the other side) in the front-rear direction (arrangement direction), and the yarn contact portion 51 is on the other side of the frontmost fulcrum guide 20 (which is on the other side of the remaining fulcrum guides 20) in the front-rear direction (arrangement direction). If the yarn threading member 30 moves beyond the yarn contact portion 51 in the front-rear direction (arrangement direction) while yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed, the yarns Y may be detached from the yarn contact portion 51, depending on the positional relationship between the yarn contact portion 51 and the suction gun 80. To avoid this problem, it is necessary to adjust the position of the suction gun 80. However, depending on the structure of the apparatus, the layout of the suction gun 80 may be restricted by the existence of, for example, another member. According to the present embodiment, regardless of the positional relationship between the yarn contact portion 51 and the suction gun 80, the yarn threading member 30 does not move beyond the yarn contact portion 51 in the front-rear direction (arrangement direction) while yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed. It is therefore possible to avoid detachment of the yarns Y from the yarn contact portion 51 while yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed.

[0102] In the present embodiment, the yarn contact portion 51 extends in the extending direction. This facilitates the yarns Y to make contact with the yarn contact portion 51 extending in the extending direction. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the yarn contact portion 51 is tilted so that an end portion on the left side (one side) in the extending direction is below an end portion on the right side (the other side). After the completion of the handover of the yarns Y from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20, the yarns Y are separated from the yarn contact portion 51 in order to proceed to the step of winding the yarns onto the bobbins B attached to the bobbin holder 13. According to the present embodiment, the yarns Y slide on the yarn contact portion 51 by gravity, along the direction that is in parallel to the extending direction and is from the end portion on the right side (the other side) toward the end portion on the left side (one side) of the yarn contact portion 51. With this arrangement, the force required for moving the yarns Y is reduced and the yarns Y are smoothly separated from the yarn contact portion 51.

[0103] In the present embodiment, the bobbin holder 13 is to the left of (on one side of) the yarn contact portion 51 in the left-right direction (the extending direction of the yarn contact portion 51). In the present embodiment, after the yarns Y are moved downward along the yarn contact portion 51 and are separated from the yarn contact portion 51 at a location to the left of the yarn contact portion 51 in the left-right direction, the yarns Y are at locations close to the bobbin holder 13 as compared to the yarn contact portion 51. It is therefore possible to directly move the yarns Y separated from the yarn contact portion 51 to the position where the bobbin holder 13 is provided, without allowing the yarns Y to move beyond the yarn contact portion 51 in the left-right direction. Due to this, after the completion of the handover of the yarns Y from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20, it is possible to smoothly proceed to the step of winding each yarn Y onto the bobbin B attached to the bobbin holder 13.

[0104] In the present embodiment, the yarns Y move toward the left end portion (on one side) of the yarn contact portion 51 in the extending direction, while being in contact with the yarn contact portion 51. The spun yarn take-up machine 1 of the present embodiment includes the drop prevention portion 52 configured to prevent the yarns Y from dropping off from the right end portion of the yarn contact portion 51 in the extending direction. In the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the yarns Y in contact with the yarn contact portion 51 from unintentionally dropping off from the right end portion of the yarn contact portion 51.

[0105] In the present embodiment, the yarn contact portion 51 is shaped so that the yarns Y are able to make contact with the yarn contact portion 51 while yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed. In the present embodiment, it is possible to keep the yarns Y to be in contact with the yarn contact portion 51 during the yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to each fulcrum guide 20. That is to say, it is possible to avoid at least one of the yarns Y from being detached from the yarn contact portion 51 during the yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to each fulcrum guide 20. On this account, yarn shaking is reliably suppressed when the yarns Y held by the yarn threading member 30 are handed over to the fulcrum guides 20. The yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is therefore further properly done.

[0106] In the present embodiment, the yarn contact portion 51 is a contact surface with which the yarns Y are able to make surface-contact. The larger the contact area between the yarns Y and the yarn contact portion 51 is, the smaller the load on each yarn Y from the yarn contact portion 51 is. According to the present embodiment, because the yarns Y are in surface-contact with the yarn contact portion 51, the contact area between each yarn Y and the yarn contact portion 51 is large. On this account, as compared to a case where the yarns Y make contact with an edge-shaped yarn contact portion 51, i.e., a case where the yarns Y are in point-contact with the yarn contact portion 51, the load on the yarns Y is small. This suppresses yarn breakage or deflection of the yarns Y due to the contact between the yarns Y and the yarn contact portion 51.

[0107] In the present embodiment, the lambda guide 53 (wind guide) is provided for guiding the yarns Y threaded to the fulcrum guides 20 to the wind positions where the yarns Y are wound onto the bobbins B attached to the bobbin holder 13. The yarn contact portion 51 is integrally formed with the lambda guide 53. According to the present embodiment, after the completion of the handover of the yarns Y from the yarn threading member 30 to each fulcrum guide 20, the yarns Y separated from the yarn contact portion 51 are directly threaded to the lambda guide 53 that is integrally formed with the yarn contact portion 51. Due to this, it is possible to smoothly proceed to the step of winding each yarn Y onto the bobbin B attached to the bobbin holder 13.

[0108] In the present embodiment, the lambda guide 53 is provided below the yarn contact portion 51. The spun yarn take-up machine 1 of the present embodiment further includes the guide portion 54 which extends along the up-down direction and is provided for guiding the yarns Y from the yarn contact portion 51 to the lambda guide 53. Thanks to the guide portion 54, the yarns Y separated from the yarn contact portion 51 are smoothly guided to the lambda guide 53. Due to this, after the completion of the handover of the yarns Y from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20, it is possible to smoothly proceed to the step of winding each yarn Y onto the bobbin B attached to the bobbin holder 13.

[0109]  In the present embodiment, the driving mechanism 40 is provided to move the yarn threading member 30 between a yarn threading start position where yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 starts and a yarn threading completion position where yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is completed. In the arrangement in which the yarn threading member 30 is moved by the driving mechanism 40, when yarn shaking of the yarns Y held by the yarn threading member 30 occurs, the position of the yarn Y handed over to the fulcrum guide 20 cannot be adjusted by finely adjusting the position of the yarn threading member 30. Inclusion of the yarn contact portion 51 is quite effective in this arrangement.

[0110] In the present embodiment, the working space W in which the operator performs the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 by handling the suction gun 80 is either on the front side (the other side) or the rear side (one side) of the bobbin holder 13 in the front-rear direction (arrangement direction), which side is the side close to the yarn contact portion 51 in the front-rear direction (arrangement direction). In the present embodiment, the operator is allowed to perform operations in a wide space around which the bobbin holders 13 and the fulcrum guides 20 are not provided.

[0111]  In the present embodiment, the yarn threading member 30 has the retaining grooves 31 retaining the respective yarns Y, and the retaining grooves 31 are aligned in a direction in parallel to the extending direction. According to the present embodiment, until the yarns Y threaded to the respective retaining grooves 31 of the yarn threading member 30 reach the yarn contact portion 51, the running plane of each yarn Y passing through the yarn path is maintained to be in parallel to the extending direction. To put it differently, the running plane of the yarns Y running between the retaining grooves 31 and the yarn contact portion 51 is not twisted. On this account, the bending angle of the yarn Y in contact with the yarn contact portion 51 is identical between the yarns Y, and hence the yarn quality influenced by the bending angle is identical between the yarns Y.

[0112] In the present embodiment, the yarn threading member 30 is provided on the downstream side of the fulcrum guides 20 in the yarn running direction. The yarns Y sucked by the suction gun 80 are converged at the suction gun 80. That is to say, the pitch of the yarns Y held by the yarn threading member 30 decreases toward the suction gun 80 provided on the downstream side of the yarn threading member 30. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the yarn threading member 30 is provided on the downstream side of the fulcrum guides 20 in the yarn running direction. On this account, instead of threading the yarns Y whose pitch narrows on the downstream side of the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20, the yarns Y having a uniform pitch are threaded to the fulcrum guides 20. Due to this, as compared to a case where the yarn threading member 30 is provided on the upstream of the fulcrum guides 20, yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 can be easily done in the present embodiment.

(Modifications)

[0113] The following will describe modifications of the above-described embodiment. The members identical with those in the embodiment above will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the explanations thereof are not repeated.

[0114] In the present embodiment, when viewed in the up-down direction, the extending direction of the yarn contact portion 51 is in parallel to the left-right direction. Alternatively, when viewed in the up-down direction, the extending direction of the yarn contact portion 51 may intersect with the left-right direction.

[0115] In the embodiment above, the yarn contact portion 51 is tilted so that an end portion on the left side (one side) in the extending direction is below an end portion on the right side (the other side). In this regard, the yarn contact portion 51 may be curved so that an end portion on the left side (one side) in the extending direction is below an end portion on the right side (the other side). It is noted that the arrangement in which the yarn contact portion 51 is curved does not encompass a case where a portion of the yarn contact portion 51 between the left end portion and the right end portion is concave so that the portion between the end portions is below the end portions. The yarn contact portion 51 may extend along the horizontal direction.

[0116] In the embodiment above, the drop prevention portion 52 prevents the yarns Y from dropping off from the right end portion (on the other side) of the yarn contact portion 51 that is tilted so that the end portion on the left side (one side) in the extending direction is below the end portion on the right side (the other side). Alternatively, the drop prevention portion 52 may prevent the yarns Y from dropping off from the right end portion (on the other side) of the yarn contact portion 51 that extends along the horizontal direction. In this case, the yarns Y move toward the left end portion (on one side) of the yarn contact portion 51 in the extending direction, while being in contact with the yarn contact portion 51. The drop prevention portion 52 may not be formed.

[0117] In the embodiment above, the bobbin holder 13 is to the left of (i.e., on one side of) the yarn contact portion 51 in the left-right direction (or the extending direction). Alternatively, the bobbin holder 13 may be to the left of (on one side of) the yarn contact portion 51 which is tilted so that, in the left-right direction (or the extending direction), an end portion on the left side (one side) in the extending direction is below an end portion on the right side (the other side).

[0118] In the embodiment above, the yarn contact portion 51 and the drop prevention portion 52 are formed in the metal plate member 50. Alternatively, the yarn contact portion 51 and the drop prevention portion 52 may be members different from the metal plate member 50. In the embodiment above, the yarn contact portion 51 and the lambda guide 53 are integrally formed. Alternatively, the yarn contact portion 51 and the lambda guide 53 may not be integrally formed. In short, the yarn contact portion 51 and the lambda guide 53 may be separated from each other.

[0119] In the embodiment above, the yarn contact portion 51 is formed on the top surface of the metal plate member 50. The yarn contact portion 51 has a contact surface that is rounded when viewed in the left-right direction. Alternatively, for example, the yarn contact portion may be formed on an upper circumferential surface of a rod member extending in a predetermined extending direction. In this case, the upper circumferential surface of the rod member that is the yarn contact portion functions as the contact surface with which the yarns Y are able to make surface-contact.

[0120] In the embodiment above, the yarn contact portion 51 is shaped as described below so that the yarns Y are able to make contact with the yarn contact portion 51 while yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed. That is to say, the length in the extending direction of the yarn contact portion 51 is sufficient for preventing the yarns Y moving in accordance with the yarn threading from dropping off from the left end portion of the yarn contact portion 51, while the yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed. In this regard, the yarn contact portion 51 may have a shape different from the shape in the embodiment above, so that the yarns Y are able to make contact with the yarn contact portion 51 while yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed. For example, on the top surface of the metal plate member 50, a second drop prevention portion may be formed to prevent the yarns Y from dropping off from the left end portion of the yarn contact portion 51 in the left-right direction. The yarn contact portion 51 is therefore shaped so that the yarns Y are able to make contact with the yarn contact portion 51 while yarn threading from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20 is being performed. The second drop prevention portion is, for example, structurally identical with the drop prevention portion 51 of the embodiment above. In this case, the second drop prevention portion is preferably provided on the top surface of the metal plate member 50 in a detachable manner. As the second drop prevention portion is detached, the second drop prevention portion does not obstruct the yarns Y that are detached from the yarn contact portion 51 and guided to a location where the lambda guide 53 is provided.

[0121] In the embodiment above, when the yarns Y are threaded to the yarn threading member 30 at the yarn threading position, the yarns Y are not in contact with the yarn contact portion 51. Alternatively, when the yarns Y are threaded to the yarn threading member 30 at the yarn threading position, the yarns Y may be in contact with the yarn contact portion 51. This arrangement makes it possible to suppress yarn shaking when the yarns Y are threaded to the yarn threading member 30.

[0122] In the embodiment above, when yarn threading is performed from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20, the driving mechanism 40 moves the yarn threading member 30. Alternatively, when yarn threading is performed from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20, an operator may manually move the yarn threading member 30.

[0123] In the embodiment above, as the yarn threading member 30 moves from the yarn threading start position to the yarn threading completion position, the yarns Y are handed over from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20. Alternatively, for example, as the fulcrum guides 20 move rearward in the front-rear direction (arrangement direction), the yarns Y may be handed over from the yarn threading member 30 to the fulcrum guides 20. Also in this case, in the same manner as in the embodiment above, the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides 20 is performed from the rear side (one side) to the front side (the other side) in the front-rear direction (arrangement direction). In the case above, furthermore, the yarn contact portion 51 may not be provided on the front side (the other side) of the frontmost fulcrum guide 20 (which is on the other side of the remaining fulcrum guides 20) in the front-rear direction (arrangement direction). It is noted that, in the present invention, the phrase "move the yarn threading member 30 relative to the fulcrum guides 20" encompasses not only a case where the yarn threading member 30 is moved but also a case where the yarn threading member 30 is moved relative to the fulcrum guides 20 by moving the fulcrum guides 20.

[0124] In the embodiment above, the guide portion 54 extends along the vertical direction. Alternatively, the guide portion 54 may extend in a direction tilted relative to the vertical direction. The spun yarn take-up machine 1 may not include the guide portion 54.

[0125] In the embodiment above, the retaining grooves 31 are aligned in a direction in parallel to the extending direction of the yarn contact portion 51. In this regard, the retaining grooves 31 may not be aligned in a direction in parallel to the extending direction of the yarn contact portion 51.

[0126] While in the embodiment above the spun yarn take-up machine 1 includes a pair of winding devices 5, the disclosure is not limited to this arrangement. For example, the spun yarn take-up machine 1 may include only one winding device 5 among the paired winding devices 5.

[0127] The present invention can be applied to not only the spun yarn take-up machine 1 but also various yarn winders arranged to wind yarns Y.

[0128] In the embodiment above, the yarn threading member 30 is provided on the downstream side of the fulcrum guides 20 in the yarn running direction. Alternatively, the yarn threading member 30 may be provided on the upstream side of the fulcrum guides 20 in the yarn running direction.

Claims

1. A yarn winder (1) comprising:

a bobbin holder (13) to which bobbins (B) are attached along a predetermined arrangement direction;

fulcrum guides (20) which are aligned in the arrangement direction, are provided to correspond to yarns (Y) which are to be wound onto the respective bobbins (B), and function as fulcrums of traversal when the yarns (Y) are traversed; and

a yarn threading member (30) which are movable while holding the yarns (Y) in a separated manner,

yarn threading to the fulcrum guides (20) being performed by moving the yarn threading member (30) relative to the fulcrum guides (20) while the yarns (Y) sucked and held by a sucking holding member (80) configured to suck and hold yarns are held by the yarn threading member (30),

the yarn winder (1) further comprising a yarn contact portion (51) which is provided at a location where the yarns (Y) running between the yarn threading member (30) and the sucking holding member (80) are able to make contact with the yarn contact portion (51).

2. The yarn winder (1) according to claim 1, wherein,

the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides (20) is performed from one side to the other side in the arrangement direction, and

the yarn contact portion (51) is provided on the other side of a fulcrum guide (20) that is on the other side of the remaining fulcrum guides (20) in the arrangement direction.

3. The yarn winder (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, the yarn contact portion (51) extends in a predetermined extending direction.

4. The yarn winder (1) according to claim 3, wherein, the yarn contact portion (51) is tilted or curved so that an end portion of the yarn contact portion (51) on one side in the extending direction is below an end portion on the other side.

5. The yarn winder (1) according to claim 4, wherein, the bobbin holder (13) is provided on the one side of the yarn contact portion (51) in the extending direction.

6. The yarn winder (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein,

the yarns (Y) move toward the end portion of the yarn contact portion (51) on the one side in the extending direction, while being in contact with the yarn contact portion (51), and

a drop prevention portion (52) is provided to prevent the yarns (Y) from dropping off from an end portion of the yarn contact portion (51) on the other side in the extending direction.

7. The yarn winder (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein,

the yarn threading member (30) has retaining grooves (31) which retain the yarns (Y), respectively, and

the retaining grooves (31) are aligned along a direction in parallel to the extending direction.

8. The yarn winder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, the yarn contact portion (51) is shaped so that the yarns (Y) are able to make contact with the yarn contact portion (51) while yarn threading from the yarn threading member (30) to the fulcrum guides (20) is being performed.

9. The yarn winder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, the yarn contact portion (51) is a contact surface with which the yarns (Y) are able to make surface-contact.

10. The yarn winder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising a wind guide (53) which is provided for guiding the yarns (Y) threaded to the fulcrum guides (20) to wind positions where the yarns (Y) are wound onto the bobbins (B) attached to the bobbin holder (13),
the yarn contact member (51) and the wind guide (53) being integrally formed.

11. The yarn winder (1) according to claim 10, wherein,

the wind guide (53) is provided below the yarn contact portion (51), and

a guide portion (54) is provided to extend along a vertical direction and to guide the yarns (Y) from the yarn contact portion (51) to the wind guide (53).

12. The yarn winder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a driving mechanism (40) which is configured to move the yarn threading member (30) between a yarn threading start position where the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides (20) starts and a yarn threading completion position where the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides (20) is completed.

13. The yarn winder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, a working space (W) in which an operator performs the yarn threading to the fulcrum guides (20) by handling the sucking holding member (80) is on either one side or the other side of the bobbin holder (13) in the arrangement direction, which side is the side close to the yarn contact portion (51) in the arrangement direction.

14. The yarn winder (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, in a yarn running direction in which the yarns (Y) run, the yarn threading member (30) is provided on the downstream side of the fulcrum guides (20).

Drawing