Device and method for automatically grabbing broken silk in spinning process of textile machinery

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of textile machinery automation, and discloses an automatic broken silk grabbing device in the spinning process of textile machinery, which comprises a detection unit, a control unit, a grabbing execution unit and a recovery unit, the detection unit comprises an infrared photoelectric sensor group for detecting spinning continuity in a non-contact manner and a tension sensor for detecting spinning tension in a contact manner; the control unit is electrically connected with the detection unit and used for receiving and processing detection signals of the infrared photoelectric sensor set and the tension sensor and generating a control instruction when it is judged that wire breakage occurs. And the grabbing execution unit is electrically connected with the control unit. Through the composite judgment logic of the infrared photoelectric sensor group and the tension sensor, the system can effectively distinguish true broken filaments from illusions such as tow shaking, flying interference and the like, and the false alarm rate of broken filament detection is greatly reduced, so that equipment is prevented from being shut down without any reason, and the reliability of a detection link and the stability of a production plan are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of textile machinery automation technology, specifically to an automatic filament grabbing device and method for the spinning process of textile machinery. Background Technology

[0002] In the high-speed spinning process of modern textile machinery producing synthetic fiber filaments and industrial yarns, yarn breakage is a common bottleneck affecting continuous operation and the yield of first-grade products. For a long time, addressing yarn breakage has relied heavily on manual inspection and intervention. Operators need to periodically inspect hundreds of spinning stations, visually identifying broken yarns, then manually stopping the equipment and disassembling related components to clean waste yarn entangled in the guide rollers, heating rollers, or troughs. This process is inefficient and highly unstable, becoming a key factor restricting capacity expansion and cost control.

[0003] To overcome the drawbacks of manual detection, the industry has proposed several technical improvements. One approach involves using contact-based detection devices. When a yarn breaks, the pendulum, losing tension, falls or the circuit breaks, triggering an alarm. However, oil on the surface of synthetic fibers easily accumulates at the contact points, leading to poor contact or signal failure, especially in high-temperature and high-humidity spinning environments, where detection accuracy is severely compromised. Another approach is to introduce non-contact detection, such as photoelectric sensors. While this avoids the oil accumulation problem, it has a high false alarm rate when faced with high-speed shaking, drifting yarn bundles, or interference from fly shavings and moisture in the environment. Furthermore, secondary dispersion at the broken yarn end results in incomplete removal, failing to fundamentally eliminate the problem of broken yarn entanglement. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of existing methods for handling broken yarns in spinning, such as reliance on manual labor, poor reliability of detection methods, and lack of effective automatic removal methods, the present invention provides an automatic yarn-grabbing device and method for spinning broken yarns in textile machinery. It has the advantages of reliable detection, rapid response, thorough removal, and fully automatic operation, thus solving the technical problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] This invention provides the following technical solution: an automatic filament-grabbing device for the spinning process in textile machinery, comprising a detection unit, a control unit, a gripping execution unit, and a recovery unit. The detection unit includes an infrared photoelectric sensor group for non-contact detection of spinning continuity and a tension sensor for contact detection of spinning tension. The control unit is electrically connected to the detection unit and is used to receive and process the detection signals from the infrared photoelectric sensor group and the tension sensor, and generate a control command when a filament breakage is detected. The gripping execution unit is electrically connected to the control unit and is used to execute a gripping action in response to the control command. The gripping execution unit includes a servo robotic arm and a pneumatic gripper mounted on the end effector of the servo robotic arm. The recovery unit is linked to the gripping execution unit and is used to recover the broken filament. The recovery unit includes a negative pressure suction nozzle and a broken filament collection box, with the negative pressure suction nozzle and the pneumatic gripper arranged adjacent to each other.

[0006] Preferably, the infrared photoelectric sensor group includes at least one pair of photoelectric sensors, each photoelectric sensor having a transmitting end and a receiving end, the transmitting end and the receiving end being symmetrically arranged on both sides of the spinning path.

[0007] Preferably, the distance between the transmitting end and the receiving end is 5mm to 8mm.

[0008] Preferably, the tension sensor is a pedestal-type sensor located at the bearing of the guide roller, used to indirectly measure the spinning tension, and a spinning box is provided above the guide roller.

[0009] Preferably, the logic for the control unit to determine wire breakage is as follows: when the duration of the signal interruption of the infrared photoelectric sensor group exceeds a first preset threshold, and the fluctuation amplitude of the tension value detected by the tension sensor exceeds a second preset threshold, it is determined that wire breakage has occurred.

[0010] Preferably, the servo robotic arm is a multi-axis servo robotic arm, and the positioning accuracy of the multi-axis servo robotic arm is less than or equal to 0.5 mm.

[0011] Preferably, the gripping surface of the pneumatic gripper is provided with anti-slip texture, and the depth of the anti-slip texture is 0.3mm to 0.5mm.

[0012] Preferably, the air intake of the negative pressure nozzle faces the clamping area of ​​the pneumatic gripper, and the activation of the negative pressure nozzle is linked to the closing action of the pneumatic gripper.

[0013] Preferably, the broken filament collection box is connected to the negative pressure suction nozzle via a pipe.

[0014] A method for automatically picking up broken filaments during the spinning process in textile machinery includes the following steps: S1: The spinning operation status signal is synchronously acquired through the infrared photoelectric sensor group and the tension sensor; S2: The control unit determines whether a yarn breakage has occurred based on the spinning operation status signal and composite judgment logic. S3: If a wire breakage is detected, the control unit calculates the spatial coordinates of the wire breakage point based on the signal interruption location and drives the servo robotic arm to move to the target position; S4: Control the pneumatic gripper to close to grab the broken wire, and at the same time activate the negative pressure suction nozzle to suck the broken wire captured by the pneumatic gripper into the broken wire collection box.

[0015] The present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention, through the composite judgment logic of infrared photoelectric sensor group and tension sensor, enables the system to effectively distinguish between real wire breakage and false alarms such as wire bundle shaking and fly interference, greatly reducing the false alarm rate of wire breakage detection, thereby avoiding equipment downtime without reason and significantly improving the reliability of the detection process and the stability of production plan.

[0016] 2. This invention, through the spatiotemporal linkage design of pneumatic grippers and negative pressure suction nozzles, enables the device to simultaneously control and suck up the scattered filament tails with negative pressure airflow at the instant it grasps the main body of the broken filament, achieving a seamless connection of "grabbing-adsorption". This ensures that the broken filament is completely removed in one go, eliminating the risk of the grasped broken filament falling off and wrapping around the equipment again.

[0017] 3. This invention, through a fully closed-loop process integrating automatic detection, precise positioning, collaborative grasping, and instant recycling, transforms the lengthy process of traditional manual inspection, shutdown, and manual cleaning into an unmanned automatic response completed within 10 seconds, thereby greatly improving the overall efficiency of spinning equipment and significantly reducing labor costs and raw material waste. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the device of the present invention and its installation on a spinning machine; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the control system of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the logic decision-making process of the control unit of the present invention.

[0019] In the diagram: 11. Infrared photoelectric sensor group; 111. Transmitter; 112. Receiver; 12. Tension sensor; 2. Control unit; 31. Servo robotic arm; 32. Pneumatic gripper; 41. Negative pressure suction nozzle; 42. Broken yarn collection box; 5. Guide roller; 6. Spinning box. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] Example 1: Specific Structure of the Device Please see Figure 1 An automatic filament grabbing device for the spinning process of textile machinery is integrated next to the spinning position of a high-speed polyester spinning machine. It is installed in the space between the spinning box 6 and the guide roller 5 via a frame and includes a detection unit, a control unit 2, a grabbing execution unit and a recycling unit.

[0022] The detection unit includes an infrared photoelectric sensor group 11 and a tension sensor 12. The infrared photoelectric sensor group 11 includes at least one pair of photoelectric sensors. Each pair of sensors has a transmitter 111 and a receiver 112. The transmitter 111 and receiver 112 are mounted approximately 10-15 cm below the outlet of the spinning box 6 via a finely adjustable stainless steel bracket. During installation, alignment and spacing stability are ensured, and the transmitter 111 and receiver 112 must be strictly aligned to ensure that the infrared beam can pass through the gap in the yarn bundle and be accurately received. The horizontal distance H between the transmitter 111 and receiver 112 is adjusted to 5 mm to 8 mm, preferably 6 mm in this embodiment. This ensures reliable beam blocking when the yarn bundle passes normally and allows the beam to recover quickly in the event of yarn breakage, generating a clear signal transition and avoiding failure problems caused by fiber accumulation in contact detection. The tension sensor 12 is a shaft-mounted tension sensor, which is directly mounted on the support bearing seat of the guide roller 5 for indirect and real-time detection of spinning tension. The spinning tension F generates a tangential torque on the guide roller 5, which is ultimately converted into a reaction force at the bearing seats at both ends. When the yarn is intact, this reaction force remains near a steady-state value in dynamic equilibrium; when the yarn suddenly breaks, this force decreases or disappears instantaneously. The sensor 12 detects the change in this reaction force in real time and uses it as an indirect signal reflecting the spinning tension state. Integrating the tension sensor 12 into the bearing of the guide roller 5 has the advantages of stable installation, no interference with the yarn path, and stable measurement signal compared to directly measuring the yarn tension. The guide roller 5 is usually located downstream of the spinning box 6.

[0023] The gripping execution unit includes a servo robotic arm 31 and a pneumatic gripper 32. In this embodiment, the servo robotic arm 31 is a four-axis horizontal multi-joint (SCARA) servo robotic arm, characterized by high horizontal movement speed and high repeatability, suitable for rapid positioning and traversing among densely packed spinning positions. Its base is fixed to the main beam of the spinning machine frame, and its working range must cover all spinning positions where yarn breakage may occur. This robotic arm has high speed and high positioning accuracy, and can move quickly and accurately to the coordinates of the yarn breakage point according to the instructions of the control unit 2. The pneumatic gripper 32 is a parallel opening and closing type pneumatic finger, which is mounted on the end of the servo robotic arm 31 via a flange. The fingertip of the gripper is made of hard anodized aluminum alloy, which is lightweight and wear-resistant. The gripping surface of the gripper is specially designed with a cross-grid anti-slip texture, the depth of which is preferably 0.3mm to 0.5mm. It can provide an adjustable gripping force of 1-5N while maximizing the friction with smooth synthetic fiber yarns to prevent slippage and fall during gripping. The on / off state of the pneumatic gripper 32 is controlled by the control unit 2 via a solenoid valve. The clamping force is controlled by a precision pressure regulating valve connected to the analog output module of the PLC, allowing programmable control of the clamping pressure to precisely set the clamping force within a low range of 1-3 N. This ensures sufficient gripping of broken wires without damaging adjacent normal wires or crushing fragile wire ends due to excessive force.

[0024] The recycling unit includes a negative pressure suction nozzle 41 and a broken filament collection box 42. The negative pressure suction nozzle 41 is made of lightweight nylon and is fixedly connected to the body of the pneumatic gripper 32 via a servo robotic arm 31 bracket, ensuring that its suction port always faces the gripping area of ​​the pneumatic gripper 32. This guarantees that the flat suction port of the nozzle is positioned exactly 5-10mm directly below or to the side of the gripping point of the pneumatic gripper 32, and is slightly tilted towards the gripping area. The nozzle is connected to a centralized vacuum generator 43 via an 8mm inner diameter PU hose, which can be a vacuum generator or a small fan. The start signal of the negative pressure suction nozzle 41 and the closing signal of the pneumatic gripper 32 are linked by the control unit 2; that is, the nozzle generates suction immediately at or shortly after the gripper begins to close. The broken filament collection box 42 is a sealed container with a high-efficiency filter, installed below the machine and connected to the outlet of the negative pressure suction nozzle 41 via a pipe. It is used to collect and temporarily store the sucked-up broken filaments and waste filaments for periodic cleaning.

[0025] Please see Figure 2 Control unit 2 is a programmable logic controller (PLC). Its digital input module (DI) is connected to the output of the infrared sensor group 11. It is normally open and conducts when the light is blocked. Its analog input module (AI) is connected to the 4-20mA current signal output of the tension sensor 12. The PLC internally stores a wire breakage detection program, and its core logic is as follows: The system reads and filters two signals in real time. The infrared signal undergoes a delay confirmation; a valid beam recovery event is only considered to have occurred when the signal transitions from low to high for more than a first preset threshold T1, eliminating transient signal interference caused by momentary fiber fluctuations. Simultaneously, the tension signal is monitored, and its deviation from its steady-state average value within a short time window is calculated. A valid tension change event is considered to have occurred when the absolute value of the deviation exceeds a second preset threshold T2 and this deviation persists for a period of time. Only when both conditions are met simultaneously does the PLC controller ultimately determine that a genuine fiber breakage event has occurred at the spinning position. This dual verification mechanism effectively distinguishes between: fiber drift or vibration alone; and external mechanical vibration alone. Only when both are correlated is a physical fiber breakage confirmed. This dual determination significantly reduces the false trigger rate caused by momentary fiber drift or minor tension disturbances, improving detection accuracy.

[0026] Example 2: Operating Method of the Device In conjunction with the above-described device, the automatic filament breakage grasping method for textile machinery during the spinning process of the present invention automatically and cyclically executes the following steps: Step S1: During normal operation of the spinning machine, the infrared photoelectric sensor group 11 continuously emits and receives infrared beams, generating photoelectric signals indicating the continuity of the yarn; the tension sensor 12 collects the force data of the guide roller 5 in real time, generating a tension signal. Both signals are synchronously transmitted to the control unit 2.

[0027] Step S2: Control unit 2 processes and monitors the received signals in real time. Once an interruption in the photoelectric signal that meets the "first preset threshold" is detected, and a sudden drop in the synchronous tension signal that meets the "second preset threshold" is detected, it is determined that a valid yarn break has occurred at the spinning position, and a control command containing the yarn break position number and coordinate information is immediately generated.

[0028] Step S3: Based on the position information of the specific photoelectric sensor pair that issued the interrupt signal, and combined with the mapping relationship between the robotic arm coordinate system and the physical coordinates of the spinning machine, the control unit 2 calculates the three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the yarn breakage point. Subsequently, the control unit 2 drives the servo robotic arm 31 to move rapidly above the target coordinate point, ready to perform the grasping action.

[0029] Step S4: After the servo robotic arm 31 reaches its position, the control unit 2 first sends a command to close the pneumatic gripper 32, gripping the broken wire with a set preload force. Simultaneously, the control unit 2 triggers the vacuum device, immediately activating the negative pressure suction nozzle 41 to generate a suction force of 10-15 kPa. At this time, the scattered portion of the broken wire initially captured by the pneumatic gripper 32 is rapidly sucked into the suction nozzle by the strong negative pressure airflow; even the main part gripped by the gripper is immediately sucked in by the continuous negative pressure the moment the gripper releases its grip, thus achieving a seamless connection between gripping and suction. All sucked-up broken wires eventually enter the broken wire collection box 42 through a pipe. After the retrieval is complete, the pneumatic gripper 32 and the negative pressure suction nozzle 41 reset, the servo robotic arm 31 returns to the standby position, and the system prepares to handle the next broken wire event.

[0030] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0031] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automatic filament-grabbing device for the spinning process in textile machinery, characterized in that: The device includes a detection unit, a control unit (2), a gripping execution unit, and a recycling unit. The detection unit includes an infrared photoelectric sensor group (11) for non-contact detection of spinning continuity and a tension sensor (12) for contact detection of spinning tension. The control unit is electrically connected to the detection unit and is used to receive and process the detection signals from the infrared photoelectric sensor group (11) and the tension sensor (12), and generate a control command when a yarn breakage is detected. The gripping execution unit is electrically connected to the control unit and is used to execute a gripping action in response to the control command. The gripping execution unit includes a servo robotic arm (31) and a pneumatic gripper (32) mounted on the end effector of the servo robotic arm (31). The recycling unit is linked to the gripping execution unit and is used to recycle broken yarns. The recycling unit includes a negative pressure suction nozzle (41) and a broken yarn collection box (42). The negative pressure suction nozzle (41) is arranged adjacent to the pneumatic gripper (32).

2. The automatic filament breakage gripping device in the spinning process of textile machinery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The infrared photoelectric sensor group (11) includes at least one pair of photoelectric sensors, each pair having a transmitting end (111) and a receiving end (112), the transmitting end (111) and the receiving end (112) being symmetrically arranged on both sides of the spinning path.

3. The automatic filament breakage gripping device in the spinning process of textile machinery according to claim 2, characterized in that: The distance between the transmitter (111) and the receiver (112) is 5mm to 8mm.

4. The automatic filament breakage gripping device in the spinning process of textile machinery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tension sensor (12) is a pedestal sensor located at the bearing of the guide roller (5) and is used to indirectly measure the spinning tension. A spinning box (6) is provided above the guide roller (5).

5. The automatic filament breakage gripping device during the spinning process of textile machinery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The logic for determining wire breakage by the control unit is as follows: when the duration of signal interruption of the infrared photoelectric sensor group (11) exceeds the first preset threshold, and the fluctuation amplitude of the tension value detected by the tension sensor (12) exceeds the second preset threshold, it is determined that wire breakage has occurred.

6. The automatic filament breakage gripping device during the spinning process of textile machinery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The servo robotic arm (31) is a multi-axis servo robotic arm, and the positioning accuracy of the multi-axis servo robotic arm is less than or equal to 0.5 mm.

7. The automatic filament breakage gripping device in the spinning process of textile machinery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripping surface of the pneumatic gripper (32) is provided with anti-slip texture, the depth of which is 0.3mm to 0.5mm.

8. The automatic filament breakage gripping device in the spinning process of textile machinery according to claim 1, characterized in that: The suction port of the negative pressure suction nozzle (41) faces the clamping area of ​​the pneumatic gripper (32), and the activation of the negative pressure suction nozzle (41) is linked to the closing action of the pneumatic gripper (32).

9. The automatic filament-breaking gripping device for textile machinery during the spinning process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The broken wire collection box (42) is connected to the negative pressure suction nozzle (41) through a pipe.

10. A method for automatically picking up broken filaments during the spinning process in textile machinery, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1: The spinning operation status signal is collected synchronously by the infrared photoelectric sensor group (11) and the tension sensor (12); S2: The control unit determines whether a yarn breakage has occurred based on the spinning operation status signal and composite judgment logic. S3: If a wire breakage is determined to have occurred, the control unit calculates the spatial coordinates of the wire breakage point based on the signal interruption location and drives the servo robotic arm (31) to move to the target position; S4: Control the pneumatic gripper (32) to close to grab the broken wire, and at the same time activate the negative pressure suction nozzle (41) to suck the broken wire captured by the pneumatic gripper (32) into the broken wire collection box (42).

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