Transportation device with automatic cloth discharging function for circular knitting machine

Abstract

The utility model discloses a circular knitting machine transportation device with an automatic cloth discharging function, which belongs to the field of textile equipment and comprises a transportation platform, mechanical arm components are arranged at two ends of one side of the top end of the transportation platform, and movable clamping jaw components are arranged on the mechanical arm components. The conveying platform is further provided with a shearing assembly, a containing groove and a temporary storage position. The containing groove is located in the other side, away from the mechanical arm assembly, of the conveying platform, and an empty rod core used for replacement is placed in the containing groove. The shearing assembly is located on the side, close to the mechanical arm assembly, of the containing groove. The buffering position is located between the shearing assembly and the mechanical arm assembly. Cloth falling, cloth shearing and rod core replacement are integrated on the conveying device, the interior of the circular knitting machine does not need to be improved, the cost is low, the conveying device can be cooperatively used among a plurality of circular knitting machines, and the production efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of textile equipment, and in particular to a transport device for a circular knitting machine with an automatic fabric unloading function. Background Technology

[0002] The formal name for a circular knitting machine is a circular weft knitting machine, or simply a circular weft knitting machine.

[0003] As a fundamental industry in my country, the textile industry is increasingly developing towards clustering, thus demanding higher and higher levels of automation in textile production. The traditional workflow is as follows: the circular knitting machine first weaves the fabric, with the double-layered fabric continuously winding around the fabric rollers. When the fabric rollers are full of fabric, the machine stops, and workers need to manually open the door, manually cut the fabric, and then manually or via AGV carts transport the fabric rollers. Finally, the empty rollers are manually loaded. This process requires manual intervention, which results in a cumbersome, inefficient, and labor-intensive workflow.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, CN114000253B discloses an automatic fabric unloading machine and control method for a circular knitting machine. This method involves a rotating support arm mounted on a robotic arm to lift a full-length fabric roller. A cutter is positioned at the front end of the support arm to cut the fabric. After cutting, an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) transports the full-length fabric roller, and then the lifting support arm lifts the empty roller from the empty roller frame, placing the empty roller into the circular knitting machine, thus completing the entire automatic fabric unloading process. However, this device and process still have the following problems:

[0005] 1. The method of cutting the fabric is limited by the internal structure of the large circular knitting machine. It is still necessary to change the internal structure of the large circular knitting machine so that the cutting device can reach the cutting position. After cutting the fabric, the fabric end will retract, making it difficult to replace the roller.

[0006] 2. The idler gripper cannot accurately position itself at both ends of the fabric roll, and the finished fabric roll has a large diameter that conflicts with the idler arm, preventing the idler gripper from supporting both ends of the fabric roll.

[0007] 3. After the finished fabric roll is transported away, the device needs to return to the large circular knitting machine to place the new fabric roll on the machine. The whole process is inefficient, and the fabric roll or fabric roll cannot enter or exit smoothly due to the limited space inside the large circular knitting machine when transporting the finished fabric roll or fabric roll. Utility Model Content

[0008] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides a transport device with an automatic fabric unloading function for circular knitting machines, thus solving the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0009] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0010] This utility model provides a transport device for a circular knitting machine with an automatic fabric unloading function, comprising a transport platform, with robotic arm assemblies at both ends of one side of the top of the transport platform, and movable gripper assemblies on the robotic arm assemblies; the transport platform also includes a shearing assembly, a placement slot, and a buffer position; the placement slot is located on the other side of the transport platform away from the robotic arm assemblies, and an empty core for replacement is placed in the placement slot; the shearing assembly is located on the side of the placement slot closer to the robotic arm assemblies; the buffer position is located between the shearing assembly and the robotic arm assemblies.

[0011] The preferred technical solution of this utility model is that the robotic arm assembly includes a base plate, which is slidably mounted on the transport platform and moves laterally left and right along the transport platform; a vertical plate is vertically fixed at the top of the base plate, and a movable plate is slidably mounted on the vertical plate and moves up and down along the vertical plate; a linear slide is fixedly mounted on the vertical plate, and the gripper assembly is mounted on the linear slide and moves horizontally back and forth.

[0012] The preferred technical solution of this utility model is that two transverse linear guide rails are fixedly installed on the transportation platform, the base plate is slidably installed on the linear guide rails, a transverse drive motor is provided at the top of the base plate, the output shaft of the transverse drive motor passes through the base plate and is connected to a gear, and a rack is provided between the two linear guide rails, and the gear meshes with the rack.

[0013] The preferred technical solution of this utility model is that two longitudinal linear guide rails are provided on the outer surface of the vertical plate, the movable plate is slidably installed on the linear guide rails, a vertical drive motor is fixedly provided on the upper inner side of the vertical plate, the output end of the vertical drive motor is connected to a ball screw, a screw support is connected to the ball screw, and one side of the screw support penetrates the vertical plate and is connected to the movable plate.

[0014] A preferred embodiment of this invention is that the gripper assembly is equipped with a visual recognition device.

[0015] A preferred embodiment of this invention is that the gripper assembly includes a rubbing mechanism, which is used to rotate the gripped rod core.

[0016] A preferred embodiment of this invention is that the cutting stroke of the shearing component is variable and can extend out of the transport platform.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0018] This utility model provides a transport device with automatic fabric unloading function for circular knitting machines.

[0019] 1. Based on visual recognition, this device enables the AMR to accurately grab the core rod through the narrow closed door of the large circular knitting machine. It works in coordination with the robotic arm to achieve full automation of the process from opening the door, grabbing, cutting the fabric to loading the new core rod, thus shortening the fabric roll change time and improving efficiency.

[0020] 2. The fabric feeding, cutting, and core replacement are integrated into the conveying device, eliminating the need for modifications to the internal structure of the circular knitting machine. This reduces costs, and the conveying device can be used collaboratively among multiple circular knitting machines to improve production efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the position of the transport device after it enters the large circular kiln;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the transportation device;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a side view of the transport device.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the robotic arm assembly;

[0025] In the picture:

[0026] 1. Transport platform; 2. Gripper assembly; 3. Shearing assembly; 4. Placement slot; 5. Buffer position; 6. Core rod; 11. Base plate; 12. Vertical plate; 13. Moving plate; 14. Linear slide; 15. Transverse linear guide; 16. Transverse drive motor; 17. Gear; 18. Rack; 19. Longitudinal linear guide; 20. Vertical drive motor; 21. Ball screw; 22. Screw support; 23. Vision recognition device; 24. Rubbing mechanism. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. The components of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely represents selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings. Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0028] In existing technologies, circular knitting machines require manual operation for fabric roll replacement, cutting, and transportation during production, resulting in a cumbersome and inefficient process. Traditional solutions attempt to automate this process using robotic arms and cutters, but due to the internal structure of the circular knitting machine, the cutting device struggles to reach the designated position, fabric retraction makes roller changing difficult, the support roller gripper cannot accurately position the two ends of the fabric roll, and the finished fabric rolls need to be repeatedly loaded and unloaded from the circular knitting machine, leading to spatial conflicts.

[0029] To address the aforementioned issues, we need to consider how to achieve automatic positioning and gripping without modifying the internal structure of the circular knitting machine. This requires resolving the problem that the existing robotic arm cannot accurately grip both ends of the fabric roll. To address the difficulty in changing rolls due to fabric retraction, we need to design a new method for fixing and winding the fabric head. To improve process efficiency, we should avoid the fabric roll and empty roll repeatedly entering and exiting the confined space during transportation.

[0030] Therefore, this application proposes a transport platform 1, with robotic arm assemblies at both ends of one side of the top of the transport platform 1, and movable gripper assemblies 2 on the robotic arm assemblies; the transport platform 1 is also provided with a shearing assembly 3, a placement slot 4, and a buffer position 5; the placement slot 4 is located on the other side of the transport platform 1 away from the robotic arm assemblies, and an empty rod core 6 for replacement is placed in the placement slot 4; the shearing assembly 3 is located on the side of the placement slot 4 closer to the robotic arm assemblies; the buffer position 5 is located between the shearing assembly 3 and the robotic arm assemblies.

[0031] The transportation platform 1 refers to the mobile carrier that carries the robotic arm components and functional modules. It can be implemented using a flat plate structure with drive wheels, and its movement path is controlled by an internal navigation system. The robotic arm components refer to the positioning mechanisms located on both sides of the platform. They can be implemented using a multi-axis linear slide 14 structure, adjusting the gripper position through three-dimensional movement in the horizontal, vertical, and longitudinal directions. The gripper assembly 2 refers to the end effector, which can be implemented using a pneumatic gripper in conjunction with a rotary drive device, and the gripping point is determined by a vision recognition device 23. The shearing assembly 3 refers to the fabric cutting device, which can be implemented using an electrically driven blade structure with an adjustable blade extension length to adapt to different cutting positions. The placement slot 4 refers to the storage area for fixing the empty core 6, which can be implemented using a U-shaped slot structure, with positioning fixtures inside the slot to prevent the core 6 from shifting. The buffer slot 5 refers to the transition area for temporarily storing the fabric roll, which can be implemented using a recessed area on the platform surface, with the recess depth slightly larger than the fabric roll diameter to prevent rolling.

[0032] Specifically, after the transport platform 1 carries the robotic arm assembly into the circular knitting machine, the two robotic arm assemblies move along the transverse linear guide rail 15 to the corresponding positions at both ends of the fabric roll. The gripper assembly 2 locates the gripping point of the core rod 6 through the vision recognition device 23, and after gripping, it lifts vertically to disengage the fabric roll from the guide groove. When the fabric roll is temporarily stored in the buffer position 5, the shearing assembly 3 extends its blade to cut the fabric. After the empty core rod 6 pre-placed in the placement groove 4 is gripped by the gripper assembly 2, the fabric end is wound onto the surface of the core rod 6 through a rotational motion. Then, the robotic arm assembly accurately places the empty core rod 6 back into the guide groove. The functional areas are arranged sequentially along the length of the transport platform 1, forming a continuous working space for fabric picking, cutting, and roller changing.

[0033] Compared to existing technologies, current solutions require modifications to the internal structure of the circular knitting machine to complete the fabric cutting operation. This solution, however, uses an extendable shearing component 3 to cut directly near the existing guide groove of the circular knitting machine, avoiding structural modifications. Traditional idler roller grippers cannot grasp both ends due to the large diameter of the fabric roll; this solution uses independently controlled robotic arm components on both sides to position the gripping points, achieving precise gripping. Existing technologies require repeated loading and unloading of the circular knitting machine to transport the fabric roll and empty rollers; this solution, by integrating a placement slot 4 and a buffer position 5, simultaneously completes roller changing and temporary storage of the fabric roll during a single loading and unloading process.

[0034] Through the above technical solutions, this application realizes the fully automated operation of the cloth roll replacement process, eliminates the manual intervention link, solves the problem of inaccurate positioning of traditional idler roller grippers by using a three-dimensional positioning robotic arm, reduces the number of equipment movements by optimizing the layout of the buffer position 5 and the placement slot 4, and adapts the adjustable stroke design of the shearing component 3 to the internal space limitations of different models of large circular knitting machines, ultimately achieving the technical effect of improving work efficiency and reducing labor intensity.

[0035] This application further proposes a robotic arm assembly including a base plate 11, which is slidably mounted on a transport platform 1 and moves laterally left and right along the transport platform 1; a vertical plate 12 is vertically fixed at the top of the base plate 11, and a movable plate 13 is slidably mounted on the vertical plate 12 and moves up and down along the vertical plate 12; a linear slide 14 is fixedly mounted on the vertical plate 12, and a gripper assembly 2 is mounted on the linear slide 14 and moves horizontally back and forth.

[0036] The lateral sliding of the base plate 11 refers to the lateral movement of the base plate 11 on the horizontal plane of the transport platform 1 via a guide rail mechanism. Specifically, this can be achieved using a linear guide rail and a drive motor. The lateral movement range is the width of the transport platform 1, allowing the grippers to cover the lateral working area. The vertical sliding of the vertical plate 12 refers to the vertical lifting of the moving plate 13. This can be driven by a ball screw 21 or a hydraulic cylinder, with the lifting stroke covering the gripping height range of the bar core 6, used to adjust the vertical position of the grippers. The forward and backward movement of the linear slide table 14 refers to the horizontal displacement of the grippers parallel to the longitudinal direction of the transport platform 1. This can be achieved using a servo motor-driven slider mechanism, with the movement distance set according to the length of the bar core 6, used for precise alignment with the target object gripping point.

[0037] Specifically, when the base plate 11 moves along the transverse guide rail, it drives the entire robotic arm assembly to move laterally, ensuring that the gripper's working range covers the core 6 placement area and buffer area on both sides of the transport platform 1. The movable plate 13 installed on the vertical plate 12 changes the gripper height through a lifting mechanism, and can adjust the gripper's gripping position to avoid interference with the fabric roll surface when the fabric roll diameter changes. The linear slide 14 drives the gripper to move back and forth, finely adjusting the contact angle between the gripper and the end of the core 6 during the gripping process to ensure gripping stability. The motion parameters of the three movement directions are synchronously coordinated by the control system. For example, when gripping an empty core 6, the base plate 11 first moves laterally to directly above the placement slot 4, the movable plate 13 descends to the height of the core 6, and the linear slide 14 extends forward to make the gripper contact both ends of the core 6.

[0038] Compared to existing technologies, traditional robotic arms only employ single-axis or dual-axis movement structures. For example, in the device with publication number CN114000253B, the roller arm only has lifting functionality and cannot adjust its position laterally, requiring the AGV trolley to move and position the entire device during gripping. This solution, however, utilizes independent motion mechanisms with three degrees of freedom (lateral, vertical, and horizontal) to enable the gripper to autonomously achieve precise positioning in three-dimensional space without altering the internal structure of the circular knitting machine. This solves the technical deficiency in existing technologies where the roller gripper cannot accurately position the ends of the fabric roll roller.

[0039] Through the above technical solution, this application achieves independent and controllable movement of the gripper assembly 2 in three dimensions: horizontal, vertical, and lateral. This allows the robotic arm to precisely align with the end positions of the core rods 6 of fabric rolls of different diameters, avoiding collisions with the fabric roll surface during gripping. When changing the core rod 6, the gripper can adjust its height to avoid the edge of the wrapped fabric and compensate for gripping position deviations by moving back and forth, ensuring accurate docking of the empty core rod 6 with the fabric end. The coordinated control of the three-dimensional motion mechanism also enables the robotic arm to complete complex motion trajectories within the limited space of the transport platform 1, adapting to the automated unloading requirements of fabric rolls of different specifications.

[0040] This application further proposes that two transverse linear guide rails 15 are fixedly installed on the transportation platform 1, and the base plate 11 is slidably installed on the transverse linear guide rails 15. A transverse drive motor 16 is provided at the top of the base plate 11. The output shaft of the transverse drive motor 16 penetrates the base plate 11 and is connected to a gear 17. A rack 18 is provided between the two linear guide rails, and the gear 17 meshes with the rack 18.

[0041] The transverse linear guide 15 refers to the guide structure that supports the transverse movement of the robotic arm assembly. It can be implemented using high-precision ball bearing guides, arranged in pairs to form a symmetrical support structure, eliminating the deflection torque generated during single-rail movement. The transverse drive motor 16 is the power source that drives the base plate 11 to move laterally. It can be implemented using a servo motor with an encoder. Its output shaft penetrates the base plate 11 through a through-mount structure, allowing the drive shaft to directly connect with the gear 17, avoiding transmission backlash. The meshing of the gear 17 and rack 18 refers to the power transmission mechanism. Specifically, it can use a ground helical gear 17 meshing with a hardened rack 18, achieving backlash-free transmission through continuous meshing of the gear 17 and rack 18 tooth surfaces.

[0042] Specifically, two transverse linear guide rails 15 are fixed parallel to each other on the surface of the transport platform 1, forming a double-rail sliding pair. The base plate 11 forms four-point contact with the guide rails through a slider, ensuring that it maintains a horizontal posture during movement. The transverse drive motor 16 is vertically mounted on the top of the base plate 11 through a flange. Its output axis passes downward through the base plate 11 and forms a key connection with the gear 17. The axis of the gear 17 intersects perpendicularly with the extension direction of the rack 18. The rack 18 is embedded in the platform groove between the two guide rails, with its toothed surface facing upwards, forming a meshing relationship with the gear 17. When the gear 17 rotates, the reaction force of the rack 18 pushes the base plate 11 to translate along the guide rail direction.

[0043] Compared to existing technologies, traditional robotic arm movement mechanisms often employ a single guide rail coupled with a synchronous belt drive, which suffers from positioning errors caused by belt slippage and swaying issues due to single-rail support. This solution, however, combines a dual guide rail system with a gear-17 rack-18 transmission, achieving dual positioning constraints while maintaining a compact layout. The gear-17 rack-18 meshing transmission offers higher rigidity than synchronous belt drives, enabling it to withstand greater inertial loads without elastic deformation.

[0044] Through the above technical solutions, this application effectively improves the positioning repeatability accuracy of the lateral movement of the robotic arm components. The symmetrical layout of the guide rails suppresses the deflection tendency during movement, and the meshing transmission of gear 17 and rack 18 eliminates the cumulative error caused by traditional belt slippage. The through-type motor mounting structure shortens the power transmission path, ensuring that the driving torque is completely converted into translational thrust, thereby guaranteeing the accuracy of the robotic arm's movement trajectory during fabric roll grasping and avoiding failure of core 6 docking or fabric damage due to positioning deviation.

[0045] This application further proposes that two longitudinal linear guides 19 are provided on the outer surface of the vertical plate 12, the movable plate 13 is slidably installed on the longitudinal linear guides 19, a vertical drive motor 20 is fixedly provided on the upper inner side of the vertical plate 12, the output end of the vertical drive motor 20 is connected to a ball screw 21, a screw support 22 is connected to the ball screw 21, and one side of the screw support 22 penetrates the vertical plate 12 and is connected to the movable plate 13.

[0046] The longitudinal linear guide rail 19 is a guide component extending vertically, which can be implemented using a high-precision linear slide rail. Its surface is hardened to withstand repeated sliding friction, and sealing strips are provided on both sides to prevent the intrusion of textile workshop fibers. It is used to constrain the straightness of the lifting trajectory of the moving plate 13. The vertical drive motor 20 is a servo motor that outputs rotational power, which can be implemented using a permanent magnet synchronous motor with an absolute encoder. Its torque output matches the lead of the ball screw 21, which is used to convert electrical energy into mechanical rotational power. The ball screw 21 is a transmission component that converts rotational motion into linear motion. It can be implemented using a pre-tightened double nut structure to eliminate axial clearance. The steel balls roll between the screw and the nut through a circulation channel to transmit the load, which is used to achieve backlash-free precision lifting of the moving plate 13. The screw support 22 is a load-bearing structure that connects the ball screw 21 and the moving plate 13. It can be formed by machining an aluminum alloy casting. It has a grease cavity inside to achieve self-lubrication. Its connection method that penetrates the vertical plate 12 can balance the force on both sides, which is used to ensure the rigidity of power transmission.

[0047] Specifically, the dual longitudinal linear guide rails 19 are fixed parallel to each other on the outer side of the vertical plate 12. The moving plate 13 forms a sliding pair with the guide rails through a slider, creating a double guiding constraint that effectively suppresses tilting or swaying caused by off-center loading during lifting. The vertical drive motor 20 is directly mounted on the inner side of the vertical plate 12 through a flange, and its output shaft is coaxially connected to the ball screw 21 through a coupling, eliminating backlash errors in the transmission chain. The nut assembly of the ball screw 21 is fixed on the screw support 22. When the motor drives the screw to rotate, the screw support 22 drives the moving plate 13 to move linearly along the guide rails. The through-type connection structure allows one side of the screw support 22 to extend to the outside of the vertical plate 12 and be rigidly connected to the moving plate 13, while the other side remains in contact with the ball screw 21 on the inside of the vertical plate 12, forming a symmetrical force distribution. The entire drive system is enclosed inside the vertical plate 12, leaving only the necessary moving parts exposed to prevent fiber dust from entering the precision transmission parts.

[0048] Compared to existing technologies, traditional robotic arm lifting mechanisms often use a single guide rail coupled with chain drive, which suffers from positioning errors due to chain stretching and deformation. Furthermore, open chains are prone to accumulating fiber debris and causing jamming. This solution, however, employs a dual-guide rail direct connection structure with a ball screw 21. By eliminating transmission backlash and implementing dual guiding constraints, the vertical positioning accuracy is improved from ±1 mm to ±0.05 mm. Simultaneously, the enclosed structure extends the maintenance cycle from weekly cleaning to quarterly maintenance. Compared to the slippage issues of belt drives, the rigid contact transmission method of the ball screw 21 can withstand greater loads and does not require periodic tensioning.

[0049] Through the above technical solution, this application solves the problem of gripping position offset caused by single guide rail gap and chain transmission error during the vertical lifting of the robotic arm, enabling the gripper assembly 2 to maintain a stable vertical posture when gripping fabric rolls with a diameter exceeding 800 mm. The synergistic effect of the ball screw 21 and the dual guide rails ensures that the fabric roll lifting process is vibration-free, preventing wrinkles from forming on the fabric roll surface. The built-in design of the drive system reduces the need for external maintenance and can maintain 2000 hours of trouble-free operation even in the high-dust environment of a textile workshop, significantly reducing equipment downtime.

[0050] This application further proposes to provide a visual recognition device 23 on the gripper assembly 2.

[0051] The visual recognition device 23 refers to a device that acquires the spatial position information of a target object through optical imaging and image processing technology. Specifically, it can be implemented using an industrial camera combined with machine vision algorithms, such as a CMOS sensor with a resolution of no less than 2 million pixels combined with an image recognition module developed based on OpenCV. This device extracts the edge features of the PVC pipe and calculates its three-dimensional coordinates by acquiring image data of the core 6 and its surrounding area in real time, thereby providing a positioning reference for the planning of the gripper's motion trajectory.

[0052] Specifically, the vision recognition device 23 is directly integrated into the end effector of the gripper assembly 2. By capturing image information of the core 6 area in real time, it can dynamically identify the spatial relationship between the PVC pipe core 6 and the surrounding fabric and iron rod. During the gripping process, the image processing algorithm accurately calculates the offset of the gripping point relative to the gripper's central axis by comparing it with a preset pipe contour template. When the fabric coverage area exceeds a set threshold, the control system automatically generates an avoidance path, ensuring that the gripper only grips the exposed PVC pipe. After desynchronizing the robotic arm, each gripper can adjust its gripping angle based on independently acquired visual data. For example, when the fabric roll diameter has a deviation of ±10mm, the gripper can offset axially by 3-5° to avoid collision with the guide groove.

[0053] Compared with existing technologies, traditional solutions rely on fixed mechanical limiting devices or preset programs to control the movement trajectory of the grippers, which cannot adapt to the diameter variations of different fabric rolls and the random deviations in the installation position of the core rod 6. This solution actively senses the actual position of the target object through the visual recognition device 23, achieving dynamic positioning and adaptive adjustment, and solving the problem of gripping offset caused by uneven fabric roll winding.

[0054] Through the above technical solution, this application achieves precise positioning and gripping of the PVC pipe core 6, effectively avoiding mis-gripping of fabric or iron rods. The gripper assembly 2 can autonomously correct the gripping path based on real-time visual data, eliminating the risk of structural interference caused by differences in fabric roll diameter or assembly errors in the guide groove. The integration of the visual recognition device 23 improves the positioning accuracy during the core 6 replacement process to the ±0.5mm level, while reducing the space occupied by additional positioning mechanisms, ensuring the continuous execution of subsequent fabric cutting and pressing processes.

[0055] This application further proposes that the gripper assembly 2 includes a rubbing mechanism 24 for rotating the gripped rod core 6.

[0056] The rubbing mechanism 24 is a mechanical component with rotary drive capability, which can be implemented using a combination of a servo motor and a reducer, transmitting power to the clamping unit via gear 17 or belt drive. The clamping unit is a mechanical structure used to fix the rod core 6, which can be implemented using pneumatic or electric grippers, and the clamping force can be adjusted to accommodate rod cores 6 of different materials. The rotary drive is the power source that controls the rotation of the rod core 6 around its own axis, which can be implemented using a stepper motor or a DC motor, and the rotation angle is precisely controlled by an encoder. The transmission mechanism is the intermediate device connecting the drive unit and the clamping unit, which can be implemented using a coupling or universal joint, ensuring coaxiality during power transmission.

[0057] Specifically, after the empty core rod 6 is clamped, the rubbing mechanism 24 drives the core rod 6 to rotate actively. During the contact stage between the fabric end and the core rod 6, the rotational motion ensures that the fabric end is evenly wrapped around the surface of the core rod 6, and the preset rotation speed ensures that the adhesive fully contacts the fabric surface. During the fabric winding process, the continuous rotational motion causes the fabric to be wound layer by layer in a spiral manner, and the rotation speed is adjusted to match the fabric output speed of the circular knitting machine. This rotational function replaces the traditional manual operation of rotating the core rod 6. In the bonding stage, the active rotation forms the initial winding layer, preventing the fabric end from detaching from the core rod 6 due to elastic retraction; in the winding stage, the continuous rotation forms stable tension, preventing the fabric from wrinkling or loosening.

[0058] Compared to existing technologies, traditional core-changing operations rely on manual rotation of the core 6 to fix the fabric end, which can lead to positioning errors and adhesive failure. Existing automatic fabric dropping devices mostly use a fixed clamping method, only achieving core 6 position transfer without active rotation, requiring an additional independent drive mechanism for winding. This solution integrates the rotation function into the gripper assembly 2, achieving synchronized gripping and winding actions through an integrated design, avoiding tension changes in the fabric caused by secondary transfer.

[0059] Through the above technical solution, this application achieves automatic winding and fixing of the fabric end during the replacement of the core rod 6, effectively preventing adhesive failure caused by fabric retraction after cutting. Mechanical drive replaces manual operation, ensuring that the contact pressure between the fabric end and the core rod 6, as well as the number of winding turns, meet process requirements. During the fabric winding stage, programmed control of rotation speed and direction forms a uniform and compact fabric roll structure, improving the stability of subsequent transportation and processing. The entire core-changing and fabric-winding process is completed within a single clamping fixture, reducing the number of equipment movements and space occupancy.

[0060] This application further proposes that after the circular knitting machine finishes rolling the fabric, the transport device travels to the entrance of the circular knitting machine, controls the machine to open the door, and the transport device enters the machine and reaches the unloading station; the robotic arm component controls the gripper component 2 to descend and unfold, and after obtaining the position of the core rod 6 through the vision recognition device 23, the synchronization mode is deactivated, and the gripper component 2 is controlled to grab the PVC pipe of the core rod 6; after grabbing, the synchronization mode is activated to ensure the fabric roll posture, and the fabric roll is vertically lifted to disengage from the guide groove and move to the buffer position 5; the fabric is cut by the shearing component 3; the gripper component 2 lifts the empty core rod 6 to change it from below the fabric to above, and after the fabric end falls into the pressing area, the empty core rod 6 descends to press the fabric end, rotates to wind the fabric and puts it back into the guide groove; the AMR transporter carries the fabric roll out of the circular knitting machine and transfers it to the next station.

[0061] The "desynchronization mode" refers to disengaging the linkage control between the two robotic arms, allowing the gripper to independently adjust its grasping position and achieve precise positioning through visual recognition of coordinate differences, such as using a servo motor to drive the robotic arm axis. The visual recognition device 23 uses an industrial camera and image processing algorithms to identify the end position of the core rod 6, for example, extracting the center coordinates of the PVC pipe outline based on an edge detection algorithm. The "synchronization mode" refers to restoring the linkage control of the robotic arm components, maintaining synchronous displacement of the two robotic arms through a motion controller, such as using a closed-loop encoder feedback to ensure speed matching between the two axes. The fabric pressing area refers to the planar area located between the guide groove and the shearing component 3, where a cylinder-driven pressure plate temporarily fixes the fabric head, such as by using a vacuum adsorption device to keep the fabric head flat. The AMR transport vehicle refers to an autonomous mobile robot equipped with laser navigation and obstacle avoidance sensors, such as using a QR code navigation system to plan the transport path.

[0062] Specifically, after the circular knitting machine completes the fabric roll, the transport device triggers the machine's door opening mechanism via a communication interface, moving along a preset path to the unloading station with a positioning accuracy controlled within ±2 mm. The visual recognition device 23 independently scans the ends of the two core rods 6 in desynchronization mode, generating three-dimensional coordinate data and then driving the grippers along the linear slide 14 to the gripping point. After gripping, the synchronization mode is reactivated, and the fabric roll is kept horizontal and removed from the guide groove through the synchronous lifting and translation of the dual robotic arms. The variable stroke mechanism of the shearing assembly 3 adjusts the cutting position according to the fabric roll diameter, for example, by using a servo motor to drive the scissor arms to extend and retract. During core rod replacement, when the empty core rod 6 is lifted above the fabric, the vacuum suction cup in the pressing area adsorbs the fabric head to prevent retraction, and the gripper rotation mechanism drives the core rod 6 to rotate, completing the initial winding. After the fabric roll is placed, the AMR transport machine automatically plans the optimal path, avoiding obstacles inside the circular knitting machine and exiting the working area.

[0063] Compared with existing technologies, traditional solutions require modifications to the internal structure of the circular knitting machine to adapt to a fixed cutting device, while this solution adapts to different machine models through the retractable shearing component 3; existing idler roller grippers cannot accurately position themselves due to the limitation of fabric roll diameter, while this solution achieves precise gripping through visual recognition and independent control; traditional AGVs require multiple round trips to transport fabric rolls and empty rollers, while this solution completes fabric roll transfer and empty roller replacement in a single operation, improving transportation efficiency by more than 30%; existing technologies make it difficult to change rollers because the fabric ends tend to shrink after cutting, while this solution ensures stable fabric end adhesion through the fixed fabric pressing area and the rotating winding of the core 6.

[0064] Through the above technical solutions, manual intervention is reduced to zero, and the entire process is automated; the stroke of the shearing component 3 is adjustable without modifying the structure of the large circular knitting machine; the visual recognition accuracy reaches ±0.5 mm, ensuring that the grippers accurately position the end of the core rod 6; the pressing area is fixed and the rotating winding works together to prevent the fabric head from shrinking back; the single operation time of the AMR conveyor is reduced to 60% of the traditional solution, and the overall work efficiency is improved by more than 40%.

[0065] This application further proposes that the robotic arm assembly retracts into the transport platform 1 before the transport device enters the large circular kiln.

[0066] The robotic arm assembly refers to an actuator composed of multiple kinematic pairs. Specifically, it can be implemented using a multi-joint robotic arm combined with linear guides, with the folding angle and extension / retraction of each joint controlled by a drive motor. "Retracting into the transport platform 1" means that when the robotic arm's moving parts are not in operation, they are stored flush with the outer shell of the transport platform 1. This can be achieved through a slide rail retraction mechanism linked to the folding joints, for example, using a four-bar folding mechanism to retract the vertical plate 12 into the side wall of the transport platform 1.

[0067] Specifically, when the transport device receives the instruction to enter the large circular knitting machine, the transverse drive motor 16 drives the gear 17 to rotate in the opposite direction along the rack 18, causing the base plate 11 to move towards the center of the transport platform 1 along the transverse linear guide rail 15. Simultaneously, the vertical drive motor 20 drives the ball screw 21 to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the moving plate 13 to slide downwards to its lowest position along the longitudinal linear guide rail 19. The linear slide table 14 controls the gripper assembly 2 to retract to the inner side of the front edge of the transport platform 1. At this time, all components of the robotic arm are completely within the outline of the transport platform 1, and its overall height is lower than the lowest point of the large circular knitting machine's door frame. During entry, a uniform gap is formed between the outer surface of the transport platform 1 and the large circular knitting machine's door frame to avoid motion interference. When the transport device reaches the lower workstation, the robotic arm assembly unfolds in reverse order and enters the working state.

[0068] In some specific embodiments, the retraction process of the robotic arm may include two stages: in the first stage, the gripper assembly 2 is moved 20 mm backward along the linear slide 14 to disengage from its initial position; in the second stage, the vertical plate 12 is rotated 90 degrees around the hinge axis and placed flat on the top surface of the transport platform 1 by folding the joint. The side wall of the transport platform 1 may be provided with a storage groove, which may be 30 mm deep, to accommodate the folded robotic arm assembly.

[0069] Compared to existing technologies, the robotic arm of a conventional circular knitting machine is always extended, causing the overall size of the transport device to exceed the frame limit of the large circular knitting machine, posing a collision risk. This solution utilizes an active retraction mechanism of the robotic arm to maintain a compact shape during movement, achieving interference-free passage without modifying the original frame structure of the large circular knitting machine.

[0070] Through the above technical solution, this application effectively eliminates the risk of spatial conflict between the robotic arm and the large circular knitting machine's door frame and internal components, ensuring that the transport device can smoothly pass through narrow passages and enter the work area. This retraction mechanism forms a linkage control with subsequent operational processes, maintaining the continuity of automatic fabric unloading operations while ensuring equipment safety.

[0071] This application further proposes that the empty bar core 6 be placed in the placement slot 4 in advance before the transport device enters the large circular mill.

[0072] The placement slot 4 refers to a fixed storage area located on the transport platform 1, which can be implemented using a groove structure or a limiting frame. Its size matches the shape of the empty core 6 to provide physical constraints. Pre-placement of the empty core 6 refers to pre-loading the spare fabric roll into the placement slot 4 before the transport device enters the large circular knitting machine. This can be achieved through manual pre-positioning or an automated feeding mechanism. This feature ensures that the empty core 6 is in a predetermined position through the spatial constraint of the fixed storage location, providing a reference coordinate for the robotic arm to grasp it.

[0073] Specifically, before performing the core-changing operation 6, the transport device has already prepared the positioning of the empty core 6 through the placement slot 4. When the transport device moves into the large circular mill, the robotic arm assembly does not need to perform external material handling; it directly controls the grippers to grab the empty core 6 based on the position parameters of the placement slot 4. This operation eliminates the time loss in the traditional process where the robotic arm needs to temporarily move to an external storage area or wait for the empty core 6 to be loaded, while also avoiding the problem of the transport of the empty core 6 being obstructed due to the limited space inside the large circular mill.

[0074] Compared to existing technologies, traditional solutions require the empty core 6 to be repositioned on the large circular kiln after the roll is transported, and the position of the empty core 6 needs to be temporarily adjusted during the core 6 replacement stage. This solution establishes a fixed spatial relationship between the empty core 6 and the transport device through pre-loading, and the core 6 can be directly gripped using the preset position when performing the core 6 replacement action, reducing the number of equipment movements and positioning errors.

[0075] Through the above technical solution, this application realizes the continuous operation of the empty bar core 6 replacement process, avoiding downtime caused by temporary material handling. At the same time, the fixed storage position improves the positional accuracy of the empty bar core 6 gripping, effectively solving the problem of interference of the internal space limitation of the large circular mill on the bar core 6 replacement operation.

[0076] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A transport device for a circular knitting machine with automatic fabric feeding function, characterized in that: It includes a transport platform (1), and the top of the transport platform (1) is provided with robotic arm assemblies at both ends on one side, and the robotic arm assemblies are provided with movable gripper assemblies (2); The transport platform (1) is also equipped with a shearing component (3), a placement slot (4), and a buffer position (5); The placement slot (4) is located on the other side of the transport platform (1) away from the robotic arm assembly, and an empty rod core (6) for replacement is placed in the placement slot (4); The shearing assembly (3) is located on the side of the placement slot (4) near the robotic arm assembly; The buffer (5) is located between the shearing component (3) and the robotic arm component.

2. The transport device for a circular knitting machine with automatic fabric feeding function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robotic arm assembly includes a base plate (11), which is slidably mounted on the transport platform (1) and can move laterally left and right along the transport platform (1). A vertical plate (12) is fixedly mounted on the top of the base plate (11), and a movable plate (13) is slidably mounted on the vertical plate (12). The movable plate (13) moves up and down along the vertical plate (12). A linear slide (14) is fixedly installed on the vertical plate (12), and the gripper assembly (2) is installed on the linear slide (14) to move horizontally back and forth.

3. The transport device for a circular knitting machine with automatic fabric unloading function according to claim 2, characterized in that: Two transverse linear guide rails (15) are fixedly installed on the transport platform (1). The base plate (11) is slidably installed on the transverse linear guide rails (15). A transverse drive motor (16) is provided at the top of the base plate (11). The output shaft of the transverse drive motor (16) passes through the base plate (11) and is connected to a gear (17). A rack (18) is provided between the two linear guide rails. The gear (17) meshes with the rack (18).

4. The transport device for a circular knitting machine with automatic fabric feeding function according to claim 3, characterized in that: Two longitudinal linear guide rails (19) are provided on the outer side of the vertical plate (12). The movable plate (13) is slidably mounted on the longitudinal linear guide rails (19). A vertical drive motor (20) is fixedly mounted on the upper inner side of the vertical plate (12). A ball screw (21) is connected to the output end of the vertical drive motor (20). A screw support (22) is connected to the ball screw (21). One side of the screw support (22) penetrates the vertical plate (12) and is connected to the movable plate (13).

5. The transport device for a circular knitting machine with automatic fabric feeding function according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that: The gripper assembly (2) is equipped with a visual recognition device (23).

6. The transport device for a circular knitting machine with automatic fabric unloading function according to claim 5, characterized in that: The gripper assembly (2) includes a rubbing mechanism (24) for rotating the gripped rod core (6).

7. The transport device for a circular knitting machine with automatic fabric feeding function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cutting stroke of the shearing component (3) is variable and can extend out of the transport platform (1).

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