A needle selector and knitting system

Abstract

This application discloses a needle selector and a knitting system. The needle selector includes a needle selector body, a drive control board, and a board-to-board connector. The board-to-board connector is located between the needle selector body and the drive control board, and the drive control board is plugged into and detached from the needle selector body via the board-to-board connector. By replacing traditional soldering processes with a modular connection structure, the risks of component collisions, solder joint short circuits, and electrostatic damage caused by manual operation are effectively eliminated, significantly improving product yield and reducing manufacturing costs. The pluggable design allows for maintenance and replacement operations without destructive disassembly, greatly simplifying the maintenance process and reducing the possibility of secondary damage, thus improving the practicality of the needle selector provided in this application.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of needle selector technology, and in particular to a needle selector and knitting system. Background Technology

[0002] In traditional integrated needle selectors, the drive control board is usually fixed to the needle selector body by direct soldering, and power supply and communication are achieved through wire-to-board connectors. This integration method has significant drawbacks: First, the drive control board has densely packed components, and the soldering process with the needle selector body is complex and difficult to automate, requiring manual operation. This not only results in high labor costs but also increases the risk of component collision damage, solder bridging, and electrostatic discharge damage to sensitive electronic components due to manual operation, leading to a high defect rate. Second, when the electronic components malfunction, the repair process is cumbersome and costly. The solder joints must be broken to separate the drive control board from the needle selector body before repair or replacement can be performed, and then it must be re-soldered after repair. Third, during on-site installation, the drive control board is completely exposed, and installers are highly susceptible to direct contact with its electronic components, posing a risk of physical damage (such as collisions) or electrostatic discharge damage to the circuitry due to improper operation. Fourth, the drive control board is directly exposed to the industrial environment without effective protection, making it highly susceptible to accumulation of contaminants such as oil, dust, and lint, which can lead to electrical short circuits and severely affect the reliability and lifespan of the equipment. Utility Model Content

[0003] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides a needle selector, which includes a needle selector body, a drive control board, and a board-to-board connector.

[0004] The board-to-board connector is located between the needle selector body and the drive control board, and the drive control board is connected to the needle selector body via the board-to-board connector.

[0005] The needle selector further includes at least two support studs, which are fixed to the side of the needle selector body near the drive control board. The at least two support studs are located between the drive control board and the needle selector body, and are respectively located at opposite ends of the drive control board.

[0006] The board-to-board connector is a plug-in connector, with the male end of the plug-in connector located on the side of the drive control board near the needle selector body, and the female end of the plug-in connector located on the side of the needle selector body near the drive control board.

[0007] The needle selector also includes a dust cover, which is correspondingly disposed on the drive control board and covers the side of the drive control board away from the needle selector body.

[0008] The needle selector also includes at least two fixing screws, which are correspondingly arranged with support studs. One end of each fixing screw passes through the dust cover and the drive control board and is connected to the support stud.

[0009] The dust cover has a receiving groove on the side near the drive control board. When the dust cover is placed on the drive control board, the receiving groove and the drive control board form a receiving cavity, which is used to accommodate the circuit components on the drive control board.

[0010] The drive control board has a wire-to-board connector on the side away from the needle selector body, and the drive control board is used to connect to external devices through the wire-to-board connector.

[0011] The dust cover has an exposed opening, which is used to avoid the wire-to-board connector when the dust cover is placed on the drive control board.

[0012] The height of the support stud is equal to the thickness of the board-to-board connector.

[0013] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application also provides a knitting system, including a controller and a needle selector as described above. The controller is connected to a drive control board on the needle selector, and the controller is used to send a needle selection instruction signal to the drive control board. The needle selector is used to perform knitting based on the needle selection instruction signal.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: Unlike existing technologies, the needle selector of this application includes a needle selector body, a drive control board, and a board-to-board connector. The board-to-board connector is located between the needle selector body and the drive control board, and the drive control board is plugged into and detached from the needle selector body through the board-to-board connector. By replacing traditional soldering processes with a modular connection structure, the risks of component collisions, solder joint short circuits, and electrostatic damage caused by manual operation are effectively eliminated, significantly improving product yield and reducing manufacturing costs. The pluggable design allows for maintenance and replacement operations without destructive disassembly, greatly simplifying the maintenance process and reducing the possibility of secondary damage, thus improving the practicality of the needle selector provided in this application. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] in:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the needle selector of this application.

[0018] Reference numerals: needle selector 1; needle selector body 11; drive control board 12; board-to-board connector 13; support stud 14; dust cover 15; exposed opening 151; fixing screw 16; wire-to-board connector 17. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures, interfaces, and technologies are presented for illustrative purposes rather than for limiting purposes, in order to provide a thorough understanding of this application.

[0021] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0022] In this application, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent three cases: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Additionally, the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. Furthermore, "many" in this application means two or more. Moreover, the term "at least one" in this application means any combination of at least two of any one or more of a plurality of objects. For example, including at least one of A, B, and C can mean including any one or more elements selected from the set consisting of A, B, and C. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" in this application are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features.

[0023] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the needle selector of this application. The needle selector 1 provided in this embodiment includes a needle selector body 11, a drive control board 12, and a board-to-board connector 13. The board-to-board connector 13 is located between the needle selector body 11 and the drive control board 12, and the drive control board 12 is plugged into and detached from the needle selector body 11 through the board-to-board connector 13.

[0024] Specifically, the physical and electrical connection between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11 can be achieved through the board-to-board connector 13. The drive control board 12 maintains stable contact with the needle selector body 11 through the mechanical fastener (board-to-board connector 13).

[0025] By replacing traditional soldering processes with a modular connection structure, the risks of component collisions, solder joint short circuits, and electrostatic damage caused by manual operation are effectively eliminated, significantly improving product yield and reducing manufacturing costs. The pluggable design allows maintenance and replacement operations to be performed without destructive disassembly, greatly simplifying the maintenance process and reducing the possibility of secondary damage, thus improving the practicality of the needle selector 1.

[0026] Optionally, the needle selector 1 further includes at least two support studs 14, which are fixed to the side of the needle selector body 11 near the drive control board 12. The support studs 14 are located between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11, and are respectively located at opposite ends of the drive control board 12.

[0027] The support stud 14 can be made of metal and is fixed to the needle selector body 11 by threaded connection or snap-fit, or the support stud 14 can be integrally formed with the needle selector body 11. The position of the support stud 14 corresponds to the mounting surface of the drive control board 12 to form a mechanical positioning structure. During assembly, detachable parts such as screws can pass through the drive control board 12 and connect to the support stud 14, thereby connecting the drive control board 12 to the needle selector body 11 through the support stud 14, thus improving the stability of the connection between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11. This structural design can adapt to the installation requirements of drive control boards 12 of different sizes, while ensuring the mechanical strength of the connection parts.

[0028] By setting support studs 14 distributed at both ends of the drive control board 12, the connection stress between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11 can be effectively distributed, avoiding loosening of the connection or deformation of components due to uneven stress. When the support studs 14 are used in conjunction with the board-to-board connector 13, the installation position of the drive control board 12 can be precisely defined, reducing alignment errors during manual assembly and improving connection reliability.

[0029] Optionally, the board-to-board connector 13 is a mating connector, with the male end of the mating connector located on the side of the drive control board 12 near the needle selector body 11, and the female end of the mating connector located on the side of the needle selector body 11 near the drive control board 12.

[0030] Specifically, the board-to-board connector 13 adopts a plug-in structure, with its male end located on the side of the drive control board 12 near the needle selector body 11, and its female end located on the side of the needle selector body 11 near the drive control board 12. This arrangement allows the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11 to achieve electrical connection and mechanical fixation through plugging and unplugging.

[0031] In one embodiment, a spring-loaded or snap-fit ​​mating structure can be used, and the contact surfaces of the male and female ends of the connector can be coated with conductive grease to enhance the stability of the connection.

[0032] In this embodiment, by using a plug-in board-to-board connector 13 to replace the traditional soldering process, the problems of component collision, solder bridging, and electrostatic damage caused by manual soldering are effectively avoided, reducing the production defect rate and saving labor costs. The plug-in connection structure makes the separation and assembly of the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11 more convenient, significantly reducing the difficulty and time cost of after-sales maintenance.

[0033] In one embodiment, the height of the support stud 14 is equal to the thickness of the board-to-board connector 13.

[0034] As mentioned above, the board-to-board connector 13 is a component that achieves circuit connection through plugging and unplugging. Its thickness refers to the vertical distance between the connection point of the male end and the drive control board 12 and the connection point of the female end and the needle selector body 11 when the male end of the connector is connected to the female end.

[0035] Furthermore, due to the presence of the board-to-board connector 13, a gap exists between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11. The support stud 14, located between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11, can further provide support for the drive control board 12, preventing it from bending in areas away from the board-to-board connector 13. The gap between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11 can accommodate the circuit components on the drive control board 12, preventing them from contacting the needle selector body 11 and thus avoiding compression or wear, thereby improving the safety of the drive control board 12.

[0036] The height of the support stud 14 is equal to the thickness of the board-to-board connector 13. The support stud 14 and the board-to-board connector 13 are together set in the gap formed between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11, providing multiple support points for the drive control board 12, ensuring the stability of the drive control board 12 installation and preventing the drive control board 12 from deforming.

[0037] In one embodiment, if the height of the support stud 14 is greater than the thickness of the board-to-board connector 13, and since both the support stud 14 and the board-to-board connector 13 are located in the gap between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11, the male connector on the drive control board 12 and the female connector on the needle selector body 11 cannot be plugged in due to the supporting effect of the support stud 14, thereby affecting the electrical connection between the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11.

[0038] In another embodiment, if the height of the support stud 14 is less than the thickness of the board-to-board connector 13, the presence of the board-to-board connector 13 will prevent the support stud 14 from contacting the needle selector body 11 at one end and the drive control board 12 at the other end. In other words, the support stud 14 cannot provide multi-point support for the drive control board 12, and the drive control board 12 may deform during use.

[0039] Therefore, this embodiment proposes that the height of the support stud 14 is equal to the thickness of the board-to-board connector 13. By setting the height of the support stud 14 to be equal to the thickness of the board-to-board connector 13, it can be ensured that the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11 maintain stable vertical alignment during insertion, avoiding poor contact or loose connection due to height differences. This design reduces the need for manual adjustment during assembly, improves connection reliability, prevents deformation of the drive control board 12, and reduces the risk of disengagement due to vibration or temperature changes.

[0040] Optionally, the needle selector 1 also includes a dust cover 15, which is correspondingly disposed with the drive control board 12 and covers the side of the drive control board 12 away from the needle selector body 11.

[0041] The dust cover 15 is positioned above the drive control board 12 and corresponds to it. Specifically, the shape of the dust cover 15 corresponds to the outline of the drive control board 12 to cover the circuit components on the drive control board 12. During installation, the dust cover 15 can completely cover the exposed surface of the drive control board 12, while leaving connection ports on the drive control board 12 for easy connection with other devices.

[0042] In one embodiment, the dust cover 15 may be made of metal or plastic and may be detachably connected to the drive control board 12 by means of a snap-fit ​​structure, screw fixing or elastic snap-fit.

[0043] In another embodiment, a cover plate structure with a sealing ring can be used, or a conductive coating can be provided on the inside of the dust cover 15 to enhance the antistatic effect.

[0044] This embodiment effectively prevents the intrusion of oil, dust, and lint from the operating environment by installing a dust cover 15 above the drive control board 12, reducing the risk of short circuits and component corrosion. The physical shielding effect of the dust cover 15 reduces the possibility of personnel directly contacting the drive control board 12 during installation, avoiding damage to electronic components due to electrostatic discharge and circuit damage caused by mechanical collisions. While maintaining the original functions, it improves the operational stability of the equipment in complex industrial environments, while reducing maintenance frequency and repair costs. Furthermore, the removable nature of the dust cover 15 optimizes the after-sales maintenance process, making the replacement and testing of the drive control board 12 more convenient, further improving the overall product reliability and service life.

[0045] Optionally, the needle selector 1 also includes at least two fixing screws 16, which are correspondingly arranged with the support studs 14. One end of the fixing screw 16 passes through the dust cover plate 15 and the drive control plate 12 and is connected to the support studs 14.

[0046] Specifically, the fixing screw 16 can be made of metal, such as stainless steel, and so on. Figure 1 As shown, one end of the fixing screw 16 passes through the dust cover 15 and the drive control board 12 and connects to the support stud 14, thereby fixing the dust cover 15 and the drive control board 12. It can be understood that the number and position of the fixing screws 16 can be the same as the number and position of the support studs 14.

[0047] In one embodiment, through holes can be pre-drilled in the dust cover 15 and the drive control board 12 to ensure the ease of installation when the fixing screw 16 passes through the dust cover 15 and the drive control board 12, as well as the accuracy of alignment during installation.

[0048] In this embodiment, the cooperation between the fixing screw 16 and the support stud 14 can enhance the connection stability between the dust cover 15, the drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11, and avoid loosening caused by vibration or external force.

[0049] Optionally, the dust cover 15 has a receiving groove (not shown) on the side near the drive control board 12. When the dust cover 15 is placed on the drive control board 12, the receiving groove and the drive control board 12 form a receiving cavity, which is used to receive the circuit components on the drive control board 12.

[0050] Specifically, the dust cover 15 has a receiving groove on the side near the drive control board 12, so that the dust cover 15 covers the drive control board 12. The receiving groove can form a receiving cavity with the drive control board 12 to accommodate the circuit components on the drive control board 12, so as to avoid the dust cover 15 directly contacting the circuit components on the drive control board 12 and squeezing and damaging the circuit components.

[0051] In one embodiment, the shape of the receiving groove can be a recessed structure that matches the contour of the drive control board 12, or it can be a recessed design in a local area. The size and position of the receiving cavity need to be adapted to the layout of the circuit components on the drive control board 12.

[0052] In this embodiment, by providing a receiving cavity formed by the dust cover 15 and the drive control board 12, external contaminants such as oil, dust, and lint can be effectively isolated, preventing short circuits in the circuit components. Simultaneously, the receiving cavity accommodates the circuit components on the drive control board 12, preventing the dust cover 15 from squeezing and damaging the circuit components, thus improving the safety of the drive control board 12.

[0053] Optionally, the drive control board 12 is provided with a wire-to-board connector 17 on the side away from the needle selector body 11, and the drive control board 12 is used to connect to an external device through the wire-to-board connector 17.

[0054] The drive control board 12 and the needle selector body 11 are electrically connected through a wire-to-board connector 17, which enables functions such as power supply and communication.

[0055] In one embodiment, the wire-to-board connector 17 can adopt a plug-in structure, and the wire-to-board connector 17 is fixed on the drive control board 12 by mechanical fasteners such as studs and screws. Different types of wire-to-board connectors 17 can be used, such as right-angle type (the outline structure of the wire-to-board connector 17), and the specific type can be selected according to the actual space layout. This application does not limit this.

[0056] Optionally, the dust cover 15 has an exposure opening 151. When the dust cover 15 is placed on the drive control board 12, the exposure opening 151 is used to avoid the wire-to-board connector 17.

[0057] The dust cover 15 has a specific-shaped exposure opening 151. After the dust cover 15 is installed on the drive control board 12, the exposure opening 151 allows the wire-to-board connector 17 to remain exposed, thus enabling the drive control board 12 to connect to external devices via the wire-to-board connector 17. This embodiment, by providing the exposure opening 151 corresponding to the position of the wire-to-board connector 17, ensures the normal operation of the wire-to-board connector 17 while maintaining dust protection.

[0058] It is understood that the specific location of the exposed opening 151 corresponds to the installation location of the wire-to-board connector 17, and the exposed opening 151 can adopt a circular, rectangular or irregular snap-fit ​​structure, as long as it meets the usage requirements of avoiding the wire-to-board connector 17, this application does not impose any restrictions on it.

[0059] In summary, in the needle selector 1 provided in this application, the drive control board 12 is pluggably connected to the needle selector body 11. This modular connection structure replaces the traditional soldering process, effectively eliminating the risks of component collisions, short circuits at solder joints, and electrostatic damage caused by manual operation, significantly improving product yield and reducing manufacturing costs. The pluggable design eliminates the need for destructive disassembly during maintenance and replacement, greatly simplifying the repair process and reducing the possibility of secondary damage.

[0060] Meanwhile, the dust cover 15 prevents external contaminants from entering and direct contact with personnel, thus preventing short circuits caused by oil and dust and avoiding potential damage to precision components from electrostatic discharge. The combination of mechanical fixing and protective design ensures electrical connection stability while enhancing the overall environmental adaptability and operational safety of the equipment.

[0061] This application also provides a knitting system (not shown), including a controller and a needle selector 1 as described above. The controller is connected to a drive control board 12 on the needle selector 1. The controller is used to send a needle selection instruction signal to the drive control board 12. The needle selector 1 is used to knit based on the needle selection instruction signal.

[0062] The controller can be connected to the drive control board 12 via the wire-to-board connector 17. The controller then sends a needle selection command signal to the drive control board 12. The drive control board 12 controls the needle selector body 11 based on the needle selection command signal, and the needle selector body 11 performs knitting operation.

[0063] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and does not limit the patent scope of this application. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A needle selector, characterized in that, The needle selector includes a needle selector body, a drive control board, and a board-to-board connector. The board-to-board connector is located between the needle selector body and the drive control board, and the drive control board is connected to the needle selector body via the board-to-board connector.

2. The needle selector according to claim 1, characterized in that The needle selector further includes at least two support studs, which are fixed to the side of the needle selector body near the drive control board. The at least two support studs are located between the drive control board and the needle selector body, and are respectively located at opposite ends of the drive control board.

3. The needle selector of claim 1, wherein, The board-to-board connector is a plug-in connector. The male end of the plug-in connector is located on the side of the drive control board near the needle selector body, and the female end of the plug-in connector is located on the side of the needle selector body near the drive control board.

4. The needle selector of claim 1, wherein, The needle selector also includes a dust cover, which is correspondingly disposed on the drive control board and covers the side of the drive control board away from the needle selector body.

5. The needle selector of claim 4, wherein, The needle selector also includes at least two fixing screws, which are correspondingly arranged with support studs. One end of each fixing screw passes through the dust cover and the drive control board and is connected to the support stud.

6. The needle selector of claim 4, wherein, The dust cover has a receiving groove on the side near the drive control board. When the dust cover is placed on the drive control board, the receiving groove and the drive control board form a receiving cavity, which is used to accommodate the circuit components on the drive control board.

7. The needle selector of claim 4, wherein, The drive control board has a wire-to-board connector on the side away from the needle selector body, and the drive control board is used to connect to external devices through the wire-to-board connector.

8. The needle selector according to claim 7, characterized in that, The dust cover has an exposed opening, which is used to avoid the wire-to-board connector when the dust cover is placed on the drive control board.

9. The needle selector of claim 2, wherein, The height of the support stud is equal to the thickness of the board-to-board connector.

10. A braiding system characterized by, The device includes a controller and a needle selector as described in any one of claims 1-9, wherein the controller is connected to a drive control board on the needle selector, the controller is configured to send a needle selection instruction signal to the drive control board, and the needle selector is configured to perform knitting based on the needle selection instruction signal.

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