Heating device for heating a running thread

Abstract

The invention relates to a heating device for heating a running thread, said heating device having a guide element in a heated support tube for guiding and heating the thread. In the process, the thread is guided by an inlet thread guide at a heating inlet and by an outlet thread guide at a heating outlet. According to the invention, the handling and in particular the exchange of the guide element is facilitated in that a movable inlet adapter selectively holds the inlet thread guide in an operating position for guiding the thread or in a maintenance position for exchanging the guide element at the heating inlet.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a heating device for heating a running thread according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] A heating device of this type is known, for example, from WO 2004 / 050968 A1. Further relevant information can also be found in document DE 18 17 084 A1.

[0003] Such heating devices for heating a running thread are preferably used in textile machines to heat a preferably synthetic thread to a predetermined temperature. For example, in the texturing of synthetic threads, such heating devices are known to be used within a texturing zone to heat a false-twisted multifilament thread to a temperature in the range of the glass transition temperature. Furthermore, such heating devices are used to reduce internal tension in the thread. This allows, for example, very low-shrinkage synthetic threads to be produced.

[0004] In the known heating device, a guide element, such as an insert, is held in a support tube, through which a thread is guided. The support tube is heated externally by a heat transfer fluid. The support tube is designed to be heat-conductive and thus heats the insert or heating tube inside the support tube. The thread is guided through the heating tube with contact, with the heating tube being designed with a curve. This ensures constant contact of the thread.

[0005] For the yarn inlet, an inlet yarn guide is assigned to a heating inlet. An outlet yarn guide is also assigned to a heating outlet of the heating device. The inlet yarn guide and the outlet yarn guide ensure defined yarn guidance, allowing the entire contact length of the heating tube to be used for yarn temperature control. To this end, the inlet yarn guide and the outlet yarn guide are designed to be as close as possible to the heating inlet and outlet.

[0006] However, during operation of such heating devices, wear and contamination on the guide element are unavoidable. Therefore, such guide elements are replaced from time to time and removed from the support tube. This requires more or less extensive modifications to the known heating device.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the invention to further develop a heating device for heating a running thread of the generic type in such a way that maintenance work can be carried out quickly and safely.

[0008] A further aim of the invention is to ensure the most stable thread guidance possible, particularly during the thread feed.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention in that the inlet thread guide is held by a movable inlet adapter either in an operating position for guiding the thread or in a maintenance position for replacing the guide element at the heating inlet.

[0010] Advantageous developments of the invention are defined by the features and combinations of features of the subclaims.

[0011] The invention has the particular advantage that after each replacement of the guide element, the inlet thread guide assumes a defined operating position. This allows the predetermined thread paths for the thread guide to be maintained reproducibly. Any disassembly and assembly is no longer necessary to replace the thread guide element in the support tube during maintenance work.

[0012] In order to achieve low-wear thread guidance, particularly at the heating inlet, and to achieve defined initial contact between the thread and the guide element, the development of the invention is particularly advantageous in which the inlet thread guide is held in a passage channel of the inlet adapter and in which the inlet thread guide, in the operating position of the inlet adapter, is arranged with a contact surface in a thread path plane of the guide element. This allows the thread to be fed to the guide element without significant wrapping friction.

[0013] To stabilize the thread path, the inlet thread guide, together with a feed thread guide located upstream in the thread path, forms a feed plane for the thread that forms an angle of <180° with the thread path between the guide element and the inlet thread guide. This allows for a defined wrap around the inlet thread guide, which stabilizes the thread inlet to the guide element.

[0014] To improve threading of a thread before the start of the process, the feed thread guide is arranged in a guide tube, one end of which is connected to the passage channel of the inlet adapter. This fixes the positions of the inlet thread guide and the feed thread guide relative to each other. The mobility of the inlet adapter is automatically transferred to the connected guide tube, ensuring the desired thread guidance after changing from a maintenance position to an operating position.

[0015] In order to ensure a secure hold of the inlet adapter on the heating inlet, the development of the invention is provided in which the inlet adapter is held in the operating position on the support tube by a tension spring.

[0016] In order to simplify the replaceability of the guide element, the further development of the invention is preferably designed in which the support tube has a connection adapter at a free end for receiving a retaining bushing which is firmly connected to a free end of the guide element and is replaceable together with the guide element.

[0017] Furthermore, the alignment between the guide element and the inlet thread guide can be further improved by providing the retaining bush with a centering hole through which a hollow pin of the inlet adapter can be centered in the heater inlet. This ensures that the inlet adapter repeatedly assumes the operating position.

[0018] Depending on the textile machine design, the inlet adapter can be moved automatically or manually from the operating position to the maintenance position located alongside the support tube. For example, the guide element could be replaced by an operator or an automated system.

[0019] Threading a thread at the start of the process can be further improved by designing the inlet thread guide as a guide ring with an inner diameter larger than the inner diameter of the support tube. This ensures that when a thread end is sucked in, it does not get caught in the heating inlet.

[0020] Threading a thread is particularly facilitated by the development of the invention, in which the outlet thread guide is held in an outlet channel of an outlet adapter, which is connected to an opposite end of the support tube and has an insertion opening for a thread suction gun on one outlet side. This allows a suction opening of the thread suction gun to be directly connected to the heating outlet. The suction effect can thus be transmitted all the way to the heating inlet.

[0021] To stabilize the thread path on the outlet side, a further development of the invention is provided, in which the outlet thread guide, with a downstream discharge thread guide in the thread path, forms a thread discharge plane that forms an angle of <180° with the thread path plane between the guide element and the outlet thread guide. This also creates a defined wrap around the outlet thread guide, ensuring contact between the thread and the guide element, ideally up to the end of the guide element.

[0022] For even heat distribution, a particularly effective development of the invention is one in which the guide element is formed by a heating tube through which the thread is guided in contact. The heating tube can thus be inserted coaxially into the support tube, allowing it to be heated by the support tube with the closest possible contact over its entire circumference.

[0023] The heating device according to the invention is particularly suitable for heating a synthetic yarn in the texturing zone of a texturing machine. The stable thread guidance, which ensures minimal wrapping, allows even false twist in the yarn to be guided through the heating tube.

[0024] To further explain the invention, an embodiment is explained in more detail below with reference to the attached figures.

[0025] They represent: Fig. 1 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the heating device according to the invention Fig. 2.1 and Fig. 2.2 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the heating inlet of the embodiment Fig. 1 in different operating situations Fig. 3 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of the heating outlet of the embodiment from Fig. 1

[0026] In the Fig. 1 A schematic cross-section of an embodiment of the heating device according to the invention for heating a running thread is shown. This embodiment is preferably used in texturing machines to heat a twisted thread in a texturing zone or to heat a textured thread for shrinkage treatment in a post-treatment zone. The embodiment of the heating device according to the invention has a support tube 2 through which a guide element 3 passes. In this embodiment, the guide element 3 is formed by a heating tube that is arranged coaxially in the support tube 2. A thread channel 6 is formed in the heating tube 3, through which a thread is guided with contact. For this purpose, the support tube 6 and the heating tube 3 are designed with a slight curvature.

[0027] The support tube 2 and the heating tube 3 penetrate a housing 1 and form a heating inlet 7 at one end of the housing 1 and a heating outlet 21 at an opposite end of the housing 1. The design of the heating inlet 7 and the heating outlet 21 will be explained in more detail below.

[0028] Within the housing 1, a heating chamber 4 is formed, through which the support tube 2 passes. The heating chamber 4 is connected to a heat transfer circuit (not shown in detail here) via several fluid connections 5.1 and 5.2. A heat transfer medium, such as a diphyl, can be introduced into the heating chamber 4 to heat the support tube 2 from the outside. The support tube 2 is made of a thermally conductive material, so that the heating tube 3 is also heated by heat transfer. The heating chamber 4 is thermally insulated from the environment within the housing 1 by insulating material.

[0029] To adjust the yarn temperature to be achieved as the yarn passes through the heating tube 3, contact guidance of the yarn on the outer surface of the heating tube 3 must be maintained, if possible, over the entire length of the heating tube. The inlet of the yarn into the heating tube and the outlet from the heating tube must be designed in such a way that wrap-around friction is minimized. Thus, an inlet yarn guide 15 is provided for the yarn inlet, and an outlet yarn guide 22 is provided for the yarn outlet. Their design and arrangement are explained in more detail below.

[0030] In the Fig. 2.1 and 2.2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the heating inlet 7 of the embodiment of Fig. 1 shown in several operating situations. In Fig. 2.1 The heating device has been serviced. The following description applies to both figures unless explicitly referenced to one of them.

[0031] The support tube 2 is firmly connected to a connection adapter 9 by a support tube end 8.1 protruding from the housing 1. The connection adapter 9 is held on the housing 1. A tube end 13 of the heating tube 3 penetrates the connection adapter 9. A retaining bushing 14 is firmly connected to the heating tube at the free tube end 13. The retaining bushing 14 can be pulled out of the support tube and the connection adapter 9 together with the heating tube 3, for example, to replace the heating tube 3.

[0032] As in Fig. 2.1 As shown, an inlet adapter 10 is held positively to the connection adapter 9 under spring preload. For this purpose, two tension springs 11.1 and 11.2 are tensioned between the inlet adapter 10 and the connection adapter 9, which are held by spring holders 12.1 to 12.4.

[0033] To accommodate and center the inlet adapter 10, the retaining bushing 14 attached to the connection adapter 9 has a centering opening 14.1 on a side opposite the tube end 13 of the heating tube 3, which serves to accommodate a hollow pin 10.2 of the inlet adapter 10. A passage 10.1 penetrates the inlet adapter 10 and the hollow pin 10.2.

[0034] On an inlet side of the inlet adapter 10, an inlet thread guide 15 is arranged in an enlarged section of the passage channel 10.1. The inlet thread guide 15 is formed by a guide ring 20 having an inner diameter larger than an inner diameter of the support tube 2. The inlet thread guide 15 has a contact surface 28, which, together with a running surface 29 at the tube end 13 of the heating tube 3, defines a thread running plane 18. This allows a thread 30 to be guided tangentially into the heating tube 3.

[0035] The inlet thread guide 15 is assigned a feed thread guide 16, which, together with the inlet thread guide 15, forms an inlet plane 19. The inlet plane 19 between the feed thread guide 16 and the inlet thread guide 15 forms an angle of <180° with the thread path plane 18 between the inlet thread guide 15 and the tube end 13. This creates a stable thread path, enabling a smooth inlet of the thread 30.

[0036] The feed thread guide 16 is integrated within a guide tube 17 that is connected to the passage channel 10.1 of the inlet adapter 10. The guide tube 17 and the passage channel 10.1 of the inlet adapter 10, together with the annular inlet thread guide 15, form a passage, in particular to allow the suction of a thread. The transitions and, in particular, the size of the guide ring 20 are designed such that a thread end can be guided into the interior of the heating tube 3 by a suction flow.

[0037] In order to remove the heating tube 3 from the support tube 2 during maintenance, the inlet adapter 10 is pulled off the support tube 2 and moved to the side next to the connection adapter 9. This allows the retaining bush 14 with the heating tube 3 to be removed. This situation is in Fig. 2.2 shown.

[0038] The inlet adapter 10 can be moved manually by an operator or automatically by an operating device against the tensile force of the tension springs 11.1 and 11.2 in such a way that the hollow pin 10.2 is released from the centering opening 14.1 of the retaining bush 14. As soon as the hollow pin 10.2 is guided out of the centering opening 14.1, the inlet adapter 10 is held in a maintenance position for replacing the guide element 3 on the heating inlet 7. The maintenance position of the inlet adapter 10 is in Fig. 2.2shown in dashed lines. Here, the inlet adapter 10 is located laterally next to the connection adapter 9. The guide tube 17 arranged on the inlet adapter 10 is moved along with it.

[0039] Once the respective guide element, or in this case the heating tube 3, has been replaced, the inlet adapter 10 can be returned to its original operating position. The positions of the inlet thread guide 15 and the feed thread guide 16 remain unchanged.

[0040] Fig. 3 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the heating outlet 21 on the housing 1. For this purpose, an outlet adapter 27 is arranged on the housing 1 and is connected to a support tube end 8.2 protruding from the housing 1. The outlet adapter 27 has an outlet channel 23 as an extension of the support tube 2. An outlet thread guide 22 is arranged within the outlet channel 23. The outlet thread guide 22 is also formed by a guide ring 20 whose inner diameter is larger than the inner diameter of the support tube 2. The outlet thread guide 22 also has a contact surface 28 which, with a tube end 13 held inside the support tube 2, spans a thread running plane 28.

[0041] An outlet thread guide 25 is assigned to the inlet thread guide at the end of the outlet adapter 27. The outlet thread guide 25 and the outlet thread guide 22 define an outlet plane 26. The outlet plane 26 and the thread path plane 18 are also aligned with each other such that an angle of <180° exists between them. This ensures that the thread 30 is in continuous contact with the running surface 29 of the heating tube 3.

[0042] The outlet adapter 27 has an outwardly open insertion opening 24 between the outlet thread guide 25 and the outlet thread guide 22, which opens into the outlet channel 23. The insertion opening 24 serves to accommodate a suction end of a thread suction gun, which can be inserted into the insertion opening 24 for threading a thread. This allows the suction force generated by a thread suction gun to be transferred directly into the heating outlet 21 and all the way to the heating inlet 7.

[0043] In the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, a heating tube is shown as a guide element in the support tube 2. In principle, the invention also extends to such guide elements, which, for example, have a profiled cross-section and are only in contact with the support tube on one side.

[0044] Furthermore, the design of the movable inlet adapter is exemplary and represents only one possible design variant. Essential to the invention is that the inlet thread guide can be held by means of the inlet adapter between an operating position for guiding the thread or a maintenance position for replacing the guide element. Therefore, the heating device according to the invention is particularly user-friendly.

Claims

1. Heating device for heating a running thread, having a guide element (3) which is held in a replaceable manner in a carrier tube (2) which is heated from outside, having an inlet thread guide (15) which is associated with a heating inlet (7), and having an outlet thread guide (22) which is associated with a heating outlet (21), characterized in that the inlet thread guide (15) is held at the heating inlet (7) by a movable inlet adapter (10) either in an operating position for guiding the thread or in a maintenance position for replacement of the guide element (3).

2. Heating device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the inlet thread guide (15) is held in a through-channel (10.1) of the inlet adapter (10), and in that the inlet thread guide (15), in the operating position of the inlet adapter (15), is arranged with a contact surface (28) in a thread run plane (18) to the guide element (3).

3. Heating device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the inlet thread guide (15) spans with an intake thread guide (19) arranged upstream in the thread run an intake plane (19) of the thread which with the thread run plane (18) spans an angle of less than 180° between the guide element (3) and the inlet thread guide (15).

4. Heating device according to Claim 3, characterized in that the intake thread guide (19) is arranged in a guide tube (17), which is attached at one end to the through-channel (10.1) of the inlet adapter (10).

5. Heating device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the inlet adapter (10), in the operating position, is held at the carrier tube by at least one tension spring (11.1, 11.2).

6. Heating device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the carrier tube (2) has at a free end a connection adapter (9) for receiving a holding bush (14), which is fixedly connected to a free end (13) of the guide element (3) and can be replaced together with the guide element (3).

7. Heating device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the holding bush (14) has a centring opening (14.1) by which a hollow pin (10.2) of the inlet adapter (10) can be centred in the heating inlet (7).

8. Heating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inlet adapter (10) can be guided in an automated manner or manually from the operating position into the maintenance position laterally to the carrier tube (2).

9. Heating device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the inlet thread guide (15) is in the form of a guide ring (20) which has an inside diameter which is larger than an inside diameter of the carrier tube (2).

10. Heating device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the outlet thread guide (22) is held in an outlet channel of an outlet adapter (27) which is connected to an opposite end (8.2) of the carrier tube (2) and which has on an outlet side an insertion opening (24) for a thread suction gun.

11. Heating device according to Claim 10, characterized in that the outlet thread guide (22) spans with a discharge thread guide (25) arranged downstream in the thread run a discharge plane (26) of the thread which with the thread run plane (18) spans an angle of less than 180° between the guide element (3) and the outlet thread guide (22).

12. Heating device according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the guide element is formed by a heating tube (3) through which the thread is guided with contact.

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