Creel robot

Abstract

To provide a creel robot capable of changing a rotation angle with high precision around a vertical axis of a peg creel stand as a rotation axis, thereby facilitating supply of a paper package to a creel side and collection of empty paper tubes.SOLUTION: A creel robot includes: a peg driving mechanism 46 that rotates a peg 25 around a vertical axis; an arm mechanism 41 provided with the peg drive mechanism 46, and capable of switching between a connected state in which the peg drive mechanism 46 transmits a rotational drive force to the peg 25 by advancing and connecting with the peg 25, and a non-connected state in which the peg drive mechanism 46 does not transmit the rotational drive force to the peg 25 by disengaging and retreating from the peg 25; and an engagement mechanism 45 provided on the arm mechanism 41 and engages with a creel stand 2 when the peg drive mechanism 46 is in the connected state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a creel robot. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 relates to technology for a creel robot that supplies yarn supply packages to pegs of a creel stand that holds yarn supply packages in which yarn is wound around empty cardboard tubes, and collects the empty cardboard tubes. The technology discloses a yarn supply changing robot that includes a traveling cart that runs on rails that serve as a cart running path, a yarn supply changing device that is freely raised and lowered on the traveling cart, and a work table that rises and falls alternately with the yarn supply changing device, in which the peg axis of the creel is rotated by a peg opening mechanism of the yarn supply changing device around the vertical axis of the creel stand as the rotation axis, and when the peg is stopped at a predetermined rotation angle, a full package is supplied to the creel side by the yarn supply changing mechanism. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-56349 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when rotating the peg shaft of the creel around the vertical shaft of the creel stand as a rotation axis and stopping it at a predetermined rotation angle, the weight of the yarn supply package causes the peg open mechanism of the yarn supply exchanger to sway due to inertial force at the start and end of rotation, making it difficult to stop it at the predetermined rotation angle. This reduces the stopping accuracy of the peg rotation angle around the vertical shaft of the creel stand as a rotation axis, and this reduction in stopping accuracy makes it difficult for the yarn supply exchanger to supply a full package to the creel side, so there is room for improvement.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a creel robot that can change the rotation angle of a peg with high precision, with the vertical axis of the creel stand as the rotation axis, thereby facilitating the supply of paper packages to the creel side and the collection of empty paper tubes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The creel robot of the present invention is movable toward and away from a creel stand that supports a peg capable of holding a yarn supply package around which a yarn is wound, A creel robot that supplies the yarn package to the peg, a peg drive mechanism that rotates the peg around a vertical axis; an arm mechanism provided with the peg drive mechanism, the arm mechanism being switchable between a connected state in which the rotational drive force of the peg drive mechanism is transmitted to the peg by advancing and connecting with the peg, and a non-connected state in which the rotational drive force of the peg drive mechanism is not transmitted to the peg by disengaging and retreating with respect to the peg; an engagement mechanism provided on the arm mechanism and adapted to engage with the creel stand when the peg drive mechanism is in the connected state; Creel robot.

[0007] According to the creel robot described in (1) above, when the arm mechanism is advanced to connect the peg drive mechanism provided on the arm mechanism to the peg, and the rotational drive force of the peg drive mechanism is transmitted to the peg to rotate the peg around the vertical axis of the creel stand as a rotation axis, an inertial force is generated at the installation site of the peg drive mechanism on the arm mechanism during rotation, but since the engagement mechanism is engaged with the creel stand when the peg drive mechanism is in the connected state, it is possible to prevent the peg open mechanism of the yarn feed exchange device from shaking due to the inertial force. As a result, it is possible to change the rotation angle of the peg with high precision at the start and end of rotation of the peg around the vertical axis of the creel stand as a rotation axis, which makes it possible to easily supply yarn feed packages around which yarn is wound and collect empty paper tubes.

[0008] (2) In the creel robot of the present invention, The creel stand has a support member arranged vertically, It is preferable that the engagement mechanism has an engagement plate with a recess at the tip of the arm mechanism in the direction of extension that can fit into the support member of the creel stand, and is configured to engage with the creel stand by fitting the recess of the engagement plate into the support member of the creel stand.

[0009] According to the creel robot described in (2) above, the engagement mechanism is engaged with the creel stand through a simple structure and operation of fitting the recess of the engagement plate to the support member of the creel stand, making it possible to change the rotation angle of the peg with high precision when the creel stand is rotated around the vertical axis of the creel stand.

[0010] (3) In the creel robot of the present invention, the engagement mechanism is a pin member that supports a rear end portion of the engagement plate, the pin member having a central axis that is perpendicular to the advancement / retraction direction of the arm mechanism and coincides with a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction; It is preferable that the engaging plate has a posture switching mechanism that is rotatably connected between the pivot position of the pin member of the engaging plate and the position where the recess is formed, and that switches the engaging plate between a horizontal posture taken when the arm mechanism advances or retreats and an upright posture taken when the arm mechanism is on standby by rotating the engaging plate around the pin member as a rotation axis.

[0011] According to the creel robot described in (3) above, when the peg is not rotated, the length of the engagement mechanism in the forward and backward directions can be shortened by setting the engagement plate in an upright position using the position switching mechanism, thereby preventing the engagement mechanism from becoming an obstacle when the creel robot is moving.

[0012] (4) In the creel robot of the present invention, it is preferable that the recess of the engagement plate is opened to a dimension larger than the diameter of the support member of the creel stand and is gradually reduced in size from the opening to halfway to the bottom so that the dimension becomes equal to the diameter of the support member.

[0013] According to the creel robot described in (4) above, when the recess of the engagement plate is engaged with the support member of the creel stand, the recess of the engagement plate is opened with a dimension larger than the diameter of the support member, so that even if there is some positional misalignment, the recess of the engagement plate can be engaged with the support member.

[0014] (5) In the creel robot of the present invention, it is preferable that the engagement mechanism is movable toward and away from the creel stand independently of the arm mechanism.

[0015] According to the creel robot described in (5) above, the engagement mechanism can move forward and backward with a movement amount and movement timing independent of the movement amount and movement timing of the arm mechanism. As a result, for example, if the engagement mechanism is moved with a movement amount larger than that of the arm mechanism, the position of the engagement mechanism when not connected can be set within the range of the entire length of the arm mechanism. Also, the engagement mechanism can be engaged with the creel stand first, and the positional relationship between the arm mechanism and the creel stand is fixed, and then the peg drive mechanism is connected to the peg, thereby stabilizing the connection state.

[0016] (6) In the creel robot of the present invention, the peg is An insertion member that is rotatable about a rotation axis in the vertical direction and is inserted onto the support member; a yarn supply package holding mechanism provided on the outer insertion member and holding the yarn supply package; a rotation transmission unit that can transmit a rotational driving force from the peg driving mechanism to the peg, the rotational driving force having a vertical axis as a rotation axis; It is preferable that, when the arm mechanism is in the connected state, the peg drive mechanism and the rotation transmission unit are connected to each other, and the peg drive mechanism is rotationally driven to rotate the outer insertion member about an axis in the vertical direction, thereby changing the horizontal orientation of the yarn supplying package holding mechanism.

[0017] According to the creel robot described in (6) above, with a simple configuration of simply connecting the peg drive mechanism and the rotation transmission unit and rotating the peg drive mechanism, it is possible to change the horizontal orientation of the package holding mechanism while preventing the paper feeder / exchange device from shaking due to inertial force.

[0018] (7) In the creel robot of the present invention, it is preferable that the creel stand further includes a stand-side engaging member that is provided on the creel stand and engages with the engaging mechanism.

[0019] According to the creel robot described in (7) above, the advancement amount for engaging the engagement mechanism with the creel stand can be adjusted by the stand-side engagement member.

[0020] The creel robot according to the present invention may be configured only with the configuration described in the creel robot described in (1) above, or may be configured by any combination of the configuration described in (1) above and any of the configurations described in (2) to (7) above, within the scope of compatibility. When combining the configuration described in (1) above with any of the configurations described in (2) to (7) above, it is also possible to combine all or a part of the configuration described in (1) above with all or a part of the configurations described in (2) to (7) above, within the scope of compatibility. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a creel robot that can change the rotation angle of a peg with high precision, with the vertical axis of the creel stand as the rotation axis, thereby facilitating the supply of yarn packages and the collection of empty paper tubes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the yarn feed exchange device and the creel stand. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the creel robot and the creel stand. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between an engagement plate of the engagement mechanism and a second support pillar. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which the creel robot is provided with an engagement advancement / retraction mechanism. [Figure 6] 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between an engagement plate of the engagement mechanism and a second support pillar. FIG. [Figure 7] 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between an engagement plate of the engagement mechanism and a stand-side engagement member. FIG. [Figure 8] 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between an engagement plate of the engagement mechanism and a stand-side engagement member. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the "Z direction" shown in the drawings is the vertical direction (up and down direction), and the "X direction" is the horizontal direction. The "Y direction" is the horizontal direction perpendicular to the "X direction" and perpendicular to the Z direction.

[0024] (Creel Stand 2) The "creel stand 2" shown in FIG. 1 is provided in a synthetic fiber false twisting process. The creel stand 2 is configured to support a peg 25 capable of holding a yarn supply package on which yarn is wound. As a specific example, the creel stand 2 includes a creel base 21, a first support 22, a second support 23, a partition plate 24, and a peg 25. The creel base 21 is installed on a floor surface or the like and supports the first support 22 and the second support 23. The first support 22 and the second support 23 are erected on the creel base 21. The first support 22 extends along the Z direction (vertical direction). The first support 22 is arranged at equal intervals in the Y direction. The first support 22 is disposed on one side F1 of the creel stand 2 in the X direction. The second support 23 extends along the Z direction. The second support pillars 23 are arranged in pairs in the Y direction, and a plurality of pairs of the second support pillars 23, 23 are arranged in the Y direction. The second support pillars 23 support the pegs 25 so that the pegs 25 can rotate around the second support pillars 23 as a rotation axis, and are arranged on the other side F2 in the X direction of the creel stand 2. The other side F2 in the X direction is the side on which the creel robot 1 travels and the side on which the worker who performs the yarn splicing operation works. The partition plate 24 is provided so as to straddle the first support pillar 22 and the second support pillar 23. The partition plate 24 is a plate-shaped member, and is arranged at a predetermined interval in the Z direction. The partition plate 24 prevents the yarn supply package from falling off the pegs 25.

[0025] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the other sides F2, F2 of two creel stands 2, 2 in the X direction are arranged opposite each other, and the creel robot 1 arranged between the creel stands 2, 2 is configured to be able to run along the creel stands 2, 2. However, this is not limited to this, and the creel robot 1 may also be configured to be able to run along a single creel stand 2.

[0026] (Overview of Creel Robot 1) 2, the creel robot 1 is movable forward and backward in the X direction relative to the creel stand 2 supporting a peg 25 (see FIG. 1) capable of holding a yarn supply package around which yarn is wound, and is configured to supply the yarn supply package to the peg 25. Specifically, the creel robot 1 has a yarn supply exchange device 4, a traveling mechanism 11 disposed between the creel stands 2, 2 and traveling along the creel stands 2, 2, a lifting mechanism 12 provided on the traveling mechanism 11 and raising and lowering the yarn supply exchange device 4 in the vertical direction, and a suspension mechanism 13 provided at the upper end of the lifting mechanism 12 and spanning the creel stands 2, 2 to stabilize the distance between the lifting mechanism 12 and the creel stands 2, 2. The creel robot 1 is capable of transporting yarn supply packages stored in a raw yarn storage section (not shown) to the creel stand 2 and supplying them to each peg 25, and after all the yarn has been unwound from the yarn supply package, collecting empty paper tubes with no yarn wound around them from the pegs 25 and placing them in an empty paper tube collection box via an empty paper tube collection chute (not shown).

[0027] Here, the "yarn" is exemplified by synthetic fibers such as polyester. The "yarn supply package" is a winding package for supplying yarn (synthetic fiber) used in manufacturing processes such as false twisting machines. The yarn supply package consists of a cylindrical cardboard tube in the center and the yarn wound around the cardboard tube, and is held in place by inserting the peg shaft 251 of the peg 25 inside the cardboard tube.

[0028] (Peg 25) Returning to FIG. 1, the peg 25 supports the yarn supply package. The peg 25 is provided on the second support 23. A plurality of the pegs 25 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the Z direction of the second support 23. The pegs 25 are arranged between the two partition plates 24 in the Z direction. The pegs 25 are arranged in pairs corresponding to the second support 23, which are arranged in pairs, and a plurality of pairs (pairs) of the pegs 25, 25 are arranged in the Y direction. The yarn of the yarn supply package supported by one of the pair of pegs (first peg) 25 and the yarn of the yarn supply package supported by the other of the pair of pegs 25 are connected to each other, so that one yarn is continuously supplied from the two yarn supply packages supported by each of the pair of pegs 25, 25 to the processing section 3 that performs false twist processing and the like.

[0029] The peg 25 includes a pair of peg shafts 251, 251, a peg body member 252, an inserting member 253, and a rotation transmission member 254. The pair of peg shafts 251, 251 rotatably support the yarn supply package. The pair of peg shafts 251, 251 are arranged at a predetermined interval so as to be parallel to each other. The peg shafts 251, 251 are inserted into the paper tube of the yarn supply package to support the yarn supply package. The two peg shafts 251, 251 are supported by a peg body member 252. The second support 23 of the creel stand 2 is inserted into the peg body member 252, and the peg shafts 251, 251 are rotatable around a rotation axis in the Z-axis direction.

[0030] The lower end of a cylindrical outer insert member 253 is connected to the peg body member 252. The second support 23 of the creel stand 2 is inserted into the outer insert member 253. On the other hand, a rotation transmission member 254 is connected to the upper end of the outer insert member 253. The rotation transmission member 254 is formed in a gear shape of a Geneva wheel constituting a Geneva mechanism, and a gear portion 254a is formed in a wave shape or a circular arc shape. The rotation transmission member 254 is rotated by the drive of a peg drive mechanism 46 described later, and rotates the peg body member 252 via the outer insert member 253, thereby rotating the peg shafts 251, 251 supported by the peg body member 252 at a predetermined rotation angle. As a result, the peg 25 can be rotated to a first rotation state, which is a rotation angle at which the peg supports a yarn supply package so that the yarn can be supplied to the processing unit 3 that processes the yarn, a second rotation state, which is a rotation angle at which the peg supports a yarn supply package so that the yarn supply package can be replaced (collecting a paper tube and attaching a yarn supply package), and a third rotation state, which is a rotation angle at which the peg is oriented in one direction between the first and second rotation states after the yarn supply package is attached to the peg 25 in the second rotation state. Note that the third rotation state is a rotation angle different from the first and second rotation states, which makes it easy for the operator to recognize that the yarn splicing operation is not completed, and makes it possible to prevent the operator from overlooking the operation after the yarn supply package is attached to the peg 25.

[0031] In more detail, in a first rotation state in which the tip of the peg shaft 251 faces the creel robot 1 and the axis of the peg shaft 251 intersects with the X direction at an inclination angle of about 45 degrees, the yarn is unwound from the yarn supply package supported by the peg shaft 251 and supplied to the processing unit 3. After that, when all the yarn is unwound from the yarn supply package and the peg shaft 251 supports an empty paper tube around which no yarn is wound, the peg 25 is rotated so that the tip of the peg shaft 251 faces the other side F2 in the X direction and the axis of the peg shaft 251 coincides with the X direction, thereby moving to a second rotation state. Then, in the second rotation state, the empty paper tube, which is a used yarn supply package, is removed from the peg shaft 251 and replaced with a used yarn supply package.

[0032] After that, the peg 25 is rotated so that the tip of the peg shaft 251 faces the Y direction and the axis of the peg shaft 251 is perpendicular to the X direction. As a result, the peg 25 is in a third rotation state, which is one rotation state between the first rotation state and the second rotation state. The yarn supply package supported by the peg 25 in the third rotation state looks significantly different from the yarn supply package supported by the peg 25 in the first rotation state when viewed from the creel robot 1 side. Therefore, the operator can recognize the peg 25 located in the third rotation state, distinguishing it from the pegs 25 located in the first and second rotation states. In other words, the operator can easily recognize the yarn supply package supported by the peg 25 in which the installation work of the yarn supply package has been completed but the yarn splicing work has not been completed and these work should be performed.

[0033] (Details of Creel Robot 1) 3, the creel robot 1 has a yarn supply exchange device 4. The yarn supply exchange device 4 has an arm mechanism 41, a yarn supply package holding mechanism 43, a rotation mechanism 42 that rotates the arm mechanism 41 and the yarn supply package holding mechanism 43 independently, and an empty paper tube storage mechanism 44.

[0034] (Rotation mechanism 42) The rotation mechanism 42 has a first motor 421 and a second motor 423 arranged in parallel. The first motor 421 and the second motor 423 are installed so that the axis of the motor rotation shaft coincides with the traveling direction (Y direction) of the creel robot 1. A first rotation direction conversion mechanism 422 and a second rotation direction conversion mechanism 424 that convert the rotation direction of the motor rotation shaft to an orthogonal direction are respectively connected to the motor rotation shafts of the first motor 421 and the second motor 423. A first gear 425 and a second gear 426 arranged horizontally are respectively meshed with the output side gears of the first rotation direction conversion mechanism 422 and the second rotation direction conversion mechanism 424. The first gear 425 and the second gear 426 are arranged overlapping in the vertical direction so that the first gear 425 is located above the second gear 426, and the rotation axes are set in the vertical direction and are aligned.

[0035] One end of the arm mechanism 41 is provided on the upper surface of the first gear 425. The rotation axis of the arm mechanism 41 coincides with the rotation axis of the first gear 425, and the first gear 425 rotates the other end of the arm mechanism 41 around the rotation axis. On the other hand, one end of the supplied yarn package holding mechanism 43 is provided on the lower surface of the second gear 426. The rotation axis of the supplied yarn package holding mechanism 43 coincides with the rotation axis of the second gear 426, and the second gear 426 rotates the other end of the supplied yarn package holding mechanism 43 around the rotation axis.

[0036] (Yarn package holding mechanism 43) The yarn supply package holding mechanism 43 has a pair of rod-shaped members 431, 431 and a holding mechanism support 432 that supports the rod-shaped members 431, 431. The rod-shaped members 431, 431 are supported in a cantilevered state by the holding mechanism support 432 and arranged horizontally. The rod-shaped members 431, 431 are set parallel to each other. The yarn supply package holding mechanism 43 holds the yarn supply package by inserting the pair of rod-shaped members 431, 431 into a cardboard tube of the yarn supply package. The holding mechanism support 432 is connected to a lower surface of the second gear 426 at a portion that becomes the other end of the yarn supply package holding mechanism 43.

[0037] (Empty paper tube storage mechanism 44) The empty paper tube storage mechanism 44 is provided on the lower surface of the holding mechanism support 432. As a result, the empty paper tube storage mechanism 44 rotates together with the empty paper tube storage mechanism 44. The empty paper tube storage mechanism 44 includes an empty paper tube storage box 441 that stores an empty paper tube after all the yarn has been unwound. The empty paper tube storage box 441 is a rectangular box in plan view, surrounded by walls in three of the four horizontal directions, and open in one of the four horizontal directions where no wall is formed. The opening direction of the empty paper tube storage box 441 is shifted by approximately 90 degrees in plan view from the direction in which the tips of the rod-shaped members 431, 431 of the yarn supplying package holding mechanism 43 face. For example, when the tip of the yarn supplying package holding mechanism 43 faces forward, the opening direction of the empty paper tube storage box 441 is to the right, and when the tip of the yarn supplying package holding mechanism 43 faces left, the opening direction of the empty paper tube storage box 441 is to the front.

[0038] The empty paper tube storage mechanism 44 also has a storage box rotation drive mechanism 442 that tilts the empty paper tube storage box 441. When an empty paper tube is stored in the empty paper tube storage box 441, the storage box rotation drive mechanism 442 can move the empty paper tube toward the wall by rotating the empty paper tube storage box 441 so that the opening is in an inclined position facing upward. On the other hand, the storage box rotation drive mechanism 442 can move the empty paper tube toward the opening by rotating the empty paper tube storage box 441 so that the opening is in an inclined position facing downward.

[0039] (Arm mechanism 41) One end of the arm mechanism 41 is provided on the upper surface of the first gear 425 in the rotating mechanism 42. The rotation axis of the arm mechanism 41 coincides with the rotation axis of the first gear 425, and the first gear 425 rotates the other end (tip) of the arm mechanism 41 around the rotation axis. The other end (tip) of the arm mechanism 41 is provided with a peg drive mechanism 46 and an engagement mechanism 45. The arm mechanism 41 is configured to be switchable between a connected state in which the rotational drive force of the peg drive mechanism 46 is transmitted to the peg 25 by advancing and connecting with the peg 25, and a non-connected state in which the rotational drive force of the peg drive mechanism 46 is not transmitted to the peg 25 by disengaging from the peg 25 and retreating.

[0040] Specifically, the arm mechanism 41 has an internal storage space, a housing 411 with the other end side (tip side) facing the peg 25 being open, a horizontal support member 414 provided on the bottom wall of the housing 411 and extending horizontally from the opening, a standing support member 415 standing on the tip of the horizontal support member 414, and an arm cylinder member 412 and a guide bar 413 provided in the housing 411. One end side of the arm cylinder member 412 and the guide bar 413 are fixed to the housing 411. The other end side (tip side) of the cylinder rod 412a of the arm cylinder member 412 and the guide bar 413 are exposed from the opening of the housing 411. The tip of the cylinder rod 412a of the arm cylinder member 412 is fixed to the standing support member 415. On the other hand, the other end side (tip side) of the guide bar 413 is supported by the standing support member 415 so as to be freely slidable. As a result, while the arm mechanism 41 is restricted in the direction of advance and retreat by the guide bar 413, the advance and retreat movement of the cylinder rod 412a of the arm cylinder member 412 enables the peg drive mechanism 46 and the engagement mechanism 45 provided at the other end (tip) to advance and retreat in the X direction relative to the peg 25. The engagement mechanism 45 can be engaged with the creel stand 2 as described later, and as long as the engagement mechanism 45 can be engaged with the creel stand 2, the direction in which the peg drive mechanism 46 and the engagement mechanism 45 advance and retreat relative to the peg 25 is not limited to the X direction, i.e., the horizontal direction. For example, the peg drive mechanism 46 and the engagement mechanism 45 may advance and retreat relative to the peg 25 at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal direction (an angle at which the engagement mechanism 45 can be engaged with the creel stand 2).

[0041] Moreover, the arm cylinder member 412 and the guide bar 413 are disposed at one end in the width direction of the arm mechanism 41. This makes it possible to dispose the peg drive motor 462 at the center in the width direction of the arm mechanism 41 and dispose the engagement mechanism 45 at the other end in the width direction, thereby preventing the arm mechanism 41 from becoming large due to the engagement mechanism 45.

[0042] (Peg drive mechanism 46) The peg drive mechanism 46 is configured to rotate the peg 25 with the vertical axis as the rotation axis. Specifically, the peg drive mechanism 46 has a vertical axis of rotation, a peg drive plate 463 having a star-shaped surface when viewed from above, and a plurality of rotating rollers 461 arranged on the top of the peg drive plate 463. The pitch of the rotating rollers 461 is made to match the pitch of the gear portion 254a of the rotation transmission member 254 in the peg 25. This allows the peg drive mechanism 46 to achieve smooth movement and low friction when the rotating rollers 461 come into contact with and mesh with the gear portion 254a of the rotation transmission member 254 of the peg 25.

[0043] A peg drive motor 462 is disposed above the peg drive plate 463. The peg drive motor 462 is provided on the horizontal support member 414. The peg drive motor 462 is disposed at the center in the width direction of the arm mechanism 41, and is disposed to the side of the cylinder rod 412a and the guide bar 413 of the peg drive mechanism 46. The peg drive motor 462 has a rotation axis of a rotation shaft that coincides with the rotation axis of the peg drive plate 463. The rotation shaft of the peg drive motor 462 is connected to the peg drive plate 463, and drives the peg drive plate 463 to rotate at a predetermined rotation angle. This allows the peg drive mechanism 46 to stopably rotate the peg 25 at rotation angles between a first rotation state, a second rotation state, and a third rotation state via the rotation transmission member 254.

[0044] As described above, the peg 25 in the creel robot 1 is rotatably mounted with the vertical direction as its axis of rotation, and includes the extrapolation member 253 extrapolated onto the second support 23, which is a support member, the yarn supply package holding mechanism 43 mounted on the extrapolation member 253 and holding the yarn supply package, and the rotation transmission member 254 capable of transmitting a rotational driving force from the peg drive mechanism 46, whose rotation axis is the vertical direction, to the peg 25. When the arm mechanism 41 is in the connected state, the peg drive mechanism 46 and the rotation transmission member 254 are connected to each other, and the peg drive mechanism 46 is driven to rotate, whereby the extrapolation member 253 rotates with the vertical direction as its axis of rotation, thereby changing the horizontal orientation of the yarn supply package holding mechanism 43.

[0045] (Engagement mechanism 45) The engaging mechanism 45 is provided on the arm mechanism 41, and is configured to engage with the creel stand 2 when the peg drive mechanism 46 is in a connected state. With this, the creel robot 1 advances the arm mechanism 41 in the yarn supply exchange device 4 to connect the peg drive mechanism 46 provided on the arm mechanism 41 to the peg 25, and transmits the rotational drive force of the peg drive mechanism 46 to the peg 25 to rotate the peg 25 about the vertical axis of the second support column 23 of the creel stand 2 as the rotation axis. Inertial force is generated at the installation site of the peg drive mechanism 46 on the arm mechanism 41 when the peg drive mechanism 46 rotates or stops. However, since the engaging mechanism 45 is engaged with the creel stand 2 when the peg drive mechanism 46 is in a connected state, it is possible to prevent the peg drive mechanism 46 (peg open mechanism) of the yarn supply exchange device 4 from swinging due to the inertial force. As a result, it becomes possible to change the rotation angle of the peg 25 with high precision when the peg 25 starts and ends its rotation around the vertical axis of the creel stand 2, facilitating the supply of yarn supply packages with yarn wound thereon and the collection of empty paper tubes.

[0046] To give a specific example, the engagement mechanism 45 has an engagement plate 452 provided at the tip end in the advancing direction of the arm mechanism 41 with a recess 452a that can fit into the second support 23 (support member) of the creel stand 2, and is configured to engage with the creel stand 2 by engaging the recess 452a of the engagement plate 452 with the second support 23 of the creel stand 2. This allows the creel robot 1 to engage the engagement mechanism 45 with the creel stand 2 through a simple configuration and operation of engaging the recess 452a of the engagement plate 452 with the second support 23 of the creel stand 2, thereby enabling the rotation angle of the peg 25 to be changed with high precision when it is rotated around the vertical axis of the creel stand 2 as the rotation axis.

[0047] The engagement mechanism 45 has a pin member 453 which supports the rear end of the engagement plate 452 and has a central axis perpendicular to the advancing and retreating direction of the arm mechanism 41 and perpendicular to the vertical direction, and an engagement cylinder 451 which is rotatably connected between the pivotal position of the engagement plate 452 by the pin member 453 and the formation position of the recess 452a, and which switches between a horizontal posture taken when the arm mechanism 41 advances and retreats and an upright posture taken when the arm mechanism 41 is on standby by rotating the engagement plate 452 about the pin member 453 as a rotation axis. As a result, when the peg 25 is not rotated, the length of the engagement mechanism 45 in the advancing and retreating direction can be shortened by making the engagement plate 452 take the upright posture by retracting the cylinder rod of the engagement cylinder 451. As a result, it is possible to prevent the engagement mechanism 45 from becoming an obstacle when the creel robot 1 moves.

[0048] 4, the recess 452a of the engagement plate 452 is opened with a dimension L1 larger than the diameter L2 of the second support 23 (support member) of the creel stand 2, and is gradually reduced from the opening to the middle of the bottom to a dimension equal to the diameter L2 of the second support 23. As a result, when the recess 452a of the engagement plate 452 is engaged with the second support 23 of the creel stand 2, since the recess 452a of the engagement plate 452 is opened with a dimension L1 larger than the diameter L2 of the second support 23, even if some positional deviation occurs, the recess 452a of the engagement plate 452 can be engaged with the second support 23.

[0049] (Modification) In the above description, the engagement mechanism 45 is provided at the tip of the arm mechanism 41, and the engagement mechanism 45 moves forward and backward in conjunction with the forward and backward movement of the arm mechanism 41, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the engagement mechanism 45 may be configured to be able to move forward and backward with respect to the creel stand 2 independently of the arm mechanism 41. In this case, the engagement mechanism 45 can move forward and backward with a movement amount and movement timing independent of the movement amount and movement timing of the forward and backward movement of the arm mechanism 41. As a result, for example, if the engagement mechanism 45 is moved with a movement amount larger than that of the arm mechanism 41, the position of the engagement mechanism 45 when not connected can be set within the range of the entire length of the arm mechanism 41. Also, the engagement mechanism 45 is engaged with the creel stand 2 in advance, and the positional relationship between the arm mechanism 41 and the creel stand 2 is fixed, and then the peg drive mechanism 46 is connected to the peg 25, thereby stabilizing the connection state.

[0050] 5, the engagement mechanism 45 may be configured such that an engagement advancement / retraction mechanism 454 is provided in the housing 411 of the arm mechanism 41, and the engagement advancement / retraction mechanism 454 moves the engagement plate 452 forward and backward relative to the second support column 23 of the creel stand 2. Examples of the engagement advancement / retraction mechanism 454 include a configuration in which the engagement plate 452 is connected to the tip of a cylinder rod of a cylinder device such as a hydraulic cylinder or an air cylinder, a configuration in which a pinion driven to rotate by a motor is engaged with a rack to enable forward and backward movement and the engagement plate 452 is connected to the tip of the rack, and a configuration in which the engagement plate 452 is connected to a nut member screwed into a screw driven to rotate by a motor.

[0051] As for the form of engagement between the engagement mechanism 45 and the creel stand 2, it is preferable that the engagement portion between the engagement mechanism 45 and the creel stand 2 is fixed so as not to rotate. In this case, even if the inertial force acts on the arm mechanism 41 when the peg 25 rotates or stops, the engagement portion between the peg drive mechanism 46 and the creel stand 2 will not rotate as a fulcrum, so that shaking of the arm mechanism 41, the peg drive mechanism 46, etc. can be firmly prevented.

[0052] 6, the engaging mechanism 45 has a configuration in which the recess 452a of the engaging plate 452 is formed in a rounded rectangular shape with rounded corners, and the cross section of the second support pillar 23 of the creel stand 2 is formed in a rounded rectangular shape. In this case, when the recess 452a of the engaging plate 452 fits into the second support pillar 23, the side surface of the recess 452a and the side surface of the second support pillar 23 linearly abut on each other in the horizontal direction, so that the second support pillar 23 prevents the engaging plate 452 from rotating.

[0053] 7, the engagement mechanism 45 may have a stand-side engagement member 457 that is provided on the creel stand 2 and engages with the engagement plate 452 of the engagement mechanism 45. In this case, the amount of advancement of the arm mechanism 41 for engaging the engagement mechanism 45 with the creel stand 2 can be adjusted by the stand-side engagement member 457.

[0054] As a specific example, the engagement mechanism 45 is exemplified by a configuration including an engagement plate 452 having a recess 452a, and a stand-side engagement member 457 provided on the creel stand 2 and having a convex fitting portion 457a that fits into the recess 452a of the engagement plate 452. It is preferable that the stand-side engagement member 457 has a through hole 457b through which the second support 23 is inserted and is separable into a plurality of members, and the through hole 457b is formed by these plurality of members. In this case, when attaching the stand-side engagement member 457 to the second support 23 of an existing creel stand 2, the stand-side engagement member 457 can be attached to the second support 23 by arranging the plurality of members around the second support 23 and forming the through hole 4571b by joining the plurality of members without removing a part of the second support 23.

[0055] More specifically, the stand-side engaging member 457 has a through hole 457b through which the second support 23 is inserted, and is separable into a first member 4571 arranged on the engaging plate 452 side and a second member 4572 arranged on the opposite side to the engaging plate 452 side, and the through hole 457b is preferably formed by the first member 4571 and the second member 4572. Also, the stand-side engaging member 457 is preferably configured such that fastening bolts 4573, 4573 are arranged on both sides of the second member 4572 sandwiching the through hole 457b, and the first member 4571 and the second member 4572 are fastened together by screwing the fastening bolts 4573, 4573 into the screw holes of the first member 4571. In this case, the first member 4571 and the second member 4572 can be easily joined, and the operation of attaching the stand-side engaging member 457 to the second support 23 is simplified. Furthermore, it is preferable that the stand-side engaging member 457 has a fixing bolt 4574 disposed between the fastening bolts 4573, 4573 of the second member 4572, and the tip of the fixing bolt 4574 is pressed against the second support column 23. In this case, the stand-side engaging member 457 is firmly fixed to the second support column 23, so that the positional deviation of the stand-side engaging member 457 can be prevented.

[0056] 7 includes an engagement plate 452 having a recess 452a and a stand-side engagement member 457 having a protruding engagement portion 457a, but is not limited thereto. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the engagement mechanism 45 may include an engagement plate 452 having a protruding engagement portion 452b and a stand-side engagement member 457 having a recess 457c.

[0057] The creel stands 2 shown in Fig. 2 are arranged on both sides of the creel robot 1 in the X direction (above and below the creel robot 1 in Fig. 2). That is, one creel robot 1 is configured to be able to supply paper feed packages to both of the two creel stands 2, 2 arranged on both sides in the X direction. However, this is not limited thereto, and the creel robot 1 may be configured to be able to supply paper feed packages to the creel stand 2 arranged on one side in the X direction.

[0058] In this embodiment, the "yarn" is described as being used for false twisting of synthetic fibers such as polyester, but is not limited thereto. For example, the "yarn" may be synthetic fibers such as nylon and rayon, natural fibers such as cotton, wool, and silk, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, Teflon, etc. (登録商標) The "yarn supply package" may be used in the manufacturing process of woven or knitted fabrics, such as in a false twisting machine, a weaving machine, a knitting machine, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1. Creel Robot 2 Creel Stand 3 Processing section 4 Yarn changer 25 Pegs 41 Arm mechanism 42 Rotation mechanism 43 Yarn package holding mechanism 44 Empty paper tube storage mechanism 45 Engagement mechanism 46 Peg Drive Mechanism

Claims

1. The yarn supply package is movable toward and away from a creel stand that supports a peg that can hold a yarn supply package having a yarn wound thereon; A creel robot that supplies the yarn package to the peg, a peg drive mechanism that rotates the peg around a vertical axis; an arm mechanism provided with the peg drive mechanism, the arm mechanism being switchable between a connected state in which the rotational drive force of the peg drive mechanism is transmitted to the peg by advancing and connecting with the peg, and a non-connected state in which the rotational drive force of the peg drive mechanism is not transmitted to the peg by disengaging and retreating with respect to the peg; an engagement mechanism provided on the arm mechanism and adapted to engage with the creel stand when the peg drive mechanism is in the connected state; Creel robot.

2. The creel stand has a support member arranged vertically, The engagement mechanism has an engagement plate having a recess at a tip end of the arm mechanism in a direction in which the arm mechanism advances, the engagement plate being adapted to fit into the support member of the creel stand, and the engagement mechanism engages the creel stand by fitting the recess of the engagement plate into the support member of the creel stand. The creel robot of claim 1 .

3. The engagement mechanism includes: a pin member that supports a rear end portion of the engagement plate, the pin member having a central axis that is perpendicular to the advancement / retraction direction of the arm mechanism and coincides with a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction; a position switching mechanism that is rotatably connected between a pivotal position of the engagement plate by the pin member and a position where the recess is formed, and that switches between a horizontal position that the arm mechanism takes when advancing or retreating and an upright position that the arm mechanism takes when on standby by rotating the engagement plate about the pin member.

3. The creel robot according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The engagement mechanism is movable toward and away from the creel stand independently of the arm mechanism. The creel robot according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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