Warp feeding device

Abstract

Provided is a warp-feeding device, which is capable of easily knitting warp downwardly and with which complexity around the yarn feeding path can be reduced.　A warp-feeding device 1 feeds a warp 3b to a flat-knitting machine 2 from above. The warp-feeding device 1 comprises: a jacquard opening device 11 (motor 11a) that generates driving force; a driving roller 20 that is rotatably provided below the jacquard opening device 11, wherein the circumferential surface of the driving roller 20 is in contact with the warp 3b fed by a yarn source reel 3a such that the yarn feeding direction is downwardly curved; and a transmission mechanism 30 that transmits the driving force such that the driving roller 20 rotates in only one direction and feeds the warp 3B downwardly.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for a warp yarn feeding device that feeds warp yarns to a flat knitting machine. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, the technology of a warp feeding device that feeds warp yarns to a flat knitting machine is well known, as described in Patent Document 1, for example.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for sandwiching warp and weft yarns with weft-knitted knitting yarns. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, a plurality of first base yarns (warp yarns) arranged in parallel in the knitting width direction and a second base yarn (weft yarn) arranged in parallel in the vertical direction and intersecting with the first base yarns are sandwiched by weft-knitting the knitting yarns.

[0004] In the knitted fabric knitted in this way, the weft yarn is inserted in the knitting width direction by, for example, a yarn feeder, by inlay or the like, and knitted reliably. In contrast, the warp yarn is fed, for example, from above the knitting machine, and is knitted down together with the knitted fabric, basically depending on the friction between the weft yarn and the knitting yarn. That is, the warp yarn is sent to the knitting machine passively. In such a case, for example, if the tension due to the release resistance when taking out the warp yarn from the yarn source reel or the tension due to the downward bending of the warp yarn due to its own weight is high, the required amount of weft yarn is not knitted down, and the spacing between the weft yarns arranged in parallel in the vertical direction becomes narrow. If the spacing between the weft yarns becomes narrow, it will cause uneven strength when the knitted fabric is used as a base material for FRP.

[0005] In addition, in order to feed the warp yarns individually, it is necessary to provide a large number of feed rollers, and in this case, many warp yarns are passed from the creel stand to the knitting machine. This causes the yarn feeding path to become complicated, and there is a problem that it is not easy to directly drive the feed rollers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-34737 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a warp yarn feeding device that can facilitate the knitting down of warp yarns and prevent the periphery of the yarn feeding path from becoming complicated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The problem to be solved by the present invention has been described above, and the means for solving this problem will now be described.

[0009] In other words, the warp yarn feeding device of the present invention is a warp yarn feeding device that feeds warp yarns from above to a flat knitting machine, and is equipped with a driving source that generates a driving force, a driving roller that is rotatably arranged below the driving source and whose peripheral surface is in contact with the warp yarns unwound from the yarn source so as to bend the yarn feeding direction downward, and a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force so as to rotate the driving roller only in one direction, and feeds the warp yarns downward. With this configuration, the warp yarns can be actively fed to the flat knitting machine by rotating the drive roller using the driving force from the drive source, making it easier to knit the warp yarns down. Also, by arranging the drive source above the drive roller, i.e., relatively far from the drive roller, it is possible to prevent the periphery of the yarn feeding path from becoming complicated.

[0010] The machine further includes a plurality of driven rollers that can rotate with the rotation of the drive roller, and an endless belt that is stretched around the plurality of driven rollers and whose outer circumferential surface is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the drive roller, and the drive roller clamps the warp yarn between its circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface of the belt and sends it downward. With this configuration, the warp yarn is clamped and sent out between the drive roller and the belt, so that even if the warp yarn is an untwisted yarn such as carbon fiber, it is possible to prevent it from coming apart, and the warp yarn can be sent to the flat knitting machine more efficiently.

[0011] The transmission mechanism also includes a connecting member that is rotatable integrally with the drive roller in the one direction and rotatable relative to the drive roller in the other direction, and the drive roller sends out the warp yarn downward by oscillating the connecting member due to the driving force. With this configuration, the warp yarns can be continuously fed to the flat knitting machine with a relatively simple configuration.

[0012] The transmission mechanism also includes a rack section that can move back and forth due to the driving force, and a pinion gear that is arranged to engage with the rack section and can rotate integrally with the driving roller in the one direction due to the reciprocating movement of the rack section, and can rotate relatively to the driving roller in the other direction, and the driving roller rotates in the one direction due to the driving force transmitted via the pinion gear, thereby sending the warp yarn downward. With this configuration, the warp yarns can be fed to the flat knitting machine using the rack and pinion.

[0013] The drive source is a motor whose rotation amount is adjustable. With this configuration, the amount of warp threads fed to the knitting machine can be adjusted as needed. Specifically, for example, the amount of warp threads in a portion of the knitted fabric in the knitting width direction can be increased or decreased compared to other portions.

[0014] The drive source is a movable body having a cam mechanism that is movable in accordance with knitting by the carriage of the flat knitting machine and that is capable of generating a drive force in association with the movement. Such a configuration allows for a relatively small space requirement and low cost. Effect of the Invention

[0015] The effect of the present invention is to make it easier for the warp yarns to be knitted down. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic side view showing a yarn supplying mechanism to which a warp yarn feeding device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] 1A and 1B are side views showing the operation of the warp yarn feeding device, in which (a) shows a state in which the lever has been rotated upward, and (b) shows a state in which the lever has been rotated downward. [Figure 4] FIG. 6 is a side view showing a warp yarn sending device according to a second embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a warp yarn feeding device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a warp yarn sending device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a warp yarn feeding device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a warp sending device according to a sixth embodiment, the warp sending device being provided with a slack eliminating mechanism. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are side views showing the operation of the slack eliminating mechanism, in which (a) shows a state in which the warp threads are slackened, and (b) shows a state in which the warp threads have been wound up and the slack eliminated. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a side view showing a warp feeding device according to a seventh embodiment, the warp feeding device being provided with a slack eliminating mechanism according to another example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] In the following description, the directions indicated by arrows U, D, F, and B in the figures are defined as the upward direction, downward direction, forward direction, and rearward direction, respectively. In addition, the forward direction and the backward direction in the side views of FIG. 1 and the like are defined as the rightward direction and the leftward direction, respectively. The left-right direction corresponds to the knitting width direction of the flat knitting machine 2. In addition, in the figures, the illustration of each component is appropriately omitted for the sake of simplicity.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1, a warp yarn sending device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention sends out warp yarns 3b used for knitting a knitted fabric to a flat knitting machine 2. The flat knitting machine 2 can knit a knitted fabric by fixing a plurality of warp yarns 3b arranged in parallel in the knitting width direction and weft yarns arranged in parallel in the vertical direction intersecting with the warp yarns 3b by flat knitting the knitting yarns. In the knitted fabric, the weft yarns are inserted as inlay yarns. In this way, the warp yarns 3b and the weft yarns do not form stitches, but are fixed to each other by friction by being sandwiched by the knitting yarns as retaining yarns. A creel stand 3 is provided behind the flat knitting machine 2. The creel stand 3 houses a plurality of yarn source reels 3a around which the warp yarns 3b are wound. When the flat knitting machine 2 knits a knitted fabric, the warp yarns 3b wound around the yarn source reel 3a are supplied to the flat knitting machine 2 via the warp yarn sending device 1. For example, a bundle of a plurality of reinforcing fibers (e.g., carbon fibers) is used as the warp yarns 3b.

[0019] The flat knitting machine 2 has a front needle bed 2a and a rear needle bed 2b facing each other front to back with a needle gap 2c in between. In the flat knitting machine 2, a hook of a knitting needle (not shown) advances and retreats from the tip side of the front needle bed 2a or the rear needle bed 2b to the needle gap 2c. Weft yarns and knitting yarns are supplied to the needle gap 2c from multiple yarn feeders (not shown).

[0020] The flat knitting machine 2 also includes warp pipes 2d that can simultaneously supply multiple warp threads 3b when knitting a fabric. The warp pipes 2d are arranged in three rows in the front-rear direction, and in multiple rows in the knitting width direction for the number of warp threads 3b to be knitted. The warp pipes 2d are positioned so as not to interfere with the yarn feeder that moves in the knitting width direction, and the warp threads 3b are passed through the warp pipes 2d to supply each warp thread 3b from above to the needle gap 2c.

[0021] The configuration of the warp yarn feeding device 1 will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In the following, the yarn source reel 3a side of the yarn supply path of the warp yarn 3b may be referred to as the "upstream side", and the flat knitting machine 2 side may be referred to as the "downstream side".

[0022] The warp yarn feeding device 1 controls the feeding amount of each warp yarn 3b used for knitting a knitted fabric and feeds it to the flat knitting machine 2. The warp yarn feeding device 1 mainly includes a drive unit 10, a drive roller 20, a transmission mechanism 30, a motion restriction unit 40, and a driven mechanism 50.

[0023] 1 drives a drive roller 20 (to be described later) via a transmission mechanism 30 (to be described later). The drive device 10 includes a jacquard shedding device 11 and a harness 12.

[0024] The jacquard shedding device 11 shown in FIG. 1 is a driving source for the operation of the warp yarn sending device 1 when sending each warp yarn 3b to the flat knitting machine 2. The jacquard shedding device 11 controls the sending amount of each warp yarn 3b individually. For example, a known jacquard shedding device used in a general shuttle loom can be adopted as the jacquard shedding device 11. The jacquard shedding device 11 performs control based on a pre-installed program. The jacquard shedding device 11 is placed on a stand 4 placed between the flat knitting machine 2 and the creel stand 3. The jacquard shedding device 11 is placed above the flat knitting machine 2. The jacquard shedding device 11 is placed above the drive roller 20, the transmission mechanism 30, the operation regulating unit 40, and the driven mechanism 50 described later. The jacquard shedding device 11 includes a motor 11a.

[0025] The motor 11a generates a driving force. The motor 11a is provided so that the amount of rotation can be adjusted, and the amount of displacement of the harness 12 described below can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of rotation. A plurality of motors 11a are provided. More specifically, a motor 11a is provided for each warp thread 3b. The motor 11a may be the one originally provided in the jacquard shedding device 11. The operation of the motor 11a is controlled by a control unit (not shown).

[0026] The harness 12 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is for rotating a lever 31, which will be described later, up and down. One harness 12 is provided for each motor 11a. The upper end of the harness 12 is connected to the motor 11a via an appropriate member. The lower end of the harness 12 is connected to the lever 31, which will be described later. The harness 12 extends forward from the motor 11a and is bent downward by a direction changing member (not shown).

[0027] In the drive device 10 configured in this manner, the motors 11a are driven according to individual preset patterns, so that the harnesses 12 can be individually displaced upward or downward.

[0028] The drive roller 20 shown in Figures 2 and 3 feeds the warp yarn 3b downstream. The drive roller 20 is provided on the yarn feeding path of the warp yarn 3b so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction. A drive roller 20 is provided for each warp yarn 3b. As shown in Figure 1, the drive rollers 20 adjacent to each other in the knitting width direction are arranged at different heights to ensure arrangement space.

[0029] The warp thread 3b, which is unwound from the rear of the drive roller 20 (the yarn source reel 3a stored in the creel stand 3), is fed to the upper end of the peripheral surface 20a of the drive roller 20. The warp thread 3b is fed to the peripheral surface 20a from a direction tangential to the upper end of the peripheral surface 20a. The warp thread 3b comes into contact with the peripheral surface 20a and is guided by the peripheral surface 20a so as to bend downward.

[0030] A plurality of teeth 20b are provided around the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the drive roller 20. The plurality of teeth 20b are provided at equal intervals from one another in the circumferential direction.

[0031] The drive roller 20 configured in this manner can send out the warp thread 3b downstream by rotating in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the right side in Figures 2 and 3. Hereinafter, with regard to the rotation direction of the drive roller 20, the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the right side, i.e., the direction in which the warp thread 3b is sent out downstream, may be referred to as the "forward direction," and the clockwise direction as viewed from the right side, which is the opposite direction to the forward direction, may be referred to as the "reverse direction."

[0032] 2 and 3 transmits the driving force from the driving device 10 to the driving roller 20. The transmission mechanism 30 includes a lever 31 and a ratchet mechanism 32.

[0033] The lever 31 is for rotating the drive roller 20, and is provided to be rotatable (to be swingable up and down) about the same axis as the drive roller 20. The lever 31 is provided such that its longitudinal direction extends substantially rearward from the center of rotation. The lever 31 has a first hook portion 31a and a second hook portion 31b.

[0034] The first hook portion 31a is a portion to which the harness 12 is hooked, and is formed in a hook shape that is substantially an inverted U. The first hook portion 31a is formed at the rear end portion of the lever 31.

[0035] The second hook portion 31b is a portion to which a spring 41, which will be described later, is hooked, and is formed in a generally U-shaped hook shape. The second hook portion 31b is formed at a midpoint between the front and rear of the lever 31 (forward of the first hook portion 31a).

[0036] The ratchet mechanism 32 regulates the rotation direction of the drive roller 20, is incorporated in the rotation center of the lever 31, and is configured to rotate with the rotation of the lever 31. The ratchet mechanism 32 is configured to engage with the drive roller 20 when the lever 31 rotates upward, but not to engage with the drive roller 20 when the lever 31 rotates downward.

[0037] That is, the ratchet mechanism 32 rotates the drive roller 20 in the forward direction in response to the upward rotation of the lever 31. On the other hand, the ratchet mechanism 32 prevents the drive roller 20 from rotating in the reverse direction in response to the downward rotation of the lever 31.

[0038] The movement restricting portion 40 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 restricts or controls the movement of the lever 31, and includes a spring 41 and a movement range restricting portion 42.

[0039] The spring 41 biases the lever 31 downward and is a tension coil spring. The upper end of the spring 41 is fixed to the second hook portion 31b of the lever 31. The lower end of the spring 41 is fixed to an arbitrary part of the warp sending device 1. The arbitrary part is a part that does not move even when the lever 31 rotates.

[0040] The movement range restricting portion 42 shown in FIG. 3 restricts the rotation range of the lever 31, and includes an upper restricting portion 42a and a lower restricting portion 42b.

[0041] The upper restricting portion 42a restricts the upward rotation range of the lever 31, and is provided above the lever 31. More specifically, the upper restricting portion 42a is formed at a position where it comes into contact with the lever 31 when the lever 31 rotates upward by a predetermined angle, and restricts the upward rotation range of the lever 31.

[0042] The lower restricting portion 42b restricts the downward rotation range of the lever 31, and is provided below the lever 31. More specifically, the lower restricting portion 42b is formed at a position where it comes into contact with the lever 31 when the lever 31 rotates downward by a predetermined angle, and restricts the downward rotation range of the lever 31.

[0043] Here, when the drive roller 20 is rotated, the harness 12 moves linearly, whereas the lever 31 moves in an arc. Therefore, if the stroke of the harness 12 becomes too large, the displacement of the harness 12 and the feed amount of the warp yarn 3b are no longer proportional. For this reason, in the warp yarn feed device 1 according to this embodiment, the rotation range of the lever 31 is restricted by the movement range restricting part 42. Furthermore, by restricting the upward rotation range of the lever 31, plastic deformation of the spring 41 can be suppressed.

[0044] The driven mechanism 50 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 operates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive roller 20, and includes a first driven roller 51, a second driven roller 52, and an endless belt 53.

[0045] The first driven roller 51 is provided rotatably about an axis extending in the left-right direction, and is disposed substantially above the drive roller 20.

[0046] A plurality of teeth 51a are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the first driven roller 51 all around the outer peripheral surface of the first driven roller 51. The plurality of teeth 51a are provided at equal intervals from one another in the circumferential direction. The first driven roller 51 is provided such that the teeth 51a mesh with the teeth 20b of the drive roller 20. As a result, the first driven roller 51 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive roller 20.

[0047] The second driven roller 52 is provided below and in front of the first driven roller 51 and approximately in front of the drive roller 20 to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction. The second driven roller 52 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the first driven roller 51 via an endless belt 53 described later.

[0048] The endless belt 53 is provided so as to be stretched around the first driven roller 51 and the second driven roller 52, and so as to have its outer circumferential surface in contact with the drive roller 20. More specifically, the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt 53 is provided so as to have contact with a portion of the circumferential surface 20a of the drive roller 20 that comes into contact with the warp yarns 3b.

[0049] Hereinafter, the operation of the warp yarn feeding device 1 when feeding the warp yarns 3b to the flat knitting machine 2 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0050] When sending the warp yarn 3b to the flat knitting machine 2, first, the motor 11a of the drive device 10 is driven to displace the harness 12 upward by a predetermined amount. Then, as shown in Fig. 3(a), the lever 31 connected to the harness 12 rotates upward, causing the drive roller 20 to rotate in the forward direction. This causes the warp yarn 3b to be sent downstream. The displacement amount of the harness 12, which determines the amount of warp yarn 3b sent, is set in consideration of the amount required for knitting the fabric.

[0051] As described above, the first driven roller 51 is provided such that the teeth 51a mesh with the teeth 20b of the drive roller 20, and therefore rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed from the right side in association with the forward rotation of the drive roller 20. Then, the second driven roller 52 connected to the first driven roller 51 via the endless belt 53 also rotates in a clockwise direction as viewed from the right side.

[0052] As a result, the drive roller 20 can send out the warp threads 3b downward while the warp threads 3b are sandwiched between the circumferential surface 20a and the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt 53. This makes it difficult for the warp threads 3b to come off the drive roller 20, and the warp threads 3b can be sent out reliably to the downstream side. It is also possible to prevent only the parts of the multiple reinforcing fibers that make up the warp threads 3b that are in contact with the circumferential surface 20a from being sent out to the downstream side. Even if the warp threads 3b are untwisted threads that are simply bundled carbon fibers, it is possible to prevent them from coming apart, and the warp threads 3b can be sent to the flat knitting machine 2 more suitably.

[0053] On the other hand, when the upward driving force of the harness 12 is released, as shown in Fig. 3(b), the lever 31 connected to the harness 12 rotates downward due to the biasing force of the spring 41. However, due to the action of the ratchet mechanism 32, even if the lever 31 rotates downward, the driving roller 20 does not rotate in the reverse direction. This makes it possible to prevent the warp yarn 3b from being returned to the upstream side.

[0054] In this way, in the warp yarn sending device 1, the driving force from the driving device 10 is used to rotate the driving roller 20, so that each warp yarn 3b used for knitting the knitted fabric can be actively sent to the flat knitting machine 2. This allows the warp yarn 3b to be knitted down by the amount necessary for knitting the knitted fabric against the tension applied to the warp yarn 3b (tension due to the release resistance when the warp yarn 3b is taken out from the yarn source reel 3a, and tension due to downward bending of the warp yarn 3b due to its own weight). This makes it possible to prevent the gap between the weft yarns arranged in parallel in the vertical direction from becoming narrow. In addition, the warp yarn 3b can be continuously sent to the flat knitting machine 2 by a relatively simple configuration such as the driving roller 20 and the transmission mechanism 30.

[0055] In addition, a large number of drive rollers 20 must be arranged in the knitting width direction to individually control the warp yarns 3b, and in this case, a large number of warp yarns will be passed from the creel stand to the knitting machine. For this reason, the degree of freedom in arranging the drive unit 10 is relatively low. Therefore, in this embodiment, the drive unit 10 for rotating the drive rollers 20 is arranged at a position relatively far from the flat knitting machine 2, so that a large number of warp yarns 3b can be actively sent individually without complicating the area around the yarn feed path. More specifically, instead of directly rotating the drive rollers 20 by the drive unit 10, the drive unit 10 and the lever 31 are connected via the harness 12, so that it is not necessary to arrange the drive unit 10 near the yarn feed path, and it is possible to arrange the drive unit 10 at a position relatively far from the flat knitting machine 2. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the area around the yarn feed path from becoming complicated.

[0056] In addition, since the feed amount of each warp thread 3b can be individually adjusted using each motor 11a of the jacquard shedding device 11, for example, the amount of warp thread 3b in a part of the knitted fabric in the knitting width direction can be increased or decreased compared to other parts.

[0057] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and appropriate modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the invention described in the claims.

[0058] For example, in this embodiment, the flat knitting machine 2 to which the warp yarn 3b is fed by the warp yarn feeding device 1 knits a knitted fabric by fixing the warp yarn 3b and the weft yarn using a knitting yarn, but the flat knitting machine 2 may knit a knitted fabric without using a weft yarn. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1 of Japanese Patent No. 5955197, for example, the flat knitting machine 2 may sandwich the warp yarn depending on the positional relationship between the knitting yarn and the warp yarn fed from two carriers that move in phase between the front and back relative to the warp yarn.

[0059] In addition, although the warp threads 3b are described as being fed to the upper end of the peripheral surface 20a of the drive roller 20, they may be fed to a portion behind the upper end of the peripheral surface 20a, and after passing the upper end of the peripheral surface 20a, be guided so as to bend downward by the peripheral surface 20a. This increases the length of the warp threads 3b in contact with the peripheral surface 20a, thereby reducing the slippage of the warp threads 3b relative to the peripheral surface 20a and improving the feeding accuracy of the warp threads 3b.

[0060] Furthermore, each warp thread 3b is fed into the flat knitting machine 2 by the amount required for the next course at the timing when the knitting direction is reversed. In this way, each warp thread 3b is fed into the flat knitting machine 2 at the same timing. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the warp thread 3b fixed by the knitting needle with a setting yarn may be fed into the flat knitting machine 2 at the timing when each knitting needle advances into the needle gap 2c. In other words, each warp thread 3b may be fed into the flat knitting machine 2 at different timings.

[0061] In addition, in the present embodiment, the motor 11a is used as the drive source, but a solenoid may also be used.

[0062] In addition, in this embodiment, the ratchet mechanism 32 is used to regulate the rotation direction of the drive roller 20, but it is sufficient if the mechanism is capable of transmitting force in only one direction and not in the other direction, and may be, for example, a one-way clutch.

[0063] Next, the configuration of a warp sending device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0064] The warp feeding device 1 according to the second embodiment differs from the warp feeding device 1 according to the first embodiment in that a drive device 60 is provided instead of the drive device 10. This difference will be described below. Note that the driven mechanism 50 is not shown in Fig. 4 and Figs. 5 to 7 described later.

[0065] The drive device 60 includes a harness 12, a moving body 61, a needle-shaped body 62, a needle bed 63, and a direction-changing roller 64. The harness 12 is the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0066] The movable body 61 is capable of reciprocating in the knitting width direction in synchronization with a carriage (not shown) of the flat knitting machine 2, and is driven by a motor and a timing belt (not shown). A cam surface 61a is provided on the lower surface of the movable body 61.

[0067] The needle-like body 62 is formed in a needle shape with its longitudinal direction facing the front-rear direction, and is provided for each harness 12. The front end of the needle-like body 62 is formed in a hook shape, and the harness 12 is engaged with it. The needle-like body 62 is provided with a butt 62a formed so that its front-rear midpoint protrudes upward. The needle-like bodies 62 are provided on the needle bed 63 so that a plurality of them are lined up in the left-right direction.

[0068] The driving device 60 is also provided with an actuator (not shown), and is configured to be able to switch the needle-shaped body 62 between a needle selection state and a non-needle selection state by the actuator. The switching between the needle selection state and the non-needle selection state is determined based on a pre-installed program. In the needle selection state, when the moving body 61 moves in the knitting width direction, the butt 62a of the needle-shaped body 62 moves forward and backward as it is guided by the cam surface 61a. On the other hand, in the non-needle selection state, the butt 62a of the needle-shaped body 62 is sunk into the needle bed 63. Therefore, even if the moving body 61 moves in the knitting width direction, the butt 62a is not guided by the cam surface 61a. Therefore, the needle-shaped body 62 does not move forward and backward. In this way, the cam surface 61a generates a driving force that moves the needle-shaped body 62 as the moving body 61 moves.

[0069] The direction-changing roller 64 changes the direction of the harness 12, and is formed to change the extension direction of the harness 12 so that the harness 12 extending forward from the front end of the needle-shaped body 62 bends downward and extends.

[0070] In the warp yarn sending device 1 according to the second embodiment configured as described above, when the moving body 61 moves back and forth in the knitting width direction in synchronization with the carriage of the flat knitting machine 2, only the needle-like body 62 in the needle selection state moves forward and backward. This causes the harness 12 to move up and down, rotating the lever 31 upward. This causes the drive roller 20 to rotate in the forward direction, allowing the warp yarn 3b to be sent out downstream.

[0071] Furthermore, by driving the driving roller 20 using the driving device 60 configured as described above, it is possible to achieve a relatively small space and low cost.

[0072] Next, the configuration of a warp sending device 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0073] The warp sending device 1 according to the third embodiment differs from the warp sending device 1 according to the first embodiment in that a driving device 70 is provided instead of the driving device 10. This difference will be described below.

[0074] The driving device 70 includes a moving body 61, a needle-shaped body 72, a needle bed 73, an operating link 74, and an operating bar 75. The moving body 61 is the same as in the second embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. The needle-shaped body 72 and the needle bed 73 correspond to the needle-shaped body 62 and the needle bed 63 in the second embodiment, respectively.

[0075] The operating link 74 constitutes a part of the link mechanism, and includes a rotating member 74a, a first connecting portion 74b, and a second connecting portion 74c.

[0076] The rotating member 74a is formed to be rotatable about an axis extending in the left-right direction. The rotating member 74a is swingably connected to the front end of the needle-shaped body 72 by a first connecting portion 74b, and swingably connected to the upper end of an actuation bar 75 (described later) by a second connecting portion 74c.

[0077] The actuation bar 75 operates the lever 31, is formed in a rod shape made of a material such as metal or resin, and is provided with its longitudinal direction facing the up-down direction. As described above, the actuation bar 75 has its upper end connected to the rotating member 74a and its lower end connected to the first hook portion 31a of the lever 31.

[0078] In the warp yarn sending device 1 according to the third embodiment configured as described above, when the needle-like body 72 in the needle selection state moves forward and backward in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the movable body 61 in the knitting width direction, the actuation link 74 rotates, displacing the actuation bar 75 up and down. More specifically, when the needle-like body 72 moves rearward and the actuation link 74 rotates clockwise as viewed from the right side, the actuation bar 75 is displaced upward, causing the lever 31 to rotate upward. This causes the drive roller 20 to rotate in the forward direction, enabling the warp yarn 3b to be sent out downstream.

[0079] In the example shown in Fig. 5, the lever 31 is biased downward by the spring 41, but since the lever 31 can also be displaced downward by the rotation of the operating link 74, the spring 41 does not necessarily have to be provided. The same applies to the example shown in Fig. 6 described later.

[0080] 5, the first connecting portion 74b and the second connecting portion 74c are shown to have substantially the same length, but for example, the length of the second connecting portion 74c may be made longer than the length of the first connecting portion 74b. This makes it possible to increase the amount of displacement of the operating bar 75 relative to the amount of advancement and retreat of the needle-like body 72, and thus to reduce the size of the cam mechanism.

[0081] Next, the configuration of a warp sending device 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0082] The warp sending device 1 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the warp sending device 1 according to the first embodiment in that a driving device 80 is provided instead of the driving device 10. This difference will be described below.

[0083] The drive unit 80 includes a moving body 61, a needle-like body 72, a needle bed 73, a slide member 84, and an actuation bar 86. The moving body 61 is the same as in the second embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. The needle-like body 72 and the needle bed 73 are the same as in the third embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0084] The slide member 84 is a member that is provided so as to be slidable back and forth, and is fixed to the front end of the needle-like body 72. As a result, the slide member 84 reciprocates back and forth in association with the forward and backward movement of the needle-like body 72. The slide member 84 is provided with a long hole 84a formed so that the longitudinal direction is oblique to the front and rear direction. More specifically, the long hole 84a is formed so as to be inclined so as to be positioned downward as it goes rearward.

[0085] The configuration of the actuation bar 86 is generally the same as that of the actuation bar 75 of the third embodiment. The actuation bar 86 is guided by a guide member (not shown) so as not to move in the front-rear direction, i.e., so as to be movable only in the up-down direction. A pin 86a is provided at the upper end of the actuation bar 86. The pin 86a is formed so as to extend leftward from the upper end of the actuation bar 86, and is inserted into the long hole 84a of the slide member 84.

[0086] In the warp yarn feeding device 1 according to the fourth embodiment configured as described above, when the needle-like body 72 in the needle selection state moves forward and backward in accordance with the reciprocating movement of the movable body 61 in the knitting width direction, the slide member 84 moves back and forth, and the pin 86a is guided by the long hole 84a. Then, the operating bar 86 is displaced upward, and the lever 31 is rotated upward. This rotates the drive roller 20 in the forward direction, and the warp yarn 3b can be fed downstream.

[0087] The above describes the second to fourth embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and appropriate modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the invention described in the claims.

[0088] For example, as long as the movable body 61 operates in accordance with the knitting by the carriage of the flat knitting machine 2, it is not limited to operating in synchronization with the carriage of the flat knitting machine 2 as in the second to fourth embodiments, but may also operate prior to the operation of the carriage.

[0089] The inclination angle of the long hole 84a can be any angle, but it may be formed so that the inclination angle with respect to the horizontal direction is relatively large, i.e., relatively long vertically. This allows the displacement of the operating bar 86 relative to the amount of forward and backward movement of the needle-like body 72 to be increased, and thus the cam mechanism can be made more compact.

[0090] As the drive device, a combination of the jacquard shedding device 11 of the first embodiment and the mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6 may be used.

[0091] Next, the configuration of a warp sending device 1 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0092] The warp sending device 1 according to the fifth embodiment differs from the warp sending device 1 according to the first embodiment in that a transmission mechanism 90 is provided instead of the transmission mechanism 30. This difference will be described below.

[0093] The transmission mechanism 90 includes a pinion gear 91 , a ratchet mechanism 92 , and a rack 93 .

[0094] The pinion gear 91 is for rotating the drive roller 20, and is provided to the right of the drive roller 20 so as to be rotatable coaxially with the drive roller 20. A plurality of teeth 91a are provided around the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the pinion gear 91. The plurality of teeth 91a are provided at equal intervals from one another in the circumferential direction.

[0095] The ratchet mechanism 92 regulates the rotation direction of the drive roller 20, is incorporated into the rotation center of the pinion gear 91, and is configured to rotate with the rotation of the pinion gear 91. The ratchet mechanism 92 is configured to engage with the drive roller 20 when the pinion gear 91 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the right side, but not to engage with the drive roller 20 when the pinion gear 91 rotates clockwise as viewed from the right side.

[0096] That is, the ratchet mechanism 92 rotates the drive roller 20 in the forward direction in response to the rotation of the pinion gear 91 in the counterclockwise direction as viewed from the right side. On the other hand, the ratchet mechanism 32 prevents the drive roller 20 from rotating in the reverse direction in response to the rotation of the pinion gear 91 in the clockwise direction as viewed from the right side.

[0097] The rack 93 is for rotating the drive roller 20, and is provided behind the drive roller 20 with its longitudinal direction facing the up-down direction. The rack 93 is guided by a guide member (not shown) so as not to move in the front-rear direction, i.e., so as to be movable only in the up-down direction.

[0098] A plurality of teeth 93a are provided at equal intervals in the vertical direction on the front surface of the rack 93. The rack 93 is provided such that the teeth 93a mesh with the teeth 91a of the pinion gear 91.

[0099] The rack 93 has an upper end connected to the lower end of the harness 12. The rack 93 has a lower end engaged with the upper end of the spring 41, and is biased downward by the spring 41.

[0100] In the warp sending device 1 according to the fifth embodiment configured as described above, when the motor 11a of the driving device 10 is driven to displace the harness 12 upward by a predetermined amount, the rack 93 connected to the harness 12 moves upward. Here, as described above, the rack 93 is provided so that the teeth 93a mesh with the teeth 91a of the pinion gear 91. Therefore, when the rack 93 moves upward, the pinion gear 91 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the right side, and the driving roller 20 rotates in the forward direction. This allows the warp 3b to be sent out downstream.

[0101] In addition, by adjusting the gear ratio, the amount of feed of the drive roller 20 can be made greater than the amount of vertical movement of the harness 12 by the drive source, which allows the cam mechanism to be made more compact.

[0102] Next, the configuration of a warp sending device 1 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs.

[0103] The warp sending device 1 according to the sixth embodiment differs from the warp sending device 1 according to the first embodiment in that it further includes a slack eliminating mechanism 200. This difference will be described below.

[0104] In the warp feeding device 1, a feeding error may occur, for example, when the warp thread 3b is not used as much as expected in knitting the knitted fabric. If this feeding error accumulates, the warp thread 3b may become slack downstream of the drive roller 20, and the warp thread 3b may come into contact with other objects, which may adversely affect the knitting of the knitted fabric, which is undesirable. The slack removal mechanism 200 is provided to remove the slack in the warp thread 3b, and includes a first magnet section 210, a second magnet section 220, and a shielding member 230.

[0105] The first magnet portion 210 is a magnet provided on the second driven roller 52, and is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. A plurality of first magnet portions 210 are provided with their longitudinal direction facing the radial direction of the second driven roller 52. The first magnet portions 210 are provided at equal intervals from each other in the circumferential direction of the second driven roller 52. In the present embodiment, six first magnet portions 210 are provided at intervals of 60° from each other. The first magnet portion 210 is provided so that its radially outer surface is generally at the same position as the outer circumferential surface of the second driven roller 52 in a side view. The first magnet portion 210 includes an S pole portion 211 and an N pole portion 212.

[0106] The S-pole portion 211 is disposed on the counterclockwise side as viewed from the right side of the first magnet portion 210. Specifically, the S-pole portion 211 is provided so as to be located at the front portion of the first magnet portion 210 when the second driven roller 52 rotates and the first magnet portion 210 is located at the uppermost position.

[0107] The N-pole portion 212 is disposed on the clockwise side of the first magnet portion 210 as viewed from the right side. Specifically, the N-pole portion 212 is provided so as to be located at the rear portion of the first magnet portion 210 when the second driven roller 52 rotates and the first magnet portion 210 is located at the uppermost position. The N-pole portion 212 is provided so as to be adjacent to the S-pole portion 211.

[0108] The second magnet section 220 is a magnet provided independently of the second driven roller 52, and is fixed to the flat knitting machine 2 below the second driven roller 52. More specifically, the second magnet section 220 is provided such that its front-to-rear center is located slightly rearward of the center of the second driven roller 52. The second magnet section 220 is formed in a generally rectangular shape in side view. The second magnet section 220 includes an S pole portion 221 and an N pole portion 222.

[0109] The south pole portion 221 is provided so as to constitute the rear portion of the second magnet portion 220.

[0110] The N-pole portion 222 constitutes the front portion of the second magnet portion 220, and is provided adjacent to the S-pole portion 221. The N-pole portion 222 is provided at a position closer to the second driven roller 52 than the S-pole portion 221.

[0111] The shielding member 230 shields or demagnetizes the magnetic force of the first magnet portion 210. More specifically, the shielding member 230 shields the magnetic force acting on the second magnet portion 220 to rotate the second driven roller 52 in the reverse direction. The shielding member 230 is formed of an iron piece that is a ferromagnetic body, and is provided so as to cover the magnetic pole surface of the N-pole portion 212 of the first magnet portion 210.

[0112] 9 and 10, the operation of the slack eliminating mechanism 200 will be described. In the following, the rotation direction of the second driven roller 52, which is the counterclockwise direction when viewed from the right side, i.e., the direction in which the slack of the warp yarn 3b is wound up, may be referred to as the "winding direction".

[0113] Fig. 10(a) shows a state in which the warp thread 3b is loosened downstream of the drive roller 20 due to a feed error or the like. When the warp thread 3b is loosened in this way and the first magnet portion 210 and the second magnet portion 220 are in the positional relationship shown in Fig. 9, an attractive force by the N-pole portion 222 of the second magnet portion 220 acts on the S-pole portion 211a of the first magnet portion 210a located in the front lower portion among the six first magnet portions 210.

[0114] At this time, when the lever 31 is stopped or in the middle of rotating upward, the ratchet mechanism 32 operates so that the second driven roller 52 does not rotate in the winding direction even if an adhesive force is applied to the S pole portion 211a by the N pole portion 222.

[0115] On the other hand, while the lever 31 is rotating downward, the S pole portion 211a is attracted to the N pole portion 222, and the second driven roller 52 rotates in the winding direction to a position where the S pole portion 211a and the N pole portion 222 are substantially opposed to each other.

[0116] At this time, the magnetic pole surface of the N-pole portion 212b of the first magnet portion 210b located at the rear lower portion among the six first magnet portions 210 is covered by the shielding member 230. Therefore, the attraction force of the N-pole portion 212b to the S-pole portion 221 is shielded or demagnetized. Therefore, the second driven roller 52 is prevented from rotating in the direction opposite to the winding direction.

[0117] When the second driven roller 52 rotates in the winding direction in this manner, the drive roller 20 rotates in the reverse direction. This causes the warp thread 3b on the downstream side of the drive roller 20 to be wound, eliminating slack in the warp thread 3b. In addition, as the drive roller 20 rotates, the endless belt 53 also moves in a direction to wind the warp thread 3b. Thus, the warp thread 3b can be wound while being sandwiched between the peripheral surface 20a of the drive roller 20 and the outer circumferential surface of the endless belt 53.

[0118] As described above, the slack eliminating mechanism 200 uses magnetic force to wind up the warp threads 3b. Therefore, unlike the case where torque is applied by a physical connection, problems such as wear between members do not occur, and maintenance and durability can be improved.

[0119] Next, the configuration of a warp sending device 1 according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0120] The warp sending device 1 according to the seventh embodiment differs from the warp sending device 1 according to the sixth embodiment in that the arrangement of the first magnet portion 210 of the slack eliminating mechanism 200 is different. This difference will be described below.

[0121] 11, the first magnet portion 210 is provided with its longitudinal direction inclined with respect to the radial direction of the second driven roller 52. More specifically, the first magnet portion 210 is provided such that the S pole portion 211 faces more radially outward than the N pole portion 212.

[0122] 11, the magnetic pole face of the S-pole portion 211c of the first magnet portion 210c located in the front lower portion among the six first magnet portions 210 generally faces the N-pole portion 222 of the second magnet portion 220. On the other hand, the magnetic pole face of the N-pole portion 212d of the first magnet portion 210d located in the rear lower portion among the six first magnet portions 210 does not face the S-pole portion 221 of the second magnet portion 220. Therefore, the second driven roller 52 rotates in the winding direction due to the attraction force between the S-pole portion 211c and the N-pole portion 222.

[0123] When the second driven roller 52 rotates in the winding direction in this manner, the drive roller 20 rotates in the reverse direction, thereby winding up the warp yarn 3b downstream of the drive roller 20, and eliminating slack in the warp yarn 3b.

[0124] In the slack eliminating mechanism 200 of the warp sending device 1 according to the sixth and seventh embodiments, the ratio of the rotation amount is set to the driving roller 20: the first driven roller 51: the second driven roller 52 = 1: 2: 2. That is, the rotation amount of the second driven roller 52 by the first magnet section 210 and the second magnet section 220 is half that of the driving roller 20. The sending amount of the warp thread 3b per course is about 3.5 mm, and the sending error is estimated to be about ±0.1 to 0.2 mm. Here, due to the relative positional relationship between the first magnet section 210 and the second magnet section 220, it may happen that the warp thread 3b is not wound ("no winding"). However, since the amount of winding in one time is about 2 to 3 mm, even if "no winding" of +0.2 mm occurs ten times in a row, the accumulated sending error can be eliminated by one winding.

[0125] The slack eliminating mechanism 200 of the warp yarn feeding device 1 according to the sixth and seventh embodiments of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and appropriate modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the invention described in the claims.

[0126] For example, in the sixth and seventh embodiments, the second magnet section 220 is fixed to the flat knitting machine 2, but similar to the first magnet section 210, magnets may be provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the roller and configured to constantly rotate to generate a force that rotates the second driven roller 52 in the winding direction. However, this force is set to be smaller than the rotational force of the drive roller 20 when sending the warp yarn 3b downstream, and is set so as not to interfere with the sending of the warp yarn 3b.

[0127] Furthermore, in the sixth and seventh embodiments, six first magnet sections 210 are provided, but the number of first magnet sections 210 may be any number. [Industrial Applicability]

[0128] The present invention can be applied to a warp yarn feeding device that feeds warp yarns to a flat knitting machine. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 1 Warp feed device 2 Flat knitting machine 3a Thread source reel 3b Warp thread 10, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 Drive unit 11 Jacquard shedding device 11a Motor 20 Drive roller 30 Transmission Mechanism 31 Lever 51 First driven roller 52 Second driven roller 53 Endless Belt 61 Mobile 61a Cam surface 103 LACK 104 Pinion gear 200 Slack removal mechanism 210 First magnet section 220 Second magnet part 230 Shielding material

Claims

1. A warp yarn feeding device that feeds warp yarns from above to a flat knitting machine, A driving source that generates a driving force; a drive roller that is rotatably provided below the drive source and whose peripheral surface is in contact with the warp yarn that is unwound from the yarn source so as to bend the yarn supply direction downward; a transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force so as to rotate the drive roller in only one direction and sends out the warp yarns downward; A warp yarn feeding device comprising:

2. a plurality of driven rollers rotatable in association with the rotation of the drive roller; an endless belt that is wound around the plurality of driven rollers and has an outer circumferential surface that contacts the outer circumferential surface of the drive roller; Further comprising: The drive roller is The warp yarns are sandwiched between the peripheral surface and the outer circumferential surface of the belt and sent out downward. The warp yarn feeding device according to claim 1.

3. The transmission mechanism includes: a connecting member that is connected to the driving roller so as to be rotatable integrally with the driving roller in the one direction and to be rotatable relative to the driving roller in the other direction; The drive roller is The warp yarns are fed downward by swinging the connecting member due to the driving force. The warp yarn feeding device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The transmission mechanism includes: a rack portion that can be reciprocated by the driving force; a pinion gear provided to engage with the rack portion, rotatable integrally with the drive roller in the one direction by the reciprocating movement of the rack portion, and rotatable relatively to the drive roller in the other direction; Equipped with The drive roller is The driving force transmitted via the pinion gear rotates in the one direction to send out the warp yarn downward. The warp yarn feeding device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The driving source is a motor whose rotation amount is adjustable. The warp yarn feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The drive source is a movable body having a cam mechanism that can move in accordance with knitting by a carriage of the flat knitting machine and can generate a drive force in association with the movement. The warp yarn feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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