Thread splicing device and thread splicing method

Abstract

To enable yarns being already entangled to be spliced.SOLUTION: A yarn splicing device 6 includes: entanglement means 61; a first clamper 62 and a second clamper 63 that are arranged so as to sandwich the entanglement means 61; a moving mechanism 90; and a controller 69. The controller 69 performs extension and relaxation control for controlling the moving mechanism 90 so as to repeatedly extend and relax two yarns Y (Y1 and Y2) held by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. The controller 69 performs entanglement application control for controlling the entanglement means 61 so as to entangle two yarns Y (Y1 and Y2) after the extension and relaxation control.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0006] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a yarn splicing device and a yarn splicing method for splicing two yarns together.

Background Art

[0002] A yarn splicing device (splicer) for splicing the ends of yarns from two packages is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a yarn splicing device having entanglement means with an air nozzle and a pair of yarn gripping means (clamps in Patent Document 1) arranged on both sides of the entanglement means for gripping the yarn.

[0003] The yarn splicing device of Patent Document 1 splices two yarns together by injecting compressed air from an air nozzle to impart entanglement to the two yarns held by a pair of yarn gripping means. Specifically, when compressed air is injected into each yarn, the fibers of the yarn are separated and the yarn is loosened. Then, by further injecting compressed air into each loosened yarn, the yarns are intertwined with each other and the splicing of the two yarns is completed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, when trying to splice yarns with enhanced entanglement, such as DTY (Draw Textured Yarn), using the above yarn splicing device, the yarn splicing is not properly performed. This is because even when compressed air is injected into yarns such as DTY, the fibers of the already entangled yarns do not separate, and it is impossible to impart entanglement again to splice the yarns together.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a yarn splicing device and yarn splicing method that enable the joining of yarns that have already been entangled. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The thread splicing device of the present invention comprises: an entanglement means for intertwining and splicing two threads; a first thread gripping means and a second thread gripping means capable of gripping the threads and arranged to sandwich the entanglement means; a moving mechanism capable of moving at least one of the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means; and a control means for controlling the entanglement means, the first thread gripping means, the second thread gripping means and the moving mechanism, wherein the control means controls the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means so that they grip the two threads. The second thread gripping means The system performs the following: thread gripping control to control the two threads gripped by the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means; stretching and relaxing control to control the moving mechanism after the thread gripping control to repeatedly stretch and relax the two threads gripped by the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means; and entanglement control to control the entanglement means to entangle the two threads after the stretching and relaxing control.

[0008] The present invention provides a thread joining method for joining two entangled threads using a thread joining device comprising: an entanglement means for joining two threads by entangling them; and a first thread gripping means and a second thread gripping means capable of gripping the threads and arranged to sandwich the entanglement means, the method comprising: a thread gripping step of gripping the two threads with the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means; a stretching and relaxing step of repeatedly stretching and relaxing the two threads gripped by the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means by moving at least one of the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means after the thread gripping step; and an entanglement application step of entangling the two threads with the entanglement means after the stretching and relaxing step.

[0009] According to the present invention, when attempting to join two threads that have already been entangled, the two threads held by each thread-holding means are repeatedly stretched and relaxed before the entanglement means can re-entangle the two threads. As a result, the fibers of the two threads between each thread-holding means are separated and the entanglement is undone. The entanglement means then re-entangles the two threads in their undone state, allowing the two threads to be joined together. Therefore, it is possible to join threads that have already been entangled.

[0010] The thread splicing device of the present invention comprises a first thread cutting and gripping means disposed between the entanglement means and the first thread gripping means for cutting and gripping the thread, and a second thread cutting and gripping means disposed between the entanglement means and the second thread gripping means for cutting and gripping the thread, wherein the control means is capable of controlling the first thread cutting and gripping means and the second thread cutting and gripping means, and it is preferable to perform thread cutting and gripping control before the entanglement application control, to control the first thread cutting and gripping means and the second thread cutting and gripping means so that the first thread cutting and gripping means cuts and grips one of the two threads and the second thread cutting and gripping means cuts and grips the other of the two threads.

[0011] The present invention relates to a thread splicing method for joining two entangled threads using a thread splicing device further comprising: a first thread cutting and gripping means disposed between the entanglement means and the first thread gripping means for cutting and gripping the thread; and a second thread cutting and gripping means disposed between the entanglement means and the second thread gripping means for cutting and gripping the thread. It is preferable to perform a thread cutting and gripping step before the entanglement step, in which the first thread cutting and gripping means cuts and grips one of the two threads, and the second thread cutting and gripping means cuts and grips the other of the two threads.

[0012] The portion of two threads that extends beyond the entangled portion is called the tail portion. Such tail portions of threads can cause uneven dyeing when the fabric is woven or knitted, for example, and therefore need to be removed before proceeding to the next process. In this invention, by providing a thread cutting and gripping means between the entanglement means and each thread gripping means, the tail portions of each thread can be shortened before the entanglement means applies entanglement to the two threads.

[0013] In the thread splicing device of the present invention, it is preferable that the control means executes the thread cutting and gripping control after the stretching and relaxing control.

[0014] In the thread splicing method of the present invention, it is preferable to perform the thread cutting and gripping step after the stretching and relaxing step.

[0015] In a device equipped with thread cutting and gripping means to remove the tail portions of two threads, when one thread is cut and gripped by the first thread cutting and gripping means, that thread is held by both the first and second thread gripping means. Similarly, when the other thread is cut and gripped by the second thread cutting and gripping means, that thread is held by both the second and first thread gripping means. Here, it is also conceivable that after one thread is cut and gripped by the first thread cutting and gripping means, and the other thread is cut and gripped by the second thread cutting and gripping means, each thread may be repeatedly stretched and relaxed. In other words, it is conceivable to stretch and relax one thread using the first thread cutting and gripping means and the second thread gripping means, without stretching and relaxing the two threads using the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means, and then stretching and relaxing the other thread using the second thread cutting and gripping means and the first thread gripping means. In this case, one thread will be stretched and relaxed only by the movement of the second thread gripping means, and the other thread will be stretched and relaxed only by the movement of the first thread gripping means. As a result, the entanglement of one thread will be better undone in the part closer to the second thread gripping means, and the entanglement of the other thread will be better undone in the part closer to the first thread gripping means. Therefore, there will be inconsistencies in how the entanglement is undone between the two threads. Consequently, even if entanglement is subsequently applied to the two threads by the entanglement means, the threads may not be joined together properly. Furthermore, the portion of one thread held by the first thread cutting and gripping means and the portion of the other thread held by the second thread cutting and gripping means are fixed by each thread cutting and gripping means, so the entanglement is not sufficiently untangled. Therefore, even if entanglement is subsequently applied to the two threads by the entanglement means, there is a risk that the threads will not be joined together properly. According to the present invention, before the threads are cut and gripped by each thread cutting and gripping means, the two threads gripped by each thread gripping means are repeatedly stretched and relaxed. As a result, the two threads can be stretched and relaxed while both are gripped by each thread gripping means. This makes it possible to untangle the two threads uniformly. Also, the two threads are cut and gripped by each thread cutting and gripping means after the entanglement has been untangled. As a result, the portions of the two threads gripped by each thread cutting and gripping means are sufficiently untangled.This allows for a more reliable joining of two threads when they are entangled using a entanglement mechanism.

[0016] In the thread splicing device of the present invention, the moving mechanism is capable of moving both the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means, and it is preferable that the control means controls the moving mechanism in the stretching and relaxing control to move both the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means.

[0017] When attempting to stretch two threads to the same length, moving only one of the two thread gripping means (either the first or second) results in a longer movement distance for that single gripping means compared to moving both. This necessitates adjusting the positions of other components to secure space for the gripping means to move, leading to an overall increase in the size of the device. In this invention, since both the first and second thread gripping means are moved to stretch two threads, it becomes unnecessary to make the movement distance of each gripping means unnecessarily long, thus suppressing an increase in the size of the device.

[0018] In the thread splicing device of the present invention, it is preferable that the control means controls the moving mechanism in the stretching and relaxing control such that the moving speed of at least one of the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means is 10 to 25 mm / s.

[0019] If the thread is stretched too quickly, it may be damaged. Conversely, if the thread is stretched too slowly, the entanglement of the thread may not be sufficiently untangled. As a result of diligent research, the inventors of this application have found that the above-mentioned movement speed allows the entanglement of the thread to be efficiently untangled. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] This is a top view of the thread splicing device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2]A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by a yarn splicing device, which shows a state where one yarn is passed through a slit. [Figure 3] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by a yarn splicing device, which shows a state where one yarn and another yarn are passed through a slit. [Figure 4] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by a yarn splicing device, which shows a state where two yarns are gripped by a first clamp and a second clamp. [Figure 5] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by a yarn splicing device, which shows a state when two yarns are being stretched by a first clamp and a second clamp. [Figure 6] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by a yarn splicing device, which shows a state where two yarns are released from a first clamp and a second clamp. [Figure 7] A top view of the yarn splicing device according to the first modification example. [Figure 8] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by the yarn splicing device according to the first modification example, which shows a state where one yarn is passed through a slit. [Figure 9] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by the yarn splicing device according to the first modification example, which shows a state where one yarn and another yarn are passed through a slit. [Figure 10] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by the yarn splicing device according to the first modification example, which shows a state where two yarns are gripped by a first clamp and a second clamp. [Figure 11] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by the yarn splicing device according to the first modification example, which shows a state when one yarn is cut and gripped by a first clamp cutter and the other yarn is cut and gripped by a second clamp cutter. [Figure 12] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by the yarn splicing device according to the first modification example, which shows a state when two yarns are being stretched by a first clamp and a second clamp. [Figure 13] A diagram showing the procedure of the yarn splicing operation by the yarn splicing device according to the first modification example, which shows a state where entanglement imparting to two yarns is started by an entangling means. [Figure 14] This diagram shows the procedure for thread splicing using a thread splicing device according to the first modified example, and illustrates the state in which entanglement is being applied to two threads by the entanglement means. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0021] (Thread splicing device 6) An embodiment of the thread splicing device according to the present invention will be described below. Figure 1 is a top view of the thread splicing device 6 of this embodiment. Hereinafter, the left-right direction on the plane of Figure 1 will be referred to as the first direction, and the up-down direction on the plane of Figure 1 will be referred to as the second direction. Also, the direction perpendicular to the plane of Figure 1 will be referred to as the up-down direction. The up-down direction is the vertical direction in which gravity acts. Hereafter, the above directional terms will be used as appropriate in the description. The thread splicing device 6 includes a splicer 60.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the splicer 60 includes an entanglement means 61, a first clamper 62 (first thread gripping means of the present invention), a second clamper 63 (second thread gripping means of the present invention), a moving mechanism 90 for moving the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63, two guides 66 and 67, a main body 68, and a control device 69 (control means of the present invention). The entanglement means 61, the first clamper 62, the second clamper 63, the moving mechanism 90, and the two guides 66 and 67 are attached to the main body 68.

[0023] The entanglement means 61, as shown in Figure 1, has a slit 61a, a nozzle (not shown), and a nozzle cover (not shown). The slit 61a is The entanglement means 61The slit 61a penetrates in a first direction, allowing the thread Y to travel through it. The first direction corresponds to a predetermined direction in the present invention. The nozzle is configured to inject compressed air in a second direction. The nozzle cover is a member that covers the upper surface of the slit 61a and is configured to be openable and closable. Before the thread Y passes through the slit 61a, the nozzle cover is open to expose the upper surface of the slit 61a, and after the thread Y passes through the slit 61a, it is closed to cover the upper surface of the slit 61a. The entanglement means 61 entangles the two threads Y passing through the slit 61a by injecting compressed air from the nozzle, thereby splicing the threads together.

[0024] The first clamper 62 grips the thread Y passed through the slit 61a. The first clamper 62 is positioned on one side of the entanglement means 61 in the first direction. The first clamper 62 has a fixed part 62a and a movable part 62b. The fixed part 62a and the movable part 62b are aligned in a straight line along the second direction. The movable part 62b is movable along the second direction, for example by an air cylinder (not shown). The movable part 62b is in a clamping position where it can clamp the thread Y between itself and the fixed part 62a. See Figures 4 and 5. ) and the release position which is further from the fixing part 62a than the clamping position ( See Figures 1-3 and Figure 6. ) can be taken. In addition, a rotation axis 62c is formed along the vertical direction at the end of the first clamper 62 on the side where the movable part 62b is provided. The first clamper 62 can rotate by rotating around the rotation axis 62c. When the movable part 62b is in the release position, rotational movement of the first clamper 62 around the rotation axis 62c is restricted, and when the movable part 62b is in the clamping position, rotational movement around the rotation axis 62c is possible.

[0025] The second clamper 63 grips the thread Y passed through the slit 61a. The second clamper 63 is located on the other side of the entanglement means 61 in the first direction. The second clamper 63 has a fixed part 63a and a movable part 63b. The fixed part 63a and the movable part 63b are aligned in a straight line along the second direction. The movable part 63b is movable along the second direction, for example by an air cylinder (not shown). The movable part 63b is in a clamping position where it can clamp the thread Y between itself and the fixed part 63a. See Figures 4 and 5. ) and the release position which is further from the fixed part 63a than the clamping position ( See Figures 1-3 and Figure 6. ) can be taken. In addition, a rotation axis 63c is formed along the vertical direction at the end of the second clamper 63 on the side where the movable part 63b is provided. The second clamper 63 can rotate by rotating around the rotation axis 63c. When the movable part 63b is in the release position, rotational movement of the second clamper 63 around the rotation axis 63c is restricted, and rotational movement around the rotation axis 63c is possible when the movable part 63b is in the clamping position.

[0026] The moving mechanism 90 is a mechanism that moves the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 to stretch and slacken the two threads Y gripped by both clampers. The moving mechanism 90 is sufficient if it is configured to repeatedly stretch and slacken the two threads Y gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 by moving either the first clamper 62 or the second clamper 63. However, when trying to stretch the threads Y by the same length, the movement distance of one clamper is longer when only one of the first clamper 62 or the second clamper 63 is moved compared to when both the first and second clamper 63 are moved. In that case, it becomes necessary to adjust the position of other members to secure space for the clamper to move, which makes the entire device larger. For this reason, in this embodiment, the moving mechanism 90 is configured to move both the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63.

[0027] The moving mechanism 90 rotates the first clamper 62 around the rotation axis 62c, and rotates the second clamper 63 around the rotation axis 63c. Specifically, when viewed from above, the moving mechanism 90 can rotate the first clamper 62 both clockwise and counterclockwise around the rotation axis 62c (see the solid double arrows in Figure 4). Also, when viewed from above, the moving mechanism 90 can rotate the second clamper 63 both counterclockwise and clockwise around the rotation axis 63c (see the solid double arrows in Figure 4). In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 90 synchronizes the rotation of the first clamper 62 and the rotation of the second clamper 63. Specifically, the moving mechanism 90, when viewed from above, causes the first clamper 62 to rotate clockwise around its rotation axis 62c and the second clamper 63 to rotate counterclockwise around its rotation axis 63c in conjunction. Furthermore, the moving mechanism 90, when viewed from above, causes the first clamper 62 to rotate counterclockwise around its rotation axis 62c and the second clamper 63 to rotate clockwise around its rotation axis 63c in conjunction. The moving mechanism 90 is, for example, a cam mechanism.

[0028] The two guides 66 and 67 are guides for guiding the thread Y captured by the operator to the entanglement means 61. When viewed from the first direction, the guides 66 and 67 are configured such that both ends are above the approximate center portion and they slope from both ends toward the approximate center portion. As a result, the thread Y is guided along the slope toward the approximate center portion of the guides 66 and 67. As shown in Figure 1, the guide 66 is located on one side of the first clamper 62 in the first direction. The guide 67 is located on the other side of the second clamper 63 in the first direction.

[0029] The control device 69 controls the entanglement means 61, the first clamper 62, the second clamper 63, and the moving mechanism 90. Specifically, the control device 69 controls the entanglement means 61 to inject compressed air into the slit 61a from a nozzle (not shown). The control device 69 also controls the first clamper 62 to switch the movable part 62b between a clamped position and a released position. The control device 69 also controls the second clamper 63 to switch the movable part 63b between a clamped position and a released position. Furthermore, the control device 69 controls the moving mechanism 90 to rotate the first clamper 62 around the rotation axis 62c and rotate the second clamper 63 around the rotation axis 63c. The control device 69 is electrically connected to the entanglement means 61, the first clamper 62, the second clamper 63, and the moving mechanism 90.

[0030] (Thread splicing work) Next, with reference to Figures 1 to 6, an example of the procedure for joining two threads Y using the thread joining device 6 will be described. In the thread joining process, two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) are joined together. In this embodiment, threads Y1 and Y2 are bulky threads with strong entanglement, for example, DTY (Draw Textured Yarn). Alternatively, threads Y1 and Y2 are not limited to DTY, and may be threads with entanglement of a predetermined density or higher. The predetermined density means, for example, that for thread Y passed through the slit 61a, there is at least one entanglement within the range of the slit 61a in the first direction.

[0031] When starting the thread splicing operation, as shown in Figure 1, the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62 is set to the released position, and the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63 is set to the released position.

[0032] In the thread splicing process, the worker first manually grasps one of the threads, Y1.

[0033] Then, with the worker holding the thread Y1, the thread is threaded from guide 67 to guide 66. At this time, as shown in Figure 2, the thread Y1 is inserted into the slit 61a and passed between the fixed part 62a and the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62 and between the fixed part 63a and the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63.

[0034] Once the insertion of thread Y1 into the slit 61a is complete, the operator releases the grip on thread Y1.

[0035] Next, the worker manually captures the other thread, Y2.

[0036] Then, with the worker holding the thread Y2, the thread is threaded from guide 66 to guide 67. At this time, as shown in Figure 3, the thread Y2 is inserted into the slit 61a and passed between the fixed part 62a and the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62 and between the fixed part 63a and the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63.

[0037] Once the insertion of thread Y2 into the slit 61a is complete, the operator releases the grip on thread Y2.

[0038] Next, the control device 69 performs thread gripping control to control the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 so that they grip the two threads, thread Y1 and thread Y2. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, an air cylinder (not shown) moves the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62 to the gripping position and moves the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63 to the gripping position. As a result, both thread Y1 and thread Y2 are gripped between the fixed part 62a and the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62, and also between the fixed part 63a and the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63. In other words, thread Y1 and thread Y2 are gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. The step of gripping the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) with the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 corresponds to the thread gripping step of the thread splicing method of the present invention.

[0039] Next, the control device 69 performs stretching and relaxing control of the moving mechanism 90 so as to repeatedly stretch and relax the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. Specifically, the moving mechanism 90 repeatedly rotates the first clamper 62 clockwise and counterclockwise around the rotation axis 62c when viewed from above, and repeatedly rotates the second clamper 63 counterclockwise and clockwise around the rotation axis 63c (see the solid double arrows in Figure 4). More specifically, the moving mechanism 90 repeatedly rotates the first clamper 62 clockwise and the second clamper 63 counterclockwise, and rotates the first clamper 62 counterclockwise and rotates the second clamper 63 clockwise, three times each when viewed from above. When viewed from above, the clockwise rotation of the first clamper 62 around its axis of rotation 62c and the counterclockwise rotation of the second clamper 63 around its axis of rotation 63c are linked. Also, when viewed from above, the counterclockwise rotation of the first clamper 62 around its axis of rotation 62c and the clockwise rotation of the second clamper 63 around its axis of rotation 63c are linked. As a result, the moving mechanism 90 repeatedly stretches and relaxes the two threads, thread Y1 and thread Y2, gripped by the first clamper 62 and thread Y2, respectively. In detail, when viewed from above, the moving mechanism 90 stretches threads Y1 and Y2 by rotating the first clamper 62 clockwise around its axis of rotation 62c and the second clamper 63 counterclockwise around its axis of rotation 63c. Furthermore, the moving mechanism 90, when viewed from above, rotates the first clamper 62 counterclockwise around the rotation axis 62c and rotates the second clamper 63 clockwise around the rotation axis 63c, thereby loosening the threads Y1 and Y2. The process of repeatedly stretching and loosening the threads Y1 and Y2 by moving the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 with the moving mechanism 90 corresponds to the stretching and loosening process of the thread splicing method of the present invention.

[0040] The speed at which the moving mechanism 90 moves the first clamper 62 around the rotation axis 62c, and the speed at which the moving mechanism 90 moves the second clamper 63 around the rotation axis 63c, should be a speed that can untangle the thread Y. However, if the speed at which the thread Y is stretched is too fast, there is a risk of damaging the thread Y. Conversely, if the speed at which the thread Y is stretched is too slow, there is a risk that the entanglement of the thread Y will not be sufficiently untangled. Considering this point, in this embodiment, the speed at which the moving mechanism 90 moves the first clamper 62, and the speed at which the moving mechanism 90 moves the second clamper 63, is preferably 10 to 25 mm / s.

[0041] The two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2), grasped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63, are in a relaxed state after stretching and relaxing control is performed (see Figure 5).

[0042] Next, the control device 69 performs entanglement control, controlling the entanglement means 61 to entangle the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) inserted into the slit 61a while the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) are gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. As a result, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) are joined together to form a single thread. The step of entangling the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) with the entanglement means 61 corresponds to the entanglement step of the thread joining method of the present invention. Note that when the control device 69 entangles the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) with the entanglement means 61, the grip of either the first clamper 62 or the second clamper 63 may be released.

[0043] Next, the control device 69 controls the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 so that they release the two threads Y1 and Y2. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, an air cylinder (not shown) moves the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62 to the release position and the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63 to the release position. As a result, the entangled threads Y1 and Y2 are released from the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63.

[0044] After the entanglement by the entanglement means 61 is completed, tail portions are created, which are the parts of the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) that protrude from the entangled portion. Specifically, in Figure 6, the tail portions are the part of thread Y2 that is on the other side of the slit 61a in the first direction, and the part of thread Y1 that is on the one side of the slit 61a in the first direction. If tail portions remain, they can cause uneven dyeing when the fabric is woven or knitted, so they must be removed before proceeding to the next process. For this reason, the tail portions are removed by hand, for example, by an operator using scissors. With this, the thread splicing operation of the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) by the thread splicing device 6 is completed.

[0045] (effect) As described above, the thread splicing device 6 of this embodiment includes an entanglement means 61, a first clamper 62 and a second clamper 63 arranged to sandwich the entanglement means 61, a moving mechanism 90, and a control device 69. The control device 69 performs stretch-relaxation control, which controls the moving mechanism 90 to repeatedly stretch and relax the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63, and entanglement application control, which controls the entanglement means 61 to entangle the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) after the stretch-relaxation control. According to this embodiment, when attempting to splice together two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) that have already been entangled, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 are repeatedly stretched and relaxed before the entanglement is applied to the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) by the entanglement means 61. As a result, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) between the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 become separated and their entanglement is undone. The entanglement means 61 then re-entangles the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) that are in the undone state, allowing the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) to be joined together. Therefore, it is also possible to join two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) that are already entangled.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the moving mechanism 90 is capable of moving both the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. The control device 69 controls the moving mechanism 90 to move both the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 in stretching and relaxing control. When attempting to stretch the thread Y by the same length, Clamper 62 (No. 1) Compared to the case where both the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 are moved, when only one of the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 is moved, the movement distance of one clamper becomes longer. This necessitates adjusting the positions of other components to secure space for the clamper's movement, resulting in an overall increase in the size of the device. In this embodiment, since the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) are stretched by moving both the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63, it becomes unnecessary to make the movement distance of each of the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 unnecessarily long, thereby suppressing an increase in the size of the device.

[0047] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control device 69, in extension and relaxation control, Clamper 62 (No. 1) And the moving speed for moving the second clamper 63 is 10 to 25 mm / s. Moving mechanism 90 It is preferable to control the speed at which the thread Y is stretched. If the speed at which the thread Y is stretched is too fast, there is a risk of damaging the thread Y. Conversely, if the speed at which the thread Y is stretched is too slow, there is a risk that the entanglement of the thread Y will not be sufficiently untangled. As a result of diligent research, the inventors of this application have found that by setting the above-mentioned speed, the entanglement of the thread Y can be efficiently untangled.

[0048] (modified version) The following describes modified versions of the above embodiment. However, components having the same configuration as the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0049] (First variation) In the above embodiment, the tail portion of the threads Y that protrudes from the entangled portion where entanglement is applied by the entanglement means 61 is manually cut by a worker using scissors. However, the thread splicing device may also be configured to include a first clamp cutter (first thread cutting and gripping means of the present invention) and a second clamp cutter (second thread cutting and gripping means of the present invention) for cutting the tail portion. The thread splicing device 106 including the first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamp cutter 65 will be described below. Note that the components of the thread splicing device 106 other than the first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamp cutter 65 are the same as in the above embodiment, so their description will be omitted.

[0050] The first clamp cutter 64 cuts and grips one of the two threads Y that are passed through the slit 61a. As shown in Figure 7, the first clamp cutter 64 is positioned on one side of the entanglement means 61 and on the other side of the first clamper 62 in the first direction. That is, the first clamp cutter 64 is positioned between the entanglement means 61 and the first clamper 62 in the first direction. The first clamp cutter 64 has a fixed blade portion 64a, a movable blade portion 64b, a fixed gripping portion 64c, and a movable gripping portion 64d.

[0051] The fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b cut one of the threads Y1. The fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b are aligned in a straight line along the second direction. The fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b are openable and closable. Specifically, the movable blade portion 64b is movable along the second direction by, for example, an air cylinder (not shown). As a result, the fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b can take on an open state (see Figures 7 to 10 and 13) and a closed state (see Figures 11, 12, and 14).

[0052] The fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d grip one of the threads Y1. The fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d are aligned in a straight line along the second direction. Furthermore, in the first direction, the fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d are positioned on the other side of the fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b. In other words, in the first direction, the fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d are positioned between the entanglement means 61 and the fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b. The fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d are openable and closable. Specifically, the movable gripping portion 64d is movable integrally with the movable blade portion 64b. As a result, the fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d can be in an open state (see Figures 7 to 10 and 13) and a closed state (see Figures 11, 12, and 14).

[0053] The second clamp cutter 65 cuts and grips the other of the two threads Y that are passed through the slit 61a. As shown in Figure 7, the second clamp cutter 65 is located on the other side of the entanglement means 61 and on one side of the second clamper 63 in the first direction. That is, the second clamp cutter 65 is located between the entanglement means 61 and the second clamper 63 in the first direction. The second clamp cutter 65 has a fixed blade portion 65a, a movable blade portion 65b, a fixed gripping portion 65c, and a movable gripping portion 65d.

[0054] The fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b cut the other thread Y2. The fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b are aligned in a straight line along the second direction. The fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b are openable and closable. Specifically, the movable blade portion 65b is movable along the second direction by, for example, an air cylinder (not shown). As a result, the fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b can take on an open state (see Figures 7 to 10 and 13) and a closed state (see Figures 11, 12, and 14).

[0055] The fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d grip the other thread Y2. The fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d are aligned in a straight line along the second direction. Furthermore, in the first direction, the fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d are positioned to one side of the fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b. In other words, in the first direction, the fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d are positioned between the entanglement means 61 and the fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b. The fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d are openable and closable. Specifically, the movable gripping portion 65d is movable integrally with the movable blade portion 65b. As a result, the fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d can be in an open state (see Figures 7 to 10 and 13) and a closed state (see Figures 11, 12, and 14).

[0056] Furthermore, the control device 169 according to the first modified example can further control the first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamp cutter 65, in addition to the entanglement means 61, the first clamper 62, the second clamper 63, and the moving mechanism 90.

[0057] (Thread splicing work) Next, with reference to Figures 7 to 14, an example of the procedure for joining two threads Y using the thread joining device 106 will be described. In the thread joining process, two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) are joined together. In the first modified example, threads Y1 and Y2 are bulky threads with entanglement exceeding a predetermined density, such as DTY (Draw Textured Yarn). The definition of the predetermined density is the same as in the above embodiment.

[0058] When starting the thread splicing operation, as shown in Figure 7, the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62 is set to the released position, and the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63 is set to the released position. Also, the first clamp cutter 64 is set to an open state with the fixed blade part 64a and movable blade part 64b and the fixed gripping part 64c and movable gripping part 64d open. Furthermore, the second clamp cutter 65 is set to an open state with the fixed blade part 65a and movable blade part 65b and the fixed gripping part 65c and movable gripping part 65d open.

[0059] In the thread splicing process, the worker first manually grasps one of the threads, Y1.

[0060] Then, with the operator holding the thread Y1, the thread is threaded from guide 67 to guide 66. At this time, as shown in Figure 8, the thread Y1 is inserted into the slit 61a and passed between the fixed part 62a and the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62, between the fixed part 63a and the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63, between the fixed blade part 64a and the movable blade part 64b of the first clamp cutter 64, and between the fixed gripping part 64c and the movable gripping part 64d. At this time, the thread Y1 is not passed between the fixed blade part 65a and the movable blade part 65b of the second clamp cutter 65, or between the fixed gripping part 65c and the movable gripping part 65d. Specifically, in the second direction, the thread Y1 passes outside the movable blade part 65b and the movable gripping part 65d of the second clamp cutter 65.

[0061] Once the insertion of thread Y1 into the slit 61a is complete, the operator releases the grip on thread Y1.

[0062] Next, the worker manually captures the other thread, Y2.

[0063] Then, with the operator holding the thread Y2, the thread is threaded from guide 66 to guide 67. At this time, as shown in Figure 9, the thread Y2 is inserted into the slit 61a and passed between the fixed part 62a and the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62, between the fixed part 63a and the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63, between the fixed blade part 65a and the movable blade part 65b of the second clamp cutter 65, and between the fixed gripping part 65c and the movable gripping part 65d. At this time, the thread Y2 is not passed between the fixed blade part 64a and the movable blade part 64b of the first clamp cutter 64, or between the fixed gripping part 64c and the movable gripping part 64d. Specifically, in the second direction, the thread Y2 passes outside the movable blade part 64b and the movable gripping part 64d of the first clamp cutter 64.

[0064] Once the insertion of thread Y2 into the slit 61a is complete, the operator releases the grip on thread Y2.

[0065] Next, the control device 169 performs thread gripping control to control the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 so that they grip the two threads Y (threads Y1 and Y2). Specifically, as shown in Figure 10, an air cylinder (not shown) moves the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62 to the gripping position and moves the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63 to the gripping position. As a result, both threads Y (threads Y1 and Y2) are gripped between the fixed part 62a and the movable part 62b of the first clamper 62, and also between the fixed part 63a and the movable part 63b of the second clamper 63. In other words, the two threads Y (threads Y1 and Y2) are gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. The step of gripping two threads Y (threads Y1 and Y2) with the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 corresponds to the thread gripping step of the thread splicing method of the present invention.

[0066] Next, the control device 169 performs stretching and relaxing control of the moving mechanism 90 so as to repeatedly stretch and relax the two threads Y (threads Y1 and Y2) gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. Specifically, the moving mechanism 90 repeatedly rotates the first clamper 62 clockwise and counterclockwise around the rotation axis 62c when viewed from above, and repeatedly rotates the second clamper 63 counterclockwise and clockwise around the rotation axis 63c (see the solid double arrows in Figure 10). More specifically, the moving mechanism 90 repeatedly rotates the first clamper 62 clockwise and the second clamper 63 counterclockwise, and rotates the first clamper 62 counterclockwise and rotates the second clamper 63 clockwise, three times each when viewed from above. When viewed from above, the clockwise rotation of the first clamper 62 around its axis 62c and the counterclockwise rotation of the second clamper 63 around its axis 63c are linked. Also, when viewed from above, the counterclockwise rotation of the first clamper 62 around its axis 62c and the clockwise rotation of the second clamper 63 around its axis 63c are linked. As a result, the moving mechanism 90 repeatedly stretches and relaxes the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. In detail, when viewed from above, the moving mechanism 90 stretches the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) by rotating the first clamper 62 clockwise around its axis 62c and the second clamper 63 counterclockwise around its axis 63c. Furthermore, the moving mechanism 90, when viewed from above, rotates the first clamper 62 counterclockwise around the rotation axis 62c and rotates the second clamper 63 clockwise around the rotation axis 63c, thereby loosening the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2). The process of repeatedly stretching and loosening the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) by moving the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 with the moving mechanism 90 corresponds to the stretching and loosening process of the thread joining method of the present invention.

[0067] Similar to the above embodiment, the moving speed at which the moving mechanism 90 moves the first clamper 62 around the rotation axis 62c, and the moving speed at which it moves the second clamper 63 around the rotation axis 63c, are preferably 10 to 25 mm / s.

[0068] Next, the control device 169 performs thread cutting and gripping control to control the first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamp cutter 65 so that the first clamp cutter 64 cuts and grips the thread Y1 and the second clamp cutter 65 cuts and grips the thread Y2. Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, the movable blade portion 64b and the movable gripping portion 64d are moved by an air cylinder (not shown) to close the first clamp cutter 64 so that the fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b and the fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d are closed. As a result, the thread Y1 is cut by the fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b of the first clamp cutter 64, and the portion of the thread Y1 on the other side in the first direction from the cut portion is gripped by the fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d. Simultaneously, an air cylinder (not shown) moves the movable blade portion 65b and the movable gripping portion 65d to close the second clamp cutter 65 so that the fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b and the fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d are closed. As a result, the thread Y2 is cut by the fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b of the second clamp cutter 65, and the portion of the thread Y2 on one side in the first direction from the cut portion is gripped by the fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d. The process of cutting and gripping the thread Y1 with the first clamp cutter 64 and cutting and gripping the thread Y2 with the second clamp cutter 65 corresponds to the thread cutting and gripping process of the thread splicing method of the present invention.

[0069] In the first modified example, there are no restrictions on the timing of when the control device 169 performs thread cutting and gripping control and when it performs stretching and slackening control. In other words, in the first modified example, there are no restrictions on the timing of when the thread Y1 is cut and gripped by the first clamp cutter 64 and when the thread Y2 is cut and gripped by the second clamp cutter 65, and when the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 are repeatedly stretched and slackened. In the first modified example, it is sufficient to untangle the two threads Y. For example, the moving mechanism 90 may be configured to repeatedly stretch and slacken the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 by moving the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 after the thread Y1 is cut and gripped by the first clamp cutter 64 and when the thread Y2 is cut and gripped by the second clamp cutter 65. However, if the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) held by the first clamper 62 and second clamper 63 are repeatedly stretched and relaxed after the first clamp cutter 64 has cut and gripped thread Y1 and the second clamp cutter 65 has cut and gripped thread Y2, there is a risk that the entanglement of the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) may not be untangled in any way, or that the entanglement may not be sufficiently untangled. The reasons for these problems will be explained in detail in the section on the effects of the first modified example, which will be described later. In order to improve these problems, the first modified example employs a configuration in which the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) held by the first clamper 62 and second clamper 63 are repeatedly stretched and relaxed before the first clamp cutter 64 has cut and gripped thread Y1 and the second clamp cutter 65 has cut and gripped thread Y2, and this configuration is preferable.

[0070] Next, as shown in Figure 12, the moving mechanism 90 moves the first clamper 62 once clockwise around the rotation axis 62c and the second clamper 63 once counterclockwise around the rotation axis 63c when viewed from above (see the solid arrows in Figure 12). As a result, the thread Y2 held by the first clamper 62 and the second clamp cutter 65, and the thread Y1 held by the second clamper 63 and the first clamp cutter 64 are stretched in the first direction.

[0071] Next, the control device 169 releases the thread Y1 from the first clamp cutter 64. Second clamp cutter 65 The first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamp cutter 65 are controlled to release the thread Y2. Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, an air cylinder (not shown) moves the movable blade portion 64b and the movable gripping portion 64d to open the first clamp cutter 64 so that the fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b and the fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d are open. This releases the grip of the thread Y1 by the first clamp cutter 64. At this time, the thread Y2 gripped by the first clamper 62 is pushed in the second direction by the moving movable blade portion 64b and the movable gripping portion 64d and becomes bent. Also, an air cylinder (not shown) moves the movable blade portion 65b and the movable gripping portion 65d to open the second clamp cutter 65 so that the fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b and the fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d are open. This releases the grip of the thread Y2 by the second clamp cutter 65. At this time, the thread Y1, which is gripped by the second clamper 63, is pushed in the second direction by the moving movable blade portion 65b and movable gripping portion 65d, causing it to bend. The switching of the first clamp cutter 64 from the closed state to the open state and the switching of the second clamp cutter 65 from the closed state to the open state are performed in conjunction and approximately simultaneously.

[0072] Next, the control device 169 performs entanglement control to control the entanglement means 61 so as to entangle the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) inserted into the slit 61a. Specifically, approximately simultaneously with the release of the grip of thread Y1 by the first clamp cutter 64 and the release of the grip of thread Y2 by the second clamp cutter 65 as described above, the entanglement means 61 begins to entangle the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) passing through the slit 61a. Specifically, the time from when the first clamp cutter 64 releases thread Y1 and the second clamp cutter 65 releases thread Y2 until the entanglement means 61 entangles the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) is, for example, 0.05 to 1.00 seconds. As a result, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) are joined together to form a single thread. The step of entangling two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) using the entanglement means 61 corresponds to the entanglement step of the thread splicing method of the present invention.

[0073] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14, while the entanglement means 61 is applying entanglement to the two threads Y (threads Y1 and Y2) passing through the slit 61a, the movable blade portion 64b and the movable gripping portion 64d are moved by an air cylinder (not shown) to close the first clamp cutter 64 so that the fixed blade portion 64a and the movable blade portion 64b and the fixed gripping portion 64c and the movable gripping portion 64d are closed. As a result, the bend in thread Y2, which had been pushed in the second direction by the first clamp cutter 64, is released. Also, the movable blade portion 65b and the movable gripping portion 65d are moved by an air cylinder (not shown) to close the second clamp cutter 65 so that the fixed blade portion 65a and the movable blade portion 65b and the fixed gripping portion 65c and the movable gripping portion 65d are closed. As a result, the bend in thread Y1, which had been pushed in the second direction by the second clamp cutter 65, is released. The switching of the first clamp cutter 64 from the open state to the closed state and the switching of the second clamp cutter 65 from the open state to the closed state are performed simultaneously and in conjunction with each other. First clamp cutter 64 and second clamp cutter 65 The switching from the open state to the closed state may be performed after the completion of the confounding control by the confounding means 61.

[0074] Finally, an air cylinder (not shown) moves the movable part 62b to the release position and the movable part 63b to the release position. As a result, the single thread formed by joining the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) is released from being gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. With this, the thread joining operation of the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) by the thread joining device 6 is completed.

[0075] (effect) The effects of the configuration of the first modified example will be explained below. The thread splicing device 106 according to the first modified example includes an entanglement means 61, a first clamper 62 and a second clamper 63 arranged to sandwich the entanglement means 61, a moving mechanism 90, and a control device 169. The control device 169 performs stretch-relaxation control, which controls the moving mechanism 90 to repeatedly stretch and relax the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63, and entanglement application control, which controls the entanglement means 61 to entangle the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) after the stretch-relaxation control. According to the first modified example, when attempting to join two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) that have already been entangled, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) held by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 are repeatedly stretched and relaxed before the entanglement is applied to the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) by the entanglement means 61. As a result, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) between the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 become separated and unentangled. Then, the entanglement means 61 applies entanglement to the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) in the unentangled state, making it possible to join the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2). Therefore, it is possible to join two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) that have already been entangled.

[0076] Furthermore, the thread splicing device 106 according to the first modified example includes a first clamp cutter 64 positioned between the entanglement means 61 and the first clamper 62 for cutting and gripping the thread Y1, and a second clamp cutter 65 positioned between the entanglement means 61 and the second clamper 63 for cutting and gripping the thread Y2. Before entanglement control, the control device 169 performs thread cutting and gripping control, which controls the first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamp cutter 65 so that the first clamp cutter 64 cuts and grips the thread Y1 and the second clamp cutter 65 cuts and grips the thread Y2.

[0077] The portion of two threads Y that extends beyond the entangled portion where entanglement has been applied is called the tail portion. Such tail portions of thread can cause uneven dyeing when the fabric is woven or knitted, for example, and therefore need to be removed before proceeding to the next process. In the first modified example, a first clamp cutter 64 is provided between the entanglement means 61 and the first clamper 62, and a second clamp cutter 65 is provided between the entanglement means 61 and the second clamper 63. This allows the tail portions of threads Y1 and Y2 to be shortened without human intervention before the entanglement is applied to the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) by the entanglement means 61.

[0078] Furthermore, the control device 169 performs thread cutting and gripping control after stretching and relaxing control. In the thread splicing device 106, when one thread Y1 is cut and gripped by the first clamp cutter 64, the thread Y1 is gripped by the first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamper 63. Similarly, when the other thread Y2 is cut and gripped by the second clamp cutter 65, the other thread Y2 is gripped by the second clamp cutter 65 and the first clamper 62. Here, it is also conceivable that after one thread Y1 is cut and gripped by the first clamp cutter 64 and the other thread Y2 is cut and gripped by the second clamp cutter 65, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) are repeatedly stretched and relaxed. In other words, it is also conceivable that, without stretching and slackening the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) by the first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamp cutter 63, one thread Y1 is stretched and slackened by the first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamp cutter 63, and the other thread Y2 is stretched and slackened by the second clamp cutter 65 and the first clamp cutter 62. In this case, one thread Y1 is stretched and slackened only by the movement of the second clamp cutter 63, and the other thread Y2 is Clamper 62 (No. 1)The threads are stretched and relaxed only by the movement of the threads. As a result, the entanglement of one thread Y1 is better undone in the part close to the second clamper 63, and the entanglement of the other thread Y2 is better undone in the part close to the first clamper 62. Therefore, there is a variation in how the entanglement is undone between the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2). Consequently, even if the entanglement means 61 subsequently entangles the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2), there is a risk that the threads will not be joined together properly. Furthermore, the part of one thread Y1 held by the first clamp cutter 64 and the part of the other thread Y2 held by the second clamp cutter 65 are not sufficiently undone because the threads Y are fixed by the respective clamp cutters. Consequently, even if the entanglement means 61 subsequently entangles the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2), there is a risk that the threads will not be joined together properly. According to the first modified example, before the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) are cut and gripped by the first clamp cutter 64 and the second clamp cutter 65, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 are repeatedly stretched and relaxed. Therefore, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) can be stretched and relaxed while both are gripped by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63. This makes it possible to unravel the entanglement uniformly between the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2). Furthermore, the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) are cut and gripped by each clamp cutter after the entanglement has been undone. Therefore, the portions of the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) gripped by each clamp cutter are sufficiently unraveled. This allows the threads to be joined together more reliably when the entanglement means 61 is used to entangle the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2).

[0079] (Other variations) In the above embodiment, the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 are moved to stretch and relax the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) held by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 three times each. However, the number of times the two threads Y (thread Y1 and thread Y2) held by the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 are repeatedly stretched and relaxed by moving the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 may be two times or four or more times.

[0080] In the above embodiment, a single moving mechanism 90 common to the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 is provided. However, a separate moving mechanism may be provided for moving the first clamper 62 and for moving the second clamper 63.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the first clamper 62 rotates around the rotation axis 62c, and the second clamper 63 rotates around the rotation axis 63c. However, the movement method of each clamper is not limited to rotational movement. For example, the first clamper 62 and the second clamper 63 may move linearly along rails extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine base to stretch and loosen the threads Y1 and Y2. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1. Textile machinery 6. Thread splicing device 60 Splicers 61 Confounding means 61a Slit 62 First clamper (first thread gripping means) 63 Second clamper (second thread gripping means) 64. First clamp cutter (first thread cutting and gripping means) 65. Second clamp cutter (second thread cutting and gripping means) 69 Control device (control means) 90 Moving mechanism Y thread Y1 thread Y2 thread

Claims

1. A method of intertwining two threads and joining them together, A first thread gripping means and a second thread gripping means are capable of gripping the aforementioned thread and are arranged to sandwich the aforementioned entanglement means, A moving mechanism capable of moving at least one of the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means, The system comprises the entanglement means, the first thread gripping means, the second thread gripping means, and a control means for controlling the moving mechanism, The control means is A thread gripping control system controls the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means so that they grip the two threads, After the thread gripping control, stretch and relax control is performed to control the moving mechanism so as to repeatedly stretch and relax the two threads gripped by the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means. After the stretching and relaxing control, the entanglement control controls the entanglement means to entangle the two threads, A thread splicing device that performs this operation.

2. A first thread cutting and gripping means is positioned between the entanglement means and the first thread gripping means to cut and grip the thread, The system includes a second thread cutting and gripping means positioned between the entanglement means and the second thread gripping means, which cuts and grips the thread, The control means is The first thread cutting and gripping means and the second thread cutting and gripping means are controllable, The thread splicing device according to claim 1, wherein, before the entanglement-inducing control, the first thread cutting and gripping means cuts and grips the tail portion of one of the two threads that protrudes from the entangled portion to which entanglement is introduced by the entanglement means, and the second thread cutting and gripping means cuts and grips the tail portion of the other of the two threads that protrudes from the entangled portion to which entanglement is introduced by the entanglement means, by executing a thread cutting and gripping control to control the first thread cutting and gripping means and the second thread cutting and gripping means.

3. The thread splicing device according to claim 2, wherein the control means performs the thread cutting and gripping control after the stretching and relaxing control.

4. The moving mechanism is capable of moving both the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means, The control means is The thread splicing device according to claim 1, wherein the movement mechanism is controlled to move both the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means in the stretching and relaxing control.

5. The moving mechanism is capable of moving both the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means, The control means is The thread splicing device according to claim 2, wherein the movement mechanism is controlled to move both the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means in the stretching and relaxing control.

6. The moving mechanism is capable of moving both the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means, The control means is The thread splicing device according to claim 3, wherein the movement mechanism is controlled to move both the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means in the stretching and relaxing control.

7. The control means is The thread splicing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the movement mechanism is controlled such that the movement speed of at least one of the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means is 10 to 25 mm / s in the stretching and relaxing control.

8. A method of intertwining two threads and joining them together, A method for joining two entangled threads, comprising a thread joining device comprising a first thread gripping means and a second thread gripping means capable of gripping the aforementioned thread and arranged to sandwich the aforementioned entanglement means, A thread gripping step in which the two threads are gripped by the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means, Following the thread gripping step, a stretching and relaxing step is performed in which at least one of the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means is moved to repeatedly stretch and relax the two threads gripped by the first thread gripping means and the second thread gripping means. Following the stretching and relaxing step, a contanglement step is performed in which the two threads are entangled by the contanglement means, A method for splicing threads.

9. A thread splicing method for splicing two entangled threads, comprising a thread splicing device further comprising: a first thread cutting and gripping means disposed between the entanglement means and the first thread gripping means for cutting and gripping the thread; and a second thread cutting and gripping means disposed between the entanglement means and the second thread gripping means for cutting and gripping the thread, The yarn splicing method according to claim 8, wherein, prior to the entanglement-inducing step, the first yarn cutting and gripping means cuts and grips the tail portion of one of the two yarns that protrudes from the entangled portion to which entanglement is induced by the entanglement means, and the second yarn cutting and gripping means cuts and grips the tail portion of the other of the two yarns that protrudes from the entangled portion to which entanglement is induced by the entanglement means.

10. The yarn splicing method according to claim 9, wherein the yarn cutting and gripping step is performed after the stretching and relaxing step.

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