COMBINED FIBER PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT

Abstract

The invention proposes a combined yarn making device capable of preventing the oscillation of the second group of yarns on the rollers into which the yarns are guided, in order to reduce possible damage to these yarns. The aforementioned combined yarn making device comprises: heating rollers (31 to 35) constructed to heat the first group of yarns (Y1) obtained by splitting multiple yarns by the yarn splitting guide (11); a yarn feeding roller (12) constructed to make the first group of yarns (Y1) enter the heat box (30) from the inlet (30a); a yarn feeding roller (13) into which the first group of yarns (Y1) that has been made to pass through the heating rollers (31 to 35) and leave the heat box (30) from the outlet (30b) is guided; The guide rollers (36, 37) are structured to guide the second group of fibers (Y2) obtained by splitting multiple fibers by the fiber splitting guide (11) to the fiber feeding roller (13) without causing the second group of fibers (Y2) to pass through the heating rollers (31 to 35);The knitting set (16); the yarn doubling unit (18); and the yarn combining guide set (20) have multiple guide sections arranged along the axial direction at the inlet from the yarn feed roller (13) and the yarn doubling unit (18) in the yarn movement direction, the above multiple guide sections are structured to combine and guide the first group of yarns (Y1) and the second group of yarns (Y2).;

Description

Blended yarn manufacturing equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus that divides multiple yarns spun from a spinning machine into a first group of yarns and a second group of yarns, performs different processes on the yarns, and then mixes the first group of yarns with the second group of yarns to manufacture a mixed yarn.

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a take-up device that takes up multiple yarns 10 spun from a spinning machine 2. For example, FIG. 2 of the same document discloses rollers around which the multiple yarns spun from the spinning machine 2 are wound, including a yarn feed roller 16, five heating rollers 4 (4a to 4e), and a yarn feed roller 17. These rollers are arranged so that their axes are parallel to the front-to-rear direction. The five heating rollers 4 (4a to 4e) are housed in a thermal insulation box 26, and the five heating rollers 4 (4a to 4e) perform drawing and heat setting. A slit 26b is formed in the lower part of the right side of the thermal insulation box 26, and a slit 26c is formed in the upper end of the right side of the thermal insulation box 26. The yarn feed roller 16 is located immediately to the right of the slit 26b, and the yarn feed roller 17 is located immediately to the right of the slit 26c. The multiple yarns spun from the spinning machine 2 are aligned in the left-to-right direction, and are then fed to the yarn feed roller 16 with their alignment direction changed to the front-to-rear direction. The multiple yarns fed to the yarn feed roller 16 enter the heat insulation box 26 through the slit 26b, are fed to the heating rollers 4a to 4e, and are then fed out through the slit 26c. The multiple yarns fed out through the slit 26c are fed to the yarn feed roller 17. The multiple yarns fed to the yarn feed roller 17 are then fed to the yarn feed roller 11 further downstream.

[0003] In recent years, studies have been conducted on the production of a mixed yarn (BiShrinkage Yarn: BSY) by blending a drawn yarn (Fully Drawn Yarn: FDY) that has been subjected to drawing and heat setting with a partially oriented yarn (Partially Oriented Yarn: POY) that has not been subjected to drawing or heat setting, using the configuration of a take-up device 100 disclosed in Patent Document 1. The drawn yarn and the partially oriented yarn have different shrinkage rates, and mixed yarns obtained by blending two types of yarn with different shrinkage rates are known to have a good texture.

[0004] JP 2015-187324 A

[0005] However, when producing a mixed yarn using the configuration of the take-up device 100 disclosed in Patent Document 1, the tension of the partially oriented yarn, which has not been subjected to either drawing or heat setting, is unstable, and yarn swaying may occur on the guided rollers. If yarn swaying occurs on the guided rollers, the friction between the yarn and the roller surface may damage the yarn.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a mixed yarn production apparatus that produces a mixed yarn by blending a first group of yarns that has been subjected to a drawing process and heat setting with a second group of yarns that has not been subjected to either a drawing process or heat setting, and that is capable of suppressing the swaying of the second group of yarns on the guided rollers and reducing damage that may be caused to the yarns.

[0007] (1) In order to solve the above problem, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present invention is a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a mixed yarn by performing different processes on a first group of yarns and a second group of yarns among a plurality of yarns spun from a spinning machine, and then mixing the first group of yarns with the second group of yarns, and includes: a separating guide that separates the plurality of yarns into the first group of yarns and the second group of yarns; a first heating roller that heats the first group of yarns separated by the separating guide; a second heating roller that is arranged downstream of the first heating roller in the yarn running direction and stretches and heat-sets the first group of yarns between the first heating roller; an insulating box that houses the first heating roller and the second heating roller and has a first opening formed in a lower part of a wall portion and a second opening formed in an upper part of a wall portion; and a first yarn feeding roller that feeds the first group of yarns separated by the separating guide into the insulating box through the first opening. a second yarn feed roller that guides the first group of yarns that entered the thermal insulation box from the first opening, passed through the first heating roller and the second heating roller, and were then guided out of the thermal insulation box from the second opening; a guide roller that guides the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide to the second yarn feed roller without passing through either the first heating roller or the second heating roller; a yarn doubling device that is disposed downstream in the yarn running direction of the second yarn feed roller and that doubling the first group of yarns with the second group of yarns; and a yarn mixing device that is disposed upstream in the yarn running direction of the doubling device and that auxiliary doubling the first group of yarns with the second group of yarns. a yarn combination guide that is arranged downstream in the yarn running direction of both the second heating roller and the guide roller and upstream in the yarn running direction of both the fiber mixing device and the second yarn feeding roller, and has a plurality of guide sections along the axial direction of the second yarn feeding roller that combine and guide the first group of yarns that have been drawn and heat-set and the second group of yarns that have not been drawn and heat-set.

[0008] According to the blended yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (1) above, the first group of yarns that have been drawn and heat-set and the second group of yarns that have not been drawn and heat-set are combined and guided to the second yarn feed roller by a plurality of guide portions provided along the axial direction of the second yarn feed roller. Because the movement of the first group of yarns and the second group of yarns in the arrangement direction is restricted by the guide portions, secondary doubling of the first group of yarns and the second group of yarns is more likely to occur than on the second yarn feed roller. Therefore, the first group of yarns can suppress the swaying of the second group of yarns on the second yarn feed roller, thereby reducing potential damage to the second group of yarns.

[0009] The fiber mixing device may be disposed on the upstream side of the second yarn feeding roller in the yarn running direction, or on the downstream side of the second yarn feeding roller in the yarn running direction.

[0010] (2) In the blended yarn manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is more preferable that the guide roller is positioned so that the lower angle of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the second group of yarns from the guide roller to the yarn combination guide and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide to the second yarn feed roller is 180±30° (upper and lower limits included).

[0011] According to the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (2) above, the lower of the two angles between the yarn path of the second group of yarns from the guide roller to the yarn combination guide and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide to the second yarn feed roller is 180±30°, thereby reducing potential damage to the second group of yarns. More specifically, the yarn path of the second group of yarns from the guide roller to the second yarn feed roller is preferably linear. However, if the yarn combination guide is located downstream of the guide roller in the yarn running direction and upstream of the second yarn feed roller in the yarn running direction, the second group of yarns may bend at the yarn combination guide, potentially damaging the second group of yarns. In this regard, according to the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (2) above, potential damage to the second group of yarns can be reduced even if the yarn combination guide is located downstream of the guide roller in the yarn running direction and upstream of the second yarn feed roller in the yarn running direction.

[0012] (3) In the blended yarn manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is more preferable that the blending device is arranged upstream of the second yarn feeding roller in the yarn running direction, and is configured to supplementarily combine the combined yarns of the first group and the second group, and guide the supplementarily combined yarn to the second yarn feeding roller.

[0013] According to the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (3) above, since the mixed yarn device is disposed downstream in the yarn running direction of the yarn combination guide and upstream in the yarn running direction of the second yarn feed roller, the combined yarns of the first group and the second group are secondarily combined, and the second yarn thus secondarily combined is guided to the second yarn feed roller. Therefore, compared to a case where a yarn that is simply a combination of the yarns of the first group and the yarn of the second group, but is not secondarily combined, is guided to the second yarn feed roller, it is possible to further suppress the sway of the second group yarn Y2 on the second yarn feed roller.

[0014] (4) In the blended yarn manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is more preferable that the multiple yarns spun from the spinning machine are arranged along a single horizontal direction, and the separating guide is arranged along the single horizontal direction, the second yarn feed roller is arranged so that its axial direction is horizontal and perpendicular to the single direction, and the guide roller has: a first guide roller arranged so that its axial direction is parallel to the second yarn feed roller, and through which the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide are guided while changing their arrangement direction; and a second guide roller arranged downstream of the first guide roller in the yarn running direction and above the first guide roller, so that its axial direction is parallel to that of the first guide roller.

[0015] According to the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (4) above, the separating guide is arranged along a horizontal direction, and the second yarn feed roller is arranged so that its axial direction is horizontal and perpendicular to the first direction. Therefore, the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide are guided to the first guide roller with their arrangement direction changed. However, by arranging the second guide roller above the first guide roller so that its axial direction is parallel to the first guide roller, damage to the second group of yarns can be suitably reduced even when the distance required to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide is secured.

[0016] Specifically, if the distance required to change the orientation of the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide is ensured, the first guide roller must be positioned low. In this case, even without the second guide roller, a yarn combination guide can be positioned along the yarn path of the second group of yarns between the first guide roller and the second yarn feed roller to suppress bending of the second group of yarns and reduce potential damage to the second group of yarns. However, in this case, the first group of yarns emerging from the second opening must be bent by the yarn combination guide. Although the first group of yarns has been stretched and heat-set, excessive bending of the first group of yarns is undesirable because it could damage the first group of yarns. Furthermore, excessive bending of the first group of yarns could cause interference with the thermal insulation box when emerging from the second opening. Therefore, by positioning the second guide roller downstream of the first guide roller in the yarn running direction and above the first guide roller, even when the distance required to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide is secured, it is possible to reduce damage to the second group of yarns while preventing the bending of the first group of yarns from becoming too great.

[0017] (5) In the blended yarn manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is more preferable that the second guide roller, the second yarn feed roller, and the yarn combination guide are arranged so that the upper angle of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the first group of yarns from the roller most downstream in the yarn running direction of the first group of yarns to the yarn combination guide and the yarn path from the combination guide to the second yarn feed roller is 180±30° (upper and lower limits included), and the lower angle of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the second group of yarns from the second guide roller to the yarn combination guide and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide to the second yarn feed roller is 180±30° (upper and lower limits included).

[0018] According to the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (5) above, even if the distance required to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide is secured, it is possible to suppress the yarn swing of the second group of yarns Y on the second yarn feed roller, while reducing damage that may be inflicted on the first group of yarns and the second group of yarns before they are guided to the second yarn feed roller. In addition, it is possible to prevent the first group of yarns from interfering with the thermal insulation box.

[0019] (6) In the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is more preferable that the second guide roller is positioned so that the second group of yarns guided by the second yarn feed roller are lower than the first group of yarns guided by the second yarn feed roller.

[0020] According to the blended yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (6) above, by positioning the second group of yarns guided to the second yarn feed roller below the first group of yarns guided to the second yarn feed roller, the first group of yarns Y1 are positioned above the second group of yarns Y2, making it possible to more reliably suppress the swaying of the second group of yarns Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13.

[0021] (7) In the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is more preferable that the first guide roller and the second guide roller are arranged in the vertical direction along the wall of the heat insulation box.

[0022] According to the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (7) above, by arranging the first guide roller and the second guide roller in the vertical direction along the wall portion, it is possible to reduce damage to the second group of yarns while suppressing the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus from becoming larger in one direction.

[0023] (8) In the blended yarn manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, it is more preferable that the first guide roller and the second guide roller are arranged outside the heat-insulating box, and the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide are guided to the second yarn feed roller without entering the heat-insulating box.

[0024] According to the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (8) above, the second group of yarns sent from the guide roller can be threaded by being guided to the yarn feed roller without being introduced into an insulated box, making the threading operation easier.

[0025] According to the present invention, a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus can be provided that produces a mixed yarn by mixing a first group of yarns that have been subjected to a drawing process and heat setting with a second group of yarns that have not been subjected to either a drawing process or heat setting, and that can reduce damage that may be caused to the yarns.

[0026] Furthermore, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention does not necessarily have all of the configurations described in (1) to (8) above. For example, in the invention relating to the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus described in (1) above, all of the configurations described in (2) to (8) above are not essential. Furthermore, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention can be any combination of the configuration described in (1) above and any of the configurations described in (2) to (8) above, as long as compatibility can be achieved. When the configuration described in (1) above is arbitrarily combined with the configuration described in any of the configurations described in (2) to (8) above, it is not essential to combine all of the configurations described in any of the configurations described in (2) to (8) above, and it is also possible to combine some of the configurations described in any of the configurations described in (2) to (8) above, as long as compatibility can be achieved.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a yarn combination guide according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an example of a suitable arrangement pattern of guide rollers, yarn combination guides, a yarn mixing device, and a yarn feed roller in a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to a first modified example. FIG. 5 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to a second modified example. FIG. 6 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to a third modified example. FIG. 7 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to a fourth modified example. FIG. 8 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to a fifth modified example.

[0028] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the up-down direction, the left-right direction, and the front-rear direction are defined as shown in Fig. 1 and Figs. 3 to 8 described later.

[0029] [1. Overview of the mixed yarn production apparatus] First, an example of a mixed yarn production apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "this embodiment") will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a front view showing an example of the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.

[0030] The mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 divides a plurality of yarns Y, which are synthetic fiber yarns formed by solidifying molten resin continuously spun from a spinning machine 2, into a first group of yarns Y1 and a second group of yarns Y2, and applies drawing and heat setting to the first group of yarns Y1, thereby making the first group of yarns Y1 and the second group of yarns Y2 yarns with different shrinkage rates. Specifically, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 applies drawing and heat setting to the first group of yarns Y1 to make them fully drawn yarns (FDY), and does not apply drawing or heat setting to the second group of yarns Y2 to make them partially oriented yarns (POY). The mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 then mixes the first group of yarns Y1, which are drawn yarns (FDY), with the second group of yarns Y2, which are partially oriented yarns (POY), to produce mixed yarn Y3 (BSY: BiShrinkage Yarn). Mixed yarn Y3, which is made of two types of yarns Y1 and Y2 with different shrinkage rates, is known to have a good texture. In this specification, when the type of yarn is not particularly limited, it will be simply referred to as yarn Y.

[0031] The mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 comprises main components such as a fiber separating guide 11, a spinning and drawing device 3, yarn feed rollers 12 to 15, guide rollers 36, 37, a yarn combination guide 20, a fiber mixing device 18, an interlace 16, and a winding device 4. These main components will be described below in the above order.

[0032] [2. Main configuration of the blended yarn manufacturing apparatus] (Fiber separating guide 11) The fiber separating guide 11 is, for example, a comb-like guide, and separates all of the multiple yarns Y spun from the spinning machine 2 into a first group of yarns Y1 and a second group of yarns Y2. The multiple yarns Y spun from the spinning machine 2 are arranged horizontally in the left-right direction. The fiber separating guide 11 is arranged below the spinning machine 2 in the left-right direction. All of the multiple yarns Y spun from the spinning machine 2 are separated by the fiber separating guide 11 into half of the first group of yarns Y1 and half of the second group of yarns Y2. For example, in this embodiment, the multiple yarns Y spun from the spinning machine 2 are 16 yarns, and are separated into eight first group of yarns Y1 and eight second group of yarns Y2, ultimately producing eight blended yarns Y3.

[0033] (Spinning and drawing device 3) The spinning and drawing device 3 is a device that draws and heat sets the first group of yarns Y1 that are separated by the separating guide 11 out of the multiple yarns Y spun from the spinning machine 2. The spinning and drawing device 3 is disposed below the spinning machine 2 and the separating guide 11 and forward of the spinning machine 2 and the separating guide 11.

[0034] The spinning and drawing device 3 includes a heat insulation box 30 and a plurality of (five in this embodiment) heating rollers 31 to 35 housed inside the heat insulation box 30. The heating rollers 31 to 35 are arranged so that their rotation axes are horizontally aligned in the front-to-rear direction, and are driven to rotate by electric motors (not shown).

[0035] The heating rollers 31 to 35 each have a built-in heater (not shown) and heat the yarn Y wound around the peripheral surface of the heating rollers 31 to 35. The heating rollers 31 to 35 all have approximately the same outer diameter.

[0036] Of the five heating rollers 31-35, the three first heating rollers 31-33 located upstream in the yarn running direction are preheating rollers for preheating the first group of yarns Y1 before drawing. The surface temperature of the first heating rollers 31-33 is set to a temperature (e.g., about 80°C) equal to or higher than the glass transition point of the yarn Y. On the other hand, of the five heating rollers 31-35, the two second heating rollers 34, 35 located downstream in the yarn running direction are heat-setting rollers for heat-setting the first group of yarns Y1. The surface temperature of the second heating rollers 34, 35 is set to a temperature (e.g., about 130-140°C) higher than the surface temperature of the first heating rollers 31-33.

[0037] In this embodiment, of the five heating rollers 31 to 35, the three heating rollers 31 to 33 on the upstream side in the yarn running direction are preheating rollers, and the two heating rollers 34 and 35 on the downstream side in the yarn running direction are heat-setting rollers, but the number of preheating rollers and heat-setting rollers is not limited to this. For example, the two heating rollers 31 and 32 on the upstream side in the yarn running direction may be preheating rollers, and the three heating rollers 33 to 35 on the downstream side in the yarn running direction may be heat-setting rollers. The number of preheating rollers and heat-setting rollers may be changed as appropriate.

[0038] Of the three first heating rollers 31 to 33, the first heating roller 31, which is the most upstream in the yarn running direction, is disposed below the remaining two first heating rollers 32, 33. The second first heating roller 32 in the yarn running direction and the third first heating roller 33 in the yarn running direction are disposed adjacent to each other in the left-right direction. The axis of the second first heating roller 32 in the yarn running direction is located to the right of the axis of the first heating roller 31, which is the most upstream in the yarn running direction. The axis of the third first heating roller 33 in the yarn running direction is located to the left of the axis of the first heating roller 31, which is the most upstream in the yarn running direction.

[0039] The two second heating rollers 34, 35 are disposed adjacent to each other in the left-right direction above the first heating rollers 31 to 33. The second heating roller 34 on the upstream side in the yarn running direction is disposed adjacent to and above the second first heating roller 32 in the yarn running direction. The second heating roller 35 on the downstream side in the yarn running direction is disposed above the third first heating roller 33 in the yarn running direction. The second heating roller 35 on the downstream side in the yarn running direction is disposed above the second heating roller 34 on the upstream side in the yarn running direction. More specifically, the axis of the second heating roller 35 on the downstream side in the yarn running direction is located above the axis of the second heating roller 34 on the upstream side in the yarn running direction.

[0040] Furthermore, the rotation speed, i.e., the yarn feeding speed, of the second heating rollers 34, 35 is set to be faster than that of the first heating rollers 31 to 33. As a result, the first group of yarn Y1 passes through the first heating rollers 31 to 33 and reaches the second heating rollers 34, 35, where it becomes a drawn yarn due to the difference in yarn feeding speed between the first heating roller 33 and the second heating roller 34. Furthermore, the first group of yarn Y1 is heat-set in a drawn state by the second heating rollers 34, 35. The heat-set first group of yarn Y1 is then led out of the insulation box 30 through a lead-out port 30b (described below) and fed to the yarn feeding roller 13 (described below).

[0041] In this embodiment, the difference in yarn feeding speed between the heating roller 33 and the heating roller 34 among the five heating rollers 31 to 35 is used to produce a drawn yarn, but this is not limiting. For example, the difference in yarn feeding speed between the heating roller 32 and the heating roller 33 may also produce a drawn yarn, and the point at which the difference in yarn feeding speed is set to produce a drawn yarn can be changed as appropriate.

[0042] In this way, the first group of yarns Y1 can be drawn and heat-set while the five heating rollers 31 to 35 are arranged compactly and closely packed in the left-right and up-down directions.

[0043] The thermal insulation box 30 is box-shaped and has an open front side, houses the plurality of heating rollers 31 to 35, and has a door (not shown) for opening and closing the open front side. An inlet 30a is formed at the lower end of a right wall 301 of the box-shaped thermal insulation box 30, through which the first group of yarns Y1 fed from the yarn feed roller 12 (described later) are introduced into the thermal insulation box 30. An outlet 30b is formed at the upper end of the wall 301, through which the first group of yarns Y1 that have been drawn and heat-set are led out of the thermal insulation box 30.

[0044] The above-mentioned "inlet 30a" corresponds to the "first opening" of the present invention, and the above-mentioned "outlet 30b" corresponds to the "second opening" of the present invention.

[0045] (Yarn feed rollers 12 to 15) The yarn feed rollers 12 to 15 are rotated by electric motors (not shown). The yarn feed rollers 12 and 13 are arranged so that their rotation axes are horizontally aligned in the front-to-rear direction. The yarn feed rollers 14 and 15 are arranged so that their rotation axes are horizontally aligned in the left-to-right direction.

[0046] The yarn feed roller 12 is a roller that sends the first group of yarns Y1 separated by the separating guide 11 to the spinning and drawing device 3, and is located at approximately the same height as the inlet 30a formed at the lower end of the wall portion 301 of the thermal insulation box 30, and to the right of the inlet 30a. The first group of yarns Y1 separated by the separating guide 11 run toward the yarn feed roller 12. A yarn path guide 19 is located upstream of the yarn feed roller 12 in the yarn running direction, and the alignment direction of the first group of yarns Y1 is changed from a horizontal left-right direction to a horizontal front-to-back direction between the separating guide 11 and the yarn path guide 19. In other words, the alignment direction of the first group of yarns Y1 separated by the separating guide 11 is a horizontal left-right direction, but the alignment direction of the first group of yarns Y1 is changed to a horizontal front-to-back direction between the separating guide 11 and the yarn path guide 19. The first group of yarns Y1 fed from the yarn feed roller 12 is introduced into the heat insulation box 30 and guided to the first heating roller 31 in a horizontal or nearly horizontal state.

[0047] As described above, the arrangement direction of the first group of yarns Y1 is changed between the separating guide 11 and the yarn path guide 19. However, because the yarn feed roller 12 is positioned at approximately the same height as the inlet 30a formed at the lower end of the right wall 301 of the thermal insulation box 30, the distance from the separating guide 11 to the yarn feed roller 12 can be made as long as possible. Therefore, a sufficient distance can be secured to change the arrangement direction of the first group of yarns Y1 separated by the separating guide 11, making it possible to reduce damage that may be inflicted on the first group of yarns Y1.

[0048] The yarn feed roller 13 is positioned at approximately the same height as the outlet 30b formed at the upper end of the wall 301 of the thermal insulation box 30, and to the right of both the outlet 30b and the fiber separating guide 11. In this embodiment, the yarn feed roller 13 is positioned so that the upper surface of the second heating roller 35, which is the most downstream of the multiple heating rollers 31 to 35, is horizontal or nearly horizontal with the upper surface of the yarn feed roller 13, but this is not essential. In other words, the first group of yarns Y1, which have been drawn and heat-set, are less likely to be damaged than the second group of yarns Y2, which have not been drawn and heat-set. Therefore, the yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35 to the yarn feed roller 13 may be downwardly or upwardly inclined, as long as the first group of yarns Y1 do not interfere with the thermal insulation box 30 when they are drawn from the outlet 30b.

[0049] The yarn feed roller 14 is a roller that guides the yarn Y fed from the yarn feed roller 13 to the yarn feed roller 15, which is located downstream in the yarn running direction of the yarn feed roller 14. The yarn Y fed from the yarn feed roller 13 to the yarn feed roller 14 is a mixed yarn Y3 that is obtained by supplementarily combining the yarns Y1 of the first group and the yarns Y2 of the second group by a fiber mixing device 18 described below.

[0050] A yarn guide 17 is disposed upstream of the yarn feed roller 14 in the yarn running direction, and the arrangement direction of the mixed yarn Y3 fed from the yarn feed roller 13 is changed from the horizontal front-to-rear direction to the horizontal left-to-right direction. That is, the arrangement direction of the mixed yarn Y3 fed from the yarn feed roller 13 is the horizontal front-to-rear direction, but the arrangement direction of the mixed yarn Y3 is changed to the horizontal left-to-right direction between the yarn feed roller 13 and the yarn guide 17.

[0051] The mixed yarn Y3 sent from the yarn sending roller 14 is guided to the yarn sending roller 15 downstream in the yarn running direction of the yarn sending roller 14. The mixed yarn Y3 sent from the yarn sending roller 15 has its arrangement direction changed from the left-right direction to the front-back direction, and is sent to the winding device 4.

[0052] (Guide Rollers 36, 37) The guide rollers 36, 37 are driven to rotate by an electric motor (not shown), and are arranged so that their rotation axes are aligned horizontally in the front-to-rear direction. The guide rollers 36, 37 are arranged above and below each other along the wall 301 of the thermal insulation box 30. Specifically, the guide roller 36 is arranged directly above the yarn feed roller 12 and in close proximity to the wall 301 of the thermal insulation box 30. The guide roller 37 is arranged to the right of the outlet 30b and in close proximity to the wall 301 of the thermal insulation box 30 so that the roller surface is below the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the outlet 30b.

[0053] The second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11 travels toward the guide roller 36. A yarn guide 38 is disposed upstream of the guide roller 36 in the yarn traveling direction, and the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 is changed from a horizontal left-right direction to a horizontal front-to-back direction between the separating guide 11 and the guide roller 36. That is, the arrangement direction of the first group of yarns Y1 separated by the separating guide 11 is a horizontal left-right direction, but the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 is changed to a horizontal front-to-back direction between the separating guide 11 and the yarn guide 38. The second group of yarns Y2 sent from the guide roller 36 is guided to the guide roller 37 without being introduced into the thermal insulation box 30. That is, the second group of yarns Y2 sent from the guide roller 36 is guided to the yarn feed roller 13 via the guide roller 37 without passing through any of the first heating rollers 31-33 and the second heating rollers 34 and 35. More specifically, the second group yarn Y2 sent from the guide roller 36 passes through the guide roller 37, the yarn combination guide 20, and the yarn mixing device 18, and is guided to the yarn sending roller 13.

[0054] As described above, the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 is changed between the separating guide 11 and the yarn guide 38. However, because the guide roller 36 is positioned directly above the yarn feed roller 12, the distance from the separating guide 11 to the yarn guide 38 can be made as long as possible. Therefore, a sufficient distance can be secured to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11, thereby reducing possible damage to the second group of yarns Y2.

[0055] The guide roller 37 guides the second group of yarn Y2 sent from the guide roller 36 upstream of the guide roller 37 in the yarn running direction, via the yarn combination guide 20 and the fiber mixing device 18, to the yarn feed roller 13 downstream of the guide roller 37 in the yarn running direction.

[0056] If the guide rollers 36, 37 are provided as drive rollers rotated by an electric motor (not shown), the tension of the yarn Y can be adjusted by the rotation speed of the guide rollers 36, 37, making it easier to control the quality of the yarn Y. Therefore, the guide rollers 36, 37 are preferably provided as drive rollers, but may also be provided as driven rollers that rotate due to friction with the second group yarn Y2. However, if the guide rollers 36, 37 are provided as driven rollers, the second group yarn Y2 will slide on the guide rollers 36, 37, and the rotation speed of the guide rollers 36, 37 will be slower than the speed of the second group yarn Y2. Therefore, particularly if the guide roller 37 is provided as a driven roller, when the guide roller 37 comes into contact with the first group yarn Y1, the speed difference between the first group yarn Y1 and the guide roller may cause the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 to become entangled. From this viewpoint, it is preferable to use the guide rollers 36 and 37 (particularly the guide roller 37) as drive rollers. When the guide rollers 36 and 37 are driven rollers, it is preferable to configure them so that air is blown out from their surfaces, thereby enabling them to rotate with reduced friction with the yarns Y2 of the second group or without contacting the yarns Y2 of the second group.

[0057] Furthermore, the threading operation can be facilitated by threading the second group of yarns Y2 fed from the guide roller 36 to the yarn feed roller 13 without introducing them into the thermal insulation box 30. However, it is not essential to guide the second group of yarns Y2 fed from the guide roller 36 to the yarn feed roller 13 without introducing them into the thermal insulation box 30. For example, the second group of yarns Y2 fed from the guide roller 36 may be introduced into the thermal insulation box 30, and then guided to the yarn feed roller 13 by being led out of the lead-out port 30b without passing through any of the first heating rollers 31 to 33 and the second heating rollers 34 and 35. Even in this case, the second group of yarns Y2 can be sent to the yarn feed roller 13 without being subjected to either drawing or heat setting.

[0058] The above-mentioned "guide roller 36" corresponds to the "first guide roller" of the present invention, and the above-mentioned "guide roller 37" corresponds to the "second guide roller" of the present invention.

[0059] (Yarn combination guide 20) The yarn combination guide 20 is disposed upstream in the yarn running direction of the yarn feed roller 13 and downstream in the yarn running direction of both the second heating roller 35 and the guide roller 37. The yarn combination guide 20 is configured, for example, in a comb shape, as shown in FIG.

[0060] 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a yarn combination guide 20. The yarn combination guide 20 includes a plurality of guide pieces 22 arranged in a row, and a guide rail 26 that supports the guide pieces 22. A yarn accommodating space 24 is formed between one of the plurality of guide pieces 22 and another guide piece 22 adjacent to the one guide piece 22. The yarn combination guide 20 is arranged so that the arrangement direction of the plurality of guide pieces 22 is horizontal in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the yarn combination guide 20 is arranged so that the arrangement direction of the guide pieces 22 and the direction of the rotation axis of the yarn feed roller 13 are horizontal and parallel to each other.

[0061] In the yarn combination guide 20, the first group yarn Y1, which has been drawn and heat-set, and the second group yarn Y2, which has not been drawn or heat-set, are stacked one by one and pass through the same yarn accommodating space 24 to be combined. The combined first group yarn Y1 and second group yarn Y2 are then guided to the yarn feed roller 13 via the fiber mixing device 18. That is, one yarn from the first group Y1 and one yarn from the second group Y2 are combined to form a set of yarns, which are guided to the same yarn accommodating space 24 and then guided to the yarn feed roller 13 via the fiber mixing device 18. In this embodiment, for example, eight sets of yarns, each composed of the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2, are guided to different yarn accommodating spaces 24.

[0062] The second group yarn Y2, which has not been drawn or heat-set, has unstable tension and may sway on the yarn feed roller 13. If sway occurs on the yarn feed roller 13, friction between the second group yarn Y2 and the surface of the yarn feed roller 13 may damage the second group yarn Y2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the first group yarn Y1, which has been drawn and heat-set, and the second group yarn Y2, which has not been drawn or heat-set, are combined to form a set of yarns, and then the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 are supplementarily combined by the yarn mixing device 18 to form a mixed yarn Y3, and this mixed yarn Y3 is guided to the yarn feed roller 13. In this manner, the first group yarn Y1 suppresses sway of the second group yarn Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13, thereby reducing potential damage to the second group yarn Y2.

[0063] Furthermore, because the yarn combination guide 20 is arranged so that the arrangement direction of the multiple guide pieces 22 is horizontal in the front-to-rear direction, multiple sets of yarns each combining the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 can be guided to different yarn accommodating spaces 24. In this manner, all of the multiple second group yarns Y2 are combined with the first group yarn Y1 and guided to the yarn accommodating spaces 24. This makes it possible to suppress yarn sway of the multiple second group yarns Y2 that have not been drawn or heat-set and are combined with the first group yarn Y1 on the yarn feed roller 13. Furthermore, contact of the second group yarn Y2 with the sides and bottom of the guide pieces 22 further suppresses yarn sway of the second group yarn Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13.

[0064] The above-mentioned "guide piece 22" corresponds to the "guide portion" of the present invention.

[0065] The yarn combination guide 20 guides one yarn Y1 of the first group and one yarn Y2 of the second group in the same yarn storage space 24, and does not spray compressed air onto the first yarn Y1 and the second yarn Y2. Therefore, the yarn obtained by combining the yarn Y1 of the first group and the yarn Y2 of the second group by the yarn combination guide 20 is simply a combined yarn, and is not strictly a doubled yarn until it is supplementarily doubled by the fiber blending device 18. However, for convenience, in this specification, the yarn obtained by combining the yarn Y1 of the first group and the yarn Y2 of the second group by the yarn combination guide 20 will also be described as a supplementarily doubled yarn.

[0066] Furthermore, the yarn combination guide 20 is preferably arranged so that the arrangement direction of the guide pieces 22 is horizontal and parallel to the direction of the rotation axis of the yarn feed roller 13. In this manner, the guide pieces 22 restrict the movement of the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 in the arrangement direction (the front-to-back direction in FIG. 1 ), making it easier for the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 to be combined than on the second yarn feed roller 13. However, as long as a set of combined yarns formed by the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 is guided by the same yarn accommodating space 24, it is not essential that the arrangement direction of the guide pieces 22 be parallel to the direction of the rotation axis of the yarn feed roller 13.

[0067] 1 , the fiber mixing device 18 is disposed upstream of the yarn feed roller 13 in the yarn running direction and downstream of both the second heating roller 35 and the guide roller 37 in the yarn running direction. The fiber mixing device 18 is disposed upstream of the interlace 16 (described later) in the yarn running direction and auxiliary combines a set of yarns formed by combining a first group of yarns Y1 and a second group of yarns Y2 using a yarn combination guide 20. The fiber mixing device 18 is an auxiliary yarn combining device that injects low-pressure compressed air, the injection pressure of which is set lower than that of the interlace 16, onto multiple sets of yarns formed by combining the first group of yarns Y1 and the second group of yarns Y2, and auxiliary combines the first group of yarns Y1 and the second group of yarns Y2 by the action of the low-pressure compressed air. The degree to which the yarn Y1 of the first group and the yarn Y2 of the second group are combined by the fiber mixing device 18 is weaker than that of the interlace 16, and the fiber mixing device 18 plays a role of auxiliary combining. In the fiber mixing device 18, the yarn Y1 of the first group and the yarn Y2 of the second group are auxiliary combined to produce a mixed yarn Y3.

[0068] In this way, after the yarn combination guide 20 combines the yarn Y1 of the first group and the yarn Y2 of the second group into one set of yarns, the yarn blending device 18 additionally combines the yarn Y1 of the first group and the yarn Y2 of the second group, thereby making it possible to further suppress the yarn sway of the yarn Y2 of the second group on the roller of the yarn feed roller 13.

[0069] (Interlace 16) The interlace 16 is disposed downstream of the yarn feed roller 13 in the yarn running direction. In this embodiment, the interlace 16 is disposed downstream of the yarn feed roller 14 in the yarn running direction and upstream of the yarn feed roller 15 in the yarn running direction, and is located closer to the yarn feed roller 14 than the yarn feed roller 15. The interlace 16 is an intertwining device that injects high-pressure compressed air (fluid) with a compressed air injection pressure set higher than that of the fiber mixing device 18, and instantaneously creates knots in the yarn Y by the action of this high-pressure compressed air, thereby doubling the first group of yarns Y1 and the second group of yarns Y2. As described above, the mixed yarn Y3 that has already been auxiliary-doped by the fiber mixing device 18 is firmly doubling by the interlace 16. The mixed yarn Y3, in which the first group of yarns Y1 and the second group of yarns Y2 have been firmly doubling by the interlace 16, is sent to the winding device 4 via the yarn feed roller 15.

[0070] The above-mentioned "interlace 16" corresponds to the "thread doubling device" of the present invention.

[0071] (Winding Device 4 ) The winding device 4 includes a plurality of fulcrum guides 41 , a plurality of traverse devices 42 , a contact roller 43 , two bobbin holders 44 , and a turret 45 .

[0072] The plurality of fulcrum guides 41 and the plurality of traverse devices 42 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction so as to correspond to each other, and are shown overlapping in the front-rear direction in Fig. 1. The plurality of mixed yarns Y3 fed to the winding device 4 are traversed in the front-rear direction by the corresponding traverse devices 42 around the plurality of fulcrum guides 41.

[0073] The contact roller 43 is configured to come into contact with the surfaces of the multiple packages P and apply a predetermined contact pressure to adjust the shape of the packages P. The multiple packages P are arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction, and are shown overlapping in the front-to-rear direction in Fig. 1. The bobbin holder 44 extends in the front-to-rear direction and is configured to allow multiple bobbins B to be attached while lined up in the front-to-rear direction.

[0074] The bobbin holders 44 are rotated by an electric motor (not shown). The turret 45 supports the two bobbin holders 44 in a cantilevered manner and is configured to be rotated by an electric motor (not shown). In the winding device 4, the rotation of the turret 45 switches the positions of the two bobbin holders 44 between an upper winding position and a lower standby position.

[0075] The winding device 4 rotates the bobbin holder 44 located at the upper winding position to wind the mixed yarn Y3 onto the bobbins B to form the packages P. When the packages P are completed, the turret 45 is rotated to switch the positions of the two bobbin holders 44. Then, the mixed yarn Y3 is wound onto the bobbins B attached to the bobbin holder 44 that has been newly moved to the winding position.

[0076] In this embodiment, the winding device 4 has two bobbin holders 44, but the number of bobbin holders 44 is not limited to this, and may be one.

[0077] (Arrangement of guide roller 37, yarn combination guide 20, fiber mixing device 18, and yarn feed roller 13) Next, the arrangement of guide roller 37, yarn combination guide 20, fiber mixing device 18, and yarn feed roller 13 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 3. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a suitable arrangement pattern of guide roller 37, yarn combination guide 20, fiber mixing device 18, and yarn feed roller 13 in the mixed fiber yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0078] Considering the damage that may be caused to the second group yarn Y2, the ideal yarn path of the second group yarn Y2 from the guide roller 37 to the yarn feed roller 13 is a straight line. That is, it is preferable that the yarn path of the second group yarn Y2 from the guide roller 37 to the yarn feed roller 13 via the yarn combination guide 20 and the fiber mixing device 18 is a straight line without any bends along the way. The following description will be based on this assumption.

[0079] First, the significance of providing the guide roller 37 will be explained. As described above, by making the distance from the separating guide 11 to the yarn path guide 38 as long as possible, a sufficient distance can be secured to change the arrangement direction of the second group yarn Y2 separated by the separating guide 11. However, if the guide roller 37 is not provided and the second group yarn Y2 is guided from the guide roller 36 to the yarn combination guide 20, it is difficult to suitably reduce damage to the second group yarn Y2. More specifically, if the yarn combination guide 20 is positioned so as not to bend the second group yarn Y2, the first group yarn Y1 led out from the lead-out port 30b may be bent at the yarn combination guide 20. Although the first group yarn Y1 has been drawn and heat-set, if the first group yarn Y1 is bent too much, it may be damaged, which is undesirable. Furthermore, if the first group of yarns Y1 is bent significantly, the first group of yarns Y1 may interfere with the thermal insulation box 30 when being discharged from the discharge port 30b. On the other hand, if the yarn combination guide 20 is positioned so that the first group of yarns Y1 are not bent by the yarn combination guide 20, the second group of yarns Y2 may be bent. Therefore, in this embodiment, the guide roller 37 is positioned downstream of the guide roller 36 in the yarn running direction and above the guide roller 36. By doing so, even if the distance required to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11 is secured, it is possible to prevent the first group of yarns Y1 from being bent significantly and reduce damage to the second group of yarns Y2.

[0080] Next, on the premise that the guide roller 37 is disposed downstream of the guide roller 36 in the yarn running direction and above the guide roller 36, a suitable arrangement of the guide roller 37, the yarn combination guide 20, the fiber mixing device 18, and the yarn feed roller 13 will be described.

[0081] The ideal arrangement of the yarn combination guide 20, the fiber mixing device 18, the guide roller 37, and the yarn feed roller 13 is, for example, as shown in FIG. 1 , such that the yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35, which is the most downstream in the yarn running direction of the first group of yarns Y1, to the yarn feed roller 13 is linear in a front view within the thermal insulation box, and the yarn path of the second group of yarns Y2 from the guide roller 37 to the yarn feed roller 13 is also linear in a front view. That is, ideally, the yarn combination guide 20, the fiber mixing device 18, the guide roller 37, and the yarn feed roller 13 are arranged so as to satisfy the following conditions when viewed from the front: "the upper angle (α shown in FIG. 3 described later) between the yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35 located most downstream in the yarn running direction of the first group of yarns Y1 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is 180°"; and "the lower angle (β shown in FIG. 3 described later) between the yarn path of the second group of yarns Y2 from the guide roller 37 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is 180°." In FIG. 1, on the upstream side of the yarn combination guide 20 in the yarn running direction, the yarn path of the first group of yarn Y1 and the yarn path of the second group of yarn Y2 are the same, and neither the first group of yarn Y1 nor the second group of yarn Y2 is bent in the yarn combination guide 20.

[0082] However, the preferred arrangement of the yarn combination guide 20, the yarn mixing device 18, and the guide roller 37 is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, and may be, for example, the arrangements shown in FIGS. 3(A) to 3(D).

[0083] FIG. 3(A) is a diagram showing an arrangement pattern in which, in a front view, the upper angle α of the two angles sandwiched between the yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35 (see FIG. 1) to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is less than 180°, and the lower angle β of the two angles sandwiched between the yarn path of the second group of yarns Y2 from the guide roller 37 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is 180°.

[0084] 3(B) is a diagram showing an arrangement pattern in which, in a front view, the upper angle α of the two angles sandwiched between the yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35 (see FIG. 1 ) to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is less than 180°, and the lower angle β of the two angles sandwiched between the yarn path of the second group of yarns Y2 from the guide roller 37 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is less than 180°. In other words, the angle β is ideally 180°, but is not necessarily limited to 180°. However, in consideration of possible damage to the second group of yarns 2, the angle β is preferably 150° or greater.

[0085] 3(C) is a diagram showing an arrangement pattern in which, in a front view, the upper angle α of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35 (see FIG. 1 ) to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is less than 180°, and the lower angle β of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the second group of yarns Y2 from the guide roller 37 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is greater than 180°. That is, the angle β may be greater than 180°. However, in consideration of possible damage to the second group of yarns 2, the angle β is preferably 210° or less. Since it is physically impossible for the yarn path of the second group yarn Y2 to be higher than the yarn path of the first group yarn Y1, when the above angle β is 180° or more, the yarn path of the first group yarn Y1 and the yarn path of the second group yarn Y2 are the same, or the yarn path of the first group yarn Y1 is higher than the yarn path of the second group yarn Y2.

[0086] 3(D) is a diagram showing an arrangement pattern in which, in a front view, the upper angle α of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35 (see FIG. 1 ) to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is greater than 180°, and the lower angle β of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the second group of yarns Y2 from the guide roller 37 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is less than 180°. That is, the angle α may be greater than 180°. However, even in this case, in consideration of possible damage to the second group of yarns 2, the angle β is preferably 150° or greater.

[0087] The arrangement of the yarn combination guide 20, the fiber mixing device 18, and the guide roller 37 is not limited to the patterns shown in FIG. 1 and FIGS. 3(A) to (D), and may be any arrangement that satisfies the above angle α of 180±30° (upper and lower limits included) and the above angle β of 180±30° (upper and lower limits included).

[0088] Thus, when viewed from the front, if the angle β is 180±30° (including upper and lower limits), it is possible to reduce damage that may be inflicted on the second group of yarns Y2 (particularly in the yarn combination guide 20) before they are guided to the yarn feed roller 13. More specifically, even if a sufficient distance is secured to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11 (see FIG. 1 ), it is possible to suppress yarn sway of the second group of yarns Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13, while reducing damage that may be inflicted on the second group of yarns Y2, particularly in the yarn combination guide 20.

[0089] 3A to 3D, the upper angle α of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35 (see FIG. 1) to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is less than 180°, but this is not limited to this. If the angle α is 180±30°, damage to the first group of yarns Y1 can be reduced. Also, there is little risk of the first group of yarns Y1 leading out from the lead-out port 30b interfering with the thermal insulation box 30.

[0090] In addition, if the most downstream roller among the multiple rollers 31 to 35 (see FIG. 1) arranged inside the thermal insulation box 30 is not the second heating roller 35 but another roller, the above-mentioned "yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35 (see FIG. 1) to the yarn combination guide 20" is replaced with "yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the other roller to the yarn combination guide 20."

[0091] [3. Effects] As described above, according to this embodiment, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 includes a yarn combination guide 20 that guides a yarn that is a combination of a first group yarn Y1 that has been drawn and heat-set and a second group yarn Y2 that has not been drawn and heat-set. This yarn combination guide 20 is disposed upstream in the yarn running direction of both the fiber mixing device 18 and the yarn feed roller 13. Then, a set of yarns that is a combination of the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 is supplementarily combined in the fiber mixing device 18 and guided to the yarn feed roller 13. Therefore, the first group yarn Y1 can suppress the swaying of the second group yarn Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13, thereby reducing potential damage to the second group yarn Y2.

[0092] The yarn combination guide 20 is configured to have a plurality of guide pieces 22, each of which combines and guides one yarn of the first group Y1 and one yarn of the second group Y2, along the axial direction of the yarn feed roller 13. Therefore, with the direction along the axial direction of the yarn feed roller 13 as the arrangement direction, a plurality of pairs of yarns each combining the yarns of the first group Y1 and the yarns of the second group Y2 are guided to the fiber mixing device 18. Therefore, for all of the second group yarns Y2 that have not been drawn and heat-set (all of the second group yarns Y2 in the arrangement direction), yarn sway can be suppressed by the drawn and heat-set first group yarn Y1.

[0093] Furthermore, the separating guide 11 is arranged horizontally in the left-right direction, and the yarn feed roller 13 is arranged so that its axial direction is horizontal and front-to-back. The second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11 changes its arrangement direction and is guided to the guide roller 36. Therefore, even if the distance necessary to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11 is secured, by arranging the guide roller 37 above the guide roller 36 so that its axial direction is parallel to the guide roller 36, damage to the second group of yarns Y2 can be suitably reduced, and yarn breakage of the second group of yarns Y2 can be suppressed.

[0094] Furthermore, when viewed from the front, the guide roller 37, the yarn feed roller 13, and the yarn combination guide 20 are arranged so that the upper angle α of the two angles sandwiched between the yarn path of the first group of yarns Y1 from the second heating roller 35 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is 180° (upper and lower limits included), and the lower angle of the two angles sandwiched between the yarn path of the second group of yarns Y2 from the guide roller 37 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 is 180° (upper and lower limits included). By arranging the guide roller 37, the yarn feed roller 13, and the yarn combination guide 20 in this manner, even if a sufficient distance is secured to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11, it is possible to suppress yarn sway of the second group of yarns Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13, while reducing damage that may be inflicted on the first group of yarns Y1 and the second group of yarns Y2, particularly in the yarn combination guide 20. In addition, there is little risk that the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the lead-out port 30b will interfere with the thermal insulation box 30.

[0095] Furthermore, the guide roller 37 is disposed so that the second group of yarns Y2 guided to the yarn feed roller 13 is lower than the first group of yarns Y1 guided to the yarn feed roller 13. In this manner, the first group of yarns Y1 are positioned higher than the second group of yarns Y2, and yarn sway of the second group of yarns Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13 can be more reliably suppressed.

[0096] Furthermore, the guide rollers 36 and 37 are arranged in the vertical direction along the wall portion 301 of the thermal insulation box 30. In this way, it is possible to prevent the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 from becoming larger in the horizontal direction and reduce damage to the second group yarn Y2.

[0097] Furthermore, the guide rollers 36 and 37 are disposed outside the thermal insulation box 30, and the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11 are guided to the yarn feed roller 13 without entering the thermal insulation box 30. This makes it easy to thread the second group of yarns Y2.

[0098] [4. Modified Examples] The mixed yarn production apparatus 1 of the present embodiment described above is an example of the best mode for carrying out the present invention, but modifications may be made to the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 of this embodiment, as shown in the first to fifth modified examples below. Below, first to fifth modified examples in which modifications are made to the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 of this embodiment are described. Note that a description of components common to the main components of the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 described above will be omitted, and the following mainly describes components that differ from the main components of the mixed yarn production apparatus 1. However, in describing the mixed yarn production apparatuses 1A to 1E according to each modified example, the main components of each mixed yarn production apparatus 1A to 1E will be assigned the same symbols as the main components of the mixed yarn production apparatus 1.

[0099] [4-1. First Modification] Figure 4 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn production apparatus 1A according to a first modification. The mixed yarn production apparatus 1A according to the first modification is an example of the best mode, along with the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 of this embodiment. The mixed yarn production apparatus 1A according to the first modification differs from the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 according to this embodiment in the position of the mixing device 18. Specifically, in the mixed yarn production apparatus 1A according to the first modification, the mixing device 18 is located downstream of the yarn feeding roller 13 in the yarn running direction. More specifically, it is located downstream of the yarn feeding roller 13 in the yarn running direction and upstream of the yarn feeding roller 14 in the yarn running direction, and is closer to the yarn feeding roller 13 than the yarn feeding roller 14.

[0100] In this way, when the yarn mixing device 18 is disposed downstream of the yarn feed roller 13 in the yarn running direction, a set of yarns obtained by combining the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 in the yarn combination guide 20 is guided to the yarn feed roller 13 before being auxiliary combined. Even in this case, the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 are guided to the yarn feed roller 13 in a combined state, so the drawn and heat-set first group yarn Y1 suppresses the sway of the undrawn and unheat-set second group yarn Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13. Therefore, even in the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1A, as in the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the first group yarn Y1 suppresses the sway of the second group yarn Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13, making it possible to reduce damage that may be caused to the second group yarn Y2.

[0101] In particular, because the roller surface of the guide roller 37 is located below the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the lead-out port 30b, it is considered that the second group of yarns Y2 fed from the guide roller 37 to the yarn combination guide 20 will be located below the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the thermal insulation box 30 and fed to the yarn combination guide 20. Therefore, in the yarn accommodating space 24 and the yarn feed roller 13, the second group of yarns Y2 are pressed from above by the first group of yarns Y1, which is considered to further suppress yarn sway of the second group of yarns Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13.

[0102] 4, which shows the first modified example, the arrangement pattern of the guide roller 37, the yarn combination guide 20, and the yarn feed roller 13 is illustrated as being the same as the arrangement pattern shown in FIG. 3(B) (the position of the yarn mixing device 18 is different). However, the arrangement pattern of the guide roller 37, the yarn combination guide 20, and the yarn feed roller 13 is not limited to this and may be any of the arrangement patterns shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3(A), FIG. 3(C), and FIG. 3(D). By arranging the guide roller 37, the yarn combination guide 20, and the yarn feed roller 13 in this manner, it is possible to suppress the swaying of the second group yarn Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13 while reducing damage that may be caused to the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2, particularly at the yarn combination guide 20, as in the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, even if a sufficient distance is secured to change the arrangement direction of the second group yarn Y2 separated by the separating guide 11. In addition, there is little risk that the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the lead-out port 30b will interfere with the thermal insulation box 30.

[0103] [4-2. Second Modification] Figure 5 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn production apparatus 1B according to a second modification. The mixed yarn production apparatus 1B according to the second modification differs from the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 according to this embodiment in that it does not have a guide roller 37 (there is only one roller, the guide roller 36, that guides the second group of separated yarns Y2 to the yarn feed roller 13). Specifically, in the mixed yarn production apparatus 1B, the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11 are guided from the guide roller 36 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn mixing device 18, and then to the yarn feed roller 13. The second group of yarns Y2 do not pass through any of the first heating rollers 31-33 or the second heating rollers 34 and 35.

[0104] 1B。 English: As described above, if the mixed yarn production apparatus 1B does not have the guide roller 37, the yarn path from the guide roller 36 to the yarn feed roller 13 will not be linear, and there is a risk that the second group yarn Y2 will bend in the yarn combination guide 20. Furthermore, the distance from the guide roller 36 to the yarn feed roller 13 is greater than the distance from the guide roller 37 to the yarn feed roller 13. In this respect, the mixed yarn production apparatus 1B of the second modified example differs from the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 of this embodiment and the mixed yarn production apparatus 1A of the first modified example. However, even in the mixed yarn production apparatus 1B of the second modified example, the first group yarn Y1, which has been drawn and heat-set, and the second group yarn Y2, which has not been drawn or heat-set, are combined to form a set of yarns, and then the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 are additionally combined to form the mixed yarn Y3, and this mixed yarn Y3 is guided to the yarn feed roller 13. Therefore, like the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1B can suppress the yarn sway of the second group of yarns Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13 by the first group of yarns Y1, thereby reducing the damage that may be caused to the second group of yarns Y2.

[0105] 6 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn production apparatus 1C according to a third modified example. The mixed yarn production apparatus 1C according to the third modified example differs from the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 according to this embodiment in that the mixing device 18 is arranged downstream of the yarn feed roller 13 in the yarn running direction, and in that it does not have a guide roller 37 (the guide roller 36 is the only roller that guides the separated second group of yarns Y2 to the yarn feed roller 13). That is, the mixed yarn production apparatus 1C is similar to the mixed yarn production apparatus 1A according to the first modified example described above in that the mixing device 18 is arranged downstream of the yarn feed roller 13 in the yarn running direction, and similar to the mixed yarn production apparatus 1B according to the second modified example described above in that it does not have a guide roller 37.

[0106] That is, in the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1C, like the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1B of the second modified example, the yarn path from the guide roller 36 to the yarn feed roller 13 is not linear, and there is a risk that the second group yarn Y2 will bend in the yarn combination guide 20. Also, the distance from the guide roller 36 to the yarn feed roller 13 is greater than the distance from the guide roller 37 to the yarn feed roller 13. In this respect, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1C of the third modified example differs from the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment and the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1A of the first modified example. Furthermore, before the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 are supplementarily mixed, the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 are guided to the yarn feed roller 13 as a combined set of yarns. In this respect, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1C of the third modified example differs from the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment and the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1B of the second modified example. However, even in the mixed yarn production apparatus 1C of the third modified example, the first group of yarns Y1 and the second group of yarns Y2 are combined and guided as a set of yarns to the yarn feed roller 13. Therefore, like the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the mixed yarn production apparatus 1C can suppress the yarn sway of the second group of yarns Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13 by the first group of yarns Y1, thereby reducing possible damage to the second group of yarns Y2.

[0107] [4-4. Fourth Modification] Figure 7 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn production apparatus 1D according to a fourth modification. The mixed yarn production apparatus 1D according to the fourth modification does not include a guide roller 37 (the guide roller 36 is the only roller that guides the separated second group of yarns Y2 to the yarn feed roller 13), and differs from the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 according to this embodiment in that the guide roller 36 is positioned at any position within a range that does not interfere with the first group of yarns Y1 delivered from the delivery outlet 30b. In Figure 7, the guide roller 36 is positioned to the right of the delivery outlet 30b, close to the wall 301 of the thermal insulation box 30, but this is not limited to this.

[0108] In the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1D, the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11 is guided from the guide roller 36, which is disposed to the right of the outlet 30b of the thermal insulation box 30 and close to the wall 301 of the thermal insulation box 30, via the yarn combination guide 20 and the mixing device 18, to the yarn feed roller 13. In this case, a yarn guide 38 is disposed upstream of the guide roller 36 in the yarn running direction, and the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 is changed from the horizontal left-right direction to the horizontal front-back direction between the separating guide 11 and the yarn guide guide 38. Note that the second group of yarns Y2 does not pass through any of the first heating rollers 31 to 33 or the second heating rollers 34, 35.

[0109] Even in the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1D of the fourth modified example, a first group yarn Y1 that has been drawn and heat-set is combined with a second group yarn Y2 that has not been drawn or heat-set to form a set of yarns, and then the combined first group yarn Y1 and second group yarn Y2 are additionally doubling to form a mixed yarn Y3, and this mixed yarn Y3 is guided to the yarn feed roller 13. Therefore, like the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1D can suppress the swaying of the second group yarn Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13 by the first group yarn Y1, thereby reducing possible damage to the second group yarn Y2.

[0110] 7 showing the fourth modified example, as described above, the guide roller 36 can be disposed at any position within a range where it does not interfere with the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the lead-out port 30b, but the guide roller 36, the yarn combination guide 20, and the yarn feed roller 13 may be disposed at the same positions as the guide roller 37, the yarn combination guide 20, and the yarn feed roller 13 shown in Figures 1 and 3(A) to 3(D). By doing so, the lower of the two angles sandwiched between the yarn path of the second group of yarns Y2 from the guide roller 36 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 can be set to 180±30° in a front view. That is, although a sufficient distance cannot be secured to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11, it is possible to suppress the yarn sway of the second group of yarns Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13 and reduce damage that may be inflicted on the first group of yarns Y1 and the second group of yarns Y2, particularly in the yarn combination guide 20. In addition, there is little risk that the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the lead-out port 30b will interfere with the thermal insulation box 30.

[0111] 8 is a front view showing an example of a mixed yarn production apparatus 1E according to the fifth modification. Like the mixed yarn production apparatus 1D according to the fourth modification, the mixed yarn production apparatus 1E according to the fifth modification does not have a guide roller 37, and the guide roller 36 is arranged at an arbitrary position as long as it does not interfere with the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the lead-out port 30b. In this respect, the mixed yarn production apparatus 1E according to the fifth modification differs from the mixed yarn production apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. That is, the mixed yarn production apparatus 1E is similar to the mixed yarn production apparatus 1D according to the fourth modification described above in that the guide roller 36 is arranged at an arbitrary position as long as it does not interfere with the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the lead-out port 30b, and similar to the mixed yarn production apparatus 1A according to the first modification and the mixed yarn production apparatus 1C according to the third modification described above in that the mixing device 18 is arranged downstream of the yarn feed roller 13 in the yarn running direction.

[0112] That is, in the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1E, the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11 is guided from the guide roller 36, which is arranged to the right of the outlet 30b of the thermal insulation box 30 and close to the wall 301 of the thermal insulation box 30, via the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13. In this case, as with the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1D of the fourth modified example, a yarn path guide 38 is arranged upstream of the guide roller 36 in the yarn running direction, and the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 is changed from the horizontal left-right direction to the horizontal front-back direction between the separating guide 11 and the yarn path guide 38. Note that the second group of yarns Y2 does not pass through any of the first heating rollers 31 to 33 or the second heating rollers 34, 35. Furthermore, in the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1E, before the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 are supplementarily mixed, the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 are guided to the yarn feed roller 13 as a combined set of yarns. In this respect, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1E of the fifth modified example differs from the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1B of the second modified example, and the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1D of the fourth modified example. However, even in the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1E of the fifth modified example, the first group yarn Y1 and the second group yarn Y2 are guided to the yarn feed roller 13 as a combined set of yarns. Therefore, like the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus 1E can suppress the swaying of the second group yarn Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13 by the first group yarn Y1, thereby reducing potential damage to the second group yarn Y2.

[0113] 8 showing the fifth modified example, similar to the fourth modified example, the guide roller 36, the yarn combination guide 20, and the yarn feed roller 13 may be disposed in the same positions as the guide roller 37, the yarn combination guide 20, and the yarn feed roller 13 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3(A) to 3(D). By doing so, the lower of the two angles sandwiched between the yarn path of the second group of yarns Y2 from the guide roller 36 to the yarn combination guide 20 and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide 20 to the yarn feed roller 13 can be set to 180±30° in a front view. In other words, although a sufficient distance cannot be secured to change the arrangement direction of the second group of yarns Y2 separated by the separating guide 11, it is possible to suppress the yarn sway of the second group of yarns Y2 on the yarn feed roller 13 and reduce damage that may be inflicted on the first group of yarns Y1 and the second group of yarns Y2, particularly at the yarn combination guide 20. In addition, there is little risk that the first group of yarns Y1 led out from the lead-out port 30b will interfere with the thermal insulation box 30.

[0114] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 blended yarn manufacturing device 2 spinning machine 11 fiber separating guide 12 first yarn feed roller 13 second yarn feed roller 16 interlace 18 blending device 20 yarn combination guide 30 heat insulation box 30a inlet 30b outlet 31-33 first heating roller 34, 35 second heating roller 36 first guide roller 37 second guide roller 301 wall Y yarn Y1 first group of yarn Y2 second group of yarn Y3 blended yarn

Claims

1. A mixed yarn manufacturing device that produces a mixed yarn by mixing a first group of yarns and a second group of yarns from a plurality of yarns spun from a spinning machine, after performing different processes on the first group of yarns and the second group of yarns, the mixed yarn comprising: a separating guide that separates the plurality of yarns into the first group of yarns and the second group of yarns; a first heating roller that heats the first group of yarns separated by the separating guide; a second heating roller that is positioned downstream of the first heating roller in the yarn running direction and stretches and heat-sets the first group of yarns between the first heating roller; an insulating box that houses the first heating roller and the second heating roller and has a first opening formed in the lower part of its wall and a second opening formed in the upper part of its wall; and a first yarn feed roller that feeds the first group of yarns separated by the separating guide into the insulating box through the first opening. a second yarn feed roller that guides the first group of yarns that entered the thermal insulation box from the first opening, passed through the first heating roller and the second heating roller, and were then guided out of the thermal insulation box from the second opening; a guide roller that guides the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide to the second yarn feed roller without passing through either the first heating roller or the second heating roller; a yarn doubling device that is disposed downstream in the yarn running direction of the second yarn feed roller and that doubling the first group of yarns with the second group of yarns; and a yarn mixing device that is disposed upstream in the yarn running direction of the doubling device and that auxiliary doubling the first group of yarns with the second group of yarns. a yarn combination guide, which is arranged downstream in the yarn running direction of both the second heating roller and the guide roller and upstream in the yarn running direction of both the mixing device and the second yarn feed roller, and has a plurality of guide sections along the axial direction of the second yarn feed roller that combine and guide the first group of yarns that have been drawn and heat-set and the second group of yarns that have not been drawn and heat-set.

2. The mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide roller is positioned so that the lower angle between the yarn path of the second group of yarns from the guide roller to the yarn combination guide and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide to the second yarn feed roller is 180±30°.

3. The mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mixed yarn device is arranged upstream of the second yarn feed roller in the yarn running direction, and is configured to additionally combine the combined first group of yarns and the second group of yarns, and guide the additionally combined yarn to the second yarn feed roller.

4. A mixed yarn manufacturing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the multiple yarns spun from the spinning machine are arranged along a single horizontal direction, and the separating guide is arranged along the single horizontal direction, the second yarn feed roller is arranged so that its axial direction is horizontal and perpendicular to the single direction, and the guide roller is a first guide roller arranged so that its axial direction is parallel to the second yarn feed roller, and which guides the second group of yarns separated by the separating guide while changing its arrangement direction, and a second guide roller arranged downstream of the first guide roller in the yarn running direction and above the first guide roller, so that its axial direction is parallel to that of the first guide roller.

5. The mixed yarn manufacturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second guide roller, the second yarn feed roller, and the yarn combination guide are arranged so that the upper angle of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the first group of yarns from the roller most downstream in the yarn running direction of the first group of yarns to the yarn combination guide and the yarn path from the combination guide to the second yarn feed roller is 180±30° (upper and lower limits included), and the lower angle of the two angles formed by the yarn path of the second group of yarns from the second guide roller to the yarn combination guide and the yarn path from the yarn combination guide to the second yarn feed roller is 180±30° (upper and lower limits included).

6. A mixed fiber yarn manufacturing apparatus as described in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the second guide roller is positioned so that the second group of yarns guided by the second yarn feed roller are lower than the first group of yarns guided by the second yarn feed roller.

7. A mixed fiber yarn manufacturing apparatus as described in any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the first guide roller and the second guide roller are arranged in the vertical direction along the wall of the heat-insulating box.

8. A mixed fiber yarn manufacturing apparatus as described in any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that the first guide roller and the second guide roller are arranged outside the heat-insulating box, and the second group of yarns separated by the fiber-separating guide are guided to the second yarn feed roller without entering the heat-insulating box.

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