Comber Nipper Shaft Dual-End Drive for Sliver Quality
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combers experience variations in sliver quality due to differences in torsion angles and resonance frequencies of shafts, leading to deteriorated yarn quality, especially at high speeds.
Innovation Solution
The comber design features combing heads arranged along a longitudinal direction with common drive shafts, where at least the nipper shaft is driven at both axial ends by drive portions, reducing torsion and resonance frequency variations, and incorporating servomotors for independent control of detaching roller shafts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the comber operates at high speed to increase productivity, then productivity is improved, but variation in sliver quality deteriorates due to differences in torsion angles and resonance frequencies of shafts
Solution Approach 1:
The comber is divided into multiple independent combing heads (typically 8), each with its own drive shaft and combing mechanism. This segmentation allows each combing head to operate independently while maintaining consistent performance, reducing the impact of torsion variations on overall sliver quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the drive shaft parameters including length, diameter, and material properties to control torsion angles within acceptable ranges during high-speed operation. By carefully selecting and adjusting these parameters, the system maintains manufacturing precision while operating at higher speeds for improved productivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the shaft length is reduced to half to reduce lot size and improve adaptability, then adaptability is improved, but the structural complexity increases due to additional drive portions
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system is segmented into multiple drive portions, each responsible for driving a specific section of the combing heads. This segmentation enables independent adjustment of each section, allowing for flexible lot size changes while maintaining manageable structural complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive portions are designed with universal characteristics, where each drive portion can serve multiple combing heads or sections. This multi-functionality reduces the overall complexity by using standardized, interchangeable components rather than custom-designed drive systems for each configuration.
3Device complexity
If one end of the shaft is driven to simplify the drive system, then device complexity is reduced, but resonance frequency decreases leading to sliver quality deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the drive system have different drive configurations optimized for their specific functions. Critical sections where torsion control is most important for sliver quality are driven at both ends to maintain higher resonance frequencies, while less critical sections use simpler single-end drive arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adjusts shaft parameters such as diameter, wall thickness, and material selection to optimize the balance between structural simplicity and resonance frequency. By changing these parameters, the system achieves adequate sliver quality with simplified drive configurations in non-critical areas.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A comber includes combing heads arranged along a longitudinal direction of a comber, and drive shafts common to the combing heads. The drive shafts include a main drive shaft driven by a main motor. At least a nipper shaft among the drive shafts is driven at both axial end portions by a pair of drive portions to which drive force is transmitted from the main drive shaft.