Compound Needle With Edged Sliding Channel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compound needles for stitch-forming machines, such as knitting machines, face issues with stability and functionality due to large bend radii and low slide height, which affect the precision and security of the slide guidance, and previous solutions have not been widely adopted for long needles.
Innovation Solution
A compound needle design featuring a slide channel delimited by two side walls with reduced thickness at the upper edge, allowing for a smaller bending radius and increased slide height, enabling precise and stable guidance, and optional connection methods for enhanced security and lubrication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the side walls of the slide channel have uniform thickness, then the manufacturing is simpler, but the bend radius is large which limits the slide height and reduces guidance precision
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls of the slide channel are designed with non-uniform thickness: the lower portion maintains greater thickness for structural strength, while the upper edge has reduced thickness to enable small bend radius curving. This local variation in thickness allows the slide channel to achieve precise rectangular geometry with small bend radii at the top, improving slide guidance precision without compromising overall structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The side wall structure is segmented into different thickness zones along its height. The upper edge region is separated from the lower body, allowing independent optimization of each zone's function - the upper thin edge for precise bending and guidance, and the lower thick portion for structural support
2Reliability
If the slide channel is closed at the top with uniform thickness walls, then the slide is contained securely, but the rounded top surface causes the slide to jam
Solution Approach 1:
The upper edge of the side walls is designed with reduced thickness specifically at the closing region, creating a sharp, well-defined closure edge rather than a rounded surface. This local thinning allows the slide to be contained securely while maintaining a sharp closure that prevents jamming, as the reduced thickness enables a smaller bend radius that creates a cleaner closure geometry
3Length of moving object
If the slide channel is left open at the top to accommodate the slide, then the slide height can be increased, but the slide can fall out when the needle is inserted or removed
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are designed with reduced thickness specifically at the upper edge where the closure is needed, while maintaining adequate thickness in the lower and middle portions. This localized thinning allows the upper edges to be curved with small bend radii to create a precise closure that retains the slide, while the overall slide channel remains open enough to accommodate high slides
4Manufacturing precision
If the side walls are bent with small bending radius, then the slide channel becomes rectangular and guidance improves, but the manufacturing force required increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side walls are designed with reduced thickness at the upper edges specifically where bending is required. This local thinning reduces the bending stiffness in the critical closure region, allowing the walls to be bent with small radii to create precise rectangular geometry while requiring less manufacturing force, as the thinner material is more compliant during forming
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~7
AI summary
Compound needle (1) comprises side walls (8, 9) having a reduced thickness on their bent edges (11, 12). Preferred Features: The edges together form a join (19) and overlap. The side walls have steps (13, 14) on which the thickness of the side walls are reduced to a lower thickness of the edges. The steps are formed on the side of the side walls facing the sliding channel (5).