Compound Needle Slider Crimping Fixation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing compound needles in flat knitting machines face issues with the loose fixation of sliders due to incomplete deformation of the second slider's material during crimping, leading to potential disconnection under applied moments.

Innovation Solution

The design includes a slider body with a fitting groove where both inner and outer blades are laminar, with exposed regions allowing for crimping to directly fix both blades to the slider body, ensuring both blades are rigidly attached through crimping, preventing loosening over time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If two laminar members are laid overlapping each other in the longitudinal groove, then the slider structure is formed, but the fixed portion becomes loose with time due to incomplete crimping action on both members

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefixation stabilityVSAvoidconnection rigidity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The first slider is divided into two laminar members (first and second laminar members) that are laid overlapping each other. This segmentation allows the crimping action to affect both members differently, with the first member being directly fixed to the slider body while the second member is indirectly fixed through the first member, ensuring comprehensive fixation of the entire assembly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The two laminar members are nested within the longitudinal groove of the slider body, with the second laminar member positioned on the bottom side and the first laminar member positioned on the opening side, both fitting into the same groove space. This nested arrangement allows efficient use of space while enabling differential fixation through the crimping process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Strength

If crimping is applied to fix the first slider and second slider, then connection is achieved, but the constituent material only acts on one laminar member leaving the other unfixed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebond strengthVSAvoidfixation completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The first laminar member acts as an intermediary between the crimping force and the second laminar member. The crimping action directly fixes the first member to the slider body, and through this intermediary connection, the second member is indirectly fixed. This intermediary mechanism ensures that both members are securely attached even though the crimping force is applied at a single location

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If the laminar member on the bottom side is not directly fixed, then assembly is simplified, but the slider components become loose under applied moment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidresistance to moment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The second laminar member is preliminarily positioned on the bottom side of the longitudinal groove before the crimping operation. This preliminary positioning ensures that when crimping is applied to the first member, the second member is already in place and will be indirectly fixed through the connection between the first member and the slider body, preventing loosening under applied moments

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enhances the rigidity and stability of the slider-body connection, preventing loosening even under continuous moments, by ensuring the crimped material covers and supports both blades, thus maintaining the compound needle's functionality.

Implementation Method 1

The fixation of the first slider and the second slider using crimping is realized by plastically deforming the constituent material of the second slider at a boundary portion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentEP3498903B1Compound needle
Publication Date: 2022.05.18 SHIMA SEIKI MFG LTD
  • EP3498903B1 patent drawingFigure 1(A)~1(B)
  • EP3498903B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3498903B1 patent drawingFigure 3(A)~3(B)

AI summary

Provided is a compound needle in which a connected portion of a slider having two blades laid overlapping each other is rigidly fixed. A compound needle (1α) includes a needle body (2) that has a hook (20), and a slider (3) configured to move relative to the needle body (2) to open and close the hook (20) . The slider (3) includes a slider body (4) that has a fitting groove (41), an inner blade (5) that is laminar, and has an inner fitting region (50) that is fitted into the fitting groove (41) and is positioned on a bottom (41b) side of the fitting groove (41), an outer blade (6) that is laminar, and has an outer fitting region (60) that is fitted into the fitting groove (41) and is positioned on an opening (41o) side of the fitting groove (41), the outer blade (6) being laid overlapping a surface of the inner blade (5) with part of a surface of the inner fitting region (50) exposed to the outside, and a crimped portion (7) that is constituted by a constituent material of the slider body (4) that was plastically deformed through crimping. The crimped portion (7) includes an inner crimped portion (72) that covers at least part of the exposed part of the inner fitting region (50), and an outer crimped portion (71) that covers part of a surface of the outer fitting region (60).