Flat Knitting Movable Sinker With Dynamic Path Shifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The limitation on the size and mounting position of the movable sinker in flatbed knitting machines restricts the moving stroke, leading to interference with other parts and limitations in fabric depression operations.
Innovation Solution
A flatbed knitting machine with a movable sinker that includes a passive region, an operative region with a moving arm, pressure-receiving portion, and an elastic piece, supported by a supporting mechanism and driven by a driving mechanism, allows the operative region to shift from a first path to a second path using a pressing means, enabling operation on stitches or fabrics without interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the movable sinker is increased in size or its mounting position is adjusted to increase the moving stroke, then the moving stroke is improved, but interference with other parts occurs and the path is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The operative portion of the movable sinker is designed to move along two different paths: a first path (arc-like pattern) for general movement, and a second path (more vertical direction) when pressing force is applied. This multi-path capability allows the operative portion to achieve a larger effective moving stroke in the vertical direction without increasing the overall size of the sinker or interfering with other machine parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable sinker incorporates an elastic piece that allows the operative portion to dynamically switch between following the first path (driven by the driving mechanism) and shifting to the second path (when pressed by pressing means). This dynamic adaptability enables the sinker to optimize its movement path based on operational requirements, achieving larger vertical displacement without structural modification.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the radius of rocking motion is reduced at the leading end portion to avoid interference, then interference is avoided, but the moving stroke is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The operative portion can switch from moving along the arc-like first path (with limited radius) to moving along the second path (more vertical) when pressing force is applied. This allows the leading end portion to achieve larger vertical displacement without requiring a larger rocking radius that would cause interference with other parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic piece acts as an intermediary between the driving mechanism and the operative portion, allowing the operative portion to deviate from the first path and follow the second path when pressed. This intermediary mechanism enables the leading end portion to achieve larger vertical movement without directly increasing the rocking radius.
3Ease of operation
If the movable sinker uses rocking motion with a defined rocking fulcrum, then the sinker can perform fabric depression, but the path is limited by the radius of rocking motion
Solution Approach 1:
The movable sinker is designed with dynamic path capability: the operative portion follows the first path during normal operation and shifts to the second path when pressing force is applied. This dynamic behavior enables effective fabric depression while achieving larger vertical moving stroke without changing the fundamental rocking motion mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement parameters of the operative portion are changed by introducing a second path with different geometric characteristics (more vertical) compared to the first path (arc-like). This parameter change allows the sinker to achieve larger vertical displacement for fabric depression while maintaining the rocking fulcrum-based driving mechanism.
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
The movable sinker can avoid limitations on the moving stroke by shifting to a second path, allowing for increased operational flexibility and avoiding interference with other machine parts, while maintaining effective fabric depression.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic piece connects the pressure-receiving portion and the operative portion to the moving arm, and is elastically deformed by the pressing force on the pressure-receiving portion
Data Source
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AI summary
[Problem] To provide a flatbed knitting machine including a movable sinker capable of avoiding limitation on a portion to perform operation on a stitch or fabric even if limitation is imposed on a moving stroke along a path for movement in a direction of advancing into and retreating from a needle bed gap, and to provide the movable sinker. [Means to Solution] In a movable sinker 1 indicated by solid lines, an operative region 4 has retreated from a needle bed gap 11 in response to pressing force on a passive arm 2a from a sinker cam 19. By reducing the pressing force on the passive arm 2a from the sinker cam 19, an operative region 4 of the movable sinker 1 is moved to a position indicated by dashed lines through biasing from a wire spring 1a. In the course of the movement, a pressing wire 16a presses a pressure-receiving portion 7 of the movable sinker 1 to change the positions and shapes of an operative portion 6, the pressure-receiving portion 7, a spring portion 8, and a regulating portion 9 into those indicated by dashed lines. Thus, even if a path of a moving arm 5 is limited, it is still possible to avoid limitation on a path of the operative portion 6 to perform operation on a stitch or fabric.