Guide Beam Loom Layout for Collision-Free Complex Shed Formation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing looms lack flexibility and mobility in the movement of hooks and guide trees, leading to potential collisions and limitations in shed formation.

Innovation Solution

The loom design incorporates guide trees with varying distances along warp threads, rotatable guide trees, and movable hooks, allowing for greater depth and width of shed movement, with features like bores and slots for precise hook positioning and enhanced mobility of guide tree segments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If hooks and guide trees are made movable to increase flexibility in shed formation, then the ability to form complex sheds (diamond-shaped compartments) is improved, but the risk of collision between opposing guide trees increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in shed formationVSAvoidcollision avoidance
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide trees are divided into multiple guide tree segments that can move independently. Each segment is equipped with its own drive mechanism, allowing precise control of individual segments to form complex sheds while avoiding collisions between opposing guide trees through coordinated independent movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide tree segments are made dynamically movable along the warp threads and rotatable about their longitudinal axes. The drive mechanisms enable continuous adjustment of segment positions and orientations, allowing the system to adapt to different shed configurations while maintaining collision avoidance through real-time position control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If guide trees are made rotatable and segments are made individually movable, then the depth and width of shed movement are increased, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedepth and width of shed movementVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the guide trees into multiple independently controllable units, each with simplified drive mechanisms for movement along warp threads and rotation, the overall system achieves greater depth and width of shed movement while keeping individual component complexity manageable through modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The guide tree segments are designed with universal drive mechanisms that perform multiple functions: moving segments along warp threads, rotating segments about longitudinal axes, and coordinating movements to form various shed configurations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized mechanisms for each movement type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Shape

If the guide trees are moved closer together to form closed diamond-shaped compartments, then the shed width is increased, but the space for weft thread insertion is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshed widthVSAvoidweft thread insertion
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The guide tree segments are dynamically positioned to first form the closed diamond-shaped compartment for increased shed width, then opened sufficiently to allow weft thread insertion. The drive mechanisms enable this dynamic transition between compact and open configurations, maintaining both large shed width and adequate insertion space throughout the weaving cycle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4426885B1Loom and guide beam
Publication Date: 2025.11.05 CASTENS SYBILLE
  • EP4426885B1 patent drawingFigure 1a
  • EP4426885B1 patent drawingFigure 1b
  • EP4426885B1 patent drawingFigure 2a

AI summary

The invention relates to a loom (20) having two guide beams (22a, 22b), which are movable relative to each other, for warp threads (31a to 35b) to be guided to a cloth beam (28), wherein the guide beams (22a, 22b) with the warp threads (31a to 35b) can optionally form an open V-shed or a closed shed for receiving weft threads, and wherein the guide beams (22a, 22b) are fitted with hooks (23a to 27b), in which the warp threads (31a to 35b) are guided. According to the invention, at least one of the following features is provided: a) the two guide beams (22a, 22b) are at different distances from the cloth beam (28) along the warp threads (31a to 35b); b) at least one hook (23a to 27b) is movable relative to its guide beam (22a, 22b); c) at least one guide beam (22a, 22b) is rotatable; d) at least one guide beam (22a, 22b) is movable in the direction toward the cloth beam (28) and back with a movement component.