Circular Knitting Cam Device Self-Cleaning Through Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Circular knitting machines face issues with accumulation of fluff, dust, and dirt in support blocks and sinker cams, leading to increased friction, energy consumption, overheating, and frequent maintenance needs, which affect the quality of knitted fabric and machine reliability.
Innovation Solution
A support and control device with a through opening between its front and rear sides, allowing fluff and dust to be easily ejected outside, reducing accumulation and maintenance requirements, and featuring a removable cam body for flexible cam path definition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional support blocks and sinker cams are used in circular knitting machines, then the machine can operate and produce knitted fabric, but fluff, dust, and dirt accumulate in the support blocks and cam paths, leading to increased friction and energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful accumulation zone by creating a through-opening that separates the cam path from the enclosed support block structure. This allows fluff and dust to be removed from the friction zone, directly addressing the energy loss problem while maintaining continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the harmful accumulation of fluff into a beneficial self-cleaning mechanism. The through-opening allows accumulated fluff to be ejected by the motion of needles and sinkers themselves, transforming the harmful friction-causing accumulation into a self-venting system that maintains low energy consumption
2Strength
If traditional enclosed support blocks are used, then structural support is provided, but fluff and dust accumulate inside, requiring frequent maintenance and cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the support block structure by introducing a through-opening that divides the enclosed space into accessible regions. This segmentation allows the cam path to remain structurally supported while enabling easy access for maintenance and cleaning operations without compromising overall structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The through-opening enables the system to self-clean by allowing fluff and dust to be ejected naturally through the opening during normal machine operation. The motion of needles and sinkers creates airflow and mechanical action that propels contaminants out through the opening, reducing maintenance frequency while preserving structural support
3Reliability
If fluff and dust accumulate in the cam paths, then friction increases between cam surfaces and needle butts, but the machine continues to operate, resulting in overheating and reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts contaminants from the harmful friction zone by providing a through-opening that allows fluff and dust to be removed from the cam path area. This directly eliminates the source of friction and overheating while maintaining reliable operation
Solution Approach 2:
The through-opening provides preliminary prevention against friction and overheating by allowing continuous ejection of fluff and dust before they can accumulate to harmful levels. This proactive design prevents the development of excessive friction and heat, maintaining reliability without requiring reactive maintenance interventions
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional machined support blocks are used, then cams can be mounted in fixed positions, but the structure accumulates dirt and requires complex disassembly for cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the support block to include a through-opening that creates accessible zones. This segmentation maintains the manufactured cam mounting capability while dramatically simplifying cleaning operations, as the opening provides direct access to internal surfaces without requiring complete disassembly of the support block structure
Data Source
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AI summary
A support and control device (1), intended to be mounted in a circular knitting machine provided with a supporting structure, a rotating component-holding unit, and a plurality of stitch formation components (2), comprising a support body (6) provided with a mounting portion (50), which allows the device to be mounted to the supporting structure, with a front side (10) and a rear side (20). The front side faces the component-holding unit and is provided with at least one cam (11) for controlling the plurality of stitch formation components, which defines a guiding path (12) which interacts with respective butts (3) for controlling each of the stitch formation components; the rear side is opposite to the front side and faces the outside of the knitting machine. The front side is without undercuts or holes or hollow surfaces facing said needle-holding unit.