Circular Knitting Machine Movable Heel Cam Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Double-cylinder and single-cylinder circular knitting machines for hosiery have complex structures due to movable cams, which increase the risk of mechanical failure and require complex electronic programs to manage cam positions during power interruptions, complicating the production process.
Innovation Solution
A circular knitting machine design that reduces or eliminates movable cams by using fixed cams and a movable heel mechanism, allowing the needle actuation elements to switch between active and inactive positions to engage or disengage with fixed cams, thereby simplifying the actuation system while maintaining the ability to perform various types of knitting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If movable cams are used to vary knitting paths, then the machine can perform various types of knitting, but the structural complexity increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the heel of the actuation element movable rather than fixed. The heel can move between an active position where it engages the cam to define a knitting path, and an inactive position where it disengages. This dynamic positioning allows the same fixed cam structure to produce multiple knitting paths without requiring multiple fixed cams or complex movable cam mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the cam movable to change paths (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by keeping the cam fixed and making the heel movable. This inversion simplifies the overall structure while achieving the same functional result of varying knitting paths through the movement of the heel between engagement and disengagement positions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If movable cams with actuators are provided, then various knitting types can be produced, but the complexity of electronic programs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic heel mechanism eliminates the need for complex electronic control programs to manage movable cam positions. The heel's movement between active and inactive positions is mechanically simple and does not require sophisticated electronic programming to track and control multiple movable cam states, thereby reducing electronic program complexity while maintaining knitting variety.
3Adaptability or versatility
If movable cams are used, then knitting paths can be varied, but the risk of mechanical failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the conventional approach and keeping the cam fixed while making only the small heel component movable, the patent dramatically reduces the mechanical complexity and failure risk. The fixed cam structure eliminates wear and alignment issues associated with movable cams, while the small movable heel has minimal impact on overall system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the movable function from the cam itself and applies it only to the heel component. This separation allows the cam to remain simple and reliable while still achieving path variation through the heel's movement, thereby reducing the mechanical failure risk associated with complex movable cam systems.
4Adaptability or versatility
If movable cams are provided, then knitting variety is achieved, but the production process becomes more complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic heel mechanism simplifies manufacturing compared to producing multiple fixed cams or complex movable cam assemblies. The fixed cam structure requires standard machining operations, and the movable heel is a simple component that can be easily integrated, thereby reducing production complexity while maintaining knitting variety.
Data Source
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AI summary
A circular knitting machine for hosiery or the like, which comprises at least one needle cylinder which has a vertical axis and on the lateral surface of which there are axial slots. Each of these axial slots accommodates a needle (106) and an actuation element (110) for the needle (106) which can engage, with one of its ends, the needle (106) arranged in the same axial slot. The needle (106) or the actuation element (110) is provided with a fixed heel (103 a), which protrudes radially from the axial slot, and a movable heel (104a) which can be extracted radially on command from the axial slot. Actuation cams are arranged around the needle cylinder and can be engaged by the fixed heels (103 a) and by the movable heels (104a) in the extracted position. The machine can perform the usual knitting of known types of machine despite having an actuation cam set which has an extremely small number of actuation cams which can move for activation or deactivation, or none at all.