Cylinder Dial Knitting Machine Multi-Color Feeder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current circular knitting machines using yarn-dyed jacquard for double-knitted fabrics result in fabrics that do not meet commercial requirements in terms of weight and thickness, as they require multiple feeders for multi-color designs, leading to excessive weight and thickness.
Innovation Solution
A cylinder and dial knitting machine with at least one feeder for each yarn, upper and lower needle cams, and a selector that controls the lower needles to interlace yarns at a narrowing point, allowing for standard or interchanged looping to achieve multi-color jacquard patterns with lighter and thinner fabrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple feeders are used for multi-color yarn-dyed jacquard, then color variety is improved, but fabric weight and thickness increase excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple yarn feeding functions into a single feeder by enabling it to feed multiple different colored yarns sequentially. This consolidation maintains the multi-color jacquard capability while reducing the overall fabric weight and thickness that would result from using multiple separate feeders for each color.
Solution Approach 2:
The feeder is designed with multi-functionality to handle multiple yarn types and colors through a single device. This universal feeder can switch between different colored yarns, eliminating the need for dedicated feeders for each color and thereby reducing fabric weight while maintaining color variety.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple feeders are used for multi-color yarn-dyed jacquard, then color variety is improved, but fabric thickness increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple yarn feeding capabilities into one feeder, the patent reduces the cumulative thickness that would arise from stacking multiple feeder mechanisms and their associated yarn paths, thereby achieving multi-color jacquard without excessive fabric thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The universal feeder design allows a single feeding mechanism to service multiple yarn colors, reducing the overall structural thickness of the knitting system and the resulting fabric compared to having separate feeders for each color.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional circular knitting machine structure is used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but fabric weight and thickness cannot meet commercial requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic control into the conventional knitting machine by enabling the feeder to dynamically switch between different colored yarns and by implementing selectable needle states (standard vs. interchanged plating). This dynamic capability allows precise control over fabric weight and thickness while maintaining relatively simple manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes key operational parameters including the introduction of two narrowing states for lower needles (standard and interchanged plating), variable yarn feeding paths, and controllable hooking point positions. These parameter changes enable precise control of fabric weight and thickness without fundamentally complicating the manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
A cylinder and dial knitting machine includes a knitting gap, at least one feeder for feeding two yarns into the knitting gap, a plurality of upper needles, a plurality of lower needles, and a selector. The two yarns are interlaced at a narrowing point in the knitting gap. Each of the lower needles is controlled by the selector to have two narrowing states. Each of the lower needles has a hooking point in each of the two narrowing states. Two hooking points have different positions at the knitting gap, and the two hooking points have different distances to the narrowing point. Each of the lower needles is hooked at the two yarns at one of the two hooking points. Each of the plurality of lower needle determines the looping process is standard plating or interchanged plating in accordance with the relative positions of the two yarns.