Circular Knitting Machine Width-Variable Web Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Open-type circular knitting machines face challenges in uniformly taking down and collecting width-variable web productions due to irregular selvedge development, leading to non-uniform fabric rolls with curled and piled-up edges, which hinder further processing and utilization of the fabric.
Innovation Solution
The machine incorporates a take-down and collecting assembly with adjustable cutting devices that precisely cut selvedges and yarns, ensuring uniform fabric collection by centering the assembly with respect to the dead zone and using rotating cutting elements to maintain fabric tension, allowing for accurate cutting and stretching of the fabric before winding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If open-type circular knitting machines produce width-variable web productions, then fabric width adaptability is improved, but selvedge uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the take-down and collecting assembly adjustable in its angular position relative to the needle-holding element. This allows the assembly to be repositioned according to the number of active needles, enabling the machine to adapt to different fabric widths while maintaining proper alignment and selvedge uniformity throughout the production process
2Ease of manufacture
If selvedges are allowed to develop naturally during open web production, then production simplicity is improved, but fabric roll uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by cutting the selvedges during the fabric production process itself, before the fabric is wound into rolls. This preliminary cutting prevents the selvedges from curling and piling up during subsequent handling and rolling operations, ensuring uniform fabric rolls without requiring complex post-processing operations
3Manufacturing precision
If cutting devices are added to remove selvedges, then fabric quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by integrating the cutting devices directly into the take-down and collecting assembly. This combination allows the cutting function to be performed using the existing rotational movement and structural components of the assembly, thereby improving fabric quality through selvedge removal while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
An open-type circular knitting machine (1) for the open and width-variable web production with a knitted fabric take-down and/or collecting assembly, comprising: a basement (3), a knitting head (4) and a take-down and/or collecting assembly (2) for the knitted fabric (T). The knitting head is equipped with a needle-holding element (5) having at least a plurality of needles (6, 7) arranged around a central axis (X-X); a first active needle (6a, 7a) and a last active needle (6b, 7b, 6b', 7b') delimit between them a dead zone (11) of the needle-holding element (5) without needles and/or without active needles, and an operating zone (10) shaped as an arc of circle and provided with active needles. The knitting head is equipped with control means operatively connected at least to the active needles so as to selectively actuate them in order to produce an open knitted fabric (T) extending longitudinally in a continuous manner between two side edges making up two selvedges of the knitted fabric. The take-down and/or collecting assembly is arranged downstream from the knitting head (4) with respect to a feeding direction of said knitted fabric (T) under production, and is configured for rotating integral or coordinated with said needle-holding element (5) during the production of the knitted fabric. The knitting machine further comprises at least a first cutting device (70), configured for progressively cutting and/or trimming the produced knitted fabric.