Knitting Needle Butt Geometry for Low-Wear Cam Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing knitting machine needles experience excessive wear at the butt edges due to point-shaped contact with the cam assembly, leading to material erosion and operational issues, particularly in circular knitting machines.
Innovation Solution
The system component features a butt with edges inclined at an obtuse angle to the side surfaces, allowing for a line-type or strip-shaped contact with the cam assembly, and includes thickened areas on the narrow sides to increase the contact area and reduce wear, while maintaining alignment and reinforcing the butt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the knitting machine needle uses a conventional butt design with edges perpendicular to the side surfaces, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the contact with the cam assembly is point-shaped causing excessive wear and material erosion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating thickened areas at specific locations on the butt (along the narrow sides) to increase contact area where wear occurs, while maintaining the original simple geometry in other regions. This localized modification targets the wear problem without unnecessarily complicating the entire butt structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from point-shaped contact (zero-dimensional contact) to line-type or strip-shaped contact (one-dimensional contact) by inclining the edges and adding thickened areas. This dimensional change in the contact interface significantly increases the contact area and distributes the load, reducing wear while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Reliability
If the butt edges are inclined at an obtuse angle to the side surfaces to create line-type contact, then wear is reduced and lubricating films are protected, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the butt by inclining the edges at a specific obtuse angle (between 90° and 180°, preferably 100° to 150°) relative to the side surfaces. This parameter change transforms the contact from point-shaped to line-type, protecting lubricating films while the specific angle range provides a practical balance between performance and manufacturability.
3Reliability
If thickened areas are added to the butt to increase contact area, then wear is reduced and stress is distributed evenly, but the knitting tool weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thickened areas are localized to specific regions on the butt where contact with the cam assembly occurs, rather than uniformly thickening the entire butt. This localized approach increases contact area and improves stress distribution while minimizing the additional weight compared to a uniform thickening design.
Solution Approach 2:
The thickened areas extend slightly beyond the minimum required for optimal contact area, ensuring adequate stress distribution and wear protection. This partial excessive action provides a margin of safety and durability while keeping the weight increase acceptable for the overall needle assembly.
Data Source
AI summary
A system component (1) for a knitting system is composed of a body (3) with butt (18), which projects outward from the narrow side (16) of the body (3). According to a first advantageous embodiment of the invention, the butt (18) is positioned inclined or at an angle to the body (3). A corresponding bending line extends in longitudinal or movement direction of the body (3). The angle (α) is thus defined in an imaginary plane (E) that intersects the body (3) in transverse direction. As a result of this measure, the butt (18) can also be adjusted relatively precisely at a right angle to the cam movement if the system component (1) along with it the body (3) is arranged somewhat inclined inside a corresponding guide slot (4) of a bed (5), wherein the angle α then compensates for the tilting. A line-type contact between the butt (18) and the guide track (7) is achieved, which reduces wear. Supplementary or alternatively thereto, the butt (18) is provided with thickened areas (29, 30) along its edges (19, 20), which also function to reduce wear.