Flatbed Knitting Machine Sinker Device Height Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In flatbed knitting machines, the arrangement of movable and fixed sinkers between knitting needles poses challenges in maintaining evenness of fabric quality and requires increased height for sinker jack operation, especially when using movable sinkers biased by springs.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a movable sinker accommodated in a thin thickness part on the needle plate, supported by a rocking support part and driven by a sinker jack with a wide width part that allows lateral movement, eliminating the need for a spacer above the knitting needle and preventing height increase by using the sinker jack's drive part to drive the movable sinker from the side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a movable sinker biased by a spring is used to press down stitches, then the stitch pressing function is improved, but the position stability during stitch decision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sinker is divided into two distinct parts: a movable sinker (10) responsible for pressing down stitches and a fixed sinker (12) responsible for stitch decision. The movable sinker can rock between close and open states to press stitches reliably, while the fixed sinker remains stationary to ensure accurate stitch decision positioning, thus resolving the contradiction between pressing reliability and position accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a single sinker that performs both pressing and stitch decision functions, the invention inverts the approach by using a fixed sinker for stitch decision and a movable sinker for pressing. This inversion allows each component to specialize in one function, eliminating the position stability issue that would arise from a movable sinker attempting to perform stitch decision.
2Length of stationary object
If a movable sinker is accommodated in a thin thickness part on the needle plate, then the machine height is reduced, but the space for sinker jack operation becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The sinker jack (11) is designed with a wide width part (11a) that extends laterally, allowing it to operate within the limited vertical space of the thin thickness part while providing sufficient operational space. The drive part (11c) is positioned to drive the movable sinker from the side rather than from above, utilizing lateral space to achieve the pressing function without increasing machine height.
Solution Approach 2:
The sinker jack is designed to dynamically adjust its position and orientation. The wide width part can extend laterally when needed for operation, and the drive part can position itself optimally to drive the movable sinker. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain low height while providing adequate operation space when required.
3Device complexity
If the sinker jack drive part drives the movable sinker from the upper side, then the driving function is simplified, but the machine height increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of driving the movable sinker from the upper side (vertical direction), the drive part (11c) is positioned to drive the movable sinker from the side (lateral direction). This inversion of the driving direction allows the system to maintain low height while still achieving effective driving of the movable sinker between close and open states.
Solution Approach 2:
The driving action is transitioned from the vertical dimension to the lateral dimension. The drive part operates in the lateral space provided by the wide width part, pushing or pulling the movable sinker horizontally rather than vertically. This dimensional change enables low-height operation while maintaining driving effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This arrangement ensures appropriate space for both movable and fixed sinkers between knitting needles without increasing the machine's height, allowing for reliable operation and improved fabric evenness by preventing stitch lifting and maintaining accurate stitch formation.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (13) biases the function arm (10b) in a rocking direction to advance in the needle bed gap so that the yarn receive part (10d) is capable of pressing a stitch
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
[Problem to be solved] To provide a flatbed knitting machine equipped with sinker devices capable of ensuring an appropriate arrangement space without increasing a height even when a movable sinker biased by a spring is arranged with a fixed sinker in a space between knitting needles. [Solution] A movable sinker 10 and a fixed sinker 12 are arranged between knitting needles. A spring 13 biases the movable sinker 10 and a side surface thereof is supported by a leading end part 11d of a sinker jack 11. The movable sinker 10 is driven by the sinker jack 11 from a lateral side and a lower portion of a thin thickness part 7a provided on needle plate 7 is positioned at a vicinity of a bottom part of a needle groove for accommodating the knitting needle, thereby preventing the need of increasing the height of the sinker device. The sinker jack 11 is also used for pressing the movable sinker 10 from the side surface at the side of the needle groove so as to ensure an appropriate arrangement space.