Loom Piercing Needles Pivoting to Avoid Reed Disruption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing weaving machines face issues with reed disruption by eyelet needles, vibrations at high speeds, and mechanical loads, leading to web errors and inconsistent warp density, particularly when using multiple effect threads.
Innovation Solution
A drive concept for effect needles with stationary drives for both piercing and positioning, using toothed belts for rotary and linear movements, synchronized pivoting devices, and sensors for precise control, allowing for minimal space usage and reduced vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If piercing needles are arranged in a row close to the reed, then the weaving process can be compact, but the needles disrupt the reed and cause vibrations at high speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing needles are extracted from the traditional horizontal arrangement near the reed and repositioned to vertical supports located above the warp point. This spatial extraction removes the harmful interaction between needles and reed while maintaining the compact weaving process through vertical integration of the piercing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The piercing needles transition from a horizontal arrangement (parallel to reed movement) to a vertical arrangement (perpendicular to reed movement). This dimensional change allows the needles to operate in a different spatial plane that does not interfere with reed vibrations, eliminating the harmful interaction while preserving compactness.
2Volume of moving object
If the reed is positioned close to the warp point for compactness, then space is minimized, but the shed size becomes insufficient for weft and piercing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing operation moves from a horizontal plane near the reed to a vertical plane above the warp point. This dimensional shift allows the shed to expand vertically without requiring additional horizontal space, simultaneously achieving compactness and adequate shed size for both weft insertion and piercing operations.
3Speed
If linear motors are positioned on moving weaving elements for direct drive, then response speed is improved, but mechanical stresses and vibrations increase at high speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The linear motors are extracted from the moving piercing needle assembly and repositioned to stationary locations above the warp point. This separation maintains direct drive capability and fast response speed while eliminating the vibrations and mechanical stresses that would occur if motors were mounted on high-speed moving elements.
Solution Approach 2:
A stationary transmission mechanism acts as an intermediary between the stationary linear motors and the moving piercing needles. This intermediary transfers motion and force while isolating the motors from high-speed vibrations, allowing direct drive benefits without the harmful effects of mounting motors on moving parts.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple effect threads are incorporated using traditional heddle devices, then thread variety is increased, but the complexity of ensuring clean insertion and relieving stress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heddle device is segmented into individual heddle shafts, each dedicated to a specific effect thread. This segmentation allows each thread to be controlled independently with its own shedding mechanism, simplifying the insertion process for multiple threads while maintaining high versatility in thread variety and pattern complexity.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
To enable the use of multiple piercing tools (12) on a loom, multiple carriers (14, 14a) are proposed, arranged one behind the other above and across the warp threads (2) on the fabric take-up side and in the warp thread direction (20). Several piercing tools (12) are arranged side by side on each carrier (14, 14a). Each carrier (14, 14a) is assigned a rotary drive (16, 16a) fixed to the loom for lowering and raising the tool. Furthermore, each carrier (14, 14a) is assigned a linear drive (18, 18a) fixed to the loom for laterally displacing the carriers (14, 14a). By means of a pivoting device (24) the supports (14, 14a) can be pivoted upwards together in and against the warp thread direction (20) on a support pivot axis (26) so that they and the hole punchers (12) connected to them do not interfere with the reed at any time (1).