Loom Shuttle Dual Trajectory for Tubular Fabric Weaving
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for weaving seamless tubular fabrics with high density and fragile fibers face challenges due to excessive friction and thread deterioration, making it difficult to produce fabrics suitable for medical applications like stents, where delicate yarns are prone to degradation.
Innovation Solution
A loom system that uses a shuttle to operate on two parallel trajectories, allowing warp threads to be positioned in up, down, or median positions, minimizing thread crossings and friction, and employing two shuttles for efficient weft thread insertion in a spiral or double helix manner, reducing friction and optimizing weaving efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional shuttle weaving machine is used to weave tubular fabrics, then the weft thread can be inserted continuously, but the warp threads experience excessive friction and deterioration due to repeated up-down movements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the warp threads into three distinct groups (first, second, and third warp threads) with different positional states (up, down, and median positions). This segmentation allows different threads to experience different levels of friction and movement, protecting delicate yarns from excessive wear while maintaining weaving continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a median position for warp threads, creating a three-dimensional positional state system rather than the conventional two-position (up/down) system. This additional dimension allows threads to remain stationary or move minimally during certain phases of the weaving cycle, reducing friction and preserving thread integrity.
2Productivity
If warp threads are moved up and down at every shuttle passage to form sheds, then the weaving process can continue uninterrupted, but friction increases and delicate yarns deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements dynamic positional control of warp threads, where threads can be positioned in up, down, or median states based on the current weaving phase. This dynamic positioning system allows the weaving process to maintain continuity while minimizing unnecessary thread movements and friction during specific operational cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
Different groups of warp threads are assigned different positional states and movement characteristics tailored to their specific roles in the weaving process. First warp threads follow one pattern, second warp threads follow another, and third warp threads follow a third pattern, optimizing each local group's behavior to reduce overall friction while maintaining productivity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a single shuttle operates through a single shed trajectory, then the structure is simple, but seamless tubular fabrics cannot be produced
Solution Approach 1:
The shuttle system is designed to perform multiple functions by operating through different trajectories (first and second sheds) and executing various movement patterns (right and left translations). This multi-functional capability allows a single shuttle system to produce different fabric types including seamless tubular fabrics, eliminating the need for multiple specialized shuttle systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The shuttle operation is extended into a third dimension by introducing vertical movement between different shed levels. The shuttle can move through first sheds at one vertical level and second sheds at another level, creating complex three-dimensional weaving paths that enable seamless tubular fabric production while maintaining a single shuttle system.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a loom and a method for weaving multilayer or tubular fabrics. The loom is arranged such that a shuttle for inserting a weft thread in between warp threads can operate a right and a left translation along two distinct lines. The shuttle thereby describes a circular movement, the warp threads are spread over three lines, thereby minimizing the friction between threads during the operations. The loom comprises means to displace the shuttle from one operating line to the other, by either rotating or translating the shuttle. To improve the production, two shuttles can operate at the same time.