Modular Roving Frame with Inter-Module Passageways

Solution Overview

Problem

Roving frames with a high number of spindles become excessively long, causing operators to waste time traversing the machine to reach distant areas, such as the rear where cans and creels are located, leading to inefficiencies in operation.

Innovation Solution

The roving frame is divided into multiple modules aligned along a longitudinal direction, with passageways between them, allowing operators to move through these passageways, which are partly excavated below the ground plane, to access the rear area from the front, facilitating easier access and reducing travel distance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the roving frame is designed with a high number of spindles to maximize performance and reduce plant dimensions, then the productivity and space utilization are improved, but the machine length increases causing operators to waste time traversing to reach distant areas

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of spindlesVSAvoidoperator travel time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The roving frame is divided into multiple independent modules (first module, second module, third module, fourth module) arranged along the longitudinal direction. Each module contains a subset of spindles and associated components, allowing the machine to maintain high spindle capacity while reducing the operational distance operators must traverse by accessing different modules through intermediate passageways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Passageways are created not only at the ends of the machine but also between intermediate modules along the longitudinal direction. This multi-dimensional access approach allows operators to reach rear areas from multiple locations along the machine length, effectively reducing travel distance without compromising the high spindle count.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the roving frame is divided into multiple modules with passageways between them, then operator access to rear areas is improved and travel distance is reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator accessVSAvoidmodule configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The roving frame is divided into multiple independent modules (first module, second module, third module, fourth module) arranged along the longitudinal direction. Each module contains a subset of spindles and associated components, allowing the machine to maintain high spindle capacity while reducing the operational distance operators must traverse by accessing different modules through intermediate passageways.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control head is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both the control center for the entire machine and a passageway access point for operators. This universal design allows the control head to fulfill multiple roles without adding separate structures, thereby managing complexity while improving operator access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3924543B1Modular roving frame

Publication Date: 2023.01.25 MARZOLI MASCH TEXTILE SRL

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AI summary

An apparatus for a spinning line comprises a roving frame (1) provided with a plurality of modules (6a-6d) aligned and side by side, longitudinally spaced by a respective passageway (90). An operator may pass through at least one passageway (90) to go from the front zone (A) to the rear zone (P) of the apparatus, or vice versa.