Movable Sinker Yarn Drop Prevention in Flatbed Knitting Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
In flatbed knitting machines, the existing yarn drop preventing mechanisms are inadequate, as the height of the yarn drop preventing portion is limited, and the use of wires as top teeth requires reliable support and complex maintenance, leading to inefficiencies and increased repair time due to the need for precise alignment and removal during needle groove repairs.
Innovation Solution
A flatbed knitting machine design featuring a movable sinker with an intro-groove shifting portion and a plate-shaped yarn drop preventing member that extends toward the sinker groove, with an elongated hole allowing the drop preventing portion to cover the space between the sinker and groove, preventing yarn drops and simplifying maintenance by eliminating the need for wires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a yarn guide spacer with a yarn drop preventing portion is disposed in the needle groove, then yarn drop prevention is improved, but the height of the yarn drop preventing portion is limited and cannot adequately prevent yarn drops
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional planar prevention structure to a three-dimensional coverage structure by extending the yarn drop preventing portion along the needle bed longitudinal direction and positioning it to cover the space between the movable sinker and sinker groove, thereby overcoming the height limitation through spatial extension rather than vertical increase
Solution Approach 2:
The yarn guide spacer acts as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between the knitting needle and movable sinker, with its extended yarn drop preventing portion serving as a mediator to block the harmful space where yarn could drop, effectively preventing yarn drops without requiring increased height
2Reliability
If wires are used as top teeth to separate the sinker groove from the needle bed gap, then yarn drop prevention is improved, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the top tooth function from the separate wire component and integrates it into the needle bed structure itself, eliminating the need for independent wire support systems while maintaining the yarn drop prevention function through the sinker groove positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the top tooth function with the needle bed structure, combining previously separate elements (wire top tooth and needle bed) into an integrated system where the needle bed directly provides the top tooth functionality, thereby reducing device complexity
3Reliability
If wires are used as top teeth, then yarn drop prevention is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates due to need for wire removal and realignment during needle groove repairs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the yarn drop prevention function from the overall top tooth structure, allowing the sinker groove to independently provide prevention functionality while the knitting needle and movable sinker can be serviced separately without affecting the yarn drop prevention mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The needle bed structure with integrated top tooth functionality performs self-service during repairs, maintaining its yarn drop prevention capability inherently without requiring external wire components to be removed, realigned, or reinstalled during routine needle groove maintenance
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a flatbed knitting machine provided with movable sinkers that can reliably prevent a knitting yarn from dropping into a space between the movable sinker and a sinker groove even though a front end of a needle bed is formed to be a top tooth. A movable sinker (14) is provided with a elongated hole (14b) so as to be capable of rocking displacement in a state where a leading end of a yarn drop preventing portion (15b) extended from a yarn guide spacer (15) inserted into the elongated hole. The yarn drop preventing portion (15b) covers a space produced between a sinker groove (2c) and the movable sinker (14) on a side where the movable sinker (14) is disposed next to a knitting needle (3), so that it is possible to reliably prevent a knitting yarn from dropping. The yarn guide spacer (15) is formed of a metal plate-shaped material, and the yarn drop preventing portion (15b) is formed on the leading end side of an extended portion (15c) extended to cross the bottom part of a needle groove (2a).