Needle Cylinder Spring Clip Inserts for Circular Knitting Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circular knitting machines experience high material wear and downtime due to the continuous rubbing of yarn on stitch-forming surfaces, leading to inefficient yarn sliding and the need for frequent replacement of hardened or separate wear-resistant inserts.
Innovation Solution
A needle cylinder design with radially aligned grooves for exchangeable spring clip inserts, which are easily assembled and disassembled using a U-clamp mechanism, eliminating the need for additional retaining rings or screws, allowing for quick replacement and reducing machine downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hardened cylinder material is used to form the webs, then wear resistance is improved, but flexibility is reduced and surface treatment does not ensure optimal sliding surface for the yarn
Solution Approach 1:
The stitch-forming surface is segmented from the cylinder body through separate inserts that can be independently replaced. These inserts are made of wear-resistant material and can be exchanged without replacing the entire cylinder, resolving the contradiction between wear resistance and manufacturing flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite construction by combining the cylinder body with separate inserts made of different materials optimized for their specific functions. The inserts provide the necessary wear resistance and surface properties while the cylinder provides structural support, achieving optimal yarn sliding characteristics.
2Volume of moving object
If the bars are formed with the smallest possible thickness to provide space for knitting needle movement and yarn passage, then space efficiency is improved, but brittleness of the hardened web material increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the stitch-forming surface into separate inserts, the design allows thin-walled structures to be used without compromising strength. The inserts can be made sufficiently thick to avoid brittleness while still leaving adequate space for needle movement and yarn passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the material parameters by using different materials for the inserts compared to the cylinder body. This allows optimization of each component's properties - the inserts can use materials with appropriate thickness and strength characteristics while the cylinder provides overall structural integrity.
3Reliability
If separate wear-resistant inserts are glued into cut-out areas at the upper end of the cylinder, then wear resistance is improved, but the inserts and entire cylinder must be replaced after a certain period due to wear, causing longer downtimes and production losses
Solution Approach 1:
The stitch-forming surface is divided into separate, exchangeable inserts that can be replaced individually without replacing the entire cylinder. This segmentation allows quick replacement of only the worn components, significantly reducing downtime compared to replacing the whole cylinder.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements a replaceable insert system where worn inserts are discarded and new ones are installed. The cylinder body is retained and reused, recovering the investment in the expensive cylinder structure while only replacing the consumable insert components.
4Reliability
If a retaining ring with screw connection is used to fix the inserts, then insert retention is improved, but the replacement procedure becomes complex and associated with longer machine downtimes
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex retaining mechanism to secure inserts, the invention inverts the approach by designing inserts that are easily removable and replaceable. The focus shifts from secure retention during operation to easy replacement during maintenance, achieving both goals through clever mechanical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert system transitions from a static, permanently fixed design to a dynamic, easily replaceable design. The inserts are designed to be securely held during operation but quickly removable when needed, adapting the retention mechanism to serve different functional states.
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
The solution minimizes machine downtimes by enabling easy replacement of worn inserts, using materials with better abrasion properties and ensuring optimal yarn sliding characteristics, while simplifying manufacturing and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
an insert (8) designed in the form of a spring clip, the spring clip having a clip foot (82, 82') that engages over the upper cylinder end (6) on the inside (9) of the cylinder
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
A needle cylinder of a circular knitting machine includes a cylinder jacket having axial needle channels, knitting needles movable therein and an upper cylinder end for stitch formation having a radial groove between pairs of adjacent needle channels each having an insert forming a stitch formation surface with its insert surface protruding from the groove. Exchangeable, stitch formation surfaces form quickly replaceable inserts. Each insert is a spring lug including a lug foot overlapping the upper cylinder end at the side of the cylinder jacket or the side edge of an outer ring channel in the upper cylinder end and a lug terminal with a terminal part springily engaging behind a counter support projecting at the upper cylinder end at the cylinder's inner side or a side edge of an inner ring channel in the upper cylinder end. A circular knitting machine with the needle cylinder is also provided.