Parallel Conveyor Transport for Stable Harness Threading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport devices for harness components in drawing-in machines face issues such as entanglement of yarns, instability of harness components, and reduced operational speed due to the need for multiple motor types and complex kinematic chains, which limit their efficiency and stability during threading and discharge operations.
Innovation Solution
A transport device with multiple parallel conveyors, each with its own drive, allows for optimized speed profiles and stable movement of harness components like heddles or dropwires, using a closed transport path with synchronized drives and pushers to ensure efficient transfer without switches between different portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single carrying chain with regular movements is used to transport harness components, then the structure is simple, but the movements cannot be adapted to different yarns and entanglement of yarns occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The transport device is divided into multiple independent carrying chains (first carrying chain and second carrying chain), each capable of independent movement. This segmentation allows each chain to be optimized for specific yarn types and transport requirements without affecting the other chains, thereby achieving adaptability to different yarns while maintaining relatively simple individual chain structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements variable pitch mechanisms on the carrying chains, allowing the pitch (distance between holding elements) to be dynamically adjusted during transport. This enables adaptation to different yarn types and harness component sizes, solving the versatility problem while keeping the base chain structure simple through programmable control.
2Productivity
If holding elements are closely arranged in the discharge zone to increase throughput, then productivity increases, but entanglement of yarns occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge zone is divided into multiple independent discharge positions associated with different carrying chains. This segmentation allows yarns from different chains to be discharged separately, preventing entanglement even when holding elements are closely arranged to maximize throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces intermediate transfer positions where harness components are temporarily transferred between carrying chains and discharge positions. This intermediary mechanism allows for controlled spacing and sequencing of yarn discharge, preventing entanglement while maintaining high throughput capability.
3Quantity of substance
If rotating arms with holding elements are used to transport harness components, then the transport mechanism is established, but the layout limits the number of usable holding elements
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using rotating arms with limited holding element capacity, the invention segments the transport function into multiple parallel carrying chains. Each chain can accommodate multiple holding elements in a linear arrangement, dramatically increasing the total number of holding elements without requiring complex rotating mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a radial arrangement of holding elements on rotating arms to a linear/dimensional arrangement along parallel carrying chains. This dimensional change allows for significantly more holding elements to be accommodated in the same spatial footprint, increasing capacity without proportional increases in mechanism complexity.
4Productivity
If high-speed movements are used to transport harness components quickly, then productivity increases, but harness components become unstable during transport
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements variable speed control on the carrying chains, allowing acceleration and deceleration phases to be optimized. High speeds are used during transport phases for productivity, while controlled deceleration and positioning phases ensure stability during loading and unloading operations, resolving the contradiction between speed and stability.
Data Source
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AI summary
This transport device (12) for a drawing-in machine is configured to move harness components (60), between at least one transport transfer position and several discharge positions, via at least one threading position, the harness components being exclusively heddles or exclusively dropwires. The transport device includes several transport conveyors (300A, 300B, 300C) including at least one carrying member (308) and at least a drive (312A, 312B, 312C, 314A, 314B, 314C). A controller (16) is connected to the drives of the transport conveyors. Several harness component-holding elements (322) are secured to each carrying member (308). Each harness component-holding element (322) is configured to hold a harness component (60). The harness component-holding elements (322) of the several transport conveyors are adjacent to each other and movable along a closed transport path that is common to all transport conveyors and that goes through each transport transfer position, through each threading position and through each discharge position.