Ring/Traveler Dimple Geometry for Friction and Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The rapid wear and frequent replacement of traveler and ring components in ring spinning machines due to increased friction and lack of effective lubrication, leading to reduced useful life, are not adequately addressed by existing solutions that form indentations on the sliding surfaces.
Innovation Solution
Optimizing the shape and arrangement of dimples on the sliding surface between the traveler and ring, with specific dimensions and angles, to enhance the storage and resupply of yarn-derived lubricating components, forming a thin film that reduces friction and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the traveler moves around the ring at high speed to improve productivity, then productivity increases, but wear on the traveler and ring advances quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by creating dimples with specific geometric parameters (depth 2-10 μm, diameter 10-50 μm, area ratio 1-10%) at specific locations on the sliding surface. These localized structures provide lubricating liquid storage capacity exactly where friction occurs, rather than uniformly treating the entire surface. This allows high-speed operation while maintaining reduced wear through localized lubrication reservoirs that resupply lubricant to the contact zone.
Solution Approach 2:
The dimples are formed in advance on the sliding surface before the ring and traveler operate. These pre-formed structures serve as lubricating liquid reservoirs that are ready to supply lubricant when the traveler contacts the ring. The lubricating liquid is preliminarily stored in the dimples, creating a buffer that maintains lubrication during high-speed operation before the lubricant is completely consumed.
2Reliability
If a lubricating liquid is used to suppress wear on the traveler and ring, then wear is reduced, but the lubricating liquid adheres to and soils the yarn
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying lubricating liquid uniformly across the entire system, the invention confines the lubricating liquid to localized dimples on the sliding surface. This localized application ensures that lubrication occurs only at the traveler-ring contact point, preventing the lubricant from spreading onto the yarn. The dimples act as contained reservoirs that release lubricant only where friction occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The dimples serve as an intermediary structure between the lubricating liquid and the sliding surface. Rather than applying lubricant directly to the contact zone (which would soil the yarn), the lubricating liquid is first stored in the dimples, which then gradually resupply it to the sliding surface. This intermediary storage mechanism controls lubricant release and prevents direct contamination of the yarn.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If dimples are formed on the sliding surface to extend useful life without using lubricating liquid, then yarn soiling is prevented, but the useful life extension is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes specific parameters of the dimples to enhance their lubrication effectiveness: depth (2-10 μm), diameter (10-50 μm), and area ratio (1-10%). These parameter changes create dimples that are deep enough to store sufficient lubricating liquid but not so deep as to interfere with traveler contact. The diameter and area ratio are optimized to provide adequate lubricant reservoir capacity while maintaining appropriate surface area for lubricant resupply. This precise parameter control enables effective lubrication without yarn soiling, significantly extending useful life.
Solution Approach 2:
The dimples enable the system to be self-lubricating by storing lubricating liquid directly on the sliding surface. The lubricating liquid in the dimples gradually resupplies the sliding surface between traveler contacts, creating a self-sustaining lubrication system that does not require external lubricant application. This self-service mechanism continuously reduces friction and extends useful life without requiring manual intervention or external lubrication systems that would soil the yarn.
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 optimized dimples effectively maintain a lubricating function, significantly extending the useful life of the ring/traveler system by suppressing wear and reducing friction without liquid lubrication.
Implementation Method 1
the shape and arrangement of dimples that function to resupply an accretion containing a yarn-derived lubricating component to a sliding surface
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~5
AI summary
In a ring/traveler system for a ring spinning machine in which sliding is performed in an environment without liquid lubrication, a plurality of dimples (15), each having a circular open end (15a), are formed in a sliding surface (14) on which a traveler (12) and a ring (11) slide as the traveler (12) travels, and the plurality of dimples (15) satisfy a condition according to which a dimple wall surface angle (θ) is not less than 10° and not more than 65° and satisfy a condition according to which a value of P/D, where P is a pitch (µm) at which the plurality of dimples (15) are arranged over the sliding surface (14) and D is a diameter (µm) of the circular open end (15a), is not less than 1.9 and not more than 4.5.