Rotatable Half-Ring Balloon Limiter for Automated Yarn Threading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ring spinning machines require complex and time-consuming manual operations for threading yarn into the balloon limiter, which limits the efficiency and reliability of automated service robots due to the mechanical design of the balloon limiter, leading to increased wear and reduced machine reliability.
Innovation Solution
A balloon limiter design featuring a holder with parallel, rotatable pins and half rings that can be opened and closed using a rotational drive, with control arms and a pneumatic cylinder for automated operation, allowing for easy and reliable threading of yarn by rotating the half rings from a horizontal to vertical position and back, facilitating efficient yarn handling and insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the balloon limiter is designed with a fixed closed ring structure, then the mechanical strength and reliability are improved, but the ease of operation for threading yarn is worsened due to complex spatial threading motions required
Solution Approach 1:
The balloon limiter ring is divided into two movable half-rings that can be rotated from a closed horizontal position to an open vertical position. This dynamic transformation allows the structure to adapt between providing mechanical strength in closed position and facilitating easy yarn threading in open position, resolving the contradiction between reliability and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixed closed ring is segmented into two separate half-rings that can move independently. This segmentation allows each half-ring to be manipulated separately for threading operations while maintaining the structural integrity of the complete ring when closed, thus improving ease of operation without sacrificing reliability.
2Ease of operation
If manual operations are used for threading yarn into the balloon limiter, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the productivity and service operation time are worsened due to complex and time-consuming procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The movable half-rings can be quickly opened and closed using a pneumatic cylinder, enabling rapid threading operations. This dynamic mechanism reduces the time required for service operations while maintaining simplicity, thus improving productivity without compromising ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical operation of opening and closing the balloon limiter ring is replaced with a pneumatic cylinder actuation system. This substitution enables faster, more consistent, and automated control of the half-rings, significantly improving service operation speed while keeping the threading process simple.
3Productivity
If automated service robots are used for yarn handling, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases due to requirements for complex spatial threading motions
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic opening and closing of the half-rings creates a simplified spatial pathway for automated yarn insertion. By transforming the rigid closed structure into an open configuration, the system reduces the complexity of spatial threading motions required, enabling automated service robots to operate more efficiently with simpler mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Segmenting the ring into movable half-rings allows the automated system to access the yarn path more easily. The separation of the ring structure creates adequate space for robotic manipulation without requiring complex spatial coordination, thus improving automated service efficiency while reducing device complexity.
4Strength
If the balloon limiter ring is made as a single closed structure, then the mechanical strength is improved, but the ease of repair and maintenance is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The closed ring is segmented into two separate half-rings that can be independently removed and manipulated. This segmentation maintains the structural strength of the complete ring during operation while enabling easy removal, inspection, and maintenance of individual components, thus improving ease of repair without compromising strength.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a yarn balloon limiter (4) at a spinning unit of a ring spinning machine, comprising a holder (41); a pair of pins (46, 47) mounted in the holder (41), wherein the longitudinal axes of the pins (46, 47) are parallel to each other; two half rings (50, 51) arranged opposite each other to form a ring in closed position, wherein each of the half rings (50, 51) is connected to one of the pins (46, 47), the pins (46, 47) being coupled to a drive of their rotation. Both pins (46, 47) are mounted horizontally with respect to the rotation of their longitudinal axes. The invention also relates to a ring spinning machine, a method of threading yarn into a balloon limiter (4) and a method of handling a cop (10) by means of an automatic service robot.