Sliding Needle Foot Extension Anchoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing compound needles with center bars face high production costs and structural weaknesses, leading to potential detachment under bending loads and accuracy issues during assembly, which can cause damage to knitting machines.

Innovation Solution

A compound needle design featuring a slot-like opening in the base of the slider channel that secures the intermediate wall element with a form-fitting foot extension, allowing for precise positioning and preventing uncontrolled movement, combined with optional resilient elements for additional stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the center bar is permanently connected to the needle body through an opening in the side wall, then the connection is secure, but the needle structure becomes asymmetric and weakens under bending loads

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle strengthVSAvoidstructural symmetry

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The foot extension reaches through the base opening and extends into the third dimension underneath the slider channel floor, creating a symmetric anchor point that balances the structure and prevents asymmetric weakening under bending loads

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the center bar is permanently immovably connected to the needle body, then detachment is prevented, but production costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidproduction cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The connection is segmented into two parts: the foot extension that anchors through the base opening and the intermediate wall element that remains movable within the slider channel. This partial permanent connection prevents detachment while allowing assembly/disassembly, reducing production costs compared to fully permanent connections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the partition element is securely anchored to prevent detachment, then machine damage is prevented, but assembly accuracy becomes difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanti-detachment reliabilityVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The foot extension automatically positions itself through the base opening and anchors underneath the slider channel floor during assembly. The self-aligning geometry of the foot extension and base opening ensures accurate positioning without requiring high-precision manual assembly or complex positioning mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2305868B1Sliding needle with built-in partition wall

Publication Date: 2012.11.21 GROZ BECKERT KG

Figure 1~6
Figure 5~7
Figure 8~9

AI summary

The needle (1) has a needle body (2) including a hook (3) on an end of the needle body. A slider channel (7) is provided in the needle body and delimited by a bottom and by two lateral walls (5, 6), where an opening extends through the bottom. A slider (8) includes two legs (9, 10), where the slider is arranged in the slider channel to be shiftable in a longitudinal direction. A partition element is located in the slider channel, where the partition channel includes a foot extension that extends through the opening. The foot extension is arranged to extend under the bottom.