Tufting Machine Gripper Vertical Stacking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Tufting machines face challenges in producing carpets with closely spaced loop or cut pile threads due to the thickness requirement of hard-metal inserts, which hinders the production of carpets with minimal thread distances and affects the longevity of the grippers.

Innovation Solution

A gripper design with separate receiving spaces for the cutting edge insert and slider, allowing for a slim configuration where the slider and cutting edge insert are stacked vertically instead of side-by-side, enabling a tight arrangement and minimal thickness, and allowing for easy assembly and maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the gripper contains a slider and hard-metal insert arranged side-by-side, then the gripper can switch between loop pile and cut pile, but the gripper thickness becomes relatively large

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveswitching capability between loop pile and cut pileVSAvoidgripper thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a side-by-side arrangement to a stacked arrangement, utilizing the vertical dimension to accommodate both the slider and hard-metal insert. This dimensional reorganization allows the gripper body to maintain a slim profile while incorporating both functional elements, directly resolving the contradiction between versatility and thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The slider is positioned within a receiving space in the gripper body, and the hard-metal insert is arranged in a separate receiving space above it, creating a nested-like structure. This arrangement allows both components to coexist within the confined space of the gripper body without increasing its overall thickness significantly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Length of moving object

If the gripper thickness is reduced to enable tight arrangement, then carpets with minimal thread distances can be produced, but the hard-metal insert requires a minimum thickness greater than 1 mm

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegripper thicknessVSAvoidminimum thickness requirement for hard-metal insert

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of moving objectVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

By stacking the hard-metal insert above the slider in the vertical direction rather than placing it side-by-side, the patent optimizes the horizontal footprint of the gripper. This allows the hard-metal insert to maintain its required minimum thickness while the overall gripper thickness is minimized through efficient vertical stacking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent provides separate receiving spaces with different depth requirements - the hard-metal insert receiving space is designed with sufficient depth to accommodate the minimum thickness requirement, while the slider receiving space is positioned below it. This localized optimization allows each component to have its required dimensions without compromising the overall slim design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If the slider and cutting edge insert are arranged side-by-side, then both components can be included, but the individual grippers cannot be assembled in an extremely tight arrangement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinclusion of slider and cutting edge insertVSAvoidgripper module arrangement space

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reorganizes the spatial arrangement from a horizontal side-by-side configuration to a vertical stacked configuration. This dimensional change dramatically reduces the horizontal footprint of each gripper, enabling extremely tight arrangement of multiple grippers in the gripper module while maintaining all necessary functional components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Ease of manufacture

If the slider and cutting edge insert are in the same receiving space, then assembly is simplified, but the slider and cutting edge insert come into contact with each other

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidcomponent interference

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the gripper body into separate receiving spaces - one for the slider and another above it for the hard-metal insert. This segmentation physically isolates the two components, preventing contact and interference between them while maintaining a integrated gripper structure for straightforward assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS7562632B2Gripper for tufting machine

Publication Date: 2009.07.21 GROZ BECKERT KG

AI summary

A gripper (3) for tufting machines comprising a slider (18) that is supported in a gripper body to be movable in longitudinal direction and that is arranged in a slider receiving space (17) which, preferably, is configured as a slit. The slit extends from the lower narrow side (12) of the gripper body (4) into the gripper body. The slit is limited by two thin walls (19, 20) or, alternatively, by only one thin wall (20). A cutting edge insert receiving space 39 is provided above the slider receiving space (17), with the receiving space (39) extending from the flat side (9) end being recessed in the gripper body (4). Between the cutting edge insert receiving space (39) and the slider receiving space (17), a strip (40) is provided that preferably extends in longitudinal direction of the gripper body (4) and separates the receiving spaces (39, 17) from each other.