Warp Knitting Machine Direction Change Gear Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Warp knitting machines face vibration issues due to changing loads, which limit operating speed and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design replaces a rotating main shaft with a translational drive ram movement, utilizing a direction change gear with a wedge surface arrangement and a spring arrangement to minimize vibrations, allowing for adjustable stiffness and independent control of each bar, and using opposing drive rams to balance reaction forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If a rotating main shaft is used to drive bars in a warp knitting machine, then the machine can achieve continuous operation, but vibration problems occur due to changing loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous rotational drive into discrete translational movements of individual drive rams. Each bar is driven by its own drive ram that moves independently in the longitudinal direction, then uses a direction-changing gear to convert this to transverse movement. This segmentation eliminates the continuous rotational inertia and vibration associated with a main shaft while maintaining continuous knitting operation through coordinated sequential movement of multiple drive rams.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of converting transverse bar movement to longitudinal drive shaft rotation (traditional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using longitudinal drive ram movement to directly push bars, then using direction-changing gears to convert this longitudinal movement to the required transverse movement. This inversion allows the drive forces to act in the longitudinal direction where the machine structure is stiffer, reducing vibration.
2Ease of operation
If a direction change gear with wedge surface arrangement is used to convert longitudinal movement to transverse movement, then bar movement control is improved, but friction occurs between wedge surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a recirculating ball guide as an intermediary between the wedge surface and the element being driven. The balls circulate between the wedge surface and the driven element, replacing direct frictional contact with rolling contact. This mediator significantly reduces friction and energy loss while maintaining the wedge surface's ability to convert longitudinal drive ram movement to transverse bar movement with precise control.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If opposing drive rams are used to balance reaction forces, then vibration is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses opposing drive rams that move in opposite directions to create balanced reaction forces. When one drive ram pushes a bar in one direction, another drive ram simultaneously pushes a different bar in the opposite direction. The reaction forces from these opposing movements balance each other, significantly reducing vibration and dynamic loads on the machine structure. This counterbalancing approach reduces vibration without requiring complex additional damping mechanisms.
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
This configuration significantly reduces vibrations, enhances machine stiffness, and allows for precise control of bar movements, improving operating speed and flexibility in producing knitted goods.
Implementation Method 1
The direction change gear has a wedge surface arrangement. A wedge surface arrangement has at least one wedge surface which is inclined to the longitudinal direction of the bar. When the wedge surface arrangement is moved parallel to the longitudinal direction, it displaces an element lying against the wedge surface arrangement transversely to the longitudinal direction.
Implementation Method 2
The direction change gear preferably has a recirculating ball guide. The recirculating ball guide keeps friction that occurs between the wedge surface and an element driven by the wedge surface small.
Implementation Method 3
The drive arrangement preferably has a spring arrangement which acts transversely to the longitudinal direction. The spring arrangement can be used here as an 'energy store'. The spring assembly is loaded when the bar moves from a neutral position and relaxes again when the bar moves back to the neutral position.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A warp knitting machine (1) with several bars, each having a longitudinal direction, and a drive arrangement acting on the bars transversely to the longitudinal direction, comprising at least one drive motor (7), are described. The aim is to minimize vibration problems. For this purpose, the drive arrangement has at least one drive plunger (3) that is movable in the longitudinal direction by the drive motor (7) and acts on at least one bar via a direction-change mechanism (14).