Automatic Winder Tray Handling with Independent Drive Guides

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing automatic winders face challenges in reliably taking in and discharging trays due to shared motor control for turntables and transport guides, leading to potential tray jamming and inefficient yarn handling, especially with complex disk shapes that can catch loose yarn ends.

Innovation Solution

An automatic winder design featuring independent drive sources for a disk-shaped first guide and a second guide, allowing for precise tray handling and positioning, with a tray sensor and control mechanism to manage tray supply and discharge, and a configuration that prevents yarn entanglement and jamming.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the same stepping motor is used to drive both the turntable and the transport guide, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of tray take-in and discharge operations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the driving function into two independent stepping motors: one for the turntable and another for the transport guide. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently without interference, resolving the contradiction by prioritizing reliability over device complexity reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines the turntable and transport guide into a coordinated system where both components work together under independent control. The merging of these functions into a unified tray handling system improves reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through systematic integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Device complexity

If the transport guide is used for all operations (take-in, discharge, and holding of the tray), then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to various operational situations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidadaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the tray handling functions by assigning the turntable to specific operations (take-in and holding) and the transport guide to other operations (discharge and positioning). This functional segmentation enables the system to adapt to various operational situations while maintaining reasonable device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a multi-functional system where the turntable and transport guide together perform multiple tray handling operations. Each component has specialized functions, but collectively they provide universal capability for take-in, discharge, holding, and positioning of trays in various situations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If disks with plural groove portions are used for tray delivery, then the adaptability of tray handling is improved, but the harmful factors (yarn entanglement risk) increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoidharmful factors
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the harmful groove portions from the turntable and transport guide surfaces, replacing them with smooth surfaces that do not catch yarn ends. The groove-based tray guidance function is achieved through the coordinated movement of the turntable and transport guide rather than through surface grooves, eliminating the yarn entanglement risk while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of groove portions by eliminating them entirely and using the coordinated rotational movement of the turntable and transport guide to achieve tray guidance. This approach transforms the design from one that relies on groove-based guidance (which causes yarn entanglement) to one that uses controlled movement trajectories, eliminating the harmful effect while preserving functional adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

4Reliability

If the first guide and second guide are driven by independent drive sources, then the reliability of tray handling is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the driving system into two independent stepping motors for the first guide and second guide respectively. This segmentation improves reliability by allowing independent control of each guide's operations, while the overall system complexity remains manageable through the modular nature of the segmentation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4393858A1Automatic winder
Publication Date: 2024.07.03 MURATA MASCH LTD
  • EP4393858A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4393858A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4393858A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An automatic winder includes plural winding units. The winding unit includes a yarn supply section 20 and a winding section. The yarn supply section 20 includes a first guide 41, a second guide 42, a first motor 51, and a second motor 52. The first guide 41 takes a tray 19 in. The second guide 42 receives the tray 19 taken in by the first guide 41, settles the tray 19 to a yarn supply position where a yarn is to be unwound, and after the unwinding of the yarn is completed, discharges the tray 19. The first motor 51 drives the first guide 41. The second motor 52, which is operable independently of the first motor 51, drives the second guide 42. The first guide 41 is a disk-shaped member having a single notch for guiding the tray 19.