Yarn Tensioner with Flexible Spring Leaves for Knot Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing yarn tensioners fail to maintain constant tension in heavy yarn qualities, especially when knots or irregularities pass through, leading to potential breakage and prolonged recovery of the initial tension setting.
Innovation Solution
A combination of deflection and leaf tensioner design with long, flexible spring leaves that deform into a serpentine configuration, allowing knots to pass smoothly while maintaining tension through a combination of clamping and deflection effects, minimizing tension peaks and ensuring rapid recovery of set tension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a yarn tensioner uses rigid deflecting elements with strong deflection to achieve high yarn tension for heavy yarn qualities, then the yarn tension can be maintained at high levels, but when a knot or irregularity passes through, the tension varies drastically and the tensioner cannot regain the initial setting rapidly, causing yarn breakage or prolonged tension loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the deflecting elements movable rather than rigid, allowing them to adapt their position dynamically. When a knot or irregularity passes through, the deflecting elements can move to accommodate the tension spike, preventing yarn breakage. After the knot passes, they return to their original positions to maintain the set yarn tension, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining high tension and ensuring tension stability during knot passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by positioning multiple deflecting elements along the yarn path before the knot reaches them. As the knot approaches, these elements progressively absorb and distribute the tension increase, cushioning the impact before it reaches the main tensioning point. This prevents drastic tension variations and allows smooth passage of knots while maintaining overall yarn tension.
2Force
If the yarn tensioner is designed with strong deflection capability to process heavy yarn qualities, then high yarn tension is achieved, but the yarn tensioner cannot tolerate passing knots easily and tends to cause yarn breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The deflecting elements are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position in response to knots or irregularities. When a knot encounters strong deflection, the movable elements can shift to reduce the deflection angle, preventing excessive tension that would cause yarn breakage. This dynamic adaptation maintains high yarn tension during normal operation while protecting against breakage during knot passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by allowing the deflecting elements to change their deflection angle parameter in response to knots. The elements can vary the wrapping angle and friction coefficient dynamically - maintaining large deflection angles for high tension during normal operation, but reducing these angles when knots are detected, thus preventing yarn breakage while preserving the ability to process heavy yarn qualities.
3Ease of operation
If the yarn tensioner uses friction-based braking with deflecting elements, then yarn tension can be controlled through deflection angles, but when a knot passes through, the tension changes drastically and remains unstable for a long period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by using movable deflecting elements that automatically adjust their position based on the yarn tension conditions. When a knot passes through causing tension instability, the elements dynamically reposition to restore the optimal deflection angles, significantly reducing the recovery time. This maintains ease of tension control through friction-based braking while minimizing the time loss after knot passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies feedback principles where the movable deflecting elements respond to changes in yarn tension caused by passing knots. The elements detect tension variations and automatically adjust their positions to compensate, providing real-time feedback control. This maintains precise tension control during normal operation and rapidly restores stability after knot passage, reducing the prolonged tension instability period.
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
The solution effectively processes heavy yarn qualities with high tension, ensuring smooth passage of knots and rapid re-establishment of tension, reducing the risk of breakage and maintaining constant tension during operation.
Implementation Method 1
both spring leaves being pressed resiliently against each other
Implementation Method 2
The running yarn exclusively is braked by friction force depending on the total angle of deflection and the friction coefficient between the yarn and the deflecting elements
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
In a yarn tensioner T comprising a series of rigid yarn deflecting elements 1 commonly defining a yarn path P, the yarn deflecting elements being distributed with interspaces in-between on both opposite sides of the yarn path such that a respective yarn deflecting element is located at one side with an offset in yarn run direction D relative to a yarn deflecting element 1 located at the opposite side, at least one yarn deflecting element 2a, 2b being adjustable substantially perpendicularly to the yarn path in order to vary the tensioning effect in an operative condition of the yarn tensioner, the yarn path P is lined between the yarn deflecting elements 1, 2 by at least one thin walled flexible spring leaf 8a, 8b per side of the yarn path P, the spring leaves being biased towards each other by the deflecting elements, such that one respective spring leaf 8a, 8b is supported at one location of the yarn path P at a deflecting element while the other respective and parallelly arranged spring leaf is free at the same location of yield perpendicularly to the yarn run direction D away from the one spring leaf, the spring leaf 8a, 8b being markedly longer in yarn run direction D than the distance occupied by the series of yarn deflecting elements 1, 2 with the longitudinal free end of the spring leaves being distant in yarn run direction from the respective first yarn deflecting element.