Compact Yarn Threading Robot with Winder

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional yarn threading robots are bulky due to the need to support the weight of suction injectors and compressed air systems, and they generate noise from air pressure, making them difficult to downsize and operate quietly.

Innovation Solution

A compact yarn threading robot design that winds yarn onto a winder on its main body, eliminating the need for a suction device and using a winder with a changeable diameter to securely store and discharge yarn, reducing noise and weight on the robot arm.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a suction device is mounted on the robot arm to hold yarn by negative pressure, then the yarn can be held and threaded, but the robot arm becomes heavy and bulky, and noise is generated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveyarn holding capabilityVSAvoidrobot arm weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The suction device is extracted from the robot arm and relocated to a fixed position on the robot body. The robot arm only needs to move the lightweight yarn engaging part, while the heavy suction device remains stationary, reducing the robot arm's weight and complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A winder is introduced as an intermediary component between the suction device and the yarn processing device. The winder stores the yarn in a controlled manner, allowing the suction device to be positioned optimally while the robot arm interacts only with the lightweight yarn engaging part.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If a suction device is mounted on the robot arm to hold yarn by negative pressure, then the yarn can be held and threaded, but the device complexity and size increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveyarn holding capabilityVSAvoidrobot arm structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The suction device and compressed air pipeline are extracted from the robot arm structure and repositioned to the robot body. This simplifies the robot arm to only contain the lightweight yarn engaging part, reducing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is segmented into distinct functional zones: the suction device and air supply system are separated from the robot arm, the winder handles yarn storage, and the yarn engaging part on the robot arm handles only the threading operation. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If compressed air pipeline is connected to the robot arm to supply air to the suction device, then the suction function works, but the robot arm requires additional strength and becomes bulky

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesuction functionVSAvoidrobot arm strength requirement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The compressed air pipeline is extracted from the robot arm and rerouted to connect directly to the suction device on the robot body. This eliminates the need for the robot arm to support the pipeline, reducing strength requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of manufacture

If the winder has a constant diameter, then the structure is simple, but the yarn may drop out during storage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewinder structure simplicityVSAvoidyarn storage reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The winder diameter is made dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The diameter can be expanded during yarn storage to prevent dropout and contracted during discharge to facilitate yarn removal. This dynamic adjustment maintains yarn storage reliability while managing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 allows for a smaller, lower-power robot arm with reduced noise, enabling efficient and quiet yarn threading operations by eliminating the need for suction-based yarn handling and incorporating a winder that can change diameter to prevent yarn dropout.

Implementation Method 1

the yarn continuously from the spinning device is wound and stored onto the winder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

The robot arm moves the yarn engaging part with respect to the robot main body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical motion: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP4361076A1Yarn threading robot and spinning and winding system
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 TMT MACHINERY INC
  • EP4361076A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4361076A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4361076A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problem to be solved] To provide a compact yarn threading robot capable of reducing noise in the on-site environment where yarn is produced. [Solution] A yarn threading robot 2 threads yarn Y continuously spun from the spinning device 3 to the spinning take-up device 4. The yarn threading robot 2 includes a robot main body 21, a winder 25, and a robot arm 22. The winder 25 is located on the robot main body 21 so that the yarn Y continuously spun from the spinning device 3 is wound and stored onto the winder 25. The robot arm 22 has a hand part 23 that engages with the yarn Y between the spinning device 3 and the winder 25. The robot arm 22 operates the hand part 23 to thread the yarn Y between the spinning device 3 and the winder 25 to the spinning take-up device 4. The robot arm 22 is attached to the robot main body 21. The robot arm 22 moves the hand part 23 with respect to the robot main body 21.