Abstract:
A device is designed to automate the process of stripping residual yarn from a yarn tube. The device comprises a feeding mechanism, an index dial, a residual yarn removing mechanism, a compression mechanism, and an arranging mechanism. The automated device enhances the recycling quality of the stripped residual yarn and minimizes the likelihood that the yarn tube is damaged in the stripping process.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the removal of residual yarn from the yarn tube, and more particularly to a device, and a method of using the device to remove residual yarn from the yarn tube. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The conventional way of removing the residual yarn from the yarn tube involves the use of a cutter by an operator to separate manually the residual yarn from the yarn tube. Such a conventional way as described above is primitive at best. The surface of the yarn tube is susceptible to damage caused inadvertently by the operator in the course of cutting off the residual yarn. In addition, such a manual operation of stripping the residual yarn from the yarn tube is not cost-effective. Moreover, the dust of the yarn residue, especially the dust of the yarn of glass fiber, is a potential health hazard to the worker. 
     The residual yarn is generally recycled for making an instrument panel, a safety helmet, and the like. It is likely that a residual yarn is contaminated with the metal impurities in the course of the manual removal of the residual yarn. The residual yarn of a low purity is of a little value as far as the recycling of the residual yarn is concerned. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an automated device for removing the residual yarn from the yarn tube economically and efficiently. The automated device of the present invention eliminates the shortcomings of the conventional manual operation of removing the residual yarn from the yarn tube. 
     The automated device of the present invention comprises a feeding mechanism, an index dial, a residual yarn removing mechanism, a suction mechanism, and an arranging mechanism. The feeding mechanism of the present invention is designed to take in simultaneously a plurality of yarn tubes with residual yarn attached thereto. The index dial is provided with a plurality of clamping tools for holding the yarn tubes horizontally to facilitate the removing of the residual yarn from the yarn tube by the residual yarn removing mechanism. The yarn residue is removed by the suction mechanism. The stripped yarn tubes are arranged uprightly by the arranging mechanism for storage or transportation. 
     The feeding mechanism of the automated device of the present invention comprises a rotary tray, and a first mechanical arm. The rotary tray is used to receive the incoming yarn tubes, which are then transferred by the first mechanical arm to the clamping tools of the index dial. The arranging mechanism comprises a second mechanical arm and a conveyor. The stripped yarn tubes are arranged uprightly by the second mechanical arm before they are carried away by the conveyor. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a side view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a schematic process flow of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 shows a top view of the first mechanical arm of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 shows a front view of the first mechanical arm of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows a top view of the index dial of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 shows a side view of the index dial of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a pressure control device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in action. 
     FIG. 9 shows a schematic view of a static removing mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 10 shows a schematic view of the suction mechanism of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 11 shows a top view of the second mechanical arm of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 shows a front view of the second mechanical arm of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 13 shows a side view of the second mechanical arm of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an automated device of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is designed to strip the residual yarn from a yarn tube  1 . The automated device comprises a feeding mechanism  100 , an index dial  200 , a locating mechanism  300 , a residual yarn removing mechanism  400 , a static removing mechanism  500 , a suction mechanism  600 , a compressing mechanism  700 , and an arranging mechanism  800 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the step (a) is an automatic feeding process. The step (b) is a yarn tube locating process. The step (c) is a first yarn-cutting process. The step (d) is a second yarn-cutting process. The step (e) is a third yarn-cutting process. The step (f) is a process of removing static. The step (g) is a process of removing the yarn residue by suction. The step (h) is an automatic output process. It must be noted here that the locating mechanism  300  and the residual yarn removing mechanism  400  are not the inventive features of the present invention. 
     The feeding mechanism  100  has a rotary tray  110  and a first mechanical arm  120 . A plurality of the yarn tubes  1  are to be stripped by the device of the present invention and are fed into the device such that they are held equidistantly and horizontally in the rotary tray  110 , and that each of the yarn tubes  1  is located by two locating blocks  111 . The first mechanical arm  120  is mounted over one side of the rotary tray  110  by a support frame  130 , as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The first mechanical arm  120  comprises a clamping claw  121 , a fetching unit  122 , a slide seat  123 , and a line rail  124  disposed horizontally on the support frame  130 . The slide seat  123  is driven by a motor  125  to slide back and forth along the line rail  124 . The fetching unit  122  is mounted on the slide seat  123  and is provided with two action rods  122   a  which are fastened with the clamping claw  121 . The clamping claw  121  is driven by the fetching unit  122  to slide vertically to catch and release the yarn tube  1 . Located in the proximity of the rotary tray  110  are a number of yarn tubes  1  which are stored temporarily so as to be loaded into the rotary tray  110 . 
     The index dial  200  is driven to turn by a servomotor  201  and is provided with eight sets of yarn tube clamping tools  210  which are arranged equidistantly. The yarn tubes  1  have a bottom end which is larger in diameter and is caught by the yarn tube clamping tool  210  such that three clamping heads  211  of the front end of the yarn tube clamping tool  210  extend into the yarn tube  1 . Now referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the three clamping heads  211  are provided with a protective jacket  212  to prevent the yarn tube  1  from being damaged by the clamping head  211 . The yarn tube clamping tool  210  is provided at the front end with two rollers  213  and a locating member  214 . The index dial  200  is provided with a plurality of yarn residue sweepers  215  which are located under the yarn tube clamping tool  210 . 
     The yarn tubes  1  have a top end which is smaller in diameter than the bottom end thereof and is caught by a clamp  310  of the locating mechanism  300  at the time when the yarn tube clamping tool  210  is switched from the first position (FIG. 3 a ) to the second position (FIG. 3 b ). As the yarn tube  1  is released by the clamping head  211 , the yarn tube  1  is turned. In the meantime, the yarn tube  1  is pushed by the rollers  213 . The yarn tube  1  is securely located at the time when one of the longitudinal slots  1   a  of the yarn tube  1  is engaged with the locating member  214 . The yarn tube  1  is ready to be stripped by the residual yarn removing mechanism  400  comprising a first remover  410  located at the third position (FIG. 3 c ) of the yarn tube clamping tool  210 , a second remover  420  located at the fourth position (FIG. 3 d ) of the clamping tool  210 , and a third remover  430  located at the fifth position (FIG. 3 e ) of the clamping tool  210 . The removers  410 ,  420 , and  430  are provided respectively with a small clamp  411 ,  421 ,  431 , and a cutter  412 ,  422 ,  432 . The small clamps hold the top end of the yarn tube  1 , whereas the cutters strip the residual yarn along the extending direction of the slots  1   a  of the yarn tube  1 . The stripping of the residual yarn is done in three stages including a shallow stripping, a deep stripping and a total stripping. 
     The holding and the releasing actions of the clamping tool  210  of the index dial  200 , and the clamps  310 ,  411 ,  421 ,  431  of the locating mechanism  300  and the removing mechanism  400  are all done by a pressure control device  900  which is driven pneumatically and controlled by a logic distribution valve, as shown in FIGS. 6,  7 , and  8 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, the static removing mechanism  500  is disposed at the sixth position of the clamping tool  210  and is located over the yarn tube  1  (FIG. 3 f ). The static effect is brought about in the course of removing the residual yarn from the yarn tube  1 . The static removing mechanism  500  spreads static ions to eliminate the static. The mechanism  500  is provided with a curtain  501  to confine the static ions. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 10, the suction mechanism  600  is disposed at the seventh position of the clamping tool  2  and is located at the outer end of the yarn tube  1  (FIG. 3 g ). The mechanism  600  has an expandable rod  610  and a suction tube  620  connected with the expandable rod  610  and a suction device (not shown in the drawings). The suction tube  620  is actuated by the expandable rod  610  to move back and forth to remove the yarn residue. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the compression mechanism  700  has a conveying belt  701 , which is connected with the index dial  200  such that one end of the belt  701  is corresponding in location to a collection port  202  of the index dial  200 . The collection port  202  is corresponding in location to the second remover  420  for collecting the residues swept by the yarn sweepers  215 . The collected residues are sent by the belt  701  to the compression mechanism  700  in which the residues are compressed. The compression mechanism  700  is provided with a metal detector  701  for detecting the metal impurities which are mixed with the residues. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the arranging mechanism  800  has a second mechanical arm  810  and a conveying belt  820 . The second mechanical arm  810  is supported by a support frame  830  and is provided with a steering unit  811 , a clamping claw  812 , a slide seat  813 , and a line rail  814 , as shown in FIGS. 11,  12 , and  13 . The line rail  814  is mounted on the support frame  830 . The slide seat  813  is driven by a motor  815  to slide back and forth on the line rail  814 . The steering unit  811  is disposed on the slide seat  813  and is provided with a swiveling member  811   a  capable of being actuated by a pressure cylinder to turn, and a fetching member  811   b  capable of swiveling vertically and horizontally along with the swiveling member  811   a  to actuate the clamping claw  812  to bring about a clamping action at the vertical position, and a releasing action at the horizontal position. This structure takes away a stripped yarn tube  1  from the yarn tube clamping tool  210  at the eighth position. The stripped yam tube  1  is then placed uprightly on the conveying belt  820 , as shown in FIG. 3 h.    
     In operation, the clamping claw  121  of the first mechanical arm  120  moves horizontally back and forth along the line rail  124  between the rotary tray  110  and the index dial  200 . The yarn tube  1  in the rotary tray  110  is taken away by the claw  121  such that the yarn tube  1  is placed horizontally on the clamping tool  210  at the first position. The clamping tool  210  is then switched by the index dial  200  to the second position. The yarn tube  1  is located by the clamp  310  of the locating mechanism  300  and is released by the clamping tool  210 . The yarn tube  1  is turned until it is located by the locating member  214 . The bottom of the yarn tube  1  is then held by the clamping tool  210 . The top end of the yarn tube  1  is released by the clamp  310 . 
     The yarn tube  1  is then proceeded to the removing mechanism  400  in which the yarn tube  1  is stripped in three stages for preventing the cutter from being damaged. Upon completion of the cutting, the cutter is stripped by a blower so as to keep the cutter free from the yarn residue. The yarn residue is swept by the sweepers  215  such that the yarn residue is collected on the conveying belt  701  via the collection port  202 . The metal impurities mixed in the yarn residue are detected by the metal detector  702  before the residue is proceeded to the compression mechanism  700 . 
     In the course of stripping the residual yarn by the first, the second, and the third removers  410 ,  420 , and  430 , the yarn residue may be attached to the bottom of the yarn tube  1  due to the static. The static removing mechanism  500  is intended to eliminate the static problem. The static residue is removed by the suction mechanism  600  whose suction tube  620  extends to reach the bottom of the yarn tube  1 . 
     The yarn tube  1  is then released by the clamping tool  210  such that the second mechanical arm  810  places the yarn tube  1  uprightly on the conveying belt  820 , thanks to the cooperative efforts of the swiveling member  811   a  and the fetching member  811   b.