Slider needle with improved slider

The slider (17) of an improved slider needle (10) comprises a slot guide (24), wherein the slider springs (18, 19) are provided with a dual deformation on their respective cam follower sections (29). The dual deformation is produced, for example, by a double bend and/or by an additional superficial embossing on a partial surface (34) or also by bending over a section (40) close to the edge. Due to this measure, the guiding precision of the slot guide (24) is improved and, if desired, the penetration space between the two slider springs (18, 19) is also enlarged.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 11184917.0 filed Oct. 12, 2011.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a slider needle with improved slider control.

BACKGROUND

A slider needle has been known, for example from publication EP 1 229 158 B1. This slider needle has a needle body with a slider channel that is delimited by two lateral walls. The slider that comprises two leaf springs is arranged between two lateral walls. The slider can be moved in the slider channel in longitudinal direction in order to have its catch contact the hook of the needle base body and to close the interior space of the hook. When the slider is retracted it releases the hook. Its catch is then removed from the hook. When the slider is being retracted it is frequently desired that said slider perform not only a longitudinal retracting movement but, at the same time, a descending movement. To accomplish this, the bottom of the slider channel has a ramp. In order to guide the slider down the ramp, the slider has laterally bowed cam follower sections that come into engagement with slot guides of the lateral walls. The cam follower sections have cam follower surfaces that, in doing so, move along the corresponding cams of the slot guide recess.

In addition, the laterally bowed cam follower sections of the two slider springs can form a penetration funnel into which other knitting tools may descend, for example for stitch re-hanging.

Considering the design of the slider, care must be taken that said slider will reliably descend into the slider channel, even with extremely filiform needles and at high knitting speed.

If other knitting tools are intended to penetrate the laterally bowed cam follower sections, penetration should be made as easy as possible.

Thus, the resultant object of the invention is to provide an improved slider needle, whereby the design of said slider needle is suitable, in particular, for the production of slider needles with a particularly fine division.

SUMMARY

The slider needle in accordance with various aspects of the invention has an elongated needle body with a slider channel that is delimited by two lateral walls. On its one end, the slider has two slider springs. The slider springs may be molded in one piece to a slider base body or may also be subsequently detachably or non-detachably connected with the slider shank. At least one of the two slider springs has a cam follower section that interacts with a slot guide recess provided in the adjacent lateral wall. Preferably, the other slider spring also has such a mirror-symmetrical cam follower section that also is in engagement with a slot guide recess of its associate lateral wall. In the slider needle of the invention herein, the cam follower surface provided on the cam follower section is in alignment with the guide surface of the slot guide recess.

The alignment is preferably achieved by dual or multiple bends of the cam follower section. The alignment of the cam follower surface relative to the guide surface may be accomplished with various measures. For example, it can be ensured that the cam follower surface is aligned parallel with the slot guide surface of the slot guide recess, at least relative to the cross-sectional plane of the guide body and the slider. Additionally or alternatively, the alignment of the cam follower surface relative to the guide surface may be accomplished in that the cam follower surface does not laterally extend beyond the guide surface. In this context, the cam follower surface may have the same width as, or be narrower than, the guide surface. In particular, the alignment may also consist in that the upper part of the cam follower section, said part being directly adjacent to the cam follower surface, has an orientation that is parallel to the lateral wall relative to a vertical direction perpendicular to the slider channel bottom.

In order to align the cam follower surface with the guide surface the laterally bowed cam follower section may be provided with an embossing or other imparted shaping. In particular, the cam follower section may display a reduced wall thickness in the embossed region. Embossing achieves a plastic deformation of the material of the cam follower section, in the course of which a (minimal) flow of the material can occur. As a result of this, the precise positioning of the cam follower surface can be achieved so that said surface is aligned relative to the slot guide recess as desired. The embossing may be visible as an indentation. The indentation may be provided on the side of the slider spring opposite the lateral wall (i.e., “outside”) or also on the opposite side of the slider spring facing the other slider spring (i.e., “inside”).

The molded indentation that is visible as an indentation is preferably provided so as to directly adjoin the cam follower surface. In doing so, the desired precision of the alignment of the cam follower surface is easily achieved.

Alternatively, the slider needle may also comprise a slider with a slider spring having a bent edge on the cam follower section. This bent edge offers a particularly wide cam follower surface, thus achieving a reliable interaction with the slot guide and the cam follower.

The slider needle of the invention herein comprises a slider having a cam follower section that is in specific alignment with the slot guide or that has a widened guide surface. Both measures have the result that the slider is reliably guided, in particular when said slider is being retracted and is descending into the slider channel. The risk that the cam follower and the guide surface of the slot guide will miss each other laterally and the slider will thus not descend or be moved out properly has been avoided. In addition, the embodiment with the additional laterally molded indentation or embossing of the cam follower section of the slider spring can create an enlarged free space between the slider springs in the cam follower section, thus facilitating the descending of penetrating tools.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1shows a slider needle10, said needle acting as the knitting needle. Said needle has an elongated needle body11bearing a hook12on one end. The slider needle can be configured for a particularly fine division.

The needle body11has a slider channel13that is delimited by two lateral walls14,15. The slider channel13extends through the needle body11in sliding direction L. The slider channel13becomes flat as it terminates near the hook12. On the underside, said slider channel is delimited by a bottom16that is concealed inFIG. 1and thus indicated in a dashed line. A slider17is held between the flat, preferably plane, lateral walls14,15, said slider comprising two slider springs18,19. Preferably, the slider springs18,19are symmetrical relative to each other. They are flat as they abut against each other, or they abut at least partially against each other, and form a catch20on the end, said catch facing the hook12. This catch can be moved—in sliding direction L—toward the hook12and away from said hook. At least in a few embodiments, the slider17can also be moved far enough for the hook12to be received between the slider springs18,19. If and to what extent this occurs depends on the knitting process carried out by the slider needle10.

The usual driving means of a slider needle10prespecify the movement of the needle body11and/or the slider17. These driving means are not specifically shown in the figures. For example, the needle body10may have one or more feet. Likewise, the slider17may have one or more feet. These feet interact with a cam assembly that effects a relative movement between the needle body11and the slider17.

The slider channel13may additionally be closed at the top by a closing piece21. This closing piece is preferably a part of the slider or the slider base body.

As has already been obvious fromFIG. 1, the bottom16has a ramp22that is disposed to impart the slider17with a vertical movement, said movement being directed perpendicularly toward the bottom16. To accomplish this, the slider17, or its slider springs, have an inclined surface23, as is obvious fromFIG. 3. When the slider17is moved toward the hook12, the inclined surface23reaches the ramp22at some time and continues to move along said ramp. As a result of this, the slider17is lifted slightly. The catch20that is otherwise located below the hook12is guided to the level of the tip of the hook12meeting said hook at that point.

The inclined surface23can effect a lifting, but not a secure, descending of the slider17. In particular, if the slider channel13is soiled, for example, by abraded fiber and metal materials, oil, wax, lubricants, etc., there is the risk that the slider17will not reliably descend. A slot guide24is provided for again lowering the slider17in a targeted manner during retraction. The slot guide24shown inFIG. 1is shown in greater detail inFIG. 2with the aid of the slider spring19and the lateral wall15. The slot guide24comprises a slot guide recess25in the lateral wall15, said slot guide recess having a guide surface26. The guide surface26is a surface that is oriented so as to be inclined relative to the bottom16, i.e., said guide surface is aligned approximately parallel with the ramp22. It terminates in a mouth-like recess that opens toward the hook12. The guide surface26is adjoined by a preferably straight narrow surface27that is disposed to hold the slider17in deep position.

Beside the slider spring19, the slot guide24also comprises a cam follower28that is configured as a laterally bowed cam follower section29of the slider spring19. At a bending line30, the cam follower section terminates in the slider spring19. The lateral bowing of the slider spring19on the cam follower section29is obvious fromFIG. 3. In doing so, the lateral bowing is large enough to enable the cam follower section29to extend into the slot guide recess25when the slider spring17is in retracted position. When the slider spring17is being retracted, an inclined cam follower surface31of the cam follower section29initially moves along the inclined guide surface26, whereupon an upper straight edge32of the cam follower section29ends up under the narrow surface27.

In at least in one preferred embodiment, the slider springs18,19are symmetrical relative to each other. The description of the slot guide recess25and the cam follower section29hereinabove thus applies, analogously, to the slider spring18and the lateral wall14. Consequently, analogous structures of the slider spring18are identified with the same reference sign.

As is shown byFIGS. 2 and 3, the slider spring19is bent twice on its cam follower section29. The slider spring19has a bend at the bending line30, said bend causing the cam follower section29to laterally project beyond the flat side of the bending spring19. A second deformation begins at a line33, said deformation affecting a partial region34of the cam follower section29. The partial region34may represent a second bend. In this case, the line33is a bending line. However, this may also be molded indentation that has been produced, for example, during an embossing step. In this case, the line33represents a sharp or rounded edge. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIGS. 2 and 3, the molded indentation is located on the outside of the bending spring17. The result of this is that the cam follower surface31and/or the edge32are slightly narrower—a least along a part of their length—than the remainder of the slider spring19. In other words, the material thickness may be reduced in the partial region34. The reduction of the thickness can be visible mostly on the outside, as is being suggested byFIGS. 2 and 3. Additionally or alternatively, the thickness reduction may also be provided on the inside side facing the slider spring18, as is illustrated byFIGS. 4 through 6. InFIG. 5, a center line35has been drawn in a chain line for the purpose of clarification, said center line identifying the bend of the slider spring19. As is obvious, a first bend36is provided on the bending line30. Beginning at that point, the center line35branches out of the orientation parallel to the lateral wall15into an orientation that is at an acute angle relative to the lateral wall15. At a bending point, or also gradually, the center line35may terminate in another angle in a second bend37. For example, in this instance, the center line35may again extend parallel to the lateral wall. To make this better understandable, the center of the lateral wall15is marked by a center line38, said center line being drawn as a chain line.

If the cam follower section29is provided in the partial region34adjacent to the edge32with an embossing or molded indentation, the center line35displays an additional, in this instance third, bend39at the start of this molded indentation. Thus, the center line35can be offset at the edge32relative to the center line38. However, in a preferred embodiment, the edge32at least does not laterally project beyond the narrow surface27.

During operation, the slider17is moved in a reciprocating manner. In doing so, when the slider17is being retracted, the cam follower surfaces31of the two slider springs18,19come into contact with the narrow surfaces27of the slot guide recesses25. Due to the inclined position of the surfaces, the slider17is displaced downward in the direction toward the bottom16when said slider is retracted further. Due to the alignment of the edge32and the cam follower surface31relative to the narrow surface27and the guide surface26, it is ensured that the surfaces move on each other in a precise manner. The cam follower surface31is prevented from moving past the guide surface26or from sliding off said guide surface. In other words, even in the case of particularly filiform needle designs and at high operating speed, the full functionality of the slot guide24is ensured, even when the slider needle is soiled.

As is shown inFIG. 7, the sections of the cam follower section29may also have a more or less uniform thicknesses. However, the center line35is provided with two bends36,37, so that said center line is again oriented parallel to the center line38in the partial region34. Even if the edge32and/or the cam follower surface31extending laterally somewhat next to the narrow surface27, i.e., extend beyond said narrow surface, any sliding-off is reliably prevented.

The relationships are usually different when the slider spring19′ has only a single bend36, as is common in prior art as depicted inFIG. 8. In this case, the edge32′ is not in alignment with the narrow surface27′. Rather, they extend at an acute angle with respect to each other. In high-speed mode, the slider spring19′ can slip off the narrow surface27′ of the lateral wall15′, so that the full functionality of the slot guide24′ in accordance with prior art cannot be ensured.

As can be seen, the bends36,37(and, if necessary, bend39) are matched in such a manner that the edge32and the narrow surface37are aligned with each other in a matching manner. For example, this is obvious from the fact that the part of the center line35adjacent the edge32is oriented parallel (or substantially parallel) to the center line38. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 7, the bends36,37are preferably identically equal, but they have an inverse mathematical sign. The bends36,37need not necessarily represent sharp bending edges. They may also be distributed over a larger portion of the slider spring19or the partial region34.

FIG. 9shows a greatly modified embodiment of the slider17of the slider needle10of the invention herein. Again, the slider springs18,19are configured so as to be minor-symmetrical. Consequently, the description hereinafter equally applies to both slider springs18,19.

Again, the cam follower section29is bent out of the plane of the slider spring19. However, on its upper edge, said section is preferably angled inward toward the other slider spring18. As a result of this, again two bends36,37and a particularly wide edge32are formed. This “edge” is formed by an inward-bent section40of a portion of the cam follower section29. Even in particularly fast operating modes there is no risk, whatsoever, for the edge32to potentially move past the corresponding guide surface26or narrow surface27. Also, in this embodiment of the invention that does not enable any penetration of another knitting tool from the top, the operation is, again, clearly more reliable than in the conventional design depicted inFIG. 8.

The slider17of an improved slider needle10comprises a slot guide24, wherein the slider springs18,19are provided with a dual deformation on their respective cam follower sections29. The dual deformation is produced, for example, by a double bend and/or by an additional superficial embossing on a partial surface34or also by bending over a section40close to the edge. Due to this measure, the guiding precision of the slot guide24is improved and, if desired, the penetration space between the two slider springs18,19is also enlarged.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS