Picking control method and picking controller

Abstract: A picking control method comprising a series of control procedures of detecting the change of the supply yarn package from one of the packages (3a and 3b) to the other during the weaving operation, preferentially setting a specific checking pin retracting time when the checking pin (7) is to be retracted for picking cycles for a predetermined time period after the detection of the change of the supply yarn package, and controlling the advancing and retracting operation of the checking pin (7) of the basis of a new checking pin retracting time. A picking controller (15) comprising a supply yarn package change detector (14) for detecting the change of the supply yarn package and provides a supply yarn package change detection signal, an initial data setting device (17) providing a checking pin retracting time when the checking pin (7) is to be retracted to release the weft yarn (2) supplied from the new supply yarn package (3a or 3b) and wound on the measuring and storing drum (6), a data updating device (18) setting the checking pin retracting time preferentially, a memory device (19), and a control unit (20).

Description: The present invention relates to a method of controlling a picking operation of a picking device and a picking device with the features of the preamble of claims 1 and 2, resp., which are known from the document EP-A-0 196 676. When the yarn package on a fluid jet loom is changed during picking operation, the size of the balloon and the resistance to unwinding the yarn from the yarn package changes due to sudden change in the diameter of the yarn package and in the physical properties of the yarn; consequently, picking speed varies even though the set operating conditions of the fluid jet loom is unchanged. The variation of picking speed causes the time of arrival of the extremity of a picked weft at a predetermined position on the arrival side opposite to the picking side of the fluid jet loom to change, so that the fluid jet loom is unable to operate normally. Accordingly, the picking time must be changed before the synchronous operation of the fluid jet loom is disturbed, to enable a correct picking operation synchronous with the principal motions of the fluid jet loom. Means for solving such a problem are disclosed, for example, in JP-A-58 18 446 and JP-U-60 136 379. According to those known means, when a yarn package is changed, the pressure of the picking fluid is changed or the operating timing of the picking nozzle is changed. However, since the objective controlled device of those known techniques is the picking nozzle, those known techniques are not applicable directly to controlling the checking pin of a drum type weft yarn storing device. JP-U-61 82 973 discloses a further technique for controlling the picking operation, in which the checking pin releasing timing is changed according to the level of the picking force. However, since this technique does not include any means for dealing with package change, the same is not able to cope with variations in the picking operation attributable to package change. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of controlling a picking operation of a picking device as well as a picking device for sequentially introducing weft yarn disposed on respective yarn packages into a shed capable of temporarily changing the checking pin retracting timing in changing the yarn package so that the picking timing is changed automatically for appropriate picking operation. According to the present invention, this object is solved by the features of claims 1 and 2, resp. Subject matter of subclaim 3 is a preferred embodiment of the picking device according to claim 2. According to the present invention, upon the change of the yarn package, the current checking pin retracting timing is cancelled automatically and a temporary checking pin retracting timing is set automatically. Consequently, the change of the yarn package does not cause the weft yarn arrival time to change excessively, and hence stable packing operation can be continued. The features and advantages of the arrangement of the present invention will become more clearly appreciated from the following description taken in conjunction with the companying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a picking device; Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a picking controller, in a preferred embodiment, according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a graph showing the relation between unwinding time and arrival time; Fig. 4 is a flow chart showing the steps of a picking control method, in a preferred embodiment, according to the present invention; and Fig. 5(A) and 5(B) are graphs of assistance in explaining a process of correcting the checking pin retracting timing. Referring to Fig. 1 showing the general constitution of a picking device to which the present invention is applied, a weft yarn 2 is unwound from either a yarn package 3a or a yarn package 3b, and then the unwound weft yarn 2 is guided by a balloon guide 4 into a hollow winding arm 5, which rotates about an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of a stationary measuring and storing drum 6 to wind the weft yarn 2 in loops around the measuring and storing drum 6. A checking pin 7 is moved radially of the drum 6 to check the weft yarn 2 on or to release the weft yarn 2 from the drum 6. That is, the checking pin 7 is capable of being moved radially of the drum 6 by an actuator 8 such as an electromagnetic actuator. When the checking pin 7 is moved toward or away from the drum 6 weft insertion is stopped or effected. To check the weft yarn 2 for stopping weft insertion and storing the weft yarn 2 on the drum 6, the actuator 8 advances the checking pin 7 to put the checking pin 7 into a hole or a groove formed in the circumference of the drum 6. When the weft yarn 2 needs to be unwound from the drum 6 for picking operation, the checking pin 7 is retracted by the actuator 8 to release the weft yarn 2 stored on the drum 6 from the same. Then, the weft yarn 2 thus released is picked into a shed 12 of warp yarns 11 together with a picking fluid by a picking nozzle 10. The time of arrival of the weft yarn 2 at an arrival position, namely, a position on the side of the fluid jet loom opposite to the side where the picking device is provided, is detected by a detector 13 such as a photoelectric feeler. The trailing end of the weft yarn 2 wound on the yarn package 3a to the yarn package 3b after the yarn package 3a has been exhausted, a supply yarn package change detector 14 detects the change of supply yarn package and gives a detection signal to a picking controller 15. Referring to Fig. 2 showing the picking controller 15 embodying the present invention, the supply yarn package change detector 14 is connected through a delay circuit 16 such as a counter, an initial data setting device 17, data updating device 18, a memory device 19 and a control unit 20, which are connected sequentially, to the actuator 8. The two input terminals of the memory device 19 are connected to data setting devices 21 and 22, respectively. Another output terminal of the memory device 19 is connected to a comparator 23 connected to the data updating device 18. On the other hand, an arithmetic unit 24 has an input terminal connected to the delay circuit 16, another input terminal connected to the detector 13, and an output terminal connected to the comparator 23. An encoder25 detects the phase angle of the loom and gives a phase data representing the phase angle of the loom to the delay circuit 16, the arithmetic unit 24 and the control unit 20. In a graph shown in Fig. 3, positive values for time t are measured to the right on the horizontal axis, positive values for distances of travel of the free end of the picked weft yarn 2 are measured upward on the vertical axis, a point S indicates a picking starting position, and a point E indicates an arriving position. A picking time, namely, a standard checking pin retracting time TS, is predetermined and a standard arrival time TE, namely, a standard time of arrival of the free end of the picked weft yarn 2 at the arrival position E is determined accordingly. Provided that the picked weft yarn 2 runs across the shed 12 at a fixed running speed, the distance of travel of the weft yarn 2 as a function of time t is expressed by a straight line as shown in Fig. 3, in which the gradient of the straight line corresponds to the fixed running speed of the picked weft yarn 2. As mentioned above, since the variation of weft yarn supplying conditions causes the running speed of the picked weft yarn 2 to vary, the actual checking pin retracting time ts needs to be varied to enable the picked weft yarn 2 to arrive at the arrival position E at the standard arrival time TE. For example, if the actual running speed is lower than the standard running speed, the actual checking pin retracting time ts must be advanced accordingly relative to the standard checking pin retracting time TS and vice versa. Time ΔT in Fig. 3 is a range of adjustment of the actual checking pin retracting time ts according to the actual running speed between a maximum running speed and a minimum running speed. Referring to Fig. 4 showing a series of picking control procedures to be executed by the picking controller 15, the standard arrival time TE and the standard checking pin retracting time TS are given by means of the data setting devices 21 and 22 to the memory device 19, and a temporary checking pin retracting time TS₀ for the initial period of the picking operation after the supply yarn package has been changed from the yarn package 3a to the yarn package 3b is set by means of the initial data setting device 17. While the picking device 1 is in operation, the detector 13 disposed at the arrival side detects the arrival of the free end of the picked weft yarn 2 at the arrival position E and gives a detection signal to the arithmetic unit 24 while the encoder 25 sends phase angle signals respectively representing momentary phase angles of the main shaft of the loom. Then, the arithmetic unit 24 reduces the detection signal into a corresponding phase angle of the main shaft of the loom. The arithmetic unit 24 calculates the moving average te of the actual arrival times te every successive several picking cycles and gives the moving average to the comparator 23. Then, the comparator 23 compares the moving average te of the measured arrival times te and the standard arrival time TE stored in the memory device 19. When (standard arrival time TE) = (moving average te of the measured arrival times te) as indicated by a continuous line in Fig. 3, the picking operation is normal, and hence any particular correcting operation is unnecessary. When (standard arrival time TE) > (moving average te of the measured arrival times te) as shown in Fig. 5(A), the actual running speed of the picked weft yarn 2 is higher than the standard running speed. Then, the time difference +Δt, namely, the deviation of the moving average te of the measured arrival times te from the standard arrival time TE is added to the standard checking pin retracting time TS by the data updating device 18 to store a new checking pin retracting time TS+Δt in the memory device 19. Thereafter, the control unit 20 controls the actuator 8 so as to retract the checking pin 7 at the new checking pin retracting time TS+Δt. When (standard arrival time TE) < (moving average te of the measured arrival times te) as shown in Fig. 5(B), the actual running speed of the picked weft yarn 2 is lower than the standard running speed. Then, the time difference -Δt, namely, the deviation of the moving average te of the measured arrival times te from the standard arrival time TE, is added to the standard checking pin retracting time TS to store a new checking pin retracting time TS-Δt in the memory device 19. Thereafter, the control unit 20 controls the actuator 8 so as to retract the checking pin 7 at the new standard checking pin retracting time TS-Δt. Thus, the actual arrival time te is corrected automatically and continuously to adjust the actual arrival time gradually to a target arrival time, i.e., the standard arrival time TE. Consequently, the free end of the picked weft yarn 2 arrives at the arrival position E at the standard arrival time TE. The actual checking pin retracting time ts varies over and below the standard checking pin retracting time TS. The earlier limit time of the time range ΔT corresponds to a preliminary jetting starting time when the picking nozzle 10 starts preliminary jetting. However, if the time relation between the retraction of the checking pin 7 and the preliminary jetting operation is desired to be maintained constant, it is necessary to vary the jetting starting timing of the picking nozzle 10 as well as the checking pin retracting timing. Accordingly, the use of the picking controller 15 is not limited to the control of the checking pin 7, but the picking controller 15 can be used also for the continuous regulation of the jetting starting timing of the picking nozzle 10 in relation to or without relation to the timing of the preliminary jetting. Upon the exhaustion of the yarn package 3a, the weft yarn 2 wound on the yarn package 3b is supplied for picking. The change of the supply yarn package from the yarn package 3a to the yarn package 3b is detected by the supply yarn package change detector 14. Upon the detection of the supply yarn package, the supply yarn package change detector 14 gives a detection signal to the delay circuit 16. Then, the delay circuit 16 gives a reset signal to the initial data setting device 17 and the arithmetic unit 24 after a predetermined time, a predetermined number of picking cycles or a predetermined angle of rotation of the main shaft of the loom from the reception of the detection signal from the supply yarn package change detector 14. Then, the initial data setting device 17 gives a checking pin retracting time TS₀ for a supply yarn package change mode to the data updating device 18, and the checking pin retracting time TS₀ is stored preferentially in the memory device 19. Then, the arithmetic unit 24 erases the previously stored checking pin retracting time TS±Δt. Thus, the weft yarn 2 supplied from the yarn package 3b which has replaced the yarn package 3a is picked at the checking pin retracting time TS₀ from the first picking cycle for picking the weft yarn 2 supplied from the yarn package 3b. A predetermined time after the change of the supply yarn package, the picking controller 15 detects the actual arrival times te in the manner as stated above, and updates the stored data to provide a new checking pin retracting time TS±Δt. The predetermined delay defined by time or by the number of picking cycles before setting the new checking pin retracting time corresponds to a time between the change of the supply yarn package from the yarn package 3a to the yarn package 3b and the start of picking the weft yarn 2 supplied from the new yarn package 3b. In a multicolor loom provided with a plurality of picking devices, since each picking device does not function continuously, the delay before the first picking cycle for a new supply yarn package after the supply yarn package has been changed must be determined properly for each picking device taking into consideration the period of picking operation of each picking device. When the picking controller is adapted for controlling the jetting starting timing of the picking nozzle 10 as well as the checking pin retracting timing, both the jetting starting timing and the checking pin retracting timing must be changed simultaneously when the supply yarn package is changed. In the foregoing embodiment, the actual arrival time te is detected directly at the arrival position, however, the arrival time can be detected indirectly through the detection of a time when the weft yarn 2 is unwound from the drum 6 by a specific number of loops necessary for one picking cycle. Accordingly, the arrival time may be detected on the picking side of the loom.

Claims: A method of controlling a picking operation of a picking device (1) in which a weft yarn (2) disposed on respective yarn packages (3a, 3b) is sequentially supplied into the device (1) and introduced to a shed (12), the picking device (1) including a measuring and storing drum (6), means for winding lengths of the weft yarn (2) onto the measuring and storing drum (6), a checking pin (7) movably mounted in the device (1) adjacent the measuring and storing drum (6) so as to be continually movable into engagement with the drum (6) to maintain the wound lengths of the weft yarn (2) on the drum (6) and retractable from the drum (6) to release the wound lengths of the weft yarn (2) on the drum (6), a picking nozzle (10) for picking the weft yarn (2) when released on the drum (6) into the shed (12) in successive picking cycles, and a picking controller (15) operatively connected to the checking pin (7) for detecting the actual arrival of the picked weft yarn (2) at a predetermined arrival position and for regulating the timing at which the checking pin (7) is retracted from the drum (6) based on a deviation between the timing at which the picked weft yarn (2) actually arrives at the predetermined arrival position and a predetermined standard arrival timing, characterized by detecting a change in the supply of weft yarn (2) into the device (1) from weft yarn (2) disposed on one of the yarn packages (3a, 3b) to weft yarn (2) disposed on the other of the yarn packages (3b, 3a) during the picking operation; after the detection of the change in the supply of weft yarn (2), controlling the checking pin (7) to retract from the drum (6) at a predetermined control timing over a predetermined period of time; and after said predetermined period of time lapses, controlling the checking pin (7) to move into engagement with and retract from the drum (6) at new control times. A picking device for sequentially introducing weft yarn (2) disposed on respective yarn packages (3a, 3b) into a shed (12), the picking device (1) including a measuring and storing drum (6), means for winding lengths of the weft yarn (2) onto the measuring and storing drum (6), a checking pin (7) movably mounted in the device (1) adjacent the measuring and storing drum (6) so as to be continually movable into engagement with the drum (6) to maintain the wound lengths of the weft yarn (2) on the drum (6) and retractable from the drum (6) to release the wound lengths of the weft yarn (2) on the drum (6), a picking nozzle (10) for picking the weft yarn (2) when released on the drum (6) into the shed (12) in successive picking cycles, and a picking controller (15) operatively connected to the checking pin (7) for detecting the actual arrival of the picked weft yarn (2) at a predetermined arrival position and for regulating the timing at which the checking pin (7) is retracted from the drum (6) based on a deviation between the timing at which the picked weft yarn (2) actually arrives at the predetermined arrival position and a predetermined standard arrival timing, characterized by a supply yarn package change detector (14) for detecting a change in the supply of weft yarn (2) into the device (1) from the weft yarn (2) disposed on one of the yarn packages (3a, 3b) to weft yarn (2) disposed on the other of the yarn packages (3b, 3a) during the picking operation and for issuing a signal when the change in the supply is detected, an initial data setting device (17) operatively connected to said supply yarn package detector (14) for receiving the signal issued therefrom, for controlling the checking pin (7) to retract from the measuring and storing drum (6) at predetermined control timing when the yarn (2) supplied from said other yarn package (3b, 3a) is initially wound on the drum (6), and for issuing a signal indicative of the control of the checking pin (7), a data updating device (18) operatively connected to said initial data setting device (17) for receiving the signal issued by the initial data setting device (17), and for generating data, corresponding to a desired control timing at which the checking pin (7) is to be retracted from the measuring and storing drum (6), when the signal issued by said initial data setting device (17) is received, a memory device (19) operatively connected to said data updating device (18) for storing the data generated by the data updating device (18) and for outputting the data, and a control unit (20) operatively connected to said memory device (19) for controlling the checking pin (7) in accordance with the data output by the memory device (19). A picking device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said memory device (19) outputs said data only after at least the first picking cycle is performed by said picking nozzle (10) with weft yarn (2) supplied to the device (1) that was disposed on the other of the yarn packages (3b, 3a).

Inventors: TAKEGAWA YUJIRO, TAKEGAWA, YUJIRO
Applicants: TSUDAKOMA IND CO LTD, TSUDAKOMA CORPORATION
Application year: 1987
Main classification: D03D47
IPC codes: D03D47