AN ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED WEFT YARN PROCESSING UNIT

Abstract: In the case of an electronically controlled weft yarn processing unit, which consists of a yarn feed system and of a weaving machine and which comprises at least one yarn feeder arranged in the yarn feed system and including a separate drive means provided with an electronic control unit as well as monitoring and control elements, said yarn supply system being arranged separately from the weaving machine in the vicinity of said weaving machine, and which further comprises an input and indicating section connected to the control unit of the yarn feeder and used for the functional parameters to be adjusted, and which still further comprises an operation and control panel provided on the weaving machine, the input and indicating section (10') of the yarn feeder (F1 - F6) is provided in the operation and control panel (8) of the weaving machine (W), said input and indicating section (10') being connected to the control unit (C) of the yarn feeder (F1 - F6) via a data transmission link (5) for functional parameter data.

Description: An Electronically Controlled Ueft Yarn Processing Unit Description The present invention refers to an electronically controlled ueft yarn processing unit according to the generic clause of patent claim 1. Yarn feeders are accessory parts for weaving machines. They are normally not produced by the same manufacturers as the weaving machine. Said yarn feeders are universally usable for various types of weaving machines, and they are adapted to the respective weaving machine from case to case. Each yarn feeder is an independent unit having a separate drive means, a separate control of the drive means and separate monitoring and control elements. If several yarn feeders are associated with one weaving machine, they will be com¬ bined in a yarn feed system, which is installed separately from the weaving machine as a structural unit. The final consumer or rather the person making use of the weaving machine frequently buys the respective type of yarn feeder from the manufacturer of the yarn feeder, and he often asks the manufacturer to mount and to adjust the yarn feeder. Electronically controlled ueft yarn feeders are equipped with an input and indicating section for functional parameters, such as the limit speed of the drive means, the ueft yarn length, the sensitivity of the various sensors provided, the reference value of the ueft yarn store size, the vari¬ ation of the ueft yarn storesize, the weft yarn store off¬ set and the like. These functional parameters are inputted by means of a keyboard ano switches,, and, if necessary, they are displayed by means of a display. In certain cases, a functional parameter is also changed while the machine is in operation. The display also serves to display mis¬ takes or malfunctions in the case of operating trouble. The inputand indicating section is provided on the housing of the weft yarn feeder at an easily accessible location. In a yarn feed system comprising several ueft yarn feeders, a central control unit can be provided which has connected thereto all the weft yarn feeders. If the weft yarn feeders should then no longer have any separate input and indicating sections, the central control unit will be equipped in an appropriate manner. In practice, it becomes increasingly common to equip a weaving machine already at the manufac¬ turer's firm with a ueft yarn feed system, which is special¬ ly designed to meet the requirements of said weaving machine and which the manufacturer of the weaving machine offers and delivers as one unit together uith the weaving machine. In spite of this fact, the independence of the ueft yarn feed system has hitherto been maintained with regard to the adjustment of the functions in the ueft yarn feed sys¬ tem presumably because the functional parameters of the yarn feeders are so different from the functional para¬ meters of the weaving machine and because a direct con¬ nection between said functional parameters of the yarn feeders and the functions of the weaving machine does not necessarily exist, and because the yarn feed system is, in principle, structurally separated from the weaving ma¬ chine in spite of the fact that it cooperates with said weaving machine when in operation. The independent ad¬ justability of the yarn feeders in the ueft yarn feed sys¬ tem by separate adjustment and indicating sections entails an inexpedient necessity of using additional devices. More¬ over, the devices are difficult to operate, since the op¬ erating and control panel of the ueaving machine is locally separated from the adjustment and indicating sections of the ueft yarn feed system and has to be operated in a different manner in most cases. This may result in a loss of time and in misoperations on the part of the operators who have' primarily been trained to operate the weaving machine. Furthermore, it was suggested that a real-time data communi¬ cation should be provided between the ueft yarn feed system and the weaving machine so that, taking into account the complex sequences of functions and the high frequency of functionsoccurring in the operation of the weaving machine, there is communication between the weaving machine and the yarn feeder which facilitates the feed work of the yarn feeder and which increases the functional reliability of the whole system. The real-time data trans¬ mitted between the weaving machine and the yarn feeder in the case of such communication are significant trig-signals which occur in the program sequence of the weaving machine and which are processed directly in the program sequence of the yarn feeder. These real-time data do not have any influence on functional parameters for the yarn feeder. The functional parameters are set prior to putting the unit into operation. The present invention is based on the task of simplifying the operability of an electronically controlled weft yarn processing unit of the type mentioned at the beginning, increasing the functional reliability of said unit and optimizing its range of use. In accordance with the present invention, this task is solved by the features disclosed in the characterizing clause of patent claim 1. - -t - This structural design is in conformity with the tendency to offer, deliver and instal ueaving machines as a com¬ plete unit uhich already includes the yarn feed system so that the hitherto existing equivalence between the objects: ueaving machine and yarn feed system is given up in favour of a predominance of the ueaving machine. However, it is thus possible to achieve a central operation and super¬ vision of the components,uhich are provided in the unit but uhich are, in actual fact, not structurally connected, and the operators will find it less difficult to manage and to understand this central operation and supervision. Furthermore, indirect pressure is intentionally exerted on the person making use of the ueaving machine uith regard to the fact that he should buy the complete ueft yarn pro¬ cessing unit from one competent source and refrain from freely combining individual components in uhich case he would unintentionally accept compromises uith respect to the range of use and the operational reliability of the whole system. In the case of this structural design, the tuo structurally separate components are, in the uhole unit, coordinated in the best possible manner from the very beginning, and this excludes any detrimental influence which may be exerted by only partially compatible components, this being an influence uhich can be judged very uell by the manufacturer of the weaving machine, whereas the person making use of the ueaving machine will hardly be able to judge this. It follows that the unit can thus be used uith the best possible efficiency throughout its uhole range of use. Although the ueft yarn feed system and the ueaving machine remain, in principle, independent components in the unit, the ueaving machine is caused to play a dominant role uith regard to the fundamental adjustment, uhereas the yarn feed system is pushed into the background in this respect. If, consequently, all adjustments are carried out and monitored centrally from the operation and control panel of the ueaving machine, the operability uill be simplified and it uill be less difficult to avoid mal¬ functions or incorrect adjustments, since the operator has to carry out the adjustment of the functional para¬ meters for the ueft yarn feed system in the same manner as the adjustment of functional parameters of the ueaving machine. The number of devices required is decreased, and, especially in cases in uhich a large number of yarn feeders is provided in the ueft yarn feed system, this constitutes a substantial advantage, since the elements in the op¬ erational and functional control panel, uhich are required for the ueaving machine anyhou, uill also be used for set¬ ting the functional parameters of the ueft yarn feed sys¬ tem. Claim 2 discloses an expedient embodiment in the case of uhich a central control unit is provided in the ueft yarn feed system comprising several yarn feeders, said central control unit being connected to the control units of the yarn feeders. The individual yarn feeders uill, in this case, be addressed via the central control unit of the ueft yarn feed system, if any functional parameters have to be set or changed. This is, however, done centrally from the operational and functional control panel of the ueaving machine. Another advantageous embodiment is the embodiment ac¬ cording to claim 3, since the means for identifying at least one yarn feeder facilitate the setting or changing of the parameters. It is perfectly possible to input one parameter adjustment at the operational and functional control panel of the ueaving machine and to transmit this functional parameter adjustment then to all yarn feeders simultaneously or to one yarn feeder after the other via the means for identifying the individual yarn feeders. Uith the aid of these means it is, however, just as uell possible to select only one yarn feeder from the ueft yarn feed system and to adjust or to change the functional para¬ meters of said yarn feeder. The number of devices required in accordance uith claim 4 is small, since the inputting and indicating elements for the ueaving machine are also used for setting and changing the functional parameters for the yarn feeders. The embodiment according to claim 5 is expedient in vieu of the fact that a feedback of the set or changed func¬ tional parameters to the operational and functional control panel of the ueaving machine can be effected in this uay. A further expedient embodiment can be the variant according to claim 6, in the case of uhich the data are inputted in blocks and are then processed in blocks or batches. An acditional advantageous alternative is disclosed by claim 7. The serial data transmission link shous the advantage that a simple transmission cable may be used and that it is possible to transmit also complicated data in both direc¬ tions in a perfect manner. It may, houever, also be expeαient to provide a parallel data transmission link in accordance uith claim 8. Finally, a particularly important idea is disclosed by claim 9. The control device can be programmed in advance so that it uill only be necessary to plug in said control device for the purpose of setting or changing the func¬ tional parameters for the ueft yarn feed system. The con¬ trol device can then be transported from one ueaving ma¬ chine to the next, uhere it can be used again for adjusting or changing the functional parameters. The drauing shous a schematic front vieu of a ueft yarn processing unit. The ueft yarn processing unit A consists of a ueaving machine and of a ueft yarn feed system S, uhich is arranged separate¬ ly from said ueaving machine and uhich is provided uith six yarn feeders F1 - F6 in the case of the embodiment shoun. Each yarn feeder F1 - F6 includes a separate drive means (not shoun) uith separate control and monitoring mem¬ bers (not shoun either) as uell as a control unit C for the drive means. The yarn feeders F1 - F6 are detachably mounted on a holding means 2 of a frame 1, uhich can be adapted to be displaced on the ground. Via a connectiom line 4, the yarn feeders F1 - F6 of the weft yarn feed system S are sup¬ plied uith energy. The weaving machine U takes ueft yarns of a predetermined ueft yarn length from the yarn feeders F1 - F6 in accordance uith a pattern-dependent cycle. At the side of the ueft yarn feed system 5, a plurality of bobbins 7 is arranged on a frame 6, the yarn feeders F1 - F6 un- uinding their ueft yarns from said bobbins. The ueaving machine U has attached thereto an operational and functional control panel 8, which is adapted to be used for adjusting and changing functional parameters for the ueaving machine and uhich includes, for this purpose, an input section 10 and an indicating device 9, e.g. in the form of a display. A data transmission link 5 (in¬ dicated by a dot-and-dash line) is established betueen the operational and functional control panel θ and the control units C of the yarn feeders F1 - F6; in the present case, said data transmission link extends uithin the frame 1 and via a connection cable 3 to the ueaving machine U and then through said ueaving machine U up to the operational and functional control panel B of said ueaving machine. U. The cable connection 3 can be established by means of conventional connector elements. For adjusting functional parameters of the yarn feeders, an input and indicating section 10' is provided in the operational and functional control panel 8 of the weaving machine U. It will be expedient when the same input and indicating section can be used for the ueaving machine and for the yarn feeders. It is, houever, also possible to provide a separate input and indicating field for the func¬ tional parameters of the yarn feeders F1 - F6. The func¬ tional parameters of the yarn feeders to be adjusted are, for example: the limit speed of the orive means, the ueft yarn length, the sensitivity of the various sensors (photo¬ cells or the like, e.g. determination of the store size and of the yarn take-off) , a reference value for the ueft yarn store size in the yarn feeder, the variation range of the ueft yarn store size uhen the unit is in opera¬ tion, the ueft yarn store offset and the like. These functional parameters are adjusted or changed prior to putting the unit into operation. In the drauing, it is additionally indicated that a plug- in connection 11, uhich is used for attaching a control device 12 for adjusting ana changing the functional para¬ meters for the yarn feeders F1 - F6, can be provided in the operational and functional control panel 8 of the ueaving machine U. It uill be expedient when this control device is a programmable personal computer, uhich can be detached, uhen the functional parameters have been set or changed, and used in combination uith a different ueaving machine in the same manner. The control device 12 may, houever, also remain on the panel 8. It uill be expedient when the control device 12 is programmed with the func¬ tional parameters and then attached so that the data trans¬ mission of the functional parameters can take place in an appropriate manner via the data transmission link 5. Several yarn feeders F1 - F6 are shoun in the weft yarn feed system S. However, the weft yarn feed system S may also consist of only one single yarn feeder. If, in the case of the ueft yarn feed system S comprising several yarn feeders F1 - F6, a central control unit is provided for all yarn feeders (not shoun), it uill be ex¬ pedient uhen the data transmission link 5 is connected to this central control unit so that the functional parameters uill be transmitted to the respective selected yarn feeders by said central control unit.

Claims: An Electronically Controlled Ueft Yarn Processing Unit Patent Claims 1. An electronically controlled weft yarn processing unit, uhich consists of a weft yarn feeα system and of a weaving machine anJ which comprises at least one yarn feeder arranged in the yarn feed system and inducing a separate drive means with an electronic control unit as uell as monitoring anc control ele¬ ments, said weft yarn feed system being arranged separately from the weaving machine in the vicinity of said ueaving machine, and which further comprises an input and indicating section connected to the control unit of the yarn feeder and used for functional parameters to be aojusted, such as the ii it. speeo of the drive means, thp ueft yarn length, the sensitivity of the sensors, the reference value for the weft yarn store size, the variation of the weft yarn store size, the weft yarn store offset and the like, and which still further comprises an operation and control panel provided on the ueaving machine, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the input ana in¬ dicating section (10*) of the yarn feeder (F1 - F6) is provided in the operation and control panel (8) of the weaving machine (W), said input and indicating section (10') in the panel (8) being connected to the control unit (c) of the yarn feeder (F1 - F6) via a data transmission link (5) for functional parameter data. 2. A yarn processing unit according to claim 1, in the case of uhich a central control unit is provided in the yarn feed system comprising several yarn feeders, said central control unit being connected to the control units of the yarn feeders, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the data transmis¬ sion link (5) for the functional parameter data extends be¬ tween the operation and control panel (8) of the weaving ma¬ chine (U) and the central control unit of the yarn feed sys¬ tem. 3. A yarn processing unit according to claims 1 ana 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the input and in¬ dicating section (10, 10') is provided uith means for iden¬ tifying at least one respective yarn feeder (F1 - F6) of the yarn feed system (S) 4. A yarn processing unit according to claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t input and indicating elements for the ueaving machine (u), uhich are provided in the input and indicating section (10) of the operational and functional control panel (8) of the ueaving machine (U), serve as input and indicating elements for the input and indicating section (10') of the yarn feeder (F1 - F6). 5. A yarn processing unit according to claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the data transmis¬ sion link (5) is bidirectional. 6. A yarn processing unit according to claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n t h a t the data transmission link (5) is adapted to be used for batch processing of the data. 7. A yarn processing unit according to claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n t h a t the data transmission link (5) is adapted to be used for serial data transmission. 8. A yarn processing unit according to claim 5, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d i n t h a t the data transmission link (5) is adapted to be used for parallel data transmission. 9. A yarn processing unit according to claims 1 and 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t the operation and control panel (8) of the ueaving machine ( " __.) has provided therein a plug-in connection (11) for attaching an electronic, detachable control device (12), preferably a programmable con¬ troller, e.g. a personal computer, for the functional para¬ meters of the yarn feeder (F1 - F6).

Inventors: HALLBERG THOMAS, JOSEFSSON PAER, HALLBERG, THOMAS, JOSEFSSON, PAER
Applicants: IRO AB
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B65H51
IPC codes: D03D47, D03D51