Piezoelectric needle selection device for knitting machines

Abstract: A knitting machine and needle selection mechanism includes a piezoelectric body (51) movable between upper, lower and neutral positions corresponding to knit, tuck and welt positions of the knitting needles (72), a first driving circuit for displacing the piezoelectric body upwardly, a second driving circuit for displacing the piezoelectric body downardly, a third driving circuit for displacing the piezoelectric body to the neutral position, and a control device for controlling the driving circuits in accordance with a pre-set program.

Description: Field of the Invention The present invention relates to knitting machines and, more particularly, to a needle selection device for knitting machines. Background of the Invention It is a common practice to provide knitting machines with jacquard pattern devices for knitting various patterns in knit fabrics. There are several different kinds of such jacquard pattern devices with several different kinds of needle selection mechanisms, such as pattern wheels, selection sliders, pattern drums and electronic pattern devices. The present invention relates to an a knitting machine having improved electronic pattern device and, more specifically, to an improved piezoelectric pattern device. It is known to use a piezoelectric device to control needle selection members of a knitting pattern mechanism. A typical such piezoelectric pattern mechanism is disclosed in DE-A-3 933 149. This pattern mechanism includes a piezoelectric body having a piezoelectric element, which moves upwardly and downwardly upon application of a voltage thereto. The front end of the piezoelectric body is linked to a movably mounted finger and the piezoelectric body and the finger are arranged in a straight line. The rear end of the piezoelectric body is supported within a groove in a supporting housing and the medial portion of the piezoelectric body is held by a rotating member rotatably mounted on the supporting housing. In jacquard knitting, the needles move between three operating positions, i.e. knit, tuck and welt positions. Heretofore, to achieve such movement to these three operating positions, the piezoelectric pattern mechanisms required that the fingers be divided into left and right rows, with one row of fingers for selecting those needles to be moved to the welt position and the other row of fingers for selecting those needles to be moved to the tuck position. If one row has eight fingers, for example, the other row also must have eight fingers, resulting in two rows with a total of sixteen fingers arranged in a zigzag pattern. The large number of fingers required creates significant problems because the number of piezoelectric bodies, and the number of other components and wiring, increase proportionately to the number of fingers. In addition, if the two rows of fingers are arranged on the same horizontal level, as they most often are, the piezoelectric bodies of both rows must have the same capacity, inevitably requiring a large pattern mechanism. Summary of the Invention With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a knitting machine having a piezoelectric pattern mechanism which overcomes and obviates the problems, disadvantages and deficiencies heretofore encountered with prior piezoelectric pattern mechanisms. To this end, the present invention consists in a knitting machine including knitting needles movable between knit, tuck and welt positions to form stitch loops in a predetermined pattern, and pattern controlled needle selection means for selecting particular needles to be moved to and between the knit, tuck and welt positions in accordance with said pattern, characterized in that said needle selection means includes a piezoelectric body movable between three operative positions corresponding to the knit, tuck and welt positions of said needles, first driving means for causing said piezoelectric body to move to one of its operative positions, second driving means for causing said piezoelectric body to move to another one of its operative positions, and third driving means for causing said piezoelectric body to move to the remaining one of its operative positions, whereby said piezoelectric body selects and causes a needle to move between its three operative positions in accordance with said predetermined pattern. With the invention, therefore, the piezoelectric pattern mechanism may require only a single row of fingers, each of which is capable of selecting any one of the three operating positions of the knitting needles. In a preferred embodiment, the needle selection means includes a first driving means which causes the piezoelectric body to displace upwardly, a second driving means which causes the piezoelectric body to displace downwardly, and a third driving means for causing the piezoelectric body to displace to the neutral position. Preferably, the needle selection means is combined with a needle mechanism of a knitting machine in which individual needles are selected by selector jacks which in turn operate spring jacks. Such selector jacks and spring jacks are disclosed in US-A-Patent No 4 604 877. Brief Description of the Drawings An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a piezoelectric body connected to a first type of finger for use with the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic view of control means and driving means for the piezoelectric body of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic view similar to Figure 2 of another embodiment of the control means and driving means for the piezoelectric body of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a table of typical output signal states of the driving means of Figure 3; Figures 5a, 5b and 5c are schematic views of the three displaced positions of the piezoelectric body of Figure 1; Figure 6 is a schematic view of an output signal diagram of the piezoelectric body of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of a knitting machine incorporating the present invention; Figure 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, schematic view of a cam arrangement of the knitting machine of Figure 7; Figure 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of a knitting needle, spring jack and selector jack of the knitting machine of Figure 7; Figure 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the selector jack, spring jack, cancelling cam, selector jack raising cam and selector jack welt and tuck cams of the knitting machine of Figure 7; Figure 11 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of a second type of finger operated by the piezoelectric body; Figure 12 is a schematic view of a needle-motion diagram illustrating the three operational positions of the needle; Figure 13 is a schematic view illustrating the relationship between the finger and the welt and tuck cams to cause the needle to move to the welt and tuck positions; Figure 14 is a schematic view illustrating the relationship between the master butt of the selector jack and the welt and tuck cams to move the selector jacks to the tuck and welt positions; Figures 15a, 15b and 15c are schematic views illustrating the operation of the first type of finger; and Figures 16a, 16b and 16c are schematic views similar to Figures 15a, 15b and 15c illustrating the operation of the second type of finger. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring now more particularly to the drawings and specifically to Figure 7, there is illustrated therein a circular knitting machine, generally indicated at 20, incorporating the present invention. Knitting machine 20 includes a needle cylinder 21 having a multiplicity of grooves 21a in the outer periphery thereof. In each groove 21a, a knitting needle 22 is slidably mounted for vertical movement between three operation positions, i.e. knit, tuck and welt positions. Knitting machine 20 further includes a cam supporting block 23 which is carried by an upper cam ring 24. Upper cam ring 24 is in turn supported on a lower cam ring 25. A stitch cam 26 is supported on the inner face of cam block 23 and includes a cam race 26a. Cam race 26a receives an operating butt 22a of needle 22 to move needle 22 upwardly and downwardly in accordance with a predetermined pattern. A spring jack 30 is disposed in each groove 21a of the needle cylinder 21 below each needle 22. Spring jack 30 is substantially identical to the spring jack described in our JP-A-8199453 or US-A-5 647 230. Accordingly, spring jack 30 will not be described in detail herein except as is necessary for an understanding of the operation thereof. Spring jack 30 includes a raising butt 30a, a lowering butt 30b and a lower portion or tail 30c. Spring jack 30 also includes an offset upper portion 30d, which overlaps the lower end of needle 22 and defines with butt 30a a shoulder for contacting the lower end of needle 22 . Cam block 23 carries a raising cam 31 having a cam race 31a cooperating with butt 30a and a lowering cam 32 having a cam race 32a cooperating with lowering butt 30b. A selector jack, generally indicated at 40, is mounted in each groove 21a of cylinder 21 beneath spring jack 30. The upper end portion 40a of the selector jack overlaps the lower portion or tail 30c of spring jack 30. Selector jack 40 is also described substantially in our aforementioned Japanese and US Patent Specifications. Selector jack 40 has a first pivot portion 41 which contacts the bottom of the groove 21a and a V-shaped projection 42 at the lower end thereof. A pair of coil girdle springs 43 biases the lower portion of selector jack 40 toward the bottom of the groove 21a, while permitting limited upward and downward movement of the selector jack 40 in the groove 21a. A stop plate 45 is mounted on upper cam ring 24 and limits the outward movement of the selector jack 40 to maintain the upper end portion 46 of selector jack 40 in position and in contact with the tail 30c of spring jack 30. Selector jack 40 includes a master butt 47 and a pattern butt 48 below the master butt 47 (Figure 9). Master butts 47 are respectively at the same level from selector jack to selector jack, while pattern butts 48 on adjacent selector jacks form a row of butts arranged diagonally and with a clearance with each other (Figure 8). If desired, the selector jacks 40 may be formed of a relatively thin or narrow elastic or flexible member so as to alleviate the shock that is generated during operation of the knitting machine 20. The lower cam ring 25 supports a selector jack supporting member 44 for receipt of the V-shaped projection 42 of selector jack 40. Selector jack supporting member 44 preferably has a V-shaped groove 44a therein (Figure 10) to receive the V-shaped projection 42. V-shaped groove 44a and V-shaped projection 42 thusly maintain the selector jack 40 at a certain level in normal operation. If desired, supporting member 44 may be provided with an upper sloping surface 44b and a lower sloping surface 44c to stabilize better the position of the selector jack 40 which has been moved up or down in a manner to be presently described. A piezoelectric needle selecting device, generally indicated at 50 (Figure 7) is carried by lower cam ring 25 adjacent the path of travel of the selector jacks 40 as they travel with cylinder 21 as it rotates. Piezoelectric needle selecting device 50 includes a plurality of piezoelectric bodies 51 (Figure 1). The piezoelectric bodies 51 are identical and, therefore, only one will be described. The piezoelectric body 51 (Figure 1) includes a plate member 51a having piezoelectric elements 51b and 51c attached to opposite sides thereof. These piezoelectric elements may be, for example, a bimorph-type ceramic actuator. A finger 52 is coupled to the outer end of the plate member 51a of piezoelectric body 51 in a movable manner. Finger 52 carries an actuating head, generally indicated at 53, at its outer end for selective engagement with pattern butt 48 of selector jack 40. Each actuating head 53 includes a front end face 54 having an inwardly sloping surface 54a and a vertical surface 54b downstream of inwardly sloping surface 54a. Actuating head 53 also includes an upper face 55 having an upwardly sloping surface 55a and an upper horizontal surface 55b. Actuating head 53 has a comparable lower face 56 with a downwardly sloping surface 56a and a horizontal surface 56b downstream thereof. Depending on which of the three operational positions which the piezoelectric body 51 occupies, the pattern butt 48 of a selector jack 40 will contact one of these three faces 54, 55 or 56 and the selector jack 40 will thus be moved inwardly if face 54 is contacted, upwardly if face 55 is contacted or downwardly if face 56 is contacted. A cancelling cam 57 is provided in the path of the master butts 47 to ensure that each selector jack 40 is properly positioned for the piezoelectric needle selecting device 50 and the actuating head 53 (Figures 15a, 15b and 15c). Referring to Figures 11, 16a, 16b and 16c, there is illustrated another embodiment of an actuating head 60 carried by the outer end of the finger 52'. Actuating head 60 has a front face 61 having an inwardly sloping surface 61a, a bifurcated vertical surface 61b and an outwardly sloping surface 61c between the bifurcations of vertical surface 61b. Actuating head 60 also includes an upper face 62 having a first upwardly sloping surface 62a, a second upwardly sloping surface 62b downstream of the first upwardly sloping surface 62a and a horizontal surface 62c. Actuating head 60 has a corresponding lower face 63 having a first downwardly sloping surface 63a, a second downwardly sloping surface 63b and a horizontal surface 63c. When finger 52' is in the neutral operating position, actuating head 60 contacts pattern butt 48 of selector jack 40 and pattern butt 48 moves along inwardly sloping surface 61a which pushes the selector jack 40 inwardly. Butt 48 next contacts outwardly sloping surface 61c which gradually returns the selector jack 40 and spring jack 30 to their original positions while alleviating any shock which may be caused when butt 30b of spring jack 30 contacts raising cam 31 . When finger 52' is either raised or lowered, butt 48 moves along the surface 62 or 63 and selector jack 40 is raised or lowered. The first sloping surface 62a or 63a moves the selector jack 40 upwardly or downwardly to the first step and the second sloping surface 62b or 63b moves the selector jack 40 upwardly or downwardly to the second step. The horizontal length of the second sloping surface 62b or 63b may be relatively short, which is effective for fine gauge knit fabrics which have a limited needle-selecting range. Preferably, the upward or downward movement of the selector jacks 40 is assisted by the sloping surface 44b or 44a, respectively, of selector jack supporting member 44. A welt cam 70 and a tuck cam 71 are carried either by the lower cam ring 25 or the upper cam ring 24 by suitable supports (not shown). Cam 70 includes an inwardly sloping surface 70a and a horizontal surface 70b (Figures 10 and 13). Cam 71 also has an inwardly sloping surface 71a and a horizontal surface 71b. As shown in Figure 14, cams 70 and 71 are mounted at different heights relative to the master butt 47 of the selector jack 40 such that neither of these cams are contacted by the master butt 47 when the piezoelectric body 51 is in the neutral position and cam 70 is contacted by the master butt 47 when the piezoelectric body 51 is displaced downwardly and cam 71 is contacted thereby when the piezoelectric body 50 is displaced upwardly. Referring now to Figure 2, there is illustrated schematically a pattern control system, generally indicated at 80, for the piezoelectric body 51. Control system 80 includes a control means 81, an interface circuit 82 and driving means, generally indicated at 83. Driving means 83 includes a first driving or switching means 84 (labeled D 1 ), which may be a first transistor circuit, a second driving or switching means 85 (labeled D 2 ), which may be a second transistor circuit, and a third driving or switching means 86 (labeled D 3 ), which may be a third transistor circuit. The first, second and third switching means 84, 85 and 86 are all connected in parallel to the piezoelectric body 51. In addition, first switching means 84 is connected to a positive voltage of a first potential, for example, +48 volts and second switching means 85 is connected to a negative voltage of a second potential, for example, -48 volts. All three switching means are connected to ground as is indicated at 87. The control means 81 outputs, for example, three kinds of two-bit information signals, such as "0,0"; "1,0" and "0,1". These output signals are delivered to interface circuit 82 which converts the two-bit information signals to actuating signals for the first, second and third switching means 84, 85 and 86. For example, when information signal "0,0" is output from control means 81 to interface circuit 82 , interface circuit 82 outputs an actuating signal to open the first and second switching means 84 and 85 while third switching means 86 is closed and short circuits the piezoelectric body 51. Piezoelectric body 51 is caused to move to the neutral position. When information signal "1,0" is output, interface circuit 82 outputs an actuating signal to open the second and third switching means 85 and 86 while closing the first switching means 84. First switching means 84 then applies a positive voltage of, for example, +48 volts to the piezoelectric element 51b which causes the piezoelectric body 51 to be displaced upwardly. Similarly, when information signal "0,1" is output by control means 81, interface circuit 82 outputs an actuating signal to open the first and third switching means 84 and 86 while closing the second switching means 85 . Second switching means 85 applies a negative voltage of, for example, -48 volts to piezoelectric element 51a to cause piezoelectric body 51 to be displaced downwardly. Referring now to Figure 3, there is illustrated another embodiment of a control for the piezoelectric body 51 , wherein like reference characters are used to refer to like elements with the prime notation added. A control means 81' is provided and outputs three two-bit information signals to an interface circuit 82'. Interface circuit 82' converts the two-bit information signals to actuating signals and outputs such actuating signals to a first switching means 84' (labeled T 1 ), a second switching means 85' (labeled T 2 ), and a driving means, generally indicated at 90. Driving means 90 includes first, second, and paired third and fourth switching means 91 (labeled T 3 ), 92 (labeled T 4 ) and 93 (labeled T 5 ), 94 (also labeled T 5 ). As before, all of these switching means 84', 85', 91, 92 and 93, 94 may be transistor circuits, and all are connected to the piezoelectric body 51 and to ground as indicated at 87'. Switching means 91 and 93 are connected in series, as are switching means 92, 94. A capacitance means, which may be a pair of capacitors 95, 96 are connected across the series connected switching means 91, 93 and 92, 94. When control means 81' outputs an information signal "0,0", interface circuit 82' outputs an actuating signal to switch off switching means 84', 85', 93 and 94 and switches the switching means 91 and 92 on and off quickly and alternately. The capacitors 95, 96, which have been precharged, are discharged. As shown in Figure 6, positive (+) and negative (-) voltages are alternately applied, resulting in a more neutral condition (Figure 5a) . When information signal "1,0" is output by control means 81', interface circuit 82' outputs an actuating signal to switch on the switching means 84' and switch off the switching means 85', 91 and 92. Switching means 93 and 94 are switched on to charge the capacitors 95 and 96. Switching means 84' applies a positive voltage of, for example, +48 volts to piezoelectric body 51 causing the front end thereof to displace downwardly (Figure 5c). When control means 81' outputs the information signal "0,1", interface circuit 82' outputs an actuating signal to switch on the switching means 85' and switch off the switching means 84', 91 and 92 and to switch on the switching means 93, 94 to charge the capacitors 95, 96. Switching means 85' applies a negative voltage of, for example, -48 volts to piezoelectric body 51 to cause the front end thereof to displace upwardly (Figure 5b). Figure 4 is a table which correlates the three operational positions of the piezoelectric body 51 and the operating conditions of the transistor circuits or switching means 84', 85', 91, 92, 93 and 94 (labeled T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 and T 5 , T 5 ). The operation of the apparatus of the present invention will now be described. A pre-programmed pattern device (not shown) causes the control means 81 or 81' to output the requisite two-bit information signals to cause the piezoelectric body 51 to occupy a particular position of its three operating positions to achieve a corresponding movement of the knitting needle 22 to the knit, tuck or welt position as is necessary to duplicate the pattern to be knit. If the pattern calls for the needle 22 to be moved to the knit position, the piezoelectric body 51 is caused to move to the neutral position (Figure 5a) in a manner previously described. The selector jack 40 is not raised or lowered but the pattern butt 48 thereof engages and moves along the front face 54 or 61 of the finger 53 or 60 which pivots the selector jack 40 inwardly. 2ne master butt 47 of the selector jack 40 passes between the cams 70 and 71 and the spring jack 30 is raised by cams 32 to raise needle 22. Needle 22 is then raised by stitch cam 26 to the knit position. If the pattern calls for the needle 22 to be raised to the tuck position, the piezoelectric body 51 is caused to move downwardly (Figure 5c) so that pattern butt 48 on the selector jack 40 engages and moves along upper face 55 or 62 of actuating head 53 or 60 to raise selector jack 40 upwardly and to cause master butt 47 to engage the tuck cam 71. Tuck cam 71 moves selector jack 40 inwardly and causes spring jack 30 to be moved by cam 32 to the tuck position and correspondingly to cause needle 22 to be moved to the tuck position by stitch cam 26. Needle 22 is moved to the welt position by piezoelectric body 51 moving upwardly which causes pattern butt 48 to engage and move along the lower face 56 or 63 of head 53 or 60 to move the selector jack 40 downwardly Welt cam 70 will then force selector jack 40 inwardly which will cause spring jack 30 to engage the welt cam track of cam 32 and thus needle 22 to engage the welt cam track of stitch cam 26. In this manner, needle selection in accordance with a preprogrammed or predetermined pattern is accomplished using piezoelectric elements with only half of the usual number of fingers and actuating heads.

Claims: A knitting machine (20) including knitting needles (22) movable between knit, tuck and welt positions to form stitch loops in a predetermined pattern, and pattern controlled needle selection means (50) for selecting particular needles (22) to be moved to and between the knit, tuck and welt positions in accordance with said pattern, characterized in that said needle selection means (50) includes a piezoelectric body (51) movable between three operative positions corresponding to the knit, tuck and welt positions of said needles (22), first driving means (84) for causing said piezoelectric body (51) to move to one of its operative positions, second driving means (85) for causing said piezoelectric body (51) to move to another one of its operative positions, and third driving means (86) for causing said piezoelectric body (51) to move to the remaining one of its operative positions, whereby said piezoelectric body (51) selects and causes a needle (22) to move between its three operative positions in accordance with said predetermined pattern. A knitting machine (20) according to Claim 1 wherein said needle selection means (50) includes control means (81) for outputting three control signals to control said first, second and third driving means (84, 85, 86). A knitting machine (20) according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein said piezoelectric body (51) comprises an elongate base member (51a) and at least one piezoelectric element (51b) carried by said base member (51a) and movable to a first position upon application of a voltage of a first potential, movable to a second position upon application of a voltage of a second potential different from said first potential and movable to a third position upon application of a voltage of a third potential intermediate the first and second potentials. A knitting machine (20) according to Claim 3 wherein said first and second potentials are voltages of equal value but opposite polarity. A knitting machine (20) according to Claim 3 or 4 wherein said third potential is zero. A knitting machine (20) according to Claim 3 or 4 wherein said third potential comprises outputs of opposite polarity of two capacitors applied quickly and alternately until said capacitors are discharged to zero. A knitting machine according to Claim 1 including spring jacks (30) operatively associated with said knitting needles (22) for moving said knitting needles (22) between the knit, tuck and welt positions,and selector jacks (40) for selectively activating said spring jacks (30) to move said needles (22) said needle selection means (50) including actuating means (53,60) for moving said selector jacks (40) inwardly to cause said needles (22) to move to the knit position and for moving said selector jacks (40) upwardly and downwardly to cause said needles (22) to move to the welt and tuck positions. A knitting machine according to Claim 7 wherein each of the selector jacks (40) includes a master butt (47) and a pattern butt (48) thereon in longitudinal spaced relation and said actuating means comprises an actuating head (53,60) including a front cam face (54,61) , an upper cam face (55,62) and a lower cam face (56,63) arranged to engage said pattern butt (48) on said selector jack (40) to move said selector jack (40). A knitting machine according to Claim 8 wherein said front cam face (54,61) of said actuating head (53,60) has an inwardly sloping surface (54a,61a) and a horizontal surface (54b,61c) ,said upper cam face (55,62) has an upwardly sloping surface (55a,62a,62b) andahorizontal surface (55b,62c) , and said lower cam face (56,63) has a downwardly sloping surface (56a,63a,63b) and a horizontal surface A knitting machine according to Claim 8 or 9 including a canceling cam (57) engageable with said master butts (47) on said selector jacks (40) for returning all of said selector jacks (40) to the same position or level as said selector jacks (40) approach said actuating means (60). A knitting machine according to Claim 8, 9 or 10 including a welt cam (70) engageable with said master butts (47) on said selector jacks (40) when said selector jacks (40) are moved downwardly by said actuating means (60) for moving said selector jacks (40) to a position corresponding to the welt position of said needles (22), and a tuck cam (71) engageable with said master butts (47) on said selector jacks (40) when said selector jacks (40) are moved upwardly by said actuating means (61) for moving said selector jacks (40) to a position corresponding to the tuck position of said needles (22). A knitting machine according to any of Claims 7 to 11 wherein each of said selector jacks (40) has a lateral projection (42) at its lower end, and selector jack support means (44) is engageable with said projections (42) to maintain said selector jacks (40) at a certain level when said selector jacks (40) are moved inwardly by said actuating means (60) and to assist in moving said selector jacks (40) upwardly and downwardly to maintain said selector jacks (40) in stable positions. A knitting machine according to any of Claims 7 to 12 wherein said selector jacks (40) are resilient in a medial, stem portion thereof.

Inventors: SHIBATA TAKAO, SHIBATA, TAKAO
Applicants: PRECISION FUKUHARA WORKS LTD, PRECISION FUKUHARA WORKS, LTD
Application year: 1997
Main classification: D04B15
IPC codes: H01L41, D04B15