Cleaning device for an auto-winder

Abstract: A cleaning device for an auto-winder arranged with a cleaning air blowing hole (31,32) and a cleaning air suction hole (33) on each winding unit (1) of the auto-winder and where fly waste is not dispersed out of the auto-winder due to the production of a flow of cleaning air that circulates inside the auto-winder of each winding unit. Furthermore, cleaning air is blown from the blowing hole towards the winding unit. Then the cleaning air blown from the blowing hole is sucked into the suction hole (33) and returned once again to the blowing hole (31,32).

Description: The invention relates to a cleaning device according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a device is known from DE-A-2919768. This device comprises a suction duct for each winding unit and an upper front exhaust duct and an upper rear exhaust duct extending lengthwise the auto-winder. The upper ducts have blowing holes directing air currents to the package of each winding unit so that fly waste may be directed to all parts of the auto-winder and the surrounding areas. US-A-4,333,201 discloses a cleaning device having an air supply duct extending lengthwise a textile machine and generating a front and a rear air screen. These air screens are directed to lower front and rear suction nozzles opening into an exhaust air duct below the textile machine. This air screen system generates a closed cleaning air circulation but cannot prevent fly waste from reaching all parts of the winding units. The problem underlying the invention is therefore to propose a cleaning device that is able to efficiently collect fly waste on each winding unit without dispersion around the winding units. This problem is solved by the features defined in the characterising part of claim 1. As the fly waste is carried by the cleaning air from the front of each winding unit to the rear, no fly waste inconveniences the operator. It should be noted that front means the side where the operator carries out each type of operation on each winding unit, in short, the side arranged with an operation space for the operator. Furthermore, a sucking hole for suction of the suction air is arranged on each winding unit. Due to the blowing from the blowing hole on the front of each winding unit and suction into the suction hole of each winding unit, a flow of cleaning air is generated from the front of each winding unit to the suction hole and the fly waste generated at each winding unit is carried and collected by this flow of cleaning. Yet further, the fly waste is collected from the cleaning air sucked from the suction hole and the exhaust air from which the fly waste has been removed is once again blown from the blowing holes as cleaning air. The flow of cleaning air is stable without disruptions by the exhaust air by aligning the suction air from the suction hole and the exhaust air from the suction hole. Furthermore, both blowing from the blowing hole and suction by the suction hole can be achieved by a single blower and the fly waste is collected by a filter or the like arranged in the blower. Yet further still, the blowing hole comprises a first blowing hole arranged in front and towards the base of the winding unit and a second blowing hole arranged in front and towards the top of the winding unit. The suction hole is arranged behind the winding unit at a mid-level height. Accordingly, a cleaning air flow that covers almost the whole winding unit is generated from the first and second blowing holes in front of and higher than and lower than the winding unit to the rear suction hole at a mid-level height. Fly waste over a wide area is then collected. Further, blowing from the blowing hole and suction into the suction hole is linked to continual blowing and continual suction. Due to the linkage between the continual blowing and suction, a flow of continual cleaning air is generated and fly waste is always collected. Brief Descriptions of the Drawing Figure 1 is a side view showing the main part of the cleaning device of the present invention. Figure 2 Is a view of the upper surface of the main part of the cleaning device of the present invention. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the structure of the open and closing gates in the lower air current guide plate. Figure 4 is a view of the upper surface of the open and closing gates in the lower air current guide plate. Figure 5 is a view of the upper surface showing the operation when the open and closing gates in the lower air current guide plate open. Figure 6 is a view of the upper surface showing when the open and closing gates in the lower air current guide plate are in an open state. Detailed Descriptions of the Preferred Embodiments Hereafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described together with the drawings. Figure 1 is a side view showing the main part of the cleaning device of the present invention and Figure 2 is a view of the upper surface of the main part of the cleaning device of the present invention In Figure 1, a cleaning device 30 comprises mainly a first blowing hole 31, second blowing hole 32 and suction hole 33 each arranged on every winding unit 1, and a first exhaust duct 41, second exhause duct 42 and blower 44 arranged common (one on the auto-winder or one on every span comprised of 10 winding units) to a plurality of winding units 1. One feature of this cleaning device 30 is that is produces a flow of cleaning air that circulates inside the auto-winder at each winding unit 1. Accordingly, as the cleaning air circulates inside the winder and there is no movement of cleaning air out of the winder, there is no disruption to the air flow outside of the winder. The first blowing hole 31 is arranged on the tip of a distribution duct 34 arranged in front of and lower than the winding unit 1 (in front of a supply conveyor 11) in a direction at right angles to the surface of the page (Figure 1). The distribution duct 34 is connected to the tip of the first exhaust duct 41 arranged such that it creeps along the lower surface of the machine 25. The basal end of the first exhaust duct 41 is connected to an exhaust box 45 of the blower 44. The first blowing hole 31 is formed as a slit nozzle. The blowing direction "a" of the cleaning air from the slit nozzle is a direction aimed at the unwinding part of the supply yarn bobbin 4 or between the unwinding part and the tensor 6. Accordingly, air blowing aiming at the unwinding part of the supply yarn bobbin 4 and tensor 6 where the most fly waste is generated is performed. The second blowing hole 32 projects from the tip of pipe 35 arranged in front and higher than (near the front of the doffing device 27) the winding unit 1 in a direction at right angles to the surface of the page (Figure 1). The pipe 35 is connected so as to be freely rotatable to the tip of the second exhaust duct 42 arranged so as to span the span frame 26 supporting the doffing device 27. The basal end of the second exhaust duct 42 is connected to the exhaust box 45 of the blower 44. The second blowing hole 32 is formed as a slit nozzle. The second blowing hole 32 is swung and the blowing direction of the cleaning air from the slit nozzle is a direction between the arrow b and the arrow c. The blowing direction of arrow b is towards in front of the winding unit 1 and the blowing direction of arrow c is towards the rear of the winding unit 1 from above the winding package 14. Accordingly, blowing which aims at the fly waste present at the upper half of the winding unit, in particular the winding part is performed. The suction hole 33 is positioned to the rear of the winding unit 1 and moreover at an intermediate height of the winding unit 1 as a fully opened restriction part formed by the upper air current guide plate 36 extending into the inside and upper half of the winding unit 1 and the lower air current guide plate 37 extending into the inside and lower half of the winding unit 1 and the end of the suction hole 33 is connected with the suction duct 3. The suction hole 33 is formed as a slit and the suction direction of the cleaning air into the slit is the direction shown by the arrow d. Accordingly, air is made to flow from the wide part at the front upper and front lower parts of each winding unit 1 to the restricted part at the rear and mid-level height of the winding unit 1. The suction duct 3 arranged in a direction at right angles to the surface of the page of Figure 1 is connected to the blower 44 via the suction duct 43. A filter 46 is arranged at the entrance of the blower 44 and this filter 46 collects the fly waste. Furthermore, the exhaust air from the blower 44 is expelled into the exhaust box 45 and the first exhaust duct 41 and second exhaust duct 42 are connected to the exhaust box 45. Thus, an exhaust blower is used in the blower 44, the filter 46 is arranged at the entrance of the exhaust blower and blast air from the exhaust blower is used as cleaning air. Furthermore, the positioning in the lateral direction of the winding unit 1 of the first blowing hole 31, the second blowing hole 32 and the suction hole 33 will be described by Figure 2. The first blowing hole 31 is immovably positioned aiming at approximately the midpoint of the width direction of each winding unit 1 (the winding position shown by A). The second blowing hole 32 is positioned aiming at approximately the midpoint of the width direction of each winding unit 1 (the winding position shown by A) and the downward facing blowing angle is able to change due to a rotating means 47 of the distribution pipe 35. The suction hole 33 is immovably positioned aiming at approximately the midpoint of the width direction of each winding unit 1 (the winding position shown by A). An open-close door 38 is arranged on the lower air current guide plate 37 formed on the suction hole 33. This open-close door 38 is linked via a publicly known link system to an eject lever 22 that rotates in order to expel a bobbin in the winding position A onto the ejection conveyor 12. In short, the open-close door 38 opens when the bobbin in the winding position A is to be ejected and a new bobbin is supplied from the supply conveyor 11 to the standby position in front (entrance side) of winding position A via the open part of the open-close door 38. Then, the bobbin is supplied to the standby position and the open-close door 38 closes when the ejector 22 returns to its original position. Accordingly, the time when the open-close door 38 is opened is reduced to a minimum. Next, the operations of the cleaning device 30 will be described using Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 2, when the blower 44 inside the exhaust box 45 operates, a flow of cleaning air in the direction of arrow d is generated by the suction hole 33 at the rear and mid-level of each winding unit 1 via the suction duct 43 and suction duct 3. Simultaneously, a flow of cleaning air in the direction of arrow a is generated by the first blowing hole 31 in front of and lower than each winding unit 1 via the first exhaust duct 41 and distribution duct 34 and a flow of cleaning air in the direction of arrows b,c is generated by the second blowing hole 32 in front and higher than each winding unit 1 via the second exhaust duct 42 and distribution duct 35. Furthermore, the fly waste is collected from the cleaning air sucked from the suction hole 33 and as the exhaust air from which the fly waste has been removed is re-used as cleaning air, the flow of the cleaning air is stable. It should be noted that the volume of blowing air of the first blowing hole 31 is greater than the volume of blowing air of the second blowing hole 32 and the air pressure is greater. This is because more fly waste is generated at the unwinding part of the supply yarn bobbin 4 than the winding part of the winding package 14. This state is shown in Figure 1. A localised flow of cleaning air that cuts across the fly waste generation area of from the unwinding part of the supply yarn bobbin 4 to the tensor 6 is formed by the suction in the direction of arrow d at the rear and mid-level of each winding unit 1 and the concentrated blowing in the direction of arrow a at the front and lower than each winding unit 1. Accordingly, the fly waste generated from the unwinding part of the supply yarn bobbin 4 of each winding unit 1 to the tensor 6 is carried by the flow of cleaning air and is collected by the filter 46 of the blower 44 via the suction duct 3. In addition, as the second blowing hole 32 in front of and higher than each winding unit 1 blows cleaning air by a swing method from the front of the winding unit 1 (arrow b) to the rear (arrow c), a flow of weak cleaning air is generated over a wide area from in front of and higher than the winding unit 1 towards the suction hole 33 and fly waste floating in the above half of the winding unit 1 is collected. Accordingly, fly waste generated at the part from the unwinding part of each winding unit 1 to the tensor 6 which has not been collected, as well as a small amount of fly waste generated at the part from the tensor 6 to the winding package 14 is collected. As shown in the drawing, it is normal for the auto-winder to be arranged with machines 25 facing each other either side of an operation pathway 23 but as the cleaning air from the blowing holes 31,32 is from the front of the machine 25 towards each winding unit 1, fly waste does not settle on another facing machine. Furthermore, the details of the structure of the aforementioned open-close door 38 arranged on the lower air current guide plate 37 forming the suction hole 33 will be described using Figures 3 and 4 and the actions of that will be described using Figures 5 and 6. In Figures 3 and 4, the open-close door 38 comprises the major part of the lower air current guide plate 37. In short, when the open-close door 38 closes with respect to the fixed part at the left side of Figure 4, it becomes the lower air current guide plate 37 that intersects the winding position 57. This open-close door 38 is a structure that opens and closes linked with the operations of the eject lever 22 on the bobbin change device 51 arranged between the supply conveyor 11 and ejection conveyor 12. The bobbin change device 51 comprises a transport pathway 55 and ejection pathway 56 between a base plate 52, a first upper guide plate 53 and a second upper guide plate 54, a winding position 57 between both pathways 55,56 and is arranged so as to eject trays 18 upon which stand empty bobbins or the like from the winding position 57 by the eject lever 22 and supply trays 18 upon which stand new bobbins to the winding position 57. It should be noted that a first standby position 58 and second standby position 59 of the tray 18 are arranged in the transport pathway 55. The eject lever 22 is able to rotate about a shaft 58 by the link system from a cam system (not shown in the drawings) and has an ejection arm part 60, a picking arm part 61 and a stopper part 62 being affixed to the picking arm part 61. The open-close door 38 opens and closes about the projected shaft 58 due to a lower bracket 63 and upper bracket 64 extending from the open-close door 22 being supported on this shaft 58. Normally, the open-close door 38 is kept in the close position by a pulling spring 65 arranged on the lower bracket 63. A tray push plate 66 is mounted on the picking arm part 61 of the eject lever 22 and this tray push plate 66 is formed so that the upward pointing bent part 66a catches on the lower end of the open-close door 38. Accordingly, when the eject lever 22 rotates in a clockwise direction, the open-close door 38 connects with the bent part 66a of the tray push plate 66 and is opened while resisting the force of the pulling spring 65. Next, the opening and closing of the open-close door 38 linked to the bobbin change will be described. In Figure 5, when the eject lever 22 rotates in a clockwise direction from the position of Figure 4 to the position in this drawing, the tray 18 in the winding position 57 is ejected onto the ejection conveyor 12 via the ejection pathway 56 by the ejection arm 60. In this state, the tray in the first standby position 59A remains stopped by the stopper part 62. Simultaneous with this clockwise rotation of the eject lever 22, the lower end of the open-close door 38 connects with the bent part 66a of the tray push plate 66 and while extending the pulling spring 65, the open-close door 38 opens. The eject lever 22 rotates further in the clockwise direction from the state shown in Figure 5 to the fully opened state shown in Figure 6. When in the state of Figure 6, the tray 18 in the first standby position is delivered until it connects with the ejection arm 60 by the delivery of a rotating disc 19 and may be picked by the picking arm 61. The open-close door 38 enters the fully opened state and does not interfere with the tray 18 delivered by the rotating disc 19. When the eject lever 22 in the state shown in Figure 6 rotates in a counter clockwise direction, the tray 18 picked by the picking arm 61 is moved to the winding position 57, the next tray 18 stops at the first standby position due to the stopper 62 and the new tray from the supply conveyor 11 is picked into the second standby position and returns to the state of Figure 4. As shown in Figure 3, the central projecting part 18a of the tray 18 in the winding position is positioned so as to be held by the tip of the tray push plate 66 and arc part 54a of the second guide plate 54. Simultaneously, the open-close door 38 closes as shown in Figure 4 and the lower air current guide plate 37 covers the winding position 57. Accordingly, a flow of cleaning air towards the suction hole 33 of Figure 1 from the wide part at the front and upper and lower part of the winding unit 1 to the narrow part to the rear and at mid-level of the winding unit 1 is reliably formed and the fly waste generated by the unwinding of the supply yarn bobbin 4 in the winding position and tensor 6 is collected. Furthermore, due to the opening and closing of the open-close door 38 linked to the bobbin change device, there is no hindrance of the transport of the tray 18 to the winding position from the supply conveyor 11. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, an example has been described where there are two blowing holes in the front of the winding unit 1 being the upper one 32 and lower one 31. However, only having a first blowing hole 31 in front of and lower than aiming at the part when a lot of fly waste is generated is effective for the collection of fly waste on most parts. Furthermore, the cases of continuous operation of each of the blowing holes 31,32 and suction hole 33 have been described, but with one blower 44 per auto-winder, the operation and stoppage of the blowing holes 31,32 and suction hole 33 may be repeated on each and every span at a predetermined cycle by a damper exchange means or the like. Yet further, a device has been described whereby both suction and blowing are carried out by a single blower 44 but a suction blower and exhaust blower may be individually arranged. As described above, a first aspect of the present invention is a device provided with a blowing hole that blows cleaning air towards the winding unit and is arranged at the front of each and every winding unit. As fly waste is carried from the front to the rear of each winding unit by the cleaning air, the fly waste is not simply blown off and only partially sucked in, but does not interfere with the operator and a good operating environment for the operator can be maintained. Further, the amount of fly waste settling on each part of the winding unit (electrical wires, air pipes etc.) is reduced. Yet further, when two auto-winders are oppositely arranged either side of a operation pathway, fly waste is prevented from settling on the opposite winder. Furthermore, a suction hole that sucks cleaning air is arranged on each and every winding unit. A flow of cleaning air is generated into the suction hole from the front of each winding unit, the fly waste generated by each winding unit is collected by being carried by the flow of cleaning air and the amount of scattered fly waste is reduced. Yet further, the exhaust air is re-used as cleaning air. As the flow of cleaning air is stable without disruption by exhaust air, the collection rate of the fly waste is improved. Also, as blowing from the blowing hole and suction into the suction hole is possible and the cleaning air collects fly waste by a filter or the like arranged in the blower, a flow of stable cleaning air is generated and the machine structure is simplified. Yet further still, the blowing hole comprises a first blowing hole arranged on the front and lower part of the winding unit and a second blowing hole arranged on the front and upper part of the winding unit. The suction hole is arranged at the rear and at mid-level of the winding unit. Due to this structure, a flow of cleaning air that covers the main parts of the unit being from the second blowing hole to the center rear of the unit is generated and effective collection of fly waste and prevention of scattering of fly waste by covering a wide area of the unit may be achieved. Yet further, the blowing from the blowing holes and the suction into the suction holes is linked by continuous blowing and continuous suction. As a flow of cleaning air is continuously generated at each winding unit and fly waste is continuously collected, the collection of fly waste and prevention of scattering of the fly waste is effectively performed.

Claims: Cleaning device (30) for an auto-winder having a plurality of in series arranged winding units (1) comprising a suction duct (3, 43) opening in the area of the supply bobbin (4) of each winding unit (1), characterized in that a lower exhaust duct (41) is provided having blowing holes (31) each opening in front of and towards the base of a winding unit (1), the suction duct (3, 43) has suction holes (33) each opening the rear and at an intermediate height of a winding unit (1), and the cleaning air leaving the lower exhaust duct (41) and entering the suction duct (3, 43) is circulated. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that an upper exhaust duct (42) is provided having blowing holes (32) being pivotable from the front of a winding unit (1) to the rear thereof.

Inventors: MIMA HIROSHI, NAKAMURA YOUICHI, TANIGAWA YASUNOBU, MIMA, HIROSHI, NAKAMURA, YOUICHI, TANIGAWA, YASUNOBU
Applicants: MURATA MACHINERY LTD, MURATA KIKAI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B65H54
IPC codes: D01H11, B65H54