Patent Publication Number: US-6213160-B1

Title: Voltage delivery and movable loom operating devices

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This application claims the priority of German Patent No. 29905052.1, filed Mar. 19, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     The invention relates to a device for operating at least one weaving loom. Weaving looms are normally equipped, according to their function and size, with two or more fixedly mounted operating devices which are distributed over the width of the loom. In this case, several operating devices can be arranged on the front side and several operating devices can be arranged on the rear side of the weaving loom. By way of these operating devices, control commands for the weaving loom can be transmitted to the weaving loom control. Because of the number of the operable functions and the operating switches and displays required for this purpose, the space requirement for these operating devices is constantly increasing. However, in addition to this space requirement, higher wiring expenditures for the connection of the operating devices are also necessary. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a device for operating a weaving loom which avoids a multiple arrangement of operating devices, whereby, on the whole, in comparison to the prior art, lower space requirements and lower wiring expenditures are achieved. 
     This object is achieved according to the invention by providing at least one operating device which can be arbitrarily moved on a carrier rail along a large portion of the weaving loom width and which has devices for the wireless and/or wire-dependent voltage supply and for the signal transmission of control commands to the weaving loom control system. 
     As a result, the weaver can position the operating device at a desired point required for the respective operating situation. 
    
    
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the following, the invention will be explained in detail by means of two embodiments with reference to the figures of the drawing. 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of the operating device which can be moved on a carrier rail; 
     FIG. 2 is a lateral view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of a second embodiment of the operating device with the control unit. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an inductive alternating field generating device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A first embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The figures of the drawing show an operating device  1  which, in a known manner, has keyboards  2 ,  3  or individual large keys  4 , for example, for the “start” or “emergency off” functions, on its top side. According to the invention, it is now provided that this operating device  1  can be arbitrarily moved on a carrier rail  5  which preferably extends along the whole weaving loom width, in which case, the carrier rail can be arranged on the front side as well as on the rear side of the weaving loom. The carrying construction of the carrier rail can be connected with the loom frame. However, it may also be arranged and fastened in a different manner. 
     The carrier rail  5  preferably has at least one conductor rail  6  which extends along the whole length of the carrier rail and is used for supplying voltage to the operating device  1 . Simultaneously, by way of the conductor rails  6 , the control commands generated by the operating device  1 , can be transmitted, for example, in the form of digital pulses, to the weaving loom control system. Another possibility consists of equipping the operating device  1  as well as the weaving loom control system with a wireless data transmitting device, so that control commands are transmitted by radio or by way of optical signals. to the weaving loom control system. A voltage supply to the operating device  1  and a signal transmission can be achieved as an alternative by means of inductive alternating fields. An example of an inductive alternating field is shown in FIG. 4 wherein an inductive coupling unit  15  includes both a coil  15   a  having an electrical connection  16  and a magnet  15   b . The coil  15   a  is included in the carrier rail  5  while the magnet  15   b  is positioned diametrically opposite to the coil in the movable operating device  1 . The effective length of the coil  15   a  and/or the travel path of the operating device  1  is indicated by the distance  17 . 
     As illustrated particularly in FIG. 2, the carrier rail is constructed as a U-profile, in which case the conducting rails  6  are arranged on the top side of the carrier rail opposite corresponding sliding contacts  7  arranged on the operating device  1 . For the purpose of a good guidance of the operating device  1  on the carrier rail  5 , the operating device has corresponding holding devices  8 , on which moving means such as the rollers  9 ,  10  are arranged which cause the guiding of the operating device on the carrier rail  5 . The roller bearing ensures an easy mobility of the operating device  1 . Slide bearings are also conceivable for the guiding of the operating device  1 . 
     According to a second embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 3, it is provided to equip the operating device  1  with a portable operating unit  11 . This operating unit  11  is held, for example, in a shaft  13  in the operating device  1  and has an infrared interface  14  by way of which it communicates with the operating device  1 . The operating unit  11  has a keyboard  12  for the necessary operations, in which case the control commands are transmitted by way infrared from the operating unit  11  to the operating device  1  and farther to the weaving loom control system. 
     In order to comply with safety regulations, however, the emergency off key and other important function keys remain separately on the operating device  1 , so that they are accessible to anyone at any time. For being able to assign the operating unit  11  to a certain weaving loom, it comprises a coding device. 
     The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.