Patent Description:
Winding machines, particularly automated winding machines, comprise a plurality of winding units to which bobbins are to be conveyed/fed. The bobbins are fed by means of a plate onto which the bobbins are loaded by means of an automation system which may be part of the winder or of at least one of the machines related to the processes upstream thereof.

The bobbins, on board the plate, before being sent to the winding units, must be suitably prepared so that they may be automatically processed by the winding units themselves: for this reason, there are automation stations upstream of all the winding units that allow the free end to be captured from the bobbin and positioned in a predefined and easy-to-capture position for said unit.

There is therefore the need to detect the presence of the plate in different positions of the automation and in said winding unit: in the current winding machines, the most commonly used solutions involve the use of sensors that detect the presence of the plate based on an optical principle (reflection or barrier photocells), capacitive or ultrasonic solutions, or toggle systems with Hall or inductive sensors.

Each of these technologies has its own critical points for specific use on textile machines, such as dirt, sensitivity, which changes greatly depending on environmental conditions, immunity to compressed air discharges (with which textile machines are equipped), or the complexity that may result from the use of toggle solutions. Cited prior art solutions are disclosed, for example, by <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

Thus, there is a need to resolve the cited drawbacks and limitations with reference to the prior art.

In particular, there is a need felt in the art to be able to reliably track the passage of a bobbin with its associated bobbin-holder plate within an automated winding machine.

This requirement is satisfied by a presence detection method and/or tracking of a bobbin-holder plate according to claim <NUM> and by a bobbin-holder plate according to claim <NUM>.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following description of its preferred and non-limiting embodiments, wherein:.

Elements or parts of elements common to the embodiments described hereinafter will be provided with the same reference numbers.

With reference to the aforesaid figures, the reference <NUM> has been used to indicate globally an overall schematic view of a winding machine, preferably of the automated type, or a ring spinning machine.

The winding machine <NUM> comprises a plurality of winding units or heads <NUM>, in a known manner, equipped with devices suitable to wind bobbins <NUM>.

The bobbins <NUM>, in a known manner, are reels of thread/yarn wound about a related hollow tube <NUM>, which is sent to the winding heads <NUM> to be unwound and analyzed with any defects eliminated. The thread/yarn with its defects eliminated is rewound on a bobbin, in order to be sent to further machines for any further processing, such as dyeing, weaving, and the like.

The bobbins <NUM> are supported by a special bobbin holder <NUM> for automated winding machines <NUM>.

In particular, the bobbin-holder plate <NUM> comprises a plate body <NUM> having a base <NUM> and a central pin <NUM>, provided with a first central through-hole <NUM>, configured to accommodate and support an associated bobbin <NUM>.

More specifically, the center pin <NUM> is configured to be accommodated within the tube <NUM> of the bobbin <NUM>. In this way, the bobbin <NUM> is supported by the central pin <NUM> of the bobbin-holder plate so as to be perpendicular to the base <NUM> of said bobbin-holder plate.

The first central hole <NUM> also passes through the base <NUM> of the spool-holder plate <NUM>: in this way a jet of compressed air sent from the bottom of the base <NUM>, i.e., from the side opposite the central pin <NUM>, may pass through the central pin <NUM> and escape into the tube <NUM> so as to intercept an end of the bobbin <NUM>, whereby said bobbin may be recuperated and picked up for subsequent winding operations.

The bobbin-holder plate <NUM> comprises at least one RFID tag <NUM> associated with the plate body <NUM> whereby a position and/or status of the bobbin <NUM> may be tracked, wherein said RFID tag <NUM> contains information for the identification of the associable bobbin <NUM>.

In accordance with a possible embodiment, the RFID tag <NUM> is embedded in the spool holder plate <NUM> by co-molding.

The RFID tag <NUM> is fixed to the spool-holder plate <NUM> by means of a fixing cap <NUM> associated with the plate body <NUM> (<FIG>).

According to a further possible embodiment, a fixing cap <NUM> provided with said RFID tag <NUM> and associated with the plate body (<FIG>) is provided.

The fixing cap <NUM> is associated with the base <NUM> of the plate body <NUM> and is provided with a second through-hole <NUM> coaxial with said central pin <NUM> and in fluid connection with said first central through-hole <NUM>. In this way, the jet of compressed air sent from the side of the base <NUM> may pass through both the fixing cap <NUM> and the center pin <NUM> so as to intercept the yarn end of the bobbin <NUM>.

According to a possible embodiment, said RFID tag <NUM> is a passive RFID tag in HF (RO type, i.e., read-only, or readable and rewritable R/W type) and is also used for the smart management of the flow of plates and/or bobbins along the machine and to track the qualitative information of the bobbin and yarn being processed on said winding machine.

The present invention also relates to an apparatus for detecting the presence and/or tracking of a bobbin <NUM> in an automated winding machine <NUM> comprising at least one bobbin-holder plate <NUM> having an RFID tag <NUM> (described above) and at least one RFID sensor <NUM> for detecting and tracking the presence and status of the bobbin-holder plate <NUM> by reading said RFID tag <NUM>.

In other words, the RFID sensor <NUM> acts as an antenna capable of detecting the presence of an RFID tag <NUM> associated with the bobbin-holder plate <NUM> and, possibly, reading and/or writing information to said RFID tag <NUM>, as more fully described below.

According to a possible embodiment, said RFID sensor <NUM> for detecting the presence of an RFID tag <NUM> has an ON/OFF-type output signal so as to detect the presence/absence of said RFID tag <NUM>.

For example, the RFID sensor <NUM> comprises a detection antenna <NUM> configured to detect said RFID tag <NUM>, and an electronic detection circuit <NUM> configured to power the detection antenna <NUM> on an operating frequency of said RFID tag <NUM>.

Said detection antenna <NUM> and said electronic detection circuit <NUM> may be implemented in two separate PCBs and interconnected to each other via a cable or board-to-board connectors (<FIG>).

It is also possible for the RFID sensor <NUM> to comprise a detection antenna <NUM> and an electronic detection circuit <NUM> integrated with each other and fabricated in a single PCB (<FIG>).

For example, said detection antenna <NUM> comprises "n" coils <NUM>, arranged on a PCB or a reel, configured to define the perimeter of a detection area <NUM> within which the passage and/or presence of said RFID tag <NUM> and associated bobbin-holder plate <NUM> is detected.

Said coils <NUM> are preferably made of copper and/or aluminum.

As mentioned, the RFID sensor <NUM> is configured to be able to read the passage and thus the presence of an RFID tag, particularly when using a read-only tag (RO, i.e., non-rewritable).

In particular, it is possible for the RFID sensor <NUM> to read an ON/OFF-type signal upon passage of at least one bobbin-holder plate <NUM> within said detection area <NUM>. In this case, the ON/OFF-type signal is limited to providing an indication/information of presence (or positive detection) or absence (or failed detection) of an RFID tag <NUM> with a related bobbin-holder plate <NUM>. In other words, the RFID sensor <NUM> detects the presence of the RFID tag <NUM> on board the bobbin-holder plate <NUM> and generates an ON/OFF-type electrical signal as output of said sensor: it is therefore an RFID sensor <NUM> that replaces the photocells or mechanical feeler probes used in the solutions of the prior art, overcoming all the related technical problems and limitations of use, especially in relation to the dusty and dirty environment of textile machines.

It is also possible to provide for the RFID tag <NUM> to contain additional and more detailed information regarding, for example, the origin of the bobbin <NUM>, the number of processing performed thereon, and the winding head to which it has been subjected. In this case, it is possible that the RFID tag <NUM> may be rewritten and/or updated from time to time by the RFID sensors with which it dialogs within the winding machine <NUM>.

To this end, the winding machine <NUM> may comprise a plurality of RFID sensors <NUM> arranged in distinct work areas of said automated winding machine so as to track the passage of at least one bobbin-holder plate <NUM> through said work areas and, preferably, to update the accumulated information of the RFID tag <NUM> as said passage evolves.

According to a further embodiment, a rewritable (R/W) RFID tag <NUM> is used and, accordingly, the RFID sensor <NUM> is configured to read and/or write information contained in the RFID tag <NUM> of the bobbin-holder plate <NUM>.

The operation of a bobbin-holder plate and ring spinning or winding machine according to the present invention will now be described.

In particular, the method for detecting the presence and/or tracking of at least one bobbin <NUM> supported by a bobbin-holder plate <NUM> comprises the steps of:.

The RFID sensor <NUM> is as shown divided into two functional parts, namely the detection antenna <NUM> and the electronic detection circuit <NUM>.

The detection antenna <NUM> preferably comprises "n" coils <NUM> (on a PCB or in a reel), the shape and size of which are related to the detection area <NUM> needed for the application and the detection sensitivity.

The electronic detection circuit <NUM> generates the signal necessary to power the detection antenna <NUM> at the operating frequency of said RFID tag <NUM>.

As soon as an RFID tag <NUM> enters the detection area <NUM>, i.e., the area covered by the detection antenna <NUM>, it powers itself by coupling with this antenna and starts modulating the signal generated by the electronic detection circuit <NUM>; this modulation is detected and subsequently an output signal is generated, for example of the ON/OFF type, to indicate the entry of an RFID tag <NUM> into said detection area <NUM>. As soon as the signal modulation disappears (and thus the RFID tag <NUM> exits the detection area <NUM> of the detection antenna <NUM>), the output signal is returned to the rest signal (OFF) indicating that no RFID tag <NUM> is present in the detection area.

As shown, the method for detecting presence and/or tracking of at least one bobbin <NUM> supported by a bobbin-holder plate <NUM> of the present invention may also comprise the steps of providing RFID sensors <NUM> capable of reading and/or writing information contained in the RFID tag <NUM> of the bobbin-holder plate <NUM>, reading and updating the information of said RFID tag <NUM>, via said RFID sensors <NUM>, as the RFID tag <NUM> passes through different areas of the winding machine monitored by said RFID sensors <NUM>.

The step of presence detection and/or tracking, but also of updating the information contained in said RFID tag <NUM>, is certainly useful not only to reconstruct the history of each bobbin <NUM> but also to identify, for example, any critical issues relating to specific areas/positions of the winding machine.

As may be appreciated from that which is described above, this invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.

In particular, the present invention allows a bobbin-holder plate to be provided equipped with an RFID tag that is also used for the smart management of the flow of the plates and/or bobbins along the machine and to track the qualitative information of the bobbin and the yarn being processed on said winding machine.

The present solution, unlike the solutions of the prior art, is not affected by unfavorable environmental conditions typical of winding machines, such as dirt, sensitivity, compressed air discharges, or vibrations. Therefore, the solution according to the present invention is significantly more reliable and precise than known solutions and is totally immune to the dirt typical of textile environments.

Moreover, the plate may be effectively monitored throughout its path inside and near the winding machine: in this way, it is possible to detect any problem in real time and/or to reconstruct the history of each plate and the bobbin thereof also in order to perform preventive maintenance operations.

In addition, the size and shape of the detection antenna connected to the RFID sensor allow for sensors to switch their output based on the function they need to perform and/or the location where they may be placed.

The present invention enables the implementation of a plate-holder presence sensor that detects the RFID tag with distances from the detection antenna of up to <NUM> (related to the shape of the detection antenna and/or the number of antenna coils).

The antennas may be placed under the machine belts or under the drive belt of the plate in the automation part, making it possible to create a wiring harness for the automation part that is hidden and protected during the cleaning operations that are carried out periodically by the operators.

This RFID sensor may be integrated into appropriate machine mounts to facilitate and protect the wiring of the machine.

Moreover, as seen, the RFID sensor is insensitive to dirt (dust and yarn residues) and to compressed air blasts generated in the automation of the winding machine.

By means of this architecture, a sensor may be developed with a suitably extended detection zone that also allows the detection of plates with different diameters.

In addition, it is possible to implement an RFID sensor that identifies the bobbin-holder plate uniquely and independently of its diameter. This means that the sensors do not have to be modified according to the type of plate used, as is the case, for example, with the feeler probes of the solutions of the prior art.

In addition, since the HF tag is a very economical solution (compared to the LF solution), it may be used as standard with advantages for the end users.

The RFID tag may also be used to store information relating to the quality of the bobbin on board and, by means of tag readers, to manage the bobbin flow appropriately.

Claim 1:
A bobbin-holder plate (<NUM>) for automated winding machines (<NUM>) or ring spinning machines comprising:
- a plate body (<NUM>) with a base (<NUM>) and a central pin (<NUM>) having a first central through-hole (<NUM>) configured to house and support an associable bobbin (<NUM>),
- at least one RFID tag (<NUM>), associated to the plate body (<NUM>), in order to allow a position and/or a state of the bobbin (<NUM>) to be tracked, wherein said RFID tag (<NUM>) contains information for the identification of the associable bobbin (<NUM>),
characterized in that said RFID tag (<NUM>) is fixed onto the bobbin-holder plate (<NUM>) by means of a fixing cap (<NUM>) associated with the plate body (<NUM>) wherein said fixing cap (<NUM>) is associated with the base (<NUM>) of the plate body (<NUM>) and is provided with a second through-hole (<NUM>) coaxial with said central pin (<NUM>) and in fluidic connection with said first central through-hole (<NUM>).