CLEANING DEVICE FOR A YARN FORMING ELEMENT OF AN AIR-SPINNING NOZZLE AND METHOD FOR CLEANING A YARN FORMING ELEMENT OF THIS TYPE

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device for a yarn forming element of an air-spinning nozzle, to a spinning position of an air-spinning machine and to a method for cleaning a yarn forming element of this type. In order to provide a spinning position of an air-spinning machine and a method for cleaning a yarn forming element of an air-spinning machine which allow long and trouble-free operation with constant quality and strength of the yarn produced, it is provided that the cleaning device has a cleaning strip and a storage unit for providing and retracting the cleaning strip, a fixed end of the cleaning strip being fastened to the storage unit, and a free end of the cleaning strip being able to be provided for cleaning and retracted again after the cleaning. Furthermore, the cleaning device has a cleaning strip guide for feeding the free end of the cleaning strip to the yarn forming element of the air-spinning nozzle for mechanical cleaning.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for a yarn forming element of an air-spinning nozzle, comprising: a cleaning strip, a storage unit for providing and retracting the cleaning strip, wherein a fixed end of the cleaning strip is fastened to the storage unit and a free end of the cleaning strip is provided for cleaning of the yarn forming element and is retractable again after the cleaning, and a cleaning strip guide for feeding the free end of the cleaning strip to the yarn forming element for mechanical cleaning.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterised in that the storage unit has a storage coil for unrolling and rolling up the cleaning strip, the fixed end of the cleaning strip being fastened to the storage coil.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, characterised in that the storage unit is connected to an electric and/or pneumatic drive unit for the controlled providing and retracting of the free end of the cleaning strip.

4. A spinning position of an air-spinning machine, comprising: a feed for feeding a sliver to an air-spinning nozzle, an air-spinning nozzle, which has a sliver inlet for letting the fed sliver into the air-spinning nozzle, a vortex chamber within the air-spinning nozzle, for producing a vortex air flow by at least one vortex air nozzle leading into the vortex chamber, a yarn forming element within the vortex chamber, for producing a yarn from the sliver which is fed into the vortex chamber via an exit of the sliver inlet, a take-up channel extending through the yarn forming element, for the take up of the air-spun yarn, and a cleaning device, having a free end of a cleaning strip for mechanical cleaning of a surface of the yarn forming element, which free end is provided from a storage unit and is fed to the vortex chamber.

5. The spinning position of an air-spinning machine according to claim 4, characterised in that the cleaning device is arranged outside of the air-spinning nozzle.

6. The spinning position of an air-spinning machine according to claim 4, characterised in that the cleaning device is arranged downstream of the yarn forming element, with respect to the thread take-up direction of the air-spun yarn, and/or in an area of a unit of thread preparation.

7. A method for cleaning a yarn forming element of an air-spinning nozzle, comprising: feeding a free end of a cleaning strip from a cleaning device, through a take-up channel of a yarn forming element, into a vortex chamber of the air-spinning nozzle, producing a vortex air flow in the vortex chamber by at least one vortex air nozzle leading into the vortex chamber, in order to guide the cleaning strip over a surface of the yarn forming element and/or over at least one nozzle opening of the vortex air nozzle, and subsequently retracting the cleaning strip through the take-up channel to the cleaning device.

8. The method for cleaning a yarn forming element according to claim 7, characterised in that the vortex air flow is produced in the vortex chamber upon or after the exiting of the free end of the cleaning strip from the take-up channel or upon or after the entrance of the free end into the vortex chamber.

9. The method for cleaning a yarn forming element according to claim 7, characterised in that the feeding of the free end of the cleaning strip is switched.

10. The method for cleaning a yarn forming element according to claim 7, characterised in that the cleaning is carried out during an interruption of the air-spinning operation, while the air-spinning nozzle is closed.

11. The method for cleaning a yarn forming element according to claim 7, characterised in that the vortex air flow is switched on during the retracting of the free end.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily to scale.

[0039] An embodiment example of a spinning position of an air-spinning machine according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an air-spinning nozzle of an air-spinning machine during the spinning process,

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the air-spinning nozzle shown in FIG. 1, with a cleaning device, before cleaning of a yarn forming element of the air-spinning nozzle, and

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the air-spinning nozzle shown in FIG. 1, with a cleaning device, during the cleaning of the yarn forming element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] The following description of the embodiments of the present invention is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. The following description is provided herein solely by way of example for purposes of providing an enabling disclosure of the invention, but does not limit the scope or substance of the invention.

[0044] In order to spin a yarn 14 by means of a spinning position 9 of an air-spinning machine from a sliver 11 drafted by means of a drafting system, the sliver 11 is fed, in the area of a feed 10, to an air-spinning nozzle 12 (shown merely schematically in FIG. 1). The sliver 11 enters a vortex chamber within the air-spinning nozzle 12 through an exit 13 of a sliver inlet 16 and is spun into a yarn 14 in the vortex chamber by means of a vortex air flow at a yarn forming element 2 formed as a spinning cone, the outer fibres of the sliver 11 being wound around an inner fibre core by means of the vortex air flow produced by means of vortex air nozzles, so that an air-yarn-specific yarn structure of a parallel yarn core and wrap fibres lying in contact at a certain angle is produced. Finally, the spun yarn 14 is taken up from the air-spinning nozzle 12 through a take-up channel 15 so that the spun yarn 14 can be fed to a subsequent thread-handling apparatus such as a winding device for forming a take-up package.

[0045] If a sliver 11 made of synthetic fibres, more particularly polyester fibres, is used in air spinning, fibre fragments and finish agents can be deposited, during the air-spinning process, on the surface of the yarn forming element 2 or on the surfaces of the walls of the vortex chamber of the air-spinning nozzle 12, which walls surround the yarn forming element 2, and these deposits can lead to a worsening of the spinning result and thus to reduced yarn strength and yarn quality over the long term.

[0046] In order to be able to clean this surface, a cleaning device 1 is arranged downstream of the take-up channel 15 with respect to the yarn take-up direction and in the area of a unit of the thread preparation means of the spinning position 9. Within a storage unit 4 of the cleaning device 1, a cleaning strip 3 is rolled up on a storage coil 8. A fixed end 5 of the cleaning strip 3 is fastened to the storage coil 8 such that repeated releasing and fixing is possible. The free end 6 of the cleaning strip 3 can be led out of the storage unit 4 and retracted again by the unrolling and rolling up of the storage coil 8. The cleaning strip 3 is made of a fibre material and has a rough surface.

[0047] For feeding of the cleaning strip 3 to the air-spinning nozzle 12 after the cleaning strip 3 has been rolled out of the storage unit 4, the cleaning device 1 has, finally, a cleaning strip guide 7, which is formed by additional components of the spinning position 9, more particularly by a unit of the thread preparation means.

[0048] To allow the surface of the yarn forming element 2 to be cleaned, the air-spinning process is interrupted and subsequently, while the air-spinning nozzle 12 is still closed, the free end 6 of the cleaning strip 3 is guided into the area of the outer opening of the take-up channel 15 by means of the cleaning strip guide 7 (see FIG. 2).

[0049] Subsequently, the free end 6 of the cleaning strip 3 is guided into the take-up channel 15 by the thread preparation means and is advanced from the take-up channel 15 into the interior of the vortex chamber toward the exit 13 of the sliver inlet 16. As a result of the vortex air flow being switched on within the vortex chamber, the free end 6 of the cleaning strip 3 is moved multiple times against and around the surface of the yarn forming element 2, which yarn forming element 2 is formed as a spinning cone. By feeding the cleaning strip 3 to the vortex chamber further, it is also possible to lead the free end 6 of the cleaning strip 3 past the nozzle openings of the vortex air nozzles, cleaning being performed especially in the area of the tip of the yarn forming element 2 and in the area of the nozzle openings. The movement of the free end 6 as a result of the vortex air flow continues along the cleaning strip 3 toward the fixed end 5 such that the surface of the take-up channel 15 within the yarn forming element 2 is also cleaned. The fixed end 5 of the cleaning strip 3 is fastened such that said fixed end 5 can rotate about the axis of extent of the cleaning strip 3, so that undesired heavy twisting of the cleaning strip 3 can be avoided by means of the propagation of the movement of the free end 6 toward the fixed end 5.

[0050] Finally, the cleaning strip 3 is pulled back out from the interior of the air-spinning nozzle 12 via the take-up channel 15, a repeated cleaning of the surface of the take-up channel 15 thus being carried out. The cleaning strip 3 is rolled up onto the storage coil 8 again within the storage unit 4 so that the cleaning strip 3 can be stored without knots or loops.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0051] 1 Cleaning device

[0052] 2 Yarn forming element

[0053] 3 Cleaning strip

[0054] 4 Storage unit

[0055] 5 Fixed end

[0056] 6 Free end

[0057] 7 Cleaning strip guide

[0058] 8 Storage coil

[0059] 9 Spinning position

[0060] Attorney Docket: 43633/09161

[0061] 10 Feed

[0062] 11 Sliver

[0063] 12 Air-spinning nozzle

[0064] 13 Exit

[0065] 14 Yarn

[0066] 15 Take-up channel

[0067] 16 Sliver inlet

[0068] It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements.