WORKSTATION OF AN AIR-SPINNING MACHINE, AND THREAD-GUIDING ELEMENT

Abstract

The invention relates to a thread-guiding element and to a workstation of an air-spinning machine, the workstation comprising an air-spinning device for spinning a thread from a supplied sliver, a thread-guiding unit, which is downstream of the air-spinning device and has an inlet opening for receiving the thread exiting from the outlet opening of the air-spinning device and a thread guide channel for conducting at least the air-spun thread coming from the air-spinning device, and a thread-guiding element for arranging between the outlet opening of the air-spinning device and the inlet opening of the thread-guiding unit. In order to provide a workstation of an air-spinning machine and a thread-guiding element for use at a workstation of a spinning machine, more particularly an air-spinning machine, which ensure that a thread end is reliably returned to the spinning device, it is provided that the thread-guiding element a channel body having a through-channel, which channel body has: a connection section, which is designed for connection to the spinning device and is provided for arranging a first open end of the through-channel in the area of the outlet opening of the spinning device; and an end section, which can be arranged facing the inlet opening, wherein the end section, in order to receive a thread exiting from the inlet opening, is matched to a contour of the thread-guiding unit surrounding the inlet opening.

Claims

1. A thread-guiding element for arranging between an outlet opening of a spinning device and an inlet opening of a thread-guiding unit having a thread guide channel for conducting a thread through the thread-guiding unit, characterised by a channel body having a through-channel, which channel body has a connection section, which is designed for connection to the spinning device and is provided for arranging a first open end of the through-channel in the area of the outlet opening of the spinning device, and an end section, which can be arranged facing the inlet opening, wherein the end section, in order to receive a thread exiting from the inlet opening, is matched to a contour of the thread-guiding unit surrounding the inlet opening.

2. The thread-guiding element according to claim 1, characterised in that the thread-guiding unit has a thread deflection unit for deflecting the thread in a defined way, which thread deflection unit forms the inlet opening and comprises, at its end opposite the inlet opening, an exit, which is coupled to the inlet opening by a thread deflection section lying therebetween and by which the thread deflection unit can be connected to the thread guide channel for conducting the thread through the thread-guiding unit to the inlet opening.

3. The thread-guiding element according to claim 2, characterised in that the end section is matched to the contour of the thread deflection unit in the area of the inlet opening.

4. The thread-guiding element according to claim 1, characterised in that the connection section is designed for bayonet-coupling-type connection to the spinning device.

5. The thread-guiding element according to claim 1, characterised in that the channel body is made of a plastic material.

6. The thread-guiding element according to claim 1, characterised in that the end section is funnel-shaped.

7. The thread-guiding element according to claim 1, characterised in that the channel body has a plurality of air passages along the through-channel, for causing a rotational flow within the through-channel.

8. The thread-guiding element according to claim 3, characterised in that the end section is matched to the contour of a deflection roller of the thread deflection unit.

9. The thread-guiding element according to claim 5, characterised in that the plastic material is PVC.

10. A workstation of an air-spinning machine, comprising an air-spinning device for spinning a thread from a supplied sliver and a thread-guiding unit, which is downstream of the air-spinning device and has an inlet opening for receiving the thread exiting from the outlet opening of the air-spinning device and a thread guide channel for conducting at least the air-spun thread coming from the air-spinning device, characterised in that a thread-guiding element characterised by: a channel body having a through-channel, which channel body has a connection section, which is designed for connection to the spinning device and is provided for arranging a first open end of the through-channel in the area of the outlet opening of the spinning device, and an end section, which can be arranged facing the inlet opening, wherein the end section, in order to receive a thread exiting from the inlet opening, is matched to a contour of the thread-guiding unit surrounding the inlet opening, is arranged in the area between the outlet opening of the air-spinning device and the inlet opening of the thread-guiding unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily to scale.

[0025] An embodiment example of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a thread-guiding unit having a thread deflection unit connected to a thread preparation device disposed on a thread guide channel and to an air-spinning device;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a thread-guiding element disposed between the air-spinning device and the thread deflection unit;

[0028] FIG. 2a shows a front view of the thread-guiding element of FIG. 2; and

[0029] FIG. 3 shows an additional embodiment of a thread-guiding element.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0030] 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.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a thread-guiding unit, which is downstream of an air-spinning device 6 along a thread path and has a thread deflection unit 2. The thread deflection unit 2 is connected to a thread preparation device 5 by means of a thread guide channel 4, which is connected to the exit 3 of the thread deflection unit 2. The air-spinning device 6, the thread-guiding unit, having the thread deflection unit 2 and the thread guide channel 4, and the thread preparation device 5 are parts of a workstation (not shown here) of an air-spinning machine, in which, during the spinning process, a thread 27 exiting from the air-spinning device 6 is wound on a take-up package (not shown).

[0032] During the normal air-spinning process, a stored sliver, on its way to the take-up package, first passes through a drafting system, which is upstream of the air-spinning device 6 in the sliver running direction R and where said sliver is drafted in a defined way. By means of an output roller pair of the drafting system (not shown here), the drafted sliver is then fed to the air-spinning device 6, within which the sliver is transformed into a thread 27 in the area of a spinning cone (not shown here) under the influence of a rotational flow produced by an air flow exiting from a nozzle block, edge fibres of the sliver being helically wrapped around core fibres of the sliver.

[0033] The air-spun thread 27 thus produced is taken up from the air-spinning device 6 and is taken up via the thread-guiding unit, having the thread deflection unit 2 and the thread guide channel 4, and through the thread preparation device 5 and is subsequently wound on a take-up package.

[0034] If a spinning interruption occurs during the air-spinning process, for example due to a break in the thread (27) or due to a controlled cut or an uncontrolled severing of a thread which has already been spun, a piecing process must first be carried out before the spinning process is restarted. In order to carry out a piecing process, the end of the thread (27) already produced, which end is normally on the take-up package, must be provided in the area of the sliver of the air-spinning device 6.

[0035] For this purpose, the thread end of the thread (27) already produced is usually retrieved from the take-up package or a defined thread end position by means of a thread-end carrying unit, such as a suction nozzle, and transferred into a thread preparation device 5, which is shown in FIG. 1, the thread preparation device 5 being equipped with a small holding and opening tube 7 and being downstream of the air-spinning device 6 in the sliver running direction R. In the small holding and opening tube 7, the thread end is largely freed of twists and loose fibres.

[0036] For this purpose, the thread preparation device 5 has a small holding and opening tube 7 arranged in an accommodating housing 8. The accommodating housing 8 has an annular space 9, to which a compressed air source 11 is connected via a pneumatic line 10. A valve 12 is arranged in the pneumatic line 10 and is connected, via control line 13, to a control device (not shown) of the spinning position. The small holding and opening tube 7 is equipped with at least one blowing nozzle 14, which is connected to the annular space 9.

[0037] As is known per se, a thread 27 must first be inserted into the small holding and opening tube 7 in order to prepare the thread end of the thread 27 for a thread joining process in the air-spinning device 6. For this purpose, the retrieved thread end is provided at the thread preparation device 5 such that the thread can be pneumatically threaded into the small holding and opening tube 7. For this purpose, the thread preparation device 5 can, as shown in FIG. 1, work together with at least one cutting device 15, which cuts the retrieved thread 27 to the required length. During the cutting process, the valve 12 is actuated and compressed air is blown into the small holding and opening tube 7 via the blowing nozzle 14 in order to thread or suck the cut yarn end into the small holding and opening tube 7. The yarn end which is threaded in is freed from yarn twists and loose fibres in the small holding and opening tube 7.

[0038] As FIG. 1 also shows, the thread preparation device 5 is coupled to a thread guide channel 4 for conducting the thread 27, the thread guide channel 4 being arranged between the thread deflection unit 2 and the thread preparation device 5 in the sliver running direction R. The sliver running direction R is identical to the running direction of the thread 27 in the spinning operation of the air-spinning machine, in which spinning operation the thread 27 is spun by means of the air-spinning device 6.

[0039] The thread guide channel 4 is connected to an exit 3 of the thread deflection unit 2. The thread deflection unit 2 has a thread deflection roller 16 for the controlled deflection of the thread 27, by means of which thread deflection roller 16 the thread 27 is deflected toward the air-spinning device 6 when the thread end is returned. The thread deflection unit 2 also comprises a receptacle for a compressed air connection 17, via which compressed air connection 17 compressed air can be supplied, via a junction point 18, into the channel section 19 pointing toward the air-spinning device 6, suction being simultaneously produced in the thread guide channel 4.

[0040] An end section 21 of a thread-guiding element 1 adjoins the inlet opening 20 of the thread deflection unit 2. The end section 21 has a shovel-shaped contour matched to the contour of the thread deflection roller 16. In the thread-guiding element 1, a through-channel 22 extends from the end section 21 to a connection section 23, up to an outlet opening 24 of the air-spinning device 6. For the arranging of the thread-guiding element 1, a connecting plate 25 is provided on the channel body 26, which connecting plate 25 can be connected to the air-spinning device 6 by means of a bayonet connection (not shown here). The returned thread 27 is reliably led, via the through-channel 22, into the air-spinning device 6 through the funnel-shaped outlet opening 24 as a result of the air flow which exists. The thread-guiding element 1 thus bridges the area between the inlet opening 20 of the thread deflection unit 2 and the air-spinning device 6 and ensures reliable thread guidance there.

[0041] An alternative embodiment to the thread-guiding element 1 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 2a is shown in FIG. 3. The thread-guiding element 1a shown there has, in contrast to the thread-guiding element 1 shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 2a, a funnel-shaped end section 21a, which ensures that the returned thread end is reliably received.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0042] 1, 1a Thread-guiding element [0043] 2 Thread deflection unit [0044] 3 Exit [0045] 4 Thread guide channel [0046] 5 Thread preparation device [0047] 6 Spinning device/air-spinning device [0048] 7 Small holding and opening tube [0049] 8 Accommodating housing [0050] 9 Annular space [0051] 10 Pneumatic line [0052] 11 Compressed air source [0053] 12 Valve [0054] 13 Control line [0055] 14 Blowing nozzle [0056] 15 Cutting device [0057] 16 Thread deflection roller [0058] 17 Compressed air connection [0059] 18 Junction point [0060] 19 Channel section [0061] 20 Inlet opening [0062] 21, 21a End section [0063] 22 Through-channel [0064] 23 Connection section [0065] 24 Outlet opening [0066] 25 Connecting plate [0067] 26 Channel body [0068] 27 Thread [0069] R Sliver running direction

[0070] 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.