CREEL SYSTEM

Abstract

The present invention relates to a creel system, inter alia for connecting successive bobbins, in which the yarns of the different bobbins on the creel are connected to each other and are thus presented as one long yarn to the subsequent process (tag ending).

Claims

1. System for holding bobbins with yarn and joining the yarns of the bobbins to produce an elongated yarn, said system comprising: a. a plurality of devices for transporting and positioning a bobbin with yarn for provision in a creel, the devices each comprising: an elongated bobbin carrier, for holding the bobbin with the yarn, which carrier extends from a support member from a first end of the carrier, and which carrier has a free second end, and the devices each comprising two fixing members for holding free yarn ends of the yarn on the bobbin; a first of the fixing members for holding the leading end of the yarn; a second of the fixing members for holding the tag end of the yarn; b. a creel system comprising a plurality of receiving positions, each of the receiving positions adapted to receive one of the devices, which receiving positions are grouped into pairs of two receiving positions; wherein the devices are provided with one or more engaging elements, and the receiving positions are provided with one or more engaging mechanisms for connecting to the engaging elements, the engaging mechanisms of the receiving positions of each pair being positioned such that: the carriers of the devices received in the pair of receiving positions are orientated towards a common run-off point; and the first fixing member of the first direction interfaces with the second fixing member of the second device; and the second fixing member of the first direction interfaces with the first fixing member of the second device; and wherein interfacing fixing members have a minimum mutual distance which is at most 250 mm.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least three non-collinear support points, which define a substantially flat support surface, and wherein the bobbin carrier is connected to the support points via the support element.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the fixing members comprises at least two holders for holding the yarn ends, the holder(s) of each fixing member defining a tension line along which the yarn end is tensioned at said fixing member.

4. System according to claim 2, wherein the carrier is rotatable with respect to the support surface.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein one of the fixing members is positioned more proximally with respect to the first end of the carrier than the other of the fixing members.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein the carrier is provided with a bobbin fixing element for retaining a bobbin on the carrier and preventing movement of the retained bobbin along the length of the carrier.

7. System according to claim 6, wherein the carrier is provided with a rotational bobbin fixing element for retaining a bobbin on the carrier and preventing rotation of the retained bobbin about an axis substantially along the carrier.

8. System according to claim 1, wherein the engaging mechanisms and the engaging elements are uniquely connectable in a fixed mutual position and orientation.

9. System according to claim 1, wherein the engaging mechanisms are adapted for releasably positioning the devices, and wherein positioning a device in an engaging mechanism prevents rotation and translation of the device relative to the receiving position.

10. System according to claim 2, wherein the engaging mechanisms are adapted for engaging one or more of the support points, and wherein the engaging mechanisms are adapted to engage the support plate or support surface.

11. System according to claim 1, wherein the creel system further comprises one or more connecting devices for connecting yarns to interfacing fixing members.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein a feeding device is provided at the connecting devices, said feeding device comprising two engaging members, a first of the engaging members positioned to engage the free end of the tag end of a first of the devices, and a second of the engaging members positioned to engage the loose end of the leading end of a second of the devices; wherein the feeding device is configured to reposition the engaging members relative to each other, thereby positioning the engaged loose ends of the yarn ends substantially crosswise; and wherein the intersecting engaged loose ends of the yarn ends are provided in the connecting device, optionally by further translation and/or rotation.

13. System according to claim 1, wherein the creel system further comprises one or more connecting devices for connecting yarns to interfacing fixing members.

14. System according to claim 1, wherein when two devices are provided in the receiving positions of the pair, the carriers of the two devices are hereby substantially mirror images of each other with respect to a plane perpendicular to the plane defined by the carriers of the first and second devices, and wherein the bisector of the carriers of the first and second devices lies in said plane.

15. System according to claim 1, wherein when two devices are provided in the receiving positions of the pair, the carrier and the fixing members of the first device and the second device are each other's rotational counterparts, with a rotation of 180° around the bisector between the two carriers.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] FIGS. 1A-C show a schematic representation of a first variation of a possible embodiment of the device, as well as the placing of an assembly of two devices in a creel. FIG. 1A shows a rear view as in transit, FIG. 1B shows a rear view of the two devices in the creel, and FIG. 1C shows a top view in the creel, as well as movement during placement.

[0049] FIGS. 2A-C show a schematic representation of a second variation of a possible embodiment of the device, as well as placing an assembly of two devices in a creel. FIG. 2A shows a rear view as in transit, FIG. 2B shows a rear view of the two devices in the creel, and FIG. 2C shows a top view in the creel, as well as movement during placement.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a third variation of a possible embodiment of the device, as well as placing an assembly of two devices in a creel.

[0051] FIGS. 4A-D show a representation of a possible embodiment of two of the devices.

[0052] FIGS. 5A-C show a schematic representation of a first variation of an alternative embodiment of the device, as well as placing an assembly of two devices in a creel. FIG. 5A shows a rear view as in transit. FIG. 5B shows a rear view of the two devices in the creel, and FIG. 5C shows a top view in the creel, as well as the movement during placement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in the description of the invention, including technical and scientific terms, have the meaning as commonly understood by a person skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. For a better understanding of the description of the invention, the following terms are explained explicitly.

[0054] Quoting numerical intervals by endpoints comprises all integers, fractions and/or real numbers between the endpoints, these endpoints included.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment of the device, the carrier extends at least 100 mm, preferably at least 200 mm and more preferably at least 300 mm or 400 mm, relative to the support element.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment of the device, the device is provided with at least one screen substantially parallel to the carrier, said screen positioned at a distance from the carrier to prevent ballooning of a descending yarn.

[0057] Said screen serves to prevent ballooning of the yarn during unwinding. Ballooning occurs if the yarn gets a certain amount of slack and/or there is cyclical variation in tensile force during the unwinding. If this is the case, the yarn may swing wider and wider during the unwinding, which should be limited as this can lead to breakage. By providing a screen at an appropriate distance, ballooning is limited. This screen can be provided on one side, or on several sides, but can also be provided curved around a part of the carrier (for example over a segment between 20° and 180°).

[0058] In a preferred embodiment of the second version of the second aspect of the invention, the support surface of the device rotated 180° is retained in the creel, thus keeping the device suspended.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment of the third version of the second aspect of the invention, the support surface of the device is retained in the creel and thus the device is kept suspended.

EXAMPLES

[0060] In what follows, reference will be made to an angle α between the carriers of two ‘paired’ devices in a creel (i.e. devices with interfacing fixing members). This angle may vary depending on the creel, the type of yarn, as well as specific parameters or preferred settings. It should therefore be understood that all variations thereof are still within the scope of the invention. Preferably, this angle α is about 60-70°, but can equally be between 40° and 60° (or lower) or between 70° and 90° (or higher).

Example 1

[0061] In a first embodiment of the first example (first aspect), visible in FIGS. 1A-C, a basic embodiment of the invention is described. FIG. 1A shows the rear view of a device in transit, in which the carrier is parallel to the sides of the support plate, necessitating an angled placement in the creel (see FIGS. 1B and 1C). Herein, in practice, two separate types of devices (1) are used which is a substantially mirrored configuration, a left and a right version. The device herein comprises a support plate (2) comprising at least three non-collinear support points. Parallel to this, an elongate carrier (3) is provided to hold a bobbin (6), connected to the support surface at one end of the carrier via an upright support element. The device (1) is further provided with two fixing members (5) (whether or not combined on a single element) each with one or two holders for holding yarn ends of the bobbin (6). The support plate is preferably rectangular or square.

[0062] In this first example, a number of variations are possible which depend on the creel itself, and also affect the method of placing the devices on the creel.

[0063] In a first embodiment, the creel has paired receiving positions which are at an angle to each other, which angle is substantially equal to a. In this version, the support surfaces are approximately rectangular or square (possibly defined by two rods that represent the lateral sides of the rectangle, and are connected to each other), with the carrier extending parallel to a set of (lateral) sides (8) of the rectangle. The receiving positions (10a, 10b) are adapted to receive the devices and thereby engage the support surface (2), for example via two U- or C-shaped receivers (9) embracing the lateral sides of the support surface.

[0064] By providing the devices at an angle of a from each other, and for instance sliding them into the receiving positions in this way, it is ensured that the carriers are placed at this angle.

[0065] In a second embodiment thereof, visible in FIGS. 2A-C, the support surfaces are provided at the same angle at the receiving positions (10a, 10b), but the devices are adapted so that the left and right devices have a carrier that is at an angle of α/2 or—α/2 with respect to the sides of the device, and so return to the desired angle when assembled. This offers the advantage that the creel can be made more compact, but that the devices typically take up slightly more space. FIG. 2A shows the rear view of a device in transit, in which the carrier is at an angle to the sides of the support plate, allowing parallel placement of the two devices (in terms of sides of the support surface) in the creel (see FIGS. 2B and 2C).

[0066] In FIGS. 1C, 2C and 3 the action of placing the device in the creel is visible from a top view, with in FIG. 3 also a rotation taking place to correctly orient the bobbin. Note also that the fixing members of a single device are positioned one above the other in this view, although this is by no means mandatory, as can also be seen in FIGS. 4A-D.

Example 2

[0067] In the fourth example, visible in FIGS. 4A-D, the device (1) is provided with a support surface defined by the sides of two upright plates (4a, 4b), which act as part of the support element together with a further connection (4c) between the two plates. The carrier (3) extends from this further connection (4c), approximately parallel to the support surface, and at an angle with respect to both plates between 30° and 60°. The fixing members (5) extend from one of the plates in an asymmetrical manner, with a first of the fixing members being closer to the point from which the carrier emerges from the rest of the device. Typically the tail end of the yarn (tag end) will be attached there as this end is often limited in length.

[0068] The fixing members in this embodiment, although by no means limiting, each have two holders (7) to hold the yarn ends at two points, and retain the yarn ends such that they interface with a yarn end of the other bobbin so that the tag end of one bobbin interfaces with the leading end of the other bobbin, and vice versa.

[0069] As can be seen in the figures, the two devices (1) are rotationally equivalent, through a rotation of 180° about the bisector formed by the axes of the two carriers, passing through the common run-off point. The two fixing members are positioned such that they interface with the fixing members of the second device due to the difference in position relative to the carrier. Nevertheless, the carriers may be rotatable relative to the device itself to ensure a desired angle (in the horizontal plane perpendicular to the two upright plates).

[0070] In this embodiment, the device can be fixed in the creel in several ways, such as purely on the basis of gravity and friction, resting on the two sides of the upright plates. Alternatively or additionally, one or both upright plates can also be used to fix the device.

[0071] The embodiment of FIGS. 4A-D allows easy loading of the device into the creel, immediately with the carrier at the desired angle, and also allows horizontal transport of the carrier and thus the bobbin held thereon.

[0072] It should be understood from the examples that the coupling mechanism via a support surface or support plate with U- or C-shaped receivers discussed therein is not to be considered restrictive in any way, and can simply be replaced by other coupling mechanisms, such as bars that slide one into the other, eye-hook connections, etc.

Example 3

[0073] In the fifth example, according to FIGS. 5A-C, a further variant can be seen, where the coupling between receiving position and device takes place directly on the carrier (3), and the carrier (3) is received on an engaging mechanism (11) in the form of an elongate element that can be (partially) slid into the carrier (3). Preferably, the profile of carrier (3) and engaging mechanism (11) is similar, and such that they can be uniquely coupled, and thus there is no rotational freedom for the coupling. In this way it is ensured that the fixing members (5a, 5b) are immediately correctly oriented, as seen in FIG. 5C.