Winding Station Having a Movable Cover Unit

Abstract

A winding station of a textile machine for producing cross-wound bobbins includes a base unit, a cover unit, and a bobbin holder configured to hold the cross-wound bobbin. A traversing device is configured to lay a thread in a crosswise manner on the cross-wound bobbin. A thread finding device is configured to find a thread end on the cross-wound bobbin. The base unit at least partially covers the cover unit, and the cover unit is movable with respect to the base unit between a working position for laying the thread and seeking the thread end and a cleaning position for cleaning the winding station. At least portions of the thread finding device are configured on the cover unit. A method is also provided for operating the winding station.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A winding station of a textile machine for producing cross-wound bobbins, comprising: a base unit; a cover unit; a bobbin holder configured to hold the cross-wound bobbin; a traversing device configured to lay a thread in a crosswise manner on the cross-wound bobbin; a thread finding device configured to find a thread end on the cross-wound bobbin; wherein the base unit at least partially covers the cover unit, and the cover unit is movable with respect to the base unit between a working position for laying the thread and seeking the thread end and a cleaning position for cleaning the winding station; and wherein at least portions of the thread finding device are configured on the cover unit.

17. The winding station as in claim 16, wherein the cover unit is displaceable relative to the base unit between the working position and the cleaning position, or is removable from the working position on the base unit and placeable back into the working position on the base unit.

18. The winding station as in claim 16, wherein the thread seeking device comprises a suction nozzle, the suction nozzle comprising a suction port.

19. The winding station as in claim 18, wherein the suction port is movable with respect to the suction nozzle.

20. The winding station as in claim 19, further comprising a drive configured to move the suction port with respect to the suction nozzle.

21. The winding station as in claim 19, wherein the suction port is rotatably or linearly displaceable relative to the suction nozzle.

22. The winding station as in claim 19, wherein the suction nozzle comprises a first portion part configured with the base unit and a second portion part configured with the cover unit.

23. The winding station as in claim 22, wherein the suction port is configured with the first portion part or with the second portion part of the suction nozzle.

24. The winding station as in claim 16, further comprising means for interrupting the vacuum in the cleaning position of the cover unit.

25. The winding station as in claim 16, further comprising a lock configured to lock the cover unit in the working position or the cleaning position.

26. A method for operating a winding station of a textile machine that produces cross-wound bobbins, the winding station having a base unit and a cover unit, the method comprising: laying a thread in a crosswise manner on the cross-wound bobbin with the aid of a traversing device; when necessary, seeking a thread end on the cross-wound bobbin with a thread seeking device; cleaning the winding station at intervals of time; and wherein for the cleaning, the cover unit is moved with respect to the base unit out of a working position into a cleaning position, trash pollutant is removed from the winding station, and the cover unit is moved from the cleaning position back into the working position.

27. The method as in claim 26, wherein the cover unit is rotated or linearly displaced with respect to the base unit from the working position into the cleaning position and back, or is removed from the working position on the base unit and is brought back into the working position on the base unit.

28. The method as in claim 26, further comprising applying vacuum to the suction nozzle assigned to the thread seeking device to seek the thread end.

29. The method as in claim 26, wherein a suction port is configured with and displaceable with respect to the suction nozzle into proximity of a surface of the cross-wound bobbin in order to seek the thread end.

30. The method as in claim 26, further comprising locking the cover unit in the working position or the cleaning position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Further advantages of the invention are described in the following exemplary embodiments. Wherein:

[0029] FIG. 1a shows a side view of a winding station;

[0030] FIGS. 1b, 1c, and 1d show cross-sections of the winding station from FIG. 1a;

[0031] FIGS. 2a and 2b show cross-sections of one further winding station; and

[0032] FIGS. 3a and 3b show cross-sections of one further winding station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

[0034] FIG. 1a shows a side view of a winding station 1 of a textile machine. The textile machine can be a winder or a spinning machine, in particular a ring spinning machine or an air-jet spinning machine. The winding station 1 winds thread coming from a supply bobbin or a spinning assembly onto a cross-wound bobbin 2. The cross-wound bobbin 2 is held by a bobbin holder 3 and is driven by a drive roller 4 in this case. The thread is laid in a crosswise manner on the cross-wound bobbin 2 by a traversing device 5, wherein the speed of the traversing movement is adapted to the rotational speed of the cross-wound bobbin 2.

[0035] The bobbin holder 3, the drive roller 4, the traversing device 5, and a first part 6.1 of a suction nozzle 6 form a base unit 7 of the winding station 1. A second part 6.2 of the suction nozzle 6 and a suction port 8 form a cover unit 9 of the winding station 1. The cover unit 9 can be rotated about an axis A with respect to the base unit 7 between a working position, which is shown here, and a cleaning position. The cover unit 9 can be locked in the working position with the aid of a locking means 10. Moreover, the suction port 8 can be linearly displaced with the aid of a motor 11, and so the suction port 8 can be brought into the proximity of the surface of the cross-wound bobbin 2. Due to the fact that only the relatively small suction port 8 and not the entire suction nozzle 6 needs to be displaced, the space required for the displacement is relatively small and, in addition, a small motor 11 is sufficiently powerful.

[0036] FIG. 1b shows a cross-section of the winding station 1 from FIG. 1a. The cover unit 9 is located in the working position again and the suction port 8 is remote from the cross-wound bobbin 2, and so a winding operation is possible without obstruction. An air duct 12 extends through both parts 6.1 and 6.2 of the suction nozzle 6. The suction port 8 closes the upper end of the air duct 12 in this case, and so no air is drawn in at the suction port 8, even when the vacuum is switched on.

[0037] Moreover, an interruption flap 13 is provided, which is connected to the cover unit 9 via a linkage (not shown). In the position shown here, the interruption flap 13 allows air to pass through the air duct 12 without obstruction.

[0038] FIG. 1c shows the winding station 1 in the working position during the thread seeking process. The suction port 8 is located close to the surface of the cross-wound bobbin 2. The suction port 8 is now connected to the air duct 12 via an air opening 14, and so the vacuum advances up to the suction port 8. In order to now find the thread end on the surface of the cross-wound bobbin 2, the cross-wound bobbin 2 is slowly rotated in the direction opposite to the winding operation until the thread end is sucked in, via a suction opening of the suction port 8, into the suction port 8 and further into the air duct 12. The found thread end is then fed from the suction nozzle 6 and/or a thread catcher to further processing. This further processing can be, for example, the connecting to one further thread end or the piecing onto a spinning assembly. After conclusion of the further processing, the suction port 8 is then moved away from the cross-wound bobbin 2 again, and so the spinning operation can be continued without disruption.

[0039] A cleaning of the winding station 1 is carried out, for example, after a predetermined time or when a sensor has established that pollution is present. For this purpose, the winding station 1 is brought into the cleaning position shown in FIG. 1d. The cover unit 9 has been rotated about the axis A with respect to the base unit 7. Due to this movement, the interruption flap 13 was also automatically closed, and so vacuum is not unnecessarily consumed. In this position, the suction nozzle 6 has now been divided into its two parts 6.1 and 6.2 and is more easily accessed. It can now also be cleaned from the inside. As a result, the cleaning can be carried out more easily and more thoroughly.

[0040] In the following description of the alternative exemplary embodiment represented in FIGS. 2a and 2b, identical reference signs are utilized for features which are identical and/or at least comparable in terms of their design and/or mode of operation as compared to the first exemplary embodiment represented in FIGS. 1a to 1d. Provided said alternative exemplary embodiments are not explained again in detail, their design and/or mode of operation correspond/corresponds to the design and mode of operation of the features already described above.

[0041] FIG. 2a shows a winding station 1 comprising a suction port 15 which is rotatable about an axis B. In this representation, the cover unit 9 is located in the working position and the suction port 15 is set up for thread seeking, and so a suction opening of the suction port 15 is located directly over the surface of the cross-wound bobbin 2. The air opening 14 establishes the connection of the suction port 15 to the air duct 12 again, and so vacuum reaches the suction port 15.

[0042] For cleaning, the cover unit 9 is moved into the cleaning position represented in FIG. 2b. For this purpose, the cover unit 9 is linearly displaced with respect to the base unit 7 in this exemplary embodiment. In this case as well, the suction nozzle 6 has now been divided into its two parts 6.1 and 6.2 and can be cleaned more easily, more thoroughly, and from the inside. The suction port 15 is located in a parked position, wherein the suction port 15 has been rotated about the axis B and, as a result, closes the air opening 14, similar to the case shown in FIG. 1b. In order to clean the air duct 12 and the suction port 15, the suction port 15 can also be rotated, as necessary, in the cleaning position of the cover unit 9 and, therefore, the air opening 14 can be opened.

[0043] Finally, FIGS. 3a and 3b show cross-sections of one further winding station 1. The suction nozzle 6 is completely assigned to the cover unit 9 in this exemplary embodiment. The fastening of the cover unit 9 on the base unit 7 takes place with the aid of a locking means 10 designed as a screw. For the purpose of better positioning, adjusting means 16 are provided, which are designed as a pin assigned to the base unit and a recess assigned to the cover unit. Of course, the assignment of the pin and the recess can be the other way around and/or an additional screw can contribute to better positioning.

[0044] In FIG. 3a, the cover unit 9 is fastened to the base unit 7 and the winding station 1 is therefore located in the working position. In order to thoroughly clean the winding station 1, the locking means 10 are released and the cover unit 9 is moved away from the base unit 7. The cleaning position achieved in this way is shown in FIG. 3b. It is now possible to clean the air duct 12, for example, from both sides.

[0045] In order to then return to the working position, the cover unit 9 is placed onto the base unit 7 again. A precise positioning is achieved in this case with the aid of the adjusting means 16. The cover unit 9 is then fixedly fastened to the base unit 7 with the aid of the locking means 10. Thereupon, the winding operation can be started again.

[0046] The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments which have been represented and described. Modifications within the scope of the claims are also possible, as is any combination of the features, even if they are represented and described in different exemplary embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0047] 1 winding station [0048] 2 cross-wound bobbin [0049] 3 bobbin holder [0050] 4 drive roller [0051] 5 traversing device [0052] 6 suction nozzle [0053] 7 base unit [0054] 8 suction port [0055] 9 cover unit [0056] 10 locking means [0057] 11 motor [0058] 12 air duct [0059] 13 interruption flap [0060] 14 air opening [0061] 15 suction port [0062] 16 adjusting means [0063] A axis [0064] B axis