Drum inter-storage of yarn at an operating unit of a textile machine and method of control for

Abstract

A drum inter-storage of yarn for a textile machine and associated method of control includes a driven rotary drum with a compensatory rotary arm. The rotary drum is coupled with a first drive formed by an electric motor, and a compensatory rotary arm is coupled with a second drive formed by an electric motor, whereby both motors are connected to a control device. The invention also relates to a method of controlling the drum inter-storage of yarn at an operating unit of a textile machine.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a drum inter-storage for yarn at an operating unit of a textile machine, wherein the operating unit includes a spinning unit for production of yarn; a winding device for winding the produced yarn on a cross bobbin; a draw-off mechanism operably arranged between the spinning unit and the winding device; the drum inter-storage operably arranged between the draw-off mechanism and the winding device; the drum inter-storage having a driven rotary drum and a compensatory rotary arm, the method comprising: controlling rotation of the rotary arm with a drive that is independent of a drive for the rotary drum; during continuous yarn spinning, controlling rotation of the rotary arm with the independent drive as a function of rotation of the rotary drum such that a constant torque is developed in the yarn for creating a desired tension in the yarn during winding of the yarn on the cross bobbin; at transition from continuous yarn spinning to an intermediate state, controlling torque of the rotary arm independent of speed of rotation of the rotary drum.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein a value for the constant torque at continuous spinning is set as a function of the type of yarn being produced at the operating unit to achieve a desired of yarn package on the cross bobbin.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein transition from continuous yarn spinning to an intermediate state is caused by detecting a yarn defect in the yarn wound on the rotary drum, wherein rotation of the rotary drum is stopped and a section of the yarn containing the defect is wound off of the rotary drum by independent rotation of the rotary arm.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein transition from continuous yarn spinning to an intermediate state is caused by detecting a long defect in the yarn, wherein at least a portion of the long defect beyond the rotary drum in the direction of the winding device, wherein rotation of the rotary arm is reversed and the long defect is wound back onto the rotary drum for subsequent elimination from the yarn.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the independent drive of the rotary arm is an electric motor, control of the electric motor carried out by vector control with separate regulation circumferences for the torque and magnetic flux of the motor so as to prevent the regulation circumferences from interfering with each other.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention is schematically shown in the drawings, where:

(2) FIG. 1 shows one possible arrangement of an operating unit of a textile machine according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section of the arrangement of an inter-storage of yarn;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a diagram of controlling the whole inter-storage; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows an exemplary method of controlling the torque of the arm motor.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

(6) 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.

(7) Referring to FIG. 1, the drum inter-storage for yarn is applied at an operating unit of a textile machine with at least one operating unit, at which are arranged individual devices for yarn 0 formation from staple fibers, for example from staple fibres 00, arranged in the form of a sliver or fibre band etc., and for subsequent winding of the produced yarn 0 on a bobbin 4.

(8) Staple fibres 00 are delivered to a feeding device 2 from an unillustrated storage device, for example from a sliver can. The feeding device 2 provides feeding of the required amount of staple fibres 00 into the spinning unit 3, arranged further. The feeding device 2 has a suitable construction according to the type of the used spinning unit 3. If the spinning unit 3 with a spinning nozzle is used, the feeding device 2 is usually formed by a pair of feeding rollers 20, whereby at least one of them is driven by a drive 6 connected to a source of energy and the controlling device. Moreover, such a feeding device 2 can be preceded by a suitable device for pre-preparation of fibre material, for instance a drafting mechanism etc. If the spinning unit 3 with a spinning rotor is used, the feeding device 2 is generally composed of a set of a feeding roller and a feeding table, to which a singling-out device of fibres with a combing roller is assigned, whereby the singling-out device, which is usually connected to a system of withdrawal of impurity from the fibre material, is followed by a transport channel of fibres leading to the spinning rotor. In the spinning unit 3, staple fibres 00 are twisted to create yarn 0, which is drawn-off from the spinning unit 3 by a draw-off mechanism 5. The draw-off mechanism 5 usually consists of a pair of draw-off rollers 52, only one of which is driven by a connected drive 50, which is connected to a source of energy and a controlling device.

(9) The drum inter-storage 1 for yarn 0 is situated in the direction of the movement of yarn 0 behind the draw-off mechanism 5, whereby in the travel path of the yarn 0 between the draw-off mechanism 5 and the drum inter-storage 1 is arranged a guiding means 51 for yarn 0 from the draw-off mechanism 5 to the working surface of the drum 10 of the drum inter-storage 1.

(10) The drum inter-storage 1 comprises a pivotably seated drum 10, which is coupled with a drive connected to a source of energy and a controlling device. The drum inter-storage 1 is, by the inlet portion 100 of its drum 10, forward sloping to the guiding means 51 and to the draw-off mechanism 5. To the outlet portion 106 of the drum 10 of the drum inter-storage 1 is aligned an output guidance means 7 of yarn 0 from the working surface of the drum 10 of the drum inter-storage 1 to the winding device 8 of yarn 0, arranged further in the direction of the movement of yarn 0.

(11) The inlet portion 100 of the drum 10 is made as a conical surface sloping away from the draw-off mechanism 5 towards further arranged central portion 101 of the drum 10. From the central portion 101 of the drum 10, the yarn 0 continues to the outlet portion 106 of the drum, where it passes through the working travel path of the independently driven movable arm 103 with a guide 102 for yarn 0 running around the outer circumference of the outlet portion 106 of the drum 10, which acts upon the yarn 0 in a defined manner, as will be described further on.

(12) Referring to FIG. 2, the movable arm 103 with the guide 102 is mounted on a independently rotatable shaft 1040, whose axis of rotation is identical with that of the rotation of the drum 10. The independently rotatable shaft 1040 is coupled with its own drive, independent of the drive of the drum 10 and connected to a source of energy and a controlling device. That means that the drum 10 and the shaft 1040 are each driven by separate drives, which are connected to one common controlling device. Thus the independently rotatable shaft 1040 can rotate upon signals from the controlling device fully independently of the rotation of the drum 10, namely both in respect of the direction of rotation and in respect of the speed of rotation, as well as in respect of the size or the time course etc., of the generated torque and from the view point of acceleration, deceleration and other dynamic motion parameters and modes.

(13) The drive of the independently rotatable shaft 1040, i.e. the drive of the movable arm 103, is either composed of an external drive, or it is built-in directly in the drum inter-storage 1, for example as an integrated electric motor, the rotor of which is formed by the independently rotatable shaft 1040 with a movable arm 103. The movable arm 103 forms the so-called compensatory rotary arm. In an example embodiment, the drive of the independently rotatable shaft 1040 is formed by a brushless electric motor with permanent magnets, the so-called BLDC motor. Such BLDC motor is, in one embodiment, equipped with an encoder 1031 of the position and/or speed of the rotation of the independently rotatable shaft 1040 and enables accurate control of reversible motion and to stop the independently rotatable shaft 1040 with movable arm 103 according to the commands of the controlling device and pursuant to instant need of the technological processes at an operating unit.

(14) In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the drum 10 is situated on a common shaft with a driven draw-off roller 52 of the draw-off mechanism 5, whereby the outer diameter of the driven draw-off roller 52 and the outer diameter of the central portion 101 of the drum 10 correspond approximately to each other for the purpose of attaining mutually proximate circumferential speed of the working surface of the driven draw-off roller 52 and the circumferential speed of the central portion 101 of the drum 10 in order to generate required pre-tension in the yarn 0 for winding it on the central portion 101 of the drum 10. The central portion 101 of the drum 10 is either cylindrical, or, as is apparent from FIG. 2, slightly conical with inclination away from the inlet portion 100 of the drum 10 towards the outlet portion 106 of the drum 10, which facilitates yarn 0 delivery from the working surface of the drum 10.

(15) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the driven draw-off roller 52 is a direct part of the body of the drum 10, i.e. it is made as cylindrical surface 105, which immediately continues into the inlet portion 100 of the drum 10, whereby the drum 10 as such is coupled with a drive. The drive of the drum 10 is either formed by an external drive, for example by the drive 50 from FIG. 1, or it is composed of a special drive, built-in directly in the inner space of the drum 10 independently of the drive of the movable arm 103. For instance, the drive may be formed by BLDC motor 110, which will be described further on. In this way an integrated multi-purpose motor is made, its rotor fulfilling both the function of the driven draw-off roller 52 of the draw-off mechanism 5, and the function of the driven rotating drum 10 of the drum inter-storage 1. In the embodiment FIG. 2, the drive of the drum 10 is formed by a brushless electric motor 110 with permanent magnets, the so-called BLDC motor, whose rotor 107 is firmly connected to the drum 10 and whose stator 108 is fixedly connected to the central non-rotating shaft 109, on which the drum 10 is pivotably mounted with the aid of a pair of bearings 1090. According to an unillustrated embodiment, such BLDC motor 110 can also be equipped with an unillustrated encoder of the position of the rotor and/or the speed of the rotation of the drum 10 and enables accurate control of reversed motion and to stop the drum 10 according to the commands of the controlling system of the machine and according to instant need of the technological processes at an operating unit.

(16) In the embodiment in FIG. 2, the independently rotatable shaft 1040 is pivotably seated in the cavity of the central non-rotating shaft 109, which is at its end section by the movable arm 103 equipped with a stator 104 of the motor 1030 of the independently rotatable shaft 1040. Through the stator 104, which is also hollow, passes the independently rotatable shaft 1040, mounted also in the stator 104 in bearings. In addition, the independently rotatable shaft 1040 carries a rotor 1041 of the BLDC motor 1030, whose stator 104 is mounted, as already mentioned above, on the central non-rotating shaft 109. With the reverse end of the independently rotatable shaft 1040, is aligned in the illustrated embodiment the above-mentioned encoder 1031 of the position and/or speed of the rotation of the independently rotatable shaft 1040.

(17) In an unillustrated embodiment, the independently rotatable shaft 1040 is short and does not pass through the whole length of the cavity of the central non-rotating shaft 109.

(18) The central non-rotating shaft 109 is arranged in the frame of the machine, or, as the case may be, it is fitted with means for arrangement in the frame of the machine.

(19) As is apparent from FIG. 2, the outlet portion 106 of the drum 10 is equipped at its end with an extension 1060, which reduces or eliminates undesirable slippage of yarn 0 from the working surface of the drum 10 outside the movable arm 103.

(20) Referring to FIG. 1, in the direction of the movement of the yarn 0, behind the movable arm 103 there is arranged the above-mentioned output guiding means 7 of yarn 0, behind which in the direction of the movement of the yarn 0 is arranged a winding device 8 of yarn 0. The winding device 8 comprises an auxiliary guide 80, which stabilizes the yarn 0 in the central portion of the width of the winding device 8. In the direction of the movement of the yarn 0 behind the auxiliary guide 80 is further arranged a yarn 0 distribution device 81 along the width of the conical bobbin 4, on which the yarn 0 winds. In the illustrated embodiment, the bobbin 4 is driven by a rotating driving roller 82, on which the bobbin 4 is situated when winding the yarn 0 and on which cross-winding is made.

(21) The controlling device of the drive of the drum 10 and the controlling device of the movable guide 102 provides controlling both the drives in order to develop a constant torque by the movable arm 103 on the yarn 0 during continuous spinning for creating the required tension in the yarn 0 for winding the yarn 0 on the cross bobbin 4. This constant torque for continuous spinning can be centrally set for various types of yarns by means of changing parameters of the controlling system and thus the required density of yarn package on the bobbin 4 can be attained.

(22) In intermediate states, such as a yarn rupture, removal of a defective yarn, or replacing a full bobbin with an empty tube, both the speed and the torque of the arm are controlled at least partly independently of the speed of the drum rotation. If an unillustrated yarn quality sensor detects a defect in the yarn storage on the drum, this storage can be unwound and discarded by means of the rotating arm even if the drum is not working. Upon detecting a long yarn defect, where part of the yarn is already outside the drum and is wound on a cross bobbin, this part of the defect can be rewound from the bobbin back onto the drum by means of the arm rotating reversedly and by means of reversed motion of the winding device, and subsequently it can be removed according to the preceding description.

(23) As an electric motor for driving the arm, it is preferable to use a brushless direct-current motor with permanent magnets, the so-called BLDC motor, which can be equipped, for more accurate control, with an additional encoder of the position of the rotor and/or speed of its rotation.

(24) In order to simplify the construction, it is advisable to place the electric motor for driving the arm directly in the drum rotation axis. So as to make the entire mechanism more simple and less costly, it is desirable to provide the drum with an individual integrated drive by an electric motor with an external rotor, which is connected to the inner surface of the drum. It is also desirable if the motor employed is a BLDC motor, i.e. a brushless motor with permanent magnets.

(25) In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, there is a diagram of controlling the inter-storage of yarn according to the present invention. The motor 110 of the drum 10 is connected to outlet of module 111 for controlling speed of the rotation of the drum 10. The module 111 is, by a bi-directional communication conductor rail, connected to a command and communication unit 112, to which, by a bi-directional communication conductor rail, is connected module 113 for controlling the torque and/or the speed of the arm 103. To the outlet of the module 113 is connected motor 1030 of the arm 103, whereby the motor 1030 is fitted with an encoder 1031 recording, for example, angle of shifting of a shaft 104 of the arm 103, i.e. recording the angle of the shifting of shaft of the motor 1030 of the arm 103. The encoder 1031 is connected to an inlet of the module 113. The command and communication unit 112 at operating unit of the machine is, by the coupling 114, connected to the communications conductor rail 115 of the machine and further to the central control system 116 of the machine.

(26) In the mode of continuous spinning, the torque of the motor 1030 of the arm 103 is controlled, for example, with the aid of a method of modified vector control, when two separate regulation circumferences are formed, one for monitoring and controlling the torque and the other for monitoring and controlling the magnetic flux of the motor, whereby these circumferences are formed in such a manner that they will not influence each other. The principle of this modified vector control consists in the distribution of the space vector of the stator current into two perpendicular components in the rotating coordinate system, which can be oriented to the space vector of the stator or rotor magnetic flux, or, as the case may be, to the space vector of the resulting magnetic flux. The components of the space vector of the stator current then define the torque and magnetization of the machine. The torque-generating component of the vector of the stator current, together with the respective vector of the magnetic flux, defines the motor torque. This vector control method for electric motors has been described in literature, for example in the book: Chiasson, John Nelson, Modeling and high performance control of electric machines, ISBN 0-471-68449-X.

(27) The arrangement of the control circumference for controlling the motor 1030 of the arm 103 in accordance with the above criteria is based, for example, on applying Park's transformation and is shown in FIG. 4. According to the type of the produced yarn and according to the type of a yarn package needed to be attained, the value of required torque M of the motor 1030 is entered in the control system, and afterwards it is, by a convertor 29, converted into the value of the electric current Iq of the motor 1030. The entered value of the electric current Iq corresponds with the required voltage Uq of the motor 1030, which is led through PI actuator 21, unit 23 of inversed Park's transformation, and PWM control module 24 to the controlled motor 1030 of the arm 103. The current Iq of the motor 1030 is, through the module 26 of Park's transformation and A/D convertor 25, supplied to the controlled motor 1030 as well. The control circumference is further fitted with a regulation branch, which is connected to the control current Id and voltage Ud. The voltage Ud is led through the second PI regulator 22 into the unit 23 of inversed Park's transformation, to PWM control module 24, and further to the controlled motor 1030 of the arm 103. The current Id flows through the module 26 of Park's transformation and A/D convertor 25 and is supplied to the controlled motor 1030 as well. From the controlled motor 1030, an encoder 1031 scans angle of the shifting of the shaft of the motor 1030 and this data is by feedback 27 led to the unit 23 of inversed Park's transformation and at the same time to the unit 26 of Park's transformation, and with the aid of both the units the whole system is regulated in such a manner that the current Id is zero and the current Iq amounts to the entered value torque M. Regulated values of voltage and current are supplied to the inlet of the controlled motor 1030, which develops a required torque and the arm 103 acts on the yarn 0 in the required manner.

(28) For individual quantities in FIG. 4 the following formulas for Park's transformation are valid:
Id=I*cos()+I*sin()
Iq=I*sin()+I*cos()

(29) and for inversed Park's transformation the following formulas are valid:
U=Ud*cos()Uq*sin()
U=Ud*sin()+Uq*cos().

(30) This method of applying Park's transformation is mentioned here merely as an example of a possible embodiment of a concrete method of controlling the motor 1030 according to the invention. However, it is apparent that those skilled in the art, using the knowledge of the principles of controlling the motor 1030, are able to find other solutions meeting the requirements for controlling the motor 1030 according to the present invention. For example, it is possible to apply direct controlling of the motor torque by means of the so-called Takahashi method according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,265.

(31) It is also evident that the control circumference for controlling the motor 1030 of the arm 103, illustrated in FIG. 4, and its functions can be implemented as program blocks of the control program of the control device or controlling microprocessor.

(32) Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.