SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AND PROGRAMMING THE PRODUCTION OF A BALL OF THREAD

Abstract

Described is a control and programming system and method for producing a ball of thread having a plurality of stretches with different colors along the longitudinal direction with a ball winding machine comprising: a device for acquiring the chromatic characteristics of the thread connected to a respective control unit, a device for moving the thread towards the ball winding machine and a device for cutting the thread.

Claims

1. A control and programming system for producing a ball of thread for a ball winding machine, the thread having a plurality of stretches with different colours along the relative longitudinal direction, characterised in that it comprises: a device for continuously acquiring the chromatic characteristics of the thread connected to a respective control unit, a device for moving the thread towards the ball winding machine and a device located downstream at least of the acquisition device.

2. The system according to claim 1, also comprising means for supporting the thread, to keep the thread in a predetermined and fixed position relative to the chromatic acquisition device.

3. The system according to claim 1, also comprising means (5) for positioning the acquisition device to achieve the focusing of the thread.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device for moving the thread comprises a nozzle fed with compressed air.

5. The system (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cutting device comprises a mechanical cutter.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition device comprise a video camera, a camera, a photometer, a scanning sensor or a spectrophotometer.

7. A method for controlling and programming the production of a ball of thread having stretches of different colours along the longitudinal direction comprising the following operating steps: programming a system in such a way as to learn, by means of an acquisition device, the type of stretch of colour selected as initial colour of the ball, and the interval of operation after which to activate a cutting device, preparing the thread in a winding head of a ball winding machine located downstream of the system in such a way that the colour is the first to be wound on the ball, activating the winding head, activating the cutting device after the predetermined operating interval and when the selected point of the next stretch of colour is located at the cutting device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the movement device is kept actuated not only during the ball winding steps but also during and after the cutting step to hold in position the thread and facilitate the movement towards the winding head during production of the next ball.

9. A ball winding machine comprising a plurality of control and programming systems according to claim 1.

10. (canceled)

11. The system according to claim 2, also comprising means for positioning the acquisition device to achieve the focusing of the thread.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the device for moving the thread comprises a nozzle fed with compressed air.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the cutting device comprises a mechanical cutter.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the acquisition device comprise a video camera, a camera, a photometer, a scanning sensor or a spectrophotometer.

15. The system according to claim 2, wherein the device for moving the thread comprises a nozzle fed with compressed air.

16. The system according to claim 2, wherein the cutting device comprises a mechanical cutter.

17. The system according to claim 2, wherein the acquisition device comprise a video camera, a camera, a photometer, a scanning sensor or a spectrophotometer.

18. The system according to claim 3, wherein the device for moving the thread comprises a nozzle fed with compressed air.

19. The system according to claim 3, wherein the cutting device comprises a mechanical cutter.

20. The system according to claim 3, wherein the acquisition device comprise a video camera, a camera, a photometer, a scanning sensor or a spectrophotometer.

Description

[0032] Further features and details of a preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a first schematic view of a possible embodiment of a control and programming system according to this invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates a second schematic view of the embodiment of FIG. 1,

[0035] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a ball winding machine comprising a series of systems according to this invention and illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0036] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of two operating times in the operation of a control and programming system according to this invention.

[0037] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the numeral 1 denotes a control and programming system for producing a ball of thread 10 using a ball winding machine 20.

[0038] More specifically, this invention relates to the production of a ball of thread 10 which has on its longitudinal extension a series of stretches (at least two) coloured in a different way a, b, c along a longitudinal direction. Advantageously, but not necessarily, the series of coloured stretches a, b, c is repeated in a systematic and equal manner along the entire length of the thread 10.

[0039] The system 1 comprises in its basic embodiment a device 2 for acquiring the chromatic characteristics a, b, c of the thread 10.

[0040] Merely by way of an example, the acquisition device 2 may comprise a video camera, a camera, a photometer, a scanning sensor or a spectrophotometer, or any other device 2 designed to recognise a colour of the thread 10 in question.

[0041] The system 1 also comprises a device 3 for moving the thread 10 towards a winding head (not illustrated since of known type) of a ball winding machine 20. The thread is also being unwound from a source for feeding the thread 10 (also not illustrated since of known type).

[0042] The movement device 3 preferably comprises a compressed air nozzle which uses, precisely, compressed air for moving the thread 10 towards the winding head located downstream of the system 1 in the direction of the arrow F.

[0043] By modulating the air entering the above-mentioned nozzle 3 it is possible to determine the speed of sliding of the thread 10 inside it starting from a value of zero metres per second, that is to say, stationary relative to the nozzle.

[0044] Advantageously, the nozzle 3 is kept in position through a respective rigid support 8.

[0045] The system 1 also comprises a device 4 for cutting the thread 10 positioned advantageously downstream of the movement device 3 and the video acquisition device 2, and upstream of the above-mentioned winding head.

[0046] The cutting device 4 can, preferably, comprise a mechanical guillotine-type cutter.

[0047] It will be understood that any cutting device 4 which is able to cut the thread 10 in a clean and precise manner can perform the same function without thereby limiting the scope of protection of this invention.

[0048] In order to make the focusing of the thread 10 by the acquisition device 2 easier, the system 1 may comprise suitable means 6 for supporting the thread 10.

[0049] In this way, it is possible to keep the thread 10 in a predetermined and fixed position relative to the acquisition device 2.

[0050] Again so as to facilitate the focusing of the acquisition device 2, the system comprises means 5 for positioning the acquisition device 2.

[0051] For example, the latter may comprises longitudinal guide means on two movement axes.

[0052] The system 1 described above is preferably enclosed within a containment body 7.

[0053] In operation, a system 1 according to this invention comprises the 20 following operating steps: [0054] programming the system 1 in such a way as to learn, by means of the acquisition device 2, the type of stretch of colour a selected as initial colour of the ball, and the interval of operation after which to activate the cutting device 4, [0055] preparing the thread 10 in a winding head of a ball winding machine 20 located downstream of the system 1 in such a way that the colour a is the first to be wound on the ball, [0056] activating the winding head,
By way of an example, the interval of operation may be calculated by checking the actual length of the thread 10 already wound on the ball, the number of windings of the ball in production, a unit of time, or in any case by measuring any operating parameter which allows the actual approach of the stretch of selected colour a to be detected,

[0057] Advantageously, once the thread 10 has been cut in the position derived from the calculations described above the movement device 3 is kept actuated.

[0058] In this way, the end of the thread 10 distal from the winding head is kept stationary and extracted from the movement device 3, thus facilitating the approach towards the winding head, for example by a user or an automatic system, to start the production of a new ball.

[0059] For clarity and completeness of description, and with reference in particular to FIG. 4, an example is given of the operating cycle of a system 1 according to this invention.

[0060] The following data must be known: total length of the thread 10 to be wound, length of the stretch of colour selected as initial and final colour of the ball in production a.

[0061] It should be noted that it is not necessary to know any data relative to the length and to the type of colours between those not selected (b and c in FIG. 4) as initial and final colours of the ball.

[0062] An operation interval t1 is set, corresponding, for example, to 1000 turns or 200 metres or 30 seconds.

[0063] At the initial time t0 the user (or the automatic system) fixes the end of the colour a to the winding head.

[0064] The winding head is actuated and produces the respective ball for the time t1.

[0065] At the time t1 the winding head performs, advantageously, a slowing down and the video acquisition device 2 is enabled.

[0066] The slowing down may be advantageous to improve the acquisition by the acquisition device 2, however it may be not necessary depending on the quality of resolution and sensitivity of the device 2.

[0067] When the acquisition device 2 detects the stretch of colour selected a it sends a signal to the cutting device 4 which proceeds with the cutting when reaching the selected point X.

[0068] The ball winding machine proceeds, ending the winding of the length of thread 10 just cut by the cutting device.

[0069] At this point, the user may again fix the end of colour a to the winding head for producing a new ball, which is also characterised in that it starts with a stretch of colour a and ends with the same colour a.

[0070] Advantageously, by suitable control of the movement device 3, it is possible to move the end of the thread 10 towards the winding head in such a way as to facilitate the work of the user.

[0071] A further aspect according to the invention, shown in FIG. 3, is a ball winding machine 20 comprising a plurality of control and programming systems 1 as described previously and associated with respective winding heads, not shown because they are of known type and not significant for the purpose of this invention.

[0072] Preferably, the above-mentioned machine will be characterised by an operation as described above.

[0073] Finally, it is clear that this invention may be modified, added to or adapted in ways obvious to technicians in the field, without thereby departing from the protective scope of the appended claims.

[0074] More specifically, it is understood that by using a system according to this invention is possible to program the entire composition of a ball (or a series of balls) both in terms of number and length of the individual stretches of different colours.