SYSTEM FOR MONITORING THE SLIVER FILL LEVEL OF A SPINNING CAN

Abstract

A system for monitoring a sliver fill level of a spinning can which can be brought to or is arranged at a working point of a sliver-processing textile machine. The system comprises a position detection unit for ascertaining the position of a surface of the sliver arranged in the spinning can, the surface facing the open end of the spinning can, and/or the position of the component which moves together with a sliver section deposited in the spinning can; an analysis unit connectable to the position detection unit for determining the sliver fill level of the spinning can on the basis of the ascertained position of the surface of the sliver or the ascertained position of the component, and a transmission unit connectable to the analysis unit for transmitting information relating to the sliver fill level of the spinning can to an information-processing unit which processes the fill level information.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a sliver fill level of a spinning can which can be brought to a working point of a sliver-processing textile machine or which is arranged at the working point, the system comprising: a position detection unit for determining a position of a surface of a sliver arranged in the spinning can, wherein the surface faces an open end of the spinning can, and/or of a component which virtually moves along with a sliver portion deposited in the spinning can; an analysis unit which can be connected or is connected to the position detection unit for determining the sliver fill level of the spinning can in accordance with a determined position of the surface of the sliver or a determined position of the component; and a transmission unit which can be connected or is connected to the analysis unit for transmitting information relating to the sliver fill level of the spinning can to an information processing unit which processes the information relating to the sliver fill level.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the position detection unit has optical and/or acoustic sensors for sensing the determined position of the surface of the sliver and/or the determined position of the component, or the position detection unit has a magnet unit arranged on the component and a stationary or mobile Hall sensor which is positioned in a measurement position opposite the magnet unit.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the position detection unit is stationary or mobile, wherein the optical and/or acoustic sensors or the stationary or mobile Hall sensor are arranged to sense the sliver fill level during guiding of the spinning can past the position detection unit or vice versa.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the position detection unit is formed by an automation unit which can be moved along the sliver-processing textile machine.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the information processing unit is an output unit arranged outside of the spinning can for outputting information relating to the sliver fill level.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the spinning can has a spinning can bottom which can be moved between a start position and an end position and is associated with the system, the component being formed by the spinning can bottom.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one spinning can has a spinning can bottom which can be moved between a start position and an end position and is associated with the system, the component being arranged on the spinning can on an outer wall side and being connected to the spinning can bottom by a bar so as to move along virtually between the start position and the end position, the bar extending through a slot in a side wall of the spinning can, the slot extends at least between the start position and the end position of the spinning can bottom.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is assigned the spinning can having a spinning can base adjustable between a start and an end position, wherein the component is magnetized or magnetic and is held on an outside of a side wall of the spinning can via magnetic holding forces, wherein a magnet is arranged in a fixed position on the spinning can base for generating the magnetic holding forces.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a parameter-sensing unit for sensing a defined parameter with respect to material of the sliver, the parameter-sensing unit being designed to transmit information about the defined parameter to the analysis unit, the analysis unit being designed to evaluate the information with regard to adherence to and/or deviation from at least one defined limit value or range and to forward the information thereby evaluated.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the spinning can comprises a writable memory chip for storing the defined parameter, the parameter-sensing unit having a reading unit for reading the writable memory chip.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the parameter-sensing unit comprises a writing unit for writing needs-based information to the writable memory chip.

12. A textile machine comprising the system according to claim 1, further including the working point comprising a spinning can holder for holding the spinning can and a take-up device for taking up the sliver from the spinning can.

13. The textile machine according to claim 12, wherein the textile machine is a spinning machine having a plurality of working points, each working point having a spinning apparatus for spinning a thread from the sliver, and a checking unit which is arranged downstream of the spinning apparatus along a thread path for checking predeterminable or predetermined properties of a spun thread, and is connected to the information processing unit via the analysis unit for evaluating the thread properties sensed by the checking unit in order to bring about a shutdown of the working points or a signaling of the shutdown or a signaling relating to the information when defective sliver material is detected as evaluated information.

Description

[0032] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of a spinning can having a movable spinning can bottom, partly in a sectional view;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of a spinning can having a fixed bottom, with an associated automation unit, partly in a sectional view;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a third embodiment of a spinning can in cooperation with the automation unit;

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a fourth embodiment of a spinning can having a movable spinning can bottom; and

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective illustration of an end region of an open-end rotor spinning machine according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of a spinning can 1a, partly in a sectional view. The spinning can 1a has a spinning can side wall 4 whichwith respect to the usage positionextends vertically upward from a spinning can base body 3. Within the spinning can 1a, a movable spinning can bottom 2a is arranged, which can be moved, in particular slid, along the spinning can side wall 4 in the vertical direction between a start position and an end position. The spinning can bottom 2a is preloaded toward the open end of the spinning can 1a by means of two helical compression springs 8, which are seated, at one end, against the spinning can base body 3 and, at the other end, against the underside of the spinning can bottom 2a facing the spinning can base body 3. By means of the helical compression springs 8, the spinning can bottom 2a is repositioned as the sliver 5 is removed at a working point 13 (shown by way of example in FIG. 5) of a textile machine 12, the spinning can bottom 2a being moved toward the open end of the spinning can 1a, whereby as a result the position of the surface of the sliver 5 facing the open end remains substantially constant.

[0039] For the sensing of the position of the surface of the spinning can bottom 2a, a position detection unit 10a has a permanent magnet 7, which is arranged on the underside of the spinning can bottom 2a, and a Hall sensor 6 arranged below the spinning can base body 3. By means of the Hall sensor 6, which, e.g., can be arranged in the region of the spinning can holder at the working points 13, the position of the permanent magnet 7 relative to the Hall sensor 6 and thus the position of the surface of the spinning can bottom 2a relative to the spinning can base body 3 or relative to the open end of the spinning can 1a can be determined particularly reliably. The position determined by means of the position detection unit 10a is forwarded to an analysis unit (not shown here), which determines the filling amount of sliver 5 in the spinning can 1a on the basis of the determined position and which, if said filling amount falls below a predefined minimum amount, signals this by means of an information processing unit connected to the analysis unit, the information processing unit being in the form of an indicating unit.

[0040] According to an alternative exemplary embodiment not shown, the Hall sensor 6 can be arranged on an outside of the spinning can side wall 4 or integrated into the spinning can side wall 4. Arrangement on the inside of the spinning can side wall 6 is also conceivable, provided that the Hall sensor 6 is arranged so as not to interfere with the sliver 5 held in the spinning can 1a.

[0041] According to this exemplary embodiment, which is not shown, the permanent magnet 7 can be arranged away from the center of the spinning can bottom 2a and closer to the spinning can side wall 4 on or in which the Hall sensor 6 is arranged. In principle, it is also conceivable that more than one Hall sensor 6 is arranged, so that the sensing can be performed more reliably and/or redundantly. For example, in addition to the Hall sensor 6 on or in the spinning can wall 4, an additional Hall sensor 6 can be arranged on the spinning can base body 3 or integrated into the spinning can base body. Alternatively or additionally, an additional Hall sensor 6 can be provided on or in the spinning can wall 4 at a distance from the Hall sensor 6 on or in the spinning can side wall 4.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of a spinning can 1b which, compared to the spinning can 1a shown in FIG. 1, has a fixed, i.e., not movable, spinning can bottom 2b. During operation of the textile machine 12, the sliver 5 is continuously taken up from the spinning can 1b, as a result of which the surface of the sliver 5 facing the open end of the spinning can 1b becomes lower within the spinning can 1b. A position detection unit 10b which has an ultrasonic sensor 11 and is arranged on an automation unit 9 is used to sense the surface of the sliver 5 within the spinning can 1b. The automation unit 9 can be moved along a textile machine 12 having a plurality of working points 13 arranged next to one another and is usually used to carry out service tasks, such as repairing thread breaks or exchanging fully wound spools for empty tubes. When the automation unit 9 is positioned in association with a working point, the position detection unit 10b arranged on the automation unit 9 enables the position of the surface of the sliver 5 facing the open end within the spinning can 1b to be determined by means of the ultrasonic sensor 11 and thus the fill level of the spinning can 1b to be determined by means of the analysis unit connected to the position detection unit 10b. An information processing unit in the form of an indicating unit can then be used to signal that the fill level has fallen below a predefined level.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a spinning can 1c which differs from the spinning can 1a shown in FIG. 1 only in that no magnet is arranged on the underside of the spinning can bottom 2a. Rather, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the position of the surface of the spinning can bottom 2a is sensed by means of the ultrasonic sensor 11 of the position detection unit 10b arranged on the automation unit 9, the ultrasonic sensor 11 being designed to sense the position of the spinning can bottom 2a and not to sense the surface of the sliver 5.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a fourth embodiment of a spinning can 1d having a movable spinning can bottom 2a. In contrast to the spinning cans 1a, 1c described above which have a spinning can bottom 2a, the spinning can 1d has a magnet 7, in particular a permanent magnet, which is arranged on the spinning can bottom 2a. A magnetic component 7a is arranged on the outside of the spinning can side wall 4 and is held on the outside of the spinning can side wall 4 via the magnetic holding forces emanating from the magnet 7. During the removal of the sliver 5 from the spinning can 1d, the spinning can bottom 2a together with the magnet 7 moves in the direction of the open end of the spinning can 1d, with the result that the magnetic component 7a is carried along by means of the magnetic forces. The fill level of the spinning can 1d can thus be easily sensed by an operating unit or perceived by an operator. According to an embodiment that is not shown, more than two magnetic components 7a and corresponding magnets 7 are provided, in particular evenly distributed around the spinning can 1d. Furthermore, according to an embodiment that is not shown, the magnetic component 7a is captively guided in a guide rail on the spinning can side wall 4.

[0045] According to an exemplary embodiment that is not shown, instead of the magnet 7 and the corresponding magnetic or magnetized component 7a, a slot extending in the direction of movement of the spinning can bottom 2a is provided, through which slot a bar protrudes which connects a component projecting beyond the outside of the spinning can side wall 4 to the spinning can bottom 2a. The slot has an extension length such that the component can virtually be moved along with the spinning can bottom 2a by means of the bar between a starting position and an end position of the spinning can bottom 2a. According to a further exemplary embodiment that is not shown, the slot is provided with sealing lips which sealingly surround the bar.

[0046] FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an end region of a textile machine 12 in the form of an open-end rotor spinning machine. Such open-end rotor spinning machines generally have two parallel working point rows, which are positioned between two end frames 16 and in turn each have a plurality of working points 13 arranged next to one another. At each of these working points 13, as is known, a sliver 5 stored in a spinning can 1a is spun by means of a spinning apparatus 14 into a thread which is then wound into a large-volume cross-wound bobbin (not shown) on a winding apparatus 15 at the working point. The spinning can 1a can be a spinning can as described above. Different spinning cans 1a-1d as described above can be mounted on the textile machine 12 in a combination as required. A yarn clearer is arranged downstream of the spinning apparatus 14 along the thread path in the direction of the winding apparatus 15 and checks the thread for predetermined properties. Based on this checkfor example, if the number of thread cuts initiated by the yarn clearer exceeds a predetermined limit valuea defective sliver material can be detected, whereupon a shutdown of the corresponding working point 13, a signaling of the shutdown and/or a signaling relating to the evaluated information for the replacement of the spinning can 1a takes place.

[0047] According to a further exemplary embodiment that is not shown, the spinning can 1a-1d according to any of the exemplary embodiments described above has an RFID chip, which is arranged at a position of the spinning can 1a-1d at which the RFID chip can be written to and read from. This enables the sliver material deposited in the spinning can 1a-1d to be sensed, monitored and/or checked in the region of the textile machine 12 in which the sliver material is to be further processed. For this purpose, in a pre-process step, corresponding parameter information about the sliver material deposited in the spinning can 1a-1d, such as properties of the sliver material, such as sliver thickness, sliver strength, sliver fineness, composition of the sliver material, details of the length, diameter, weight and/or volume of the deposited sliver material and information on which defined pre-process machine the sliver material was produced, has been written to the RFID chip. It is thus possible to check, in the region of the working point 13, whether the working point 13 has been supplied with the correct sliver material for producing a defined thread.

[0048] Furthermore, according to a further exemplary embodiment, further information about the sliver material, such as manufacturing parameters as well as operating parameters relevant to the working point 13 of the textile machine 12 for producing a predetermined thread from the sliver 5, are stored in the RFID chip. In this way the working point 13 can be prompted to produce a defined thread to be produced from the sliver 5.

[0049] For this purpose, the textile machine 12 has a reading unit (not shown), which is arranged on a service unit (not shown) of the textile machine 12 and is connected to a control unit of the textile machine 12.

[0050] Furthermore, the textile machine 12 has a writing unit for writing information about sliver material that is to be processed at a specific working point 13 of the textile machine 12 to the RFID chip. After the spinning can 1a-1d has been removed from the textile machine 12 and moved to a preparation machine associated with the textile machine 12, this information is read out by a reading unit coupled to the preparation machine in order to fill the spinning can 1a-1d at the preparation machine with a correspondingly requested sliver 5.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0051] 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d Spinning can [0052] 2a, 2b Spinning can bottom [0053] 3 Spinning can base body [0054] 4 Spinning can side wall [0055] 5 Sliver [0056] 6 Hall sensor [0057] 7 Magnet [0058] 7a Magnetic component [0059] 8 Helical compression spring [0060] 9 Automation unit [0061] 10a, 10b Position detection unit [0062] 11 Ultrasonic sensor [0063] 12 Textile machine [0064] 13 Working point [0065] 14 Spinning apparatus [0066] 15 Winding apparatus [0067] 16 End frame