Patent Application
20250145404
The invention relates to a system for monitoring a sliver fill level of a spinning can, which be brought to a working point of a sliver-processing textile machine or is arranged at the working point, and to a textile machine having a sliver-processing 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.
Spinning cans are well known as a storage and transport medium for strand-shaped fiber material, said storage and transport medium being used at sliver-processing working points of a textile machine, such as a spinning machine, to provide the fiber material to be processed, when a spinning can becomes empty at the working point, the empty spinning can must be exchanged for a full spinning can by the operating personnel.
Designing the spinning can such that operating personnel can detect in particular the filling level or at least one property of the stored fiber material by viewing the outside of the spinning can, in order to reduce downtimes, is already known from DE 10 2018 118 652 A1. For this purpose, the side wall of the spinning cans is at least partly transparent so that the operating personnel can discern an indicating element arranged within the spinning can, by means of which indicating element the information regarding the filling level or regarding the at least one property of the stored fiber material can be indicated through the transparent side wall portion. However, designing the side wall of the spinning can to be transparent, even if only partly, requires a departure from conventional methods for producing a spinning can.
Proceeding therefrom, the invention is based on the object of providing an alternative system at least for monitoring at least one sliver fill level of a spinning can, which be brought to a working point of a sliver-processing textile machine or is arranged at the working point. In particular, the invention is based on the object of providing an alternative system at least for monitoring at least one sliver fill level of a spinning can, which be brought to a working point of a sliver-processing textile machine or is arranged at the working point, the system providing a current filling level amount of a commercially available spinning can which, in particular, does not have a transparent side wall portion.
The invention achieves the object by means of a system having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are stated in the dependent claims.
The system according to the invention for monitoring at least the sliver fill level of a spinning can, which is brought to a working point of a sliver-processing textile machine or is arranged at the working point, comprises a position detection unit, an analysis unit, which is connected to the position detection unit, and a transmission unit for transmitting information regarding the determined sliver fill level of the spinning can to an information processing unit, which processes the filling level information, the transmission unit being connected to the analysis unit.
The position detection unit is designed to determine the position of the surface of the sliver arranged in the spinning can which faces the open end of the spinning can and/or to determine a component which virtually moves along with the sliver, in particular to determine the surface of said component. Therefore, the position detection unit makes allowance for the different design types of the commercially available spinning cans which are commonly used.
For the spinning cans commonly referred to as round cans, the spinning can bottom is usually slidable virtually with the lower sliver portion deposited on the spinning can bottom and shifts from a lower initial position to an upper end position as an upper sliver portion, which is at a distance from the lower sliver portion and can be accessed from outside of the spinning can, is removed from the spinning can so that the position of the surface of the sliver facing the open end remains essential constant. The repositioning of the spinning can bottom is usually accomplished by means of force accumulators in the form of one or more coil springs, by means of which the spinning can bottom is preloaded toward the upper end position and which reposition the spinning can bottom as the sliver is removed. If spinning cans having a movable spinning can bottom are used, the position detection unit is designed, according to a preferred embodiment, to sense the position of the surface of the spinning can bottom facing the open end, the spinning can bottom forming the component, or to sense the position of a component which virtually moves along with the spinning can bottom or with the lower sliver portion deposited on the spinning can bottom.
According to another preferred embodiment, at least one spinning can having a spinning can bottom which can be moved between a start position and an end position is associated with the system, and the component is preferably coupled to the spinning can bottom and arranged in a region which can be sensed by the position detection unit, for example in the region of the spinning can outer wall side. For example, according to another preferred embodiment, the component can be fixedly connected to the spinning can bottom by means of a bar extending through the spinning can side wall, the spinning can outer wall side having a slot, which extends in the direction of movement of the spinning can bottom and along which the bar can virtually be moved, unimpeded, with the spinning can bottom between the start position and end position of the spinning can bottom. The component can also preferably be an end of the bar which protrudes from the spinning can outer wall side or an end piece of defined dimensions which is formed with the bar and which protrudes from the spinning can outer wall side, the defined dimensions being selectable in accordance with requirements as long as the sensing by the position detection unit is ensured. The slot can be provided with sealing lips seated against the bar portion extending through the slot, in order to, more preferably, at least approximately completely peripherally surround them.
Alternatively or additionally, the component can be a magnetic or magnetized component which adheres to the spinning can outer wall side by means of magnetic holding forces. The magnetic holding forces can come from a magnet, in particular a permanent magnet, fixedly arranged on the movable spinning can bottom, it also being preferred that the interposed portion of the spinning can side wall is made of material which does not affect the magnetic holding forces for the movement of the component virtually along with the permanent magnet. This portion preferably has a corresponding size along the movement path of the spinning can bottom. The material can be, for example, a plastic-containing material. The surface side of the spinning can side wall facing the component can also preferably be treated or designed such that a friction effect between the component and the spinning can outer wall side is reduced. Furthermore, it is preferred that the component is guided in the direction of movement, e.g., in a holding rail, in order to avoid accidental removal.
According to another preferred embodiment, the position detection unit is alternatively or additionally designed to determine the surface of the sliver facing the open end of the spinning can. Such a design of the position detection unit is required if spinning cans are used in which the spinning can bottom is fixed and the surface of the sliver facing the open end of the spinning can moves toward the spinning can bottom as the sliver is removed.
According to the invention, the position of the surface of the sliver in the spinning can and/or of the component, as determined by the position detection unit, is transmitted by the position detection unit to an analysis unit, which evaluates the current filling level of the spinning can in accordance with the determined position of the surface of the sliver and/or the determined position of the component. The analysis unit can preferably be part of the working point, part of a portion of the textile machine away from the working point, part of a superordinate control unit away from the textile machine, such as a superordinate central control unit inside or outside of a spinning mill housing the textile machine, or part of another terminal, in particular mobile terminal, of the operator. The information relating to the filling level is subsequently transmitted to an information processing unit by means of a transmission unit which can be or is connected to the analysis unit, so that, for example, information about the filling level of the spinning can be provided to the operating personnel or to an operating unit such as is described in more detail below. The information processing unit can be, for example, an output unit such as an indicating unit. The indicating unit can preferably be a simple illuminant which is activated when the filling level amount drops below a previously defined filling level amount of the spinning can. However, it is also possible to use, for example, indicating units which indicate the filling level of the spinning can on a display, at least in alphabetic, alphanumeric, numeric or graphical form.
It is alternatively preferred that the output unit is an acoustic unit such a loudspeaker, by means of which the filling level is acoustically output in an output language which, in particular, can be understood by an operator or by an operating unit described in more detail below. In the sense of the present invention, the term “loudspeaker” means any output medium that can output information acoustically.
It is also alternatively preferred that the output unit is a projection unit, by means of which the filling level information can be projected on a defined body, such as a surface suitable as a projection surface, or at a defined position in the room as or in the manner of a hologram, such that the filling level information is visible to an operator or to the operating unit.
Alternatively, the information processing unit can also preferably be a combination of at least two of the preferred embodiments described above.
In principle, the arrangement of the information processing unit can be freely chosen. The information processing unit can preferably be an output unit, in particular an output unit as described above, for outputting information relating to the filling level, the output unit being arranged outside of the spinning can. According to a preferred embodiment, the information processing unit, in particular the output unit, can be arranged in a perception range of an operator. For example, the information processing unit can be part of the working point, part of a portion of the textile machine away from its working points, part of a superordinate control unit away from the textile machine, such as a superordinate central control unit, or part of another terminal, in particular mobile terminal, e.g., of the operator. Thus, it can be ensured that an operator or an operating unit can perceive or acquire the filling level information without problems.
According to a preferred design of the invention, the output unit can be arranged at least at the working point of the textile machine or on the spinning can. Arrangement of the output unit at the working point or on the spinning can allows the operating personnel or the operating unit to immediately detect the spinning cans for which an exchange will be due or is already due as a result of the filling amount falling below a defined filling amount. As soon as an exchange of the spinning can is to be carried out, the corresponding working point is preferably shut down in a timely manner by means of a control unit connected to the working point, e.g., a control unit as described above, it being additionally preferred that the pending and/or current shutdown of the working point can be signaled by means the output unit, as it is described above, or another output medium arranged, for example, at the working point. A pending shutdown possibly can be signaled differently than a current shutdown.
The device according to the invention particularly reliably allows the filling level of the spinning cans to be detected and an indication to be provided when the filling level falls below a specified minimum amount, so that an exchange of the spinning can can be prepared and carried out promptly in an automated manner, for example by the operating unit, and/or by means of human interaction, for example by the operating personnel. Downtimes can thus be effectively minimized, and the productivity of the textile machine maximized. The sensing of the position of the surface of the sliver and/or the position, in particular of the surface, of the component is a particularly reliable reference value for determining the filling level of the spinning can.
In principle, the position detection unit for determining the position can be designed in any way. According to a preferred embodiment, the position detection unit has optical and/or acoustic sensors, in particular laser sensors and/or ultrasonic sensors, for sensing the position. The use of laser sensors and/or ultrasonic sensors is characterized in that they are particularly reliably suitable for measuring distance and thus allow particularly exact sensing of the position. In principle, the arrangement of the position detection unit can be freely chosen. For example, the position detection unit can be stationarily arranged at a working point of the textile machine, on a spinning can or on an automation machine which can move along the working points of the textile machine in order to carry out predefined tasks at a working point.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one spinning can having a spinning can bottom which can be moved between a start position and an end position is associated with the system, and the position detection unit for sensing the position of the surface of the movable spinning can bottom has a magnet unit arranged on the movable spinning can bottom, in particular a permanent magnet, and a stationary or mobile Hall sensor, which is positioned relative to the magnet unit in a measurement position allowing the magnetic field of the magnet unit to be sensed. In the case of a mobile arrangement of the Hall sensor, the Hall sensor can be particularly preferably arranged on an automation unit associated with the system. In the case of a stationary arrangement, the Hall sensor preferably can be arranged on the spinning can side wall, in particularly on the outer wall side, integrated into the spinning can side wall or arranged on the inside of the spinning can side wall. Alternatively or additionally, a Hall sensor can be provided in a suitable measuring position at each working point. By means of the Hall sensor, also called “Hall element”, the position of the magnet unit arranged on the spinning can bottom and thus the position of the spinning can bottom relative to the Hall sensor can be particularly reliably determined. The magnet unit can also alternatively be arranged at a position of the Hall sensor as described above and the Hall sensor at a position of the magnet unit as described above. The described designs of the position detection unit constitute a particularly reliable method for sensing the position of the spinning can bottom. In the case of an arrangement of the Hall sensor or the magnet unit on an automation unit, the filling level of a plurality of spinning cans along which the automation unit can be moved can be particularly economically determined by using a single Hall sensor or a single magnet unit.
According to a preferred embodiment, the position detection unit is stationary or mobile, and the optical or acoustic sensors or the Hall sensor or the magnet unit are arranged to sense the filling level of the spinning can during the guiding of the spinning can past the position detection unit or vice versa. In the sense of the present invention, “guiding past” means the guiding of a moving spinning can past a stationary position sensing, the guiding of a moving position detection unit past a stationary spinning can, and the guiding of a moving spinning can past a moving position detection unit.
According to a particularly preferred design, the position detection unit can be arranged on an automation unit which can be moved along a textile machine. The arrangement of the position detection unit on an automation unit allows a position detection unit to be used for monitoring a plurality of spinning cans, whereby the monitoring of the spinning cans can be carried out particularly economically. It is also preferred that the position detection unit can be arranged on a typically already available automation unit, which can be e.g., a service unit, which can move along the individual working points and e.g., can carry out defined maintenance tasks, piece yarn breaks and/or exchange completely wound packages for empty tubes.
Alternatively, the position detection unit is preferably able to be arranged on an automation unit which is an operating unit, in particular an autonomously acting operating unit, more particularly a service robot, which is preferably designed to move spinning cans between a spinning can filling station and the textile machine. For example, the sliver fill level of a spinning can can be sensed by the operating unit when the operating unit gets close to the spinning can. It is also preferred that the automation unit, in particular the operating unit, can be associated with the system and can be designed to evaluate, in accordance with the information about the determined sliver fill level, whether and in particular at what time the spinning can should be exchanged for a spinning can filled with sliver material. Alternatively or additionally, the operating unit can be designed to carry out tasks identical or similar to the tasks carried out by a service unit described above.
The proposed system can be designed not only to monitor the sliver fill level but also to sense, monitor and/or check parameters of the sliver material deposited in the spinning can. Thus, with the system, at least one sensing unit designed to sense, in particular more preferably to monitor and/or to check, at least one defined parameter with regard to the sliver material is provided. The parameter-sensing unit preferably is able to or is arranged like the position detection unit according to one of the preferred embodiments described above and is connected or is able to be connected to the analysis unit or to another evaluating device, in each case for evaluation of the information about the sensed parameters with regard to adherence to and/or deviation from at least one predefinable limit value or limit range, and additionally preferably is connected or is able to be connected to an information processing unit by means of the transmission unit, the information processing unit being designed to process the evaluated information about the sensed, monitored and/or checked parameters. The sensed, monitored and/or checked parameter can be, for example, a defined property of the sliver material such as sliver thickness, sliver strength, sliver fineness, hairiness, composition of the sliver material or similar parameters. The information processing unit can be an information processing unit as describe above, to which additional functions are added accordingly, or can be an information processing unit provided in addition to the information processing unit described above. The information processing unit can preferably be an output unit as described above which additionally preferably is positioned on an outside of the spinning can or near the spinning can or at the working point such that the output unit can be perceived by an operator or can be sensed by the operating unit. This makes it possible to immediately and directly mark the spinning can in the case of which a sliver material which, for example, is unsuitable for the working point, in particular in view of the yarn lot to be produced at the working point, has been provided or in the case of which a spinning can having an incorrect amount of sliver material or an incorrect sliver material has been provided. The latter can arise, for example, when a spinning thread produced from the sliver material leads to a limit-value-exceeding number of clearings or cuts of the thread produced from the sliver material.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the parameter-sensing unit can comprise a writable and readable memory, such as an RFID chip and a reading unit for reading the memory. The memory preferably can be arranged or is arranged on a spinning can associated with the system, or can be integrated or is integrated into a wall of the spinning can, at a position at which the memory can be written to and read from. This enables, particularly in the region of the textile machine on which the sliver material is to be further processed, the sliver material deposited in the spinning can to be checked, provided that, preferably in a step prior to the further processing, corresponding parameter information about the sliver material deposited in the spinning can, 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/or information on which pre-process machine or working point the sliver material was produced and/or for which working point the spinning can is intended, has been written to the memory. In addition or alternatively, further information about the sliver material, such as manufacturing parameters or similar data, can be stored in the memory. It is thus possible to check, preferably even in the region of the textile machine or working point and/or directly at the working point, whether the working point has been supplied with the correct sliver material for producing a defined thread.
The reading unit can preferably be arranged or is arranged equivalently to the position detection unit as described above, as long as interaction with the memory can take place as required.
Furthermore, the system can preferably comprise a writing unit in order to write predeterminable information to the memory as required. The reading unit and the writing unit can preferably be realized by a single unit. Thus, information can preferably be exchanged, in the process of the fiber material processing chain, between interacting machines, such as a fiber material processing machine, in particular a spinning machine, and a fiber material preparation machine, in particular a draw frame. Preferably, it would be possible, in the course of the spinning can being emptied, for information about a defined sliver material requirement, for example in relation to the sliver material type and/or length or weight of the sliver material required for processing at a defined working point of the fiber material processing machine, to be written to the memory, said information being read out at the fiber material preparation machine filling the spinning can with sliver material, this machine being upstream in the process chain of the fiber material processing machine, and processed and taken into account accordingly for refilling the spinning can. In this way, information can be transferred not only from the preparation machine to the processing machine, but also vice versa in an alternative manner.
In general, according to a preferred embodiment, a connection existing as described above or connection to be established between corresponding units can be realized in a conventional wired or wireless manner. For the purposes of the present invention, a unit in the usual sense is understood to be a unit that consumes electrical energy.
The invention further solves the problem by means of a textile machine, in particular a rotor or air-jet spinning machine, comprising at least one sliver-processing 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, the textile machine being equipped with a system according to a preferred embodiment as described above. A textile machine comprising at least one such working point is characterized in that it is possible to quickly detect spinning cans that need to be replaced, so that downtimes of the at least one working point of the textile machine can be minimized.
Further preferably, the textile machine is a spinning machine having a spinning apparatus for spinning a thread from the supplied sliver material and a checking unit, which is arranged downstream of the spinning apparatus along the thread path, for checking predeterminable or predetermined properties of the spun thread. The checking unit is coupled to the information processing unit via an analysis unit for evaluating the thread properties detected by the checking unit in a manner such as that described above. The checking unit can preferably be a conventional, so-called yarn clearer. The analysis unit is designed to evaluate the properties detected by the checking unit and to transmit information relating to the evaluation to the information processing unit. The analysis unit can be the analysis unit of the system for monitoring the sliver fill level or can be a different analysis unit, which can preferably be designed as described above. The coupling of the checking unit to the information processing unit enables—for example, when a limit value deviation of at least one defined detected thread property is evaluated—a simple way of detecting defective sliver material, which preferably leads at least to a shutdown of the corresponding spinning station, signaling of the shutdown and/or signaling of the detected defective sliver material.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, with reference to the figures and drawings, which show details essential to the invention, and from the dependent claims. The individual features can be implemented in a meaningful manner either individually or in groups in any combination in a preferred embodiment of the invention. Within the meaning of the present invention, in the course of describing a preferred specific arrangement of a component associated with the system or the textile machine on another component, this other component is preferably to be understood as also being associated with the system or the textile machine or as being comprised by the system or the textile machine.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| LU501282 | Jan 2022 | LU | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2023/051063 | 1/18/2023 | WO |
