JP2025030092A - Thread unloading device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a thread unloading device that uses a rail to raise and lower a thread hooking part, with a configuration that requires less frequent maintenance of the rail. [Solution] The thread unloading device includes a thread holding part, a rail (51), a sliding part (52), and a cover (53). The cover (53) covers at least a part of the side part of the rail (51). The cover (53) is provided with a slit (84) and an opening/closing mechanism (85). The slit (84) extends in the vertical direction. The opening/closing mechanism (85) opens and closes the slit (84) to form an open part (86) and a closed part (87) in the cover (53). At least a part of the sliding part (52) is exposed to the outside of the cover (53) through the opening part (86) of the cover (53). When the boundary between the opening part (86) for exposing the sliding part (52) and the closed part (87) above it is referred to as the upper boundary, the sliding part (52) slides, whereby the sliding part (52) acts on the opening/closing mechanism (85), and the upper boundary moves together with the sliding part (52). [Selected Figure] Fig. 5

Description

The present invention relates to a yarn unloading device that unloads yarn from a floor where a spinning device is installed to a floor where a winding device is installed.

Patent Document 1 discloses a yarn unloading device. The yarn unloading device is equipped with a yarn unloading member that hooks and holds the yarn spun by the spinning device. A wire is connected to the yarn unloading member, and the yarn unloading member is lowered by pulling out the wire. The yarn unloading member is raised by winding up the wire. This allows the yarn unloading member to be raised and lowered between the upper and lower floors. A guide member is provided in the area where the yarn unloading member is raised and lowered to guide the yarn unloading member as it is raised and lowered.

Patent Document 2 discloses a cover device that covers the processing head of a processing machine. The cover device is equipped with multiple covers. The cover device expands and contracts as the multiple covers overlap and release the overlap. This allows the processing head to continue being covered even when the processing head moves.

JP 2018-178318 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-177499

Yarn waste generated in the spinning device is present around each part of the yarn unloading device, for example, the yarn unloading member. Therefore, in the yarn unloading device of Patent Document 1, yarn waste may adhere to the guide member, etc. Furthermore, when a rail structure is used instead of a wire to raise and lower the yarn unloading member (yarn hooking part), yarn waste accumulates on the rail, necessitating frequent maintenance. Note that the retractable cover device shown in Patent Document 2 is configured to shrink the covers by overlapping them, so it is only effective for structures with a small amount of movement, such as processing heads. Therefore, this type of retractable cover device cannot be applied to the rails of the yarn unloading device.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its main objective is to provide a configuration for a thread unloading device that uses a rail to raise and lower the thread hooking section, which requires less frequent maintenance of the rail.

Means for solving the problems and effects

The problem that the present invention aims to solve is as described above. Next, we will explain the means for solving this problem and its effects.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a yarn unloading device having the following configuration is provided. That is, the yarn unloading device unloads the yarn from the second level where a spinning device that spins the yarn is provided to the first level where a winding device that winds the yarn is provided. The yarn unloading device includes a yarn holding section, a rail, a slide section, and a cover. The yarn holding section holds the yarn spun by the spinning device. The rail is provided to extend vertically from the first level to the second level. The slide section is connected to the yarn holding section and slides along the rail together with the yarn holding section. The cover covers at least a portion of the side of the rail. The cover is provided with a slit and an opening/closing mechanism. The slit extends vertically. The opening/closing mechanism opens and closes the slit to form an open portion and a closed portion in the cover. At least a portion of the slide section is exposed to the outside of the cover through the open portion of the cover. When the boundary between the open portion for exposing the sliding portion and the closed portion above it is referred to as the upper boundary, as the sliding portion slides, the sliding portion acts on the opening and closing mechanism, and the upper boundary moves together with the sliding portion.

As a result, the upper boundary moves in conjunction with the sliding of the sliding section, making it less likely that an open area will form above the sliding section. As a result, lint is less likely to accumulate on the rail, reducing the frequency of rail maintenance.

The thread unloading device is preferably configured as follows. That is, when the boundary between the open portion for exposing the slide portion and the closed portion below it is referred to as the lower boundary, the slide portion slides, so that the slide portion acts on the opening and closing mechanism, and the lower boundary moves together with the slide portion.

As a result, the lower boundary moves in response to the sliding of the sliding section, so openings are less likely to occur below the sliding section. As a result, lint is less likely to accumulate on the rail, further reducing the frequency of rail maintenance.

In the thread unloading device, it is preferable that the cover is cylindrical and has a closed top.

This makes it difficult for lint to enter through the top surface of the cover. As a result, lint is less likely to accumulate on the rail, further reducing the frequency of rail maintenance.

In the thread unloading device, it is preferable that the slit in the cover is continuous from the top to the bottom of the cover.

This allows the slider to accommodate a wide range of motion.

The thread unloading device is preferably configured as follows. That is, the thread unloading device includes a fixing member that connects the rail to a base body and fixes the rail. The cover has an opening in a portion other than the slit. The fixing member connects the rail to the base body through the opening.

This allows the rail to be secured in place while preventing the accumulation of lint on the rail.

The thread unloading device is preferably configured as follows. That is, the opening and closing mechanism includes a first member, a second member, and an opening and closing member. The first member is provided along the slit on the first side portion separated by the slit. The second member is provided along the slit on the second side portion separated by the slit. The opening and closing member connects the first member and the second member. The opening and closing member is fixed to the slide portion, and the opening and closing member and the slide portion move together.

This makes it easy to realize a configuration in which the upper boundary moves as the sliding portion slides.

The thread unloading device is preferably configured as follows. That is, the opening and closing mechanism includes a first member and a second member. The first member is provided along the slit on the first side portion separated by the slit. The second member is provided along the slit on the second side portion separated by the slit and can be joined to the first member. The first member and the second member are separated by the sliding portion coming into contact with the joint between the first member and the second member. The first member and the second member are joined by the sliding portion moving away from the joint between the first member and the second member.

This makes it even easier to realize a configuration in which the upper boundary moves as the sliding portion slides.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a spinning winding device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a simplified control configuration of the fiber winding apparatus. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the yarn unloading device and its surrounding members. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a state of the cover when the sliding portion is at a first height. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a state of the cover when the sliding portion is at a second height.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, "upstream" and "downstream" refer to the upstream and downstream in the running direction of the generated yarn Y.

First, an overview of the yarn winding device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The yarn winding device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that spins synthetic fiber yarn Y and winds the spun yarn Y to form a package P.

The spinning winding apparatus 1 includes a spinning device 3, a yarn unloading device 5, a threading device 2, a take-up section 6, and a winding device 7. The yarn Y spun by the spinning device 3 is unloaded from the second floor to the first floor by the yarn unloading device 5. The yarn Y unloaded to the first floor is threaded by the threading device 2 and taken up by the take-up section 6. The winding device 7 winds the yarn Y taken up by the take-up section 6 to form a package P. The spinning winding apparatus 1 is installed in a building having multiple floors. In the following description, the floor on which the spinning device 3 is located is referred to as the second floor, and the floor on which the winding device 7 is located is defined as the first floor. The second floor is located at a higher position than the first floor. The first and second floors are separated by a partition floor 9.

Although FIG. 1 shows one each of the spinning device 3, the take-up section 6, and the winding device 7, a plurality of these devices may be provided. In this case, a plurality of threading devices 2 or thread unwinding devices 5 may be provided. Alternatively, one threading device 2 or thread unwinding device 5 may be provided for each plurality of spinning devices 3, etc.

As shown in FIG. 2, the spinning winding device 1 includes a centralized control device 101, a winding control device 102, and a threading control device 103. The centralized control device 101, the winding control device 102, and the threading control device 103 are each a known computer equipped with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc., and the CPU executes programs stored in the ROM to perform various controls. The centralized control device 101 controls each part of the spinning winding device 1. The winding control device 102 controls each part of the take-up section 6 and the winding device 7. The threading control device 103 controls each part of the threading device 2. Note that the combination of the control device and the control object controlled by the control device is an example and can be changed. For example, the centralized control device 101 may control each part of the threading device 2, or a control device that controls the take-up section 6 may be provided separately.

Each device that constitutes the spinning winding device 1 will be described in detail below. The spinning device 3 has multiple spinnerets (not shown). Molten polymer in a high temperature state is supplied to the spinnerets by a polymer supply device (not shown) consisting of a gear pump or the like. The spinning device 3 extrudes the molten polymer from each spinneret. As a result, the yarn Y is spun from each spinneret of the spinning device 3.

A cooling device 10 and an oil agent guide 11 are installed downstream of the spinning device 3. The cooling device 10 is installed immediately below the spinning device 3. The cooling device 10 has multiple cooling cylinders (not shown). Cooling air is supplied to each cooling cylinder through cooling air piping (not shown). The yarn Y passing through the cooling cylinder is cooled and solidified by the cooling air. The oil agent guide 11 is disposed below the cooling device 10. The oil agent guide 11 applies oil to each yarn Y passing through it. The yarn Y to which oil has been applied by the oil agent guide 11 is sent to the first layer.

The partition floor 9 is formed with a yarn passage hole 9a for sending the yarn Y to the first floor. In addition, duct-shaped interfloor tubes 8 are provided upstream and downstream of the partition floor 9 so as to surround this yarn passage hole 9a. The interfloor tubes 8 prevent yarn sway caused by external factors such as wind while the yarn Y travels from the second floor to the first floor. The interfloor tubes 8 may be provided only on the first floor. Also, the interfloor tubes 8 may be omitted.

The thread unloading device 5 is provided to span the first and second levels, and performs the operation of unloading the thread Y from the second level to the first level. As shown in FIG. 3, the thread unloading device 5 includes a lifting mechanism 50, a cover 53, a thread holding section 54, and a fixing member 55.

The lifting mechanism 50 includes a rail 51 and a slide portion 52. The rail 51 is arranged to extend vertically from the first floor to the second floor. The rail 51 extends vertically means that the longitudinal direction of the rail 51 is approximately aligned with the vertical direction. The slide portion 52 is arranged to be slidable along the rail 51. As shown in FIG. 2, the lifting mechanism 50 is driven by the power of the thread lowering actuator 59, so that the slide portion 52 rises and falls along the rail 51. In this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 50 is a magnet slider mechanism and includes a magnet gear. The thread lowering actuator 59 is a motor that rotates the magnet gear. The lifting mechanism is not limited to the magnet slider mechanism. For example, the lifting mechanism may be a ball screw mechanism. The thread lowering actuator 59 is not limited to a rotary motor and may be a linear motor. The thread lowering actuator 59 is controlled by the centralized control device 101, but as described above, a dedicated control device for the thread lowering device 5 may be provided.

The cover 53 covers at least a portion of the rail 51 (in this embodiment, the entire rail 51). The cover 53 is provided to prevent lint from adhering to the rail 51. The detailed configuration of the cover 53 will be described later.

The thread holding part 54 is attached to the sliding part 52. The thread holding part 54 rises and falls together with the sliding part 52. In this embodiment, the sliding part 52 is the part that slides along the rail 51, and is the part to which the thread holding part 54 is attached.

The yarn holding unit 54 includes two yarn threading rollers 54a. Each yarn threading roller 54a is, for example, a roller that is supported rotatably. A ring-shaped groove is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the yarn threading roller 54a. The yarn holding unit 54 holds the yarn Y by inserting the yarn Y into the groove of the yarn threading roller 54a. With this configuration, the yarn Y can be lowered to the first level by moving the lifting mechanism 50 from the second level to the first level while the yarn Y is held by being hung on the two yarn threading rollers 54a.

The fixing member 55 is a member that connects the rail 51 to the base body 9b and fixes the rail 51. This allows the lifting mechanism 50, the cover 53, the thread holding part 54, etc. to be supported. The base body 9b is a structure or a heavy object provided on the partition floor 9. The base body 9b may be a frame of a machine provided on the second floor. At least one fixing member 55 is provided. The fixing member 55 also connects the rail 51 and the base body 9b through an opening 89 provided in the cover 53. This allows the rail 51 to be supported by the base body 9b while being covered by the cover 53.

The threading device 2 is located on the first floor. The threading device 2 performs threading work. The threading work means the work of setting the yarn Y lowered by the yarn unloading device 5 in the take-up section 6 and then fixing it to the bobbin B of the winding device 7. This threading work makes the winding device 7 ready to wind the yarn Y and form the package P. The threading device 2 includes the threading control device 103 described above, an arm drive motor 21, and an arm 22.

The arm 22 is of a multi-joint type and is driven by an arm drive motor 21. The arm drive motor 21 is controlled by the threading control device 103. A thread capture member (not shown) that captures the thread Y is provided at the tip of the arm 22. The thread capture member is, for example, a suction device that sucks in the thread Y, or a hook-shaped member that hooks the thread Y. When the arm 22 is driven with the thread Y captured at the tip of the arm 22, the thread Y captured by the thread capture member can be guided.

The take-up unit 6 is disposed on the first level. The take-up unit 6 is used to take up multiple yarns Y running downward from the second level. The take-up unit 6 has two godet rollers 61, 62. In the following description, the godet roller located upstream in the running direction of the yarns Y is referred to as the upstream godet roller 61, and the godet roller located downstream is referred to as the downstream godet roller 62.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upstream godet roller 61 is driven by an upstream godet motor 61a. The downstream godet roller 62 is driven by a downstream godet motor 62a. As shown by the dashed arrow in FIG. 1, the downstream godet roller 62 can move between a yarn hooking position close to the upstream godet roller 61 and a package forming position located directly above the winding device 7. The upstream godet motor 61a and the downstream godet motor 62a are controlled by the winding control device 102.

The winding device 7 winds multiple yarns Y traveling from the take-up section 6 to form a package P. The winding device 7 includes a turret 71, two bobbin holders 72, a traverse device 73, and a contact roller 74.

The turret 71 is installed so as to be rotatable. Two bobbin holders 72 are rotatably supported on the turret 71. Each bobbin holder 72 is elongated in the front-to-rear direction. The two bobbin holders 72 are disposed on opposite sides of the rotation axis of the turret 71. When the turret 71 rotates, the positions of the two bobbin holders 72 are swapped.

Specifically, the two bobbin holders 72 are located at an upper winding position and a lower standby position. The bobbin holder 72 in the winding position is close to the contact roller 74, and the bobbin holder 72 in the standby position is away from the contact roller 74. A plurality of bobbins B are attached to each bobbin holder 72. The plurality of bobbins B are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the bobbin holder 72.

The traverse device 73 includes multiple traverse guides 73a corresponding to multiple bobbins B. Each traverse guide 73a is arranged to correspond to each bobbin B. The traverse guides 73a are driven by a traverse motor 73b that operates in response to a control command from the winding control device 102. Each traverse guide 73a moves back and forth in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bobbin holder 72, so that the yarn Y is traversed and wound onto the bobbin B.

The contact roller 74 contacts the outer peripheral surface of each of the multiple packages P formed on each bobbin B and applies contact pressure to each of the multiple packages P. The contact roller 74 is driven by the winding motor 70. The winding motor 70 is controlled by the winding control device 102.

Next, we will briefly explain the thread unloading operation using the thread unloading device 5 and the threading operation using the threading device 2.

In the yarn winding device 1, for example, in the preparation stage before starting to form the package P, or when a yarn breakage occurs for some reason, in order to start (resume) winding of the yarn Y by the winding device 7, a yarn unloading operation and a yarn threading operation are performed. In this embodiment, the yarn unloading operation is performed by an operator by operating the yarn unloading device 5. The yarn threading operation is performed automatically by the yarn threading device 2.

First, the operator uses a yarn suction unit such as a suction gun (not shown) to suck and hold the multiple yarns Y spun from the spinning device 3 upstream of the oil agent guide 11. Then, the operator hangs the multiple yarns Y sucked and held by the yarn suction unit on the oil agent guide 11.

Next, the operator uses a threading tool (not shown) to thread the thread Y located between the thread suction section and the oil guide 11 onto the threading tool. After that, the operator moves the threading tool so that the thread Y between the thread suction section and the threading tool is located directly below the two threading rollers 54a. When the operator removes the threading tool in this state, the thread Y between the oil guide 11 and the thread suction section is threaded onto the two threading rollers 54a. As a result, the thread Y is held by the thread holding section 54.

After the thread unloading preparation work is completed, the operator operates an operation switch (not shown) to instruct the thread unloading device 5 to start the thread unloading operation. This causes the centralized control device 101 to control the thread unloading actuator 59, and the slide part 52 moves downward along the rail 51. As a result, the thread holding part 54 moves to the delivery position on the first floor. This completes the thread unloading work.

Next, the threading control device 103 controls the arm drive motor 21 to drive the arm 22, positioning the tip of the arm 22 near the threading roller 54a. The tip of the arm 22 then captures the yarn Y that is threaded on the threading roller 54a. The arm 22 is then driven further, so that the yarn Y is threaded through the take-up section 6 (upstream godet roller 61 and downstream godet roller 62) and through the multiple fulcrum guides 13, in that order. The arm 22 is then driven further, so that the tip of the arm 22 moves to a predetermined position below the bobbin holder 72 located above, and the yarn Y comes into contact with the bobbin B.

At the same time as the arm 22 guides the yarn Y to the bobbin B, or shortly before that, the winding operation of the winding device 7 is started. The yarn Y can be fixed to the bobbin B by winding the end of the rotating bobbin B with the yarn Y. When the winding operation starts, the traverse guides 73a move back and forth in a direction parallel to the axial direction of the bobbin B in conjunction with the rotation of the bobbin B. During the back and forth movement of the traverse guides 73a, the yarn Y is hung on each of the traverse guides 73a. Thereafter, the yarn Y can be wound while traversing the bobbin B under the guidance of the traverse guides 73a. As a result, a package P can be formed.

The above steps for the thread unloading and threading operations are merely examples, and at least some of the operations performed by the operator may be performed by a machine, or at least some of the operations performed by a machine (e.g., threading device 2) may be performed by the operator.

Next, the detailed configuration and problems of the lifting mechanism 50 of the thread unloading device 5 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, rail 51 is formed with rail groove 51a. Slide protrusion 52a of slide portion 52 fits into rail groove 51a. This configuration allows slide portion 52 to slide smoothly along rail 51. Rail groove 51a and slide protrusion 52a are just an example, and a protrusion may be provided on rail 51 and a groove may be provided on slide portion 52. In order to allow slide portion 52 to slide smoothly along rail 51, a combination structure including this type of unevenness is required.

Here, in the space in which the lifting mechanism 50 is arranged, lint generated in the spinning device 3 is scattered. Therefore, if no measures are taken, lint is likely to accumulate in the rail groove 51a. Even if the rail groove 51a is not provided, lint accumulates in the uneven parts of the combined structure. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the oil applied by the oil guide 11 may be scattered in this space. In this case, the oil adheres to the rail groove 51a, making it even easier for lint to accumulate in the rail groove 51a. As a result, the slide protrusion 52a cannot slide smoothly along the rail groove 51a. Therefore, the operator needs to stop the yarn unloading device 5 and disassemble it as necessary to clean the rail groove 51a. Hereinafter, this work will be simply referred to as maintenance. Since an increase in the frequency of maintenance reduces productivity and is also a burden on the operator, improvement is desirable.

One measure to prevent the accumulation of lint in the rail groove 51a is to provide a scraper on the slide section 52. However, this method can only collect the lint, and it cannot remove it, so frequent maintenance is required. Another measure is to blow away the lint by injecting compressed air, or to provide a suction device to suck up the lint. However, these methods require the installation of a hose to guide the compressed air or suction flow, and the provision of multiple injection or suction ports, resulting in a complex configuration. In particular, the rail 51 is long in the vertical direction because it is arranged across the levels, so the required length of the hose is long, and the required number of injection or suction ports is also large.

As yet another solution, there is a method of covering the upper side and the lower side of the sliding part 52 using an expandable cover as disclosed in Patent Document 2 and the like. However, since the movement distance of the sliding part 52 in the thread unloading device 5 is long, a large expansion ratio is required. Therefore, the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 2 and the like cannot be used with the thread unloading device 5.

In consideration of the above, in this embodiment, a cover 53 is provided that covers the rail 51 while exposing at least a portion of the slide portion 52 to the outside. Furthermore, this cover 53 is structured to open and close in response to the elevation and lowering of the slide portion 52. The slide portion 52 and cover 53 will be described in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 4, the slide section 52 includes a slide block 52b, a connecting member 52c, and a hanging member 52d. The slide block 52b is a part for realizing the slide. Since a magnet slider mechanism is adopted in this embodiment, the slide block 52b includes a magnet. The slide block 52b is also provided with the slide protrusion 52a described above. The connecting member 52c and the hanging member 52d are members for connecting the slide block 52b and the thread holding section 54.

As described above, the slide portion 52 is the portion that slides along the rail 51 and is the portion to which the thread holding portion 54 is attached. Therefore, the configuration including not only the slide block 52b but also the slide block 52b, the connecting member 52c, and the hanging member 52d corresponds to the slide portion 52. Note that the configuration of the slide portion 52 in this embodiment is one example, and the shape can be changed as appropriate depending on the type of lifting mechanism used, the positional relationship with the thread holding portion 54, etc.

The cover 53 is made of fiber and is flexible. The cover 53 can be made of various materials as long as it can block lint and can accommodate the opening and closing mechanism 85 described below. As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 53 has a tube portion 81, an upper surface portion 82, and a lower surface portion 83.

The tubular portion 81 is a cylindrical portion that covers the side portion of the rail 51. The tubular portion 81 covers the side portion of the rail 51, particularly the rail groove 51a, and is therefore necessary to suppress the accumulation of lint in the rail groove 51a. However, it is not essential that the tubular portion 81 covers the entire rail groove 51a, and it may cover only a portion of the rail groove 51a (for example, an area of the rail groove 51a where lint is likely to accumulate, or an area where the sliding portion 52 slides frequently). In addition, the tubular portion 81 in this embodiment has a circular or elliptical cross section, but may also have a rectangular cross section.

The upper surface portion 82 is a portion located at the upper end of the tube portion 81, and is a portion that closes the upper surface of the cover 53. The upper surface portion 82 covers the upper portion of the rail 51. In this embodiment, lint is scattered from the spinning device 3, and the spinning device 3 is located above the rail 51. Therefore, by providing the upper surface portion 82, it is easy to prevent lint coming from above from accumulating on the rail 51. Note that the upper surface portion 82 is not an essential component and can be omitted.

The bottom surface portion 83 is a portion located at the bottom end of the tube portion 81, and is a portion that closes the bottom surface of the cover 53. The bottom surface portion 83 covers the lower portion of the rail 51. Because lint is light, it can be stirred up in the air by even a slight air current. Therefore, by providing the bottom surface portion 83, it is easier to prevent lint that is stirred up in the air and arrives from below from accumulating on the rail 51. The top surface portion 82 is not an essential component and can be omitted.

The tubular portion 81 has a slit 84 extending in the vertical direction. The slit 84 is a portion that separates the tubular portion 81 so that it can be opened and closed. In this embodiment, the slit 84 is provided so as to continue from the upper end to the lower end of the tubular portion 81. However, the slit 84 may be provided only in a portion of the tubular portion 81 in the vertical direction.

The cover 53 is further provided with an opening/closing mechanism 85 that opens and closes the slit 84 to form an open portion 86 and a closed portion 87 in the cover 53. The opening/closing mechanism 85 in this embodiment is a fastener mechanism (specifically, a linear fastener mechanism). The opening/closing mechanism 85 includes a first member 91, a second member 92, and an opening/closing member 93.

The first member 91 is a protrusion (element) provided on one side (hereinafter, the first side) of the portion separated into two by the slit 84. The second member 92 is a protrusion (element) provided on the other side (hereinafter, the second side) of the portion separated into two by the slit 84. The first member 91 and the second member 92 are each provided along the slit 84. The first member 91 and the second member 92 are connectable. The area where the first member 91 and the second member 92 are connected corresponds to the closed portion 87, and the area where they are not connected (the area where they are separated) corresponds to the open portion 86.

The opening/closing member 93 is movable along the slit 84. By passing through the opening/closing member 93, the first member 91 and the second member 92 can be connected, or the connection between the first member 91 and the second member 92 can be released. In detail, by passing through a range where the first member 91 and the second member 92 are not connected, the first member 91 and the second member 92 can be connected. By passing through a range where the first member 91 and the second member 92 are connected, the connection between the first member 91 and the second member 92 can be released.

In this embodiment, two opening/closing members 93 are arranged for one slit 84. As a result, the area sandwiched between the two opening/closing members 93 becomes an open portion 86, and the remaining portion becomes a closed portion 87. As shown in FIG. 5, a part of the sliding portion 52 is exposed to the outside of the cover 53 through the open portion 86. Specifically, of the sliding portion 52, a part of the connecting member 52c and the entire hanging member 52d are exposed to the outside of the cover 53. Being exposed to the outside means that it is not covered by the cover 53, and for example, there is a part that protrudes outward from the cover 53 in a plan view or side view.

The portion of the slide section 52 that passes through the boundary between the inside and outside of the cover 53 is the connecting member 52c. It is preferable that the portion that passes through the boundary between the inside and outside of the cover 53 is small in size in the vertical and width directions. This allows the size of the open portion 86 to be small, making it difficult for lint to get inside the cover 53. In this regard, in this embodiment, the connecting member 52c is small in size in the vertical direction and in size in the width direction compared to other portions (slide block 52b, hanging member 52d). The width direction is a direction perpendicular to the vertical direction and perpendicular to the direction connecting the inside and outside of the cover 53.

Of the two opening/closing members 93, the opening/closing member 93 located on the upper side is fixed to the upper surface of the slide section 52 (more specifically, the connecting member 52c). The opening/closing member 93 located on the lower side is fixed to the lower surface of the slide section 52 (more specifically, the connecting member 52c). There are various fixing methods, but for example, the operating piece of the opening/closing member 93 and the connecting member 52c may be fixed via a relay member. Also, the operating piece of the opening/closing member 93 may be changed to a dedicated large operating piece, and this operating piece may be directly fixed to the connecting member 52c.

The boundary between the open portion 86 and the closed portion 87 formed by the opening/closing member 93 arranged on the upper side is referred to as the upper boundary. The boundary between the open portion 86 and the closed portion 87 formed by the opening/closing member 93 arranged on the lower side is referred to as the lower boundary. Here, consider a situation in which the sliding portion 52 descends from the first height shown in FIG. 5 to the second height shown in FIG. 6.

When the sliding portion 52 descends, the upper opening/closing member 93 descends together with the sliding portion 52. As a result, the upper boundary descends together with the sliding portion. Also, when the sliding portion 52 descends, the lower opening/closing member 93 descends together with the sliding portion 52. As a result, the lower boundary also descends together with the sliding portion. The same is true when the sliding portion 52 rises.

In other words, in this embodiment, the open portion 86 moves integrally with the slide portion 52. This allows the rail 51 to be covered with the cover 53, while the slide portion 52 (i.e., the thread holding portion 54) can be slid up and down while further reducing the range of the open portion 86. By reducing the size of the open portion 86, the amount of lint that enters through the open portion 86 can be reduced. This allows the frequency of maintenance to be reduced.

In this embodiment, a linear fastener mechanism is used as the opening and closing mechanism 85, but this is only one example, and other opening and closing mechanisms 85 such as those shown below can be used.

For example, a sealing structure used in a resin bag with a zipper can be used as the opening and closing mechanism 85. The first member of this sealing structure is provided on the first side separated by a slit and includes a groove portion along the slit. The second member is provided on the second side separated by the slit and includes a protrusion that fits into the groove portion. The opening and closing member is provided across the first member and the second member, and can connect the first member and the second member by moving it along the slit. In this type of sealing structure, the opening and closing member is used to connect the first member and the second member, but is not used to release the connection. Therefore, the sliding portion 52 contacts and presses the connecting portion of the first member and the second member when sliding, thereby releasing the connection between the first member and the second member. As a result, the upper and lower boundaries of the cover 53 can be moved along with the sliding of the sliding portion 52. Note that the configuration is the same as that of the above embodiment except for the above-mentioned opening and closing mechanism.

As another configuration, for example, a magnet sheet mechanism can be used as the opening/closing mechanism 85. The magnet sheet mechanism is a configuration in which two parts are connected using a sheet-shaped magnet. When the magnet sheet mechanism is used, the first member is a magnet sheet provided on the first side separated by a slit and provided along the slit. The second member is a magnet sheet provided on the second side separated by a slit and provided along the slit. In the magnet sheet mechanism, the first member and the second member are joined simply by bringing the first member and the second member close to each other. Therefore, in the magnet sheet mechanism, the opening/closing member is not an essential component. The first member and the second member are configured to be joined together in the initial position. Then, as the slide portion 52 slides, the slide portion 52 comes into contact with the joint between the first member and the second member, and the first member and the second member are separated from each other. Also, as the slide portion 52 moves away from the separation between the first member and the second member, the first member and the second member return to their initial positions, and the first member and the second member are joined together. As a result, the upper and lower boundaries of the cover 53 can be moved together with the sliding of the sliding portion 52. Note that the configuration is the same as in the above embodiment, except for the opening and closing mechanism described above.

In this embodiment, both the upper and lower boundaries are moved together with the sliding of the slide portion 52. Moving the upper boundary together with the slide portion 52 is a relatively important point considering that lint falls from above. On the other hand, moving the lower boundary together with the slide portion 52 is less important considering the direction from which the lint comes and that the open portion 86 below the slide portion 52 is slightly covered by the slide portion 52 itself. Therefore, the configuration for moving the lower boundary (i.e., the configuration for providing a lower opening/closing member 93 and fixing it to the slide portion 52) may be omitted.

As described above, the yarn unloading device 5 of this embodiment unloads the yarn Y from the second level where the spinning device 3 that spins the yarn Y is provided to the first level where the winding device 7 that winds the yarn Y is provided. The yarn unloading device 5 includes a yarn holding section 54, a rail 51, a slide section 52, and a cover 53. The yarn holding section 54 holds the yarn Y spun by the spinning device 3. The rail 51 is provided to extend vertically from the first level to the second level. The slide section 52 is connected to the yarn holding section 54 and slides along the rail 51 together with the yarn holding section 54. The cover 53 covers at least a portion of the side of the rail 51. The cover 53 is provided with a slit 84 and an opening/closing mechanism 85. The slit 84 extends vertically. The opening/closing mechanism 85 opens and closes the slit 84 to form an open portion 86 and a closed portion 87 in the cover 53. At least a portion of the sliding portion 52 is exposed to the outside of the cover 53 through the open portion 86 of the cover 53. When the boundary between the open portion 86 for exposing the sliding portion 52 and the closed portion 87 above it is referred to as the upper boundary, as the sliding portion 52 slides, the sliding portion 52 acts on the opening/closing mechanism 85, and the upper boundary moves together with the sliding portion 52.

As a result, the upper boundary moves in response to the sliding of the sliding portion 52, making it difficult for an open portion 86 to form above the sliding portion 52. As a result, lint is less likely to accumulate on the rail 51, reducing the frequency of maintenance of the rail 51.

In the thread unloading device 5 of this embodiment, when the boundary between the open portion 86 for exposing the sliding portion 52 and the closed portion 87 below it is referred to as the lower boundary, as the sliding portion 52 slides, the sliding portion 52 acts on the opening and closing mechanism 85, and the lower boundary moves together with the sliding portion 52.

As a result, the lower boundary moves in response to the sliding of the sliding portion 52, making it difficult for an open area to form below the sliding portion 52. As a result, lint is less likely to accumulate on the rail 51, further reducing the frequency of maintenance of the rail 51.

In this embodiment of the thread unloading device 5, the cover 53 is cylindrical and has a closed top.

This makes it difficult for lint to enter through the top surface of the cover 53. As a result, lint is less likely to accumulate on the rail 51, further reducing the frequency of maintenance of the rail 51.

In the thread unloading device 5 of this embodiment, the slit 84 in the cover 53 continues from the top end to the bottom end of the cover 53.

This allows the slider 52 to move in a wide range.

The thread unloading device 5 of this embodiment includes a fixing member 55 that connects the rail 51 to the base body 9b and fixes the rail 51. The cover 53 has an opening 89 in a portion other than the slit 84. The fixing member 55 connects the rail 51 to the base body 9b through the opening 89.

This allows the rail 51 to be fixed while preventing the accumulation of lint on the rail 51.

In the thread unloading device 5 of this embodiment, the opening/closing mechanism 85 includes a first member 91, a second member 92, and an opening/closing member 93. The first member 91 is provided along the slit 84 at the first side portion separated by the slit 84. The second member 92 is provided along the slit 84 at the second side portion separated by the slit 84. The opening/closing member 93 connects the first member 91 and the second member 92. The opening/closing member 93 is fixed to the slide portion 52, and the opening/closing member 93 and the slide portion move together.

This makes it possible to easily realize a configuration in which the upper boundary moves in conjunction with the sliding of the sliding portion 52.
In the thread unloading device 5 of this embodiment, the opening/closing mechanism 85 includes a first member 91 and a second member 92. The first member 91 is provided along the slit 84 at a portion on the first side separated by the slit 84. The second member 92 is provided along the slit 84 at a portion on the second side separated by the slit 84, and is joinable to the first member 91. The first member 91 and the second member 92 are separated by the slide portion coming into contact with the joining portion of the first member 91 and the second member 92. The first member 91 and the second member 92 are joined by the slide portion moving away from the separating portion of the first member 91 and the second member 92.

This makes it even easier to realize a configuration in which the upper boundary moves as the sliding portion 52 slides.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1: fiber winding device 5: yarn unloading device 50: lifting mechanism 51: rail 52: slide portion 53: cover 54: yarn holding portion 81: tube portion 82: upper surface portion 83: lower surface portion 84: slit 85: opening/closing mechanism 86: open portion 87: closed portion

The bottom surface portion 83 is a portion located at the lower end of the tube portion 81, and is a portion that closes the bottom surface of the cover 53. The bottom surface portion 83 covers the lower portion of the rail 51. Since lint is light, it can be stirred up in the air by even a slight air flow. Therefore, by providing the bottom surface portion 83, it is easy to prevent the lint that is stirred up in the air and arrives from below from accumulating on the rail 51. Note that the bottom surface portion 83 is not an essential component and can be omitted.

Claims (7)

A yarn unloading device that unloads a yarn from a second level where a spinning device that spins yarn is provided to a first level where a winding device that winds the yarn is provided,
A yarn holding unit that holds the yarn spun by the spinning device;
A rail extending vertically from the first floor to the second floor;
a slide portion connected to the thread holding portion and sliding along the rail together with the thread holding portion;
A cover that covers at least a portion of a side surface of the rail;
Equipped with
The cover includes:
A slit extending in the vertical direction;
an opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the slit to form an open portion and a closed portion in the cover;
There is a system in place,
At least a portion of the slide portion is exposed to the outside of the cover through the opening of the cover,
When the boundary between the opening portion for exposing the sliding portion and the closing portion above it is called the upper boundary,
A thread unloading device, characterized in that, as the slide portion slides, the slide portion acts on the opening and closing mechanism and the upper boundary moves together with the slide portion. The yarn unloading device according to claim 1,
When the boundary between the open portion for exposing the slide portion and the closed portion below it is referred to as a lower boundary,
A thread unloading device, characterized in that, as the slide portion slides, the slide portion acts on the opening and closing mechanism and the lower boundary moves together with the slide portion. The yarn unloading device according to claim 1 or 2,
The thread unloading device is characterized in that the cover is cylindrical and has a closed top. A yarn unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A thread unloading device, wherein the slit in the cover is continuous from the top end to the bottom end of the cover. A yarn unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
a fixing member that connects the rail to a base body and fixes the rail;
The cover has an opening in a portion other than the cut,
The thread unloading device is characterized in that the fixing member connects the rail and the base body through the opening. A yarn unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The opening and closing mechanism includes:
a first member provided along the cut in a portion of the first side separated by the cut;
A second member provided along the cut in a portion of a second side separated by the cut;
an opening/closing member that connects the first member and the second member;
Equipped with
The thread unloading device is characterized in that the opening and closing member is fixed to the slide portion, and the opening and closing member and the slide portion move integrally. A yarn unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The opening and closing mechanism includes:
a first member provided along the cut in a portion of the first side separated by the cut;
a second member provided along the cut in a portion of a second side separated by the cut and joinable to the first member;
Equipped with
When the slide portion comes into contact with a joint between the first member and the second member, the first member and the second member are separated from each other,
A thread unloading device, characterized in that the first member and the second member are joined together when the slide portion moves away from the separation point between the first member and the second member.

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