Method for Maintaining Spinning Units of a Spinning Machine along with a Spinning Machine

Abstract

A method and associated spinning machine for maintaining spinning units of the spinning machine includes a plurality of the spinning units arranged next to one another and at least one maintenance device that is movable along the spinning units to perform maintenance procedures on the spinning units. Prior to maintenance of a spinning unit by the maintenance device, a housing of the spinning unit is opened. Subsequently, the maintenance is performed and then the housing is closed. One or both of the opening and the closing of the housing is carried out autonomously with a sealing device operably configured at the spinning unit.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for maintaining spinning units of a spinning machine having a multiple number of spinning units arranged next to one another and with at least one maintenance device that is movable along the spinning units and by means of which the spinning units are maintained. In each case, prior to the maintenance of a spinning unit, a housing of the spinning unit is opened, the spinning unit is maintained by the maintenance device and, after the maintenance of the spinning unit, the housing is closed again. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding spinning machine for carrying out the method.

BACKGROUND

[0002] A method and a device for operating an open-end rotor spinning machine is known from DE 10 2007 048 720 A1. The spinning machine features a multiple number of similar work stations, each of which is equipped with a spinning device for producing a thread and a winding device for creating a cross-wound bobbin, and is designed in a such a manner that a thread end retracted after a spinning interruption from the cross-wound bobbin, prepared for the piecing process and made ready in a piecing position can once again be pieced on autonomously by the spinning device. Herein, time-critical steps of the piecing process, such as the defined return of the prepared thread end into the spinning rotor, the exact start of the fiber feed and the precise beginning of the drawing off of the thread out of the open-end spinning device, are realized by devices operatively associated to the work stations. Necessary maintenance work prior to the actual start of the piecing process, such as rotor cleaning, are carried out by a service unit operating the work stations autonomously. Herein, the service unit is arranged in a manner movable along the open-end rotor spinning machine.

[0003] With such a method, one disadvantage is that, before the auxiliary work can be performed by the movable service unit, the spinning device must first be opened manually or by the service unit. However, this is time-consuming, which leads to performance losses of the spinning machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Thus, a task of the present invention is to shorten the time required for the maintenance of the spinning unit, in order to increase the performance of the spinning machine. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.

[0005] The tasks are solved by a method for operating a spinning machine as described and claimed herein.

[0006] A method for maintaining spinning units of a spinning machine is proposed. The spinning machine features a multiple number of spinning units arranged next to one another and at least one maintenance device. With the assistance of the spinning units, a yarn is spun from a fiber material. The maintenance device can also be moved along the spinning units, in order to maintain the spinning units. The maintenance of the spinning units comprises, in particular, the cleaning of a spinning rotor. In each case, prior to the maintenance of a spinning unit, a housing of the spinning unit is opened, the spinning unit is maintained by the maintenance device and, after the maintenance of the spinning unit, the housing is closed again. Furthermore, a spinning machine for carrying out the method, which features a multiple number of spinning units arranged next to one another and at least one maintenance device that can be moved along the spinning units and by means of which the spinning units can be maintained, is proposed. Each spinning unit features a housing that is closed during the spinning process and can be opened to maintain the spinning unit.

[0007] In accordance with the invention, the housing of the spinning unit to be maintained is autonomously opened with the assistance of a sealing device arranged at the spinning unit. In addition or alternatively, the housing of the spinning unit is autonomously closed by the sealing device after maintenance. As a result, the spinning unit no longer has to be opened and/or closed by the maintenance personnel or the maintenance device itself. This shortens the time required for maintenance by the maintenance device, such that the maintenance device can in turn maintain more spinning units. Moreover, the maintenance device no longer has to wait for the maintenance personnel to open the spinning unit to be maintained. This increases the productivity of the spinning machine.

[0008] At the spinning unit, a sealing device is arranged accordingly for autonomously opening the housing before maintenance by the maintenance device and/or for autonomously closing the housing after maintenance by the maintenance device. The sealing device is accordingly formed to open and/or close the housing.

[0009] It is advantageous if maintenance comprises the cleaning of a spinning device, in particular a spinning rotor and/or a thread draw-off nozzle. The cleaning of the spinning device is carried out by means of a cleaning device arranged in the movable maintenance device, whereas, however, in an advantageous manner, the spinning device or the housing of the spinning unit has been previously opened by the spinning unit itself. However, maintenance may include other steps, each of which requires the opening of a housing. The spinning machine can be executed as a rotor spinning machine, but the invention can also be used on an air-spinning machine.

[0010] Moreover, it is advantageous if the housing of the spinning unit to be maintained is opened before the maintenance device has arrived at the spinning unit or is positioned in front of it. As a result, the maintenance device can start with maintenance immediately after it has been positioned in front of the relevant spinning unit, such that the time that the maintenance device spends at the spinning unit is even further shortened. The maintenance device can thereby maintain more spinning units in the same amount of time.

[0011] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the spinning machine and/or the spinning unit features a control unit that detects the approach of the maintenance device at the spinning unit to be maintained, and controls the sealing device in such a manner that the housing is opened when the maintenance device reaches the spinning unit. With the method for maintaining spinning units, the approach of the maintenance device to the spinning unit to be maintained is preferably recognized with the assistance of the control unit of the spinning machine, and the opening of the housing of the spinning unit to be maintained is thus initiated, such that the housing is opened if the maintenance device has reached the spinning unit.

[0012] The approach of the maintenance device can be defined, for example, as a specific distance of the maintenance device from the spinning unit, which is detected by means of certain measuring means. For example, the control unit may constantly measure the location of the maintenance device on the spinning machine and the speed at which the maintenance device travels in the direction to the spinning unit to be maintained. From this, the control unit can calculate the anticipated travel time of the maintenance device until it reaches the spinning unit to be maintained, and bring about the opening of the housing of the spinning unit in advance up to the reaching of the spinning unit by the maintenance device. In this case, with the housing open, the spinning unit can wait for the maintenance device. For this purpose, the control unit must be configured in an appropriate manner.

[0013] In addition, a time value that indicates how long it takes to open the spinning unit can be stored in the control unit. Thus, it is possible to calculate a position of the approaching maintenance device, upon the reaching of which the opening of the housing is brought about. As a result, the opening is just completed when the maintenance device reaches the spinning unit. With production at the spinning unit to be maintained still ongoing, production will thereby occur as long as possible at the spinning unit, and the time in which the spinning unit is at a standstill will be shortened.

[0014] It is also advantageous if a surrounding area of the spinning unit to be maintained is defined and, with the assistance of the control unit of the spinning machine, whether the maintenance device is located in the surrounding area of the spinning unit is detected. The opening of the housing is brought about then and only then if the maintenance device (or, in the case of multiple maintenance devices, one of the maintenance devices) is located in the surrounding area and it is thus foreseeable that the maintenance device will pass by soon. Thereby, the unnecessary or premature opening of the housing can be avoided.

[0015] In addition, it is advantageous if, in order to carry out preventive maintenance of the spinning unit, in particular a preventive rotor cleaning, the spinning unit is stopped and the opening of the housing of the spinning unit is brought about as soon as the maintenance device or one of several maintenance devices is detected in the surrounding area of the spinning unit. Moreover, for this purpose, the control unit of the spinning machine must be configured in a suitable manner. The point in time of the last maintenance can also be taken into account and only if this dates back too long will, upon the passing by of the maintenance device, the opening of the spinning unit and the subsequent maintenance process, in particular the preventive cleaning of the spinning rotor, be initiated.

[0016] It is also advantageous if, in the event of an interruption of the production of the spinning unit (for example a thread break), there is an examination of whether the maintenance device is located in the surrounding area. The examination may also take place by means of the control unit of the spinning machine. When the maintenance device is located in the surrounding area of such spinning unit, it is summoned for maintenance at the relevant spinning unit and carries out the maintenance, and only then is production resumed; in particular, a thread is pieced on again. This design is thus particularly advantageous with a spinning machine that has a piecing device configured with the work station. If, after an interruption of production, a maintenance device is in the vicinity (that is, it is available with a short travel path), maintenance, in particular the cleaning of the spinning rotor in the case of a rotor spinning machine, can be carried out with little time expenditure prior to the resumption of production. If, on the other hand, there is no maintenance device in the vicinity, production is resumed immediately and without maintenance, in order to keep the downtime of the spinning unit as short as possible.

[0017] It is advantageous if, after the maintenance of the spinning unit, the housing of the spinning unit is automatically closed by the sealing device of the spinning unit. The closing may take place independently of the position of the maintenance device; thus, for example, already at a point in time at which the maintenance device is still positioned in front of the spinning unit.

[0018] However, it is particularly advantageous if, after the maintenance of the spinning unit, the maintenance device assumes its continued travel, and the housing of the spinning unit is then automatically closed by the sealing device of the spinning unit and the production is resumed at the spinning unit. Thus, the maintenance device can already approach the next spinning unit and wait, which further increases the productivity of the spinning machine.

[0019] However, in an alternative design, it is also possible that the maintenance device still takes over the rapid process of closing the spinning unit before it assumes its continued travel.

[0020] In an advantageous additional form of the invention, the piecing on of a thread is carried out after the automatic closing of the housing by a piecing device configured with the spinning unit. As a result, the spinning machine can be maintained more rapidly overall, such that the performance of the spinning machine increases.

[0021] It is also advantageous if the sealing device comprises an actuator, in particular a magnetic switch, a pneumatic and/or a hydraulic piston and/or an electric motor, which opens and/or closes the housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Further advantages of the invention are described in the following embodiments. The following is shown:

[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a spinning machine with a multiple number of spinning units and a movable maintenance device; and

[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of a spinning unit with a sealing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a spinning machine 1 with a multiple number of spinning units 2 (whereas, for the sake of simplicity, only one spinning unit 2 is provided with a reference sign) and a movable maintenance device 3. The maintenance device 3 is arranged in a movable manner on a rail 4 in a traverse direction 6. Preferably, as illustrated in the present case, the rail 4 extends around the spinning units 2, such that the maintenance device 3 can reach the other side of the spinning machine 1 from one side of the spinning machine 1.

[0027] With customary spinning machines 1, it is the case that a cover 5 (illustrated here by way of example at the spinning unit 2) of a housing 8 of the spinning units 2 is opened for maintenance by the maintenance personnel or by the maintenance device 3. The cover 5 of the housing 8 of the spinning unit 2 is pivotable in a pivoting direction 7, such that the housing 8 of the spinning unit 2 can be opened and/or closed. The opening of the cover 5 by the maintenance personnel is very time-consuming. Likewise, the opening of the cover 5 by the maintenance device 3 is still quite time-consuming, such that the productivity of the spinning machine 1 is reduced. In the case of a rotor spinning machine, the cover 5 is arranged on a housing 8 of the spinning rotor 10 (see FIG. 2), which is opened.

[0028] With the method in accordance with the invention, to maintain the spinning machine 1, the housing 8 of the spinning unit 2 is autonomously opened for maintenance. In addition or alternatively, the housing 8 of the spinning unit 2 is also closed autonomously after maintenance. The opening and/or closing is carried out by a sealing device 9, which is illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a spinning unit 2 with a sealing device 9 for opening and/or closing the housing 8 of the spinning unit 2. The present spinning unit 2 is designed as a spinning unit 2 of a rotor spinning machine, and features a spinning rotor 10 as a spinning element, which is rotatably mounted in the housing 8. The thread F produced by the spinning rotor 10 is withdrawn through a thread draw-off nozzle 11 and is fed to a winding device, which is not illustrated here. Likewise, the cover 5 for closing the housing 8 is visible. The opening and closing of the housing 8 takes place by means of the sealing device 9, which in the present case comprises a threaded spindle with a drive motor, and pivots the cover away from the housing 8 or pulls it up to the housing 8. After the housing 8 has been opened by means of the sealing device 9, the maintenance device 3 can maintain the spinning unit, in particular clean the spinning rotor 10 of the spinning unit 2.

[0030] If the maintenance device 3 no longer has to open the spinning unit 2 itself, during this time, the maintenance device 3 can complete maintenance work at another spinning unit 2 or use the time for the travel path to the next spinning unit 2 to be maintained. As a result, a total of more spinning units 2 can be maintained, such that the productivity of the spinning machine 1 increases.

[0031] Advantageously, the cover 5 of the spinning unit 2 can already be opened if it is foreseeable that the maintenance device 3 will pass by the spinning unit 2. For example, the spinning machine 1 comprises a control unit, which is not illustrated here, in which it is stored that the spinning unit 2 has not been maintained for a long period of time. In addition, the control unit recognizes that the maintenance device 3 is moving in the direction of the spinning unit 2. Preventive maintenance of the spinning unit 2 can be brought about, whereas the spinning unit 2 is stopped, the housing 8 of the spinning unit 2 is opened and the spinning unit 2 is waiting for the maintenance device 3 with a housing 8 that is already opened. Thereupon, the maintenance device 3 can maintain the spinning unit 2 and then immediately proceed to the next spinning unit 2 to be maintained.

[0032] Preferably, the maintenance operation of the maintenance device 3 includes the cleaning of the spinning rotor. For this, the spinning unit 2 is initially stopped and holds the thread firmly, in order to be able to piece it on after the cleaning of the rotor. After the rotor has been cleaned, the spinning unit 2 once again closes autonomously, and once again autonomously pieces on the thread F. As such, it is particularly advantageous if the spinning unit 2 has its own piecing device. In principle, however, it is likewise possible that the maintenance device 3 also carries out other activities, such as, for example, exchanging the spinning rotor or piecing on a thread.

[0033] The opening of the cover 5 can be brought about in such a manner that, upon arrival of the maintenance device 3 at the spinning unit 2, the opening of the cover 5 of the housing 8 is just completed. Thus, the spinning unit 2 can produce as long as possible. In addition, the maintenance device 3 can then start maintenance immediately.

[0034] If, on the other hand, a thread break occurs at the spinning unit 2, the control unit can summon the maintenance device 3 to the spinning unit 2, even before the spinning unit 2 autonomously starts piecing on the thread again. Thereby, advantageously, a surrounding area of the spinning unit 2, for example an area at a distance of up to five spinning units 2, is defined in advance. Of course, the surrounding area can also be defined in the form of a maximum permissible period of time for the travel path of the maintenance device 3 to the spinning unit 2. In the event of a thread breakage, there will initially be a check, by means of the control unit of the spinning machine 1, as to whether a maintenance device 3 is located in the surrounding area of the spinning unit 2. If this is the case, the spinning unit 2 already opens autonomously, such that the maintenance device 3 can take up the maintenance work, in particular the rotor cleaning, immediately after reaching the spinning unit 2. If, on the other hand, no maintenance device 3 is present in the surrounding area of the spinning unit 2, the spinning unit pieces on the thread F again by means of its own piecing device, without previously carrying out the cleaning of the rotor, since the spinning unit otherwise would be unproductively at a standstill for too long.

[0035] This invention is not limited to the illustrated and described embodiments. In particular, even if the invention has been described with reference to a rotor spinning machine, the spinning machine could also be designed as an air-jet spinning machine. Variations within the scope of the claims, just as the combination of characteristics, are possible, even if they are illustrated and described in different embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0036] 1 Spinning machine [0037] 2 Spinning unit [0038] 3 Maintenance device [0039] 4 Rail [0040] 5 Cover [0041] 6 Traverse direction [0042] 7 Pivoting direction [0043] 8 Housing [0044] 9 Sealing device [0045] 10 Spinning rotor [0046] 11 Thread draw-off nozzle [0047] F Thread

Claims

1-15: (canceled)

16. A method for maintaining spinning units of a spinning machine, wherein the spinning machine includes a plurality of the spinning units arranged next to one another and at least one maintenance device that is movable along the spinning units to perform maintenance procedures on the spinning units, the method comprising: prior to maintenance of a spinning unit by the maintenance device, opening a housing of the spinning unit; subsequently performing the maintenance of the spinning unit with the maintenance device, and then closing the housing of the spinning unit; wherein one or both of the opening and the closing of the housing is carried out autonomously with a sealing device operably configured at the spinning unit.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the maintenance comprises one or both of cleaning of a spinning device or a thread draw-off nozzle at the spinning unit.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the housing of the spinning unit is opened before the maintenance device is positioned at the spinning unit to perform the maintenance.

19. The method according to claim 16, further comprising detecting approach of the maintenance device to the spinning unit, and timing the opening of the housing of the spinning unit with the approach such that the housing is open when the maintenance device arrives at the spinning unit.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising defining a surrounding area of the spinning unit, and detecting when the maintenance device enters the surrounding area.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein in order to carry out preventive maintenance of the spinning unit, the spinning unit is stopped and the opening of the housing of the spinning unit is performed when the maintenance device is detected in the surrounding area of the spinning unit.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein in the event of an interruption of production of the spinning unit, determination is made of whether the maintenance device is located in the surrounding area and, if the maintenance device is located in the surrounding area, the maintenance device is summoned to the spinning unit to perform the maintenance, and only then is production resumed.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein after the housing is closed, the maintenance device continues along a travel path alongside the spinning units.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein after the maintenance of the spinning unit, the maintenance device closes the housing.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the maintenance of the spinning unit is a piecing of the thread carried out by a piecing device configured at the spinning unit.

26. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sealing device comprises an actuator configured with a cover on the housing to open or close the housing.

27. A spinning machine, comprising: a plurality of spinning units arranged next to one another; a maintenance device movable alongside of the spinning units for performance of maintenance at the spinning units; each spinning unit comprising a housing that is closed by a cover during spinning production, wherein the cover is movable to an open position to open the housing for maintenance by the maintenance device; a sealing device configured at the spinning unit and connected to the cover, the sealing device controllable to do on or both of autonomously move the cover to the open position before maintenance by the maintenance device or to autonomously move the cover to close the housing after maintenance by the maintenance device.

28. The spinning machine according to claim 27, wherein the sealing device is controllable to move the cover and open the housing upon detection of approach of the maintenance device to the spinning unit so that the housing is open when the maintenance device reaches the spinning unit.

29. The spinning machine according to claim 27, wherein the spinning units comprise a piecing device.

30. The pinning machine according to claim 27, wherein the sealing device comprises an actuator.