Thread production device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10351977-B2
Application number	US-201314905202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2013
Priority date	Jul 22, 2013
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A yarn producing apparatus is an apparatus for producing CNT (carbon nanotube) yarn from CNT fibers while causing the CNT fibers to run. The yarn producing apparatus includes an aggregating unit that aggregates the CNT fibers, and a twisting and winding device that twists the CNT fibers aggregated by the aggregating unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A yarn producing apparatus for producing carbon nanotube yarn from carbon nanotube fibers while causing the carbon nanotube fibers to run, the yarn producing apparatus comprising:
a preliminary aggregator that aggregates the carbon nanotube fibers while exerting a resistive force on the carbon nanotube fibers against a direction in which the carbon nanotube fibers run;
a twister that twists the carbon nanotube fibers aggregated by the preliminary aggregator; and
a tensioner that acts on the carbon nanotube fibers running between the preliminary aggregator and the twister and applies tension to the carbon nanotube fibers to be twisted by the twister.

2. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the preliminary aggregator includes an adjuster that adjusts an aggregation state of the carbon nanotube fibers.

3. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the preliminary aggregator further includes a through hole that the carbon nanotube fibers pass through in contact with the through hole; and
the adjuster adjusts the aggregation state of the carbon nanotube fibers by adjusting a positional relation between portions of the through hole and adjusting an opening area of the through hole.

4. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the preliminary aggregator further includes a first plate and a second plate defining the through hole, the first plate and the second plate being provided with a first notch and a second notch respectively, the first notch and the second notch defining the through hole; and
the adjuster adjusts the opening area of the through hole by moving at least one of the first plate and the second plate and adjusting an overlapping state of the first notch and the second notch.

5. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the preliminary aggregator further includes a plurality of wires and a plurality of holders, the plurality of wires defining the through hole and the plurality of holders holding respective ends of the plurality of wires; and
the adjuster adjusts the opening area of the through hole by swinging each of the plurality of holding pieces and adjusting an overlapping state of the plurality of wires.

6. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the adjuster monitors a value of tension exerted on the carbon nanotube fibers running between the preliminary aggregator and the twister and changes the opening area of the through hole by feedback control, depending on a result of the monitoring.

7. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tensioner includes a pneumatic tensioner that blows air to the carbon nanotube fibers to exert a force on the carbon nanotube fibers in the direction opposite to the direction in which the carbon nanotube fibers run.

8. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tensioner is a gate tensioner that bends the carbon nanotube fibers by using comb tooth-shaped contact portions arranged alternately to exert a resistive force on the running carbon nanotube fibers.

9. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a substrate that supports a carbon nanotube forming substrate from which the carbon nanotube fibers are drawn.

10. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the twister includes:
a wind driver that causes a winding shaft provided with a winding tube to rotate about a winding centerline of the winding shaft to wind the carbon nanotube yarn onto the winding tube;
a twist driver that causes a guide to rotate around the winding tube to guide the carbon nanotube yarn to the winding tube and to twist the carbon nanotube fibers and produce the carbon nanotube yarn while causing the carbon nanotube fibers, the carbon nanotube yarn, or both of the carbon nanotube fibers and the carbon nanotube yarn to swirl; and
a traverse driver that causes the guide to reciprocate relative to the winding tube along the winding centerline of the winding shaft to cause the carbon nanotube yarn to traverse the winding tube.

11. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a substrate that supports a carbon nanotube forming substrate from which the carbon nanotube fibers are drawn.

12. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the twister includes:
a wind driver that causes a winding shaft provided with a winding tube to rotate about a winding centerline of the winding shaft to wind the carbon nanotube yarn onto the winding tube;
a twist driver that causes a guide to rotate around the winding tube to guide the carbon nanotube yarn to the winding tube and to twist the carbon nanotube fibers and produce the carbon nanotube yarn while causing the carbon nanotube fibers, the carbon nanotube yarn, or both of the carbon nanotube fibers and the carbon nanotube yarn to swirl; and
a traverse driver that causes the guide to reciprocate relative to the winding tube along the winding centerline of the winding shaft to cause the carbon nanotube yarn to traverse the winding tube.

13. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the adjuster monitors a value of tension exerted on the carbon nanotube fibers running between the preliminary aggregator and the twister and changes the opening area of the through hole by feedback control, depending on a result of the monitoring.

14. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the tensioner includes a pneumatic tensioner that blows air to the carbon nanotube fibers to exert a force on the carbon nanotube fibers in the direction opposite to the direction in which the carbon nanotube fibers run.

15. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising a substrate that supports a carbon nanotube forming substrate from which the carbon nanotube fibers are drawn.

16. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the twister includes:
a wind driver that causes a winding shaft provided with a winding tube to rotate about a winding centerline of the winding shaft to wind the carbon nanotube yarn onto the winding tube;
a twist driver that causes a guide to rotate around the winding tube to guide the carbon nanotube yarn to the winding tube and to twist the carbon nanotube fibers and produce the carbon nanotube yarn while causing the carbon nanotube fibers, the carbon nanotube yarn, or both of the carbon nanotube fibers and the carbon nanotube yarn to swirl; and
a traverse driver that causes the guide to reciprocate relative to the winding tube along the winding centerline of the winding shaft to cause the carbon nanotube yarn to traverse the winding tube.

17. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the tensioner is a gate tensioner that bends the carbon nanotube fibers by using comb tooth-shaped contact portions arranged alternately to exert a resistive force on the running carbon nanotube fibers.

18. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 17 , further comprising a substrate that supports a carbon nanotube forming substrate from which the carbon nanotube fibers are drawn.

19. The yarn producing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the twister includes:
a wind driver that causes a winding shaft provided with a winding tube to rotate about a winding centerline of the winding shaft to wind the carbon nanotube yarn onto the winding tube;
a twist driver that causes a guide to rotate around the winding tube to guide the carbon nanotube y

Assignees

• Murata Machinery Ltd

Inventors

• Takashima Hiroki

Classifications

• D10B2101/122

  Nanocarbons · CPC title

• D01H1/115

  using pneumatic means · CPC title

• B65H51/015

  Gathering a plurality of forwarding filamentary materials into a bundle · CPC title

• B65H2701/314

  Carbon fibres · CPC title

• D01H13/04

  Guides for slivers, rovings, or yarns; Smoothing dies (fibre-condensing guides D01H5/72 {; means to facilitate the unwinding of yarn in multiple-twist arrangements D01H7/866}) · CPC title