Fully automatic method for handling yarn knots in a continuous flat knitting process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12344973-B2
Application number	US-202418629220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2024
Priority date	Nov 22, 2021
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

The method includes the following steps: A knot alarm detects knots and triggers an alarm; the machine automatically loads and runs a preset knot handling program; the machine pulls out the yarn segment containing the knot from the knitting area and secures the knot; the machine reinserts the subsequent yarn back into the knitting area, returning to the knitting position before the alarm; the machine cuts off the excess yarn segment containing the knot and continues knitting. The process method of the present invention utilizes a knot alarm set on the flat knitting machine to automatically detect knots on the yarn in advance. Once a knot is detected, the yarn segment containing the knot is pulled out and cut off, thereby removing the knot while hiding the yarn breaks and preventing yarn ladder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A continuous flat knitting method for automatic processing of knots, comprising the following steps:
Step 1: setting a knot alarm on a flat knitting machine, the knot alarm detecting a knot in a yarn segment of a knitted yarn, wherein the yarn segment comprises a knot part and the knot part comprises the knot, and the knot alarm emitting a signal;
Step 2: the flat knitting machine automatically loading and running a preset knot handling program;
Step 3: the flat knitting machine pulling the yarn segment out of a knitting area and fixing the knot part under control of the knot handling program;
Step 4: under the control of the knot handling program, the flat knitting machine inserting a subsequent yarn section of the same knitted yarn that has been pulled out of the knitting area into the knitting area, until the subsequent yarn section is inserted to a knitting position before the alarm was triggered;
Step 5: under the control of the knot part handling program, the flat knitting machine trimming off an excess yarn portion that contains the knot part and continuing knitting until a fabric is fully formed, wherein the excess yarn portion is an excess yarn portion of the yarn segment that has been pulled out of the knitting area;
wherein actions controlled by the knot handling program also include a first anti-ladder action when pulling out the yarn segment from the knitting area and a second anti-ladder action when inserting the yarn into the knitting area, wherein
when pulling out the yarn segment from the knitting area, the first anti-ladder action involves alternating floats with tucks, the yarn segment is secured by using an electronically controlled clip set on the flat knitting machine to clamp the yarn near the knot part;
when inserting the yarn into the knitting area, the flat knitting machine performing the second anti-ladder action by alternating floats with tucks until the yarn is inserted back to the knitting position before the alarm was triggered.

2. The continuous flat knitting method for automatic processing of knots according to claim 1 , characterized in that: the knot handling program is associated with the knot alarm, and the knot handling program is automatically activated when the knot alarm is triggered.

3. The continuous flat knitting method for automatic processing of knots according to claim 1 , characterized in that: manually adjust a detection position of the knot alarm before knitting to identify and alarm knots that can affect an appearance of the fabric.

4. The continuous flat knitting method for automatic processing of knots according to claim 1 , characterized in that: the knot handling program is a compiled fixed process module set in the flat knitting machine program, wherein the flat knitting machine program is a control program of the flat knitting machine.

5. The continuous flat knitting method for automatic processing of knots according to claim 1 , characterized in that: after completing the actions controlled by the knot handling program, the machine automatically switches to a knitting program of the fabric, and then continues a subsequent knitting process before the knot alarm was triggered.

6. The continuous flat knitting method for automatic processing of knots according to claim 1 , characterized in that: after the fabric is fully knitted and removed from the machine, a different excess yarn portion at a knitting end is manually cut off, and there is no need for further end hiding or anti-ladder processes.

Assignees

• Univ Jiangnan

Inventors

• Cong Honglian
• Jiang Gaoming
• Dong Zhijia
• Chen Chaoyu
• Li Yuxian

Classifications

• D04B35/20 Primary

  responsive to defects, e.g. holes, in knitted products · CPC title

• D04B15/565

  Associated thread-clamping or thread-severing devices · CPC title

• D04B1/00

  Weft knitting processes for the production of fabrics or articles not dependent on the use of particular machines; Fabrics or articles defined by such processes · CPC title

• D04B15/70 Primary

  in flat-bed knitting machines · CPC title

• D04B37/02

  with weft knitting machines · CPC title