Title of Invention

YARN FEEDING DEVICE

Abstract

In a yarn feeding device (F), particularly for a jet weaving machine, and comprising a housing (H), a stationary storage body (B) of variable outer diameter, and a stopping device casing (C) which is mounted at the housing (H) for adjusting movements substantially radially to the axis of the storage body (B), the stopping device casing (C) and the mounting region (M) having aligned openings for cabling/tubing, a sealing assembly (S) is provided between the stopping device casing (C) and the mounting region (M), the sealing assembly allowing the adjustment movement of the stopping device casing (C) and maintains a communication between the openings in each selected adjustment position but is sealing this region such that no opening can form in any position of the casing.

Full Text

YARN FEEDING DEVICE The invention relates to a yarn feeding device according to the preamble part of claim 1. The outer diameter of the storage body of a yam feeding device for a jet weaving machine has to be varied when the pick length is set. The stopping device casing contains the stopping device needed for measuring the pick length for each pick. The distance between the stopping device casing and the storage body is a vital criterion for the proper function of the yam feeding device and has to be readjusted whenever the outer diameter of the storage body has been varied. For that reason the stopping device casaig Is adjustably mounted to the housing of the yam feeding device. Electronic components in the stopping device casing and in the interior of the housing of the yam feeding device are interconnected by cabling extending through co-actingly aligned openings in the stopping device casing and the mounting region of the housing and through the joint region between the stopping device casing and the mounting region. The joint region is prone to the intrusion of contamination and liquids. In many application cases the yam processed by the yarn feeding device is treated with a liquid which tends to intrude Into the interior of the stopping device casing and the interior of the housing. Furthermore, in some cases such yam feeding devices are used on water jet weaving machines where the operating water tends to seep into all areas of the yarn feeding device. The intrusion of contamination, liquids and particularly water may result in failure of electronic components. It is known from practice to provide a protecting rubber hood at least on the stopping device casing and the joint region between the stopping device casing and the housing. The hood is delicate to mount, prone to mechanical damages, and prone to leakage. Moreover, such protective hoods are worn out relatively rapidly, are costly to manufacture, and need particular skills for being fixed properly by operators. There are other yam feed devices used in practice where the electronic control unit for the yam feeding device and/or the yam stopping device is located outside the housing of the yam feeding device and outside the yam stopping device casing. It is an object of the invention to provide a yarn feeding device of the kind as disclosed above which is apt to operate failure free over long duration even if contamination, treatment liquids or water have to be reckoned with. Said object is achieved with the features of claim 1. The sealing assembly provided between the stopping device casing and the mounting region of the housing reliably hinders contamination, treatment liquids and water from intruding through the joint region into the interior of the stopping device casing and/or the interior of the housing. The sealing assembly allows the necessary adjusting movements for the stopping device casing and establishes a reliable sealing effect whenever the stopping device casing C is again fixed to the mounting region. While the stopping device casing is moved during adjustment procedures, the sealing assembly functions as a sliding sealing even then preventing the intrusion of contamination, treatment liquids and water. In a preferred embodiment the sealing assembly comprises a sealing frame at least partially made from resilient sealing material like rubber or elastomer. The sealing frame has the passage for the cabling and can be moved during adjustments relative to the stopping device casing and/or the mounting region such that the adjustment operation is not hindered. The sealing frame provides the function of a sliding sealing during the adjustment procedures and establishes a very reliable sealing effect whenever the stopping device casing is again fixedly mounted to the mounting region. In order to allow both to fix the stopping device casing in a selected adjustment position and to allow adjustments, the stopping device casing is fixed by means of fastening elements which engage into anchors movably provided in the mounting region. However, in order to avoid the intrusion of contamination, treatment liquids or water along the fastening elements and past the anchors into the interior of the housing, the fastening elements and the anchors expediently are totally separated from the interior of the housing by material of the mounting region. The mounting region expediently is provided at a housing flange of the yarn feeding device. On the front side of the housing flange a carrier plate is mounted in a fixed position. The mounting plate has an opening aligned with the opening of the mounting region. The joint region between the carrier plate and the mounting region is sealed. The counter sealing surface of the mounting region is provided on the carrier plate. The anchors for the fastening elements are contained in the carrier plate and are arranged such that they can be displaced in the adjustment direction of the stopping device casing while the position of the stopping device casing is adjusted. Expediently, the sealing frame may be provided in a fixed position at one counter sealing surface. During adjustment of the stopping device casing a relative sliding motion only will take place between the other counter sealing surface and the sealing surface of the sealing frame. Expediently, the sealing frame is equipped at at least one side with a protruding grommet surrouncfeig the passage of the sealing frame. The grommet engages into the opening of the mounting region and/or of the stopping device casing, preferably with a circumferential clearance. The grommet or the grommets on both sides of the sealing frame, respectively, simplify the threading of cabling, provide an additional protection for the cabling and establish a proper positioning of the cabling in any selected adjustment position of the stopping device casing. In order to achieve a precise guiding of the stopping device casing during adjustment operations, it is expedient to provide a guiding groove extending in the adjustment direction and, additionally, an engagement projection mechanically engaging into the guiding groove. The guiding groove can be provided either at the side of the counter sealing surface of the mounting region, or beside the counter sealing surface of the carrier plate or even in the counter sealing surface of the stopping device casing, respectively. The engaging element then is provided at the other component situated adjacent to the component containing the guiding groove. * In a preferred embodiment the carrier plate is secured by fastening screws in a fixed position at the mounting region. The arrangement allows to reliably seal the contact region between the carrier plate and the mounting region. Guiding slots are formed in the carrier plate. The anchors for the fastening elements are provided in the guiding slots such that they can move with the stopping device casing during adjustment operations. However, the anchors, which expediently are threaded sleeves, are held in the guiding slots such that they cannot be rotated and also cannot be pulled out. In order to achieve a maximum size of the sealing surfaces on the sealing frame the passage of the sealing frame may be smaller than the openings in the mounting region and the stopping device casing, respectively. The yam feeding device having the above-mentioned sealing assembly between the stopping device casing and the mounting region is particularly useful for applications on water jet weaving machines where large amounts of water tend to seep into the joint region. However, the yam feeding device may contain further interior components or electric parts or connections which need to be protected against the water. For that reasons also other endangered components of the yarn feeding device ought to be protected as well by liquid-tight sealing assemblies. An embodiment of the invention will be described with the help of the drawings. In the drawings is: Fig. 1 a part of a sectional view of a yam feeding device, Fig. 2 a perspective view of details of a special sealing assembly provided at a group of components, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of a stopping device casing as removed from the yam feeding device and prior to the assembly at the group of components shown in Fig. 2. A yam feeding device F, partially shown in a sectional view in Fig. 1, is a so-called measuring feeding device intended for use at jet weaving machines like air jet weaving machines or water jet weaving machines. The yam feeding device has a housing H supporting a stationary storage body B (shown in Fig. 2). A winding element W (Fig. 2) is driven for rotation relative to the stationary storage body B in order to form adjacent or separated windings of a not shown yam on the storage body B. The outer diameter of the storage body B is variable. Above the storage body B a stopping device casing C is mounted to the housing H. The radial distance between the storage body B and the lower side of the stopping device casing C is of vital importance for the proper function of the yarn feeding device F. Whenever the diameter of the storage body B has been varied, the radial position of the stopping device casing C has to be changed accordingly in the direction of the double arrow A in Fig. 1 in order to adjust an optimum distance between the stopping device casing C and the storage body B. The stopping device casing C has a main casing part 1 and a cover lid 2 and contains not shown electronics and magnetic components. The casing main part 1 is provided with a plane counter sealing surface 3 which surrounds an opening 4 leading into the interior of the stopping device casing C. The housing H of the yarn feeding device F has a front side mounting flange 5 defining a mounting recpon M. The interior 8 of the housing H is closed by a cover lid 6 and contains electronic components like a circuit board 7 and the like. Another counter sealing surface 9 is formed on the housing flange 5 and surrounds an opening 10 leading into the interior 8. A carrier plate P is mounted with a counter sealing surface 11 in a fixed position to the mounting flange 5. The carrier plate P has an opening 13 aligned with the opening 10. At the other side of the carrier plate P a further plane counter sealing surface 12 is provided which completely surrounds the opening 13. A sealing assembly S is situated between the counter sealing surface 3 of the main casing part 1 and the counter sealing surface 12 of the carrier plate P. The sealing assembly S consists of a sealing frame 14, e.g. at least partially made from a sealing material like rubber or elastomer or even from a rigid plastic material. The sealing frame 14 has a passage 17 aligned with the openings 13,10 and 4. The passage 17 is surrounded on each side of the sealing frame 14 by a protruding grommet 18. The grommet 19 extends with circumferential clearance into the opening 4, while the grommet 18 extends with circumferential clearance through the openings 13,10 towards the interior 8 of the housing H. The passage 17, i.e. in the shown embodiment the grommets 18,19 is or are completely surrounded by sealing surfaces 15 and 16 provided on both sides of the sealing frame 14. The sealing surfaces 15 and 16 are designed such that in no position of the casing C any open gap will be formed. A flat cable 20 and e.g. a multi-lead cable or pneumatic tube 21 extend from the interior of the stopping device casing C through the sealing frame 14 and the grommets 18,19, if provided, into the interior 8 of the housing H. The sealing frame 14 functions as a sliding sealing and is, as soon as the stopping device casing C is fixed in position in the mounting region M, held under sealing tension. The sealing frame 14 may be secured in place by not shown means either on the counter sealing surface 12 or on the counter sealing surface 3. Alternatively, the sealing frame 14 may be movable in relation to both counter sealing surfaces 12,3. With reference to Figs 1, 2 and 3, the stopping device casing C is fixed by fastening elements 25 like screws held in the main casing part 1 and anchors 24, e.g. threaded sleeves, contained in the carrier plate P. Neither the anchors 24 nor the fastening elements 25 penetrate the mounting flange 5 but are totally separated from the interior 8 by material of tine mounting flange 5. The carrier plate P is fixed to the mounting flange 5 by fastening screws 22 which are located outside of the region of the sealing frame 14. Guiding slots 23 are formed in the carrier plate P and extend parallel to the adjusting direction of the stopping device casing C (double arrow A in Fig. 1). A guiding groove 25' is formed in the carrier plate as well. The guiding groove 25* co-operates with a rib or another engaging element 26 formed in the main casing part 1 (Fig. 3). The anchors 24, i.e. the threaded sleeves, are apt to move along the guiding slots 23, but are secured against rotation and against being pulled out from the guiding slots 23. The threaded sleeves e.g. have diametrically opposed flat regions in their circumferences so that they are hindered from rotating in the guiding slots 23. When the stopping device casing C is fixed to the mounting flange 5 by the fastening elements 25 and the anchors 24, the sealing frame 14 even may become compressed. Preferably, the sealing frame 14 is made from a material having good sliding properties such that it is sufficient to only slightly loosen the fastening elements 25 when it is necessary to adjust the stopping device casing C. Even then the sealing frame 14 is futfflSng a sliding sealing function hindering contamination, treatment liquids or water from intruding into the interiors of the housing H and the stopping device casing C, respectively. In a not shown alternative solution the carrier plate P can be omitted. The anchors 24 then would be provided in the mounting flange 5 directly. The sealing frame would then co-operate with the counter sealing surface 9 of the mounting flange 5 directly. Furthermore, the grommets 18,19 could be omitted, or at least one of the two grommets 18,19. In a further alternative solution, the sealing frame 14 could be laid into a recess of the carrier plate P or the mounting flange 5, respectively, such that relative movements only take place during adjusting operations between the sealing surface 15 and the counter sealing surface 3. In the case that the yam feeding device F is used on a water jet weaving machine it is expedient not only to provide the sealing assembly S between the mounting flange 5 and the stopping device casing C, but also to provide further sealing assemblies for all electric connections and other interior components of the yam feeding device which need to be protected against the intrusion of contamination, treatment liquids and water. CLAIMS 1. Yam feeding device (F), particularly for jet weaving machines, comprising a housing (H), a stationary storage body (B) of variable outer diameter, and a stopping device casing (C) which is mounted to a mounting region (M) of the housing (H) for selective displacement substantially radial to the axis of the storage body (B), the stopping device casing (C) and the mounting region (M) having co-actingly aligned openings (4,10,13) for cabling/tubing (20, 21) connecting components contained in the stopping device casing (C) and components contained in the interior of the housing (H), characterised in that a sea&Kj assembly (S) is provided between the stopping device casing (C) and the nxwr&Kj region (M), that the sealing assembly allows adjusting movements of the stopping device casing (C) in relation to the mounting region (M) and maintains a communication between the openings (10,13, 4) in any selected adjustment position of the stopping device casing (C), and that the sealing assembly (S) permanently seals the openings (4,10,13) against the surroundings and prevents the formation of any access opening to the interior of the feeding device (T) in any position of the stopper device casing (C). 2. Yam feeding device as in claim 1, characterised in that the sealing assembly (S) comprises a sealing frame (14) having at least one passage (17) in alignment with the openings (10,13,4), that the sealing frame (14) is preferably arranged for a relative movement in the adjustment direction of the stopping device casing (C) relative to the stopping device casing (C) and/or relative to the mounting region (M), and that the sealing frame (14) has on both sides sealing surfaces (15,16) completely surrounding the passage (17), the sealing surfaces being provided for biased co-action with counter sealing surfaces (9,12,3) at the stopping device casing (C) and the mounting region (M), respectively. 3. Yam feeding device as in claim 1, characterised in that the stopping device casing (C) is secured to the mounting region (M) by means of fastening elements (25) engaging into anchors (24) situatodin the mounting region (M), and that the fastening elements (25) and the anchors (24) are structurally separated from the interior (8) of the housing (H) by material of the mounting region (M), 4. Yarn feeding device as in claim 1, characterised in that the mounting region (M) is provided at a housing front wall flange (5), that a earner plate (P) is fixed to the mounting region (M)( that the carrier plate (P) has an opening (13) aligned with the opening (10) of the mounting region (M), that the carrier plate (P) seals both openings (10,13) against the surroundings, that the counter sealing surface (12) of the mounting region (M) is provided at the front side of the carrier plate (P), and that the anchors (24) for the fastening elements (25) are received in the carrier plate (P) for displacements in the adjusting direction of the stopping device casing (C). 5. Yam feeding device as in claim 2, characterised in that the sealing frame (4) is provided in a fixed position at one counter sealing surface (12, 3). 6. Yam feeding device as in claim 2, characterised in that the sealing frame (14) has at least one protruding grommet (18,19) surrounding the passage (17) at least at one side of the sealing frame, and that the grommet (18,19) engages into the opening (13,10, 4) of the mounting region (M) and/or of the stopping device casing (C), preferably with a circumferential clearance. 7. Yam feeding device as in claim 1, characterised in that in the mounting region (M) or in the carrier plate (P) or at the stopping device casing (C) a guiding groove (25') is formed which extends in the adjustment direction of the stopping device casing (C), and that a protruding engagement element (26) engages into the guiding groove (25'). 8. Yarn feeding device as in claim 4, characterised in that the carrier plate (P) is mounted and sealed to the mounting region in a fixed position (M), by fixing screws (22), that guiding slots (23) are formed in the carrier plate (P)T and that the anchors (24) are threaded sleeves which are held in the guiding slots (24) in sfidabte fashion and are prevented from being pulled out and being rotated. 9. Yarn feeding device as in claim 2, characterised in that the passage (17) of the sealing frame (14) is smaller than the openings (13,10,4). 10. Yarn feeding device as in the preceding claims, characterised in that the yam feeding device (F) is provided for an application at a water jet weaving machine and has in addition to the sealing assembly (S) between the stopping device casing (C) and the mounting region (M) further liquid-tight sealing assemblies for the protection of electric and/or mechanical interior components. Dated this I day of November 2006

Documents:

4017-chenp-2006 complete specification as granted.pdf

4017-CHENP-2006 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS.pdf

4017-CHENP-2006 CORRESPONDENCE PO.pdf

4017-CHENP-2006 FORM-2.pdf

4017-CHENP-2006 FORM-3.pdf

4017-CHENP-2006 POWER OF ATTORNEY.pdf

4017-chenp-2006-abstract.pdf

4017-chenp-2006-claims.pdf

4017-chenp-2006-correspondnece-others.pdf

4017-chenp-2006-description(complete).pdf

4017-chenp-2006-drawings.pdf

4017-chenp-2006-form 1.pdf

4017-chenp-2006-form 18.pdf

4017-chenp-2006-form 3.pdf

4017-chenp-2006-form 5.pdf

4017-chenp-2006-pct.pdf

EXAMINATION REPORT REPLY.PDF