Method of controlling an optical element at a workstation of a textile machine, especially a yarn manufacturing machine, and a textile machine

A method of controlling an optical sensor device configured on a textile machine, the optical sensor configurable between a primary operating mode that detects a state of a physical quantity related to ongoing production of a textile product at a workstation of the textile machine and a secondary operating mode that provides visual information about a change in an operating state of the workstation, a group of the workstations, or the textile machine, the method comprising:

• targeted switching of the optical sensor to the secondary operating mode at the change in the operating state wherein detection of the physical quantity at the workstation is not required;
• subsequent targeted switching of the optical sensor back to the primary operating mode when the operating state changes again and detection of the physical quantity of the product at the workstation is required;
• and
• wherein the textile machine is a ring spinning machine and in the primary operating mode, the optical sensor detects speed of movement of a traveller on a ring by detecting changes in reflected radiation received by an optical receiver of the optical sensor caused by passage of the traveller through a radiation field zone emitted by a radiation source of the optical sensor, whereby in the secondary operating mode of the sensor, the radiation source generates time-modulated radiation that simulates movement of the traveller on the ring and is detected by the optical receiver and evaluated by a control and evaluation device.

A method of controlling an optical signaling device configured on a textile machine, the optical signaling device configurable between a primary operating mode having a first function to transmit radiation indicating an operating state of the textile machine or one or more workstations of the textile machine, and a secondary operating mode having a second function to receive radiation indicating activity at the textile machine or one or more of the workstations, the method comprising:

• targeted switching of the optical signaling device to the secondary operating mode when the operating state changes such that intervention activity is required at the textile machine or one or more of the workstations;
• subsequent targeted switching of the optical signaling device back to the primary operating mode when the operating state changes again;
• and
• wherein the optical signaling device includes an LED that is switched from a radiation transmitter mode in the primary operating mode to a radiation sensor mode in the secondary operating mode, wherein an amount of radiation falling on the LED transmits data about the activity at the textile machine or one or more of the workstations that is monitored and evaluated in the secondary operating mode.

A method of controlling an optical sensor device configured on a textile machine, the optical sensor configurable between a primary operating mode that detects a state of a physical quantity related to ongoing production of a textile product at a workstation of the textile machine and a secondary operating mode that provides visual information about a change in an operating state of the workstation, a group of the workstations, or the textile machine, the method comprising:

• targeted switching of the optical sensor to the secondary operating mode at the change in the operating state wherein detection of the physical quantity at the workstation is not required;
• subsequent targeted switching of the optical sensor back to the primary operating mode when the operating state changes again and detection of the physical quantity of the product at the workstation is required;
• and
• wherein in the primary operation mode, the optical sensor detects a presence or quality of a produced yarn passing through a gap between a radiation source of the optical sensor and at least one row of radiation sensitive elements of the optical sensor, wherein the secondary mode of operation includes intentional shading and monitoring of at least some of the radiation sensitive elements by intentional insertion of a shading device into the gap.

A method of controlling an optical sensor device configured on a textile machine, the optical sensor configurable between a primary operating mode that detects a state of a physical quantity related to ongoing production of a textile product at a workstation of the textile machine and a secondary operating mode that provides visual information about a change in an operating state of the workstation, a group of the workstations, or the textile machine, the method comprising:

• targeted switching of the optical sensor to the secondary operating mode at the change in the operating state wherein detection of the physical quantity at the workstation is not required;
• subsequent targeted switching of the optical sensor back to the primary operating mode when the operating state changes again and detection of the physical quantity of the product at the workstation is required;
• and
• wherein the textile machine includes a row the workstations with a respective optical sensor configured at each of the workstations in the row, all of the optical sensors in the whole row switched to the secondary operating mode and a state of the optical sensors are monitored at individual successive workstations of the row and individual changes in the sensors are sequentially assigned to the successive workstations in a machine control system.

A textile machine, comprising:

• a row of workstations;
• and
• one or both of:
• (1) an optical sensor configurable between a primary operating mode to transmit and receive a first form of reflected radiation that senses a state of a physical quantity related to ongoing production of a textile product at a workstation of the textile machine, and a secondary operating mode to receive a second form of reflected radiation that is evaluated by a control and evaluation device to provide information regarding service operations at the workstation due to a change in an operating state of the textile machine or the workstation;
• and (2) an optical signaling device configurable between a primary operating mode to transmit radiation indicating the operating state of the textile machine or the workstation, and a secondary operating mode to receive radiation that is evaluated by a control and evaluation device to indicate intervention activity at the textile machine or the workstation due to a change in the operating state.