# US 2014/0196264 A1 · Systems and methods for improving and controlling yarn texture

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- Number: US 2014/0196264 A1
- Document ID: US20140196264A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/216,574
- Filed: 2014-03-17
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2012-08-23
- Assignees: Shaw Industries Group, Inc.
- Applicants: Shaw Industries Group, Inc.
- Inventors: Eric Beard Boetsch; Kevin Cowart; Mark Spangler; Larry Sims; Brent Brown; Nathan Smith; Chris Cooper
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196264A1

## CPC

- D02G 1/125: {including means for monitoring or controlling yarn processing}
- D02G: CRIMPING OR CURLING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, OR YARNS; YARNS OR THREADS

## Abstract

A system and method for automated control and improvement of the consistency of yarn texture in a yarn system. The system and method are configured to monitor, improve and/or control the operating conditions of the yarn system. A plurality of sensors sense the operating conditions and send the sensed conditions to a processor. The processor monitoring the system can cause adjustments to the operating conditions to be made if a condition is outside of a predetermined tolerance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for controlling and improving the consistency of a texture of yarn in a yarn system comprising:
a texturing apparatus configured for imparting a desired texture in the yarn;
a plurality of rollers for moving yarn through the yarn system, wherein at least one roller of the plurality of rollers is coupled to and driven by at least one roller motor;
a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors senses an operating parameter of the yarn system, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors comprises an encoder operatively coupled to one roller of the plurality of rollers;
a processor coupled to each sensor of the plurality of sensors and the at least one roller motor, wherein the processor is configured to alter a rotational speed of the at least one roller motor when a sensor senses an operating parameter outside of a predetermined tolerance for a predetermined amount of time; and
a display device coupled to the processor, wherein the display device displays the operating parameters sensed by the plurality of sensors.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The yarn system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to stop rotation of the at least one roller motor when a sensor senses an operating parameter outside of the predetermined tolerance for the predetermined amount of time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The yarn system of claim 1, wherein the texturing apparatus comprises a stuffer box defining an internal chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end through which yarn can pass, and a climate chamber positioned downstream of the stuffer box, wherein the climate chamber sets the desired texture in the yarn.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The yarn system of claim 3, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors is a yarn plug sensor configured to sense the presence of a yarn plug in a predetermined yarn plug location in the internal chamber of the stuffer box.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The yarn system of claim 4, wherein at least one bore is defined in a portion of at least one side wall of the stuffer box to form a stuffer box window, and wherein the yarn plug sensor sends a signal through the window into the internal chamber of the stuffer box.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The yarn system of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to alter the rotational speed of the at least one roller motor when the yarn plug sensor senses the yarn plug outside of the predetermined yarn plug location for a predetermined amount of time.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The yarn system of claim 4, wherein the texturing apparatus further comprises a source of compressed gas in fluid communication with the internal chamber of the stuffer box, and wherein the compressed gas is configured to move yarn from the inlet end toward the outlet end of the internal chamber.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The yarn system of claim 7, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors is a transport air pressure sensor configured to sense the pressure of the compressed gas in fluid communication with the internal chamber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The yarn system of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to alter the rotational speed of the at least one roller motor when the transport air pressure sensor senses the air pressure out of a predetermined transport air pressure tolerance for a predetermined amount of time.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The yarn system of claim 9, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors is a yarn temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of the yarn after exiting the climate chamber.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The yarn system of claim 10, wherein the texturing apparatus further comprises a vacuum fan positioned downstream of the climate chamber configured for cooling the yarn, wherein the vacuum fan is coupled to a vacuum fan motor, wherein the processor is coupled to the vacuum fan motor, and the wherein the processor is configured to alter the rotational speed of the vacuum fan when the yarn temperature sensor senses the yarn temperature out of a predetermined yarn temperature tolerance for a predetermined amount of time.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The yarn system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to alter the rotational speed of the at least one roller motor when the yarn temperature sensor senses the yarn temperature out of a predetermined yarn temperature tolerance for a predetermined amount of time.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The yarn system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rollers comprises at least one delivery roller driven by a delivery motor and configured to deliver yarn to the inlet end of the internal chamber, and at least one overfeed roller driven by an overfeed motor configured to deliver yarn from a source of yarn to the at least one delivery roller.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The yarn system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a first encoder operatively coupled to the at least one delivery roller and configured to sense a rotational speed of the at least one delivery roller, and a second encoder operatively coupled to the at least one overfeed roller and configured to sense a rotational speed of the at least one overfeed roller.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The yarn system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to alter a rotational speed of at least one of the delivery motor and the overfeed roller when the ratio of the speed of the at least one delivery roller to the speed of the at least one overfeed roller is outside of a predetermined roller ratio tolerance for a predetermined amount of time.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The yarn system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of rollers comprises at least one stuffing pressure roller driven by a delivery motor and configured to move yarn through the texturing apparatus.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The yarn system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a third encoder operatively coupled to the at least one stuffing pressure roller and configured to sense a rotational speed of the at least one stuffing pressure roller.

### Claim 18

A method for controlling and improving the consistency of a yarn texture in a yarn system comprising:
providing yarn to a texturing apparatus configured for imparting a desired texture in the yarn;
providing a plurality of rollers for moving yarn through the yarn system, wherein at least one roller of the plurality of rollers is coupled to and driven by at least one roller motor;
providing a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors senses an operating parameter of the yarn system, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors comprises an encoder operatively coupled to one roller of the plurality of rollers;
providing a processor coupled to each sensor of the plurality of sensors and the at least one roller motor,
sensing the operating parameters of the yarn system; and
altering a rotational speed of the at least one roller motor when a sensor of the plurality of sensors senses an operating parameter outside of a predetermined tolerance for a predetermined amount of time.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the texturing apparatus comprises a stuffer box defining an internal chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end through which yarn can pass and a climate chamber positioned downstream of the stuffer box, wherein the climate chamber sets the desired texture in the yarn.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors is a yarn plug sensor configured to sense the presence of a yarn plug in a predetermined yarn plug location in the internal chamber of the stuffer box.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, wherein sensing the operating parameters of the yarn system comprises sensing the presence the yarn plug in the predetermined yarn plug location in the internal chamber of the stuffer box for a predetermined amount of time.

### Claim 22 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of rollers comprises at least one delivery roller driven by a delivery motor and configured to deliver yarn to the inlet end of the internal chamber, and at least one overfeed roller driven by an overfeed motor configured to deliver yarn from a source of yarn to the at least one delivery roller.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a first encoder operatively coupled to the at least one delivery roller and configured to sense a rotational speed of the at least one delivery roller, and a second encoder operatively coupled to the at least one overfeed roller and configured to sense a rotational speed of the at least one overfeed roller.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to alter a rotational speed of at least one of the delivery motor and the overfeed roller when the ratio of the speed of the at least one delivery roller to the speed of the at least one overfeed roller is outside of a predetermined roller ratio tolerance for a predetermined amount of time.

### Claim 25 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of rollers comprises at least one stuffing pressure roller driven by a delivery motor and configured to move yarn through the texturing apparatus.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a third encoder operatively coupled to the at least one stuffing pressure roller and configured to sense a rotational speed of the at least one stuffing pressure roller.