Automated yarn package handling system and method
AssigneeBelmont Textile Machinery Co., Inc.
InventorsJeffrey Todd Rhyne, Donald Alan Pubentz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method of robotically tying a knot that includes the steps of removing the package from the elevator tray to a knotting head apparatus at the knot-tying location where a knot is tied in a yarn tail of the package to secure the package tail from unraveling in subsequent package handling steps. Correct application of the knot to the yarn tail is either validated, or in the alternative, if the knot is not validated, the package is forwarded to a location for manual reworking to apply a correct knot to the yarn tail.
Claims21
A method of robotically tying a knot, comprising the steps of:
- removing a package from a package transporter to a robotic knotting head apparatus at a knot-tying location;
- robotically tying a knot to a yarn tail of the package to secure the yarn tail from unraveling in subsequent package handling;
- and
- robotically validating correct application of the knot to the yarn tail;
- wherein the step of validating correct application of the knot to the yarn tail includes the step of monitoring torque to yarn.
A method of robotically tying a knot, comprising the steps of:
- removing a package from a package transporter to a robotic knotting head apparatus at a knot-tying location;
- robotically tying a knot to a yarn tail of the package to secure the yarn tail from unraveling in subsequent package handling;
- and
- robotically validating correct application of the knot to the yarn tail;
- wherein the step of validating correct application of the knot to the yarn tail includes the steps of visually inspecting a surface of the yarn package to determine the presence or absence of the knot by capturing an image of the package surface and comparing the image of the package surface against a digital store of images representing a yarn arrangement indicative of a correctly-tied knot.
A method of robotically tying a knot, comprising the steps of:
- removing a package from a package transporter to a robotic knotting head apparatus at a knot-tying location;
- robotically tying a knot to a yarn tail of the package to secure the yarn tail from unraveling in subsequent package handling;
- and
- robotically validating correct application of the knot to the yarn tail;
- wherein the step of validating correct application of the knot to the yarn tail includes the steps of applying a source of energy to a surface of the package to detect, measure and compare a returned energy signal against a digital data store of surface irregularities on the package indicative of the presence or absence of a knot.
An apparatus for robotically tying a knot, comprising:
- a knotting head apparatus at a knot-tying location for tying a knot to a yarn tail of a yarn package to secure the yarn tail from unraveling in subsequent yarn package handling;
- and
- a digitally-controlled knot-validating apparatus for validating correct application of the knot to the yarn tail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.