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US 9,683,316 B2Granted
Methods and systems for regulating tension in warping
AssigneeColumbia Insurance Company
InventorsMark Avery Honeycutt, Keith Goble
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A warping system for reducing tension in a plurality of yarn ends wound by the warping system onto a beam. The warping system minimizes the number of contact points as yarn is pulled off of yarn packages in a creel and wound onto the beam. After exiting a tube, yarn passes over a roller and an expansion comb before being wound onto the beam. The yarn extends between the roller and the beam substantially in a yarn plane. The yarn can contact the warping system at only one contact point between the roller and the beam.
Claims18
A warping system in proximity to a yarn creel that supplies yarn thereto, the warping system comprising:
- a beam for winding yarn thereon;
- a warper configured to support and rotate the beam as yarn is wound onto the beam;
- a roller positioned directly vertically above at least a portion of the warper, wherein the roller receives yarn directly from the yarn creel and redirects the yarn towards the beam;
- an expansion comb positioned between the roller and the warper along a vertical axis, the expansion comb configured to position each yarn in a predetermined position relative to other yarns extending from the roller to the beam;
- and
- an S-bar roller positioned between the expansion comb and the roller along the vertical axis, wherein the S-bar roller is configured to receive a portion of the yarn from the roller and selectively adjust the tension on yarn contacting the S-bar roller, wherein an expansion distance between the roller and the expansion comb, measured along the vertical axis, ranges from about 2 to 6 feet,
- wherein at least a portion of the yarn extends between the roller and the beam and contacts the expansion comb while remaining substantially within a yarn plane, wherein the yarn plane is oriented at a substantially constant angle relative to a horizontal surface on which the warder is positioned, and
- wherein the warper is further configured to articulate the beam relative to the roller to maintain the substantially constant angle between the yarn plane and the horizontal surface as the wound yarn on the outer diameter of the beam increases.
5 more elements
A warping system in proximity to a yarn creel that supplies yarn thereto, the warping system comprising:
- a beam for winding yarn thereon;
- a warper configured to support and rotate the beam as yarn is wound onto the beam;
- a roller positioned directly vertically above at least a portion of the warper, wherein the roller receives yarn directly from the yarn creel and redirects the yarn towards the beam;
- an expansion comb positioned between the roller and the warper along a vertical axis, the expansion comb configured to position each yarn in a predetermined position relative to other yarns from the roller to the beam;
- an S-bar roller positioned between the expansion comb and the roller along the vertical axis, wherein the S-bar roller is configured to receive a portion of the yarn from the roller and selectively adjust the tension on yarn contacting the S-bar roller, wherein an expansion distance between the roller and the expansion comb, measured along the vertical axis, ranges from about 2 to 6 feet;
- and
- a plurality of tubes, wherein a first tube end of each tube of the plurality of tubes is positioned adjacent to the yarn creel and a second tube end of each tube of the plurality of tubes is positioned adjacent to the roller, and wherein each tube has a lumen extending therethrough that is sized and shaped to allow for the free passage of one yarn,
- wherein at least a portion of the yarn extends between the roller and the beam and contacts the expansion comb while remaining substantially within a yarn plane, wherein the yarn plane is oriented at a substantially constant angle relative to a horizontal surface on which the warper is positioned, and
- wherein the warper is further configured to articulate the beam relative to the roller to maintain the substantially constant angle between the yarn plane and the horizontal surface as the wound yarn on the outer diameter of the beam increases.
6 more elements
A warping system in proximity to a yarn creel that supplies yarn thereto, the warping system comprising:
- a plurality of yarns;
- a beam for winding the yarns thereon;
- a warper configured to support and rotate the beam as the yarns are wound onto the beam;
- a roller positioned directly vertically above at least a portion of the warper, wherein the roller receives the yarns directly from the yarn creel and redirects the yarns towards the beam;
- an expansion comb positioned between the roller and the warper along a vertical axis, the expansion comb configured to position each yarn in a predetermined position relative to other yarns extending from the roller to the beam;
- and
- an S-bar roller positioned between the expansion comb and the roller along the vertical axis, wherein the S-bar roller is configured to receive a portion of the yarn from the roller and selectively adjust the tension on yarn contacting the S-bar roller;
- wherein at least a portion of the yarn extends between the roller and the beam and contacts the expansion comb while remaining substantially within a yarn plane, wherein the yarn plane is oriented at a substantially constant angle relative to a horizontal surface on which the warper is positioned, and
- wherein the warper is further configured to articulate the beam relative to the roller to maintain the substantially constant angle between the yarn plane and the horizontal surface as the wound yarn on the outer diameter of the beam increases.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.