阅读说明：本技术 操作环锭纺纱机的维修机器人的方法和用于执行该方法的环锭纺纱机 (Method for operating a service robot of a ring spinning machine and ring spinning machine for carrying out the method ) 是由 M.莫拉维克 P.山姆拉德 于 2019-08-06 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及操作环锭纺纱机的维修机器人的方法,其中维修机器人可沿着纺纱机的一排纺纱单元移位,每个纺纱单元包括锭子,其中维修机器人可停在特定纺纱单元处,以在该纺纱单元处执行维修操作。该方法包括以下步骤：使维修机器人沿着一排纺纱单元初始地移位以检测参考位置；和在维修机器人的此移位期间,由传感器检测位于一排纺纱单元的两端之间的至少一个参考元件,其中参考元件指示参考位置；以及如果需要在相应的纺纱单元处执行维修操作,则在维修机器人的操作期间使用参考位置将维修机器人定位在一排纺纱单元的特定纺纱单元之前。本发明还涉及用于执行此方法的环锭纺纱机。(The invention relates to a method of operating a maintenance robot of a ring spinning machine, wherein the maintenance robot is displaceable along a row of spinning cells of the spinning machine, each spinning cell comprising a spindle, wherein the maintenance robot is stoppable at a specific spinning cell for performing a maintenance operation at the spinning cell. The method comprises the following steps: initially displacing a service robot along a row of spinning cells to detect a reference position; and during this displacement of the service robot, detecting by the sensor at least one reference element located between the two ends of the row of spinning units, wherein the reference element indicates a reference position; and if it is necessary to perform a maintenance operation at the corresponding spinning cell, positioning the maintenance robot before a specific spinning cell of a row of spinning cells using the reference position during the operation of the maintenance robot. The invention also relates to a ring spinning machine for carrying out the method.)

1. A method of operating a maintenance robot for a ring spinning machine,

-wherein the service robot is displaceable along a row of spinning units (a) of a spinning machine, each spinning unit (a) comprising a spindle (1), wherein the service robot (4) is stoppable at a specific spinning unit (a) for performing a service operation at the spinning unit (a);

characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

-initially displacing the service robot (4) along the row of spinning units (a) in order to detect a reference position; and

detecting, by an eddy current sensor (a 1), at least one reference element (H) located between two ends of the row of spinning units (a) during the displacement of the service robot (4), wherein the reference element (H) indicates a reference position; and

during the operation of the service robot (4), the service robot is positioned before a specific spinning cell (a) of the row of spinning cells (a) using the reference position in case a service operation is required at the specific spinning cell (a).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the maintenance robot (4) detects the spindle (1) as a reference element (H) between the two ends of the row of spinning units (a) by means of an eddy current sensor (a 1).

3. Method according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the service robot counts the spindles (1) from a defined position to a position where it performs a service operation before the spinning unit (a).

4. Method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the reference element (H) is arranged in a position where the reference element (H) is the same as the distance (b) of the nearest spinning spindle (1) on the right and left side and at the same time this distance (b) is larger than the distance (a) between two adjacent spinning spindles (1), whereby the spinning spindles (1) and the reference element (H) are detected during the initial displacement of the service robot (4) and the reference element (H) is detected depending on the time interval and/or the difference of the distance between two adjacent spinning spindles (1) and the distance between the nearest spinning spindle (1) and the reference element (H).

5. Method according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the reference element (H) is detected at an intermediate drive (D) of the spinning machine.

6. Method according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that if the service robot (4) arrives at the end of the row of spinning units (A) of the spinning machine before detecting the reference element (H), the service robot (4) changes direction and continues to detect the reference element (H).

7. Method according to any of claims 1-6, characterized in that the method is performed before starting the operation of the service robot (4), such as after switching on the service robot (4) or after switching off the power.

8. A ring spinning machine for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising:

a row of spinning units (A) arranged adjacent to each other, each spinning unit (A) comprising a spindle (1),

-a maintenance robot (4) displaceable along the row of spinning units (a) with the option of stopping at a selected spinning unit (a) in order to perform a maintenance operation at the spinning unit (a); thereby the device is provided with

-the service robot (4) is provided with a sensor (A1) for sensing the position of the service robot (4) along the row of spinning units (A),

-at least one reference element (H) is arranged between the two ends of the row of spinning units (a) as a reference position of the maintenance robot (4) along the row of spinning units (a), wherein during operation of the maintenance robot (4) the reference position is used to position the maintenance robot (4) in front of a specific spinning unit (a) of the row of spinning units (a) requiring maintenance operation; and

-a controller adapted to initially displace the service robot (4) along the row of spinning units (a) in order to detect the defined position.

9. A ring spinning machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the service robot (4) comprises an eddy current sensor (A1) as sensor and the external geometry of the reference element (H) is the same as or close to the external geometry of the detection part of the spinning spindle (1).

10. Ring spinning machine according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the reference element (H) is arranged in a position where the reference element (H) is at the same distance (b) from the nearest spinning spindle (1) on the right and left side and at the same time this distance (b) is larger than the distance (a) between two adjacent spinning spindles (1).

11. Ring spinning machine according to claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the sensor (a 1) of the position of the service robot (4) is associated with an area below the lower surface of a spindle table (9).

12. Ring spinning machine according to any of the claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the reference element (H) is made of the same or substantially the same material as the detection part of the spinning spindle (1).

13. A ring spinning machine according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the reference element (H) is located in the same position as the part of the sensed spinning spindle (1) with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ring spinning machine and the height of the ring spinning machine.

14. Ring spinning machine according to any of the claims 8 to 13, characterized in that the service robot (4) is further provided with a sensor (a 2) for detecting the end of the row of spinning units (a).

15. Ring spinning machine according to any of the claims 8 to 14, characterized in that the reference element (H) is arranged on the structure of the intermediate drive (D) arranged between the two ends of the row of spinning units (a) wherein the parking area of the service robot (4) is located.

16. A ring spinning machine according to any one of claims 8 to 15, characterized in that the service robot (4) and the control device are interconnected by a communication line to transmit information about: the number of the spinning units (A), the total number of the spinning units on the machine, the position of the auxiliary drive (D) with the reference element (H) in the service robot (4), whereby the service robot (4) is provided with means for storing and processing this information.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method of operating a maintenance robot of a ring spinning machine, wherein the maintenance robot is displaceable along a row of spinning cells of the spinning machine, each spinning cell comprising a spindle, wherein the maintenance robot is stoppable at a specific spinning cell for performing a maintenance operation at the spinning cell.

The invention also relates to a ring spinning machine comprising a row of spinning units arranged adjacent to each other, each spinning unit comprising a spindle, and a service robot displaceable along a row of spinning units, with the option of stopping at a selected spinning unit to perform a service operation at the spinning unit.

Background

Ring spinning machines comprise a row of identical spinning units arranged next to one another, each comprising a roving drafting device from which the processed fiber roving is fed to a twisting device from which the produced yarn is taken off and wound on a winding device on a tube carried by a spindle, so as to form a cop, i.e. a tube with yarn packages.

If the yarn manufacturing process is interrupted, for example due to a yarn break, the yarn production at the respective spinning unit must be restarted, which is performed by a machine operator, either manually or by an automatic maintenance robot.

For several reasons, current ring spinning machines are mainly operated manually. One reason is that the working space of the maintenance mechanism for the maintenance robot is limited, since there is only a short distance (70 and 75 mm) between the spinning units. Another reason is to solve the difficulty of the functional activities of the maintenance organs in a limited working space without mutual limitations of the maintenance organs in terms of space and time. Last but not least, and also for reasons of price, manual maintenance is advantageous in many parts of the world. In view of the increasing demand for production cost savings in yarn production, ring spinning machines with a greater number of spinning units are produced. Thus, the length of the machine is extended (50 meters or more), which makes it possible to economically use an automatic maintenance robot for the maintenance of the spinning units, wherein from the moment of failure the maintenance operations must be carried out at all the spinning units along the length of the machine in the shortest time. This increases the requirements on the speed and the accuracy of the movement of the maintenance robot and the accuracy of the stopping at the spinning units, which is why it is necessary to know the initial reference position and the direction of movement of the maintenance robot along a row of spinning units.

On ring spinning machines with an increasing number of spinning units and machines of extended length, the required power output of the drive of the drafting device is also increased, and therefore due to the higher torque of the drive at the machine start, an intermediate drive is usually arranged in the central part of the machine length to avoid differences in the rotation of the through-shaft at the machine start and at the machine ends due to elastic deformation caused by torsional loads.

On this central part of the length of the ring spinning machine outside the spinning unit, a parking position of the maintenance robot is usually arranged, wherein the maintenance robot moves during its not performing any maintenance operations, e.g. during the operation of jointly removing the cop from the spinning spindle at the spinning unit or during placing the empty tube on the spindle and during jointly screwing in the spinning unit.

On ring spinning machines comprising a row of spinning units arranged next to each other, in which a displaceable service robot is positioned relative to other machine parts, it is necessary to set the service robot to a desired position relative to the respective part of the machine in order to perform the control activities of the control device. Whenever the machine is started or the service robot is put into operation, for example after a power failure or after a repair or when the machine is put into operation for the first time, etc., the service robot must be correctly positioned in relation to the individual spinning points. A disadvantage of the current state of the art is that in the case when the machine is for some reason located on the opposite side of the machine before the machine starts, for example after the machine has stopped or the service robot has been moved by an operator, the service robot has to be moved manually or by the machine over the entire length of the machine before or immediately after the machine starts, which is very time consuming, especially for machines with a large number of spinning units, and also results in low production efficiency.

The accuracy and precision with which the maintenance robot performs the individual maintenance operations on the spinning cells depends on the rapid and accurate determination of the position of the maintenance robot on the ring spinning machine, since their performance generally depends on sufficiently precise adjustment of the individual operating mechanisms of the maintenance robot relative to the individual parts of a particular spinning cell.

Various arrangements for positioning an automatic maintenance robot to provide maintenance operations at a spinning unit on a ring spinning machine, and methods of performing such positioning are known.

It is known, for example, from DE3909746a1 that, after a break in the yarn produced on the ring spinning machine, the position of a service robot for operating the spinning unit during the resumption of the spinning process is determined by inductive sensors located on the service robot, which sensors sense the positions of differently arranged and differently shaped openings formed in the guide rails of the travelling wheel of the service robot, whereby the positions of these openings correspond to the position of the spinning unit and to the two ends of the machine. The control and communication means then transmit information between the ring spinning machine, the spinning unit and the maintenance robot. A disadvantage of this solution is that in the case of machines with a plurality of spinning cells and therefore with a long length of service robot, in order to ensure correct coordination of the position of the service robot with the machine, the service robot must first move to one of the end positions of the service robot on the machine, which lengthens the time required for the coordination position and also lengthens the period of time during which the service robot does not perform any service operation. Another drawback of this arrangement lies in the fact that: the operation of the service robot requires more sensors.

EP2305864a1 discloses an embodiment in which reference points created near both ends of the machine and in the middle of the machine are sensed by sensors located on the maintenance assembly. During the travel of the maintenance assembly along the row of spinning units, the maintenance assembly measures the distance travelled by the assembly by measuring the angle of rotation of the rotating part of the drive of the maintenance assembly, which is associated with the linear forward movement of the maintenance assembly along the row of spinning units, and the overall path travelled by the maintenance assembly towards the respective spinning unit requesting the maintenance operation is calculated by this measured angle of rotation and direction of rotation of the rotatable part of the maintenance assembly, by which path the control device of the machine determines the distance of the maintenance unit from the spinning unit requesting the maintenance operation according to the speed of movement of the maintenance assembly and determines the position in which the braking program of the maintenance assembly is triggered to stop at the respective spinning unit. Another drawback of this solution is the fact that four working areas 3A, 3B or 4A, 4B separated by a central reference point are created on the machine, where these areas are in close proximity to each other, without providing any parking area for the maintenance assembly, and therefore without allowing parking of the maintenance assembly in the middle of the machine length during the group doffing, in order to prevent collisions of the robot means for group doffing and the maintenance assembly. During the group doffing operation, the maintenance assembly must be moved to the end of the machine, which in the case of ring spinning machines of large length extends the time during which the maintenance assembly cannot operate after the group doffing has ended and the spinning process has started.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to remove or at least reduce the disadvantages of the background art.

The object of the invention is also to create a method in which the maintenance robot of the ring spinning machine can easily find the reference position during the initial displacement of the maintenance robot along the length of the spinning machine.

The object of the invention is achieved by a method of operating a service robot of a ring spinning machine, the principle of which is that it comprises the following steps:

the maintenance robot is initially displaced along a row of spinning units to detect a reference position; and

during the displacement of the service robot, detecting at least one reference element by a sensor between the two ends of the row of spinning units, wherein the reference element indicates a reference position; and

positioning the service robot before a specific spinning cell of a row of spinning cells using the reference position during operation of the service robot if a need arises for the corresponding spinning cell to perform a service operation.

Advantageously, the maintenance robot detects the spindles by means of eddy current sensors as reference elements between the two ends of the row of spinning units.

Advantageously, the service robot counts the spindles from a defined position to a position where the robot performs a service operation before the spinning cell.

Advantageously, the reference element is arranged in a position where the distance b of the reference element from the nearest spinning spindle on the right and left side is the same and at the same time this distance b is larger than the distance a between two adjacent spinning spindles, wherein the spinning spindles and the reference element are detected during the initial displacement of the service robot and the reference element is detected according to the time interval and/or the difference of the distance between two adjacent spinning spindles and between the nearest spinning spindle and the reference element.

Advantageously, the reference element is detected at an intermediate drive of the spinning machine.

Advantageously, if the maintenance robot reaches the end of a row of spinning units of the spinning machine before detecting the reference element, the maintenance robot changes direction and continues to detect the reference element.

Advantageously, the method is performed before starting operation of the service robot, for example before switching on or after switching off.

A ring spinning machine for carrying out the method comprises

A row of spinning units arranged adjacent to each other, each spinning unit comprising a spindle,

a maintenance robot displaceable along a row of spinning units, with the option of stopping at a selected spinning unit, in order to perform a maintenance operation at the spinning unit; thereby the device is provided with

The maintenance robot has a sensor for sensing a position of the maintenance robot along a row of spinning cells,

at least one reference element is arranged between the two ends of the row of spinning units as a reference position of the maintenance robot along the row of spinning units, wherein the reference position is used during operation of the maintenance robot to position the maintenance robot in front of a specific spinning unit of the row of spinning units requiring maintenance operation; and

a controller adapted to initially displace the service robot along a row of spinning units in order to detect a defined position.

Advantageously, the service robot comprises an eddy current sensor as sensor and the external geometry of the reference element is identical or close to the external geometry of the detection section of the spinning spindle.

Advantageously, the reference element is arranged in a position where it is at the same distance from the nearest spinning spindle on the right and left side and at the same time this distance is larger than the distance between two adjacent spinning spindles.

Advantageously, the sensor of the position of the service robot is associated with a region below the lower surface of the ingot table.

Advantageously, the reference element is made of the same or substantially the same material as the detected part of the spinning spindle.

Advantageously, the reference element is located in the same position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the ring spinning machine and the height of the ring spinning machine as the sensed portion of the spinning spindle.

Advantageously, the service robot is further provided with a sensor for detecting the end of a row of spinning units.

Advantageously, the reference element is arranged on the structure of an intermediate drive arranged between the two ends of a row of spinning units, where the parking area of the service robot is located.

Advantageously, the service robot and the control device are interconnected by a communication line in order to transmit information about the number of spinning units, the total number of spinning units on the machine, the positions of the auxiliary drive and the reference element in the service robot, wherein the service robot is provided with means for storing and processing this information.

The advantage of this solution lies in the fact that: in the case of very long ring spinning machines with a plurality of spinning units, an intermediate drive is arranged in the center of the spinning unit, a parking position of a maintenance robot is arranged in the vicinity of the intermediate drive, to which parking position the maintenance robot is moved when doffing a group of wound cops is performed, whereby a reference position of the control device is also arranged in the vicinity of this intermediate drive, which in the exemplary embodiment is formed by synchronizing "dummy" spindles on an intermediate drive mechanism. From this parking position (which is simultaneously the reference position) the maintenance robot is moved to the right or to the side towards the spinning unit requesting the maintenance operation, thereby shortening the distance and the time for moving the maintenance robot to the spinning unit requesting the maintenance operation, thus improving the efficiency of the utilization of the maintenance robot compared to the background art, wherein the reference position is created at the start and/or end of the machine, which is also manifested during the initialization of the maintenance robot at the time of a first start of the machine or at the time of a restart of the maintenance robot after a maintenance, after a power cut, after a manual gear shift by the machine operator, etc. The determination of the position of the maintenance robot with respect to the entire row of spinning points and the reference point is performed by sensors arranged on the maintenance robot, which sensors sense the gap between adjacent spindles and the gap between the spinning spindles and the reference point and can also determine the direction of movement of the maintenance robot. Another advantage of the solution according to the invention lies in the fact that: the lower part of the mounting of the spinning spindle at the spinning unit below the spindle table is sensed as the existing position of the machine structure. Another advantage resides in the fact that: the reference point is sensed in the form of a "dummy" spindle, which is identical or very similar in geometry and material to the functional spinning spindles at the spinning unit, which means that the detection of all operating spindles and of the synchronized "dummy" spindles can be made by one common sensor, whereby due to the distance of the "dummy" spindle from the production spinning spindle, a "dummy" spindle can be identified, which is different from the distance between the individual production spinning spindles. The advantages of the invention also lie in the fact that: the invention allows a considerable acceleration of the initialization of the maintenance robot with respect to the entire row of spinning units or, more specifically, a rapid synchronization of the control device with respect to the reference point and the position of the entire row of spinning units.

Drawings

The invention is illustrated schematically in the drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a schematic arrangement of a ring spinning machine according to the invention with a row of spinning units.

Fig. 2 shows an arrangement of parking positions on a ring spinning machine with a reference element "dummy spindle" and a parking service robot with a sensing sensor arranged thereon.

FIG. 3 shows an arrangement of an end part of a ring spinning machine with a sensed end machine mark and with a service robot, and finally; and

fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a ring spinning machine with an automatic service robot and sensors according to the dashed line IV-IV in fig. 3.

Detailed Description

The invention will be described with reference to an exemplary embodiment of a ring spinning machine comprising at least one row of spinning units a arranged next to each other as shown in fig. 1. The main drive B is arranged at one end of the machine, with the end piece C of the machine arranged at the opposite end of the machine. At least one intermediate drive D or intermediate drive mechanism is located between the two ends of a row of spinning units. In the exemplary embodiment shown, there is one intermediate drive D and is located in the central part of the machine.

Along one row of spinning units a, a service robot 4 is arranged in a bidirectionally displaceable manner in the direction of arrow E, which service robot 4 is provided with not shown means for performing service operations at the spinning units a. In the embodiment of fig. 2 and 3, the maintenance robot 4 moves along the running rail 3 arranged over the entire length of the ring spinning machine and can stop at the selected spinning unit a requesting the maintenance operation. Fig. 4 is a cross section of a ring spinning machine according to the broken line IV-IV in fig. 3.

In order to provide a proper maintenance operation by the maintenance robot 4 at the spinning unit a, it is necessary to initialize the position of the maintenance robot 4 before starting the actual maintenance operation at the spinning unit a, i.e. to coordinate or synchronize with the row of spinning units a with respect to an initial reference position on the machine, so that, in other words, the maintenance robot 4 can orient itself on the machine.

After this initialization, the control unit or the corresponding controller may start a process of controlling the movement of the maintenance robot 4 along the row of spinning units a, for example, a direction in which the maintenance robot 4 moves along the row of spinning units a, a moving speed, a process of stopping or determining the position of a specific spinning unit a at which the maintenance operation is to be performed, an operation sequence arranged at the respective spinning units a, and the like. This initialization of the position of the service robot 4 must be done after each start-up of the machine or after the service robot 4 has moved manually along its running track or after restarting the service robot 4 that has performed service activities outside the machine.

Such spinning units are known in principle and are therefore described only in a simplified manner. Those parts, elements and nodes of the spinning unit which are important for the invention will be described in more detail.

Each spinning unit a of the ring spinning machine comprises a roving drafting device, not shown, below which a yarn twisting and winding device is arranged. From a supply package, not shown, the roving is fed to a drafting device, the yarn thus formed passes through a guide eyelet, an air bag limiter and then through a traveller circulating around the circumference of a ring mounted in a support mounted on a ring plate 5, after passing through the traveller, the yarn produced is wound on a tube placed on a spinning spindle 1, forming a cop. The yarn package on the tube is formed by stepwise reversible vertical movement of the ring rail 5 in the vertical direction F. The spindles 1 are normally driven at their lower part by flat belts from the drive shafts and are rotatably mounted in closed bearing bodies G which are mounted on a fixed spindle table 9. In the central part of the machine is arranged an intermediate drive D, in the vicinity of which a parking position 8 for the service robot 4 is provided. The reference element H of the position of the service robot 4 is arranged on the intermediate drive D, for example formed by a "dummy" spindle 2, which is in the region of the intermediate drive D of the machine, or in the region of the parking position 8 of the service robot 4, which service robot 4 is arranged in a defined position relative to the longitudinal axis of the machine and the height of the machine, which is the same as the position of the production of the spinning spindle 1. The maintenance robot 4 moves to the parking position 8, puts an empty tube on the spindle 1, screws in, etc., for example, during the process of doffing a group of wound cop, so that the maintenance robot 4 moves to the right or left side from the parking position 8 toward the spinning unit a requesting a maintenance operation.

A first sensor a1 and a second sensor a2 of the position of the maintenance robot 4 along the row of spinning units a are arranged on the maintenance robot 4. The first sensor a1 is adapted to sense the presence of the individual spinning spindles 1 of a row of spinning units a, and the presence of a reference element H (here, for example, a "dummy" spindle 2), during the movement of the service robot 4 along the row of spinning units a. The second sensor a2 is adapted to sense the vertical surface 30 of the guide rail of the running track 3 of the service robot 4. In order to improve the detection of the service robot 4 along the working movement range of the machine, the vertical surface 30 of the guide rail of the running track 3 is provided with end markings, for example with openings 7 at the beginning and end of a row of spinning units a, for example 3 to 4 pitches between the spinning spindles 1 before the last (end) spinning spindle 1 on the respective side of a row of spinning units a.

The running track 3 is also provided with mechanical safety stops 6 at its initial and end portions, which limit the range of movement of the service robot 4 from the central portion to the ends of the machine. End marks (openings 7) at both ends of the running track 3 constitute end reference positions of the service robot 4, and at the same time, a point for starting braking of the service robot 4 or for changing the moving direction of the service robot 4 to the opposite direction is determined before stopping at the first or last spinning unit a of the corresponding row of spinning units a.

A reference element H in the form of a "dummy" spindle 2 is mounted in a cradle on the body of the intermediate drive D in the region of the parking position and at the height level of the production spindle 1 at the spinning unit a.

The reference element H of the position of the maintenance robot 4 (i.e. the "dummy" spindle 2 in the illustrated exemplary embodiment), i.e. the "dummy" spindle 2, is at the same distance from the active part of the sensor a1 as the production spindle 1 is from the active part of the sensor a1, see fig. 2. In the direction of the longitudinal axis of the ring spinning machine, the distance b between the reference element H (i.e. the "dummy" spindle 2 in the exemplary embodiment shown) and the nearest production spindle 1 from the left and right of a row of spinning units a is greater than the distance a between two adjacent production spindles 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the distance b is at least twice the distance a. Thus, the reference element H (i.e. the "dummy" spindle 2 in the exemplary embodiment shown) is identical or very close to the production spindle 1 in terms of material and structure, which means that the same detection characteristics of the sensor a1 remain in the production spindle 1 as well as in the reference element H. In an embodiment not shown, the reference element H is formed by a metal pin or roller mounted in a corresponding position on the body of the intermediate drive D of the machine.

The device according to the invention operates in the following manner: during the putting-in-operation of the ring spinning machine after a previous closing or after manual movement of the service robot 4 along the running track 3 or after mounting the service robot 4 on which service activities have been performed outside the machine, etc., the service robot 4 automatically starts to initially move from its random and not precisely defined position in the direction of a row of spinning units a towards one end of the row of spinning units a. In this movement, the maintenance robot 4 detects the presence of a production spindle 1 by means of the sensor a1, which is determined by the set distance a of two adjacent production spindles 1 depending on the movement speed of the maintenance robot. If during this movement of the service robot 4 the reference element H is detected by the sensor a1, because the distance b between the adjacent production spindles 1 and 2 detected by the sensor is greater than the respective distance a between the adjacent production spindles 1, or, in other words, the distance corresponding to the set distance b of the reference element H ("dummy" spindle 2) from the closest production spindle 1, the spindle thus detected is registered as the reference element ("dummy" spindle 2) in the area of the intermediate drive D and the parking position 8, and the control system or the respective controller now knows exactly where the service robot 4 is located and how many spinning units a the service robot has travelled, because it counts the spinning units a it has travelled through, and therefore it determines from the right and left side of the reference element H, the number of spinning units a in a row of spinning units a. Information about the total number of spinning units and the position of the intermediate drive D and the reference element H is sent from the control unit of the machine to the service robot 4 via a communication line, such as a CAN bus, after switching on the power supply to the robot and/or machine. As a result, the service robot 4 knows the number of spinning units a on the machine side, the number of spinning units a before and after the reference element H, and also the number of spinning units at the end mark, wherein the service robot 4 is provided with means for storing and processing this information for the operation of the service robot and thus for synchronizing the machine with the service robot 4, without having to wait until the reference element H has been found by the service robot 4.

If during the above-mentioned movement of the service robot 4 the end marking (opening 7) in the end of the machine's running track 3 (or in other words the end of the row of spinning units a) is first detected by the sensor a2, the service robot 4 travels to the position at the last spinning unit (detecting the last production spindle 1) or, more specifically, to the end of the row of spinning units a, wherein the direction of the movement of the service robot is changed, whereupon the service robot continues to detect the reference element H in the opposite direction of its movement. On this basis, the control unit or the corresponding controller finds that the maintenance robot 4 is at a specific end of the row of spinning units a, and thus determines which end (right, left) of the row of spinning units a it is by the direction of movement of the maintenance robot 4 has traveled along to the specific end of the row of spinning units a.

In any case, the service robot 4 travels a substantially short distance from its previously undefined position to a defined position before the service robot 4 has definitively found where the service robot 4 is currently located along a row of spinning units. This information about the defined position of the service robot 4 is transmitted to the control unit (controller) and thus the position of the service robot 4 along the row of spinning units a is known, i.e. synchronized, with certainty from the reference element H or from the machine end (through the end mark or opening 7). This makes it possible for the control unit or controller to start the activity of the service robot 4 along a row of spinning units a much earlier than is the case in the prior art. In addition, each time the service robot 4 passes the reference element H, this is registered and the position determination defined thereby (i.e. the synchronization of the service robot 4 and the row of spinning units a) is continuously maintained.

At the same time, during the movement of the maintenance robot 4 along the row of spinning units a, the production spindles 1 are also continuously detected and counted, i.e. with respect to the path travelled by the maintenance robot 4 between two adjacent production spindles 1, or, in other words, with respect to the time interval between the recordings of the presence of two adjacent production spindles 1.

The distance b between the reference element H and the two closest production spindles 1 from the left and right is greater than the distance a between two adjacent production spindles 1, and therefore the time interval between the detection of the reference element H and the production spindle 1 closest to it is longer than the time interval between the detection of two production spindles 1 arranged next to each other when the service robot 4 moves along the machine at a constant speed. Preferably, sensors according to CZ patent application No. PV 2018-49 are used as reference element H and sensor a1 of the production spindle 1, which sensors, moreover, when detecting the successive spinning cells a along which the maintenance robot 4 is moving, are also able to determine the direction of movement of the maintenance robot 4 from its signal course. If necessary, the direction of movement of the service robot is determined by a control unit or controller, for example by data of a frequency converter of a drive of the service robot 4, which is used as additional input information for controlling the movement of the service robot 4 along the row of spinning units a. This information and the information from the sensors a1 and a2 allow the control unit to perform a fast and accurate positioning including an initialization process after starting the machine, after the service robot 4 is started, after a power failure, etc. In this positioning process, the reference position and the reference element H are first detected to coordinate the position of the maintenance robot 4 with respect to the row of spinning units a on the machine, which enables to control the movement of the maintenance robot 4 with respect to the row of spinning units a requesting the maintenance operation and to perform the positioning of the maintenance robot 4 with respect to the spinning units a. The above-described counting of the spinning units a along which the maintenance robot 4 travels is advantageous for controlling the maintenance robot 4, for example, because the maintenance robot 4 or a control device or controller or the like counts the spinning units a or production spindles 1 starting from a reference element H, in other words, starting from a defined position, up to a desired position of the maintenance robot 4 before the particular spinning unit a requesting the maintenance operation, and it is therefore not necessary to measure the distance traveled by the maintenance device 4 or to measure the duration of travel of the maintenance robot in order to quickly and accurately position the maintenance robot 4 relative to the particular spinning unit a of a row of spinning units a along the entire length of the spinning unit a.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, only one reference element H is arranged in one row of spinning cells a. In an embodiment not shown, two reference elements H (or even more) are arranged in a row of spinning units a, which is particularly advantageous in the case of very long ring spinning machines comprising up to more than 1000 units a in a row of spinning units a. In this case, a greater number of reference elements H in a row of spinning units a contributes to a quick initialization of the maintenance robot 4 on the machine, or more specifically with respect to a row of spinning units a. Naturally, with a plurality of spinning units a arranged next to each other, the number of intermediate drives D, and if necessary also the number of parking positions 8 of the service robot, is substantially increased.

Reference mark

1 spinning spindle

2 false spindle

3 operation track of maintenance robot

30 vertical surface of running track of maintenance robot

4 maintenance robot

5 Ring rail

6 stop

7 opening

8 parking position of maintenance robot

9 spindle platform

A spinning unit

A1 first sensor

A2 second sensor

B main driver

C-shaped end piece

D intermediate driver

E direction of movement of the service robot 4

Vertical direction of the F ring rail 5

G bearing body

H reference element