Weaving machines and three-dimensional woven fabrics

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a weaving machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a weaving machine for fabricating three-dimensional woven fabrics.

Description of Related Art

Under the trend of globalization, the fabrics industry is facing severe competition, and fabric manufacturers have to continue researching and developing new technology and diversified products to keep up with the competition worldwide. Recently, not only fantastic exterior design of the textiles or fabrics is required, but also comfortable and protective fabrics are required. Accordingly, fabrics with multiple functionalities have become mainstream products.

Several methods for fabricating three-dimensional distance fabrics have been proposed by prior arts. For example, three-dimensional distance fabrics are often applied to fabrics for victim relieving, ships, protection buffer fabrics, flooring, and so on. The gap between two outer fabrics of the distance fabric is usually required to be greater than 1 centimeter. In addition, the gap between two outer fabrics of the three-dimensional distance fabrics is modified according to different applications. Nowadays, three-dimensional distance fabrics with superior gap are often fabricated by velvet weaving machines. The gap of the distance fabrics fabricated by velvet weaving machines is about 20 centimeters at most. Obviously, distance fabrics with a gap greater than 20 centimeters cannot be fabricated by velvet weaving machines. Accordingly, how to fabricate three-dimensional distance fabrics with a gap greater than 20 centimeters to meet different design requirements is an important issue to be solved.

US 5,783,279 A discloses a fiber preform having a web and at least one flange has fibers disposed in the web such that each follows a zig-zag path and is interlocked with the fibers of the flange, wherein a manufacturing method for the preform includes interlocking the web yarns with those of the flange and engaging the web yarns at a plurality of points spaced longitudinally of the prefrom and also spaced from the flange in the direction of the web to define the required web dimension.

US 3,048,198 A discloses a ply fabric comprising a pair of superimposed and substantially coextensive woven fabric facing portions, and rib portions extending between said facing portions, each one of said rib portions including wrap threads that extend through both of said facing portions and are woven at intervals into at least one of said facing portions.

DE 1 535 386 discloses a method for manufacturing of textile isolating material having two base material outer layers, characterized in that additional wefts are transferred which are woven, wherein these wefts are removed afterwards for the extension of the wraps.

EP 0 271 021 discloses a warp tension control method by which the let-off motion of a loom is controlled to regulate the tension of the warp yarns. A force of the same dimension as the controlled variable, namely, the tension of the warp yarns, is applied to a mechanism supporting the tension roller of the let-off motion for displacement under the control of an electric control system to control the warp tension at a high accuracy.

The object is solved by the features of the independent claim. The present application preferably provides a weaving machine for fabricating three-dimensional woven fabrics having superior gap without significantly increasing costs.

The application preferably provides a weaving machine for weaving a three-dimensional woven fabric including two outer fabrics and a plurality of inter-yams connected with the outer fabrics. The weaving machine includes a warp let-off mechanism, a plurality of heald frames, a picking mechanism, a beating-up mechanism, a yarn raising mechanism, and a take-up mechanism. The warp let-off mechanism includes at least two warp beams for providing and transferring a plurality of warps. A plurality of vertically arranged heald wires are supported by each of the heald frames, wherein each of the heald wires has a heald eye for the warps passing through. The warps are driven from two warp beams, and divided into two layers by the heald frames such that a shed is formed between them. The picking mechanism transfers wefts to pass through the shed between the warp layers. The beating-up mechanism is suitable for pushing the wefts such that the wefts and the warps are interwoven to form the outer fabrics, wherein the heald frames are located between the warp let-off mechanism and the beating-up mechanism. The yarn raising mechanism is suitable for passing through the shed and raising parts of the warps functioning as the inter-yarns. The take-up mechanism is suitable for adjusting and controlling latitude density of the three-dimensional woven fabric.

In an embodiment of the present application, the warp let-off mechanism has at least two back rests corresponding to the warp beams.

In an embodiment of the present application, the back rests include a first back rest and a second back rest. Parts of the warps functioning as the inter-yarns are provided by the first back rest, and other parts of the warps are provided by the second back rest. The first back rest is a movable active back rest.

In an embodiment of the present application, the movable active back rest moves towards the heald frames when the parts of the warps functioning as the inter-yarns are pulled by the yarn raising mechanism.

In an example, the yarn raising mechanism moves to the top of the shed such that the parts of the warps functioning as the inter-yarns are pulled upwardly.

In an embodiment of the present application, the beating-up mechanism is located between the heald frames and the take-up mechanism.

The yarn raising mechanism in the shed is suitable for moving towards the take-up mechanism such that the parts of the warps functioning as the inter-yarns are pulled laterally.

In order to make the aforementioned and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a weaving machine according to an embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 1' schematically illustrates that the yarn raising mechanism extends into the shed and pulls parts of the warps.

FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D are schematic views illustrating a weaving process according to an example that does not fall within the scope of claims 1 to 5 of the present application.

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D are schematic views illustrating a weaving process according to an embodiment of the present application.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a weaving machine according to an embodiment of the present application. Referring to FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the weaving machine 100 for weaving a three-dimensional distance woven fabric T includes two outer fabrics F1, F2 and a plurality of inter-yarns I connected with the outer fabrics F1, F2. As shown in FIG. 1, the weaving machine 100 includes a warp let-off mechanism 110 , a plurality of heald frames 120, a picking mechanism 130, a beating-up mechanism 140, a yarn raising mechanism 150, and a take-up mechanism 160. The warp let-off mechanism 110 includes at least two warp beams 110A, 110B for providing and transferring a plurality of warps Y. A plurality of vertically arranged heald wires 122 are supported by each of the heald frames 120, wherein each of the heald wires 122 has a heald eye (not shown) for the warps Y passing through. The warps Y are driven from two warp beams, and divided into two warp layers Y1, Y2 by the heald frames 120 such that a shed A is formed between the two warp layers Y1, Y2.

The picking mechanism 130 transfers weft to pass through the shed A between the warp layers Y1, Y2. The beating-up mechanism 140 (e.g. a reed142) is suitable for pushing the wefts such that the wefts and the warps Y are interwoven to form the outer fabrics F1, F2. The heald frames 120 are located between the warp let-off mechanism 110 and the beating-up mechanism 140. The yarn raising mechanism 150 is suitable for passing through the shed A and raising parts of the warps Y functioning as inter-yams I. The take-up mechanism 160 is suitable for adjusting and controlling latitude density of the three-dimensional distance woven fabric T. In addition, the beating-up mechanism 140 is located between the heald frames 120 and the take-up mechanism 160.

In this embodiment, the warp let-off mechanism 110 has at least two back rests 112 corresponding to the warp beams 110A, 110B. Specifically, parts of the warps Y functioning as the inter-yams I are provided by the first back rest 112A, and the other parts of the warps Y are provided by the second back rest 112B. Here, the warps Y provided from the second back rest 112B are used to fabricate the outer fabrics F1, F2.

In order to simultaneously move with the yarn raising mechanism 150, the first back rest 112A may be a movable active back rest. The first back rest 112A (i.e. the movable active back rest) moves towards the heald frames 120 simultaneously when the parts of the warps Y functioning as the inter-yarns I are pulled by the yarn raising mechanism 150. It is noted that the first back rest 112A may include at least one movable roller while the second back rest 112B may includes at least one roller. The warps Y are transferred through rotation of the above-mentioned rollers.

In this embodiment, the gap G between the outer fabrics F1, F2 of the three-dimensional distance woven fabric T can be well adjusted through control of the length of the inter-yarns I. Specifically, the pulling range of the yarn raising mechanism 150 is relevant to the length of the inter-yarns I. In this embodiment, the pulling range of the yarn raising mechanism 150 ranges from about 10 centimeters to about 100 centimeters. Certainly, the pulling range of the yarn raising mechanism 150 can be properly modified to meet design requirements of other products. It is noted that the pulling direction is properly selected to avoid the moving of the yarn raising mechanism 150 from being obstructed when the inter-yarns I are pulled. Accordingly, by properly selecting the pulling range of the yarn raising mechanism 150, the three-dimensional distance woven fabric T having superior gap G can be integrally-woven.

The three-dimensional distance woven fabric T resulting from the weaving machine of the present invention includes two outer fabrics F 1, F2 and a plurality of inter-yarns I connected with the outer fabrics F1, F2, wherein a gap G distance between the outer fabrics F1, F2 of the three-dimensional distance woven fabric T is greater than 20 centimeters. The gap G between the outer fabrics F1, F2 can be greater than 50 centimeters, for example. The gap G distance between the outer fabrics F 1, F2 can be greater than 100 centimeters or 200 centimeters, for example. It is noted that pulling distance range of the yarn raising mechanism 150 is approximately a half one of the gap G.

In an example not falling within the scope of claims 1 to 5 of the present application, the yarn raising mechanism 150 moves to the top of the shed A such that the parts of the warps Y functioning as the inter-yarns I can be pulled upwardly, as shown in FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D. According to the present invention, the yarn raising mechanism 150 in the shed A moves towards the take-up mechanism 160 such that the parts of the warps Y functioning as the inter-yarns I are pulled laterally, as shown in FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D.

FIG. 1' schematically illustrates that the yarn raising mechanism extends into the shed and pulls parts of the warps. Referring to FIG. 1', the yarn raising mechanism 150 of this embodiment includes a driving unit 152 and a pulling unit 154 connected with the driving unit 152. Specifically, the pulling unit 154 is suitable for extending into the shed A between the warp layers Y1, Y2. In addition, the pulling unit 154 is driven by the driving unit 152 to move to the top of the shed A or to move towards the take-up mechanism 160. The design of the yarn raising mechanism 150 is limited to the mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1', other mechanical designs may be used in the present application.

FIG. 2A to FIG. 2D are schematic views illustrating a weaving process according to an example not falling within the scope of claims 1 to 5 of the present application. Referring to FIG. 2A, first, general weaving process including warp let-off procedure, shed forming procedure, wefts-picking procedure, beating-up procedure and take-up procedure are performed continuously such that the outer fabrics F 1, F2 are woven.

Referring to FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C, the warps Y provided from the warp beam 110B are arranged at the bottom of the shed A and the warps Y provided from the warp beam 110A are arranged at the top of the shed A. At this time, the yarn raising mechanism 150 extends into the shed A from two ends of the shed A and moves upwardly to the top of the shed A. Accordingly, the warps Y arranged at the top of the shed A are pulled upwardly. In this example, the pulling range of the yarn raising mechanism 150 can be properly evaluated and adjusted according to the required gap of the three-dimensional woven fabrics. After the warps Y are pulled upwardly, the yarn raising mechanism 150 is ejected from two ends of the shed A. Meanwhile, the inter-yarns I having a predetermined length are located naturally over the outer fabric F1.

Referring to FIG. 2D, after the warps Y are pulled upwardly, general weaving process including warp let-off procedure, shed forming procedure, picking procedure, beating-up procedure and take-up procedure are performed continuously. It is noted that the number or the frequency of the warps Y being pulled can be properly modified according to actual design requirements.

FIG. 3A to FIG. 3D are schematic views illustrating a weaving process according to an embodiment of the present application. Referring to FIG. 3A through FIG. 3D, the weaving process of this embodiment is similar with that illustrated in the FIG. 2A through FIG. 2D except that the yarn raising mechanism 150 extends into the shed A from two ends of the shed A and moves towards the take-up mechanism 160 such that the parts of the warps Y functioning as the inter-yarns I are pulled laterally.

The present application provides a weaving machine for fabricating three-dimensional woven fabrics having superior gap without significantly increasing costs. In addition, the three-dimensional distance woven fabrics resulting from the weaving machine of the present application may easily have a gap greater than 20 centimeters.