Loom and a Method of Controlling the Temperature of a Lubricant in Such a Loom

• US 20120012223A1
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Staubli Faverges (Stã¤Ubli Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Staubli Faverges (Stã¤Ubli Holding AG)
• Inventors: CHAMPION, Clément, COMMUNAL, Sébastien
• Granted Patent: US 8,517,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 139/55.1
• CPC Class Codes: D03J 1/003 Devices for lubricating machine parts

Abstract

The loom (1) comprises a subassembly (2) including heddles (212), a beater (23), and means (25, 26) for inserting weft into the shed formed by warp yarns. It also includes a shed-forming device (4), means for lubricating certain components (22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29) of the subassembly, said means including a first circuit (C₁) for circulating a first lubricant, and means for lubricating the shed-forming device (4), these means including a second circuit (C₂) for circulating a second lubricant. The loom (1) includes a heat exchanger system (6) for exchanging heat between the first lubricant and the second lubricant without fluid communication between the lubricants. The heat exchanger system (6) has means (631, 632, 641, 642, 651, 652) for circulating one of the two lubricants or a coolant fluid to a zone (62) of thermal contact with the other lubricant.

Claims

1. A loom comprising:

a subassembly including heddles, a beater, and means for inserting weft into the shed formed by warp yarns;

a shed-forming device;

lubrication means for lubricating certain components of the subassembly, these means including a first circuit for circulating a first lubricant; and

means for lubricating the shed-forming device, these means including a second circuit for circulating a second lubricant;

wherein the loom includes a heat exchanger system for exchanging heat between the first lubricant and the second lubricant without fluid communication between these lubricants, and wherein the heat exchanger system comprises means for circulating a lubricant selected from the first and second lubricants, or a coolant fluid to a zone where the lubricant or the coolant fluid is in thermal contact with another lubricant selected from the first and second lubricants.

2. A loom according to claim 1, wherein the means for putting the lubricant into circulation comprise at least one pump and associated lines for circulating one of the lubricants selected from the first lubricant and the second lubricant or the coolant fluid to the thermal contact zone or from said zone.

3. A loom according to claim 1, wherein it includes at least one temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of one of the lubricants or of a coolant fluid.

4. A loom according to claim 1, wherein it includes regulation means for regulating heat exchange between the first and second lubricants.

5. A loom according to claim 4, wherein the means for putting the lubricant into circulation comprise at least one pump and associated lines for circulating one of the lubricants selected from the first lubricant and the second lubricant or the coolant fluid to the thermal contact zone or from said zone, whereas it includes at least one temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of one of the lubricants or of a coolant fluid and the regulation means comprise means for controlling the pump as a function of the signal output by the temperature sensor.

6. A loom according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger means comprise a heat exchanger and means for bringing the first and second lubricants to the heat exchanger.

7. A loom according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger means comprise a third circuit in which a coolant fluid circulates between a first zone of thermal contact with the first circuit and a second zone of thermal contact with the second circuit.

8. A loom according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the circuits includes a volume forming a supply of lubricant circulating in said circuit, and wherein the heat exchanger means include means for bringing a coolant fluid or the lubricant of the other circuit into the supply-forming volume.

9. A loom according to claim 1, wherein the first lubricant is used for lubricating means for driving the beater, the weft inserter means, and/or a device for driving a beam or a roller for winding the cloth.

10. A method of controlling the temperature of a lubricant in a shed-forming device of a loom, wherein the method consists in putting said lubricant into leaktight thermal contact with another lubricant used for lubricating certain components of a subassembly of the loom, which subassembly includes heddles, a beater, and means for inserting weft into the shed formed by warp yarns.