Portable Creels With Insertable Yarn Trays and Improved Headers and Yarn Handling Methods

• US 20110308438A1
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interface Incorporated
• Inventors: Ingram, William Oscar III, Jones, William N., Bradley, Horace Eddie Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,869,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 112/80.07
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/31 Textiles threads or artificial strands of filaments
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/16 Stands or frameworks
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 57/12 Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 57/16 formed to maintain a plurality of filaments in spaced relation
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 67/02 Arrangements for removing spent cores or receptacles and replacing by supply packages at paying-out stations for cans D01H9/008; arrangement of the service carriage B65H54/26; supports for packages B65H49/04, B65H49/20
• CPC Class Codes: D02H 1/00 Creels, i.e. apparatus for supplying a multiplicity of individual threads
• CPC Class Codes: D03D 39/06 Tuft yarn tube or spool frames
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 15/18 Thread feeding or tensioning arrangements

Abstract

Creels having frames configured to receive one or more trays of yarn packages. The trays of yarn packages are removable from the frame and can be loaded with packages of yarn when not inserted into the frame. Separately loading trays with yarns can simplify and provide other benefits with respect to the process of loading a creel with yarn packages. Also disclosed is an assembly that is positioned with respect to a detachable header and a stationary header on a creel and that comprises an air flow unit that causes yarns to move through to an alignment mechanism that aligns the yarns for attachment to yarns already feeding into a tufting machine.

Claims

1. A creel comprising:

(a) a plurality of trays, each tray adapted to hold a plurality of yarn packages;

(b) a frame configured to receive the plurality of trays; and

(c) a header on the frame for aligning yarns from the yarn packages for use by a yarn-using machine.

2. The creel of claim 1 wherein the plurality of trays are removable from the frame.

3. The creel of claim 1 wherein the frame further comprises at least one shelf for receiving at least one of the plurality of trays.

4. The creel of claim 3 wherein the at least one shelf comprises rollers for facilitating positioning of the at least one tray on the at least one shelf.

5. The creel of claim 1 wherein the plurality of trays each comprise a plurality of yarn posts.

6. The creel of claim 1 wherein each of plurality of trays comprises sidewalls, the sidewalls defining a plurality of openings in the sidewalls.

7. The creel of claim 1 further comprising tubing for transporting yarn from the yarn packages to the header.

8. The creel of claim 7 further comprising an air flow unit that causes yarn ends from the yarn packages inserted into ends of the tubing adjacent the yarn packages to move through the tubing to the header.

9. The creel of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of trays is positioned such that individual yarns from the respective yarn packages of the plurality of trays can feed into one of the ends of the tubing without interfering with other yarns.

10. An assembly for aligning yarns from a plurality of yarn packages for use by a tufting machine, wherein the assembly comprises:

an air flow unit that causes multiple ones of yarns ends from the yarn packages inserted into ends of tubes adjacent the yarn packages to simultaneously move through the tubes to the assembly, wherein once moved through the assembly the yarns are aligned for attachment to the tufting machine.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the assembly is attached to a frame of a creel.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the assembly is an intermediate header positioned between a stationary header and a detachable header on the frame, wherein the stationary header receives at least some of the yarns from tubes and the detachable header aligns yarn ends feeding into the tufting machine.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the intermediate header can be disassembled into multiple pieces such that the intermediate header can be disassembled while encasing yarns and reassembled for use on another creel.

14. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the intermediate header is adapted to be capable of disassembly and removal without access to yarn ends.

15. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the intermediate header has a clam shell-like structure adapted to surround a plurality of yarns when assembled and to be removed from the yarns when disassembled.

16. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the intermediate header comprises at least two components that:

a. when assembled and attached to the header assembly, define a plurality of pairs of yarn passages and air passages, each pair comprising;

i. a yarn passage within which a yarn may travel between a yarn tube attached to the stationary header and a detachable header; and

ii. an air passage that communicates with the yarn passage for receiving moving fluid for reducing pressure in the yarn tube to draw a yarn into and transport it through the yarn passage, and

b. when dissembled, are removable from proximity with the yarn while the yarn remains continuous between the stationery and detachable headers.

17. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the air flow unit causes a difference in pressure that in turn causes the select yarns to move through the header assembly.

18. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the assembly is attached to a frame of a creel, wherein the frame is configured to house a plurality of trays, each tray comprising a plurality of yarn packages.

19. The assembly of claim 10 wherein the assembly is attached to a frame of a creel, wherein the frame is configured to house a plurality of yarn packages, each of the plurality of yarn packages separately supported by the frame.

20. A creel comprising:

a frame providing yarn package supports, each of the yarn package supports configured to support a yarn package;

tubes for directing yarns from yarn packages to a header assembly; and

the header assembly for directing yarn from the tubes to a tufting machine, wherein the header assembly comprises;

a stationary header receiving yarns from the tubes;

an intermediate header receiving yarns from the tubes and comprising an air flow unit that causes one or more of the yarns from the yarn packages to move through the intermediate header; and

a detachable header for receiving the yarns from the yarn packages moved through the intermediate header, wherein the detachable header is detachable from the creel and attachable to a tufting machine such that the tufting machine can tuft using the yarns.

21. The creel of claim 20 wherein the air flow unit causes a difference in pressure that in turn causes select yarns to move through the header assembly.

22. The creel of claim 20 further comprising a plurality of trays that are removable from the frame.

23. The creel of claim 22 wherein the frame further comprises at least one shelf for receiving at least one of the plurality of trays and that comprises rollers for facilitating positioning of the at least one tray on the at least one shelf.

24. The creel of claim 22 wherein the plurality of trays each comprises a plurality of yarn posts.

25. The creel of claim 22 wherein each of the plurality of trays comprises sidewalls, the sidewalls defining a plurality of openings in the sidewalls.

26. A tray comprising:

a base portion; and

a plurality of supports, each support attached to the base portion, wherein each support is configured to support a respective yarn package such that yarn from the respective yarn package can be unwound from the yarn package, wherein the yarn packages are supported by the plurality of supports such that unwinding of any one of the yarn packages does not interfere with unwinding of any of the other yarn packages.

27. The tray of claim 26 further comprising at least one side extending perpendicularly from said base portion, wherein when positioned with the side down and supported on a frame of a creel, yarn packages supported by the plurality of supports are accessible.

28. The tray of claim 26 further comprising four sides extending perpendicularly from said base portion, wherein the four sides and base portion form a stackable unit, wherein the tray can be stacked with similarly-configured trays for storage and transport.

29. The tray of claim 26 further comprising indicia indicating a direction of the tray for insertion into a frame of a creel.

30. The tray of claim 26 further comprising one or more recesses for receiving one or more forks of a fork lift.

31. A method for handling yarn to be used in a tufting machine comprising:

loading multiple yarn packages into each of multiple yarn package receiving trays;

loading the trays into a creel frame;

introducing a yarn from each package into a tube attached to the frame; and

attaching the yarn to the tufting machine.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of loading the trays into a creel frame comprises sliding the trays into the creel frame from one end using rollers.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of loading the multiple yarn packages into the trays is performed at a first location and the step of loading the trays into the creel frame is performed at a second location different from the first location.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of determining a needed location of one of the yarn packages and using such determination to position the package into a particular tray.

35. A method for handling yarn to be used in a tufting machine comprising:

determining what colors of yarn are needed to move through a movable header and determining where such yarn colors need to be positioned on the movable header;

positioning yarn packages having each needed color of yarn in groups of at least two, such positioning occurring at a location that is remote from a tufting machine; and

placing the groups of at least two yarn packages into a frame.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising moving the groups of at least two yarn packages together prior to placing the groups into the frame.

37. A method for handling yarn to be used in a tufting machine comprising:

loading at least two yarn packages into each of at least two yarn-holding containers,

loading the at least two yarn-holding containers into a container rack, and

introducing a yarn end from each of the yarn packages into a yarn passage that communicates between the package and a yarn header.

38. The method for handling yarn of claim 37 further comprising:

utilizing a intermediate header to simultaneously draw a yarn through each of a plurality of the yarn passages and into a second header.

39. The method for handling yarn of claim 37 further comprising:

operating the tufting machine drawing yarn from the yarn packages; and

after stopping the tufting machine operation, removing the yarn-holding containers from the container rack while unused yarn in each yarn package remains in the yarn holding container.