US3783642A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for data transmission in knitting machines
Assignee: H Stoll GmbH and Co KG
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Filing: 1972-03-21
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Granted: 1974-01-08
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Expires: 1992-03-21
Abstract
Abstract A method for transmitting data between an electronic needle selector system located on the carriage of a flat knitting machine and a stationary programmer unit, provides for transmission of the data optically and conversion of the data so transmitted into corresponding electrical signals using photoelectric transducers. The optical system includes pairs of light conducting rods which extend parallel to the direction of travel of the carriage and which serve to conduct light signals to and back from the needle selector system. The light conductor rods preferably include light transmissive side and end walls, the side walls of the first of rods of each pair of rods comprising a checkered pattern of alternate light transparent and light opaque sections the pitch of which is equal to the pitch of needles in the needle bed or beds of the machine.
Inventors
- 👤 W Hadam
- 👤 E Goller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 11:31
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04B; D04B15/00; D04B15/66
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
In a knitting system comprising a flat knitting machine having a movable machine carriage including at least one electronic needle selector system including at least one control magnet located on said carriage and a fixed patterning program carrier for controlling the operation of the electronic needle control system, the improvement wherein optical means for transmitting data related to the operation of the electronic needle control system between the control system and the patterning program carrier including at least first and second stationary light conductors disposed parallel to the direction of travel of the carriage for transmitting said data to said control system from said carrier and to said carrier from said control system, respectively; at least one end and one side of each said light conducting rod being light transmissive, the side of said rod opposite the transmissive side being light reflective so that light incident thereon is reflected.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a knitting system comprising a flat knitting machine having a movable machine carriage including at least one electronic needle selector system including at least one control magnet located on said carriage and a fixed patterning program carrier for controlling the operation of the electronic needle control system, the improvement wherein optical means for transmitting data related to the operation of the electronic needle control system between the control system and the patterning program carrier including at least first and second stationary light conductors disposed parallel to the direction of travel of the carriage for transmitting said data to said control system from said carrier and to said carrier from said control system, respectively; at least one end and one side of each said light conducting rod being light transmissive, the side of said rod opposite the transmissive side being light reflective so that light incident thereon is reflected.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light reflecting side of each light conducting rod includes a plurality of light reflecting, inclined surfaces, the number of which per unit length of the rod, is greater than the number of needle tricks and intervening ribs for the same unit of length in the needle bed of the machine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
86 words
A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said system includes a plurality of pairs of said light conducting rods and said first light conductor rod of each of said plurality of pairs of said rods includes at the light transmissive side surface thereof a checkered pattern of surface portions which are alternately light transmissive and light opaque successively along the longitudinal axis of the rod, the pitch of a subdivision of this pattern being equal to the pitch of the needles in the needle bed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein a continuous light source is disposed on the carriage of the knitting machine, the light from said source being conducted through individual flexible light conductors and the light emerging from each of said flexible light conductors being directed into the zone of a light transmissive portion of one of the light conductor rods of each pair of said rods.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
70 words
A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein a further continuous light source is disposed adjacent the fixed program carrier, the light from said further source being conducted through further individual flexible light conductors and the light emerging from each of said further flexible light conductors being directed into the zone of a light transmissive portion of the other of said light conductors of each said pair of said rods.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
109 words
A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flexible light conductors associated with light source on the machine carriage transmit light from the continuous light source into the zone of the checkered light transmissive side surface of the first light conductor rod of each pair of said rods, said first light conductor rod including a photocell at the light signal entry end thereof connected to the input of an individual channel of the patterning program carrier, the output signal of the corresponding patterning program carrier channel controlling a means for producing light signals at the light transmissive end of the second light conductor rod of the said pair.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a photo-electric transducer associated with the second light conductor rod of each pair of said rods, each said transducer being connected to the carriage and being electrically coupled to at least one of the needle selector systems.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
A system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising pulse generators in the form of a plurality of supplementary light conducting rods which extend parallel to one another and co-operate with further photo-electric transducers associated group-wise with the individual needle selector systems, said supplementary rods including one longitudinal signal comprising staggered light transmissive and light opaque surfaces, the subdivisions in which are a whole number multiple of the individuAl subdivisions in the said checkered pattern sides of the first mentioned light conducting rods.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising means for connecting the photo-electric transducers co-operating with the pulse generator light conducting rods and the photo-electric transducers associated with the pairs of light conducting rods, through coincidence circuits to a plurality of control magnets in each of the associated needle selector systems.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means for producing light signals at the light signal entry end of the second light conducting rod of each pair of said rods comprises an electronic flash tube, which is operated independently of the output pulses of the associated patterning program carrier channel.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
93 words
A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the means for producing light signals at the light signal entry end of the second light conducting rod of each pair of said rods comprises a continuous light source, and a Kerr cell associated with each said second light conducting rod and illuminated by said continuous source, each cell being electrically connected to the output of a patterning program carrier channel, and deflected beams from said cells passing to the entry end of the second light conducting rod of an associated pair of such rods.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each patterning program carrier channel comprises a shift register which is associated with a relevant needle selector system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pairs of light conducting rods and the supplementary light conducting rods follow the racking movements of the needle bed.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of transmitting data related to the operation of an electronic needle control system between stationary and moving parts of a knitting machine comprising converting electrical data pulses into light pulses at the stationary part of the knitting machine, transmitting said light pulses through a directed optical path to the moving part of the knitting machine, and converting the light pulses into electrical data pulses at the moving part of the knitting machine; and producing a constant light signal at the moving part, dividing said constant light signal into further light pulses as a function of the movement of the moving part of the knitting machine, transmitting said further light pulses through a directed optical path to the stationary part of the knitting machine, and converting said further light pulses into electrical control signals at the stationary part of the knitting machine.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of transmitting data related to the operation of an electronic needle control system between stationary and moving parts of a knitting machine comprising converting electrical data pulses into light pulses at the stationary part of the knitting machine, transmitting said light pulses through a directed optical path to the moving part of the knitting machine, and converting the light pulses into electrical data pulses at the moving part of the knitting machine; and producing a constant light signal at the moving part, dividing said constant light signal into further light pulses as a function of the movement of the moving part of the knitting machine, transmitting said further light pulses through a directed optical path to the stationary part of the knitting machine, and converting said further light pulses into electrical control signals at the stationary part of the knitting machine.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3035426A
Cited
US3446037A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-07-09 | 1978-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-07 | 1981-07-09 | 1982-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-07 | 1985-07-09 | 1986-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |