Abstract: A volumetric weaving approach employs a vertical aspect of woven warp and weft fibers to generate volumetric structures through formation of tie-downs. Tie downs define warp and weft fibers that take a vertical path or component extending perpendicular to a weave plane. Independently controlled heddles provide selective warp fibers control, and a two-dimensional creel that dispenses the warp fibers at differing feed rates allows manipulation of the fibers into three dimensional structures or portions. As a shuttle draws the weft fiber, different layers are raised and lowered to lend a vertical axis to the resulting volumetric structure. Interconnections between the portions include the use of the tie downs to connect multiple portions to define 3-dimensional panels of a finished article such as a shoe. A single pass defining all the interconnected portions of the shoe generates the fully formed shoe without subsequent cutting and seaming of different textile panels.

Abstract: A weaving machine includes a shed forming device, a weft insertion device, and a weaving reed that beats up the weft threads at a beat up plane against an edge of the woven fabric. A guide device extends over a width of the woven fabric and is driven by a drive, the guide device being one or both of an upper guide unit that contacts a top surface of the woven fabric or a lower guide unit that contacts a bottom surface of the woven fabric. A control unit controls alternating movement of the guide unit along the direction of thickness of the woven fabric as the fabric is being woven based on information related to one or both of a structure of the woven fabric in the area of the beat up plane or a position of the warp threads in the open loom shed.

Abstract: A volumetric weaving approach employs a vertical aspect of woven warp and weft fibers to generate volumetric structures through formation of tie-downs. Tie downs define warp and weft fibers that take a vertical path or component extending perpendicular to a weave plane. Independently controlled heddles provide selective warp fibers control, and a two-dimensional creel that dispenses the warp fibers at differing feed rates allows manipulation of the fibers into three dimensional structures or portions. As a shuttle draws the weft fiber, different layers are raised and lowered to lend a vertical axis to the resulting volumetric structure. Interconnections between the portions include the use of the tie downs to connect multiple portions to define 3-dimensional panels of a finished article such as a shoe. A single pass defining all the interconnected portions of the shoe generates the fully formed shoe without subsequent cutting and seaming of different textile panels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods, apparatuses, and systems for controlling the density of a fluid near a functional object in order to improve one or more relevant performance metrics. In certain embodiments, the present invention relates to forming a low density region near the object utilizing a directed energy deposition device to deposit energy along one or more paths in the fluid. In certain embodiments, the present invention relates to synchronizing energy deposition with one or more parameters impacting the functional performance of the object.

Abstract: A method and sensor are provided for monitoring the quality of yarn by an electronic cleaner of yarn by means of an optical detector having a sensor with one or two rows of individual optical elements that are rectangular-shaped and have analog outputs. Each of the optical elements has a photodiode and an amplifier of its output signal. The amplifier has a variable amplification, whose size is modified according to the required sensitivity of a respective optical element to light.

Abstract: A method for insertion of a weft thread (2, 3, 4) on a weaving loom whereby insertion parameter is determined and in which on the one hand at least one control parameter for an insertion is adapted or, on the other hand, at least one control parameter for a weaving cycle is adapted. A weaving loom with control devices (41,42) and a selection device (43) for the application of a method as stated above.

Abstract: A loom restarting method restarts a loom stopped due to a loom stopping cause without entailing a “wavy set mark”. When a loom is stopped due to a loom stopping cause entailing faulty picking, the loom restarting method provides a loom stopping command, withholds the loom from a picking operation during a braking period for braking the loom to stop the same in a weaving cycle subsequent to a weaving cycle in which the loom stopping cause occurred, reverses the loom to the weaving cycle in which faulty picking occurred, removes a weft yarn picked by faulty picking, and restarts the loom to resume a normal weaving operation. The main shaft of the loom is positioned, after removing the weft yarn picked by faulty picking, at an angular position at which a picking operation is possible in the weaving cycle in which the weft yarn picked by faulty picking was removed and the reed of the loom is not in contact with a weft yarn inserted in the cloth fell of a fabric on the loom, and then the loom is restarted.

Abstract: A method for the weft insertion in a jet weaving machine is proposed, in which in each work cycle a weft thread (S1) of predeterminable length which is to be inserted is drawn off from a winding drum (3) of a thread supply apparatus (2), the weft thread (S1) is inserted into an open shed (17) by means of a main nozzle (11) which is fed with a transport medium, is bound in into the cloth (G) through the change of shed, and is severed at the cloth edge which is near the main nozzle (11). In each work cycle the drawing off of the weft thread (S1) to be inserted is interrupted at least once in such a manner that at first a first predeterminable thread length is released for the drawing off from the winding drum (3) and then at least one further predeterminable thread length is also released for the drawing off from the winding drum (3).

Abstract: The leading end of a weft thread exiting from a weft insertion channel in an air jet weaving loom is monitored by a weft stop motion positioned in a weft stretching channel directly downstream, as viewed in the weft motion direction, of an exit of the weft insertion channel. The weft stop motion is either an additional weft stop motion monitor or it is the first weft stop motion device repositioned from a location at the exit of the weft insertion channel to a location in the weft stretching channel. In such a position in the weft stretching channel faults or deformations such as a loop in the leading end section of the weft thread are readily or positively detected for generating a respective loom control signal.

Abstract: A method of monitoring the weft yarn run/stop conditions during each insertion cycle in a shuttle-less weaving machine like a rapier or projectile weaving machine by means of an electronic weft yarn feeler generating run output signals representing said weft yarn run condition, said weft yarn feeler including means to adjust the working sensitivity level, comprises that the present working sensitivity level effectively used for confirming run output signals continuously and automatically is adjusted during operation of the weaving machine to oscillate about an optimum and safe working sensitivity level by observing within a predetermined restricted observation interval of each insertion cycle the signal stability at an observation sensitivity level lower than the present working sensitivity level and by lowering or raising both said present working and observation sensitivity levels in dependence from output signal stability.

Abstract: A method of driving a loom is characterized by driving devices of a loom according to instructions for works and stopping a drive actuator on the basis of stop position information. The stop information used to stop the drive actuator is set relative to the devices of the loom, and is set prior to adjusting, maintaining, or initializing the devices of the loom.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring run/stop conditions of a yarn, particularly in a knitting or warping machine utilizing a yarn feeler. The yarn feeler includes an electronic, yarn actuated transducer operating with variable gain amplification of run input signals which are further processed to final output signals representing the run/stop conditions. The amplification gain for the run input signal is automatically electronically controlled with a time delay and is adjusted towards a floating minimum which is just sufficient to derive stable final output signals. The, reaction time delay allows compensation for naturally occurring parametric fluctuations of the run input signal, while a sudden drop of the run input signal due to yarn breakage is processed to a final output stop signal.

Abstract: A weft brake for weaving looms, comprising a rigid, fixed and flat plate made of non-magnetic material and a flexible lamina made of magnetic material, between which a weft thread slides; the flexible lamina is actuated magnetically against the rigid and fixed plate by the action of a plurality of permanent magnets which are supported by a movable yoke; the yoke is subjected to an electric actuator which moves the yoke with respect to the lamina, moving the magnets towards or away from the lamina; due to this action, the attraction applied by the magnets to the lamina varies and accordingly varies the pressure that the lamina applies to the thread.

Abstract: A device for monitoring a thread, for example the weft thread in a loom of the type in which the weft is driven through the shed of the loom with the aid of a jet, such as a gas jet, for example an air jet, and which has a reed with a longitudinal channel for the weft. An arm with a free end is placed in a position at which it is desirable to monitor the weft. The arm free end has at least one light source for illuminating the monitoring point and any weft located there. A number of light-sensitive elements on the arm free end are aimed towards the channel of the reed to sense the light reflected therefrom. Each light sensitive element generates an electric signal corresponding to the reflected light and is connected to an evaluator circuit for adding the signals regardless of whether the weft at the monitoring point results in an increase or a reduction of the signals obtained from the light-sensitive elements, to generate a signal corresponding to the absolute value of the signals.

Abstract: A weaving machine with pneumatic weft insertion is provided which includes a fixed reed filler at an output end of a reed when it is in a weft insertion position. A catch salvage forming device is disposed at an output end of the fixed reed filler when the reed is in the weft insertion position and serves to keep the inserted weft stretched during movements of the reed between a weft insertion and a beating up position. In order to shorten the overall length of the assembly, a weft stop motion for detecting the insertion of the weft is located on the fixed reed filler.

Abstract: A weft yarn end removing mechanism is incorporated into a shuttleless loom that holds leading end part of a picked weft yarn under tension by a weft yarn tightening device and beats up the weft yarn into the cloth fell of a fabric on the shuttleless loom by a reed. The weft yarn end removing mechanism includes a weft yarn sucking device for holding the leading end part of the weft yarn beaten up into the cloth fell, and a weft yarn cutting device for cutting the leading end part of the weft yarn extending between the selvage of the fabric and the weft yarn sucking device. The leading end part of the picked weft yarn being shifted toward the cloth fell is sucked through a first suction opening into the weft yarn sucking device and then the leading end part moves from the first suction opening to a second suction opening of the weft yarn sucking device.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for optically monitoring filling yarns inserted into a guide duct (10). Substantially collimated light rays are generated and directed transversely to the guide duct (10) onto photo-detectors (23), with the detection of interruption of the light rays by the fillings determining those positions which are assumed by the fillings when being inserted into the guide duct (10).