HK1262109A1 - A system for in-line treatment of thread - Google Patents

Description

System for on-line processing of wire

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for on-line treatment of wire for use with a wire consuming device.

Background

It has been proposed to provide some thread consuming devices (e.g. embroidery machines, etc.) with an in-line apparatus designed to provide some treatment to the thread. Such an in-line apparatus may for example be used for dyeing wire, whereby a plurality of color nozzles may replace a plurality of pre-dyed wires currently used when producing multi-color patterns.

When the nozzle is arranged to dye a passing wire, the droplets will hit the wire at a specific circumferential position. Due to the specific properties of the wire and the dye, it is not ensured that the dye will exhaust around the circumference of the wire. Thus, uneven dyeing is caused.

In view of this problem, there is a need for an improved system for online processing of wire, solving the above drawbacks.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect, a system for in-line processing of at least one wire is provided. The system is configured for a wire consuming device and includes: a processing unit having a plurality of nozzles arranged at different positions relative to the at least one wire, the at least one wire being in motion in use, each nozzle being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one wire upon activation; and at least one wire engaging device configured to rotate the at least one wire along its longitudinal axis as the at least one wire moves through the processing unit.

One of the at least one wire fitting device may be disposed on a downstream side of the process unit in a traveling direction of the at least one wire.

The at least one wire engagement device may be configured to apply a torque to the at least one wire to initiate rotation of the at least one wire.

The engagement means may comprise an engagement surface which provides rotation of the at least one wire when brought into contact with the at least one wire.

In one embodiment, the at least one wire engagement device is a guide member.

One of the at least one wire engaging device is movable to control rotation of the at least one wire along its longitudinal axis.

The at least one wire engagement means may be one or more tubular members through which the at least one wire is guided.

In an embodiment, one tubular member is arranged on the downstream side of the treatment unit and/or one tubular member is arranged on the upstream side of the treatment unit.

The inner diameter of the tubular member may be selected such that the inner wall of the tubular member applies a frictional force to the at least one wire.

The tubular member is rotatable along its longitudinal axis.

In one embodiment, the at least one wire engagement device comprises a rotation engagement member having an outer surface on which the at least one wire is guided to provide rotation.

The system may further comprise at least one wire guide member arranged downstream and/or upstream of the at least one wire cooperation device.

The nozzle may be an inkjet nozzle and the coating substance may be a dye substance.

According to a second aspect, a wire consuming device is provided. The device comprises a wire consuming unit and a system according to the first aspect.

The thread consuming unit may be an embroidery unit, a sewing unit, a knitting unit or a weaving unit.

According to a third aspect, a method for providing a system for in-line processing of wire is provided. The method comprises the following steps: providing a processing unit having a plurality of nozzles arranged at different longitudinal positions along a wire, each nozzle configured to dispense a coating substance onto the wire upon activation; and providing a wire engaging device configured to rotate the wire along its longitudinal axis as the wire moves through the processing unit.

According to a fourth aspect, a method for providing treatment to at least one wire before it is fed to a wire consuming device is provided. The method comprises the following steps: feeding the at least one wire such that it cooperates with at least one wire cooperating device such that the at least one wire is caused to rotate along its longitudinal axis, and passing the at least one wire through a processing unit having a plurality of nozzles arranged at different positions relative to the at least one wire, each nozzle being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one wire upon activation.

Definition of

A wire consuming unit is in this context any device that consumes a wire when in use. It may be an embroidery machine, a knitting machine, a sewing machine or a knitting machine, or any other thread consuming device that may benefit from a surface treatment or coating or any other treatment involving subjecting the thread to a substance (e.g. dyeing).

Treatment in this context is any process designed to cause a change in the properties of the wire. Such processes include, but are not limited to, dyeing, wetting, lubricating, cleaning, and the like.

The wire, in this context, is a flexible elongate member or substrate that is thin in the width and height directions and has a longitudinal extension that is significantly longer than the longitudinal extension of any portion of the system described herein as well as its own width and height dimensions. Typically, the wire may comprise a plurality of strands twisted together. The term wire thus includes yarns, threads, strands, filaments, etc., made of various materials (e.g., glass fibers, wool, cotton, synthetic materials such as polymers, metals, or mixtures of, for example, wool, cotton, polymers or metals).

A strand is in this context a flexible member forming part of a wire. The strands typically comprise several filaments twisted together. In order to produce balanced wires, i.e. wires with no or very little tendency to twist themselves, the strands and the single fibers may in some cases be twisted in opposite directions.

Within this specification, all references to upstream and/or downstream should be understood as relative positions during normal operation of the wire consuming device (i.e. when the device is operating to process an elongate substrate, such as a wire, moving continuously through the device in a normal operating direction). Thus, the upstream member is arranged such that a certain portion of the wire passes through the upstream member before it passes through the downstream member.

Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following description of the present invention; and reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a non-limiting example of how the inventive concept may be implemented.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a wire consuming device according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a wire fitting device of a system for in-line processing of wires according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a wire fitting device of a system for in-line processing of wires according to another embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a wire fitting device of a system for in-line processing of wires according to another embodiment;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a system according to an embodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of a system in accordance with an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 7 illustrates a processing unit according to an embodiment;

FIG. 8 illustrates a processing unit according to an embodiment;

FIG. 9 illustrates a processing unit according to an embodiment;

FIG. 10 illustrates a processing unit according to an embodiment; and is

Fig. 11 is a schematic illustration of a method of providing treatment to at least one wire according to an embodiment.

Detailed Description

The idea of the present invention is to provide a system and a method for dispensing a coating substance onto a wire in a controlled manner for use in combination with a wire consuming unit to form a wire consuming device. The thread consuming unit may for example be an embroidery machine, a knitting machine, a sewing machine or a knitting machine. More specifically, the general object is to allow precise dispensing to the wire at defined circumferential positions around the wire, advantageously such precise dispensing will allow very precise positioning of the coating substance onto the wire. For example, it will be possible to obtain a specific dye pattern on the wire.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a system 10 for online processing of a wire 20 for use with a wire consuming device 100, comprising a wire consuming unit 90, such as an embroidery machine. The wire 20 is fed from the wire supply 21, passes through the system 10 for on-line processing of the wire 20, and is fed to the wire consuming unit 90.

The system 10 includes a processing unit 30 configured to dispense a coating substance, such as ink, onto the wire 20 when the processing unit 30 is activated. The control unit 40 is connected to the processing unit 30 to control the operation of the processing unit 30 as will be further described below. The wire fitting device 50 is arranged downstream of the processing unit 30 to cause rotation of the wire 20 such that the wire 20 will rotate as it passes through the processing unit 30, as indicated by the helical arrow in fig. 1.

Due to the fact that the wire 20 rotates while passing the processing unit 30, a more uniform processing of the wire 20 around its circumference may be provided, which thereby improves the quality of the processing. The solution of arranging the wire rotating unit (i.e. the wire fitting device 50) downstream of the treatment unit 30 may be particularly advantageous for on-line dyeing systems using inkjet technology (i.e. systems in which the treatment unit 30 comprises several inkjet nozzles). In such applications, the inkjet nozzles may be aligned in a direction towards the wire 20, and the wire 20 may be dyed at several locations along its longitudinal extension. As the wire 20 rotates, the dispensed droplets will impact the wire 20 at specific circumferential locations, providing more uniform dyeing.

The wire fitting device 50 may be implemented in a variety of ways, for example, as a static (or fixed) structure, or as a dynamic and controlled structure. Some of these alternatives will be discussed in more detail below.

Common to all examples is that the wire fitting device 50 ensures the rotation of the wire 20, i.e. the rotation of the wire 20 while passing through the processing unit 30.

In one embodiment, as shown in fig. 2, the wire engagement device 50 is a guide member 52 having an engagement surface 51. Such a wire fitting arrangement is particularly advantageous for wires 20 having an asymmetrical cross section. As shown in fig. 2, the wire 20 is formed by twisting two strands 22a, 22b together. Thus, each strand 22a, 22b follows a helical pattern extending along its longitudinal direction.

When the wire 20 comes into contact with the guide member 52, which is positioned such that the wire 20 is pressed to be guided by it, the guide member 52 applies a force to the mating surface 51 due to the wire tension. The force presses the wire 20 to rotate it until an equilibrium is reached between the torque resulting from the applied force, the inherent twist of the wire 20, and the downstream movement of the wire 20. More specifically, the applied torque is a result of friction at the mating surface 51, the asymmetric configuration of the wire 20, and the wire movement. Due to this friction, the wire 20 will be subjected to pressure to rotate, maximizing the contact area between the wire 20 and the mating surface 51. This is shown by the dashed line in fig. 2, indicating the rotational behavior of the wire 20. In some cases, the elasticity of the wire 20 will resist the applied rotation, but also in these cases it has been shown that a net rotation is achieved. Specifically, based on the wire tension, friction, and elasticity of the wire 20, a net rotation has been exhibited.

Thus, in its simplest form, the wire engagement means 50 is a static guide member 52 having an engagement surface 51, the engagement surface 51 being in contact with the wire 20 as the wire 20 passes the engagement surface 51. However, it is also possible to add a controlled function to the wire fitting device 50, for example, by arranging the guide member 52 on a movable table (not shown) so that the position of the guide member 52 will affect the force applied to the wire 20, thereby controlling the rotation of the wire 20 under the processing unit 30.

In fig. 3, another example of the wire fitting device 50 is shown. As will be explained below, the wire fitting device 50 may be positioned upstream or downstream of the processing unit 30. In some embodiments, the first wire fitting device 50 is arranged upstream of the processing unit 30 and the second wire fitting device 50 is arranged downstream of the processing unit 30. Here, the wire fitting device 50 is a movable tubular member 54, and the wire 20 is guided through the tubular member 54. The tubular member 54 has a cylindrical shape and an inner cavity 55. The inner cavity 55 forming the wire guiding space is preferably non-circular and thus may prevent the asymmetric wire 20 from rotating relative to the tubular member 54. The wire 20 is thus rotationally secured relative to the tubular member 54. Preferably, the tubular member 54 is very thin in the longitudinal direction of the wire 20, so it can be used for wires 20 having different torsions, i.e. for wires having different helical forms of the strands 22a, 22b, without damaging the wire 20. For the same reason, the tubular member 54 may be elastic, which may provide the advantage of improved contact with the wire 20.

The tubular member 54 is connected to a rotary drive (not shown) which is capable of rotating the tubular member 54 along its longitudinal axis. When activated, the wire 20 will thus rotate with the tubular member 54, thereby effecting upstream rotation of the wire 20. To create this, the inner diameter of the tubular member 54 is selected so that the inner wall of the tubular member 54 applies a frictional force to the wire 20.

For the embodiments described with reference to fig. 2 and 3, it should be understood that the wire 20 may have any number of strands 22a, 22b, as long as the cross-section of the wire 20 is asymmetric. However, as mentioned above, the tubular member 54 may have a certain degree of elasticity, which means that cooperation with a wire 20 having a circular cross-section is also possible. The same effect can be achieved for a non-elastic tubular member, but its dimensions need to be well matched to the dimensions of the wire 20.

In fig. 4, another example of the wire fitting device 50 is shown. In this example, the wire engagement device 50 has two rotational engagement members 56. Each rotary member 56 comprises an endless belt 56a, 56b driven by a rotary shaft 57. Each belt 56a, 56b forms an outer surface on which at least one wire 20 is guided; in this example, the wire 20 is fed at the interface between two adjacent belts 56a, 56 b. As the wire 20 passes through this interface, the belts 56a, 56b will press against the wire 20 to cause it to rotate. It should be noted that the embodiment shown in fig. 4 does not require an asymmetric wire 20, and the wire fitting arrangement 50 of this embodiment has been shown not to introduce any significant increase in friction in the associated in-line processing system.

Referring again to fig. 1, only one wire fitting device 50 is provided. However, as described below, several wire fitting devices 50 may be used in conjunction with the processing unit 30. For such embodiments, it is not required that the wire cooperation devices 50 are identical, but different types of wire cooperation devices 50 may be used in combination, as long as the respective wire cooperation devices 50 contribute to the forced rotation of the wires 20, and as long as at least one wire cooperation device 50 is optionally arranged downstream of the processing unit 30. Thus, additional wire engagement means 50 may be used not only to increase the overall rotation of the wire 20, but also for other important functions such as wire guidance. The wire fitting device 50 can be arranged immediately upstream of the processing unit 30 for this purpose to align the wires 20 with the dispensing device of the processing unit 30. An additional wire fitting device 50 is thus arranged downstream of the processing unit 30 to ensure a desired rotation of the wire 20 when the wire 20 passes through the processing unit 30. This is due to the fact that: the maximum rotation occurs immediately upstream of the wire fitting device 50, at least for the wire fitting device 50 as shown in fig. 2.

So far, the system 10 including one or more wire engaging devices 50 has been described as engaging only a single wire 20. However, it has been shown that the proposed system can also be used for a plurality of wires 20. The wire 20 may be twisted, for example, to form a strand, so that the processing unit 30 ensures an even dyeing around the circumference of the entire strand. The multiple wires may be separated further downstream, or kept in a strand state for subsequent processing.

Alternatively, the wire may be fed to one or more wire engaging devices 50 in a separated state so that the wire moves more or less in parallel through the system. When the wires contact the wire engaging device, not only the individual wires themselves rotate, but also the entire wire harness. Thus, the wires will twist around each other immediately upstream of the wire fitting device 50, but again separate downstream of the wire fitting device 50. This phenomenon applies to wire-fitting devices such as those shown in fig. 3 and 4. It is thus possible to simultaneously dye a plurality of wires using this phenomenon while keeping the wires separated before and after they pass through the processing unit 30.

Turning now to fig. 5, an embodiment of the system 10 for in-line processing of wire is shown in more detail. The processing unit 30 has a plurality of nozzles 32a-g arranged at different longitudinal positions along the wire 20 which passes the processing unit 30 during use. The direction of movement of the wire in use is indicated by the solid arrows shown in figure 5. Each nozzle 32a-g is arranged to dispense a coating substance, such as ink, onto the wire 20 when the nozzle is activated. The system 10 further comprises a control unit 40 arranged to activate at least two of the nozzles 32a-g to dispense the coating substance such that the coating substance is absorbed by the wire 20 at different circumferential positions of the wire 20 when the wire 20 is rotated about its longitudinal axis by a wire engaging means 50, optionally arranged downstream of the processing unit 30. The relative positions of two adjacently dispensed droplets of coating substance may be chosen such that the droplets will overlap at least to some extent, i.e. a part of the circumferential area of the wire 20 will be covered by two adjacent droplets. The rotation of the wire 20 is indicated by the curved dashed arrow in fig. 5.

For a dyeing operation, the control unit 40 receives one or more input signals specifying a desired color and/or dyeing effect. The color input preferably includes information relating to the actual color, and the longitudinal start and stop positions of the wire 20 for that color. If the wire speed is determined, the longitudinal start and stop positions may be represented by specific times. The dye effect input preferably includes pattern information, e.g., whether uniform dyeing is desired. Generally, uniform dyeing requires coating at different circumferential positions in tight or even the same longitudinal zones of the wire. On the other hand, one-sided dyeing effects need only be applied at a single circumferential location. Based on the knowledge that the wire 20 has a particular rotation or twist per unit length, the coating substance can be accurately dispensed at different circumferential positions of the wire 20 as the wire 20 passes through the processing unit 30. By multiplying the twist per unit length with the speed of the wire 20, the rate of twist, i.e. the rotation or twist angle per second, can be obtained. For example, if the twist per unit length is 360 °/cm and the speed of the wire 20 is 2cm/s, the resulting twist rate is 720 °/s, i.e., two 360 ° revolutions per second. The twist rate may be used to calculate the required start-up timing for each nozzle 32a-g so that each nozzle 32a-g is able to dispense the coating substance so that the coating substance will strike the wire 20 at a particular circumferential location of the wire 20. It should be understood that the twisting of the wire 20 involves the rotation of the wire 20 as seen by the viewer as the wire moves in the longitudinal direction. Alternatively, the wire may also have a self-twist, which is formed, for example, by the helical appearance of a multi-strand wire. When a helically arranged strand passes a fixed longitudinal position, it will appear as if the wire is rotated relative to the fixed longitudinal position. In another embodiment, if the wire comprises only one strand or a plurality of strands arranged in parallel along its longitudinal extension, the torsional or rotational bending is produced entirely by the wire fitting device 50.

An important factor for achieving the desired treatment of the wire 20 is that the wire 20 rotates as it passes through the treatment unit 30 so that the activation of the nozzles 32a-g of the treatment unit 30 can be controlled to dispense the coating substance at a particular circumferential position of the wire 20 in use. However, this also requires a certain distance between the nozzles 32a-g in order to achieve the desired treatment effect.

The start-up timing may also be based on knowledge of the longitudinal distance d1 between each of the plurality of nozzles 32 a-g. For example, by knowing the longitudinal distance d1 between each nozzle 32a-g, the coating substance can be dispensed onto the wire 20 at the same longitudinal position and at two selected circumferential positions (e.g., 0 ° and 180 °). For example, if the longitudinal distance between the first and second nozzles 32a-g is 5mm, given the above example, it would take 0.25 seconds (5mm/(2cm/s)) for a particular position of the wire 20 to move from the first nozzle 32a-g to the second nozzle 32 a-g. Within 0.25 seconds, the wire 20 has twisted 180 ° (720 °/s 0.25 s). Therefore, in this case, the start timing may be calculated such that the first nozzle is started at time zero and the second nozzle is started 0.25 seconds after time zero. The control unit 40 has processing capabilities and may have a processor including a memory. In use, the control unit 40 may receive a twist level parameter (e.g. twist angle per unit length) relating to the twist level of the wire 20, and a speed level parameter relating to the speed of the wire 20 passing through the processing unit 30. The input may be received via other means, such as sensors, a graphical user interface (not shown). Alternatively, the inputs may be hardware programmed into the control unit 40.

The control unit 40 may also be arranged to send control signals to the processing unit 30. The control signal sent by the control unit to the processing unit 30 may be an activation signal to activate the nozzles 32a-g of the processing unit 30 according to a dispensing timing scheme selected based on the received twist level parameter and the velocity level parameter. Thus, the control unit 40 may be arranged to process the torsion level parameter and the speed level parameter and to determine the dispensing timing scheme. Alternatively, the control signal sent to the processing unit 30 may comprise information relating to the torsion level parameter and the velocity level parameter. The processing unit 30 receives control signals from the control unit 40 and dispenses coating substance to the wire 20 via one or more nozzles 32a-g according to a dispensing timing scheme selected based on the received twist level parameters and speed level parameters.

Although seven nozzles 32a-g are shown in FIG. 5, the processing unit 30 need only include at least two nozzles, such as nozzles 32a and 32 b. However, for example, a typical inkjet head as a suitable means for implementing the present invention includes hundreds or even thousands of nozzles. Other allocation techniques may also be used. Fig. 6 illustrates a variation of the system 10 in fig. 5. In the system 10 in fig. 6, the nozzles 32a ', 32a ", 32 a'" are arranged at different radial positions of the wire winding 20. The nozzles 32a ', 32a ", 32 a'" may be arranged at specific longitudinal positions, or they may be distributed along the longitudinal direction. Fig. 5 is a front view of the system 10, while fig. 6 is a side view of the system 10, and the twisting of the wire 20 that occurs as the wire 20 moves through the system 10 is illustrated by the semi-circular dashed arrows. The wire 20 is considered to move in the direction of the arrow mark provided at the center of the wire 20. The system 10 in fig. 6 also has processing units 30 and 40 that operate in the same manner as described above with respect to fig. 1 and 5. However, the processing units 30 and 40 as shown in fig. 6 are configured to allow simultaneous activation of the nozzles 32a ', 32a ", 32 a'". A wire fitting arrangement (not shown) may be suitable for use in the system 10 as shown in fig. 6, particularly where a plurality of nozzle groups 32a ', 32a ", 32 a'" are distributed along the longitudinal direction. For such an embodiment, the longitudinal distance between the nozzle groups can be made very small, since the circumferential distance between the nozzles 32a ', 32a ", 32 a'" in the respective nozzle groups in combination with the induced rotation allows for a uniform dyeing of the wire 20.

As further shown, for example, in FIG. 7, a plurality of nozzles 32a-g may be arranged in a static nozzle array 70. Here, the positions of the nozzles 32a-g and other nozzles (not shown) are fixed on the process unit 30. The nozzles 32a-g are longitudinally separated by a fixed distance d 1. Restating the example above, if the coating substance is intended to be dispensed onto the wire 20 at the same longitudinal position thereof at 0 ° and 180 °, the desired longitudinal distance d2 may be calculated by the following equation: (180 °)/(twist per unit length), where the twist per unit length is (360 °/cm) according to the above example. Thus, the desired longitudinal length d2 to achieve the desired dispensing is 0.5 cm. It should be appreciated that the fixed distance d1 between two adjacent nozzles 32a-g may be very small, such as below 0.05 mm. The control unit (not shown in fig. 7, but connected to the processing unit 30 according to the above description) may be arranged to identify which nozzle 32a-g is activated on the basis of the calculated desired longitudinal distance d 2. For example, when the fixed distance d1 is 1mm and the desired longitudinal distance d2 is 0.5cm, i.e., 5mm, the first nozzle and the sixth nozzle may be identified as activated because the sixth nozzle is 5mm from the first nozzle. Fig. 7 shows this situation, wherein the first nozzle 32a and the sixth nozzle 32f have been designated. Thus, the control unit 40 may activate the nozzles 32a-g to dispense the coating substance at a particular circumferential location on the wire 20. The desired longitudinal distance d2 may also be calculated by the control unit 40 to identify a suitable nozzle pair in which the second nozzle of the nozzle pair is located at or as close as possible to the desired longitudinal distance d2 measured from the first nozzle of the nozzle pair. Activation of any of the nozzles 32a-g may be performed using an activation signal and based on the twist level parameters discussed above, and/or based on the desired results. The above example explains the possibility of dispensing at two specific circumferential positions, optionally at the same longitudinal position of the wire 20, as long as the wire 20 rotates while passing the processing unit 30. Alternatively, in some embodiments, it is more preferred to dispense the coating substance at regularly longitudinally spaced but different circumferential locations along the wire 20. However, for colors requiring high saturation, it may be desirable to dispense several droplets at the same longitudinal position. By being able to controllably dispense coating substance at different circumferential locations of the wire 20, innovative coating features may be provided to the wire 20, such as uniform solid colors, solid colors with mixed shades, gradients, shades, simulated reflections, spiral dyeing patterns, single-sided only dyeing, and the like. The length of the nozzle array may preferably be at least as long as the distance required to make the wire 20 turn around itself by 180 ° and more preferably at least as long as the distance required to make the wire 20 turn around itself by 360 °.

It should be noted, however, that in some embodiments it may be advantageous to allow the wire 20 to rotate more than one revolution between the longitudinal ends of the nozzle array 70 (i.e., between the first and last nozzles of the nozzle array 70). This is particularly advantageous when more than two nozzles 32a-g are arranged in the treatment unit 30. By providing the induced rotation to rotate the wire 20 between the first nozzle 32a and the last nozzle 32g for several turns, a uniform coating covering the outer surface of the wire 20 uniformly can be achieved by activating suitable nozzles arranged between the first and last nozzles. Other dyeing effects may of course be utilized. Since the twisting of the wire 20 is taken into account when determining the dispensing profile, the resulting coating (or dyeing) effect can be controlled in a very precise manner. This is because as the wire 20 rotates, at some point, each circumferential location will be aligned with a nozzle 32 a-g. Thus, a higher twist rate will result in more twist per unit length of the wire 20, allowing for a more even and better coverage of the coating substance around the outer surface of the wire 20, since the nozzles to be activated can be selected or controlled according to a number of control schemes. In addition, the overall length of the nozzle array 70 may be reduced, allowing for a more compact design of the system 10. However, the application of the wire 20 around its circumference will depend on the droplet size, among other factors. The small droplet size will result in less coating coverage, which means that a greater number of droplets may need to be dispensed at the same longitudinal position of the wire 20 in order to achieve complete coverage of the droplets around the circumference of the wire 20. In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to set the longitudinal distance d2 between the at least two nozzles 32a-g based on the twist per unit length ω [ rad/m ] of the wire 20 according to 20 π/ω ≧ d2> 0. This means that the calculated required longitudinal distance d2 is set to allow the wire to twist up to 10 turns between two associated nozzles. In some embodiments, the control unit 40 is further configured to set the longitudinal distance d2 between activated nozzles based on the wetting level of the wire. In some embodiments, the control unit 40 is further configured to set the longitudinal distance d2 between activated nozzles based on a preset coloring effect. The preset dyeing effect may be selected from the group consisting of a uniform dyeing pattern, a one-side only dyeing pattern, a random dyeing pattern, or a spiral dyeing pattern.

Other embodiments

In other embodiments, the processing unit 30 includes nozzles 32a-g that may be separated by a longitudinal distance d3 that may increase or decrease. Such an embodiment is shown in fig. 8. Consider now the case where a first droplet is dispensed from the first nozzle 32a and then a droplet is dispensed from the second nozzle 32 g. The longitudinal position of the second activated nozzles 32g may be adjusted by moving the second activated nozzles 32g relative to the first activated nozzles 32a, or, as shown in fig. 8, by moving the entire nozzle array 70 after the first nozzles 32a are activated and before the second nozzles 32g are activated. In another embodiment, the dispensed droplets may be deflected before they impact the wire 20, for example by applying an electromagnetic field. In such embodiments, the control unit 40 is configured to set a longitudinal distance d4 between a first position at which a droplet dispensed from the first nozzle 32a should impact the wire 20 and a second position at which a droplet subsequently dispensed from the second nozzle 32e should impact the wire 20, and wherein the system 10 further comprises means for changing the travel path of the dispensed droplet in accordance with the longitudinal distance d 4. This is shown in fig. 9. This makes it possible to arrange the nozzles 32a-g at different positions along the longitudinal extension or longitudinal direction of the wire 20 according to the desired dispensing scheme. This is particularly advantageous when the calculated required longitudinal distance d4 for a particular desired dispensing scheme is different from the physically possible distance (e.g., compared to the distance obtained by calculating the longitudinal distances d2, d3 between the nozzles 32 a-g). If the distances d2, d3 differ from the desired longitudinal distance, the resulting dispensing scheme may be adjusted by deflecting the droplets such that the resulting longitudinal distance d4 matches the desired longitudinal distance. For the above-described embodiments that utilize separation between the nozzles 32a-g, at least one of the nozzles 32a-g is connected to a device (e.g., a motor) that is capable of adjusting the relative longitudinal distance d3 between the nozzles along and/or around the wire, or by varying the wire twist. The motor may receive input from the control unit 40. Depending on the twist of the wire 20, in combination with its speed, the relative position between the nozzles 32a-g can be adjusted according to the relevant dispensing scheme. Thus, the higher the twist level as indicated by the twist level parameter of the wire 20, the closer the at least two nozzles 32a-g may be arranged relative to each other, i.e. the longitudinal distance d3 may be reduced.

Similarly, a lower twist level as indicated by the twist level parameter may be translated into a greater relative distance between nozzles 32a-g, i.e., an increased longitudinal distance d 3. Thus, by adjusting the longitudinal distance d3 between at least two of the nozzles 32a-g, the coating quality of the wire 20 may be improved such that the coating substance is dispensed in a controlled manner around the circumference of the wire. It should be noted that for a wire treatment unit 30 comprising more than two nozzles 32a-g, a motor may be connected to each additional nozzle to allow adjustment of the longitudinal distance between the respective nozzles (e.g. the longitudinal distance between nozzle 32c and nozzle 32 d). Due to the level of twisting of the wire in combination with the adjusted longitudinal distance d3 between the at least two nozzles 32a and 32b, the outer surface area, i.e. the outer circumference, of the wire 20 may be completely covered. This makes the processing unit 30 much less complex than nozzles arranged at different radial positions around the wire 20.

In an embodiment, each nozzle dispenses an application substance having a color according to a CMYK color mode, wherein the primary colors are cyan, magenta, yellow and black. A large amount of colour can thus be dispensed onto the strand by actuating the nozzle, so that the total colouring substance will be a mixture of the colouring substances dispensed through the nozzle. In fig. 10 an embodiment is shown wherein a nozzle head 80 is provided with a plurality of nozzle arrays 70 a-d. Each nozzle array 70a-d may be, for example, an inkjet nozzle array including thousands of nozzles. As an example, each nozzle array 70a-d may be associated with a single color, as explained in accordance with the CMYK standard. However, other staining patterns may be used. The nozzle arrays 70a-d may also be arranged as separate units within an associated processing unit (not shown). In another embodiment, each nozzle dispenses a coating substance having a color that includes a mixture of two or more primary colors in a CMYK mode. In an embodiment, the individual nozzles are arranged in a nozzle plate (not shown) extending in a longitudinal direction with respect to the wire, e.g. a flat nozzle plate. From the above, it should be appreciated that based on the level of twist of the wire, and the ability to adjust the longitudinal distance between individual nozzles or identify any nozzle for activation based on this longitudinal distance, the dispensing pattern formed by the included nozzles can be optimized such that the best possible or most desirable wire coating quality is achieved.

Turning now to fig. 11, a method 200 for providing an in-line treatment of at least one wire will be described. The method 200 performed to provide a treatment of at least one wire before being fed to the wire consuming unit comprises a first step 202 of feeding the at least one wire in a downstream direction towards the wire consuming unit such that it cooperates with the at least one wire cooperating device, whereby the at least one wire is caused to rotate along its longitudinal axis. The feeding of the wire 20 may be performed, for example, by pulling the wire 20. The method 200 further includes a step 204 of passing the at least one wire through a processing unit having a plurality of nozzles disposed at different positions relative to the at least one wire. The processing unit is optionally arranged upstream of the wire fitting device such that rotation of the wires occurs as at least one wire passes the processing unit. Each nozzle is also configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto at least one wire upon activation, such that the wire may be treated (or dyed) in a customized manner as a result of its rotation.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the invention is limited only by the following claims.

In the claims, the term "comprising" does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps. Furthermore, although individual features may be included in different claims, these may possibly advantageously be combined, and the inclusion in different claims does not imply that a combination of features is not possible and/or advantageous. Furthermore, singular references do not exclude a plurality. The terms "a", "an", "first", "second", etc. do not exclude a plurality. Reference signs in the claims are provided merely as a clarifying example and shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims in any way.

Claims (18)

1. A system (10) for use with a wire consuming device (100) for online processing of at least one wire (20), comprising:

a processing unit (30) having a plurality of nozzles (32a-g) arranged at different positions with respect to the at least one wire (20), the at least one wire (20) being in motion in use, each nozzle being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one wire (20) upon activation; and

at least one wire engaging device (50) configured to rotate the at least one wire (20) along its longitudinal axis as the at least one wire (20) moves through the processing unit (30).

2. The system (10) according to claim 1, wherein one of the at least one wire fitting device (50) is arranged on a downstream side of the processing unit (30) in a direction of travel of the at least one wire (20).

3. The system (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one wire fitting device (50) is configured to apply a torque to the at least one wire (20) to initiate rotation of the at least one wire (20).

4. System (10) according to claim 3, wherein the mating means (50) comprise a mating surface (51) providing a rotation of the at least one wire (20) when coming into contact with the at least one wire (20).

5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one wire fitting device (50) is a guide member (52).

6. System (10) according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein one of said at least one wire cooperation device (50) is movable to control the rotation of said at least one wire (20) along its longitudinal axis.

7. System (10) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the at least one wire cooperation device (50) is one or more tubular members (54) through which the at least one wire (20) is guided.

8. System (10) according to claim 7, wherein one tubular member (54) is arranged on the downstream side of the treatment unit (30) and/or one tubular member (54) is arranged on the upstream side of the treatment unit (30).

9. The system (10) according to claim 7 or 8, wherein an inner diameter of the tubular member (54) is selected such that an inner wall of the tubular member (54) applies a frictional force to the at least one wire (20).

10. The system (10) according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein the tubular member (54) is rotatable along its longitudinal axis.

11. System (10) according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the at least one wire cooperation device (50) comprises a rotation cooperation member (56) having an outer surface (56a) on which the at least one wire (20) is guided to provide rotation.

12. The system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one wire guide member (50) arranged downstream and/or upstream of the at least one wire cooperation device (50).

13. The system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the nozzles (32a-g) are inkjet nozzles.

14. The system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the coating substance is a colouring substance.

15. A wire consuming device (100) comprising a wire consuming unit (90) and a system (100) according to any of the preceding claims.

16. The wire consuming device (100) according to claim 15, wherein the wire consuming unit (90) is an embroidery unit, a sewing unit, a knitting unit or a weaving unit.

17. A method for providing a system for in-line processing of wire, comprising:

providing a processing unit having a plurality of nozzles arranged at different longitudinal positions along a wire, each nozzle configured to dispense a coating substance onto the wire upon activation; and

providing a wire engagement device configured to rotate the wire along its longitudinal axis as the wire moves through the processing unit.

18. A method for providing treatment to at least one wire prior to being fed to a wire consuming device, the method comprising:

feeding said at least one wire such that it cooperates with at least one wire cooperating means such that said at least one wire is caused to rotate along its longitudinal axis, and

passing the at least one wire through a processing unit having a plurality of nozzles arranged at different positions relative to the at least one wire, each nozzle configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one wire upon activation.