Actuating device

Abstract

A device ( 1 ) and a method are provided for shedding with a warp thread ( 5 ). The device has a lifter ( 7 ) that is connected to a resilient spring element ( 9 ) and to the warp thread ( 5 ). The device also has a controllable actuator ( 11 ). The spring element ( 9 ) is non-rotatably clamped at both spring element ends in mountings ( 13, 15 ). The spring element ( 9 ) is compressed axially at one side by the actuator ( 11 ), forcing the spring element ( 9 ) to flex and forcing the lifter ( 7 ) to be oscillated by alternating flexural deformations of the spring element ( 9 ).

1 . An actuating device for a mobile element, shedding device with a warp thread, the actuating device comprising:
 a spring element with spring ends;   mountings clamping the spring ends;   a lifter connected to the spring element, the spring element being capable of buckling and bending and being connectable to the mobile element; and   an actuator, wherein the actuator forces the spring element to buckle and the lifter is moved in an oscillating manner by alternating buckling deformations of the spring element, wherein the spring element is compressed by the actuator on one side as well as axially.   
     
     
         2 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the spring element is bar-shaped and is designed as a spring assembly. 
     
     
         3 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a linearly guided slider with one of the mountings for the spring element and a driver for the slider, wherein the slider performs an oscillating motion. 
     
     
         4 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a controllable locking device for fixing the spring element in a deformed buckled position. 
     
     
         5 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein:
 the locking device acts on the slider and locks the slider in a feed position in front of a dead center of motion.   
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein:
 the driver is designed as a pusher and is in a detachable driving connection with the slider; and   the driving connection is detachable at the time of locking of the slider.   
     
     
         8 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the driver is in a pressing driving connection with the slider and in a detachable restoring connection with a restoring element comprising a permanent magnet. 
     
     
         11 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein the driver comprises a pusher having an oscillating lever with a shaft and with an oscillating shaft drive. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein amounting ( 13 ,  15 ) has a support spring ( 25 ) for the spring element. 
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the slider has a stop for meshing with a locking device on at least one side. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein the slider has a recess on at least one side as a free space for a locking element of the locking device. 
     
     
         19 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the locking device has a controllable piezo drive, and a locking element acting on the slider. 
     
     
         22 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the lifter comprises a connector for a mobile connection to the spring element. 
     
     
         25 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the connector is fastened to the lifter and comprises a guide shoe with a passage opening for a passed-through spring element. 
     
     
         26 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the connector has a guide for an adjacent lifter. 
     
     
         29 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor system detecting the lifter. 
     
     
         30 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 29 , wherein the sensor system is arranged at a spaced location from the mobile element, at the opposite end area of the lifter. 
     
     
         31 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 29 , wherein the sensor system comprises a contactless optical sensor system. 
     
     
         32 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the lifter comprises a flat bar and has a spacer for an adjacent lifter. 
     
     
         33 . An actuating device in accordance with  claim 32 , wherein:
 the spacer is designed as a local twisting of the band-shaped lifter body; and   the lifter has another local twisting in an area of a ring mounting for the mobile element.   
     
     
         34 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A shedding machine comprising:
 a plurality of devices for forming sheds, including double-stroke open sheds, with warp threads of a power loom, each of the devices comprising:   a spring element with spring ends;   mountings clamping the spring ends;   a lifter connected to the spring element, the spring element being capable of buckling and bending and being connectable to the mobile element; and   an actuator, wherein the actuator forces the spring element to buckle and the lifter is moved in an oscillating manner by alternating buckling deformations of the spring element, wherein the spring element is compressed by the actuator on one side as well as axially.   
     
     
         37 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 36 , wherein the lifters are arranged in a matrix of a plurality of rows of lifters next to each other one after another, wherein the lifters project upwardly and downwardly over their spring element. 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 36 , wherein the corresponding spring elements are arranged essentially floating and at spaced locations one above the other in a row of lifters directed along a warp thread direction, wherein the actuators are arranged alternatingly to the left and to the right of the row of lifters. 
     
     
         40 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 36 , wherein the corresponding actuating devices in a row of lifters directed along the warp thread direction generate different bulging characteristics of the spring elements for a uniform warp thread angle by selecting at least one of a length or tensioned length and a material of the spring elements and a setting of a stroke of the driver. 
     
     
         41 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 36 , wherein the actuators arranged at equal height one after another in the weft thread direction have a common shaft with a common shaft drive. 
     
     
         42 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 41 , wherein oscillating levers, which together hold an axially continuous transmission device designed as a push rod, are arranged individually at axially spaced locations on a common shaft of a plurality of actuators. 
     
     
         43 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 36 , wherein the actuators each comprise sliders arranged at equal height one after another in the weft thread direction are arranged alternatingly rotated by 180° in relation to their longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         44 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 36 , further comprising a selecting device with a plurality of individually actuatable locking devices for the specific locking of lifters and warp threads. 
     
     
         45 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 44 , wherein the locking devices are arranged at equal height one after another in a weft thread direction and have locking elements, which are arranged alternatingly offset in relation to one another in the warp thread direction. 
     
     
         46 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 45 , wherein the actuators each comprise a slider and the locking elements are arranged in an offset manner and the recesses of the sliders, which said recesses are likewise arranged in an offset manner, are mutually adapted, the recesses forming a free space each for the locking element of an adjacent slider. 
     
     
         47 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 44 , wherein the actuators each comprise a slider and the locking devices are arranged at equal height one after another and have armatures and drives, which are arranged alternatingly offset in relation to one another in the warp thread direction and extend each over two adjacent sliders. 
     
     
         48 . A shedding machine in accordance with  claim 36 , wherein the lifters each comprise a connector for a mobile connection to the spring element and are arranged one after another in a weft thread direction and are guided mutually by means of lifter guides and the a guide at the connectors. 
     
     
         49 . A method for shedding with a mobile element, especially with a warp thread, by means of an actuating device, which comprises a lifter that is connected to a spring element capable of buckling and bending and can be connected to the mobile element and a controllable actuator, the method comprising the steps of forcing, with the actuator, the spring element to buckle, and the lifter is caused to perform oscillating motions by alternating buckling deformations of the spring element;
 clamping the spring element nonrotatably in mountings at both ends; and   compressing the clamped spring by the actuator on one side as well as axially.   
     
     
         50 . A method in accordance with  claim 49 , wherein the spring element is deformed in a symmetrical sinusoidal buckling mode shape according to Euler case  4 . 
     
     
         51 . A method in accordance with  claim 49 , wherein the actuator has a linearly guided slider with one of the mountings for the spring element capable of buckling and bending and a driver for the slider, wherein the slider at least one of performs an oscillating motion affected by the driver and performs an oscillating motion affected by a restoring spring element. 
     
     
         52 . A method in accordance with  claim 49 , wherein the spring element is temporarily fixed in a deformed buckled position with a controllable locking device. 
     
     
         53 . A method in accordance with  claim 49 , wherein the driver comprises a pusher and is in a detachable driving connection with a slider, wherein a front tensioned position of the slider and hence a tensioned bulged position of the spring element is locked by means of a locking device and the driver is detached from the slider and continues to run unhindered.