JP7703215B2 - Fiber guide and method of manufacturing same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a fiber guide and its manufacturing method.

Traditionally, in the synthetic fiber manufacturing process, fiber guides are used to guide and feed the yarn. The sliding surfaces where the fiber guide comes into contact with the yarn are given various surface treatments to reduce damage to the yarn caused by friction.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an oiling nozzle that applies oil to spun yarn. This oiling nozzle is made of ceramics and is configured so that oil accumulates in fine grooves provided on the sliding surface of the yarn guide groove. This allows oil to be applied stably to the yarn, reducing friction between the yarn and the sliding surface.

In addition, ceramic fiber guides are fired into molded bodies and various surface finishes are applied depending on the process in which they are used. For example, the fired molded body is heat treated in a high-temperature furnace to raise the crystals and give it a matte finish. This heat treatment creates minute irregularities on the surface of the fiber guide relative to the threads, reducing the area of contact between the sliding surface and the threads and reducing friction that occurs when the threads slide.

JP 2005-68608 A

However, in order to adjust the shape and size of the unevenness during heat treatment, advanced heat flow control is required. It is also difficult to achieve uniform heat distribution in a high-temperature furnace, and individual differences in the shape of the fine unevenness occur depending on the shape of the molded body and its position within the furnace. Thus, although a matte-textured surface has the advantage of reducing sliding friction, there is concern that the degree of friction reduction will vary due to the irregular uneven shape. This is a factor in causing variations in yarn quality depending on the fiber guide used, so there was a demand for a fiber guide with uniform sliding friction over the entire sliding surface.

The present invention was conceived in light of these points, and the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a fiber guide and a method for manufacturing the same that uniformly reduces friction generated in the sliding yarn across the entire sliding surface.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention takes the following measures. First, the first invention is a fiber guide that guides a yarn that moves in one direction along the extension direction in a state where multiple yarns are bundled after spinning, and includes a main body made of a sintered body, and the main body has a sliding surface on which a part of the yarn in the extension direction slides during movement, and the sliding surface has a surface with finer irregularities than the yarn, and the uneven surface has a contact surface including a contact portion that comes into contact with the yarn, and a recess that is recessed from the contact surface by scraping the sliding surface, which are arranged alternately and continuously with regularity, and the height positions of the contact surfaces are uniform.

According to the first invention, the sliding surface of the fiber guide is formed with a fine and regular uneven shape against the yarn, and the sliding surface has a smooth surface shape overall with the contact surface being uniform in height. Therefore, the height positions of the contact areas with which the yarn comes into contact are uniform, and friction against the yarn is uniformly reduced over the entire sliding surface. Furthermore, uniform friction against the yarn can stabilize the quality of the yarn produced.

The second invention is a fiber guide according to the first invention, in which the sliding surface has a curved contact surface.

According to the second invention, the yarn slides while in contact with the smooth contact surface of the curved shape, preventing the yarn from getting caught and reducing friction on the yarn.

The third invention is a fiber guide according to the first or second invention, in which the contact surface is circular when viewed from the front of the sliding surface.

According to the third invention, the sliding yarn is more prevented from getting caught, and friction on the yarn is reduced.

The fourth invention is a fiber guide according to any one of the first to third inventions, in which the main body is made of alumina ceramics.

According to the fourth invention, alumina ceramics are chemically stable and have high mechanical strength, improving the wear resistance of the fiber guide.

The fifth invention is a manufacturing method for a fiber guide that guides yarns that move in one direction along the extension direction in a bundled state after spinning, and includes a polishing process for polishing the surface of a main body made of a sintered body to a mirror finish, and an unevenness forming process for forming an uneven shape that is finer than the yarn on a sliding surface of the main body against which a part of the yarn slides in the extension direction during movement, the unevenness forming process including a laser processing process for cutting the sliding surface with a laser, the uneven shape is such that a contact surface including a contact portion that comes into contact with the yarn and a recess that is recessed into the contact surface are arranged alternately and continuously with regularity, and the height positions of the contact surfaces are uniform.

According to the fifth invention, the surface of the sliding surface is cut with a laser, and a finer uneven shape than the yarn is formed. The uneven shape is a contact surface where the yarn comes into contact, and a recess that is recessed from the contact surface is arranged with regularity. Laser processing makes it easier to process a fine surface shape compared to heat treatment processing in a high-temperature furnace, and the same surface shape can be repeatedly reproduced. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of individual differences in the sliding surface between fiber guide products, and to stabilize the yarn quality.

The sixth invention is a method for manufacturing a fiber guide according to the fifth invention, in which the uneven shape is formed such that the contact surface is curved.

According to the sixth invention, a smooth surface shape can be formed on the sliding surface. This reduces friction on the sliding yarn.

The seventh invention is a method for manufacturing a fiber guide according to the fifth or sixth invention, in which the uneven shape is formed so that the contact surface presents a circle when viewed from the front of the sliding surface.

According to the seventh invention, a smoother surface shape can be formed on the sliding surface. This further reduces the chance of the sliding yarn getting caught, and reduces friction on the yarn.

The eighth invention is a method for manufacturing a fiber guide according to any one of the fifth to seventh inventions, in which the unevenness forming process includes a heat treatment process for baking the main body after the laser processing process.

According to the eighth invention, the edges that are generated at the edges of the recesses during the laser processing process are smoothed. This prevents the sliding yarn from getting caught.

The ninth invention is a method for manufacturing a fiber guide according to any one of the fifth to eighth inventions, in which a UV laser is used in the laser processing step.

According to the ninth invention, UV lasers are suitable for micromachining, and can produce stable, finely textured shapes even on sintered bodies, which have coarser grains than metals.

The tenth invention is a method for manufacturing a fiber guide according to any one of the fifth to ninth inventions, in which the main body is made of alumina ceramics.

According to the tenth invention, alumina ceramics are chemically stable and have high mechanical strength, improving the wear resistance of the fiber guide.

By incorporating the configurations of the above-mentioned inventions, the present invention can provide a fiber guide and a method for manufacturing the same in which friction generated in the sliding yarn is uniformly reduced over the entire sliding surface.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a part of a fiber manufacturing apparatus and a cross-section of an oiling guide (fiber guide). FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an arrangement of concave and convex shapes according to the first embodiment in a front view. 4 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional shape of the concave-convex shape according to the first embodiment; FIG. 10A to 10C are diagrams illustrating modified examples of the concave-convex shape according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an arrangement of concave and convex shapes according to a second embodiment in a front view. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional shape of the concave-convex shape according to the second embodiment. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating modified examples of the concave-convex shape according to the second embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the processed surface of Comparative Example 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the processed surface of Example 1. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the processed surface of Example 2. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the roughness of the surface profile of Comparative Example 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the roughness of the surface profile in Example 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an apparatus for measuring tension applied to a yarn. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the measurement results of tension applied to the yarn for Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state of scum generation in Comparative Example 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state of scum generation in Example 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram comparing the oil retention state on the processed surface for Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3.

<Configuration of fiber guide (first embodiment)>
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. A fiber guide according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided in a fiber manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing synthetic fibers, natural fibers, etc., and guides the yarn Y after spinning. Examples of the fiber guide include various guides such as an oiling guide, a snail guide, a dog tail guide, a hook guide, and a slit guide. As the fiber guide according to this embodiment, an oiling guide 1 that supplies an oil agent to protect the yarn Y will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the fiber manufacturing apparatus is provided with a spinning nozzle 15, an oiling guide 1, a plurality of guides 16, etc.

The fiber manufacturing device melts the polymer, which is the raw material for the fiber, and extrudes it from the spinning nozzle 15 to form multiple threads Y, which are then cooled and solidified. The spun threads Y first pass through the oiling guide 1, and move in one direction along the extension direction of the threads Y in a bundled state. While guiding the threads Y, the oiling guide 1 applies an oil agent containing a lubricant to the threads Y in order to reduce damage to the threads Y in subsequent processes and to improve the cohesion of the threads Y.

The oiling guide 1 has a main body 2 made of a sintered body. The sintered body constituting the main body 2 can be appropriately selected from ceramics, sintered alloys, etc. Examples of ceramics include alumina, zirconia, titania, silicon carbide, and various other ceramics. Ceramics are harder than metals and have heat resistance, wear resistance, oxidation resistance, and corrosion resistance. Examples of sintered alloys include cemented carbide and cermets. Cemented carbide has a good balance of hardness, wear resistance, and toughness. Cermets combine the properties of ceramics, such as high hardness, heat resistance, and wear resistance, with the properties of metals, such as viscosity and toughness.

Alumina ceramics is selected as the sintered body for the main body 2 of the oiling guide 1 according to this embodiment. Alumina ceramics are suitable because they have high strength and hardness, as well as excellent heat resistance, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and electrical insulation.

The main body 2 of the oiling guide 1 is provided with a guide groove 3 that guides the yarn Y. The guide groove 3 is formed with the direction in which the yarn Y moves as the longitudinal direction. The yarn Y moves in one direction along the guide groove 3. The main body 2 is also provided with an outlet 4 that discharges the oil agent at the bottom of the guide groove 3, and a sliding surface 5 on which a part of the yarn Y slides in the extension direction during movement. A connecting pipe 17 is connected to a fitting hole 6 that communicates with the outlet 4, and the oil agent is supplied from a pump 19 via the connecting pipe 17 and a conduit 18. Therefore, the yarn Y discharged from the multiple holes of the spinning nozzle 15 is sent toward the oiling guide 1 and enters the guide groove 3, where it is bundled into a single yarn Y and moves while being pressed against the sliding surface 5, coming into contact with the oil agent discharged from the outlet 4. As a result, the oil agent is applied to the yarn Y.

The main body 2 of the oiling guide 1 is block-shaped with both left and right side surfaces, a rear surface 2b, a top surface 2c, and a bottom surface 2d, with the surface having the recess that constitutes the guide groove 3 being the front surface 2a and the width direction of the guide groove 3 being the left-right direction. Its external shape is a trapezoid when viewed from the side, and the shape of the side surface is such that the front and rear edges are parallel to each other, and the upper and lower edges are inclined relative to the front and rear edges. The guide groove 3 extends through the main body 2 from the end of the top surface 2c to the end of the bottom surface 2d.

On the bottom surface of the guide groove 3, there are provided a plurality of oil reservoirs 7, which are formed in a long groove shape in the left-right direction across the guide groove 3. Each oil reservoir 7 has the same shape and is arranged in a row downstream of the discharge port 4 along the movement direction of the yarn Y. The arrangement and number of oil reservoirs 7 can be set arbitrarily. The oil reservoir 7 is formed by recessing the bottom surface of the guide groove 3 into a groove shape, so that it can receive excess oil among the oil that is applied to the yarn Y at the discharge port 4. On the other hand, if there is not enough oil on the yarn Y passing through the oil reservoir 7, the oil captured in the oil reservoir 7 is applied to the yarn Y. In this way, the excess or deficiency of oil applied to the yarn Y is adjusted by the oil reservoir 7. The shape of each oil reservoir 7 may be set to a different shape.

The sliding surface 5 has been laser-processed on its surface, and has a finer uneven shape 10 than the yarn Y. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the sliding surface 5 as viewed from the front, showing the arrangement of the uneven shape 10. Figure 3 shows the cross-sectional shape of the uneven shape 10. The uneven shape 10 has a convex contact surface 11 including a contact portion 11a that comes into contact with the yarn Y, and a recess 12 that is recessed from the contact surface 11 by scraping the sliding surface 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, the contact surface 11 and the recesses 12 are each formed into a curved shape so that the cross section of the uneven shape 10 has a wave shape with repeated peaks and valleys. The convex parts of the uneven shape 10 are formed into a curved shape so that the bottom spreads from the peaks of the peaks, which are the contact surfaces 11, to the bottoms of the valleys, which are the recesses 12. Here, a plane that continuously passes through the positions that bisect the height direction on the mid-slope connecting the peaks of the peaks and the lowest points of the valleys is defined as an imaginary plane Q. In this case, the part above the imaginary plane Q corresponds to the contact surface 11. The contact surface 11 is a circle when viewed from the front of the sliding surface 5. The thread Y contacts the contact surface 11 along the height position P1 of the contact surface 11. In addition, the curved recessed part between the contact surfaces 11, i.e., the part below the imaginary plane Q, corresponds to the recess 12.

The contact surfaces 11 and the recesses 12 are arranged alternately and continuously with a regularity as shown in FIG. 3. The circles arranged in FIG. 2 represent the peaks and valleys of the uneven shape 10, i.e., the contact surfaces 11 and the recesses 12. The size of the circles is determined to set the size and arrangement interval of the contact surfaces 11 and the recesses 12 in the uneven shape 10. Note that the direction of the sliding surface 5 is defined as the up-down direction and the left-right direction as shown in FIG. 2 for the following explanation.

In the uneven shape 10, the contact surfaces 11 and the recesses 12 are arranged at equal intervals according to the arrangement of circles shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, the recesses 12 are arranged at equal intervals L1 in the left-right direction, and the contact surfaces 11 are arranged between the recesses 12. Furthermore, the arrangement of the contact surfaces 11 and the recesses 12 is arranged continuously at equal intervals L2 in the up-down direction. The depth H1 of the recesses 12 (height difference between the contact portion 11a and the bottom of the recess 12) is set arbitrarily. In the uneven shape 10, the recesses 12 may all be configured with the same depth H1 as shown in FIG. 3, or the recesses 12a, 12b may be configured with regularly different depths H2, H3 as shown in FIG. 4. The contact surfaces 11 are aligned at the same protruding height position P1.

<Configuration of fiber guide (second embodiment)>
Next, an oiling guide 1 (fiber guide) according to a second embodiment will be described. Note that the description of the configuration common to the first embodiment will be omitted, and different configurations will be described. Fig. 5 is a front view of the sliding surface 5 of the main body 2. Fig. 6 shows the cross-sectional shape of the uneven shape 20. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the sliding surface 5 has a surface that is subjected to a laser drilling process, and has a fine uneven shape 20. The uneven shape 20 has a contact surface 21 including a contact portion 21a that contacts the yarn Y, and a recess 22 that is recessed from the contact surface 21 by cutting the sliding surface 5.

The contact surfaces 21 and recesses 22 are arranged alternately and continuously with regularity in the vertical and horizontal directions. Specifically, in a front view of the sliding surface 5, the recesses 22 are provided as multiple circular holes at equal intervals L3 in the vertical and horizontal directions. The areas between the recesses 22 where the surface of the sliding surface 5 remains uncut correspond to the contact surfaces 21. The contact surfaces 21 are aligned at a height position P2. The yarn Y comes into contact with the contact surface 21 along the height position P2 of the contact surface 21.

The recesses 22 are formed into a curved shape. After the main body 2 is drilled with a laser, it is heat-treated to remove the edges of the recesses 22 that were generated during the drilling process. As a result, the uneven shape 20 is formed in a smooth state without fine protrusions at the boundary between the recesses 22 and the contact surface 21. The size, depth (height difference with the contact surface 21), arrangement interval, etc. of the recesses 22 can be set arbitrarily. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the recesses 22 may be arranged to have the same depth H4, or as shown in FIG. 7, the recesses 22a, 22b may be arranged to have different depths H5, H6.

<Manufacturing process of fiber guide (first embodiment)>
Next, a manufacturing process of the oiling guide 1 (fiber guide) according to the above embodiment will be described. In the manufacturing process of the oiling guide 1 according to the first embodiment, a molded body of the main body 2 of the oiling guide 1 is formed using inorganic solid powder or the like that is the raw material of alumina ceramics. Referring to FIG. 1, the main body 2 is molded into a block shape having a recess. Specifically, the front surface 2a of the main body 2 is recessed along the moving direction of the yarn Y, and a guide groove 3 is formed. The guide groove 3 penetrates the main body 2 and extends from the end of the upper surface 2c to the end of the lower surface 2d.

The guide groove 3 has a sliding surface 5 on the bottom surface against which the yarn Y slides. An outlet 4 for discharging oil is provided on the upstream side of the bottom surface of the guide groove 3, and multiple depressions are provided as oil reservoirs 7 on the downstream side. The oil reservoirs 7 are formed as long grooves extending in the left-right direction (width direction of the guide groove 3) across the guide groove 3, and are arranged in a line along the movement direction of the yarn Y (longitudinal direction of the guide groove 3). In addition, a fitting hole 6 is provided in the main body 2 so as to communicate with the outlet 4. The molded body 2 is fired by a known firing method to become a sintered body of alumina ceramics.

The manufacturing process for the oiling guide 1 includes a polishing process and an unevenness forming process. In the polishing process, the surface of the fired main body 2 is polished. For example, the polishing process involves barrel polishing followed by mirror polishing. For mirror polishing, an abrasive such as diamond is used. In the polishing process, as many unevennesses as possible are removed from the surface of the main body 2, and it is processed into a mirror state.

The unevenness forming process is carried out after the polishing process, and an uneven shape 10 finer than the yarn Y is formed on the sliding surface 5 of the guide groove 3 provided in the main body 2. Specifically, the surface of the sliding surface 5, which was made flat in the polishing process, is laser processed by cutting with a laser (laser processing process). This process forms an uneven shape 10 having a convex contact surface 11 including a contact portion 11a that comes into contact with the sliding yarn Y, and a concave portion 12 recessed from the contact surface 11, as shown in Figure 3.

The contact surface 11 and the recesses 12 are formed into a curved shape so that the cross section of the uneven shape 10 has a wave shape with repeated peaks and valleys. The convex parts of the uneven shape 10 are formed into a curved shape so that the bottom spreads out from the peaks of the peaks, which are the contact surfaces 11, to the bottoms of the valleys, which are the recesses 12. If a plane that passes continuously through the positions that bisect the height direction on the midpoint connecting the peaks of the peaks and the lowest points of the valleys is defined as an imaginary plane Q, the part above the imaginary plane Q corresponds to the contact surface 11. The contact surface 11 is formed to present a circle when viewed from the front of the sliding surface 5. The curved recessed part between the contact surfaces 11, i.e., the part below the imaginary plane Q, corresponds to the recess 12.

The contact surfaces 11 and recesses 12 are arranged alternately and continuously with regularity. The circles arranged in FIG. 2 represent the peaks and valleys of the uneven shape 10 in a front view of the sliding surface 5, i.e., the contact surfaces 11 and recesses 12. The uneven shape 10 consisting of the contact surfaces 11 and recesses 12 is formed according to the arrangement of the circles. The center of the circle and its periphery correspond to the contact portion 11a of the contact surface 11 or the bottom of the recess 12. The size and arrangement interval of the contact surfaces 11 and recesses 12 of the uneven shape 10 are set by determining the size of the circle.

In the uneven shape 10 formed by scraping the surface of the sliding surface 5, the recesses 12 are arranged so that the bottoms of the recesses 12 are equidistant from each other in the left-right direction at an equal distance L1, and the contact surfaces 11 are arranged between each of the recesses 12. Furthermore, the arrangement of the contact surfaces 11 and the recesses 12 is continuously arranged at an equal distance L2 from each other in the up-down direction. In this way, the sliding surface 5 is processed to have a uniform surface state.

The depth of the recesses 12 (height difference between the contact portion 11a and the bottom of the recesses 12) is set arbitrarily. As shown in FIG. 3, all the recesses 12 of the uneven shape 10 are formed to the same depth H1. The contact surfaces 11 each have the same protruding height position P1. Also, instead of the recesses 12 having the same depth H1, the recesses 12a, 12b may be formed to regularly different depths H2, H3, as shown in FIG. 4.

The laser used in the laser processing step is selected appropriately. For example, femtosecond lasers, UV lasers, etc. are capable of fine processing with hole diameters and processing widths of 100 μm or less, and can form fine uneven shapes 10 on the sliding surface 5. Ceramics have coarser particles than metals, and when they are destroyed by colliding with laser light, minute surface roughness may occur, so a UV laser with a shorter wavelength is preferable. With a UV laser, the laser light is absorbed as heat, creating a molten surface state, allowing for smoother surface processing. This reduces friction on the traveling yarn Y.

<Manufacturing process of fiber guide (second embodiment)>
The manufacturing process of the oiling guide 1 according to the second embodiment includes a polishing step and a concave-convex forming step. The polishing step is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

The unevenness forming process of the oiling guide 1 according to the second embodiment will be described. After the polishing process, in the unevenness forming process, a fine uneven shape 20 is formed on the sliding surface 5 of the guide groove 3 provided in the main body 2, which is finer than the yarn Y. Specifically, the surface of the sliding surface 5, which has been made flat in the polishing process, is drilled using a laser, and the surface of the sliding surface 5 is scraped to form recesses 22 as shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 5, the recesses 22 are circular holes when viewed from the front, and are arranged at equal intervals L3 in the vertical and horizontal directions. Between each recess 22, a contact surface 21 including a contact portion 21a that contacts the sliding yarn Y is formed. In this way, an uneven shape 20 in which the contact surfaces 21 and the recesses 22 are arranged alternately and continuously with regularity is formed on the sliding surface 5. Note that the process of scraping the sliding surface 5 with a laser and drilling holes in the unevenness forming process corresponds to the "laser processing process" in this invention.

The recesses 22 are formed into a curved shape as shown in FIG. 6. The size, depth (height difference from the contact surface 21), and spacing of the recesses 22 can be set as desired. For example, the recesses 22 drilled in the sliding surface 5 may all be formed to the same depth H4. The recesses 22a, 22b may also be formed to different depths H5, H6 (see FIG. 7). The contact surface 21 is made up of the remaining portion of the sliding surface 5 that has not been cut, and has the same height position P2. The laser used in the laser processing process can be selected as appropriate, and a UV laser is preferable as in the first embodiment.

The unevenness forming process includes a heat treatment process in which the main body 2 is fired after the laser processing process. In the heat treatment process, the main body 2 is refired. When ceramics are refired in this way, the crystals on the surface grow, and the edges that were generated on the edges of the recesses 22 during the drilling process are smoothed. As a result, the unevenness shape 20 is formed in a smooth state without fine protrusions at the boundary between the recesses 22 and the contact surface 21.

<Action and Effects>
As shown in FIG. 1, when the oiling guide 1 (fiber guide) according to the above embodiment is installed along the moving direction of the spun yarn Y, the yarn Y moves downstream through the guide groove 3 of the oiling guide 1. Specifically, the yarn Y discharged from the multiple holes of the spinning nozzle 15 is sent to the oiling guide 1, bundled into one yarn Y in the guide groove 3, and moves while being pressed against the sliding surface 5. An oil agent is supplied from the discharge port 4 of the oiling guide 1 and adheres to the yarn Y. The yarn Y slides while contacting the contact surfaces 11 and 21 of the sliding surface 5. By processing the sliding surface 5 into fine uneven shapes 10 and 20, the area of the contact surfaces 11 and 21 is reduced, and friction with the sliding yarn Y can be suppressed. In addition, the recesses 12, 12a, 12b, 22, 22a, and 22b have the function of retaining the oil agent, and the oil agent is stably adhered to the yarn Y without shortage.

In the oiling guide 1 according to the first and second embodiments, the sliding surface 5 is formed with fine and regular uneven shapes 10, 20 for the yarn Y. The sliding surface 5 has a smooth surface shape overall, with the height positions P1, P2 of the contact surfaces 11, 21 aligned. Therefore, the height positions of the contact parts 11a, 21a with which the yarn Y comes into contact are aligned, and friction with the yarn Y is uniformly reduced over the entire sliding surface 5. Furthermore, uniform friction with the yarn Y can stabilize the quality of the manufactured yarn.

In the oiling guide 1 according to the first and second embodiments, the oil applied to the yarn Y on the sliding surface 5 remains in the recesses 12, 12a, 12b, 22, 22a, 22b of the fine uneven shapes 10, 20, improving the oil retention function. In addition, the uneven shapes 10, 20 have regularity, so that the oil can be retained uniformly.

The main body 2 of the oiling guide 1 in the first and second embodiments is made of alumina ceramics. Alumina ceramics are chemically stable and have high mechanical strength, improving the wear resistance of the oiling guide 1.

The sliding surface 5 of the oiling guide 1 according to the first embodiment has a curved contact surface 11. The yarn Y slides against the smooth contact surface 11, reducing friction with the yarn Y. In addition, the contact surface 11 is circular when viewed from the front of the sliding surface 5. This further reduces the chance of the sliding yarn Y getting caught, reducing friction with the yarn Y.

The sliding surface 5 of the oiling guide 1 according to the second embodiment has circular recesses 22, 22a, 22b when viewed from the front. As a result, the recesses 22, 22a, 22b are arranged on the sliding surface 5 without corners when viewed from the front. This prevents the yarn Y from getting caught at the boundary between the contact surface 21 and the recesses 22, 22a, 22b.

According to the manufacturing process of the oiling guide 1 (fiber guide) of the first and second embodiments, the surface of the sliding surface 5 is cut with a laser, and uneven shapes 10, 20 that are finer than the yarn Y are formed. The uneven shapes 10, 20 have contact surfaces 11, 21 with which the yarn Y comes into contact, and recesses 12, 12a, 12b, 22, 22a, 22b arranged with regularity. Laser processing makes it easier to process fine surface shapes compared to heat treatment processing in a high-temperature furnace, and the same surface shape can be reproduced repeatedly. Therefore, it is possible to suppress individual differences in the surface shape of the sliding surface 5 between oiling guide 1 products, and to stabilize the yarn quality.

In the oiling guide 1 according to the first and second embodiments, the sliding surface 5 is subjected to laser processing. By performing surface treatment by laser processing, the heat treatment time can be significantly reduced compared to, for example, conventional matte finish processing by heat treatment (see FIG. 8). Furthermore, energy consumption from the use of high-temperature furnaces is also reduced, which leads to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, by using a laser, the shape pattern and size of the unevenness can be set according to the intended use, and a fine surface shape can be formed as designed. In this way, laser processing allows for fine control of surface processing, so by appropriately setting the shape and arrangement of the unevenness, a surface shape with lower friction and high oil retention can be formed.

In the laser processing steps of the first and second embodiments, a UV laser is used. UV lasers are suitable for fine processing, and can form stable, finely textured shapes even in ceramics, which have coarser grains than metals.

In the oiling guide 1 according to the first and second embodiments, laser processing is performed on the surface of the sliding surface 5, which has been polished to a mirror finish in the polishing process. Laser processing controls the output light and melts and evaporates the irradiated portion without contacting the processing surface. By flattening the surface of the sliding surface 5 onto which the laser is irradiated, i.e., the processing surface, in this way, the distance of the laser output to the processing surface can be made more accurate. This allows the formation of highly accurate concave and convex shapes 10, 20.

In the manufacturing process of the oiling guide 1 according to the first embodiment, the contact surface 11 of the uneven shape 10 is formed into a curved shape. Furthermore, the contact surface 11 is formed to present a circle when viewed from the front of the sliding surface 5. This allows a smooth surface shape to be formed on the sliding surface 5. This prevents the sliding yarn Y from getting caught, and reduces friction with the yarn Y.

In the manufacturing process of the oiling guide 1 according to the second embodiment, the uneven shape 20 is formed such that the recesses 22, 22a, and 22b are circular when viewed from the front of the sliding surface 5. This results in the recesses 22, 22a, and 22b being arranged without corners when viewed from the front of the sliding surface 5, allowing a smooth surface shape to be formed. This prevents the yarn Y from getting caught at the boundaries between the contact surface 21 and the recesses 22, 22a, and 22b.

In the manufacturing process of the oiling guide 1 according to the second embodiment, the unevenness forming process is a heat treatment process in which the main body 2 is fired after the laser processing process. By re-firing the main body 2 made of ceramics, the edges generated on the edges of the recesses 22, 22a, and 22b during the laser processing process are smoothed. This prevents the sliding thread Y from getting caught.

The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples and comparative examples.
[Example 1]
The body 2 of the oiling guide 1 (guide for fibers) made of alumina ceramics (sintered body) was barrel polished and then mirror polished. The mirror surface was processed to form fine irregularities using a UV laser. The surface was shaped into a wave shape with repeated peaks and valleys, and contact surfaces 31 and recesses 32 were arranged alternately and continuously with regularity (see Figures 9 and 12).
[Example 2]
The body 2 made of alumina ceramics was barrel polished and then mirror polished. A UV laser was used to drill a number of fine holes in the mirror-finished surface. Then, a conventional heat treatment was performed. When viewed from the front, circular holes (recesses 33) are regularly arranged. The areas between the recesses 33 form contact surfaces 34 (see FIG. 10).
[Comparative Example 1]
The body 2 made of alumina ceramics was barrel-polished and then mirror-polished. The crystals on the surface were raised by heat treatment (re-firing) to give it a matte finish (see Figs. 8 and 11).
[Comparative Example 2]
The body 2 made of alumina ceramics was barrel-polished and then mirror-polished.
[Comparative Example 3]
The body 2 made of alumina ceramics was barrel polished. No subsequent surface treatment was performed.

<Surface roughness>
11 and 12 are diagrams showing the characteristics of the surface roughness charts for the surface finishes according to Comparative Example 1 and Example 1. Compared to Comparative Example 1 (see FIG. 11) which has a matte finish achieved by conventional heat treatment, the surface which has been subjected to UV laser processing as in Example 1 (see FIG. 12) has stable size and shape of the irregularities, and a low-friction surface state is obtained.

<Tension and amount of scum generated>
As shown in FIG. 13, the yarn Y sent out from the yarn package 40 was made to run through the oiling guide 1 (fiber guide) according to Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. The tension T1 at the inlet side 41 (upstream in the running direction) and the tension T2 at the outlet side 42 (downstream in the running direction) of the oiling guide 1 were measured. When the yarn Y runs on the sliding surface of the oiling guide 1, a mixture of the oil agent of the yarn Y and the residue of the yarn Y presumably scraped off by the fine unevenness of the surface adheres as scum S. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the measurement results of tensions T1 and T2 and the amount of scum generated. FIG. 15 shows the state of scum S in Comparative Example 1 and FIG. 16 shows the state of scum S in Example 1, respectively. The oiling guide 1 of Example 1 has a smaller difference (T2-T1) between the upstream and downstream tensions than Comparative Example 1, and the generation of scum S is reduced, thereby suppressing friction on the yarn Y.

<Oil retention function>
The rod-shaped alumina ceramics, each of which was subjected to the surface finishing according to Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, were dip-coated with a colored oil. After that, the pieces were left in the air for a certain period of time, and the oil adhering to the surface was observed over time. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing the state of oil retention on each surface (A: Example 1, B: Comparative Example 1, C: Comparative Example 2, D: Comparative Example 3). In Example 1, a thin and uniform oil film F was formed on the surface, compared to Comparative Examples 1 to 3. By performing the surface finishing according to Example 1 in this way, the oil is uniformly attached to the surface of the alumina ceramics without unevenness. In other words, a sliding surface with a higher oil retention function can be obtained. Therefore, friction with the sliding yarn is suppressed, and wear of the yarn can be reduced.

<Example of change>
The fiber guide and the manufacturing method thereof in the present invention are not limited to the appearance and configuration described in the first and second embodiments above, but can be embodied in various other forms by various modifications, additions, deletions, and combinations of configurations without departing from the gist of the present invention.

Although the oiling guide 1 has been described as an example of a "fiber guide" in the present invention, it is not limited to this and includes various other fiber guides, such as snail guides, dog tail guides, hook guides, and slit guides. Furthermore, the oiling guide 1 is not limited to the shape described in the above embodiment and other shapes can be applied. The sintered body that constitutes the fiber guide body is not limited to alumina ceramics and can be appropriately selected from ceramics made of other materials, or sintered alloys such as cemented carbide and cermet.

The uneven shape of the sliding surface is not limited to the above embodiment, and other configurations can be used, such as a configuration in which hemispheres are continuously arranged as a contact surface including the contact portion, or a configuration in which curved contact surfaces and recesses that are circular in front view are alternately arranged. The shape of the recesses 22 in front view is not limited to a circular shape, and can be changed to other shapes as appropriate.

1. Oiling guide (guide for fibers)
2 Main body 3 Guide groove 4 Discharge port 5 Sliding surface 10, 20 Concave and recessed shape 11, 21 Contact surface 11a, 21a Contact portion 12, 22 Recess Y Yarn P1, P2 Height position

Claims (10)

A fiber guide for guiding a yarn moving in one direction along an extension direction in a state where a plurality of yarns are bundled after spinning,
A body made of a sintered body,
The main body has a sliding surface on which a part of the yarn slides in the extending direction during the movement,
The sliding surface has a surface that is scraped and shaped to have a finer uneven shape than the yarn,
the uneven shape has a shape in which mountains and valleys are repeated in a cross section intersecting with the sliding surface, an imaginary plane is set that passes continuously through positions that bisect the mountains in the height direction on the midpoints connecting the apexes of the mountains and the lowest points of the valleys, and convex contact surfaces that protrude from the imaginary plane and concave portions that are recessed relative to the contact surfaces are alternately and continuously arranged with regularity,
The contact surface includes a contact portion that contacts the yarn, the contact surface is circular when viewed from the front of the sliding surface, and the contact surfaces are aligned at the same height. A fiber guide for guiding a yarn moving in one direction along an extension direction in a state where a plurality of yarns are bundled after spinning,
A body made of a sintered body,
The main body has a sliding surface on which a part of the yarn slides in the extending direction during the movement,
The sliding surface has a surface having a fine uneven shape smaller than that of the yarn,
The uneven shape is formed by alternatingly and continuously arranging contact surfaces including contact portions with the yarn and recesses that are circular in a front view of the sliding surface and are formed by scraping the sliding surface so that the sliding surface is recessed from the contact surface, the recesses being arranged with regularity, and the contact surfaces are aligned at the same height. 2. The fiber guide according to claim 1,
The sliding surface has a contact surface having a curved shape. The fiber guide according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The fiber guide body is made of alumina ceramics. A method for manufacturing a fiber guide for guiding a yarn that moves in one direction along an extension direction in a bundled state after spinning, comprising the steps of:
a polishing step of polishing the surface of the body made of the sintered body to a mirror finish;
and a step of forming an uneven shape finer than the yarn on a sliding surface of the main body, on which a part of the yarn slides in the extending direction during the movement of the yarn,
The unevenness forming step includes a laser processing step of cutting the sliding surface by a laser,
the uneven shape has a shape in which mountains and valleys are repeated in a cross section intersecting with the sliding surface, an imaginary plane is set that passes continuously through positions that bisect the mountains in the height direction on the midpoints connecting the apexes of the mountains and the lowest points of the valleys, and convex contact surfaces that protrude from the imaginary plane and concave portions that are recessed relative to the contact surfaces are alternately and continuously arranged with regularity,
The contact surface includes a contact portion that contacts the yarn, is circular when viewed from the front of the sliding surface, and is aligned at the same height position. A method for manufacturing a fiber guide for guiding a yarn that moves in one direction along an extension direction in a bundled state after spinning, comprising the steps of:
a polishing step of polishing the surface of the body made of the sintered body to a mirror finish;
and a step of forming an uneven shape finer than the yarn on a sliding surface of the main body, on which a part of the yarn slides in the extending direction during the movement of the yarn,
The unevenness forming step includes a laser processing step of cutting the sliding surface by a laser,
The uneven shape is formed by alternatingly and continuously arranging contact surfaces including contact portions with the yarn and recesses which are recessed relative to the contact surfaces and have a circular shape when viewed from the front of the sliding surface, and the contact surfaces are at the same height position. A method for manufacturing the fiber guide according to claim 5, comprising the steps of:
The method for manufacturing a fiber guide, wherein the uneven shape is formed by molding the contact surface into a curved shape. A method for manufacturing the fiber guide according to any one of claims 5 to 7, comprising the steps of:
The method for manufacturing a fiber guide, wherein the unevenness forming step includes a heat treatment step of baking the main body after the laser processing step. A method for manufacturing the fiber guide according to any one of claims 5 to 8, comprising the steps of:
The method for manufacturing a fiber guide, wherein the laser processing step uses a UV laser. A method for manufacturing the fiber guide according to any one of claims 5 to 9,
The method for manufacturing a fiber guide, wherein the main body is made of alumina ceramics.

Images