2009 IITA International Conference on Services Science, Management and Engineering

Research on the Needle Selecting Machine of computerized Jacquard Circle

Knitting Machine Based on Piezoelectric Ceramics
Zhang Zhiming, Xu Qiao, Mei Shunqi, Yu Lianqing
School of Electrical & Mechanical Engineering
Wuhan University of Science and Engineering
Wuhan, China
zzmxn@yahoo.cn
AbstractIn order to overcome the shortage in the traditional
mechanical needle selecting machine of jacquard circle
knitting machine, a new needle selecting machine based on
piezoelectric ceramics is designed. This paper expands on the
structure of needle selecting machine and its principle. The
piezoelectric ceramics have a micro-displacement with the
different flower type. The movement is enlarged by the needle
piece and the needle moves to the requested location.
Therefore, the three movements of needle selecting machine
are realized such as the loop formation, loop accumutional and
float adjustment loop.

base of needle selecting cam, orientation board, pedestal and

circuits. The mechanical structure is shown in Figure 1.
Piezoelectric ceramics
Needle selecting piece

Orientation board

Keywords-needle selecting machine; piezoelectric ceramics;

jacquard circle knitting machine; three movements

I.

Pedestal

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the intelligence and automation of

jacquard circle knitting machine have been increased high
with the improvement of mechanical and electrical
integration level. The technology of its computer controlling
has been used widely [1]. The needle selecting machine is
improved from the machine to the electronic with the CAD
system of the flower data. Therefore, the weaving and
designing ability is quickened. The flower model design is
improved. The traditional mechanical needle selecting
machine of jacquard circle knitting machine is inconvenient
of replacing the flower variety because of restriction of
jacquard piece gears number, jacquard wheels and needle
selecting piece and so on. The electronic needle selecting
machine can select each needle independently. The
information of flower data is stored in the memory or disk of
computer. The number and formation of flower type is not
limited [2]. It is controlled by computer. So, the microdisplacement of piezoelectric ceramics is realized. The
movement is enlarged by the needle piece. The needle will
move to different location. Then, the three movements of
needle selecting machine are realized such as the loop
formation, loop accumutional and float adjustment loop.
II.

The base of needle

selecting cam

STRUCTURE OF ELECTRONIC NEEDLE

SELECTING MACHINE

A. Composed
The electronic needle selecting machine is composed of
up and down needle selecting piece, piezoelectric ceramics,
978-0-7695-3729-0/09 $25.00 2009 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/SSME.2009.58

Figure 1. structure of the electronic needle selecting machine

The needle of electronic needle selecting machine is

selected by piezoelectric ceramics. There are several reasons.
Firstly, the piezoelectric ceramic can convert mechanical
energy to electrical energy. There is no magnetic field. The
computer controlling system is not interfered. Then, the
response speed is very fast. It is suitable for high-speed
jacquard circle knitting machine. Finally, the work frequency
is high. Heat and power consumption is less. Volume is
small. Therefore, piezoelectric ceramics can receive the
stable signal of needle selecting from the interface circuit of
the upper computer.
B. Piezoelectric Ceramics
1) Working principle
Working principle of electronic needle selecting machine
based on piezoelectric ceramics is followed. When
piezoelectric ceramics gets mechanical pressure or induces
vibration signal. The voltage signal will be output between
the two poles of piezoelectric ceramics. Contrarily, when an
electronic signal is put to piezoelectric ceramics, it can also
be converted from electrical signals to vibration signals.
Piezoelectric ceramics are made of layers such as a
rectangular piezoelectric ceramic body and two electrode
boards. And they can be bent to the two electrodes boards.
The appearance and structure are shown as Figure 2.

104

Needle selecting piece

Electrodes board

Piezoelectric ceramics

Piezoelectric
ceramics body

l ti

Electrode board
L1

L2

Power line
(a) Principle of piezoelectric ceramics

Orientation end

Figure 3. enlarging structure of the needle selecting machine

Orientation point
Swing ends

The enlarging principle of the needle selecting machine

is that the micro-displacement of the piezoelectric ceramics
makes the needle selecting pieces swing. The coefficient of
magnification is L1/L2.
III.

(b) Structure of piezoelectric ceramics

Figure 2. piezoelectric ceramics

There are some welding points between power lines and

electrode boards on piezoelectric ceramics. The surface of
welding is positive with red (or white) line. The middle
ceramic body is cathode with black line. When the electrode
board is connected with positive voltage, the ceramic body
will be bent to the welding surface. The orientation end and
the orientation points remained in the original location when
there is current on the line from Figure 2 (b). But the swing
ends is bent a very small angle. It is also named microdisplacement.
2) Technical parameters
The technical parameters of piezoelectric ceramics are as
follows.
Bending deformation
1.5 mm
Input voltage
70 V
Resonant frequency
( 4.3f0.5) kHz
Resonant Impedance
35
Own capacitance
(320f0.15) nF
Where, the bending deformation is micro-displacement
of piezoelectric ceramics. The input voltage is the maximum
voltage that piezoelectric ceramics is driven. Resonant
frequency is the vibration frequency of piezoelectric
ceramics. It will directly affect the speed of the knitting
needles and the efficiency of jacquard circle knitting
machine. This is the most important parameter. High
frequency will make piezoelectric ceramics easy to fracture.
Low frequency will affect the output. Besides, the driving
force of the piezoelectric ceramics is bigger than 30 N.

NEEDLE SELECTING PRINCIPLE

The computerized jacquard circle knitting machine

selects flower type according to the requirements during
weaving process. Each needle selecting piece will swing to
the appropriate position with communication of computer
programming. The three movements are realized such as the
loop formation, loop accumutional and float adjustment loop.
The following is the analysis of three movement process on
piezoelectric ceramics [2-6]. They are shown in Figure 4-6.
Needle cam
Needle
Down cam
Butt
Jack cam
Jack

Heel
Original cam

Jacquard piece

Needle selecting
gear

C. Enlarging structure of the needle selecting machine

The micro-displacement of piezoelectric ceramics cannot
directly move knitting needles from Figure 2 (b). Therefore,
this placement must be enlarged. The enlarging structure of
the needle selecting machine is located between piezoelectric
ceramics and the needle selecting piece. It is based on the
leverage principle. It is shown as in Figure 3.

Needle selecting machine

Down piece
Upper piece

Figure 4. Needle selecting machine based on piezoelectric ceramics

105

Upper
Loop accumutional

Needle selecting
gear

Float adjustment loop

Down

clearing and loop formation is not realized. The new yarn

shapes float adjustment loop on the back of weave.
C. Loop Accumutional
The upper needle selecting pieces swing. But the down
needle selecting pieces do not swing in Figure 5. The heel of
jack in Figure 4 moves up to the point 2 of Figure 6 along the
slant of jack cam. The moving graph of needle is shown as
A, B, C and D in Figure 6. The needle does not move up. It
is at the height of loop accumutional. The yarn lies only and
does not clear. Therefore, the loop accumutional is finished.

Figure 5. needle selecting pieces

1
2
3

IV.

CONCLUSIONS

In this paper, the authors study the mechanical structure

of the electronic needle selecting machine based on
piezoelectric ceramics. The new principle of the needle
selecting is proposed. the three movements of the needle
selecting machine are realized such as the loop formation,
loop accumutional and float adjustment loop.
CONCLUSIONS
[1]

Figure 6. the moving graph of needle

[2]

A. Loop Formation
When the upper and down needle selecting pieces do not
swing in Figure 5, the heel of jack moves up to the max
point( the point 1 of Figure 6) along the slant of jack cam.
The moving graph of needle is shown as A, B, C, D, E and F
in Figure 6. The needle moves up to the height of loop
formation at jack cam synchronously. Therefore, loop
formation is finished.
B. Float Adjustment Loop
The upper needle selecting pieces do not swing. But the
down needle selecting pieces swing in Figure 5. The heel of
jack in Figure 4 moves up to the point 3 of Figure 6. It drops
out from jack cam. The moving graph of needle is shown as
A and B in Figure 6. The needle does not move up. Then the

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

106

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