Thermoplastic composite tubular lineal forming system and method
AssigneeEbert Composites Corporation
InventorsDavid W. Johnson, Scott A. Garrett, Stephen G. Moyers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of processing a thermoplastic composite tubular lineal comprising providing a pre-pregged thermoplastic composite around an elongated stationary mandrel; wrapping the pre-pregged thermoplastic composite with a release material; heating the stationary mandrel so that the pre-pregged thermoplastic composite melts and the release material contracts, exerting pressure on the pre-pregged material; cooling the pre-pregged material and release material so as to form a thermoplastic composite tubular lineal in its final configuration; pulling the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal downstream; and removing the release material from the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal.
Claims21
A method of processing a thermoplastic composite tubular lineal, comprising:
- providing a pre-pregged thermoplastic composite around an elongated stationary mandrel;
- wrapping the pre-pregged thermoplastic composite with a release material;
- heating the stationary mandrel so that the pre-pregged thermoplastic composite melts and the release material contracts, exerting pressure on the pre-pregged material;
- automatically clamping two or more die members with partially circular inner surfaces onto the pre-pregged material and release material;
- automatically unclamping the two or more die members from the pre-pregged material and release material;
- rotating the two or more die members about the stationary mandrel;
- repeating the clamping and unclamping at two or more circumferential locations on the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal with the two or more die members so that full consolidation of 360 degrees of a surface of the pre-pregged material and release material into a round annular shape occurs;
- pulling the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal downstream;
- removing the release material from the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal.
A method of processing a thermoplastic composite tubular lineal, comprising:
- providing a pre-pregged thermoplastic composite around an elongated stationary mandrel;
- wrapping the pre-pregged thermoplastic composite with a release material;
- heating the stationary mandrel so that the pre-pregged thermoplastic composite melts and the release material contracts, exerting pressure on the pre-pregged material;
- automatically clamping two or more die members with partially circular inner surfaces onto the pre-pregged material and release material, the partially circular inner surfaces when clamped contact less than 360 degrees of a surface of the pre-pregged material and release material;
- automatically unclamping the two or more die members from the pre-pregged material and release material;
- rotating the two or more die members about the stationary mandrel;
- repeating the clamping and unclamping at two or more circumferential locations on the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal with the two or more die members so that full consolidation of 360 degrees of a surface of the pre-pregged material and release material into a round annular shape occurs;
- pulling the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal downstream;
- removing the release material from the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal.
A method of processing a thermoplastic composite tubular lineal, comprising:
- providing a pre-pregged thermoplastic composite around an elongated stationary mandrel;
- wrapping the pre-pregged thermoplastic composite with a release material;
- heating the stationary mandrel so that the pre-pregged thermoplastic composite melts and the release material contracts, exerting pressure on the pre-pregged material;
- automatically clamping two or more die members with partially circular inner surfaces onto the pre-pregged material and release material, the two or more die members being chamfered so that any one of the two or more die members do not touch each other;
- automatically unclamping the two or more die members from the pre-pregged material and release material;
- rotating the two or more die members about the stationary mandrel;
- repeating the clamping and unclamping at two or more circumferential locations on the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal with the two or more die members so that full consolidation of 360 degrees of a surface of the pre-pregged material and release material into a round annular shape occurs;
- pulling the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal downstream;
- removing the release material from the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal.
A method of processing a thermoplastic composite tubular lineal, comprising:
- providing a pre-pregged thermoplastic composite around an elongated stationary mandrel;
- wrapping the pre-pregged thermoplastic composite with a release material;
- clamping two or more die members onto the pre-pregged material and release material, the two or more die members including partially circular inner surfaces,
- unclamping the two or more die members from the pre-pregged material and release material,
- rotating the two or more die members about the stationary mandrel, and
- repeating the clamping and unclamping at two or more circumferential locations on the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal with the two or more die members so that full consolidation of 360 degrees of a surface of the pre-pregged material and release material into a round annular shape occurs;
- pulling the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal downstream;
- removing the release material from the thermoplastic composite tubular lineal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.