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US 11,525,193 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for manufacturing carbon fibers
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsKeith Daniel Humfeld, Scott Hartshorn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for manufacturing a carbon fiber. Pressure is applied to a filament to change a cross-sectional shape of the filament and create a plurality of distinct surfaces on the filament. The filament is converted into a graphitic carbon fiber having the plurality of distinct surfaces. A plurality of sizings is applied to the plurality of distinct surfaces of the graphitic carbon fiber in which the plurality of sizings includes at least two different sizings.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a roller system for applying pressure to a filament to change a cross-sectional shape of the filament and create a plurality of distinct surfaces;
- a heat system for converting the filament into a graphitic carbon fiber;
- and
- a plurality of surface sizing applicators for applying a plurality of sizings to the plurality of distinct surfaces of the graphitic carbon fiber, the plurality of surface sizing applicators comprising at least:
- a first sizing applicator configured to apply a first sizing of the plurality of sizings to a first surface of the plurality of distinct surfaces of the graphitic carbon fiber, and
- a second sizing applicator configured to apply a second sizing of the plurality of sizings to a second surface of the plurality of distinct surfaces of the graphitic carbon fiber, the second sizing being different from the first sizing.
3 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- a roller system for applying pressure to a filament to change a cross-sectional shape of the filament and create a plurality of distinct surfaces;
- a heat system for converting the filament into a graphitic carbon fiber;
- and
- a plurality of surface sizing applicators for applying a plurality of sizings to the plurality of distinct surfaces of the graphitic carbon fiber such that each sizing of the at least two different sizings contacts a respective distinct surface of the plurality of distinct surfaces of the graphitic carbon fiber;
- wherein the plurality of surface sizing applicators comprises:
- a first sizing applicator configured to apply a first sizing of the at least two different sizings to a respective first distinct surface of the plurality of distinct surfaces, and
- a second sizing applicator configured to apply a second sizing of the at least two different sizings to a respective second distinct surface of the plurality of distinct surfaces, the second sizing being different from the first sizing.
4 more elements
A fiber processing system comprising:
- a first chemical bath that includes a first sizing;
- a second chemical bath that includes a second sizing that is different from the first sizing;
- a first surface sizing applicator for picking up the first sizing from the first chemical bath to apply the first sizing to a first surface but not a second surface of a graphitic carbon fiber;
- and
- a second surface sizing applicator for picking up the second sizing from the second chemical bath to apply the second sizing to the second surface of the graphitic carbon fiber.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.