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US 11,623,414 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for continuous fabrication of fiber-bundle-based and tape-base preforms
AssigneeArris Composites Inc.
InventorsTodd Pelman, Christopher Bender, Dylan Harper, Cory Bloome, Ethan Escowitz, J. Scott Perkins, Erick Davidson, Kameron Butler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for the continuous fabrication of fiber-bundle-based and composite-tape based preforms and preform charges includes a mandrel about which a constituent material, which is maintained under tension, is wound. The tension is insufficient to fully consolidate the wound material.
Claims22
A method comprising:
- (a) winding a first length of a constituent material around a mandrel, the constituent material consisting essentially of fiber and thermoplastic resin in the form of a fiber bundle or tape, and wherein the constituent material is under a sufficient amount of tension during the winding to conform to a surface profile of the mandrel, but is not subjected to a force sufficient to cause full consolidation of the constituent material;
- (b) removing the constituent material from the mandrel after a temperature of the constituent material falls below a glass-transition temperature of the resin, wherein tension is maintained on a portion of the first length of constituent material, thereby enabling winding a second length of the constituent material around the mandrel, providing for continuous production of wound constituent material;
- and
- (c) repeating (a) and (b) for the second length of the constituent material.
1 more element
A method for forming a partially consolidated, fiber-composite form having a non-linear shape, the method comprising:
- winding a first length of a constituent material around a mandrel, the constituent material consisting essentially of fiber and resin in the form of a fiber bundle or tape, the first length of constituent material maintained under a sufficient amount of tension during the winding to conform to a surface profile of the mandrel, wherein a temperature of the first length of the constituent material is greater than or equal to a heat deflection temperature of the resin;
- removing the constituent material from the mandrel after a temperature of the constituent material falls below a glass-transition temperature of the resin, wherein tension is maintained on a portion of the first length of constituent material;
- and winding a second length of the constituent material around the mandrel, as enabled by the maintained tension, providing for continuous production of wound constituent material.
A method comprising:
- guiding, via a guide, a first length of a constituent material to a mandrel, wherein the constituent material consists essentially of fiber and thermoplastic resin in the form of a fiber bundle or tape;
- winding the constituent material around the mandrel under an amount of tension that is sufficient to conform the constituent material to a surface profile of the mandrel, but insufficient to cause full consolidation of the constituent material;
- moving at least one of the guide and the mandrel in a direction normal to a direction in which the constituent material is fed to the mandrel so that the constituent material winds at varying locations along a length of the mandrel;
- removing the constituent material from the mandrel after a temperature of the constituent material falls below a glass-transition temperature of the resin, wherein tension is maintained on a portion of the first length of constituent material, thereby enabling winding a second length of the constituent material around the mandrel, providing for continuous production of wound constituent material.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.