Structural tube element fabricator

A machine for manufacturing a tube element including spaced apart tape strips, said machine comprising:

• a first shaft extending in a direction and including a first end and a second end;
• a disk mounted to the first shaft;
• a second shaft concentric with the first shaft;
• a motor coupled to the first and second shafts through a gear assembly, said motor operable to rotate the first and second shafts in opposite directions;
• a first plate mounted to the first shaft and being rotated therewith, said first plate including a plurality of spools mounted to and disposed around the first plate, wherein a separate one of the strips is wound on each spool;
• a second plate mounted to the second shaft and being rotated therewith, said second plate including a plurality of spools mounted to and disposed around the second plate, wherein a separate one of the strips is wound on each spool on the second plate;
• a support member including an opening, said first shaft extending through the opening so that the disk is on an opposite side of the support member from the motor, said support member including a plurality of spools mounted to and disposed around the support member, wherein a separate one of the strips is wound on each spool on the support member, and wherein the tape strips are unwound from all of the spools so that some of the tape strips periodically cross each other on the disk;
• a third plate positioned proximate to the disk, said third plate being rotatable and including a plurality of ultrasonic welders disposed around the disk and being operable to weld the strips together at locations where the strips cross;
• a rail positioned adjacent to the disk and extending from the first shaft in the same direction;
• a slide slidably secured to the rail and including an end support configured to hold ends of the tape strips;
• and
• an indexer configured to pull the slide on the rail away from the disk, wherein the tape strips that are unwound from the spools on the first plate are wound on the tube element in one helical direction, the tape strips that are unwound from the spools on the second plate are wound on the tube element in an opposite helical direction and the tape strips are unwound from the spools on the support member in a straight manner.

A method for manufacturing a tube element including spaced apart tape strips, said method comprising:

• providing a first plate including a plurality of spools mounted to and disposed around the first plate, wherein a separate one of the strips is wound on each spool;
• providing a second plate including a plurality of spools mounted to and disposed around the second plate, wherein a separate one of the strips is wound on each spool on the second plate;
• rotating the first and second plates in opposite directions;
• unwinding the tape strips from the spools as the plates are being rotated;
• directing the unwound tape strips to a disk in a manner so that the strips being unwound from the spools on the first plate wind helically in one direction on the disk and the strips being unwound from the spools on the second plate wind helically in an opposite direction on the disk so that the strips from the spools on the first and second plates periodically cross on the disk;
• and
• welding the strips together at locations on the disk where the strips cross.