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US 12,654,407 B2Granted
Automated fiber placement system configured to lay down a plurality of widths of composite tapes
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorMichael Kenneth-Que Louie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated fiber placement system is provided. The automated fiber placement system comprises a plurality of spools of composite material having a plurality of material widths, each spool of the plurality of spools having a respective material width of the plurality of material widths; and an automated fiber placement head configured to lay up composite tape from any desired spools of the plurality of spools simultaneously.
Claims20
An automated fiber placement system comprising:
- a plurality of spools of composite material having a plurality of material widths, each spool of the plurality of spools having a respective material width of the plurality of material widths, wherein the plurality of spools comprises a first set of spools located along a first spool axis and a second set of spools located along a second spool axis, wherein the first spool axis and the second spool axis are spaced apart and parallel to each other;
- and
- an automated fiber placement head configured to lay up composite tape from any desired spools of the plurality of spools simultaneously,
- wherein the automated fiber placement head comprises:
- a plurality of lanes for laying down the composite material, each lane of the plurality of lanes fed by a respective spool of the plurality of spools of composite material;
- and
- a plurality of compression rollers, each compression roller of the plurality of compression rollers assigned to a respective lane of the plurality of lanes, each compression roller having a respective width based on a material width of a respective spool feeding the respective lane, wherein the plurality of compression rollers comprises a first set of compression rollers located along a first roller axis and a second set of compression rollers located along a second roller axis, wherein the first roller axis and the second roller axis are spaced apart and parallel to each other,
- wherein the plurality of spools is ordered based on an angle of a chamfer in a design of a composite part, the chamfer having an angle created by differences in the respective widths, and
- wherein each of the plurality of spools having the plurality of material widths is selected to layup a respective width of each ply of a composite filler in two passes or less.
6 more elements
An automated fiber placement system comprising:
- an automated fiber placement head configured to lay down a plurality of material widths of composite tape simultaneously to form a plurality of plies of a composite part, each of the plurality of plies having different widths;
- and
- a plurality of spools of composite material mounted on the automated fiber placement head, the plurality of spools having the plurality of material widths of composite tape, wherein the plurality of spools comprises a first set of spools located along a first spool axis and a second set of spools located along a second spool axis, wherein the first spool axis and the second spool axis are spaced apart and parallel to each other,
- wherein the plurality of spools of the automated fiber placement head is ordered based on an angle of a chamfer in a design of the composite part, the chamfer having an angle created by the different widths, and
- wherein each of the plurality of spools having the plurality of material widths is selected to layup a respective width of each ply of a composite filler in two passes or less.
2 more elements
A method of forming a composite filler having a chamfer, the method comprising:
- laying down a first ply having a first width using an automated fiber placement head in two passes or less of the automated fiber placement head, wherein the automated fiber placement head comprises:
- a plurality of spools of composite material having a plurality of material widths, each spool of the plurality of spools having a respective material width of the plurality of material widths, wherein the plurality of spools comprises a first set of spools located along a first spool axis and a second set of spools located along a second spool axis, wherein the first spool axis and the second spool axis are spaced apart and parallel to each other;
- and
- a plurality of compression rollers, each compression roller of the plurality of compression rollers, each compression roller having a respective width based on a material width of a respective spool, wherein the plurality of compression rollers comprises a first set of compression rollers located along a first roller axis and a second set of compression rollers located along a second roller axis, wherein the first roller axis and the second roller axis are spaced apart and parallel to each other;
- and
- laying down a second ply having a second width over the first ply using the automated fiber placement head in two passes or less of the automated fiber placement head, the second ply having a different sequence of composite tapes than the first ply, at least one of laying down the first ply or laying down the second ply comprises laying down more than one width of composite tape to generate the chamfer, the chamfer having an angle created by differences in widths of the first ply and the second ply.
3 more elements
A method of forming a composite filler having a chamfer, the method comprising:
- laying down a plurality of composite tapes having a plurality of material widths using an automated fiber placement head to sequentially form a plurality of plies having a plurality of widths positioned to form the chamfer having an angle created by differences in the plurality of widths of the plurality of plies, wherein the automated fiber placement head comprises:
- a plurality of spools of composite material having a plurality of material widths, each spool of the plurality of spools having a respective material width of the plurality of material widths, wherein the plurality of spools comprises a first set of spools located along a first spool axis and a second set of spools located along a second spool axis, wherein the first spool axis and the second spool axis are spaced apart and parallel to each other;
- and
- a plurality of compression rollers, each compression roller of the plurality of compression rollers, each compression roller having a respective width based on a material width of a respective spool, wherein the plurality of compression rollers comprises a first set of compression rollers located along a first roller axis and a second set of compression rollers located along a second roller axis, wherein the first roller axis and the second roller axis are spaced apart and parallel to each other,
- wherein each of the plurality of plies is formed using no more than two passes of the automated fiber placement head per ply.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.