Roller for automated fabric layup
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorW. Robert Nelson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for automated fabric lay-up of composite laminates 10 is provided, including an automatic dispensing assembly 12 dispensing pre-preg fabric 14 in a dispensing direction 30. The apparatus 10 further includes a roller element 38 having a contact surface 40 in communication with the pre-preg fabric 14. The roller element 38 rotates such that the contact surface 40 induces lateral tension in the pre-preg fabric 14 over which it rolls such that wrinkles are removed.
Claims21
An apparatus for automatic lay-up of a pre-preg fabric onto a tool comprising:
- an automatic dispensing assembly mounted on a main frame structure, said automatic dispensing assembly dispensing the pre-preg fabric onto the tool in a relative dispensing direction;
- a bowed roller element having a contact surface in communication with the pre-preg fabric, said bowed roller element capable of being pivoted through a plurality of angles so as to adjust to contours of the tool;
- and
- at least one rotational drive assembly in communication with said bowed roller element, said at least one rotational drive assembly inducing rotation in said bowed roller element such that said contact surface induces lateral tension in the pre-preg fabric as it is applied to the tool such that wrinkles are removed.
An apparatus for automatic lay-up of a pre-preg fabric onto a tool comprising:
- an automatic dispensing assembly mounted on a main frame structure, said automatic dispensing assembly dispensing the pre-preg fabric onto the tool in a relative dispensing direction;
- a roller element having a contact surface in communication with the pre-preg fabric, said roller element rotating such that said contact surface induces lateral tension in the pre-preg fabric as it is applied to the tool such that wrinkles are removed.
A method of automatic lay-up of a pre-preg fabric onto a tool comprising:
- automatically dispensing the pre-preg fabric onto the tool in a relative dispensing direction;
- and
- rotating a roller element having a contact surface in communication with the pre-preg fabric such that lateral tension is induced in the pre-preg fabric and wrinkles are removed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.