Method and apparatus for splicing indeterminate length fiber tow ends
AssigneeSolutia Inc.
InventorsMichael Dallas, Edd McGaric Ong, Francisco Abufele, Ian Watson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Indeterminate length fiber tows ends are joined by overlapping end portions of the first and second fiber tows. The first and second tows are secured in a clamp with a portion of the overlapping area exposed. The overlapping area of the tows is positioned on a sewing unit having a support and sewing head, at least one of which is displaceable along first and second axes, and a controller for executing a preprogrammed stitching pattern. The controller is actuated to form the preprogrammed stitching pattern in the exposed portion of the overlapping area, thereby splicing the first and second fiber tows.
Claims20
A method of joining indeterminate length fiber tows end-to-end comprising:
- providing a first fiber tow and a second fiber tow;
- placing an end portion of the first tow over an end portion the second tow so that the first and second tow ends overlap each other in an overlapping area;
- securing the first and second tows while leaving at least a portion of the overlapping area exposed;
- positioning the overlapping area of the tows on a sewing unit having a support surface, a sewing head, and a controller for executing a preprogrammed stitching pattern, wherein at least one of the support surface and the sewing head is displaceable along first and second axes to execute the preprogrammed stitching pattern;
- actuating the controller to displace at least one of the support surface and the sewing head along the first and second axes to form the preprogrammed stitching pattern in the exposed portion of the overlapping area.
An apparatus for joining indeterminate length fiber tow ends, the apparatus comprising:
- a support surface adapted for holding overlapping end portions of first and second fiber tows;
- a sewing unit having a sewing head;
- wherein at least one of the support surface and the sewing head is displaceable along first and second axes, and means for displacing at least one of the support surface and the sewing head along the first and second axes;
- and
- a controller for actuating movement of at least one of the support surface and the sewing head, whereby the sewing unit applies a preprogrammed stitching pattern in the exposed portion of the overlapping area to join the first and second fiber tow ends.
A fiber tow splice joining a first fiber tow and a second fiber tow, wherein each of the first tow and the second tow has a width dimension, and wherein an end portion of the first tow overlaps an end portion of the second tow to form an overlapping area;
- and
- a thread sewn through the overlapping area in a predetermined stitching pattern, wherein the predetermined stitching pattern comprises a plurality of generally parallel lines in the width dimension of the tows and at least one diagonal line traversing at least some of the generally parallel lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.