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US 2012/0067514 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for making fiber reinforced composite tubes
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJOHN RALPH HULL, Mark Alan Negley, Michael Strasik, John A. Mittleider
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Abstract
A composite tube is made by applying a mixture of individual reinforcing fibers and a resin onto the interior cylindrical wall of the spinning mandrel.
Claims25
A method of making a composite tube, comprising:
- spinning a mandrel having an interior wall;
- and
- directing short reinforcing fibers and resin onto the interior wall of the spinning mandrel.
A method of making a composite tube, comprising:
- applying layers of a polymer resin combined with short reinforcing fibers on an interior wall of a spinning mandrel;
- and
- fusing the layers into a substantially continuous, fiber reinforced resin matrix.
Apparatus for making a composite tube, comprising:
- a mandrel having an interior wall and a central axis;
- means for spinning the mandrel about the central axis;
- and
- means for applying individual short fibers and a resin on the interior wall of the mandrel as the mandrel is spinning.
1 more element
Apparatus for making a composite tube, comprising:
- a mandrel having an interior wall having a central axis;
- a first drive for spinning the mandrel about the central axis;
- a system for applying layers of discrete reinforcing fibers and resin to the interior wall of the spinning mandrel, including at least one nozzle for directing the fibers onto the interior wall;
- and
- a second drive for relatively moving the nozzle and the mandrel along the central axis.
2 more elements
A method of making a fiber reinforced flywheel ring for energy storage, comprising:
- providing a continuous length of a reinforcement fiber;
- feeding the short fibers to a first nozzle;
- cutting the length of fiber within the first nozzle into short fibers of preselected length;
- changing the direction of travel of the fibers by passing the fibers through guide rollers in the first nozzle;
- rotating a mandrel having a cylindrical interior wall about the central axis of the interior mandrel wall;
- aligning the orientation of the first nozzle with the wall;
- ejecting the short fibers from the first nozzle onto the interior mandrel wall;
- using a second nozzle to wet the short fibers with a resin;
- relatively moving the first nozzle and the mandrel along the central axis;
- melting the resin by heating the mandrel;
- using the heated mandrel to cure the flywheel formed on the interior mandrel wall and the centrifugal force produced by the rotating mandrel to compact the fibers;
- and
- removing the flywheel from the mandrel.
10 more elements
Apparatus for making a fiber reinforced composite tube, comprising:
- a mandrel including a cylindrical interior wall having central axis;
- bearings for mounting the mandrel for rotation about the central axis;
- a rotary drive for rotating the mandrel;
- a heating system for heating the mandrel as the mandrel is rotated;
- a fiber delivery system including a supply of short reinforcing fibers and a nozzle for directing the short fibers onto the interior mandrel wall;
- a resin delivery system including a supply of resin and a nozzle for wetting the fibers with resin;
- a displacement drive for relatively displacing the mandrel and the nozzles;
- and
- a control system for controlling the operation of the rotary drive the heating system, the fiber delivery system, the resin delivery system and the displacement drive.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.