# US 2014/0191437 A1 · Impregnation Section with Tension Adjustment Device and Method for Impregnating Fiber Rovings > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191437 A1 - Document ID: US20140191437A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/112,630 - Filed: 2012-04-26 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-04-29 - Assignees: Ticona LLC - Inventors: Aaron H. Johnson; David W. Eastep - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191437A1 ## CPC - B29C 48/05: Filamentary, e.g. strands - B29B 15/122: {with a matrix in liquid form, e.g. as melt, solution or latex} - B29C 48/156: Coating two or more articles simultaneously - B29C 48/305: having a wide opening, e.g. for forming sheets - B29C 48/705: {in the die zone, e.g. to create flow homogeneity} - B29C 70/021: {Combinations of fibrous reinforcement and non-fibrous material} - B29C 48/07: Flat, e.g. panels - B29C 48/34: Cross-head annular extrusion nozzles, i.e. for simultaneously receiving moulding material and the preform to be coated - B29C 48/35: with rollers - B29K 2105/08: of continuous length, e.g. cords, rovings, mats, fabrics, strands or yarns - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29B: PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BE SHAPED; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIAL CONTAINING PLASTICS - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract An impregnation section of a die (150) and a method for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin are disclosed. The impregnation section includes an impregnation zone (250) configured to impregnate the roving with the resin. The impregnation zone (250) includes a plurality of contact surfaces (252). The impregnation section further includes a device (300) positioned upstream of the impregnation zone (250) in a run direction of the roving. The device (300) is configured to reduce tension in the roving. The method includes tensioning a fiber roving, reducing the tension in the roving, coating the roving with a polymer resin, and traversing the coated roving through an impregnation zone (250) to impregnate the roving with the resin. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An impregnation section of a die for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin, the impregnation section comprising: an impregnation zone configured to impregnate the roving with the resin, the impregnation zone comprising a plurality of contact surfaces; and a device positioned upstream of the impregnation zone in a run direction of the roving and configured to reduce tension in the roving. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The impregnation section of claim 1, wherein the device is a first device, and further comprising a second device positioned downstream of the first device in the run direction, the second device configured to increase the tension in the roving. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The impregnation section of claim 2, wherein the second device is positioned downstream of the impregnation zone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The impregnation section of claim 2, wherein the second device is positioned within the impregnation zone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The impregnation section of claim 1, wherein the device is a plurality of rollers each rotatable about a central axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The impregnation section of claim 5, wherein the plurality of rollers comprises a pair of rollers, the pair of rollers oppositely aligned with respect to the roving. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The impregnation section of claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of rollers is rotationally driven. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The impregnation section of claim 5, wherein at least one of the plurality of rollers is adjustable perpendicularly to a run direction of the roving. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The impregnation section of claim 1, further comprising a blade in contact with the device for removing excess resin from the device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The impregnation section of claim 1, wherein the impregnation zone comprises between 2 and 50 contact surfaces. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The impregnation section of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of contact surfaces comprises a curvilinear contact surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The impregnation section of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of contact surfaces is configured such that the roving traverses the contact surface at an angle in the range between 1 degree and 30 degrees. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The impregnation section of claim 1, wherein the impregnation zone has a waveform cross-sectional profile. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The impregnation section of claim 1, wherein the resin is a thermoplastic resin. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The impregnation section of claim 1, wherein the resin is a thermoset resin. ### Claim 16 A method for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin, the method comprising: tensioning a fiber roving; reducing the tension in the roving; coating the roving with a polymer resin; and traversing the coated roving through an impregnation zone to impregnate the roving with the resin, the impregnation zone comprising a plurality of contact surfaces. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising increasing the tension in the roving. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the roving is under a tension of from about 5 Newtons to about 300 Newtons within the impregnation zone. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein coating the roving with the resin comprises flowing the resin through a gate passage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising tensioning a plurality of rovings; reducing the tension in the plurality of rovings; coating the plurality of rovings with the resin, and traversing the coated rovings through the impregnation zone.