System and methods for creating wrapped filament reinforced vessels, and vessels created thereby
OwnerJoseph W. Anderson, Leigh C. Andersoninventors
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Abstract
A manufacturing apparatus for producing filament-wound products such as pressure vessels and pipes includes a mandrel for supporting a pre-form vessel, a mandrel driver structured to rotate the pre-form vessel, and an array of individual filament supports for guiding individual filaments used in producing the vessel. Using the unique aspects of the apparatus which avoids the customary high-angle fiber crossings significantly speeds up manufacturing and thus lowers product cost, increases product lifetime, reduces fatigue stress, and reduces weight of the finished product. Methods of production are also disclosed.
Claims19
A method for manufacturing a filament-wound vessel, the method comprising:
- placing a vessel form on a mandrel;
- positioning a first end of the vessel form near an array of individual filaments;
- securing the array of filaments at a first end of the vessel form;
- rotating the vessel form about an axis of the mandrel in a first direction while simultaneously moving the first end of the vessel form away from the array of individual filaments to produce the vessel from filaments overlaying the vessel form, the vessel having all of the filaments of a single filament layer laying substantially in the same direction covering a complete length of the vessel.
A vessel made by performing the process of:
- placing a vessel form on a mandrel;
- positioning a first end of the vessel form near an array of individual filaments;
- securing the array of filaments at a first end of the vessel form;
- rotating the vessel form about an axis of the mandrel in a first direction while simultaneously moving the first end of the vessel form away from the array of individual filaments to produce the vessel from filaments overlaying the vessel form, the vessel having all of the filaments of a single filament layer laying substantially in the same direction covering a complete length of the vessel.
An apparatus for manufacturing a vessel, comprising:
- a mandrel for supporting a pre-form vessel;
- an array of individual filament supports for respective individual filaments;
- and
- a mandrel driver structured to rotate the mandrel and pre-form vessel in a first direction during a first wrapping pass, and structured to rotate the mandrel and pre-form vessel in a second direction during a second wrapping pass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.