Systems and methods for continuous fabrication of woven composite materials
AssigneeWEAV3D, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Oberste, Phillip Sung Tse Cheng
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Abstract
A machine and method are presented for continuously forming a woven composite with controllable internal fabric geometry. The machine may include one or more spools for dispensing one or more warp filaments, a roller assembly configured to receive a composite weave, a warp rack having warp heads for engaging the warp filaments and vertically adjusting position to dynamically create a weave pattern in response to the insertion of one or more weft filaments by a weft inserter stack.
Claims20
A continuously-formed interlaced composite, comprising:
- a plurality of warp tapes in a first linear direction, at least one of the plurality of warp tapes including reinforcing fibers impregnated with resin;
- and
- a plurality of weft tapes in a second linear direction, at least one of the plurality of weft tapes including the reinforcing fibers impregnated with resin,
- wherein at least one of the plurality of warp tapes passes over at least one of the plurality of weft tapes and passes under at least another of the plurality of weft tapes, and
- wherein the at least one warp tape or the at least one weft tape encloses a transmission material different from the reinforcing fibers, and the plurality of warp tapes and the plurality of weft tapes are bonded to each other in a single sheet structure.
A continuously-formed interlaced composite, comprising:
- a plurality of warp tapes in a first linear direction, wherein at least a first warp tape includes reinforcing fibers impregnated with resin and a transmission material different from the reinforcing fibers;
- and
- a plurality of weft tapes in a second linear direction, wherein at least a first weft tape includes the reinforcing fibers impregnated with resin and the transmission material,
- wherein the first warp tape passes over the first weft tape and passes under at least another of the plurality of weft tapes, and wherein transmission material from the first warp tape is in communication with the transmission material from the first weft tape.
A continuously-formed interlaced composite, comprising:
- a plurality of warp tapes extending in a first linear direction, at least one of the plurality of warp tapes including reinforcing fibers impregnated with resin;
- a first elongate transmission element extending in the first linear direction and positioned above or below the at least one of the plurality of warp tapes;
- a plurality of weft tapes extending in a second linear direction, at least one of the plurality of weft tapes including the reinforcing fibers impregnated with resin;
- and
- a second elongate transmission element extending in the second linear direction and positioned above or below the at least one of the plurality of weft tapes,
- wherein the at least one of the plurality of warp tapes passes over the at least one of the plurality of weft tapes and passes under at least another of the plurality of weft tapes, and
- wherein the plurality of warp tapes and the plurality of weft tapes are bonded to each other in a single sheet structure, and the first elongate transmission element is in communication with the second elongate transmission element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.