Filament winding apparatus

Abstract

A programmable filament winding apparatus is provided. The apparatus has a rotatable mandrel having a center rotational axis, a traverse axially movable relative to the mandrel, a filament supply, a drive associated with the traverse for movably positioning the traverse, and a winder drive unit for rotating the mandrel. In order to obtain computer control of the apparatus, a first encoder for producing a signal corresponding to rotation of the mandrel, a second encoder associated with the traverse for producing a signal corresponding to a position of the traverse as it moves along the traverse drive axial to the mandrel, and a computer including a microprocessor for receiving and processing signals from the first and second encoders and for controlling the traverse drive and rotation of the mandrel is provided. For manual control, a control panel in communication with the computer for controlling the traverse drive and rotation of the mandrel is provided. The microprocessor further includes a programmable memory for storing at least one program describing motion of the traverse drive and rotation of the mandrel. The control panel is also capable of controlling the motion of the drive independent from the motion of the mandrel. This allows for the precise winding of filament on a mandrel that has a thickness that changes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.