Apparatus and method for splitting a tow of fibers
AssigneeZoltek Companies, Inc.
InventorsPeter A. Kiss, Jeffrey M. Deaton, Michael S. Parsons, Donald Coffey
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Abstract
An apparatus for splitting a fiber tow, the apparatus having a spreading bar comprising a crown and a circular or oval-shaped splitter bar comprising grooves around the circumference of the splitter bar, wherein each of the grooves does not circumscribe the complete circumference of the splitter bar, and a method therefor are disclosed.
Claims24
An apparatus for splitting a fiber tow, comprising:
- a spreading bar comprising a crown and
- a circular or oval-shaped splitter bar comprising grooves around the circumference of the splitter bar,
- wherein each of the grooves does not circumscribe the complete circumference of the splitter bar.
An apparatus for splitting a fiber tow, comprising:
- a spreading bar comprising a crown and
- a circular or oval-shaped splitter bar comprising grooves around the circumference of the splitter bar,
- wherein each of the grooves do not circumscribe the complete circumference of the splitter bar and
- wherein a radius of the crown is R, a width of the crown is W and a ratio R/W is about 50/1 to 3/1.
A method for splitting a fiber tow, comprising:
- passing the fiber tow over a spreading bar comprising a crown,
- passing the fiber tow over a circular or oval-shaped splitter bar comprising grooves around the circumference of the splitter bar,
- wherein each of the grooves do not circumscribe the complete circumference of the splitter bar.
A method for splitting a fiber tow, comprising:
- passing the fiber tow over a spreading bar comprising a crown and
- passing the fiber tow over a circular or oval-shaped splitter bar comprising grooves around the circumference of the splitter bar,
- wherein each of the grooves do not circumscribe the complete circumference of the splitter bar and
- wherein a radius of the crown is R, a width of the crown is W and a ratio R/W is about 50/1 to 3/1.
A method for manufacturing an apparatus for splitting a fiber tow, comprising:
- fabricating a spreading bar comprising a crown and
- fabricating a circular or oval-shaped splitter bar comprising grooves around the circumference of the splitter bar,
- wherein each of the grooves do not circumscribe the complete circumference of the splitter bar and
- wherein a radius of the crown is R, a width of the crown is W and a ratio R/W is about 50/1 to 3/1.
A split fiber strand formed by splitting a fiber tow, the split fiber strand having a degree of separation of about 90% or more.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.