Apparatus for resin-impregnation of fibers for filament winding
AssigneeRSE Industries, Inc.
InventorRobert M. Raday
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A two roll impregnator for impregnating fiber reinforcement for use in filament winding operatives contains two abutting rolls, at least one and preferably both having an elastomeric surface. Resin is constrained within a bath whose lower surfaces are defined by the abutting rollers and side dams. Fiber reinforcement is drawn over a first roller through the resin bath and between the closed nip of the abutting rollers, where full impregnation is fostered, excess resin removed, and the impregnated fiber degassed. Substantially dripless operation can be maintained.
Claims20
A process for the impregnation of fiber reinforcement for use in filament winding, comprising:
- a) supplying at least one continuous fiber reinforcing material;
- b) passing said fiber reinforcing material around a tensioning/alignment device and over a first cylindrical impregnation roller;
- c) passing said fiber reinforcing material through a liquid resin contained in a resin reservoir located between dams bearing against said first cylindrical impregnation roller and a second cylindrical impregnation roller, at least one of said first or second impregnation rollers having an elastomeric surface, said first and second cylindrical rollers parallel to and abutting each other forming a closed nip defining a bottom of said resin reservoir, which substantially prevents resin in said resin reservoir from flowing through said closed nip, the reservoir being defined by the topmost surfaces of the rollers and the dams;
- d) passing said fiber reinforcement, wet with resin from said resin reservoir, through said closed nip;
- and
- e) filament winding a resin impregnated fiber reinforcing material obtained in step d).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.