Process and equipment for manufacture of advanced composite structures
AssigneeHypercar, Inc.
InventorDavid Taggart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for continuous, tailored lamination of aligned composite materials in such a way that either pre-formed or pre-consolidated sheets are made available for subsequent infusion molding or stamping processes, the process comprising the steps of: material placement, consolidation/stabilization, cut and kit, fabrication, and final trim. A tailored blank machine is also described. The blank machine includes a series of material placement heads arranged in a linear or serial fashion along a single moving placement table, wherein each head lays down a single angle of the prescribed stacking sequence as the conveyer passes under the head at a constant speed wherein the angle is proportional to head traverse rate divided by conveyer speed.
Claims20
A tailored blank comprising a first group of fibers and a second group of fibers, the tailored blank obtained by carrying out a process comprising:
- providing a first relative displacement between a dispensing head and a table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the table the first group of fibers, such that the first group of fibers is aligned in a direction determined by the first relative displacement;
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the first group of fibers;
- providing a second relative displacement between the dispensing head and the table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the first group of fibers the second group of fibers, such that the second group of fibers is dispensed at an angle to the direction, the angle determined by the second relative displacement;
- and
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the second group of fibers,
- the intermittent dispensing of the first group of fibers and the second group of fibers forming an opening in the tailored blank, wherein ends of fibers of the second group of fibers form an edge of the opening.
A tailored blank comprising a first group of fibers and a second group of fibers, the tailored blank obtained by carrying out a process comprising:
- providing a first relative displacement between a dispensing head and a table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the table the first group of fibers, such that the first group of fibers is aligned in a direction determined by the first relative displacement;
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the first group of fibers;
- providing a second relative displacement between the dispensing head and the table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the first group of fibers the second group of fibers, such that the second group of fibers is dispensed at an angle to the direction, the angle determined by the second relative displacement;
- and
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the second group of fibers,
- the intermittent dispensing of the first group of fibers and the second group of fibers forming an opening in the tailored blank having at least one nonlinear side.
A tailored blank comprising a first group of fibers and a second group of fibers, the tailored blank obtained by carrying out a process comprising:
- providing a first relative displacement between a dispensing head and a table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the table the first group of fibers, such that the first group of fibers is aligned in a direction determined by the first relative displacement;
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the first group of fibers;
- providing a second relative displacement between the dispensing head and the table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the first group of fibers the second group of fibers, such that the second group of fibers is dispensed at an angle to the direction, the angle determined by the second relative displacement;
- and
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the second group of fibers,
- the intermittent dispensing of the first group of fibers and the second group of fibers forming an opening in the tailored blank having at least one non-right angle between adjacent sides of the opening.
A tailored blank comprising a first group of fibers and a second group of fibers, the tailored blank obtained by carrying out a process comprising:
- providing a first relative displacement between a dispensing head and a table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the table the first group of fibers, such that the first group of fibers is aligned in a direction determined by the first relative displacement;
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the first group of fibers;
- providing a second relative displacement between the dispensing head and the table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the first group of fibers the second group of fibers, such that the second group of fibers is dispensed at an angle to the direction, the angle determined by the second relative displacement;
- and
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the second group of fibers,
- the intermittent dispensing of the first group of fibers and the second group of fibers forming an opening in the tailored blank, wherein the opening is shaped as a polygon having sides of at least three different lengths.
A tailored blank comprising a first group of fibers and a second group of fibers, the tailored blank obtained by carrying out a process comprising:
- providing a first relative displacement between a dispensing head and a table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the table the first group of fibers, such that the first group of fibers is aligned in a direction determined by the first relative displacement;
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the first group of fibers;
- providing a second relative displacement between the dispensing head and the table while dispensing through the dispensing head onto the first group of fibers the second group of fibers, such that the second group of fibers is dispensed at an angle to the direction, the angle determined by the second relative displacement;
- and
- turning the dispensing head on and off to intermittently dispense the second group of fibers,
- the intermittent dispensing of the first group of fibers and the second group of fibers forming pad-ups in the tailored blank having thicknesses greater than remaining areas of the tailored blank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.