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US 8,151,854 B2Granted
Fiber placement machine platform system having interchangeable head and creel assemblies
AssigneeIngersoll Machine Tools, Inc.
InventorTino Oldani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A modular fiber placement machine head assembly and refrigerated creel assembly affixed to a cradle for an interchangeable platform system adapted for composite fiber manufacturing through an automated, computer controlled, fiber placement machine is described.
Claims16
An automated fiber placement system, comprising:
- a plurality of modular cradles adapted to be interchangeable within a host gantry or platform system;
- and
- an automated fiber placement machine mounted on the each of the plurality of modular cradles, the automated fiber placement machine including a compact fiber placement head and roller apparatus, a multi-axial articulated wrist apparatus, an internal power source that maneuvers an internal fiber redirect mechanism, a plurality of spools for mounting of fiber tows contained in a refrigerated creel assembly;
- and
- wherein each of the modular cradles is adapted to maintain a fixed distance between the fiber placement head and the creel assembly and incorporates at least one fiber redirect mechanism between the fiber placement head mechanism and the creel assembly.
2 more elements
An automated fiber placement system, comprising:
- a plurality of modular cradles including a fiber placement machine having a fiber placement head and creel assembly and a multi-axial articulated wrist apparatus mounted thereon;
- a gantry system having a platform moveable thereon, the platform being adapted to interchangeably accept and host at least one of the modular cradles at a time;
- and
- a support structure adapted to interchangeably accept and host at least one of the plurality of modular cradles not being hosted by the platform.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.