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US 8,940,123 B2Granted
Prepreg tape slitting apparatus and method
AssigneeWeb Industries, Inc.
InventorGrand Hou
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for simultaneously producing wide and narrow slit tape from the same master roll.
Claims23
A method for the simultaneous production of wide and narrow width prepreg tape which method comprises
- a) feeding a continuous sheet of prepreg material through a slitting apparatus whose slitting or cutting elements are configured to provide for the production of both wide and narrow width slit tape,
- b) separating each tow of slit tape longitudinally along each slit made by the slitting or cutting elements;
- c) guiding and aligning each tow of wide width tape to a spool element and each tow of narrow width tape to a spindle type spool element;
- and
- d) winding the wide width slit tape on the spool element, each wind directly imposed upon the prior wind so as to form a disc or pancake coil of the slit tape and, simultaneously, winding the narrow width slit tape on the spindle element in a spiral or helical pattern, traversing back and forth along the length of the spindle element;
- wherein a wide prepreg tape is characterized as having a width and integrity that allows the slit tape to be wound around a spool or reel, one layer directly overlaying the prior. to form a stable disc or pancake-like shape and a narrow width slit tape is characterized as being capable of being wound in an end-to-end spiral or helical pattern on a spindle.
3 more elements
A prepreg slitting apparatus comprising, in order:
- a) a slitting station capable of and configured to slit or cut a prepreg sheet material into a plurality of slit tape tows of at least two distinct widths, a narrow width and a wide width;
- and
- b) a winding station having a wide slit tape winding section and a narrow slit tape winding section;
- wherein i) the wide slit tape winding section comprises at least one axle adapted to receive at least one spool element on which the wide slit tape is to be wound in a coil fashion, and ii) a narrow slit tape winding section comprising one or more spindle type winders on which the narrow slit tape is to be transverse wound on an appropriate spindle or like element;
- wherein a wide prepreg tape is characterized as having a width and integrity that allows the slit tape to be wound around a spool or reel. one layer directly overlaying the prior, to form a stable disc or pancake-like shape and a narrow width slit tape is characterized as being ca able of being wound in an end-to-end spiral or helical pattern on a spindle.
2 more elements
A prepreg sheet slitting apparatus comprising, in order:
- a) an unwinding station capable of receiving and holding one or more master rolls of prepreg sheet material;
- b) optionally, a splicing station capable of splicing one end of a prepreg sheet material to the end of another sheet material.
- c) a slitting station capable of and configured to slit or cut a prepreg sheet material into a plurality of slit tape tows of at least two distinct widths, a narrow width and a wide width;
- and
- d) a winding station having a wide slit tape winding section and a narrow slit tape winding section;
- wherein i) the wide slit tape winding section comprises at least one axle adapted to receive at least one spool element on which the wide slit tape is to be wound in a coil fashion, and ii) a narrow slit tape winding section comprising one or more spindle type winders on which the narrow slit tape is to be transverse wound;
- wherein a wide prepreg tape is characterized as having a width and integrity that allows the slit tape to be wound around a spool or reel, one layer directly overlaying the prior, to form a stable disc or pancake-like shape and a narrow width slit tape is characterized as being capable of being wound in an end-to-end spiral or helical pattern on a spindle.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.