Fiber placement machine roller with vacuum assisted tow handling
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsMark Ernest Vermilyea, Nicholas Joseph Kray
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fiber placement system is provided that can include a compaction roller defining a plurality of openings between a roller outer surface and a roller inner surface. The plurality of openings are in fluid communication with a vacuum source. A cover can be included in or on the compaction roller so as to block airflow through a portion of the openings. The fiber placement system can also include a head including a frame and at least one supply spool mounted on the frame. The supply spool is supported on a hub for rotation, and the compaction roller is aligned to receive one or more fiber tows from the at least one supply spool. Methods are also provided for laying a prepreg tow material using automated fiber placement.
Claims9
A fiber placement system comprising:
- a compaction roller defining a plurality of openings between a roller outer surface and a roller inner surface, wherein the plurality of openings are in fluid communication with a vacuum source, wherein the compaction roller comprises a vacuum manifold in fluid communication with the plurality of openings and the vacuum source,
- wherein the vacuum manifold comprises a plurality of partitions disposed between the roller inner surface and a manifold inner wall to define a plurality of manifold chambers between the roller inner surface and the manifold inner wall, and
- wherein each manifold chamber is in fluid communication with a corresponding portion of the plurality of openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.