Apparatus and method for continuously manufacturing components from fiber-reinforced composites, and mold set

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10377064-B2
Application number	US-201615184430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2016
Priority date	Dec 19, 2013
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus for continuously manufacturing components from fiber-reinforced composites comprises a conveying device, configured to convey a semifinished product containing reinforcing fibers through the apparatus, a forming device, configured to bring the semifinished product into a desired shape, and a press with a first pressing element and a second pressing element arranged opposite the first pressing element. The forming device further comprises a plurality of differently shaped molds that are pressurizable by the press, a mold application station arranged upstream of the press relative to the conveying direction of the semifinished product through the apparatus for applying a mold to a section of the semifinished product, and a mold release station arranged downstream of the press relative to the conveying direction of the semifinished product through the apparatus for releasing the mold from the section of the semifinished product.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for continuously manufacturing components from fiber-reinforced composites comprising:
a conveying device configured to convey a semifinished product containing reinforcing fibers through the apparatus, and
a forming device configured to bring the semifinished product into a desired shape, and a press with a first pressing element and a second pressing element arranged opposite the first pressing element,
the forming device further comprising a plurality of differently shaped molds pressurizable by the press, a mold application station arranged upstream of the press relative to the conveying direction of the semifinished product through the apparatus for applying a mold to a section of the semifinished product, and a mold release station arranged downstream of the press relative to the conveying direction of the semifinished product through the apparatus for releasing the mold from the section of the semifinished product.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a control device configured to control the operation of the conveying device and the forming device in such a way that
the pressing elements of the press are operated into a closed position, in order to pressurize a first mold, which is applied to a first section of the semifinished product,
the pressing elements are moved together with the first section of the semifinished product and the first mold in the conveying direction of the semifinished product as long as the pressing elements pressurize the first mold, and
the pressing elements are operated into an open position and are moved relative to the first section of the semifinished product and the first mold opposite to the conveying direction of the semifinished product until the pressing elements are arranged in a position in which they can be operated afresh into a closed position, in order to pressurize a second mold applied to a second section of the semifinished product arranged downstream of the first section of the semifinished product relative to the conveying direction of the semifinished product through the apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pressing elements and the molds are dimensioned in such a way that a plurality of molds, applied to sections of the semifinished product arranged behind one another relative to the conveying direction of the semifinished product through the apparatus, are pressurizable at the same time by the press.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the molds have the same dimensions along the conveying direction of the semifinished product and wherein the control device is configured to control the operation of the conveying device and the forming device in such a way that the pressing elements are moved in their closed position over a distance together with the first section of the semifinished product and the first mold in the conveying direction of the semifinished product, which distance substantially corresponds to the dimension of the molds along the conveying direction of the semifinished product, and wherein the pressing elements, following the movement into their open position, are moved by a distance opposite to the conveying direction of the semifinished product, which distance likewise substantially corresponds to the dimension of the molds along the conveying direction of the semifinished product.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the molds comprises a connecting element for connecting several molds, which are applied to sections of the semifinished product arranged behind one another relative to the conveying direction of the semifinished product through the apparatus.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
a supply device with at least one reel, onto which a semifinished product containing reinforcing fibers is wound,
a preforming device for preforming the semifinished product,
an impregnating device for impregnating the semifinished product with a synthetic material,
a preheating device for preheating the semifinished product impregnated with synthetic material,
a mold handling device for taking up and processing molds from the forming device and for transferring molds to the forming device,
a curing device for curing a curable synthetic material contained in the semifinished product formed by the forming device, and
a cutting device for cutting the semifinished product formed by the forming device into a desired shape.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the conveying device comprises at least one of:
a first and a second clamping device, each adjustable between an open position, in which they release the semifinished product, and a closed position, in which they clamp the semifinished product between two clamping jaws, and which are movable in the conveying direction or opposite to the conveying direction of the semifinished product between a clamping position and a release position, wherein the control device is configured to control the operation of the first and the second clamping device in such a way that the first clamping device is in its open position and is moved opposite to the conveying direction of the semifinished product relative to the semifinished product from its release position to its clamping position, if the second clamping device is in its closed position and is moved in the conveying direction of the semifinished product together with the semifinished product from its clamping position to its release position, and wherein the first clamping device is in its closed position and is moved in the conveying direction of the semifinished product together with the semifinished product from its clamping position to its release position, if the second clamping device is in its open position and is moved opposite to the conveying direction of the semifinished product relative to the semifinished product from its release position to its clamping position, and
two conveyor belts arranged opposite one another, configured to exert such a clamping force on a section of the semifinished product arranged between the conveyor belts that the semifinished product is moved by the conveying movement of the conveyor belts in its conveying direction, wherein at least one of the conveyor belts is supported elastically,
wherein the conveying device is formed integral with the forming device.

8. A method for continuously manufacturing components from fiber-reinforced composites with the steps:
conveying a semifinished product containing reinforcing fibers by a conveying device, and
forming the semifinished product by a forming device, which comprises a press with a first pressing element and a second pressing element arranged opposite the first pressing element,
wherein in a mold application station of the forming device, which is arranged upstream of the press relative to the conveying direction of the semifinished product, differently shaped molds, which are pressurizable by the press, are applied to respective sections of the semifinished product, and in a mold release station arranged downstream of the press relative to the conveying direction of the semifinished product, are released again from the respective sections of the semifinished product.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the operation of the conveying device and the forming device are controlled by a control device in such a way that
the pressing elements of the press are operated into a closed position, in order to pressurize a first mold, which is applied to a first section of the semifinished product,
the pressing elements are moved together with the first section of the semifinished product and the first mold

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Backhaus Sascha
• Gaitzsch Robert
• Fuerste Christian

Classifications

• B29C33/34

  movable, e.g. to or from the moulding station · CPC title

• B29C43/021 Primary

  characterised by the shape of the surface · CPC title

• B29C70/50 Primary

  for producing articles of indefinite length, e.g. prepregs, sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or cross moulding compounds [XMC] · CPC title

• B29D35/0054

  by compression moulding, vulcanising or the like; Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• B29L2031/001

  Profiled members, e.g. beams, sections · CPC title