Method of manufacturing tank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10562245-B2
Application number	US-201815987386-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2018
Priority date	Jun 6, 2017
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

It is possible to achieve reduction in the occurrence of tension decrease at fiber bundles in a sheet. A method of manufacturing a tank includes several steps. A feed step is carried out of feeding a sheet including aligned fiber bundles while applying tension to the sheet in the longitudinal directions of the fiber bundles. The method further includes a detection step of detecting a decreased tension part subjected to tension decrease in the sheet being fed and a tension recovery step of compensating for the tension decrease at the decreased tension part by spraying an organic solvent if the decreased tension part is detected in the detection step. The method also includes a winding step of winding the sheet having been fed on a liner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a tank, comprising:
a feed step of feeding a sheet including aligned fiber bundles while applying tension to the sheet in a longitudinal direction of the fiber bundles;
a detection step of detecting a decreased tension part having a decreased tension in the sheet being fed;
a tension recovery step of compensating for the decreased tension at the decreased tension part by spraying an organic solvent if the decreased tension part is detected in the detection step; and
a winding step of winding the sheet having been fed on a liner of the tank.

2. The method of manufacturing a tank in accordance with claim 1 , wherein
the spraying of the organic solvent in the tension recovery step is performed with multiple spray units separated from the sheet being fed and aligned in the width direction of the sheet, the multiple spray units being configured to spray the organic solvent toward a surface of the sheet.

3. The method of manufacturing a tank in accordance with claim 2 , wherein
the spraying of the organic solvent in the tension recovery step is performed with a spray unit belonging to the multiple spray units and being located at a position corresponding to the position of the decreased tension part in a width direction of the sheet.

4. The method of manufacturing a tank in accordance with claim 1 , wherein
the detection step includes detecting the decreased tension part based on orientation angles of the fiber bundles in the sheet appearing in an image captured by an image capture device.

5. The method of manufacturing a tank in accordance with claim 1 , wherein
the detection step includes detecting the decreased tension part based on a measurement result of a non-contact tension meter being configured to measure tension in a non-contact state.

6. A method of manufacturing a tank, comprising:
a feed step of feeding a sheet including aligned fiber bundles while applying tension to the sheet in a longitudinal direction of the fiber bundles;
a detection step of detecting a decreased tension part having a decreased tension in the sheet being fed;
a tension recovery step of compensating for the decreased tension at the decreased tension part by spraying an organic solvent if the decreased tension part is detected in the detection step;
a winding step of winding the sheet having been fed on a mandrel;
a sheet layer formation step of forming a sheet layer by curing the sheet wound on the mandrel; and
a fitting step of separating the sheet layer and the mandrel and then fitting a liner of the tank to the sheet layer.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mori Daigoro

Classifications

• B29C53/8041

  Measuring, controlling or regulating (B29C53/665 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29L2031/712

  Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages (closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418) · CPC title

• B29L2031/7154

  Barrels, drums, tuns, vats · CPC title

• B29C53/602

  for tubular articles having closed or nearly closed ends, e.g. vessels, tanks, containers · CPC title

• B29C70/382

  Automated fiber placement [AFP] · CPC title