Device and method for producing a carrier part having a plurality of fiber bundles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10858771-B2
Application number	US-201816754429-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2018
Priority date	Oct 10, 2017
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A device and a method for producing a carrier part having a plurality of fiber bundles. At least one fiber bundle strand is removed from a supply with a fiber bundle conveying unit and is conveyed into its own feed channel. A suction channel associated with each feed channel is fluidically connected thereto. An air flow is generated in the suction channel, and an end portion of the at least one fiber bundle strand is conveyed into the suction channel. By moving the at least one suction channel into a working position, the end portion of the at least one fiber bundle strand is free in a working region of the device. A needle unit having at least one needle can pick up the end portion in the working region and can pull or push it through a carrier part as the needle unit moves through the carrier part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device ( 20 ) for manufacturing a carrier part ( 21 ) comprising multiple fiber bundles ( 22 ), the device comprising:
a fiber bundle conveying unit ( 27 ) that is configured to remove at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ) from a stock ( 25 ) and to convey the at least one fiber bundle skein into a respectively assigned supply channel ( 28 ),
at least one suction channel ( 37 ) that is movable between an initial position (I) and a working position (II), wherein the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) is arranged within a working area ( 31 ) and fluidically connected with a supply channel ( 28 ) respectively in the initial position (I) and is arranged distant from the supply channel ( 28 ) and outside the working area ( 31 ) in a working position (II),
a suction unit ( 40 ) that is fluidically connected with the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) and is configured to create an airflow (L) in the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) in order to insert an end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ) from the assigned supply channel ( 28 ) by support of the airflow (L) and to apply a suction force on the end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ) that is present in the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) in the working position (II),
at least one needle ( 53 ) arranged at a needle holding unit ( 52 ), the at least one needle comprising a needle hook ( 54 ), wherein the needle holding unit ( 52 ) is configured to move the at least one needle ( 53 ) between a retracted position (III) and an extended position (IV) in order to engage with the needle hook ( 54 ) of the at least one needle ( 53 ) at a respectively assigned at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ) exposed in the working position (II) of the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) in the working area ( 31 ) and extending in a longitudinal direction (R) and to move the at least one fiber bundle skein through the carrier part ( 21 ) by the at least one needle ( 53 ).

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein a positioning unit ( 45 ) is present and configured to move and/or position the carrier part ( 21 ) in a transport direction (T).

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the positioning unit ( 45 ) is arranged between the working area ( 31 ) and the needle holding unit ( 52 ).

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber bundle conveying unit ( 27 ) is configured to convey a predefined length of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ) via the assigned supply channel ( 28 ) in the respective at least one suction channel ( 37 ) fluidically connected therewith in the initial position (I) of the at least one suction channel ( 37 ).

5. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a guide unit ( 58 ) that comprises a guide device ( 59 ) arranged in the working area ( 31 ) for guiding the at least one end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ), the guide device ( 29 ) comprising a separate guide passage ( 60 ) for each end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ).

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) extends in its initial position (I) through a guide passage ( 60 ) of the guide device ( 59 ).

7. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the guide device ( 59 ) comprises two guide bodies ( 61 ) that are arranged at a distance from one another in the longitudinal direction (R) under formation of an interstice ( 62 ), wherein the at least one guide passage ( 60 ) is formed by two aligned guide holes ( 63 ), wherein each guide hole ( 63 ) of a common guide passage ( 60 ) is arranged in one of the two guide bodies ( 61 ).

8. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the guide unit ( 58 ) is configured to move the guide passage ( 60 ) of the guide device ( 59 ) along a predefined path (B) parallel to a plane that is oriented orthogonally with respect to the longitudinal direction (R).

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the predefined path (B) is a closed and at least partially curved path (B).

10. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the needle holding unit ( 52 ) is configured such that the at least one needle ( 53 ) intersects a corridor in its extended position (IV) or its retracted position (III) that is defined by the predefined path (B) and that extends in the longitudinal direction (R).

11. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a support unit ( 67 ) configured to move a support part ( 68 ) arranged in the working area ( 31 ) between a rest position (V) and a support position (VI), wherein the support part ( 68 ) comprises a support opening ( 69 ) for each end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ) respectively.

12. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) extends in its initial position (I) through one respective support opening ( 69 ).

13. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the support opening ( 69 ) of the support part ( 68 ) comprises in the support position (VI) substantially a same distance to a plane, in which the needle holding unit ( 52 ) moves the respectively assigned needle ( 53 ), as the respectively assigned suction channel ( 37 ) that is in the working position (II).

14. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first separation unit ( 73 ) adjacent to the supply channel ( 28 ) configured to cut off the end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ).

15. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second separation unit ( 76 ) configured to separate a loop of the end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ) moved through the carrier part ( 21 ) by the at least one needle ( 53 ).

16. A method for manufacturing a carrier part ( 21 ) comprising multiple fiber bundles ( 22 ) by using a device ( 20 ) comprising a stock ( 25 ) with at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ), a fiber bundle conveying unit ( 27 ) for the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ), at least one supply channel ( 28 ), at least one suction channel ( 37 ), a suction unit ( 40 ) that is fluidically connected with the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) and at least one needle ( 53 ) arranged at a needle holding unit ( 52 ) and respectively comprising a needle hook ( 54 ), the method comprising the following steps:
moving the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) to an initial position (I) in a working area ( 31 ), wherein the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) is fluidically connected with the at least one supply channel ( 28 ),
creating an airflow (L) in the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) by the suction unit ( 40 ) in order to suck an end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ) that is present in the at least one supply channel ( 28 ) by support of the airflow (L),
conveying a predefined length of the end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein ( 26 ) via the at least one supply channel ( 28 ) in the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) fluidically connected therewith by the fiber bundle conveying unit ( 27 ),
moving the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) out of the working area ( 31 ) to a working position (II) distant from the at least one supply channel ( 28 ), wherein the airflow (L) in the at least one suction channel ( 37 ) is maintained in the working position (II), and
moving the at least one needle ( 53 ) between a retracted position (III) and an extended position (IV) in order to engage the end section ( 26 a ) of the at least one fiber bundle skein

Assignees

• Groz Beckert Kg

Inventors

• Bruske Johannes
• Winterholer Daniel

Classifications

• B29C70/24 Primary

  oriented in at least three directions forming a three-dimensional [3D] structure · CPC title

• B29C70/086

  and with one or more layers of pure plastics material, e.g. foam layers (applying a non-preformed coating, e.g. a gel-coat, B29C37/0025; with foam blocks B29C70/86) · CPC title

• D05C15/18 Primary

  Thread feeding or tensioning arrangements · CPC title

• D05C17/023

  characterised by the base fabric · CPC title

• B29K2105/04

  cellular or porous · CPC title