Fixture and method for use in a molding process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11090883-B2
Application number	US-202016877236-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2020
Priority date	May 17, 2019
Publication date	Aug 17, 2021
Grant date	Aug 17, 2021

Abstract

A preform-charge fixture creates a preform charge, which is a partially consolidated assemblage of preforms that can be efficiently transferred to a mold to create a finished part in a molding process, such as compression molding. In the illustrative embodiment, the preform-charge fixture includes peripheral cleats that are movable towards a central cleat to create a small gap therebetween that receives and constrains preforms in a desired position. The fixture also includes clamps, which are operable to engage an uppermost layer of preforms in the gap and apply a slight amount of downward pressure thereto to assure that the preforms are properly seated. The fixture also accommodates an energy source that heats the preforms so that, in conjunction with downforce applied by the clamps and/or gravity, the preforms can be tacked together, forming the preform charge.

First claim

The following claims are presented for examination:

1. A preform-charge fixture that forms a preform charge from a plurality of preforms, the preform-charge fixture comprising:
a central cleat, the central cleat having plural, spaced apart upright members;
a plurality of peripheral cleats, each peripheral cleat having a forward wall and being movable towards (advanced) and away (retracted) from the central cleat, wherein, when moved towards the central cleat, a gap is formed between the forward wall of each peripheral cleat and the upright members of the central cleat, wherein the gap has a size suitable for positioning and restraining the preforms received therein against and abutting the upright members; and
one or more clamps physically configured to apply downward pressure to the preforms in the gap, wherein the one or more clamps each comprise an upright member and an arm coupled thereto.

2. The preform-charge fixture of claim 1 wherein each clamp has two degrees of freedom of movement.

3. The preform-charge fixture of claim 2 wherein a first of the two degrees of freedom of movement of the clamp is linear movement and the second of the two degrees of freedom of movement is rotational movement.

4. The preform-charge fixture of claim 3 wherein linear movement occurs in a plane that is orthogonal to a plane in which the rotational movement occurs.

5. The preform-charge fixture of claim 1 wherein there is one clamp for each peripheral cleat, and the upright member of each clamp has a fixed location with respect to the central cleat.

6. The preform-charge fixture of claim 5 wherein the fixed location of each upright member of each clamp is in a path of movement of each one of the peripheral cleats towards and away from the central cleat, and wherein each peripheral cleat comprises a slot that is dimensioned and arranged to receive the upright member of respective ones of the clamps, the slot therefore enabling the peripheral cleat to move towards and away from the central cleat.

7. The preform-charge fixture of claim 3 wherein the preform-charge fixture has at least three configurations corresponding to at least three operational modes thereof, including:
(a) peripheral cleats retracted from the central cleat and the arm of the at least one clamp rotated away from the central cleat;
(b) peripheral cleats advanced towards the central cleat and the arm of the at least one clamp rotated away from the central cleat; and
(c) peripheral cleats advanced towards the central cleat and the arm of the at least one clamp rotated towards the central cleat.

8. The preform-charge fixture of claim 1 wherein at least one of the peripheral cleats and the upright members of the central cleat has a physical adaptation for guiding the preforms into the gap.

9. The preform-charge fixture of claim 8 wherein the physical adaptation of each peripheral cleat is at least one wall that tapers downwardly from an upper surface of the peripheral cleat to the forward wall thereof.

10. The preform-charge fixture of claim 8 wherein the physical adaptations of each upright member of the central cleat includes at least one wall that tapers downwardly from a top of each upright member towards a substantially vertical wall thereof.

11. The preform-charge fixture of claim 1 comprising a source of energy that heats the preforms, wherein the source of energy is movable into and out of a region defined within the upright members of the central cleat.

12. The preform-charge fixture of claim 1 further comprising a base plate, wherein the central cleat, the plurality of peripheral cleats, and the at least one clamp is disposed on the base plate, wherein:
(a) the central cleat is located at a first fixed position on the base plate,
(b) the plurality of peripheral cleats surrounds the central cleat, and
(c) the upright member of each of the at least one clamps is located at respective ones of second fixed positions on the base plate.

13. The preform-charge fixture of claim 1 comprising means for softening the preforms.

14. The preform-charge fixture of claim 1 wherein the central cleat has four of the spaced apart upright members.

15. A preform-charge fixture that forms a preform charge from a plurality of preforms, the preform-charge fixture comprising:
a central cleat, the central cleat having plural, spaced apart upright members;
a plurality of peripheral cleats, each peripheral cleat having a forward wall and being movable towards (advanced) and away (retracted) from the central cleat, wherein, when moved towards the central cleat, a gap is formed between the forward wall of each peripheral cleat and the upright members of the central cleat, wherein the gap has a size suitable for positioning and restraining the preforms received therein against the upright members;
one or more clamps physically configured to apply downward pressure to the preforms in the gap; and
a source of energy that heats the preforms, wherein the source of energy is movable into and out of a region defined within the upright members of the central cleat.

16. The preform-charge fixture of claim 15 wherein there is one clamp for each peripheral cleat.

Assignees

• Arris Composites Inc

Inventors

• Pelman Todd
• Butler Kameron
• Hansel Adam
• Davidson Erick
• Reese Riley
• Escowitz Ethan
• Bloome Cory
• Darrow Alexander
• Satcher Ryan
• Perkins J Scott

Classifications

• B29C49/071

  Preforms or parisons characterised by their configuration, e.g. geometry, dimensions or physical properties · CPC title

• B29C2949/0715

  the preform having one end closed · CPC title

• B29K2105/167

  Nanotubes · CPC title

• B29C66/7212

  characterised by the composition of the fibres · CPC title

• B29C65/1467

  at the same time, i.e. simultaneous welding · CPC title