Preform-charge cartridges and serialization methods therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11279061-B2
Application number	US-202016896028-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2020
Priority date	Jun 6, 2019
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

A cartridge for storing and transporting fiber-bundle-based preform charges includes a plurality of cells arranged within the housing, wherein each cell is physically adapted to receive a preform charge and prevent it from moving therein as the cartridge is transported. In some embodiments, the cartridge and preform charges it conveys are serialized.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A cartridge for storing and conveying a plurality of preform charges, the cartridge comprising:
a housing; and
a plurality of cells arranged within the housing, each cell including a first wall and a second wall, wherein the first wall is disposed within a perimeter of the second wall, and further wherein the first wall defines a retainer, the first wall having a top and a bottom, wherein the bottom of the first wall defines a first perimeter, and wherein the first perimeter defines a first internal area, wherein in use, the retainer receives respective ones of the preform charges;
a first indexing feature, wherein the first indexing feature is physically adapted to engage a complementary mating feature located proximal to compression-molding equipment, wherein engagement therebetween positions the cartridge in a defined location with respect to the compression-molding equipment, the first indexing feature thereby facilitating robotic removal of the preform charges from the cartridge.

2. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the shape of the first perimeter and a shape of the received preform charge are the same.

3. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the top of the first wall defines a second perimeter, wherein the second perimeter defines a second internal area, wherein the second internal area is larger than the first internal area, the first wall thereby tapering inwardly from top to bottom, the larger second internal area functioning as an ingress feature to facilitate receiving the preform charge in the retainer.

4. The cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a second indexing feature, wherein the second indexing feature associates respective ones of the preform charges with respective ones of the cells.

5. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the first indexing feature is disposed in a gap between the second wall and the first wall.

6. The cartridge of claim 1 comprising at least one actuation feature, wherein, when the first indexing feature engages the complementary feature, the actuation feature initiates an action selected from the group consisting of: deploying a slide for transferring preform charges to a mold cavity, retracting a plate to release one or more preform charges from one or more cells, and information transfer from the cartridge to a data processing system associated with the compression molding equipment.

7. The cartridge of claim 1 comprising at least one sensor.

8. The cartridge of claim 7 wherein the at least one sensor is a hygrometer.

9. The cartridge of claim 8 further comprising a heater and fan, wherein, when the hygrometer determines that humidity in the cartridge exceeds a predefined level, the heater and fan are activated.

10. The cartridge of claim 7 further comprising a display for presenting information about a status of the preform charges, as obtained from the at least one sensor.

11. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cells are arranged in a 2-dimensional array.

12. The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the plurality of cells are arranged in a 3-dimensional array.

13. A cartridge for storing and conveying a plurality of preform charges, the cartridge comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of preform charges, each preform charge comprising an assemblage of fiber-bundle-based preforms, the preform charge having a first fiber alignment; and
a plurality of cells arranged within the housing, wherein the plurality of preform charges are disposed in the plurality of cells, and wherein each cell is physically adapted to prevent a received preform charge from moving within the cell, thereby maintaining the first fiber alignment during conveyance of the cartridge.

14. The cartridge of claim 13 comprising:
first serialization means for storing characterizing information pertaining to each preform charge; and
second serialization means for storing characterizing information pertaining to the cartridge.

15. The cartridge of claim 14 wherein the characterizing information pertaining to each preform charge includes:
i) characteristics of the raw materials that compose the preform;
ii) characteristics of the preform charge as fabricated.

16. The cartridge of claim 14 wherein the characterizing information pertaining the cartridge includes:
i) a specification defining a design of the preform charges;
ii) a capacity of the cartridge for preform charges;
iii) a number of preform charges in the cartridge;
iv) an assessment of the physical condition of the cartridge; and
v) a date that the cartridge is shipped to a facility having the compression molding process.

17. The cartridge of claim 14 comprising at least one sensor for determining a condition of the preform charges, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a hygrometer, a timer, a camera, a weigh scale, an accelerometer, and a temperature measuring element.

18. The cartridge of claim 14 comprising a feature by which the cartridge is indexed to compression-molding equipment, wherein, when indexed, the cartridge is positioned at a defined location with respect to the compression-molding equipment, the feature thereby facilitating robotic removal of the preform charges from the cartridge.

19. A cartridge for storing and conveying a plurality of preform charges, comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of cells arranged within the housing, each cell including a first wall and a second wall, wherein the first wall is disposed within a perimeter of the second wall, and further wherein the first wall defines a retainer, the first wall having a top and a bottom, wherein the bottom of the first wall defines a first perimeter, and wherein the first perimeter defines a first internal area, wherein in use, the retainer receives respective ones of the preform charges;
a plurality of first tags, and
the plurality of preform charges, wherein one first tag of the plurality thereof is associated with respective ones of the preform charges, wherein first characterizing information pertaining to the associated preform charge is accessible via the first tag, wherein the first characterizing information comprises at least one of characteristics of raw materials that compose the preform charge and characteristics of the preform charge, and further wherein the first characterizing information for the preform charge defines a preform-charge ID.

20. The cartridge of claim 19 comprising a second tag, wherein the preform-charge ID associated with each preform charge is associated with the cartridge, and wherein second characterizing information pertaining to the cartridge is accessible via a second tag.

Assignees

• Arris Composites Inc

Inventors

• Escowitz Ethan
• Perkins J Scott
• Davidson Erick
• Reese Riley
• Pirahanchi Sam

Classifications

• B29C33/0061 Primary

  characterised by the configuration of the material feeding channel (sprue channels for injection moulding B29C45/27) · CPC title

• B29C70/54

  Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations {, e.g. feeding or storage of prepregs or SMC after impregnation or during ageing} · CPC title

• B29C70/46

  using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs · CPC title

• B29C70/30

  Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core · CPC title

• B29C43/34 Primary

  Feeding the material to the mould or the compression means {(B29C43/085 takes precedence)} · CPC title