System and method for bending towpreg

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11485097-B2
Application number	US-202117331270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2021
Priority date	May 28, 2020
Publication date	Nov 1, 2022
Grant date	Nov 1, 2022

Abstract

A method for bending towpreg to yield a desired amount of axial force during bending to form a preform is provided including inserting towpreg into a bending die, applying an initial axial force to the towpreg, and moving the gripped end of the towpreg in an involute path using a cam, a cam follower and a gripper, the gripper disposed on the cam follower. Axial force between the gripped end and the stationary end of the towpreg from a point where the towpreg contacts a surface of the bending die is applied tangent to the surface of the bending die while bending the towpreg. An apparatus for bending towpreg to form a preform is provided including bending dies disposed in fixed positions, and a follower. Axial involute cam mechanism having a drive shaft, a cam, a cam follower that follows an involute path around the cam, a gripper and a clamp.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for bending towpreg to form a preform, comprising:
(a) at least one bending die disposed in a fixed position;
(b) an involute cam mechanism, comprising:
(i) a drive shaft rotatable about a drive shaft axis;
(ii) a cam disposed on the drive shaft, the cam having a cam surface;
(iii) at least one cam follower, said at least one cam follower following an involute cam path around the cam, said cam follower biased against the cam by a biasing member;
(iv) the cam surface providing for movement of the cam follower in an involute path;

(c) a gripper disposed on the cam follower, said gripper for gripping a first end of the towpreg
(d) a clamp for fixing a second end of the towpreg adjacent to the bending die, and fixed relative to the first end of the towpreg.

2. The apparatus for bending towpreg of claim 1 , wherein the at least one follower is dual followers.

3. The apparatus for bending towpreg of claim 1 wherein the at least one bending die is heated.

4. The apparatus for bending towpreg of claim 1 wherein the biasing member is a spring.

5. The apparatus for bending towpreg of claim 1 , wherein an axial force applied by the gripper is a tensile force.

6. The apparatus for bending towpreg of claim 1 , wherein an axial force applied by the gripper is a compressive force.

7. The apparatus for bending towpreg of claim 1 , wherein an axial force applied by the gripper increases during bending.

8. The apparatus for bending towpreg of claim 1 , wherein axial force applied by the gripper decreases during bending.

9. The apparatus for bending towpreg of claim 1 , wherein an axial force applied by the gripper remains constant during bending.

Assignees

• Arris Composites Inc

Inventors

• Bender Christopher
• Davidson Erick
• Escowitz Ethan
• Darrow Alexander

Classifications

• B29C53/083 Primary

  bending longitudinally, i.e. modifying the curvature of the tube axis · CPC title

• B29C70/345 Primary

  using matched moulds · CPC title

• B29B11/12

  Compression moulding · CPC title

• B29C43/52

  Heating or cooling · CPC title

• B29B11/16

  comprising fillers or reinforcement {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00)} · CPC title