Fibre coating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518120-B2
Application number	US-201916517809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2019
Priority date	Jul 23, 2018
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus for applying a liquid matrix to a fiber tow includes a belt press arranged to receive the fiber tow and compress it between two moving belts and a matrix application roller arranged to receive liquid matrix and transfer it to the fiber. The apparatus also includes a second matrix application component arranged adjacent to the matrix application roller so as to form a first gap between the component and the matrix application roller. The matrix application roller is positioned adjacent to the belt press so as to form a second gap between the matrix application roller and a belt of the belt press; and wherein the second gap is larger than the first gap.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for applying a liquid matrix to a fibre tow, comprising:
a belt press comprising two moving belts, the belt press being arranged to receive the fibre tow and compress it between the two moving belts;
a matrix application roller arranged to receive liquid matrix and transfer it to the fibre tow;
a second matrix application component arranged adjacent to the matrix application roller so as to form a first gap between the second matrix application component and the matrix application roller;
wherein the matrix application roller is positioned adjacent to the belt press so as to form a second gap between the matrix application roller and a belt of the belt press; and
wherein the second gap is larger than the first gap.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a speed of the belt press and a speed of the matrix application roller are independently controlled.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the matrix application roller is controlled such that a surface speed of the matrix application roller is different to a speed of the belt press.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second matrix application component is a roller.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the matrix application roller is positioned adjacent to a roller of the belt press.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged to feed the fiber tow into the belt press without contacting the matrix application roller.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the matrix application roller is heated.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the belt press comprises a compression apparatus arranged to compress the fibre tow and liquid matrix between the two moving belts.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the two moving belts of the belt press have a non-stick surface for contact with the liquid matrix.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is arranged to receive a plurality of separate fiber tows in parallel.

11. A fibre placement apparatus comprising:
an apparatus as claimed in claim 1 ; and
a fibre placement machine arranged to receive one or more fibre tows from said apparatus and to apply the one or more fibre tows onto a substrate.

12. An apparatus for applying a liquid matrix to a fibre tow, comprising:
a belt press comprising two moving belts, the belt press being arranged to receive the fibre tow and compress it between the two moving belts;
a matrix application roller arranged to receive liquid matrix and transfer it to the fibre tow;
a second matrix application component arranged adjacent to the matrix application roller so as to form a first gap between the second matrix application component and the matrix application roller;
wherein the matrix application roller is positioned adjacent to the belt press so as to form a second gap between the matrix application roller and a belt of the belt press;
wherein the second gap is larger than the first gap; and
wherein the second matrix application component is a blade.

Assignees

• Crompton Technology Group Ltd

Inventors

• Pollitt Will
• Bernard James William

Classifications

• B29C70/504 Primary

  using rollers or pressure bands (for corrugating B29C53/22) · CPC title

• D06B1/16 Primary

  the treating material being supplied from inside the roller · CPC title

• B29B15/122 Primary

  with a matrix in liquid form, e.g. as melt, solution or latex · CPC title

• D06M15/55

  Epoxy resins · CPC title

• B29C70/382

  Automated fiber placement [AFP] · CPC title