Method for transversely depositing fibers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9757904-B2
Application number	US-201414478142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2014
Priority date	Mar 5, 2012
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for depositing one- or two-dimensional fiber structures in order to form a two- or three-dimensional fiber structure, in particular a fiber structure in the form of a fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) or FRP semi-finished product, using a production machine including at least one depositing device and at least one fiber support. The one- or two-dimensional fiber structures have at least one unidirectional fiber layer. The depositing device deposits the one- or two-dimensional fiber structures onto the fiber support in a depositing direction in a controlled manner such that the fiber directions of the deposited one- or two-dimensional fiber structures assume an angle α>20°, preferably α>60°, and a maximum of α=90°, relative to the depositing direction. The one- or two-dimensional fiber structures are deposited on the fiber support in a substantially tension-free manner with respect to the fiber direction of the fiber structures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for depositing 2 dimensional fiber structures in order to form a 3 dimensional fiber structure, in the form of a fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) or a FRP semi-finished product, the method comprising the steps of:
providing at least one depositing device and at least one fiber support, wherein said 2 dimensional fiber structures include at least one unidirectional fiber layer;
placing said 2 dimensional fiber structures by said depositing device onto said fiber support in a direction of placement in such a way that fiber directions of the deposited 2 dimensional fiber structures assumes an angle α>20° relative to the direction of placement; and
depositing said 2 dimensional fiber structures substantially free of a tension in the fiber direction onto the fiber support, such that said 2 dimensional fiber structures are held on the at least one depositing device by a suction force in the at least one depositing device and the suction force is less in a deposit region, wherein said 2 dimensional fiber structures are deposited alternately offset laterally, positioned transversely to the direction of placement, to each other on the fiber support, so that a respective end of the 2 dimensional fiber structures does not come to rest in a straight line.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said angle α has a range from 21° to a maximum of 90°.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said 2 dimensional fiber structures exhibit at least one characteristic of:
consisting of at least one unidirectional fiber layer; and
being arranged as at least one multi-axial laid structure.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said fiber support includes at least one of:
a first compression mold half with a surface profile which is configured for structuring said 3 dimensional fiber structure in a consolidation process;
a suction device which generates a suction force in the fiber support that can hold said 2 dimensional fiber structures on the fiber support; and
a first conveyor which can transport said 2 dimensional fiber structures further in a direction of belt travel, after having been deposited, wherein said 2 dimensional fiber structures can be deposited by the depositing device by at least one of depositing directly onto said first conveyor and depositing wherein a direction of travel of said first conveyor can be oriented at a predetermined angle β to a direction of travel of at least one additional conveyor.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein said depositing device includes at least one of:
a positioning device that can variably set said angles α by positioning the depositing device relative to the fiber support;
a propulsion device that can move the depositing device forward in the direction of placement while depositing said 2 dimensional fiber structures;
a suction device which can generate a suction force in the depositing device to hold the 2 dimensional fiber structures on the depositing device; and
at least one second conveyor belt which can transport said 2 dimensional fiber structures in a direction of belt travel for depositing onto the fiber support, wherein a direction of belt travel of at least one second conveyor belt is oriented by at least one of a predetermined angle δ relative to a direction of belt travel of at least one additional second conveyor belt and wherein the direction of travel of at least one second conveyor belt is oriented at a predetermined angle γ to the direction of travel of at least one first conveyor belt.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein said method further includes at least one:
adjusting an adhesion force holding said 2 dimensional fiber structures on the depositing device such that a respective adhesion force at the depositing device is smaller than a respective adhesion force at the fiber support;
lowering an adhesion force on the depositing device during at least one of a time of deposit and in a deposit region; and
increasing an adhesion force on the fiber support during at least one of a time of deposit and in a deposit region.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said 2 dimensional fiber structures are held relative to each other by a fixing device throughout at least one of after and during depositing the 2 dimensional fiber structures onto the fiber support.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said 2 dimensional fiber structures are held on the fiber support by said fixing device throughout at least one of after and during depositing the 2 dimensional fiber structures onto the fiber support.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the fixing device includes at least one of:
a second compression mold half with a surface profile which is complimentary to a first compression mold half and which is configured for profiling said 3 dimensional fiber structure in a consolidation process; and
a spraying device which bonds said 2 dimensional fiber structures together through spraying with at least one of a binding agent and a matrix material.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the fixing device includes a compression device having at least one roller, wherein the roller has a diameter of between 10 and 100 mm.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said method further includes a step of depositing a plurality of strips of said 2 dimensional fiber structures on the fiber support one after another and adjacent to one another.

Assignees

• Voith Patent Gmbh
• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Ufer Jaromir
• Göttinger Marco

Classifications

• B29C65/008

  making use of electrostatic charges (holding means using electrostatic forces to hold at least one of the parts to be joined B29C65/7852) · CPC title

• B32B5/26

  another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)} · CPC title

• B29C70/382

  Automated fiber placement [AFP] · CPC title

• B29C65/7847

  using vacuum to hold at least one of the parts to be joined (vacuum work holders in general B25B11/005) · CPC title

• B29C70/386 Primary

  Automated tape laying [ATL] · CPC title