Apparatus and method of fabricating fiber reinforced plastic parts
First Claim
1. An apparatus for fabricating a fiber reinforced plastic part, comprising:
- an extrusion head, wherein said extrusion head further comprises an orifice;
means for moving said extrusion head in a controlled pattern;
means for regulating the speed of extrusion from said extrusion head;
a resin impregnator;
a supply of fiber reinforcement, wherein said fiber reinforcement passes through said impregnator and through said orifice of said extrusion head;
a supply of radiation-initiated resin for impregnating said fiber reinforcement;
means for feeding said fiber reinforcement to said impregnator;
means for impregnating said fiber reinforcement with said resin;
a radiation source; and
a readable definition of said part.
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for fabricating FRP parts. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for forming FRP parts without the use of forms or molds. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method for fabricating an FRP part comprises the steps of: programming a readable definition of a part into a machine, wherein the machine moves an extrusion head mounted to the machine in a controlled pattern; and wherein the machine regulates the speed of extrusion from the extrusion head; feeding a fiber reinforcement to the extrusion head of the machine; impregnating the fiber reinforcement with a radiation-initiated resin; extruding the impregnated fiber reinforcement from an orifice in the extrusion head; and exposing the extruded fiber reinforcement to curing radiation.
28 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for fabricating a fiber reinforced plastic part, comprising:
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an extrusion head, wherein said extrusion head further comprises an orifice;
means for moving said extrusion head in a controlled pattern;
means for regulating the speed of extrusion from said extrusion head;
a resin impregnator;
a supply of fiber reinforcement, wherein said fiber reinforcement passes through said impregnator and through said orifice of said extrusion head;
a supply of radiation-initiated resin for impregnating said fiber reinforcement;
means for feeding said fiber reinforcement to said impregnator;
means for impregnating said fiber reinforcement with said resin;
a radiation source; and
a readable definition of said part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for fabricating a fiber reinforced plastic part, comprising:
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an extrusion head, wherein said extrusion head further comprises an orifice;
a computer numerically controlled machine to which said extrusion head is mounted;
a resin impregnator;
a supply of fiber reinforcement, wherein said fiber reinforcement passes through said impregnator and through said orifice of said extrusion head;
a supply of resin for impregnating said fiber reinforcement;
means for feeding said fiber reinforcement to said extrusion head;
means for impregnating said fiber reinforcement with said resin;
a radiation source; and
a readable definition of said part.
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20. An apparatus for fabricating a fiber reinforced plastic part, comprising:
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an extrusion head, wherein said extrusion head further comprises an orifice;
a mechanically guided machine to which said extrusion head is mounted;
a resin impregnator;
a supply of fiber reinforcement, wherein said fiber reinforcement passes through said impregnator and through said orifice of said extrusion head;
a supply of resin for impregnating said fiber reinforcement;
means for feeding said fiber reinforcement to said extrusion head;
means for impregnating said fiber reinforcement with said resin;
a radiation source; and
a readable definition of said part.
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21. A method for fabricating an fiber reinforced plastic part, comprising the steps of:
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programming a readable definition of a part into a machine, wherein the machine moves an extrusion head mounted to the machine in a controlled pattern; and
wherein the machine regulates the speed of extrusion from the extrusion head;
feeding the fiber reinforcement to the extrusion head of the machine;
impregnating the fiber reinforcement with a radiation-initiated resin;
extruding the impregnated fiber reinforcement from an orifice in the extrusion head; and
exposing the extruded fiber reinforcement to curing radiation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification