Apparatus for planar forming of zero degree composite tape

• US 4,720,255 A
• Filed: 07/07/1986
• Issued: 01/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mittelstadt, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Czaja, Donald E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Falasco, Louis
• Application Number:
  US06/882,445
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 156/103, 156/164, 156/161, 156/181, 156/180, 156/200, 156/201, 156/290, 156/324, 156/443, 156/461, 156/463, 156/539, 156/544, 156/562, 156/581, 156/488, 156/222, 156/221, 100/211, 100/296, 425/420, 425/419, 425/235, 425/338, 425/451, 425/451.9, 425/453, 425/457, 425/394, 425/406, 425/446, 425/403, 264/328.1, 264/328.7, 264/328.14, 264/257, 264/258
• US Class Current: 425/394
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 15/08 of reinforcements or fillers chemical aspects C08J, C08K
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/04 of plates or sheets B29C63/04 takes precedence; bending or folding paper B31F1/0003; folding films B65H45/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 53/16 Straightening or flattening
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/20 oriented in a single direction, e.g. roofing or other parallel fibres B29C70/083, B29C70/226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/386 Automated tape laying [ATL]
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0003 Producing profiled members, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts

Abstract

A straight length of tape (100) is confined in a cavity having a thickness and width essentially the same as the thickness and width of the tape (100). The cavity is defined by upper and lower opposing sets of thin flexible strips (24). In each set, strips (24) are positioned with their faces abutting each other and their inner side edges confronting the inner side edges of the strips (24) in the other set to define the thickness of the cavity therebetween. A series of longitudinally spaced clamps (28) press the strips (24) against the tape (100) to exert on the tape (100) pressure of sufficient magnitude and uniformity of prevent buckling and wrinkling of the tape (100). With the tape confined, a series of longitudinally spaced drive units (50) bend the strips (24) and tape (100) into a desired planform configuration. The tape (100) is held confined in this planform configuration until the tape (100) stabilizes in its new configuration.

Claims

1. Apparatus for forming fiber reinforced composite material tape in the general plane of the tape, comprising:

restraint means for exerting pressure on the tape in a thicknesswise direction perpendicular to said plane to confine the tape to an elongated space during forming of the tape in the general plane of the tape, to confine the tape to said general plane and thereby prevent buckling and wrinkling of the tape;

said restraint means including portions that define the thickness of said space and that are flexible in a widthwise direction perpendicular to said thicknesswise direction; and

bending means for exerting a force on said portions in said widthwise direction, to bend said portions and said space and any tape confined therein in said widthwise direction, to form said space and said tape confined therein into a predetermined planform configuration without changing the width and thickness of the space and the width and thickness of the tape.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1, in which said portions include first and second sets of thin flexible strips;

said strips in each of said sets having abutting elongated faces that extend longitudinally perpendicular to said thicknesswise direction and to said widthwise direction, and inner side edges that confront the inner side edges of the strips in the other set to define the thickness of said space therebetween; and

in which the retraint means includes means for pressing said inner side edges against tape positioned therebetween, to cause said inner side edges to exert on the tape pressure of sufficient magnitude and uniformity to prevent buckling and wrinkling of the tape.

3. Apparatus as described in claim 1, in which said portions include first and second opposing members, each such member including a plurality of thin flexible strips positioned with their faces abutting each other and their inner side edges confronting the inner side edges of the strips in the other member to define the thickness of said space therebetween;

and in which the restraint means further includes means for pressing said members together, to cause said inner side edges to exert on tape positioned therebetween pressure of sufficient magnitude and uniformity to prevent buckling and wrinkling of the tape.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 1, in which the bending means comprises a plurality of linear drive units that engage the restraint means at longitudinally spaced intervals, and configuration defining means for defining said configuration.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 4, in which each drive unit has a movable portion that is attached to the restraint means, and the configuration defining means includes means for independently controlling widthwise movement of each such movable portion.

6. Apparatus is described in claim 2, in which the bending means comprises a plurality of linear drive units that engage the restraint means at longitudinally spaced intervals, and configuration defining means for defining said configuration.

7. Apparatus as described in claim 6, in which each drive unit has a movable portion that is attached to the restraint means, and the configuration defining means includes means for independently controlling widthwise movement of each such movable portion.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 3, in which the bending means comprises a plurality of linear drive units that engage said first and second members at longitudinally spaced intervals, and configuration defining means for defining said configuration.

9. Apparatus as described in claim 8, in which each drive unit has a movable portion that is attached to the restraint means, and the configuration defining means includes means for independently controlling widthwise movement of each such movable portion.

10. Apparatus as described in claim 9, in which the means for pressing said members together comprises a plurality of clamping devices that clamp said members together at longitudinally spaced intervals, and in which each such clamping device is attached to said movable portion of a different one of the drive units.

15. Apparatus as described in claim 5, in which the restraint means further comprises a plurality of clamping devices that engage said portions of the restraint means at longitudinally spaced intervals, and in which each such clamping device is attached to said movable portion of a different one of the drive units.

16. Apparatus as described in claim 7, in which the means for pressing said inner side edges against tape positioned therebetween comprises a plurality of clamping devices positioned at longitudinally spaced intervals, and in which each such clamping device is attached to said movable portion of a different one of the drive units.

11. Apparatus for changing the planform of a length of composite material tape having reinforcing fibers in a resin matrix, comprising:

cavity defining means defining the thickness of a cavity;

said cavity defining means being bendable in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the thickness of the cavity, without changing the width and thickness of the cavity;

pressure means for exerting pressure, in the direction of the thickness of the cavity, on tape positioned in the cavity to confine the thickness of the tape to the thickness of the cavity; and

means for applying a bending force to the cavity defining means, in said widthwise direction perpendicular to said pressure, for changing the planform of the cavity and any tape within the cavity, without changing the width and thickness of the cavity and without buckling or wrinkling of the tape.

12. Apparatus as described in claim 11, in which said cavity defining means includes first and second sets of thin flexible strips;

said strips in each of said sets having abutting elongated faces tha textend longitudinally perpendicular to the thickness of the cavity and to said widthwise direction, and inner side edges that confront the inner side edges of the strips in the other set to define the thickness of said cavity therebetween; and

in which the pressure means comprises means for pressing said inner side edges against tape positioned in the cavity, to cause said inner side edges to exert on the tape pressure of sufficient magnitude and uniformity to prevent buckling and wrinkling of the tape.

13. Apparatus as described in claim 11, in which said cavity defining means includes first and second opposing members, each such member including a plurality of thin fexible strips positioned with their faces abutting each other and their inner side edges confronting the inner side edges of the strips in the other member to define the thickness of said cavity therebetween;

and in which the pressure means comprises means for pressing said members together, to cause said inner side edges to exert on tape positioned in the cavity pressure of sufficient magnitude and uniformity to prevent buckling and wrinkling of the tape.

14. Apparatus as described in claim 11, in which the means for applying a bending force comprises a plurality of linear drive units that engage the cavity defining means at longitudinally spaced intervals, and configuration defining means for defining the configuration of the planform of the cavity.

17. Apparatus as described in claim 21, in which the pressure means comprises a plurality of clamping devices that engage said cavity defining means at longitudinally spaced intervals;

each drive unit has a movable portion that is attached to a different one of said clamping devices; and

the configuration defining means includes means for independently controlling widthwise movement of each such movable portion.

18. Apparatus for forming fiber reinforced composite material tape in the general plane of the tape, comprising:

restraint means for confining the tape to an elongated space during forming of the tape in the general plane of the tape, to confine the tape to said general plane and maintain the thickness and width of the tape essentially constant, and thereby prevent buckling and wrinkling of the tape;

said restraint means including portions that define said space and that are flexible widthwise of said space; and

said space having along its length essentially the same thickness and width as the tape; and

bending means for exerting a force on said portions in a widthwise direction, to form said space and any tape confined therein into a predetermined planform configuration without changing the width and thickness of the space and the width and thickness of the tape;

in which said portions include first and second opposing members, each such member including a plurality of thin flexible strips positioned with their faces abutting each other and their inner side edges confronting the inner side edges of the strips in the other member to define the thickness of said space therebetween; and

in which the restraint means further includes means for pressing said members together, to cause said inner side edges to exert on tape positioned therebetween pressure of sufficient magnitude and uniformity to prevent buckling and wrinkling of the tape.

19. Apparatus for changing the planform of a length of composite material tape having reinforcing fibers in a resin matrix, comprising:

cavity defining means defining a cavity having along its length essentially the same thickness and width as the tape, for confining the width and thickness of the tape, when the tape is positioned in the cavity, to the width and thickness of the cavity;

said cavity defining means being bendable widthwise of the cavity without changing the width and thickness of the cavity; and

means for applying a bending force to the cavity defining means, widthwise of the cavity, for changing the planform of the cavity and any tape within the cavity, without changing the width and thickness of the cavity and without buckling or wrinkling of the tape;

in which said cavity defining means includes first and second opposing members, each such member including a plurality of thin flexible strips positioned with their faces abutting each other andn their inner side edges confronting the inner side edges of the strips in the other member to define the thickness of said cavity therebetween; and

which further comprises means for pressing said members together, to cause said inner side edges to exert on tape positioned in the cavity pressure of sufficient magnitude and uniformity to prevent buckling and wrinkling of the tape.