Apparatus for forming fiber composite materials
First Claim
1. An apparatus for introducing and propagating bends in a composite material workpiece having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction defined therefor, comprising:
- deformation means for deforming the workpiece in the transverse direction, as the work piece is moved in the longitudinal direction, the deformation means includinga pair of opposing compound disk rollers each rotatably mounted on an axle lying parallel to the longitudinal direction, and spaced apart so that the workpiece passes between the compound rollers and in contact therewith.a first single compound disk roller rotatably mounted on an axle lying parallel to the longitudinal direction, the compound disk rollers permitting the workpiece to roll thereover in both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction;
means for moving the workpiece between the pair of opposing compound rollers, both in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction; and
means for moving the axle of the first single compound disk roller in a circular arc whose center is at the axis of rotation of a first one of the pair of opposing compound disk rollers and whose radius is equal to the sum of the radius of the first one of the pair of opposing compound disk rollers plus the radius of the first single compound roller plus the thickness of the composite material workpiece.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for continuously and progressively forming components from fiber-containing composite material workpieces having a deformable matrix introduces transverse bends into a workpiece that moves through the apparatus in a longitudinal or travel direction. Transverse bending of the composite material is accomplished in a kinematically admissible manner to avoid misalignment or failure of the composite material. A net bending deformation is introduced at a free transverse edge as the composite workpiece moves in a longitudinal direction, by pairs of compound roller elements between which the workpiece passes as it moves through the apparatus. the net deformation introduced at the free transverse edge is moved and distributed through the composite material workpiece during successive passes through the forming machinery, to form the final shaped component.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for introducing and propagating bends in a composite material workpiece having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction defined therefor, comprising:
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deformation means for deforming the workpiece in the transverse direction, as the work piece is moved in the longitudinal direction, the deformation means including a pair of opposing compound disk rollers each rotatably mounted on an axle lying parallel to the longitudinal direction, and spaced apart so that the workpiece passes between the compound rollers and in contact therewith. a first single compound disk roller rotatably mounted on an axle lying parallel to the longitudinal direction, the compound disk rollers permitting the workpiece to roll thereover in both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction; means for moving the workpiece between the pair of opposing compound rollers, both in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction; and means for moving the axle of the first single compound disk roller in a circular arc whose center is at the axis of rotation of a first one of the pair of opposing compound disk rollers and whose radius is equal to the sum of the radius of the first one of the pair of opposing compound disk rollers plus the radius of the first single compound roller plus the thickness of the composite material workpiece. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for introducing and propagating bends in a composite material workpiece having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction defined therefor, comprising:
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deformation means for deforming the workpiece in the transverse direction, as the work piece is moved in the longitudinal direction, the deformation means including a pair of opposing support elements spaced apart so that the workpiece passes between the support elements and in a contact therewith; a single support element mounted to apply pressure to a convex facing surface of the bent workpiece at a location transversely displaced from a line connecting the pair of opposing support elements, the support elements permitting the workpiece to move thereover in both the longitudinal and transverse directions; means for moving the workpiece between the pair of opposing support elements, in both the longitudinal and transverse directions; means for controllably positioning the single support element relative to the pair of opposing support elements; and a computer that provides a control signal to the means for controllably positioning. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for introducing and propagating bends in a sheet of a composite material workpiece having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction defined therefor, both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction locally lying in the plane of the sheet, comprising:
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forming unit means for changing the curvature of a sheet relative to a transverse direction thereof as the sheet is moved through the forming unit means parallel to a longitudinal direction of the sheet; and means for moving the workpiece in the longitudinal direction through the forming unit means in a first pass, advancing the workpiece in the transverse direction after the first pass is complete, and then moving the workpiece in the longitudinal direction through the forming unit means in a second pass. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 18)
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17. An apparatus for introducing and propagating bends in a sheet of a composite material workpiece having a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction defined therefor, both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction locally lying in the plane of the sheet, comprising:
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forming unit means for changing the curvature of a sheet relative to a transverse direction thereof as the sheet is moved through the forming unit means parallel to a longitudinal direction of the sheet; and means for moving the workpiece in the longitudinal direction through the forming unit means in a first pass, advancing the workpiece in the transverse direction after the first pass is complete, and then moving the workpiece in the longitudinal direction through the forming unit means in a second pass.
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19. An apparatus for introducing and propagating bends in a sheet of a composite material workpiece having a longtiduinal direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction defined therefor, both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction locally lying in the plane of the sheet, comprising:
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a forming unit that applied a pressure to a surface of a sheet to change the curvature of the sheet relative to a transverse direction thereof as the sheet is moved through the forming unit parallel to a longitudinal direction of the sheet, the curvature of the sheet in the longitudinal direction remaining unchanged; and means for moving the workpiece in the longitudinal direction through the forming unit means in a first pass, advancing the workpiece in the transverse direction after the first pass is complete, and then moving the workpiece in the longitudinal direction through the forming unit means in a second
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Specification