Composite structural element fabricating device and method
First Claim
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1. A device to place a composite ply, the device comprising:
- a curved form, the form having a curved web surface and a cap surface;
a plurality of spools to dispense a respective plurality of strips of a composite material, the plurality of spools being configured to dispense the plurality of strips adjacent to one another and oriented in alignment with a longitudinal centerline of the curved web surface;
a web compaction roller to compact the plurality of strips upon the web surface and generate a web ply; and
a set of guide rollers to urge directly against the cap surface, wherein the compaction roller is directed along the form by the guide rollers.
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Abstract
To fabricate a composite item, a device places a composite ply on a curved form at about 0° relative to a longitudinal axis of the form. The form includes a web surface and a cap surface. The device includes a web compaction roller and a set of guides. The web compaction roller compacts a composite material upon the web surface and generate a web ply. The set of guide rollers urges against the cap surface. The compaction roller is directed along the form by the guide rollers.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A device to place a composite ply, the device comprising:
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a curved form, the form having a curved web surface and a cap surface; a plurality of spools to dispense a respective plurality of strips of a composite material, the plurality of spools being configured to dispense the plurality of strips adjacent to one another and oriented in alignment with a longitudinal centerline of the curved web surface; a web compaction roller to compact the plurality of strips upon the web surface and generate a web ply; and a set of guide rollers to urge directly against the cap surface, wherein the compaction roller is directed along the form by the guide rollers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A device to place a composite ply, the device comprising:
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a curved form having a longitudinal centerline coinciding with the form, the form comprising; a curved web surface; a first cap surface; and a second cap surface; and a ply placement unit configured to place the composite ply on the form, the ply placement unit comprising; a plurality of web spools configured to dispense a respective plurality of strips of a composite material adjacent to one another upon the curved web surface, wherein the ply placement unit is configured to place the plurality of strips parallel to the longitudinal centerline; a web compaction roller configured to compact the plurality of strips upon the web surface and generate a web ply; a first cap spool configured to dispense a first cap ply of the composite material upon the first cap surface, wherein the ply placement unit is configured to place the first cap ply parallel to the longitudinal centerline; a first cap compaction roller configured to compact the first cap ply upon the first cap surface; a second cap spool configured to dispense a second cap ply of the composite material upon the second cap surface, wherein the ply placement unit is configured to place the second cap ply parallel to the longitudinal centerline; a second cap compaction roller configured to compact the second cap ply upon the second cap surface; and a set of guide rollers configured to urge directly against the cap surface, wherein the compaction roller is directed along the form by the guide rollers. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification