High-pressure gas tank production method

• US 9,186,855 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hatta, Ken, Tanigawa, Motohiro, Uozumi, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Minskey, Jacob T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Vishal I
• Application Number:
  US14/380,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20150034233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 156/172, 156/174, 156/250, 156/168, 242/476.1, 242/487.6, 242/476.3, 242/476.5, 242/475.7, 242/475.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/86 Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, e.g. by winding
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/00 Producing hollow articles tubular articles B29D23/00; pneumatic tyres B29D30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2022/00 Hollow articles tubular articles B29L2023/00; pneumatic tyres B29L2030/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 1/06 built-up from wound-on bands or filamentary material, e.g. wires
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0602 Wall structures; Special features thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0604 Liners
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0656 in form of filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/0663 in form of fibers or filaments
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/067 helically wound
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/2154 Winding
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/22 Assembling processes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2209/232 of walls
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/035 High pressure (>10 bar)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/036 Very high pressure (>80 bar)

Abstract

The FW technique is employed to suppress a non-fiber-wound space from being left during formation of a fiber layer for reinforcement on a liner. A process of forming a fiber-reinforce resin layer on a liner winds and fixes a winding start end fiber of a resin-impregnated carbon fiber on a fiber fixation flange, which is away from the top of a dome section. The process subsequently forms an innermost helical layer from the winding start end fiber extended from the fixation position and the subsequently fed resin-impregnated carbon fiber. The process subsequently forms an inner hoop layer over the innermost helical layer and cuts the winding start end fiber extended from the fixation position of the fiber fixation flange at a position on the periphery of the top of the dome section, prior to formation of a subsequent second helical layer.

Claims

1. A high-pressure gas tank production method of forming a fiber layer on a liner by filament winding technique of repeatedly winding a fiber on an outer surface of the liner, wherein the liner comprises a cylinder section in a tubular shape and dome sections in a convex curve shape joined with both ends of the cylinder section, the high-pressure gas tank production method comprising:

forming the fiber layer by laminating a plurality of layers of hoop layers formed by hoop winding of repeatedly winding the fiber over an entire outer surface of the cylinder section and helical layers formed by helical winding of reversing a winding direction at the respective dome sections,

wherein the forming the fiber layer comprises;

fixing a winding start end of the fiber at a fixation position that is away from the cylinder section in a direction opposite to the cylinder section, for formation of an innermost helical layer closest to the outer surface of the liner out of the helical layers, and forming the innermost helical layer from the fiber extended from the fixation position;

forming one of the hoop layers as an inner hoop layer over the innermost helical layer;

cutting the fiber extended from the fixation position during formation of the innermost helical layer on a periphery of top of the dome section after formation of the inner hoop layer and

forming, after the cutting of the fiber extended from the fixation position, another helical layer to be laid over the inner hoop layer.

2. The high-pressure gas tank production method according to claim 1,

wherein the innermost helical layer is a helical layer formed first by directly winding the fiber on the outer surface of the liner.

3. The high-pressure gas tank production method according to claim 1,

wherein the winding start end of the fiber during formation of the innermost helical layer is fixed to a shaft for pivotally supporting the liner.