Cleaning device for a preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning device (5) to be used in a preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine including at least one guiding roller (47) for guiding a band (21) of tows to an application head (25), comprising two filtering elements (11, 13) arranged such that a band (21) of tows supported by two plates (15, 17) joined with adjustable clamping means (29) for said filtering elements (11, 13) and means of fixing/separating them to/from said machine, circulates between them. The invention also relates to a preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine with at least one cleaning device (5).

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 a and 1b show schematic views of the cleaning device object of the present invention, before and after being applied to the band of tows, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of one of the filtering elements of the cleaning device with individual guiding channels for the tows of the band, for the purpose of preventing the tows from being joined, and therefore, sticking to each other.

FIGS. 3 a and 3b show views of the cleaning device object of the present invention located in a fiber placement machine at the exit of a guiding roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It can be observed in FIGS. 1-3 that the cleaning device 5 object of the present invention comprises filtering elements 11, 13 supported by two plates 15, 17 joined with adjustable clamping means 29 for said filtering elements 11, 13 for their application to the band 21 of tows circulating through the fiber placement machine before reaching the application head 25 which places the required layers 31 of material on a mould 33.

Said plates 15, 17 also have means (not shown) of fixing them to the fiber placement machine.

The band 21 of tows passes between the filtering elements 11, 13 collecting the excess resin and fibers. The device 5 can include means of removing 35 said excess material, such as vacuum or suction systems, so that the possibility of a risk of said material subsequently adhering to the band 21 of tows is prevented.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, one of the filtering elements 11, 13 has its inner side configured with guiding channels 41 for each tow 43 of the band 21 such that interferences between tows 43 are prevented.

The means of fixing the device and the means of joining the plates 15, 17 are designed such that the device 5 can be easily adjusted to the band 21 of tows and extracted from the fiber placement machine so as to be able to change the filtering elements 11, 13 with a certain frequency because the mentioned removal systems cannot prevent the presence of a certain level of adhered resin and fibers in the filtering elements 11, 13.

The most important requirements that the device 5 must comply with are the following:

• • Easy placement
  • Easy adjustment of the filtering elements 11, 13.
    • The filtering elements 11, 13 must be made with a material that does not contaminate the preimpregnated carbon fiber material forming the band 21 of tows. Furthermore, it must be assured that there is no transference of material from the filtering elements 11, 13 to the tows of preimpregnated material. In a preferred embodiment, they are made with honeycomb polyethylene foam.
    • The function of the filtering elements 11, 13 must be limited to extracting the excess surface fibers and resins, without affecting the material forming the core of the tows 43.
    • The ability to automatically adjust the degree of clamping of the filtering elements 11, 13 on the band 21 of tows.

FIGS. 3 a and 3b show a cleaning device 5 according to the present invention applied to the band 21 of tows at the exit of a guiding roller 47 of a fiber placement machine.

The present invention comprises the use of one or more cleaning devices 5 in a fiber placement machine in suitable locations, according to the specific configuration of each machine.

Those modifications comprised within the scope defined by the following claims can be introduced in the preferred embodiment which has just been described.

Claims

1. A cleaning device (5) to be used in a preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine including at least one guiding roller (47) for guiding a band (21) of tows to an application head (25), characterized in that it comprises two filtering elements (11, 13) arranged such that a band (21) of tows supported by two plates (15, 17) joined with adjustable clamping means (29) for said filtering elements (11, 13) and means of fixing/separating them to/from said machine, circulates between them.

2. A cleaning device (5) to be used in a fiber placement machine according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the filtering elements (11, 13) has its inner side configured with guiding channels (41) for the tows (43) of the band (21).

3. A cleaning device (5) to be used in a fiber placement machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the filtering elements (11, 13) are made with a material capable of extracting the excess surface fiber and resin from said tows (43) without reducing the fiber and resin content of their core.

4. A cleaning device (5) to be used in a fiber placement machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said filtering elements (11, 13) are made with honeycomb polyethylene foam.

5. A cleaning device (5) to be used in a fiber placement machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises means of removing (35) the material from the tows (43) accumulated in said filtering elements (11, 13).

6. A preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine including at least one guiding roller (47) for guiding a band (21) of tows to an application head (25), characterized in that it comprises at least one cleaning device (5) according to claim 1.

7. A preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine according to claim 6, characterized in that said cleaning device (5) is located at the exit of a guiding roller (47).

8. A preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine including at least one guiding roller (47) for guiding a band (21) of tows to an application head (25), characterized in that it comprises at least one cleaning device (5) according to claim 2.

9. A preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine including at least one guiding roller (47) for guiding a band (21) of tows to an application head (25), characterized in that it comprises at least one cleaning device (5) according to claim 3.

10. A preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine including at least one guiding roller (47) for guiding a band (21) of tows to an application head (25), characterized in that it comprises at least one cleaning device (5) according to claim 4.

11. A preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine including at least one guiding roller (47) for guiding a band (21) of tows to an application head (25), characterized in that it comprises at least one cleaning device (5) according to claim 5.

12. A preimpregnated carbon fiber placement machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said cleaning device (5) is located at the exit of a guiding roller (47).