The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2013-147360 filed on Jul. 16, 2013 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a filament winding method and a filament winding apparatus, by which filament such as ceramic fiber, glass fiber, and carbon fiber is unwound from a bobbin upon which the filament is wound.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, a method for forming a reinforcing fiber preform has been widely used, in which filament made by impregnating ceramic fiber, glass fiber, carbon fiber, or the like into a resin or the like is unwound at certain tension from a bobbin upon which the filament is wound, and the unwound filament is wound on an object to be wound upon. Also, a filament winding apparatus is used as an apparatus for unwinding the filament from the bobbin at certain tension. For example, as shown in
In a state where filament is unwound from a bobbin on which the filament is wound, a filament winding apparatus obtains a bobbin diameter, which is a diameter of a point of the filament wound on the bobbin, as necessary from speed of unwound filament and rotation speed of the bobbin, and displays a remaining amount of the filament and so on. However, when a new bobbin is mounted on the filament winding apparatus, filament is not unwound yet. Therefore, it is not possible to detect unwinding speed and rotation speed of the bobbin and it is thus impossible to obtain a bobbin diameter. Therefore, conventionally, when a new bobbin is mounted on the filament winding apparatus, an operator uses a caliper or the like to measure a bobbin diameter, which is a diameter of a point where filament is wound on the bobbin, and the operator then inputs the initial bobbin diameter in the filament winding apparatus. Based on the inputted initial bobbin diameter, the filament winding apparatus displays a remaining amount of the filament on the mounted bobbin, sets initial parameters for control of rotation speed of the bobbin and tension control of an active dancer when unwinding of the filament starts, and so on. In JP 2005-262595 A, since there is no description regarding measurement of a bobbin diameter when a new bobbin is mounted on a filament winding apparatus, an operator needs to obtain a bobbin diameter by using a caliper or the like. Manual measurement of a bobbin diameter by an operator is not preferred because a burden is imposed on the operator and measurement results vary. In JP 2007-161449 A, the winding bobbin diameter detecting means is provided to detect a bobbin diameter. By applying the winding bobbin diameter detecting means to a filament winding apparatus, the operator's work for measuring a bobbin diameter by using a caliper or the like is eliminated. However, since it is necessary to mount the winding bobbin diameter detecting means on an appropriate position in the filament winding apparatus, efforts, time and costs are required, which is not preferred. It is the object of the invention to provide a filament winding method and a filament winding apparatus, by which a bobbin diameter, which is a diameter of a bobbin at a point where filament is wound, is detected automatically when a new bobbin is mounted, without newly adding a bobbin diameter detection device.
First of all, a first aspect of the invention is a filament winding method using a bobbin rotation driving device, on which a bobbin, upon which filament is wound, is mounted, the bobbin rotation driving device driving and rotating the bobbin, a dancer that oscillates in order to apply certain tension to the filament unwound from the bobbin, and a control device that is programmed to control the bobbin rotation driving device.
When a new bobbin is mounted on the bobbin rotation driving device, the control device is programmed to rotate the bobbin and oscillate the dancer while maintaining a state where a distal end of the filament unwound through the dancer is fixed further beyond the dancer and the unwound filament is stretched. The control device is programmed to obtain a bobbin diameter of the bobbin mounted on the bobbin rotation driving device based on a length of the dancer, an oscillation angle of the dancer, and a rotation angle of the bobbin.
In the first aspect, when a new bobbin is mounted, the bobbin is rotated to oscillate the dancer while maintaining a state where the distal end of the filament unwound through the dancer is fixed further beyond the dancer and the filament is stretched. The bobbin diameter is then obtained based on the length of the dancer, the oscillation angle of the dancer, and the rotation angle of the bobbin. Thus, it is not necessary to newly add a bobbin diameter detection device. When a new bobbin is mounted, it is possible to automatically detect the bobbin diameter, which is a bobbin diameter at a point where the filament is wound.
In the filament winding method according to the above-stated first aspect, when the bobbin diameter is obtained, the dancer may be oscillated from one end or the vicinity of the one end of an oscillation range to the other end or the vicinity of the other end of the oscillation range.
In this method, when the bobbin diameter is obtained, the dancer is oscillated from one end (or the vicinity of the one end) of the oscillation range to the other end (or the vicinity of the other end) of the oscillation range. Thus, the dancer is oscillated as widely as possible, and it is thus possible to obtain the bobbin diameter more accurately.
In the filament winding method according to the first aspect, the control device may be programmed to automatically carry out at least either display of a remaining amount of the filament, or setting of an initial parameter when unwinding by the bobbin rotation driving device begins, based on the bobbin diameter obtained.
In this method, when a new bobbin is mounted, processing based on the measured bobbin diameter is carried out automatically based on measurement of the bobbin diameter at a point when the bobbin is mounted. Therefore, efforts and time required by an operator is reduced, and operations for forming a reinforcing fiber preform are carried out more effectively. Compared to the related art in which an operator measures the bobbin diameter by using a caliper or the like, a reduction in variation of measured bobbin diameters, and an improvement in accuracy of measured bobbin diameters are expected. At the same time, since it is not necessary to newly add a bobbin diameter detection device, it is possible to suppress an increase in costs.
Next, a second aspect of the invention is a filament winding apparatus that includes a bobbin rotation driving device, on which a bobbin, upon which filament is wound, is mounted, the bobbin rotation driving device driving and rotating the bobbin, a rotation angle detection device that detects a rotation angle of the bobbin rotation driving device, a dancer that oscillates in order to apply certain tension to the filament unwound from the bobbin, an oscillation angle detection device that detects an oscillation angle of the dancer, and a control device that is programmed to control the bobbin rotation driving device. In the filament winding apparatus, when a new bobbin is mounted on the bobbin rotation driving device, while maintaining a state where a distal end of the filament unwound through the dancer is fixed further beyond the dancer and the unwound filament is stretched, the control device is programmed to rotate the bobbin and oscillate the dancer. The control device is programmed to calculate a bobbin diameter of the bobbin mounted on the bobbin rotation driving device based on a rotation angle of the bobbin rotation driving device based on a detection signal from the rotation angle detection device, an oscillation angle of the dancer based on a detection signal from the oscillation angle detection device, and a length of the dancer.
In the above-stated second aspect, similarly to the first aspect, when the new bobbin is mounted, the bobbin is rotated to oscillate the dancer while maintaining the state where the distal end of the filament unwound through the dancer is fixed further beyond the dancer and the filament is stretched, and the bobbin diameter is obtained based on the length of the dancer, the oscillation angle of the dancer, and the rotation angle of the bobbin, Thus, it is not necessary to newly add a bobbin diameter detection device, and a filament winding apparatus is realized, which is able to automatically detect the bobbin diameter, which is a bobbin diameter at a point where the filament is wound, when a new bobbin is mounted.
In the filament winding apparatus according to the second aspect, when obtaining the bobbin diameter, the control device may be programmed to control the bobbin rotation driving device while taking in the detection signal from the oscillation angle detection device, and oscillate the dancer from one end or the vicinity of the one end of an oscillation range to the other end or the vicinity of the other end of the oscillation range.
With this construction, when the bobbin diameter is obtained, the dancer is oscillated from one end (or the vicinity of the one end) of the oscillation range to the other end (or the vicinity of the other end) of the oscillation range. Thus, the filament winding apparatus is realized, in which the dancer is oscillated as widely as possible, and it is thus possible to obtain the bobbin diameter more accurately.
In the filament winding apparatus according to the above-stated second aspect, the control device may be programmed to automatically carry out at least either display of a remaining amount of the filament, or setting of an initial parameter when unwinding by the bobbin rotation driving device begins, based on the calculated bobbin diameter.
With this construction, processing based on the measured bobbin diameter is carried out automatically based on measurement of the bobbin diameter at a point when the bobbin is mounted. Therefore, the filament winding apparatus is realized, in which efforts and time required by an operator is reduced, operations for forming a reinforcing fiber preform are carried out more effectively, a reduction in variation of measured bobbin diameters and an improvement in accuracy of measured bobbin diameters are expected, and a cost increase is suppressed.
Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:
A mode for carrying out the invention is explained below by using the drawings.
First of all, an overall structure of a filament winding apparatus 1 is explained by using
The bobbin rotation driving device 20 is, for example, an electric motor. A bobbin 10, on which the filament is wound, is mounted on the bobbin rotation driving device 20. The bobbin rotation driving device 20 is driven by a control signal from the control device 60 and rotates the mounted bobbin 10. Rotation speed, a rotation angle, and so on are outputted from a rotation detection device 23 such as an encoder (an example of a rotation angle detection device) to the control device 60. Filament 11 unwound from the bobbin 10 goes through the guide roller 41 and the guide roller 42, is hung on a dancer roller 32 of the dancer 30, Then, the filament 11 passes through the guide roller 43 and is hung on the measuring roller 40. The filament 11 then passes through the guide roller 44, is hung on the active dancer roller 50, and is supplied to an object to be wound upon through the guide roller 45. Then, the filament 11 is wound on the object to be wound upon, thereby forming a reinforcing fiber preform.
The dancer 30 is a tension regulating device, and is structured of a dancer arm 31, a dancer roller 32, a support member 33, an oscillation angle detection device 34, a piston 35, an air cylinder 36, an air pipe 37, and so on. The dancer 30 applies given tension to the filament 11 unwound from the bobbin 10. This embodiment shows an example where the piston 35, the air cylinder 36, and the air pipe 37 are included in a structure that applies tension, but tension may be applied by different structures. The support member 33 provides a fulcrum of the dancer arm 31 that is supported to be able to oscillate. The dancer arm 31 is able to oscillate (vertically in an example shown in
A tension detection device (such as a tension sensor) and a speed detection device (such as an encoder) (not shown), for example, are connected with the measuring roller 40, and output detection signals to the control device 60. The active dancer roller 50 moves (vertically in the example in
In a state where filament is unwound from a bobbin on which the filament is wound, the conventional filament winding apparatus obtains a bobbin diameter, which is a diameter of a point of the filament wound on the bobbin, as appropriate from speed of the unwound filament, rotation speed of the bobbin, and so on, and displays a remaining amount of the filament, and so on. However, in the state where a new bobbin 10 is mounted on the bobbin rotation driving device, neither the unwinding speed nor the bobbin rotation speed is not detected. Therefore, it is not possible to obtain the bobbin diameter from the unwinding speed and the bobbin rotation speed. Hence, conventionally, an operator needs to measure the bobbin diameter, which is a diameter of a point where the filament is wound on the mounted bobbin 10, and input the bobbin diameter from the input device. The control device displays a remaining amount of the filament on a display device based on the inputted bobbin diameter, sets initial parameters for controlling rotation speed of the bobbin rotation driving device at appropriate rotation speed based on the inputted bobbin diameter and the set unwinding speed, and so on. Since the bobbin diameter, which is measured when a new bobbin is mounted, is measured by an operator by using a caliper or the like, efforts and time are required, and accuracy of measurement results vary. In the filament winding method and the filament winding apparatus according to the invention, it is not necessary to newly provide a bobbin diameter measuring device at a position where a bobbin is mounted, and it is possible to obtain a bobbin diameter automatically when a new bobbin is mounted. Thus, efforts and time required by an operator are reduced, and a reduction in variation in measured bobbin diameters and an improvement in accuracy of measured bobbin diameters are expected.
Next, processing steps for measuring a bobbin diameter when a new bobbin is mounted are explained by using flowcharts shown in
In step S20, as shown in
In step S30, the control device 60 takes in a detection signal from the oscillation angle detection device 34. The control device 60 then outputs a control signal to the bobbin rotation driving device 20 while detecting an oscillation angle of the dancer arm 31 so as to gradually rotate the bobbin 10 in a forward direction (a direction for unwinding the filament, which is a clockwise direction in the example in
In step S45, while taking in a detection signal from the oscillation angle detection device 34 and detecting an oscillation angle of the dancer arm 31, the control device 60 outputs a control signal to the bobbin rotation driving device 20 and gradually rotates the bobbin 10 in an opposite direction (in a direction of winding up the filament, which is a counterclockwise direction in the example shown in
In step S60, the control device 60 calculates a bobbin diameter, which is a diameter of a point where the filament is wound on the bobbin 10, by using (Equation 1) stated below based on the oscillation angles θ1, θ2 of the dancer arm 31, the rotation angles θa, θb of the bobbin, and a length LD of the dancer arm (see
A length of filament unwound by rotation of the bobbin (LX)=a length of filament unwound by oscillation of the dancer arm (LY) LX=2πRx*θc/360LY=2*LD*[sin(θ1)+sin(θ2)]
Since LX=LY,
2πRx*θc/360=2*LD*[sin(θ1)+sin(θ2)]
Therefore, bobbin diameter (radius)=Rx=360*LD*[sin(θ1)+sin(θ2)]/(π*θc) (Equation 1)
As another method for calculating a bobbin diameter (radius) in (Equation 1) stated above, a map of a bobbin diameter based on a rotation angle of the bobbin, an oscillation angle of the dancer arm, and a length of the dancer arm, and so on may be stored previously in the control device that is connected to the control device, and the bobbin diameter may be obtained based on the previously-known length of the dancer arm, the rotation angle of the bobbin and the oscillation angle of the dancer arm that have been obtained, the map, and so on.
In step S65, the control device 60 controls the bobbin rotation driving device 20 to rotate the bobbin 10 so that an oscillating position of the dancer arm 31 becomes the dancer arm standard position (STD) as shown in
By carrying out the filament winding method explained in the embodiment above, it is possible to calculate a bobbin diameter automatically when a new bobbin is mounted. Further, it is not necessary to newly add a bobbin diameter detection device. Therefore, it is possible to cut efforts and time required by an operator, and carry out operations for forming a reinforcing fiber preform more efficiently. Compared to the related art in which an operator measures a bobbin diameter by using a caliper or the like, a reduction in variation of measured bobbin diameters, and an improvement in accuracy of measured bobbin diameters are expected. At the same time, since it is not necessary to newly add a bobbin diameter detection device, it is possible to suppress an increase in costs. By oscillating the dancer arm in a larger an angle range within the oscillation range, it is possible to obtain a more accurate bobbin diameter. After a bobbin diameter is obtained automatically, at least either display of a remaining amount of filament or setting of initial parameters is carried out automatically by using the obtained bobbin diameter. Therefore, efforts and time required by an operator are reduced, and input errors by an operator are avoided. Therefore, operations for forming a reinforcing fiber preform are carried out more efficiently. The filament winding apparatus for carrying out the filament winding method explained by using the flowcharts in
Various changes, additions, deletions may be made in the processing, structure, construction, shape, and so on of the filament winding method and the filament winding apparatus 1 according to the invention without departing from the gist of the invention. Symbols for “greater than or equal to” (≧), “less than or equal to” (≦), “greater than” (>), “less than” (<), and so on may or may not include the equal sign.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2013-147360 | Jul 2013 | JP | national |