A compression roller device, a tow placement apparatus, and a tow curved surface placement and rolling method

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of composite material manufacturing, and discloses a compression roller device, a tow laying device and a tow curved surface laying method. The compression roller device comprises a mandrel, a telescopic part, a driving part, a pressure sensor and a flexible skin. The mandrel is provided with a plurality of telescopic parts on the outer side. The telescopic part is connected with the driving part. The driving part is used for driving the telescopic part to expand or contract along the radial direction of the mandrel. The flexible skin is sleeved on the outside of the telescopic part. The pressure sensor is arranged between the telescopic part and the flexible skin. The flexible skin and the telescopic part can rotate integrally. The telescopic part is arranged to support the flexible skin, so that the flexible skin can be deformed flexibly. Therefore, the surface shape of the compression roller can be changed in real time during the rolling process and completely fit the curved surface. The rolling operation of large and complex curved surface parts can be adapted. The driving part and the pressure sensor are arranged to cooperate, which is beneficial to realize the constant force rolling of the curved surface part and ensure the forming quality and precision of the curved surface part.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of composite material manufacturing, and more specifically, relates to a pressure roller device, a filament laying equipment, and a method for laying and rolling filament curved surfaces. Background Technology

[0002] Continuous fiber composites possess excellent mechanical properties. Due to their lightweight and high strength, they are widely used as high-performance structural materials in high-tech fields such as aerospace and military industries. Automated layup technology is one of the most promising processes for molding continuous fiber composite parts. This technology was applied to the molding process of submarine composite parts as early as 30 years ago. Its main process is as follows: first, continuous fiber prepreg is fed onto the upper surface of the substrate; then, a heat source is used to heat the prepreg and the substrate; finally, pressure rollers are used to press the molten surface. In the manufacturing of large continuous fiber composite components, automated layup technology offers advantages such as automated high-speed forming and reliable quality.

[0003] Research on automated fiber placement technology shows that using pressure rollers to press the molten surface is a key step in preventing quality defects such as delamination and voids in the placement layer. Currently, most mature automated fiber placement equipment uses rigid pressure rollers capable of withstanding significant pressure. However, in the automated placement of large, complex curved parts, rigid pressure rollers cannot tightly conform to the curved surface, leading to quality defects such as delamination and voids in the formed parts, as well as low forming accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned defects or improvement needs of the existing technology, the present invention provides a pressure roller device, a filament laying equipment and a filament curved surface laying and rolling method, which solves the problem that rigid pressure rollers cannot closely fit the curved surface in the automatic laying process of large and complex curved surface parts, resulting in quality defects such as delamination and voids in the formed parts and low forming accuracy. It can achieve a close fit and compaction operation with the curved surface of the part, and is conducive to achieving constant force rolling.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a pressure roller device is provided, comprising a mandrel, telescopic members, a driving member, a pressure sensor, and a flexible skin. A plurality of telescopic members are distributed on the outer side of the mandrel. The telescopic members are connected to the driving member, which drives the telescopic members to extend and retract radially along the mandrel. The flexible skin is sleeved on the outside of the telescopic members, and the pressure sensor is disposed between the telescopic members and the flexible skin. The flexible skin and the telescopic members are capable of rotating integrally.

[0006] According to the pressure roller device provided by the present invention, the end of the telescopic member away from the mandrel is connected to a skin support, the skin support is a sheet-like structure, the skin support is connected to the flexible skin, and the pressure sensor is disposed between the skin support and the flexible skin.

[0007] According to the pressure roller device provided by the present invention, the end of the telescopic member away from the mandrel is provided as a spherical end, and the spherical end is connected to the skin support through a ball bearing.

[0008] According to the pressure roller device provided by the present invention, multiple rings of the telescopic members are provided along the axial direction of the mandrel, and each ring of the telescopic members includes a plurality of the telescopic members distributed circumferentially along the mandrel, and adjacent rings of the telescopic members are staggered in the circumferential direction of the mandrel along the axial direction of the mandrel.

[0009] The pressure roller device provided by the present invention further includes a telescopic bracket, which is disposed between the mandrel and the flexible skin. The telescopic bracket has a through hole corresponding to the telescopic member, and the telescopic member passes through the through hole.

[0010] The pressure roller device provided by the present invention further includes a mounting bracket, which is disposed between the mandrel and the driving member, the driving member being connected to the mounting bracket, and the outer wall of the mounting bracket having a polygonal structure, the interior of the mounting bracket having a circular hole through which the mandrel passes.

[0011] According to the pressure roller device provided by the present invention, the driving member includes an electric cylinder, which is used to drive the telescopic member to extend and retract to deform the surface of the flexible skin and to adjust the pressure between the telescopic member and the flexible skin.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a filament laying device is provided, comprising the pressure roller device described in any of the above claims, and further comprising a filament laying device for laying filaments.

[0013] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a method for rolling a curved surface of filament bundle is provided, based on the pressure roller device described in any of the preceding claims, the rolling method comprising:

[0014] During the laying of the filament bundle, the pressure roller device is controlled to perform rolling and compaction operations on the laid-out filament bundle;

[0015] The real-time pressure detected by any of the pressure sensors during the rolling compaction operation is obtained, and the corresponding drive component is controlled to drive the telescopic component to extend and retract based on the real-time pressure, so that the real-time pressure is consistent with the preset pressure.

[0016] The filament curvature laying and rolling method provided by the present invention further includes:

[0017] During the laying process of each layer of the filament bundle, control change information of each driving component on the pressure roller device is acquired;

[0018] When laying the next layer of filament bundles, the control operations of each drive component are performed in advance based on the control change information of each drive component.

[0019] In summary, compared with the prior art, the pressure roller device, filament laying equipment, and filament curved surface laying and rolling method provided by the present invention offer the following advantages:

[0020] 1. A telescopic component capable of telescopic movement is set on the outside of the mandrel to support the flexible skin, allowing the flexible skin to deform flexibly. This enables the roller surface shape to be changed in real time during the rolling process and to completely conform to the curved surface. It can adapt to the rolling operation of large and complex curved parts. Furthermore, with the cooperation of the drive component and pressure sensor, the rolling pressure of multiple parts on the roller surface can be adjusted in real time, which is conducive to achieving constant force rolling of curved parts and ensuring the forming quality and precision of curved parts.

[0021] 2. The skin support and the telescopic component are connected by ball bearings. The skin support can rotate in any direction under the limitation of the ball joint. When the pressure roller changes shape, it can support the flexible skin together with the nearest skin support to prevent the flexible skin from collapsing.

[0022] 3. When the device and method are used for the automatic laying of continuous fiber complex curved surface parts, the shape of the pressure roller can be changed in real time according to the curved surface shape of the part, so as to achieve constant force rolling after the continuous fiber bundle is laid. This effectively solves the problem of loose connection between layers during the laying of continuous fiber composite complex curved surface parts. While improving the manufacturing efficiency of continuous fiber composite parts, it also effectively enhances the mechanical properties of composite parts. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the pressure roller device provided by the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the overall structure of the pressure roller device provided by the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a side sectional view of the pressure roller device provided by the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the roller device provided by the present invention rolling curved surfaces.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the rolling method provided by the present invention.

[0028] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements or structures, wherein:

[0029] 1: Flexible skin; 2: Pressure sensor; 3: Skin bracket; 4: Telescopic bracket; 5: Telescopic component; 6: Bearing housing; 7: Bearing cover; 8: Mandrel; 9: Mounting bracket; 10: Drive component; 11: Ball bearing; A: Pressure roller device; B: Curved surface part. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0031] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The present invention provides a pressure roller device, which includes a mandrel 8, telescopic members 5, a driving member 10, a pressure sensor 2, and a flexible skin 1. A plurality of telescopic members 5 are distributed on the outer side of the mandrel 8. The telescopic members 5 are connected to the driving member 10. The driving member 10 is used to drive the telescopic members 5 to extend and retract radially along the mandrel 8. The flexible skin 1 is sleeved on the outside of the telescopic members 5, and the pressure sensor 2 is provided between the telescopic members 5 and the flexible skin 1. The flexible skin 1 and the telescopic members 5 can rotate as a whole.

[0032] Specifically, the outermost layer of the pressure roller device is configured as a flexible skin 1, which is a flexible skin structure capable of arbitrary deformation. An extendable member 5, which can move radially along the mandrel 8, is provided inside the flexible skin 1 to support it. This allows the flexible skin 1 to deform into concave or convex shapes. When the surface of the workpiece to be rolled is curved or irregular, the flexible skin 1 can better conform to the surface of the workpiece through deformation, facilitating better rolling and ensuring the rolling effect. Furthermore, multiple extendable members 5 are distributed on the outer layer of the mandrel 8, supporting multiple parts of the flexible skin 1. This allows multiple different parts of the flexible skin 1 to deform, improving the flexibility of the flexible skin 1's deformation and better adapting to the surface of the workpiece to be rolled.

[0033] Furthermore, the pressure roller device is also equipped with a pressure sensor 2 and a drive component 10 at the corresponding position of any telescopic member 5. The pressure sensor 2 is located between the telescopic member 5 and the flexible skin 1, and can obtain the real-time pressure applied to the workpiece to be rolled by the flexible skin 1 part corresponding to any telescopic member 5 during rolling. Then, the pressure applied to the workpiece to be rolled by the flexible skin 1 part corresponding to any telescopic member 5 during rolling can be adjusted by driving the telescopic member 5 to telescopically move. This makes the rolling pressure controllable during rolling, which is beneficial to further ensure the rolling effect.

[0034] During the rolling operation, the flexible skin 1 and the telescopic component 5 rotate together and roll and compact the surface of the part to be rolled. When rolling to the curved surface, the pressure of the flexible skin 1 part corresponding to the curved surface will change. The pressure sensor 2 can control the drive component 10 to drive the telescopic component 5 to move and extend, so that the flexible skin 1 part corresponding to the curved surface will deform to better fit the curved surface. It can also make the rolling pressure of the flexible skin 1 part corresponding to the curved surface consistent with the preset pressure, so as to better ensure the forming quality of the part to be rolled.

[0035] Specifically, for example, when the pressure roller device rolls onto the raised curved surface, the pressure on the flexible skin 1 portion corresponding to the raised curved surface increases. At this time, the drive component 10 can be controlled to drive the telescopic component 5 to retract, causing the flexible skin 1 portion corresponding to the raised curved surface to undergo concave deformation, so as to be able to fit and contact the raised curved surface. The rolling pressure on the flexible skin 1 portion corresponding to the raised curved surface can also be controlled to be consistent with the preset pressure. Similarly, when the pressure roller device rolls onto the concave curved surface, the pressure on the flexible skin 1 portion corresponding to the concave curved surface decreases. At this time, the drive component 10 can be controlled to drive the telescopic component 5 to extend, causing the flexible skin 1 portion corresponding to the concave curved surface to undergo convex deformation, so as to be able to fit and contact the concave curved surface.

[0036] The pressure roller device provided by the present invention has a telescopic member 5 that can extend and retract to support the flexible skin 1 on the outside of the mandrel 8, so that the flexible skin 1 can deform flexibly. This allows the surface shape of the pressure roller to be changed in real time during the rolling process and to completely conform to the curved surface. It can adapt to the rolling operation of large and complex curved parts. In addition, the drive member 10 and the pressure sensor 2 are set together to realize the real-time adjustment of the rolling pressure at multiple parts on the surface of the pressure roller. This is beneficial to achieve constant force rolling of curved parts and to ensure the forming quality and accuracy of curved parts.

[0037] When this pressure roller device is used in the automatic laying process of large and complex curved surface parts, the pressure roller device can fit the curved surface well and help ensure constant force rolling on all parts of the curved surface during the laying process. While improving manufacturing efficiency, it can effectively reduce quality defects such as delamination and voids in large curved surface parts of continuous fiber composite materials and improve molding accuracy.

[0038] Furthermore, the end of the telescopic member 5 furthest from the spindle 8 is connected to a skin support 3. The skin support 3 is a sheet-like structure and is connected to the flexible skin 1. The pressure sensor 2 is located between the skin support 3 and the flexible skin 1. The sheet-like skin support 3 better supports the outer flexible skin 1 during the rolling operation, improving rolling efficiency and ensuring effectiveness. It also facilitates the placement of the pressure sensor 2. The skin support 3 and the flexible skin 1 can be bonded or connected in other ways to improve integration; the specific connection method is not limited.

[0039] Furthermore, the end of the telescopic member 5 furthest from the spindle 8 is spherical, and the spherical end is connected to the skin support 3 via a ball bearing 11. This allows the skin support 3 to rotate and move relative to the telescopic member 5 in any direction. Thus, when a skin support 3 moves radially under the drive of the drive member 10, the skin support 3 and its adjacent skin supports 3 can adaptively rotate under the tension of the flexible skin 1. The skin support 3 and its adjacent skin supports 3 can jointly support the flexible skin 1, preventing the flexible skin 1 from collapsing at the intervals of the skin supports 3, and ensuring that the flexible skin 1 closely conforms to the workpiece surface during rolling.

[0040] Further, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 Multiple coils of telescopic members 5 are provided along the axial direction of the mandrel 8. Each coil of telescopic members 5 includes multiple telescopic members 5 distributed circumferentially along the mandrel 8. Adjacent coils of telescopic members 5 are staggered along the circumferential direction of the mandrel 8. This embodiment specifically describes the distribution of the telescopic members 5 on the outside of the mandrel 8. In this embodiment, multiple telescopic members 5 distributed circumferentially on the outside of the mandrel 8 form a coil, and multiple coils of telescopic members 5 are provided along the axial direction of the mandrel 8. Thus, the telescopic members 5 are regularly and distributed as many as possible on the outside of the mandrel 8 to better achieve the flexibility of the flexible skin 1 deformation and better support for rolling.

[0041] Specifically, the telescopic members 5 of two adjacent rings along the axial direction are staggered, that is, the telescopic members 5 of the second ring are correspondingly located between the two adjacent telescopic members 5 of the first ring, so that the telescopic members 5 can be more evenly distributed on the outside of the mandrel 8, and the gap between the skin support 3 can be minimized as much as possible, so as to better support the flexible skin 1 to perform rolling operation.

[0042] Furthermore, the skin support 3 has a sheet-like structure and may have a certain arc shape to adapt to the circumferential flexible skin 1 and better fit the flexible skin 1. The spacing between the telescopic components 5 should be as small as possible while facilitating the installation of the skin support 3 and the smooth extension and retraction of each telescopic component 5, so that as many telescopic components 5 as possible are distributed on the outside of the mandrel 8.

[0043] Further, refer to Figure 2 The pressure roller device also includes a telescopic bracket 4, which is disposed between the mandrel 8 and the flexible skin 1. The telescopic bracket 4 has a through hole corresponding to the telescopic member 5, through which the telescopic member 5 passes. The telescopic bracket 4 allows the telescopic member 5 to pass through, thereby better defining the movement path of the telescopic member 5 and achieving stable telescopic movement of the telescopic member 5.

[0044] Further, refer to Figure 2 The pressure roller device also includes a mounting bracket 9, which is disposed between the mandrel 8 and the driving member 10. The driving member 10 is connected to the mounting bracket 9, and the outer wall of the mounting bracket 9 has a polygonal structure. The interior of the mounting bracket 9 has a circular hole through which the mandrel 8 passes. The mounting bracket 9 is used to install and fix the driving member 10, so that the driving member 10 does not need to be connected to the mandrel 8. The driving member 10 is connected to the mounting bracket 9 for installation and fixation. The telescopic member 5 is connected to the driving member 10, thereby realizing the installation and fixation of the driving member 10 and the telescopic member 5. Furthermore, the outer wall of the mounting bracket 9 has a polygonal structure, that is, the outer perimeter of the cross-section of the mounting bracket 9 is polygonal, so the outer wall of the mounting bracket 9 has a planar structure, which facilitates the connection and fixation of the driving member 10.

[0045] Furthermore, the telescopic bracket 4 and the mounting bracket 9 are rotatably connected to the mandrel 8. That is, in this embodiment, the mandrel 8 can be configured as a non-rotating structure, while the mounting bracket 9, drive component 10, telescopic component 5, telescopic bracket 4, and flexible skin 1 can rotate integrally relative to the mandrel 8, thereby achieving the rolling operation. Specifically, a bearing is provided between the mounting bracket 9 and the mandrel 8 to allow the mounting bracket 9 to rotate relative to the mandrel 8. The telescopic bracket 4 is connected to a bearing housing 6 at its end, and the bearing housing 6 is rotatably connected to the mandrel 8. A bearing cover 7 is connected to the end of the bearing housing 6. The bearing housing 6 can be fitted onto the mandrel 8 and rotatably connected to the mandrel 8 via the bearing. The bearing cover 7 at the end of the bearing housing 6 can be clearance-fitted to the mandrel 8 to achieve rotation. The bearing housing 6 and bearing cover 7 allow for the installation, fixation, and rotation of the telescopic bracket 4, and can also seal both ends of the pressure roller device, which is beneficial for improving the stability and service life of the device. The telescopic bracket 4 and the bearing housing 6 are connected by screws; the bearing housing 6 and the bearing cover 7 can also be connected by screws.

[0046] In other embodiments, the mounting bracket 9 and the telescopic bracket 4 can be fixedly connected to the mandrel 8, respectively. That is, the mandrel 8, mounting bracket 9, driving component 10, telescopic component 5, telescopic bracket 4, and flexible skin 1 can rotate as a whole. By setting a rotatable connection between the mandrel 8 and the rolling moving mechanism, the pressure roller device can be rotated to smoothly realize the rolling operation. The rolling moving mechanism is the mechanism that drives the mandrel 8 to move and roll the surface to be rolled during the rolling operation, and its specific implementation is not limited.

[0047] Furthermore, the driving component 10 includes an electric cylinder, which is used to drive the telescopic component 5 to extend and retract to deform the surface of the flexible skin 1 and to adjust the pressure between the telescopic component 5 and the flexible skin 1. In this embodiment, the driving component 10 can be set as an electric cylinder. The electric cylinder can drive the telescopic component 5 to extend and retract through the extension and retraction of the piston. Moreover, the electric cylinder is easy to operate electrically and has a sensitive response.

[0048] Furthermore, the present invention provides a filament laying device, which includes the pressure roller device described in any of the above embodiments, and also includes a filament laying device for laying filaments. That is, the filament laying device can be equipped with the pressure roller device described in any of the above embodiments to perform a filament rolling operation.

[0049] Furthermore, during the automatic filament laying process, the number of filaments laid by the filament laying equipment changes depending on the location, ranging from 1 to 32 bundles, and this number can be continuously varied during the rolling process. Specifically, the filament laying equipment increases the number of filaments in areas of the part to be formed with low curvature and decreases the number of filaments in areas of high curvature. That is, during filament laying, the number of filaments can be changed and adjusted in real time according to the curvature of the part to be formed; in areas with low curvature, the surface of the part to be formed is less curved, so the number of filaments can be increased accordingly, up to a maximum of 32 bundles, to improve filament laying efficiency; in areas with high curvature, the surface of the part to be formed is more curved, so excess filaments can be controlled to reduce the number of filaments, thus ensuring laying accuracy.

[0050] Furthermore, the present invention also provides a method for laying and rolling filaments on curved surfaces, the rolling method being based on the pressure roller device described in any of the above embodiments, the rolling method comprising:

[0051] During the laying of the filament bundle, the pressure roller device is controlled to perform rolling and compaction operations on the laid-out filament bundle;

[0052] The real-time pressure detected by any of the pressure sensors 2 during the rolling compaction operation is obtained, and the corresponding drive component 10 is controlled to drive the telescopic component 5 to extend and retract according to the real-time pressure, so that the real-time pressure is consistent with the preset pressure.

[0053] According to the material and characteristics of the part to be formed, a suitable preset rolling pressure can be set. During the rolling and compaction process of the filament bundle, when rolling to the convex part of the curved surface, the reading of pressure sensor 2 increases and is fed back to the control system. The control system controls the micro electric cylinder to retract, and the telescopic component 5 drives the skin support 3 to move radially inward, so that the reading of pressure sensor 2 reaches the preset value. When rolling to the concave part of the curved surface, the reading of pressure sensor 2 decreases and is fed back to the control system. The control system controls the micro electric cylinder to extend, and the telescopic component 5 drives the skin support 3 to move radially outward, so that the reading of pressure sensor 2 reaches the preset value.

[0054] Thus, by extending and retracting the telescopic component 5, the flexible skin 1 can be adapted to the curved surface of the part to be formed, so as to fit the curved surface for rolling operation. Furthermore, the pressure of each telescopic component 5 on the flexible skin 1 can be kept constant, and constant force rolling can be achieved at each part during the laying of the curved surface to ensure the compaction effect.

[0055] Furthermore, the rolling method further includes: during the laying of each layer of the filament bundle, acquiring control change information of each of the driving components 10 on the pressure roller device; and when laying the next layer of the filament bundle, performing control operations on each of the driving components 10 in advance based on the control change information of each of the driving components 10.

[0056] Specifically, taking the automatic placement process of complex curved surface parts made of continuous fiber composite materials as an example, the rolling method includes the following steps: When laying the fiber bundles of complex curved surface parts made of continuous fiber composite materials, the pressure of the pressure roller is preset in the control software, the intelligent pressure roller device is initialized, and the continuous fiber bundles are rolled and shaped by the intelligent pressure roller after being laid on the mold. When rolling the curved surface parts, due to the unevenness of the curved surface structure, the electrical signal sent by the pressure sensor 2 to the control system will change between high and low levels. The control system can perform closed-loop feedback control on the elongation and shortening of the telescopic component 5 according to the electrical signal of the pressure sensor 2. Finally, the shape of the pressure roller is adapted to the curved surface structure of the part, so that the surface of the pressure roller is in close contact with the curved surface of the part, realizing intelligent constant force rolling of the curved surface structure.

[0057] The device provided by this invention can change the shape of the pressure roller in real time according to the curved surface shape of the part, and realize constant force rolling after continuous fiber bundle is laid. It effectively solves the problem of loose connection between layers during the laying of continuous fiber composite complex curved surface parts. While improving the manufacturing efficiency of continuous fiber composite parts, it also effectively enhances the mechanical properties of composite parts.

[0058] Furthermore, the control system can generalize and learn from the rolled surface. When rolling to the same position on the part again, it can control the micro-electric cylinder to extend or shorten the telescopic component 5 in advance, thereby improving control accuracy. That is, filament laying is generally a multi-layer process. During the laying of the previous layer of filament, the control change information of each driving component 10 can be recorded and learned. The control change information can be at least one of the specific adjustment time point, adjustment trend, and adjustment amount of each driving component 10. When laying the next layer of filament, for each driving component 10, when reaching the corresponding time point, the driving component 10 can be pre-adjusted according to the learned adjustment trend and / or adjustment amount. Then, precise adjustment is performed based on the real-time pressure detected by the pressure sensor 2, which helps improve the adjustment efficiency and thus improve the compaction efficiency.

[0059] Furthermore, addressing the current technical deficiencies in the automatic layup and molding process of large and complex curved surface parts made of continuous fiber composite materials, this invention provides an intelligent pressure roller device and method for automatic layup of continuous fiber composite material filaments. This device is used in the filament rolling step during the automatic fiber layup process of continuous fiber composite material parts. It can change the shape of the pressure roller in real time during the rolling process and ensure that it completely conforms to the curved surface, guaranteeing constant force rolling at all points on the curved surface during the layup process. This improves manufacturing efficiency while effectively reducing quality defects in large curved surface parts made of continuous fiber composite materials.

[0060] The pressure roller device mainly includes a flexible skin 1, a pressure sensor 2, a skin support 3, a ball-head telescopic column (telescopic component) 5, a telescopic support 4, a micro electric cylinder, a mounting bracket 9, a bearing housing 6, a bearing cover 7, a bearing, and a spindle 8. The flexible skin 1 wraps around the skin support 3. A pressure sensor 2 is designed between the skin support 3 and the flexible skin 1. The skin support 3 is fixed to the ball-head telescopic column via a ball joint. The telescopic column is connected to the micro electric cylinder and fixed to the mounting bracket 9. Each micro electric cylinder corresponds to one pressure sensor 2. The mounting bracket 9 and the telescopic support 4 can rotate with the flexible skin 1. The mounting bracket 9 and the telescopic support 4 are fixed to the spindle 8 via bearings, and the spindle 8 does not rotate.

[0061] More specifically, the flexible skin 1, the telescopic bracket 4, and the mounting bracket 9 are arranged coaxially; the skin bracket 3, the ball-head telescopic column, and the micro electric cylinder are connected together to form a telescopic unit, and several identical telescopic units are arranged radially throughout the entire cylindrical range of the pressure roller. The micro electric cylinder can drive the telescopic column to extend or retract radially within the limiting hole on the telescopic bracket 4. Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, when it is necessary to change the shape of the pressure roller, the skin support 3 located in the recessed part can extend outward radially under the drive of the micro electric cylinder, and the flexible skin 1 forms a protrusion under the support of the skin support 3; the skin support 3 located in the protruding part can shorten inward radially under the drive of the micro electric cylinder, and the flexible skin 1 forms a recess under the support of the skin support 3.

[0062] More specifically, see reference Figure 4 When rolling complex curved surface parts B, the skin support 3 of the pressure roller device A and the ball head telescopic column are connected by a ball joint, i.e., ball bearing 11. The skin support 3 can rotate in any direction under the limitation of the ball joint. When the pressure roller changes shape, it can support the flexible skin 1 together with the nearest skin support 3 to prevent the flexible skin 1 from collapsing.

[0063] More specifically, the mounting bracket 9 is a regular icosahedron with a central hole for mounting the bearing and mandrel 8. Each ball-head telescopic column has a miniature electric cylinder connected to its lower end, and these miniature electric cylinders are fixed to the prism plane of the mounting bracket 9. During rolling, the flexible skin 1, skin bracket 3, ball-head telescopic columns, telescopic bracket 4, miniature electric cylinders, and mounting bracket 9 rotate synchronously, while the mandrel 8 does not rotate. The mandrel 8 is connected to the rotating parts by bearings. The control system can control the corresponding miniature electric cylinder to drive the skin bracket 3 radially based on the reading of the pressure sensor 2, thereby changing the shape of the entire pressure roller. The control system can independently control each miniature electric cylinder.

[0064] More specifically, the flexible skin 1 is made of materials including, but not limited to, silicone rubber, fluororubber, and fiber cloth. Other components, such as the brackets and telescopic parts 5, are made of materials including, but not limited to, metals or plastics.

[0065] More specifically, when the electric cylinder drives the skin support 3 to move radially, its radial movement range is 0-6mm, that is, the movement range of a single telescopic component 5 is 0-6mm, so the change range of the entire intelligent pressure roller diameter is 0-12mm.

[0066] See Figure 5 According to another aspect of the present invention, an intelligent rolling method for automatic placement of continuous fiber composite filament bundles is provided, the method comprising the following steps:

[0067] Once the power is turned on, the pressure of the pressure roller is preset in the control system, and the intelligent pressure roller device begins initialization to prepare for rolling.

[0068] The continuous fiber laying equipment lays fiber bundles on a curved mold, and the intelligent pressure roller device begins to roll and press the laid fiber bundles into shape.

[0069] When the roller is rolled to the curved protrusion, the reading of pressure sensor 2 increases and is fed back to the control system. The control system controls the miniature electric cylinder to retract, and the ball head telescopic column drives the skin bracket 3 to move radially inward, so that the reading of pressure sensor 2 reaches the preset value.

[0070] When the roller is rolled to the concave part of the curved surface, the reading of pressure sensor 2 decreases and is fed back to the control system. The control system controls the extension of the micro electric cylinder, and the ball head telescopic column drives the skin bracket 3 to move radially outward, so that the reading of pressure sensor 2 reaches the preset value.

[0071] The above steps are repeated periodically throughout the entire filament laying process until the filament laying is completed, at which point the intelligent pressure roller device returns to the initialization state and the rolling process ends.

[0072] More specifically, at the end of each layer of filament placement, the control system detects whether the automatic filament placement process of the entire part is complete. If not, the filament placement and rolling steps continue to cycle until the control system receives a signal that the filament placement is complete. Then, the intelligent pressure roller device returns to the initialization state described in the initial step, cuts off the power, and ends the filament rolling process.

[0073] More specifically, in each of the above steps, the control system of the intelligent pressure roller device integrates an intelligent control algorithm that can generalize and learn from the rolled surfaces. During the continuous fiber automatic lay-up process, the fiber bundles are laid on a die or the previous layer of fiber bundles, so each layer of surface rolled by the pressure rollers during the lay-up process has similarities. After the control system performs generalization learning on the rolled surfaces, it can pre-control the extension and retraction of the micro-electric cylinder when rolling the next layer of fiber bundles at the same position, further improving the rolling control accuracy.

[0074] More specifically, with the accuracy of the existing electric cylinder and pressure sensor 2, the intelligent pressure roller control system can complete the feedback control of the extension and retraction of the micro electric cylinder within 30ms based on the reading of pressure sensor 2, and the pressure error of the pressure roller during rolling is ±3N.

[0075] This invention provides an intelligent pressure roller device for automatic placement of continuous fiber composite material tows. This device can change the shape of the pressure roller during the automatic placement and forming of fibers in complex curved surface parts made of continuous fiber composite materials, ensuring that the roller closely conforms to the curved surface during rolling and guaranteeing that each layer of continuous fiber is completely adhered. Combined with the aforementioned intelligent rolling method, this device effectively reduces quality defects such as delamination and voids caused by rolling during the automatic placement and forming of tows in complex curved surface parts made of continuous fiber composite materials, significantly improving the manufacturing efficiency and precision of the parts while ensuring their mechanical properties.

[0076] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pressure roller device, characterized in that, The device includes a spindle (8), telescopic components (5), a drive component (10), a pressure sensor (2), and a flexible skin (1). Multiple telescopic components (5) are distributed on the outer side of the spindle (8). The telescopic components (5) are connected to the drive component (10). The drive component (10) is used to drive the telescopic components (5) to extend and retract radially along the spindle (8). The flexible skin (1) is sleeved on the outside of the telescopic components (5). The pressure sensor (2) is provided between the telescopic components (5) and the flexible skin (1). The flexible skin (1) and the telescopic components (5) can rotate as a whole. The telescopic component (5) is connected to a skin support (3) at one end away from the spindle (8). The skin support (3) is a sheet structure. The skin support (3) is connected to the flexible skin (1), and the pressure sensor (2) is located between the skin support (3) and the flexible skin (1).

2. The pressure roller device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the telescopic member (5) away from the spindle (8) is set as a spherical end, and the spherical end is connected to the skin bracket (3) through a ball bearing (11).

3. The pressure roller device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Multiple loops of the telescopic member (5) are provided along the axial direction of the mandrel (8). Each loop of the telescopic member (5) includes multiple telescopic members (5) distributed circumferentially along the mandrel (8). Two adjacent loops of the telescopic member (5) are staggered in the circumferential direction of the mandrel (8).

4. The pressure roller device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a telescopic bracket (4), which is located between the spindle (8) and the flexible skin (1). The telescopic bracket (4) has a through hole corresponding to the telescopic member (5), and the telescopic member (5) passes through the through hole.

5. The pressure roller device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a mounting bracket (9), which is disposed between the spindle (8) and the drive member (10). The drive member (10) is connected to the mounting bracket (9), and the outer wall of the mounting bracket (9) is polygonal. The mounting bracket (9) has a circular hole inside, through which the spindle (8) passes.

6. The pressure roller device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The drive member (10) includes an electric cylinder for driving the telescopic member (5) to extend and retract to deform the surface of the flexible skin (1) and to adjust the pressure between the telescopic member (5) and the flexible skin (1).

7. A tow laying device, characterized in that, The pressure roller device according to any one of claims 1-6 further includes a filament laying device for laying filament bundles.

8. A method for laying and rolling a curved surface of filament bundle, characterized in that, Based on the pressure roller device according to any one of claims 1-6, the rolling method includes: During the laying of the filament bundle, the pressure roller device is controlled to perform rolling and compaction operations on the laid-out filament bundle; The real-time pressure detected by any of the pressure sensors (2) during the rolling compaction operation is obtained, and the corresponding drive component (10) is controlled to drive the telescopic component (5) to move in and out according to the real-time pressure, so that the real-time pressure is consistent with the preset pressure.

9. The method for laying and rolling filament curvature as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The rolling method further includes: During the laying process of each layer of the filament bundle, control change information of each drive component (10) on the pressure roller device is obtained; When laying the next layer of the filament bundle, the control operation of each of the driving elements (10) is performed in advance according to the control change information of each driving element (10).

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