A prepreg lay-up apparatus and method

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of prepreg laying device and method, including handle, one end of handle is fixed with laying component, laying component is made of flexible heat-conducting material, heating element is set between handle and laying component by connecting component, heating element is connected with the power supply circuit installed in handle, the power supply of power supply circuit is set in the power source installation cavity in handle, heating element is contacted with laying component to heat laying component, the laying quality of the laying device of the present application is better, and it is suitable for the prepreg laying of small and medium-sized parts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of prepreg processing technology, and specifically to a prepreg laying device and method. Background Technology

[0002] The statements herein provide only background information in relation to this invention and do not necessarily constitute prior art.

[0003] Currently, although automated prepreg installation equipment is developing rapidly in the field of prepreg application technology, limitations in product size, shape, and cost mean that small and medium-sized parts (such as beams and ribs for drones) cannot be installed automatically in the short term. Therefore, manual installation remains the primary method for prepreg application on small and medium-sized parts. Since product quality is largely determined by the skill level of the workers, manual installation inevitably leads to quality issues. Workers primarily use scrapers made of various materials (nylon, fiberglass, metal) to compact the prepreg during installation. However, considering the lifespan of prepregs, the temperature in cleanrooms is typically controlled between 18℃ and 26℃. At this temperature, the resin viscosity is high, the prepreg is hard, and the application performance is poor, especially in complex overlapping areas, corners, and areas where manual operation is inconvenient. This makes it difficult to compact the prepreg according to the shape, and defects are prone to occur after curing. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a prepreg laying device and method that improves the laying quality and is suitable for use on small and medium-sized parts.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention provide a prepreg laying device, including a handle, one end of which is fixed with a laying component, the laying component being made of a flexible thermally conductive material, a heating element being provided between the handle and the laying component via a connecting component, the heating element being connected to a power supply circuit installed in the handle, the power supply of the power supply circuit being located in a power supply mounting cavity inside the handle, and the heating element contacting the laying component to heat the laying component.

[0007] Optionally, the connecting component is a damping block made of insulating material. The damping block has a wire inside, which is connected to the heating element to supply power to the heating element. The damping block is located at the end of the hole spacing inside the handle and is fixedly connected to the handle. The middle of the damping block has a mounting post for inserting the laying component, and a heating element is provided between the mounting post and the laying component.

[0008] Optionally, the heating element is a resistance wire that is sleeved around the outer periphery of the mounting post, and the resistance wire is in contact with the mounting post and the mounting portion.

[0009] Optionally, the damping block is made of insulating rubber material.

[0010] Optionally, the laying component includes a laying part and a connecting part. The laying part adopts a hollow sphere structure, and the connecting part adopts a hollow column structure. The mounting column is inserted into the connecting part, and a heating element is provided between the connecting part and the mounting column.

[0011] Optionally, the mounting component is made of an insulating and thermally conductive rubber material.

[0012] Optionally, the laying component has an external thread structure and is threadedly connected to the handle through the external thread structure.

[0013] Optionally, the outer surface of the handle is provided with a wavy texture.

[0014] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for the prepreg laying apparatus described in the first aspect. A power supply energizes a heating element through a power supply circuit, and the heating element heats the laying component to a set temperature. A handle moves under the action of an operator, thereby moving the laying component that is in contact with the prepreg. The heated laying component lays and compacts the prepreg.

[0015] Optionally, the set temperature is 50℃-60℃.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0017] 1. The laying device of the present invention has a laying component at one end of the handle, and the laying component is made of a flexible material. A heating element is provided between the handle and the laying component through a connector. The heating element can heat the laying component so that the position where the laying component contacts the prepreg can be heated to a set temperature, reducing the resin viscosity and making the prepreg softer. This allows for better laying properties in areas with rounded corners, complex overlapping areas, and areas where manual operation is inconvenient, thereby improving the laying performance of the prepreg and thus improving the laying quality.

[0018] 2. The laying device of the present invention has laying components made of thermally conductive flexible material. The flexible laying components can completely fit the material surface, adapt to the shape of the product, and have a better compaction effect.

[0019] 3. The paving device of the present invention integrates the power supply circuit and power source on the handle, and integrates the connecting parts and heating elements at the connection position between the handle and the paving parts. The entire paving device is small in size, flexible and convenient to use, and meets the paving needs of small and medium-sized parts. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a front view of the overall structure of Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 This is the present invention. Figure 1 Sectional view along direction A in the middle;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the handle structure in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the tiling component structure in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the resistance wire, connecting parts, laying parts, and handle in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the connecting component, resistance wire, and laying component according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0027] Among them, 1. handle, 2. plug, 3. battery, 4. hollow ball structure, 5. hollow column structure, 6. damping block, 7. screw, 8. mounting post, 9. resistance wire. Detailed Implementation

[0028] Example 1

[0029] This embodiment provides a prepreg laying device, such as... Figures 1-2 As shown, it includes a handle 1 and a laying component connected to the end of the handle 1. The laying component is used to contact the prepreg and lay and compact the prepreg. The worker can hold the handle 1 to drive the laying component to move, thereby laying and compacting the prepreg.

[0030] like Figure 3 As shown, the handle 1 is made of insulating material and its outer surface is provided with a corrugated pattern, which makes it easy for workers to hold and operate, and improves the comfort of workers holding the handle.

[0031] The handle 1 has a power installation cavity inside, and the front end of the handle 1 is open. The front end of the handle 1 has an internal thread structure, and the laying component has an external thread structure. The front end of the handle 1 is threadedly connected to the laying component through the internal thread structure and the external thread structure.

[0032] The rear end of the handle 1 is also open and is provided with a plug 2. The plug 2 is threadedly connected to the rear end of the handle 1. Opening the plug 2 makes it convenient to place a power supply inside the handle 1.

[0033] A power supply is installed inside the power supply mounting cavity. The power supply uses battery 3. Preferably, the battery 3 is a lithium battery. The lithium battery is connected to the power supply circuit. The wires of the power supply circuit are located in the wire passage opened in the handle wall of the handle 1.

[0034] The mounting component is made of a flexible thermally conductive material. Preferably, the mounting component is made of a thermally conductive rubber material. It is understood that those skilled in the art can select the appropriate flexible thermally conductive material according to actual needs.

[0035] like Figure 4 As shown, the laying component includes a hollow sphere structure 4 and a hollow column structure 5 connected to the hollow sphere structure 4. The hollow sphere structure 4 is used to contact the prepreg. The hollow sphere structure makes it easier to deform, allowing the hollow sphere structure 4 to better conform to the surface of the product. One end of the hollow column structure 5 is integrally connected to the hollow sphere structure 4, and the other end is provided with an external thread structure, which is fixedly connected to the front end of the handle 1 through the external thread structure.

[0036] like Figures 5-6 As shown, the front end of the power installation cavity inside the handle 1 is provided with a connecting component. The connecting component is inserted into the hollow column structure, and a heating element is provided between the connecting component and the hollow column structure. The connecting component is made of conductive material and is connected to the power supply circuit.

[0037] In this embodiment, the connecting component is made of insulating material, preferably insulating rubber material. The connecting component is a damping block 6 made of insulating rubber material. The damping block 6 fits against the inner cavity surface of the power installation cavity inside the handle 1. The edge of the damping block 6 is provided with a side plate. The side plate is inserted into the slot provided at the front end of the handle 1 and fixed to the handle by multiple screws 7. Preferably, four screws 7 arranged at equal intervals along the circumference are used to fix the damping block 6 and the handle 1.

[0038] The damping block 6 has a mounting post 8 at the center of its front end face, and the mounting post 8 is inserted into the hollow column structure 5 of the paving component.

[0039] A heating element is provided between the mounting post 8 and the inner side of the hollow column structure 5. In this embodiment, the heating element is a resistance wire 9, which is wound around the outer periphery of the mounting post 8 and contacts the inner side of the hollow column structure 5 to heat the hollow column structure 5, thereby heating the entire paving component.

[0040] The damping block 6 has a conductive sheet on its side for cooperating with the battery 3. The conductive sheet is connected to the wire inside the damping block 6. The wire is part of the power supply circuit and is connected to the resistance wire 9 to enable the battery 3 to supply power to the resistance wire 9.

[0041] In this embodiment, the mounting component is made of flexible thermally conductive rubber material, which is insulating and non-conductive. When the mounting component is made of conductive flexible thermally conductive material, an insulating thermally conductive material layer needs to be set on the inner side of the hollow column structure 5. The insulating thermally conductive material can be any existing material, and will not be described in detail here.

[0042] The handle 1 is also equipped with a switch, which is connected to the power supply circuit and used to control the power supply circuit to turn on and off.

[0043] Since the damping block 6 is in contact with the resistance wire 9, in order to prevent heat from being transferred to the handle 1, a layer of heat-insulating material is provided on the part of the surface of the damping block 6 that is in contact with the handle 1. Existing heat-insulating materials can be used, and will not be described in detail here. One pole of the battery 3 is in contact with the conductive sheet. The conductive sheet is connected to one end of the resistance wire 9 through the wire inside the damping block 6. The other end of the resistance wire is connected to the wire inside the damping block 6, and this section of wire passes through the damping block and is connected to the other pole of the battery along the wire passage.

[0044] In this embodiment, closing the switch enables the power supply circuit to be turned on, and the battery 3 energizes the damping block 6 and the resistance wire 9, thereby causing the resistance wire 9 to heat the laying component.

[0045] In this embodiment, the power supply circuit and power source are integrated on the handle 1, and the connecting parts and heating elements are integrated at the connection point between the handle 1 and the paving parts. The entire paving device is small in size, flexible and convenient to use, and meets the paving needs of small and medium-sized parts.

[0046] Example 2

[0047] This embodiment provides a method for the prepreg laying device described in Embodiment 1. The operator closes the switch, the battery 3 supplies power to the resistance wire 9, the resistance wire 9 is energized and heated, and the temperature of the laying component is increased. When the temperature of the laying component rises to the set temperature, the operator holds the handle 1 and brings the hollow ball structure 4 of the laying component into contact with the prepreg. The operator drives the laying component to move through the handle and uses the hollow ball structure 4 to lay and compact the prepreg.

[0048] In this embodiment, the set temperature is 50℃-60℃. When laying is carried out at this temperature, the resin viscosity decreases, making the prepreg softer. This allows for better layability in areas with rounded corners, complex overlapping areas, and areas where manual operation is inconvenient, thereby improving the layability of the prepreg and thus improving the laying quality.

[0049] Moreover, the hollow sphere structure 4 can deform according to the shape of the product, better fit the product surface, have a good compaction effect, improve efficiency, and reduce the scrap rate.

[0050] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A prepreg laying device, characterized in that, It includes a handle, one end of which is fixed with a mounting component. The mounting component is made of a flexible thermally conductive material. A heating element is set between the handle and the mounting component through a connecting component. The heating element is connected to a power supply circuit installed in the handle. The power supply circuit is located in the power supply mounting cavity inside the handle. The heating element contacts the mounting component to heat the mounting component. The connecting component is a damping block made of insulating material. The damping block contains a wire that is connected to the heating element to supply power to the heating element. The damping block is located at the end of the hole spacing inside the handle and is fixedly connected to the handle. The middle of the damping block is provided with a mounting post for inserting the laying component. A heating element is provided between the mounting post and the laying component. The paving component includes a paving part and a connecting part. The paving part adopts a hollow spherical structure, and the connecting part adopts a hollow columnar structure. The mounting column is inserted into the connecting part, and a heating element is provided between the connecting part and the mounting column. The flexible thermally conductive material is made of insulating thermally conductive rubber material.

2. The prepreg laying device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The heating element is a resistance wire that is sleeved around the outer periphery of the mounting post, and the resistance wire is in contact with the mounting post and the mounting part.

3. The prepreg laying device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The damping block is made of hard conductive rubber material.

4. The prepreg laying device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The laying component has an external thread structure and is threadedly connected to the handle through the external thread structure.

5. A prepreg laying device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the handle is decorated with a wave pattern.

6. A method of using the prepreg laying apparatus according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The power supply energizes the heating element through the power supply circuit. The heating element heats the laying component to the set temperature. The handle moves under the operator's control, which in turn moves the laying component that is in contact with the prepreg. The heated laying component lays and compacts the prepreg.

7. The method of using the prepreg laying device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The set temperature is 50℃-60℃.

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