Automatic lap joint device and method for composite prepreg tows

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention discloses an automatic lap joint device and method for composite prepreg tows, and the device comprises a tow lap joint module, an automatic lifting module, an electrical and control system, and a moving cabinet. The tow lap joint module comprises an upper pressing block, a lower pressing block, a spring guide column assembly, a heating module, a pressure sensor, a tow fixing elastic pressing block, a lap joint brush and a connecting plate, the tow lap joint module is installed in the automatic lifting module, the automatic lifting module can be connected with the support or the movable cabinet, and the electrical and control system is installed and fixed in the movable cabinet; during lap joint, the head end and the tail end of the prepreg tow are sequentially laid and fixed in the groove of the tow lap joint module, and tow lap joint is automatically completed under set process parameters. By adopting the device provided by the embodiment of the invention, the high-speed and high-quality lap joint of the composite pre-impregnated tows of various specifications can be quickly completed, the lap joint consistency is good, the efficiency is high, and the quality and the performance of a composite workpiece are further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to, but is not limited to, the technical field of automatic filament placement production of composite material prepregs, and in particular to an automatic splicing device and method for composite material prepreg filament bundles. Background Art

[0002] Composite materials have the characteristics of high specific strength, high specific stiffness, unique designability and good processability. They are widely used in many fields such as aerospace, national defense and civil use. Among them, resin-based composite prepreg tows are widely used in composite winding and placement molding processes.

[0003] The automatic wire laying machine is the most advanced automated molding equipment used in composite parts in the current aviation industry. It can greatly improve the quality stability and reliability of composite parts through precise control of laying process parameters. According to the specifications of the automatic wire laying machine's laying head, the commonly used composite prepreg tow widths are mainly 6.35mm and 12.7mm. Prepregs of different widths are made by cutting and rolling from prepreg masterbatches with a width of more than 1m using the slitting method. The winding length of domestic prepreg masterbatches is generally 100 or 200m. During the automatic wire laying process, after the current roll of prepreg tow is used up, its end needs to be overlapped with the beginning of the next roll of prepreg tow.

[0004] At present, the overlap of prepreg tows is mainly achieved by manual sewing, which is inefficient. The sewing threads at the joints of the prepreg tows become doped materials in the winding process, and the pinholes generated on the prepreg tows during sewing form stress concentration points. The existence of these doped materials and stress concentration points causes the actual performance of composite parts to deviate from the designed performance, resulting in poor product consistency and increased manufacturing costs. Summary of the invention

[0005] Purpose of the present invention: In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the embodiments of the present invention provide an automatic overlapping device and method for composite prepreg bundles, so as to solve the problem that the prepreg bundles are currently overlapped by manual sewing, resulting in low overlapping efficiency, and to solve the problems of poor product consistency of composite material parts and increased manufacturing costs due to the formation of doped materials by sewing threads at the overlapping positions and concentrated stress points formed by sewing needle holes at the overlapping positions.

[0006] Technical solution of the present invention: An embodiment of the present invention provides an automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows, comprising: a tow splicing module 1, an automatic lifting module 2, a bracket, an electrical and control system 3 and a mobile cabinet 4;

[0007] The tow splicing module 1 is installed in the automatic lifting module 2, the automatic lifting module 2 is installed on the mobile cabinet 4 or the bracket through the positioning pin mounting seat at the bottom, the electrical and control system 3 is installed in the mobile cabinet 4, and the electrical and control system 3 is respectively connected to the tow splicing module 1 and the automatic lifting module 2; the tow splicing module 1 includes an upper splicing module and a lower splicing module;

[0008] In the automatic lifting module 2, the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12 located in the shell 16 extends out from the upper end surface of the shell 16, the upper lap module is fixedly connected to the top of the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12 through the upper connecting plate 11a at the top, and the lower lap module is fixedly connected to the middle boss of the outer side of the shell 16 through the lower connecting plate 11b at the bottom, the upper pressing block 5 of the upper lap module and the lower pressing block 6 of the lower lap module are arranged opposite to each other, and the boss of the upper pressing block 5 matches the groove of the lower pressing block 6, the upper heating module 8a arranged on the top of the upper pressing block 5 and the lower heating module 8b arranged at the bottom of the lower pressing block 6 are respectively connected to the electrical and control system 3, so as to control the heating temperature and heating time of the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b respectively for heating the upper pressing block 5 and the lower pressing block 6 through the electrical and control system 3;

[0009] The electrical and control system 3 is used to control the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12 in the automatic lifting module 2 to move downward until the upper pressure block 5 contacts the lower pressure block 6, gradually increase the pressure to the set overlapping pressure, and then maintain the pressure unchanged, and then control the servo cylinder 12 to rise upward after continuously applying pressure for a preset overlapping time.

[0010] Optionally, in the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows as described above, in the tow splicing module 1,

[0011] The upper overlap module comprises: an upper connecting plate 11a, multiple groups of spring guide column assemblies 14, an upper mounting plate 19a, an upper heating module 8a and an upper pressing block 5; wherein the upper connecting plate 11a is fixedly connected to the top of the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12, one end of each spring guide column assembly 14 is fixedly connected to the lower end surface of the upper connecting plate 11a, and the other end is connected to the upper end surface of the upper mounting plate 19a, and the lower end surface of the upper mounting plate 19a is sequentially mounted with the upper heating module 8a and the upper pressing block 5;

[0012] The lower overlap module comprises: a lower connecting plate 11b, multiple groups of spring guide column assemblies 14, a lower mounting plate 19b, a lower heating module 8b, a lower pressing block 6, a pressure sensor 9 and a tow fixing elastic pressing block 10; wherein, the lower connecting plate 11b is fixedly connected to the middle boss on the outer side of the shell 16, one end of each spring guide column assembly 14 is fixedly connected to the upper end surface of the lower connecting plate 11b, and the other end is connected to the lower end surface of the lower mounting plate 19b, the upper end surface of the lower mounting plate 19b is sequentially mounted with the lower heating module 8b and the lower pressing block 6, and the groove of the lower pressing block 6 is arranged opposite to the boss of the upper pressing block 5; a pressure sensor 9 is installed in the middle of the lower connecting plate 11b, and a preset gap is formed between the top end of the pressure sensor 9 and the lower end surface of the lower mounting plate 19b; the upper end surface of the lower connecting plate 11b, at both ends of the lower pressing block 6, are respectively fixedly mounted with tow fixing elastic pressing blocks 10, and the prepreg tow is loosened and fixed by lifting or releasing the buckles on the pressing block;

[0013] The pressure sensor 9 is connected to the electrical and control system 3 and is used to transmit the pressure information collected by the pressure sensor 9 to the electrical and control system 3 in real time.

[0014] Optionally, in the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows as described above, the automatic lifting module 2 includes: a servo cylinder 12, a protective cover 13, a distance sensor 14, a real-time display window 15, a start button and a housing 16;

[0015] The servo cylinder 12 is installed in the housing 16, and its actuating end extends out of the upper end surface of the housing 16; the outer end of the middle boss on the outer side of the housing 16 is hinged to the protective cover 13, so that the protective cover 13 can rotate 180 degrees along the hinge axis, which is used to protect the prepreg tow during the overlapping process through the tow overlapping module 1; the distance sensor 14 is installed in the middle of the outer side of the lower end surface of the upper connecting plate 11a in the upper overlapping module, and when the protective cover 13 is closed, the front end surface of the distance sensor 14 is in contact with the inner end surface of the protective cover 13;

[0016] The distance sensor 14 is connected to the electrical and control system 3, and is used to detect the distance information between itself and the protective cover 13, and transmit the collected distance information to the electrical and control system 3 in real time;

[0017] The real-time display window 15 is arranged on the front outer wall of the housing 16, and is used to display the temperature information and the pressure information in real time; the start button is arranged on the side of the real-time display window 15, and is used to start the automatic lifting module 2 by pressing the start button;

[0018] The automatic lifting module 2 is used to drive the upper pressing block 5 to move downward at a set speed through the actuating end of the servo pressure cylinder 12 under the control of the electrical and control system 3, and apply a set pressure value to the lower pressing block 6 through the upper pressing block 5 to achieve the fixation and crimping of the prepreg bundle.

[0019] Optionally, in the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows as described above, the automatic splicing device specifically comprises:

[0020] A plurality of groups of upper pressing blocks 5 and lower pressing blocks 6 of different sizes are used for use with prepreg bundles of various sizes.

[0021] Optionally, in the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows as described above,

[0022] The bracket is configured as a tripod structure with a mounting platform on the top and adjustable height; a wheel set is provided at the bottom of the mobile cabinet 4;

[0023] The automatic lifting module 2 equipped with the tow splicing module 1 is positioned and connected with the bracket or the movable cabinet 4 by means of positioning pins, and after the connection, the automatic lifting module 2 is limited by means of limiting blocks.

[0024] Optionally, in the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows as described above, the electrical and control system 3 comprises: an operating platform 17, electrical control components;

[0025] Among them, the operating platform 17 is arranged as a whole on the operating table of the mobile cabinet 4, and the operating platform 17 includes an operating screen, an emergency stop button, and a reset button, which are used to set the process parameters of the lap joint process through the operating screen, including the lap joint temperature, lap joint pressure, and lap joint time; the electrical control components are installed in the mobile cabinet, which are used to control the position and movement speed of the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12, and to control the temperature changes of the upper pressure block 5 and the lower pressure block 6 in the lap joint process through the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b respectively.

[0026] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows, wherein the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows as described in any one of the above items is used to automatically splice the composite prepreg tows, and the automatic splicing method includes:

[0027] Step 1, placing and installing the automatic splicing device according to the on-site environment of the automatic wire laying machine;

[0028] Step 2, setting the process parameters of the overlapping process, including: standby temperature, overlapping temperature, overlapping pressure, overlapping time, pressing speed; automatically controlling the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b through the electrical and control system 3 to heat the upper pressing block 5 and the lower pressing block 6 to the standby temperature;

[0029] Step 3, laying the ends of the prepreg tows to be overlapped in the grooves of the lower pressing block 6 in sequence, setting the overlapping size according to the scale lines on the lower pressing block 6 during laying, and fixing the prepreg tows on both sides, using an overlapping brush to brush the overlapping area of ​​the prepreg tows to be overlapped along the overlapping direction of the upper prepreg tows, to ensure that the overlapping area of ​​the prepreg tows to be overlapped is flat and wrinkle-free;

[0030] Step 4, automatically controlling the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b to heat the upper pressing block 5 and the lower pressing block 6 to the set overlapping temperature and then keeping them warm for a preset time through the electrical and control system 3;

[0031] Step 5, automatically control the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12 to move downward until the upper pressure block 5 contacts the lower pressure block 6 through the electrical and control system 3, gradually increase the pressure to the set overlapping pressure and then keep the pressure unchanged, continue to pressurize for the preset overlapping time, control the servo cylinder 12 to rise upward, and automatically control the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b to stop heating.

[0032] Optionally, in the automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows as described above, the tow splicing module 1 and the automatic lifting module 2 are the structures in claim 3;

[0033] After brushing the overlapping area of ​​the prepreg tows to be overlapped, step 3 further includes: rotating the protective cover 13 upward to protect the prepreg tows to be overlapped;

[0034] The method further comprises:

[0035] Step 6, rotate the protective cover 13 downward, and then lift the buckle on the elastic pressing block 10 for fixing the yarn bundle to take out the prepreg yarn bundle that has been overlapped.

[0036] Optionally, in the automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows as described above,

[0037] The electrical and control system 3 performs linkage control on the protective cover 13 and the servo cylinder 12. If the protective cover 13 is not closed before the overlap, the servo cylinder 12 cannot perform downward movement. If the protective cover 13 is opened during the downward movement of the servo cylinder 12, the downward movement will be stopped immediately.

[0038] The automatic splicing method further comprises:

[0039] During the overlapping process, the emergency stop button is pressed, and the servo cylinder 12 immediately stops the downward movement, and the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b stop heating; during the debugging process, the reset button is pressed, and the servo cylinder 12 moves to the initial position.

[0040] Optionally, in the automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows as described above,

[0041] When splicing batches of prepreg tows, the standby temperature and the splicing temperature are set to the same temperature value in step 2, so that the splicing operation can be completed by pressing down immediately after the prepreg tows are placed.

[0042] Beneficial effects of the present invention: The embodiment of the present invention provides an automatic splicing device and method for composite prepreg bundles. In view of the process requirements for splicing prepreg bundles of different sizes, a bundle splicing module 1 having upper and lower splicing modules is installed on an automatic lifting module 2, and the movement mode of the servo pressure cylinder 12 in the automatic lifting module 2 is controlled by the electrical and control system 3 in the mobile cabinet 4, and the upper and lower heating modules in the upper and lower splicing modules in the electrical and control system 3 control the heating temperature and heating time of the upper and lower pressing blocks, thereby realizing the splicing operation of the prepreg bundles on the upper and lower pressing blocks. Compared with the existing splicing schemes for prepreg bundles, the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg bundles provided by the embodiment of the present invention has the following features:

[0043] Beneficial effects:

[0044] (1) In the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg bundles provided by the present invention, various process parameters in the splicing process (including standby temperature, splicing temperature, splicing pressure, splicing time, pressing speed, etc.) can be set and adjusted separately. The splicing method provided is detailed, reliable, and has been experimentally verified. The splicing quality of the prepreg bundles is high and the consistency is good, which further improves the quality and performance of the composite parts.

[0045] (2) In the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg bundles provided by the present invention, during the automatic splicing process, by setting the standby temperature and the splicing temperature to be the same, batch splicing of prepreg bundles can be achieved, thereby improving the bundle splicing efficiency.

[0046] (3) The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg bundles provided by the present invention can provide multiple groups of upper pressing blocks 5 and lower pressing blocks 6 of different sizes and specifications, and the upper pressing blocks 5 and lower pressing blocks 6 can be quickly replaced. With the upper pressing blocks 5 and lower pressing blocks 6 of different sizes and specifications, the automatic splicing device can be applicable to the splicing process of prepreg bundles of various specifications. The use of replaceable matching brackets and mobile cabinets further improves the portability and environmental applicability of the automatic splicing device.

[0047] (4) The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided by the present invention ensures the safety of the operator during the splicing process by means of functions such as the emergency stop button, the reset button, the linkage between the protective cover and the servo pressure cylinder 12 provided on the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] The accompanying drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the technical solution of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present application, they are used to explain the technical solution of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solution of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of an automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the combined structure of a tow splicing module and an automatic lifting module in an automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided in the illustrated embodiment;

[0051] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of an upper splicing module in a tow splicing module provided in the illustrated embodiment;

[0052] Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a lower splicing module in a tow splicing module provided in the illustrated embodiment;

[0053] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the installation structure of another automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 6 A flow chart of a method for automatically splicing composite prepreg tows provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Description of reference numerals:

[0056] 1. Wire bundle splicing module; 2. Automatic lifting module; 3. Electrical and control system; 4. Mobile cabinet; 5. Upper pressure block; 6. Lower pressure block; 7. Spring guide column assembly; 8a. Upper heating module; 8b. Lower heating module; 9. Pressure sensor; 10. Wire bundle fixing elastic pressure block; 11a. Upper connecting plate; 11b. Lower connecting plate; 12. Servo cylinder; 13. Protective cover; 14. Distance sensor; 15. Real-time display window; 16. Shell; 17. Operating platform; 18. Connecting wire; 19a. Upper mounting plate; 19b. Lower mounting plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clear, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present application can be combined with each other arbitrarily without conflict.

[0058] The above background technology has already explained the advantages of composite materials and their current widespread application, as well as the overlap requirements and existing overlap methods of existing prepreg tows in practical applications. Since prepreg tows are currently overlapped by hand sewing, the overlap efficiency is low; in addition, the sewing thread at the joint of the prepreg tow becomes an impurity in the winding process, and the pinholes generated on the prepreg tow during sewing form stress concentration points. The existence of these impurities and stress concentration points causes the actual performance of composite parts to deviate from the design performance, resulting in poor product consistency and increased manufacturing costs.

[0059] With the advancement of aviation composite manufacturing technology, there is a requirement to reduce the performance deviation of composite parts. To meet this requirement, an embodiment of the present invention provides an automatic splicing device and method for composite prepreg tows to achieve high-quality and rapid splicing of prepreg tows.

[0060] The present invention provides the following specific embodiments which can be combined with each other. The same or similar concepts or processes may not be described in detail in some embodiments.

[0061] Figure 1 The overall structure diagram of an automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided by an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. Figure 2 for Figure 1 The illustrated embodiment provides a schematic diagram of the combined structure of the tow splicing module and the automatic lifting module in the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the overall structure of the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided by the embodiment of the present invention includes: a tow splicing module 1, an automatic lifting module 2, a bracket, an electrical and control system 3 and a mobile cabinet 4.

[0062] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the automatic splicing device shown, the tow splicing module 1 is installed in the automatic lifting module 2, and the automatic lifting module 2 can be installed on the table top of the mobile cabinet 4 through the positioning pin mounting seat at the bottom. The electrical and control system 3 is installed in the mobile cabinet 4, and the electrical and control system 3 is respectively connected to the tow splicing module 1 and the automatic lifting module 2.

[0063] In an optional embodiment, the automatic lifting module 2 is mounted on the bracket through a positioning pin mounting seat at the bottom. Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of another automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided by an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 The figure shows two installation structures of the automatic lifting module 2, one on the bracket and the other on the mobile cabinet 4. In actual application, only one of the two installation structures is used. Figure 5 An installation structure in.

[0064] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the tow splicing module 1 in the embodiment of the present invention includes an upper splicing module and a lower splicing module; in the automatic lifting module 2, the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12 located in the shell 16 extends out from the upper end surface of the shell 16; wherein, the upper splicing module is fixedly connected to the top of the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12 through the upper connecting plate 11a at the top thereof, and the lower splicing module is fixedly connected to the middle boss on the outer side surface of the shell 16 through the lower connecting plate 11b at the bottom thereof, the upper pressing block 5 of the upper splicing module is arranged opposite to the lower pressing block 6 of the lower splicing module, and the boss of the upper pressing block 5 matches the groove of the lower pressing block 6, and the upper heating module 8a arranged on the top of the upper pressing block 5 and the lower heating module 8b arranged at the bottom of the lower pressing block 6 are respectively connected to the electrical and control system 3.

[0065] The electrical and control system 3 in the embodiment of the present invention, on the one hand, can control the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b to respectively realize the heating temperature and heating time of the upper pressing block 5 and the lower pressing block 6; on the other hand, it can control the actuating end of the servo pressure cylinder 12 in the automatic lifting module 2 to move downward until the upper pressing block 5 contacts the lower pressing block 6, gradually increase the pressure to the set overlapping pressure, and then keep the pressure unchanged, and after continuously pressurizing for the preset overlapping time, control the servo pressure cylinder 12 to rise upward. In the embodiment of the present invention, the temperature control of the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b by the electrical and control system 3, as well as the control of the movement form and pressurization method of the servo pressure cylinder 12 in the automatic lifting module 2, can realize the automatic overlapping control of the prepreg tow.

[0066] In one implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, a possible implementation structure of the tow splicing module 1 is provided. Figure 3 for Figure 2 The schematic diagram of the structure of the upper splicing module in the tow splicing module provided in the embodiment shown, Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a lower splicing module in a tow splicing module provided in the illustrated embodiment.

[0067] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the upper overlap module in this implementation includes: an upper connecting plate 11a, multiple groups of spring guide column assemblies 14, an upper mounting plate 19a, an upper heating module 8a and an upper pressure block 5; wherein the upper connecting plate 11a is fixedly connected to the top of the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12 by fasteners, one end of each spring guide column assembly 14 is fixedly connected to the lower end surface of the upper connecting plate 11a, and the other end is connected to the upper end surface of the upper mounting plate 19a, and the upper heating module 8a and the upper pressure block 5 are installed on the lower end surface of the upper mounting plate 19a in sequence.

[0068] like Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the lower overlap module in this implementation includes: a lower connecting plate 11b, multiple groups of spring guide column assemblies 14, a lower mounting plate 19b, a lower heating module 8b, a lower pressing block 6, a pressure sensor 9 and a wire bundle fixing elastic pressing block 10; wherein the lower connecting plate 11b is fixedly connected to the middle boss on the outer side of the shell 16 by a fastener, one end of each spring guide column assembly 14 is fixedly connected to the upper end surface of the lower connecting plate 11b, and the other end is connected to the lower end surface of the lower mounting plate 19b, and the upper end surface of the lower mounting plate 19b is installed in sequence There are a lower heating module 8b and a lower pressing block 6, and the groove of the lower pressing block 6 is arranged opposite to the boss of the upper pressing block 5; a pressure sensor 9 is installed in the middle of the lower connecting plate 11b, that is, the pressure sensor 9 is located in the middle position just below the lower heating module 8b, and there is a preset gap between the top of the pressure sensor 9 and the lower end surface of the lower mounting plate 19b; the upper end surface of the lower connecting plate 11b is located at both ends of the lower pressing block 6 and the tow fixing elastic pressing blocks 10 are respectively fixedly installed, and the prepreg tow is loosened and fixed by lifting or releasing the buckle on the pressing block. The pressure sensor 9 in this implementation is connected to the electrical and control system 3, and is used to transmit the pressure information collected by the pressure sensor 9 to the electrical and control system 3 in real time, so as to monitor the pressure situation in the overlapping process in real time during the overlapping process.

[0069] In practical applications, the width of the protruding portion of the upper pressing block 5 is slightly smaller than the width of the groove of the lower pressing block 6. The width of the groove of the lower pressing block 6 is 6.4 mm or 12.8 mm, and there are scale lines on the surface. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the elastic pressing blocks 10 for fixing the yarn bundles 10 fixedly mounted at both ends of the lower pressing block 6 are also provided with grooves for laying the prepreg yarn bundles, and one end of the buckle on the elastic pressing block 10 for fixing the yarn bundles presses the buckle onto the prepreg yarn bundles through the elastic force provided by the spring, and the laid prepreg yarn bundles can be released by pulling up the buckle.

[0070] It should be noted that the structure of each set of spring guide column assemblies 14 in this implementation method includes, for example, guide sleeves and guide columns that are used in conjunction with each other, the guide sleeves and guide columns are docked and nested, and can move relative to each other along the axis, and the spring sleeve is arranged on the outside of a set of guide sleeves and guide columns.

[0071] In one implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, a possible implementation structure of the automatic lifting module 2 is provided, such as Figure 2 As shown, the automatic lifting module 2 in this implementation includes: a servo cylinder 12 , a protective cover 13 , a distance sensor 14 , a real-time display window 15 , a start button and a housing 16 .

[0072] like Figure 2As shown, the servo cylinder 12 is installed in the housing 16, and its actuating end extends out of the upper end surface of the housing 16; the outer end of the middle boss on the outer side of the housing 16 is hinged to the protective cover 13, so that the protective cover 13 can rotate 180° along the hinge axis, which is used to protect the prepreg tow during the overlapping process through the tow overlapping module 1; the distance sensor 14 is installed in the middle of the outer side of the lower end surface of the upper connecting plate 11a in the upper overlapping module, and when the protective cover 13 is closed, the front end surface of the distance sensor 14 is in contact with the inner end surface of the protective cover 13. In a specific implementation, the protective cover 13 is made of, for example, a transparent plastic material, including a rotatable cover plate and side plates fixed on both sides of the cover plate, forming a U-shaped structure as a whole.

[0073] In this implementation, the distance sensor 14 is connected to the electrical and control system 3 to detect the distance information between itself and the protective cover 13, and transmits the collected distance information to the electrical and control system 3 in real time, so that the electrical and control system 3 can comprehensively control the overall process of crimping.

[0074] In this implementation, a real-time display window 15 is provided on the front outer wall of the shell 16 for real-time display of temperature information and real-time display of pressure information; a start button is provided on the side of the real-time display window 15 for starting the automatic lifting module 2 by pressing the start button.

[0075] The automatic lifting module 2 in this implementation is used to drive the upper pressing block 5 to move downward at a set speed through the actuating end of the servo pressure cylinder 12 under the control of the electrical and control system 3, and apply a set pressure value to the lower pressing block 6 through the upper pressing block 5 to achieve the fixation and crimping of the prepreg bundle.

[0076] In one implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, the automatic splicing device may include: multiple groups of upper pressing blocks 5 and lower pressing blocks 6 of different sizes, which are used in conjunction with prepreg bundles of various sizes, and each group of upper pressing blocks 5 and lower pressing blocks 6 can be quickly replaced.

[0077] In one implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 As shown, the bracket is set as a tripod structure with a mounting platform on the top and adjustable height; a wheel set is set at the bottom of the mobile cabinet 4. The automatic lifting module 2 installed with the tow splicing module 1 is positioned and connected with the bracket or the mobile cabinet 4 using positioning pins. After connection, the automatic lifting module 2 is limited by a limit block, and the bracket position is placed according to the on-site environment.

[0078] In one implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 As shown, the electrical and control system 3 includes: an operating platform 17 and electrical control components.

[0079] In this implementation, the operating platform 17 is integrally arranged on the operating table of the mobile cabinet 4. The operating platform 17 includes an operating screen, an emergency stop button, and a reset button, which are used to set the process parameters of the lap joint process through the operating screen, including the lap joint temperature, lap joint pressure, and lap joint time; the electrical control component is installed in the mobile cabinet, and is used to control the position and movement speed of the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12, and to control the temperature changes of the upper pressing block 5 and the lower pressing block 6 in the lap joint process through the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b. In actual applications, each electronic component in the tow lap joint module 1 and the automatic lifting module 2 can be connected to the electrical control component through a connecting line 18, and the length of the connecting line 18 is ≥3m. Figure 5 The connecting line 18 is shown schematically in FIG.

[0080] In one implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, the self-made parts in the automatic splicing device (for example, the upper pressure block 5, the lower pressure block 6, etc.) are all made of lightweight aluminum alloy or composite materials, wherein the structures of the tow splicing module 1 and the automatic lifting module 2 are obtained through topological optimization design, which can achieve the design requirements of minimum size and lightest weight while ensuring strength.

[0081] In one implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, the automatic lifting module 2 is also provided with an acoustic and optical prompt, which is used to provide an acoustic and optical reminder at different temperatures and after each operation process is completed. In addition, the automatic splicing device provided in the embodiment of the present invention may also include a splicing brush for use, which is a bristle brush with different diameters on both sides, and is used to assist in flattening the prepreg tow when laying the tow.

[0082] The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided by the embodiment of the present invention is designed to meet the process requirements for splicing prepreg tows of different sizes. The splicing module 1 with upper and lower splicing modules is installed on the automatic lifting module 2, and the movement of the servo cylinder 12 in the automatic lifting module 2 is controlled by the electrical and control system 3 in the mobile cabinet 4. The upper and lower heating modules in the upper and lower splicing modules in the electrical and control system 3 control the heating temperature and heating time of the upper and lower pressing blocks, thereby realizing the splicing operation of the prepreg tows on the upper and lower pressing blocks. Compared with the existing splicing scheme of prepreg tows, the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided by the embodiment of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0083] (1) In the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg bundles provided by the present invention, various process parameters in the splicing process (including standby temperature, splicing temperature, splicing pressure, splicing time, pressing speed, etc.) can be set and adjusted separately. The splicing method provided is detailed, reliable, and has been experimentally verified. The splicing quality of the prepreg bundles is high and the consistency is good, which further improves the quality and performance of the composite parts.

[0084] (2) In the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg bundles provided by the present invention, during the automatic splicing process, by setting the standby temperature and the splicing temperature to be the same, batch splicing of prepreg bundles can be achieved, thereby improving the bundle splicing efficiency.

[0085] (3) The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg bundles provided by the present invention can provide multiple groups of upper pressing blocks 5 and lower pressing blocks 6 of different sizes and specifications, and the upper pressing blocks 5 and lower pressing blocks 6 can be quickly replaced. With the upper pressing blocks 5 and lower pressing blocks 6 of different sizes and specifications, the automatic splicing device can be applicable to the splicing process of prepreg bundles of various specifications. The use of replaceable matching brackets and mobile cabinets further improves the portability and environmental applicability of the automatic splicing device.

[0086] (4) The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided by the present invention ensures the safety of the operator during the splicing process by means of functions such as the emergency stop button, the reset button, the linkage between the protective cover and the servo pressure cylinder 12 provided on the device.

[0087] Based on the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided in the above embodiments of the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention further provide an automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows, and the automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows provided in any of the above embodiments can be used to perform automatic splicing on composite prepreg tows, such as Figure 6 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of an automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The automatic splicing method may include the following steps:

[0088] Step 1: Place and install the automatic splicing device according to the on-site environment of the automatic wire laying machine.

[0089] Step 2, set the process parameters of the overlap process on the operation screen, including: standby temperature, overlap temperature, overlap pressure, overlap time, and pressing speed; click the overlap button, and the electrical and control system 3 automatically controls the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b based on the set process parameters to heat the upper pressing block 5 and the lower pressing block 6 to the standby temperature.

[0090] Step 3, lay the two ends of the prepreg bundles to be overlapped in the grooves of the lower pressing block 6 in sequence, set the overlapping size according to the scale lines on the lower pressing block 6 during laying, and fix the prepreg bundles on both sides, and use an overlapping brush to brush the overlapping area of ​​the prepreg bundles to be overlapped along the overlapping direction of the upper prepreg bundles to ensure that the overlapping area of ​​the prepreg bundles to be overlapped is flat and wrinkle-free.

[0091] In this step, the overlapping brush used in conjunction with the automatic overlapping device is configured as a hard brush with different diameters on both sides, which assists in flattening the filament bundle when laying the filament bundle.

[0092] Step 4, click the overlap button again, and the electrical and control system 3 automatically controls the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b to heat the upper pressing block 5 and the lower pressing block 6 to the set overlap temperature and keep them warm for a preset time based on the set process parameters;

[0093] Step 5, the electrical and control system 3 automatically controls the actuating end of the servo cylinder 12 to move downward until the upper pressure block 5 contacts the lower pressure block 6 based on the set process parameters, gradually increases the pressure to the set overlapping pressure and then keeps the pressure unchanged, and controls the servo cylinder 12 to rise upward after continuously applying pressure for the preset overlapping time, and controls the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b to stop heating.

[0094] Furthermore, in the automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows provided in the embodiment of the present invention, after brushing the overlapping area of ​​the prepreg tows to be spliced, the above step 3 further includes: rotating the protective cover 13 upward to protect the prepreg tows to be spliced; the method provided in the embodiment of the present invention also includes the following steps:

[0095] Step 6, rotate the protective cover 13 downward, then lift the buckle on the elastic pressing block 10 for fixing the yarn bundle, take out the prepreg yarn bundle and complete the overlap.

[0096] In one implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, the electrical and control system 3 can perform linkage control on the protective cover 13 and the servo cylinder 12. If the protective cover 13 is not closed before overlapping, the servo cylinder 12 cannot perform downward movement. If the protective cover 13 is opened during the downward movement of the servo cylinder 12, the downward movement will be stopped immediately.

[0097] The automatic splicing method in this implementation also includes:

[0098] During the overlapping process, the emergency stop button is pressed, and the servo cylinder 12 immediately stops the downward movement, and the upper heating module 8a and the lower heating module 8b stop heating; during the debugging process, the reset button is pressed, and the servo cylinder 12 moves to the initial position.

[0099] In one implementation of the embodiment of the present invention, when batches of prepreg tows are overlapped, the standby temperature and the overlap temperature are set to the same temperature value in step 2, so that the overlap operation can be completed by immediately starting to press down after the prepreg tows are placed.

[0100] Although the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are as above, the contents are only embodiments adopted to facilitate understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any technician in the field to which the present invention belongs can make any modifications and changes in the form and details of implementation without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed in the present invention, but the patent protection scope of the present invention shall still be subject to the scope defined in the attached claims.

Claims

1. An automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows, characterized in that: include: A tow splicing module (1), an automatic lifting module (2), a bracket, an electrical and control system (3) and a mobile cabinet (4); The tow splicing module (1) is installed in the automatic lifting module (2), the automatic lifting module (2) is installed on the mobile cabinet (4) or the bracket through the positioning pin mounting seat at the bottom, the electrical and control system (3) is installed in the mobile cabinet (4), and the electrical and control system (3) is respectively connected to the tow splicing module (1) and the automatic lifting module (2); the tow splicing module (1) comprises an upper splicing module and a lower splicing module; In the automatic lifting module (2), the actuating end of the servo pressure cylinder (12) located in the shell (16) extends out from the upper end surface of the shell (16); the upper lap joint module is fixedly connected to the top of the actuating end of the servo pressure cylinder (12) through the upper connecting plate (11a) at the top; the lower lap joint module is fixedly connected to the middle boss of the outer side surface of the shell (16) through the lower connecting plate (11b) at the bottom; the upper pressing block (5) of the upper lap joint module and the lower pressing block (6) of the lower lap joint module are arranged opposite to each other, and the boss of the upper pressing block (5) matches the groove of the lower pressing block (6); the upper heating module (8a) arranged at the top of the upper pressing block (5) and the lower heating module (8b) arranged at the bottom of the lower pressing block (6) are respectively connected to the electrical and control system (3), so as to control the heating temperature and heating time of the upper pressing block (5) and the lower pressing block (6) respectively by the electrical and control system (3); The electrical and control system (3) is used to control the actuating end of the servo pressure cylinder (12) in the automatic lifting module (2) to move downward until the upper pressure block (5) contacts the lower pressure block (6), gradually increase the pressure to a set overlapping pressure, and then keep the pressure unchanged, and control the servo pressure cylinder (12) to rise upward after continuously applying pressure for a preset overlapping time.

2. The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the tow splicing module (1), The upper overlap module comprises: an upper connecting plate (11a), a plurality of groups of spring guide column assemblies (14), an upper mounting plate (19a), an upper heating module (8a) and an upper pressing block (5); wherein the upper connecting plate (11a) is fixedly connected to the top of the actuating end of the servo cylinder (12); one end of each spring guide column assembly (14) is fixedly connected to the lower end surface of the upper connecting plate (11a), and the other end is connected to the upper end surface of the upper mounting plate (19a); the lower end surface of the upper mounting plate (19a) is sequentially mounted with an upper heating module (8a) and an upper pressing block (5); The lower overlap module comprises: a lower connecting plate (11b), a plurality of groups of spring guide column assemblies (14), a lower mounting plate (19b), a lower heating module (8b), a lower pressing block (6), a pressure sensor (9) and a wire bundle fixing elastic pressing block (10); wherein the lower connecting plate (11b) is fixedly connected to a middle boss on the outer side of the shell (16), one end of each spring guide column assembly (14) is fixedly connected to the upper end surface of the lower connecting plate (11b), and the other end is connected to the lower end surface of the lower mounting plate (19b), and the lower mounting plate (19b) The upper end surface is sequentially mounted with a lower heating module (8b) and a lower pressing block (6), and the groove of the lower pressing block (6) is arranged opposite to the boss of the upper pressing block (5); a pressure sensor (9) is mounted in the middle of the lower connecting plate (11b), and a preset gap is formed between the top of the pressure sensor (9) and the lower end surface of the lower mounting plate (19b); the upper end surface of the lower connecting plate (11b) is located at both ends of the lower pressing block (6), and a filament bundle fixing elastic pressing block (10) is fixedly mounted thereon, and the prepreg filament bundle is loosened and fixed by lifting or releasing the buckle on the pressing block; The pressure sensor (9) is connected to the electrical and control system (3) and is used to transmit the pressure information collected by the pressure sensor (9) to the electrical and control system (3) in real time.

3. The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows according to claim 2, characterized in that: The automatic lifting module (2) comprises: a servo cylinder (12), a protective cover (13), a distance sensor (14), a real-time display window (15), a start button and a housing (16); The servo cylinder (12) is installed in a housing (16), and its actuating end extends out of the upper end surface of the housing (16); the outer end of the middle boss on the outer side surface of the housing (16) is hinged to the protective cover (13), so that the protective cover (13) can rotate 180 degrees along the hinge axis, and is used to protect the prepreg bundle during the overlapping process of the bundle overlapping module (1); the distance sensor (14) is installed in the middle of the outer side of the lower end surface of the upper connecting plate (11a) in the upper overlapping module, and when the protective cover (13) is closed, the front end surface of the distance sensor (14) is in contact with the inner end surface of the protective cover (13); The distance sensor (14) is connected to the electrical and control system (3) and is used to detect the distance information between itself and the protective cover (13), and transmit the collected distance information to the electrical and control system (3) in real time; The real-time display window (15) is arranged on the front outer wall of the housing (16) and is used to display temperature information and pressure information in real time; a start button is arranged on the side of the real-time display window (15) and is used to start the automatic lifting module (2) by pressing the start button; The automatic lifting module (2) is used to drive the upper pressing block (5) to move downward at a set speed through the actuating end of the servo pressure cylinder (12) under the control of the electrical and control system (3), and to apply a set pressure value to the lower pressing block (6) through the upper pressing block (5), so as to achieve the fixation and crimping of the prepreg bundle.

4. The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The automatic overlapping device specifically comprises: A plurality of groups of upper pressing blocks (5) and lower pressing blocks (6) of different sizes are used to cooperate with prepreg bundles of various sizes.

5. The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The support is configured as a tripod structure with a mounting platform on the top and adjustable height; the bottom of the mobile cabinet (4) is provided with a wheel set; The automatic lifting module (2) equipped with the tow splicing module (1) is positioned and connected with the bracket or the mobile cabinet (4) by using positioning pins, and after the connection, the automatic lifting module (2) is limited by using a limiting block.

6. The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The electrical and control system (3) comprises: an operating platform (17), electrical control components; The operating platform (17) is integrally arranged on an operating table of the mobile cabinet (4), and includes an operating screen, an emergency stop button, and a reset button, and is used to set process parameters of the overlapping process, including overlapping temperature, overlapping pressure, and overlapping time, through the operating screen; the electrical control component is installed in the mobile cabinet, and is used to control the position and movement speed of the actuating end of the servo cylinder (12), and to control the temperature changes of the upper pressing block (5) and the lower pressing block (6) during the overlapping process through the upper heating module (8a) and the lower heating module (8b).

7. A method for automatically splicing composite prepreg tows, characterized in that: The automatic splicing device for composite prepreg tows according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is used to automatically splice composite prepreg tows, and the automatic splicing method comprises: Step 1, placing and installing the automatic splicing device according to the on-site environment of the automatic wire laying machine; Step 2, setting process parameters of the overlapping process, including: standby temperature, overlapping temperature, overlapping pressure, overlapping time, and pressing speed; automatically controlling the upper heating module (8a) and the lower heating module (8b) through the electrical and control system (3) to heat the upper pressing block (5) and the lower pressing block (6) to the standby temperature; Step 3, laying the two ends of the prepreg tows to be overlapped in the grooves of the lower pressing block (6) in sequence, setting the overlapping size according to the scale lines on the lower pressing block (6) during laying, and fixing the prepreg tows on both sides, using an overlapping brush to brush the overlapping area of ​​the prepreg tows to be overlapped along the overlapping direction of the upper prepreg tows, to ensure that the overlapping area of ​​the prepreg tows to be overlapped is flat and wrinkle-free; Step 4, automatically controlling the upper heating module (8a) and the lower heating module (8b) by the electrical and control system (3) to heat the upper pressing block (5) and the lower pressing block (6) to a set overlapping temperature and then keeping the temperature for a preset time; Step 5, automatically controlling the actuating end of the servo pressure cylinder (12) to move downward until the upper pressure block (5) contacts the lower pressure block (6) through the electrical and control system (3), gradually increasing the pressure to a set overlapping pressure and then maintaining the pressure unchanged, and controlling the servo pressure cylinder (12) to rise upward after continuously applying pressure for a preset overlapping time, and automatically controlling the upper heating module (8a) and the lower heating module (8b) to stop heating.

8. The automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows according to claim 7, characterized in that: The tow splicing module (1) and the automatic lifting module (2) are the structures in claim 3; After brushing the overlapping area of ​​the prepreg tows to be overlapped, step 3 further includes: rotating the protective cover (13) upward to protect the prepreg tows to be overlapped; The method further comprises: Step 6, rotate the protective cover (13) downward, and then lift the buckle on the elastic pressing block (10) for fixing the yarn bundle to take out the prepreg yarn bundle that has been overlapped.

9. The automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows according to claim 8, characterized in that: The electrical and control system (3) performs linkage control on the protective cover (13) and the servo cylinder (12); when the protective cover (13) is not closed before the overlap, the servo cylinder (12) cannot perform a downward pressing movement; when the protective cover (13) is opened during the downward pressing process of the servo cylinder (12), the downward pressing movement is immediately stopped; The automatic splicing method further comprises: When the emergency stop button is pressed during the overlapping process, the servo cylinder (12) immediately stops the downward movement, and the upper heating module (8a) and the lower heating module (8b) stop heating; when the reset button is pressed during the debugging process, the servo cylinder (12) moves to the initial position.

10. The automatic splicing method for composite prepreg tows according to claim 7, characterized in that: When splicing batches of prepreg tows, the standby temperature and the splicing temperature are set to the same temperature value in step 2, so that the splicing operation can be completed by pressing down immediately after the prepreg tows are placed.

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