Thermoplastic composite l-shaped structure forming and bending control method and forming device

Abstract

The application discloses a forming and bending control method and a forming device for an L-shaped structure of a thermoplastic composite material. The control method comprises the following steps: S1, blanking, a pre-laminated flat plate made of a thermoplastic composite material is prepared; S2, hanging and loading, the pre-laminated flat plate is hung on a material frame through an elastic connecting structure; S3, material heating, the material frame is transferred to a heating oven for heating; S4, transfer limiting, the material frame is transferred to a predetermined position on a mold and is locked by a positioning mechanism; S5, load pressing and fixing, the material frame is controlled to be horizontal and stable by a load pressing mechanism; and S6, top pressing and bending, a flanging area of the material frame is folded by a top rod mechanism, so that the pre-laminated flat plate is bent. Through the above arrangement, the problem that the pre-laminated flat plate cannot be closely attached to the mold surface when the pre-laminated flat plate is shrunk, tilted and pressed and combined, resulting in inaccurate interlayer slip, can be solved, and the yield and quality of the L-shaped structure are effectively improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of composite material manufacturing technology, and in particular relates to a method and apparatus for controlling the bending of L-shaped thermoplastic composite material structural parts. Background Technology

[0002] Thermoplastic composites have been rapidly developed and applied in the aerospace industry due to their outstanding advantages such as excellent impact toughness, short molding cycle, high production efficiency and weldability. The L-shaped structure of thermoplastic composites can be widely used in aircraft structures.

[0003] Currently, one method for controlling the bending of L-shaped thermoplastic composite structural parts is through hot molding. This involves first installing a prefabricated laminated sheet onto a frame using an elastic structure, then manually transferring the frame to an oven for heating, and finally transferring the heated prefabricated laminated sheet onto a mold for pressure molding. In this method, the frame is a structural component that does not undergo bending deformation. This means that if the bending dimension of the L-shaped component is slightly large during pressure molding, the elastic structure on the frame can easily break, causing the prefabricated laminated sheet to shrink at that point, resulting in a defect. Furthermore, this method lacks positioning and stability control of the frame before pressure molding of the prefabricated laminated sheet. This leads to the inability of the highly viscous resin matrix to accurately adhere to and maintain itself on the mold surface, resulting in inaccurate interlayer slippage and consequently, poor product yield and unstable product quality.

[0004] Based on the above, there is an urgent need for a method and device for controlling the bending of L-shaped thermoplastic composite structural parts during molding, in order to solve the technical problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One objective of this invention is to provide a method for controlling the bending of L-shaped thermoplastic composite structural parts during molding. This method ensures that the prefabricated laminated plate can be accurately adhered to and maintained on the tooling surface, solving the problem of inaccurate interlayer slippage of the prefabricated laminated plate, improving the control of its extension direction, and thereby improving the production efficiency, stability and quality of the product.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A method for controlling bending during the molding of L-shaped thermoplastic composite structural parts, including the following steps:

[0008] S1. Material preparation: Pre-fabrication of pre-laminated flat sheets made of thermoplastic composite materials;

[0009] S2. Loading and mounting: The prefabricated laminated flat plate is mounted on the material frame through an elastic connection structure.

[0010] S3. Material heating: Transfer the above material frame to a heating oven and heat it to the preset temperature;

[0011] S4. Transfer and limit: Transfer the heated material frame to a predetermined position on the mold, and lock the material frame by the positioning mechanism.

[0012] S5. Ballast fixing: The ballast mechanism controls the material frame to be in a horizontal and stable bending axis state.

[0013] S6. Top pressure bending: The top rod mechanism drives the flange area of ​​the material frame to fold, so that the material frame drives the prefabricated laminated plate to bend.

[0014] Optionally, step S5 includes:

[0015] S51, The aforementioned ballast mechanism contacts the bending axis of the aforementioned material frame;

[0016] S52, the aforementioned push rod mechanism contacts the flanged area of ​​the aforementioned material frame.

[0017] Optionally, in step S6, when the material frame is folded, the material frame remains in the recovery pre-tightening state.

[0018] Optionally, the following steps may be included after step S6:

[0019] S7. Mold closing and forming: After the material frame is folded into place, the mold is closed and held for a preset time.

[0020] S8. Demolding process.

[0021] Another objective of this invention is to provide a molding apparatus that, based on the above-described method for controlling the bending of L-shaped thermoplastic composite material parts, can improve the production efficiency, stability, and quality of the product.

[0022] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0023] The molding apparatus, based on the above-mentioned method for controlling the bending of L-shaped structural parts made of thermoplastic composite materials, includes: a mold and a positioning mechanism, a ballast mechanism and an ejector mechanism installed on the mold. The positioning mechanism is used to limit and lock the heated material frame. The ballast mechanism is used to control the material frame to be in a horizontal and stable bending axis state. The ejector mechanism can fit and contact with the flange area of ​​the material frame to cause it to fold.

[0024] Optionally, it also includes a slide rail mechanism located between the heating oven and the mold, and used to push the heated material frame into the mold.

[0025] Optionally, the positioning mechanism includes a base, a positioning block, and a positioning rod, and the material frame includes a first frame plate and a second frame plate, wherein:

[0026] The aforementioned base is horizontally fixed to the aforementioned mold;

[0027] The positioning block is vertically fixed to the base and has a positioning groove along the vertical direction. The positioning groove includes a first side wall and a second side wall. The first side wall is closer to the slide rail mechanism than the second side wall, and the horizontal height of the first side wall is lower than that of the second side wall.

[0028] The first frame plate and the second frame plate are hinged together by the positioning rod. When the slide rail mechanism pushes the material frame so that the positioning rod is in contact with the second side wall, the positioning rod can fall into the positioning groove.

[0029] Optionally, the positioning mechanism further includes a positioning baffle and a first elastic element, wherein:

[0030] The aforementioned positioning baffle is rotatably connected to one side of the aforementioned positioning block;

[0031] The two ends of the first elastic member are respectively fixed to one end of the positioning baffle and the positioning block. When the first elastic member is in the restored state, the positioning baffle is tilted and the other end of the positioning baffle has an inclined surface, which is flush with the inner wall surface of the first sidewall.

[0032] The aforementioned positioning rod can push the aforementioned positioning baffle to rotate, and when the aforementioned slide rail mechanism pushes the aforementioned material frame to the aforementioned predetermined position and retracts the aforementioned slide rail mechanism, the aforementioned inclined surface can limit and abut against the aforementioned positioning rod, so that the aforementioned positioning rod falls vertically downward into the aforementioned positioning groove.

[0033] Optionally, the positioning mechanism further includes a first support platform and a second support platform. The first support platform is fixedly connected to the positioning rod, and the second support platform is set at a preset height. When the positioning rod falls into the positioning groove, the first support platform fits against the second support platform.

[0034] Optionally, the ballast mechanism includes a structural frame and a ballast block. The structural frame is mounted on the mold, and the ballast block is disposed on the structural frame. When the push rod mechanism drives the flanged area of ​​the material frame to fold, the ballast block fits against the first support platform.

[0035] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0036] This invention provides a method for controlling the bending of L-shaped structural parts made of thermoplastic composite materials. This method allows the prefabricated laminated sheet to be quickly and efficiently transferred and positioned at a predetermined location in the mold. Then, a ballast mechanism ensures the prefabricated laminated sheet remains horizontal and stable around the bending axis before folding, preventing tilting and resulting fiber texture disorder. Finally, a push rod mechanism folds the material frame. This not only effectively avoids breakage of the elastic connection structure but also ensures the prefabricated laminated sheet accurately adheres to and remains on the mold surface during mold closing. This prevents inaccurate interlayer slippage and wrinkling during bending, effectively controlling the extension direction of the prefabricated laminated sheet. Consequently, the defect rate of the L-shaped structural parts during bending is significantly reduced, resulting in a substantial improvement in yield and product quality.

[0037] The present invention also provides a molding apparatus, which, based on the above-mentioned method for controlling the bending of L-shaped structural parts made of thermoplastic composite materials, can effectively solve the problems of shrinkage of prefabricated laminated plates, tilting of prefabricated laminated plates in the left and right directions, and failure of prefabricated laminated plates to fit tightly against the mold surface during pressurization and mold closing, thereby significantly improving the yield and quality of L-shaped structural parts. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the method for controlling the bending of L-shaped thermoplastic composite material components provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the molding apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the molding apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the material frame provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the material frame after it has been pushed into the mold, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 6 This is a partial structural diagram of the first elastic member provided in an embodiment of the present invention when it is in an elongated state.

[0044] Figure 7 This is a partial structural diagram of the first elastic member provided in the embodiment of the present invention when it is in the restored state;

[0045] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the ballast mechanism and top rod mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention assembled on a second horizontal base plate;

[0046] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the material frame after it has been folded, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] In the picture:

[0048] 100. Material frame; 101. Hanging ring; 102. First frame plate; 103. Second frame plate; 104. Connecting hole; 105. Third elastic element; 200. Elastic connection structure; 300. Hot press plate;

[0049] 11. Upper mold; 111. Second horizontal substrate; 12. Lower mold; 121. Protruding tooling surface; 122. First horizontal substrate;

[0050] 2. Slide rail mechanism; 21. Guide rail; 22. Conveyor frame; 221. Hook;

[0051] 3. Positioning mechanism; 31. Base; 32. Positioning stop; 321. Positioning groove; 3211. First side wall; 3212. Second side wall; 322. Screw; 33. Positioning rod; 34. Support block; 35. Buffer; 36. First support platform; 37. Second support platform; 38. Positioning baffle; 39. First elastic element;

[0052] 4. Ballast mechanism; 41. Structural frame; 411. Slide rail; 42. Ballast block; 43. Second elastic element; 44. Sliding block;

[0053] 5. Push rod mechanism; 51. Push rod; 52. Rolling wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0054] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. The terms "first position" and "second position" refer to two different positions.

[0055] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections or detachable connections; mechanical connections or electrical connections; direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal connections between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0056] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0057] The technical solution provided by the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0058] In view of the problems existing in the current method of bending and forming thermoplastic composite L-shaped structural parts (hereinafter referred to as L-shaped structural parts), this embodiment provides a forming device. This device can solve the problems in the prior art, such as the easy breakage of the elastic connection structure 200 on the material frame 100 when the bending size of the L-shaped structural part is slightly large, and the lack of positioning and stability control of the material frame 100, which leads to product defects, poor yield and unstable product quality.

[0059] Specifically, combined Figures 2 to 3 As shown, the molding device includes a mold, a slide rail mechanism 2, a positioning mechanism 3, a ballast mechanism 4, and a push rod mechanism 5.

[0060] The mold includes an upper mold 11 and a lower mold 12. In this embodiment, the lower mold 12 is a fixedly installed male tooling mold (i.e., a protruding tooling surface 121 with the same cross-sectional shape as the L-shaped structural component), and the upper mold 11 is a tooling female mold (i.e., an inner cavity with the same cross-sectional shape as the L-shaped structural component) that is connected to the hot press plate 300 for transmission, thereby enabling it to move up and down relative to the lower mold 12. When the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12 are closed, the prefabricated laminated plate can be bent into the required L-shaped structural component.

[0061] The slide rail mechanism 2 is located between the heating oven (not shown) and the mold, and it can push the heated material frame 100 containing the pre-laminated laminated plate into the mold. Exemplarily, in this embodiment, the slide rail mechanism 2 includes a guide rail 21 and a conveyor frame 22. The guide rail 21 is fixedly mounted between the heating oven and the lower mold 12, and the conveyor frame 22 is slidably mounted on the guide rail 21, with a hook 221 at the bottom of the conveyor frame 22. Correspondingly, as... Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, a hanging ring 101 is provided at the top of the material frame 100. Workers can hang the material frame 100, which carries the prefabricated laminated plate, on the conveyor frame 22 via the hanging ring 101. Then, the material frame 100 is pushed into the heating oven for heating in a semi-automatic manner. After a period of time, the heated material frame 100 is quickly pushed manually to the predetermined position within the mold. Through the aforementioned slide rail mechanism 2, the semi-automatic transfer and positioning of the prefabricated laminated plate can be achieved, thus realizing a simple and efficient positioning process.

[0062] The positioning mechanism 3 is mounted on the lower mold 12, which can limit and lock the material frame 100 at a predetermined position between the lower mold 12 and the upper mold 11, thereby achieving the positioning of the material frame 100. The ballast mechanism 4 is fixedly mounted on the upper mold 11. After the material frame 100 is limited and locked, and before the mold is closed under pressure, the ballast mechanism 4 can descend along the direction close to the lower mold 12 with the upper mold 11, so as to stably control the material frame 100 in a horizontal and stable bending axis state, thereby achieving the purpose of controlling the stability of the material frame 100 and ensuring the uniformity of the fiber texture of the pre-laminated flat plate. The push rod mechanism 5 is fixedly mounted on the upper mold 11. When the material frame 100 is in a horizontal and stable bending axis state, the push rod mechanism 5 can drive the flange area of ​​the material frame 100 to fold, so that the material frame 100 can drive the prefabricated laminated plate to bend. Compared with the material frame 100 in the prior art that does not fold, it can reduce the obstacles in the bending and forming process of the prefabricated laminated plate. It can not only avoid the elastic connection structure 200 from being stretched too long and breaking, but also make the prefabricated laminated plate fit tightly against and be held on the raised tooling surface 121 of the lower mold 12.

[0063] By setting up the positioning mechanism 3, the ballast mechanism 4, and the push rod mechanism 5, the problems of prefabricated laminated plates shrinking, tilting in the left and right directions, and failing to fit tightly against the mold surface during pressurization and mold closing can be effectively solved. This allows the molding device to effectively control the extension direction of the prefabricated laminated plate and also effectively prevents inaccurate interlayer slippage during bending, avoiding wrinkles in the prefabricated laminated plate, thereby significantly improving the yield and quality of L-shaped structural parts.

[0064] This embodiment also provides a control method for bending the L-shaped structural component during forming. This control method is based on the forming device described above and can be implemented accordingly. (Refer to...) Figure 1 As shown, the control method specifically includes the following steps:

[0065] Step S1: Material preparation, pre-fabrication of a pre-laminated flat panel made of thermoplastic composite material;

[0066] Specifically, in this embodiment, a thermoplastic composite material commonly used in aircraft manufacturing (such as a high-performance thermoplastic resin matrix, carbon fiber reinforced polyetherketone, etc.) is first prepared into a prefabricated substrate using methods such as prepreg preparation or melt processing. Then, the prefabricated substrate is cut to its dimensions according to the L-shaped structure with added allowance using a cutting machine. Next, holes are punched at the edges of the prefabricated substrate to allow the subsequent elastic connection structure 200 to be inserted. Through these processes, the required prefabricated laminated plate can be prepared.

[0067] Step S2: Hanging and loading materials, the prefabricated laminated flat plate is hung on the material frame 100 through the elastic connection structure 200;

[0068] Specifically in this embodiment, combined with Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the material frame 100 includes a first frame plate 102 and a second frame plate 103 that are hinged together. It can be understood that the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103 are the flanged areas of the material frame 100, and a row of connecting holes 104 are respectively provided on the inner sidewalls of the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103. First, the hook 221 on the conveyor frame 22 is passed through the hanging ring 101 on the material frame 100 to fix the material frame 100 on the conveyor frame 22. Next, one end of the elastic connecting structure 200, such as a spring, clip, or pull bar, is passed through the connecting hole 104 to be hung on the material frame 100. Finally, the other end of the elastic connecting structure 200 is passed through the edge hole of the prefabricated laminated plate (not shown in the figure), so that the prefabricated laminated plate is hung on the material frame 100 through the elastic connecting structure 200. It should be noted that at this time, the axis of the prefabricated laminated plate coincides with the axis of the material frame 100.

[0069] Step S3: Material heating. Transfer the material frame 100 into a heating oven and heat it to the preset temperature.

[0070] Specifically, in this embodiment, the operator pushes the conveyor 22, and in a semi-automatic manner, pushes the conveyor 22, the material frame 100, and the pre-fabricated laminated plate together along the guide rail 21 into the heating oven to be heated to a preset temperature, for example, below 400°C.

[0071] Step S4: Transfer and limit the heating material frame 100 to the predetermined position on the mold, and limit and lock the material frame 100 by the positioning mechanism 3.

[0072] Specifically in this embodiment, after heating for a period of time, the staff pushes the conveyor frame 22 on the guide rail 21 out of the heating oven and quickly transfers it to the predetermined position in the mold, where it is limited and locked by the positioning mechanism 3 installed on the mold.

[0073] In this embodiment, refer to Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, a set of positioning mechanisms 3 are respectively provided at the front and rear ends of the first horizontal base plate 122 of the lower mold 12 to ensure the stability of locking the material frame 100. The positioning mechanism 3 includes a base 31, a positioning block 32 and a positioning rod 33. The base 31 is horizontally fixedly connected to the first horizontal base plate 122 of the lower mold 12. The positioning block 32 is vertically fixedly connected to the base 31, and a positioning groove 321 of a preset depth is vertically opened at the center of the top of the positioning block 32. The positioning groove 321 has a first side wall 3211 and a second side wall 3212. The first side wall 3211 is closer to the slide rail mechanism 2 than the second side wall 3212, and the horizontal height of the first side wall 3211 is lower than that of the second side wall 3212. A portion of the positioning rod 33 passes through the staggered first frame plate 102 and second frame plate 103 to achieve a hinged connection between the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103 through the positioning rod 33.

[0074] With the above setup, after the worker pushes the material frame 100 past the first side wall 3211, the portion of the positioning rod 33 that does not pass through the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103 can fit against the second side wall 3212. This indicates that the material frame 100 has been pushed to the predetermined position in the mold. The worker then removes the conveyor frame 22, causing the hook 221 to disengage from the hanging ring 101. Without the support of the conveyor frame 22, the entire material frame 100 falls freely, and the positioning rod 33 is inserted into the positioning groove 321, thus completing the process of locking the material frame 100 in the mold. The entire continuous process of "removing the material frame 100 from the heating oven - pushing the material frame 100 into the mold - setting the material frame 100 in the mold" takes about 5 seconds, thus achieving a simple and efficient positioning process for the material frame 100. Moreover, the whole process is fast, smooth, and accurate in positioning, which speeds up production efficiency and helps control the quality of finished products.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the preset depth of the positioning groove 321 is not less than 50mm, so as to ensure that the material frame 100 can fall to a height sufficient to make the prefabricated laminated plate tightly adhere to the raised tooling surface 121.

[0076] Reference Figure 3As shown, the positioning mechanism 3 provided in this embodiment also includes a support block 34 and a buffer 35. The support block 34, the positioning stop block 32 and the base 31 can be integrally formed by casting to enhance the structural stability of the positioning mechanism 3. An internal threaded hole is provided on the support block 34. The outer peripheral surface of the buffer 35 is provided with a threaded section so that the buffer 35 is assembled on the support block 34 by a threaded connection. The output shaft of the buffer 35 can extend vertically upward or retract downward, and the horizontal height of the output shaft of the buffer 35 when it is in its original position is not lower than the bottom of the positioning groove 321.

[0077] With the above settings, when the material frame 100 falls into the positioning groove 321, it can first contact the end of the output shaft of the buffer 35, and then the buffer 35 can finely adjust the horizontal height of the material frame 100. This allows the bottom surface of the prefabricated laminated plate to contact the top of the raised tooling surface 121, thereby adding additional support points for the prefabricated laminated plate and further ensuring that the prefabricated laminated plate can be in a horizontal and stable state before pressure is applied and the mold is closed.

[0078] In this embodiment, combined with Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the positioning mechanism 3 also includes a first support platform 36 and a second support platform 37. The first support platform 36 is fixedly connected to the portion of the positioning rod 33 that passes through the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103. The second support platform 37 is fixedly connected to the output end of the buffer member 35, so that before the material frame 100 is pushed into the mold, the output end of the buffer member 35 can drive the second support platform 37 to rise and fall to the required preset height. This preset height can be flush with the top of the protruding tooling surface 121, or it can be slightly higher than the top of the protruding tooling surface 121. This embodiment is not limited to this. In summary, after the material frame 100 falls to the point where the first support platform 36 and the second support platform 37 fit together, the material frame 100 can be further supported to keep it in a horizontal and stable state. At the same time, the adjustment of the buffer member 35 can ensure that the top of the protruding tooling surface 121 will not cause crush damage to the prefabricated laminated plate, and ensure that the prefabricated laminated plate is at a height that can be tightly attached to the protruding tooling surface 121.

[0079] Specifically, in combination Figure 6 , Figure 7As shown, the positioning mechanism 3 provided in this embodiment also includes a positioning baffle 38 and a first elastic member 39. The positioning baffle 38 is rotatably connected to the positioning block 32 via a screw 322 provided on the first side wall 3211. The two ends of the first elastic member 39 (e.g., a tension spring) are respectively fixedly connected to one end of the positioning baffle 38 and the positioning block 32. When the first elastic member 39 is in the restored state, the positioning baffle 38 is in an inclined state. The other end of the positioning baffle 38 has an inclined surface, which is flush with the inner wall surface of the first side wall 3211.

[0080] As the material frame 100 passes over the first side wall 3211, the positioning rod 33 first contacts the other end of the positioning baffle 38, pushing the inclined positioning baffle 38 flat. At this time, one end of the positioning baffle 38 is raised, so that the first elastic element 39 extends and has an elastic preload. After the material frame 100 passes over the first side wall 3211, the first elastic element 39 returns to its original position, so that the positioning baffle 38 returns to its original position and is in the inclined state again. When the conveyor frame 22 is retracted, the inclined surface on the positioning baffle 38 can restrict the position of the positioning rod 33, so that the positioning rod 33 remains in the position corresponding to the positioning groove 321, that is, directly above the positioning groove 321. After the hook 221 is disengaged from the hanging ring 101, the material frame 100 can fall directly and freely into the positioning groove 321. This ensures that the positioning rod 33 is always in a position opposite to the positioning groove 321 during the removal of the conveyor frame 22, avoiding the positioning rod 33 from being misaligned and improving the installation efficiency of the material frame 100.

[0081] Step S5: Ballast fixing, the ballast mechanism 4 controls the material frame 100 to be in a horizontal and stable bending axis state;

[0082] Specifically in this embodiment, refer to Figure 8 As shown, a set of ballast mechanisms 4 are also respectively provided at the front and rear ends of the second horizontal base plate 111 of the upper mold 11. The ballast mechanism 4 includes a structural frame 41 and a ballast block 42, wherein the structural frame 41 is fixedly installed on the second horizontal base plate 111, and the ballast block 42 is connected to the structural frame 41. When the push rod mechanism 5 drives the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103 to fold, the ballast block 42 can fit against the first support platform 36 to stabilize the bending axis of the material frame 100 and prevent the material frame 100 from tilting and shifting during the folding process. This effectively realizes the control of the extension direction of the pre-laminated flat plate and helps to improve the quality and stability of the product.

[0083] It should be noted that in step S5, the ballast mechanism 4 must first contact the bending axis of the material frame 100, and then the top rod mechanism 5 must contact the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103 to ensure that the material frame 100 is in a horizontal and stable state before the top rod mechanism 5 drives the material frame 100 to fold.

[0084] To achieve this objective, in this embodiment, we continue to refer to... Figure 8 As shown, the ballast mechanism 4 also includes a second elastic element 43 and a slider 44. The second elastic element 43 is arranged vertically, with one end fixedly connected to the ballast block 42 and the other end fixedly connected to the structural frame 41. A slide rail 411 is provided vertically on the structural frame 41, and the slider 44 is slidably disposed on the slide rail 411 and fixedly connected to the ballast block 42. In addition, in this embodiment, the push rod mechanism 5 is also fixedly installed on the second horizontal base plate 111 of the upper mold 11 and extends vertically downward.

[0085] When the second elastic element 43 is in its original state, the horizontal height of the ballast block 42 is lower than the horizontal height of the push rod mechanism 5. As the upper mold 11 continues to descend, the ballast block 42 first comes into contact with the first support platform 36 to stabilize the bending axis of the material frame 100. As the upper mold 11 continues to descend, the second elastic element 43 begins to be stretched. At this time, the second elastic element 43 has an elastic preload, which allows the ballast block 42 to more stably press the first support platform 36 horizontally onto the second support platform 37. Furthermore, due to the setting of the slider 44, it can be ensured that the second elastic element 43 is within the deformation safety range and will not be broken. Subsequently, the upper mold 11 continues to descend, allowing the push rod mechanism 5 to come into contact with the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103.

[0086] With the above settings, the bending axis of the material frame 100 can be kept stable at all times when it is folded, effectively controlling the extension direction during the deformation of the prefabricated laminated plate, avoiding the disorder of the fiber texture of the prefabricated laminated plate, and effectively ensuring the finished product quality of the L-shaped structural component.

[0087] Step S6, top pressure bending: The top rod mechanism 5 drives the flange area of ​​the material frame 100 to fold, so that the material frame 100 drives the prefabricated laminated plate to bend.

[0088] Specifically in this embodiment, refer to Figure 8 , Figure 9As shown, the push rod mechanism 5 includes a push rod 51 and a rolling wheel 52. The push rod 51 extends vertically and one end of the push rod 51 is fixedly connected to the second horizontal base plate 111. A push rod 51 is provided at each of the four corners of the second horizontal base plate 111. Two push rods 51 are correspondingly provided on the first frame plate 102, and the remaining two push rods 51 are correspondingly provided on the second frame plate 103. The rolling wheel 52 is rotatably connected to the other end of the push rod 51. When the second elastic member 43 is in the restored state, the horizontal height of the rolling wheel 52 is higher than the horizontal height of the ballast block 42.

[0089] With the above configuration, the push rod mechanism 5 can contact the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103 through the rolling wheel 52. During the process of driving the material frame 100 to fold, the rolling wheel 52 can effectively reduce the friction between the material frame 102 and the second frame plate 103, thereby reducing the surface wear of the material frame 100, extending the service life of the material frame 100, and also helping the push rod mechanism 5 to descend continuously and smoothly, reducing the vibration and tremors caused by direct contact, and thus helping to improve the finished quality of the L-shaped structural parts.

[0090] Furthermore, the push rod mechanism 5 provided in this embodiment also includes pads. The push rod 51 and the second horizontal base plate 111 can be detachably fixedly connected by means of threaded connection, snap-fit ​​connection or other means. By adding pads of different numbers or thicknesses between the push rod 51 and the second horizontal base plate 111, the horizontal height difference between the push rod mechanism 5 and the ballast block 42 can be adjusted, thereby realizing the control of the bending angle of the material frame 100.

[0091] It should also be noted that, such as Figure 4 As shown, the material frame 100 provided in this embodiment is also provided with a third elastic member 105. The two ends of the third elastic member 105 are respectively fixedly connected to the first frame plate 102 and the second frame plate 103, so that when the material frame 100 is folded, the third elastic member 105 is stretched and has an elastic pre-tightening force, so that the material frame 100 is continuously in the recovery pre-tightening state during the folding process, avoiding the first frame plate 102 or the second frame plate 103 from suddenly drooping and separating from the top rod mechanism 5 during the folding process, causing the upper surface of the prefabricated laminated plate to be suddenly tensioned, thereby producing wrinkles.

[0092] The bending control method for L-shaped thermoplastic composite structural parts provided in this embodiment enables the prefabricated laminated plate to be quickly and efficiently transferred and positioned in a predetermined position in the mold. Then, the ballast mechanism 4 ensures that the prefabricated laminated plate remains horizontal and stable at the bending axis before folding, preventing the prefabricated laminated plate from tilting and causing fiber texture disorder. Finally, the ejector mechanism 5 folds the material frame 100, effectively preventing the breakage of the elastic connection structure 200. This ensures that the prefabricated laminated plate can accurately adhere to and remain on the raised tooling surface 121 during the mold closing process, effectively controlling the extension direction of the prefabricated laminated plate and avoiding inaccurate interlayer slippage. As a result, the yield and quality of the L-shaped structural parts are significantly improved.

[0093] Furthermore, in this embodiment, step S6 is followed by:

[0094] Step S7: Mold closing and forming. After the material frame 100 is folded into place, the mold is closed and held for a preset time.

[0095] Specifically, in this embodiment, when the push rod mechanism 5 descends with the upper mold 11 to close the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 12, the descent of the hot press plate 300 stops. At this time, the bottom surface of the prefabricated laminated plate in the material frame 100 is tightly attached to the protruding tooling surface 121 of the lower mold 12 and is held for a period of time, so that the prefabricated laminated plate after bending and deformation gradually cools and solidifies to form the required L-shaped structural component.

[0096] Step S8: Demolding process.

[0097] In this specific embodiment, the driving hot press plate 300 drives the upper mold 11 to rise and removes the L-shaped structural component attached to the lower mold 12.

[0098] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively describe all embodiments here. 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 claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the bending during molding of L-shaped structural parts made of thermoplastic composite materials, characterized in that, Including the following steps: S1. Material preparation: Pre-fabrication of pre-laminated flat sheets made of thermoplastic composite materials; S2. Loading and feeding: The prefabricated laminated plate is hung on the material frame (100) through the elastic connection structure (200), and the axis of the prefabricated laminated plate is coincident with the axis of the material frame (100). S3. Material heating: The material frame (100) is transferred to a heating oven and heated to a preset temperature; S4. Transfer and limit: Transfer the heated material frame (100) to a predetermined position on the mold, and limit and lock the material frame (100) by the positioning mechanism (3); S5. Ballast fixing: The ballast mechanism (4) controls the material frame (100) to be in a horizontal and stable bending axis state. S6, Top pressure bending, the top rod mechanism (5) drives the flange area of ​​the material frame (100) to fold, so that the material frame (100) drives the prefabricated laminated plate to bend; Step S5 includes: S51, the ballast mechanism (4) contacts the bending axis of the material frame (100); S52, the top rod mechanism (5) contacts the flange area of ​​the material frame (100).

2. The method for controlling the bending of L-shaped thermoplastic composite structural parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S6, when the material frame (100) is folded, the material frame (100) remains in the recovery pre-tightening state.

3. The method for controlling the bending of L-shaped thermoplastic composite structural parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S6 is followed by the following steps: S7. Mold closing and forming: After the material frame (100) is folded into place, the mold closes and remains closed for a preset time. S8. Demolding process.

4. A molding device, characterized in that, The method for controlling the bending of L-shaped thermoplastic composite structural parts as described in any one of claims 1-3 includes: a mold and a positioning mechanism (3), a ballast mechanism (4) and a push rod mechanism (5) installed on the mold. The positioning mechanism (3) is used to limit and lock the heated material frame (100). The ballast mechanism (4) is used to control the material frame (100) to be in a horizontal and stable bending axis state. The push rod mechanism (5) can fit and drive the flange area of ​​the material frame (100) to fold.

5. The molding apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, It also includes a slide rail mechanism (2), which is located between the heating oven and the mold and is used to push the heated material frame (100) into the mold.

6. The molding apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The positioning mechanism (3) includes a base (31), a positioning block (32), and a positioning rod (33), and the material frame (100) includes a first frame plate (102) and a second frame plate (103), wherein: The base (31) is horizontally fixed to the mold; The positioning block (32) is vertically fixed to the base (31) and has a positioning groove (321) in the vertical direction. The positioning groove (321) includes a first side wall (3211) and a second side wall (3212). The first side wall (3211) is closer to the slide rail mechanism (2) than the second side wall (3212), and the horizontal height of the first side wall (3211) is lower than that of the second side wall (3212). The first frame plate (102) and the second frame plate (103) are hinged together by the positioning rod (33). When the slide rail mechanism (2) pushes the material frame (100) so that the positioning rod (33) fits against the second side wall (3212), the positioning rod (33) can fall into the positioning groove (321).

7. The molding apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that, The positioning mechanism (3) further includes a positioning baffle (38) and a first elastic element (39), wherein: The positioning baffle (38) is rotatably connected to one side of the positioning block (32); The two ends of the first elastic member (39) are respectively fixed to one end of the positioning baffle (38) and the positioning block (32). When the first elastic member (39) is in the restored state, the positioning baffle (38) is inclined and the other end of the positioning baffle (38) has an inclined surface, which is flush with the inner wall surface of the first side wall (3211). The positioning rod (33) can push the positioning baffle (38) to rotate, and when the slide rail mechanism (2) pushes the material frame (100) to the predetermined position and retracts the slide rail mechanism (2), the inclined surface can limit the contact with the positioning rod (33) so that the positioning rod (33) falls vertically downward into the positioning groove (321).

8. The molding apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, The positioning mechanism (3) further includes a first support platform (36) and a second support platform (37). The first support platform (36) is fixedly connected to the positioning rod (33), and the second support platform (37) is set at a preset height. When the positioning rod (33) falls into the positioning groove (321), the first support platform (36) fits against the second support platform (37).

9. The molding apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The ballast mechanism (4) includes a structural frame (41) and a ballast block (42). The structural frame (41) is mounted on the mold, and the ballast block (42) is disposed on the structural frame (41). When the push rod mechanism (5) drives the flange area of ​​the material frame (100) to fold, the ballast block (42) fits against the first support platform (36).

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