Prepreg impregnation method and preimpregnation tank system

Abstract

The invention provides a prepreg dipping method and a prepreg glue tank system, and the prepreg dipping method comprises the following steps: continuously dragging a material, and dipping the material entering a prepreg glue tank into a first glue solution in the prepreg glue tank; the control valve is opened to control the material supplementing flow speed to be within the initial preset range, and the control valve is always kept in an open state in the continuous material traction process; detecting the concentration of a first glue solution in the pre-dipping glue tank in real time, and when the concentration of the first glue solution is lower than a first threshold value, controlling the material supplementing flow rate to be increased by a preset value; judging whether the concentration of the first glue solution is higher than a first threshold value or not within a preset time, and if the concentration of the first glue solution is higher than the first threshold value, enabling the material supplementing flow rate to return to an initial preset range; if not, the material supplementing flow speed is controlled to be increased by a preset value. By applying the technical scheme provided by the invention, the problem of unstable glue content of the prepreg in the prior art can be effectively solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of composite material manufacturing, in particular to a prepreg impregnation method and a prepreg tank system. Background Art

[0002] The traditional prepreg production process relies on flattening carbon fibers and then impregnating them into a suspension containing a specialized resin. This suspension is based on the unique properties of these resins—they are insoluble in most conventional solvents, such as water and alcohols, and can only be suspended in a liquid medium as solid particles. This specialized impregnation method ensures a strong bond between the carbon fibers and the resin, resulting in a structurally sound composite material with excellent performance.

[0003] However, managing the suspension concentration during actual production is a challenge. As carbon fibers are removed from the adhesive tank, the resin particles are carried away, causing the suspension concentration in the tank to gradually decrease. This not only affects the quality of the subsequent prepreg but can also increase production costs due to increased scrap rates.

[0004] To maintain a stable suspension concentration, existing technologies often rely on regularly adding a high-concentration resin suspension to the adhesive tank. While this method can alleviate the concentration drop problem to a certain extent, the resulting prepreg still exhibits uneven adhesive content. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a prepreg impregnation method and a prepreg glue tank system to solve the problem of unstable glue content in the prepreg during the production process of carbon fiber prepreg in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned objective, according to one aspect of the present invention, a method for impregnating prepregs is provided, comprising: step S30: continuously pulling a material so that the material enters a prepreg tank through an inlet and exits through an outlet, whereby the material entering the prepreg tank is immersed in a first glue solution within the prepreg tank; step S40: opening a control valve of a glue outlet passage of a first glue-feeding device for feeding glue to the prepreg tank to control a feeding flow rate within an initial preset range, wherein a second glue solution is provided in the first glue-feeding device, the concentration of the second glue solution being greater than that of the first glue solution, and the control valve remains open during the continuous pulling of the material; step S50: detecting the concentration of the first glue solution in the prepreg tank in real time, and when the concentration of the first glue solution is lower than a first threshold, controlling the opening of the control valve by a control device to increase the feeding flow rate by a preset value; step S60: determining whether the concentration of the first glue solution returns to above the first threshold within a preset time period; if so, controlling the control valve to return the feeding flow rate to within the initial preset range; and executing step S50 if the concentration of the first glue solution does not return to above the first threshold.

[0007] In one embodiment, in step S50, the method of controlling the opening of the control valve by the control device to control the feeding flow rate to increase by a preset value includes: judging whether the opening of the control valve has reached a maximum value; if it has not reached the maximum value, increasing the opening of the control valve by the control device to control the feeding flow rate to increase by the preset value; if it has reached the maximum value, unblocking the glue outlet channel of the first glue feeding device by the unblocking mechanism, and controlling the opening of the control valve to control the feeding flow rate to increase by the preset value.

[0008] In one embodiment, the method of clearing the glue outlet channel of the first glue replenishing device by using the clearing mechanism includes: clearing the glue outlet channel of the first glue replenishing device by disturbing the liquid inside the glue outlet channel.

[0009] In one embodiment, the method for clearing the glue outlet channel of the first glue filling device by disturbing the liquid inside the glue outlet channel includes: the clearing head of the clearing mechanism seals the inlet of the glue outlet channel; the clearing head extends into the glue outlet channel to a predetermined depth; and the clearing head is pulled out of the glue outlet channel.

[0010] In one embodiment, the prepreg impregnation method further includes: step S70: determining the liquid level in the silo of the first glue filling device in real time; if the liquid level is lower than a second threshold, filling the first glue filling device with glue by the second glue filling device.

[0011] In one embodiment, in step S40, before opening the control valve of the glue outlet channel of the first glue-filling device for filling the prepreg tank with glue, the stirring device in the first glue-filling device is opened.

[0012] In one embodiment, before step S30, the prepreg impregnation method further includes step S10: initially debugging the concentration of the first glue in the prepreg tank, and the initial debugging method includes: step S11: injecting the first glue with an initial concentration into the prepreg tank; step S12: pulling the material so that the material enters from the entrance of the prepreg tank and is sent out from the exit, and the material entering the prepreg tank is immersed in the first glue with an initial concentration; step S13: drying the material after being prepregged with the glue; step S14: a weighing device weighs the material and feeds back the weight information to the control device; step S15: the control device determines whether the weight of the material reaches a third threshold value based on the weight information, if the third threshold value is reached, step S10 ends, if the third threshold value is not reached, the control valve of the first glue filling device is controlled to open, so that the concentration of the first glue is increased to a preset value, and then the control valve is closed and step S12 is executed.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first glue-feeding device has multiple setting positions on the prepreg tank. Between step S10 and step S30, the prepreg impregnation method further includes step S20: initially debugging the setting position of the first glue-feeding device on the prepreg tank. The debugging method for the setting position includes: step S21: continuously pulling material so that the material enters the prepreg tank from an inlet and is discharged from an outlet, and the material entering the prepreg tank is immersed in the first glue liquid in the prepreg tank; step S22: opening a control valve of a glue outlet channel of the first glue-feeding device for glue-feeding the prepreg tank to control the feeding flow rate within an initial preset range, wherein the control valve remains open during the continuous pulling of the material; step S23: recording the time during which the concentration of the first glue liquid in the prepreg tank corresponding to each setting position of the first glue-feeding device is within a first threshold range, and the setting position of the first glue-feeding device corresponding to the data of the longest time within the first threshold range is used as the initial position of the first glue-feeding device on the prepreg tank.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, a prepreg tank system is provided, which adopts the above-mentioned prepreg impregnation method to make prepreg, and the prepreg tank system includes: a prepreg tank, having a first accommodating chamber for accommodating a first glue liquid, the first accommodating chamber having an upper opening, and the upper opening including an inlet and an outlet; a first glue filling device, mounted at the upper opening of the prepreg tank, the first glue filling device including a silo having a second accommodating chamber for accommodating a second glue liquid and a glue discharge structure arranged outside the silo, the glue discharge structure including a glue discharge channel, a control valve arranged on the glue discharge channel, and a flow meter, the outlet of the glue filling device is opposite to the first accommodating chamber; a concentration measuring device, arranged in the first accommodating chamber, for detecting the concentration of the first glue liquid; a control device, the concentration measuring device, the control valve of the glue filling device, and the flow meter are all electrically connected to the control device.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first glue filling device also includes: a dredging mechanism, including a dredging rod movably arranged in the silo and a driving device for driving the dredging rod to move, the dredging rod includes a rod body and a dredging head, the dredging rod has a non-working position that keeps the dredging head at a distance from the inlet of the glue outlet channel, a first dredging position that moves the dredging head to the inlet of the glue outlet channel and seals the inlet, and a second dredging position that extends into the glue outlet channel.

[0016] The technical solution of the present invention effectively addresses the problem of uneven adhesive content caused by periodic concentration fluctuations in prepreg production by maintaining the control valve of the first adhesive feeding device open during the continuous material pulling process. The core of this technical feature lies in the continuous replenishment of the suspension, rather than the traditional periodic addition. As the material continues to pass through the prepreg tank, the carbon fibers continuously absorb resin from the first adhesive, causing the suspension concentration to gradually decrease. Maintaining the control valve open ensures that the second adhesive (with a higher concentration) is continuously replenished into the prepreg tank at a preset flow rate, thereby dynamically balancing the concentration drop caused by the carbon fibers absorbing resin. Furthermore, the technical solution of this embodiment monitors the concentration of the first adhesive in real time and automatically adjusts the control valve opening when the concentration falls below a preset first threshold, thereby controlling the increase in the feeding flow rate. This allows for rapid compensation for concentration losses and restores the adhesive concentration to above the first threshold. Subsequently, when the concentration stabilizes, the control valve opening is adjusted again to return the feeding flow rate to within the initial preset range. This approach not only avoids the impact of periodic concentration fluctuations on the prepreg's adhesive content, but also ensures the dynamic stability of the suspension concentration during the production process, thereby improving the quality of the prepreg and production efficiency. This continuous and intelligent concentration replenishment control mechanism provides an effective guarantee for the stable production of carbon fiber prepreg.

[0017] In addition to the above-described objects, features and advantages, the present invention has other objects, features and advantages. The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which constitute part of the present invention, are intended to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are intended to explain the present invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 A flow chart showing an embodiment of a method for impregnating a prepreg according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the prepreg tank system according to the present invention is shown.

[0021] Figure 3 Shown Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the first glue filling device of the prepreg tank system;

[0022] Figure 4 Shown Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the first glue filling device of the prepreg tank system from another angle; and

[0023] Figure 5 Shown Figure 2A schematic top view of a first glue filling device.

[0024] The above drawings include the following reference numerals:

[0025] 1. Second accommodating chamber; 2. Inlet; 10. Material silo; 11. Glue filling port; 20. Glue discharging structure; 21. Control valve; 22. Flow meter; 30. Unclogging mechanism; 31. Unclogging rod; 311. Rod body; 312. Unclogging head; 32. Driving device; 40. Stirring device; 50. Position adjusting member; 60. Pre-impregnated glue tank; 61. First accommodating chamber; 70. First glue filling device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features of the embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other. The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with the embodiments.

[0027] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the solutions of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of the present invention and the accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a particular order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate to facilitate the embodiments of the present invention described herein. In addition, the terms "including," "having," and any variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus comprising a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0029] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present application. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0030] As documented in the background art, conventional processes attempt to maintain a stable concentration in the adhesive tank by periodically adding a high-concentration resin suspension. After extensive research, the inventors discovered that while this practice of periodically adding a high-concentration resin suspension to maintain the concentration of the suspension in the adhesive tank alleviates the concentration drop to some extent, in actual production environments, this periodic replenishment method still cannot prevent uneven prepreg adhesive content. The fundamental reason is that the concentration change of the suspension is a dynamic process, while the strategy of periodic addition is a static response, resulting in an inherent mismatch between the two.

[0031] First, the decline in suspension concentration is not linear; rather, it exhibits a complex, nonlinear downward trend, influenced by multiple factors, including the material's speed through the tank, temperature fluctuations, and the resin particle settling rate. This variability requires a flexible and responsive glue replenishment mechanism. However, the method of periodically adding a high-concentration resin suspension, due to its fixed addition time, cannot adapt to concentration changes in real time. Consequently, the suspension concentration in the tank may have dropped significantly between additions, thus affecting the glue content of the prepreg.

[0032] Furthermore, even during the glue filling process, the concentration of the prepreg in the glue tank will instantly increase due to the addition of a high-concentration suspension, and then gradually decrease. This rapid concentration fluctuation will also lead to uneven glue content in the prepreg, because the carbon fiber will be exposed to different suspension concentrations when entering the glue tank at different times, and the amount of resin absorbed will also vary.

[0033] For this reason, the inventors proposed a solution to dynamically adapt to concentration changes in real time, thereby solving the problem of difficulty in ensuring the uniformity of the glue content in the prepreg.

[0034] Specifically, if Figures 1 to 5As shown, in this embodiment, the prepreg impregnation method includes: step S30: continuously pulling the material, so that the material enters from the inlet of the prepreg tank 60 and is sent out from the outlet, and the material entering the prepreg tank 60 is immersed in the first glue in the prepreg tank 60; step S40: opening the control valve 21 of the glue outlet channel of the first glue filling device 70 for filling the prepreg tank 60 to control the filling flow rate within the initial preset range, wherein the first glue filling device 70 is provided with a second glue, the concentration of the second glue is greater than the concentration of the first glue, and in the process of continuously pulling the material , the control valve 21 always remains in an open state; step S50: real-time detection of the concentration of the first glue solution in the prepreg tank 60. When the concentration of the first glue solution is lower than the first threshold value, the control device controls the opening of the control valve 21 to control the feeding flow rate to increase the preset value; step S60: determine whether the concentration of the first glue solution returns to above the first threshold value within the preset time. If the concentration of the first glue solution returns to above the first threshold value, the control device controls the control valve 21 to make the feeding flow rate return to the initial preset range; if the concentration of the first glue solution does not return to above the first threshold value, execute step S50.

[0035] The technical solution of this embodiment effectively addresses the problem of uneven adhesive content caused by periodic concentration fluctuations in prepreg production by maintaining the control valve 21 of the first adhesive replenishment device 70 open during the continuous material pulling process. The core of this technical feature lies in the continuous replenishment of the suspension, rather than the traditional periodic addition. As the material continues to pass through the prepreg tank 60, the carbon fibers continuously absorb resin from the first adhesive, causing the suspension concentration to gradually decrease. Maintaining the control valve 21 open ensures that the second adhesive (with a higher concentration) is continuously replenished into the prepreg tank 60 at a preset flow rate, thereby dynamically balancing the concentration drop caused by the carbon fibers absorbing resin. Furthermore, the technical solution of this embodiment monitors the concentration of the first adhesive in real time and automatically adjusts the opening of the control valve 21 when the concentration falls below a preset first threshold, thereby controlling the increase in the replenishment flow rate. This allows for rapid compensation for concentration losses and restores the adhesive concentration to above the first threshold. Subsequently, when the concentration stabilizes, the opening of the control valve 21 is adjusted again to return the replenishment flow rate to within the initial preset range. This approach not only avoids the impact of periodic concentration fluctuations on the prepreg's adhesive content, but also ensures the dynamic stability of the suspension concentration during the production process, thereby improving the quality of the prepreg and production efficiency. This continuous and intelligent concentration replenishment control mechanism provides an effective guarantee for the stable production of carbon fiber prepreg.

[0036] Furthermore, the inventors discovered that under low-speed filling conditions, the resin particles in the suspension, due to their higher density than the carrier solvent, inevitably settle slowly under the influence of gravity. This physical phenomenon causes the resin particles to gradually accumulate within the filling line, particularly near the pipe wall, forming a so-called "sedimentation layer." Over time, this "sedimentation layer" increases in thickness and gradually solidifies, forming a difficult-to-remove blockage. This severely hinders the normal flow of resin, thereby affecting the stability of the suspension concentration within the tank and the quality of prepreg production.

[0037] In order to solve this problem, in this embodiment, in step S50, the method of controlling the opening of the control valve 21 by the control device to control the feeding flow rate to increase by a preset value includes: judging whether the opening of the control valve 21 has reached the maximum value; if it has not reached the maximum value, increasing the opening of the control valve 21 by the control device to control the feeding flow rate to increase by the preset value; if it has reached the maximum value, unblocking the glue outlet channel of the first glue feeding device 70 by the unblocking mechanism 30, and controlling the opening of the control valve 21 to control the feeding flow rate to increase by the preset value.

[0038] By applying the technical solution of this embodiment, a feedback mechanism is established. When it is detected that the concentration of the first glue solution is lower than the set first threshold value, the control device will automatically determine whether the current opening of the control valve 21 has reached the maximum value. If it has not yet reached the maximum value, the control device will increase the feeding flow rate by increasing the opening of the control valve 21, thereby increasing the replenishment amount of the second glue solution until the concentration of the first glue solution returns to the expected level. However, if the opening of the control valve 21 has reached the upper limit, but the flow rate has not increased, it proves that there may be a "sedimentation layer" in the glue outlet channel, forming a blockage. In this embodiment, the dredging mechanism 30 is used to clean the glue outlet channel of the first glue feeding device 70, eliminate the flow channel blockage caused by the deposition of resin particles, and continue to maintain the opening adjustment of the control valve 21 to ensure that the feeding flow rate can be further increased to quickly replenish the concentration loss. This double-insurance control logic not only avoids glue filling interruptions caused by pipeline blockage, but also effectively solves the unevenness problem caused by resin particle deposition during the concentration compensation process, realizes the dynamic balance and stability of the suspension concentration during the prepreg production process, greatly improves the consistency of the prepreg glue content, and thus ensures the high-quality output of composite materials.

[0039] In this embodiment, the method for clearing the glue outlet channel of the first glue replenishing device 70 by using the clearing mechanism 30 includes: clearing the glue outlet channel of the first glue replenishing device 70 by disturbing the liquid inside the glue outlet channel. Specifically, when the glue outlet channel of the first glue replenishing device 70 is blocked due to the deposition of resin particles, the clearing mechanism 30 is activated to disturb the liquid inside the glue outlet channel, thereby effectively clearing the resin particles deposited in the channel and quickly restoring the smooth flow of the glue replenishing flow path. Specifically, local disturbances can be generated mechanically or pneumatically to cause changes in the flow state of the liquid in the glue outlet channel. Such changes are sufficient to disturb and separate the deposited layer of resin particles attached to the pipe wall, thereby avoiding blockage of the pipeline and ensuring the continuity of the glue replenishing process. At the same time, the disturbance effect of the clearing mechanism 30 also helps to maintain the uniformity of the suspension and reduce the problem of inconsistent concentration caused by particle deposition.

[0040] In this embodiment, the method for unblocking the glue outlet channel of the first glue filling device 70 by disturbing the liquid within the glue outlet channel includes: sealing the glue outlet channel's inlet 2 with the unblocking head 312 of the unblocking mechanism 30; extending the unblocking head 312 into the glue outlet channel to a predetermined depth; and withdrawing the unblocking head 312 from the glue outlet channel. Specifically, when the glue outlet channel becomes clogged due to accumulation of solid particles, reducing flow, the unblocking head 312 of the unblocking mechanism 30 completely covers the inlet 2, creating a seal. The unblocking head 312 is then rapidly extended into the glue outlet channel, squeezing out the air within the channel, and then rapidly withdrawn from the channel. This process instantly creates a negative pressure region within the glue outlet channel, similar to the vacuum effect created by a plunger when it is pressed down and pulled up. This effect separates and draws away solid resin particles adhering to the pipe wall, restoring the smooth flow of the pipe. This technology not only maintains a stable supply of glue filling liquid and prevents concentration fluctuations from affecting prepreg production quality, but also significantly reduces maintenance time and costs associated with pipe blockages, improving the operational efficiency and stability of the entire production line.

[0041] In this embodiment, the prepreg impregnation method further includes: Step S70: Real-time determination of the liquid level within the hopper of the first glue-feeding device 70. If the liquid level is below a second threshold, the second glue-feeding device provides glue to the first glue-feeding device 70. Specifically, a sensor monitors the liquid level within the first glue-feeding device 70 in real time. When the liquid level is detected to be below the set second threshold, the system automatically activates the second glue-feeding device to provide precise glue to the first glue-feeding device 70. This process enables real-time, automatic control of the liquid level in the glue-feeding device's hopper, avoiding glue-feeding interruptions caused by low liquid levels, thereby ensuring the continuity and stability of the prepreg production process.

[0042] In this embodiment, in step S40, before opening the control valve 21 of the glue outlet channel of the first glue filling device 70 for filling the prepreg tank 60, the stirring device 40 in the first glue filling device 70 is opened. Specifically, through the action of the stirring device 40, the sedimentation or agglomeration state of the resin particles in the suspension can be effectively broken, prompting them to be redistributed evenly in the liquid medium, thereby restoring or maintaining the uniformity of the suspension. The above method ensures that at the moment when the glue filling control valve 21 is opened and the glue filling process is started, the released suspension has a stable concentration, avoiding concentration fluctuations caused by particle deposition, which directly affects the glue content of the prepreg. The resulting technical effect is to significantly improve the controllability and consistency of the glue filling process, reduce the resin content deviation in the prepreg production, and help improve the quality of the carbon fiber prepreg.

[0043] In this embodiment, prior to step S30, the prepreg impregnation method further includes step S10: initially adjusting the concentration of the first adhesive solution within the prepreg tank 60. The initial adjustment method includes: step S11: injecting the first adhesive solution of the initial concentration into the prepreg tank 60; step S12: drawing the material so that the material enters the prepreg tank 60 through the inlet and exits the prepreg tank 60, and the material within the prepreg tank 60 is immersed in the first adhesive solution of the initial concentration; step S13: drying the material after the prepreg; step S14: weighing the material using a weighing device and feeding the weight information back to the control device; and step S15: the control device determines whether the weight of the material reaches a third threshold based on the weight information. If the third threshold is reached, step S10 ends. If the third threshold is not reached, the control valve 21 of the first adhesive replenishing device 70 is controlled to open to increase the concentration of the first adhesive solution to a preset value. The control valve 21 is then closed and step S12 is executed. First, in step S11, the first adhesive solution of the initial set concentration is injected into the prepreg tank 60 to serve as the basic environment for the impregnation. Subsequently, steps S12 to S15 form a closed-loop debugging path: first, the material passes through the prepreg tank 60, where it is immersed in and absorbs the first glue solution. Next, a drying step removes moisture from the material, retaining the glue solution. Afterward, a weighing device accurately weighs the processed material to obtain glue content data. Finally, this data is fed back to the control device, which analyzes whether the material weight has reached a preset third threshold value to determine whether the current glue concentration is appropriate. If the weight does not reach the third threshold, indicating that the glue concentration is too low, the control device automatically opens the control valve 21 of the first glue replenishment device 70, adds an appropriate amount of high-concentration second glue solution, and raises the overall concentration of the first glue solution in the prepreg tank to the preset value. The control valve 21 is then closed again, and the dipping and weighing processes are repeated until the material weight meets the third threshold condition. This series of steps achieves refined control of the prepreg dipping effect by dynamically adjusting the glue concentration, avoiding uneven glue content in the material due to inappropriate glue concentration, and significantly improving the quality consistency of the prepreg. In addition, the closed-loop control system can respond quickly and correct the glue concentration in a timely manner, reducing human errors during the debugging process and improving production efficiency and automation level.

[0044] Because the prepreg tank 60 contains yarn (material), a stirring device cannot be added like the first glue replenishing device 70 described above. To ensure that the suspension in the prepreg tank 60 maintains a stable concentration, in this embodiment, a large water pump is installed at the bottom of the prepreg tank 60 to continuously circulate the water. The circulating water pump draws the concentrated suspension settled at the bottom into the pump, which then pumps it back to the large glue tank, thus ensuring a stable concentration of the suspension in the prepreg tank 60.

[0045] The inventors discovered that the specific placement of the first glue-feeding device 70 within the prepreg tank 60 also affects the glue content of the subsequent prepreg. After extensive research, the inventors discovered that this phenomenon is caused by the location of the circulating water pump's intake and return water, which affects the glue-feeding effect. If the glue-feeding location is close to the water intake vortex formed by the pump inlet, any glue applied will be sucked away. If the glue-feeding location is near a turbulent flow change, particularly where the flow is slow, the glue will not disperse. In order to find the best setting position of the first glue-filling device 70 so that the glue content of the prepreg is more uniform, the first glue-filling device 70 has multiple setting positions on the prepreg tank 60. Between step S10 and step S30, the prepreg impregnation method further includes step S20: initially debugging the setting position of the first glue-filling device 70 on the prepreg tank 60. The debugging method of the setting position includes: step S21: continuously pulling the material so that the material enters from the inlet of the prepreg tank 60 and is sent out from the outlet, and the material entering the prepreg tank 60 is immersed in the first glue liquid in the prepreg tank 60; step S22: Step S22: Open the control valve 21 of the glue outlet channel of the first glue-feeding device 70 for feeding glue to the prepreg tank 60 to control the feeding flow rate within the initial preset range, wherein, during the continuous pulling of the material, the control valve 21 is always kept in the open state; Step S23: Record the time when the concentration of the first glue solution in the prepreg tank 60 corresponding to each setting position of the first glue-feeding device 70 is within the first threshold range, and use the setting position of the first glue-feeding device 70 corresponding to the data of the longest time within the first threshold range as the initial position of the first glue-feeding device 70 on the prepreg tank 60.

[0046] Specifically, in step S20, the material is first continuously drawn through the prepreg tank 60 to simulate the material flow conditions under actual production conditions. Simultaneously, the control valve 21 of the first glue-feeding device 70 is kept open to ensure that the feed flow rate is controlled within the initial preset range, thereby maintaining a substantially stable first glue concentration within the prepreg tank 60. Next, in step S23, the duration of time the glue concentration remains within a predefined first threshold range when the first glue-feeding device 70 is positioned at different locations within the prepreg tank 60 is recorded and analyzed. The key here is to identify the locations that maximize the time the concentration remains stable, as this directly impacts the uniformity of the prepreg glue content. Ultimately, the location corresponding to the longest duration is determined as the initial setting for the first glue-feeding device 70. This selection ensures optimal glue concentration, resulting in a more uniform glue content in the prepreg during subsequent production. This method not only simplifies the commissioning process but also effectively avoids concentration fluctuations caused by improper glue-feeding positioning, thereby improving the stability of the carbon fiber prepreg production process.

[0047] Preferably, in other embodiments, the first glue-filling device 70 is driven to move by a driving device, and the control device and the driving device are electrically connected, so that the setting position of the first glue-filling device 70 can be automatically moved, thereby comprehensively improving the degree of automation.

[0048] like Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the present application also provides a prepreg tank system, which adopts the above-mentioned prepreg impregnation method to make prepreg. An embodiment of the prepreg tank system of the present application includes: a prepreg tank 60, a first glue filling device 70, a concentration measuring device and a control device, wherein the prepreg tank 60 has a first accommodating chamber 61 for accommodating the first glue liquid, and the first accommodating chamber 61 has an upper opening, and the upper opening includes an inlet and an outlet. The first glue filling device 70 is mounted at the upper opening of the prepreg tank 60. The first glue filling device 70 includes a silo 10 having a second accommodating chamber 1 for accommodating the second glue liquid and a glue discharge structure 20 arranged outside the silo 10. The glue discharge structure 20 includes a glue discharge channel, a control valve 21 arranged on the glue discharge channel, and a flowmeter 22. The outlet of the first glue filling device 70 is opposite to the first accommodating chamber 61. The concentration measuring device is arranged in the first accommodating chamber 61 to detect the concentration of the first glue liquid. The concentration measuring device, the control valve 21 of the first glue replenishing device 70, and the flowmeter 22 are all electrically connected to the control device. Because the above-described prepreg impregnation method avoids the impact of periodic concentration fluctuations on the glue content of the prepreg, ensures the dynamic stability of the suspension concentration during the production process, and improves the quality and production efficiency of the prepreg, the system using this method also has the above-mentioned advantages.

[0049] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the first glue replenishing device 70 also includes: a dredging mechanism 30, including a dredging rod 31 movably arranged in the silo 10 and a driving device 32 for driving the dredging rod 31 to move, the dredging rod 31 includes a rod body 311 and a dredging head 312, the dredging rod 31 has a non-working position in which the dredging head 312 is at a distance from the inlet 2 of the glue outlet channel, a first dredging position in which the dredging head 312 is moved to the inlet 2 of the glue outlet channel and seals the inlet 2, and a second dredging position in which the dredging head 312 extends into the glue outlet channel.

[0050] By applying the technical solution of this embodiment, when the glue outlet channel is blocked due to the accumulation of solid particles and the flow rate is reduced, the driving device 32 in the dredging mechanism 30 drives the dredging rod 31 to move quickly from the non-working position to the first dredging position, that is, the dredging head 312 completely covers the inlet 2 and forms a seal, and then quickly moves to the second dredging position to extend into the glue outlet channel, thereby squeezing out the air in the glue outlet channel, and then quickly returns to the non-working position. This process instantly generates a negative pressure area in the glue outlet channel, similar to the vacuum effect formed in the pipeline when a plunger is pressed down and pulled up, separating and sucking down the solid resin particles attached to the pipe wall, and restoring the pipeline to smooth flow. The above structure not only maintains a stable supply of glue filling liquid and avoids the influence of concentration fluctuations on the production quality of prepregs, but also significantly reduces the maintenance time and cost caused by pipeline blockage, thereby improving the operating efficiency and stability of the entire production line.

[0051] In this embodiment, the dredging head 312 is made of rubber. The elastic properties of rubber allow it to better adapt to changes in the shape and size of the glue outlet channel. Especially when moving to the entrance of the glue outlet channel, the rubber dredging head 312 can form a tighter seal, ensuring that the interior of the glue outlet channel is completely isolated from the external environment during the downward pressure and withdrawal process, thereby enhancing the intensity and duration of the vacuum effect. In contrast, a dredging head that does not elastically deform may have difficulty perfectly fitting the outlet channel due to its high hardness, resulting in a certain gap. This will weaken the formation of the vacuum environment and reduce the dredging efficiency. In addition, the flexibility of the rubber head protects the pipeline from damage that may be caused by hard dredging tools, ensuring the long-term stable operation of the glue filling channel. Finally, during the withdrawal process, the rubber dredging head 312 can quickly return to its original shape due to its flexibility. This rapid volume change helps to generate a stronger negative pressure in the glue outlet channel, strengthening the suction and pulling effect, making the dredging effect more obvious.

[0052] like Figures 2 to 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the glue discharging structure 20 includes a control valve 21 and a flow meter 22. Specifically, the flow meter 22 continuously monitors the flow of the second glue liquid through the glue discharging channel. According to the real-time flow data, the opening of the control valve 21 can be adjusted to adjust the flow rate of the second glue liquid. When the concentration of the first glue liquid in the prepreg tank is lower than the set value, the dripping amount of the second glue liquid is increased by increasing the opening of the control valve 21. When the concentration of the first glue liquid in the prepreg tank remains within the set range, the opening is reduced and the glue liquid is dripped at a preset dripping speed. This closed-loop control mechanism can quickly respond to concentration changes and effectively maintain the stability of the glue liquid concentration in the prepreg tank by fine-tuning the dripping amount of the second glue liquid.

[0053] In this embodiment, the control valve 21 is an electric control valve. Among them, the electric control valve is a device that can directly control the degree of opening and closing of the valve through electrical signals rather than manual or mechanical means. Specifically, the electric control valve receives electrical signals from the control device, and these signals are generated based on the real-time flow data detected by the flow meter 22. When the flow meter 22 detects that the concentration of the first glue solution in the prepreg tank is low, the control device will send an instruction to the electric control valve, requiring it to increase the opening to increase the supply of the second glue solution. The electric control valve has a fast response speed and high control accuracy, and can quickly execute the opening adjustment command to ensure that the dripping amount of the second glue solution matches the concentration requirement. In other embodiments, the control valve can also be a pneumatic control valve.

[0054] More importantly, in this embodiment, the control valve 21, flowmeter 22, and drive unit 32 that drives the dredging rod 31 are all electrically connected to the control unit. During normal production, the control valve 21 maintains a stable flow rate of the second glue solution through the glue outlet channel according to a preset control signal. However, over time, solid particles in the suspension gradually deposit on the pipe walls, reducing the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the channel and increasing resistance to fluid flow. Even when the control valve 21 is fully opened, the flowmeter 22 still detects a flow rate below the set value, indicating that the channel is blocked to the extent that intervention is required. At this point, the control unit analyzes and confirms the situation and quickly commands the drive unit 32 to operate, causing the dredging rod 31 to rapidly descend and precisely insert into the inlet 2 of the glue outlet channel. The downward and rapid upward movement of the dredging rod 31 not only directly removes deposits near the inlet 2 but also creates a transient negative pressure region within the pipeline due to the turbulent flow. This negative pressure region effectively dislodges solid resin particles adhering to the inner wall of the pipeline, removing them as the second glue solution flows, thereby quickly restoring the smooth flow of the glue outlet channel. The entire process is automated and efficient. From blockage detection to dredging, it only takes a very short time and will not interrupt the production process.

[0055] Therefore, the technical solution of this embodiment significantly improves the system's ability to quickly respond to and handle glue channel blockage issues. Through the electronically controlled connection between the control valve 21, flowmeter 22, and the drive device 32 that drives the dredging rod 31, a seamless transition from blockage warning to automatic activation of the dredging mechanism is achieved. This effectively prevents glue concentration control failures caused by channel blockage and ensures the stability of glue concentration within the prepreg tank. Furthermore, the automated dredging process reduces the need for manual intervention, reducing operational complexity and maintenance costs.

[0056] like Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the inlet 2 of the glue outlet channel is located at the bottom of the silo 10, and the dredging rod 31 is arranged to be movable in the vertical direction. The driving device 32 is a pneumatic cylinder, and the dredging rod 31 is connected to the output end of the cylinder. The above structure uses the cylinder to directly drive the dredging rod 31 for vertical movement. Compared with other methods that use transmission devices (such as gears, chains, or screw mechanisms) to drive the dredging rod, this eliminates energy loss in the transmission link, making the dredging rod move more quickly and powerfully, enabling immediate response to blockage conditions and improving dredging efficiency. In addition, the cylinder drive simplifies the mechanical structure, reduces wear and maintenance requirements of transmission components such as gears and chains, reduces failure rates, and ensures the long-term stable operation of the dredging mechanism. Finally, the pneumatic system has a short response time, enabling rapid positioning and action switching of the dredging rod, which is very critical in environments requiring frequent dredging. It can significantly shorten production interruptions and improve the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0057] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the dredging head 312 is in an inverted cone shape. The side wall of the dredging head 312 can form a certain guiding effect, ensuring that the dredging head 312 can smoothly extend into the glue outlet channel, thereby improving the reliability of the dredging mechanism 30.

[0058] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, in this embodiment, a stirring device 40 is installed in the silo 10. The stirring device generates water flow disturbance through rotation, which prevents solid particles in the suspension from settling and maintains their suspended state. This ensures a stable concentration of the second adhesive solution, avoids uneven concentration caused by solid particle settling, and improves the quality of the prepreg.

[0059] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the first glue-filling device 70 further includes a position adjustment member 50 fixedly mounted on the outer wall of the silo 10. In this embodiment, the specific position of the first glue-filling device 70 on the prepreg tank 60 is adjusted mechanically using the position adjustment member. This structure allows workers to more conveniently adjust the relative position of the first glue-filling device 70 and the prepreg tank, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0060] Preferably, the position adjustment member includes a connecting plate, and a fixing member is provided on the connecting plate. An adjustment slot is provided on the side wall of the prepreg tank and one of the connecting plates, and the fixing member is passed through the adjustment slot. The above structure is simple, which is convenient for workers to adjust the position of the first glue filling device 70. Of course, in other embodiments, the position adjustment member 50 can also be electric, and the position adjustment member 50 can include a module and a slider provided on the module, wherein the module is provided on the prepreg tank, and the slider is provided on the first glue filling device 70. The position adjustment member and the control device are electrically connected so that the first glue filling device 70 can automatically adjust the position, and finally realize the automatic setting of the initial setting position.

[0061] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the prepreg tank 60 is further provided with a glue filling port 11 , through which the second glue liquid can be added to the silo 10 of the first glue filling device 70 .

[0062] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of the parts and steps, the numerical expressions and the numerical values ​​set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention. At the same time, it should be understood that, for ease of description, the sizes of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn according to the actual proportional relationship. The techniques, methods and equipment known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, the techniques, methods and equipment should be considered as part of the authorization specification. In all examples shown and discussed here, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as being merely exemplary and not as limiting. Therefore, other examples of the exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar numbers and letters represent similar items in the following figures, and therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0063] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "above," "above," "on the upper surface of," and "upper" may be used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature to other devices or features as shown in the figures. It should be understood that spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if a device in a drawing is inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" another device or structure would then be positioned as "below" or "below" the other device or structure. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both the "above" and "below" orientations. The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatially relative descriptions used herein should be interpreted accordingly.

[0064] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by directional words such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, perpendicular, horizontal" and "top, bottom" are usually based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise specified, these directional words do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction or be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention; the directional words "inside and outside" refer to the inside and outside relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0065] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for impregnating a prepreg, characterized in that: include: Step S30: continuously pulling the material so that the material enters the prepreg tank (60) from the inlet and is sent out from the outlet, and the material entering the prepreg tank (60) is immersed in the first glue liquid in the prepreg tank (60); Step S40: opening a control valve (21) of a glue outlet channel of a first glue-feeding device (70) for feeding glue to the prepreg tank (60) to control the feeding flow rate within an initial preset range, wherein a second glue solution is provided in the first glue-feeding device (70), the concentration of the second glue solution is greater than the concentration of the first glue solution, and the control valve (21) is always kept in an open state during the continuous pulling of the material; Step S50: detecting the concentration of the first glue solution in the prepreg tank (60) in real time, and when the concentration of the first glue solution is lower than a first threshold value, controlling the opening of the control valve (21) by a control device to control the feed flow rate to increase to a preset value; Step S60: Determine whether the concentration of the first glue solution returns to above the first threshold value within a preset time. If the concentration of the first glue solution returns to above the first threshold value, the control device controls the control valve (21) to return the feed flow rate to within the initial preset range. If the concentration of the first glue solution does not return to above the first threshold value, execute step S50.

2. The prepreg impregnation method according to claim 1, characterized in that In step S50, the method of controlling the opening of the control valve (21) by the control device to control the feed flow rate to increase the preset value includes: It is determined whether the opening of the control valve (21) has reached a maximum value. If it has not reached the maximum value, the opening of the control valve (21) is increased by the control device to control the feeding flow rate to increase by a preset value. If it has reached the maximum value, the glue outlet channel of the first glue feeding device (70) is unblocked by the unblocking mechanism (30), and the opening of the control valve (21) is controlled to control the feeding flow rate to increase by a preset value.

3. The prepreg impregnation method according to claim 2, characterized in that: The method of clearing the glue outlet channel of the first glue replenishing device (70) by using the clearing mechanism (30) comprises: The glue outlet channel of the first glue replenishing device (70) is unblocked by disturbing the liquid inside the glue outlet channel.

4. The prepreg impregnation method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The method for clearing the glue outlet channel of the first glue replenishing device (70) by disturbing the liquid inside the glue outlet channel comprises: The dredging head (312) of the dredging mechanism (30) seals the inlet (2) of the glue outlet channel; The dredging head (312) extends into the glue outlet channel to a predetermined depth; The dredging head (312) is drawn out from the glue outlet channel.

5. The prepreg impregnation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The prepreg impregnation method further comprises: Step S70: determining the liquid level in the silo of the first glue replenishing device (70) in real time; if the liquid level is lower than a second threshold, replenishing glue for the first glue replenishing device (70) through the second glue replenishing device.

6. The prepreg impregnation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S40, before opening the control valve (21) of the glue outlet channel of the first glue replenishing device (70) for replenishing glue in the prepreg tank (60), the stirring device (40) in the first glue replenishing device (70) is opened.

7. The prepreg impregnation method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Before step S30, the prepreg impregnation method further includes step S10: initially adjusting the concentration of the first glue solution in the prepreg tank (60), and the initial adjustment method includes: Step S11: injecting a first glue solution of an initial concentration into the prepreg tank (60); Step S12: pulling the material so that the material enters the prepreg tank (60) from the inlet and is sent out from the outlet, and the material entering the prepreg tank (60) is immersed in the first glue solution of the initial concentration; Step S13: drying the material after pre-preg; Step S14: The weighing device weighs the material and feeds back the weight information to the control device; Step S15: The control device determines whether the weight of the material reaches a third threshold value based on the weight information. If the weight reaches the third threshold value, step S10 ends. If the weight does not reach the third threshold value, the control valve (21) of the first glue replenishing device (70) is controlled to open so that the concentration of the first glue solution increases to a preset value, and then the control valve (21) is closed and step S12 is executed.

8. The prepreg impregnation method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first glue filling device (70) has a plurality of setting positions on the prepreg tank (60). Between step S10 and step S30, the prepreg impregnation method further includes step S20: initially debugging the setting position of the first glue filling device (70) on the prepreg tank (60). The debugging method of the setting position includes: Step S21: continuously pulling the material so that the material enters the prepreg tank (60) from the inlet and is sent out from the outlet, and the material entering the prepreg tank (60) is immersed in the first glue liquid in the prepreg tank (60); Step S22: opening the control valve (21) of the glue outlet channel of the first glue supply device (70) for supplying glue to the prepreg tank (60) to control the supply flow rate within an initial preset range, wherein the control valve (21) is always kept open during the continuous pulling of the material; Step S23: Record the time during which the concentration of the first glue solution in the prepreg tank (60) is within the first threshold value range corresponding to the first glue-filling device (70) at each setting position, and use the setting position of the first glue-filling device (70) corresponding to the data of the longest time within the first threshold value range as the initial position of the first glue-filling device (70) on the prepreg tank (60).

9. A prepreg tank system, characterized in that: The prepreg method according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is used to prepare the prepreg, wherein the prepreg tank system comprises: The prepreg tank (60) has a first accommodating cavity (61) for accommodating a first glue solution, wherein the first accommodating cavity (61) has an upper opening, and the upper opening includes an inlet and an outlet; a first glue-replenishing device (70) mounted at the upper opening of the prepreg tank (60), the first glue-replenishing device (70) comprising a silo (10) having a second accommodating chamber (1) for accommodating a second glue solution and a glue-discharging structure (20) disposed outside the silo (10), the glue-discharging structure (20) comprising a glue-discharging channel, a control valve (21) disposed on the glue-discharging channel, and a flow meter (22), the outlet of the glue-replenishing device (70) being opposite to the first accommodating chamber (61); a concentration measuring device, disposed in the first accommodating chamber (61), for detecting the concentration of the first glue solution; The control device, the concentration measuring device, the control valve (21) of the glue replenishing device (70), and the flow meter (22) are all electrically connected to the control device.

10. The prepreg tank system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The first glue filling device (70) further includes: The dredging mechanism (30) comprises a dredging rod (31) movably arranged in the silo (10) and a driving device (32) for driving the dredging rod (31) to move, wherein the dredging rod (31) comprises a rod body (311) and a dredging head (312), and the dredging rod (31) has a non-working position in which the dredging head (312) is spaced apart from the inlet (2) of the glue outlet channel, a first dredging position in which the dredging head (312) is moved to the inlet (2) of the glue outlet channel and seals the inlet (2), and a second dredging position in which the dredging head (312) extends into the glue outlet channel.

Images