Yarn sending device and yarn sending method

Abstract

To prevent fluff generated in a process of winding a fiber bundle from accumulating in a guide part in a conveyance path and growing into a fluff pile, thereby reducing the number of times a device is stopped for cleaning and reducing quality problems such as a part of the fluff pile flowing downstream and mixing into a part of a product as a foreign matter.SOLUTION: A yarn sending device includes: winding-out means for winding-out a fiber bundle from a fiber bundle bobbin of the fiber bundle made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction; and winding means for winding the fiber bundle onto a winding body, and fiber bundle guide means having a guide unit for regulating a travel path of the fiber bundle between winding-out means and winding means, the guide unit includes a pedestal, a plurality of bars arranged with a gravity center position of a pedestal shape as a starting point, and a drive mechanism that intermittently rotates the pedestal with the gravity center position as a rotation axis.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a guide unit for use in composite molding in general, and in FW molding in particular. [Background technology]

[0002] Fiber-reinforced plastics (hereafter referred to as FRP) have excellent mechanical properties such as high strength and high elastic modulus, and are therefore widely used in general industrial applications such as automobiles and wind power generation, and a variety of intermediate materials, such as prepregs, and molding methods have been developed. Among these, tow prepregs and filament winding molding methods are intermediate materials and molding methods that use aligned, continuous reinforcing fibers impregnated with resin, and are suitable for obtaining high-strength FRP molded products.

[0003] In the manufacturing methods of these intermediate materials and the molding methods of FRP, when reinforcing fibers are used, a yarn feeding device 10 as shown in Fig. 10 is generally used. In the yarn feeding device 10, the fiber bundle 103 unwound from the fiber bundle letting-out means 100 passes through fiber bundle guiding means 200' which is responsible for the guiding process, is impregnated with resin by resin impregnation means 400, and then passes through fiber bundle guiding means 200'' which is responsible for the guiding process, and while the yarn is guided by a winding head 301 of fiber bundle winding means 300', the fiber bundle 103 in a state impregnated with liquid resin is wound onto a winding body 302.

[0004] Here, it is common to use guides to regulate the position of the travel path of the fiber bundle 103. To improve productivity, multiple fiber bundles 103 are used, and various guides are used to regulate the transport path of the fiber bundle 103 while maintaining the yarn width of the reinforcing fibers and suppressing variations in the travel position and winding position of the fiber bundle 103 due to meandering. For example, the fiber bundle guiding means 200', 200" are provided with a freely rotatable guide roller 201a, a fixed guide bar 201b, and a comb member 201c on which a plurality of pins having a comb-like shape with equal pitch are erected. By having the fiber bundle 103 pass between these guides and pins, the fibers can be uniformly arranged and the transport position can be regulated. The fiber bundle winding means 300' uses a comb member 303 or the like to suppress deviations in the travel path of the fiber bundle 103 due to the traverse movement of the winding head 301.

[0005] However, as the fiber bundle passes through the guide, it is damaged by friction, and lint (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "fuzz") accumulates on the guide, causing fluff accumulation. Once a fluff accumulation occurs, fibers continue to get caught on it, causing it to grow cumulatively. Furthermore, the fiber bundle being fed out can also be damaged by being caught, which can lead to fluff accumulation or winding in other locations, or large fluff accumulations can get into the product and impair its performance.

[0006] In addition, the accumulated fluff and entanglement must be removed frequently, which reduces productivity. Thus, it is important for the yarn feeding device to suppress the accumulation of fluff and prevent the formation of fluff.

[0007] Patent Document 1 (JP 2005-89161 A) describes a configuration in which "freely rotatable guide rollers made of cylindrical or solid bodies with a circular cross section, and fixed guide members such as long rods or bar members made of cylindrical or solid bodies with a circular cross section, on which a plurality of comb pins forming comb teeth at equal intervals are erected, are arranged at both a portion that guides a plurality of reinforced fiber bundles pulled out from a number of bobbins immediately after they are pulled out and a portion that guides them immediately downstream of the same portion," and discloses the effect of "reducing fuzz by the surface roughness, plating thickness, and surface hardness of the guide rollers and fixed guide members."

[0008] However, the configuration of Patent Document 1 cannot completely eliminate the fluff that occurs when the fiber bundle is rubbed against the fixed guide as it passes through, and the fluff accumulates on the guide, requiring frequent fluff removal work, which reduces work efficiency.In addition, the accumulated fluff may be mixed into the product.

[0009] Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-37785) discloses a filament winding device provided with a comb member that uniformly aligns fibers along a travel path of a plurality of reinforcing fiber bundles drawn from multiple bobbins.

[0010] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 2, the fiber bundles come into contact with the comb member, causing scraped fluff to accumulate in the guide. Also, because the fiber bundles pass through gaps in the comb, fluff accumulation is more likely to occur than with a single fixed bar. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-89161 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-37785 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0012] In view of the problems of the prior art, the present invention aims to prevent fluff generated during the winding process of the fiber bundle from accumulating on the guide section in the running path and growing into a fluff pile, thereby reducing the number of times the machine is stopped for cleaning. It also aims to solve the problem that some of the large fluff piles flow downstream and get caught in the product, resulting in a decrease in quality and performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration. <1> A yarn feeding device comprising: unwinding means for unwinding a fiber bundle from a fiber bundle bobbin of a fiber bundle made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction; and winding means for winding the fiber bundle onto a winding body, the yarn feeding device comprising fiber bundle guide means having a guide unit between the unwinding means and the winding means for regulating a travel path of the fiber bundle, the guide unit comprises a base, a plurality of bars arranged with a center of gravity of the base as a starting point, and a drive mechanism that intermittently rotates the base with the center of gravity as a rotation axis. <2> The present invention is characterized in that a resin impregnation means for impregnating the fiber bundle with resin to obtain a resin-impregnated fiber bundle is provided between the unwinding means and the winding means, and the fiber bundle guide means is provided between the unwinding means and the resin impregnation means and / or between the resin impregnation means and the winding means. <1> The yarn feeding device according to claim 1. <3> The winding means has a traverse mechanism that is movable parallel to the direction of the rotation axis of the winding body, and the fiber bundle guide means is located immediately before the traverse mechanism. <1> The yarn feeding device according to claim 1. <4> The two guide units are arranged along the running direction of the fiber bundle. <1> The yarn feeding device according to claim 1. <5> The fiber bundle is always in contact with a plurality of the bars fixed to at least one of the two guide units. <4> The yarn feeding device according to claim 1. <6> A yarn feeding method including an unwinding step of unwinding a fiber bundle from a wound material of a fiber bundle made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction, and a winding step of winding the fiber bundle onto a winding body, the method including a fiber bundle guiding step having a guide unit that regulates a traveling path of the fiber bundle between the unwinding step and the winding step, the guide unit is provided with a base and a drive mechanism that intermittently rotates the base around a rotation axis that is a center of gravity between fixing points of the plurality of bars attached to the base. <7> The method further comprises a resin impregnation step between the unwinding step and the winding step, in which the fiber bundle is impregnated with resin to obtain a resin-impregnated fiber bundle, and the fiber bundle guiding step is provided between the unwinding step and the resin impregnation step and / or between the resin impregnation step and the winding step. <6> The yarn feeding method described in <8> The winding process has a traverse mechanism that is movable parallel to the direction of the rotation axis of the winding body, and the fiber bundle guiding process is located immediately before the traverse mechanism. <6> The yarn feeding method described in <9> The two guide units are arranged along the running direction of the fiber bundle. <6> The yarn feeding method described in <10> The fiber bundle is always in contact with a plurality of the bars fixed to at least one of the two guide units. <9> The yarn feeding method described in [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The guide unit of the present invention prevents fluff generated during the winding process of the fiber bundle from accumulating on the guide section in the running path and growing into a fluff pile, reducing the number of times the device has to be stopped for cleaning. In addition, it can prevent large fluff piles from entering the product, improving product performance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an example of a yarn feeding device having a guide unit according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams ((a) top view, (b) front view) of a guide unit according to the present invention. [Figure 3] 3A to 3G are schematic diagrams (a) to (g) showing the arrangement of bars of a guide unit according to the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams ((a-1) to (a-3), (b-1) to (b-3)) showing the installation of a guide unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an example of a yarn feeding device having guide units before and after a resin impregnation means according to the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 10A to 10C are schematic diagrams (a-1) to (a-2), (b-1) to (b-2) showing a guide unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an example of a yarn sending device according to the present invention, which has a guide unit immediately before a winding means. [Figure 8] 10A to 10D are schematic diagrams showing the installation of a guide unit according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 10A to 10F are schematic diagrams showing the installation of a guide unit according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an example of a conventional yarn feeding device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the drawings and examples.

[0017] The present invention is a yarn feeding device comprising: unwinding means for unwinding a fiber bundle from a fiber bundle bobbin of a fiber bundle made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction; winding means for winding the fiber bundle onto a winding body; and fiber bundle guide means having a guide unit for regulating a travel path of the fiber bundle between the unwinding means and the winding means, wherein the guide unit has a plurality of bars arranged with the center of gravity of the base shape as a starting point, and a drive mechanism for intermittently rotating the base with the center of gravity as a rotation axis.

[0018] FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of an example of a yarn feeding device 1 according to the present invention. It is important that the yarn feeding device 1 includes an unwinding means 100 that performs a fiber bundle unwinding process of unwinding a fiber bundle 103 from a fiber bundle bobbin 101, a fiber bundle guiding means 200 that performs a guiding process of guiding the fiber bundle 103 unwound from the fiber bundle bobbin 101, and a winding means 300 that feeds the fiber bundle 103 to a winding body 302 by a winding head 301 and winds it onto the rotating winding body 302. The guide unit 500 of the fiber bundle guiding means 200 allows generated fluff to flow downstream, thereby alleviating fiber damage associated with fluff accumulation on the guide unit 500 and significantly reducing the frequency of fluff cleaning. As a result, even when the fiber bundle 103 passes continuously, the size of the fluff that flows downstream is small, thereby maintaining the quality and performance of the product.

[0019] The fiber bundle 103 used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include carbon fiber, glass fiber, aramid fiber, boron fiber, alumina fiber, graphite fiber, etc. Furthermore, two or more of these may be mixed and used as a fiber bundle. Among these, it is preferable to include carbon fiber in view of the development of high mechanical properties and ease of designing those properties.

[0020] The fiber bundle bobbin 101 is a wound object in which the fiber bundle 103 is wound around a core material, and is not particularly limited as long as the fiber bundle 103 can be pulled out from the fiber bundle bobbin 101. The fiber bundle 103 may be in the form of a roving or cloth, but for applications requiring particularly high strength, it is particularly preferable to use a roving in which the fibers are aligned in a single direction.

[0021] In the fiber bundle guiding means 200, the fiber bundle 103 unwound from the unwinding means 100 is sent to the winding means 300 while coming into contact with a freely rotatable guide roller 200a made of a cylindrical or solid body with a circular cross section and a guide unit 500 that controls meandering and flapping of the fiber bundle 103 while maintaining an appropriate tension on the fiber bundle 103. By appropriately combining the number of guide rollers 200a and guide units 500 and the order of their arrangement, the fiber bundle 103 is given the desired tension and its running position is controlled.

[0022] Here, the guide unit 500 used in the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0023] The guide unit 500 of the present invention comprises a base 502 and a bar 501, one end of which is fixedly supported by the base 502. The base 502 is further connected to a drive mechanism 504 via a rotation shaft 503. The rotation shaft 503 is attached to the center of gravity of the base 502. Furthermore, multiple bars 501 are arranged starting from the center of gravity of the base 502. The drive mechanism 504 is equipped with a mechanism that can operate, using electricity, compressed air, or the like, to continuously or intermittently rotate the base 502 to which the bar 501 is attached. The start and stop of rotation of the drive mechanism 504 is controlled by external commands from a timer or sensor. The rotation direction can be rotated in the running direction of the fiber bundle and in the opposite direction to the running direction. Furthermore, the rotation angle can be stopped at an angle set by a stopper or angle detector. The materials for the bar 501 and base 502 are not particularly limited, and metal, resin, ceramic, etc. can be used. Among these, metal is preferable from the viewpoint of strength and wear resistance. Furthermore, the surface roughness of the bar 501 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of suppressing abrasion due to contact between the fiber bundle 103 and the bar 501, the surface roughness specified in JIS B0601:2001 is preferably Ra=10 to 30 μm, and more preferably Ra=20 μm.

[0024] The base 502 can be selected to have a circular or regular polygonal shape.

[0025] The multiple bars 501 can be arranged starting from the center of gravity of the base 502. As shown in FIG. 3(a), two bars 501 are arranged 180° apart from the center of gravity of the bases 502, 512, 522, and 532 of the guide units 500, 510, 520, and 530, i.e., two bars 501 are arranged so as to face each other with respect to the center of gravity. In FIG. 3(b), two bars 501 are arranged 90° apart from the center of gravity of the base 542 of the guide unit 540, and in FIG. 3(c), two bars 501 are arranged 45° apart from the center of gravity of the base 552 of the guide unit 550. In FIG. 3(d), three bars 501 are arranged 120° apart from the center of gravity of the base 562 of the guide unit 560. In FIG. 3(e), four bars 501 are arranged 90° apart from the center of gravity of the base 572 of the guide unit 570. In Fig. 3(f), four bars 501 are placed at angles of 45°, 135°, 45°, and 135° relative to the center of gravity of base 582 of guide unit 580. In Fig. 3(g), eight bars 501 are placed at angles of 45° each relative to the center of gravity of base 592 of guide unit 590.

[0026] Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the method for fixing bar 501 and base 502, but for ease of maintenance, a replaceable fixing method using screws or the like is preferable.

[0027] In the winding means 300, the fiber bundle 103 unwound from the unwinding means 100 is guided to a winding body 302 by a winding head 301 and wound around the rotating winding body 302. The winding body 302 can be selected according to the product. For example, when the fiber bundle 103 is impregnated with resin and then cured to a predetermined level to use a semi-cured state [resin-impregnated fiber bundle (towpreg)], a hollow paper tube or the like can be used.

[0028] In the manufacture of hollow pipe members, cylindrical winding cores that can be removed after the molded product has hardened, and winding cores of various shapes that can be removed by melting them with heat, etc. In the manufacture of pressure vessels, various liner members made of metal or resin can be used, which are winding cores that ensure sealing against the specified contents.

[0029] It is preferable to have a resin impregnation means between the unwinding means and the winding means for impregnating the fiber bundle with resin to obtain a resin-impregnated fiber bundle, and to provide a fiber bundle guide means between the unwinding means and the resin impregnation means and / or between the resin impregnation means and the winding means.

[0030] An example of a yarn feeding device in which the fiber bundle guiding means 210 of the present invention is provided between the unwinding means 100 and the resin impregnation means 400 and between the resin impregnation means 400 and the winding means 300 is shown in Fig. 5. Here, the fiber bundle guiding means 210 is provided with guide rollers 200a, 210c, a guide unit 500, and a guide unit 510 for uniformly arranging the fibers and defining the transport position.

[0031] The number and arrangement order of the guide rollers 200a, 210c and guide units 500, 510 can be combined as appropriate. As a result, the fiber bundle 103 can be tensioned as desired and its running position can be controlled. The running path in the resin impregnation means 400 can be stabilized, and the amount of resin applied can be stabilized while the generated fluff can be swept downstream.

[0032] The flow of fluff will now be explained. If fluff accumulates in the guide between the unwinding means and the resin impregnation means, forming a large fluff puddle that flows downstream, it can cause problems with resin impregnation. Resin adheres to the guide between the resin impregnation means and the winding means, causing stickiness, which makes fluff prone to accumulate and form large fluff puddles. By arranging a fiber bundle guide means between the unwinding means and the resin impregnation means and / or between the resin impregnation means and the winding means, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of large fluff puddles, thereby preventing resin impregnation problems and stabilizing the quality and performance of the product.

[0033] The resin impregnation means 400 includes a resin impregnation roller 402 disposed above a resin impregnation tank 401 containing a liquid resin 405. A portion of the lower periphery of the resin impregnation roller 402 is immersed in the liquid resin 405 contained in the resin impregnation tank 401, allowing the resin impregnation roller 402 to rotate in the conveying direction of the fiber bundle 103. Examples of the liquid resin 405 include thermosetting resins such as epoxy resins, unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl ester resins, and polyurethane resins. In particular, to obtain the required heat resistance and environmental resistance, an epoxy resin composition containing an epoxy resin and a curing agent is preferred. A curing catalyst may also be added as needed to shorten the curing time.

[0034] The fiber bundle 103, which has not yet been impregnated with resin, comes into contact with the resin-impregnated roller 402 while being subjected to a constant tension by guide rollers 403a and 403b. The liquid resin is impregnated into the fiber bundle 103 of the present invention using a kiss coater method. A scraper 408 is disposed at a predetermined gap on the resin-impregnated roller 402, and the resin picked up by the resin-impregnated roller 402 is adjusted by the scraper 408 to a constant film thickness. Then, the resin-impregnated roller 402, which has a constant amount of liquid resin 405 attached, comes into contact with the fiber bundle 103, and the liquid resin 405 is applied to one side of the fiber bundle 103, impregnating the fiber bundle and forming a resin-impregnated fiber bundle.

[0035] It is also possible to use prepreg that has been pre-impregnated with resin in a separate process for the fiber bundle 103, without using the resin impregnation means 400. The thermosetting resin used in the resin impregnation tank 401 can be used as the resin.

[0036] The winding means preferably has a traverse mechanism that is movable in the direction of the rotation axis of the winding body, and the fiber bundle guiding means is preferably located immediately before the traverse mechanism.

[0037] 7 shows an example of the yarn feeding device 3 in which the fiber bundle guiding means 220 is used immediately before the winding head 301 of the winding means 310 of the present invention. The fiber bundle guiding means 220 has guide units 520 and 530 arranged therein to arrange the fiber bundles uniformly and define the transport position.

[0038] The winding head 301 is equipped with a traverse mechanism. The winding head 301 is supported by a support rail (not shown) so as to be movable, for example, in the axial direction of the winding body 302, the horizontal direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and the up-down direction. The winding head 301 may also be rotatable about an axis that is the extension direction of the fiber bundle 103 to be wound around the winding body.

[0039] The traverse mechanism significantly changes the travel path of the fiber bundle 103, increasing the wrap angle with the guide, which makes it easier for fluff to accumulate and causes large fluff piles. By locating the fiber bundle guiding means 220 of the present invention immediately before the traverse mechanism, the accumulation of large fluff piles can be suppressed.

[0040] It is preferable to install two guide units along the running direction of the fiber bundle. By installing two guide units along the running direction of the fiber bundle, the running position can be stabilized more than when one guide unit is installed, and the fluff can be made to flow downstream without generating large fluff.

[0041] It is also preferable that the fiber bundle is always in contact with a plurality of bars fixed to at least one of the two guide units. By having the fiber bundle always in contact with the guide unit, it is possible to constantly regulate the running position of the fiber bundle. Furthermore, the tension applied to the fiber bundle is constant, stabilizing the yarn width.

[0042] As with the guide units 520 and 530 shown in Fig. 7, it is preferable that the fiber bundle guiding means 220 has two sets of guide units 500 shown in Fig. 2 or 3(a) installed along the running direction of the fiber bundle 103. Also, as shown in Figs. 9(a) to 9(f), it is preferable that the fiber bundle is constantly in contact with a bar fixed to at least one of the guide units among multiple bars fixed to guide units on the upstream and / or downstream side in the running direction of the fiber bundle 103.

[0043] The present invention also provides a yarn feeding method including an unwinding step of unwinding a fiber bundle made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction from a fiber bundle bobbin, and a winding step of winding the fiber bundle onto a winding body, and a fiber bundle guiding step having a guide unit that regulates a travel path of the fiber bundle between the unwinding step and the winding step, wherein the guide unit is provided with a base, a bar fixed to the base, and a drive mechanism that intermittently rotates the base around a rotation axis that is the center of gravity between fixed points of the multiple bars attached to the base. The fiber bundle used and the items used in each step are as described above. [Example]

[0044] Example 1 A method for removing lint accumulation using a guide unit having multiple bars will now be described. Figures 4(a-1) to (a-3) show the removal method for guide unit 500 having two guide bars shown in Figure 3(a), and Figures 4(b-1) to (b-3) show the removal method for guide unit 570 having four guide bars shown in Figure 3(e).

[0045] The fiber bundle 103 delivered from the fiber bundle delivery section 100 travels while in contact with the bar 501a of the guide unit 500 (FIG. 4(a-1)). By contacting the fiber bundle 103 with the bar 501a, the travel position is determined while tension is applied to the fiber bundle 103 with the bar 501a as a fulcrum. As the fiber bundle 103 travels in contact with the bar 501a, fluff 800 generated from the fiber bundle 103 accumulates.

[0046] Here, the trigger for rotating the drive mechanism 504 can be detected by detecting the accumulation of fluff 800 on bars 501a and 501b using video or the load on the bars, or it can be triggered by rotation at operating intervals determined based on the amount of accumulated fluff 800, or by an operator visually instructing rotation.

[0047] Here, it is important to rotate the drive mechanism 504 counterclockwise. As a result, the contact position between the fiber bundle 103 and the bar 501a changes, and as the rotation proceeds, tension is again applied to the fiber bundle 103 by the bar 501b, so that the fluff 800 that has been trapped and accumulated between the fiber bundle 103 and the bar 501a flows downstream together with the traveling fiber bundle 103, eliminating the accumulation of fluff. Furthermore, by contacting the fiber bundle 103 with the bar 501b, the traveling position of the fiber bundle 103 is determined while tension is applied (FIG. 4(a-3)).

[0048] By operating the guide unit as described above, the fluff 800 can be made to flow downstream. This improves fiber damage caused by fluff accumulation in the guide unit and significantly reduces the frequency of fluff cleaning. As a result, even if the fiber bundle 103 passes continuously, the size of the fluff flowing downstream is small, and this does not affect the quality or performance of the product.

[0049] 4(b-1, b-2), a guide unit 570 can be used in which four bars are installed at 90-degree intervals. In this case, the distance between adjacent bars is narrower than in the guide unit 500 in which two bars are installed, so it is possible to reduce the change in the running position of the fiber bundle 103 between the guide members 201 and to flow the fluff 800 downstream. In this way, tension fluctuations and deviations in the running position during the fluff flowing operation can be further suppressed by changing the number and arrangement of the bars.

[0050] Example 2 Using a thick fiber bundle, a method for removing a guide unit 510 having two guide bars as shown in FIG. 3(a) is shown in FIGS. 6(a-1) to (a-2), and a method for removing a guide unit 580 having four guide bars as shown in FIG. 3(f) is shown in FIGS. 6(b-1) to (b-2).

[0051] The fiber bundle 103 delivered from the fiber bundle delivery section 100 travels with the sides in the width direction of the fiber bundle 103 in contact with the bar 501a arranged on the upstream side of the guide unit 500 and the bar 501b arranged on the downstream side (FIG. 6(a-1)). The side faces in the width direction of the fiber bundle 103 contacting the bars 501a and 501b regulate the travel position, stabilizing the travel position of the fiber bundle 103. Because the fiber bundle 103 travels in contact with the bars, fluff 800 generated from the fiber bundle 103 accumulates on the bars 501a and 501b. Here, the drive mechanism 504 is rotated counterclockwise by the same trigger as in Example 1. As a result, the fiber bundle 103 is no longer in contact with the bars 501a and 501b, and the accumulated fluff 800 that was sandwiched between the bar 501a or 501b and the fiber bundle 103 flows downstream together with the traveling fiber bundle 103, eliminating the accumulation of fluff (FIG. 6(a-2)). Once the fluff 800 flows downstream together with the traveling fiber bundle 103 and the accumulation of fluff is eliminated, the drive mechanism 504 is operated clockwise again so that both sides of the fiber bundle 103 come into contact with the bars 501a and 501b.

[0052] By using the guide unit and operating as described above, the fluff 800 can be made to flow downstream, which improves fiber damage caused by fluff accumulation in the guide section and significantly reduces the frequency of fluff cleaning. As a result, the size of the fluff that flows downstream is small, and does not affect the quality or performance of the product.

[0053] 6(b-1) and (b-2) show the operation flow of the fiber bundle 103 related to the guide unit 580 having four bars. In the guide unit 580, bars 501a and 501b are arranged at intervals of 180 degrees, and bars 501c and 501d are arranged at 45 degrees counterclockwise relative to bars 501a and 501b (FIG. 3(f)). When the guide bars 501a and 501b are in contact with the fiber bundle 103 and fluff 800 accumulates on both guide bars (Figure 6(b-1)), the rotational movement of the drive mechanism 504 causes the guide bars 501c and 501d to come into contact with the fiber bundle 103 while moving the fluff 800. In the state of Figure 6(a-2), the guide bars move away from the fiber bundle for a short time, which may cause the running position of the fiber bundle to become unstable. In Figure 6(b-1), when the fiber bundle 103 is separated from the bars 501a and 501b, the bars 501c and 501d come into contact with the fiber bundle 103 and guide the running position of the fiber bundle 103. In addition, the rotation angle of the guide bars required to stabilize the running position of the fiber bundle is smaller than in the state of Figure 6(a-1), so the position of the fiber bundle can be stabilized in a shorter time.

[0054] In the present invention, the winding means 310 is preferably a yarn feeding device having a traverse mechanism that is movable in the direction of the rotation axis of the winding body 302, and the fiber bundle guiding means 200 is located immediately before the traverse mechanism.

[0055] Example 3 8(a) to (d) show a method for removing fluff accumulation using a guide unit 520 having two guide bars as shown in FIG. 3(a) with the fiber bundle 103 passing between the guide bars.

[0056] The fiber bundle 103 delivered from the fiber bundle delivery section 100 travels with different surfaces in contact with the bar 501a located upstream of the guide unit 520 and the bar 501b located downstream (FIG. 8(a)). The different surfaces of the fiber bundle 103 contact the bar 501a and the bar 501b, respectively, restricting the travel position and stabilizing the travel position of the fiber bundle 103. As the fiber bundle 103 continues to travel while in contact with the bars 501a and 501b, fluff 800 generated from the fiber bundle 103 accumulates on the bars 501a and 501b (FIG. 8(b)). At this point, the drive mechanism 504 is rotated counterclockwise (FIG. 8(c)). As a result, the fiber bundle 103 is no longer in contact with the bars 501a and 501b, and the fluff 800 that has accumulated between the bar 501a or 501b and the fiber bundle 103 flows downstream together with the running fiber bundle 103, eliminating the accumulation of fluff.

[0057] Here, the drive mechanism 504 is rotated by a trigger similar to that in Example 1, and the state in which fluff 800 accumulates on bars 501a and 501b can be detected by video or the load on the bars, or the rotation can be controlled at operating intervals determined based on the amount of accumulated fluff, or by the operator visually instructing the rotation.

[0058] When the fluff 800 flows downstream along with the moving fiber bundle 103 and the accumulation of fluff is eliminated, the drive mechanism 504 is operated counterclockwise again so that both sides of the fiber bundle 103 come into contact with the bars 501a and 501b (Figure 8(d)).

[0059] By using the guide unit 520 and performing the operation as described above, the fluff 800 can be made to flow downstream, which improves the damage to the fibers caused by fluff accumulation in the guide section and significantly reduces the frequency of fluff cleaning. As a result, even if the fiber bundle 103 passes continuously, the size of the fluff flowing downstream is small, and does not affect the quality or performance of the product.

[0060] By disposing the above guide unit 520 in the yarn feeding device 1, damage to the fibers due to accumulation of fluff in the guide portion can be improved, and the frequency of cleaning the fluff can be significantly reduced.

[0061] Example 4 Figures 9(a) to (f) show a method for removing fluff accumulation using a guide unit 520 having two guide bars as shown in Figure 3(a), in which the fiber bundle 103 is passed between the guide bars and the fiber bundle is constantly in contact with the guide bar fixed to at least one of the guide units.

[0062] The fiber bundle 103 delivered from the fiber bundle delivery section 100 runs between the bars of the guide unit 520 arranged on the upstream side and the guide unit 530 arranged on the downstream side, and runs with different surfaces in contact with the two bars arranged in the guide unit 530 (FIG. 9(a)). At this time, the fiber bundle 103 does not come into contact with the bars 521a and 521b of the guide unit 520. However, since different surfaces of the fiber bundle 103 are in contact with the bars 531a and 531b of the guide unit 530, the running position is regulated, and the running position of the fiber bundle 103 is stabilized.

[0063] Since the fiber bundle 103 travels while contacting the bars 531a and 531b of the guide unit 530, fluff 800 generated from the fiber bundle 103 accumulates on the two bars 531a and 531b of the guide unit 530 (FIG. 9(b)). When the trigger described above is activated, the drive mechanism 504 of the guide unit 520 rotates clockwise, causing the fiber bundle 103 to contact the bars 521a and 521b of the guide unit 520, and restricting the travel position of the fiber bundle 103 by both the guide unit 520 and the guide unit 530 (FIG. 9(c)).

[0064] Next, the downstream guide unit 530 is rotated clockwise to release the contact between the bar of the guide unit 530 and the fiber bundle 103. As a result of the fiber bundle 103 no longer being in contact with the bars 531a and 531b of the guide unit 530, the fluff 800 that had been pinched and accumulated between the bars 531a and 531b of the guide unit 530 and the fiber bundle 103 flows downstream together with the traveling fiber bundle 103, and the accumulation of fluff is eliminated (FIG. 9(d)).

[0065] When the fluff 800 flows downstream together with the traveling fiber bundle 103 and the accumulation of fluff is eliminated, the drive mechanism 504 is operated counterclockwise so that both surfaces of the fiber bundle 103 again contact the bars 531a and 531b of the guide unit 530 (FIG. 9(e)). The fiber bundle 103 contacts the guide unit 520 and the bars of the guide unit 530, and its traveling position is regulated. Next, the guide unit 520 is rotated counterclockwise to release the contact between the fiber bundle 103 and the bars 521a and 521b of the guide unit 520 (FIG. 9(f)).

[0066] By operating the two guide units 520 and 530 in conjunction with each other as described above, the fluff 800 can be diverted downstream, thereby reducing fiber damage associated with fluff accumulation and significantly reducing the frequency of fluff cleaning. As a result, even when the fiber bundle 103 passes continuously, the size of the fluff flowing downstream is small, and this does not affect the quality or performance of the product. In addition, in the state shown in Figure 8(C) described in Example 3, the bar separates from the fiber bundle, which may cause the running position of the fiber bundle to become unstable for a short period of time. In the guide units 520 and 530 of Example 4, one set of guide units 520 or 530 is always in contact with the fiber bundle, thereby further stabilizing the position of the fiber bundle. Furthermore, constant contact between the guide units and the fiber bundle 103 allows the fiber bundle 103 to run while maintaining appropriate tension, stabilizing the yarn width and improving product quality. [Industrial Applicability]

[0067] A yarn feeding device using the guide unit of the present invention is suitable for intermediate materials and molding methods that use reinforcing fibers, such as tow prepreg and filament winding molding. These intermediate materials and molding methods are particularly suitable for aircraft applications, sports applications, and general industrial applications, and in general industrial applications, they are suitable for civil engineering and building material applications such as drive shafts, pressure vessels, flywheels, papermaking rollers, roofing materials, cables, reinforcing bars, and repair and reinforcement materials. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1, 2, 3, 10 Yarn feeding device 100 Fiber bundle delivery means 101(101a, 101b) Bobbin 103 (103a, 103b) Fiber bundle 200, 210, 220, 200' fiber bundle guide means 201, 210a Guide roller 210b, 210c guide bar 201c, 303 comb parts 500, 510, 520, 530, 540, 550, 560, 570, 580, 590 Guide Unit 300, 310, 300' Winding means 301 Winding head 302 Winding body 400 Resin impregnation means 401 Resin impregnation tank 402 Resin-impregnated roller 403a, 403b Guide rollers 405 Liquid Resin 408 Scraper 501 (501a, 501b, 501c, 501d), 511a, 511b, 521 (521a, 521b), 531a, 532b, 571a, 571b, 571c, 581a, 581b, 581c, 581d Bar 502, 512, 522, 532, 542, 552, 562, 572, 582, 592 pedestal 503 Rotational Axis 504 Drive mechanism 800 fluff

Claims

1. A yarn feeding device comprising: unwinding means for unwinding a fiber bundle from a fiber bundle bobbin of a fiber bundle made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction; and winding means for winding the fiber bundle onto a winding body, the yarn feeding device comprising fiber bundle guide means having a guide unit between the unwinding means and the winding means for regulating a travel path of the fiber bundle, the guide unit comprises a base, a plurality of bars arranged with a center of gravity of the base as a starting point, and a drive mechanism that intermittently rotates the base with the center of gravity as a rotation axis.

2. 2. The yarn feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising a resin impregnation means between the unwinding means and the winding means for impregnating the fiber bundle with resin to obtain a resin-impregnated fiber bundle, and the fiber bundle guide means is provided between the unwinding means and the resin impregnation means and / or between the resin impregnation means and the winding means.

3. 2. The yarn sending device according to claim 1, wherein the winding means has a traverse mechanism that is movable in the direction of the rotation axis of the winding body, and the fiber bundle guide means is located immediately before the traverse mechanism.

4. The yarn feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the two guide units are arranged along the running direction of the fiber bundle.

5. The yarn feeding device according to claim 4, wherein the fiber bundle is constantly in contact with a plurality of the bars fixed to at least one of the two guide units.

6. A yarn feeding method including an unwinding step of unwinding a fiber bundle from a fiber bundle bobbin of a fiber bundle made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction, and a winding step of winding the fiber bundle onto a winding body, the method including a fiber bundle guiding step having a guide unit that regulates a traveling path of the fiber bundle between the unwinding step and the winding step, the guide unit is provided with a base and a drive mechanism that intermittently rotates the base around a rotation axis that is a center of gravity between fixing points of the plurality of bars attached to the base.

7. The yarn feeding method according to claim 6, further comprising a resin impregnation step of impregnating the fiber bundle with resin to obtain a resin-impregnated fiber bundle between the unwinding step and the winding step, and the fiber bundle guiding step is provided between the unwinding step and the resin impregnation step and / or between the resin impregnation step and the winding step.

8. The yarn feeding method according to claim 6, characterized in that the winding step includes a traverse mechanism that is movable parallel to a direction of a rotation axis of the winding body, and the fiber bundle guiding step is located immediately before the traverse mechanism.

9. The yarn feeding method according to claim 6, wherein two of the guide units are installed along the running direction of the fiber bundle.

10. The yarn feeding method according to claim 9, characterized in that the fiber bundle is constantly in contact with a plurality of the bars fixed to at least one of the two guide units.

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