Regulatory Guide

Abstract

The objective is to prevent changes in the shape of the fiber bundle due to contact with the guide during travel, thereby reducing variations in the amount of resin deposited during the resin impregnation process. It also aims to prevent the accumulation of lint caused by contact with the guide, thereby solving the problem of reduced quality and performance. [Solution] A restricting guide is placed in the path of a fiber bundle and restricts the position of the fiber bundle, wherein the restricting guide has a recess on the upper surface side of a rectangular parallelepiped that is larger than the shape of the fiber bundle, the recess has a semicircular or elliptical cross-section perpendicular to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle, and on the front side of the upper surface of the rectangular parallelepiped, there is a pair of air outlets arranged across the fiber bundle, and the restricting guide is characterized in that the position of the fiber bundle is restricted without contact with the inner surface of the recess by blowing air from the air outlets onto the fiber bundle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a guide unit used for forming composite materials, particularly FW forming.

Background Art

[0002] Fiber Reinforced Plastics (hereinafter, 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. Various intermediate materials and various molding methods, typified by prepregs, have also been developed. Among them, tow prepregs and filament winding molding methods are intermediate materials and molding methods that use 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, as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a reinforcing fiber bundle and a liquid resin are prepared separately, and after being integrated in the manufacturing process, they are molded into a desired state or shape. In these manufacturing processes, the liquid resin is stored in a tank called a resin impregnation tank, and a part of the lower outer periphery of the resin impregnation roller rotates while being immersed in the liquid resin, so that a predetermined amount of the liquid resin is scooped up onto the resin impregnation roller.

[0004] The fiber bundles are stretched and aligned around the upper outer circumference of the resin-impregnating roller. Liquid resin, whose application amount is adjusted by a scraper located near the roller, comes into contact with the fiber bundles as the roller rotates, impregnating them. To improve productivity, multiple fiber bundles are often used, and impregnation is performed simultaneously on a single roller. To restrict the movement of the fiber bundles, prevent them from overlapping, and suppress variations in the amount of resin, guide members are provided on both the upstream and downstream sides (upstream and downstream) of the resin-impregnating tank to regulate the fiber bundles' paths. These guide members vary, from simple bar-shaped members to comb-shaped guides with multiple pins attached to a bar-shaped member to regulate the paths of multiple fiber bundles, and feed rollers for feeding the fiber bundles. In any case, the guide members are installed as close to the resin-impregnating tank as possible to ensure the effect of restricting the fiber path.

[0005] However, in such arrangements of resin impregnation tanks and guide members, the fiber bundles are pressed against the guide members to restrict their position, which can cause the fiber bundles to fold back and the yarn width to narrow, resulting in variations in the amount of resin. In addition, contact with the guide members can cause the fiber bundles to rub against each other, leading to the generation of fuzz and the accumulation of fuzz on the guide members. This accumulated fuzz may enter the product and impair its performance.

[0006] Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-89161) describes a configuration in which "a freely rotatable guide roller made of a cylindrical or solid body having a circular cross-section and a fixed guide member such as a long rod with multiple comb pins arranged at equal pitches, or a cylindrical or solid body having a circular cross-section are arranged at both the part that guides multiple reinforcing fiber bundles drawn from multiple bobbins immediately after they are drawn and the part that guides them immediately downstream of the same part" and discloses the effect of "reducing fluffing due to the surface roughness, plating thickness, and surface hardness of the guide roller and the fixed guide member."

[0007] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 3, the guide and the fiber bundle come into contact, which can cause the fiber bundle to fold back and the yarn width to fluctuate, potentially leading to variations in the amount of resin.

[0008] Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-37785) discloses a filament winding apparatus in which a comb member is provided in the travel path of multiple reinforced fiber bundles drawn from multiple bobbins to uniformly align the fibers.

[0009] However, in the configuration of Patent Document 4, the fiber bundle comes into contact with the comb member, and the guide comes into contact with the fiber bundle, which can cause the fiber bundle to fold back and the yarn width to fluctuate, potentially leading to variations in the amount of resin.

[0010] Furthermore, because the fiber bundles pass through the gaps in the comb, lint buildup is more likely to occur than with a single, fixed bar, potentially leading to a decline in quality. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0011] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-185930 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-120210 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-89161 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-37785 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0012] In view of the problems of the prior art, the present invention aims to prevent changes in the shape of the fibers due to contact between the fiber bundle and the guide in the travel path, thereby reducing variations in the amount of resin deposited during the resin impregnation process. It also aims to prevent the accumulation of lint due to contact with the guide, thereby solving the problem of reduced quality and performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] To achieve the above objective, the present invention has the following configuration. <1> A restricting guide positioned on a fiber bundle's travel path to restrict the fiber bundle's travel position, wherein the restricting guide has a curved concave surface, and is provided with one or more air outlets within the concave surface, and the fiber bundle and the concave surface are in non-contact due to the air blown out from the air outlets. <2> The regulatory guide according to claim 1, characterized in that the air outlets are provided symmetrically with respect to a center line parallel to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle when viewed from above with respect to the concave surface, and the distance W2 [mm] between the air outlets is in a relationship of W2 / W1 = 1.5 to 2.0 with respect to the width W1 [mm] of the fiber bundle. <3> The regulatory guide according to claim 2, characterized in that the distance h[mm] between the fiber bundle and the concave surface is 3 to 10 mm, and the angle θ[°] between direction 1 and direction 2 in the direction parallel to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle (direction 1) and the direction in which the air outlet extends in the cut surface perpendicular to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle (direction 2) is in the relationship 1≦(W2-W1) / 2-h*tanθ≦3. <4> The regulatory guide according to claim 2, wherein the air outlet has a rectangular opening, and the length L1 [mm] of the opening parallel to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle is 50% or more and 150% or less of the width W1 [mm] of the fiber bundle. <5> A resin-impregnated fiber manufacturing apparatus comprising a plurality of fiber bundle bobbins made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction, an unwinding means for unwinding fiber bundles from each fiber bundle bobbin, and a resin impregnation means for impregnating the fiber bundles with liquid resin, wherein A manufacturing apparatus for resin-impregnated fibers, characterized in that the regulatory guides described in any one of claims 1 to 4 are arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the resin-impregnation means. <6> A method for manufacturing resin-impregnated fibers, comprising at least a winding step of winding fiber bundles from each fiber bundle bobbin, wherein multiple fiber bundle bobbins made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction are arranged, and a resin impregnation step of impregnating the fiber bundles with a liquid resin, A method for manufacturing resin-impregnated fibers, characterized in that the regulation guide according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side of the resin impregnation step. <7>The method for manufacturing resin-impregnated fibers according to claim 6, wherein the regulation guides on the upstream side and the downstream side of the resin impregnation step can independently control the flow rate of the air.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram ((a) side view, (b) top view) showing the regulation guide in the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram ((a) the fiber bundle is near the center line, (b) the fiber bundle is at a position deviated from the center line) showing the positional relationship between the regulation guide and the fiber bundle in the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic diagram ((a) parallel, (b) V-shaped) of the air outlet shape provided in the sub-regulation guide in the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram of a resin impregnation apparatus using the regulation guide in the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the drawings and examples in any way.

[0016] <000D090>The present invention is a regulation guide arranged on the traveling path of a fiber bundle to regulate the traveling position of the fiber bundle. The regulation guide has a curved concave surface, and one or more sets of air outlets are provided in the concave surface. The fiber bundle and the concave surface are non-contact by the air blown out from the air outlets.

[0017] Here, the regulation guide 500 used in the present invention will be described while referring to FIGURE

[0018] In the regulation guide 500 of the present invention, a curved concave surface on which the fiber bundle 103 can travel is formed on the upper surface of the rectangular parallelepiped main body. Specifically, a semi-circular or elliptical concave surface is formed in a cross-section perpendicular to the traveling direction of the fiber bundle 103.

[0019] A pair of air outlets 502 are provided in the concave surface of the regulation guide 500. The air outlets 502 are preferably provided at positions facing each other with the traveling fiber bundle 103 sandwiched therebetween in a cross-section perpendicular to the traveling direction of the fiber bundle 103. Air can be evenly blown onto the fiber bundle 103, and it becomes possible to maintain a non-contact state with the concave surface. Since the fiber bundle 103 can travel in a non-contact state with the concave surface, the speed reduction due to friction with the regulation guide 500 is eliminated, and the generation of flyers due to contact with the regulation guide 500 can also be prevented.

[0020] It is desirable to provide one or more sets of air outlets 502 along the traveling direction of the fiber bundle 103. Among them, it is preferable that the air outlets 502 are provided at equal intervals along the traveling direction of the fiber bundle 103. By blowing out air at equal intervals, the non-contact state of the fiber bundle 103 can be continuously maintained.

[0021] The regulation guide 500 may be in a form that can control the traveling of the fiber speed 103 by providing the air outlet 502. The overall form of the regulation guide 500 may be rectangular, circular, elliptical, etc., but in order to form a concave surface and apply a large amount of air in the traveling direction of the fiber bundle 103 to enhance the position regulation of the fiber bundle 103, it is preferably rectangular. Also, the material of the regulation guide 500 is not particularly limited, and metals, resins, ceramics, etc. can be used. Among them, it is preferably made of resin from the viewpoints of processability and handling.

[0022] In the present invention, it is preferable that the pair of air outlets 502 are provided symmetrically with respect to the center line in the width direction of the regulating guide 500. Furthermore, the minimum distance W2 [mm] between opposing air outlets 502 is wider than the width W1 [mm] of the fiber bundle 103, and it is preferable that W2 / W1 = 1.5 to 2.0. Here, the width W1 [mm] of the fiber bundle is the length in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle 103. If W2 / W1 is less than 1.5, the time it takes for the air blown from the air outlets 102 to reach the center of the fiber bundle 103 is short due to the misalignment of the travel position, and the time until the fiber bundle 103 is controlled by air is short. If W2 / W1 is greater than 2, the travel distance of the fiber bundle 103 is wide, so the misalignment of the controlled travel position becomes large, and the stability of the amount of resin deposited cannot be ensured. Preferably, W2 / W1 = 1.6 to 1.8, and more preferably, W2 / W1 = 1.7.

[0023] The fiber bundle 103 travels near the widthwise center (centerline) of the regulating guide 500, and is kept from contacting the concave surface of the regulating guide 500 by the air 110 blown out from the air outlet 502 (Figure 2(a)). If the fiber bundle 103 deviates from the widthwise center (centerline) of the regulating guide 500, it will attempt to contact the concave surface, and the air 110 blown out from the air outlet 502 will attempt to push it back to a position near the widthwise center (centerline) of the regulating guide 500 (Figure 2(b)). In addition, because the air outlet 502 is inclined, a force is generated acting vertically upward from the concave surface (especially near the bottom surface near the widthwise center (centerline) of the regulating guide 500), causing it to lift off the concave surface and making it easier to maintain a non-contact state with the concave surface.

[0024] The fiber bundle 103 used in the present invention is not particularly limited and includes carbon fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers, boron fibers, alumina fibers, graphite fibers, etc., and it is also possible to use a fiber bundle with two or more of these mixed together. Among these, it is preferable to include carbon fibers in order to exhibit high mechanical properties and ease of designing those properties.

[0025] The positional relationship between the regulatory guide and the fiber bundle in this invention will be explained using Figure 2.

[0026] The fiber bundle 103 travels in a non-contact manner along the center of the regulating guide 500 in the width direction. As shown in Figure 3(a), the air outlet 502 may be parallel to the center of the regulating guide 500 in the width direction, provided that they are in a symmetrical positional relationship, or as shown in Figure 3(b), it may be shaped like the Japanese character "ハ" (ha) with respect to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle 103 (the distance between the downstream outlet and the center line is narrower than the distance between the upstream outlet and the center line in the direction of travel of the fiber bundle 103).

[0027] Preferably, the air outlet 502 is provided at an angle toward the center in the width direction of the main body, rather than being positioned vertically upward from the regulating guide 500. Because the air outlet 502 is at an angle, when the blown air hits the fiber bundle 103, a force is applied toward the center in the width direction of the regulating guide 500, making it possible to correct the position of the fiber bundle 103 toward the width center without it coming into contact with the concave surface.

[0028] In this invention, it is preferable that the distance h [mm] between the fiber bundle 103 and the concave surface is 3 to 10 mm, and that the angle θ [°] between the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the fiber bundle 103 travels (direction 1) and the direction in which the air outlet 502 extends in the cut surface perpendicular to the direction in which the fiber bundle 103 travels (direction 2) is 1 ≤ (W2 - W1) / 2 - h * tanθ ≤ 3. The angle θ [°] is as shown in Figure 2(a).

[0029] If the distance h [mm] is less than 3 mm, tension fluctuations can cause the thread to loosen, making contact with the regulating guide 500 more likely and making it difficult to stably move the fiber bundle 103. If the distance h exceeds 10 mm, more air is needed to regulate the movement position of the fiber bundle 103, which disturbs the surrounding airflow and may worsen the movement position of adjacent fiber bundles. A distance h of 5 to 8 mm is more preferable.

[0030] If (W2-W1) / 2-h*tanθ<1, the force exerted by the air on the fiber bundle 103 in the width direction of the regulating guide 500 becomes stronger, making it easier for the fiber bundle 103 to become distorted and crushed.

[0031] If (W2-W1) / 2-h*tanθ>3, the force exerted by the air on the fiber bundle 103 in the width direction of the regulating guide 500 weakens, making it impossible to maintain a non-contact state with respect to the concave surface. For example, a large upward force acts on the fiber bundle 103 in the direction of travel due to the air, causing the fiber bundle 103 to lift up (deviation from the regulating guide 500). More preferably, 1.5≦(W2-W1) / 2-h*tanθ≦2.5.

[0032] In the opening of the air outlet 502 of the present invention, it is preferable that the length L1 [mm] along the direction of travel of the fiber bundle 103 is 50% or more and 150% or less of the width W1 [mm] of the fiber bundle 103.

[0033] If the length L1 [mm] is less than 50% of W1 [mm], the area of ​​air in contact with the fiber bundle 103 is small, resulting in poor adjustment of the travel position. If the length L1 [mm] exceeds 150% of W1 [mm], the amount of air discharged increases, disturbing the surrounding airflow, making it impossible to maintain a constant travel position for the fiber bundle 103. Furthermore, if multiple regulating guides 500 and fiber bundles 103 are present, this affects the travel of other fiber bundles 103. The length L1 [mm] is preferably 80% to 120% of the width W1 [mm] of the fiber bundle 103, and more preferably 100%.

[0034] It is preferable to adjust the airflow rate so that the amount of air blown out from the air outlet 502 is between 50 L / min and 700 L / min. If the airflow rate is 50 L / min or less, the force exerted by the air on the moving fiber bundle 103 towards the center of the regulating guide 500 is small, and the travel position of the fiber bundle 103 may not be able to be restricted toward the center of the regulating guide 500. On the other hand, if the airflow rate is 700 L / min or more, the force exerted by the air on the moving fiber bundle 103 towards the center of the regulating guide 500 is large, and the travel position of the fiber bundle 103 moves quickly toward the center of the regulating guide 500, and it may take time for the travel position to stabilize.

[0035] The air outlet 502 is in communication with the air outlet channel 503 provided within the regulating guide 500, as shown in the cross-sectional view in Figure 2(a). Air can be continuously blown out, but it is also possible to control the blowing out intermittently by external instructions from a timer or sensor. Continuous discharge is preferable to suppress the amount of displacement of the travel position of the fiber bundle 103.

[0036] The inner surface of the air outlet channel 503 connected to the air outlet is preferably machined. The surface roughness of the inner surface is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of stabilizing the flow of the discharged air, the surface roughness measured according to JIS B0601:2001 is preferably Ra = 5 to 20 μm, and more preferably Ra = 10 μm.

[0037] The present invention relates to a resin-impregnated fiber manufacturing apparatus comprising a plurality of fiber bundle bobbins made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction, an unwinding means for unwinding fiber bundles from each fiber bundle bobbin, and a resin impregnation means for impregnating the fiber bundles with liquid resin, characterized in that regulating guides are arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the resin impregnation means.

[0038] The resin impregnation apparatus using the regulatory guide in the present invention will be explained with reference to Figure 4.

[0039] It is important that the system includes a winding means 100 responsible for the winding process of the fiber bundle 103 from the fiber bundle bobbin 101, a regulating guide 500 for regulating the travel position of the fiber bundle 103 sent from the fiber bundle bobbin 101, and a resin impregnation process 400 for applying and impregnating the fiber bundle with resin. The regulating guide unit 500 allows the travel position of the fiber bundle 103 to be determined without contact with the regulating guide, thereby improving fiber damage caused by the accumulation of lint on the regulating guide 500. Furthermore, since the fiber bundle 103 passes through the resin impregnation process without deforming due to contact with the regulating guide 500, the amount of resin applied can be stabilized. As a result, the quality and performance of the product can be maintained even when the fiber bundle 103 passes through continuously.

[0040] Furthermore, the fiber bundle bobbin 101 is a wound material 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 drawn out from the fiber bundle bobbin 101. In addition, the fiber bundle 103 can be in the form of roving or cloth, but for applications requiring particularly high strength, it is especially preferable to use roving in which the fibers are aligned in a single direction.

[0041] In this invention, a kiss coater method is preferred for impregnating the fiber bundle with liquid resin. A portion of the lower outer circumference of the resin impregnation roller 402 is immersed in liquid resin 405 stored in the resin impregnation tank 401, and the resin impregnation roller 402 rotates in the direction of arrow 406, which is in the same direction as the conveying direction 407 of the fiber bundle 103. A scraper 408 is positioned on the resin impregnation roller 402 at a predetermined gap, and the scraper 408 adjusts the resin picked up by the resin impregnation roller 402 to a constant film thickness. Then, the resin impregnation roller 402 with a certain 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 it into the fiber bundle and obtaining a resin-impregnated fiber bundle.

[0042] Here, thermosetting resins can be used as examples of liquid resin 405, including epoxy resins, unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl ester resins, and polyurethane resins. In particular, when obtaining the required heat resistance and environmental resistance, an epoxy resin composition containing epoxy resin and a curing agent is preferable. Furthermore, a curing catalyst can be added as appropriate to shorten the curing time.

[0043] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing resin-impregnated fibers, comprising at least a winding step of winding fiber bundles from each fiber bundle bobbin, in which a plurality of fiber bundle bobbins made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction are arranged, and a resin impregnation step of impregnating the fiber bundles with a liquid resin, wherein regulating guides are arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the resin impregnation step, and the liquid resin is impregnated into the fiber bundles. [Industrial applicability]

[0044] The thread 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 prepregs and filament winding molding methods. These intermediate materials and molding methods are particularly suitable for use in aircraft, sports, and general industrial applications, and in general industrial applications, they are suitable for civil engineering and construction materials such as drive shafts, pressure vessels, flywheels, papermaking rollers, roofing materials, cables, reinforcing bars, and repair and reinforcement materials. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] 1, 2 Thread feeding device 100 Fiber bundle delivery means 101 (101a, 101b) Bobbin 103 (103a, 103b) Fiber bundle 200 Comb parts 400 Resin-impregnated section 401 Resin impregnation tank 402 Resin-impregnated roller 403a, 403b Guide rollers 405 Liquid resin 408 Scraper 500 Regulatory Guide 502 Air vent 503 Flow channel

Claims

1. A restricting guide positioned on a fiber bundle's travel path to restrict the fiber bundle's travel position, wherein the restricting guide has a curved concave surface, and is provided with one or more air outlets within the concave surface, and the fiber bundle and the concave surface are in non-contact due to the air blown out from the air outlets.

2. The regulatory guide according to claim 1, characterized in that the air outlets are provided symmetrically with respect to a center line parallel to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle when viewed from above with respect to the concave surface, and the distance W2 [mm] between the air outlets is in a relationship of W2 / W1 = 1.5 to 2.0 with respect to the width W1 [mm] of the fiber bundle.

3. The regulatory guide according to claim 2, characterized in that the distance h [mm] between the fiber bundle and the concave surface is 3 to 10 mm, and the angle θ [°] between direction 1 and direction 2 in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle (direction 1) and the direction in which the air outlet extends in the cut surface perpendicular to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle (direction 2) is such that 1 ≤ (W2 - W1) / 2 - h * tanθ ≤ 3.

4. The regulatory guide according to claim 2, wherein the air outlet has a rectangular opening, and the length L1 [mm] of the opening parallel to the direction of travel of the fiber bundle is 50% or more and 150% or less of the width W1 [mm] of the fiber bundle.

5. A resin-impregnated fiber manufacturing apparatus comprising a plurality of fiber bundle bobbins made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction, an unwinding means for unwinding fiber bundles from each fiber bundle bobbin, and a resin impregnation means for impregnating the fiber bundles with liquid resin, wherein A manufacturing apparatus for resin-impregnated fibers, characterized in that the regulatory guide described in any one of claims 1 to 4 is arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the resin-impregnation means.

6. A method for manufacturing resin-impregnated fibers, comprising at least a winding step of winding fiber bundles from each fiber bundle bobbin, wherein multiple fiber bundle bobbins made of continuous fibers oriented in one direction are arranged, and a resin impregnation step of impregnating the fiber bundles with a liquid resin, A method for producing resin-impregnated fibers, characterized by arranging the regulatory guide described in any one of claims 1 to 4 on the upstream and downstream sides of the resin impregnation process.

7. The method for producing resin-impregnated fibers according to claim 6, characterized in that the regulating guides on the upstream and downstream sides of the resin impregnation process can independently control the flow rate of the air.

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