Tank manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a tank manufacturing method capable of suppressing deviation of a winding angle of fibers with respect to a central axis of the tank.SOLUTION: A tank manufacturing method includes a winding process for winding a fiber bundle 14a supplied from a fiber supply section 220 on an outside of a liner 15 while moving the fiber supply section 220 of a winding device 2 and the cylindrical liner 15 of a tank relatively in a direction parallel to a central axis A of the liner 15. In the winding process of the tank manufacturing method according to the present disclosure, a tension angle of the fiber bundle 14a tensioned between the liner 15 and the fiber supply section 220 with respect to the central axis A is detected, and at least one of a movement speed of the liner 15 and a fiber winding speed is controlled to maintain the tension angle at a predetermined angle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a tank. [Background technology]

[0002] There are known inventions relating to filament winding methods. For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a filament winding method in which fibers are wound around a tank having a dome portion (ibid., Abstract, etc.). This conventional filament winding method includes a helical winding step in which the fibers are wound helically around the tank, and this helical winding step includes the following first and second steps.

[0003] The first step is to obtain data including the folded diameter of the fiber in the dome portion of the tank and the winding angle of the fiber in the dome portion. The second step is to compare the data obtained in the first step with reference data including the reference folded diameter of the fiber in the dome portion of the tank and the reference winding angle of the fiber in the dome portion, and to judge whether the winding position of the fiber in the dome portion is good or bad.

[0004] According to this conventional filament winding method, the winding position of the fiber in the dome portion can be grasped not only after the helical winding process is completed but also during the helical winding process, making it easy to detect defective products (ibid., paragraph 0009).

[0005] Furthermore, there are known inventions relating to braiding machines. For example, the braiding machine described in the following Patent Document 2 has a face plate, a carrier, and an outer peripheral inner surface portion (Patent Document 2, claim 1, paragraph 0006, etc.).

[0006] The face plate is formed in an annular shape around a passage hole through which the braided body, which is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, can pass in the axial direction. The carrier is disposed radially outward of the passage hole in the face plate, and moves substantially in the circumferential direction of the face plate while supplying the wire material to the outer peripheral surface of the braided body, thereby braiding the wire material on the outer peripheral surface of the braided body.

[0007] The outer peripheral inner surface includes a curved surface and a guide track. The curved surface is provided at a portion radially outward of the face plate from the passage hole in the face plate, and is provided around the outer peripheral surface of the braided body in the circumferential direction, and is curved so that the shortest distance to the braiding start position where the wire material begins to be braided is substantially the same at every portion. The guide track is formed along the curved surface, and supports the multiple carriers so as to be movable in the substantially circumferential direction of the face plate.

[0008] This conventional braiding machine has the excellent effect of suppressing variations in tension of the wires while preventing wear and breakage of the wires (Patent Document 2, paragraph 0008). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-233852 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2021-050433 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] In the conventional filament winding method and braiding machine, the fibers are wound around the outside of the tank liner to form a fiber-reinforced resin layer. However, there is a risk that the winding angle of the fibers relative to the central axis of the tank may be shifted due to, for example, variations in the fiber tex or the outer diameter of the liner.

[0011] The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a tank that can suppress deviation in the winding angle of the fibers relative to the central axis of the tank as described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] A method for manufacturing a tank according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a winding process in which fibers supplied from a fiber supply unit are wound around the outside of a cylindrical liner of a tank while moving a fiber supply unit of a winding device and the cylindrical liner of the tank relatively in a direction parallel to the central axis of the liner, and the winding process detects a tensile angle of the fiber, to which tension is applied between the liner and the fiber supply unit, with respect to the central axis, and controls at least one of the moving speed of the liner and the winding speed of the fiber so as to maintain the tensile angle at a predetermined angle.

[0013] In the tank manufacturing method of the above aspect, the winding device may be a braiding machine, and in the winding process, the winding speed may be controlled by controlling the rotational speed of the fiber supply unit that rotates circumferentially around the liner.

[0014] In the tank manufacturing method of the above aspect, the winding device may be a filament winding device, and in the winding step, the fiber may be wound helically around the outside of the liner.

[0015] In the tank manufacturing method of the above aspect, the winding device may be a filament winding device, and in the winding step, the fiber supply unit may be fixed and the liner may be moved and rotated. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the above-described aspects of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a tank can be provided that can suppress deviation of the winding angle of the fiber relative to the central axis of the tank by controlling at least one of the liner movement speed and the fiber winding speed so as to maintain the pulling angle at a predetermined angle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a tank manufactured by a first embodiment of a tank manufacturing method according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing steps of a manufacturing method for the tank of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a manufacturing device used in the winding process of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of the winding device shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the winding device shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 5 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the winding device shown in FIG. [Figure 7] An example of a light-shielded image of the laser transmission sensor, which is the tensile angle sensor shown in Figure 2. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing steps of a second embodiment of a method for manufacturing a tank according to the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the winding step shown in FIG. 8 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a manufacturing method for a tank according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] [Embodiment 1] 1 is a plan view showing a part of a tank 10 manufactured by a first embodiment of a manufacturing method for a tank according to the present disclosure. The tank 10 manufactured by the manufacturing method of this embodiment is used, for example, as a high-pressure hydrogen tank mounted on a vehicle such as a fuel cell vehicle or a hydrogen engine vehicle. Note that the use of the tank 10 is not particularly limited, and the tank 10 may be filled with other gases or liquids.

[0020] The tank 10 has, for example, a cylindrical middle portion 11, a dome-shaped end portion 12, and a cylindrical reduced diameter portion 13. The middle portion 11 is located between both ends 12, 12 of the tank 10 in a direction parallel to the central axis A of the tank 10. Each end portion 12 is provided at one end and the other end of the middle portion 11 in a direction parallel to the central axis A of the tank 10, and has a hemispherical or semi-elliptical spherical shape whose diameter decreases with increasing distance from the middle portion 11. The reduced diameter portion 13 is, for example, provided on the opposite side to the middle portion 11 at least one end portion 12 of the tank 10, and is a cylindrical portion whose diameter is the smallest in the tank 10, and has an opening at its tip.

[0021] The tank 10 is composed of, for example, a fiber-reinforced resin layer 14, and a liner and a nozzle, which are not shown in FIG. 1. The fiber-reinforced resin layer 14 is composed of, for example, a fiber bundle 14a wound around the outside of the liner, and a hardening resin impregnated into the fiber bundle 14a and hardened. For example, reinforcing fibers such as carbon fiber or glass fiber are used as the fiber bundle 14a. For example, a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin is used as the hardening resin. Note that, in FIG. 1, the hardening resin is not shown in order to clearly show how the fiber bundle 14a is wound.

[0022] 1, a liner is an inner container made of a material having a barrier property against the fluid filled in the tank, such as a resin or an aluminum alloy, and has a shape corresponding to the tank 10. A nozzle, not shown, is, for example, a metal member attached to at least the tip of the reduced diameter portion 13 of the tank 10, and is connected to a manifold for filling the tank 10 with a fluid supplied from the outside and for supplying the fluid filled in the tank 10 to the outside.

[0023] Hereinafter, the manufacturing method of the tank of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2 to Fig. 7. Fig. 2 is a flow diagram showing an example of the manufacturing method M1 of the tank of this embodiment. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the manufacturing device 1 used in the winding step S12 of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 to 6 are a front view, a plan view, and a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the winding device 2 shown in Fig. 3, respectively.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, a manufacturing method M1 of a tank in this embodiment includes, for example, a liner preparation step S11, a winding step S12, and an RTM step S13.

[0025] The liner preparation step S11 is, for example, a step of preparing the liner 15 (see FIG. 5) so that the fiber bundle 14a can be wound around the outside of the liner 15. More specifically, in the liner preparation step S11, the liner 15 having a shape corresponding to the tank 10 is prepared, and a nozzle or a part for supporting the liner 15 is attached to the liner 15 as necessary.

[0026] The winding step S12 is, for example, as shown in Fig. 5, a step of winding a fiber bundle 14a, which is the fibers supplied from the fiber supply unit 220, around the outside of the liner 15 while relatively moving the fiber supply unit 220 of the winding device 2 and the cylindrical liner 15 of the tank 10 in a direction parallel to the central axis A of the liner 15. The winding step S12 can be performed, for example, by a manufacturing apparatus 1 as shown in Fig. 3. The configuration of each part of the manufacturing apparatus 1 for performing the winding step S12 will be described later.

[0027] In the winding process S12, a tension angle θ (see FIG. 7) of the fiber supplied from the fiber supply unit 220 of the winding device 2 to the liner 15 is detected, and at least one of the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber is controlled so as to maintain the tension angle θ at a predetermined angle. The tension angle θ is an angle that the fiber bundle 14a, to which tension is applied between the liner 15 and the fiber supply unit 220, makes with respect to the central axis A of the liner 15.

[0028] Furthermore, the predetermined angle, which is the control target value of the tensile angle θ in the winding process S12, is set in advance, for example, according to the diameter based on the design specifications of the liner 15 from one end to the other end of the liner 15 in the direction parallel to the central axis A of the liner 15. Furthermore, the predetermined angle, which is the control target value of the tensile angle θ, may be set to a different value for each layer of the fiber bundles 14a that constitute the fiber reinforced resin layer 14, for example.

[0029] The RTM step S13 is a step of, for example, impregnating the fiber bundle 14a wound around the liner 15 with a curable resin and curing the resin to form the fiber reinforced resin layer 14 that covers the outside of the liner 15. In the RTM step S13, the fiber reinforced resin layer 14 is formed by, for example, a resin transfer molding (RTM) method. More specifically, in the RTM step S13, for example, the liner 15 around which the fiber bundle 14a is wound is placed in a cavity of a mold, the mold is closed, and liquid curable resin is injected into the cavity from a resin injection port of the mold to impregnate the fiber bundle 14a with the liquid curable resin. Thereafter, the resin impregnated in the fiber bundle 14a is cured by heating or cooling to form the fiber reinforced resin layer 14.

[0030] The configuration of each part of the manufacturing apparatus 1 for performing the winding step S12 will be described in detail below. As shown in Fig. 3, the manufacturing apparatus 1 includes, for example, a winding device 2, a tensile angle sensor 3, and a control unit 4.

[0031] As the winding device 2, for example, a braiding machine as shown in Figures 4 to 6 can be used. The winding device 2, which is a braiding machine, includes, for example, a face plate 210, a fiber supply unit 220, and a guide track 230. Although not shown, the winding device 2 also includes a movement mechanism that supports the liner 15 and moves it in a direction parallel to the central axis A.

[0032] The face plate 210 is an annular member having a through hole 211 at the center through which the liner 15 passes in a direction parallel to the central axis A, as shown in Fig. 4. The face plate 210 has a bowl-like concave shape as a whole, and an inner surface 212 and an outer surface 213 are each partially spherical, as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Although not shown, a drive mechanism for moving a plurality of carriers 221, which will be described later, along a guide track 230 is provided inside the face plate 210.

[0033] The fiber supplying unit 220 is composed of, for example, a plurality of carriers 221. Each carrier 221 has a rotatably supported bobbin, and the fiber bundle 14a to be wound around the outside of the liner 15 is wound around the bobbin. The fiber supplying unit 220 supplies the fiber bundle 14a from each carrier 221 to the outer periphery of the liner 15, for example, in the winding step S12.

[0034] The guide track 230 is formed, for example, in a groove shape on the inner surface 212 of the face plate 210 around the entire circumference of the passage hole 211, and supports the multiple carriers 221 of the fiber supply unit 220 so that they can move along the guide track 230. The guide track 230 has, for example, a pair of tolerance tracks 231 and a pair of parallel tracks 232.

[0035] Each of the pair of tolerance tracks 231 is provided in a sine wave shape with a phase difference of 180 degrees along the circumferential direction of the annular face plate 210, and intersects with each other. That is, each tolerance track 231 is provided in a continuous wave shape around the entire circumference of the face plate 210, reciprocating between the inside and outside in the radial direction of the annular face plate 210, and is alternately arranged on the inside and outside in the radial direction.

[0036] Each of the pair of parallel tracks 232 is provided concentrically on the inner and outer sides in the radial direction of the annular face plate 210, with the center being common to the center of the circular through hole 211 of the face plate 210. In the radial direction of the annular face plate 210, the inner parallel track 232 connects multiple vertices located on the radial inner side of the pair of tolerance tracks 231, and the outer parallel track 232 connects multiple vertices located on the radial outer side of the pair of tolerance tracks 231.

[0037] In the winding process S12, the drive mechanism provided inside the surface plate 210 moves, for example, some of the multiple carriers 221 in one direction in the circumferential direction of the surface plate 210 along one tolerance track 231 of a pair of tolerance tracks 231. In addition, the drive mechanism moves, for example, the remaining carriers 221 of the multiple carriers 221 in the opposite direction to the one direction in the circumferential direction of the surface plate 210 along the other tolerance track 231 of the pair of tolerance tracks 231.

[0038] As a result, the multiple fiber bundles 14a supplied from the multiple carriers 221 to the outer periphery of the liner 15 are wound by braiding around the outside of the liner 15 from the tip of the reduced diameter section 13 of the tank 10 to one end of the intermediate section 11, as shown in Fig. 1 for example. Here, braiding is a winding method in which the multiple fiber bundles 14a are braided and wound around the outer periphery of the liner 15 so that they cross each other.

[0039] In addition, in the winding process S12, the drive mechanism provided inside the surface plate 210 moves, for example, some of the multiple carriers 221 in one direction in the circumferential direction of the surface plate 210 along one parallel track 232 of the pair of parallel tracks 232. In addition, the drive mechanism moves, for example, the remaining carriers 221 of the multiple carriers 221 in the opposite direction to the one direction in the circumferential direction of the surface plate 210 along the other parallel track 232 of the pair of parallel tracks 232.

[0040] As a result, the multiple fiber bundles 14a supplied from the multiple carriers 221 to the outer periphery of the liner 15 are helically wound around the outside of the liner 15 from one end to the other end of the middle section 11 of the tank 10, as shown in Fig. 1 for example. Here, helical winding refers to a winding method in which the multiple fiber bundles 14a are wound around the outer periphery of the liner 15 at a predetermined angle inclined with respect to the central axis A of the tank 10. The helical winding includes, for example, low-angle helical winding and high-angle helical winding.

[0041] Low-angle helical winding is, for example, a winding method in which the inclination angle of the fiber bundle 14a with respect to the central axis A of the tank 10 is 45 degrees or less, and the fiber bundle 14a is wound so as to span from one end 12 of the tank 10 to the other end. High-angle helical winding is, for example, a winding method in which the inclination angle of the fiber bundle 14a with respect to the central axis A of the tank 10 is greater than 45 degrees, and the fiber bundle 14a is wound at an angle between hoop winding and low-angle helical winding. Note that hoop winding is a winding method in which the fiber bundle 14a is wound around the middle portion 11 of the tank 10 at an inclination angle of the fiber bundle 14a with respect to the central axis A of the tank 10 close to 90 degrees.

[0042] As the tensile angle sensor 3 of the manufacturing apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 3, for example, a transmission type laser sensor shown in Fig. 5 can be used. The tensile angle sensor 3, which is a transmission type laser sensor, includes, for example, a light projector 31, a light receiver 32, and an angle detection unit 33. The light projector 31 and the light receiver 32 are arranged, for example, facing each other on both sides of a winding start position S of the fiber bundle 14a supplied from the fiber supply unit 220 of the winding device 2 to the outer periphery of the liner 15. The winding start position S is, for example, a position where winding of the fiber bundle 14a starts on the outer side of the liner 15, and is located all around the liner 15.

[0043] 5, with the central axis A of the liner 15 of the tank 10 aligned with the center line of the passage hole 211 of the face plate 210 of the winding device 2, the distance from the winding start position S to the face plate 210 is maintained at a substantially constant distance in order to maintain a predetermined pulling angle θ, which will be described later. In the winding process S12, the liner 15 moves away from the face plate 210 of the winding device 2 in a direction parallel to the central axis A, so that the fiber bundle 14a is wound around the outside of the liner 15 from one end of the liner 15 to the other end.

[0044] The tensile angle sensor 3 receives, for example, a laser light irradiated from the projector 31 by the receiver 32. At this time, a part of the laser light irradiated from the projector 31 is blocked by the fiber bundle 14a, which is the fiber before winding to which tension has been applied between the liner 15 and the fiber supply unit 220 of the winding device 2. The tensile angle sensor 3 generates a light-blocking image based on, for example, the laser light irradiated from the projector 31 and received by the receiver 32, and the laser light irradiated from the projector 31 and then blocked by the fiber bundle 14a and not received by the receiver 32.

[0045] Fig. 7 is an example of a light-shielded image G of the tensile angle sensor 3, which is a laser transmission sensor shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5. The angle detection unit 33 of the tensile angle sensor 3 shown in Fig. 5 may be equipped with, for example, a monitor that displays the light-shielded image G as shown in Fig. 7. The angle detection unit 33 is, for example, a computer equipped with a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory, and measures the tensile angle θ of the fiber bundle 14a from the light-shielded image G by executing a program stored in the memory.

[0046] More specifically, the angle detection unit 33 is connected to at least the light receiver 32, and displays, for example, a light-shielded image G on the display area of ​​the monitor according to the presence or absence of light reception in the light receiving area of ​​the light receiver 32 that receives the laser light irradiated from the projector 31. The angle detection unit 33 generates the light-shielded image G as shown in Fig. 7 by, for example, coloring the display area of ​​the monitor corresponding to the light receiving area of ​​the light receiver 32 that has received the laser light white and coloring the display area of ​​the monitor corresponding to the light receiving area of ​​the light receiver 32 that has not received the laser light black.

[0047] Furthermore, the angle detection unit 33 detects, for example, a boundary line B between a lower region where light is blocked by the fiber bundle 14a and an upper region where light is not blocked by the fiber bundle 14a in the light-blocked image G. The angle detection unit 33 detects the inclination angle of the boundary line B with respect to a preset reference line R as a tensile angle θ. Note that in the angle detection unit 33, the reference line R is set so as to be parallel to the central axis A of the liner 15. As described above, the tensile angle sensor 3 detects the tensile angle θ with respect to the central axis A of the fiber bundle 14a, which is the fiber before being wound around the liner 15, to which tension is applied between the liner 15 and the fiber supply unit 220 of the winding device 2.

[0048] The tensile angle sensor 3 is not limited to a transmission type laser sensor as long as it is a sensor that can detect the tensile angle θ of the fiber, that is, the angle that the fiber to which tension is applied between the liner 15 and the fiber supply unit 220 makes with respect to the central axis A in a plane including the central axis A of the liner 15. For example, the tensile angle sensor 3 can also be an imaging device such as a CCD camera or another laser sensor.

[0049] 3 is configured with, for example, one or more microcontrollers equipped with a CPU, a memory, a timer, and an input / output unit. The control unit 4 acquires the tensile angle θ from the tensile angle sensor 3 in the winding step S12 described above. The control unit 4 also controls at least one of the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber bundle 14a, i.e., the winding speed of the fibers, so as to maintain the tensile angle θ at a predetermined angle.

[0050] More specifically, the control unit 4, for example, is connected to the winding device 2, and controls a movement mechanism of the winding device 2 that supports the liner 15 and moves it in a direction parallel to the central axis A, thereby increasing or decreasing the movement speed of the liner 15 in the direction parallel to the central axis A, and maintaining the tension angle θ at a predetermined angle. That is, the control unit 4 maintains the tension angle θ, which is a controlled variable, at a predetermined angle by, for example, feedback control using the movement speed of the liner 15 in the direction parallel to the central axis A as the manipulated variable.

[0051] The control unit 4 also controls, for example, a drive mechanism provided inside the face plate 210 of the winding device 2, which is a braiding machine, to rotate each carrier 221 of the fiber supplying unit 220 in the circumferential direction around the liner 15. More specifically, the control unit 4 controls the drive mechanism of the winding device 2 to increase or decrease the rotation speed of each carrier 221 of the fiber supplying unit 220 that rotates in the circumferential direction around the liner 15, thereby increasing or decreasing the winding speed of the fiber and maintaining the pulling angle θ at a predetermined angle. That is, the control unit 4 maintains the pulling angle θ, which is a controlled variable, at a predetermined angle by, for example, feedback control using the rotation speed of the fiber supplying unit 220 as the manipulated variable. The winding speed of the fiber can also be referred to as the supply speed of the fiber.

[0052] The operation of the tank manufacturing method M1 of this embodiment will be described below.

[0053] As described above, in the conventional filament winding method or braiding machine, fibers are wound around the outside of the tank liner to form a fiber-reinforced resin layer. However, for example, if there is variation in the tex of the fibers or the outer diameter of the liner, there is a risk that the winding angle of the fibers with respect to the central axis of the tank will deviate even if the winding conditions of the fibers around the liner are constant.

[0054] In contrast, the tank manufacturing method M1 of this embodiment has a winding step S12 as shown in FIG. 2. The winding step S12 is a step of winding the fiber bundle 14a, which is the fiber supplied from the fiber supplying part 220, around the outside of the liner 15 while moving the fiber supplying part 220 of the winding device 2 and the cylindrical liner 15 of the tank 10 relatively in a direction parallel to the central axis A of the liner 15. In the tank manufacturing method M1 of this embodiment, in the winding step S12, the tensile angle θ of the fiber bundle 14a, which is given tension between the liner 15 and the fiber supplying part 220, with respect to the central axis A is detected. Furthermore, in the tank manufacturing method M1 of this embodiment, in the winding step S12, at least one of the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber bundle 14a is controlled so as to maintain the tensile angle θ at a predetermined angle.

[0055] With this configuration, the tank manufacturing method M1 of the present embodiment can maintain the fiber tensile angle θ at a predetermined angle even if there is variation in the tex of the fibers contained in the fiber bundle 14a or in the outer diameter of the liner 15. As a result, the fiber winding angle, which depends on the fiber tensile angle θ, i.e., the angle of the fibers wound around the liner 15 with respect to the central axis A, can be maintained at a predetermined angle, and the fibers can be wound around the liner 15 with high precision and stability, thereby improving the quality of the tank 10.

[0056] More specifically, for example, when there is variation in the tex of the fibers contained in the fiber bundle 14a or variation in the outer diameter of the liner 15, the pulling angle θ may vary from a predetermined angle even if the moving speed of the liner 15 or the winding speed of the fibers is constant. When the pulling angle θ of the fibers varies from a predetermined angle, the winding angle of the fibers wound around the liner 15 varies from the predetermined angle, which may reduce the accuracy of winding the fibers around the liner 15 and degrade the quality of the tank 10.

[0057] In contrast, in the tank manufacturing method M1 of this embodiment, in the winding step S12, the tensile angle θ of the fiber is detected, and at least one of the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber is controlled so as to maintain the tensile angle θ at a predetermined angle. In other words, when the tensile angle θ decreases below the predetermined angle, the moving speed of the liner 15 is decreased, the winding speed of the fiber is increased, or the moving speed of the liner 15 is decreased and the winding speed of the fiber is increased. In this way, the winding start position S of the fiber bundle 14a is moved closer to the winding device 2, and the tensile angle θ can be increased to the predetermined angle.

[0058] On the other hand, when the tensile angle θ of the fiber increases beyond the predetermined angle, the moving speed of the liner 15 is increased, the winding speed of the fiber is decreased, or the moving speed of the liner 15 is increased and the winding speed of the fiber is decreased. This allows the winding start position S of the fiber bundle 14a to be moved away from the winding device 2, and the tensile angle θ to be decreased to the predetermined angle. Therefore, according to the manufacturing method M1 of the tank of this embodiment, even if there is variation in the tex of the fiber contained in the fiber bundle 14a or the outer diameter of the liner 15, the tensile angle θ of the fiber is maintained at the predetermined angle, and the winding angle of the fiber is maintained at the predetermined angle, so that a high-quality tank 10 can be provided.

[0059] In addition, in the tank manufacturing method M1 of this embodiment, the winding device 2 is a braiding machine, and in the winding process S12, the winding speed of the fiber is controlled by controlling the rotational speed of the fiber supply section 220 that rotates circumferentially around the liner 15.

[0060] With this configuration, the tank manufacturing method M1 of the present embodiment can maintain the fiber tension angle θ at a predetermined angle and the winding angle of the fiber with respect to the central axis A of the liner 15 at a predetermined angle when the fiber bundles 14a are braided on the outside of the liner 15. Therefore, the quality of the tank 10 having the fiber reinforced resin layer 14 including the layer of the fiber bundles 14a braided on the outside of the liner 15 can be improved.

[0061] It should be noted that by maintaining the tensile angle θ within a predetermined angle range, for example, within ±1 degree of the target angle, a tank 10 of higher quality can be provided. In this case, the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber can be controlled within a range of, for example, about ±10% of the standard speed. From the viewpoint of improving the productivity of the tank 10, it is preferable to increase the winding speed of the fiber to the maximum speed at which the tensile angle θ can be maintained at the predetermined angle, and to control the moving speed of the liner 15 while maintaining the winding speed of the fiber at the maximum speed to maintain the tensile angle θ at the predetermined angle.

[0062] As described above, according to this embodiment, by controlling at least one of the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber so as to maintain the tensile angle θ at a predetermined angle, a tank manufacturing method M1 can be provided that can suppress deviation of the winding angle of the fiber relative to the central axis A of the tank 10.

[0063] [Embodiment 2] Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the tank manufacturing method according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, with reference to Fig. 3 used in the description of the tank manufacturing method M1 of the first embodiment. Fig. 8 is a flow diagram showing each step of the tank manufacturing method M2 of the present embodiment. Fig. 9 is an explanatory diagram of the winding step S22 shown in Fig. 8.

[0064] 8, the tank manufacturing method M2 of the present embodiment includes, for example, a liner preparation step S21, a winding step S22, and a curing step S23. The liner preparation step S21 is a step of preparing the liner 15 so that the fiber bundle 14a can be wound around the outside of the liner 15, similar to the liner preparation step S11 of the tank manufacturing method M1 of the above-described first embodiment.

[0065] The tank manufacturing method M2 of this embodiment differs from the tank manufacturing method M1 of the above-described first embodiment in the following respects. First, in the tank manufacturing method M2, a filament winding device is used as the winding device 2 in the winding step S22. Second, in the tank manufacturing method M2, the fiber bundle 14b impregnated with the curable resin is wound around the liner 15 in the winding step S22. Third, the tank manufacturing method M2 has a curing step S23 in which the curable resin impregnated in the fiber bundle 14b is cured to form the fiber reinforced resin layer 14, instead of the RTM step S13.

[0066] Other points of the manufacturing method M2 of the tank of this embodiment are the same as those of the manufacturing method M1 of the tank of the above-mentioned embodiment 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, the same parts as those of the above-mentioned embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the embodiment 1, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0067] In this embodiment, in the winding step S22, the filament winding device serving as the winding device 2 supplies the fiber bundle 14b impregnated with the curable resin from the fiber supply unit 21 shown in Fig. 9 to the outer periphery of the liner 15. In addition, the filament winding device rotates the liner 15 about the central axis A while reciprocating the liner 15 in a direction parallel to the central axis A by a moving and rotating mechanism (not shown).

[0068] In this embodiment, the control unit 4 that controls the winding device 2 controls the moving and rotating mechanism in the winding step S22 to helically wind the fiber bundle 14b impregnated with the curable resin around the outside of the liner 15. In the winding step S22, the filament winding device as the winding device 2 moves and rotates the liner 15 by the moving and rotating mechanism with the fiber supply unit 21 fixed.

[0069] In the winding step S22, the control unit 4 controls the moving speed of the liner 15 about the central axis A, for example, by controlling the moving and rotating mechanism of the winding device 2. In addition, in the winding step S22, the control unit 4 controls the winding speed of the fiber around the liner 15, for example, by controlling the moving and rotating speed of the liner 15 by the moving and rotating mechanism of the winding device 2.

[0070] In this embodiment, the same tensile angle sensor 3 as in the above-described embodiment 1 can be used. The tensile angle sensor 3 detects, for example, at least in the vertical direction, a tensile angle θ1 of the fiber bundle 14b, which is given tension between the liner 15 and the fiber supply unit 21 and is not yet wound around the liner 15, with respect to the central axis A of the liner 15. Note that the central axis A of the liner 15 is, for example, parallel to the horizontal direction.

[0071] Furthermore, the tensile angle sensor 3 may detect the tensile angle θ2 of the fiber bundle 14b with respect to the central axis A of the liner 15 from a direction parallel to the central axis A of the liner 15 in addition to the vertical direction. In this case, the tensile angle sensor 3 detects the tensile angle θ2, which is the inclination angle of the fiber bundle 14b with respect to a horizontal plane including the central axis A of the liner 15, for example.

[0072] In the winding step S22, the control unit 4 detects the tensile angle θ1 of the fiber bundle 14b with respect to the central axis A of the liner 15 from the vertical direction using, for example, the tensile angle sensor 3. Then, the control unit 4 controls at least one of the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber so as to maintain the tensile angle θ1 at a predetermined angle.

[0073] Furthermore, in the winding step S22, the control unit 4 detects the tensile angles θ1, θ2 of the fiber bundle 14b with respect to the central axis A of the liner 15 from the vertical direction and the direction parallel to the central axis A of the liner 15 using, for example, the tensile angle sensor 3. Then, the control unit 4 controls at least one of the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber so as to maintain the tensile angles θ1, θ2 at predetermined angles.

[0074] The operation of the tank manufacturing method M2 of this embodiment will be described below.

[0075] The manufacturing method M2 of the tank of this embodiment includes a winding step S22, as shown in Fig. 8. The winding step S22 is a step of winding a fiber bundle 14b, which is the fiber supplied from the fiber supplying part 21, around the outside of the liner 15 while moving the fiber supplying part 21 of the winding device 2 and the cylindrical liner 15 of the tank relatively in a direction parallel to the central axis A of the liner 15. In the manufacturing method M2 of the tank of this embodiment, in the winding step S22, a tensile angle θ1 of the fiber with respect to the central axis A to which tension is applied between the liner 15 and the fiber supplying part 21 is detected, and at least one of the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber is controlled so as to maintain the tensile angle θ1 at a predetermined angle.

[0076] With this configuration, the tank manufacturing method M2 of this embodiment can maintain the tensile angle θ1 of the fiber bundle 14b, i.e., the fiber, at a predetermined angle, as in the tank manufacturing method M1 of the above-described embodiment 1. As a result, the winding angle of the fiber, which depends on the tensile angle θ1 of the fiber, i.e., the angle of the fiber wound around the liner 15 with respect to the central axis A, can be maintained at a predetermined angle, and the fiber can be wound around the liner 15 with high precision and stability, thereby improving the quality of the tank 10.

[0077] In the tank manufacturing method M2 of this embodiment, the winding device 2 is a filament winding device. In the tank manufacturing method M2 of this embodiment, in the winding step S22, the fibers are helically wound around the outside of the liner 15. With this configuration, the tank manufacturing method M2 of this embodiment makes it possible to stabilize the winding angle of the fibers in the helical winding performed by the filament winding device, which does not easily stabilize the winding angle of the fibers, and improve the quality of the tank 10.

[0078] In the tank manufacturing method M2 of this embodiment, the winding device 2 is a filament winding device. In the tank manufacturing method M2 of this embodiment, the fiber supply unit 21 is fixed and the liner 15 is moved and rotated in the winding step S22. With this configuration, the tank manufacturing method M2 of this embodiment makes it easier to detect the fiber tensile angles θ1 and θ2 in the winding step S22 compared to when the fiber supply unit 21 is moved and rotated.

[0079] As described above, according to this embodiment, by controlling at least one of the moving speed of the liner 15 and the winding speed of the fiber so as to maintain at least the tensile angle θ1 at a predetermined angle, it is possible to provide a tank manufacturing method M2 that can suppress deviation of the winding angle of the fiber relative to the central axis A of the tank 10.

[0080] The above describes in detail an embodiment of the tank manufacturing method according to the present disclosure using the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and even if there are design changes, etc., within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure, they are included in the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 10. Tank 14a Fiber bundle (fiber) 14b Fiber bundle (fiber) 15 Raina 2 Winding device 21 Fiber Supply Section 220 Fiber Supply Department A center axis How the M1 tank is made How the M2 tank is made S12 Winding process S22 Winding process θ Pull angle θ1 Tensile angle θ2 Tensile angle

Claims

[Claim 1] a winding step of winding a fiber bundle supplied from the fiber supplying unit around the outside of a cylindrical liner of a tank while moving the fiber supplying unit of the winding device and the cylindrical liner of the tank relatively in a direction parallel to the central axis of the liner; In the winding process, a pulling angle of the fiber bundle to which tension is applied between the liner and the fiber supply unit with respect to the central axis is detected, and at least one of a moving speed of the liner and a winding speed of the fiber bundle is controlled by feedback control so as to maintain the pulling angle at a predetermined angle, The winding device is a braiding machine, In the winding step, the winding speed is controlled by controlling a rotation speed of the fiber supplying part which rotates in a circumferential direction around the liner, When the pulling angle is decreased below a predetermined angle, the moving speed of the liner is decreased, the winding speed of the fiber bundle is increased, or the moving speed of the liner is decreased and the winding speed of the fiber bundle is increased, thereby increasing the pulling angle to the predetermined angle; A method for manufacturing a tank, characterized in that, when the pulling angle increases beyond a predetermined angle, the pulling angle is reduced to the predetermined angle by increasing the moving speed of the liner, decreasing the winding speed of the fiber bundle, or increasing the moving speed of the liner and decreasing the winding speed of the fiber bundle.

Images