Fiber bundle feeding device
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-01
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing fiber bundle feeding devices cause the width of a ribbon-shaped fiber bundle to narrow when twisted due to uneven path lengths and the need for strong tension, which can lead to damage and increased complexity.
A fiber bundle feeding device with a configuration of guides having shafts and contact surfaces that twist the fiber bundle while maintaining a curved path for the width-wise center, preventing strong inward forces on the ends, using cylindrical rollers with alternating contact surfaces to guide the fiber bundle without clamping.
Prevents narrowing of the fiber bundle width during twisting by maintaining a balanced path length and reducing tension, simplifying the device structure and reducing costs.
Abstract
Description
Fiber bundle feeding device
[0001] The present invention relates to a fiber bundle feeding device for feeding a ribbon-shaped fiber bundle.
[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses a device (hereinafter referred to as a fiber bundle feeding device) that runs a ribbon-shaped fiber bundle having a flat cross section while twisting it at a substantially right angle. More specifically, the fiber bundle feeding device includes a grooved roller (hereinafter referred to as an upstream guide), multiple conical guides, and a cylindrical guide (hereinafter referred to as a downstream guide). The upstream guide is a substantially cylindrical guide. The multiple conical guides twist the fiber bundle fed from the upstream guide and feed the fiber bundle downstream in the traveling direction of the fiber bundle (hereinafter simply referred to as the traveling direction). The axes of the multiple conical guides are arranged in twisted positions relative to each other and are arranged side by side in the traveling direction. The downstream guide is a substantially cylindrical guide that is arranged downstream of the multiple conical guides in the traveling direction. The axis of the downstream guide is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the upstream guide. By the fiber bundle feeding device having the above configuration, the fiber bundle is twisted by approximately 90 degrees while traveling from the upstream guide to the downstream guide.
[0003] Patent No. 5772012
[0004] Generally, from the viewpoint of preventing the device from becoming large, it is considered preferable that the travel path of the fiber bundle (hereinafter referred to as the yarn path) from the most upstream guide to the most downstream guide be as short as possible. Therefore, the yarn path is usually set so that the travel path at the center in the width direction of the fiber bundle (hereinafter simply referred to as the width direction center) is approximately straight. However, when a fiber bundle feeding device is configured in this manner, the yarn paths at the ends in the width direction of the fiber bundle (hereinafter simply referred to as the width direction ends) are not approximately straight like the yarn path at the width direction center. As a result, the yarn paths at the width direction ends become longer than the yarn path at the width direction center. Furthermore, to maintain the yarn path at the width direction center in an approximately straight line, a certain degree of strong tension must be applied to the fiber bundle. In this situation, the tension applied to the width direction ends has a directional component toward the inside in the width direction. As a result, the width direction ends may be pulled toward the width direction center. This raises the concern that the width of the fiber bundle may be narrower than the desired width.
[0005] Therefore, the inventors of the present application have considered applying nip rollers, which sandwich the fiber bundle and feed it downstream in the running direction, to a fiber bundle feeding device. More specifically, they have considered replacing each of the above-mentioned most upstream guide, multiple conical guides, and most downstream guide with nip rollers. This would tightly sandwich the fiber bundle while it is running between the nip rollers, thereby preventing the fiber bundle from becoming narrower. However, a configuration in which the fiber bundle is sandwiched between nip rollers can cause other new problems. For example, these problems could include increased damage to the sandwiched fiber bundle, a more complex configuration of the fiber bundle feeding device, increased costs, and increased effort required by workers to thread the fiber bundle.
[0006] An object of the present invention is to suppress, with a simple configuration, narrowing of the width of a fiber bundle when the traveling fiber bundle is twisted.
[0007] A fiber bundle feeding device of a first invention is a fiber bundle feeding device that feeds a ribbon-shaped fiber bundle, and includes a plurality of guides each having a shaft and a contact surface that extends along an extending direction of the shaft and with which the fiber bundle comes into contact, and configured to be able to guide the fiber bundle while twisting it by bringing the fiber bundle into contact with each contact surface in order in a running direction in which the fiber bundle runs, and the plurality of guides have the shaft arranged on a first virtual axis line extending in a predetermined first axial direction, and an upstream-most contact surface that is the contact surface extending along the first axial direction, and a downstream-most contact surface that is the contact surface extending along the second axial direction, and a downstream-most guide that is the most upstream of the plurality of guides in the running direction, and the shaft arranged on a second virtual axis line that extends in a second axial direction different from the first axial direction and is twisted with respect to the first virtual axis line, and a downstream-most contact surface that is the contact surface extending along the second axial direction, and the axis extending in a third axial direction different from both the first axial direction and the second axial direction and arranged on a third virtual axis line that is twisted relative to both the first virtual axis line and the second virtual axis line; and an intermediate guide disposed between the upstream guide and the downstream guide in the running direction, the intermediate guide having the axis extending in a third axial direction different from both the first axial direction and the second axial direction and arranged on a third virtual axis line that is twisted relative to both the first virtual axis line and the second virtual axis line, and an intermediate contact surface that is the contact surface extending along the third axial direction, the intermediate guide being disposed between the upstream guide and the downstream guide in the running direction, wherein when the plurality of guides are projected onto a virtual plane that is perpendicular to a virtual line passing through a first center point located at the center in the first axial direction of the downstream end of the upstream contact surface in the running direction and a second center point located at the center in the second axial direction of the upstream end of the downstream contact surface in the running direction, the intermediate contact surface projected onto the virtual plane is disposed at a position spaced apart from the first center point and the second center point on the virtual plane.
[0008] In the present invention, the first axial direction is approximately parallel to the width direction of the portion of the fiber bundle that is in contact with the most upstream contact surface. The second axial direction is approximately parallel to the width direction of the portion of the fiber bundle that is in contact with the most downstream contact surface. The first center point is a point located at the center in the first axial direction of the portion of the fiber bundle that is away from the most upstream contact surface. The second center point is a point located at the center in the second axial direction of the portion of the fiber bundle that first contacts the most downstream contact surface. The imaginary line indicates the shortest straight path among the paths that the center portion in the width direction of the fiber bundle (hereinafter simply referred to as the width direction center portion) can take. When the width direction center portion takes the shortest path, as described above, the end portions in the width direction of the fiber bundle (hereinafter simply referred to as the width direction end portions) can be attracted to the width direction center portion.
[0009] Here, in the present invention, the intermediate contact surface on the imaginary plane is spaced apart from the first center point and the second center point. In other words, the intermediate contact surface is spaced apart from the imaginary straight line. As a result, the widthwise center of the fiber bundle guided by the intermediate guide follows a curved path (i.e., a path longer than the above-mentioned straight path) rather than a straight path. Therefore, strong tension is not required to maintain the straight shape of the widthwise center. Therefore, even without clamping the fiber bundle, it is possible to prevent the widthwise ends of the fiber bundle from being subjected to a strong inward force in the width direction. As described above, with a simple configuration, it is possible to prevent the width of the fiber bundle from narrowing when the fiber bundle is twisted during travel.
[0010] The fiber bundle feeding device of the second invention is the fiber bundle feeding device of the first invention, wherein the comparison distance is defined as the shortest distance on the imaginary plane between a most upstream end point formed by projecting onto the imaginary plane a portion of an end of the most upstream contact surface on the downstream side in the running direction, with which an end portion in the width direction of the fiber bundle comes into contact, and a most downstream end point formed by projecting onto the imaginary plane a portion of an end of the most downstream contact surface on the upstream side in the running direction, with which the end portion in the width direction of the fiber bundle comes into contact, and the shortest distance on the imaginary plane between two points formed by projecting onto the imaginary plane two ends at which the ends of the guides contact each other is defined as the end-to-end distance, and the shortest distance on the imaginary plane between two points formed by projecting onto the imaginary plane two centers of the contact surfaces of the two guides at which the centers in the width direction of the fiber bundle contact each other is defined as the center-to-center distance; the absolute value of the difference between the total end-to-end distance, which is the sum of the end-to-end distances for all of the plurality of guides, and the total center-to-center distance, which is the sum of the center-to-center distances for all of the plurality of guides, is smaller than the comparison distance.
[0011] If the travel path of the center portion in the width direction of the fiber bundle (hereinafter referred to as the center portion) is linear in the fiber bundle feeding device, the center portion projected onto the virtual plane appears as a point. In this case, the travel path of the end portion in the width direction of the fiber bundle (hereinafter referred to as the end portion) is longer than the center portion by at least the comparison distance. Here, in the present invention, the length of the end portion path in the virtual plane is the sum of the end-to-end distances for all of the multiple guides (i.e., the total end portion distance). The total end portion distance serves as an indicator of the length of the actual end portion path. Also, in the present invention, the length of the center portion path in the virtual plane is the sum of the center-to-center distances for all of the multiple guides (i.e., the total center distance). The total center distance serves as an indicator of the length of the actual center portion path. In the present invention, the absolute value of the difference between the total end portion distance and the total center distance being smaller than the comparison distance serves as an indicator that the length of the end portion path is close to the length of the center portion. In this situation, even if a strong tension is applied to the fiber bundle, the direction in which the tension acts is approximately parallel to the longitudinal direction of the fiber bundle. That is, the inward component of the tension in the width direction is very small, which effectively prevents the width direction ends of the fiber bundle from shifting toward the center in the width direction.
[0012] The fiber bundle feeding device of a third invention is characterized in that, in the second invention, the total end distance and the total center distance are equal.
[0013] The fact that the sum of the total end distance and the total center distance is equal approximately indicates that the length of the end path is substantially equal to the length of the center path, thereby effectively suppressing the width direction end of the fiber bundle from being subjected to a force toward the width direction center.
[0014] The fiber bundle feeding device of a fourth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to third inventions, each of the plurality of guides is a cylindrical roller.
[0015] In the present invention, the fiber bundle feeding device can be configured using rollers with a simple structure, thereby reducing the cost of components.
[0016] The fiber bundle feeding device of the fifth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, each of the plurality of guides is configured to come into contact with only one of both surfaces of the fiber bundle.
[0017] In the present invention, "either of the two surfaces" means that each guide contacts any one of the two surfaces of the fiber bundle, and does not necessarily mean that all guides contact the same surface of the fiber bundle. In the present invention, the fiber bundle is not clamped by each of the multiple guides. Therefore, the structure of the fiber bundle feeding device can be simplified.
[0018] The fiber bundle feeding device of the sixth invention is the fiber bundle feeding device of the fifth invention, characterized in that the plurality of guides have one or more first guides for contacting one of both surfaces of the fiber bundle, and one or more second guides for contacting the other of both surfaces of the fiber bundle.
[0019] When all of the multiple guides contact the same side of the fiber bundle, the multiple guides may be arranged so that the path of the fiber bundle forms a large arc. This may result in an increase in the size of the device. In the present invention, the multiple guides are divided into a first guide and a second guide. This allows the multiple guides to be arranged so that the path of the fiber bundle forms a wave. Therefore, the fiber bundle feeding device can be prevented from becoming larger than when the multiple guides are arranged so that the path of the fiber bundle forms a large arc.
[0020] The fiber bundle feeding device of the seventh invention is characterized in that, in the sixth invention, at least the first guides and the second guides, excluding the most upstream guide and the most downstream guide, are arranged alternately in the traveling direction.
[0021] In the present invention, the travel path of the fiber bundle can be formed into a small wave shape, which effectively prevents the fiber bundle feeding device from becoming large.
[0022] The fiber bundle feeding device of the eighth invention is any of the fifth to seventh inventions, characterized in that the angular deviation between the width direction of the fiber bundle in contact with the intermediate guide and the third axial direction is 3 degrees or less.
[0023] When the angular deviation is large, the direction in which the fiber bundle attempts to travel is significantly tilted from a direction perpendicular to the third axis direction. In this state, the fiber bundle may become misaligned in the third axis direction and fall off the intermediate guide. In this regard, in the present invention, the angular deviation is small, at 3 degrees or less. Therefore, the direction in which the fiber bundle attempts to travel is maintained approximately perpendicular to the third axis direction. Therefore, it is possible to suppress misalignment of the fiber bundle with respect to the intermediate guide.
[0024] A fiber bundle feeding device of a ninth invention is characterized in that, in any one of the first to eighth inventions, the width of the fiber bundle is 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less.
[0025] The width of the fiber bundle in the present invention is wider than the width of a single fiber bundle that is commonly used. The present invention, which can prevent the width of the fiber bundle from being narrowed, is particularly effective when twisting such a fiber bundle.
[0026] A fiber bundle feeding device of a tenth invention is any of the first to ninth inventions, characterized in that the fiber bundle includes a plurality of unit fiber bundles each having a width narrower than a width of the fiber bundle, and is formed by arranging the plurality of unit fiber bundles in the width direction of the fiber bundle.
[0027] The width of the fiber bundle in the present invention is wider than the width of each of the plurality of unit fiber bundles. The present invention, which can suppress narrowing of the width of the fiber bundle, is particularly effective when twisting such a fiber bundle.
[0028] 1 is a perspective view of a filament winding device including a fiber bundle feeding device according to the present embodiment; FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a creel stand and a pre-processing unit; FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the filament winding device; (a) and (b) are front views of a helical winding unit; (a) is a plan view of the fiber bundle feeding device, and (b) is a side view of the fiber bundle feeding device; (a) and (b) are views of the fiber bundle feeding device viewed from different angles; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the deviation between the width direction of the fiber bundle and the axial direction of the guide roller; (a) to (e) are projections of each guide roller onto an imaginary plane; (a) to (c) are views showing the paths of each part of the fiber bundle on an imaginary plane, and (d) is a reference diagram.
[0029] (Filament winding device) An embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filament winding device 1 including a fiber bundle feeding device 17 (described later, see FIG. 2) according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a creel stand 3 and a pre-processing unit 4 (described later). FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the filament winding device 1. For convenience of explanation, the directions shown in FIG. 1 (front-rear direction and left-right direction) are defined. The front-rear direction and left-right direction are directions parallel to the horizontal direction. The front-rear direction and left-right direction are perpendicular to each other. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is defined as the up-down direction. The up-down direction is the vertical direction in which gravity acts.
[0030] The filament winding apparatus 1 is a multi-fiber winding apparatus that simultaneously winds multiple fiber bundles F (see FIG. 2) around a liner L. The filament winding apparatus 1 includes a winding device 2, multiple creel stands 3, and multiple pre-processing sections 4. The filament winding apparatus 1 is generally configured symmetrically overall. The winding device 2 is a device for winding the fiber bundles F around a cylindrical liner L. The fiber bundles F are, for example, fiber materials such as carbon fibers impregnated with a thermosetting or thermoplastic synthetic resin. The fiber bundles F have a flat ribbon shape. The shape of the liner L can vary depending on the final product. For example, if the final product is a pressure tank, a liner L having dome portions on both sides of a cylindrical portion is used, as shown in FIG. 1. The liner L can be made of high-strength aluminum, metal, resin, or the like. After the fiber bundles F are wound around the liner L, a thermal curing process such as baking or a cooling process can be performed to obtain a final product such as a high-strength pressure tank.
[0031] Hereinafter, the direction in which the fiber bundle F extends will be referred to as the longitudinal direction. A direction that is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and defines the width of the fiber bundle F will be referred to as the width direction of the fiber bundle F, or simply as the width direction. For convenience of explanation, the direction in which the center of the fiber bundle F runs in the width direction will be referred to as the running direction of the fiber bundle F, or simply as the running direction. In real space, the width direction can change depending on the position of the fiber bundle F in the running direction. The width direction changes when the running fiber bundle F is twisted by some means.
[0032] The creel stands 3 are arranged, for example, on both sides of the winding device 2 in the left-right direction. The creel stands 3 are arranged, for example, near the rear end of the winding device 2 in the front-rear direction. Each creel stand 3 has, for example, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped frame 11 extending in the front-rear direction. The frame 11 is provided with, for example, one or more bobbin holder groups 12. The bobbin holder groups 12 are provided, for example, corresponding to each of the nozzle units 53 of the helical winding unit 50 described below. Each bobbin holder group 12 has, for example, a plurality of bobbin holders 13 (five in this embodiment) arranged in the front-rear direction. Each bobbin holder 13 has, for example, a shaft extending in the left-right direction. Each bobbin holder 13 rotatably supports a bobbin 14 around which a fiber bundle is wound. In this embodiment, for example, nine bobbin holder groups 12 are provided, and five bobbins 14 are attached to each of the bobbin holder groups 12 (i.e., a total of 45 bobbins 14 are arranged). Five fiber bundles are supplied collectively from five bobbins 14 belonging to each bobbin holder group 12. The fiber bundles supplied from the creel stand 3 are wound around a liner L by a helical winding unit 50. Although two creel stands 3 are shown in Fig. 1, the number of creel stands 3 is not limited to this. In addition, to avoid complication of the drawing, only one of the multiple bobbin holder groups 12 is shown in Fig. 1.
[0033] 2, the creel stand 3 is provided with a bobbin unwinding device 15. The bobbin unwinding device 15 is configured to assist in the unwinding of the fiber bundles F (fiber bundles F1, F2, F3, F4, and F5) from the bobbins 14 (bobbins 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, and 14e). Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the fiber bundle F immediately after being unwound from each bobbin 14 will also be referred to as a unit fiber bundle Fu.
[0034] The plurality of pre-treatment units 4 are configured to perform predetermined pre-treatments on the plurality of unit fiber bundles Fu and the fiber bundles FI described below. The plurality of pre-treatment units 4 are arranged, for example, between the corresponding creel stands 3 and helical winding units 50 (described below) in the running direction of the fiber bundles.
[0035] As shown in Figure 2, each pre-treatment unit 4 has a fiber bundle joining device 16 and a fiber bundle feeding device 17. The fiber bundle joining device 16 is configured to line up and join a plurality of unit fiber bundles Fu (fiber bundles F1 to F5) in the width direction to form a single fiber bundle F (hereinafter referred to as fiber bundle FI) having a width wider than the width of each unit fiber bundle Fu. The width of the fiber bundle FI is, for example, 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less. The fiber bundle feeding device 17 is configured to feed the fiber bundle FI downstream in the traveling direction while twisting it, for example, by approximately 90 degrees. Details of the fiber bundle feeding device 17 will be described later.
[0036] (Winding Device) A more specific configuration of the winding device 2 will be described. As shown in Fig. 1 , the winding device 2 includes a base 20, a support unit 30 (a first support unit 31 and a second support unit 32), a hoop winding unit 40, and a helical winding unit 50.
[0037] The base 20 supports the support unit 30, the hoop winding unit 40, and the helical winding unit 50. A plurality of rails 21 extending in the front-rear direction are installed on the upper surface of the base 20. The support unit 30 and the hoop winding unit 40 are movable in the front-rear direction along the rails 21. On the other hand, the helical winding unit 50 is, for example, fixed in position relative to the base 20. As shown in FIG. 1 , the first support unit 31, the hoop winding unit 40, the helical winding unit 50, and the second support unit 32 are arranged in this order from front to rear.
[0038] The support unit 30 includes a first support unit 31 and a second support unit 32. As shown in FIG. 1 , the first support unit 31 is disposed forward of the hoop winding unit 40. The second support unit 32 is disposed rearward of the helical winding unit 50. The support unit 30 supports the liner L rotatably about its axis via a support shaft 33 extending in the axial direction (front-rear direction) of the liner L. The support unit 30 includes a movement motor 34 and a rotation motor 35 (see FIG. 3 ). The movement motor 34 moves the support unit 30 (the first support unit 31 and the second support unit 32) in the front-rear direction along the rail 21. The rotation motor 35 rotates the support shaft 33 to rotate the liner L about its axis. The operation of the movement motor 34 and the rotation motor 35 is controlled by the control device 5.
[0039] The hoop winding unit 40 performs hoop winding on the circumferential surface of the liner L. Hoop winding is a winding method in which a fiber bundle is wound in a direction generally perpendicular to the axial direction of the liner L. As shown in FIG. 1 , the hoop winding unit 40 includes, for example, a main body 41, a rotating member 42, and multiple (five in this embodiment) bobbin holders 43. The main body 41 is movable in the front-rear direction along the rail 21. The rotating member 42 is an annular member having a passage hole 44 formed therein through which the liner L can pass. The rotating member 42 is supported by the main body 41 in a state in which it can rotate around the axis of the liner L. The multiple bobbin holders 43 are attached to the rotating member 42 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each bobbin holder 43 has a rotation shaft extending in the front-rear direction and rotatably supports a bobbin (not shown) around which a fiber bundle is wound.
[0040] The hoop winding unit 40 has a movement motor 46 and a rotation motor 47 (see FIG. 3 ). The movement motor 46 moves the main body 41 back and forth along the rail 21. The rotation motor 47 rotates the rotation member 42 around the axis of the liner L. The operations of the movement motor 46 and the rotation motor 47 are controlled by the control device 5. When performing hoop winding, the control device 5 rotates the rotation member 42 while moving the main body 41 back and forth along the rail 21. As a result, fiber bundles are pulled out from each bobbin rotating around the liner L, and multiple fiber bundles are simultaneously hoop-wound around the circumferential surface of the liner L.
[0041] The helical winding unit 50 helically winds the circumferential surface of the liner L. Helical winding is a winding method in which a plurality of fiber bundles F (more specifically, a plurality of fiber bundles FI) are wound in a direction generally parallel to the axial direction of the liner L. The helical winding unit 50 has, for example, a main body 51, a frame member 52, and a plurality of (nine in this embodiment) nozzle units 53. The main body 51 is fixed to, for example, the base 20. The frame member 52 is an annular member having passage holes 54 formed therein through which the liner L can pass. The frame member 52 is supported by the main body 51. The plurality of nozzle units 53 are arranged radially around the axis of the liner L. Each nozzle unit 53 is attached to the frame member 52.
[0042] 4(a) and 4(b) are front views of the helical winding unit 50. In detail, FIG. 4(a) illustrates a state in which the fiber bundle FI is being wound around the cylindrical portion of the liner L. FIG. 4(b) illustrates a state in which the fiber bundle FI is being wound around the dome portion of the liner L. The nozzle unit 53 has a guide body 55 that guides the fiber bundle FI into the liner L. The guide body 55 extends in the radial direction of the liner L (hereinafter simply referred to as the radial direction) and is configured to be movable in the radial direction and rotatable around a rotation axis extending in the radial direction. Guide rollers 56 are disposed radially outward of each nozzle unit 53. Five fiber bundles FI unwound from each bobbin holder group 12 of the creel stand 3 are introduced into one of the guide bodies 55 via the guide roller 56 and supplied to the liner L from the tip of the guide body 55.
[0043] The helical winding unit 50 has a guide movement motor 57 and a guide rotation motor 58 (see FIG. 3 ). The guide movement motor 57 moves each guide body 55 in the radial direction all at once. The guide rotation motor 58 rotates each guide body 55 in the radial direction all at once. The operation of the guide movement motor 57 and the guide rotation motor 58 is controlled by the control device 5. When performing helical winding, the control device 5 passes the liner L through the passage hole 54 while slowly rotating it around the axis. At the same time, the control device 5 rotates the guide body 55 of each nozzle unit 53 appropriately around the rotation axis while moving it appropriately in the radial direction. As a result, the fiber bundle FI is appropriately pulled out from the tip of the guide body 55 of each nozzle unit 53, and a total of nine fiber bundles FI are simultaneously helically wound around the circumferential surface of the liner L.
[0044] (Fiber bundle feeding device) Next, the configuration of the fiber bundle feeding device 17 will be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 7. Fig. 5(a) is a plan view of the fiber bundle feeding device 17. Fig. 5(b) is a side view of the fiber bundle feeding device 17. Figs. 6(a) and 6(b) are views of the fiber bundle feeding device 17 viewed from different angles. More specifically, Fig. 6(a) is a view of the fiber bundle feeding device 17 viewed from the axial direction of a guide roller 63, which will be described later. Fig. 6(b) is a view of the fiber bundle feeding device 17 viewed from a direction perpendicular to both the axial direction and the front-rear direction of the guide roller 63. Fig. 7 is a view showing the misalignment between the width direction of the fiber bundle FI and the axial direction of the guide roller 60.
[0045] (Basic Configuration) First, the basic configuration of the fiber bundle feeding device 17 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 5( a) to 6(b), the fiber bundle feeding device 17 has a plurality of guide rollers 60 (a plurality of guides of the present invention). As an example, in this embodiment, five guide rollers 60 are provided. The five guide rollers 60 are configured to feed the fiber bundle FI downstream in the running direction while twisting it. In this embodiment, the five guide rollers 60 are configured to twist the fiber bundle FI by approximately 90 degrees. Each guide roller 60 is a substantially cylindrical roller. Each guide roller 60 has, for example, an axis AX (see FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b)). Each guide roller 60 is rotatable (i.e., rotatable) around the axis AX as a rotation axis. The axis AX is disposed on a virtual axis line LC, which is a virtual straight line, and extends in a direction parallel to the extension direction of the virtual axis line LC (hereinafter simply referred to as the axial direction). In this embodiment, the five guide rollers 60 are disposed side by side in the front-to-rear direction. The arrangement order of the guide rollers 60 in the front-to-rear direction is the same as the arrangement order in the running direction. More specifically, the rearmost guide roller 60 is the most upstream guide roller 60 in the running direction. The frontmost guide roller 60 is the most downstream guide roller 60 in the running direction.
[0046] Here, the fiber bundle FI is ribbon-shaped, like each unit fiber bundle Fu. The center of the fiber bundle FI in the width direction is defined as the fiber bundle center FC. The fiber bundle center FC extends along the running direction. Strictly speaking, the longitudinal direction is the direction in which the fiber bundle center FC extends hereinafter. The ends of the fiber bundle FI in the width direction are defined as fiber bundle ends FE. One end of the fiber bundle FI in the width direction is referred to as the first end FEA. The other end of the fiber bundle FI in the width direction is referred to as the second end FEB. The fiber bundle FI has two faces facing opposite each other in directions perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction and the width direction. For convenience of explanation, one face of the fiber bundle FI is referred to as the first face FS1 (see FIG. 5( a)). The other face of the fiber bundle FI is referred to as the second face FS2 (see FIG. 5( b)).
[0047] Each guide roller 60 has an outer peripheral surface 60s (see FIGS. 6(a) to 7). For convenience of explanation, a portion of the outer peripheral surface 60s that is arranged on the travel path of the fiber bundle FI is referred to as a contact surface 60a (see FIGS. 5(a), 5(b), and 7). Assuming that the fiber bundle FI is arranged in the fiber bundle feeding device 17, the contact surface 60a is a portion of the outer peripheral surface 60s that is estimated to be in actual contact with the fiber bundle FI. The contact surface 60a is arranged so as to contact either the first surface FS1 or the second surface FS2 of the fiber bundle FI. Whether the contact surface 60a of each guide roller 60 comes into contact with the first surface FS1 or the second surface FS2 may differ between the guide rollers 60. Each guide roller 60 extends along the axial direction with the imaginary axis line LC of the guide roller 60 as the axial center. That is, the contact surface 60a extends along the corresponding axial direction. The five guide rollers 60 are configured to bring the fiber bundle FI into contact with each contact surface 60a in turn in the running direction, thereby twisting the fiber bundle FI and guiding it while changing the width direction of the fiber bundle FI. The width direction is parallel to the extending direction of a line segment LW (see FIGS. 6(a) to 7) that is perpendicular to the path of the fiber bundle center FC.
[0048] For ease of explanation, as shown in Figures 5(a) to 6(b), the five guide rollers 60 are referred to as guide rollers 61, 62, 63, 64, and 65, in order from the upstream side in the running direction. The guide rollers 61, 62, 63, 64, and 65 have axes AX1, AX2, AX3, AX4, and AX5, respectively, as axes AX. The guide roller 61 corresponds to the most upstream guide in the present invention. Each of the guide rollers 62 to 64 corresponds to an intermediate guide in the present invention. The guide roller 65 corresponds to the most downstream guide in the present invention.
[0049] For ease of explanation, as shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), the imaginary axes LC corresponding to each of the guide rollers 61 to 65 will be referred to as imaginary axes LC1 to LC5, respectively. The imaginary axis LC1 corresponds to the first imaginary axis of the present invention. The extension direction of the first imaginary axis corresponds to the first axial direction of the present invention. Each of the imaginary axes LC2, LC3, and LC4 corresponds to the third imaginary axis of the present invention. The extension direction of the third imaginary axis corresponds to the third axial direction of the present invention. The imaginary axis LC5 corresponds to the second imaginary axis of the present invention. The extension direction of the second imaginary axis corresponds to the second axial direction of the present invention. The imaginary axes LC1 to LC5 are twisted relative to one another. As shown in Figures 5(a), 5(b), and 7, the contact surfaces 60a of the guide rollers 61 to 65 will be referred to as contact surfaces 61a to 65a.
[0050] The guide roller 61 is the roller arranged most upstream in the running direction among the five guide rollers 60. The guide roller 61 is arranged adjacent to the guide roller 62 in the running direction. The guide roller 61 is rotatable about a virtual axis line LC1 extending in the first axial direction. As shown in FIGS. 5( a) and 5(b) , the first axial direction is, for example, substantially parallel to the left-right direction. The guide roller 61 has a contact surface 61 a (the most upstream contact surface of the present invention; see FIG. 5(b) ). The contact surface 61 a extends along the first axial direction. The contact surface 61 a is arranged so as to contact a first surface FS1 of the fiber bundle FI. Of the downstream end of the contact surface 61 a in the running direction, a point located in the center in the first axial direction is defined as a first center point PU (see FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) ).
[0051] The guide rollers 62 to 64 are rollers arranged between the guide roller 61 and the guide roller 65 in the front-rear direction (and the running direction). The guide roller 62 is arranged in front of the guide roller 61 and behind the guide roller 63. The guide roller 62 is arranged so as to be adjacent to the guide rollers 61 and 63 in the running direction. The guide roller 62 is rotatable about an imaginary axis line LC2. The imaginary axis line LC2 is in a twisted position with respect to the other imaginary axis lines LC. The guide roller 62 has a contact surface 62a (an intermediate contact surface of the present invention; see FIG. 7). The contact surface 62a extends along the extension direction of the imaginary axis line LC2. In this embodiment, the contact surface 62a is arranged so as to be in contact with the second surface FS2 of the fiber bundle FI.
[0052] The guide roller 63 is disposed in front of the guide roller 62 and behind the guide roller 64. The guide roller 63 is disposed adjacent to the guide rollers 62 and 64 in the running direction. The guide roller 63 is rotatable about an imaginary axis line LC3. The imaginary axis line LC3 is in a twisted position relative to the other imaginary axis lines LC. The guide roller 63 has a contact surface 63a (an intermediate contact surface of the present invention; see FIG. 7). The contact surface 63a extends along the extension direction of the imaginary axis line LC3. In this embodiment, the contact surface 63a is disposed so as to contact the first surface FS1 of the fiber bundle FI.
[0053] The guide roller 64 is disposed in front of the guide roller 63 and behind the guide roller 65. The guide roller 64 is disposed adjacent to the guide rollers 63 and 65 in the running direction. The guide roller 64 is rotatable about an imaginary axis line LC4. The imaginary axis line LC4 is in a twisted position relative to the other imaginary axis line LC. The guide roller 64 has a contact surface 64a (an intermediate contact surface of the present invention; see FIG. 7). The contact surface 64a extends along the extension direction of the imaginary axis line LC4. In this embodiment, the contact surface 64a is disposed so as to contact the second surface FS2 of the fiber bundle FI.
[0054] 7, the width direction of the fiber bundle FI in contact with the contact surface 62a of the guide roller 62 may be inclined with respect to the extension direction of the imaginary axis line LC2 of the guide roller 62. More specifically, the angular deviation between the extension direction of the line segment LW indicating the width direction on the contact surface 62a and the extension direction of the imaginary axis line LC2 is preferably 3 degrees or less. The same applies to the guide rollers 63 and 64 (further description will be omitted).
[0055] The guide roller 65 is the roller arranged most downstream in the running direction among the five guide rollers 60. The guide roller 65 is arranged adjacent to the guide roller 64 in the running direction. The guide roller 65 is rotatable about an imaginary axis line LC5 extending in the second axial direction. The imaginary axis line LC5 is in a twisted position with respect to the other imaginary axes LC. As shown in FIGS. 5( a) and 5(b), the second axial direction is, for example, substantially parallel to the up-down direction. That is, the second axial direction is substantially perpendicular to both the first axial direction and the front-rear direction. The guide roller 65 has a contact surface 65a (the most downstream contact surface of the present invention; see FIG. 5(a)). The contact surface 65a extends along the second axial direction. In this embodiment, the contact surface 65a is arranged to contact the first surface FS1 of the fiber bundle FI. A point located at the center in the second axial direction of the upstream end of the contact surface 65a in the running direction is defined as a second center point PD (see FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b)).
[0056] In this way, each of the guide rollers 61 to 65 is configured to come into contact with only one of the two surfaces (the first surface FS1 and the second surface FS2) of the fiber bundle FI. In other words, the fiber bundle FI is not sandwiched between each of the guide rollers 61 to 65.
[0057] The guide rollers 61 to 65 include one that contacts one of the two surfaces of the fiber bundle FI (for example, the first surface FS1) (first guide of the present invention) and one that contacts the other of the two surfaces of the fiber bundle FI (for example, the second surface FS2) (second guide of the present invention). More specifically, the guide rollers 61, 63, and 65 correspond to the first guide of the present invention. The guide rollers 62 and 64 correspond to the second guide of the present invention.
[0058] In this embodiment, the first guides and second guides are arranged alternately in the traveling direction. In other words, the guide arranged immediately downstream of the first guide in the traveling direction is the second guide. Also, the guide arranged immediately downstream of the second guide in the traveling direction is the first guide.
[0059] (Detailed Position of Contact Surfaces) Next, the detailed arrangement of the contact surfaces 61a to 65a will be described with reference to FIGS. 8(a) to 8(e). FIGS. 8(a) to 8(e) are projections of each of the multiple guide rollers 60 onto a virtual plane VP (described below; see FIGS. 5(a) to 6(b)). A virtual line passing through the first center point PU and the second center point PD (see FIGS. 5(a) to 6(b)) described above is defined as a virtual line VL. A virtual plane perpendicular to the virtual line VL is defined as a virtual plane VP. When the multiple guide rollers 60 are virtually projected onto the virtual plane VP, the projections of each guide roller 60 are as shown in FIGS. 8(a) to 8(e). For ease of explanation, the guide rollers 60 shown in the projections will be referred to as projected guides P60. To avoid cluttering the drawings, each of Figures 8(a) to 8(e) shows one of the five projection guides P60 (i.e., one of the projection guides P61 to P65). The guide rollers 61 to 65 projected onto the imaginary plane VP are referred to as projection guides P61 to P65, respectively. The contact surfaces 60a (contact surfaces 61a to 65a) projected onto the imaginary plane VP are referred to as projected contact surfaces P60a (projected contact surfaces P61a to P65a). In the imaginary plane VP, the fiber bundle center FC corresponding to each of the projected contact surfaces P61a to P65a is referred to as the projection center PFC. The first end FEA projected onto the imaginary plane VP is referred to as the first projected end PFEA. The second end FEB projected onto the imaginary plane VP is referred to as the second projected end PFEB. The first projected end PFEA and the second projected end PFEB are substantially point-like. The projected contact surface P60a is substantially the same as the line segment connecting the first projected end PFEA and the second projected end PFEB.
[0060] According to the above definition, the first center point PU (see FIG. 8(a)) and the second center point PD (see FIG. 8(e)) are located at overlapping positions on the virtual plane VP. Cross-shaped auxiliary lines are shown in the projection drawing to indicate coordinates on the virtual plane VP. The positions of the first center point PU and the second center point PD in the projection drawing (i.e., the positions where the two auxiliary lines intersect) are defined as the origin positions of the coordinates. The auxiliary lines extending in the left-right direction of the paper in FIGS. 8(a) to 8(e) are parallel to the left-right direction in this embodiment. The auxiliary lines extending in the up-down direction of the paper are parallel to the up-down direction in this embodiment.
[0061] The projection guide P61 shown in FIG. 8A corresponds to the guide roller 61 (see FIG. 5A, etc.). The projection contact surface P61a corresponds to the contact surface 61a. The projection contact surface P61a extends in the left-right direction. The projection contact surface P61a passes through the origin of the coordinate system (i.e., the first center point PU).
[0062] The projection guide P62 shown in FIG. 8(b) corresponds to the guide roller 62 (see FIG. 5(a) etc.). The projection contact surface P62a corresponds to the contact surface 62a. The projection contact surface P62a is inclined in the left-right and up-down directions. More specifically, the inclination angle of the projection contact surface P62a in the left-right direction is, for example, approximately 15 degrees. The projection guide P63 shown in FIG. 8(c) corresponds to the guide roller 63 (see FIG. 5(a) etc.). The projection contact surface P63a corresponds to the contact surface 63a. The projection contact surface P63a is inclined in the left-right and up-down directions. More specifically, the inclination angle of the projection contact surface P63a in the left-right direction is, for example, approximately 45 degrees. The projection guide P64 shown in FIG. 8(d) corresponds to the guide roller 64 (see FIG. 5(a) etc.). The projection contact surface P64a corresponds to the contact surface 64a. The projection contact surface P64a is inclined in the left-right and up-down directions. More specifically, the angle of inclination of the projection contact surface P64a in the left-right direction is, for example, about 60 degrees.
[0063] The projected contact surfaces P62a, P63a, and P64a are located at positions away from the origin of the coordinate system of the projection drawing (i.e., the positions of the first center point PU and the second center point PD on the imaginary plane VP). As a result, the fiber bundle center FC is not linear but has a curved shape (see FIGS. 5(a) to 6(b)).
[0064] The projection guide P65 shown in FIG. 8(e) corresponds to the guide roller 65 (see FIG. 5(a) etc.). The projection contact surface P65a corresponds to the contact surface 65a. The projection contact surface P65a extends in the vertical direction. The projection contact surface P65a passes through the origin of the coordinate system (i.e., the second center point PD).
[0065] In this way, the fiber bundle feeding device 17 is configured to feed the fiber bundle FI downstream in the running direction with the fiber bundle center FC curved. In other words, unlike the conventional technology, there is no need to apply a strong tension to the fiber bundle FI to keep the fiber bundle center FC straight. This prevents the fiber bundle end FE (see FIG. 5( a) and the like) from shifting toward the center in the width direction (toward the fiber bundle center FC) due to tension.
[0066] (Paths of Fiber Bundle Center and Fiber Bundle End) Next, details of the paths of the fiber bundle center FC and fiber bundle end FE (see FIGS. 5(a) to 6(b)) of the fiber bundle FI arranged in the fiber bundle feeding device 17 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9(a) to 9(d). FIGS. 9(a) to 9(c) are diagrams showing the paths of each part of the fiber bundle FI on the imaginary plane VP. FIG. 9(d) is a reference diagram. More specifically, FIG. 9(a) is a diagram showing the path RC of the projection center PFC on the imaginary plane VP. FIG. 9(b) is a diagram showing the path REA of the first projection end PFEA on the imaginary plane VP. FIG. 9(c) is a diagram showing the path REB of the second projection end PFEB on the imaginary plane VP. Figure 9(d) is a diagram showing the path NRC of the projection center PFC, the path NREA of the first projection end PFEA, and the path NREB of the second projection end PFEB on the virtual plane VP, assuming that guide rollers 62 to 64 are not provided.
[0067] The paths RC, REA, REB, NRC, NREA, and NREB on the imaginary plane VP are paths that start from the projection guide P61 and reach the projection guide P65. The lengths of these paths on the imaginary plane VP do not indicate the actual lengths of the paths of the fiber bundle center FC, the first end FEA, and the second end FEB. However, the lengths of these paths on the imaginary plane VP are good indicators for comparing the lengths of the paths of the fiber bundle center FC, the first end FEA, and the second end FEB with each other.
[0068] The path RC of the projection center PFC (see FIG. 9A) is made up of partial paths RC1, RC2, RC3, and RC4. Partial path RC1 is the path of the projection center PFC from the projection guide P61 to the projection guide P62. Partial path RC2 is the path of the projection center PFC from the projection guide P62 to the projection guide P63. Partial path RC3 is the path of the projection center PFC from the projection guide P63 to the projection guide P64. Partial path RC4 is the path of the projection center PFC from the projection guide P64 to the projection guide P65. The length of each of the partial paths RC1 to RC4 corresponds to the center-to-center distance of the present invention. In other words, the center-to-center distance is the shortest distance in the imaginary plane VP between two projection centers PFC of two adjacent guide rollers 60. The length of the path RC is equal to the sum (total value) of the lengths of the partial paths RC1, RC2, RC3, and RC4. This total value corresponds to the total center distance of the present invention.
[0069] The path REA of the first projection end PFEA (see FIG. 9B) is made up of partial paths REA1, REA2, REA3, and REA4. The partial path REA1 is the shortest path of the first projection end PFEA from the projection guide P61 to the projection guide P62. More specifically, the starting point of the partial path REA1 is the first upstream end point REUA. The first upstream end point REUA is a point formed by projecting onto the imaginary plane VP the portion of the downstream end of the contact surface 61a (see FIG. 5B) in the running direction that is in contact with the first end FEA. The first upstream end point REUA corresponds to the most upstream end point in the present invention. The partial path REA2 is the shortest path of the first projection end PFEA from the projection guide P62 to the projection guide P63. The partial path REA3 is the shortest path of the first projection end PFEA from the projection guide P63 to the projection guide P64. The partial path REA4 is the shortest path of the first projection end PFEA from the projection guide P64 to the projection guide P65. More specifically, the destination of the partial path REA4 is the first downstream end point REDA. The first downstream end point REDA is a point formed by projecting onto the imaginary plane VP the portion of the upstream end of the contact surface 65a (see FIG. 5A) in the running direction that is in contact with the first end FEA. The first downstream end point REDA corresponds to the most downstream end point in the present invention. The length of each of the partial paths REA1 to REA4 corresponds to the end-to-end distance in the present invention. In other words, the end-to-end distance is the shortest distance on the imaginary plane VP between the two first projection ends PFEA of the two adjacent guide rollers 60. The length of the route REA is equal to the sum (total value) of the lengths of the partial routes REA1, REA2, REA3, and REA4. The length of the route REA corresponds to the total end distance of the present invention.
[0070] The path REB of the second projection end PFEB (see FIG. 9(c)) consists of partial paths REB1, REB2, REB3, and REB4. The partial path REB1 is the path of the second projection end PFEB from the projection guide P61 to the projection guide P62. More specifically, the starting point of the partial path REB1 is the second upstream end point REUB. The second upstream end point REUB is a point formed by projecting onto the imaginary plane VP the portion of the downstream end in the running direction of the contact surface 61a (see FIG. 5(b)) that contacts the second end FEB. The second upstream end point REUB, like the first upstream end point REUA, corresponds to the most upstream end point of the present invention. The partial path REB2 is the path of the second projection end PFEB from the projection guide P62 to the projection guide P63. The partial path REB3 is the path of the second projection end PFEB from the projection guide P63 to the projection guide P64. The partial path REB4 is the path of the second projection end PFEB from the projection guide P64 to the projection guide P65. More specifically, the destination of the partial path REB4 is the second downstream end point REDB. The second downstream end point REDB is a point formed by projecting onto the imaginary plane VP the portion of the upstream end of the contact surface 65a (see FIG. 5A) in the running direction that is in contact with the second end FEB. The second downstream end point REDB, like the first downstream end point REDA, corresponds to the most downstream end point of the present invention. The length of each of the partial paths REB1 to REB4, like the length of each of the partial paths REA1 to REA4, corresponds to the end-to-end distance of the present invention. That is, the shortest distance on the imaginary plane VP between the two second projection ends PFEB of two adjacent guide rollers 60 is also the end-to-end distance. The length of the path REB is equal to the sum (total value) of the lengths of the partial paths REB1, REB2, REB3, and REB4. The length of the path REB, like the length of the path REA, corresponds to the total end distance of the present invention.
[0071] In the present embodiment, the lengths of the path RC, the path REA, and the path REB are equal. This approximately indicates that the path lengths of the fiber bundle center FC, the first end FEA, and the second end FEB are substantially equal. In this state, when tension is applied to the fiber bundle FI, a force substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the fiber bundle FI acts on any portion of the fiber bundle FI in the width direction. Therefore, even when a strong tension is applied to the fiber bundle FI, the first end FEA and the second end FEB of the fiber bundle FI are prevented from shifting toward the center in the width direction (i.e., toward the fiber bundle center FC).
[0072] Next, a description will be given of the case where it is assumed that the fiber bundle feeding device 17 is not provided with the guide rollers 62 to 64. In this case, as shown in Fig. 9(d), the path NRC of the projection center PFC on the imaginary plane VP is a point located at the origin. In other words, the length of the path NRC on the imaginary plane VP is zero.
[0073] The path NREA of the first projection end PFEA on the imaginary plane VP is a line segment connecting the first upstream end point REUA and the first downstream end point REDA. The path NREA has a first length greater than zero. The first length indicates the shortest distance between the first upstream end point REUA and the first downstream end point REDA on the imaginary plane VP. The first length corresponds to the comparison distance of the present invention. The path NREA is longer than the path NRC by at least the first length.
[0074] The path NREB of the second projection end PFEB on the imaginary plane VP is a line segment connecting the second upstream end point REUB and the second downstream end point REDB. The path NREB has a second length greater than zero. The second length indicates the shortest distance between the second upstream end point REUB and the second downstream end point REDB on the imaginary plane VP. The second length, like the first length, corresponds to the comparison distance of the present invention. The path NREB is longer than the path NRC by at least the second length. In this embodiment, the second length is equal to the first length.
[0075] From the above, the absolute value of the difference between the total end distance, which is the sum of the end-to-end distances for all of the guide rollers 61 to 65, and the total center distance, which is the sum of the center-to-center distances for all of the guide rollers 61 to 65, is smaller than the comparison distance.
[0076] As described above, the intermediate contact surfaces (projected contact surfaces P62a to P64a) projected onto the imaginary plane VP are located at positions on the imaginary plane VP that are spaced apart from the first center point PU and the second center point PD. In other words, the intermediate contact surfaces are spaced apart from the imaginary straight line VL. As a result, the fiber bundle center FC guided by the guide rollers 62 to 64 follows a curved path (i.e., a path longer than a straight path) rather than a straight path. For this reason, strong tension is not required to maintain the straight shape of the fiber bundle center FC. Therefore, even without clamping the fiber bundle FI, it is possible to prevent the fiber bundle end FE from being subjected to a force that moves inward in the width direction. As described above, with a simple configuration, it is possible to prevent the width of the fiber bundle FI from being narrowed when the traveling fiber bundle FI is twisted.
[0077] Furthermore, the absolute value of the difference between the total end distance and the total center distance is smaller than the comparison distance. This is an indicator that the length of the travel path of the fiber bundle end FE (hereinafter referred to as the end path) is close to the length of the travel path of the fiber bundle center FC (hereinafter referred to as the center path). Therefore, even when a strong tension is applied to the fiber bundle FI, the direction in which the tension acts is approximately parallel to the longitudinal direction of the fiber bundle FI, and the inward component of the tension in the width direction is very small. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the fiber bundle end FE from shifting toward the fiber bundle center FC.
[0078] Furthermore, the total end distance is equal to the total center distance. This approximately indicates that the length of the end path is substantially equal to the length of the center path. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent the fiber bundle ends FE from being subjected to a force directed toward the fiber bundle center FC.
[0079] Furthermore, each of the guide rollers 60 is a cylindrical roller, so that the fiber bundle feeding device 17 can be configured using rollers with a simple structure, thereby reducing the cost of components.
[0080] Furthermore, each of the plurality of guide rollers 60 contacts only one of the two surfaces of the fiber bundle FI. That is, the fiber bundle FI is not sandwiched between each of the plurality of guide rollers 60. Therefore, the structure of the fiber bundle feeding device 17 can be simplified.
[0081] Furthermore, the plurality of guide rollers 60 are divided into a first guide and a second guide. This allows the plurality of guide rollers 60 to be arranged so that the path of the fiber bundle FI forms a wave. Therefore, compared to a case in which the plurality of guide rollers 60 are arranged so that the path of the fiber bundle FI forms a large arc, an increase in the size of the fiber bundle feeding device 17 can be suppressed.
[0082] Furthermore, the first guides and the second guides are arranged alternately in the running direction, which allows the running path of the fiber bundle FI to have a small wave shape, thereby effectively preventing the fiber bundle feeding device 17 from becoming large.
[0083] Furthermore, the angular deviation between the width direction of the fiber bundle FI in contact with the guide roller 62 (or guide roller 63 or 64) and the extension direction of the imaginary axis line LC2 (or imaginary axis line LC3 or LC4) is 3 degrees or less. If the angular deviation is large, the direction in which the fiber bundle FI attempts to travel is significantly inclined from the direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the imaginary axis line LC2 (or imaginary axis line LC3 or LC4). In such a state, the fiber bundle FI may be displaced in the third axial direction and may fall off the guide roller 62 (or guide roller 63 or 64). In this regard, in the present embodiment, the angular deviation is small, at 3 degrees or less. Therefore, the direction in which the fiber bundle FI attempts to travel is maintained approximately perpendicular to the extension direction of the imaginary axis line LC2. The same applies to the imaginary axes LC3 and LC4. Therefore, it is possible to suppress displacement of the fiber bundle FI with respect to the guide roller 62. The same applies to the guide rollers 63 and 64.
[0084] The width of the fiber bundle FI is 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less. The width of the fiber bundle FI is wider than the width of one commonly used fiber bundle (for example, a unit fiber bundle Fu). The fiber bundle feeding device 17 of this embodiment is particularly effective when twisting such a fiber bundle FI.
[0085] The fiber bundle FI is formed by arranging a plurality of unit fiber bundles Fu in the width direction. The width of the fiber bundle FI is wider than the width of each of the plurality of unit fiber bundles Fu. The fiber bundle feeding device 17 of this embodiment is particularly effective when twisting such a fiber bundle FI.
[0086] Next, a modified example of the embodiment will be described, with the same reference numerals being used to designate components having the same configuration as the embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.
[0087] (1) In the above embodiment, the total end distance and the total center distance are equal. However, this is not limited to this. The difference between the total end distance and the total center distance may be greater than zero and, for example, 0.5 percent or less of the total end distance. Even in this case, the length of the end path and the length of the center path are approximately equal. Therefore, even if a strong tension is applied to the fiber bundle FI, it is possible to effectively prevent the fiber bundle ends FE from shifting toward the fiber bundle center FC. Note that, as described above, the ratio of the difference between the total end distance and the total center distance to the total end distance is preferably 0.5 percent or less. This ratio is more preferably 0.25 percent or less, and most preferably 0.05 percent or less. Alternatively, this ratio may be, for example, greater than 0.25 percent.
[0088] (2) In the above-described embodiments, the absolute value of the difference between the total end distance and the total center distance is smaller than the comparison distance. However, this is not limited to this. The absolute value of the difference between the total end distance and the total center distance may be equal to or greater than the comparison distance.
[0089] (3) In the above-described embodiment, the guide rollers 60 (first guide) that contact the first surface FS1 and the guide rollers 60 (second guide) that contact the second surface FS2 are arranged alternately in the running direction. However, this is not limited to this. For example, only the guide rollers 60 (e.g., guide rollers 62, 63, 64) of the first guide and the second guide, which correspond to the intermediate guides of the present invention, may be arranged alternately in the running direction. Alternatively, the first guide and the second guide do not have to be arranged alternately in the running direction.
[0090] (4) In the above-described embodiment, the plurality of guide rollers 60 includes a first guide and a second guide. However, this is not limited to this. All of the plurality of guide rollers 60 may be configured to contact only the first surface FS1 or only the second surface FS2.
[0091] (5) In the above-described embodiment, each of the multiple guide rollers 60 is configured to contact only one of both surfaces of the fiber bundle FI. However, this is not limited to this. Instead of the guide rollers 60, known nip rollers (not shown) that contact both surfaces of the fiber bundle FI may be provided. Even in this case, there is no need to tightly pinch the fiber bundle FI with the nip rollers, so damage to the fiber bundle FI can be suppressed.
[0092] (6) In the above-described embodiments, the number of guide rollers 60 provided in the fiber bundle feeding device 17 is five. However, this is not limited to this. The number of guide rollers 60 may be three or four. Alternatively, the number of guide rollers 60 may be six or more. In any case, one or more guide rollers 60 excluding the guide roller 60 on the most upstream side and the guide roller 60 on the most downstream side in the running direction correspond to the intermediate guide of the present invention.
[0093] (7) In the above-described embodiment, each of the guide rollers 60 is a cylindrical roller. However, this is not limited to this. For example, a non-rotatable guide may be provided instead of the guide roller 60. The guide may also be cylindrical.
[0094] (8) In the above-described embodiments, the angular deviation between the width direction of the fiber bundle FI in contact with the intermediate guide and the third axial direction is 3 degrees or less. However, this is not limited to this. The angular deviation may be, for example, greater than 3 degrees.
[0095] (9) In the above-described embodiments, the width of the fiber bundle FI is set to 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less. However, this is not limited to this. The width of the fiber bundle FI may be less than 10 mm. Alternatively, the width of the fiber bundle FI may be greater than 30 mm.
[0096] (10) In the above-described embodiments, the fiber bundle FI includes a plurality of unit fiber bundles Fu. However, this is not limited to this. That is, the fiber bundle feeding device 17 may be used to feed, for example, unit fiber bundles Fu. In this case, the unit fiber bundles Fu correspond to the fiber bundle of the present invention.
[0097] (11) In the above-described embodiments, the fiber bundle feeding device 17 is provided independently of the fiber bundle joining device 16. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the most upstream guide may be included in the fiber bundle joining device 16 and may be the guide arranged on the most downstream side of the fiber bundle joining device 16 in the traveling direction. In other words, the fiber bundle joining device 16 and the fiber bundle feeding device 17 may share this guide.
[0098] (12) In the above-described embodiments, the fiber bundle feeding device 17 twists the fiber bundle FI, etc. by approximately 90 degrees. However, this is not limited to this. The angle at which the fiber bundle feeding device 17 twists the fiber bundle FI, etc. may be different from 90 degrees.
[0099] (13) In the above-described embodiments, the fiber bundle feeding device 17 is provided in the pre-treatment section 4. However, this is not limiting. The fiber bundle feeding device 17 may be provided in the helical winding unit 50 in addition to or instead of the pre-treatment section 4. Alternatively, the fiber bundle feeding device 17 may be provided in the hoop winding unit 40.
[0100] 17 Fiber bundle feeding device 60 Guide roller (guide) 60a Contact surface 61 Guide roller (most upstream guide, first guide) 61a Contact surface (most upstream contact surface) 62 Guide roller (intermediate guide, second guide) 62a Contact surface (intermediate contact surface) 63 Guide roller (intermediate guide, first guide) 63a Contact surface (intermediate contact surface) 64 Guide roller (intermediate guide, second guide) 64a Contact surface (intermediate contact surface) 65 Guide roller (most downstream guide, first guide) 65a Contact surface (most downstream contact surface) AX Axis FI Fiber bundle FS1 First surface FS2 Second surface Fu Unit fiber bundle LC1 Virtual axis (first virtual axis) LC2 Virtual axis (third virtual axis) LC3 Virtual axis (third virtual axis) LC4 Virtual axis (third virtual axis) LC5 Virtual axis line (second virtual axis line) PU First center point PD Second center point REDA First downstream end point (most downstream end point) REDB Second downstream end point (most downstream end point) REUA First upstream end point (most upstream end point) REUB Second upstream end point (most upstream end point) VL Virtual straight line VP Virtual plane
Claims
1. A fiber bundle feeding device that feeds ribbon-shaped fiber bundles, The device comprises a plurality of guides, each having a shaft and a contact surface extending along the direction of extension of the shaft and in contact with the fiber bundle, wherein the fiber bundle is guided while being twisted by sequentially bringing the fiber bundle into contact with each contact surface in the direction in which the fiber bundle travels, The aforementioned multiple guides, The system includes a shaft positioned on a first virtual axis extending in a predetermined first axial direction, and an uppermost contact surface which is the contact surface extending along the first axial direction, and the uppermost guide positioned on the uppermost side in the travel direction among the plurality of guides, The shaft extends in a second axial direction different from the first axial direction and is positioned on a second virtual axis which is twisted to the first virtual axis, and the downstreammost contact surface is the contact surface which extends along the second axial direction, and the downstreammost guide is the one positioned furthest downstream in the direction of travel among the plurality of guides, The intermediate guide includes the shaft which extends in a third axial direction different from both the first and second axial directions and is positioned on a third virtual axis which is twisted relative to both the first and second virtual axes, and the intermediate guide which is the contact surface which extends along the third axial direction and is positioned between the upstreammost guide and the downstreammost guide in the direction of travel, When the plurality of guides are projected onto a virtual plane perpendicular to a virtual straight line passing through a first center point located at the center in the first axial direction of the downstream end of the upstream end of the downstream contact surface in the direction of travel, The fiber bundle feeding device is characterized in that the intermediate contact surface projected onto the virtual plane is positioned on the virtual plane at a distance from the first center point and the second center point.
2. The comparison distance is defined as the shortest distance in the virtual plane between the upstreammost endpoint, which is formed by projecting onto the virtual plane the portion of the end of the fiber bundle in the width direction that contacts the downstream end of the upstreammost contact surface in the direction of travel, and the downstreammost endpoint, which is formed by projecting onto the virtual plane the portion of the end of the fiber bundle in the width direction that contacts the upstream end of the downstreammost contact surface in the direction of travel. When, among the plurality of guides, two adjacent guides in the running direction have their contact surfaces, and the shortest distance in the virtual plane between two points formed by projecting the two ends of the fiber bundle in the width direction onto the virtual plane is defined as the end-to-end distance, and when, among the contact surfaces of the two guides, two centers formed by projecting the two centers of the fiber bundle in the width direction onto the virtual plane is defined as the center-to-center distance, The fiber bundle feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the absolute value of the difference between the total end distance, which is the sum of the end-to-end distances relating to all of the plurality of guides, and the total center distance, which is the sum of the center-to-center distances relating to all of the plurality of guides, is smaller than the comparison distance.
3. The fiber bundle feeding device according to claim 2, characterized in that the total end distance and the total center distance are equal.
4. The fiber bundle feeding device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each of the plurality of guides is a cylindrical roller.
5. The fiber bundle feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the plurality of guides is configured to contact only one of the two sides of the fiber bundle.
6. The aforementioned multiple guides, One or more first guides for contacting one of the two sides of the fiber bundle, The fiber bundle feeding device according to claim 5, further comprising one or more second guides for contacting the other side of the fiber bundle.
7. The fiber bundle feeding device according to claim 6, characterized in that at least the first guide and the second guide, excluding the upstreammost guide and the downstreammost guide, are arranged alternately in the direction of travel.
8. The fiber bundle feeding device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the angular difference between the width direction of the fiber bundle in contact with the intermediate guide and the third axial direction is 3 degrees or less.
9. The fiber bundle feeding device according to claim 1, characterized in that the width of the fiber bundle is 10 mm or more and 30 mm or less.
10. The aforementioned fiber bundle is The fiber bundle feeding device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of unit fiber bundles, each having a width narrower than the width of the fiber bundle, and formed by arranging the plurality of unit fiber bundles in the width direction of the fiber bundle.