Fiber Guide Device with Compensation Mechanism for Robot Laying
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fiber laying devices face challenges in guiding continuous fiber materials without causing tensile forces or excess material issues due to the movement of robots, leading to potential fiber damage and process reliability concerns.
Innovation Solution
A fiber laying device with a multi-axis automatic movement system and a fiber guide device featuring deflection units and a compensation mechanism to manage changes in fiber guide section length, ensuring reliable fiber material delivery to the laying head without damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the fiber material is transported through a flexible pipeline system from a fixed fiber magazine to a movable laying head, then the fiber material can be supplied to the laying head, but the fibers can rest against the inner walls of the tube during feeding causing friction and damage to the fibers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the fiber material from the closed tube system and guides it through a series of rollers and guide elements that are open to the environment. The fiber is transported through a sequence of roller pairs (first roller pair, second roller pair, third roller pair) and guide elements instead of through a enclosed flexible pipeline, eliminating the friction and damage caused by contact with tube inner walls.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces intermediary guide elements and roller pairs that mediate the fiber transport process. These intermediaries (rollers and guides) provide controlled contact points that prevent the fiber from contacting harmful surfaces, while still enabling material transport from the fixed magazine to the movable laying head.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the distance between the fiber store and laying head constantly changes during laying, then the laying head can be freely positioned, but strong tensile forces act on the fiber material or excess material arises
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements a dynamic fiber guide system where the positions of the roller pairs and guide elements are specifically arranged to accommodate changing distances. The system allows for dynamic adjustment of fiber path length through the sequence of rollers, enabling the laying head to move freely while maintaining appropriate fiber tension through the controlled fiber path geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention resolves the tension problem by adding spatial dimensions to the fiber path. Instead of a simple linear connection, the fiber travels through multiple rollers and guide elements arranged in three-dimensional space, creating a multi-dimensional path that can accommodate lateral movements and distance changes without generating excessive tensile forces.
3Ease of operation
If a link chain with rollers is used to guide fiber material, then the fiber can be transported, but strong deflections from the zero position lead to strong torsional and tilting movements causing frictional loads and fiber damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the fiber transport path into multiple discrete stages with individual roller pairs and guide elements. Instead of a single link chain, the fiber passes through a sequence of separated guide sections (first roller pair, second roller pair, third roller pair with intermediate guides), which reduces the magnitude of deflections and torsional movements at any single point while maintaining transport functionality.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple continuous fiber materials are guided simultaneously to the laying head, then complex fiber composite components can be produced, but not every single fiber strand can be positioned in the axis of rotation, leading to undesirable tensile stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The invention provides separate, independent guide paths for multiple fiber materials using individual roller pairs and guide elements for each fiber strand. This segmentation allows each fiber to be guided independently through its own optimized path, ensuring that all fibers are properly positioned without unwanted tensile stresses while enabling the production of complex multi-fiber composite components.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a fiber laying device (1) for laying continuous fiber material (4), which is transported from a fiber storage unit (3) to a fiber laying head (2) that can be moved in space. The fiber materials are guided along the kinematic chain of the robot, wherein a compensation system is provided in the fiber storage unit (3) to compensate for changes in length when the robot moves.