Continuous Fiber Tape Impregnation With Oscillating Fibers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for producing continuous fiber reinforced tapes and filaments face issues such as plastic saturation, fiber tension management, consolidation efficiency, and production adaptability, leading to system damage, high maintenance, and expensive production.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising an agitation unit for oscillating fibers, an impregnation unit with stationary lobed surfaces for even matrix distribution, and a consolidation unit with a multistage channel to gradually decrease the tape cross section, ensuring efficient impregnation and fiber integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pultrusion mechanism is used to impregnate fibers with plastic, then continuous fiber reinforced tapes and filaments can be produced, but huge deposition of plastic and molten material occurs in the interior space or walls of the die, causing system damage and requiring periodic cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The impregnation zone is segmented into multiple regions with different temperature profiles. The first impregnation zone has a first temperature and the second impregnation zone has a second temperature, creating staged thermal processing that prevents excessive plastic deposition in any single location while maintaining continuous production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different temperature parameters to different zones of the impregnation system. By varying the temperature profile through multiple zones rather than using a uniform high temperature, the system achieves effective impregnation while reducing plastic saturation and deposition in the die, thereby improving system durability.
2Quantity of substance
If saturated plastic is used in the die, then impregnation can occur, but the plastic burns during the process, leading to damage of the die or system
Solution Approach 1:
The heating process is segmented into multiple zones with different temperature levels. The first impregnation zone uses a first temperature and the second impregnation zone uses a second temperature, preventing any single zone from reaching temperatures that cause plastic burning while still achieving adequate saturation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter across different zones rather than maintaining a uniformly high temperature. This gradient approach allows sufficient plastic saturation for effective impregnation while keeping temperatures below the burning threshold, eliminating the harmful effect of plastic combustion.
3Quantity of substance
If existing impregnation systems are used, then fiber impregnation can be achieved, but plastic to fiber ratio cannot be effectively managed for mass production
Solution Approach 1:
The impregnation process is divided into multiple zones that independently control plastic application. This segmentation allows precise management of plastic to fiber ratio in each zone, enabling optimized material distribution for mass production while maintaining product quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs different temperature and flow parameters in different zones to precisely control the plastic to fiber ratio. By adjusting these parameters locally rather than uniformly, the system achieves optimal material ratios suitable for high-volume production.
4Ease of operation
If rollers are used in the system, then fiber handling can be achieved, but the system becomes more complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes rollers from the system entirely, replacing them with a die-based impregnation mechanism. This extraction of the roller component simplifies the system structure and reduces complexity while maintaining effective fiber handling and impregnation capabilities through the die design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves cost-effective, durable, and high-tolerance production of pre-impregnated continuous fiber tapes and filaments with improved plastic-to-fiber ratio and reduced maintenance, enabling efficient mass production.
Implementation Method 1
the agitation unit is configured to draw a plurality of fibers from a material source and oscillate the said plurality of fibers in a back and forth motion, perpendicular to a feed direction and along a plane of the plurality of fibers
Implementation Method 2
a consolidation unit comprising a consolidation die, wherein the consolidation die is heated in order to pass the impregnated tape through the said consolidation die
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a system 100 and method 700 for preparing pre-impregnated continuous fiber tapes and filaments. The system comprises an agitation unit 101, an impregnation unit 102 and a consolidation unit 104. The agitation unit 101 is configured to draw fibers from a material source and oscillate in a back and forth motion, perpendicular to a feed direction of the fibers, thereby forming agitated fibers. The impregnation unit 102 is configured to impinge a metered matrix material on the moving agitated fibers and pass over stationary lobed surfaces 304 in the impregnation unit 102, thereby forming an impregnated tape 306. The consolidation unit 104 comprises a consolidation die 503, which is heated in order to pass the impregnated tape 306 through the consolidation die 503 and convert into continuous fiber filaments by a multistage channel configured to gradually decrease the cross section of the impregnated tape 306.