Production method and coating device for coating-liquid-impregnated sheet-like reinforcing-fiber bundle and sheet-like integrated object

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for producing sheet-like prepregs with unidirectionally arranged reinforcing fibers face challenges such as fuzz generation, clogging, and low production speed, leading to inefficient impregnation and mechanical property degradation.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a coating device with a liquid pool and a narrowed section, where the sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle is heated and widened before passing through a coating section with a slit-like narrowed area, ensuring efficient impregnation with a coating liquid while suppressing fuzz generation and clogging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle is allowed to pass through a liquid pool filled with thermoplastic resin to achieve impregnation, then the impregnation efficiency is improved, but fuzz generation occurs and clogging happens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpregnation efficiencyVSAvoidfuzz generation and clogging
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber bundle is heated and widened before entering the liquid pool, preparing it in advance for smooth impregnation without fuzz generation. This preliminary thermal treatment modifies the fiber properties to prevent harmful effects during subsequent coating

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The temperature and physical dimensions of the fiber bundle are changed before impregnation. By heating the fiber bundle to increase its width and modify its surface properties, the process achieves efficient impregnation while preventing fuzz generation and clogging

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the fiber bundle is heated and widened before coating, then impregnation uniformity is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimpregnation uniformityVSAvoidenergy consumption for heating
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The temperature and physical dimensions of the fiber bundle are changed before impregnation. By heating the fiber bundle to increase its width and modify its surface properties, the process achieves efficient impregnation while preventing fuzz generation and clogging

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If a narrow tape-like intermediate base material is used for lamination, then lamination efficiency is improved, but production speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelamination efficiencyVSAvoidproduction speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The fiber bundle is heated and widened before entering the liquid pool, preparing it in advance for smooth impregnation without fuzz generation. This preliminary thermal treatment modifies the fiber properties to prevent harmful effects during subsequent coating

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This approach enables continuous high-speed production of uniformly impregnated sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundles with improved mechanical properties and increased productivity by preventing fuzz and ensuring effective coating liquid distribution.

Implementation Method 1

the sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle is heated and then introduced into the liquid pool

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Implementation Method 2

a liquid pool and a narrowed section which are in communication with each other, wherein the liquid pool has a portion whose cross-sectional area decreases continuously along a running direction of the sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 3

the sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle is provided with the coating liquid by allowing the sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle to pass substantially vertically downward through the inside of a coating section storing a coating liquid

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP3603917B1Production method and coating device for coating-liquid-impregnated sheet-like reinforcing-fiber bundle and sheet-like integrated object
Publication Date: 2022.03.02 TORAY INDUSTRIES INC
  • EP3603917B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3603917B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3603917B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method of producing a coating liquid impregnated sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle formed by applying a coating liquid to a sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle that is unidirectionally arranged continuous reinforcing fibers long in one direction. A problem addressed by the present invention is to provide a production method and a coating device of a coating liquid impregnated sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle, wherein the method and device can effect continuous running without clogging of generated fuzz even at a high running speed and effect efficient impregnation of a coating liquid into the sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle. The present invention is a method of producing a coating liquid impregnated sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle 1b, including allowing a sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle 1a, which is unidirectionally arranged reinforcing fibers 1, to pass substantially vertically downward through the inside of a coating section 20 storing a coating liquid 2, whereby the method provides the sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle 1a with the coating liquid 2; wherein the coating section 20 includes a liquid pool and a narrowed section which are in communication with each other; wherein the liquid pool has a portion whose cross-sectional area decreases continuously along a running direction of the sheet-like reinforcing fiber bundle 1a, and wherein the narrowed section has a slit-like cross-section and has a smaller cross-sectional area than the top side of the liquid pool.