Carbon Fiber Tube Intermediate for Axial Fiber Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing power transmission shafts using fiber reinforced plastics face challenges in aligning fibers along the axial direction of a mandrel, leading to fiber displacement due to gravity when the orientation angle is small, and are either costly or inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A tube body intermediate is created by disposing fiber layers on a mandrel with fixing members wound around the fibers to maintain alignment, followed by molding with resin to form a tube body, reducing fiber displacement and production costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the filament winding technique is used, then production cost is reduced, but fiber alignment along the axial direction deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber reinforcement is divided into multiple layers with different orientations. The first fiber reinforcement layer is wound at a first angle (e.g., 45 degrees) to provide hoop strength, while the second fiber reinforcement layer is wound at a second angle (e.g., 0 degrees) to provide axial strength. This segmentation allows each layer to serve a specific functional purpose, achieving both cost-effectiveness and precise fiber alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tube body are reinforced with fibers oriented in different directions based on local stress requirements. The first fiber reinforcement layer with circumferential winding addresses hoop stress, while the second layer with axial winding addresses longitudinal stress. This local quality approach ensures optimal fiber alignment in each region without requiring expensive equipment throughout the entire process.
2Manufacturing precision
If the sheet winding technique is used, then fiber alignment along the axial direction is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement structure is segmented into multiple winding operations rather than requiring a single complex sheet winding operation. The first fiber reinforcement layer is applied using simple circumferential winding, and the second layer is applied using axial winding. This segmentation enables the use of lower-cost equipment while achieving the fiber alignment precision that would otherwise require expensive sheet winding machinery.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple simple winding operations are merged to achieve the same effect as a complex sheet winding operation. By combining the first circumferential winding with the second axial winding, the patent reproduces the fiber alignment quality of sheet winding while using more economical filament winding equipment and processes.
3Strength
If the orientation angle of fibers is small, then axial strength is improved, but fiber displacement due to gravity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The first fiber reinforcement layer is wound in advance to create a stable base structure that prevents gravity-induced displacement. By establishing this circumferential reinforcement layer first, the patent creates a framework that holds subsequent axial fiber layers in place, preventing displacement while maintaining the small orientation angle needed for axial strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Different fiber orientation angles are applied at different locations and layers to address different mechanical requirements. The first layer uses a larger angle (e.g., 45 degrees) to provide structural stability and prevent displacement, while the second layer uses a smaller angle (e.g., 0 degrees) to maximize axial strength. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between stability and strength.
Data Source
AI summary
The tube body intermediate includes: a carbon fiber disposed with respect to an outer circumferential surface of a mandrel such that the carbon fiber extends in an axial direction of the mandrel in a manner of being wound by less than one turn; and a first fixing member wound with respect to an outer circumferential surface of the mandrel such that the first fixing member extends in the axial direction of the mandrel in a manner of being wound over the carbon fiber by one or more turns in a circumferential direction.