SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IN-SITU IMPREGNATION OF CONTINUOUS FIBER TOWS WITH THERMOPLASTIC RESIN

A method and system for impregnating a source of fiber tow is provided. A stream of fiber tow is drawn through a tow guide to align the fiber tow with a predetermined path. The stream is drawn in tension across a series of tow spreader pins, that include convex spreading surface aligned with the pre...

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser:	GAROFALO, James John, WALCZYK, Daniel F
Format:	Patent
Sprache:	eng
Schlagworte:	ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OFTHREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVEAGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING,STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING FINISHING OR DRESSING OF FILAMENTS, YARNS, THREADS, CORDS,ROPES OR THE LIKE FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR LAUNDERING MECHANICAL FINISHING OF YARNS OR ROPES PERFORMING OPERATIONS SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS TEXTILES TRANSPORTING TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE WALL, FLOOR OR LIKE COVERING MATERIALS, e.g. LINOLEUM,OILCLOTH, ARTIFICIAL LEATHER, ROOFING FELT, CONSISTING OF AFIBROUS WEB COATED WITH A LAYER OF MACROMOLECULARMATERIAL WARPING OR BEAMING WORKING OF PLASTICS WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL YARNS
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:	A method and system for impregnating a source of fiber tow is provided. A stream of fiber tow is drawn through a tow guide to align the fiber tow with a predetermined path. The stream is drawn in tension across a series of tow spreader pins, that include convex spreading surface aligned with the predetermined tow path. As the fiber tow is drawn over spreading surfaces, the fibers tend to spread and/or fan out along that surface. The stream of fiber tow now being spread to a greater width and reduced thickness, the spread fiber tow is drawn through an impregnation die that includes a plurality of resin supply conduits. Resin melt is applied to the spread fiber tow from one or more directions to fully impregnate the fiber tow. The prepreg fiber tow is then drawn to a converging die which removes excess resin and converge to a fiber tow product. An angled drive roller is utilized to pull the fiber tow with sufficient force to overcome dry and viscous friction in the system components.