NL1041585A - A method for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly and a chopper assembly. - Google Patents
A method for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly and a chopper assembly. Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- NL1041585A NL1041585A NL1041585A NL1041585A NL1041585A NL 1041585 A NL1041585 A NL 1041585A NL 1041585 A NL1041585 A NL 1041585A NL 1041585 A NL1041585 A NL 1041585A NL 1041585 A NL1041585 A NL 1041585A
- Authority
- NL
- Netherlands
- Prior art keywords
- fibres
- fibers
- chopper assembly
- plate
- receiving
- Prior art date
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 26
- 238000007664 blowing Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 claims 21
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 3
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000012815 thermoplastic material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000002844 melting Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008018 melting Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
- B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
- B29C70/06—Fibrous reinforcements only
- B29C70/10—Fibrous reinforcements only characterised by the structure of fibrous reinforcements, e.g. hollow fibres
- B29C70/12—Fibrous reinforcements only characterised by the structure of fibrous reinforcements, e.g. hollow fibres using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat
- B29C70/14—Fibrous reinforcements only characterised by the structure of fibrous reinforcements, e.g. hollow fibres using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat oriented
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
- B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
- B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
- B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
- B29C70/30—Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core
- B29C70/305—Spray-up of reinforcing fibres with or without matrix to form a non-coherent mat in or on a mould
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Composite Materials (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Textile Engineering (AREA)
- Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
- Reinforced Plastic Materials (AREA)
Abstract
A method for orientating fibres (3) leaving a chopper assembly and moving towards a surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3). The fibres (3) leaving the chopper assembly are blown against a plate like member (4) having a substantially flat surface. The angle (a) between said substantially flat surface and the moving direction of the fibres (3) is between 10° and 50°. An edge (9) of said plate like member (4) is positioned at a distance (10) between 0.5cm and 5cm from said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3).
Description
A METHOD FOR ORIENTATING FIBRES PRODUCED BY A CHOPPER ASSEMBLY AND A CHOPPER ASSEMBLY
The invention is related to a method for orientating fibres leaving a chopper assembly and moving towards a surface for receiving the fibres. The surface may be the inner wall of a mold or any other flat or curved surface in order to create a layer of fibres having a predetermined shape. The chopped fibres in the layer can be bound to each other by melting fibres of a thermoplastic material that is in between the chopped fibres. Filaments of that thermoplastic material can be fed into the chopper assembly together with the glass or carbon filaments, and all chopped fibres can be transported to said surface to create the layer of fibres.
In general, a chopper assembly produces fibres by cutting a strand or bundle of glass or carbon filaments, or filaments of another material, into short lengths. The fibres can be put in plastic material in order to improve the properties of that material. The cut fibres may fall down out of the chopper assembly towards said surface for receiving the fibres, or can be transported out of the chopper assembly by means of an airflow, whereby they are blowing away from the location where they are cut and, for example, may leave the chopper assembly through an output channel.
Publication W02002/055770 discloses a chopper assembly, whereby the bundle of filaments is guided into a pinch between two rollers, one roller being provided with cutting blades reaching into recesses of the other roller and thereby cutting the filaments in the bundle into short lengths. The manner of transporting the fibres away from the location where they are cut is not shown in this publication, but it is well known to make use of an airflow whereby the fibres are blowing away from the location where they are cut and leave the chopper assembly through an output channel towards a surface for receiving the fibres.
For certain applications of plastic material reinforced with fibres of glass or other material, the fibres in the layer of fibres have to be orientated to a certain degree. In order to achieve an orientation of the fibres it is known to shape the output channel of the chopper in such way, that the opening at the end of the channel is a slit. Thereby, the outgoing fibres will be orientated to a certain degree in the length direction of that slit. However, a disadvantage thereby is that the channel is very sensitive for obstruction; the fibres near the output opening can easily clog the channel.
The object of the invention is an improved method for orientating fibres leaving a chopper assembly and moving towards a surface for receiving the fibres, whereby the fibres arriving on said surface have a substantial orientation in a predetermined direction.
In order to comply with that object, a plate like member having a substantial flat surface is positioned in such manner that most of the fibres leaving the chopper assembly contact said substantial flat surface of the plate like member, wherein the angle between said substantial flat surface and the moving direction of the fibres is between 10° and 50°, preferably between 20° and 40°. Said moving direction of the fibres is the direction of displacement of the fibres just before the fibres reach said plate like member. It has been found that the fibres in a flow meeting the inclined substantial flat surface of said plate like member will orientate to a certain degree. The main direction of the orientation is parallel with respect to the flat surface of said plate like member and perpendicular with respect to the moving direction of the flow of fibres. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the fibres are blown by means of an airflow towards said surface for receiving the fibres.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said plate like member is located near said surface for receiving the fibres, wherein an edge of said plate like member is positioned at a distance between 0.5cm and 6cm from said surface for receiving the fibres, more preferably between 1cm and 4cm, from said surface. Thereby, the fibres will arrive on the receiving surface just after the orientation has taken place.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the chopper assembly and, attached hereto, said plate like member are moving with respect to said surface for receiving the fibres. Preferably they move in a direction away from the fibres that are deposited on the surface, so that the layer of fibres on the surface will not be disturbed by the airflow after the layer is created.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said plate like member is provided with openings in order to let through air. Thereby, the flow of air along the plate like member is reduced. Furthermore, the contact between the surface of the plate like member and the fibres is intensified, which may result in an improved orientation of the fibres.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, said surface for receiving the fibres is provided with openings in order to let through air. Thereby, the fibres arrived on said surface will not be blown away by air that has to escape elsewhere. Preferably, below said surface air is sucked off, so that the fibres stay where they arrive on said surface.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, during operation of the chopper assembly, said plate like member is hinging between a position in the flow of moving fibres and a position away from the moving fibres. Thereby, the degree of orientation of the fibres can be varied during the supply of fibres to the surface for receiving the fibres.
Furthermore, the invention is related to a chopper assembly for producing fibres, provided with means for moving the produced fibres towards a surface for receiving the fibres, wherein the assembly comprises a plate like member having a substantial flat surface, which surface is positioned at such location that, during operation of the chopper assembly, most of the moving fibres will contact said substantial flat surface of the plate like member, wherein the angle between said substantial flat surface and the moving direction of the fibres is between 10° and 50°, preferably between 20° and 40°.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, means are present for blowing the produced fibres through an output channel towards the surface for receiving the fibres, wherein said substantial flat surface is positioned in front of said output channel.
The invention will now be further elucidated by means of a description of an embodiment of a method for orientating fibres blown out of an output channel of a chopper assembly towards a surface for receiving the fibres, whereby reference is made to the drawing comprising two diagrammatical and schematic figures, whereby:
Figure 1 is a side view, and
Figure 2 is a view according to arrow II in figure 1.
Figure 1 shows in side view the output channel 1 of a chopper assembly (which assembly is not shown in the figures). The output channel 1 is connected to the chopper assembly through the funnel shaped portion 2 of the output channel 1. The cut fibres 3 are blown by the chopper assembly into the funnel shaped portion 2 and leave the output channel 1 at the left side as is shown in figure 1. Only the fibres 3 that have left the output channel 1 are shown in the figures. A substantial flat plate like member 4 is attached to the end of the output channel 1 by means of a support member 5. Thereby, plate like member 4 can hinge around axis 6, as is indicated by arrow 7. The plate like member 4 can be fixed at any desired angle a. In the described embodiment, the angle a between plate like member 4 and the blowing direction in the output channel 1 is about 25°.
It has been found that the presence of the plate like member 4 provides for a certain degree of orientation of the fibres 3 when the fibres 3 reach the surface 8, where a layer of fibres is formed. The direction of the orientation is perpendicular with respect to the direction of the airflow and parallel to the surface of the plate like member 4. In figure 1 is that direction perpendicular with respect to the plane of the figure.
The lower edge 9 of the plate like member 4 is parallel with respect to the surface 8. In the described embodiment, the distance 10 between said lower edge 9 and the surface 8 is 2.5cm. The surface 9 for receiving the fibres 3 is provided with openings 11, and air below surface 8 is sucked away, so that air from the output channel 1 will pass through the openings 11 of surface 8 in downward direction.
While the invention has been illustrated and elucidated in the figures and the foregoing description, the figures and description are to be considered as illustrative and exemplary and not as restrictive.
Translation of the claims: 1. A method for orientating fibres (3) leaving a chopper assembly and moving towards a surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3), characterized in that a plate like member (4) having a substantial flat surface is positioned in such manner that most of the fibres (3) leaving the chopper assembly contact said substantial flat surface of the plate like member (4), wherein the angle (a) between said substantial flat surface and the moving direction of the fibres (3) is between 10° and 50°. 2. A method as is claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said angle (a) is between 20° and 40°. 3. A method as is claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the fibres (3) are blown by means of an airflow towards said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3). 4. A method as is claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate like member (4) is located near said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3), and in that an edge (9) of said plate like member (4) is positioned at a distance (10) between 0.5cm and 6cm from said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3). 5. A method as is claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said distance (10) is between 1cm and 4cm. 6. A method as is claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chopper assembly and, attached hereto, said plate like member (4) are moving with respect to said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3). 7. A method as is claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said plate like member (4) is provided with openings in order to let through air. 8. A method as is claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3) is provided with openings (11) in order to let through air. 9. A method as is claimed in claim 8, characterized in that air is sucked off below said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3). 10. A method as is claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that, during operation of the chopper assembly, said plate like member (4) is hinging (7) between a position in the flow of moving fibres (3) and a position away from the moving fibres (3). 11. A chopper assembly for producing fibres (3), provided with means for moving the produced fibres (3) towards a surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3), characterized in that the chopper assembly comprises a plate like member (4) having a substantial flat surface, which surface is positioned at such location that, during operation of the chopper assembly, most of the fibres (3) leaving the chopper assembly will contact said substantial flat surface of the plate like member (4), wherein the angle (a) between said substantial flat surface and the moving direction of the fibres is between 10° and 50°. 12. A chopper assembly as is claimed in claim 10, characterized in that said angle (a) is between 20° and 40°. 13. A chopper assembly as is claimed in claims 11 or 12, characterized in that said plate like member (4) can hinge (7) between said location and a location wherein, during operation of the chopper assembly, the moving fibres (3) will not contact said substantial flat surface. 14. A chopper assembly as is claimed in anyone of claims 11-13, characterized in that means are present for blowing the produced fibres (3) through an output channel (1) towards the surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3), wherein said substantial flat surface is positioned in front of said output channel (1). 15. A chopper assembly as is claimed in claim 14, characterized in that said plate like member (4) can hinge around an axis (6) at the end of said output channel (1), said axis (6) extending perpendicular with respect to the moving direction of the fibres (3) in said output channel (1).
Claims (15)
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL1041585A NL1041585B1 (en) | 2015-11-23 | 2015-11-23 | A method for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly and a chopper assembly. |
| PCT/EP2016/001842 WO2017088953A1 (en) | 2015-11-23 | 2016-11-08 | A method and a device for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL1041585A NL1041585B1 (en) | 2015-11-23 | 2015-11-23 | A method for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly and a chopper assembly. |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| NL1041585A true NL1041585A (en) | 2017-06-07 |
| NL1041585B1 NL1041585B1 (en) | 2017-06-30 |
Family
ID=55405399
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL1041585A NL1041585B1 (en) | 2015-11-23 | 2015-11-23 | A method for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly and a chopper assembly. |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| NL (1) | NL1041585B1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2017088953A1 (en) |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1996032239A1 (en) * | 1995-04-10 | 1996-10-17 | N.V. Owens-Corning S.A. | Method for dispensing reinforcement fibers |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL1017098C2 (en) | 2001-01-12 | 2002-07-15 | Willem Frans Van Der Mast | Method and device for cutting fibers. |
-
2015
- 2015-11-23 NL NL1041585A patent/NL1041585B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
2016
- 2016-11-08 WO PCT/EP2016/001842 patent/WO2017088953A1/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO1996032239A1 (en) * | 1995-04-10 | 1996-10-17 | N.V. Owens-Corning S.A. | Method for dispensing reinforcement fibers |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| NL1041585B1 (en) | 2017-06-30 |
| WO2017088953A1 (en) | 2017-06-01 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MM | Lapsed because of non-payment of the annual fee |
Effective date: 20181201 |