WO2017088953A1 - A method and a device for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly - Google Patents
A method and a device for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2017088953A1 WO2017088953A1 PCT/EP2016/001842 EP2016001842W WO2017088953A1 WO 2017088953 A1 WO2017088953 A1 WO 2017088953A1 EP 2016001842 W EP2016001842 W EP 2016001842W WO 2017088953 A1 WO2017088953 A1 WO 2017088953A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- fibres
- plate
- receiving
- chopper assembly
- moving
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Ceased
Links
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
Definitions
- the obj ect 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 and whereby the guidance of the flow of fibres towards the surface for receiving the fibres is improved.
- said plate like member is provided with openings in order to let through air.
- said flow of air along the plate like member is reduced.
- 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.
- 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.
- Figure 1 is a side view
- 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.
- figure 1 is that direction perpendicular with respect to the plane of the figure.
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 AND A DEVICE FOR ORIENTATING FIBRES PRODUCED BY 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 WO2002/055770 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. Such method for orientating fibres is disclosed in publication W096/32239 describing a method for dispensing reinforcement fibres, whereby the fibres are orientated by guiding the flow of fibres between two plates forming a slit at the end of the passage between the two plates. 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 obj ect 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 and whereby the guidance of the flow of fibres towards the surface for receiving the fibres is improved.
In order to comply with that object, the flow of moving fibres is guided at one side by a surface of a plate like member, whereby the angle (a) between said surface of the plate like member and the moving direction of the fibres leaving the chopper assembly is between 10° and 50°, preferably between 20° and 40°, and whereby said flow of moving fibres is guided between said surface of the plate like member and a portion of said surface for receiving the fibres being located at the other side of the flow of fibres opposite to said surface of the plate like member. 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 device for producing and orientating fibres, comprising a chopper assembly for producing the fibres, and comprising a surface for receiving the produced fibres, and comprising means for moving the produced fibres in a flow of fibres towards said surface for receiving the fibres, the device being provided with a plate like member having a surface for guiding the flow of moving fibres at one side of said flow during operation of the device, wherein the angle (a) between said surface of the plate like member and the moving direction of the fibres leaving the chopper assembly is between 10° and 50°, wherein a portion of said surface for receiving the fibres is located at a side of said flow opposite to said surface of the plate like member such that the flow of moving fibres during operation of the device can be guided between said surface of the plate like member and said portion of the surface for receiving the produced fibres.
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 8 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.
Claims
1. A method for orientating fibres (3) leaving a chopper assembly and moving in a flow of fibres (3) towards a surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3), whereby the flow of moving fibres (3) is guided at one side by a surface of a plate like member (4), whereby the angle (a) between said surface of the plate like member (4) and the moving direction of the fibres (3) leaving the chopper assembly is between 10° and 50°, characterized in that said flow of moving fibres (3) is guided between said surface of the plate like member (4) and a portion of said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3) being located at the other side of the flow of fibres (3) opposite to said surface of the plate like member (4).
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 lcm 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 device for producing and orientating fibres (3), comprising a chopper assembly for producing the fibres, and comprising a surface (8) for receiving the produced fibres (3), and comprising means for moving the produced fibres (3) in a flow of fibres (3) towards said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3), the device being provided with a plate like member (4) having a surface for guiding the flow of moving fibres (3) at one side of said flow during operation of the device, wherein the angle (a) between said surface of the plate like member (4) and the moving direction of the fibres (3) leaving the chopper assembly is between 10° and 50°, characterized in that a portion of said surface (8) for receiving the fibres (3) is located at a side of said flow opposite to said surface of the plate like member (4) such that the flow of moving fibres during operation of the device can be guided between said surface of the plate like member (4) and said portion of the surface (8) for receiving the produced fibres (3).
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).
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| NLNL1041585 | 2015-11-23 | ||
| NL1041585A NL1041585B1 (en) | 2015-11-23 | 2015-11-23 | A method for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly and a chopper assembly. |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2017088953A1 true WO2017088953A1 (en) | 2017-06-01 |
Family
ID=55405399
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2016/001842 Ceased WO2017088953A1 (en) | 2015-11-23 | 2016-11-08 | A method and a device for orientating fibres produced by a chopper assembly |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| NL (1) | NL1041585B1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2017088953A1 (en) |
Citations (2)
| 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 |
| WO2002055770A1 (en) | 2001-01-12 | 2002-07-18 | Willem Frans Van Der Mast | Method and device for cutting fibres |
-
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 (2)
| 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 |
| WO2002055770A1 (en) | 2001-01-12 | 2002-07-18 | Willem Frans Van Der Mast | Method and device for cutting fibres |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| NL1041585A (en) | 2017-06-07 |
| NL1041585B1 (en) | 2017-06-30 |
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