EP4330170A1

EP4330170A1 - Device for unwinding a reel of carbon fibers

Info

Publication number: EP4330170A1
Application number: EP22735938.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christophe Magnier; Stéphane VILLALONGA; Emmanuel FLOUVAT
Original assignee: Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique CEA; Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
Current assignee: Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives CEA
Priority date: 2021-04-26
Filing date: 2022-04-26
Publication date: 2024-03-06
Also published as: JP2024517148A; CA3213243A1; FR3122175B1; FR3122175A1; WO2022229554A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (36) for unwinding at least one roving (M) of a reel (38) comprising: - a fixed frame (40); - a plate (42) carrying at least one reel holder (56) extending along an axis (B) substantially perpendicular to the plate (42) and intended to receive a reel (38) able to rotate about said axis of the reel holder (56); - a head (44) for laying said at least one roving (M) of said reel (38), the laying head (44) being carried by the plate (42) and extending along an axis parallel to the axis (B) of said reel holder (56) and in an opposite direction to said reel holder (56); - an opening formed through the plate (42) and through which the axis of the laying head (44) passes so as to enable the movement of said at least one roving (M) from a reel (38) towards the laying head (44); - and in which the plate (42) is rotatable about the axis (F) of the laying head (44) on the frame.

Description

Title: Device for unwinding a coil of carbon fibers

[0001] This document relates to a device for unwinding one or more coils with a view to carrying out in particular a winding of at least one wick of a coil around an object such as a hollow mandrel intended to form a reservoir which can for example receive pressurized fluid, such as in particular gaseous hydrogen. This document also concerns a filament winding installation.

Prior technique

[0002] Filament winding is a method of implementation by molding composite materials in the form of parts having an axis of revolution (cylinder, cone, etc.). This process is suitable for mass production and is mainly used to manufacture parts subject to high mechanical stress (tanks, pipes, etc.).

Figure 1 shows a filament winding installation 10, according to the known technique, comprising a mandrel 12 rotatably mounted on a frame 14 and around a substantially horizontal longitudinal axis A. The installation 10 comprises a reel 16 movable in translation along the longitudinal axis A and carrying a plurality of coils 18 extending substantially perpendicularly to a panel of the reel and substantially horizontally. Each reel 18 comprises a wick 20, which are brought together contiguously next to each other at a laying head 22 so as to form a layer. The laying head 22 is integral with the reel 16 via a carriage 24 movable in translation along the longitudinal axis A.

[0004] In certain configurations (not shown), the laying head can also move in a direction transverse to the axis of the mandrel, turn around said transverse axis, pivot around the longitudinal axis, or even move on the vertical axis. [0005] Prior to the start-up of the filament winding installation, the web is attached to the mandrel. Tensioners of the reel are activated to put the fibers under tension, limit the fogging and compact the best successive layers deposited. A layer is defined by a winding making it possible to deposit the layer on the whole of the surface of the mandrel which it is desired to cover. It is possible to create a layer of helicoidal type with the layer which is deposited by constituting helices in order to cover the whole of the surface of the cylinder and the desired zones in the hemispherical bottoms. It is possible to make a layer of the circumferential type where the sheet is deposited almost transversely to the axis of the mandrel over all or over part of the cylindrical zone of the mandrel. Structuring by filament winding makes it possible to stack a succession of helical and/or circumferential layers in order to achieve the desired mechanical performance of the object. In general, the machine is controlled by a numerical control. This numerical control is often programmed by an operator using software dedicated to filament winding.

[0007] Contact laying machines are known which allow the laying of strips of short length without the risk of twisting. However, these machines do not allow removal and maintenance of a long continuous fiber under tension or axial mechanical stress in the direction of the fiber which is imposed and regulated. Known processes of this type are ATL for Automated Tape Layer and AFP for Automated Fiber Placement.

[0009] The ATL process uses wide ribbons (generally from 100 to 300 mm). This technique allows removal on surfaces with a small radius of curvature and large dimensions such as the wing of a civil aircraft. The AFP process performs a juxtaposition of tape less than 10 mm wide and an assembly at the head outlet of up to 32 tapes.

[0010] The main applications are the production of flat parts or parts with a large radius of curvature. The main idea is to replace the human hand for laying down successive folds with defined fiber orientations. [0011] All current systems use calibrated prepreg tapes (fiber/resin) with a separation film between the layers on the storage reel. These calibrated tapes come from unidirectional pre-impregnated plies recut with the risk of partial cutting of the reinforcement on the edges. Material costs are high here and it is necessary to have a system for winding the separation film during draping operations.

[0012] It is not possible to apply a continuous tension (or stress) in traction (in the direction of the fibre) on the rovings since the roving(s) constituting the sheet are cut at each end of the part produced.

[0013] To date, the successive developments in the field of the implementation of composite materials are driven by the significant needs expressed in the automotive and aeronautical sectors. The development of hydrogen storage technologies (for example at 700 bar operating pressure) with the increase in gravimetric capacity (i.e. the ratio between the quantity of hydrogen stored and the mass of the container), pushes composite materials to the limits of use. [0014] Conventional filament winding processes (dedicated machines) and more robotic ones (versatile machines) have never taken into account the full impact of the process in the loss of performance. In most cases, the support for the coils is located far from the laying head and the rovings pass through a large number of deflections and rollers before arriving at the laying head. Each change of direction and/or rotation causes by friction with the walls of the roller, the possibility of twisting or folding of the wick on itself. This twist is a significant source of loss of performance of the material due to the deterioration and/or the premature rupture of certain filaments constituting a roving. In addition, the modification of the geometry is conducive when laminating several layers to the appearance of porosities or local surpluses of matrix and/or reinforcing fiber.

[0015] Contact removal machines are the only ones to provide a partial answer to this technical problem. does not allow the prestressing (under tension) of the material.

Summary

[0016] This document thus proposes a device for unwinding at least one wick from a coil comprising: a fixed frame; a plate carrying at least one spool holder extending along an axis substantially perpendicular to the plate and intended to receive a spool capable of rotating around said axis of the spool holder; a head for laying said at least one wick from said coil, the laying head being carried by the plate and extending along an axis parallel to the axis of said reel holder and in a direction opposite to said reel holder; an orifice formed through the plate and traversed by the axis of the laying head so as to allow the passage of said at least one roving from a coil towards the laying head; and in which the plate is rotatable around the axis of the depositing head on the frame. According to the present configuration, the laying head is made integral in rotation with a support plate of the coil or coils. The wick of each coil is thus fixed in the mark of the plate and of the laying head so that the risks of the roving twisting from its exit from the spool to the laying head are greatly limited. [0018] The simultaneous rotation of the support plate for the coil(s) and the laying head freezes the positioning of the sheet, that is to say of all the rovings leaving the laying head, by example at the release rollers, regardless of the angular position of the laying head. It is possible to apply an axial prestress in the direction of the fibers, that is to say an axial tension, which can be several Newtons. This therefore leads to drastically limiting the appearance of twists, friction with the walls of the roller, twisting or folding of the wick or of each of the wicks on itself.

[0019] It is thus possible to retain the use of a standard commercial reel without a separator film between the layers, which is less expensive than a calibrated web.

[0020] Furthermore, this combination makes it possible to achieve good centering of each wick in the direction of the laying head and reduces spins due to the arrangement of the coil, the presence of a roller (coupled to this coil oriented in this way) and the rotation of the support. [0021] Preferably, the laying head comprises a guide system for contactless laying, for example by filament winding, of one or more rovings on an object, said guide system comprising for example an eyelet or a set of rollers and/or rollers.

[0022] According to another feature, each spool holder cooperates with a deflection rod and a deflection roller, the deflection rod extending along an axis substantially perpendicular to the plate and being positioned so that a tangent plane to the rod intercepts a track of said return roller which has an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spool holder.

[0023] In this way, the wick which comes out of the return rod is lodged directly on a track of the return roller, the wick then being returned by said return roller through the orifice of the plate towards the head of deposit.

Preferably, said tangent plane is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the return roller.

[0024] The return rod can be positioned so that in operation a first wick part extends between the spool mounted on said spool holder and the return rod and a second wick part extends between the deflection rod and the deflection roller, the first wick part and the second wick part forming an angle less than 90°, preferably less than 45°. [0025] This arrangement makes it possible to guarantee a good tension of the wick of the coil and makes it possible to further limit the formation of twists.

[0026] Each return rod can be mounted for rotation around its axis on the plate.

[0027] The roller(s) can be arranged opposite the hole in the plate. The roller(s) can be carried by one and the same support projecting relative to the plate and carried by the latter.

The tray carries N reel carriers, N being between 1 and 4. In a particular configuration, the tray comprises 4 reel carriers.

The spool holders can be arranged around the hole in the plate.

Each spool holder can be mounted in rotation on the plate and coupled to a system for tensioning the spool of the spool when the spool is tightly mounted on the spool holder.

[0028] This document also relates to an installation for winding at least one wick of a coil, the installation comprising a device as described above and a robot for moving an object intended to be covered in all or part by said at least one wick of the coil.

The characteristics set out in the following paragraphs can optionally be implemented, independently of each other or in combination with each other:

Brief description of the drawings

[0030] Other characteristics, details and advantages will appear on reading the detailed description below, and on analyzing the appended drawings, in which:

[Fig. 1] Figure 1, already described above, is a schematic perspective view of a filament winding installation according to the prior art;

[Fig. 2] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a filament winding installation according to this document;

[Fig. 3] Figure 3 is a schematic view of the coil support plate from a first side, a coil being mounted on the plate;

[Fig. 4] FIG. 4 comprises a part A named FIG. 4A and a part B named FIG. 4B, representing two orientations of a foot for supporting and driving the plate in rotation; [Fig. 5] Figure 5 is a view similar to that of Figure 3, without a coil mounted on the plate.

Description of embodiments

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which illustrates a filament winding installation 26 comprising a robot 28 for moving an object 30 intended to be covered in whole or in part by one or more rovings M of coils 38. The object in question is a hollow support 30 which may be made of metal and which is intended to form a reservoir, the deposition of wicks of carbon filaments making it possible to substantially increase the mechanical strength of the reservoir at high pressures. [0032] The robot 28 comprises a rail 32 comprising two arms 34 for supporting the mandrel 30 which is rotatably mounted around an axis B.

[0033] The installation 26 also comprises a device 36 for unwinding one or more wicks M each coming from a coil 38.

This device 36 cooperates with the aforementioned robot 28 so as to deposit a layer 39, that is to say a plurality of wicks M arranged side by side. The device 36 comprises a frame 40 comprising a vertical foot 41 housing means for controlling and controlling the rotational movement of a plate 42 and of a depositing head 44 (FIGS. 4A and 4B). The tray 42 and the removal head 44 are integral with each other, the removal head 44 being arranged on one side of the foot 41 and the tray 42 on the other side. The deposition head 42 extends along an axis F perpendicular to the plate 42 and from a first face of the latter.

[0035] The foot 41 houses a motor (not shown) whose substantially horizontal axis D of rotation rotates via a belt 50 a hollow shaft 52. This shaft 52, rotatably mounted on the foot 41 via appropriate bearing systems and comprises at a first end an external plate 54 for fixing to a plate of the plate 42. The shaft 52 extends along the same axis F as that of the laying head 44. The shaft 52 may also comprise at a second end another external plate for fixing to a corresponding plate of the laying head 44. Other means of coupling in rotation of the laying head to the shaft 52 can also be used without departing from the object of the present invention.

The plate 42 is formed by a substantially planar plate having a first face oriented towards the head 44 of deposit or towards the foot 41 and a second opposite face oriented opposite. The plate 42 carries a plurality of reel holders 56. There are four in Figure 5 but there could be more or less. Each spool holder 56 extends from the second face along an axis B substantially perpendicular to the plate 42 and is rotatably mounted around its axis B on the plate 52. Each spool holder 56 is capable of receiving a spool 38 which is tightly mounted on the spool holder 56. Each spool holder 56 is connected to a system for tensioning the wick of the spool 38. This tensioning system comprises a motor 60 carried by the plate and arranged on the second face thereof, a belt for coupling in rotation the axis of the motor with the axis B of the reel holder 56 via pulleys. Each tensioning system also includes a tensioning roller intended to tension the belt.

It is observed that the plate 42 comprises a central orifice 67, the reel holders being arranged around said orifice. This orifice 67 has an axis C which corresponds to the axis of the removal head 44 and allows the movement of the rovings of the coils 38 through the plate 42, through the shaft 52 of the foot 41 up to the head 44 of deposit. As can be seen, each spool holder 56 is associated with a deflection rod 62 and a deflection roller 64.

Each return rod 62 comprises a hollow cylinder rotatably mounted on a support arm 66 secured to the plate 42 (figures). The return rod 62 extends along an axis C substantially perpendicular to the plate 42, that is to say parallel to the axes B of the reel holders 56. Each return rod 62 is associated with a roller and is positioned so as to that a plane tangent to rod 62 intercepts a track 64a of said deflection roller 64 with which said rod is associated (FIG. 5). More particularly, said tangent plane of each return rod 62 is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the return roller 64 associated with the return rod. Each return roller has an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spool holder 56. The return rollers 64 are all carried by a single and same support projecting from the plate 42 from the second face and carried by it.

As illustrated in Figure 3, each return rod 62 is positioned so that in operation a first wick part M1 extends between the coil 38 mounted on said coil holder 56 and the rod 62 of deflection and a second part M2 of wick extends between the rod 62 of deflection and the roller 64 of deflection, the first part M1 of wick and the second part M2 of wick forming an angle a less than 90°, preferably less than 45°.

It will be noted that the wick rotates in the plane of the plate 42 as it enters the deflection roller 64. In this way, the wicks of the different coils find themselves arranged side by side so as to form a wick intended to be applied to a mandrel at the level of the laying head.

Claims

[Claim 1] Device (36) for unwinding at least one wick (M) from a reel (38) comprising: a fixed frame (40); - a plate (42) carrying at least one spool holder (56) extending along an axis (B) substantially perpendicular to the plate (42) and intended to receive a spool (38) capable of rotating around said axis of the holder coil (56); a head (44) for depositing said at least one wick (M) from said coil (38), the deposit head (44) being carried by the plate (42) and extending along an axis parallel to the axis (B) said spool holder (56) and in a direction opposite to said spool holder (56); an orifice formed through the plate (42) and crossed by the axis of the laying head (44) so as to allow the passage of said at least one wick (M) from a coil (38) towards the head ( 44) removal; - And in which the plate (42) is rotatable around the axis (F) of the head (44) for depositing on the frame.

[Claim 2] Device according to the preceding claim, in which each spool holder (56) cooperates with a deflection rod (62) and a deflection roller (64), the deflection rod (62) extending along an axis (C) substantially perpendicular to the plate (42) and being positioned so that a plane tangent to the rod (62) intercepts a track of said return roller (64) which has an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to the axis (B) rotation of the spool holder (56).

[Claim 3] Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said tangent plane is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the return roller (64).

[Claim 4] Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the deflection rod (62) is positioned such that in operation a first wick portion (M1) extends between the spool (38) mounted on said spool holder (56) and the return rod (62) and a second part (M2) of wick extends between the return rod (62) and the return roller (64), the first part (M1) of wick and the second part (M2) of wick forming an angle less than 90°, preferably less than 45°.

[Claim 5] Device according to one of Claims 2 to 4, in which each return rod (62) is rotatably mounted about its axis (C) on the plate (42).

[Claim 6] Device according to one of Claims 2 to 5, in which the roller or rollers (64) are arranged opposite the orifice of the plate (42).

[Claim 7] Device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the plate carries N reel carriers (56), N being between 1 and 4.

[Claim 8] Device according to claim 7, in which the spool holders (56) are arranged around the orifice (67) of the plate (42).

[Claim 9] Device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, in which each bobbin holder (56) is rotatably mounted on the plate (42) and coupled to a system for tensioning the wick (M) of the spool (38) when the spool (38) is tightly mounted on the spool holder (56).

[Claim 10] Installation for winding at least one wick (M) from a reel (38), the installation comprising a device according to one of the preceding claims and a robot for moving an object intended to be covered in whole or in part by said at least one wick (M) of the coil (38).