Patent ID: 8684720
Filing Date: 2014-04-01
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
1. A gantry mounted fiber placement machine having a creel and a head with a compaction roller for applying fiber to a mold or tool, the fiber placement machine having 6 axes of motion, wherein the creel moves with the gantry, the machine comprising: a gantry that moves in an X-axis and a horizontal gantry beam that is parallel to a Y-axis; a creel that moves with the gantry in the X-axis; a head that moves in a Y-axis parallel to the floor and across the gantry beam; a head that moves in a Z-axis perpendicular to the X and Y-axes; a head that swivels in an I-axis as it rotates about the X-axis; a head that swivels in a J-axis as it rotates about the Y-axis; a head that swivels in a K-axis as it rotates about the Z-axis; a B-axis roller mounted on the gantry above the head, whereby the B-axis roller changes the direction of travel of the fiber band from horizontal to vertical for delivery of the fiber to the top of the fiber placement head; an A-axis roller mounted on the head above the opening that receives the fibers and below the B-axis roller, the A-axis roller mounted on a swivel to enable the fiber band to twist around the Z-axis as required by the motion of the head; two adjacent rollers comprising the A-axis roller, the adjacent rollers enabling the head to swivel + and −90 degrees about the I-axis while the at least one of the adjacent rollers maintains contact with the fiber tows; an upper set of rollers and a lower set of rollers comprising the A-axis rollers; and the rollers of the upper and lower sets being separated by guide plates, whereby the guide plates prevent adjacent fibers from contacting one another and from switching to the incorrect corresponding roller when the fibers switch from one A-axis roller to the other A-axis roller.