Patent ID: 6387179
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: B29B

Abstract:
An apparatus for impregnating fiber bundles with resin comprising:an upstream chamber which receives a fiber bundle through a fiber inlet and provides a passage for conveying the fiber bundle to an orifice, wherein a substantial length of the upstream chamber is tapered toward the orifice, the orifice having a smaller cross sectional area than the fiber inlet and adapted to compress resin into the fiber bundle; a downstream chamber which receives the fiber bundle through the orifice and provides a passage for conveying the fiber bundle to a fiber outlet; and at least one resin conduit outlet located downstream of the orifice and directly adjacent to the orifice, the at least one resin conduit providing resin downstream to the downstream chamber and upstream to the upstream chamber through the orifice whereby the fiber bundle is impregnated with the resin in the upstream chamber and the downstream chamber as the fiber bundle is conveyed therethrough.