Patent ID: 8141215
Filing Date: 2012-03-27
Classification: B29C,D04H

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for arranging fiber bundles, the apparatus comprising: a plurality of juxtaposed guide pipes and a transfer device for transferring the guide pipes, each of the guide pipes having a guide hole through which a fiber bundle is passed, wherein the transfer device transfers the guide pipes so that the fiber bundles are extracted from outlets of the guide holes of the guide pipes and arranged to form a layer of the fiber bundles, wherein the fiber bundles running in the guide pipes are drawn out of the guide pipes while being wound around a plurality of pins; a position-changing device to which the plurality of guide pipes except for one pipe or all the plurality of guide pipes are connected, wherein the position-changing device is capable of changing the position of the guide pipe connected to the position-changing device in the direction in which the fiber bundle layer is laminated, wherein the position-changing device switches outlets of the guide holes of the guide pipes between a first order-defining state and a second order-defining state, wherein, in the first order-defining state, outlets of the guide holes of the guide pipes are positioned in a first lamination direction in the order from the guide pipe located at a first end to the guide pipe located at a second end, wherein, in the second order-defining state, outlets of the guide holes of the guide pipes are positioned in a second lamination direction in the order from the guide pipe located at a first end to the guide pipe located at a second end, wherein the second direction is opposite from the first direction.