Forming-material connecting device and forming apparatus

A forming-material connecting device includes a cutter that cuts a forming material constituted by plural continuous fiber bundles being impregnated with a resin material and supplied in a supply direction corresponding to an extending direction of the plural continuous fiber bundles. The cutter cuts at least a portion of the plural continuous fiber bundles. The forming-material connecting device also includes a joining portion joining portions of the forming material, which are cut by the cutter at a cutting point in the forming material, on a downstream and upstream side with respect to the cutting point in the supply direction by heating to join the resin materials of the portions of the forming material, or the joining portion joins a preceding forming material's trailing end portion and a leading end portion of a following forming material by heating to join resin materials of the preceding forming material and following forming material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-055094 filed Mar. 25, 2020.

BACKGROUND

(i) Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a forming-material connecting device and a forming apparatus.

(ii) Related Art

A three-dimensional object forming apparatus capable of suppressing fibers from meandering to suppress the rigidity of a three-dimensional component from decreasing has been known (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-081292).

SUMMARY

Aspects of non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a forming-material connecting device capable of supplying a forming material in a connected manner.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a forming-material connecting device including: a cutter that cuts a forming material constituted by a plurality of continuous fiber bundles being impregnated with a resin material and supplied in a supply direction corresponding to an extending direction of the plurality of continuous fiber bundles, the cutter cutting at least a portion of the plurality of continuous fiber bundles; and a joining portion that joins portions of the forming material, which are cut by the cutter at a cutting point in the forming material, on a downstream side and on an upstream side with respect to the cutting point in the supply direction by heating to join the resin materials of the portions of the forming material or joins a trailing end portion of a preceding forming material and a leading end portion of a following forming material by heating to join the resin materials of the preceding forming material and the following forming material.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. InFIGS. 1 and 2, arrow H denotes the upward direction (an upper side in the vertical direction) of a forming apparatus10, and arrow W denotes the width direction (the horizontal direction) of the forming apparatus10. A direction orthogonal to arrows H and W denotes the depth direction (the horizontal direction) of the forming apparatus10.

The forming apparatus10according to the present exemplary embodiment is a fused-deposition-modeling (FDM) type three-dimensional forming apparatus (3D printer) and forms an object such as a formed object80illustrated inFIG. 5by calculating layer data of plural layers (forming data) from data such as three-dimensional data generated by three-dimensional computer aided design (CAD) and by layering layers in accordance with the layer data.

AsFIG. 6illustrates, a forming material (filament)90used for the forming apparatus10according to the present exemplary embodiment includes continuous fiber bundles92(hereinafter, simply referred to as “fiber bundles”) in which plural continuous fibers are bundled without being twisted together. The forming material90is formed in a manner such that gaps between continuous fibers of each of the fiber bundles92are impregnated with a resin material94constituted by, for example, a polyamide synthetic resin.

Examples of such a continuous fiber include a carbon fiber 0.005 mm in diameter TORAYCA (registered trade name) yarn T300, manufactured by Toray Industries, Inc. The forming material90is constituted by 1000 or more (for example, 3000) such continuous fibers being bundled. The smaller number of the continuous fibers are illustrated inFIG. 6. The section of the forming material90(the fiber bundles92) according to the present exemplary embodiment is, for example, circular in shape and 0.4 mm in diameter.

The extending direction of the fiber bundles92corresponds to the supply direction of the forming material90. Hereinafter, the upstream side in the supply direction of the forming material90is sometimes simply referred to as an “upstream side”, and the downstream side in the supply direction is sometimes simply referred to as a “downstream side”.

AsFIG. 1illustrates, the forming apparatus10has a forming chamber20and an accommodation chamber70. AsFIG. 2illustrates, the forming apparatus10includes, in the forming chamber20, a forming table14as an example of a placement table, a forming unit12disposed above the forming table14, a movement unit18that moves the forming unit12, and a controller16that controls each component.

Forming Chamber

Forming Table

AsFIGS. 1 and 2illustrate, the forming table14is disposed in a lower portion of the forming apparatus10(the forming chamber20). The forming table14faces upward and has a forming surface14A that is a horizontal plane.

Movement Unit

AsFIG. 2illustrates, the movement unit18is disposed in an upper portion of the forming apparatus10(the forming chamber20) and constituted by combining known mechanisms. The movement unit18is capable of moving the forming unit12in the width direction, the depth direction, and the vertical direction and further capable of rotating the forming unit12about the axis in the vertical direction.

Forming Unit

The forming unit12is disposed between the forming table14and the movement unit18in the vertical direction. The forming unit12includes a pulley22over which a forming material90is looped, a delivering roller24as an example of a first supply portion that supplies the forming material90, and a cutter28that cuts at least a portion of the forming material90.

The forming unit12also includes a joining portion30that joins portions of the forming material90, which have been cut by the cutter28at a cutting point in the forming material, on the downstream side and on the upstream side with respect to the cutting point by heating to join the resin materials94of the portions of the forming material90or, asFIG. 4illustrates, joins a trailing end portion of a preceding forming material90F and a leading end portion of a following forming material90S by heating to join the resin materials94of the preceding forming material90F and the following forming material90S. The forming unit12also includes a delivering roller26that is disposed on the downstream side with respect to the joining portion30(the delivering roller24) and is an example of a second supply portion that supplies the forming material90.

The cutter28and the joining portion30constitute the forming-material connecting device50. The cutter28and the joining portion30are disposed between the delivering roller24and the delivering roller26in the supply direction of the forming material90.

The forming unit12further includes a first heating portion34that is an example of a heating portion that, while supporting, heats the forming material90supplied by the delivering roller26and supplies the forming material90to the forming surface14A of the forming table14, and the forming unit12also includes a pressing portion40that presses the forming material90that has been supplied to the forming surface14A of the forming table14.

The forming unit12further includes a second heating portion52that heats the forming material90at a position apart from the forming material90, a third heating portion56that heats the pressing portion40at a position apart from the pressing portion40, and a unit support portion60that supports the entire forming unit12.

The forming unit12(the forming-material connecting device50) further includes a supplementing portion33that adds another resin material (a resin material equivalent to the resin material94), which is used for joining the resin materials94, between the portions of the forming material90, which have been cut by the cutter28at the cutting point in the forming material, on the downstream side and on the upstream side with respect to the cutting point or between the trailing end portion of the preceding forming material90F and the leading end portion of the following forming material90S. The supplementing portion33is not necessarily included.

Pulley

AsFIG. 2illustrates, in the forming unit12, the pulley22is disposed in a portion of the forming apparatus10on one side thereof in the width direction (a portion on the right side in the figure), and the pulley22rotates around the axis in the depth direction.

The pulley22includes a cylindrical column-shaped pulley body22A, a shaft portion22B that constitutes the rotation axis of the pulley body22A, and support brackets22C that support the shaft portion22B. The support brackets22C are provided as a pair, and the paired support brackets22C are disposed with the pulley body22A interposed therebetween in the depth direction.

Specifically, the support brackets22C extend vertically, and the shaft portion22B is supported by the support brackets22C at lower end portions thereof. In the configuration, four forming materials90are looped over the pulley22and arranged in a line in the depth direction.

Delivering Rollers

AsFIG. 2illustrates, the delivering roller24is disposed on the downstream side with respect to the pulley22. The delivering roller24includes a driving roller24A, a driven roller24B, and support brackets24C that support the driving roller24A and the driven roller24B.

The driving roller24A and the driven roller24B rotate around the axis in the depth direction. The driving roller24A and the driven roller24B hold vertically the four forming materials90that have been supplied via the pulley22therebetween so that the downstream side of the forming materials90to be supplied is lower than the upstream side of the forming materials90.

The support brackets24C are provided as a pair, and the paired support brackets24C are disposed with the driving roller24A and the driven roller24B interposed therebetween in the depth direction. Specifically, the support brackets24C extend vertically, and the driving roller24A and the driven roller24B are supported by the support brackets24C at lower end portions thereof.

The delivering roller26is disposed on the downstream side with respect to the delivering roller24(the joining portion30). The delivering roller26includes a driving roller26A, a driven roller26B, and support brackets26C that support the driving roller26A and the driven roller26B.

The driving roller26A and the driven roller26B rotate around the axis in the depth direction. The driving roller26A and the driven roller26B hold vertically the four forming materials90that have been supplied by the delivering roller24therebetween so that the downstream side of the forming materials90to be supplied is lower than the upstream side of the forming materials90.

The support brackets26C are provided as a pair, and the paired support brackets26C are disposed with the driving roller26A and the driven roller26B interposed therebetween in the depth direction. Specifically, the support brackets26C extend vertically, and the driving roller26A and the driven roller26B are supported by the support brackets26C at lower end portions thereof.

In the configuration, the driving roller24A rotates in response to a driving force from a motor (not illustrated), and the delivering roller24thereby supplies the four forming materials90toward the forming surface14A. The driving roller26A rotates in response to a driving force from the motor (not illustrated) at the same rotation speed as that of the driving roller24A, and the delivering roller26thereby supplies the four forming materials90toward the forming surface14A.

In such a way, the four forming materials90that have been supplied via the pulley22are supplied to the forming surface14A of the forming table14by the delivering roller24and the delivering roller26so that the downstream side of the forming materials90is lower than the upstream side thereof. In the present exemplary embodiment, the delivering rollers24and26rotate so that the forming materials90are supplied at a speed of, for example, 30 mm/sec or more to 100 mm/sec or less.

Cutter

The cutter28includes four cutting blades28A that individually cut the respective four forming materials90. In the present exemplary embodiment, “to cut at least a portion” means to cut each of the fiber bundles92except for a portion of the fiber bundles92(such a portion is approximately equivalent to the number of the fibers that are easily cut when the forming material90is pulled) and also to cut all of each of the fiber bundles92.

Joining Portion

AsFIG. 3illustrates, the joining portion30includes paired nip members32each having a rectangular flat plate shape of which the longitudinal direction corresponds to the supply direction. In a central portion in an inner surface of each of the paired nip members32that face each other, a recess32A having a substantially semi-circular-shaped section is formed so as to extend in the longitudinal direction. The recesses32A nip and press the forming material90.

The paired nip members32are enabled to be moved by a known mechanism (not illustrated) in a direction in which the nip members32approach (come into contact with) each other and in a direction in which the nip members32separate from each other. Hereinafter, a state in which the inner surfaces of the paired nip members32approach (come into contact with) each other is referred to as a “closed state”, and a state in which the inner surfaces of the paired nip members32separate from each other is referred to as an “open state”.

When the paired nip members32are in the closed state, the inside diameter of a hole having a circular section and formed by the recesses32A is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the forming material90. Thus, the paired nip members32nip and press the forming material90.

A plate-shaped heater (not illustrated) is buried in each of the paired nip members32(the heater is incorporated in each of the paired nip members32). The heaters heat the forming material90, which has been nipped and pressed by the paired nip members32, to, for example, 250° C. or more to 300° C. or less.

Thus, the portions of the forming material90, which have been cut by the cutter28at the cutting point in the forming material, on the downstream side and the upstream side with respect to the cutting point are connected to each other by melting the resin materials94of the portions of the forming material90or, asFIG. 4illustrates, a trailing end surface90E in the trailing end portion of the preceding forming material90F and a leading end surface90T in the leading end portion of the following forming material90S are connected to each other by melting the resin materials94of the forming materials90F and90S.

Although the temperature of the forming material90that has been heated decreases due to the paired nip members32being in the open state, to promote joining of the resin material94of the forming material90, a cooling portion (not illustrated) that cools the forming material90may be provided on the downstream side with respect to the joining portion30and on the upstream side with respect to the delivering roller26.

First Heating Portion

The first heating portion34is disposed on the downstream side with respect to the delivering roller26. The first heating portion34includes a tube member35through which the forming material90passes, a body portion36that supports the tube member35in a surrounding manner, a plate-shaped heater (not illustrated), and support brackets38.

The tube member35is made of a metallic material and, for example, four tube members35are provided. The four tube members35are arranged in a line in the depth direction. As viewed in the depth direction, each of the tube members35extends in an inclined manner in the supply direction of the forming material90so that an end portion on the downstream side of each of the tube members35is positioned lower than an end portion on the upstream side of each of the tube members35.

The body portion36is made of a metallic material, has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and, as viewed in the depth direction, has a rectangular shape extending in the supply direction of the forming material90. A portion of each of the tube members35is surrounded by the body portion36. In a portion of the body portion36on the downstream side in the supply direction of the forming material90, an opening (not illustrated) is formed so that the four tube members35are exposed upward.

The heater is disposed in the body portion36. Specifically, the heater is disposed in a portion of the body portion36on the upstream side in the supply direction of the forming material90, and the heater heats the body portion36and the tube members35to, for example, 200° C. or more to 250° C. or less.

The support brackets38are provided as a pair, and the paired support brackets38are disposed with the body portion36interposed therebetween in the depth direction. Specifically, the support brackets38extend vertically while bending, and the body portion36is supported by the support brackets38at lower end portions thereof.

In the configuration, by using the heater, the first heating portion34heats the four forming materials90and softens a resin configurating the forming materials90. The four forming materials90that have been softened then pass through the respective four tube members35provided in the first heating portion34and are supplied to the forming surface14A of the forming table14.

Thus, each of the forming materials90is caused to pass through the corresponding tube member35, thereby being positioned at a supply position at which each of the forming materials90is to be supplied to the forming surface14A (the forming table14). That is, the first heating portion34functions as a positioning member that determines the supply position of each of the forming materials90. In the present exemplary embodiment, in a part in which the forming materials90are discharged from the respective tube members35, a pitch (center distance) between the adjacent forming materials90is, for example, 1 mm.

Pressing Portion

The pressing portion40is disposed on the downstream side with respect to the first heating portion34. The pressing portion40includes a roller portion42and a support portion48that supports the roller portion42. The roller portion42is disposed, with the axis direction thereof corresponding to the depth direction, so as to hold the four forming materials90that have been discharged from the first heating portion34in corporation with the forming surface14A of the forming table14.

The roller portion42has a shaft portion46extending in the depth direction and a body portion44having a circular section. In the depth direction, the length of the body portion44is greater than the length from the tube member35disposed on the frontmost side to the tube member35disposed on the backmost side.

The support portion48includes paired support plates48A disposed with the roller portion42interposed therebetween in the depth direction, a body portion48B to be coupled to upper ends of the paired support plates48A, and an urging member (not illustrated) that urges the roller portion42toward the forming table14.

The paired support plates48A extend vertically with the thickness direction of the plates corresponding to the depth direction. The shaft portion46of the roller portion42is attached to lower end portions of the support plates48A. A lower end portion of the body portion48B is attached to upper end portions of the support plates48A with the urging member interposed therebetween. One support bracket38provided on the first heating portion34is attached to one support plate48A, and the other support bracket38provided on the first heating portion34is attached to the other support plate48A.

The body portion48B extends vertically, and the lower end portion of the body portion48B is attached to upper end portions of the support plates48A with the urging member interposed therebetween. In the configuration, the pressing portion40presses the forming material90against the forming surface14A of the forming table14due to an urging force exerted by the urging member under a predetermined load. In the present exemplary embodiment, the pressing portion40presses the forming material90against the forming surface14A under a pressure of, for example, 20 N/cm2or more to 50 N/cm2or less.

Second Heating Portion

The second heating portion52is disposed above the first heating portion34. The second heating portion52includes a housing52A, an infrared lamp (not illustrated) disposed in the housing52A, and a support bracket54.

The housing52A has a bottomed cylindrical shape of which a side facing the first heating portion34is open. That is, the opening of the housing52A faces the first heating portion34and the roller portion42. In other words, the infrared lamp is disposed so as to radiate infrared radiation toward the first heating portion34and the roller portion42through the opening of the housing52A.

The support bracket54is substantially “L”-shaped as viewed in the depth direction. A portion of the support bracket54on one side thereof is attached to an upper end portion of the housing52A, and a portion of the support bracket54on the other side thereof is attached to a side surface of the body portion48B of the support portion48.

In the configuration, by using the infrared lamp, the second heating portion52heats a portion of each of the forming materials90that is passing from the opening of the body portion36in the first heating portion34through the corresponding tube member35. By using the infrared lamp, the second heating portion52further heats a portion of each of the forming materials90that has been discharged from the first heating portion34and has not reached a nip part N constituted by the roller portion42and the forming surface14A. Thus, the second heating portion52functions as a heating unit that heats a portion of each of the forming materials90that has been discharged from the first heating portion34and has not reached the nip part N.

Third Heating Portion

In the width direction of the forming apparatus10, the third heating portion56is disposed on the opposite side to the first heating portion34with the pressing portion40interposed therebetween. The third heating portion56includes a housing56A, a hot-air heater (not illustrated) disposed in the housing56A, and a support bracket58.

The housing56A has a bottomed cylindrical shape of which a side facing the roller portion42of the pressing portion40is open. That is, the opening of the housing56A faces the roller portion42of the pressing portion40. In other words, the hot-air heater is disposed so as to jet hot air toward the roller portion42of the pressing portion40through the opening of the housing56A.

The support bracket58includes a substantially “L”-shaped body portion58A as viewed in the depth direction and a housing support portion58B to which the housing56A is attached. The housing support portion58B extends substantially vertically, and the housing56A is attached to a lower end portion of the housing support portion58B. A portion of the body portion58A on one side thereof is attached to an upper end portion of the housing support portion58B, and a portion of the body portion58A on the other side thereof is attached to a side surface of the body portion48B of the support portion48.

In the configuration, by using the hot-air heater, the third heating portion56heats the roller portion42of the pressing portion40. That is, the roller portion42is heated by the second heating portion52from one side in the width direction of the forming apparatus10and heated by the third heating portion56from the other side in the width direction of the forming apparatus10. Thus, the third heating portion56functions as a heating unit that heats the roller portion42of the pressing portion40.

Unit Support Portion

The unit support portion60is disposed below the movement unit18and includes a body portion62to which the respective constituents are attached, and a middle portion64of which a lower end portion is attached to the body portion62and of which an upper portion is attached to the movement unit18.

The body portion62has a plate shape in which the thickness direction of the plate corresponds to the vertical direction. An upper end of the body portion48B of the pressing portion40, upper ends of the support brackets24C of the delivering roller24, upper ends of the support brackets26C of the delivering roller26, and upper ends of the support brackets22C of the pulley22are attached to a lower surface62A of the body portion62.

In the configuration, the unit support portion60(the forming unit12) is moved in the width direction, the depth direction, and the vertical direction by the movement unit18that is controlled by the controller16. Thus, the first heating portion34relatively approaches and separates from the forming surface14A (the forming table14), and the forming material90that has been supplied through the corresponding tube member35of the first heating portion34is enabled to be supplied to a corresponding portion of the nip part N.

Controller

The controller16controls the movement unit18, the delivering rollers24and26, the heater of the first heating portion34, the infrared lamp of the second heating portion52, the hot-air heater of the third heating portion56, the cutter28, the joining portion30, and the like in accordance with the layer data (the forming data) based on the three-dimensional data of the formed object80that has been input.

The controller16controls specifically the stop/start of supply from the delivering roller24and the delivering roller26and a cutting operation of the cutter28so that the forming material90is cut at a timing calculated from the layer data (the forming data) based on the three-dimensional data used for forming the formed object80.

At a timing at which a cutting point between portions of the forming material90that have been cut by the cutter28reaches the forming surface14A, the controller16performs control so as to stop the supply from the delivering roller24and the delivering roller26and cause the first heating portion34to relatively separate from the forming surface14A (the forming table14) to cut the forming material90at the cutting point.

Moreover, at a timing at which the trailing end portion (the trailing end surface90E) of the preceding forming material90F reaches the cutter28, the controller16stops the supply of the delivering roller26and control the supply of the delivering roller24so that the leading end portion (the leading end surface90T) of the following forming material90S reaches the cutter28.

Accommodation Chamber

AsFIG. 1illustrates, reels72on which the respective forming materials90are wound are rotatably provided in an upper portion of the accommodation chamber70. That is, four reels72are arranged in a line in the depth direction, and the forming materials90that have been unreeled from the respective reels72are supplied to the delivering roller24via a pulley66provided in the forming chamber20and via the above-described pulley22.

Reels74for replacement on which the respective forming materials90are wound are provided in a lower portion of the accommodation chamber70. Although, the number of the reels74for replacement is not particularly limited, as with the reels72, plural reels74are arranged in a line in the depth direction. The forming material90unreeled from each of the reels72is the preceding forming material90F, and the forming material90unreeled from each of the reels74is the following forming material90S.

Formed Object

AsFIG. 5illustrates, the formed object80of the present exemplary embodiment has a shape in which, for example, a large-diameter portion82and a small-diameter portion84that have a bottomed cylindrical shape and have different outside diameters and different inside diameters are coupled by a plate-shaped coupling portion86. The mass of the formed object80is 2.59 kg, and the width in the longitudinal direction is 0.68 m. Thus, regarding the forming materials90for manufacturing the formed object80in a case of simultaneously using four parallel forming materials90, the mass per forming material90is 647.5 g (2.59 kg/4).

Here, the amount (length) of the forming material90that is wound on a single reel72is 1590 m, and the mass thereof is 500 g. Thus, when the formed object80that requires 647.5 g of the forming material90is manufactured, at least one reel72needs to be replaced by (added with) the reel74for replacement.

Regarding the forming-material connecting device50and the forming apparatus10having the above described configurations, the functions thereof will be described next.

As described above, when the formed object80is manufactured, the four reels72are not sufficient, and one more reel, that is, the reel74is required. Here, the joining portion30as the forming-material connecting device50is provided in the forming apparatus10according to the present exemplary embodiment. Thus, the forming material90is supplied in a connected manner without break.

Specifically, the delivering rollers24and26are stopped at the time when a trailing end portion (a trailing end surface90E) of the forming material90supplied from, out of the four reels72, the reel72in which the forming material90is to run out fastest reaches the position of the cutter28. The reel72that has become empty fastest is then removed, the reel74for replacement is attached, a forming material90of the reel74is looped over the pulley22, and the delivering roller24is driven until a leading end portion (a leading end surface90T) of the forming material90reaches the position of the cutter28.

Thus, the trailing end surface90E in the trailing end portion of the preceding forming material90F and the leading end surface90T in the leading end portion of the following forming material90S unreeled from the reel74are caused to face each other (refer toFIG. 4), and the forming material90F and the forming material90S that face each other are disposed in the joining portion30. Such a disposition is controlled by the controller16.

That is, the controller16stops the supply from the delivering rollers24and26at a timing at which the trailing end portion (the trailing end surface90E) of the preceding forming material90F reaches the cutter28. The controller16then controls the supply from the delivering roller24so that the leading end portion (the leading end surface90T) of the following forming material90S reaches the cutter28. In such a state, the delivering roller24and the delivering roller26rotate by a predetermined amount in a synchronized manner, and the trailing end surface90E of the preceding forming material90F and the leading end surface90T of the following forming material90S in a state of facing each other are thereby disposed between the paired nip members32that are in the open state.

Thereafter, the trailing end portion of the forming material90F and the leading end portion of the following forming material90S are pressed with the paired nip members32being in the closed state and heated to, for example, 270° C. by the heaters provided inside the respective nip members32. Thus, the resin material94in the trailing end portion of the forming material90F and the resin material94in the leading end portion of the forming material90S are melted to be joined to each other. Note that, at this time, materials to be joined to each other are the resin materials94, not the fiber bundles92. That is, the fiber bundles92of the forming material90F and the fiber bundles92of the forming material90S are not joined to each other.

However, because the resin materials94are joined to each other, when the forming material90is supplied by the delivering roller24and the delivering roller26with the paired nip members32being in the open state and even if the forming material90S that is connected to the forming material90F is pulled by the delivering roller26, the joined surfaces of the forming material90F and the forming material90S do not separate from each other. Thus, the forming material90S is supplied in a connected manner, and a forming process thereby continues.

In such a way, according to the present exemplary embodiment, in the forming apparatus10, the following forming material90S that has replaced may be added smoothly to the preceding forming material90F. Thus, layer forming efficiency during the forming process may be suppressed from decreasing, and a defective portion such as a parting line may be suppressed from occurring. The controller16is capable of performing control so that such a joint between the forming material90F and the added forming material90S is located in a portion of the formed object80that does not affect the strength of the formed object80.

The following forming material90S is supplied in a state of being joined to the preceding forming material90F. Thus, compared with a configuration in which the following forming material90S is supplied in a state of not being joined to the preceding forming material90F, even if the following forming material90S is softened at an exit of the tube member35, a problem, for example, with the tube member35being clogged with the forming material90S at the exit of the tube member35may be unlikely to occur.

At the time when the trailing end surface90E of the forming material90F and the leading end surface90T of the forming material90S are joined to each other, a resin material may be added from the supplementing portion33. In such a way, compared with a case of joining by using only the resin material94of each forming material90, the resin material94in the trailing end surface90E of the forming material90F and the resin material94in the leading end surface90T of the forming material90S may easily be joined to each other.

Regarding the forming apparatus10, there is a case in which the delivering roller26is configured to rotate around the axis in the supply direction of the forming material90. That is, there is a case in which the forming material90is supplied to the forming surface14A in a twisted manner to form a curved object. In such a case, to form a formed object, there is a case in which, halfway through the forming process, the forming material90is supplied to the forming surface14A in a regular state in which the forming material90is not twisted.

The present exemplary embodiment is applicable to such a case. That is, by using the cutter28, the forming material90is cut at a boundary point between a twisted portion in a twisted state and a linear portion in a regular state of not being twisted. “To cut” here means to cut all of each of the fiber bundles92. When the cutter28performs cutting, the rotation of the delivering roller24and the delivering roller26is stopped.

The delivering roller24and the delivering roller26are then caused to rotate in a synchronized manner, and portions of the forming material90that have been cut by the cutter28at a cutting point in the forming material90are disposed in the joining portion30. That is, the portions of the forming material90are nipped (pressed) by the paired nip members32and heated to be joined to each other (at this time, a resin material may be added from the supplementing portion33). Thus, a portion of the forming material90on the downstream side with respect to the cutting point is twisted (is the twisted portion of the forming material90), and a portion of the forming material90on the upstream side with respect to the cutting point is regular and non-twisted (is the linear portion of the forming material90).

In such a way, the present exemplary embodiment is applicable to a case in which the linear portion is required to be formed directly behind the twisted portion (the twisted portion and the linear portion are enabled to be supplied in a connected manner). The controller16controls the stop/start of the supply from the delivering roller24and the delivering roller26and the cutting operation of the cutter28. Thus, portions of the forming material90may be joined to each other with better accuracy than in a case in which the cutting operation is performed by the cutter28without stopping the supply from the delivering roller24and the delivering roller26.

Regarding the forming apparatus10, after the N-th layer (N is a natural number) is formed, when the (N+1)th layer is formed, there is a case in which the forming material90is cut at the end of the N-th layer. Thus, a forming apparatus of the related art (not illustrated) includes a cutter (not illustrated) for such a purpose provided on the downstream side with respect to the first heating portion34.

However, in such a case, because a position at which the cutter is to be provided is limited, a surplus portion of the forming material90is left; that is, a residue is formed at the end of the N-th layer. In a case in which the forming material90is not cut at the end of the N-th layer, a portion of the forming material90having a length equivalent to the length of each of the N layers needs to be prepared.

The present exemplary embodiment may address such a problem. First, the controller16detects a trailing end portion of the N-th layer from the layer data (the forming data) based on the three-dimensional data of the formed object80. From the detection result, the controller16then calculates the remaining required amount (length) of the forming material90sufficient for completing up to the trailing end portion of the N-th layer and causes the cutter28to cut the forming material90so that a portion of the forming material90has a length equivalent to the calculated length.

In such a case, all of each of the fiber bundles92may be cut or only a portion of the fiber bundles92may be cut so that some fibers are not cut and are left. However, the number of fibers that are not cut and are left is approximately equivalent to the number of fibers that are easily cut following the movement in which the first heating portion34separates from the forming surface14A.

Next, the portions of the forming materials90that have been cut (the portion of the forming material90on the downstream side with respect to the cutting point and the portion of the forming material90on the upstream side with respect to the cutting point) are sent to the joining portion30, pressed and heated as described above, and joined to each other by melting the resin materials94thereof (at this time, a resin material may be added from the supplementing portion33). After the portions of the forming material90are joined to each other, the heating operation and the pressing operation are stopped, the forming material90is supplied to the forming surface14A by using delivering rollers24and26, and the N-th layer is formed.

When the N-th layer has been completed, the cutting point of the forming material90is positioned at the end of the N-th layer. Thus, when the driving of the delivering rollers24and26is stopped at such a timing and if the first heating portion34is separated from the forming surface14A (the forming table14), the forming material90is easily broken (cut) at the cutting point by simply being pulled because the portions of the forming material90are joined to each other by only the resin material94(or only the resin material94and some fibers).

In such a way, the forming material90is cut in advance and supplied (in a state in which portions of the forming material90that have been cut are joined to each other by only the resin material94) so that a portion of the forming material90in an amount sufficient for completing only the N-th layer is supplied. Thus, the problem that, when the forming material90is broken (cut) at the end of the forming process of the N-th layer, a residue of the forming material90is formed and left may be addressed.

In other words, a surplus portion of the forming material90may be suppressed or prevented from being generated compared with a case in which the controller16causes the first heating portion34to relatively separate from the forming table14regardless of the timing at which the cutting point between the portions of the forming material90reaches the forming surface14A of the forming table14.

Because the forming material90is easily broken (cut) at the cutting point by the first heating portion34simply separating from the forming surface14A of the forming table14, a cutter for cutting the forming material90is not necessarily provided on the downstream side with respect to the first heating portion34. Thus, a defect in shape of a cut surface that is generated when the forming material90is cut by the cutter may be suppressed or prevented from occurring.

The forming-material connecting device50and the forming apparatus10according to the present exemplary embodiment are described above with reference to the drawings. However, the forming-material connecting device50and the forming apparatus10according to the present exemplary embodiment are not limited to the illustrated configurations, and modification in design can be made as appropriate without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

For example, a forming material90that is unreeled from one reel72out of the four reels72may be cut by the cutter28at a midpoint of the forming material90, the one reel72may be replaced by a reel74for replacement, a forming material90may be unreeled from the reel74, and the forming material90(90S) unreeled from the reel74may be joined to the preceding forming material90(90F) unreeled from the reel72.

Such a configuration is applicable to a case in which a forming material90having different number of the fiber bundles92is used for forming an formed object in a middle of the forming process (for example, the number of the fiber bundles92changes from 3000 to 5000) or a case in which a material of the forming material90is changed to another material (for example, a forming material containing a fiber bundle that is not made of carbon fibers, or a forming material containing a resin material that is not a polyamide synthetic resin).

In addition, as the imaginary line inFIG. 1illustrates, the joining portion30(including the cutter28and the supplementing portion33) may be disposed on the downstream side with respect to the pulley66and on the upstream side with respect to the pulley22. That is, the joining portion30(including the cutter28and the supplementing portion33) may be disposed on the upstream side with respect to the delivering roller24.