Fixed-width towpreg apparatus and process

Abstract

An apparatus and method for winding a towpreg having a spool winding machine having a rod-shaped body for mounting a core of a spool, wherein the core is shuttled on the rod-shaped body to allow the towpreg to maintain a straight path substantially normal to an axis of the rod-shaped body are disclosed.

1 . An apparatus for winding a towpreg, comprising a spool winding machine comprising a rod-shaped body for mounting a core of a spool, wherein the core is shuttled on the rod-shaped body to allow the towpreg to maintain a straight path substantially normal to an axis of the rod-shaped body.  
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a spool shuttling carriage.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a towpreg delivery head.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a grooved roller that allows control of a width of the towpreg.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a towpreg cooling device.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the towpreg cooling device is a towpreg cooling tunnel.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the towpreg cooling device is a towpreg chiller.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a towpreg width measurement device.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising a towpreg speed regulation device for regulating a travel speed of the towpreg.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the grooved roller has a groove of a desired width and rotates in a direction of travel of the towpreg at a rotational speed resulting in a surface speed at the groove that is slower than the travel speed of the towpreg.  
   
   
       11 . A method for winding a towpreg, comprising impregnating the towpreg with a resin and winding the towpreg on a core of a spool while simultaneously shuttling the core on a rod-shaped body to allow the towpreg to maintain a straight path substantially normal to an axis of the rod-shaped body.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising shaping the towpreg to a desired width by passing the towpreg through a groove of a grooved roller.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising passing the towpreg through a cooling device.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the towpreg cooling device is a towpreg cooling tunnel.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 11 , further cooling the towpreg by contacting a rotating drum.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising regulating a travel speed of the towpreg by a speed regulation device.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the grooved roller has a groove of a desired width and rotates in a direction of travel of the towpreg at a rotational speed resulting in a surface speed at the groove that is slower than the travel speed of the towpreg.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising passing the towpreg through a delivery head prior to the winding the towpreg on the core.