Fiber tow treatment apparatus and system

Abstract

In one embodiment, a fiber treatment system includes a rotatable nubbed roller including an axis of rotation, a surface, and a number of spaced apart nubs projecting away from the surface, the number of spaced apart nubs imparting a number of spaced apart openings in a fiber tow. In another embodiment, the fiber treatment system further includes an optionally rotatable spreader roller for flattening the fiber tow. In yet another embodiment, the loosened, but still continuous fiber tow is chopped by a downstream chopper to form short fibers with reduced tow sizes.

1 . An apparatus for treating fiber tow, comprising:
 a rotatable nubbed roller including an axis of rotation, a surface, and a number of spaced apart nubs projecting away from the surface, the rotatable nubbed roller imparting a number of openings on a fiber tow via penetration of the fiber tow by the number of spaced apart nubs.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of spaced apart nubs are formed of a first material and the surface is formed of a second material different from the first material. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first material includes a polymeric material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of spaced apart nubs are integral to the surface. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of spaced apart nubs are detachable from the surface. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of spaced apart nubs are uniformly positioned along the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of spaced apart nubs are non-uniformly positioned along the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the number of spaced apart nubs are uniformly positioned along a cross-sectional parameter perpendicular to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the number of spaced apart nubs include one or more edges. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more edges are not parallel to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the number of spaced apart nubs include one or more points per nub for penetrating the fiber tow. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more points are part of a generally cone or pyramid shaped portion of the corresponding nub. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more of the number of spaced apart nubs include two or more points aligned in a direction not parallel to the axis of rotation. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is generally cylindrical. 
     
     
         15 . A fiber tow comprising:
 a number of fiber filaments including spaced apart openings, at least a portion of the spaced apart openings being each bounded by two fiber filaments of the fiber tow.   
     
     
         16 . The fiber tow of  claim 15 , at least a portion of the spaced apart openings have an average diameter of 1 to 20 millimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The fiber tow of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the spaced apart openings are non-uniformly positioned relative to each other. 
     
     
         18 . A fiber tow composition comprising:
 a first number of fiber tows having a first average tow width and tow weight; and   a second number of fiber tows having a second average tow width and tow weight, at least one of the tow width and tow weight is different between the first and second pluralities of fiber tows.   
     
     
         19 . The fiber tow composition of  claim 18 , wherein the first average tow width is different from the second average tow width. 
     
     
         20 . The fiber tow composition of  claim 18 , wherein the first average tow weight is different from the second average tow weight.