DEVICES AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A T-SHAPED SEMIFINISHED PRODUCT FROM A MULTIPLY NON-CRIMP FABRIC

Abstract

Devices and methods for producing a T-shaped semifinished product from a multiply non-crimp fabric with reinforcing fibers for a composite material. The product has a web and a flange. The device includes a web forming tool, with which a web portion of the non-crimp fabric is clamped in place, a forming tool, with which plies of a flange portion of the non-crimp fabric are split into two parts, a depositing device, with which a tube body is deposited on the flange portion formed into the flange, a holding tool, with which a clearance between the holding tool and the flange is formed, and a filling device, with which the tube body is filled with a gas such that the tube body fills the clearance and firmly holds the flange portion formed into the flange, and alternatively, a magnetic force can be generated between a sheet and the web forming tool.

Claims

1. A device for producing a T-shaped semifinished product from a multi-ply non-crimp fabric of reinforcing fibers for a composite material, wherein a binding agent is added to the non-crimp fabric, and the T-shaped semifinished product has a web and a flange extending perpendicularly to the web, the device comprising: a web-shaping tool which extends in a working direction and is configured to clamp in place a web portion of the multi-ply non-crimp fabric, the web portion shaping the web; a forming tool which is movable over the web-shaping tool in the working direction to divide plies of a flange portion of the multi-ply non-crimp fabric into two parts and to form them into the flange of the T-shaped semifinished product; and a depositing device which is movable over the web-shaping tool in the working direction and is configured to deposit a flexible film on the flange portion formed into the flange, wherein the web-shaping tool and the flexible film are configured such that a magnetic force is generated between the film and the web-shaping tool, the magnetic force drawing the flexible film onto the web-shaping tool such that the flexible film secures the flange portion formed into the flange.

2. The device of claim 1, comprising a heating device which is configured to heat the flange portion formed into the flange such that the binding agent which has been added to the non-crimp fabric is activated.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the web-shaping tool comprises two elongate jaws which extend parallel to the working direction and are configured such that the web portion can be clamped in place between the elongate jaws.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the forming tool has a plurality of forming rollers which are movable over the web-shaping tool parallel to the working direction to divide the flange portion of the non-crimp fabric, which initially extends in a plane, into two parts and to form same into the flange.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the depositing device comprises a pressing roller which is movable over the web-shaping tool in the working direction such that the flexible film in the working direction behind the forming tool is guided via the pressing roller onto the flange portion formed into the flange and pressed onto the flange portion.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the web-shaping tool has one or more permanent magnets and/or one or more solenoids, and wherein the flexible film is formed from a magnetizable or magnetic material.

7. A method for producing a T-shaped semifinished product from a multi-ply non-crimp fabric of reinforcing fibers for a composite material, wherein a binding agent is added to the non-crimp fabric, and the T-shaped semifinished product has a web and a flange extending perpendicular to the web, wherein the method comprises: clamping in place a web portion of the multi-ply non-crimp fabric, the web portion shaping the web, in a working direction in a web tool; dividing plies of a flange portion of the multi-ply non-crimp fabric into two parts and forming the plies of the flange portion into the flange of the T-shaped semifinished product with a forming tool which is moved over the web-shaping tool in the working direction; depositing a flexible film in the working direction on the flange portion formed into the flange; and generating a magnetic force between the film and the web-shaping tool, the magnetic force drawing the flexible film onto the web-shaping tool such that the flexible film secures the flange portion formed into the flange.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the flange portion formed into the flange is heated and the binding agent which has been added to the non-crimp fabric is activated while the magnetic force is generated.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the web portion is clamped in place between two elongate jaws of the web-shaping tool, the jaws extending in the working direction.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the flange portion is divided into two parts by a forming tool, which has a plurality of forming rollers which are movable parallel to the working direction, and is formed into the flange.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the flexible film in the working direction behind the forming tool is guided via a pressing roller onto the flange portion formed into the flange and is pressed onto the flange portion with the pressing roller.

12. A device for producing a T-shaped semifinished product from a multi-ply non-crimp fabric of reinforcing fibers for a composite material, wherein a binding agent is added to the non-crimp fabric, and the T-shaped semifinished product has a web and a flange extending perpendicularly to the web, the device comprising: a web-shaping tool which extends in a working direction and is configured to clamp in place a web portion of the multi-ply non-crimp fabric, the web portion shaping the web; a forming tool which is movable over the web-shaping tool in the working direction to divide plies of a flange portion of the multi-ply non-crimp fabric into two parts and to form them into the flange of the T-shaped semifinished product; a depositing device which is movable over the web-shaping tool in the working direction to deposit a tubular body on the flange portion formed into the flange; a holding tool which comprises one or more holding elements, wherein the holding tool can be positioned such that the tubular body is arranged in a clearance between the holding element or the holding elements and the flange portion formed into the flange; and a filling device which is configured to fill the tubular body with a fluid such that the tubular body fills the clearance and secures the flange portion formed into the flange.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the filling device is configured to fill the tubular body with a heated fluid such that the tubular body heats the flange portion formed into the flange and the binding agent which has been added to the non-crimp fabric is activated.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the web-shaping tool comprises two elongate jaws which extend parallel to the working direction and are configured such that the web portion can be clamped in place between the elongate jaws.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the forming tool has a plurality of forming rollers which are movable over the web-shaping tool parallel to the working direction to divide the flange portion of the non-crimp fabric, which initially extends in a plane, into two parts and to form same into the flange.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the depositing device comprises a pressing roller which is movable over the web-shaping tool in the working direction such that the tubular body in the working direction behind the forming tool is guided via the pressing roller onto the flange portion formed into the flange and pressed onto the flange portion.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the holding tool comprises a plurality of holding elements in a form of holding rollers which are movable in the working direction over the web-shaping tool.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the tubular body is configured such that a facing surface of the tubular body after the tubular body is deposited on the formed flange portion can be electrically heated.

19. A method for producing a T-shaped semifinished product from a multi-ply non-crimp fabric of reinforcing fibers for a composite material, wherein a binding agent is added to the non-crimp fabric, and the T-shaped semifinished product has a web and a flange extending perpendicular to the web, wherein the method comprises: clamping in place a web portion of the multi-ply non-crimp fabric, the web portion shaping the web, in a working direction; dividing plies of a flange portion of the multi-ply non-crimp fabric into two parts and forming the plies of the flange portion into the flange of the T-shaped semifinished product with a forming tool which is moved in the working direction; depositing the tubular body in the working direction on the flange portion formed into the flange; positioning a holding tool such that the tubular body is in a clearance between the holding tool and the flange portion formed into the flange; and filling the tubular body with a fluid such that the tubular body fills the clearance and secures the flange portion formed into the flange.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the tubular body is filled with a heated fluid such that the tubular body heats the flange portion formed into the flange and activates the binding agent which has been added to the non-crimp fabric.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the web portion is clamped in place between two elongate jaws of a web-shaping tool, the jaws extending in the working direction.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the flange portion is divided into two parts by a forming tool, which has a plurality of forming rollers which are moved parallel to the working direction, and is formed into the flange.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the tubular body in the working direction behind the forming tool is guided via a pressing roller onto the flange portion formed into the flange and is pressed onto the flange portion with the pressing roller.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the holding tool comprises a plurality of holding elements in a form of holding rollers which are moved in the working direction over the flange portion formed into the flange.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The disclosure herein will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which, in the case of the embodiments A and B:

[0039] FIGS. 1A, 1B show lateral views of an example embodiment of a device for producing a T-shaped semifinished product;

[0040] FIGS. 2A, 2B show a section along the line A-A through the device from FIGS. 1A, 1B; and

[0041] FIGS. 3A, 3B show flow diagrams showing steps of an example embodiment of a method for producing a T-shaped semifinished product.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In the following, with respect to FIGS. 1A and 2A and also FIGS. 1A and 2B, first of all an example embodiment of a device 1 for producing a T-shaped semifinished product for a fiber composite material from a multi-ply non-crimp fabric 3 will be described. The individual plies of the non-crimp fabric are not illustrated in the figures. The T-shaped semifinished product, the cross-sectional shape of which can be clearly seen in particular in the sectional view of FIGS. 2A, 2B, comprises a web 5 and a flange 7 extending perpendicularly to the web 5. A binding agent has been added to the non-crimp fabric 3, the binding agent being able to be activated by heat and, after curing, adhesively bonds the plies of the non-crimp fabric 3 to one another.

[0043] The device 1 of the embodiments A and B first of all comprises a web-shaping tool 9 with two jaws 11, 13 between which a web portion 15 of the non-crimp fabric 3 is clamped in place. As can be seen in FIGS. 1A, 1B, the jaws 11, 13 extend in a working direction 17 which runs perpendicularly into the plane of the drawing in FIGS. 2A, 2B.

[0044] In the case of the embodiments A and B, the flange portion 19 of the non-crimp fabric 3 that protrudes upward out of the web-shaping tool 9 is divided into two parts by a forming tool 21 moved over the web-shaping tool 9 in the working direction 17 and formed into the flange 7 of the T-shaped semifinished product. The forming tool 21 comprises a multiplicity of forming rollers 23, of which, however, only one is illustrated in FIG. 1A in order to keep the drawing clear. With the forming rollers 23, the flange portion 19 of the non-crimp fabric 3 that extends beforehand substantially in one plane with the web portion 15 is first of all divided up into two parts having in each case one or more plies and then folded over onto contact surfaces 25, 27 which are formed by surfaces 25, 27 of the jaws 11, 13 of the web-shaping tool 9 that face the forming tool 21.

[0045] Subsequently a flexible, magnetizable film 31 is deposited or applied with a depositing device 29 onto the flange portion 19 formed into the flange 7 in the case of the embodiments A. The depositing device 29 is fastened together with the forming tool 21 to a common frame, which is not illustrated in the figures, and is moved together with the forming tool 21 over the web-shaping tool 9 in the working direction 17. In order to deposit the film 31, the depositing device 29 comprises a pressing roller 33 with which the film 31 is pressed firmly onto the formed flange portion 19 of the non-crimp fabric 3. The depositing device 29 exerts a force 35 on the film 31 and on the non-crimp fabric 3 lying below the latter, the force acting perpendicularly to the contact surfaces 25, 27. It is therefore ensured that the film 31 rests extensively on the formed non-crimp fabric 3 and follows the contours of the flange 7, even if the latter is intended to have curvatures or other complex geometries.

[0046] A magnetic force is exerted via permanent magnets 37, which are arranged in the web-shaping tool 9 or specifically in the jaws 11, 13, on the film 31 deposited, in the case of the embodiments A, on the formed flange portion 19, by which magnetic force the magnetizable film 31 is acted upon with a force 39 toward the contact surfaces 25, 27. By this, the flange portion 19, formed into the flange 7, of the non-crimp fabric 3 is fixed between the contact surfaces 25, 27 and the film 31 and retains its shape. Since the film 31 is flexible and the magnetic force acts uniformly on the film 31 irrespective of the shape of the contact surfaces, the flange portion 19 can advantageously be fixed with the film 31 even if the flange 7 is curved or follows other complex geometries.

[0047] Finally, the device 1, in the case of the embodiments A, also comprises a heating device 41 in the form of an infrared radiator with which the flange portion 19 can be heated through the film 31 or indirectly by heating of the film 31 such that the binding agent is activated under the pressure and heat generated by the magnetic force acting on the film 31 and the plies of the non-crimp fabric 3 are adhesively bonded to one another. By fixing the formed flange portion 19 with the magnetic force acting on the film 31, the plies of the non-crimp fabric 3 can be held until the binding agent has cured.

[0048] In the case of the embodiments B, a tubular body 31 is subsequently deposited or applied with a depositing device 29 onto the flange portion 19 formed into the flange 7, the depositing device being moved together with the forming tool 21 over the web-shaping tool 9 in the working direction 17. In order to deposit the tubular body 31, the depositing device 29 comprises a pressing roller 33 with which the tubular body 31 is pressed firmly onto the formed flange portion 19 of the non-crimp fabric 3. In the process, the depositing device 29 exerts a force 35 on the tubular body 31 and on the non-crimp fabric 3 lying therebelow, the force acting perpendicularly to the contact surfaces 25, 27. It is therefore ensured that the tubular body 31 rests extensively on the formed non-crimp fabric 3 and follows the contours of the flange 7, even if the latter is intended to have curvatures or other complex geometries.

[0049] In the case of the embodiments B, the tubular body 31 deposited on the formed flange portion 19 is then filled by a filling device 37 with a heated fluid, specifically preferably gas in the form of warm air, wherein the pressure of the gas in the tubular body 31 is higher than the atmospheric pressure. As a result, the tubular body 31 previously lying flat is pumped up and fills a cavity 39 between the flange portion 19 and a holding tool 41 arranged above the latter. The holding tool 41, which comprises a multiplicity of holding elements 43 in the form of holding rollers 45 and is likewise moved over the web-shaping tool 9 in the working direction 17, prevents the tubular body 31 from being able to expand too far away from the contact surfaces 25, 27. Therefore, by the pressure in the tubular body 31, the uniform force is exerted on the formed flange portion 19, the force holding the flange portion 19 in position while the warm air in the tubular body 31 heats the flange portion 19 and activates the binding agent. Owing to the flexible shape of the tubular body 31, the latter in an advantageous manner exerts a uniform pressure overall on the formed flange portion 19 of the non-crimp fabric 3, even in the case of complex geometries of the web, such that the flange portion can be securely fixed until the binding agent or the binder has cured and the plies of the non-crimp fabric 3 have adhesively bonded to one another.

[0050] In addition, in the case of the embodiments B, the wall 44 of the tubular body 31 has a plurality of heating wires 46 with which a facing surface 48 of the tubular body 31, after the tubular body 31 is deposited on the flange portion 19, and therefore also the flange portion 19, lying therebelow, of the non-crimp fabric 3 can be additionally heated in order to accelerate the activation and the curing of the binding agent.

[0051] Finally, in the case of the embodiments A and B, with reference to FIGS. 3A, 3B, a method for producing a T-shaped semifinished product from a non-crimp fabric 3 is described, wherein the device 1 shown in previous figures is used for carrying out the method.

[0052] In the case of the embodiments A, in a first step 47, first of all the web portion 15 of the non-crimp fabric 3 is clamped in place between the jaws 11, 13 of the web-shaping tool 9 in the working direction 17. In the second step 49, the plies of the non-crimp fabric 3 of the flange portion 19 protruding upward out of the jaws 11, 13 are divided into two parts by the forming rollers 23 of the forming tool 21 and formed onto the contact surfaces 25, 27. In the third step 51, the magnetizable film 31 is deposited by the depositing tool 29 onto the formed flange portion 19 and firmly pressed against the flange portion 19 by the pressing roller 33. After the depositing, either directly by permanent magnets 37 or after activation of solenoids which can be used instead of or in addition to the permanent magnets 37 in the device 1, in a fourth step 53 a magnetic force is generated between the magnetizable film 31 and the web-shaping tool 9, by which magnetic force the film 31 is drawn onto the contact surfaces 25, 27 in such a manner that a pressure is exerted on the formed flange portion 19 and the flange portion is fixed until the binding agent is activated and cured. Finally, in a fifth step 55, the formed flange portion 19 is heated by the heating device 41. As a result, the binding agent is activated and the plies of the flange portion 19 adhesively bonded to one another.

[0053] In the case of the embodiments B, in a first step 47, first of all the web portion 15 of the non-crimp fabric 3 is clamped in place between the jaws 11, 13 of the web-shaping tool 9 in the working direction 17. In the second step 49, the plies of the non-crimp fabric 3 of the flange portion 19 protruding upward out of the jaws 11, 13 are divided into two parts by the forming rollers 23 of the forming tool 21 and formed onto the contact surfaces 25, 27. In the third step 51, the tubular body 31 is deposited by the depositing tool 29 on the formed flange portion 19 and firmly pressed against the flange portion 19 by the pressing roller 33. Subsequently, in the fourth step 53, the holding tool 41 is positioned in such a manner that a clearance 39, in which the tubular body 31 runs, is formed between the holding elements 43 and the flange portion 19. Finally, in a fifth step 55, the tubular body 31 is filled with warm air by the filling device 37 at a pressure which is greater than the ambient pressure such that the tubular body fills the clearance 39 and presses and fixes the flange portion 19 extensively against the contact surfaces 25, 27. Since the tubular body 31 is heated by the warm air, the non-crimp fabric 3 is also heated in the region of the formed flange portion 19. As a result, the binding agent is activated and the plies of the flange portion 19 are adhesively bonded to one another.

[0054] In the case of the embodiments A and B, the steps of the method can be carried out in parallel.

[0055] While at least one example embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the example embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a”, “an” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.