APPARATUS FOR BONDING A FIBER STRUCTURE

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for bonding a fiber structure (2) by means of a fluid (3), comprising a fluid jet head (9) having a nozzle (20) for discharging the fluid (3), a manipulator (4), and a fiber receptable (25) for arranging the fiber structure (2), wherein the fluid jet head (9) is arranged as an effector (8) on the manipulator (4), and wherein the manipulator (4) is provided in such a way that the fluid jet head (9) arranged thereon can be moved in at least two spatial directions (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) relative to the fiber receptable (25).

Claims

1. Apparatus (1) for bonding a fiber structure (2) by means of a fluid (3), comprising a fluid jet head (9) having a nozzle (20) for emitting the fluid (3), a manipulator (4), and a fiber receptable (25) for arranging the fiber structure (2), wherein the fluid jet head (9) is arranged as an effector (8) on the manipulator (4), and wherein the manipulator (4) is provided in such a way that the fluid jet head (9) arranged thereon is movable therewith in at least two spatial directions (10.1, 10.3) relative to the fiber receptable (25).

2. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, in which the manipulator (4) is provided in such a way that the fluid jet head (9) arranged thereon can be moved in three spatial directions relative to the fiber receptable (25).

3. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, in which the manipulator (4) is provided in such a way that, in a respective relative position of the fluid jet head (9) to the fiber receptable (25), an angle of incidence (30) which has a main emission direction (31) of the nozzle (20) with respect to the fiber receptable (25) can be varied.

4. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, in which a surface (35) of the fiber receptable (25), which is provided for a contact against the fiber structure (2), is bulged at least in regions.

5. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein a surface (35) of the fiber receptable (25) provided for a contact against the fiber structure (2) has a plurality of openings (36) for discharging the fluid (3) emitted from the nozzle (20) after exposure to the fiber structure.

6. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, in which at least a surface part of the fiber receptable (25), which forms a surface (35) intended for a contact against the fiber structure (2), is an additively manufactured component.

7. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, comprising a further manipulator (40), wherein the fiber receptable (25) is arranged as an effector (41) on the further manipulator (40).

8. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, comprising a fiber emission unit (50) with which fibers (51) can be applied to the fiber receptable (25) or the fiber structure (2).

9. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the fluid jet head (9) comprises at most 500 nozzles for emitting the fluid (3), preferably at most 10 nozzles.

10. Apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle (20) or nozzles (20) on the fluid jet head (9) occupy a total area of at most 5 cm.sup.2.

11. Method for bonding a fiber structure (2), in particular by means of an apparatus (1) according to claim 1, in which method a fluid jet head (9), which has a nozzle (20), and a fiber receptable (25), in which a fiber structure (2) is arranged, are moved relative to one another in at least two spatial directions by means of a manipulator (4), wherein during this relative movement a fluid (3) is emitted at least temporarily from the nozzle (20) of the fluid jet head (9) in order to bond the fiber structure (2).

12. Method according to claim 11, in which the readily bonded fiber structure (2) has different properties in different areas.

13. Method according to claim 12, in which the different properties of the fiber structure (2) in different areas are at least also due to fibers which differ in the different areas of the fiber structure (2) in at least one of their lengths, their thickness, their material and their color.

14. Method according to claim 11, in which the fiber structure (2) already has a three-dimensional shape before solidification.

15. Method according to claim 14, in which the fiber structure (2) is assembled of a plurality of three-dimensional fiber web components before bonding.

16. Method according to claim 11 15, in which, in another operating mode, the fluid (3) emitted from the nozzle (20) of the fluid jet head (9) is used to open or separate a part of the fiber structure (2).

17. Method of manufacturing a part for a body part, a housing part, a garment, a seat or backrest cushion, a packaging cushion or an insulating component by solidifying a fiber structure (2) in a method according to claim 9.

Description

[0037] In detail shows

[0038] FIG. 1 an apparatus according to the invention with a fiber receptable, a manipulator and a fluid jet head;

[0039] FIG. 2 a detailed view of a fluid jet head;

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a fiber receptable in detail;

[0041] FIG. 4 another apparatus according to the invention with manipulator and fluid jet head, whereby the fiber receptable is also arranged on a manipulator;

[0042] FIG. 5 a fiber receptable with a fiber emission unit for the selective application of fibers in certain areas.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 1 for bonding a fiber structure 2 by means of a fluid 3. The apparatus 1 has a manipulator 4, which in this case is designed as a multi-axis robot. This has several articulated arms 5, which are connected to each other via swivel joints 6. The articulated arms 5 are also mounted horizontally rotatably on the base 7 so that any point within the range can be approached within an xyz coordinate system spanned by the spatial directions 10.1, 10.2, 10.3. A fluid jet head 9 is provided as an effector 8, which is also connected via a swivel joint 6. The fluid jet head has several nozzles 20 through which the fluid 3 is emitted during operation, see also the detailed illustration according to FIG. 2.

[0044] With the manipulator 4, the fluid jet head 9 can be moved relative to a fiber receptable 25, on which the fiber structure 2 rests in the present example without lateral enclosure etc. In order to obtain a schematically shown three-dimensional structure, it can have a support structure inside, e. g. a wire frame. Alternatively or additionally, a three-dimensional structure can also be provided by a three-dimensionally shaped surface of the fiber receptable 25, see below in detail. The fiber receptable 25 has holes, not shown here, through which the fluid, in this case water, is emitted downwards after acting on the fiber structure 2. Below the fiber receptable 25, a trough 26 is arranged, in which the residual water 27 is collected, and it can, for example, be recirculated and fed back to the fluid jet head 9 (not shown).

[0045] The relative movement between the fiber receptable 25 and the fluid jet head 9 adjusts the position of the fluid jet head relative to the fiber structure 2. Different areas of the three-dimensionally formed fiber structure 2 can be targeted in order to bond the fibers in certain areas or to bond them even more in comparison to the rest of the fiber structure 2.

[0046] As shown in detail in FIG. 2, not only the position of the center of gravity 28 of the fluid jet head 9 relative to the fiber structure 2 can be changed, but also an angle of incidence 30, which includes a main emission direction 31 of the nozzle 20 with the fiber receptable 25 or the fiber structure 2. In other words, the fluid jet head 9 can be tilted relative to the fiber structure 2, i.e. a respective water jet 21 can be directed specifically at an angle onto the fiber structure 2 and/or, in the case of a contoured surface, the incidence can also be kept constant with the tilting.

[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative fiber receptable 25, which is shaped like a bowl. Accordingly, a surface 35, against which the fiber structure not shown here rests, has a concave curvature. With this preformed surface 35, a shape can be given to the fiber structure, i. e. a shell-shaped curved molded part can be created. This can be used, for example, as an insert for a garment, such as a brassiere.

[0048] For small series or prototype production, the fiber receptable 25 can be individually adapted, for example, using a 3D printing method. A number of holes 36 can be seen in the surface 35, which serve to drain the fluid as described above.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows an apparatus 1 which, with regard to the manipulator 4 and the fluid jet head 9, is constructed similarly to that shown in FIG. 1. In contrast to this, however, the fiber receptable 25 is not provided in a fixed position but is arranged on a further manipulator 40. The fiber receptable 25 thus forms its effector 41. This means that the fiber receptable 25 and the fluid jet head can be brought into a number of different relative positions, i. e. the fiber structure (not shown here) can be bonded from above and below or laterally. To prevent it from falling out, the fiber receptable is provided in the form of a cage 45 which can be opened for inserting and removing the fiber structure. The further manipulator 40 is constructed analogously to the manipulator 4 as a multi-axis robot with several articulated arms 42, which are connected to each other via swivel joints 43 and are arranged on a common base 44.

[0050] FIG. 5 shows an apparatus 1 which is comparable in principle to that shown in FIG. 1, whereby the manipulator 4 with the fluid jet head 8 is not shown for the sake of clarity. The apparatus 1 is additionally equipped with a fiber emission unit 50, at which fibers 51 can be emitted and applied to the fiber receptable 25 or the fiber structure 2. The fibers 51 can, for example, be sprayed on, i. e. accelerated by compressed air in the direction of the fiber receptable 25. The fiber emission unit 50 is movably mounted on two linear axes 55, 56, in this case suspended on a gantry robot. It can thus be moved over the surface of the fiber receptable 25, whereby fibers 51 can be selectively applied in predefined areas by switching the fiber emission on and off.