Method and apparatus for manufacturing a sandwich part

Abstract

a method for producing a sandwich component, and an apparatus for producing a sandwich component. The method includes providing a plurality of webs of material, applying at least one matrix material to an upper side and/or an underside of at least one of the webs of material, wherein applying the at least one matrix material includes applying the at least one matrix material such in different ways to create at least one zone of the sandwich component having mechanical properties that differ from mechanical properties of other parts of the sandwich component, arranging at least one core layer on one of the webs of material, and pressing the webs of material and the at least one core layer to form the sandwich component such that the core layer is arranged between at least two of the webs of material.

Claims

1. A method for producing a sandwich component, comprising: providing a plurality of webs of material including first and second webs of material that are each composed of fibrous material; unrolling the first of the webs of material from a single holding roller so that the first web of material has a single layered configuration; unrolling a first portion of the second web of material from a first holding roller and a second portion of the second web of material from a second holding roller different from the first holding roller; arranging the first and second portions of the second web of material onto each other to be in direct contact with each other so that the second web of the material has a double layered configuration; applying matrix materials, of different types, to an upper side and/or an underside of the first web of material, wherein applying the matrix materials includes applying the matrix materials in different ways so that two of the matrix materials are each in direct physical contact with a same one of an uppermost surface or a lowermost surface of the first web of material, wherein the two matrix materials are applied to the same one of the uppermost surface or the lowermost surface separately from each other, and each of the two matrix materials includes an adhesive; arranging the second web of material, that has the double layered configuration, on the two matrix materials; arranging at least one core layer on the second web of material that has the double layered configuration; and pressing the plurality webs of material and the at least one core layer to form the sandwich component such that the at least one core layer is arranged between the plurality of webs of material and so that the two matrix materials are in direct contact with the second web of the material that has the double layered configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying the matrix materials in different ways includes applying different amounts of the matrix materials.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second webs of material are arranged on one side of the at least one core layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one core layer comprises a honeycomb core layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the matrix materials are admixed with fibres so as to include the fibres.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying the matrix materials comprises at least one of spraying, dipping, or rolling the matrix materials.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the webs of material are guided with respect to a beginning of the webs of material horizontally at a distance and/or vertically at a distance in a direction of a press.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the plurality of webs of material comprises guiding the plurality of webs of material substantially horizontally, parallel to one another and over one another and/or substantially vertically next to one another in a direction of a press to press the plurality of webs of material and the at least one core layer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein pressing the plurality of webs of material and the at least one core layer comprises a wet-pressing process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein: a first of the two matrix materials includes fibres, and a second of the two matrix materials includes fibres; and all of the fibres of the first matrix material are longer than all of the fibres of the second matrix material.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first matrix material includes a first type of fibre, and the second matrix material includes a second type of fibre and is free of the first type of fibre.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, simultaneously with the pressing, cutting the plurality of webs of material and the at least one core layer to form the sandwich component.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one core layer is in direct contact with the second web of the material.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first web of material, the two matrix materials, the second web of material, and the at least one core layer are disposed in that stated order on a straight line.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: unrolling a first portion of a third of the plurality of webs of material from a fourth holding roller; unrolling a second portion of the third of the plurality of webs of material from a fifth holding roller different from the fourth holding roller; arranging the first and second portions of the third of the plurality of webs onto each other so that the third of the plurality of webs has a double layered configuration; and unrolling a fourth of the plurality of webs of material from a single holding roller so that the fourth of the plurality of webs of material has a single layered configuration; disposing the third of the plurality of webs of material on the at least one core layer; and applying second matrix materials, that each include an adhesive, to the third of the plurality of webs of material.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising arranging the at least one core layer, the third web of material, the second matrix materials, and the fourth web of material to be disposed in that stated order on the straight line.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the unrolling of the first and second portions includes concurrently unwinding the first and second portions from the first and second holding rollers with a same unwinding unit.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein a main direction of fibres of the first web of material is nonparallel to a main direction of fibres of the second web of material.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments will be illustrated by way of example in the drawings and explained in the description below.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an apparatus for carrying out a method for producing a sandwich component, in accordance with embodiments.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of an apparatus for carrying out a method for producing a sandwich component, in accordance with embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

(4) FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate schematic representations of an apparatus for carrying out a method for producing a sandwich component, in accordance with embodiments.

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of an apparatus for carrying out a method for producing a sandwich component, in accordance with embodiments, the apparatus having a plurality, such as, for example, six holding rollers 5, 6, 7, 8 for a plurality, such as, for example, four webs of material 1, 2, 3, 4, a plurality, such as, for example, four unwinding units 10, 11, 12, 13, a continuous assembly line 14, application units 19, 20, gripping units 22, 23, and a press 15 with a cutting device 18. The continuous assembly line 14 is to perform a movement in the horizontal direction towards the press 15.

(6) Via the apparatus illustrated by way of example in FIG. 1, a sandwich component may be produced by the method in accordance with embodiments. The sandwich component thus produced may have a core layer 24 and a plurality, such as, for example, four webs of material 1, 2, 3, 4. The webs of material include a first web of material 1, a second web of material 2, a third web of material 3, and a fourth web of material 4, wherein the second web of material 2 and the third web of material 3 are of a double-layered configuration. The materials of the individual webs of material 1, 2, 3, 4 may be the same, or alternatively, may differ.

(7) A cage-like framework 9 may be arranged over/around the apparatus and may serve as a mounting for the holding rollers of the webs of material 5, 6, 7, 8. The holding rollers of the webs of material 5, 6, 7, 8 are arranged horizontally at a distance from one another over the respective unwinding unit 10, 11, 12, 13 and the continuous assembly line 14.

(8) The first web of material 1 is assigned a first unwinding unit 10, the second web of material 2 is assigned a second unwinding unit 11, the third web of material 3 is assigned a third unwinding unit 12, and the fourth web of material 4 is assigned a fourth unwinding unit 13. The unwinding units 10, 11, 12, 13 are similarly arranged on the cage-like framework 9.

(9) The horizontally offset arrangement of the holding rollers of the webs of material 5, 6, 7, 8 along the apparatus makes it possible to guide the webs of material 1, 2, 3, 4 with respect to their beginning horizontally at a distance in the direction of a press 15 and to arrange between their beginnings individual further components of the apparatus, such as, for example, application units 19, 20 or gripping units 22.

(10) The first web of material 1 is guided horizontally over the continuous assembly line 14 by way of a first unwinding unit 10. The second web of material 2 is guided horizontally over the first web of material 1 via the second unwinding unit 11. The second web of material 2 thereby runs substantially parallel to the first web of material 1. The third web of material 3 is guided horizontally over the second web of material 2 via the third unwinding unit 12. The third web of material 3 thereby runs substantially parallel to the first web of material 1 and the second web of material 2. The fourth web of material 4 is guided horizontally over the third web of material 3 via the fourth unwinding unit 13. The fourth web of material 4 thereby runs substantially parallel to the first web of material 1, the second web of material 2 and the third web of material 3.

(11) A first application unit 19 is arranged on the cage-like framework 9 between the holding roller of the first web of material 5 and the two holding rollers of the second web of material 6 (the second web of material 2 is of a double-layered configuration). The first application unit 19 is configured as a spraying unit and has two spray heads 21. According to requirements, only one spray had 21 or both spray heads 21 can be used when applying a matrix material. This first application unit 19 applies the matrix material to the upper side of the first web of material 1. The second web of material 2 is guided over the first web of material 1 wetted with matrix material.

(12) A first gripping unit 22 is arranged on the cage-like framework 9 between the two holding rollers of the second web of material 6 and the two holding rollers of the third web of material 7 (the second web of material 2 and the third web of material 3 are of a double-layered configuration). The first gripping unit 22 places a core layer 24 onto the upper side of the second web of material 2. The third web of material 3 is guided over the core layer 24.

(13) A second application unit 20 is arranged on the cage-like framework 9 between the two holding rollers of the third web of material 7 (the third web of material 3 is of a double-layered configuration) and the holding roller of the fourth web of material 8. The second application unit 20 is similarly configured as a spraying unit and similarly has two spray heads 21. Here, too, according to requirements, both spray heads 21 can be used when applying the matrix material, or just one. This second application unit 20 applies the matrix material to the upper side of the third web of material 3. The fourth web of material 4 is guided over the third web of material 3 wetted with matrix material.

(14) The sandwich component then obtained comprises the following layers (from bottom to top): the first web of material 1, matrix material, the second web of material 2, the core layer 24, the third web of material 3, matrix material, and the fourth web of material 4.

(15) With the structure of the apparatus given by way of example, the fourth web of material 4 consequently forms the termination of the sandwich component.

(16) The stacked sandwich component is fed to the press 15 by way of the continuous assembly line 14. In the press 15, the individual layers (webs of material 1, 2, 3, 4 and core layer 24) are pressed to form a finished sandwich component. The press 15 shown has a cutting device 18 on an upper pressing plate 16 and on a lower pressing plate 17. Thus, in the course of the pressing operation, the completed sandwich component is separated from the raw materials (webs of material 1, 2, 3, 4).

(17) The second gripping unit 23 removes the finished sandwich component from the press 15.

(18) FIG. 2 illustrates the apparatus in a top view. The same parts are provided with the same reference numerals. In addition, intermediate storage places 25 for the core layer(s) 24 are also shown in this representation. The first gripping unit 22 grips a core layer 24 from these intermediate storage places 25 and positions it on the second web of material 2.

(19) The term coupled or connected may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms first, second, etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated.

(20) This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the preferred embodiments, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of embodiments is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. Aspects from the various embodiments described, as well as other known equivalents for each such aspects, may be mixed and matched by one of ordinary skill in the art to construct additional embodiments and techniques in accordance with principles of this application.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(21) 1 First web of material 2 Second web of material 3 Third web of material 4 Fourth web of material 5 Holding roller(s) of the first web of material 6 Holding roller(s) of the second web of material 7 Holding roller(s) of the third web of material 8 Holding roller(s) of the fourth web of material 9 Framework 10 First unwinding unit 11 Second unwinding unit 12 Third unwinding unit 13 Fourth unwinding unit 14 Continuous assembly line 15 Press 16 Upper pressing plate 17 Lower pressing plate 18 Cutting device 19 First application unit 20 Second application unit 21 Spray head 22 First gripping unit 23 Second gripping unit 24 Core layer 25 Intermediate storage places