EP3010702A1

EP3010702A1 - Bidirectional fibre application head with two rollers

Info

Publication number: EP3010702A1
Application number: EP14736876.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alexander Hamlyn; Loïc GAILLARD
Original assignee: Coriolis Composites SAS
Current assignee: Coriolis Group
Priority date: 2013-06-18
Filing date: 2014-06-17
Publication date: 2016-04-27
Also published as: WO2014202845A1; CN105358312A; KR20160022879A; RU2016101072A; CA2913693A1; CN105358312B; US20160114540A1; BR112015031897A2; FR3006938B1; JP2016522109A; FR3006938A1

Abstract

The present invention concerns a fibre application head and a method for producing parts from composite material by means of a corresponding head. The head comprises two application rollers, including a first roller (2) and a second roller (2'), each roller being movably mounted relative to said main guiding system (3) between at least an active position in which said strip is capable of being guided by the main guiding system on said roller, and an inactive position in which said roller is moved away from the main guiding system. The head comprises an actuating system capable of manoeuvring the first roller into the active position and the second roller into the inactive position to apply a strip by means of the first roller, and of manoeuvring the first roller into the inactive position and the second roller into the active position to apply a strip by means of the second roller.

Description

HEAD OF APPLICATION OF BI-DIRECTIONAL FIBERS WITH TWO ROLLS

The present invention relates to a fiber application head for the production of composite material parts, more particularly a bidirectional fiber application head comprising two rollers for applying fibers in two opposite directions. The present invention also relates to a method of producing parts made of composite material by means of a corresponding application head.

Fiber application machines are known for the contact application on a draping tool, such as a male or female mold, of a wide band formed of one or more continuous flat fibers, of the wick type, dry or impregnated with thermosetting or thermoplastic resin, especially carbon fibers, consisting of a multitude of carbon threads or filaments.

These machines conventionally comprise a displacement system of a fiber application head, said head comprising an application roller intended to come into contact against the mold for applying the strip, and a guide system for guiding the fiber or fibers. applying on said roll.

In the case of a strip formed of several fibers, the guiding system of these application machines, also called fiber placement machines, makes it possible to bring the fibers substantially edge to edge on the roll in the form of a bandaged. As described in particular in patent document WO2008132299, the guidance system conventionally comprises first and second means staggered in two guide planes approaching each other from upstream to downstream to guide the fibers towards the roll in the form of two plies of fibers, these guide means comprise for example channels formed at the assembly interface of three plates. The head further comprises cutting means for individually cutting each fiber, and re-routing means for rerouting each fiber that has just been cut in order to be able to stop and resume the application of a strip at any time, as well as to choose the width of the band. After applying a first band in one direction, the application of the next band, parallel to the first band, is conventionally performed in the reverse direction after having carried out a 180 ° rotation of the head, or in the same direction as the first band, after bringing back the head to the starting point of the first band. These movements of the head between the application of two bands considerably increase the time of removal of the fibers.

To reduce this removal time, it is known so-called bidirectional heads, allowing the application of fibers in two opposite directions. It has been proposed, especially in the document US2005 / 0061422, an application head comprising two independent guide systems arranged symmetrically on either side of the application roller, to apply a strip in two opposite directions using one or the other of the guidance systems. Such a head equipped with two guiding systems, each associated with its own cutting system and its own re-routing system, is cumbersome and heavy, which limits the speed of removal of the fibers and does not allow the application of fibers. on molds with convexity and / or concavity important. In addition, each guidance system must be associated with different fiber storage means, which increases the complexity of the application machine.

It has also been proposed, in particular in document US 2009/0139654 a head equipped with a guide system which comprises for each fiber a guiding element movable between a first position and a second position to bring the fiber to one side or the other of the roller, each guide member being operated between its two positions by its own actuating system. These guidance systems are complex and bulky, and require several separate rollers. Two adjacent fibers of a web must be applied by different rolls, each associated with its own guidance system, and offset from each other in the direction of application. The resulting head also has a large footprint, and can not be used for producing parts convexity or concavity important. It has also been proposed, in particular in patent document FR 2 982 793, a bi-directional application head, comprising an application roll mounted movable relative to the main guide system between a first position, in which said strip is guided by the main guide system on a first portion of the cylindrical surface of the roll, so that the application of the band is effected by rotation of the roll in a first direction of rotation, and a second position in which said band is guided on a second portion of the cylindrical surface of the roll, so that the application of the band is effected by rotation of the roll in the second direction of rotation. These bidirectional heads, simple in design and implementation, and space-saving, provide a fiber application speed substantially similar to that of a one-way head, and can reduce the time of removal. However, some rolls, including rolls of flexible material, tend to deteriorate faster or exhibit uncontrolled deformation when used in the direction of rotation for which they are not intended.

The object of the present invention is to propose a new solution to overcome at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks, and in particular to at least limit the time of removal.

For this purpose, the present invention proposes a fiber application head for producing parts made of composite material, comprising at least one application roll for applying a strip formed of one or more fibers to the surface. applying a mold, preferably by contacting said roll against the surface of said mold or against one or more strips previously applied to said surface of said mold, and a main guide system for guiding at least one fiber entering the mold; head towards said application roller, characterized in that said head comprises two application rolls, of which a first roll and a second roll each roll is movably mounted relative to said main guide system between at least one active position in which said the strip is adapted to be guided by the main guide system on said roll, so that the application of the strip is effected by said roll, and inactive position, in which said roll is discarded of the main guidance system, without being in contact with the band, said head comprising an automatic or manual actuating system, preferably automatic, able to maneuver the first roller in the active position and the second roller in the inactive position to apply a strip by means of the first roll in a first direction, and operating the first roll in the idle position and the second roll in the active position for applying a web by means of the second roll in a second direction substantially opposite the first direction.

According to the invention, the head comprises two application rollers, one for each direction of use of the head. When a roller is used, it is operated in a low active position while the other roller is in an inactive, high position, away from the main guide system, so as not to limit the angles of inclination of the head by relative to the application surface, also called draping surface, and allow draping on complex surfaces, with for example large concavities and / or ramps.

The movable assembly of the rollers with respect to the main guide system can be easily achieved, and makes it possible to provide a simple bidirectional head design and implementation, compact, and ensuring a fiber application speed substantially similar to that of a one-way head.

In addition to having a bi-directional head for draping fibers in two opposite directions without the need for head twisting, the two-roll head has many other advantages.

The draping of fibers is conventionally carried out by performing heating, especially in the case of draping fibers pre-impregnated with thermoplastic resins or provided with a thermoplastic binder. During draping, the roll tends to rise in temperature, this rise in temperature causing a deterioration of the roll. The two-roller head according to the invention makes it possible to limit these temperature rises, without increasing the draping time, by changing the roller used to drape, the unused roll in the inactive position having the time to cool. Cooling means may further be provided to improve the cooling of each roll in the inactive position, these cooling means may for example be able to deliver a flow of air towards each roll in the inactive position. Thus, the rollers of the head according to the invention deteriorate less, the head therefore requires less change of rollers, and allows to obtain shorter removal times.

Depending on the draping surface, rollers of different types may be used, including rolls of deformable material which are more or less hard. Conventionally, softer rollers are used when the draping surface has substantial concavities or convexities so that the roll can be further deformed and fit the surface over its entire width. It is the same when the draping surface includes honeycomb type inserts, to avoid deformation of the honeycombs during draping. The head according to the invention can be equipped with different types of rollers, and in particular of different hardnesses, so that the head can be used to drape different pieces, without requiring a change of rollers, or to drape the same piece, but by changing the roll according to the zone of the part to be draped, by using a first flexible roller for the zones with ramps, with strong concavities, with strong convexities, and / or with honeycomb, and a second roll less flexible for the flatter areas of the room.

Furthermore, depending on the type of draped fibers and the type of heating used, it is necessary to use different rollers.

The head according to the invention can also be used with rollers of different lengths in order to adapt the length of the roll to the draped bandwidth, that is to say the number of fibers constituting the draped band. For example, the head is a so-called 16-fiber head, comprising a main guide system for draping strips of 16 fibers. The head is equipped with rollers of different lengths, a short roll corresponding to a strip of 8 fibers and a long roll corresponding to a strip of 16 fibers, so that the head can be used to drape different pieces, without requiring change. rolls, or to drape the same piece, but by changing the roll according to the area of the piece to be draped, using the least long roll for the areas with surfaces complex, ramps for example, and the second longer roll for the more planar areas of the room.

The inactive position of the rollers, away from the main guide system also allows easy access to said guidance system, and any cutting modules, rerouting and blocking fibers to perform maintenance operations. The main guide system is for example fixedly mounted on a support member of the head and the rollers are movably mounted between their two positions on said support member or on said guide system. According to one embodiment, the head comprises a support structure by which the head is adapted to be fixed to a displacement system, in particular the end wrist of a robot, and said support member is mounted on said support structure movably in translation and is elastically biased by at least one compacting ram in one direction.

According to one embodiment, each application roller is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis disposed above its axis of rotation, at least when said roller is in the active position, and parallel to said axis of rotation, the maneuver each application roller between its two positions being made by pivoting said roller about said pivot axis. According to one embodiment, each application roll is rotatably mounted about its axis of rotation, directly or indirectly, at the lower end of at least one arm, for example at the ends of two arms extending from one side to the other. another of the main guide system, each arm being pivotally mounted about said pivot axis. According to one embodiment, the two rollers are mounted pivoting about the same pivot axis, the two rollers being for example mounted on the same support module which is connected to at least one pivoting arm, for example two pivoting arm. In this case, advantageously, the strip does not pass between the two rollers, the strip coming from the side of the roll in active position which is opposed to the roll in the inactive position. According to another embodiment, the head comprises two support modules, each support module carrying an application roll and is assembled, preferably so as to removable, at least one pivoting arm, preferably two pivoting arm.

According to one embodiment, the head is a so-called fiber placement head for application to contact on a tool of a wide band formed of several continuous flat fibers, called wicks.

According to one embodiment, said main guide system is able to guide a plurality of fibers towards the application roller in the form of a strip, the main guide system comprises first and second guide means arranged in a staggered manner according to two guide planes approaching each other from upstream to downstream to guide the fibers to the active position roll in the form of two fiber sheets, the first and second guide means comprising first channels and second channels opening on the lower downstream edge of the main guide system, formed for example in one or more plates, said channels opening on the lower edge of the plate or plates, said guide system has a mean plane, preferably of symmetry, the two guide planes are arranged symmetrically on either side of the mean plane, said middle plane being disposed substantially tangentially to the cylindrical surface of the roller in the active position, or beyond said cylindrical surface with respect to the axis of rotation of said application roller in the active position, the axes of rotation of the application rollers in their active position preferably being arranged symmetrically with respect to on both sides of the middle plane.

Said fiber placement head advantageously comprises cutting means for cutting, preferably individually, each fiber upstream of the roll with respect to the direction of travel of the fibers, and means for rerouting, arranged upstream of the cutting means, to reroute each fiber has just been cut in order to be able to stop and resume the application of a band at any time, as well as to choose the width of the band. Advantageously, the head further comprises locking means, arranged upstream of the cutting means, capable of blocking, preferably individually, each fiber that has just been cut According to another embodiment, the head is provided for the application to the contact on a tool of a strip formed of a single flat fiber in the form of a wide ribbon. In this case, the head comprises a main guide system capable of guiding a single flat fiber towards the roller.

According to one embodiment, the pivoting axes of the arm or arms of the first roller and the second roller are arranged symmetrically on either side of the median plane, the axis of pivoting of the arm or arms of a roller being disposed of side of the median plane opposite to the axis of rotation of said roll when it is in the active position. This arrangement limits the size of the two-roll head according to the invention.

According to one embodiment, the rollers are mounted on separate support modules, each support module being able to be maneuvered by said actuating system to move its associated roller between its two positions.

The head according to the invention can also be used in one direction with a single roller, the other support module being equipped with another processing device, such as for example a heating system, for example of the laser type, or a trimming system, for example ultrasonic type.

According to one embodiment, said rollers are mounted on a common support module adapted to be maneuvered by said actuating system for moving said rollers between their two positions. Advantageously, the common support module can be moved to a high position in which the two rollers are in inactive positions, to facilitate maintenance operations on the main guide system and any cutting, re-routing and / or blocking modules. .

According to one embodiment, said application rollers are adapted to be operated between their two positions by a common actuating system.

According to one embodiment, the head further comprises an additional mobile guidance system mounted on the support module of each roller or two mobile additional guidance systems mounted on the common mobile support of the rollers, each additional guidance being able to guide each fiber exiting the main guide system to the roller with which it is associated when said roller is in the active position. Such additional guidance system movably mounted with the roller ensures a guide of the fibers closer to the roller.

According to one embodiment, each additional guidance system comprises a first bar provided with first additional channels and second additional channels arranged in staggered rows, and coming in the extension of the first and second channels of the main guidance system in the active position of the application roller to which said additional guidance system is associated, each bar has for example an upper surface adapted to come opposite the downstream edge of the main guide system, an outer surface facing outwards, and a internal surface facing the application roller, the first channels and the second additional channels are open and are formed of grooves provided on the inner and outer surfaces of the bar. Preferably, each bar has a concave inner surface whose concavity corresponds to the surface of the roller, the grooves formed on the concave inner surface forming curved channels, and / or the downstream edge of the main guide system has a cylindrical convex surface, and the bars have a concave top surface of corresponding shape. Advantageously, the grooves formed on the outer surfaces of the bars are covered by at least one guide plate removably mounted against said outer surfaces.

Each support module can also be equipped with a comb, as described in the international patent application PCT / FR2011 / 052022, comprising a plurality of flexible tongues adapted to come against said fiber or fibers coming out of the additional guidance system to put said fiber or fibers bearing against the roller.

According to one embodiment, the head comprises a compacting wedge mounted on the support module of each roller or on the common mobile support of the rollers.

According to one embodiment, the head comprises a heating system capable of emitting thermal radiation in the direction of the fiber web before compacting it and / or towards the mold or fiber webs already applied upstream of the compaction roller used with respect to the advancement direction of the head when said web is applied with the first roll in its position active or with the second roller in its active position.

According to another embodiment, the operation of the application rollers between their two positions is performed by sliding of the common support module or support modules each carrying a roller in guide grooves.

To ensure substantially uniform compaction over the entire width of the band, the head advantageously comprises at least one compaction roller adapted to adapt to the application surface, in particular to convex and / or concave application surfaces. According to one embodiment, the head comprises at least one flexible roller, made of a so-called flexible material, elastically deformable, for example of elastomeric material, so as to be deformed by marrying the profile of said surfaces.

According to another embodiment, the head advantageously comprises at least one segmented rigid roller, for example metallic, comprising a plurality of independent roller segments mounted side by side on the same axial rod, each segment being displaceable on said axial rod, perpendicular to this the latter, independently, and resiliently biased against the application surface by resilient means, such as expandable bag systems.

According to one embodiment, the head comprises locking means acting preferably on at least one arm, to ensure at least the locking of a roller in its active position, said locking means preferably allowing to resume compaction efforts , and thus limit the efforts taken at the pivot axis of the roller in the active position.

The present invention also relates to a fiber application machine comprising a head as defined above, and a displacement system of said machine head, with a control unit adapted to control the actuating system for the operation of the rollers. between their two positions, and to control the displacement of the head according to a set path using two different points of origin depending on the roller used.

The present invention also relates to a process for producing parts made of composite material, by draping fibers on an application surface by means of a fiber application head, said application head comprising a main guidance system. for guiding at least one fiber to said application roller, said method comprising relative movement of the application head with respect to the surface to apply with an application roller of said application head a strip formed of a or more fibers on the application surface, characterized in that it comprises

- Maneuvering a first roll of the head relative to the guide system to bring said first roll into a low active position and the maneuvering of a second roll of the head relative to the guide system to bring said second roll into a high inactive position, and the relative movement of the head in a first direction to apply a band with the first roll,

- Maneuvering the first roll of the head relative to the guide system to bring said first roll into a high inactive position and the maneuvering of the second roll of the head relative to the guide system to bring said second roll into a low active position , and the relative movement of the head in a second direction, substantially opposite the first, to apply a band with the second roll.

According to one embodiment, the method comprises the application of first strips with a first roll and the application of second strips, of smaller widths than those of the first strips, with a second roll of shorter length than that of the first roll. .

According to one embodiment, the method comprises applying first strips with a first roll and applying second strips with a second roll having a greater elastic deformation capacity than that of the first roll.

The invention will be better understood, and other purposes, details, features, and advantages will become more apparent during the course of detailed explanatory description which follows of three particular embodiments currently preferred of the invention, with reference to the attached schematic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a fiber application head according to a first embodiment of the invention, the first roll being in its first active position and the second roll in its inactive position, for the application. fibers with the first roll in the first direction SI;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the head of FIG. 1;

Figure 3 is a side view of the head of Figure 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, the second roll being in its active position and the first roll being in its inactive position, for the application of fibers with the second roll in the second direction S2;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the arms and the support module of a roll of the head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of an application head according to a second embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the arms and the common support module of the two rollers of the head of Figure 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of an application head according to a third embodiment of the invention; and,

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the actuating rods and support modules of the rollers of the head of FIG. 8.

FIGS. 1 to 3 partially illustrate a fiber application head 1 according to the invention, provided here for the application on the application surface 91 of a mold 9 of a strip formed of several fibers F1, F2, for example pre-impregnated with resin. The head 1 comprises two application rollers, also called compaction rollers, including a first roller referenced 2, and a second roller referenced 2 '. Each roll is movable between an inactive position and an active draping position, the head using either of the rollers in the active position for draping. The head comprises a main guide system 3 for guiding the fibers entering the head towards the roller in the active position in the form of two webs of fibers, to form a fiber web in which the fibers are disposed substantially edge to edge.

The main guidance system 3 is for example of the type described in the aforementioned patent document WO2008132299, and comprises three parts or plates, preferably metal, mounted flat against each other to define between them first guide channels and second guide channels in which pass respectively first fibers F1 of the first ply and second fibers F2 of the second ply. The first and second channels open on the upstream edge and the downstream edge 31 (Fig. 3) of the main guide system. The first channels and the second channels are arranged in staggered rows, in two planes PI, P2 of guidance approaching each other from upstream to downstream so that the fibers F 1 and F 2 of the two layers are substantially disposed on edge. edge at the application roll which is active position. The PI planes, P2 guide are arranged symmetrically on either side of the plane P3 median symmetry of the main guidance system.

The head comprises a support structure (not shown) by which the head can be assembled to a displacement system adapted to move the head in at least three directions perpendicular to each other. The displacement system comprises for example a robot comprising a wrist or poly-articulated arm at the end of which is mounted said application head. For example, the main guide system 3 is assembled on a support member 11 which is intended to be mounted to move on the support structure and is biased downwards by at least one compacting ram (not shown) which defines the compaction force with which the fibers are applied to the mold via one of the rollers. The compacting cylinder, for example pneumatic, is controlled under pressure to adapt the compaction force.

In the present embodiment, the head is provided for application of strips of sixteen fibers, each web comprising eight fibers, the main guide system comprising eight first channels and eight second channels.

The fibers are conveyed from storage means (not shown) to the head via conveying means (no shown). The fiber storage means may comprise a creel in the case of fibers packaged in the form of coils. The conveying means may be formed of flexible tubes, each tube receiving a fiber in its internal passage.

The head further comprises, on either side of the guiding system, cutting means, shown schematically under the reference 81, for individually cutting each fiber passing in the guiding systems, means of rerouting, shown schematically under the reference 82, to individually reroute to the roller each fiber that has just been cut, as well as preferably blocking means, shown schematically under the reference 83, for blocking each fiber that has just been cut.

According to the invention, the head comprises a first roller 2 and a second roller 2 ', each able to be moved between a low active position, called draping, and a high inactive position. In this embodiment, each roller 2 is pivotally mounted relative to the main guide system 3 via pivoting arms and its own support module.

The first roller 2 is rotatably mounted about an axis Al of rotation on a support module 4, the support module is assembled at the lower ends of two arms 5a, 5b extending on either side of the lateral faces of the support system. guide. Each arm is pivotally mounted on a lateral face 34 of the guide system about a pivot axis A2. The support module 4 comprises two support elements 40a, 40b, each support element being removably connected to an arm. The first roller is for example a flexible roller comprising a cylinder 21 of elastomeric material mounted on a rigid axial rod, and the roller is mounted by the ends of its axial rod on portions of the support members, said bearing portions. The axis A2 of pivoting is offset with respect to the plane of symmetry P3, the axis A2 being shifted to the left of the plane P3 in FIG.

The arms 5a, 5b are pivotable about the axis A2 to move the first roll under the downstream edge 34 of the guide system and under the cutting systems 81, between a first active position, illustrated in Figure 3, and a second inactive position, illustrated in Figure 4.

In the active position, the fibers exiting the main guiding system 3 are guided to the left side of the first roll 2 to allow draping of the fibers with this first roll in the SI direction. The axis A1 of the first roller is positioned below the downstream edge 34 of the main guide system from which the fiber guide channels open, and is positioned to the right of the plane P3 of symmetry, the opposite side of the plane relative to the pivot axis A2.

In its active position, the first roller is for example positioned so that the two guide planes PI and P2 are substantially tangent to the cylindrical outer surface of the roll. With respect to the direction S3 of rotation of the roll, the contact generator of the plane PI with the surface of the roll is disposed upstream of the generating contact of the plane P2 with the surface of the roll. The plane of symmetry P3 is disposed beyond the outer surface with respect to the axis of rotation A1. In the inactive position illustrated in FIG. 4, the first roll is brought back over the downstream edge of the main guide system. on the side of the plane P3 which is opposite the axis A2, that is to the right of the plane P3 in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The support module 4 is furthermore equipped with an additional mobile guidance system 7 for guiding the fibers as close as possible to the roll. With reference to FIG. 5, this additional guiding system comprises a bar 70 arranged parallel to the rotation axis A1 assembled at its ends to the two support elements, preferably in a removable manner. Each bar has in cross section a triangular, generally wedge shape, with a so-called upper surface oriented towards the main guiding system when the roller is in the active position, a so-called outer surface, substantially flat, facing outwards, and a so-called internal surface, concave, oriented towards the roll and whose concavity corresponds to the surface of the roll. The bar comprises two parallel rows of additional guide channels. The first additional channels 71 of a first row and the second additional channels 72 of the second row are arranged in staggered rows. Additional channels are open and are formed grooves on the inner and outer surfaces of the bar and opening on the upper surface. The first channels 71, said curved, are formed of grooves formed on the concave inner surface of the bar, and the second channels 72 are formed of grooves on the outer surface. For a position closer to the additional guidance system with respect to the main guide system, the downstream edge 34 of the main guide system may have a convex cylindrical surface, the bar of the additional guidance system then has a concave upper surface shape corresponding. In the active position, the bar is disposed opposite the downstream edge of the main guide system, its first additional channels 71 are arranged in the extension of the first guide channels of the first sheet arranged along the plane PI, and its second additional channels are arranged in the extension of the second channels of the second sheet disposed along the plane P2. To ensure the maintenance of the fibers in the grooves forming the second channels 72, they are closed by a guide plate (not shown) removably mounted on the bar, against the outer surface.

The module is furthermore equipped with heating means formed here of an infrared lamp 85 for heating the fibers coming out of the additional guidance system, and / or the mold or strips of fibers already applied upstream of the compacting roller, just before compacting the strip by the first roll, so as to at least soften the pre-impregnation resin, in the case of pre-impregnated fibers, or the binder in the case of dry fibers, and thus promote the adhesion of the strips together . The lamp 85 is mounted on at least one of the two support members and is disposed downstream of the first roll with respect to the SI draping direction.

The module is equipped with a compacting wedge 86 arranged downstream of the roller with respect to the advancement direction of the placement head, this wedge making it possible to guarantee compaction over the entire width of the strip during corner passages. as described in patent document EP 2,414,152. The shim, made of a deformable material, is mounted on a shim support 87. The wedge support is here pivotally assembled by its upstream part to the support elements 40a, 40b, behind the first roller with respect to the SI direction of advancement of the head, and is connected by its downstream part to the support elements by connecting rods. Length adjustable rods or sets of rods of different lengths can be used to adjust the wedge angle to the desired value.

Similarly, the second roller 2 'is rotatably mounted about an axis ΑΊ of rotation on a support module 4' which is connected to the lower ends of two arms 5'a, 5'b. Each arm is pivotally mounted on a lateral face 34 of the guide system about a pivot axis A'2. The support module 4 'comprises two support elements 40'a, 40'b removably assembled to said arms. The second roller is rotatably mounted on bearings of the support elements. The axes A2 and A'2 are arranged symmetrically on either side of the plane P3, the axis A'2 being shifted to the right of the plane P3 in FIG. 3. The arms 5'a, 5'b are suitable for pivoting about the pivot axis A'2 to move the second roll under the downstream edge of the guide system and under the cutting systems, between first active position, shown in Figure 4, and a second inactive position, illustrated in FIG. In the active position, the fibers exiting the main guiding system are guided to the right side of the second roll to allow draping of the fibers with the second roll in the direction S2. The axis ΑΊ of the second roller is positioned below the downstream edge of the main guide system, and is positioned to the left of the plane P3 of symmetry, the opposite side of the plane relative to the axis A'2 pivoting. In its active position, the second roller is for example positioned so that the two guide planes P1 and P2 are substantially tangent to the cylindrical outer surface of the roller. With respect to the direction of rotation S'3 of the roll, the contact generator of the plane PI with the outer surface of the roll is disposed downstream of the generatrix contact plane P2 with the outer surface of the roll. The plane of symmetry P3 is disposed beyond the outer surface relative to the axis ΑΊ of rotation. In the idle position illustrated in FIG. 3, the roll is brought back above the downstream edge of the guide system, on the side of the plane which is opposite the axis A '2, to the left of the plane P 3 in FIGS. and 4. The support module of the second roller is equipped with an additional guide system 7 'and a compacting wedge 86', identical to those fitted to the support module of the first roller. In the active position, the additional guidance system T is arranged vis-à-vis the downstream edge main guide system, its first additional channels 71 are arranged in the extension of the second guide channels of the first sheet disposed in the plane PI, and its second additional channels are arranged in the extension of the first channels of the second sheet disposed along the plane P2.

When the first roll is in the active position, the second roll is in the inactive position, and conversely, when the first roll is in the inactive position, the second roll is in the active position.

The pairs of arms 5a, 5b, 5 'a, 5'b associated with the rollers are offset relative to each other transversely, in the direction of the pivot axes. The pairs of arms are identical for the two rollers. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the arms of one and the same pair have different lower assembly parts to take account of this transverse offset and to obtain identical transverse positioning of the two rollers in their active position.

In the present embodiment, the rollers 2, 2 'are maneuvered between their two positions by a common actuating system 6. The arms 5a and 5' each carry a pin 41 (FIG. 5) on which is fixedly mounted. a pinion 61, 61 '. A drive gear 62 is connected to the shaft of a common motor (not shown), and a notched belt 63 is mounted on the three gears 61, 61 ', 63. When the first roller is in the active position and the second roller in the inactive position as shown in Figure 3, the motor is controlled to drive the drive pinion in rotation, counterclockwise as shown by the arrow S4, so as to drive the arms 5a, 5 'in the counterclockwise, until the first roll is in its inactive position and the second roll in its active position, as shown in FIG. 4. The return of the rollers, from their position illustrated in FIG. 4 to their position illustrated in FIG. Figure 3 is obtained by the motor control for driving the driving pinion in rotation clockwise S5. Locking means are preferably provided to ensure at least the locking of a roller in its active position. These locking means comprise two jacks 84 mounted in the main guide system and whose rods, arranged parallel to the pivot axes, are able to be moved into an active position, projecting from the lateral faces of the main guide system. In the active position, the rods of the jacks come into an opening or a recess 42, 42 'of the arms associated with the roller which is in the active position. These blocking means also make it possible to take up compaction forces and to limit the forces taken up at the axis of pivoting of the roll in the active position.

For draping a fiber web on a mold in the left direction S2, the first roll is brought into its active position. The fibers F1, F2 guided in the channels of the main guide system 3 are then guided in the additional channels of the bar 70 to then be applied to the mold by the first roller, the first roller rotating in the direction S3 counterclockwise. For draping a fiber web in the right direction S2, the second roll is brought into its active position. The fibers F1, F2 emerging from the channels of the main guidance system are guided in the additional channels of the additional guidance system 7 ', and then applied to the mold by the roller rotating in the clockwise direction S'.

The fiber application machine equipped with a head according to the invention comprises a control unit adapted to control the operation of the rollers between their positions. In the programming software of the control unit, the path of the head is set according to the roller used. The origin point for setting the trajectory corresponds for example to the middle of the generatrix of the roller used in contact with the drape surface, two different origin points being used depending on the roller used.

Alternatively, the actuating system comprises at least one jack acting on an arm carrying one of the rollers, said arm being connected by a rod to an arm carrying the other roller. The cylinder body is for example fixedly mounted relative to the main guide system and the end of its piston rod is connected to the arm of a roller. Of preferably, the two arms associated with a roller are each actuated by a jack, and each of said arms is connected by a link to an arm of the other roller. This actuation system allows easier adjustment of the angle between the two pairs of arms.

In this illustrated embodiment, the support modules are provided for mounting a compacting wedge. Preferably, the pairs of arms are provided for the assembly of different modules, the support modules being differentiated from each other for example by:

the lengths of rolls, for example a roll for 16 fibers and a roll for 8 fibers;

a segmented metal roller and roll of deformable flexible material;

rolls of deformable material of different hardnesses, for example rolls of elastomeric material having different densities;

- presence or absence of compacting wedge; and or

- different heating systems.

According to an alternative embodiment, the head comprises a common heating system for heating in the two directions S1, S2. The support modules 4, 4 'of the two rollers are for example connected by one or more rods. These rods, pivotally connected at their ends to the support modules, carry one or more infrared lamps. Alternatively, the heating system is of the laser type. A laser source, offset from the head, is connected, for example via an optical fiber to a mounted optical system, on the main guide system, movable between an inactive position and two active positions for heating the fibers respectively during draping in the direction SI and in the direction S2.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a second embodiment of a head 101 with two rollers according to the invention, wherein the two rollers are mounted on the same support module. The support module 104 comprises two support elements 140a, 140b. The first roller 102 and the second roller 102 'are rotatably mounted about axes of rotation A3, A' 3, between the two support elements, said axes being arranged symmetrically on either side of the plane of symmetry P5 of the support module. . The support module is assembled at the ends lower two arms 105 extending on either side of the lateral faces of the guide system. Each arm is pivotally mounted on a lateral face of the guiding system about an axis of pivoting A4, arranged in the plane of symmetry P4 of the main guide system, and is assembled, preferably removably at the plane P5 of symmetry to a support member 140a, 140b. The support module is equipped with additional guidance systems 107, 107 ', similar to those described above, mounted between the two support elements, arranged symmetrically on either side of the plane P5, on the outer side of the rollers, as well as on infrared lamp 185, 185 'for each direction of draping. The arm 105 is pivotable about the pivot axis A4 to move the support module between two positions, a first position of the support module in which the first roller is in the active position to drape in a first direction and the second roller is in the inactive position, as shown in Figure 6, and a second position of the support module in which the first roller is in the inactive position and the second roller in the active position to drape in a second direction opposite to the first. A compacting wedge 186 is mounted between the two support members between the two rollers, this single wedge being usable in both directions, whether the fibers are draped with the first roll or the second roll. The actuating system (not shown) is for example formed of a cylinder whose cylinder is fixedly mounted on the head relative to the guide system and whose cylinder rod is connected to an arm.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate a third embodiment of two-roll head 201 according to the invention, wherein each roll is mounted on a sliding support module moved by a link system.

The first roller 202 is rotatably mounted about an axis A5 of rotation between the two support elements 240a, 240b of the support module 204, the support module is slidably mounted on the main guide system or on a support of the head on which is mounted the main guidance system. For this sliding assembly, each support member 204a, 204b comprises for example two rollers 241, and the head is provided with two lateral grooves 212, generally V-shaped, formed on its side faces, for example on a support frame of the head or on the main guide system. The rollers of the support elements are engaged in said grooves and are able to slide therein. The support module carries an additional guidance system 207, as well as a compaction wedge 286, as previously described. The actuating of the roller an active position and an inactive position is achieved by means of a link 205 pivotally assembled by one end to the downstream part of the module 204 and its other end to a cylinder 261. In the example illustrated, the link is assembled to the carriage 261a of a rodless cylinder, preferably guided, known per se. The link is adjustable in length to adjust the angle of the compaction wedge. Similarly, the second roller 202 'is rotatably mounted about an axis A'5 on a support module 204'. The support module carries rollers 24 sliding in the groove 212, an additional guide system 207 ', and a compacting wedge 286', and is displaced by a rod 205 'connected to a jack 206'.

For fiber layup in a first direction S1, the first roll 202 is in its active position and the second roll is in its inactive position, as illustrated in FIG. 8. To drape in the opposite direction, the jack 261 of the first module 204 is controlled to raise the first roll 202 in its inactive position, its rollers 241 sliding in the groove 212, and the jack 26 of the second module 204 'is controlled to lower the second roll 202' in its active position.

A heating system may be mounted on each support module 204, 204 '. Alternatively a heating system, such as an IR lamp is pivotally mounted on the guide system about an axis parallel to the median plane P5, to be operated between an inactive position allowing the rise / fall of the rollers, and a position active heating.

Although the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is not limited thereto and that it includes all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if they are within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Fiber-applying head (1, 101, 201) for producing composite material parts, comprising at least one application roll for applying a strip formed from one or more fibers (F1) F2) on the application surface (91) of a mold (9), and a main guide system (3) for guiding at least one fiber to said application roller,

characterized in that said head comprises two application rolls, including a first roll (2, 102, 202) and a second roll (2 ', 102', 202 '), each roll is movably mounted relative to said guide system (3) main between at least one active position in which said strip is adapted to be guided by the main guide system on said roller, and an inactive position, wherein said roller is spaced from the main guide system, without being in contact with the band,

said head comprising an actuating system adapted to maneuver the first roller in the active position and the second roller in an inactive position to apply a band by means of the first roller, and to maneuver the first roller in the inactive position and the second roller in the active position to apply a band using the second roll.

2. Fiber application head according to claim 1, characterized in that each application roller (2, 2 '; 102, 102') is pivotally mounted about an axis (A2, A'2, A4) pivoting device disposed above its axis (Al, ΑΊ, A3, A '3) of rotation, and parallel to said axis of rotation, the operation of each application roller between its two positions being carried out by pivoting said roller around said pivot axis.

3. Fiber application head according to claim 2, characterized in that each application roller (2, 102) is rotatably mounted about its axis (Al, A '1, A3, A' 3) of rotation to the lower end of at least one arm (5a, 5b, 5 'a, 5'b; 105), each arm being pivotally mounted about said pivot axis (A2, A'2, A4).

4. Application head according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises two support modules (4, 4 ', 104, 104'), each support module carrying an application roller (2, 2 ', 102, 102 ') and is removably connected to at least one pivoting arm (5a, 5b, 5'a, 5'b).

5. Fiber application head according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said system (3) main guide is adapted to guide a plurality of fibers (F1, F2) to the application roller under the shape of a strip, the main guide system comprises first and second guide means staggered in two guide planes (PI, P2) approaching each other from upstream to downstream to guide the fibers (F1, F2) to the roller (2, 2 ', 102; 102', 202, 202 ') in the active position in the form of two plies of fibers, the first and second guide means including first channels and second channels opening on the downstream edge of the main guiding system, said guiding system (3) has a mean plane (P3, P4, P5), the two guiding planes (PI, P2) are arranged symmetrically on both sides. other of the mean plane, said middle plane being disposed substantially tangentially to the cylindrical surface of the roll u in the active position, or beyond said cylindrical surface relative to the axis of rotation of said application roll in the active position.

6. Fiber application head according to claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the pivot axes (A2, A'2) of the arms (5a, 5b, 5'a, 5'b) of the first roller (2 ) and the second roller (2 ') are arranged symmetrically on either side of the median plane (P3), the pivot axis (A2, A'2) of the arm or arms of a roller being arranged on the side of the median plane opposite to the axis of rotation of said roll when it is in the active position.

Fiber application head according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rollers (2, 2 ', 202, 202') are mounted on support modules (4, 4 ', 204, 204). ') separated, each support module being adapted to be operated by said actuating system (6) to move its associated roller between its two positions.

8. Fiber application head according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said rollers (102, 102 ') are mounted on a common support module (104) adapted to be maneuvered by said actuating system for moving said rollers between their two positions.

9. Fiber application head according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that it further comprises a system (7, 7 ', 107, 107', 207, 207 ') additional guidance mounted on the support module (4, 4 ', 204, 204') of each roller or two additional guiding systems (7, 7 ', 107, 107', 207, 207 ') mounted on the common movable support (104) of the rollers, each system additional guiding guide being adapted to guide each fiber exiting the main guide system (3) to the roller with which it is associated when said roller is in the active position.

10. Fiber application head according to one of claims 7 to

9, characterized in that it comprises a compacting wedge (86, 86 ', 186, 286, 286') mounted on the support module (4, 4 ', 204, 204') of each roll or on the movable support (104) common rollers.

11. Fiber application head according to one of claims 7 to

10, characterized in that it comprises a heating system (85, 85 ', 185, 185') able to emit thermal radiation in the direction of the fiber web before it is compacted and / or towards the mold or strips fibers already applied when said web is applied with the first roll in its active position or with the second roll in its active position.

12. Fiber application head according to one of claims 1 to

11, characterized in that it comprises locking means (84), to ensure at least the locking of a roller in its active position, said locking means for recovering compacting forces.

13. A method of producing composite material parts, by draping fibers on an application surface by means of a fiber application head, said application head comprising a main guide system for guiding at least one fiber to said application roller, said method comprising relative movement of the application head with respect to the application surface for applying with an application roller of said application head a web of one or more fibers on the application surface, characterized in that it comprises - Maneuvering a first roll of the head relative to the guide system to bring said first roll into an active position and the maneuvering of a second roll of the head with respect to the guide system to bring said second roll into a inactive position, without contact with the band, and the relative movement of the head in a first direction to apply a band with the first roll,

- Maneuvering the first roll of the head relative to the guide system to bring said first roll into an inactive position, without contact with the web, and the maneuvering of the second roll of the head relative to the guide system to bring said second roll in an active position, and the relative movement of the head in a second direction, substantially opposite the first, to apply a band with the second roll.

14. The method of claim 13, characterized in that it comprises the application of first strips with a first roll and the application of second strips, widths less than those of the first strips, with a second roll, length less important than that of the first roll.

15. The method of claim 13 or 14, characterized in that it comprises the application of first strips with a first roll and the application of second strips with a second roll having a greater elastic deformation capacity than that of the first roller.