JP5251723B2 - Resin impregnation equipment and high pressure gas tank production equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for impregnating a fiber bundle with a resin.

  Various products are manufactured by winding a fiber bundle made of very fine single fibers around a liner forming a product shape. For example, a high-pressure gas tank is manufactured by winding carbon fibers obtained by bundling tens of thousands of single fibers (filaments) having a fiber diameter of about 1 to 5 μm around a resin liner. In general, a fiber bundle (also referred to as a tow prepreg) impregnated with a resin such as an epoxy resin in advance for the purpose of increasing product strength is used as such a fiber bundle. As a method for producing a fiber bundle containing such a resin, a method has been proposed in which a nipple roller is disposed in a resin tank and the resin bundle is impregnated while the fiber bundle is sandwiched and widened using the nipple roller. (Patent Document 1). The purpose of widening the fiber bundle is to improve the impregnation rate of the resin into each single fiber and to suppress fiber slipping during winding.

JP 2008-290309 A

  In the above-described technique in which the fiber bundle is sandwiched and widened by the nipple roller and impregnated with the resin, there is a possibility that each single fiber may be damaged by pressurization in the nipple roller.

  An object of this invention is to improve the impregnation rate of the resin to a single fiber, suppressing the damage of the single fiber which comprises a fiber bundle.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to solve at least a part of the problems described above, and the invention can be implemented as the following forms or application examples.

  [Application Example 1] A resin impregnation apparatus for impregnating a fiber bundle composed of a plurality of fibers with a resin, comprising: a widening roller for expanding the fiber bundle; and a resin supply unit for supplying the resin into the widening roller. The widening roller has a resin impregnation device having an external surface that contacts the fiber bundle and a communication hole that supplies the resin supplied to the inside of the widening roller to the external surface.

  In the resin impregnation apparatus of Application Example 1, the widening roller includes a communication hole that supplies the resin supplied to the inside of the widening roller to the external surface. Can be impregnated. Therefore, since the resin can be impregnated while widening the fiber bundle in the widening roller, the impregnation ratio of the resin to each fiber can be improved. Moreover, since a fiber bundle is expanded without using a nipple roller, damage to each fiber can be suppressed.

  Application Example 2 The resin impregnation apparatus according to Application Example 1, further including a heating unit that heats the widening roller.

  With such a configuration, the viscosity of the resin supplied from the inside of the widening roller to the external surface can be reduced. Therefore, the impregnation rate of the resin into the fiber can be improved.

  Application Example 3 In the resin impregnation apparatus according to Application Example 1 or Application Example 2, the widening roller is formed of a porous metal.

  With such a configuration, a large number of minute holes can be provided in the widening roller as communication holes.

  [Application Example 4] In the resin impregnation apparatus according to any one of Application Example 1 to Application Example 3, the apparatus includes a plurality of the widening rollers, and the plurality of widening rollers have different portions of the fiber bundle on the outer surface. A resin impregnation device arranged so as to contact.

  With such a configuration, since the resin can be impregnated from a plurality of different portions in the fiber bundle, the number of fibers not containing the resin can be suppressed, and the resin impregnation rate can be increased.

  [Application Example 5] A high-pressure gas tank manufacturing apparatus including the resin impregnation apparatus according to any one of Application Examples 1 to 4.

  With such a configuration, the impregnation ratio of the resin into each fiber is high, and the high-pressure gas tank can be manufactured using a fiber bundle in which the resin is uniformly impregnated. The strength of the high pressure gas tank as a whole can be improved.

It is explanatory drawing which shows schematic structure of the tow prepreg manufacturing apparatus to which the resin impregnation apparatus as one Example of this invention is applied. It is an enlarged view of the widening roller 10b shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the AA cross section in FIG. 2 typically. It is explanatory drawing which shows the BB cross section in FIG. 2 typically. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the high pressure gas tank manufacturing apparatus of 2nd Example.

A. First embodiment:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing a schematic configuration of a tow prepreg manufacturing apparatus to which a resin impregnation apparatus as an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The tow prepreg manufacturing apparatus 500 manufactures a tow prepreg (a fiber bundle impregnated with a resin in advance). The produced tow prepreg is used in the production of a high-pressure gas tank or the like by the filament winding (FW) method.

  The tow prepreg manufacturing apparatus 500 includes two fiber bobbins B1 and B10, a creel apparatus C1, six guide rollers r1 to r6, a resin impregnation unit 100, five fiber take-up rollers R1 to R5, and a winder W1. It has.

  A carbon fiber bundle f1 before being impregnated with the resin is wound around the fiber bobbin B1 in advance. As shown in FIG. 1, the carbon fiber bundle f1 is configured by bundling a large number (for example, 20,000) of single fibers cf having a fiber diameter of about 1 μm. As such a carbon fiber bundle f1, for example, rayon-based carbon fiber, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) -based carbon fiber, or pitch-based carbon fiber can be used. The cross section of the carbon fiber bundle f1 is substantially circular.

  The creel device C1 rotates the attached fiber bobbin B1 to feed out the carbon fiber bundle f1. The creel device C1 is interlocked with a winder W1 described later, and the carbon fiber bundle f1 is made into a fiber bobbin B1 according to the amount of the carbon fiber bundle f11 (carbon fiber bundle after being impregnated with resin) taken up by the winder W1. It starts from.

  The six guide rollers r1 to r6 are rotatably arranged, and convey the carbon fiber bundle f1 and the carbon fiber bundle f11 fed out from the fiber bobbin B1. At this time, the six guide rollers r1 to r6 apply predetermined tension to the carbon fiber bundles f1 and f11, respectively. As such guide rollers r <b> 1 to r <b> 6, for example, a member formed in a cylindrical shape with resin or metal can be employed.

  The resin impregnated portion 100 is used for impregnating the carbon fiber bundle f1 with resin. The resin impregnation unit 100 includes two widening rollers 10a and 10b, two pipes 11a and 11b, and a resin supply device 12. The two widening rollers 10a and 10b are arranged on the conveyance path of the carbon fiber bundle f1 with the two guide rollers r2 and r3 interposed therebetween. The two guide rollers r1 and r2 arranged with the widening roller 10a interposed therebetween work so as to press the carbon fiber bundle f1 against the widening roller 10a. Similarly, the two guide rollers r3 and r4 arranged with the widening roller 10b interposed therebetween work to press the carbon fiber bundle f1 against the widening roller 10b. The pipe 11 a connects the widening roller 10 a and the resin supply device 12. Similarly, the pipe 11 b connects the widening roller 10 b and the resin supply device 12. The resin supply device 12 supplies the resin to the two widening rollers 10a and 10b via the two pipes 11a and 11b. As the resin, for example, an epoxy resin that is a thermosetting resin can be employed. At this time, the resin supply device 12 warms the resin to lower the viscosity.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the widening roller 10b shown in FIG. The widening roller 10b widens the width of the pressed carbon fiber bundle f1 (the length in the direction perpendicular to the transport direction) and impregnates the carbon fiber bundle f1 with resin. The widening roller 10b is hollow inside and has a cylindrical appearance. The widening roller 10 b includes an outer shell portion 22 and a lid portion 21. The outer shell portion 22 is configured to be rotatable in the conveyance direction of the carbon fiber bundle f1. The outer shell portion 22 is made of porous metal (porous metal) and is provided with a large number of minute holes 23. As a hole diameter of each hole 23, it can be about 1 mm, for example. The lid portion 21 is disposed on one end surface of the outer shell portion 22. The lid portion 21 is connected to the pipe 11b and sends resin supplied via the pipe 11b to an internal space AR1 (described later) of the outer shell portion 22.

  The configuration of the widening roller 10a is the same as the configuration of the widening roller 10b. However, the widening roller 10a and the widening roller 10b are in contact with different portions of the carbon fiber bundle f1. Specifically, the widening roller 10a is in contact with the upper half surface S2 of the surface of the carbon fiber bundle f1. On the other hand, the widening roller 10b contacts the lower half surface S1 of the surface of the carbon fiber bundle f1. In the resin impregnation unit 100, the wide fiber 10a impregnates the resin from the lower half surface S2 of the carbon fiber bundle f1, and the wide roller 10b impregnates the resin from the upper half surface S1 of the carbon fiber bundle f1 to obtain carbon fibers. The entire bundle f1 is configured to be impregnated with resin.

  The five rollers R1 to R5 shown in FIG. 1 apply a predetermined tension to the carbon fiber bundle f11 after being impregnated with the resin conveyed through the guide roller r4 and send it out. The winder W1 winds up the carbon fiber bundle f11 conveyed through the guide roller r6 around the attached fiber bobbin B10.

  The aforementioned resin impregnation unit 100 corresponds to the resin impregnation apparatus in the claims. The two widening rollers 10a and 10b correspond to the widening roller in the claims, the hole 23 corresponds to the communication hole in the claims, and the resin supply device 12 corresponds to the resin supply unit in the claims.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the AA cross section in FIG. 2. In the example of FIG. 3, the carbon fiber bundle f1 is pressed against the outer surface of the widening roller 10b (outer shell portion 22), and in the area AR2 where the widening roller 10b and the carbon fiber bundle f1 are in contact, the carbon fiber The bundle f1 is widened.

  The hole 23 provided in the outer shell portion 22 is formed extending along the thickness direction of the outer shell portion 22, and communicates the internal space AR <b> 1 of the widening roller 10 b with the outer surface of the outer shell portion 22. The resin supplied to the internal space AR1 flows from each hole 23 toward the external surface of the outer shell portion 22, and is supplied to the external surface. Therefore, a thin resin layer 25 is formed on the outer surface of the outer shell portion 22 by the resin supplied from the inner space AR1, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the surface S2 of the carbon fiber bundle f1 is immersed in the resin layer 25 in the area AR2. In the resin supply device 12, the widening roller 10b is set so that the thickness of the resin layer 25 is smaller than, for example, the carbon fiber bundle f1 (for example, about 1/5 of the diameter of the carbon fiber bundle f1). The amount of resin supplied to is set.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory view schematically showing a BB cross section in FIG. 2. In the example of FIG. 4, the area AR2 of FIG. The carbon fiber bundle f1 is pressed perpendicularly to the outer shell portion 22 by receiving pressing force from the two guide rollers r3 and r4 (FIG. 1). For this reason, the single fiber cf which comprises the carbon fiber bundle f1 moves so that it may spread along the outer surface of the outer shell part 22, and the cross-sectional shape of the carbon fiber bundle f1 becomes flat. The single fiber cf on the surface S1 side of the carbon fiber bundle f1 is already impregnated with resin in the widening roller 10a. In addition, the width | variety by the side of the surface S1 of the carbon fiber bundle f1 is small compared with the surface S2 side by hardening (shrinkage | contraction) of the resin accompanying the natural cooling in the conveyance area from the widening roller 10a to the widening roller 10b.

  In the flat carbon fiber bundle f1, the distance between the single fibers cf is widened and the resin is easy to permeate. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, on the surface S2 side of the carbon fiber bundle f1, the resin of the resin layer 25 penetrates not only to the single fibers cf contacting the outer surface of the outer shell portion 22, but also to the inner single fibers cf. doing. Although the resin impregnation in the widening roller 10b has been described above, the same applies to the widening roller 10a.

  As described above, in the tow prepreg manufacturing apparatus 500 according to the first embodiment, the resin impregnation unit 100 presses the carbon fiber bundle f1 against the two widening rollers 10a and 10b to increase the width and simultaneously impregnates the resin. Therefore, the impregnation rate of the resin into each single fiber cf can be improved, and the entire carbon fiber bundle f1 can be impregnated uniformly. Moreover, since it expands without using a nipple roller, damage to the carbon fiber bundle f1 accompanying expansion can be suppressed. Further, the two widening rollers 10a and 10b are configured (arranged) such that portions of the carbon fiber bundle f1 facing each other are in contact with the outer surface of the outer shell portion 22. Therefore, the resin can be impregnated from two directions facing each other with respect to the carbon fiber bundle f1, and the number of single fibers cf not containing the resin can be suppressed. Further, by adjusting the amount of resin supplied from the resin supply device 12 to the two widening rollers 10a and 10b, it is possible to supply an appropriate amount of resin for impregnating the carbon fiber bundle f1 and is wasted. The amount of resin can be suppressed.

B. Second embodiment:
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the high-pressure gas tank manufacturing apparatus according to the second embodiment. This high-pressure gas tank manufacturing apparatus 600 manufactures a high-pressure gas tank by the FW method using the fiber bundle impregnated with the resin by the resin impregnation unit 100 of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, one tow prepreg is manufactured from one carbon fiber bundle f1, whereas in the second embodiment, four tow prepregs are formed from four carbon fiber bundles. A high pressure gas tank is manufactured using the four tow prepregs obtained.

  The high-pressure gas tank manufacturing apparatus 600 includes the above-described resin impregnation unit 100, four fiber bobbins B1 to B4, a creel device C10, twelve guide rollers r1 to r8, r1a to r1c, a fiber feeding unit 40, A guide shaft 42 and a fiber winding part 50 are provided.

  The four fiber bobbins B1 to B4 have the same configuration as the fiber bobbin B1 of the first embodiment. That is, the carbon fiber bundle f1 before being impregnated with the resin is wound around the fiber bobbin B1 in advance. Similarly, the fiber bobbin B2 is impregnated with the carbon fiber bundle f2 before impregnation with the resin, the fiber bobbin B3 is impregnated with the carbon fiber bundle f3 before impregnation with the resin, and the fiber bobbin B4 is impregnated with the resin. Each of the carbon fiber bundles f4 is wound in advance. The creel device C10 rotates the mounted four fiber bobbins B1 to B4, respectively, and feeds four carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4. The twelve guide rollers r1 to r8 and r1a to r1c have the same configuration as the six guide rollers r1 to r6 of the first embodiment.

  The fiber feeding unit 40 feeds out the four carbon fiber bundles f11 to f14 after being impregnated with the resin conveyed from the resin impregnating unit 100, and winds them around the resin liner 200 arranged in the fiber winding unit 50 described later. . The fiber feeding portion 40 reciprocates along the guide shaft 42 and winds the carbon fiber bundles f11 to f14 around the entire surface of the resin liner 200. The guide shaft 42 is disposed in parallel with the central axis CX of the resin liner 200. In addition, a hoop winding or a helical winding is employable as a method for winding the carbon fiber bundles f11 to f14.

  The fiber winding unit 50 includes a base 51, a pair of support plates 53 and 54, and a rotation drive unit 52. The pair of support plates 53 and 54 are installed on the base 51 at a predetermined interval, and support the resin liner 200 rotatably. The rotation drive unit 52 is disposed outside the support plate 53 and rotates the resin liner 200 around the central axis CX of the resin liner 200. The resin liner 200 is made of nylon resin and has a hollow structure.

  In the high pressure gas tank manufacturing apparatus 600 of the second embodiment described above, since the resin is impregnated using the resin impregnation unit 100, the carbon fiber bundles f11 to f14 having a high resin impregnation rate and uniformly impregnated with the resin are used. The FW method can be executed. Therefore, the intensity | strength unevenness in the surface of a high pressure gas tank can be suppressed, and the intensity | strength as the whole high pressure gas tank can be improved.

C. Variations:
In addition, elements other than the elements claimed in the independent claims among the constituent elements in each of the above embodiments are additional elements and can be omitted as appropriate. The present invention is not limited to the above-described examples and embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the following modifications are possible.

C1. Modification 1:
In each embodiment, the two widening rollers 10a and 10b supply the resin supplied from the resin supply device 12 as it is to the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4 through the holes 23, but the present invention is limited to this. It is not something. For example, heating wires can be arranged inside the two widening rollers 10a and 10b, and the resin can be heated inside the widening rollers 10a and 10b and then supplied to the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4 through the holes 23. . With such a configuration, the viscosity of the resin that has been cooled while passing through the pipes 11a and 11b and increased in viscosity can be reduced by heating the two widening rollers 10a and 10b. Therefore, since the viscosity of the resin impregnated in the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4 can be reduced, the resin impregnation rate in the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4 can be further improved. The heating wire in this configuration corresponds to the heating unit in the claims. In addition, as temperature of resin after the heating in the two widening rollers 10a and 10b, it can be set as the temperature of the range of 50 to 100 degreeC, for example. This is because when the curing agent is contained in the resin, softening occurs in the range of 50 ° C. to 100 ° C., and curing starts when the temperature reaches 100 ° C. or higher. In addition, it is preferable to set the heating target temperature of resin to an appropriate value according to the kind of resin to be used.

C2. Modification 2:
In each embodiment, the two widening rollers 10a and 10b are rotatably arranged in the conveying direction of the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4. However, the two widening rollers 10a and 10b can be fixed and arranged without rotating. Moreover, in each Example, it can also be set as the structure which vibrates the two widening rollers 10a and 10b. Specifically, in the resin impregnated portion 100, an actuator that ultrasonically vibrates the two widening rollers 10a and 10b can be provided, and the two widening rollers 10a and 10b can be vibrated by the actuator. As the actuator, for example, a vibrator that vibrates according to a high-frequency signal output from an oscillator, an amplifying mechanism that amplifies the vibration of the vibrator, and a transmission mechanism that transmits the amplified vibration to the two widening rollers 10a and 10b. It is possible to adopt a configuration comprising: With such a configuration, the vibration of the two widening rollers 10a and 10b can suppress the sticking between the single fibers cf and the sticking of the single fibers cf to the widening rollers 10a and 10b. More widening can be achieved. Therefore, the impregnation rate of the resin in the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4 can be improved.

C3. Modification 3:
In each embodiment, the outer shell portion 22 is made of a porous metal. However, instead of this, a thin metal plate (plate made of stainless steel or the like) provided with a large number of holes or a metal mesh may be used. In the case where the outer shell portion 22 is formed of a thin metal plate provided with a large number of holes, the hole can have a circular cross-sectional shape. The cross-sectional shape of the hole may be a rectangle extending in the width direction of the outer shell portion 22, and the hole may be arranged in a slit shape.

C4. Modification 4:
In each embodiment, the resin impregnated in the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4 is an epoxy resin. For example, a phenol resin, a urea resin, a melamine resin, an unsaturated polyester resin, or the like can be used. Moreover, it can replace with carbon fiber and can also employ | adopt arbitrary fibers, such as glass fiber and an aramid fiber. Also in these configurations, by applying the present invention, it is possible to improve the resin impregnation rate while suppressing damage to the resin.

C5. Modification 5:
In each embodiment, the number of widening rollers provided by the resin-impregnated portion 100 is two, but can be any number. Moreover, although the two widening rollers 10a and 10b were in contact with the mutually opposing portions (surface S1 and surface S2) of the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4, the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, for example, the widening roller 10a is in contact with the side surfaces (surfaces orthogonal to the surface S2) of the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4, and the widening roller 10b is the surface of the carbon fiber bundles f1 to f4 as in each embodiment. It can also be set as the structure which contacts in S2. That is, in general, a configuration in which a plurality of widening rollers are arranged so that different portions of the fiber bundle are in contact with the outer surface can be employed in the resin impregnation apparatus of the present invention.

C6. Modification 6:
In each embodiment, the resin impregnation unit 100 is configured as a part of the functional unit of the tow prepreg manufacturing apparatus 500 or the high-pressure gas tank manufacturing apparatus 600. Instead, the resin impregnation unit 100 is configured as an independent apparatus (resin impregnation apparatus). You can also In this case, the resin impregnation apparatus of the present invention can be applied not only to a high-pressure tank manufacturing apparatus but also to any apparatus for winding fibers. For example, the present invention can be applied to a device that winds a fiber around a propeller shaft, a door frame, or the like used in a vehicle or an aircraft.

  10a, 10b ... Widening roller, 11a, 11b ... Piping, 12 ... Resin feeder, 21 ... Lid part, 22 ... Outer shell part, 23 ... Hole, 25 ... Resin layer, 40 ... Fiber feeding part, 42 ... Guide shaft, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 50 ... Fiber winding part, 51 ... Base, 52 ... Rotation drive part, 53 ... Support plate, 100 ... Resin impregnation part, 200 ... Resin liner, 500 ... Toe prepreg manufacturing apparatus, 600 ... High pressure gas tank manufacturing apparatus, cf ... Single fiber, B1 to B4 ... fiber bobbin, C1 and C10 ... creel device, r1 to r8, r1a to r1c ... guide roller, R1 to R5 ... fiber take-up roller, W1 ... winder, f1 to f4 ... carbon fiber bundle, S1 , S2 ... surface, CX ... center axis, AR1 ... internal space, AR2 ... region

Claims (5)

A resin impregnation apparatus for impregnating a resin into a fiber bundle composed of a plurality of fibers,
A widening roller for expanding the fiber bundle;
A resin supply section for supplying resin into the widening roller;
With
The widening roller is
An external surface in contact with the fiber bundle;
A communication hole for supplying the resin supplied to the inside of the widening roller to the external surface;
A resin impregnation apparatus. The resin impregnation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
A resin impregnation apparatus comprising a heating unit for heating the widening roller. In the resin impregnation apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The said widening roller is a resin impregnation apparatus currently formed with the porous metal. In the resin impregnation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A plurality of the widening rollers;
The plurality of widening rollers is a resin impregnation apparatus in which different portions of the fiber bundle are in contact with the outer surface.   An apparatus for producing a high-pressure gas tank, comprising the resin impregnation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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