当前申请(专利权)人地址：
100 NORTH RIVERSIDE PLAZA, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60606-2016, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | ADMINISTRATION OFFICE BUILDING #60 5TH FLOOR, SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, GWANAK-RO 1, GWANAK-GU, SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
发明人：
IHN, JEONG-BEOM | AHN, SUNG-HOON | LEE, GIL-YONG | KIM, HYUNG-SOO | KIM, MIN-SOO | KIM, HO-JIN | MIN, SOO-HONG
摘要：
Methods and apparatus for automating the fiber laying process
during the repair of composite structures made of fiber-reinforced plastic
material based on the three-dimensional printing technique. Continuous fiber
rovings (e.g., carbon fibers) impregnated with liquid epoxy can be directly
5 printed onto the damaged surface of the composite structure (e.g., an aircraft
component made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic) without human
manipulation in an autonomous manner.
Fig. 3
权利要求：
1. A method for adding composite material to a composite
structure, comprising continuously laying down successive portions of a
continuous fiber roving on the composite structure while wetting successive
5 portions with an epoxy‒hardener mixture.
2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
cutting the fiber roving to establish a length of fiber roving to be
laid; and
allowing the epoxy‒hardener mixture on the length of fiber
10 roving to cure in place on the composite structure at ambient temperature.
3. The method as recited in any of claims 1-2, wherein the fiber
roving is a continuous bundle of unidirectional reinforcement fibers, the
method further comprising paying out the fiber roving from a roll.
4. The method as recited in any of claims 1-3, further
15 comprising:
mixing liquid epoxy and liquid hardener in a mixer to form the
epoxy‒hardener mixture;
feeding epoxy‒hardener mixture from the mixer to a printing
roller; and
20 transferring epoxy‒hardener mixture from the printing roller to
the fiber roving.
5. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprises absorbing
epoxy‒hardener mixture in a mixture-absorbing layer of the printing roller,
wherein each successive portion of the fiber roving passes through a nip
25 formed by the printing roller and the composite structure with epoxy‒hardener
mixture that has desorbed from the mixture-absorbing layer of the printing
roller.
6. The method as recited in any of claims 1-5, further comprising
removing material from an area of the composite structure that includes a
non-conformity until the non-conformity is removed and a cavity is formed,
5 wherein the wetted successive portions of fiber roving are laid inside the
cavity.
7. A method for adding composite material to a composite
structure, comprising:
(a) placing a printing roller adjacent to a first area of the
10 composite structure to form a nip therebetween;
(b) transferring an epoxy‒hardener mixture in a liquid state onto
the printing roller;
(c) rotating the printing roller;
(d) feeding a fiber roving through the nip;
15 (e) transferring the epoxy‒hardener mixture from the printing
roller to a portion of the fiber roving that is passing through the nip; and
(f) pressing the portion of the fiber roving with the transferred
epoxy‒hardener mixture on the composite structure,
wherein steps (d) through (f) are performed while the printing
20 roller is rotating.
8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein step (b) comprises
absorbing epoxy‒hardener mixture in a mixture-absorbing layer of the printing
roller and step (e) comprises wetting the portion of the fiber roving that is
passing through the nip with epoxy‒hardener mixture that has desorbed from
25 the mixture-absorbing layer of the printing roller.
9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising attaching
the mixture-absorbing layer of the printing roller around a periphery of a roller
core of the printing roller.
10. The method as recited in any of claims 7-9, wherein at least
5 steps (c) through (f) are continuously performed until a first length of fiber
roving with transferred epoxy‒hardener mixture has been pressed on the
composite structure.
11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising cutting
the fiber roving at a position upstream from the nip to produce the first length
10 of fiber roving.
12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:
placing the printing roller adjacent to a second area of the
composite structure with a nip therebetween;
repeating steps (b) through (f), wherein at least steps (d)
15 through (f) are continuously performed until a second length of fiber roving
with transferred epoxy‒hardener mixture has been pressed on the composite
structure; and
cutting the fiber roving at a position upstream from the nip to
produce the second length of fiber roving.
20 13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the first and
second lengths of fiber roving are adjacent to each other on the composite
structure.
14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising
allowing the epoxy‒hardener mixture on the first and second lengths of the
25 fiber roving to cure at ambient temperature.
15. The method as recited in any of claims 7-14, wherein the
fiber roving is a continuous bundle of unidirectional reinforcement fibers, the
method further comprising paying out the fiber roving from a roll.
16. The method as recited in any of claims 7-15, further
comprising mixing liquid epoxy and liquid hardener in a mixer to form the
5 epoxy‒hardener mixture, wherein step (c) comprises feeding epoxy‒hardener
mixture from the mixer to the printing roller.
17. An apparatus for adding composite material to a composite
structure, comprising:
a mixer for mixing liquid ingredients contained therein;
10 tubing having one end in fluid communication with the mixer for
receiving a liquid mixture from the mixer;
a fiber roll having a fiber roving wound thereon;
a printer head comprising a printing roller, a fiber guide
configured to guide successive portions of fiber roving from the fiber roll
15 toward the printing roller, and a fitting in fluid communication with another end
of the tubing for receiving liquid mixture therefrom and having an opening
adjacent to the printing roller that enables liquid mixture to flow onto the
printing roller.
18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the printing
20 roller comprises a roller core having a periphery and a mixture-absorbing
layer attached to the periphery of the roller core.
19. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the mixture-
absorbing layer of the printing roller is made of bleeder material.
20. The apparatus as recited in any of claims 17-19, wherein the
25 printer head further comprises:
front and back plates fixedly coupled to each other;
an axle having opposite ends affixed to the front and back plates
respectively, the printing roller being rotatably coupled to the axle; and
a compliant linear guide comprising a base fixedly coupled to
the front and back plates, a pair of support arms to which the axle is fixedly
5 coupled, the pair of support arms being slidably translatable relative to the
base, and a compression spring that exerts a spring force on the printing roller
in a direction parallel to the front plate,
wherein a portion of the printing roller projects beyond
respective edges of the front and back plates, and the fiber guide is disposed
10 between and fixedly coupled to the front and back plates.
21. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the printer
head further comprises: first and second pairs of fiber feeding rollers; a first
motor mechanically coupled to one fiber feeding roller of the first pair of fiber
feeding rollers; a second motor mechanically coupled to one fiber feeding
15 roller of the second pair of fiber feeding rollers; and a cutter disposed between
the first and second pairs of fiber feeding rollers.