Title of Invention

AN APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FIBRE THREAD PIECES

Abstract

57) Abstract:- The present invention provides an apparatus for feeding out pieces of fibre thread along a path from a cutter e.g. reinforcing material for production of fibre reinforced plastic products, whereby the pieces of fibre thread are fed out either with the pieces oriented regularly or irregularly in their longitudinal direction, said apparatus comprising an ejector pipe provided with a passage for fibre thread pieces from the cutter and with a deflector surface the ejector pipe being pivotally arranged and being pivotable between a first position in which the passage through the ejector pipe coincides with the direction of the path of the fed out pieces thread, and a second position in which the deflector surface is positioned in the path of the fedout pieces of fibre thread.

Full Text

95-07-06, P14900 TITLE An apparatus for feeding fibre thread pieces TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention refers to an apparatus for feeding fibre thread pieces from a cutter, e.g. reinforcing material for production of fibre reinforced plastic products, which feeding is made either with regular or with unregular orientation of the longitudinal direction of the fibre thread pieces. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In robot-controlled production, there are usually a high demand for precision in the delivery of raw material. For example, when feeding fibre thread to a robot-controlled fibre feeding apparatus, the feeding rate may be about 10 meters per second. Ah ejector apparatus mounted on a robot arm should be provided with means for orienting the fibre thread pieces coming from the cutter, either with regular or with unregular orientation of their longitudinal direction. It is known that thread pieces being fed through a tubular passage get an unregular orientation. It is also known that thread pieces being deflected in an oblique angle towards a surface get a regular orientation. Therefore, both a tubular passage and a deflector plate is required upon the fibre feeding apparatus, in order to provide both said functions. It has been proven that this outfit of the robot arm results in drawbacks in the form of increased weight load and increased dimensions at the tip of the robot arm where the dynamical loads are biggest. THE TECHNICAL PROBLEM One object of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatus for feeding fibre thread pieces, which reduces dimensions and the dynamical loads at the tip of the robot arm. THE SOLUTION For this purpose, according to the present invention provides an apparatus for feeding out pieces of fibre thread along a path from a cutter e.g. reinforcing material for production of fibre reinforced plastic products, whereby the pieces of fibre thread are fed out either with the pieces oriented regularly or irregularly in their longitudinal direction, said apparatus comprising an ejector pipe provided with a passage for fibre thread pieces from the cutter and with a deflector surface the ejector pipe being pivotally arranged and being pivotable between a first position in which the passage through the ejector pipe coincides with the direction of the path of the fed out pieces thread, and a second position in which the deflector surface is positioned in the path of the fed out pieces of fibre thread. The invention will be described here below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which schematically shows a feeding apparatus according to the invention in a side view. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS The feeding apparatus schematically shown in the drawing is used mounted upon a not shown robot arm, for feeding out fibre thread 10 and binding agent in the form of powder from not shown magazines, for example to moulds for plastic products. Preferably, the robot arm is freely movable in the room and is governed by a micro processor, which can be programmed. The fibre thread 10 is shown from its magazine into the feeding apparatus by means of two feeding rollers 11, 12, which form a nip for the fibre thread and comprises a first, motor driven roller 11 and a second co-rotating roller 12. The roller 12 has a displaceable bearing which is pressed in the direction towards the roller 11 by means of a compression spring 13. The roller 11 is driven in a speed adjustable manner by means of a not shown driving motor. The rollers 11, 12 feed the fibre thread 10 forward via a compressed air ejector 14 and a tube 15, which is bent to about 90° and emerges into the nip between a knife roller 16 and a support roller 17. The fibre thread pieces cut by the knife roller 16 can be blown out through an ejector pipe 18 which is provided with a connection 19 for compressed air. Also, the ejector pipe 18 is provided with a connection to a conduit for supply of a pulverulent bonding agent. The ejector pipe 18 is pivotally connected to the not shown robot arm, and is manoeuvrable between a first position of use and a second position of use, of which two positions one is illustrated with unbroken lines and the second is illustrated with dashed lines in the drawing. The ejector pipe 18 is provided with a passage for the fibre thread pieces coming from the cutter 16, 17 and a deflector surface 19, wherein the passage is located in line with the fibre thread feeding path from the cutter 16, 17 in the first position of use, which is illustrated with unbroken lines, and the deflector surface 19 of the pipe is located in line with the thread feeding path from the cutter in the second position of use, which is illustrated with dashed lines. By this design of the ejector pipe, it can provide both a regular and an unregular orientation of the thread pieces. WE CLAIM: 1. An apparatus for feeding out pieces of fibre thread along a path from a cutter (16, 17), e.g. reinforcing material for production of fibre reinforced plastic products, whereby the pieces of fibre thread are fed out either with the pieces oriented regularly or irregularly in their longitudinal direction, said apparatus comprising an ejector pipe (18) provided with a passage for fibre thread pieces from the cutter (16, 17) and with a deflector surface (19), the ejector pipe (18) being pivotally arranged and being pivotable between a first position in which the passage through the ejector pipe (18) coincides with the direction of the path of the fed out pieces thread, and a second position in which the deflector surface (19) is positioned in the path of the fed out pieces of fibre thread. 2. An apparatus for feeding out pieces of fibre thread along a path fi-om a cutter, substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

0913-mas-95 abstract.jpg

0913-mas-95 abstract.pdf

0913-mas-95 claims.pdf

0913-mas-95 correspondence others.pdf

0913-mas-95 correspondence po.pdf

0913-mas-95 description (complete).pdf

0913-mas-95 drawing.pdf

0913-mas-95 form-1.pdf

0913-mas-95 form-26.pdf

0913-mas-95 form-4.pdf

0913-mas-95 petition.pdf