US 12,226,964 B2
In and relating to composite manufacturing
Gearóid Clancy, Limerick (IE); Ronan O'Higgins, Limerick (IE); and Paul Weaver, Limerick (IE)
Assigned to UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK, Limerick (IE)
Appl. No. 17/442,848
Filed by UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK, Limerick (IE)
PCT Filed Mar. 27, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/058762
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 24, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/193764, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 1, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1904264 (GB), filed on Mar. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0184898 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. B29C 70/38 (2006.01); B29B 15/12 (2006.01); B29C 70/54 (2006.01); D02J 1/18 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/388 (2013.01) [B29B 15/12 (2013.01); B29C 70/543 (2013.01); D02J 1/18 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of spreading a fibre-reinforced composite tape comprising a thermoplastic matrix using a spreading apparatus, the spreading apparatus comprising:
an input side to receive the fibre-reinforced composite tape to be spread, and an output side from which the fibre-reinforced composite tape is delivered after spreading, a heat source arranged to supply heat indirectly to the fibre-reinforced composite tape, and
a compaction shoe to, during heating of the fibre-reinforced composite tape, apply contact pressure to the fibre-reinforced composite tape to thereby spread the fibre-reinforced composite tape against a planar platen,
the method performed during Automated Tape Placement forming of a component and comprising:
receiving the fibre-reinforced composite tape to be spread;
applying heat indirectly to the fibre-reinforced composite tape;
applying contact pressure during heating of the fibre-reinforced composite tape to press the fibre-reinforced composite tape against the planar platen, thereby spreading the fibre-reinforced composite tape; and
outputting a spread fibre-reinforced composite tape having varying widths.