US 12,128,637 B2
Apparatus and method for depositing an elongated fiber tow
Leo Baumann, Zürich (CH); Lucien Segessemann, Zürich (CH); Chester Houwink, Zürich (CH); Martin Eichenhofer, Zürich (CH); and Giovanni Cavolina, Zürich (CH)
Assigned to 9T LABS AG, Zürich (CH)
Appl. No. 17/802,210
Filed by 9T LABS AG, Zürich (CH)
PCT Filed Mar. 4, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IB2021/051825
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 25, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/176395, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 10, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. PCT/IB2020/051893 (WO), filed on Mar. 4, 2020; and application No. PCT/IB2021/050016 (WO), filed on Jan. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0356482 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B29C 70/38 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 70/384 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A pressure foot device for applying an elongate fiber tow onto an object surface, the device comprising:
a foot surface including a straight foot segment configured to press the fiber tow onto the object surface, the straight foot segment having a rear end and a front end that define a frontal direction from the rear end to the front end;
a groove having a left lip and a right lip, configured to guide the fiber tow to the foot surface, the groove defining a groove midplane as a planar portion along a mid-line of the groove and extending between the left lip and the right lip of the groove, the groove joined onto the front end of the straight foot segment; and
a tow guide straddling the groove, wherein a distance from the front end of the straight foot segment to the tow guide along the groove midplane is in a range from 2 mm to 30 mm.