A tape placement head and a method for applying thermoplastic tape to an object

• Main Authors: LAMONTIA, MARK A, COPE, RALPH D, FUNCK, STEVE B, GRUBER, MARK B, JOHNSON, ANTHONY D
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 22.06.2011
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A tape placement head (10) for applying thermoplastic tape (12) to an object includes a heated feeder (16) which guides the tape/tow to a heated zone. The heated zone has a line compactor (20) having a single row of at least one movable heated member. An area compactor is located in the heated zone downstream from the line compactor. The area compactor includes a plurality of rows of movable feet which are extendable toward the tape/tow different distances with respect to each other to conform to the shape of the object. A shim (26) is located between the heated compactors and the tape/tow. A chilled compactor (24) is in a chilled zone downstream from the heated zone. The chilled zone includes a line chilled compactor and an area chilled compactor. A chilled shim (28) is mounted between the chilled compactor and the tape/tow.