Fabric positioning apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US10407262B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Fabric positioning apparatus",
  "abstract": "A positional adjustment apparatus for an attractor includes a positioning plate disposable at least adjacent to a surface of a mold, at least one drive operatively connected to the positioning plate to move the positioning plate and alter at least one of a first height, a first angle of tilt, a first lateral position, and a rotational position of the positioning plate with respect to the surface of the mold, at least one positioner disposed in an opening through the positing plate, the positioner hanging from and being moveable independently of the positioning plate, at least one attractor connected to the at least one positioner, and a joint disposed between the positioner and the positioning plate, the joint permitting the at least one positioner to change at least one of a second height, a second angle of tilt, and a second lateral position with respect to the positioning plate.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A positional adjustment apparatus for an attractor, comprising: a position plate disposable at least adjacent to a surface of a mold; at least one drive operatively connected to the positioning plate to move the positioning plate and alter at least one of a first height, a first angle of tilt, a first lateral position, and a rotational position of the positioning plate with respect to the surface of the mold; at least one positioner disposed in each opening through the positioning plate, the at least one positioner hanging from and being moveable independently of the positioning plate; at least one attractor connected to the at least one positioner; and a joint disposed between each at least one positioner and the positioning plate, the joint permitting the at least one positioner to change at least one of a second height, a second angle of tilt, and a second lateral position with respect to the positioning plate, wherein each joint comprises a sleeve disposed within each opening in the positioning plate, a first rotary pivot captively disposed within each sleeve, and a second rotary pivot non-captively disposed above each opening in the positioning plate, wherein each at least one positioner is slidably disposed through a first hole in each first rotary pivot and each at least one positioner is slidably disposed through a second hole in each second rotary pivot, permitting adjustment of the second height of each at least one positioner with respect to the positioning plate, and wherein each first rotary pivot is rotatable within each sleeve, permitting adjustment of the second angle of the at least one positioner with respect to the positioning plate.",
    "2. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the positioning plate comprises: a planar sheet defining a plurality of openings therein.",
    "3. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the positioning plate comprises: a truss having a plurality of openings therein.",
    "4. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one drive connects to the positioning plate.",
    "5. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one positioner comprises a plurality of positioners and the at least one attractor comprises a plurality of attractors, each positioner comprises a cap at a top end, preventing each positioner from falling through each opening in the positioning plate, and each positioner includes one of the plurality of attractors attached at a bottom end.",
    "6. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 5, wherein each attractor comprises a suction cup.",
    "7. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 5, wherein each attractor comprises an electrostatic element.",
    "8. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein each at least one positioner comprises a rod made from a material selected from the group comprising steel, metals, metal alloys, plastic, thermoplastic materials, composite materials, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene, aramid composites, ceramics, and cellulosic materials.",
    "9. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second rotary pivots are spherical.",
    "10. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one positioner comprises a plurality of positioners and the at least one attractor comprises a plurality of attractors, the positional adjustment apparatus further comprising: a connector connecting adjacent attractors to one another.",
    "11. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 10, wherein the connector comprises a plurality of rods connected to one another, end to end, via joints.",
    "12. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 10, wherein the connector comprises a flexible rod.",
    "13. The positional adjustment apparatus of claim 10, wherein the connector comprises a flexible sheet."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention concerns the construction and operation of an apparatus designed to adjust the height and orientation of an associated fabric attractor, such as a fabric lifting suction cup. More specifically, the present invention concerns a device intended to assist with the lifting, manipulation, and transfer fabric from a transfer station to a mold. Even more specifically, the apparatus of the present invention is designed to assist with the lifting, manipulation, and transfer fabrics used to manufacture components made from composite materials, such as those employed for the construction of aircraft.\n\nThe prior art includes examples of several devices that may be employed to handle fabric materials. This includes woven and non-woven fabric such as flexible carbon fabric.\n\nBy way of background, as should be apparent to those skilled in the art, for large, low volume composite components, hand lay-up remains the most common method for molding such composite components, which include items such as aircraft components, aircraft wings, aircraft fairings, boat hulls, wind turbines blades, and the like.\n\nThe assembly of certain aircraft components, such as aircraft wings, involves the formation of complex, three dimensional geometries with multiple curvatures. To create these geometries, large pieces of carbon fiber fabric are employed together with stiffeners (also called stringers in aircraft) that are integrated into the wing skin. For a conventional hand layup, it is estimated that about an hour is required to handle about 15 kg (38.1 lb) of fabric material. Production time is therefore an issue.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65H 3/0883",
    "B65H 2220/01",
    "B65H 2220/02",
    "B65H 2220/11",
    "B65H 2511/10",
    "B65H 2511/23",
    "B65H 2511/234",
    "B65H 2701/1742",
    "B65H 3/18",
    "B65H 5/08",
    "B65H 5/14"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65H 3/08",
    "B65H 3/18",
    "B65H 5/08",
    "B65H 5/14"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Short Brothers PLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Andrew JESS",
    "Paul FRAZER",
    "Lynsey REBBECK NEE BOWMAN"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-12-09",
  "publication_date": "2019-09-10",
  "grant_date": "2019-09-10",
  "priority_date": "2013-12-19",
  "application_number": "US-201415104403-A",
  "family_id": "52278668",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US4129328A",
    "JPS6071436A",
    "US5083763A",
    "EP0429901A1",
    "JPH05221540A",
    "US5622362A",
    "DE29502103U1",
    "JPH0951195A",
    "US6343639B1",
    "US6863323B2",
    "US20020096815A1",
    "US20030063334A1",
    "US20030063335A1",
    "WO2003035375A1",
    "US7137182B2",
    "US7364616B2",
    "US20060286769A1",
    "EP1526384A2",
    "US7228611B2",
    "US20060043747A1",
    "US7611601B2",
    "CN101119814A",
    "CN1970413A",
    "US20110071666A1",
    "US20070187026A1",
    "US8088236B2",
    "US20070277919A1",
    "US8114241B2",
    "US20110240213A1",
    "DE102011106214A1",
    "WO2012167853A1",
    "WO2014094903A1"
  ]
}