Production apparatus for producing a fiber-reinforced resin and a production method for producing a fiber-reinforced resin
A device for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin having an array of reinforcing fibers oriented in one direction, the device making it possible, with a comparatively simple configuration, to connect earlier and later reinforcing fibers to each other when switching the reinforcing fibers, is provided. The device having an array of reinforcing fibers oriented in one direction according to the present invention comprises: an impregnation unit that impregnates reinforcing fibers with a resin; and a switching device that, when the reinforcing fibers to be impregnated are changed to new fibers, connects the newly fed reinforcing fibers to the previously fed reinforcing fibers. When switching the reinforcing fibers, the device connects the new reinforcing fiber to the preceding reinforcing fiber by forming a bonded body in which the preceding reinforcing fibers and the new reinforcing fibers are bonded by fusing a melted second resin in a form of a thin film.
1 . A production apparatus for producing a fiber-reinforced resin in which a reinforcing fiber is arranged to be oriented in a single direction, the production apparatus comprising:
an impregnation section that impregnates the reinforcing fiber with a melted first resin; and
a switching apparatus that switches the reinforcing fiber from a preceding reinforcing fiber to a new reinforcing fiber at an upstream side of the impregnation section; wherein
when switching the reinforcing fiber, the switching apparatus connects the new reinforcing fiber to the preceding reinforcing fiber by forming a bonded body in which the preceding reinforcing fiber and the new reinforcing fiber are bonded by fusing a melted second resin in a form of a thin film; and
the production apparatus further comprises a removal section that removes, from the fiber-reinforced resin, a portion where the bonded body is formed, the fiber-reinforced resin being obtained by impregnation with the melted first resin at the impregnation section.
2 . The production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 1 , wherein:
the switching apparatus includes a supply section that supplies the second resin such that the second resin comes into contact with both the preceding reinforcing fiber and the new reinforcing fiber, and
a pressing section that presses the second resin while heating and melting the second resin, the second resin being in contact with the preceding reinforcing fiber and the new reinforcing fiber.
3 . The production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 1 , wherein
the second resin is a resin of a same type as the first resin.
4 . The production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 1 , wherein
the impregnation section supplies the melted first resin to the reinforcing fiber with the reinforcing fiber arranged in a planar shape, and impregnates the reinforcing fiber with the first resin.
5 . The production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 4 , wherein the reinforcing fiber is one of a first plurality of reinforcing fibers and a second plurality of reinforcing fibers, the production apparatus further comprising:
a plurality of holding sections that, at respective different positions, hold the first and second pluralities of reinforcing fibers fed out; and
a uniting section that receives the first and second pluralities of reinforcing fibers from the plurality of holding sections, unites the first and second pluralities of reinforcing fibers, and delivers the first and second pluralities of reinforcing fibers to the impregnation section, wherein
the switching apparatus is one of a plurality of switching apparatuses, and
the production apparatus further comprises the plurality of the switching apparatuses, which are disposed on the plurality of holding sections, respectively.
6 . The production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 5 , wherein:
each of the plurality of holding sections holds a respective reinforcing fiber of the first and second pluralities of reinforcing fibers, and
the uniting section disposes the first and second pluralities of reinforcing fibers alternately to unite the first and second pluralities f reinforcing fibers into a sheet shape, the first and second pluralities of reinforcing fibers being received from the plurality of holding sections, and an arrangement of the first and second pluralities of reinforcing fibers received from the plurality of holding sections is changed before and after switching of each respective reinforcing fiber by each of the plurality of the switching apparatuses.
7 . The production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 1 , wherein
the reinforcing fiber is one of a plurality of reinforcing fibers, each reinforcing fiber being in a form of a bundle, and
the impregnation section comprises a plurality of die holes and supplies the melted first resin to the plurality of bundles, wherein each bundles passes through an inside of a respective one of the plurality of die holes, to impregnate each bundle with the first resin.
8 . The production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 7 , wherein
the bonded body connects the plurality of bundles, the production apparatus further comprising:
a dividing section that divides the bonded body into a plurality of individual bundles and introduces each individual bundle into the respective one of the plurality of die holes, each respective die hole being different for each individual bundle.
9 . The production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 1 , wherein
the reinforcing fiber is a carbon fiber.
10 . The production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 1 , wherein
the second resin is a thermoplastic resin.
11 . A production method for producing a fiber-reinforced resin in which a reinforcing fiber is arranged to be oriented in a single direction, the production method comprising:
producing the fiber-reinforced resin while connecting a preceding reinforcing fiber to a new reinforcing fiber by using a production apparatus for producing the fiber-reinforced resin according to claim 1 .