IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
UP-0952186
(2004-09-28)
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등록번호 |
US-7794224
(2010-10-04)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
12 인용 특허 :
232 |
초록
▼
A continuous production system for fabricating composite articles from a moldable material includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a pair of opposed closed loop cleated belt conveyors spaced apart a predetermined distance. Each cleated belt includes a plurality of cleats, and each cleat includes a not
A continuous production system for fabricating composite articles from a moldable material includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a pair of opposed closed loop cleated belt conveyors spaced apart a predetermined distance. Each cleated belt includes a plurality of cleats, and each cleat includes a notch. The forming system also includes a pair of opposed endless profile mold belts positioned at least partially between the pair of cleated belts. The mold belts are located at least partially in the notches of the cleats.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for continuous production of a molded composite product, said apparatus comprising: a first, closed loop cleated belt conveyor comprising a first cleated belt with a plurality of cleats and a chain, each said cleat comprising a notch, wherein said plurality of cl
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for continuous production of a molded composite product, said apparatus comprising: a first, closed loop cleated belt conveyor comprising a first cleated belt with a plurality of cleats and a chain, each said cleat comprising a notch, wherein said plurality of cleats are coupled to said chain with attachment plates; a second, closed loop cleated belt conveyor opposed to said first, closed loop cleated belt conveyor comprising a second cleated belt with a plurality of cleats and a chain, each said cleat comprising a notch, wherein said plurality of cleats are coupled to said chain with attachment plates, a first endless mold belt positioned at least partially within said notch of said plurality of cleats of said first cleated belt; a second endless mold belt positioned at least partially within said notch of the plurality of cleats of said second cleated belt, said first and second endless mold belts being opposed to one another to form a mold cavity, wherein moldable material is introduced to said mold cavity formed between said first and second mold belts; a first pressurized air cylinder coupled to said first cleated belt conveyor and configured to provide positive pressure to said mold cavity; a heating element for imparting heat to said mold cavity substantially at a first end portion of said apparatus; a cooling element for imparting cooling to said mold cavity substantially at a second end portion of said apparatus, wherein the heating and cooling elements together provide control of an operating temperature for the moldable material controlling skin and strength characteristics of the composite product; drive sprockets at said second end portion of said apparatus coupled to said chains of said first and said second cleated belts and further coupled to variable speed motors; idler sprockets at said first end portion of said apparatus leading the chains around said first end portion of said apparatus and taking up any slack in the chains; plates extending a length between said drive sprockets and said idler sprockets of said first and said second cleated belt conveyors; and channels in the length of said plates, wherein said chains are disposed in said channels and wherein said channels together with said plates provide support, pressure application and alignment to said chains. 2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: a first frame assembly movably attached to a second frame assembly; a motorized screw jack coupled to any lower portion of said apparatus to said first frame assembly, said motorized screw jack permitting said apparatus to be raised or lowered to align said apparatus to a feeding device; and a plurality of wheels coupled to said second frame assembly, said wheels providing for a longitudinal movement towards and away from said feeding device. 3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: a second pressurized air cylinder coupled to said first cleated belt conveyor and configured to provide an additional positive pressure to said mold cavity, wherein said first and said second pressurized cylinders are configured to facilitate movement of said first cleated belt conveyor relative to said second cleated belt conveyor and thereby adjust the thickness of a gap between said first and said second mold belts to maintain said moldable material within said mold cavity and improving the physical properties of said composite product. 4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a first mold belt tracking system coupled to said first cleated belt conveyor, said first mold belt tracking system comprising: a stationary carriage fixedly coupled to said first cleated belt conveyor; a sliding carriage movably coupled to said stationary carriage; and a pair of idler rollers connected to said sliding carriage, wherein said pair of idler rollers support said first mold belt on lateral sides and wherein said sliding carriage together with said pair of idler rollers are configured to move laterally in response to a lateral misalignment of said first mold belt. 5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the first mold belt tracking system further comprises: a lead screw coupled between said stationary carriage and said sliding carriage to manually adjust the position of said sliding carriage with respect to said stationary carriage; and two sets of roller pairs guiding said first mold belt from above and below, said two sets of roller pairs further including spring loaded axles for dampening and smoothing any change in said first mold belt alignment. 6. A continuous production system, comprising: a pair of opposed closed loop cleated belt conveyors spaced apart, each said cleated belt conveyor comprising a cleated belt with a plurality of cleats and a chain attached thereto, each said cleat comprising a notch; a pair of opposed endless profile first and second mold belts positioned at least partially between said pair of cleated belt conveyors and said cleated belts, said mold belts located at least partially in said notches of said cleats, wherein moldable material is introduced to a mold cavity formed between said first and second mold belts; and a pressurized air cylinder coupled to a first of the pair of said cleated belt conveyors and configured to provide positive pressure to said mold cavity; a drive sprocket at a second end portion of said production system coupled to one of the chains of said cleated belt of said first and second cleated belt conveyors and further coupled to a variable speed motor; an idler sprocket at a first end portion of said production system leading said one of said chains around said first end portion and taking up any slack in said chains; a plate extending a length between said drive sprocket and said idler sprocket; and a channel in the length of said plate wherein said one chain is at least partially disposed in said channel and wherein said channel together with said plate provide support and alignment to said one chain. 7. The continuous production system of claim 6, further comprising: a first frame assembly movably attached to a second frame assembly; a motorized screw jack coupled to any lower portion of said production system to said first frame assembly, said motorized screw jack permitting said production system to be raised or lowered to align said production system to a feeding device; and a plurality of wheels coupled to said second frame assembly, said wheels providing for a longitudinal movement towards and away from said feeding device. 8. The continuous production system of claim 7, further comprising: a heating element for imparting heat to the mold cavity substantially at said first end portion of said production system; and a cooling element for imparting cooling to the mold cavity substantially at said second end portion of said production system, wherein moldable material is introduced at said first end portion and wherein said heating and said cooling elements together provide control of an operating temperature, said operating temperature providing control of a skin and a strength characteristic of a composite product. 9. A mold belt tracking system for guiding and aligning opposing first and second mold belts positioned at least partially between opposing first and second cleated belt conveyors each said cleated belt conveyor comprising a cleated belt, wherein moldable material is introduced to a mold cavity formed between said first and said second mold belts, said mold belt tracking system comprising: a stationary carriage fixedly coupled to said first cleated belt conveyor; a sliding carriage movably coupled to said stationary carriage; and a pair of idler rollers connected to said sliding carriage, wherein said pair of idler rollers support said first mold belt on lateral sides and wherein said sliding carriage together with said pair of idler rollers are configured to move laterally in response to a lateral misalignment of said first mold belt. 10. The mold belt tracking system of claim 9, further comprising a lead screw coupled between the stationary carriage and the sliding carriage to manually adjust position of the sliding carriage with respect to the stationary carriage. 11. The mold belt tracking system of claim 9, further comprising two sets of roller pairs guiding said first mold belt from above and below, said two sets of roller pairs further including spring loaded axles for dampening and smoothing any change in said first mold belt alignment. 12. The mold belt tracking system of claim 9, further comprising: a second stationary carriage fixedly coupled to said second cleated belt conveyor; a second sliding carriage movably coupled to said second stationary carriage; and a second pair of idler rollers connected to said second sliding carriage, wherein said second pair of idler rollers support said second mold belt on lateral sides and wherein said second sliding carriage together with said second pair of idler rollers are configured to move laterally in response to a lateral misalignment of said second mold belt. 13. The mold belt tracking system of claim 9, further comprising a pair of guide rollers located on opposite sides of a point where said first and said second mold belts come together to further guide said first and said second mold belts to a close tolerance side to side match.
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