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US 11,534,988 B2Granted
Double diaphragm shaping of composite materials, assemblies for such shaping, and resulting composite materials
AssigneeCytec Industries Inc.
InventorsTim Wybrow, Richard Hollis, Dean Wright, Thomas Corden, Darren Wells, Alasdair Ryder
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods for isolating a composite material from the environment, as well as the isolated composite material. Also disclosed herein are methods for shaping a composite material that include the use of isolated composite materials. For example, disclosed is a method for mechanical thermoforming of a composite material to form a shaped composite material.
Claims17
A method for shaping a composite material, the method comprising:
- (a) surrounding a substantially planar composite material with a gas-impermeable, flexible, frameless diaphragm structure;
- (b) creating a sealed pocket in the diaphragm structure, which houses the composite material alone, by removing air from between the composite material and the diaphragm structure and sealing all open edges of the diaphragm structure, thereby forming a layered structure, such that:
- air and contaminants are impeded from entering the sealed pocket without use of a frame, and the composite material is held stationary within the sealed pocket until heat, force, or a combination thereof, is applied thereto;
- (c) optionally disposing the diaphragm structure within a structural frame;
- and
- (d) shaping the composite material within the sealed pocket of the diaphragm structure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.