Structural foam molding method using continuous fiber composites, and parts formed therefrom
AssigneeArris Composites Inc.
InventorsEthan Escowitz, Riley Reese, J. Scott Perkins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for making structural foam parts having continuous aligned fibers includes placing an assemblage of fiber-bundle-based preforms in an injection mold, creating a melt flow of resin and, optionally, short, loose fiber, and adding foaming agent to the melt flow. When the foaming agent/melt flow mixture is introduced into the injection mold, the foaming agent foams. The assemblage is structured and positioned so that fibers therefrom adopt a desired alignment and position in the final part. Structural foam fills the remainder of the volume of the part.
Claims17
A method for forming a fiber-composite part, comprising:
- determining, based on expected load conditions and part requirements, a desired fiber-alignment and positioning of fibers within the fiber-composite part;
- forming an assemblage comprising a plurality of fiber-bundle-based preforms, wherein the plurality of fiber-bundle-based preforms are arranged to achieve the desired fiber-alignment and positioning of fibers when the assemblage is placed in a mold cavity;
- placing the assemblage of the plurality of fiber-bundle-based preforms in the mold cavity;
- forming a melt flow, wherein the melt flow includes:
- a) melted first resin and loose fiber, or
- b) melted first resin without fiber;
- forming a mixture by adding a foaming agent to the melt flow;
- and
- delivering the mixture of melt flow and foaming agent to the mold cavity, wherein pressure is lower in the mold cavity than under conditions in which the foaming agent is added to the melt flow, thereby causing the foaming agent to foam in the melt flow.
A method for forming a fiber-composite part, comprising:
- placing an assemblage of fiber-bundle-based preforms in a mold cavity, each fiber-bundle-based preform comprising a plurality of co-aligned fibers impregnated with a first thermoplastic resin;
- forming a melt flow, wherein the melt flow includes:
- a) melted second thermoplastic resin and loose fiber having a length that is less than about 25 millimeters, or
- b) melted second thermoplastic resin without fiber;
- forming a mixture by adding a foaming agent to the melt flow;
- delivering the mixture of melt flow and foaming agent to the mold cavity, wherein pressure is lower in the mold cavity than under the conditions in which the foaming agent is added to the melt flow, thereby causing the foaming agent to foam in the melt flow;
- melting at least some of the first thermoplastic resin, wherein a portion of the melted first thermoplastic resin and a portion of the melted second thermoplastic resin intermingle to form a coherent polymer matrix, linking compositionally disparate regions of the fiber-composite part to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.