Method and compositions for embedding electronics in fiber-composite parts fabricated via compression molding
AssigneeArris Composites Inc.
InventorsEthan Escowitz, Riley Reese, J. Scott Perkins, Erick Davidson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fiber-composite part having one or more electronic components that are located in arbitrary regions of the internal volume of the part are fabricated using a preform charge. The preform charge has a structure that corresponds to that of the mold cavity in which the part is being formed. By incorporating the electronic components in the preform charge, such components are then precisely located, spatially oriented, and constrained, and such location and orientation is maintained during molding to produce a part with the electronic components in the desired locations and orientations within its internal volume.
Claims10
A method for embedding one or more components at an arbitrary location in the internal volume of a fiber-composite part, the method comprising:
- specifying the desired locations for the one or more components in the internal volume of the fiber composite part;
- determining regional volumes for feed constituents and determining fiber alignment, wherein the feed constituents comprise plural fiber-bundle-based preforms, each fiber-bundle-based preform comprising a plurality of co-aligned, same-length, resin-wetted fibers;
- designing a preform charge based on the locations for the one or more components, the regional volumes, and the fiber alignment, wherein the preform charge comprises an assemblage of the feed constituents;
- fabricating a preform charge consistent with the design thereof;
- and
- molding the fiber-composite part via a compression molding process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.