# US 12,179,438 B2 · Semi-finished product and method for producing a structural component

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- Number: US 12,179,438 B2
- Document ID: US12179438B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/282,266
- Filed: 2019-09-26
- Published: 2021-12-02
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-04
- Assignees: Premium Aerotec GmbH
- Applicants: Premium Aerotec GmbH
- Inventors: Julian Kuntz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179438B2

## CPC

- B29C 70/222: {the structure being shaped to form a three dimensional configuration}
- B29C 70/42: for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
- B29C 35/0805: {using electromagnetic radiation}
- B29C 70/465: {and impregnating by melting a solid material, e.g. sheets, powders of fibres}
- B32B 5/02: characterised by structural features of a {fibrous or filamentary} layer {(layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02)}
- B32B 5/26: another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)}
- B32B 7/09: by stitching, needling or sewing (by {mechanically connecting} fibrous layers {to another layer} B32B5/06)
- C08J 5/04: Reinforcing macromolecular compounds with loose or coherent fibrous material
- C08J 5/24: Impregnating materials with prepolymers which can be polymerised in situ, e.g. manufacture of prepregs
- D03D 1/00: Woven fabrics designed to make specified articles
- D03D 15/46: Flat yarns, e.g. tapes or films
- D03D 15/47: multicomponent, e.g. blended yarns or threads (multicomponent fibres or filaments D03D15/292)
- D03D 15/587: adhesive; fusible
- D04H 3/04: in rectilinear paths, e.g. crossing at right angles
- D04H 3/14: with bonds between thermoplastic yarns or filaments produced by welding
- B29C 2035/0811: {using induction}
- B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials
- B29K 2105/0845: {Woven fabrics}
- B29K 2105/0881: {unidirectional}
- B29K 2995/0046: Elastic
- B32B 2260/023: Two or more layers
- B32B 2260/046: Synthetic resin
- B32B 2262/02: Synthetic macromolecular fibres
- B32B 2262/10: Inorganic fibres
- B32B 2262/101: Glass fibres
- B32B 2262/103: Metal fibres
- B32B 2262/105: Ceramic fibres
- B32B 2262/106: Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
- B32B 2305/076: Prepregs
- B32B 2605/18: Aircraft
- C08J 2300/22: Thermoplastic resins
- D10B 2401/041: thermoplastic; thermosetting
- D10B 2505/02: Reinforcing materials; Prepregs
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- D03D: WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES

## Abstract

A semi-finished product for the manufacture of a structural component has a plurality of prepreg tapes, each having unidirectionally arranged reinforcing fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material, and with a plurality of connecting strands containing a thermoplastic material. The prepreg tapes and the connecting strands are either joined to form a textile sheet structure or the prepreg tapes are arranged to form a multiaxial fabric, individual layers of the fabric being joined by the connecting strands. Further, a method for manufacturing a curved structural component from such a semi-finished product is described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semi-finished product for manufacturing of a structural component, comprising:
a plurality of prepreg tapes extending along each other, each having unidirectionally arranged reinforcing fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material; and
a plurality of connecting strands comprising a thermoplastic material;
wherein the connecting strands and the prepreg tapes are connected to form a single-layer textile sheet structure in which each of the connecting strands crosses a plurality of the prepreg tapes; and
wherein the connecting strands and the prepreg tapes are joined to one another along respective connecting lines by way of a material joint in a first end region of the sheet structure and in a second end region of the sheet structure positioned opposite to the first end region.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semi-finished product of claim 1, wherein the prepreg tapes extend in a first direction (R1) and the connecting strands extend in a second direction (R2) running transversely to the first direction (R1), and wherein an, in relation to the second direction (R2), outermost first prepreg tape and an outermost second prepreg tape located opposite to the first prepreg tape are each joined to the connecting strands by way of a material joint to form the connecting lines.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semi-finished product of claim 1, wherein the prepreg tapes and the connecting strands are interwoven or twined with each other.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semi-finished product of claim 1, wherein the connecting strands each have a first end portion and a second end portion located opposite to the first end portion, the first and second end portions each projecting beyond the connecting lines.

### Claim 5

A semi-finished product for manufacturing of a structural component, comprising:
a plurality of prepreg tapes each having unidirectionally arranged reinforcing fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material;
wherein the prepreg tapes are arranged in a multiaxial fabric comprising several superimposed layers of prepreg tapes;
wherein the prepreg tapes run parallel to each other within a layer;
wherein the layers are joined relative to each other on single positions, by a plurality of connecting strands containing a thermoplastic material, and
wherein the connecting strands are formed as foil tapes having the thermoplastic material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method of manufacturing a structural component having a curved shape, comprising the following method steps:
forming a layered structure from a plurality of layers, wherein the layers each comprise at least one semi-finished product according to claim 1;
forming the layered structure into the curved shape at a forming temperature lower than a melting point of the thermoplastic materials of the semi-finished product;
heating the formed layered structure to a temperature greater than the melting point of the thermoplastic materials of the semi-finished product; and
cooling the layered structure to a solidification temperature lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic materials of the semi-finished product while applying a compression pressure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4, 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the individual layers of the layered structure are each formed from a plurality of semi-finished products according to claim 4, in which at least the first end sections of the connecting strands of a first semi-finished product are thermoplastically joined to prepreg tapes of a respective further semi-finished product, wherein the second end sections of the connecting strands of the further semi-finished product are thermoplastically joined to prepreg tapes of the first semi-finished product.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the layered structure is formed such that the prepreg tapes in different layers extend in different directions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the layered structure is formed by sequentially stacking the layers on a planar deposition surface and the forming is performed in a cavity of a forming tool, the cavity formed by a form part having a contour surface corresponding to the curved shape of the structural component and a flat abutment member.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the layered structure is formed by sequentially stacking the layers on a curved deposition surface and thereby simultaneously formed into the curved shape, wherein the deposition surface is a contour surface of a form part of a forming tool formed to correspond to the curved shape of the structural component, the forming tool additionally having a flat abutment member for forming a cavity with the form part.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the heating of the layered structure takes place in the cavity of the forming tool.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the form part of the forming tool is formed as a flatly extending first form plate, and wherein the abutment member is formed as a flatly extending second form plate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein, in order to apply the compression pressure, a magnetic field is generated by means of a magnet device, wherein the magnetic field is coupled into a magnetizable material associated with the first form plate and/or into a magnetizable material associated with the second form plate in such a way that the layered structure is subjected to the compression pressure by the form plates, and wherein the first and/or the second form plates are formed from a magnetizable metal material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the forming tool is deposited on a form half for heating and cooling, and wherein the compression pressure is applied by the forming tool during cooling.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the forming tool is arranged in a cavity formed by two form halves of a pressing tool for cooling and the compression pressure is applied through the form halves.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, wherein the heating of the layered structure is carried out by inductive heating of the form plates or by infrared radiation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein a vacuum is created in the cavity of the forming tool.