US 2006/0137798 A1 · Polymer/WUCS mat for use in sheet molding compounds

Abstract

A method of forming a molding mat formed bundles of reinforcing fibers and bonding materials is provided. The reinforcing fibers are preferably wet use chopped strand glass fibers (WUCS). The bonding materials may be any thermosetting material having a melting point less than the reinforcing fiber. The molding mat may be formed by partially opening the wet use chopped strand glass fibers and filamentizing the bonding materials, blending the reinforcement and bonding fibers, forming the reinforcement and bonding fibers into a sheet, and bonding the sheet. During bonding, the sheet is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the bonding fibers but below the temperature of the glass fibers. The molding mat thus formed may be used as a reinforcement material in sheet molding compounds.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method of making a molding mat for use as a reinforcement in a sheet molding compound comprising the steps of:

at least partially opening bales of wet reinforcement fibers;
removing water from said at least partially opened bales of wet reinforcement fibers to form dehydrated reinforcement fiber bundles;
mixing said dehydrated reinforcement fiber bundles with bonding fibers to form a substantially uniform mixture of said dehydrated reinforcement fiber bundles and bonding fibers;
forming said mixture of dehydrated reinforcement fiber bundles and bonding fibers into a sheet;
and
bonding said dehydrated reinforcement fiber bundles and bonding fibers to form a molding mat.

3 more elements

A method of making a molded sheet molding composite product comprising the steps of:

depositing a first thermosetting resin paste onto a first carrier film;
placing a molding mat on said first thermosetting resin paste, said molding mat including bundles of dehydrated reinforcement fibers and bonding fibers having a melting point less than the melting point of said dehydrated reinforcement fiber bundles;
depositing a second thermosetting resin paste onto a second carrier film;
positioning said second carrier film containing said second thermosetting resin paste such that said second thermosetting resin paste is positioned on said molding mat to form a sandwiched material;
compacting said sandwiched material to form a sheet molding compound material;
storing said sheet molding compound material to form a matured sheet molding compound;
and
molding said matured sheet molding compound to form a molded sheet molding composite product.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Polymer/WUCS mat for use in sheet molding compounds

Life of this patent

Polymer/WUCS mat for use in sheet molding compounds

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21