# US 2014/0154472 A1 · Thermoplastic resin prepreg, molded preform and molded composite using same, and methods for producing them

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2014/0154472 A1
- Document ID: US20140154472A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/131,799
- Filed: 2012-07-05
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-07-11
- Assignees: Toray Industries, Inc.
- Inventors: Rinako Eto; Eisuke Wadahara; Takeru Sasaki; Masayoshi Morihara; Syunsuke Horiuchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154472A1

## CPC

- B29C 43/003: {characterised by the choice of material}
- B32B 3/10: characterised by a discontinuous layer, i.e. formed of separate pieces of material
- B32B 3/30: characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)}
- B32B 7/027: Thermal properties
- B32B 7/04: Interconnection of layers
- B32B 7/05: the layers not being connected over the whole surface, e.g. discontinuous connection or patterned connection (using interposed adhesives or bonding materials applied in spaced arrangements B32B7/14)
- B32B 27/12: next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
- C08J 5/24: Impregnating materials with prepolymers which can be polymerised in situ, e.g. manufacture of prepregs
- B32B 2305/076: Prepregs
- Y10T 428/24521: with component conforming to contour of nonplanar surface
- Y10T 428/24612: Composite web or sheet
- Y10T 428/24802: Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
- Y10T 428/24851: Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential
- 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)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A thermoplastic resin prepreg includes: a constituent element (I): 20-60 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (A) having a linear or branched polymer structure; a constituent element (II): 2-10 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (B) which is unevenly distributed to a surface site and has a melting point lower than that of the thermoplastic resin (A); and a constituent element (III): 30-78 parts by weight of reinforcing fibers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermoplastic resin prepreg comprising:
a constituent element (I): 20-60 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (A) having a linear or branched polymer structure;
a constituent element (II): 2-10 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (B) which is unevenly distributed to a surface site and has a melting point lower than that of said thermoplastic resin (A); and
a constituent element (III): 30-78 parts by weight of reinforcing fibers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic resin (A) and said thermoplastic resin (B) comprise the same kind of resins except molecular structures thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic resin (A) comprises a homopolymer resin, and said thermoplastic resin (B) comprises a copolymer resin or a random polymer resin, or said thermoplastic resin (A) comprises a polyamide 6 resin, a polyamide 66 resin, a polyamide 46 resin or a polyamide 9T resin, and said thermoplastic resin (B) comprises a copolymerized polyamide resin, a polyamide 11 resin, a polyamide 12 resin or a polyamide 610 resin, or said thermoplastic resin (A) has a linear or branched polymer structure, and said thermoplastic resin (B) has a cyclic molecular structure.

### Claim at position 4

4-7. (canceled)

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic resin (A) and said thermoplastic resin (B) comprise different kinds of resins.

### Claim 9

(canceled)

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic resin (B) exists on the entire surface of said thermoplastic resin (A) at a layer form.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic resin (B) exists on a surface of said thermoplastic resin (A) in a particle-like or fiber-like form.

### Claim at position 9

12-15. (canceled)

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A molded preform wherein a plurality of thermoplastic resin prepregs according to claim 1 are stacked, heated and pressed, and integrated via a thermoplastic resin (B) interposed between said thermoplastic resin prepregs.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

A molded preform wherein a thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 1 is stacked together with a thermoplastic resin sheet, heated and pressed, and integrated via a thermoplastic resin (B) unevenly distributed to a surface site of said thermoplastic resin prepreg.

### Claim 18

(canceled)

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

A molded composite wherein a thermoplastic resin prepreg comprising:
a constituent element (I): 20-60 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (A) having a linear or branched polymer structure;
a constituent element (II): 2-10 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (B) which is unevenly distributed to a surface site and has a melting point lower than that of said thermoplastic resin (A); and
a constituent element (III): 30-78 parts by weight of reinforcing fibers; or a molded preform according to claim 16 is insert-molded with:
a constituent element (IV): a thermoplastic resin (C) comprising a same or a same kind of resin as said thermoplastic resin (A); or a constituent element (V): a thermoplastic resin (D) having a melting point lower than that of said thermoplastic resin (A).

### Claim at position 14

20-22. (canceled)

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The molded composite according to claim 19, wherein a thermoplastic resin prepreg is stacked together with a thermoplastic resin sheet, and said thermoplastic resin sheet is made of said thermoplastic resin (A) or (C).

### Claim 24

(canceled)

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

A method for producing a thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 1 comprising:
step (1): drawing at least a base material of a constituent element (III);
step (2): impregnating a melted constituent element (I) into said base material of said constituent element (III) drawn at said step (1);
step (3): a constituent element (II) adhere only to a surface of a resin impregnated material prepared at said step (2); and
step (4): cooling a thermoplastic resin prepreg prepared at said step (3) and taking it up.

### Claim at position 18

26-29. (canceled)

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

The method of producing a thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 25, wherein, in said step (3), a sheet-like constituent element (II) is provided only to a surface of a resin impregnated material having passed through said step (2).

### Claim 31

(canceled)

### Claim 32 (depends on 25)

The method of producing a thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 25, wherein, in said step (3), a particle-like or fibrous constituent element (II) is made to adhere to a surface of a resin impregnated material having passed through said step (2).

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

A method of producing a molded preform, wherein a plurality of thermoplastic resin prepregs according to claim 1 are stacked, heated and pressed, and integrated via a thermoplastic resin (B) interposed between stacked thermoplastic resin prepregs.

### Claim 34

(canceled)

### Claim 35 (depends on 1)

A method of producing a molded preform, wherein a thermoplastic resin prepreg according to claim 1 and a thermoplastic resin sheet are stacked on each other, heated and pressed, and integrated via a thermoplastic resin (B) which is unevenly distributed to a surface site of said thermoplastic resin prepreg.

### Claim 36 (depends on 16)

A method of producing a molded composite, wherein a thermoplastic resin prepreg comprising:
a constituent element (I): 20-60 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (A) having a linear or branched polymer structure;
a constituent element (II): 2-10 parts by weight of a thermoplastic resin (B) which is unevenly distributed to a surface site and has a melting point lower than that of said thermoplastic resin (A); and
a constituent element (III): 30-78 parts by weight of reinforcing fibers; or a molded preform according to claim 16 is placed in a mold, element (IV) or (V) is supplied around said thermoplastic resin prepreg or said molded preform, and said thermoplastic resin prepreg or said molded preform is insert-molded by a thermoplastic resin (C) or (D):
a constituent element (IV): a thermoplastic resin (C) comprising a same or a same kind of resin as said thermoplastic resin (A); or
a constituent element (V): a thermoplastic resin (D) having a melting point lower than that of said thermoplastic resin (A).

### Claim 37

(canceled)

### Claim 38 (depends on 36)

The method of producing a molded composite according to claim 36, wherein a molded preform prepared by stacking a thermoplastic resin prepreg and a thermoplastic resin sheet on each other is placed in a mold so that a portion of said thermoplastic resin prepreg is placed at a position including a center in a thickness direction of a molded composite to be molded and so that a portion of said thermoplastic resin sheet is placed at a position of an outer surface side of said molded composite to be molded, and is insert-molded by said thermoplastic resin (C) or (D).

### Claim 39

(canceled)