Systems and method for producing three-dimensional articles from flexible composite materials
AssigneeDsm IP Assets B.V.
InventorsRoland Joseph Downs, Christopher Michael Adams, Jon Michael Holweger
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Abstract
The present disclosure encompasses three-dimensional articles comprising flexible-composite materials and methods of manufacturing said three-dimensional articles. More particularly, the present system relates to methods for manufacturing seamless three-dimensional-shaped articles usable for such finished products as airbags/inflatable structures, bags, shoes, and similar three-dimensional products. A preferred manufacturing process combines composite molding methods with specific precursor materials to form fiber-reinforced continuous shaped articles that are flexible and collapsible.
Claims10
A method of producing a flexible composite material, the method comprising:
- providing a male tool having an outer three-dimensional shape;
- creating a fiber-reinforced scrim by sticking together two unitape layers, each unitape layer comprising a single fiber-reinforced direction provided by monofilaments spread side-by-side and embedded in an adhesive resin, the two unitape layers having an intersecting relative orientation in the scrim whereby one unitape layer has a different fiber direction than the other unitape layer, and the elastic polymer allowing the uncured scrim to stretch in non-fiber reinforced bias directions not aligned with the fiber directions;
- molding the fiber-reinforced scrim over the male tool;
- and
- curing the fiber-reinforced scrim on the male tool to form the flexible composite material cured in the outer three-dimensional shape,
- wherein the single direction monalament alignment within each unitape layer is stabilized and maintained by reinforcement provided by the intersecting unitape layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.