Molded composite article and method for making the article

Abstract

A resinous article and method for making the article wherein a body of fibrous reinforcing material and syntactic foam containing a low density filler are placed in a molding and curing chamber with the reinforcing material in contact with the surface of the chamber. A molding pressure is then exerted on the chamber to mold and cure the body of material into a finished article. The pressure exerted being sufficient to force a portion of the resinous material in the syntactic foam through the reinforcing material to form a resin rich surface on the article. However, the low density filler material is retained within the core area of the article by the reinforcing material and forms a lightweight syntactic foam core. The resulting article has an outer skin, a layer of fibrous reinforcing material beneath the skin and bonded to the skin, and a core of lower density syntactic foam.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.