US 4,229,397 AGranted

Method for forming fiber-reinforced composite material

AssigneesAgency of Industrial Science and Technology, Toho Beslon Co., Ltd.

InventorsKenji Fukuta, Ryuzo Ono-Oka, Masatoshi Yoshida, Kazuhisa Saito, Hiroyuki Kosuda

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Abstract

A method for forming a uniformly mixed fibrous mat which comprises feeding a continuous high tensile modulus reinforcing fibrous material and a pre-cut thermoplastic fibrous material with a lower melting point or softening point than the temperature at which the reinforcing fibrous material melts or is damaged to a rotating rotor which is provided with projections to thereby cut the continuous fibrous material and pluck the pre-cut fibrous material, dispersing the thus treated fibrous materials into an air flow to mix the same and thereafter collecting the resulting mixed materials on a net to yield the mat. The product can thereafter optionally be compressed under heat to melt only the thermoplastic fibrous material to thereby consolidate the mat.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method for producing a uniformly mixed fibrous mat, comprising:

(a) supplying to a rotating rotor which has projections on the surface thereof
(i) at least one continuous high tensile modulus reinforcing fibrous material, with
(ii) at least one pre-cut thermoplastic fibrous material,
(iii) wherein said thermoplastic fibrous material has a lower melting or softening point than the temperature at which the reinforcing fibrous material melts or is damaged, and said reinforcing fibrous material has a lower ultimate elongation than the thermoplastic fibrous material,
to thereby cut said continuous reinforcing fibrous material, and pluck said pre-cut thermoplastic fibrous material,
(b) dispersing said reinforcing fibrous material and said thermoplastic fibrous material into an air flow in a slit by centrifugal force and by the air flow produced by the rotation of the rotor, to thereby mix said fibrous materials uniformly,
(c) collecting the mixed fibrous materials together on a continuously moving net and applying a vacuum beneath the net to yield said uniformly mixed fibrous mat.

4 more elements

A method for producing a fiber reinforced composite material having a high modulus of elasticity, comprising:

(a) supplying to a rotating rotor which has projections on the surface thereof
(i) at least one continuous high tensile modulus reinforcing fibrous material, with
(ii) at least one pre-cut thermoplastic fibrous material
(iii) wherein said thermoplastic fibrous material has a lower melting or softening point than the temperature at which the reinforcing fibrous material melts or is damaged, and said reinforcing fibrous material has a lower ultimate elongation than the thermoplastic fibrous material,
to thereby cut said continuous reinforcing fibrous material and pluck said pre-cut thermoplastic fibrous material,
(b) dispersing said reinforcing fibrous material and said thermoplastic fibrous material into an air flow in a slit by centrifugal force and by the air flow produced by the rotation of the rotor, to thereby mix said fibrous materials uniformly,
(c) collecting the mixed fibrous materials together on a continuously moving net and applying a vacuum beneath the net to yield a sheet of a uniformly mixed fibrous mat,
(d) compressing under heat at least one sheet of the thus-obtained mat to melt only the thermoplastic fibrous material, and
(e) cooling the thus obtained product to thereby consolidate said product to provide a fiber reinforced composite material.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/859,634Filed 12 Dec 1977
Priority: JP 51-14856110 Dec 1976
Granted: 21 Oct 1980
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B32B 5/24
Characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed: one…
B29B 15/12
Coating or impregnating independently of the moulding or shaping step: of reinforcements of indefinite length
B29C 70/14
Using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat: oriented
B29C 70/502
For producing articles of indefinite length, e.g. prepregs, sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or cross moulding compounds [XMC]: by first forming a…