Process for continuously forming reinforced articles
AssigneeTech Textiles Limited
InventorJeffrey A. Vane
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for continuously forming reinforced articles (24) which includes producing a reinforcing material (13) having a plurality of superimposed layers (1-6), stitching together said layers (1-6), wetting said reinforcing material (13) with a matrix material (7, 8 or 19), forming the wetted reinforcing material and curing or consolidating the matrix material. Each layer (1-6) of the reinforcing material (13) includes a plurality of unidirectional non-woven yarns or threads (10) laid side-by-side, the yarns or threads (10) in at least some of the different layers (1-6) extending in different directions. Forming of the wetted reinforcing material may be effected by moulding, pultrusion or by wrapping wetted reinforcing material around a mandrel or former (25).
Claims30
A process for forming a reinforced article, comprising the steps of:
- (a) continuously supplying yarns or threads to a first station,
- (b) continuously producing at said first station a reinforcing material having a plurality of superimposed layers, each layer consisting of a plurality of unidirectional non-woven yarns or threads laid side-by-side, the yarns or threads in at least two of the different layers extending in different directions,
- (c) stitching together said layers,
- (d) continuously passing the reinforcing material to a wetting station,
- (e) wetting said reinforcing material at said wetting station with a matrix material,
- (f) continuously passing the wetted reinforcing material to a forming station,
- (g) at said forming station forming the wetted reinforcing material to the shape of an article, and
- (h) curing or consolidating the matrix material to produce said article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.