# US 5,350,556 A · Method for manufacturing fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin molded article

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- Number: US 5,350,556 A
- Document ID: US5350556A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/002,269
- Filed: 1993-01-08
- Granted: 1994-09-27
- Earliest claimed: 1992-01-10
- Assignees: Yamaha Corporation
- Inventors: Eizi Abe; Toshiharu Fukushima
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5350556A

## CPC

- B29C 66/54: {Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles}
- B29C 65/4815: {Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives}
- B29C 65/5028: {being textile in woven or non-woven form}
- B29C 65/5042: {covering both elements to be joined}
- B29C 66/1162: {Single bevel to bevel joints, e.g. mitre joints}
- B29C 66/12443: {having the tongue substantially in the middle}
- B29C 66/1282: {comprising at least one overlap joint-segment}
- B29C 66/12841: {comprising at least two butt joint-segments}
- B29C 66/14: {the joint having the same thickness as the thickness of the parts to be joined (B29C66/1142 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/721: {Fibre-reinforced materials (B29C66/729 takes precedence)}
- B29C 66/73921: {characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics}
- B29C 70/342: {using isostatic pressure}
- B29C 70/845: {by moulding material on a relative small portion of the preformed parts}
- B29D 22/00: Producing hollow articles (tubular articles B29D23/00; pneumatic tyres B29D30/00)
- B29C 66/71: {characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined (welding bar compositions B29C65/125)}
- B29C 66/7212: {characterised by the composition of the fibres}
- B29L 2031/5227: {Clubs}
- 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)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

Using a fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin, component materials of shapes obtained by partitioning the shape of the desired hollow article into a plurality of parts are molded. Reinforcing members 5, made of a prepreg wherein reinforcing fiber is impregnated with thermoplastic resin, are affixed to the junctions of these component materials 1. These are housed within mold 7 as a hollow provisional assembly and a joined unitary body is formed by adding pressure and heating. Using the method of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently manufacture a complicatedly shaped hollow article, the obtained molded article being one which excels in mechanical strength and, moreover, has a surface which is continuous and smooth.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a hollow molded article by joining a plurality of separate component materials consisting of fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin, said method comprising the steps of:
affixing a reinforcing member consisting of a prepreg wherein reinforcing fiber is impregnated with thermoplastic resin, to the junction along which said component materials are joined;
housing said component materials within a mold as a hollow provisional assembly; and
forming a joined unitary body by heating while increasing the internal pressure within said hollow provisional assembly.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method of manufacturing a hollow molded article as set forth in claim 1, wherein said component materials are housed within the mold such that they overlap along the junction at which they are joined.

### Claim 3

A method of manufacturing a hollow molded article by joining a plurality of separate component materials made of fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin, said method comprising the steps of:
affixing a plurality of reinforcing members made of a prepreg wherein reinforcing fiber is impregnated with thermoplastic resin to the junction along which said component materials are joined;
housing said component materials within a mold as a hollow provisional assembly; and
forming a joined unitary body by heating while increasing the internal pressure within said hollow provisional assembly.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A method of manufacturing a hollow molded article as set forth in claim 3, wherein the components are overlapped along the junction at which they are joined.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

A method of manufacturing a hollow molded article as set forth in claim 3 in which during heating tensile forces act on one of the surfaces at the junction and the reinforcing members are affixed to the surface at which the tensile forces act.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

A method of manufacturing a hollow molded article as set forth in claim 3, in which during heating compressive forces act on one of the surfaces at the junction and the reinforcing members are affixed to the surface at which the compressive forces act.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

A method of manufacturing a hollow molded article as set forth in claim 4, wherein the component materials have inner and outer surfaces and the reinforcing members are attached to one of the inner and outer surfaces.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A method of manufacturing a hollow molded article as set forth in claim 7, wherein reinforcing members are affixed to the outer surface of one of the component materials to be joined at the junction and reinforcing members are affixed to the inner surface of another one of the component materials to be joined at said junction.