US 5,378,134 AGranted

Press for forming an article of composite material comprising reinforcing fibers in a polymer matrix

AssigneesAcb, Societe Nationale Industrielle et Aerospatiale

InventorsPhilippe Blot, Joel Augereau, Joel Bretagne, Jean-Jacques Dittberner

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Abstract

A press has a fixed lower platen, and an upper platen which is movable vertically by means of an actuator. A former corresponding to the article which is to be obtained is placed on the lower platen via a thermal insulation member, the former including channels for circulation of a heat exchange fluid. The material to be formed is placed on the former. The upper platen carries an assembly which has a resilient membrane, the periphery of which is sandwiched between a lower frame and a cover connected to a source of fluid under pressure, sealing between said membrane and the lid being ensured by the clamping pressure between these two parts which results partly from the force exerted on the moving platen and partly from the pressure of the fluid.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A press for forming an article of composite material of reinforcing fibers embedded in a polymer matrix, forming taking place between a resilient membrane and a former of complementary shape to the article to be formed, the press comprising:

a lower platen carrying said former;
an upper platen;
clamping means for applying a clamping force between the platens;
fluid introduction means for introducing fluid under pressure between the upper platen and the membrane;
means for heating and cooling the article to be formed, wherein the means for heating and cooling are completely integral with said former, the former being mounted on the lower platen via a thermal insulation means, and wherein the upper platen carries the resilient membrane;
and
servo-control means, responsive to the fluid introduction means, to control the clamping means so that the force exerted between the platens by the clamping means always exceeds the force exerted on the membrane by the fluid introduction means by an amount lying between two thresholds.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.