Asymmetric braiding of improved fiber reinforced products
AssigneeU.S. Composites Corp.
InventorsGeorge A. Earle, III, August H. Kruesi, John E. Stockton, Deborah C. Kruesi
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Abstract
Braided constructions provide reinforcement fibers in the production of various articles, particularly composites, in which the braided fibers are entrained in a resin matrix. The mechanical properties of such braided, reinforcement fibers are further enhanced by use of an "asymmetric braiding" technique in which the cross-sectional areas of the fibers employed to form the diagonally crossing braids are substantially different, materially decreasing undulations in the braids at their crossings.
Claims20
In a process for the production of an article having at least one composite layer composed of a matrix material reinforced by substantially continuous, oriented reinforcement fibers including:
- braiding fibers crossing each other in an undulating, woven pattern and impregnating said fibers with a settable matrix material to create said at least one composite layer, the improvement wherein said braiding step comprises:
- asymmetrically braiding crossing reinforcement and containment fibers having different cross-sectional areas to substantially decrease the amplitude of such undulations, with the cross-sectional area of a containment fiber oriented in one direction being less than one-fourth the cross-sectional area of a crossing complementary primary reinforcement fiber such that said at least one composite layer has both high torsional stability and high fatigue durability.
A cylindrical article having a length in excess of 89 cm, produced by a process for the production of such article having at least one composite layer composed of a matrix material reinforced by substantially continuous, oriented reinforcement fibers including:
- braiding fibers crossing each other in an undulating, woven pattern and impregnating said fibers with a settable matrix material, the improvement wherein said braiding step comprises;
- asymmetrically braiding crossing reinforcement and containment fibers having different cross-sectional areas to substantially decrease the amplitude of such undulations with the cross-sectional area of a containment fiber oriented in one direction being less than one-fourth the cross-sectional area of a crossing complementary primary reinforcement fiber, and
- impregnating said braiding fibers with at least one matrix material of the group consisting of a thermoplastic resin, a thermal setting resin, a ceramic matrix material and a metal matrix material such that said at least one composite layer has both high torsional stability and high fatigue durability.
A cylindrical article having a length in excess of 89 cm, produced by a process for the production of such article having at least one composite layer composed of a matrix material reinforced by substantially continuous, oriented reinforcement fibers including:
- braiding fibers crossing each other in an undulating, woven pattern and impregnating said fibers with a settable matrix material, the improvement wherein said braiding step comprises:
- asymmetrically braiding crossing reinforcement and containment fibers having different cross-sectional areas to substantially decrease the amplitude of such undulations, with a cross-sectional area of a containment fiber oriented in one direction being less than one-fortieth the cross-sectional area of a crossing complementary primary reinforcement fiber such that said at least one composite layer has both high torsional stability and high fatigue durability.
In a process of forming an article comprising:
- braiding at least one braided layer of fibers crossing each other in an undulating, braided pattern and impregnating said fibers with a settable matrix material, the improvement wherein said step of braiding said crossing fibers comprises:
- asymmetrically braiding fibers of different cross-sectional areas to substantially decrease the amplitude of such undulations with the cross-sectional area of a containment fiber oriented in one direction being less than one-fourth the cross-sectional area of a crossing complementary primary reinforcement fiber wherein the impregnated at least one braided layer article has both high torsional stability and high fatigue durability.
A cylindrical article having a length in excess of 89 cm, produced by the process comprising:
- asymmetrically braiding at least one braided layer of fibers crossing each other in an undulating, braided pattern of different cross-sectional areas to substantially decrease the amplitude of such undulation with the cross-sectional area of a containment fiber oriented in one direction being less than one-fourth the cross-sectional area of a crossing complementary primary reinforcement fiber and impregnating said fibers with a settable matrix wherein said cylindrical article has both high torsional stability and fatigue durability.
A hollow braided composite article having a axis of symmetry, said article comprising at least one braided composite layer comprising asymmetrically braided crossing primary reinforcement and containment fibers embedded in a set matrix, the cross-sectional area of each containment fiber oriented in one braiding direction being less than one fourth the cross-section area of a crossing complementary primary reinforcement fiber, thereby substantially reducing undulation of respective fibers at braiding crossing points such that said at least one composite layer of said article has both high torsional stability and high fatigue durability.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.