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US 5,496,602 AGranted
Low resin content unidirectional fiber tape
AssigneeDow-United Technologies Composite Products, Inc.
InventorMartin P. Wai
Life of this patent
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AssigneeDow-United Technologies Composite Products, Inc.
InventorMartin P. Wai
Estimating the term…
A low resin content unidirectional fiber tape is disclosed for use in incorporating unidirectional fibers in dry fiber preform for use in a resin transfer molding process. A plurality of unidirectional fibers are located between a pair of thin flexible resin films which hold the fibers together without significant infiltration into the fibers. The films also have sufficient adhesiveness to maintain contact with a release layer but are not so adhesive that they do not prevent removal of the unidirectional tape with hand pressure. Preferably the total resin content of the films is from 1% to 20%, preferably 3% to 15% by weight relative to the total resin and fiber weight. At such a level, the tape is capable of being handled by a preform assembler and draped over contoured surfaces without distortion or separation of the unidirectional fibers. In addition, the low resin content allows for later infiltration of an injection resin into the interstices between the fibers, for full integration of the unidirectional fibers into the ultimate part.
A unidirectional fiber tape comprising a plurality of unidirectional fibers, a pair of thin, flexible films disposed on opposite sides of the fibers, the films formed of a resin present in an amount sufficient to maintain the fibers in register but below an amount which would significantly inhibit resin infiltration, the resin amount being from about 1 to 20 percent by weight based on the total weight of the tape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.