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US 5,503,928 AGranted
Fibre reinforced composites
AssigneeNew Millennium Composites Limited
InventorEdward J. Cheshire
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AssigneeNew Millennium Composites Limited
InventorEdward J. Cheshire
Estimating the term…
In the manufacture of reinforced composites having reinforcing filaments within a matrix, a filament consisting of a staple yarn spun from discontinuous fibers with low twist is subject to controlled stretching to vary the weight per unit length of the yarn along the length of the yarn. Apparatus for performing the stretching operation comprises two roll pairs spaced apart along the yard feed path and rotated at controlled relative speeds to obtain the desired elongation of the yarn. The yarn may be used directly in producing a composite, e.g., by applying resin to the yarn and winding it onto a mandrel or former, or it may be used to prepare a perform, prepeg tape, woven fabric or the like to be used in the production of a shaped composite. The invention makes it possible to vary the characteristics, e.g., thickness and/or strength, over a composite in a way not previously possible.
An article consisting of a composite material comprising reinforcing filaments within a matrix, wherein at least one of the filaments is a staple yarn spun from discontinuous fibres and having a weight per unit length which so varies along the length of the filament that the article has a non-uniform physical characteristic the ratio of the maximum weight per unit length to the minimum weight per unit length along the filament being not greater than 10 to 1.
An apparatus for use in manufacturing a reinforced composite, comprising means for taking a staple yarn from a supply and guiding the yarn along a feed path to conversion means, wherein yarn tensioning means (11, 12 and 13, 14) are spaced apart along said path and arranged to maintain the yarn under tension therebetween, and control means (30) are provided for controlling said tensioning means during operation of the apparatus to adjust the tension exerted on said yarn running through the tensioning means and thereby to vary in a predetermined controlled manner the weight per unit length of the yarn delivered to the conversion means.
A method of manufacturing a reinforced composite comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.