Light-weight, high-strength, stiff panels
AssigneeDunlop Limited
InventorsMaurice J. Evans, Sharon L. Faulkner, Ronald Fisher, Trevor C. Wells, Paul Hadlum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for the manufacture of a light-weight panel, e.g. for aircraft, comprising preparing a panel preform having a pair of surface members or skins (29, 30) separated and supported by an internal core (26-28) in which spaces or interconnected pores provide vents to an edge of the panel, the wall surface members and the core comprising fibrous material, which may be carbon fibre, and using a pyrolysis process such as CVD to form a pyrolyric matrix around the fibres within the fibrous material, there being a flow of gas through the vents during the pyrolysis process.
Claims5
A panel comprising a pair of wall surface members separated and supported by a core structure comprising spaces or interconnected pores venting to an edge of the panel, the wall surface members and the core being of fibrous material rigidified by a pyrolytic matrix.
A panel comprising a pair of wall surface members bonded one to each side of a core structure, the core structure comprising a series of hollow members defining spaces venting to an edge of the panel, the hollow members and the wall surface members being of carbon fibre rigidified by a pyrolytic carbon matrix.
A lightweight fiber-reinforced panel having a thickness of at least 5 millimeters, a bulk density of less than 1 gram/cubic centimeter, said panel having a pair of wall surface members separated and supported by a core structure, in which spaces or interconnected pores provide vents to an edge of the panel, comprising at least one of a rigidified felt material, an open-cellular foam material and a series of hollow members comprising fibrous material, said wall surface members and said core being rigidified by a pyrolyric matrix and said panel being suitable for use at elevated temperatures of at least 400 degrees Celsius.
A lightweight fiber-reinforced panel having a thickness of at least 5 millimeters, a bulk density of less than 1 gram/cubic centimeter, said panel having a pair of wall surface members separated and supported by a core structure, in which spaces or interconnected pores provide vents to an edge of the panel, comprising at least one of a rigidified felt material, an open-cellular form material and a series of hollow members comprising fibrous material, said wall surface members and said core being rigidified by a pyrolyric matrix of a type deposited in a chemical vapour deposition process and said panel being suitable for use at elevated temperatures of at least 400 degrees Celsius.
A lightweight carbon fiber-reinforced panel having a thickness of at least 5 millimeters, a bulk density of less than 1 gram/cubic centimeter, said panel having a pair of wall surface members separated and supported by a core structure, in which spaces or interconnected pores provide vents to an edge of the panel, comprising at least one of a rigidified felt material, an open-cellular foam material and a series of hollow members of carbon fiber, said wall surface members and said core being rigidified by a pyrolyric carbon matrix of a type deposited in the chemical vapour deposition process and said panel being suitable for use at elevated temperatures of at least 400 degrees Celsius.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.