Synthetic reinforcing strands with spaced filaments
AssigneeIsorca, Inc.
InventorsThomas E. Philipps, Darryl A. Payne, Andrew L. Bastone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention disclosed herein is a synthetic reinforcing strand of filaments in which the strand density is reduced by spacing the filaments apart along their length with heat expandable hollow particles such as plastic microspheres expanded into microballoons and the method of making such strands. Also embodied in the invention are methods utilizing such strands in processes for making composite structures.
Claims22
A strand of continuous reinforcing filaments comprising a plurality of monofilaments in side-by-side relationship,
- particles of heat-expandable material, expandable into microballoons, dispersed between said filaments along the length of said strand,
- said particles of heat-expandable material being present in and along the length of said strand in an amount such that said filaments upon heating and expansion of said particles are spaced from each other by the expanded particles.
A method of forming a strand of continuous filaments adaptable to being lightened in density by providing spacings between filaments along their length comprising
- drawing a strand of side-by-side continuous filaments through a bath of coating material containing resin particles heat-expandable into microballoons,
- separating the filaments of said strand in spread relation as said strand In drawn through said bath for receipt of a coating of said bath material on said filaments,
- regathering the coated filaments into said strand with said heat-expandable material distributed there-through,
- supplying heat to said strand of coated filaments to effectively dry said strand without expanding said heat expandable particles.
A method of producing an expandable strand of continuous glass filaments comprising
- drawing glass filaments from a glass filament forming feeder,
- applying to said filaments a coating of sizing fluid containing heat expandable particles expandable into microballoons
- gathering said size coated filaments including said heat expandable particles into a strand and
- drying said strand without expanding said particles.
A strand of continuous glass monofilaments in side-by-side relationship including
- expandable hollow particles dispersed between said filaments along the length of said strand,
- said particles being expandable into microballoons by application of heat thereto,
- said particles being present in an amount such that said filaments upon heating and expansion of said particles into microballoons are spaced from each other by said microballoons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.