Method for manufacturing composite bicycle frame

A method for manufacturing a lapless, complex three-dimensional fiber composite bicycle frame component comprising;

• shaping a fluid-removable core in the general form of the component,
• placing a flexible pressurizable bladder around the core,
• wrapping over the assembly of core and bladder at least one ply of fiber impregnated with a curable resin,
• forming a cured part by pressurizing the bladder while the assembly of core, bladder, and impregnated fiber is in a female mold to force the plies against the inner surfaces of the mold, such that compaction of the fiber against the inner surfaces of the mold is from the pressurization of the bladder and not from the core, and heating to cure the resin,
• removing the bladder and the fluid-removable core from the interior of the cured part by first disintegrating and removing the fluid-removable core with a fluid sufficient to allow removal of the bladder.

A method for manufacturing a lapless, complex three-dimensional fiber composite bicycle frame component comprising;

• shaping a meltable core in the general form of the component,
• placing a flexible pressurizable bladder around the core,
• wrapping over the assembly of core and bladder at least one ply of fiber impregnated with a curable resin,
• forming a cured part by pressurizing the bladder while the assembly of core, bladder, and impregnated fiber is in a mold to force the plies against the inner surfaces of the mold, such that compaction of the fiber against the inner surfaces of the mold is from the pressurization of the bladder and not from the core, and heating to cure the resin,
• removing the bladder and the meltable core from the interior of the cured part by first melting and removing core sufficient to allow removal of the bladder.

A method for forming a hollow, lapless, complex three-dimensional fiber composite bicycle component having at least one hole, the method comprising;

• placing a mandrel core of a fluid-removable material and in the general form of the component in a pressurizable bladder to form a bladder/core assembly,
• wrapping resin impregnated reinforcing fiber around the bladder/core assembly,
• pressurizing the bladder in a female mold to compact the fiber against inside surfaces of the mold such that compaction of the fiber against the inside surfaces of the mold is predominantly from the pressurization of the bladder and not from the mandrel core and heating the mold to cure the resin to form a cured part,
• removing the mandrel core and bladder from the interior of the cured part by injecting solvent into the interior of the bladder to disintegrate and remove sufficient core material to allow removal of the bladder from the interior of the cured part and removing the bladder from the interior of the cured part.

A method for manufacturing a lapless, complex three-dimensional fiber composite bicycle frame component comprising;

• shaping a fluid-removable core in the general form of the component,
• placing a flexible pressurizable bladder of a fluid-soluble film around the core,
• wrapping over the assembly of core and bladder at least one ply of fiber impregnated with a curable resin,
• forming a cured part by pressurizing the bladder while the assembly of core, bladder, and impregnated fiber is in a female mold to force the plies against the inner surfaces of the mold, such that compaction of the fiber against the mold is predominantly from the pressurization of the bladder and is not from the core, and heating to cure the resin to form a cured part,
• removing the bladder and the core from the interior of the cured part by disintegrating and removing the fluid-soluble film of the bladder and the fluid removable core with a fluid.

A method for forming a lapless, complex three-dimensional fiber composite bicycle component comprising:

• forming a mandrel core of a fluid removable material and in the general form of the component;
• placing a fitting in association with the mandrel core;
• placing the mandrel core into a flexible pressurizable bladder with the fitting extending out of the open end of the bladder;
• wrapping a plurality of plies of resin impregnated fiber around the bladder;
• placing the wrapped bladder containing the mandrel core into female tooling with the inflation fitting connected to a source of pressurized fluid;
• directing the pressurized fluid through the inflation fitting to compact the resin impregnated fiber against the female tooling and heating the mold to form a cured part with outer dimensions corresponding to the female tooling and a hole through which the fitting extends, such that compaction of the resin impregnated fiber against the female tooling is from directing the pressurized fluid through the inflation fitting and not from the mandrel core;
• removing the cured part from the mold and removing the fitting from the cured part;
• injecting fluid into the interior of the bladder through the hole through which the inflation fitting extended to disintegrate and remove a sufficient portion of the mandrel core to allow removal of the bladder;
• removing the bladder through the hole.