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AssigneeToray Industries, Inc.
InventorsToshiyuki Kondo, Toshihiro Ito, Masashi Matsuura
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This invention relates to fibre reinforced plastic (“FPR”) roofing materials with a sandwich structure. A pair of sheets of FRP are arranged with a gap between them, and a rib structure which joins the sheets is interposed. Further, this invention relates to a method for producing FRP roofing material in which channels are provided in the core material and a reinforcing fibre impregnated with a resin is distributed through these channels. A preferred joint structure for the roofing material is to use butt joints and to provide a connecting layer extending across the surfaces of both ends of the sandwich structures. A layer containing a resin distribution medium is provided between the abutting end faces. This invention overcomes various problems of conventional joint structures, permitting the ends of the sandwich structures to be easily, firmly and cheaply joined together, ensuring high joint strength and rigidity, while achieving excellent appearance.
A fibre reinforced plastic roofing material comprising two or more sandwich structures each having a length of from 10 m to 25 m and a width of from 1.5 m to 3.5 m and comprising a pair of fibre reinforced plastic sheets arranged with a gap therebetween, and a rib structure interposed in the gap between the pair of sheets which is integrally molded by a resin transfer molding, wherein the fibre reinforced plastic includes a reinforcing fibre that is selected from the group consisting of a carbon fibre, a glass fibre and carbon fibre hybrid, and combinations thereof, and wherein the two or more sandwich structures are butt joined in the widthwise direction by being integrally molded by a resin transfer molding with a layer containing a resin distribution medium comprising a body having resin flow channels formed therein and a fiber reinforced layer placed between abutting end surfaces of said sandwich structures and, wherein the layer extends across the surfaces of both ends of said sandwich structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.