Sheet moulding compound (SMC) with ventilating structure for entrapped gases
AssigneeStructural Polymer Systems
InventorsDaniel Thomas Jones, Derek Simon Richard Ness
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Moulding material comprising a core layer, a reinforcement layer provided on each surface of said core layer, and a layer of a surfacing material provided on a reinforcement layer. The core layer comprises a core resin material and a filler material. The reinforcement layer comprises a fibrous reinforcement material and a reinforcement resin material. The reinforcement layer further comprises a conduit to allow gases to pass out of the moulding material via the reinforcement layer during processing of the moulding material whereby the conduit structure is formed by said reinforcement material.
Claims27
A moulding material comprising:
- a core layer comprising a core resin material and a filler material, and
- at least one partially impregnated or unimpregnated reinforcement layer provided on at least one surface of said core layer,
- the partially impregnated or unimpregnated reinforcement layer comprising a reinforcement resin material and a fibrous reinforcement material,
- the partially impregnated or unimpregnated reinforcement layer further comprising a ventilating structure to allow gases to pass out of the moulding material via the reinforcement layer during processing of the moulding material, the flow properties of the respective resin materials being different during processing of the moulding material such that the filler is prevented from emerging to the surface of the moulding material during processing of the moulding material.
A moulding material comprising:
- a core layer comprising a core resin material and a filler material,
- a partially impregnated or unimpregnated layer of a fibrous reinforcement material provided on at least one surface of said core layer material, and
- a layer of a surfacing material provided on said reinforcement material,
- said partially impregnated or unimpregnated reinforcement layer comprising a reinforcement resin material and a fibrous reinforcement material,
- said surfacing material comprising a surface resin material,
- wherein the flow properties of the core resin material and/or the resin material and/or the surface resin material are selected such that the filler is prevented from emerging to the surface of said moulding material during processing of said moulding material.
A method of fabricating an article comprising:
- a) providing a moulding material comprising a core layer comprising a core resin material and a filler material, a partially impregnated or unimpregnated reinforcement layer provided on at least one surface of said core layer, and said partially impregnated or unimpregnated reinforcement layer comprising a reinforcement resin material and a fibrous reinforcement material, said partially impregnated or unimpregnated reinforcement layer comprising a ventilating structure to allow gases to pass out of the moulding material, the flow properties of the respective resin materials being different during processing of the moulding material;
- b) providing a tool or a mould;
- c) locating said moulding material in relation to said tool or mould such that the moulding material is in contact with said tool or mould;
- and
- d) processing said moulding material, whereby gases are passed out of the moulding material via said ventilating structure in said partially impregnated or unimpregnated reinforcement layer, and the different flow properties of the respective resin materials prevent the filler from emerging to the surface of the moulding material during processing of the moulding material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.