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US 8,246,882 B2Granted
Methods and preforms for forming composite members with interlayers formed of nonwoven, continuous materials
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorThomas Karl Tsotsis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Materials and methods are provided for producing preform materials for impact-resistant composite materials suitable for liquid molding. Interlayers formed of nonwoven, continuous fibers, such as spunbonded, spunlaced, or mesh fabric, are introduced between non-crimped layers of unidirectional reinforcing fibers to produce a preform for use in liquid-molding processes to produce a composite member. Curing of the preform provides increased impact resistance by increasing the amount of energy required to propagate localized fractures due to impact.
Claims21
A method for continuously forming a composite material, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of reinforcing layers formed of fibers of a reinforcing material;
- providing a plurality of interlayers, each interlayer being formed of a nonwoven fabric of continuous thermoplastic fibers different than the fibers of the reinforcing layers, wherein providing the plurality of interlayers comprises forming the nonwoven fabric by at least one of the group consisting of spunbonding and spunlacing;
- continuously feeding the reinforcing layers and the interlayers in an alternating configuration to a nip;
- and
- stitching, at a knitting unit downstream of the nip, the continuously fed reinforcing layers and the interlayers with a thread,
- wherein providing the interlayers comprises providing the interlayers of a substantially tackless material such that the reinforcing layers and the interlayers are substantially unbonded prior to said stitching step.
3 more elements
A method for continuously forming a composite material, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of reinforcing layers formed of fibers of a reinforcing material;
- providing a plurality of interlayers, each interlayer being formed of a nonwoven fabric of continuous thermoplastic fibers different than the fibers of the reinforcing layers, wherein providing the plurality of interlayers comprises forming the nonwoven fabric by at least one of the group consisting of spunbonding, spunlacing and fabric meshing, wherein the plurality of interlayers have different respective thicknesses;
- continuously feeding the reinforcing layers and the interlayers in an alternating configuration to a nip;
- and
- stitching, at a knitting unit downstream of the nip, the continuously fed reinforcing layers and the interlayers with a thread.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing a composite part comprising:
- providing a multi-layered uncured composite material having a plurality of reinforcing layers formed of fibers of a reinforcing material in an alternating configuration with a plurality of interlayers, each interlayer being formed of a nonwoven fabric of continuous thermoplastic fibers different than the fibers of the reinforcing layers, wherein providing the multi-layered uncured composite material comprises forming the nonwoven fabric by at least one of the group consisting of spunbonding and spunlacing, and wherein providing the multi-layered uncured composite material comprises providing the interlayers of a substantially tackless material such that the reinforcing layers and the interlayers are substantially unbonded;
- configuring the alternating reinforcing layers and the interlayers in a contoured configuration corresponding to a desired contour of the composite material;
- and
- infusing the reinforcing layers with a thermosetting matrix material such that the thermosetting matrix material flows through the interlayers.
1 more element
A method of manufacturing a composite part comprising:
- providing a multi-layered uncured composite material having a plurality of reinforcing layers formed of fibers of a reinforcing material in an alternating configuration with a plurality of interlayers, each interlayer being formed of a nonwoven fabric of continuous thermoplastic fibers different than the fibers of the reinforcing layers, wherein providing the multi-layered uncured composite material comprises forming the nonwoven fabric by at least one of the group consisting of spunbonding, spunlacing and fabric meshing, wherein the plurality of interlayers have different respective thicknesses;
- configuring the alternating reinforcing layers and the interlayers in a contoured configuration corresponding to a desired contour of the composite material;
- and
- infusing the reinforcing layers with a thermosetting matrix material such that the thermosetting matrix material flows through the interlayers.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.