Fiber reinforced cellular foam product
OwnerFrank Jaarsmainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fiber reinforced polymer foam articles are disclosed. Through the system and process of the present disclosure, fibers can be incorporated into the foam article during an injection molding process while minimizing fiber breakage. Thus, foam articles can be produced having relatively long fibers. For instance, when using a feed stock containing fibers having a length greater than about 0.7 cm, such as from about 1 cm to about 1.3 cm, foam articles can be produced in which at least about 10% by volume of the fibers have a length greater than 3 mm and wherein at least about 1% by volume of the fibers have a length greater than about 7 mm.
Claims27
A process for forming a polymer composite article comprising:
- feeding composite polymer pellets comprising a thermoplastic polymer and reinforcing fibers into a barrel of an injection molding system, wherein the injection molding system comprises a screw contained within the barrel, wherein the screw has a compression ratio of less than 2.5:1, wherein the screw has a rotational speed that is less than 70 rpm, and wherein the barrel has a back pressure that is less than 2,000 psi, and wherein the screw further comprises a first section containing flights and a second section containing flights downstream from the first section, and wherein a check valve separates the first section from the second section;
- heating the thermoplastic polymer to a molten state;
- feeding a blowing agent into the barrel;
- injecting the thermoplastic polymer, reinforcing fibers, and blowing agent into a molding cavity;
- and
- producing a cellular fiber reinforced polymer article, wherein the reinforcing fibers in the reinforced polymer article have an average fiber length greater than 1.2 mm, wherein at least 10 percent by volume of the reinforcing fibers have a length greater than 3 mm.
A process for forming a polymer composite article comprising:
- feeding a thermoplastic polymer and reinforcing fibers into a barrel of an injection molding system, wherein the injection molding system comprises a screw contained within the barrel, wherein the screw has a compression ratio of less than 2.5:1, wherein the screw has a rotational speed that is less than 70 rpm, and wherein the barrel has a back pressure that is less than 2,000 psi, and wherein the screw further comprises a first section containing flights and a second section containing flights downstream from the first section, and wherein a check valve separates the first section from the second section;
- heating the thermoplastic polymer to a molten state;
- feeding a blowing agent into the barrel;
- injecting the thermoplastic polymer, reinforcing fibers, and blowing agent into a molding cavity;
- and
- producing a cellular fiber reinforced polymer article, wherein the reinforcing fibers in the reinforced polymer article have an average fiber length greater than 1.2 mm, wherein at least 10 percent by volume of the reinforcing fibers have a length greater than 3 mm, and wherein the cellular fiber reinforced polymer has a cellular structure containing cell sizes from about 5 microns to about 100 microns.
A process for forming a polymer composite article comprising:
- feeding a thermoplastic polymer and reinforcing fibers into a barrel of an injection molding system, wherein the injection molding system comprises a screw contained within the barrel, and wherein the screw has a compression ratio of less than 2.5:1;
- heating the thermoplastic polymer to a molten state;
- feeding a blowing agent into the barrel;
- injecting the thermoplastic polymer, reinforcing fibers, and blowing agent into a molding cavity;
- and
- producing a cellular fiber reinforced polymer article, wherein the reinforcing fibers in the reinforced polymer article have an average fiber length greater than 1.2 mm, and wherein at least 10 percent by volume of the reinforcing fibers have a length greater than 3 mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.