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US 8,709,321 B2Granted
Compression molding method and reinforced thermoplastic parts molded thereby
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDavid E. Gideon, Edward M. Fisher, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fiber reinforced part is formed from a compression molded thermoplastic resin reinforced with individual fibers of differing lengths randomly oriented substantially throughout the part.
Claims21
A method of making a composite part, comprising:
- forming a mold charge, including mixing a plurality of flakes into a mold, each flake of the plurality of flakes comprising corresponding fibers, the each flake comprising a prepreg material, and, within any given flake, at least some fibers have differing lengths;
- and
- compression molding the mold charge to create a molded part, compression molding comprising compressing the mold charge at a rate that results in turbulent flow of the mold charge through the mold.
A method comprising:
- forming a mold charge, including mixing a first flake comprising a prepreg material and a second flake comprising the prepreg material, the first flake comprising a first set of fibers having differing lengths, the second flake comprising a second set of fibers having differing lengths;
- and
- compression molding the mold charge to form a part, compression molding comprising compressing the mold charge at a rate that results in turbulent flow of the mold charge through the mold.
A method of making a composite part, comprising:
- cutting a plurality of flakes from a prepreg material comprising substantially unidirectional carbon fibers pre-impregnated with a thermoplastic resin comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of PEI, PPS, PES, PEEK, PEKK, and PEKK-FC, the carbon fibers distributed substantially uniformly and substantially throughout the thermoplastic resin, each flake of the plurality of flakes comprising corresponding fibers, and, within any given flake, at least some fibers have differing lengths;
- thereafter forming a mold charge, including mixing the plurality of flakes into a mold such that corresponding fibers of different flakes have a substantially random orientation with respect to each other;
- thereafter compression molding the mold charge to create a molded part, compressing including compressing at a rate that results in turbulent flow of the mold charge through the mold to further randomize the substantially random orientation;
- forming a hole in the molded part;
- tapping threads in the molded part within the hole;
- installing a helically shaped metal coil into the threads.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.