# US 8,770,081 B2 · Closed tubular fibrous architecture and manufacturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,081 B2 - Document ID: US8770081B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/510,557 - Filed: 2010-11-18 - Published: 2012-11-01 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-11-18 - Assignees: Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives - Applicants: Patrick David; Bruno Bompard; Jean Luc Bonnand - Inventors: Patrick David; Bruno Bompard; Jean Luc Bonnand - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770081B2 ## CPC - D04C 1/06: Braid or lace serving particular purposes - D10B 2403/02411: with a single array of unbent yarn, e.g. unidirectional reinforcement fabrics - D10B 2505/02: Reinforcing materials; Prepregs - D04C: BRAIDING OR MANUFACTURE OF LACE, INCLUDING BOBBIN-NET OR CARBONISED LACE; BRAIDING MACHINES; BRAID; LACE (machines for making soles from strips of material A43D29/00; cane working B27J1/00) - D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES ## Abstract A tubular fibrous architecture is disclosed. According to one aspect, the tubular fibrous architecture includes a closed tubular part in at least one of its ends or bottom. The closed tubular part includes an architecture in which a textile material, such as a thread, roving, ribbon or bundle of threads, is continuously output from the bottom. Each textile material that is output from the bottom is continuously wound about the tubular part. All of the textile materials at the junction between the bottom and the remainder of the tubular part are continuous and there is a continuous geometric transition between the bottom architecture and the architecture of the remainder of the tubular part such that the textile materials in the tubular part cross over. A method of making such a tubular fibrous architecture is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of fabricating a tubular fibrous architecture closed at one of its ends, the method comprising: forming a plurality of pairs of bobbins using a textile material, the textile material including at least one of a thread, roving, ribbon, or bundles of threads, each pair of bobbins being formed by winding a first part of the textile material, from a first end of the textile material, onto a first bobbin in the pair and winding a second part of the textile material from the second end of the textile material, onto the second bobbin of the pair; placing pairs of bobbins on spindles of a loom, the pairs of bobbins being arranged on the spindles as a function of a primary structure, forming the primary structure on the loom, the primary structure corresponding to the bottom of the fibrous architecture; placing a support conforming with the tubular part of the fibrous architecture into position on a loom; and using the textile materials and the loom to form the tubular part of the fibrous architecture on the support, the support being configured to support, position, and maintain the textile materials during crossover of the textile materials. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the pairs of bobbins are arranged such that the primary structure is radiating. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the pairs of bobbins are arranged such that the primary structure is of the biaxial type. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the pairs of bobbins are arranged on the spindles and in the creel of the loom such that the primary structure is triaxial. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the threads on the bobbins are supported, positioned, and held in place so as to obtain a biaxial tubular architecture. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the threads on the bobbins are supported, positioned, and held in place so as to obtain a triaxial tubular architecture. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a single loom is used to fabricate the tubular fibrous architecture. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary structure is fabricated using a technique selected from one of: weaving, braiding, batting, or textile material placement. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary structure comprises a multi-layer, multi-dimensional, or multi-directional texture, wherein the textile materials derived from it are used to make the tubular part, and wherein the tubular part comprises a multi-layer structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the tubular part of the fibrous architecture is fabricated on the support using a technique selected from one of: weaving, braiding, batting, or textile material placement. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the tubular part of the fibrous architecture is fabricated on the support using multi-layer, multi-dimensional, or multi-directional texture methods. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the loom having the support is selected from one of: a weaving loom, a braiding machine, a batting machine, or a textile material placement machine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising extending the tubular part of the fibrous architecture on one end of the support to form a second bottom of the fibrous architecture. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein extending the tubular part is continued until a second closed bottom is obtained by braiding, weaving, batting, or textile material placement. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary structure is fabricated by incorporating at least one insert or at least one end piece into the primary structure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the tubular part of the fibrous architecture is fabricated by incorporating at least one insert or at least one end piece into the tubular part. ### Claim 17 A tubular fibrous architecture with a closed tubular part formed on at least one of its ends or bottom, wherein: the tubular part comprises an architecture in which at least one textile material is continuously output from the bottom, the textile material comprising at least one of a thread, roving, ribbon, or bundle of threads; and continuously winding each textile material, from each end of each textile material output from the bottom, about the tubular part, wherein all textile materials at the junction between the bottom and the remainder of the tubular part are continuous and there is a continuous geometric transition between the bottom architecture and the architecture of the remainder of the tubular part, and wherein the textile materials in the tubular part cross over. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The fibrous architecture according to claim 17, wherein the bottom is formed of a structure obtained by superposition of batting, a two-directional fabric, three-directional fabric, multi-layer, or multi-directional fabric. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The fibrous architecture according to claim 17, wherein the tubular part is formed by one of superposition of batting, three-dimensional fabric, multi-layer, or multi-directional fabric. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The fibrous architecture according to claim 17, wherein at least one insert or end piece is incorporated into at least one bottom. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The fibrous architecture according to claim 17, wherein at least one insert or end piece is incorporated into the tubular part. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The fibrous architecture according to claims 17, wherein the threads are formed of organic, metallic, mineral, or ceramic fibers. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) A composite material comprising the fibrous architecture according to claim 17, wherein the composite material is embedded in an organic, metallic, or mineral matrix. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising repeatedly forming a pair of bobbins, placing pairs of bobbins on spindles of a loom, placing a support confirming with the tubular part, and using the textile materials and the loom to form the tubular part. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The fibrous architecture according to claim 17, further comprising using a binding or weaving method to cross over the textile materials on the tubular part.