# US 9,873,231 B2 · Methods to fabricate needled preforms with randomly oriented short length carbon fibers

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- Number: US 9,873,231 B2
- Document ID: US9873231B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/230,246
- Filed: 2014-03-31
- Published: 2016-06-23
- Granted: 2018-01-23
- Earliest claimed: 2014-03-31
- Assignees: Goodrich Corporation
- Applicants: Goodrich Corporation
- Inventors: Jean-Francois Le Costaouec
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9873231B2

## CPC

- B29C 70/502: {by first forming a mat composed of short fibres}
- C04B 35/80: Fibres, filaments, whiskers, platelets, or the like
- B29C 43/28: incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles
- B29C 43/34: Feeding the material to the mould or the compression means {(B29C43/085 takes precedence)}
- B29C 43/52: Heating or cooling
- B29C 70/12: using fibres of short length, e.g. in the form of a mat {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00)}
- C04B 35/52: based on carbon, e.g. graphite
- C04B 35/71: Ceramic products containing macroscopic reinforcing agents (C04B35/66 takes precedence {; infiltration of a porous ceramic matrix with a material forming a non-ceramic phase C04B41/00, reaction infiltration with Si in order to form SiC C04B35/573, in order to form Si3N4 C04B35/591})
- D04H 1/4242: Carbon fibres
- D04H 1/485: in combination with weld-bonding
- D04H 1/488: in combination with bonding agents
- D04H 1/72: the fibres being randomly arranged
- F16D 69/026: {containing fibres}
- B29K 2101/12: Thermoplastic materials
- B29K 2105/128: {in the form of a mat}
- B29K 2307/04: Carbon
- B29L 2031/16: Frictional elements, e.g. brake or clutch linings
- C04B 2235/526: characterised by the length of the fibers
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
- F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS
- B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES

## Abstract

A method and apparatus for fabricating a short length carbon fiber preform with a through thickness reinforcement is disclosed herein. The starting media for fabricating a net shape (e.g., annular disc) may meet specific requirements including a sufficient fiber volume and a binding mechanism compatible with the needle-punching process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
opening, blending and webbing in random fiber orientation a plurality of short length carbon fiber bundles and a thermoplastic binder material to form a blend, wherein the short length carbon fiber bundles comprise short length carbon fibers less than about 3 inches in length;
locally applying heat and pressure to an annular portion of the blend of the plurality of short length carbon fiber bundles and the thermoplastic binder material to form a partially melted annular shaped preform section;
removing from the blend an excess portion not partially melted following local application of heat and pressure to form a resulting annular preform section and capturing the excess portion of the blend for reprocessing;
and
needling a portion of the resulting annular preform section.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the removing step further comprises cutting the annular preform section from the blend.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the locally applied heat and pressure is applied to form a net preform shape.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the net preform shape is an annular shaped disc.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a length of the plurality of short length carbon fiber bundles is between about 1 inch and about 2 inches.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a length of the plurality of short length carbon fiber bundles is between about 0.5 inches and about 3 inches.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic binder material comprises low denier bi-component fibers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic binder material comprises at least one of a polypropylene core, a polyethylene sheath fiber, and a polyester core with at least one of either polyester and polypropylene sheath fiber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling an opening of the plurality of the short length carbon fiber bundles to achieve a sufficient fiber volume within a web layer for through thickness reinforcement.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the sufficient fiber volume is at least 21% fiber volume.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the thermoplastic binder material to the plurality of short length carbon fiber bundles in the blend is between about 0.5% to about 10% by volume.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic binder material comprises fusible fibers, wherein a length of the fusible fibers range in length from about 2 mm to about 15 mm.