Method of through-thickness reinforcing a laminated material
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorMatthew Paul Jevons
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of providing through-thickness reinforcement of a laminated material which includes a matrix material including a step of creating a locally heated zone in the laminated material so as to locally soften the matrix material by focussing a set of at least two energy beams at a location where through-thickness reinforcement is required and a step of inserting a reinforcement element through the thickness of the laminated material at the location of the locally heated zone to through-thickness reinforce the laminated material.
Claims16
A method of providing through-thickness reinforcement of a laminated material including a matrix material, comprising the steps of:
- providing a laminated material;
- before insertion of any articles into the laminated material, creating a locally heated zone in the laminated material so as to locally soften the matrix material by focusing a set of at least two energy beams on a focal zone which corresponds to a location where through-thickness reinforcement is required;
- forming a hole at the locally heated zone in the laminated material;
- inserting a reinforcement element into the hole;
- and
- assisting insertion of the inserted reinforcement element through the thickness of the laminated material by applying a force to a first end of the inserted reinforcement element to through-thickness reinforce the laminated material.
A method of providing through-thickness reinforcement of a laminated material including a matrix material, comprising the steps of:
- providing a laminated material;
- creating a locally heated zone in the laminated material so as to locally soften the matrix material by focusing a set of at least two energy beams on a focal zone which corresponds to a location where through-thickness reinforcement is required;
- forming a hole at the locally heated zone in the laminated material with a hole-forming tool;
- after the hole is formed, inserting an insertion member through the thickness of the laminated material at the location of the locally heated zone,
- wherein the focal zone is advanced ahead of the hole-forming tool as the hole-forming tool is inserted through the laminated material.
A method of providing through-thickness reinforcement of a laminated material including a matrix material, comprising the steps of:
- providing a laminated material;
- before insertion of any articles into the laminated material, creating a locally heated zone in the laminated material so as to locally soften the matrix material by focusing a set of at least two energy beams on a focal zone which corresponds to a location where through-thickness reinforcement is required;
- and
- inserting a reinforcement element through the thickness of the laminated material at the location of the locally heated zone to through-thickness reinforce the laminated material,
- wherein the reinforcement element includes a first end and a second opposite end, and
- wherein the step of inserting the reinforcement element comprises applying a force to the first end of the reinforcement element such that the second end penetrates the laminated material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.