Process for molding a fiberglass reinforced article
AssigneeJohns Manville International, Inc.
InventorsJames A. Fadell, Stephen E. Gross
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for producing fiberglass reinforced molded articles of superior surface quality involves preparation of a mat of glass fiber comprised of a majority of fibers having a diameter of less than one micron and a minority of fibers having a diameter greater than one micron. A sizing is applied to the fibers. The sizing includes a coupling agent preselected to be compatible with the moldable material, e.g. nylon. The glass fiber mat is comminuted into pieces shaped and dimensioned for combination with the moldable material to form a composite having a range of to 50% of glass fiber by weight. The composite is then molded by a conventional process to yield a fiberglass reinforced article with superior surface quality.
Claims14
A process for molding an article reinforced with glass fiber without substantial impairment of surface quality comprising the steps of:
- preparing a mat of glass fiber from bulk glass fiber comprised of a majority of smaller diameter glass fibers having a diameter less than one micron and a minority of larger diameter glass fibers having a diameter greater than one micron by applying to the bulk glass fiber sizing including up to 50% by weight of polymer compatible with ..the.!. a moldable plastic material;
- comminuting the mat of glass fiber into glass fiber mat pieces shaped and dimensioned for combination with ..a.!. the moldable plastic material;
- combining the glass fiber mat pieces with the moldable plastic material to define a moldable composite having a range of 2% to 50% of glass fiber by weight;
- and
- molding the article from the composite.
A process for making fiber-reinforced polymer products comprising:
- forming a layer of bulk fiber with a majority of parts by weight of glass fibers of less than 1 micron;
- applying a sizing to said layer of bulk fiber including up to 50% of a predetermined polymer, said predetermined polymer being compatible with the polymer to be reinforced by the fiber;
- drying said sized layer of bulk fiber to form a mat;
- comminuting said mat into pieces and mixing said pieces with said ..predetermined.!. polymer to be reinforced to form a moldable composite;
- and
- molding the product from said composite .
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.