Method for impregnating fiber rovings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10022919-B2
Application number	US-201615204377-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 9, 2011
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A die and method for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin are disclosed. The die includes an impregnation section. The impregnation section includes an impregnation zone configured to impregnate the roving with the resin. The impregnation zone includes a plurality of contact surfaces. At least one of the plurality of contact surfaces is configured such that a normal force of the roving is less than or equal to a lift force of the resin at an impregnation location on the contact surface during impregnation of the roving with the resin by the contact surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin, the method comprising:
flowing a polymer resin through a manifold assembly of a die, the manifold assembly comprising a plurality of branched runners;
coating at least one fiber roving with the resin; and
traversing the coated roving through an impregnation zone of the die to impregnate the roving with the resin, the impregnation zone comprising a plurality of contact surfaces,
wherein a normal force of the roving is less than or equal to a lift force of the resin at an impregnation location on at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces during impregnation of the roving with the resin by the at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces is a final contact surface in a run direction of the roving.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein no contact occurs between the roving and the at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces during impregnation of the roving with the resin by the contact surface.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the impregnation location comprises a peak of the contact surface.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the normal force is calculated using the equation:
a =sin( A )* h

wherein a is the normal force, A is an angle at which the roving traverses the at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces, and his a tension of the roving.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lift force is calculated using the equation:
F =(((6η UL )/ h 2 )*((( h o −h )*( h−h L ))/( h o 2 −h L 2 )))* C *( w*L )

wherein F is the lift force, η is a viscosity of the resin, U is a speed of the roving, L is a length of the impregnation location, h is a height of resin within the impregnation location, C is a porosity factor, and w is a width of the roving.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of contact surfaces is configured such that the roving traverses the contact surface at an angle in the range between 1 degree and 30 degrees.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces is configured such that the roving traverses the at least one of the plurality of contact surfaces at an angle that is less than the angle of the remainder of the plurality of contact surfaces.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of contact surfaces comprises a curvilinear contact surface.

Assignees

• Ticona Llc

Inventors

• Johnson Aaron H
• Eastep David W
• Regan Timothy A

Classifications

• B29C48/0011

  combined with compression moulding · CPC title

• B29C48/705

  in the die zone, e.g. to create flow homogeneity · CPC title

• B05C3/125

  the work being a web, band, strip or the like · CPC title

• B29C48/2883

  of preformed parts, e.g. inserts, retaining their shape during the extrusion process · CPC title

• B29B15/122

  with a matrix in liquid form, e.g. as melt, solution or latex · CPC title