Resin coated radius fillers and method of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10272621-B2
Application number	US-201213454761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2012
Priority date	Jun 3, 2011
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A deformable, coated radius filler composed of a continuous or elongated fibrous structure and a tacky, resin surface coating formed by pulling a dry, continuous or elongated fibrous structure through a heated resin bath. The coated radius filler has an inner portion that is substantially free of resin and the resin surface coating has a substantially uniform thickness.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A deformable, coated radius filler in the form of a coated fibrous braid comprising a continuous or elongated fibrous braid and a tacky, resin surface coating, which is substantially uniform in thickness,
wherein
the fibrous braid is comprised of a plurality of fiber yarns intertwined in a braid pattern,
the coated radius filler has a core free of resin and is configured to enable the core to be infused with a liquid resin during a resin infusion process, and
the resin surface coating comprises an epoxy-based resin and a co-polymer of polyetherethersulphone and polyethersulphone as a viscosity modifier, which modifies the out-time tack characteristic of the coated radius filler by preventing the migration of the resin to the core of the fibrous braid.

2. The deformable, coated radius filler according to claim 1 , wherein the resin content of the coated radius filler is in the range of 10%-30% by weight based on the total weight of the coated filler.

3. The deformable, coated radius filler according to claim 1 , wherein the fibrous braid comprises a core of longitudinal axial yarns and a biaxial or triaxial outer shell.

4. A deformable, coated radius filler in the form of a coated fibrous braid comprising a continuous or elongated fibrous braid structure and a tacky, resin surface coating, which is substantially uniform in thickness,
wherein the fibrous braid structure comprises a biaxial or triaxial outer shell and a hollow core, said core being free of resin, and
wherein the resin surface coating comprises an epoxy-based resin and a viscosity modifier which modifies the out-time tack characteristic of the coated radius filler by preventing the migration of the resin to the core of the fibrous braid.

5. The deformable, coated radius filler of claim 4 , wherein the viscosity modifier is selected from a group consisting of cellulose derivatives, polyester, polyamide, polyimide, polycarbonate, polyurethane, poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, polyaromatics; polyesteramide, polyamideimide, polyetherimide, polyaramide, polyarylate, polyacrylate, poly(ester) carbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate/butyl acrylate), polysulphone, polyethersulphone, co-polymer of polyetherethersulphone polyethersulphone, polyetherethersulphone polyethersulphone-etherketone, polyetheretherketone PEEK, (polyetherketoneketone) PEKK, rubber, and combinations thereof.

6. The deformable, coated radius filler of claim 1 , wherein the fibrous braid comprises fibers made of carbon, glass, quartz, aramid, or combinations thereof.

7. The deformable, coated radius filler of claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of the coated radius filler is in the range of 0.01 inch to 1.5 inch.

8. A method of forming a resin coated radius filler comprising:
supplying an uncoated, continuous fibrous braid comprised of a plurality of fiber yarns intertwined in a braid pattern;
providing a heated resin formulation in a container, said container having a bottom wall and a deformable grommet positioned through said bottom wall, said grommet being provided with a through hole that is sized to enable the fibrous braid to pass through and at the same time to control the amount of resin deposited onto the outer surface of the fibrous braid; and
pulling the continuous fibrous braid through the resin formulation and out through the grommet to form a resin-coated fibrous braid, whereby only a desired amount of resin is deposited onto the outer surface of the fibrous braid while leaving the core of the fibrous braid free of resin such that core of the resin-coated fibrous braid can be infused with a liquid resin during a resin infusion process,
wherein the fibrous braid's contact time with the resin formulation is controlled by controlling the line speed and the resin level of the resin formulation in the container, and
wherein the resin formulation comprises an epoxy-based resin and a co-polymer of polyetherethersulphone and polyethersulphone, and the viscosity of the resin formulation is controlled to enable the formation of a resin coating with a substantially uniform thickness.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein said co-polymer of polyetherethersulphone and polyethersulphone is present in an amount of 5% to 20% by weight based on the total weight of the resin formulation.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the viscosity of the heated resin bath is maintained in the range of 0.50-1000 Poise, the resin level is maintained in the range of 0.25 inch 3.0 inches within the resin bath container, and the line speed is in the range of about 10 to 150 feet per minute (fpm).

11. A three-dimensional fiber preform suitable for resin infusion comprising:
a plurality of plies of dry, reinforcement fibers configured to form a three-dimensional shaped structure with at least one cavity; and
one or more deformable, coated radius fillers of claim 1 positioned in the cavity.

12. The deformable, coated radius filler of claim 1 , wherein the fibrous braid comprises a core of longitudinal axial yarns and a biaxial or triaxial outer shell.

13. The deformable, coated radius filler of claim 1 , wherein the fibrous braid comprises a biaxial or triaxial outer shell and a hollow core.

14. The deformable, coated radius filler of claim 5 , wherein said viscosity modifier is a co-polymer of polyetherethersulphone and polyethersulphone.

15. A three-dimensional fiber preform suitable for resin infusion comprising:
a plurality of plies of dry, reinforcement fibers configured to form a three-dimensional shaped structure with at least one cavity; and
at least one deformable, coated radius filler of claim 4 positioned in the cavity.

Assignees

• Ponsolle Dominique
• Rogers Scott Alfred
• Blackburn Robert
• Meegan Jonathan
• Cytec Tech Corp

Inventors

• Ponsolle Dominique
• Rogers Scott Alfred
• Blackburn Robert
• Meegan Jonathan

Classifications

• B29L2031/001

  Profiled members, e.g. beams, sections · CPC title

• B29C70/522 Primary

  the transport direction being vertical · CPC title

• B29B15/125

  by dipping · CPC title

• Y10T428/2915

  including textile, cloth or fabric · CPC title

• B29C70/222

  the structure being shaped to form a three dimensional configuration · CPC title