3D woven fiber structure, a fiber preform obtained from such a fiber structure, and a composite material part including such a preform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10364516-B2
Application number	US-201214365307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2012
Priority date	Dec 14, 2011
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A fiber preform is formed by a fiber structure woven by three-dimensional weaving with a plurality of layers of warp yarns interlinked by weft yarns of a plurality of layers of weft yarns, the fiber preform having a first portion and a second portion that extend one another in the weft direction and that are at an angle to each other. In the fold zone and in each weft plane of the fiber structure, two weft yarns situated in a region adjacent to an outside face of the fiber structure situated on the inside of the corner present paths that cross, so that less curvature is imposed on these yarns.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fiber structure woven by three-dimensional weaving with a plurality of layers of warp yarns interlinked by weft yarns of a plurality of layers of weft yarns, the fiber structure comprising:
a first portion and a second portion situated to be extending along and adjacent each other in a weft direction when not folded relative to each other, and the first portion and the second portion being foldable relative to each other to form an angle at a fold zone,
wherein, in the fold zone and in each weft plane of the fiber structure, two weft yarns situated in a region adjacent to an outside face of the fiber structure situated on an inside of the angle have paths that cross so that arrangements of said two weft yarns in the first and second portions are interchanged, and
wherein in each of the first portion and the second portion, all of the warp yarns are interlinked by three-dimensional weaving by the weft yarns so as to be free of a non-interlinked zone.

2. A fiber structure according to claim 1 , wherein one of the two weft yarns is yarn that, in the first portion or in the second portion, is closest to the outside face.

3. A fiber structure according to claim 2 , wherein, in the fold zone, the yarns of two layers of weft yarns closest to the outside face of the fiber structure have paths that cross.

4. A fiber structure according to claim 2 , wherein, in the fold zone, yarns of first and third layers of weft yarns from the outside face of the fiber structure have paths that cross, and likewise yarns of second and fourth layers of weft yarns.

5. A fiber structure according to claim 1 , wherein the folding is performed about an axis that is parallel to a plane formed by the weft and a warp direction, the axis being not parallel to the weft direction and not parallel to the warp direction.

6. A fiber structure woven by three-dimensional weaving with a plurality of layers of weft yarns interlinked by warp yarns of a plurality of layers of warp yarns, the fiber structure comprising:
a first portion and a second portion situated to be extending along and adjacent each other in a warp direction when not folded relative to each other, and the first portion and the second portion being foldable relative to each other to form an angle at a fold zone,
wherein, in the fold zone and in each warp plane of the fiber structure, two warp yarns situated in a region adjacent to an outside face of the fiber structure situated on an inside of the angle have paths that cross so that arrangements of said two warp yarns in the first and second portions are interchanged, and
wherein in each of the first portion and the second portion, all of the warp yarns are interlinked by three-dimensional weaving by weft yarns so as to be free of a non-interlinked zone.

7. A fiber structure according to claim 6 , wherein one of the two warp yarns is yarn that, in the first portion or in the second portion, is closest to the outside face.

8. A fiber structure according to claim 7 , wherein, in the fold zone, yarns of two layers of warp yarns closest to the outside face of the fiber structure have paths that cross.

9. A fiber structure according to claim 7 , wherein, in the fold zone, yarns of first and third layers of warp yarns from the outside face of the fiber structure have paths that cross, and likewise yarns of second and fourth layers of warp yarns.

10. A fiber preform formed by a fiber structure woven by three-dimensional weaving with a plurality of layers of warp yarns interlinked by weft yarns of a plurality of layers of weft yarns, the fiber structure comprising:
a first portion and a second portion situated to be extending along and adjacent each other in a weft direction when not folded relative to each other, and the first portion and the second portion forming therebetween an angle by folding at a fold zone,
wherein, in the fold zone and in each weft plane of the fiber structure, two weft yarns situated in a region adjacent to an outside face of the fiber structure situated on an inside of a corner have paths that cross so that arrangements of said two weft yarns in the first and second portions are interchanged, and
wherein in each of the first portion and the second portion, all of the warp yarns are interlinked by three-dimensional weaving by the weft yarns so as to be free of a non-interlinked zone.

11. A fiber preform according to claim 10 , wherein one of the two weft yarns is yarn that, in the first portion or in the second portion, is closest to the outside face.

12. A fiber preform according to claim 11 , wherein, in the fold zone, yarns of two layers of weft yarns closest to the outside face of the fiber structure have paths that cross.

13. A fiber preform according to claim 11 , wherein, in the fold zone, yarns of first and third layers of weft yarns from the outside face of the fiber structure have paths that cross, and likewise yarns of second and fourth layers of weft yarns.

14. A composite material part comprising a fiber preform according to claim 10 densified by a matrix.

15. A fiber preform formed by a fiber structure woven by three-dimensional weaving with a plurality of layers of weft yarns interlinked by warp yarns of a plurality of layers of warp yarns, the fiber structure comprising:
a first portion and a second portion situated to be extending along and adjacent each other in a warp direction when not folded relative to each other, and the first portion and the second portion forming therebetween an angle by folding at a fold zone,
wherein, in the fold zone and in each warp plane of the fiber structure, two warp yarns situated in a region adjacent to an outside face of the fiber structure situated on an inside of a corner have paths that cross so that arrangements of said two warp yarns in the first and second portions are interchanged, and
wherein in each of the first portion and the second portion, all of the warp yarns are interlinked by three-dimensional weaving by weft yarns so as to be free of a non-interlinked zone.

16. A fiber preform according to claim 15 , wherein one of the two warp yarns is yarn that, in the first portion or the second portion, is closest to the outside face.

17. A fiber preform according to claim 16 , wherein, in the fold zone, yarns of two layers of warp yarns closest to the outside face of the fiber structure have paths that cross.

18. A fiber preform according to claim 16 , wherein, in the fold zone, yarns of first and third layers of warp yarns from the outside face of the fiber structure have paths that cross, and likewise yarns of second and fourth layers of warp yarns.

Assignees

• Safran Aircraft Engines

Inventors

• Marchal Yann
• Coupe Dominique
• Fruscello Monica
• Goering Jonathan

Classifications

• Y10T442/20

  Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer · CPC title

• D03D25/005 Primary

  Three-dimensional woven fabrics · CPC title

• B29L2031/003

  having a profiled transverse cross-section · CPC title

• B29C70/222

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

• B29B11/16

  comprising fillers or reinforcement {(non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00)} · CPC title