Production method for partially separated fiber bundle, partially separated fiber bundle, fiber-reinforced resin molding material using partially separated fiber bundle, and production method for fiber-reinforced resin molding material using partially separated fiber bundle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10907280-B2
Application number	US-201716308593-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2017
Priority date	Jun 22, 2016
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A method of producing a partially separated fiber bundle includes a partial separation processing step for alternately forming separation-processed sections, each divided into a plurality of bundles, and not-separation-processed sections along the lengthwise direction of a fiber bundle, wherein a separation means provided with a plurality of projected parts is penetrated into the fiber bundle to create separation-processed parts, the separation means is removed from the fiber bundle, and the separation means is penetrated into the fiber bundle again, characterized in that a sizing agent is applied at an arbitrary timing during the production process of the partially separated fiber bundle. A partially separated fiber bundle is obtained by the production method, a fiber-reinforced resin molding material uses the partially separated fiber bundle, and a production method makes the fiber-reinforced resin molding material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of producing a partially separated fiber bundle comprising a partial separation processing step that alternately forms separation-processed sections, each divided into a plurality of bundles, and not-separation-processed sections, wherein, while a fiber bundle to which a sizing agent has been applied and comprises a plurality of single fibers travels along a lengthwise direction of the fiber bundle, a separation means provided with a plurality of projected parts is penetrated into the fiber bundle to create a separation-processed part, and entangled parts, where the single fibers are interlaced, are formed at contact parts with the projected parts in at least one separation-processed part, thereafter the separation means is removed from the fiber bundle, and after the separation means passing through a position of the fiber bundle corresponding to an entanglement accumulation part including the entangled parts, the separation means is penetrated again into the fiber bundle, wherein an additional sizing agent is applied at an operator selected time during production of the partially separated fiber bundle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber bundle is supplied to the partial separation processing step after widening the width of the fiber bundle.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the fiber bundle is supplied to the partial separation processing step after applying the additional sizing agent to the fiber bundle widened in width.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising drying the additional sizing agent at an operator selected time.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein a width of the fiber bundle before drying is widened during the applying the additional sizing agent, the widened fiber bundle is subjected to the drying, the fiber bundle having undergone application of the additional sizing agent and the widening is supplied to the partial separation processing step.

6. A method of producing a partially separated fiber bundle comprising a partial separation processing step that alternately forms separation-processed sections, each divided into a plurality of bundles, and not-separation-processed sections, wherein a separation means provided with a plurality of projected parts is penetrated into a fiber bundle to which a sizing agent has been applied and comprises a plurality of single fibers, while the separation means travels along a lengthwise direction of the fiber bundle, a separation-processed part is created, and entangled parts, where the single fibers are interlaced, are formed at contact parts with the projected parts in at least one separation-processed part, thereafter the separation means is removed from the fiber bundle, and after the separation means travels up to a position passing through a position of the fiber bundle corresponding to an entanglement accumulation part including the entangled parts, the separation means is penetrated again into the fiber bundle, wherein an additional sizing agent is applied at an operator selected time during production of the partially separated fiber bundle.

Assignees

• Toray Industries

Inventors

• Motohashi Tetsuya
• Hashimoto Takafumi
• Tateyama Masaru
• FUSE Mitsuki
• Matsui Akihiko
• SATO Chiasa

Classifications

• B65H51/005

  Separating a bundle of forwarding filamentary materials into a plurality of groups · CPC title

• B29B15/122

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

• D02J1/18 Primary

  Separating or spreading · CPC title

• D02J1/08

  Interlacing constituent filaments without breakage thereof, e.g. by use of turbulent air streams · CPC title

• B29C70/18

  in the form of a mat, e.g. sheet moulding compound [SMC] · CPC title