3D printed continuous fiber reinforced part

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117362-B2
Application number	US-201815936558-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 29, 2017
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A part includes a continuous fiber substantially encased in a formation material. The fiber and formation material are arranged in a plurality of alternating layers such that the formation material of a first one of the alternating layers adheres to the formation material of a second one of the alternating layers over the length of the continuous fiber. The part may include a thin-walled hollow member such as a duct. In some embodiments a part comprises a continuous fiber prepared by an additive manufacturing process comprising the steps of: depositing a composite material on a print bed using a print head, the composite material comprising a continuous fiber and a formation material in intimate contact with the continuous fiber; moving the print head and/or the print bed during the depositing of the composite material; and consolidating the composite material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A part comprising:
a continuous fiber substantially encased in a formation material, the continuous fiber and formation material being arranged in a plurality of alternating layers such that the formation material of a first one of the alternating layers adheres to the formation material of a second one of the alternating layers over a length of the continuous fiber.

2. The part of claim 1 wherein the part comprises a walled, hollow member.

3. The part of claim 1 wherein the part comprises a walled, hollow member with openings at opposed ends of said walled hollow member to thereby form a duct.

4. The part of claim 1 wherein the continuous fiber extends uninterrupted along a length of the part.

5. The part of claim 1 wherein the continuous fiber has a width of between approximately 1800 μm and 3200 μm.

6. The part of claim 1 wherein a distance between a first edge of one layer and a first edge of an adjacent alternating layer of the part is less than or equal to approximately 800 μm.

7. The part of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the formation material encasing the continuous fiber is between approximately 0 μm to approximately 1 μm as measured from a surface of the continuous surface to an opposed surface of the formation material.

8. The part of claim 1 wherein a fiber volume of the continuous fiber is approximately 23% of a total volume of the part.

9. The part of claim 1 wherein the formation material is approximately 58% of a total volume of the part.

10. A duct comprising:
a wall having a first end and a second end and defining a hollow interior, the wall comprising a continuous fiber extending from the first end to the second end substantially encased in a formation material, the continuous fiber and formation material being arranged in a plurality of alternating layers such that the formation material of a first one of the alternating layers adheres to the formation material of a second one of the alternating layers over a length of the continuous fiber.

11. A part comprising a continuous fiber prepared by an additive manufacturing process comprising the steps of:
depositing a continuous fiber substantially encased in a formation material on a print bed using a print head; and
moving the print head and/or the print bed during the depositing of the composite material, such that the continuous fiber and formation material are arranged in a plurality of alternating layers such that the formation material of a first one of the alternating layers adheres to the formation material of a second one of the alternating layers over a length of the continuous fiber.

12. The part of claim 11 wherein the part comprises a walled, hollow member.

13. The part of claim 11 wherein the part comprises a walled hollow member with openings at opposed ends of said walled, hollow member.

14. The part of claim 11 wherein the formation material of one layer adheres to the formation material of an adjacent alternating layer of the part.

15. The part of claim 11 wherein the continuous fiber has a width of between approximately 1800 μm and 3200 μm.

16. The part of claim 11 wherein a distance between a first edge of one layer and a first edge of an adjacent alternating layer of the part is less than or equal to approximately 800 μm.

17. The part of claim 11 wherein a thickness of the formation material encasing the continuous fiber is between approximately 0 μm to approximately 1 μm as measured from a surface of the continuous surface to an opposed surface of the formation material.

18. The part of claim 11 wherein a fiber volume of the continuous fiber is approximately 23% of a total volume of the part.

19. The part of claim 11 wherein the formation material is approximately 59% of a total volume of the part.

Assignees

• Tighitco Inc
• Univ South Carolina

Inventors

• Van Tooren Michael Johannes Leonardus
• Harik Ramy
• De Backer Wout
• Bergs Arturs Peteris
• Castorina Tawne Louis

Classifications

• B32B1/08

  Tubular products · CPC title

• Y10T428/1372

  Randomly noninterengaged or randomly contacting fibers, filaments, particles, or flakes · CPC title

• Y10T428/139

  Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article · CPC title

• B33Y80/00 Primary

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C64/165

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title