Aligned fiber reinforced molding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11633926-B2
Application number	US-202217678764-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2022
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for additive manufactures of complex parts using co-aligned continuous fibers are disclosed. Filament subunits having complex shapes are fabricated and inserted into a mold cavity. The layup is compression molded to form a complex part having high tensile strength.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An assembly layup of filament subunits for molding a fiber-reinforced composite part, the assembly layup comprising:
a plurality of first filament subunits, each of the first filament subunits including a bundle of co-aligned fibers impregnated with a first matrix material, the first filament subunits being organized into an arrangement having a shape that is substantially similar to a first shape of the fiber-reinforced composite part, or to a second shape of a portion of the fiber-reinforced composite part; and
at least one second filament subunit, the second filament subunit comprising non- aligned fiber impregnated with a second matrix material, wherein the second filament subunit is disposed at an intersection of two adjacent first filament subunits of the plurality thereof, and wherein the two adjacent first filament subunits form an exterior portion of the arrangement.

2. The assembly layup of claim 1 wherein the non-aligned fiber comprises milled fiber.

3. The assembly layup of claim 1 wherein the at least some of the first filament subunits have a substantially circular cross section.

4. The assembly layup of claim 3 wherein the second filament subunit has a substantially circular cross section.

5. The assembly layup of claim 4 wherein a diameter of the second filament subunit is different than a diameter of the two adjacent first filament subunits.

6. The assembly layup of claim 5 wherein the diameter of the second filament subunit is less than the diameter of the two adjacent first filament subunits.

7. The assembly layup of claim 1 wherein at least some of the first filament subunits are non-linear and include at least one bend.

8. The assembly layup of claim 1 wherein the second shape comprises a u-shape.

9. The assembly layup of claim 1 wherein the first matrix material and the second matrix material are the same.

10. The assembly layup of claim 1 wherein the at least some of the first filament subunits are tack bonded to one another.

11. The assembly layup of claim 1 wherein
each filament subunit has a circular or oval cross-section, and wherein
a ratio of a longest dimension to a shortest dimension of the oval cross section is in a range of greater than 1 to 3.

12. The assembly layup of claim 1 wherein the plurality of fibers extends the length of the first filament subunits.

13. The assembly layup of claim 1 wherein the non-aligned fiber comprises chopped fiber.

14. An assembly layup of filament subunits for molding a fiber-reinforced composite part, the assembly layup comprising:
a plurality of first filament subunits, each of the first filament subunits including a bundle of co-aligned fibers impregnated with a first matrix material, the first filament subunits being organized into an arrangement having a shape that is substantially similar to a first shape of the fiber-reinforced composite part, or to a second shape of a portion of the fiber-reinforced composite part, wherein each of the first filament subunits is not in the form of a tape or a sheet of material; and
at least one second filament subunit, the second filament subunit comprising non-aligned fiber impregnated with a second matrix material, wherein the second filament subunit is disposed at an intersection of two adjacent first filament subunits of the plurality thereof, and wherein the two adjacent first filament subunits form an exterior portion of the arrangement.

15. The assembly layup of claim 14 wherein the non-aligned fiber comprises at least one of milled fiber and chopped fiber.

16. The assembly layup of claim 14 wherein at least some of the first filament subunits have a substantially circular cross section.

17. The assembly layup of claim 14 wherein the second filament subunit has a substantially circular cross section.

18. The assembly layup of claim 14 wherein at least some of the first filament subunits are non-linear and include at least one bend.

19. The assembly layup of claim 14 wherein the first matrix material and the second matrix material are the same.

20. The assembly layup of claim 14 wherein the at least some of the first filament subunits are tack bonded to one another.

Assignees

• Arris Composites Inc

Inventors

• Escowitz Ethan

Classifications

• B29C31/085

  combined with positioning the preforms according to predetermined patterns, e.g. positioning extruded preforms on conveyors (B29C70/30 takes precedence; for building tyres B29D30/08) · CPC title

• B32B5/26

  another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)} · CPC title

• B29C70/08

  comprising combinations of different forms of fibrous reinforcements incorporated in matrix material, forming one or more layers, and with or without non-reinforced layers · CPC title

• B29K2105/06

  containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts · CPC title

• B29C70/20

  oriented in a single direction, e.g. roofing or other parallel fibres {(B29C70/083, B29C70/226 take precedence)} · CPC title