Non-standard resin-infused fiber bundles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11872771-B2
Application number	US-202017027396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2020
Priority date	Sep 19, 2019
Publication date	Jan 16, 2024
Grant date	Jan 16, 2024

Abstract

Non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle includes localized regions of fibers having a sub-nominal amount of polymer resin positioned along its length. These regions function as “bending regions,” where the non-standard resin-infused fiber bundle can be readily deformed by virtue of the reduced amount of resin. The bending regions segregate the non-standard resin-infused fiber bundle into what is, effectively, discrete (smaller) segments of (standard) resin-infused fiber bundle. The ability to easily manipulate the non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle via the bending regions is useful for creating fiber-bundle-based preforms, and preform charges (assemblages of fiber-bundle-based preforms).

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A non-standard bundle of unidirectional, same-length, continuous fibers infused with resin (“non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle”), wherein the non- standard resin-infused fiber bundle comprises plural sections, some of the plural sections having a first length, the sections having a first length include a first group thereof, each section in the first group defines a first nascent preform having m bending regions, wherein m is a non-zero integer, the m bending regions segregating each section in the first group into m+1 segments of resin-infused fiber bundle, wherein:
each of the m+1 segments includes a nominal amount of the resin, and
each of the m bending regions includes less than the nominal amount of the resin.

2. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 1 wherein m=1 and the m+1 segments have identical lengths.

3. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 1 wherein m=1 and the m+1 segments have unequal lengths.

4. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 1 wherein a length of each of the m+1 segments is based on a first preform geometry, wherein the first preform geometry is based on a first desired fiber alignment within a part.

5. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 1 wherein the sections having the first length include a second group thereof, each section in the second group defines a second nascent preform having n bending regions, wherein n is a non-zero integer, the n bending regions segregating each first length into n+1 segments of resin-infused fiber bundle, wherein:
each of the n+1 segments includes a nominal amount of the resin,
each of the n bending regions includes less than the nominal amount of the resin, and
the second group differs from the first grouping by a characteristic selected from the group consisting of n not being equal to m, and a length of the n+1 segments not being equal to a length of the m+1 segments.

6. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 1 wherein the plural sections include sections having a second length, each section having the second length defining a second nascent preform having n bending regions, wherein n is a non-zero integer, the n bending regions segregating each second length into n+1 segments of resin-infused fiber bundle, wherein:
each of the n+1 segments includes a nominal amount of the resin,
each of the n bending regions includes less than the nominal amount of the resin, and
the second lengths are not equal to the first lengths.

7. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 1 comprises towpreg.

8. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 1 wherein opposing ends of two segments that are separated by a single bending region have a shape that facilitates bending or creation of a desired geometry at the single bending region.

9. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 1 wherein at least one of the bending regions has a length that is indicative of a process parameter for processing the resin-infused fiber bundle.

10. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 1 wherein after separation of the sections in the first group from one another, each first nascent preform defines a first preform.

11. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 10 wherein at least one first preform is non-linear.

12. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 11 wherein a long axis of all of the m+1 segments in the at least one first preforms falls in the same plane.

13. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 11 wherein m+1 is at least 3, and wherein the m+1segments do not fall in a single plane, the at least one first preform thereby having a three-dimensional geometry.

14. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 10 wherein at least some of the m+1 segments in at least one first preform are linear.

15. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 10 wherein at least some of the m+1 segments in at least one first preform are nonlinear.

16. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 10 wherein, in at least one first preform, a bend angle between at least two of the m+1 segments that are separated by a single bending region is greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

17. The non-standard, resin-infused fiber bundle of claim 10 wherein, in at least one first preform, opposing ends of two segments that are separated by a single bending region have a shape that facilitates bending or creation of a desired geometry at the single bending region.

Assignees

• Arris Composites Inc

Inventors

• Pelman Todd
• Harper Dylan
• Bender Christopher
• Reese Riley
• Perkins J Scott

Classifications

• B29C70/205 Primary

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

• B29B11/04

  by assembling preformed material · CPC title

• B29B11/06

  by moulding the material · CPC title

• B29B11/16

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

• B29C70/30

  Shaping by lay-up, i.e. applying fibres, tape or broadsheet on a mould, former or core; Shaping by spray-up, i.e. spraying of fibres on a mould, former or core · CPC title