Method for compression molding cosmetic composite parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11951696-B2
Application number	US-202217572445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2022
Priority date	Jan 8, 2021
Publication date	Apr 9, 2024
Grant date	Apr 9, 2024

Abstract

A cosmetic part is formed via compression molding in a single molding operation with no post processing by forming an assemblage of feed constituents, wherein the assemblage includes plural fiber-bundle-based preforms and one or more resin-only constituents, the latter configured and positioned as appropriate to create resin-rich cosmetic layers where desired on the part.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method for forming, via compression molding in a single molding operation, a fiber-composite part having at least one cosmetic surface, wherein the cosmetic surface is formed without post processing, the method comprising:
forming an assemblage of feed constituents, wherein the assemblage includes:
a. a plurality of fiber-bundle-based preforms, each preform comprising a plurality of fibers infused with a first resin, and
b. a resin-only constituent consisting essentially of a second resin; and
compression molding and thereby consolidating, in a mold cavity, the plurality of fiber-bundle-based preforms and the resin-only constituent, wherein the resin-only constituent is positioned in the assemblage so that the resin-only constituent abuts a surface of the mold cavity that forms the cosmetic surface of the fiber-composite part, and wherein consolidating comprises:
a. a first consolidation, including:
(i) increasing a temperature of the fiber-bundle-based preforms to reach melt-flow of the first resin, while maintaining a temperature of the resin-only constituent below a temperature required to achieve melt flow of the second resin; and
(ii) increasing pressure in the mold cavity sufficient for greater than 50 percent consolidation of the fiber-bundle-based preforms but 25 percent or less consolidation of the resin-only constituent; and

b. a second consolidation, including:
(i) increasing a temperature of the resin-only constituent to reach melt-flow of the second resin; and
(ii) increasing pressure in the mold cavity sufficient to complete consolidation of the resin-only constituent and the fiber-bundle-based preforms.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein consolidating comprises creating a difference in viscosity between the first resin and the second resin.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein creating the difference in viscosity between the first resin and the second resin comprises maintaining a temperature of the second resin lower than a temperature of the first resin during consolidation of the fiber-bundle-based preforms.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein consolidating comprises applying sufficient pressure to consolidate the plurality of fiber-bundle-based preforms while the temperature of the second resin is lower than the temperature of the first resin.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein creating a difference in viscosity comprises adding a viscosity modifier to the first resin that decreases a viscosity of the first resin relative to the viscosity thereof in the absence of the viscosity modifier.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein creating a difference in viscosity comprises adding a viscosity modifier to the second resin that increases a viscosity of the second resin relative to the viscosity thereof in the absence of the viscosity modifier.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first resin and the second resin are the same resin.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the assemblage of feed constituents comprises forming the resin-only constituent via thermoforming.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the assemblage of feed constituents comprises forming the resin-only constituent via 3D printing.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the assemblage of feed constituents comprises forming the resin-only constituent via filament extrusion.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein in the first consolidation, greater than 75 percent consolidation of the fiber-bundle-based preforms occurs.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein in the first consolidation, greater than 90 percent consolidation of the fiber-bundle-based preforms occurs.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein in the first consolidation, 15 percent or less consolidation of the resin-only constituent occurs.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein in the first consolidation, 10 percent or less consolidation of the resin-only constituent occurs.

Assignees

• Arris Composites Inc

Inventors

• Mannhalter Bert D
• Perkins J Scott
• Light Allison R
• Graham Ian
• Wong Joe
• Reese Riley

Classifications

• B29C70/345 Primary

  using matched moulds · CPC title

• B29B11/06

  by moulding the material · CPC title

• B29B11/10

  Extrusion moulding · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C70/086 Primary

  and with one or more layers of pure plastics material, e.g. foam layers (applying a non-preformed coating, e.g. a gel-coat, B29C37/0025; with foam blocks B29C70/86) · CPC title