Space filling material and space filling structure, and methods for using those

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12109742-B2
Application number	US-202117464744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2021
Priority date	Mar 13, 2019
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

Provided are a space filling material and a space filling structure capable of filling a predetermined space for various purposes, and method for using those. A space filling material ( 11 ) includes reinforcing fibers as an expansion material and a resin. The reinforcing fibers form a plurality of intersections and are bonded with the resin at at least one of the intersections. Heating of the space filling material causes an expansion stress in at least a thickness direction (X) such that the space filling material fills a predetermined space ( 13 ). For example, the space filling material may contain the resin at a volume ratio of 15 to 95 vol % based on a total volume of the reinforcing fibers and the resin.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A space filling material comprising:
reinforcing fibers as an expansion material, the reinforcing fibers forming a plurality of intersections, and,
a resin bonding at least one of the intersections;
the space filling material generating an expansion stress upon heating in at least a thickness direction such that the space filling material fills a predetermined space, wherein:
the resin is a thermoplastic resin; and
the thermoplastic resin has a glass transition temperature of 100° C. or higher.

2. The space filling material according to claim 1 , wherein the space filling material contains the resin at a volume ratio of 15 to 95 vol % based on a total volume of the reinforcing fibers and the resin.

3. A space filling material comprising:
reinforcing fibers as an expansion material, the reinforcing fibers forming a plurality of intersections, and,
a resin bonding at least one of the intersections; and
the space filling material generating an expansion stress upon heating in at least a thickness direction such that the space filling material fills a predetermined space
wherein the reinforcing fibers are in bent forms each receiving a bending load; and
softening of the resin releases the bending load to make the space filling material to be expanded.

4. The space filling material according to claim 1 , wherein the space filling material has an expansion ratio of 105% or more at a constant load in the thickness direction.

5. The space filling material according to claim 1 , wherein the space filling material after expanded has a deformation ratio of −10% to 10% in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction.

6. A space filling material comprising:
reinforcing fibers as an expansion material, the reinforcing fibers forming a plurality of intersections, and,
a resin bonding at least one of the intersections; and
the space filling material generating an expansion stress upon heating in at least a thickness direction such that the space filling material fills a predetermined space wherein:
the resin is a thermoplastic resin; and
the thermoplastic resin is at least one of thermoplastic resin selected from a group consisting of a thermoplastic polyimide-based resin, a polyether ketone-based resin, a semi-aromatic polyamide-based resin, a polycarbonate-based resin, a liquid crystal polyester-based resin, a polysulfone-based resin, and a polytetrafluoroethylene-based resin.

7. The space filling material according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibers have a fiber length of 3 to 100 mm.

8. The space filling material according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibers are insulative fibers.

9. The space filling material according to claim 1 , wherein the space filling material has a porosity of 3 to 75%.

10. The space filling material according to claim 1 , wherein the space filling material has a density of 0.5 to 10 g/cm 3 .

11. The space filling material according to claim 1 , wherein the space filling material is used for fixing a material to be fixed in the predetermined space.

12. A space filling structure comprising the space filling material as recited in claim 11 and a material to be fixed, the material(s) being integrated in contact with at least a part of the space filling material.

13. The space filling structure according to claim 12 , wherein the material to be fixed is sandwiched between the space filling materials.

14. A method of using the space filling material as recited in claim 1 , the method comprising:
heating the space filling material at a temperature of softening temperature of the resin or higher so as to expand the space filling material in the predetermined space.

15. The method according to claim 14 comprising inserting the space filling material into the predetermined space.

16. A method of using the space filling material as recited in claim 1 , the method comprising:
heating the space filling material at a temperature of softening temperature of the resin or higher so as to expand the space filling material(s) in the predetermined space and fix a material to be fixed.

17. The method according to claim 16 comprising inserting the space filling material and/or the material to be fixed into the predetermined space.

18. A method of using the space filling structure as recited in claim 12 , the method comprising:
heating the space filling material at a temperature of softening temperature of the resin or higher so as to expand the space filling material(s) in the predetermined space and fix the material to be fixed.

19. The method according to claim 18 comprising inserting the space filling structure into the predetermined space.

20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the expanded space filling material has a porosity of 30 to 95%.

21. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the expanded space filling material has a continuous porous structure.

22. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the expanded space filling material has a density of 0.1 to 1.5 g/cm 3 .

Assignees

• Kuraray Co

Inventors

• Katsuya Satoshi
• Endo Ryokei
• Washitake Yosuke
• Suiko Shunsuke

Classifications

• D04H1/488

  in combination with bonding agents · CPC title

• C08L101/12

  characterised by physical features, e.g. anisotropy, viscosity or electrical conductivity (liquid crystal materials or compositions C09K19/00) · CPC title

• D04H1/58

  by applying, incorporating or activating chemical or thermoplastic bonding agents, e.g. adhesives (in combination with needling D04H1/488) · CPC title

• B29B11/16

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

• B29C61/04

  Thermal expansion · CPC title