Creating aligned and oriented fiber reinforced polymer composites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017008026-A1
Application number	US-201514793193-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 7, 2015
Priority date	Jul 7, 2015
Publication date	Jan 12, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A deposition nozzle has a housing, an inlet into the housing arranged to receive a solution carrying randomly oriented fibers, an orientation component within the housing, the orientation component positioned to receive the solution from the inlet and operate to produce aligned fibers in a predetermined, single direction, and an outlet on the housing arranged to receive the aligned fibers and deposit them on a substrate. A system includes a porous substrate, a deposition nozzle, a reservoir of randomly oriented fibers in solution connected to the deposition nozzle, the deposition nozzle position adjacent the porous substrate and connected to the reservoir, the nozzle to receive the randomly oriented fibers and output aligned fibers, and a vacuum connected to the porous substrate to remove fluid from the porous substrate as the deposition nozzle deposits the aligned fibers on the porous substrate to produce a fiber pre-form having aligned fibers. A method includes providing a reservoir of randomly oriented fibers in a solution, dispensing the solution of randomly oriented fibers through a nozzle having an orientation component onto a porous substrate as a solution of aligned fibers, and immobilizing the fibers to form a fiber pre-form.

First claim

1 . A deposition nozzle, comprising:
a housing; an inlet into the housing arranged to receive a solution carrying randomly oriented fibers; an orientation component within the housing, the orientation component positioned to receive the solution from the inlet and operate to produce aligned fibers in a predetermined, single direction; and an outlet on the housing arranged to receive the aligned fibers and deposit them on a substrate.

2 . The deposition nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the orientation component comprises at least two rollers.

3 . The deposition nozzle of claim 2 , wherein the rollers include actuators connected to the rollers, the actuators to rotate the rollers opposite each other.

4 . The deposition nozzle of claim 2 , further comprising a narrowing portion of the inlet adjacent the rollers.

5 . The deposition nozzle of claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable outlet ring attached to the outlet.

6 . The deposition nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is rotatable.

7 . The deposition nozzle of claim 1 , wherein the orientation component comprises a contraction in the inlet, the contraction narrow enough to force the randomly oriented fibers to align in a direction parallel to an axis of flow, and an outlet portion that is wider than the contraction in one direction and narrower in the contraction in a direction orthogonal to the one direction that causes the fibers to align orthogonal to the axis of flow.

8 . The deposition nozzle of claim 7 , further comprising an aligning flow.

9 . The deposition nozzle of claim 7 , further comprising a recycle outlet adjacent the outlet, the recycling outlet fluidically connected to the inlet to receive the aligning flow.

10 . A system, comprising:
a porous substrate; a deposition nozzle; a reservoir of randomly oriented fibers in solution connected to the deposition nozzle; the deposition nozzle position adjacent the porous substrate and connected to the reservoir, the nozzle to receive the randomly oriented fibers and output aligned fibers: and a vacuum connected to the porous substrate to remove fluid from the porous substrate as the deposition nozzle deposits the aligned fibers on the porous substrate to produce a fiber pre-form having aligned fibers.

11 . The system of claim 10 , further comprising a reservoir of matrix material positioned such that the matrix material can infuse the fiber pre-form.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a heat source.

13 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a pressure source to apply pressure to the matrix material to assist with infiltration of the matrix and set the matrix material into the fiber pre-form.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the deposition nozzle further comprises:
a housing; an inlet into the housing arranged to receive a solution carrying randomly oriented fibers; an orientation component within the housing, the orientation component positioned to receive the solution from the inlet and operate to produce aligned fibers in a predetermined, single direction; and an outlet on the housing arranged to receive the fibers and deposit them on a substrate.

15 . A method, comprising:
providing a reservoir of randomly oriented fibers in a solution; dispensing the solution of randomly oriented fibers through a nozzle having an orientation component onto a porous substrate as a solution of aligned fibers; and immobilizing the fibers to form a fiber pre-form.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising infiltrating the fiber pre-form with a matrix.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming the fiber pre-form into a predefined shape prior to infiltrating.

18 . The method of claim 15 , applying heat to lower the viscosity of the solution.

19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising setting the matrix.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein immobilizing the fibers comprises applying vacuum pressure to the porous substrate during the dispensing.

21 . The method of claim 15 , wherein immobilizing the fibers comprises applying a binder suspension to the porous substrate after the dispensing.

Assignees

• Palo Alto Res Ct Inc

Inventors

• Beck Victor Alfred
• Rao Ranjeet

Classifications

• B05D3/0493

  using vacuum · CPC title

• B29C41/16

  Slip casting, i.e. applying a slip or slurry on a perforated or porous or absorbent surface with the liquid being drained away · CPC title

• D04H1/70

  characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres · CPC title

• B29C70/384 Primary

  Fiber placement heads, e.g. component parts, details or accessories · CPC title

• D04H1/74

  the fibres being orientated, e.g. in parallel {(anisotropic fleeces)} · CPC title