Molding jig and molding method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023131411-A1
Application number	US-202017797454-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 10, 2020
Priority date	Feb 10, 2020
Publication date	Apr 27, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A molding jig for molding a laminate, which includes reinforced fiber sheets laminated on each other, extends in the length direction, and has a cross-sectional shape having a curved portion in a cross section obtained by cutting the laminate on a plane orthogonal to the length direction, into a three-dimensional shape having a bent portion in the length direction. The molding jig includes a female die for forming the bent portion, a male die for engaging with the female die with the laminate therebetween for forming the bent portion, and a stretchable supporting member between the female die and the laminate. The laminate comes in contact with the male die on both length-direction sides of the molded bent portion, and the supporting member is over a region including the female-side molding surface.

First claim

1 . A forming jig forming a laminate into a three-dimensional shape that extends in a longitudinal direction, that has a cross-sectional shape including curved portions in a cross-section cut along a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and that includes a bent portion in the longitudinal direction, the laminate being obtained by laminating reinforced fiber sheets, the forming jig comprising:
a female die that includes a female-side forming surface for forming the bent portion; a male die that is fitted to the female die with the laminate interposed therebetween and that includes a male-side forming surface for forming the bent portion; and a support member having extensibility that is provided between the female die and the laminate at a time of forming and that supports the laminate in a state where the laminate is separated from the female die, wherein the laminate abuts the male die on both sides of the bent portion to be formed in the longitudinal direction at the time of the forming, and the support member is provided over a range including the female-side forming surface in the longitudinal direction.

2 . The forming jig according to claim 1 ,
wherein the cross-section of the laminate has an Ω-shape including a bottom plate portion, two side plate portions that are provided on both sides of the bottom plate portion with the curved portions interposed therebetween, and two flange portions that are provided on sides of the two side plate portions opposite to the bottom plate portion with the curved portions interposed therebetween.

3 . The forming jig according to claim 1 ,
wherein the support member is a thermoplastic film or a heat-resistant rubber sheet.

4 . The forming jig according to claim 1 ,
wherein the support member is thinner than the reinforced fiber sheets.

5 . The forming jig according to claim 1 ,
wherein an extension ratio of the support member transitioning from a normal state to an extended state is within a range of 1.5 to 4.

6 . The forming jig according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a tensile force applying unit that is provided in a range where the support member is provided and that applies, to the laminate, a tensile force that pulls both sides of the laminate outward in the cross-section.

7 . The forming jig according to claim 1 ,
wherein the support member includes a plurality of support member segments into which the support member is divided in the longitudinal direction.

8 . The forming jig according to claim 1 ,
wherein a force by which the support member that relatively presses the laminate to the male die becomes smaller away from the bent portion in the longitudinal direction.

9 . A forming method of forming a laminate into a three-dimensional shape that extends in a longitudinal direction, that has a cross-sectional shape including curved portions in a cross-section cut along a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction, and that includes a bent portion in the longitudinal direction by using the forming jig according to claim 1 , the laminate being obtained by laminating reinforced fiber sheets, the forming method comprising:
a step of installing the laminate on the female die such that the laminate is supported by the support member provided on the female-side forming surface; and a step of forming the laminate into the three-dimensional shape including the bent portion by sandwiching the laminate between the male die and the female die.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Shimono Kodai
• Tokutomi Hiroshi

Classifications

• B32B37/0015

  to avoid warp or curl · CPC title

• B32B37/0007

  involving treatment or provisions in order to avoid deformation or air inclusion, e.g. to improve surface quality · CPC title

• B32B37/0076

  characterised in that the layers are not bonded on the totality of their surfaces · CPC title

• B32B37/1045

  Intermittent pressing, e.g. by oscillating or reciprocating motion of the pressing means (B32B37/0076 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C70/088

  and with one or more layers of non-plastics material or non-specified material, e.g. supports · CPC title