Induction welding thermoplastic material with different electrical conductivities

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025042097-A1
Application number	US-202318228367-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 31, 2023
Priority date	Jul 31, 2023
Publication date	Feb 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method is provided during which a first thermoplastic body is provided. The first thermoplastic body includes first fiber-reinforcement with a first electrical conductivity. A second thermoplastic body is provided. The second thermoplastic body includes second fiber-reinforcement with a second electrical conductivity that is greater than the first electrical conductivity. The second thermoplastic body is arranged with the first thermoplastic body. The second thermoplastic body is induction welded to the first thermoplastic body using an induction welding coil. The second thermoplastic body is arranged between the first thermoplastic body and the induction welding coil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
providing a first thermoplastic body, the first thermoplastic body comprising first fiber-reinforcement with a first electrical conductivity; providing a second thermoplastic body, the second thermoplastic body comprising second fiber-reinforcement with a second electrical conductivity that is greater than the first electrical conductivity; arranging the second thermoplastic body with the first thermoplastic body; and induction welding the second thermoplastic body to the first thermoplastic body using an induction welding coil, the second thermoplastic body arranged between the first thermoplastic body and the induction welding coil.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the first fiber-reinforcement comprises a plurality of first fibers, and one of the plurality of first fibers includes a first core and a first shell over the first core; the second fiber-reinforcement comprises a plurality of second fibers, and one of the plurality of second fibers includes a second core and a second shell over the second core; and the second shell has a greater electrical conductivity than the first shell.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second core and the first core have a common electrical conductivity.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the second core and the first core comprises a common material.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the first fiber-reinforcement comprises a plurality of first fibers, and one of the plurality of first fibers comprises the first electrical conductivity; and the second fiber-reinforcement comprises a plurality of second fibers, and one of the plurality of second fibers comprises the second electrical conductivity.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the one of the plurality of first fibers and the one of the plurality of second fibers comprise a common carbon material.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
treating a plurality of first fibers with a first treatment to provide the first fiber-reinforcement with the first electrical conductivity, and the providing of the first thermoplastic body comprising embedding the first fiber-reinforcement within a first thermoplastic matrix; and treating a plurality of second fibers with a second treatment to provide the second fiber-reinforcement with the second electrical conductivity, the second treatment different than the first treatment, and the providing of the second thermoplastic body comprising embedding the second fiber-reinforcement within a second thermoplastic matrix.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of first fibers and the plurality of second fibers are formed by a common material.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein
the first treatment comprises heating the plurality of first fibers at a first elevated temperature for a first period of time; the second treatment comprises heating the plurality of second fibers at a second elevated temperature for a second period of time; and at least one of
the first elevated temperature is different than the second elevated temperature; or
the first period of time is different than the second period of time.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein
the first treatment comprises coating the plurality of first fibers with a first material; and the second treatment comprises coating the plurality of second fibers with a second material that is different than the first material.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the first fiber-reinforcement comprises a plurality of first fibers, and one of the plurality of first fibers comprises a first material; and the second fiber-reinforcement comprises a plurality of second fibers, and one of the plurality of second fibers comprises a second material that is different than the first material.

12 . The repair method of claim 1 , wherein the induction welding comprises exciting a plurality of first fibers of the first fiber-reinforcement and a plurality of second fibers of the second fiber-reinforcement with eddy currents generated by the induction welding coil.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein
the first thermoplastic body is configured as a support structure; the second thermoplastic body is configured as a skin; and the skin is supported by and welded to the support structure following the induction welding.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming an aircraft component; the aircraft component including the second thermoplastic body induction welded to the first thermoplastic body.

15 . A method, comprising:
providing a first thermoplastic body, the first thermoplastic body comprising a first thermoplastic matrix and a plurality of first carbon fibers embedded within the first thermoplastic matrix, and the plurality of first carbon fibers comprising a first electrical conductivity; providing a second thermoplastic body, the second thermoplastic body comprising a second thermoplastic matrix and a plurality of second carbon fibers embedded within the second thermoplastic matrix, and the plurality of second carbon fibers comprising a second electrical conductivity which is greater than the first electrical conductivity; and induction welding the second thermoplastic body to the first thermoplastic body using an induction welding coil, the second thermoplastic body located between the first thermoplastic body and the induction welding coil.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of first carbon fibers and the plurality of second carbon fibers comprise a common carbon material.

17 . A method, comprising:
providing a plurality of first fibers with a first electrical conductivity; providing a first thermoplastic body, the providing of the first thermoplastic body comprising embedding the plurality of first fibers within a first thermoplastic matrix; providing a plurality of second fibers with a second electrical conductivity which is different than the first electrical conductivity; providing a second thermoplastic body, the providing of the second thermoplastic body comprising embedding the plurality of second fibers within a second thermoplastic matrix; and induction welding the second thermoplastic body to the first thermoplastic body using an induction welding coil.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein
the second electrical conductivity is greater than the first electrical conductivity; and the second thermoplastic body is arranged between the first thermoplastic body and the induction welding coil during the induction welding.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
providing a plurality of carbon fibers formed from a common carbon material; treating a first set of the plurality of carbon fibers with a first treatment to provide the plurality of first fibers with the first electrical conductivity; and treating a second set of the plurality of carbon fibers with a second treatment to provide the plurality of second fibers with the second electrical conductivity.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein
one of the plurality of first fibers includes a first core and a first shell over the first core; one of the plurality of second fibers includes a second core and a second shell over the second core; the second core and the first core comprises a common material; and the second shell has a greater electrical conductivity than the first shell.

Assignees

• Rohr Inc

Inventors

• Van Tooren Michael
• Croshaw Chris

Classifications

• B29L2031/3076

  Aircrafts (blades, propellers B29L2031/08) · CPC title

• B29K2995/0005

  Conductive · CPC title

• B29K2307/04

  Carbon · CPC title

• B29C2035/0816

  using eddy currents · CPC title

• B29C70/882

  partly or totally electrically conductive, e.g. for EMI shielding (conductive floors or floor coverings H05F3/025; EMI shielding in general H05K9/00) · CPC title