Impregnation section of die for impregnating fiber rovings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9289936-B2
Application number	US-201213707662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2012
Priority date	Dec 9, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A die and a method for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin are disclosed. The die includes an impregnation section comprising an impregnation zone configured to impregnate the roving with the resin. The die further includes a passage at least partially defined in the impregnation section and in fluid communication with the impregnation zone, and a pump in fluid communication with the passage. The method includes coating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin, traversing the coated roving through an impregnation zone of an impregnation section to impregnate the roving with the resin, and applying an external pressure to the impregnation zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A die for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin, the die comprising:
an impregnation section comprising an impregnation zone configured to impregnate the roving with the resin, the impregnation section further comprising an inner surface defining the impregnation zone and have a waveform cross-sectional profile comprising a plurality of peaks and a plurality of valleys;
a passage at least partially defined in the impregnation section and in fluid communication with the impregnation zone, the passage free from the resin, the passage comprising at least one outlet defined in the impregnation zone, the at least one outlet defined in the inner surface with the waveform cross-sectional profile; and
a pump in fluid communication with the passage.

2. The die of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a negative pressure pump.

3. The die of claim 1 , wherein the pump is a positive pressure pump.

4. The die of claim 1 , wherein the passage comprises a plurality of outlets.

5. The die of claim 1 , wherein the impregnation section comprises a first impregnation plate and a second impregnation plate each defining the impregnation zone, wherein the passage is at least partially defined in the first impregnation plate.

6. The die of claim 1 , wherein the at least one outlet is defined in one of the plurality of valleys.

7. the die of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of passages.

8. The die of claim 7 , further comprising a plurality of pumps.

9. The die of claim 8 , wherein each of the pumps is independently operable.

10. The die of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing device mounted to an inlet of the impregnation section.

11. The die of claim 1 , wherein the resin is a thermoplastic resin.

12. The die of claim 1 , wherein the resin is a thermoset resin.

13. A method for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin, the method comprising:
coating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin;
traversing the coated roving through an impregnation zone of an impregnation section to impregnate the roving with the resin, the impregnation section further comprising an inner surface defining the impregnation zone and having a waveform cross-sectional profile comprising a plurality of peaks and a plurality of valleys; and
applying an external pressure to the impregnation zone through a passage at least partially defined in the impregnation section and in fluid communication with the impregnation zone, the passage free from the resin, the passage comprising at least one outlet defined in the impregnation zone, the at least one outlet defined in the inner surface within the waveform cross-sectional profile.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the external pressure is positive.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the external pressure is negative.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein a pump applies the external pressure.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the passage is in fluid communication with the pump.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising applying a plurality of external pressures to the impregnation zone.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the application of each of the plurality of external pressures is independent of the application of others of the plurality of external pressures.

20. A die for impregnating at least one fiber roving with a polymer resin, the die comprising:
an impregnation section comprising an impregnation zone configured to impregnate the roving with the resin, the impregnation section further comprising an inner surface defining the impregnation zone and comprising a plurality of peaks and a plurality of valleys;
a passage at least partially defined in the impregnation section and in fluid communication with the impregnation zone, the passage comprising at least one outlet defined in the impregnation zone, the at least one outlet defined in the inner surface in one of the plurality of valleys; and
a pump in fluid communication with the passage.

Assignees

• Ticona Llc

Inventors

• Eastep David W
• Johnson Aaron H
• Tibor Timothy L

Classifications

• B29C48/0011

  combined with compression moulding · CPC title

• B29B15/122

  with a matrix in liquid form, e.g. as melt, solution or latex · CPC title

• B29C70/523

  and impregnating the reinforcement in the die · CPC title

• B29C48/34

  Cross-head annular extrusion nozzles, i.e. for simultaneously receiving moulding material and the preform to be coated · CPC title

• B29C48/156

  Coating two or more articles simultaneously · CPC title