Method for making a preform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9358731-B2
Application number	US-201213687544-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 28, 2012
Priority date	Dec 1, 2011
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for making a preform for a composite with a thermoplastic matrix, said preform comprising one or several layers of reinforcement fibers sewn on a support by means of at least one attachment yarn and according to the TFP process, characterized in that the method comprises one or several steps for depositing a thermoplastic-resin layer on the support or on a layer of reinforcement fibers.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for making a preform for a composite with a thermoplastic matrix, said preform comprising a plurality of layers of reinforcement fibers alternating with a plurality of layers of thermoplastic resin, each of the alternating layers sewn according to a Tailored Fiber Placement (TFP) process, characterized in that the method comprises
1) depositing a first layer consisting of reinforcement fibers onto a support;
2) sewing a first attachment yarn across the first layer of reinforcement fibers and onto the support in a zig-zag pattern;
3) depositing a first layer of thermoplastic resin consisting of thermoplastic yarns onto the first layer of reinforcement fibers;
4) sewing a second attachment yarn across the thermoplastic yarns of the first layer of thermoplastic resin and across the first layer of reinforcement fibers and onto the support in a zigzag pattern;
5) repeating steps 1)-4) beginning by depositing a second layer consisting of reinforcement fibers onto the first layer of thermoplastic resin.

2. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the reinforcement fibers within each layer are oriented in a same direction.

3. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the orientation and/or nature of the reinforcement fibers is different from one layer to the other.

4. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the support is selected from the group consisting of a third layer of thermoplastic resin, a composite fabric or a metal fabric.

5. The method according to claim 4 , characterized in that a thermoplastic film is positioned on one face or on both faces of the composite fabric or the metal fabric.

6. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first and second attachment yarn is in carbon, glass, aramide, basalt or thermoplastic resin.

7. The method according to claim 6 , characterized in that one or both of the first and second attachment yarns has a melting temperature greater by 20° than the melting temperature of the resin forming the first layer of thermoplastic resin or in that one or both of the first and second attachment yarn is made of a resin of the same nature as that of the first layer of thermoplastic resin.

8. The method according to claim 4 , characterized in that the third layer of thermoplastic resin is of the same nature as that of the first layer of thermoplastic resin.

9. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the thermoplastic yarns of the first layer of thermoplastic resin have the same orientation as the first layer of reinforcement fibers.

10. The method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plurality of layers of reinforcement-fiber and the plurality of layers of thermoplastic resin of said preform is variable depending on a shape of said preform.

11. A method for making a composite part with a thermoplastic matrix comprising the steps for making a preform according to claim 1 and a step for heating said preform.

12. The method according to claim 7 , characterized in that the one or both of the first and second attachment yarns has a melting temperature greater by 40° than the melting temperature of the resin forming the first layer of thermoplastic resin, or the one or both of the first and second attachment yarn is made of a resin of the same nature as that of the first layer of thermoplastic resin.

Assignees

• Grelin Hervé
• Techspace Aero Sa

Inventors

• Grelin Hervé

Classifications

• B29B11/16

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

• B29C70/543

  Fixing the position or configuration of fibrous reinforcements before or during moulding (for non-woven fabrics D04H3/08) · CPC title

• Y10T428/24033

  including stitching and discrete fastener[s], coating or bond · CPC title

• B29C70/00 Primary

  Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts · CPC title

• B29C70/026 Primary

  and with one or more layers of pure plastics material, e.g. foam layers (applying a non-preformed coating, e.g. a gel-coat B29C37/0025; with foam blocks B29C70/86) · CPC title