Methods for manufacturing fiber-reinforced polymeric components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9931776-B2
Application number	US-201414559012-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2014
Priority date	Dec 12, 2013
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

Components may be manufactured by co-extruding a polymer filament and a fiber filament from a nozzle. The polymer filament and the fiber filament may be heated within the nozzle, which may couple the polymer filament to the fiber filament. The co-extruded filament may result in long reinforcing fibers which provide strength to the components.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a component comprising:
feeding a polymer filament into a nozzle;
feeding a fiber filament into the nozzle;
heating the polymer filament and the fiber filament, wherein the heating couples the polymer filament to the fiber filament;
co-extruding the polymer filament and the fiber filament; and
cooling the polymer filament and the fiber filament by conducting heat away from the polymer filament and fiber filament using cooling members.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising causing the fiber filament to become at least partially encapsulated within the polymer filament.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating a first layer of the component with a first continuous co-extruded filament.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising cutting the first continuous co-extruded filament.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising creating a second layer of the component with a second continuous co-extruded filament.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer filament comprises at least one of polyether ether ketone (PEEK), nylon, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fiber filament comprises a least one of glass, carbon, and aramid fiber.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle follows a path designated by a controller in communication with a non-transitory, tangible memory.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises at least one of an aircraft component, engine component, automotive component, sporting good component, consumer product component, tooting component, and assembly aid.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising co-extruding the polymer filament and the fiber filament into a mold or a free form grown part.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Butcher Evan
• Twelves Wendell
• Schirtzinger Gary
• Ott Joe
• Dautova Lyutsia

Classifications

• B29C64/336

  of two or more materials · CPC title

• B29C48/05 Primary

  Filamentary, e.g. strands · CPC title

• B29C48/2886

  of fillers or of fibrous materials, e.g. short-fibre reinforcements · CPC title

• B29C48/0022

  combined with cutting · CPC title

• B29C64/165

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title