Patent US2379452A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0155820A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Forming fibre-plastics composites
Assignee: Rio Tinto Alcan International Ltd
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Filing: 1985-03-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-03-14
Abstract
Abstract A plastics composite of fibres in a thermoformable matrix is formed by contacting the composite with a sheet of metal and deforming the metal plastically. The thermoformable matrix may be thermoplastic or thermosetting and the metal may be superplastic. The matrix may be deformed between the sheet and another sheet or between the sheet and a mould. Thin bodies of complex shape may be formed.
Inventors
- 👤 James Buchan Cattanach
- 👤 Anthony John Barnes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:59
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B15/00; B32B15/04; B32B15/08; B29; B29C; B29C43/00; B29C43/32; B29C43/36; B29C43/3642; B29C51/00; B29C51/26; B29C51/28; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/28; B29C70/40; B29C70/42; B29C70/54; B29C70/542; B32B3/00; B32B3/26; B32B3/28; B32B7/00; B32B7/04; B32B7/12; B29C2043/3644; B29C43/02; B29C43/10; B29C43/12; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/06; B29K2705/00; B29L; B29L2009/00; B32B2305/00; B32B2305/07; B32B2305/076; B32B2309/00; B32B2309/60; B32B2309/68
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of forming a shaped article of a plastics composite comprising fibres dispersed in a matrix of a thermoformable material, comprising the steps of contacting at least one side of a body of said composite with a sheet of a metal which is capable of being plastically deformed at an elevated temperature, and urging the sheet against said side of the body whilst the sheet is at a temperature at which it can be plastically deformed and the body is at a temperature at which it will conform to the shape of the sheet, and plastically deforming the sheet to shape the body.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of forming a shaped article of a plastics composite comprising fibres dispersed in a matrix of a thermoformable material, comprising the steps of contacting at least one side of a body of said composite with a sheet of a metal which is capable of being plastically deformed at an elevated temperature, and urging the sheet against said side of the body whilst the sheet is at a temperature at which it can be plastically deformed and the body is at a temperature at which it will conform to the shape of the sheet, and plastically deforming the sheet to shape the body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 1, in which the thermoformable material is thermoplastic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method according to claim 1, in which the thermoformable material is thermosettable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the body of composite comprises a sheet of thickness from 0.25mm to 25mm.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
51 words
A method according to any preceding claim, in which the body of composite comprises a pre-formed consolidated plastics sheet containing superimposed layers of fibres and the composite sheet is curved about at least one axis in the plane of the composite sheet when the metal sheet is urged against the body.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
39 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the body of composite comprises an assembly of prepreg sheets and the prepreg sheets are consolidated together when the metal sheet is urged against the body.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
14 words
A method according to any preceding claim, in which the metal sheet is superplastic.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
40 words
A method according to any preceding claim, in which the body is positioned between said metal sheet and another sheet of deformable material and both sheets and the body are deformed on urging of the metal sheet against the body.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 8, in which said other sheet is perforate to allow gases trapped between the sheets to escape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 8, in which the space between the metal sheet and said other sheet is evacuated to remove gases between the sheets.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method according to claim 10, in which the peripheries of the sheets are joined by a rigid gas-tight frame to form an enclosure surrounding the body, the frame having an aperture and means for creating a vacuum in the enclosure are connected to the aperture, a vacuum is established in the enclosure and said metal sheet is urged against the body while the vacuum is maintained in the enclosure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 11, in which after deformation of the sheets and body the vacuum in the enclosure is maintained which the body is allowed to cool.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
18 words
A method according to any preceding claim, in which the metal sheet comprises an inflatable diaphragm or parison.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
43 words
A method according to any preceding claim, in which at least one member to be attached to the body is positioned in contact in with the body and becomes attached to the body on plastic deformation of the sheet to shape the body.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
46 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the body is positioned between the metal sheet and a surface of a mould and the metal sheet is deformed when urged against the body to press the body against the mould surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 15, in which the mould surface is provided with apertures, members to be attached to the body are placed in the apertures and the members become attached to the body when the body is pressed against the mould surface.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
50 words
A method according to any preceding claim, in which the metal sheet has at least one upstanding portion extending into or around the body when the sheet is urged against the body, said upstanding portion defining an edge of the shaped article extending in the direction transverse to the sheet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method according to claim 15, in which the body is positioned between said metal sheet and another deformable sheet which has an aperture opposite said upstanding portion, the upstanding portion entering the aperture when said metal sheet is urged against the body.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
34 words
A method according to any preceding claim, in which the body comprises a plurality of separate pieces of said composite and the pieces are joined together when the sheet is urged against the body.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
23 words
A method according to any preceding claim, in which a lubricant is applied between the surface of the metal sheet and the body.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
43 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 17 in which a layer of material is interposed between the metal sheet and the body and said material becomes adhered to the shaped article on urging of the sheet against the body.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
40 words
A method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, in which an adhesive is applied between the surface of the metal sheet and the body and the sheet is adhered to the body when urged against the body.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
24 words
A method of forming a shaped article of a plastics composite, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawing.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
24 words
A method of forming a shaped article of a plastics composite, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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