EP0320155A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite structures
Assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
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Filing: 1988-11-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-11-28
Abstract
Abstract A structural thermoplastic composite material comprises a laminate of a first layer of a fibre reinforced thermoformable polymer composite containing reinforcing filaments and an adherent layer of a second thermoformable polymer. The thermoformable polymer of the adherent layer comprises either a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10°C below that of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10°C lower than the melting point of the polymer of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer which may be crystallisable in a subsquent annealing process. The adherent layer is applied to the first layer at a temperature above the melting point of the thermoformable polymer of the first layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Frederic Neil Cogswell
- 👤 Peter James Meakin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 00:42
CPC Classifications
B; B32; B32B; B32B5/00; B32B5/02; B32B5/12; B29; B29C; B29C65/00; B29C65/02; B29C66/00; B29C66/70; B29C66/72; B29C66/721; B29C66/7214; B29C66/72141; B29C66/73; B29C66/731; B29C66/7311; B29C66/73115; B29C66/737; B29C66/7377; B29C66/73771; B29C66/73775; B29C66/739; B29C66/7392; B29C66/73921; B29C66/90; B29C66/91; B29C66/914; B29C66/9141; B29C66/919; B29C66/9192; B29C66/91921; B29C66/91931; B29C66/91935; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/06; B29C70/08; B29C70/086; B32B5/10; B32B5/22; B32B5/24; B32B5/26; B32B7/00; B32B7/04; B32B7/12; C; C08; C08J; C08J5/00; C08J5/04; C08J5/0405; C08J5/042; C08J5/24; C08J5/241; C08J5/243; B29C65/34; B29C65/36; B29C65/3672; B29C65/3684; B29C65/48; B29C65/4805; B29C65/481; B29C65/4815; B29C66/71; B29C66/7212; B29C66/72143; B29C66/725; B29C66/7254; B29C66/727; B29C66/73117; B29C66/7394; B29K; B29K2023/00; B29K2023/10; B29K2023/12; B29K2067/00; B29K2071/00; B29K2077/00; B29K2081/00; B29K2081/06; B29K2101/00; B29K2101/12; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/04; B29K2105/06; B29K2995/00; B29K2995/0037; B29K2995/0039; B29K2995/0041; B32B2260/00; B32B2260/02; B32B2260/021; B32B2260/04; B32B2260/046; B32B2305/00; B32B2305/08; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/2495; Y10T428/24967; Y10T428/24975; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2913; Y10T428/298; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31721; Y10T428/31725; Y10T428/31728; Y10T428/31732; Y10T428/31736; Y10T428/31786; Y10T428/31794
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material characterised by comprising a laminate of a first layer of a fibre reinforced thermoformable polymer composite containing reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight which have a length in excess of 3 mm and an adherent layer of a second thermoformable polymer which comprises either a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10°C below that of the polymer of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10°C lower than the melting point of the polymer of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer which may be crystallisable in a subsequent annealing process, and wherein the adherent layer has been applied to the first layer at a temperature above the melting point of the thermoformable polymer of the first layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
137 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material characterised by comprising a laminate of a first layer of a fibre reinforced thermoformable polymer composite containing reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight which have a length in excess of 3 mm and an adherent layer of a second thermoformable polymer which comprises either a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10°C below that of the polymer of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10°C lower than the melting point of the polymer of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer which may be crystallisable in a subsequent annealing process, and wherein the adherent layer has been applied to the first layer at a temperature above the melting point of the thermoformable polymer of the first layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A structural composite according to claim 1, characterised in that the thermoformable polymer of the adherent layer is compatible with the polymer of the first layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A structural composite according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the polymer of the first layer is a crystalline polymer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A structural composite according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the first layer of fibre reinforced thermoformable composite is reinforced with continuous, aligned filaments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A structural composite according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that the adherent layer is reinforced with continuous, aligned filaments.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A structural composite article being characterised by comprising at least two structural composite materials according to any one of the preceding claims, respective adherent layers of said materials comprising a bond between said materials.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A structural composite article according to claim 6, characterised in that the bond strength between respective adherent layers is at least 70% of the shear strength of the bulk composite material of the article.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A structural composite article being characterised by comprising a different structural material to at least one surface of which the adherent layer of a structural composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is bonded.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A structural composite article according to claim 8, characterised in that said different structural material is sandwiched between opposed layers of said structural composite material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A structural composite article according to anyone of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that the thickness of the bond line formed by the adherent layer or layers is in the range 50 to 500 um.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of forming a structural composite material suitable as a component for forming larger structures being characterised by comprising providing first layer of a fibre reinforced thermoformable polymer composite containing reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight which have a length in excess of 3 mm applying an adherent layer of a second thermoformable polymer and heating the adherent layer and at least an adjacent part of the polymer of the first layer, to above the melting point of the polymer of the first layer, wherein the thermoformable polymer of the adherent layer comprises either a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10°C below that of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10°C lower than the melting point of the polymer of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer which may be crystallisable in a subsequent annealing process.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of forming a structural composite material suitable as a component for forming larger structures being characterised by comprising providing first layer of a fibre reinforced thermoformable polymer composite containing reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight which have a length in excess of 3 mm applying an adherent layer of a second thermoformable polymer and heating the adherent layer and at least an adjacent part of the polymer of the first layer, to above the melting point of the polymer of the first layer, wherein the thermoformable polymer of the adherent layer comprises either a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10°C below that of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10°C lower than the melting point of the polymer of the first layer, or is an amorphous polymer which may be crystallisable in a subsequent annealing process.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
69 words
A process of forming a structural composite article which includes at least one component comprising a structural composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 5 being characterised by comprising joining said at least one component to a second component which comprises a structural material whilst the adherent layer is melted but at a temperature below the melting point of the thermoformable polymer of the first layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
213 words
A process for repairing a structural thermoplastic article which comprises a fibre reinforced thermoformable polymer is characterised by comprising applying to a site of damage on the article an adherent layer having an areal extent at least sufficient to cover said site, wherein said layer is a second thermoformable polymer which comprises either crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10°C below the melting point of the polymer of the article, or is an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10°C lower than the melting point of the polymer of the article, or is an amorphous polymer which may be crystallisable in a subsequent annealing process, heating the adherent layer and the adjacent region of the article to a temperature above the melting point of the polymer of the article, allowing the adherent layer and the article to cool to below the melting point of the polymer of the article and, in a subsequent step, joining to the adherent layer a corresponding adherent layer of a structural composite material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, said joining being affected whilst said adherent layers are molten but at a temperature below the melting points of the polymer of the article and the structural composite material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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