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US4445951A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method of manufacturing composite materials

Assignee: Rolls Royce PLC
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Filing: 1982-06-01
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Granted: 1984-05-01
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Expires: 2002-06-01
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Abstract

Abstract A method of manufacturing a composite material in which layers of reinforcing filaments are stitched across with filaments of a thermoplastic polymer and then interposed between sheets of the same thermoplastic polymer as that used to stitch across the reinforcing filaments. The resultant stack is then heated under pressure for sufficient time for the thermoplastic polymer to impregnate the reinforcing filaments whereupon the thus formed composite is cooled under compression in order to avoid any distortion thereof.

Inventors

  • 👤 David J. Lind
  • 👤 Joyce Richards

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 20:13
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H3/00; D04H3/08; D04H3/10; D04H3/115; B; B29; B29B; B29B15/00; B29B15/08; B29B15/10; B29B15/105; B29C; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/28; B29C70/30; B29C70/34; B29C70/40; B29C70/42; B29C70/46; B29C70/465; D04H3/002; D04H3/12; B29K; B29K2101/00; B29K2101/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/902; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24033; Y10T428/24041; Y10T428/2405; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2913; Y10T428/2918; Y10T428/2933; Y10T428/2971

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 156 words
A method of manufacturing a composite material comprising the successive steps of: (1) stitching across at least one layer of reinforcing filaments with filaments of a thermoplastic polymer so that said thermoplastic polymer filaments maintain said reinforcing filaments in a given configuration, (2) forming a structure of said at least one layer of the thus cross-stitched reinforcing filaments and sheets of the same thermoplastic polymer as that used in filament form to cross-stitch said reinforcing filaments so that one layer of cross-stitched filaments is interposed between two sheet of said thermoplastic polymer, (3) compressing said structure at a temperature at which said thermoplastic polymer is mobile, (4) maintaining said compression for sufficient time and temperature for the thermoplastic polymer of the sheets and filaments to impregnate said at least one layer of reinforcing filaments, (5) cooling the thus formed composite material under compression in order to avoid any distortion thereof, and subsequently (6) discontinuing said compression.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 156 words
A method of manufacturing a composite material comprising the successive steps of: (1) stitching across at least one layer of reinforcing filaments with filaments of a thermoplastic polymer so that said thermoplastic polymer filaments maintain said reinforcing filaments in a given configuration, (2) forming a structure of said at least one layer of the thus cross-stitched reinforcing filaments and sheets of the same thermoplastic polymer as that used in filament form to cross-stitch said reinforcing filaments so that one layer of cross-stitched filaments is interposed between two sheet of said thermoplastic polymer, (3) compressing said structure at a temperature at which said thermoplastic polymer is mobile, (4) maintaining said compression for sufficient time and temperature for the thermoplastic polymer of the sheets and filaments to impregnate said at least one layer of reinforcing filaments, (5) cooling the thus formed composite material under compression in order to avoid any distortion thereof, and subsequently (6) discontinuing said compression.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
A method of manufacturing a composite material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one layer of reinforcing filaments is in the form of tows.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method of manufacturing a composite material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one layer of reinforcing filaments is in the form of a woven cloth.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method of manufacturing a composite material as claimed in claim 3 wherein at least some of the weft filaments of the cloth are constituted by the filaments of said thermoplastic polymer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method of manufacturing a composite material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic polymer is an aromatic polyether.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method of manufacturing a composite material as claimed in claim 5 wherein said aromatic polyether is an aromatic polyetheretherketone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
A method of manufacturing a composite material as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reinforcing filaments are of carbon.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3841954A Cited
GB1485585A Cited
GB1570000A Cited
US4407876A Cited
US4320160A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-05-01 1987-10-31 1988-05-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-05-01 1991-10-31 1992-05-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-05-01 1995-10-31 1996-05-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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