US4964935A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of making fibre reinforced thermoplastics material structure
Assignee: Wiggins Teape Group Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-08-03
•
Granted: 1990-10-23
•
Expires: 2009-08-03
Abstract
Abstract A fibre reinforced thermoplastics material structure having a first layer which is fully consolidated with uniformly dispersed fibres and a second layer which is formed as an absorbent matrix.
Inventors
- 👤 Ian S. Biggs
- 👤 Bronislaw Radvan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 08:27
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C43/00; B29C43/003; B32; B32B; B32B17/00; B32B17/02; B32B17/04; B29C43/02; B29C43/20; B29C43/203; B29C70/00; B29C70/04; B29C70/06; B29C70/08; B29C70/28; B29C70/40; B29C70/42; B29C70/46; B29K; B29K2101/00; B29K2101/12; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/04; B29K2105/06; B29K2105/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/902; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24058; Y10T428/24124; Y10T428/24942; Y10T428/24992; Y10T428/249921; Y10T428/249924; Y10T428/24994; Y10T428/24995; Y10T428/249953; Y10T428/249961; Y10T428/249986; Y10T428/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
A method of making a fibre reinforced plastics structure having a plurality of layers, including a first layer which is fully consolidated with uniformly dispersed fibres and a second layer which is formed as an absorbent matrix from a first sheet of fibre reinforced thermoplastics material which will consolidate when cooled after subjection to pressure at a temperature above the melt temperature of the thermoplastics material of said first sheet of a second sheet of fibre reinforced thermoplastics material which will remain porous when cooled after subjection to pressure at a temperature above the melt temperature of the thermoplastics material of the second sheet, comprising the steps of: (i) heating said first and second sheets to a temperature above that at which the thermoplastics materials of both of said sheets are caused to melt, and (ii) subjecting said first and second sheets, whilst in surface contact, to pressure in a mould; wherein said first and second sheets bond together in conformity with the shape of the mould and form a laminated moulding having a fully consolidated first layer and a second layer at least a portion of which remains porous.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
190 words
A method of making a fibre reinforced plastics structure having a plurality of layers, including a first layer which is fully consolidated with uniformly dispersed fibres and a second layer which is formed as an absorbent matrix from a first sheet of fibre reinforced thermoplastics material which will consolidate when cooled after subjection to pressure at a temperature above the melt temperature of the thermoplastics material of said first sheet of a second sheet of fibre reinforced thermoplastics material which will remain porous when cooled after subjection to pressure at a temperature above the melt temperature of the thermoplastics material of the second sheet, comprising the steps of: (i) heating said first and second sheets to a temperature above that at which the thermoplastics materials of both of said sheets are caused to melt, and (ii) subjecting said first and second sheets, whilst in surface contact, to pressure in a mould; wherein said first and second sheets bond together in conformity with the shape of the mould and form a laminated moulding having a fully consolidated first layer and a second layer at least a portion of which remains porous.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
The method of making a fibre reinforced plastics structure, as recited in claim 1, including the steps of selecting a material for the first layer having a fibre density which is less than a critical fibre concentration, and selecting a material for the second layer having a fibre density which is greater than the critical fibre concentration, where the critical fibre concentration represents a fibre density above which full consolidation of the structure is impossible under normal conditions of pressing and moulding.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the first sheet and the second sheet are laminated.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which a substantial portion of the fibres are between 7 and 50 millimeters long and 13 microns or less in diameter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 in which the fibres are in the form of single discrete fibres.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the reinforcing fibres have a high modulus of elasticity.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 which includes using a second sheet of material which has been expanded, or in which the fibre content is above that which is possible to achieve full consolidation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 which includes investing the said porous portion of said second sheet of fibre reinforced plastics material with a thermosetting of thermoplastic plastics material before or after laminating with said first sheet of fibre reinforced plastics material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 which includes investing the porous portion with thermosetting or thermoplastic plastics material in the mould.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as claimed in claim 9 in which the thermosetting plastics material is placed in the mould in a liquid state prior to said laminate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 in which the said porous portion is invested with a thermoplastics material which is provided in sheet form and integrated with said laminate in the mould.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as claimed in claim 11 in which the thermoplastics material sheet is of larger overall dimensions than the porous portion of the second sheet of fibre reinforced thermoplastics material whereby part of the third sheet is caused to integrate with at least part of one side edge of the second sheet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 10 which includes moulding the second sheet under pressure, investing it with the thermosetting or thermoplastics material and then laminating said second invested sheet with said first sheet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method as claimed in claim 13 which includes placing the second sheet in the mould, applying pressure, releasing said pressure to allow said sheet to resume its porous configuration prior to pressing, placing the thermosetting or thermoplastic plastics material in the mould, applying pressure to invest said second sheet with the thermosetting or thermoplastic plastics material and subsequently laminating said invested second sheet to said first sheet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 which includes preheating the first and second layers before placing them in the mould.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the fibres are glass fibres.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 16 in which the glass fibre content in the first sheet is less than 30%.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 16 in which the glass fibre content in the second sheet is more than 60%.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the thermoplastics materials is polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrilonitrystyrenebutadiene, polyethyleneterephthalate, polybutyleneterephthalate or polyvinylchloride, both plasticised or unplasticised, or an alloy and blends of these materials with each other or after polymeric materials.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the thermoplastics materials are polyphenylene ether or polycarbonates of polyestercarbonates or thermoplastic polyesters or polyetherimides or acrylonitrile--butylacrylate--styrene polymers or amorphous nylon or polyarylene ether ketone or alloys or blends of these materials with each other or other polymeric materials.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
DE24181C
Cited
US1875018A
Cited
US1901382A
Cited
GB448138A
Cited
US2388187A
Cited
US2653870A
Cited
FR1040359A
Cited
GB703023A
Cited
GB729381A
Cited
US2892107A
Cited
US2795524A
Cited
US2962414A
Cited
GB855132A
Cited
GB843154A
Cited
GB871117A
Cited
US3216841A
Cited
GB1058932A
Cited
US3573158A
Cited
US3428518A
Cited
US3489827A
Cited
GB1008833A
Cited
GB1113792A
Cited
US3396062A
Cited
CH462024A
Cited
US3494824A
Cited
GB1134785A
Cited
GB1110659A
Cited
GB1129757A
Cited
US3897533A
Cited
GB1198324A
Cited
US4153760A
Cited
US3975483A
Cited
GB1204039A
Cited
FR1553537A
Cited
US3452128A
Cited
FR1529133A
Cited
GB1230789A
Cited
GB1231937A
Cited
GB1305982A
Cited
GB1306145A
Cited
US3607500A
Cited
GB1263812A
Cited
GB1348896A
Cited
GB1341438A
Cited
US3664909A
Cited
US3837986A
Cited
GB1330485A
Cited
US3856614A
Cited
US3832115A
Cited
US3873336A
Cited
US3980511A
Cited
US3850723A
Cited
GB1412642A
Cited
US3865661A
Cited
GB1329409A
Cited
US3903343A
Cited
GB1424682A
Cited
DE2249138A1
Cited
US3891738A
Cited
US3980613A
Cited
US4007083A
Cited
US3930917A
Cited
US4104340A
Cited
US4081318A
Cited
US4234652A
Cited
US4104435A
Cited
US4159294A
Cited
US4178411A
Cited
US4273981A
Cited
US4469543A
Cited
US4498957A
Cited
US4327164A
Cited
US4242404A
Cited
GB2051170B
Cited
US4386943A
Cited
JPS5637373A
Cited
US4339490A
Cited
US4286977A
Cited
GB2065016B
Cited
FR2475970A1
Cited
US4508777A
Cited
US4362778A
Cited
US4399085A
Cited
GB2093474B
Cited
US4503116A
Cited
GB2096195B
Cited
US4359132A
Cited
US4451539A
Cited
EP0071219A1
Cited
US4426470A
Cited
US4393154A
Cited
US4481248A
Cited
US4562033A
Cited
US4440819A
Cited
US4512836A
Cited
US4495238A
Cited
US4670331A
Cited
US4543288A
Cited
EP0152994A2
Cited
EP0148760A2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-10-22 | 1994-04-23 | 1994-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-10-22 | 1998-04-23 | 1998-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-10-22 | 2002-04-23 | 2002-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |