US5066536A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Fibre reinforced thermoplastic composite structures
Assignee: Fiberite Inc
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Filing: 1988-12-06
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Granted: 1991-11-19
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Expires: 2008-12-06
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 crystallizable 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 N. Cogswell
- 👤 Peter J. Meakin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 16:08
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: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material comprising a laminate of (a) a first layer of a fibre reinforced composite comprising a first thermoformable polymer and reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight of which have a length in excess of 3 mm; and (b) a second adherent layer comprising a second thermoformable polymer selected from the group consisting of a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10° C. below that of the first polymer, an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10° C. lower than the melting point of the first polymer and an amorphous polymer which is crystallisable by annealing, said second adherent layer having been applied to said first layer at a temperature above the melting point of the first polymer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material comprising a laminate of (a) a first layer of a fibre reinforced composite comprising a first thermoformable polymer and reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight of which have a length in excess of 3 mm; and (b) a second adherent layer comprising a second thermoformable polymer selected from the group consisting of a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10° C. below that of the first polymer, an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10° C. lower than the melting point of the first polymer and an amorphous polymer which is crystallisable by annealing, said second adherent layer having been applied to said first layer at a temperature above the melting point of the first polymer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A structural composite according to claim 1, in which the thermoformable polymer of the adherent layer is compatible with the polymer of the first layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A structural composite according to claim 1 in which the polymer of the first layer is a crystalline polymer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A structural composite according to claim 1, in which the first layer of fibre reinforced thermoformable composite is reinforced with continuous, aligned filaments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A structural composite according to claim 1, in which the adherent layer is reinforced with continuous, aligned filaments.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A structural composite article comprising at least two structural composite materials comprising first and second layers according to claim 1, said materials being bonded together through their respective second layers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A structural composite article according to claim 6, in which the bond strength between said respective bonded second layers is at least 70% of the shear strength of the bulk composite material of the article.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A structural composite article comprising a first structural composite material according to claim 1 and a second structural material bonded thereto by the second layer of said first structural composite material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A structural composite article according to claim 8, in which said second structural material is sandwiched between opposed layers of said structural composite material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A structural composite article according to claim 6 in which the thickness of the bond line formed by the adherent layer or layers is about in the range 50 to 500 μm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
136 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material comprising a laminate of: (a) a first layer of a fibre-reinforced composite comprising a first thermoformable polymer and reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight of which have a length in excess of 3 mm; and (b) a second adherent layer comprising a second thermoformable polymer, said second polymer being selected from the group consisting of a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10° C. below that of said first polymer, an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10° C. lower than the melting point of said first polymer and an amorphous polymer which is crystallisable by annealing; and comprising an exposed surface; said second layer having been applied to said first layer at a temperature above the melting point of said first polymer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
136 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material comprising a laminate of: (a) a first layer of a fibre-reinforced composite comprising a first thermoformable polymer and reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight of which have a length in excess of 3 mm; and (b) a second adherent layer comprising a second thermoformable polymer, said second polymer being selected from the group consisting of a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10° C. below that of said first polymer, an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10° C. lower than the melting point of said first polymer and an amorphous polymer which is crystallisable by annealing; and comprising an exposed surface; said second layer having been applied to said first layer at a temperature above the melting point of said first polymer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
131 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material comprising: (a) a first fibre-reinforced composite material comprising a first thermoformable polymer and reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight of which have a length in excess of 3 mm; and (b) a second adherent material comprising a second thermoformable polymer, said second polymer being selected from the group consisting of a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10° C. below that of said first polymer, an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10° C. lower than the melting point of said first polymer and an amorphous polymer which is crystallisable by annealing; and comprising an exposed surface; said second material having been applied to said first material at a temperature above the melting point of said first polymer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
131 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material comprising: (a) a first fibre-reinforced composite material comprising a first thermoformable polymer and reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight of which have a length in excess of 3 mm; and (b) a second adherent material comprising a second thermoformable polymer, said second polymer being selected from the group consisting of a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10° C. below that of said first polymer, an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10° C. lower than the melting point of said first polymer and an amorphous polymer which is crystallisable by annealing; and comprising an exposed surface; said second material having been applied to said first material at a temperature above the melting point of said first polymer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
173 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material comprising: (a) a first fibre-reinforced composite material comprising a first thermoformable polymer and reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight of which have a length in excess of 3 mm; and (b) a second adherent material comprising a second thermoformable polymer, said second polymer being selected from the group consisting of a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10° C. below that of said first polymer, an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10° C. lower than the melting point of said first polymer and an amorphous polymer which is crystallisable by annealing; and comprising an exposed surface; said second material having been applied to a surface of said first material at a temperature above the melting point of said first polymer, said composite material being bondable to another material by contacting said exposed surface to a surface of said other material to which it is to be bonded under conditions of heat and pressure insufficient to melt the first polymer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
173 words
A structural thermoplastic composite material comprising: (a) a first fibre-reinforced composite material comprising a first thermoformable polymer and reinforcing filaments at least 50% by weight of which have a length in excess of 3 mm; and (b) a second adherent material comprising a second thermoformable polymer, said second polymer being selected from the group consisting of a crystalline polymer having a melting point at least 10° C. below that of said first polymer, an amorphous polymer having a glass transition temperature which is at least 10° C. lower than the melting point of said first polymer and an amorphous polymer which is crystallisable by annealing; and comprising an exposed surface; said second material having been applied to a surface of said first material at a temperature above the melting point of said first polymer, said composite material being bondable to another material by contacting said exposed surface to a surface of said other material to which it is to be bonded under conditions of heat and pressure insufficient to melt the first polymer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-11-18 | 1995-05-20 | 1995-11-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-11-18 | 1999-05-20 | 1999-11-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-11-18 | 2003-05-20 | 2003-11-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |