Patent · US Expired

Shaped filamentary structures

US6174594A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
44References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 25, 1995
Grant dateJan 16, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 25, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T442/3528
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Duplex layers of carbon fiber each comprising a lower portion of uni-directional filaments and an upper staple fiber portion are laid one on top of the other in an annular form. Needles are reciprocated through the layers to cause the staple fiber to be pushed downwardly to interconnect the layers. The base supporting the layers being assembled is gradually lowered until there comes a time when the bottom of the needle stroke no longer passes through all of the layers. At that time additional layers comprising staple fiber only are added and needled down into the stack to enrich the lower layers. After that enrichment the stack is then built up by adding further duplex layers. When all of the duplex layers have been added, further staple fibers may be added to the stop of the stack and needled in order to enrich the upper layers with interconnecting staple fibers, which upper layers would otherwise be deficient in interconnecting staple fiber.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.