Method of clinching the top and bottom ends of Z-axis fibers into the respective top and bottom surfaces of a composite laminate
US6676785B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 19, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jan 13, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 19, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/31504
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming an improved pultruded and clinched Z-axis fiber reinforced composite laminate structure. The upper and lower skins and the core are pulled automatically through tooling where the skin material is wetted-out with resin and the entire composite laminate is preformed in nearly its final thickness. The preformed composite laminate continues to be pulled into an automatic 3-dimensional Z-axis fiber deposition machine that deposits “groupings of fiber filaments” at multiple locations normal to the plane of the composite laminate structure and cuts each individual grouping such that an extension of each “grouping of fiber filaments” remains above the upper skin and below the lower skin. The preformed composite laminate then continues to be pulled into a secondary wet-out station. Next the preformed composite laminate travels into a pultrusion die where the extended “groupings of fiber filaments” are all bent over above the top skin and below the bottom skin producing a superior clinched Z-axis fiber reinforcement as a composite laminate continues to be pulled, catalyzed, and cured at the back section of the pultrusion …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.