Impregnated fiber precursors and methods and systems for producing impregnated fibers and fabricating composite structures
First Claim
1. A method of forming a fiber system for use in the fabrication of composite structures, the method comprising:
- providing a matrix precursor in the form of a first matrix component and at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component, the first and at least a second matrix components formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
providing at least two tows of fibers;
applying to at least a first tow of the at least two tows of fibers a first matrix component comprising a substantially uncatalyzed resin component; and
applying to at least a second tow of the at least two tows of fibers at least a second matrix component comprising a substantially unreacted hardener component.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, apparatus, and systems for impregnation of fibers and their use in the fabrication of composite structures using two or more different but cooperative matrix components applied to separate tows of dry fibers to form single component prepregs. A single tow of dry fibers may also be impregnated with one matrix component and subsequently with at least one other matrix component. The first matrix component may predominantly comprise a substantially uncatalyzed component and the at least one other matrix component may predominantly comprise a substantially unreacted hardener component. Until the at least two components are combined, the tows impregnated with the at least two different matrix components have virtually infinite shelf life at room temperature. Only when at least two differently impregnated tows are combined during the composite fabrication process is an overall stoichiometrically correct matrix composition obtained to enable the final curing and hardening of the composite part.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. A method of forming a fiber system for use in the fabrication of composite structures, the method comprising:
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providing a matrix precursor in the form of a first matrix component and at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component, the first and at least a second matrix components formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
providing at least two tows of fibers;
applying to at least a first tow of the at least two tows of fibers a first matrix component comprising a substantially uncatalyzed resin component; and
applying to at least a second tow of the at least two tows of fibers at least a second matrix component comprising a substantially unreacted hardener component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of fabricating a composite structure, comprising:
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providing a matrix precursor in the form of a first matrix component and at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component, the first and the at least a second matrix components formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
providing at least two tows of fibers;
applying to at least a first tow of the at least two tows of dry fibers the first matrix component;
applying to at least a second tow of the at least two tows of dry fibers the at least a second matrix component;
commingling the at least first and second tows to which the first matrix component and the at least a second matrix component have been applied into at least one consolidated tow; and
using the at least one consolidated tow to form a composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of fabricating a composite structure, comprising:
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providing a matrix precursor in the form of a first matrix component and at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component, the first and the at least a second matrix components formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
providing at least one tow of dry fibers;
applying to the at least one tow of dry fibers one of the first and the at least a second matrix components to form at least one high-sized tow of fibers;
applying another of the first and the at least a second matrix components to the at least one high-sized tow of fibers to provide a tow having commingled first and second matrix components; and
using the tow having the commingled first and at least a second matrix components to form a composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for forming a fiber system for use in the fabrication of composite structures, comprising:
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a source of a first matrix component;
at least another source of at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component;
wherein the first and the at least a second matrix components are formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
a first impregnation assembly configured to receive at least one tow of fibers, to apply the first matrix component to the at least first tow of fibers and to deliver the at least first tow of fibers to at least one storage spool after the application of the first matrix component; and
at least a second impregnation assembly configured to receive at least a second tow of fibers, to apply the at least a second matrix component to the at least second tow of fibers and to deliver the at least a second tow of impregnated fibers to at least a second storage spool after the application of the at least a second matrix component. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for use in fabricating a composite structure, comprising:
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a source of a first matrix component;
at least another source of at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component;
wherein the first and the at least a second matrix components are formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
a first assembly configured to receive at least a first tow of fibers, to apply the first matrix component to the at least first tow of fibers;
at least a second assembly configured to receive at least a second tow of fibers, to apply the at least a second matrix component to the at least a second tow of fibers;
a commingling assembly configured to commingle a plurality of tows;
a forming assembly configured to receive at least one commingled fiber from the commingling assembly and apply the at least one commingled fiber to form a composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for use in fabricating a composite structure, comprising:
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a source of a first matrix component;
at least another source of at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component;
wherein the first and the at least a second matrix components are formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
a first assembly configured to receive at least one tow of fibers, to apply to the at least first tow of fibers a high-sizing matrix comprising one of the first and the at least a second matrix components to form at least one high-sized tow of fibers;
at least a second assembly configured to receive the at least first high-sized tow of fiber and to apply at least another of the first and the at least a second matrix components thereto; and
a fabrication assembly configured to receive the at least one high-sized tow of fiber having the first and second matrix components applied thereto and to apply the at least one high-sized tow of fiber having the first and the at least a second matrix components applied thereto to form a composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A system for producing a matrix precursor having an extended shelf life, comprising:
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a source of a first matrix component;
at least another source of at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component;
wherein the first and the at least a second matrix components are formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
at least two fiber sources;
at least two fiber storage elements, each configured for storage of at least one tow of fibers;
a first assembly configured to apply the first matrix component from the source to fibers from at least one of the at least two fiber sources and to deliver fibers having the first matrix component applied thereto to a fiber storage element; and
at least a second assembly configured to apply the at least a second matrix component from the at least another source to fibers from at least one of the at least two fiber sources and to deliver fibers having the at least a second component applied thereto to a fiber storage element. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A composite structure fabrication system comprising:
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a source of a first matrix component;
at least another source of at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component;
wherein the first and the at least a second matrix components are formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
at least two fiber sources;
at least two fiber storage elements, each configured for storage of at least one tow of fibers;
a first assembly configured to apply the first matrix component from the source to fibers from at least one of the at least two fiber sources and to deliver fibers having the first matrix component applied thereto to a fiber storage element; and
at least a second assembly configured to apply the at least a second matrix component from the at least another source to fibers from at least one of the at least two fiber sources and to deliver fibers having the at least a second component applied thereto to another fiber storage element;
an assembly configured to commingle fibers having respectively applied thereto the first matrix component and the second matrix component into at least one consolidated tow; and
a forming assembly configured to receive at least one consolidated tow and apply the at least one consolidated tow to form a composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A composite structure fabrication system, comprising:
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a source of a first matrix component;
at least another source of at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component;
wherein the first and the at least a second matrix components are formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden;
at least one source of fibers;
a first assembly configured to receive fibers from the at least one source of fibers, to apply to the fibers a high-sizing matrix comprising one of the first and the at least a second matrix components to form at least one high-sized tow of fibers;
at least a second assembly configured to receive the at least first high-sized tow of fiber and to apply another of the first and the at least a second matrix components thereto; and
a commingling assembly configured to receive the at least one high-sized tow of fiber having the first and the at least a second matrix components applied thereto and to commingle the first and the at least a second matrix components; and
a fabrication assembly configured to receive the at least one high-sized tow of fiber having the first and the at least a second matrix components applied thereto and to apply the at least one high-sized tow of fiber having the first and the at least a second matrix components applied thereto to form a composite structure. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A fiber system precursor for use in fabrication of composite structures, comprising:
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at least a first tow of fibers having a first matrix component applied thereto; and
at least a second tow of fibers having at least a second, different but cooperative matrix component applied thereto;
wherein the first and the at least a second matrix components are formulated to form, when commingled, a stoichiometrically effective matrix enabled to cure and harden. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification