Polymer/WUCS mat for use in automotive applications
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Accused Products
Abstract
An acoustical and thermally absorbent chopped strand mat formed of thermoplastic bonding materials and bundles of reinforcing fibers is provided. The reinforcing fibers are preferably wet use chopped strand glass fibers (WUCS). The thermoplastic bonding materials may be any thermoplastic or thermosetting material having a melting point less than the reinforcing fiber. The chopped strand mat may be formed by partially opening the WUCS fibers and filamentizing the thermoplastic bonding materials, blending the reinforcement and thermoplastic bonding fibers, forming the reinforcement and thermoplastic bonding fibers into a sheet, and bonding the sheet. During bonding, the sheet is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the thermoplastic bonding fibers but below the temperature of the glass fibers. The melted thermoplastic bonding fibers act as a glue to hold the glass fibers in bundles. The chopped strand mat thus formed may be used as a reinforcement material in automotive applications.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. (canceled)
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3. (canceled)
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4. (canceled)
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5. (canceled)
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6. (canceled)
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7. (canceled)
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8. (canceled)
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9. (canceled)
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10. An acoustical and thermally insulative non woven chopped strand mat suitable for use in automotive applications comprising:
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bundles of dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers; and
a thermoplastic bonding material having a melting point less than the melting point of said bundles of dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers, said thermoplastic bonding material bonding at least a portion of said bundles of dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers and said thermoplastic bonding material; and
wherein said bundles of dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers and said thermoplastic bonding material are substantially uniformly distributed throughout said chopped strand mat. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of forming a laminate composite comprising the steps of:
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placing a first adhesive layer formed of a first adhesive on a scrim;
depositing a first chopped strand mat layer on said first adhesive layer, said chopped strand mat including bundles of dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers and a thermoplastic bonding material having a melting point less than the melting point of said dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers, said thermoplastic bonding material having been heat treated to at least partially melt and bond at least a portion of said bundles of dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers and said thermoplastic bonding material;
placing a second adhesive layer formed of a second adhesive on said first chopped strand mat layer; and
positioning a foam material on said second adhesive layer to form a laminate composite. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of forming a laminate composite product comprising the steps of:
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forming a first layered material including;
depositing a first adhesive layer formed of a first adhesive onto a first scrim;
positioning a first chopped strand mat layer on said first adhesive layer, said chopped strand mat including bundles of dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers and a thermoplastic bonding material having a melting point less than the melting point of said dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers, said thermoplastic bonding material bonding said bundles of dehydrated wet reinforcement fibers and said thermoplastic bonding material; and
placing a second adhesive layer formed of a second adhesive on said first chopped strand mat layer;
forming a second layered material including;
depositing a third adhesive layer formed of a third adhesive onto a foam material layer;
placing a second chopped strand mat layer on said third adhesive layer;
depositing a fourth adhesive layer formed of a fourth adhesive onto said second chopped strand mat layer; and
placing a second scrim on said fourth adhesive layer; and
positioning said second layered material and said first layered material such that said foam material layer is adjacent to said second adhesive layer to form said laminate composite product.
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Specification