Fiber Composite Component and Method for the Production of a Fiber Composite Component

• US 20080274322A1
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Schoppmeier, Jan, Kaps, Robert, Schmidt, Daniel, Herrmann, Axel, Herbeck, Lars
• Granted Patent: US 8,551,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/57
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/112 Single lapped joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/131 Single flanged joints, i.e. one of the parts to be joined being rigid and flanged in the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/303 the joint involving an anchoring effect B29C66/341, B29C65/56 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/30321 making use of protrusions belonging to at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/30325 making use of cavities belonging to at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/341 Measures for intermixing the material of the joint interlayer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43 Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles B29C66/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/43441 with two right angles, e.g. for making T-shaped pieces, H-shaped pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/472 said single elements being substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/474 said single elements being substantially non-flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/524 Joining profiled elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/721 Fibre-reinforced materials B29C66/729 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7212 characterised by the composition of the fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72141 Fibres of continuous length
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73755 the to-be-joined area of at least one of the parts to be joined being fully cured, i.e. fully cross-linked, fully vulcanized
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7394 : characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81455 : being a fluid inflatable bag or bladder, a diaphragm or a vacuum bag for applying isostatic pressure inflatable element positioned between the joining tool and a backing-up part B29C66/82421
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2063/00 : Use of EP, i.e. epoxy resins or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 : containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2307/04 : Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/19 : Sheets or webs edge spliced or joined

Abstract

A fiber composite component comprising at least two, first and second partial elements (1, 2) bordering one another, each having a fiber structure (3, 4) and different matrix systems which respectively embed the fiber structure (3, 4) and cure differently from a liquid state, can be produced with an increased stability of the joint between the two partial elements (1, 2) in that first the matrix system of the first partial element (1) is liquefied and thereby penetrates irregularly into the region of the bordering second partial element (2), in that subsequently the matrix system of the second partial element (2) is liquefied and in that the matrix systems are cured. The forming of the irregular boundary surfaces causes an intermeshing or interlocking of the matrix systems with one another, whereby a boundary surface (5) with an increased shear strength is created.

Alternatively, the first partial element is consolidated with a fiber structure (102a) unwetted by the matrix system (103) while leaving a transitional region (104), intended for adjoining to the second partial element (105), and subsequently the second partial element (105) is consolidated once the matrix system (106) of the second partial element (105) has penetrated into the transitional region (104) of the first partial element (101).

Claims

1. A fiber composite component comprising at least first and second partial elements (1, 2) bordering one another and in each case a fiber structure (3, 4) and differently curing matrix systems respectively embedding the fiber structure (3, 4), characterized in that the matrix system of the first partial element (1) extends with irregular boundary surfaces into the region of the second partial element (2) and the matrix system of the second partial element (2) adjoins the matrix system of the first partial element (1) within the second partial element (2) with complementary boundary surfaces.

3. The fiber composite component as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the matrix systems of the partial elements (1, 2) are formed by a thermoplastic material and by a thermosetting material.

2. A fiber composite component comprising at least first and second partial elements (1, 2) bordering one another and in each case a fiber structure (3, 4) and differently curing matrix systems respectively embedding the fiber structure (3, 4), characterized in that the matrix system of the first partial element (1) extends with irregular boundary surfaces into the region of the second partial element (2) and forms there a mixing region (8) with the irregular boundary surfaces and the matrix system of the second partial element (2) adjoins the mixing region (8) within the second partial element (2) with complementary boundary surfaces.

4. A method for the production of a fiber composite component comprising at least two, first and second partial elements (1, 2) bordering one another, each having a fiber structure (3, 4) and different matrix systems which respectively embed the fiber structure (3, 4) and cure differently from a liquid state, characterized in that in that first the matrix system of the first partial element (1) is liquefied and thereby penetrates irregularly into the region of the bordering second partial element (2), in that subsequently the matrix system of the second partial element (2) is liquefied and in that the matrix systems are cured.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that a thermoplastic material and a thermosetting material are used as matrix structures of the partial elements (1, 2).

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the fiber structure (4) of the second partial element (2) without a matrix system lies against the first partial element (1) when the thermoplastic material is being liquefied by heating, and in that subsequently the thermosetting material is injected in liquid form into the second partial element (2).

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the thermoplastic material is contained in the fiber structure (3) of the partial element (1).

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the fiber structures (3, 4) of the partial elements (1, 2) are placed in a mold (6) and in that all the method steps up to the curing of the matrix systems are carried out in the once closed mold (6).

9. The method as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that a thermosetting material of the associated partial element is used in liquid form at a first temperature and penetrates into the other partial element (1), in which a thermoplastic material is liquefied at a higher temperature than the first temperature.

10. A method for the production of a fiber composite component comprising at least two, first and second partial elements (1, 5) bordering one another, each having a fiber structure (2a, 2b) and different matrix systems (3) which respectively embed the fiber structure (2a, 2b), characterized in that the first partial element (1) is consolidated with a fiber structure (2a) unwetted by the matrix system while leaving a transitional region (4), intended for adjoining to the second partial element (5), and in that subsequently the second partial element (5) is consolidated once the matrix system (6) of the second partial element (5) has penetrated into the transitional region (4) of the first partial element (1).

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the consolidating of the first and/or second partial elements (1, 5) is performed by liquefying and subsequent curing of the respective matrix system (3, 6).

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the consolidating of the first and/or second partial elements (1, 5) is performed by injection and subsequent curing of the respective matrix system (3, 6).

13. The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the transitional region (4) is formed with an irregular thickness distribution over the surface area of the transitional region (4).

14. The method as claimed in claim 10, characterized by making up the first partial element (1) from at least two layers (7a, 7b or 8a, 8b or 9a, 9b), which are joined to one another, a first layer (7a, 8a or 9a) being a fiber structure (2) which is provided with a matrix system (3) and a second layer (7b, 8b or 9b) being a fiber structure (2) which is joined to the first layer (7a, 8a or 9a), is not provided with a matrix system and forms the transitional region (4).

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that a thermoplastic commingling hybrid or a thermoplastic prepreg is used as the first layer (7a, 8a or 9a).

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, characterized by sewing fiber structures (2) of at least two layers (7a, 7b or 8a, 8b or 9a, 9b) to one another.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, characterized by applying the second layer (7b, 8b or 9b), formed by fiber layers (2) sewn to one another, by a laid fiber fabric or a preform fiber layer, to the first layer (7a, 8a or 9a) and consolidating the matrix system (3) of the first partial element (1) while leaving the transitional region (4).

18. The method as claimed in claim 14, characterized by liquefying thermoplastic matrix material (3) of the first layer (7a, 8a or 9a) and curing the matrix material (3) that has partially penetrated into the second layer (7b, 8b or 9b) during the liquefaction.

19. The method as claimed in claim 14, characterized by laying at least one thermoplastic film (10) between the first and second layers (9a, 9b) of the first partial element (1) before the consolidation of the matrix system (3) of the first partial element (1) and curing of the matrix system (3) by means of introducing heat, in that the thermoplastic film (10) melts and penetrates partially into the second layer (9b) to form an uneven transitional region (4).

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the thermoplastic film (10) is punched or perforated.