LAMINATE APPARATUS WITH BONDED LINER

• US 20160107398A1
• Filed: 10/21/2015
• Published: 04/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gloyer-Taylor Laboratories LLC
• Original Assignee: GTL Company
• Inventors: Taylor, Zachary R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,456,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/0038 with sealing means or the like seals on envelopes used in tyre retreading B29D30/542; for injection moulding footwear B29D35/0045
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/06 Fibrous reinforcements only
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/443 and impregnating by vacuum or injection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/78 Moulding material on one side only of the preformed part
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/003 Containers for packaging, storing or transporting, e.g. bottles, jars, cans, barrels, tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0809 Fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/712 Containers; Packaging elements or accessories, Packages closures therefor B29L2031/56; ink or toner cartridges B29L2031/7678; squeeze tubes B29L2023/20; suitcases B29L2031/7418
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/00 Layered products having a non-planar shape
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/20 All layers being fibrous or filamentary
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/021 Fibrous or filamentary layer layers of natural mineral fibres or particles being impregnated in a plastic substance B32B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/046 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/714 Inert, i.e. inert to chemical degradation, corrosion
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7242 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7265 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/00 Containers; Receptacles closures therefor B32B2435/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/40 Closed containers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/02 characterised by structural features of a fibrous or filamentary layer layer formed of metallic wires B32B15/02; layer formed of natural mineral fibres B32B19/02; layer formed of wood fibres B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/22 characterised by the presence of two or more layers which are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles next to a foam layer B32B19/047, next to a layer made of particles B32B19/048, or next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B19/06; paper layer or cardboard layer next to a paper layer or cardboard layer B32B29/005, next to a foam layer B32B29/007, next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B29/02, or next to a particulate layer B32B29/04
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/24 one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12

Abstract

A laminate apparatus for engaging a fluid includes a structural medium made from plies bonded together with a resin. The structural medium defines a fluid facing surface. The laminate apparatus further includes a liner membrane bonded to the fluid facing surface of the structural medium with the resin. The liner membrane has one or more of a desired barrier characteristic and a desired chemical compatibility characteristic with respect to the fluid.

Claims

1. A laminate apparatus for engaging a fluid, the laminate apparatus comprising:

a structural medium comprising plies bonded together with a resin, wherein the structural medium defines a fluid facing surface; and

a liner membrane bonded to the fluid facing surface of the structural medium with the resin, wherein the liner membrane has one or more of a desired barrier characteristic and a desired chemical compatibility characteristic with respect to the fluid.

2. The laminate apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liner membrane is free of vacuum lines and resin injection lines.

3. The laminate apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laminate apparatus is a cryogenic fluid containment vessel and the fluid is a cryogenic fluid.

4. The laminate apparatus of claim 1, wherein the structural medium further comprises reinforcing fabric plies.

5. A laminate system comprising:

a structural mold;

a structural medium comprising resin infusible plies, wherein the structural medium defines a fluid facing surface and an opposite surface, wherein the opposite surface engages the structural mold; and

a liner membrane bondable to the fluid facing surface of the structural medium, wherein the liner membrane has one or more of a desired barrier characteristic and a desired chemical compatibility characteristic with respect to the fluid, wherein the liner membrane is sealable about the fluid facing surface of the structural medium to form, in conjunction with the structural mold, a vacuum enclosure about the structural medium for a vacuum resin infusion process.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the structural mold comprises one or more vacuum and resin injection lines that extend through the structural mold and are open to the vacuum enclosure.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the liner membrane is free of vacuum lines and resin injection lines.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the structural medium further comprises a lip disposed between the fluid facing surface and the opposite surface, wherein the liner membrane extends about the fluid facing surface and the lip of the structural medium and is sealed to the structural mold to form the vacuum enclosure.

9. The system of claim 5, further comprising a framing structure integrated into the liner membrane disposed at an opening defined by the structural medium, wherein the framing structure restrains the liner membrane at the opening and is configured to facilitate the sealing of the liner membrane to the mold.

10. A method for manufacturing a laminate apparatus for engaging a fluid, the method comprising:

installing a structural medium in a structural mold, wherein the structural medium comprises resin infusible plies, the structural medium further having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, wherein the second surface engages the structural mold;

extending a liner membrane about the first surface of the structural medium and sealing the liner membrane to the structural mold to form, in conjunction with the structural mold, a vacuum enclosure about the structural medium;

evacuating the vacuum enclosure;

infusing the vacuum enclosure with resin;

bonding the liner membrane to the first surface of the structural medium to form the laminate apparatus; and

removing the laminate apparatus from the structural mold.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the structural medium further comprises a lip disposed between the first and second surface, the method further comprising extending the liner membrane about the first surface and the lip of the structural medium before sealing the liner membrane to the structural mold to form the vacuum enclosure.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein infusing the vacuum enclosure with resin and bonding the liner membrane to the first surface of the structural medium occur substantially concurrently.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein evacuating the vacuum enclosure precedes infusing the vacuum enclosure with resin.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the structural medium defines an opening to the laminate apparatus, wherein the method further comprises engaging a framing structure in the opening to define an enclosed inner volume of the laminate apparatus.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein bonding the liner membrane to the first surface of the structural medium further comprises pressurizing the enclosed inner volume of the laminate apparatus.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the structural mold comprises one or more vacuum and resin injection lines that extend through the structural mold and are open to the vacuum enclosure, wherein evacuating the vacuum enclosure and infusing the vacuum enclosure with resin comprise coupling a vacuum source and a resin injector to the one or more vacuum lines and resin injection lines, respectively.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the liner membrane is free from the one or more vacuum and resin injection lines.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the laminate apparatus is a cryogenic fluid containment vessel and the fluid is a cryogenic fluid.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the structural medium further comprises reinforcing fabric plies.