Process for the production of a multi-layer composite article having fasteners affixed to a surface thereof and the article produced thereby

• US 5,725,704 A
• Filed: 12/21/1995
• Issued: 03/10/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Collins & Aikman Holdings SA de CV
• Original Assignee: Davidson Textron Inc. (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Gallagher, Michael, Souders, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): STEMMER, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US08/576,252
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 156/66, 156/308.2, 156/309.6, 156/73.5, 156/297, 428/99
• US Class Current: 156/66
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/06 using friction, e.g. spin welding non-plastics elements to plastic elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/0672 Spin welding
• 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 66/45 Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/474 said single elements being substantially non-flat
• 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 66/72143 Fibres of discontinuous lengths
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/723 being multi-layered B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/727 being porous, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7392 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7394 characterised by the material of at least one of the parts being a thermoset
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/10 Polymers of propylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2277/10 : Aromatic polyamides [Polyaramides] or derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/08 : Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 : Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 : Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0278 : Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/06 : Open cell foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/022 : Foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2305/08 : Reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2605/003 : Interior finishings
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/26 : with at least one layer which influences the bonding during the lamination process, e.g. release layers or pressure equalising layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 : characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/24 : one layer being a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/245 : another layer next to it being a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1089 : of discrete laminae to single face of additional lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/27 : including readily dissociable fastener having numerous, protruding, unitary filaments randomly interlocking with, and simultaneously moving towards, mating structure [e.g., hook-loop type fastener]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2717 : with distinct structure for sealing securement joint
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2725 : with feature facilitating, enhancing, or causing attachment of filament mounting surface to support therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2733 : having filaments formed from continuous element interwoven or knitted into distinct, mounting surface fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2758 : Thermal or adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2775 : having opposed structure formed from distinct filaments of diverse shape to those mating therewith
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2783 : having filaments constructed from coated, laminated, or composite material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/2792 : having mounting surface and filaments constructed from common piece of material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24008 : including fastener for attaching to external surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 : Hook or barb

Abstract

A process for the production of a rigid multi-layer composite articles (20) prepared from reacting inter alia a sheet of an open cell foam material (22) impregnated with a binder resin, such as isocyanate resin, to fill the cells of the foam material (22) and a polymerization catalyst to cause the reaction of isocyanate and form isocyanurate linkages, urethane linkages, urea linkages, trimer linkages, biuret linkages, and/or allophante linkages to render the composite article (20) rigid, and having a layer of reinforcing fibers, such as glass fibers, completely (24) or partially (25) impregnated by the binder resin affixed to a surface of the foam material (22) by the binder resin. Fasteners (27) formed of a thermoplastic material are provided having an appropriate adhesion surface. The adhesion surface of each of the fasteners (27) is melted by any of the well known techniques such as spin welding, etc., and caused to engulf the fibers of the layer which are not impregnated or are partially impregnated, or to strip the polymerized resin from the layer of reinforcing fibers which may be completely impregnated and to engulf the stripped fibers. Upon resolidification of the molten material of the fasteners (27), the fasteners (27) are firmly affixed to the layer of reinforcing fibers and thereby to the composite article.

Claims

1. A method of making a composite panel having at least one integral fastener for fastening the panel to a support structure, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a base material;

providing a layer of a plurality of reinforcing fibers;

affixing the layer of reinforcing fibers to a surface of the base material by means of a thermosetting binder and causing the binder to set, the thermosetting binder encapsulating the entire layer of reinforcing fibers;

providing one or more fastening means formed of a thermoplastic resin;

liquefying a portion of the fastening means and at the same time physically removing a portion of the thermoset binder from a surface portion of the layer of reinforcing fibers by spin welding and permitting the liquified portion of the fastening means to permeate the portion of the layer of reinforcing fibers which has become free of the thermoset binder; and

permitting the molten thermoplastic material of the fastening means to solidify, thereby forming a bond and affixing the fastening means to the surface of the panel.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means comprises a base, a shaft, and a detent at the end of the shaft.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is formed of polystyrene.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is formed of polyethylene.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is formed of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is formed of polyamide.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is formed of polycarbonate.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is formed of acetal.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means is formed of polypropylene.

10. A method according to claim 1 further including the step of additionally adhesively affixing a second layer of reinforcing fibers on the other surface of the base material and adhesively affixing a decorative layer to the second layer of reinforcing fibers.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the base material is formed of an open cell polyurethane foam.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the thermosetting binder is an isocyanate having an --NCO group and a polymerization catalyst.

13. A method according to claim 1 which additionally comprises affixing the composite panel to a supporting structure by placing the composite panel against the surface of the supporting structure and driving the fastening means into the supporting structure so that the fastening means is embedded in the supporting structure.