Resin infusion method
First Claim
1. A method of making a reinforced composite structure, comprising:
- a) introducing resin to resin supply port means communicated to a mold to infuse a reinforcement in the mold with the resin,b) selectively curing the resin at said resin supply port means to form cured resin plugs with which said port means cooperate to provide an air-tight seal thereat, including avoiding curing of the resin infused in said reinforcement in said mold,c) disconnecting the resin supply port means from communication with the resin source, andd) then curing the resin infused in said reinforcement in said mold to form a reinforced composite structure in said mold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus of making a reinforced composite structure wherein a reusable mold closure is mated to a mold to close off a mold cavity in which a reinforcement is positioned. The mold closure or mold includes a plurality of collapsible resin supply ports through which resin is pumped into the mold cavity from a source of resin to infuse or impregnate the reinforcement with resin. After the resin is introduced into the mold cavity, the resin residing in the resin supply ports is selectively cured to form respective cured resin plugs on which the resin supply ports collapse to seal them in air-tight manner. The resin residing in the mold and infused in the reinforcement is not cured at that time. Instead, after the cured resin plugs are formed at the resin supply ports, the assembly of mold and mold closure with the resin infused reinforcement therein can be moved to a curing station, such as a curing oven, where the resin infused in the reinforcement is cured under vacuum in the mold in a separate readily controlled curing operation.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of making a reinforced composite structure, comprising:
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a) introducing resin to resin supply port means communicated to a mold to infuse a reinforcement in the mold with the resin, b) selectively curing the resin at said resin supply port means to form cured resin plugs with which said port means cooperate to provide an air-tight seal thereat, including avoiding curing of the resin infused in said reinforcement in said mold, c) disconnecting the resin supply port means from communication with the resin source, and d) then curing the resin infused in said reinforcement in said mold to form a reinforced composite structure in said mold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of making a reinforced composite structure, comprising:
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a) positioning a reinforcement in a mold cavity of a mold, b) disposing a reusable mold closure to close off said mold cavity with said reinforcement therein, said mold closure having a plurality of collapsible resin supply ports for introducing resin in said mold cavity, c) communicating said mold cavity to a source of resin via said resin supply ports, d) introducing resin through the resin supply ports and into the mold cavity to infuse said reinforcement with the resin, e) selectively curing the resin at said resin supply ports to form cured resin plugs on which the resin supply ports collapse to provide an air-tight seal thereat, including avoiding curing of the resin infused in said reinforcement in said mold, and f) then curing the resin infused in said reinforcement in said mold to form a reinforced composite structure in said mold. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification