Composite products, methods and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for making a composite, the composite expected to be placed under a load creating expected load lines, comprising:
- choosing stretch-resistant segments;
selecting a first layer of material having a circumferential edge;
after the first layer of material selecting step, arranging the segments on the first layer of material generally along expected load lines;
the choosing step comprising the step of selecting lengths of the segments so that at least most of the segments extend only part way along the expected load lines; and
securing the segments to the first layer of material so to create a composite.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A low-stretch, flexible composite, made of one or several sections, particularly useful for making a sail (2), includes first and second polymer films (52, 62) with discontinuous, stretch-resistant segments (16) therebetween. The segments extend generally along the load lines (17) for the sail. The segments have lengths which are substantially shorter than corresponding lengths of the load lines within each section. The ends of the segments are laterally staggered relative to one another. Mats (20) of generally parallel mat elements can be used as the segments. The mat elements typically include discrete multifiber yarns (24, 26) and/or a fiber array (22), typically created by pneumatically laterally spreading apart the fibers of an untwisted multifiber yarn (32). A laminating assembly includes first and second flexible pressure sheets (66, 68), defining a sealable lamination interior (82) containing the material stack (64) to be laminated, housed within an enclosure (90). A partial vacuum is created within the lamination interior and heated fluid is circulated in contact with the pressure sheets to quickly and uniformly heat the pressure sheets and the material stack being laminated.
52 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method for making a composite, the composite expected to be placed under a load creating expected load lines, comprising:
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choosing stretch-resistant segments;
selecting a first layer of material having a circumferential edge;
after the first layer of material selecting step, arranging the segments on the first layer of material generally along expected load lines;
the choosing step comprising the step of selecting lengths of the segments so that at least most of the segments extend only part way along the expected load lines; and
securing the segments to the first layer of material so to create a composite. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
separating multi-fiber yarn into generally parallel, laterally-oriented fibers; and
adhering the fibers to one another to form a fiber sheet.
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10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the choosing step comprises serving the fiber sheet to form the mats.
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11. The method according to claim 9 wherein the separating step includes pneumatically spreading the fibers.
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12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the choosing step comprises wrapping the pneumatically-spread fibers onto a rotating drum.
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13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the adhering step comprises applying an adhesive onto said pneumatically-spread fibers on said drum.
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14. The method according to claim 3 wherein the choosing step includes selecting mat segments in the form of multi-fiber yarns.
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15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the choosing step is carried out with at least some untwisted-fiber yarns.
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16. The method according to claim 14 wherein the choosing step is carried out so that at lest most of the yarns of each the mat are laterally spaced-apart from one another.
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17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the choosing step comprises adhering transversely oriented yarns to the laterally spaced-apart yarns to create stabilized mats.
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18. The method according to claim 3 wherein the choosing step comprises selecting mat segments in the form of:
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laterally spaced-apart multi-fiber yarns; and
a layer of laterally-arranged fibers, said fibers generally being in contact with adjacent fibers.
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19. The method according to claim 3 further comprising:
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determining the placement of the mats along the load lines; and
wherein the mats arranging step comprises;
creating mat placement marks on a mat lay-up surface based upon the mat placement determining step; and
arranging the mats on the mat lay-up surface according to the mat placement marks.
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20. The method according to claim 19 wherein the mat placement marks creating step comprises optically projecting the mat placement marks onto the mat lay-up surface.
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21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the optically projecting step is carried out by projecting the mat placement marks onto a tubular surface.
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22. The method according to claim 20 wherein the optically projecting step is carried out by projecting continuous expected load lines onto the mat lay-up surface.
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23. The method according to claim 20 wherein the mat placement marks creating step comprises orienting the mat lay-up surface in a generally vertical orientation.
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24. The method according to claim 19 wherein the mat placement marks creating step is carried out using the first layer as the may lay-up surface.
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25. The method according to claim 1 wherein the securing step comprises laminating the segments between the first layer of material and a second layer of material, the layers of material and segments therebetween constituting a material stack.
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26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the laminating step comprises subjecting the material stack to heat and pressure.
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27. The method according to claim 25 wherein the laminating step comprises:
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capturing the material stack between inner surfaces of first and second pressure elements; and
squeezing the material stack between the pressure elements.
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28. The method according to claim 27 wherein the laminating step further comprises applying heat to the material stack.
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29. The method according to claim 28 wherein the at least part of the heat applying step is carried out during at least part of the forcing step.
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30. The method according to claim 27 wherein the forcing step comprises creating a differential fluid pressure between the inner and outer surfaces of the pressure elements.
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31. The method according to claim 30 wherein the differential fluid pressure creating step is carried out by applying a partial vacuum between the pressure elements.
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32. The method according to claim 27 wherein the wherein the laminating step comprises:
flowing a heated fluid over and in contact with at least 80% of the outer surfaces of the pressure elements.
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33. The method according to claim 32 wherein the heated fluid flowing step is carried out using a chosen one of heated air and heated oil as the heated fluid.
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34. The method according to claim 32 wherein the capturing step is carried out using an elastomeric pressure element as the first pressure element as the first pressure element.
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35. The method according to claim 27 wherein the capturing step is carried out using first and second flexible pressure sheets as the first and second pressure elements.
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36. The method according to claim 35 further comprising urging a form against the outer surface of the second pressure sheet.
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37. The method according to claim 36 wherein the form urging step is carried out prior to the heated fluid flowing step.
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38. The method according to claim 36 wherein the form urging step is carried out using a three-dimensional form imparting a three-dimensional shape to the second pressure sheet.
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39. The method according to claim 36 wherein the laminating step comprises enclosing the pressure elements and the material stack therebetween within a substantially sealed enclosure and the heated fluid flowing step is carried out by the forced circulation of heated air within the enclosure.
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40. The method according to claim 38 wherein the laminating step comprises cooling the material stack by opening the enclosure to an ambient environment after the heated fluid flowing step.
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41. The method according to claim 39 wherein the cooling step comprises forcing ambient air through the enclosure and over the pressure elements.
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42. The method according to claim 1 wherein the further comprising finishing the composite to form a sailcraft sail.
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43. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
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joining a plurality of the composites; and
finishing said joined composites to create a sailcraft sail.
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44. The method according to claim 38 further comprising finishing the composite to form a three-dimensional sailcraft sail.
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45. The method according to claim 1 further comprising joining a plurality of the composites, and
finishing said joined composites to form a three-dimensional sailcraft. -
46. The method according to claim 1 wherein arranging step includes laterally staggering the segments thereby helping to reduce weak areas in the composite.
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47. The method according to claim 3 wherein said arranging step comprises laterally staggering and overlapping said mats to help reduce weak areas in the composite.
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48. The method according to claim 1 wherein the arranging step comprises applying the segments in a manner to create a generally constant strain composite material.
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49. The method according to claim 1 wherein the expected load lines are curved.
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50. The method according to claim 1 wherein the expected load lines are not parallel to one another.
Specification