Plastic structural element with inserts

• US 6,835,436 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 12/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3A Technology & Management Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alcan Technology & Management Ltd. (Schweiter Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Reif, Georg, Faisst, Dieter, Niedermeier, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyon, Harold
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARC A
• Application Number:
  US09/540,028
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 428/57, 428/58, 428/60, 428/111, 428/138, 428/116, 428/119
• US Class Current: 428/119
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 37/0082 Mechanical anchoring B29C66/303 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/72 Encapsulating inserts having non-encapsulated projections, e.g. extremities or terminal portions of electrical components B29C70/742 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/76 Moulding on edges or extremities of the preformed part
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/84 by moulding material on preformed parts to be joined joining plastic parts by moulding B29C65/70
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/845 by moulding material on a relative small portion of the preformed parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/86 Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, e.g. by winding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/19 Sheets or webs edge spliced or joined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/192 Sheets or webs coplanar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/195 Beveled, stepped, or skived in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24107 including mechanically interengaged strands, strand-portions or strand-like strips
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24149 Honeycomb-like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24165 Hexagonally shaped cavities
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

Inserts of metal in the plastic of a plastic structural element are coated with a coupling layer of fibre-reinforced plastic, which reduces the abrupt change in stiffness and/or coefficient of thermal expansion at the joining interfaces in the metal-plastic composite. By altering the volume fraction of fibres and/or by different orientation of the fibre layers within the coupling layers, a gradual change in the E-modulus and the thermal expansion coefficient are produced, as a result of which abrupt changes in these values at the composite interfaces can be avoided. The sudden change in stiffness between the plastic material and the metal inset also reduced by reducing the stiffness of the insert, which again is achieved by specific choice of shape. Preferred, in particular, is a finger-shaped fanning out of the insert in the plastic material.

Claims

1. A plastic structural element, comprising:

a fiber reinforced plastic material with a matrix-forming plastic;

an insert having a length embedded in the matrix-forming plastic and a length that projects from the fiber reinforced plastic material whereby the length of the insert that projects from the fiber reinforced plastic material forms a connection for connecting attachment means, the insert exhibiting different values of at least one of elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficients compared to the fiber reinforced plastic material; and

a plastic coupling layer arranged on a surface of the insert to join the insert to the fiber reinforced plastic material, the coupling layer being an intermediate layer of fiber-reinforced plastic, the fibers of which are not embedded in the matrix-forming plastic of the plastic structural element, the coupling layer being of a material different from the fiber reinforced plastic material of the plastic structural element, and having a volume fraction of fibers, type of fibers, length of fibers and alignment of fibers or fiber layers so that at least one of the elastic modulus and the coefficient of thermal expansion changes through the coupling layer whereby the elastic modulus and the coefficient of thermal expansion between the fiber reinforced plastic material and the insert are equilibrated so that differences in at least one of the elastic modulus and the coefficient of thermal expansion at an interface between the fiber reinforced plastic material and the insert are minimized.

2. A plastic structural element according to claim 1, wherein the coupling layer contains a reinforced plastic in an epoxy resin matrix.

3. A plastic structure element according to claim 2, wherein the coupling layer contains fiber-reinforced plastic with a fiber content of 30-70 vol. %.

4. A plastic structure element according to claim 3, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic is a glass reinforced plastic (GRP).

5. A plastic structure element according to claim 4, wherein the glass reinforced plastic contains E-glass fibers.

6. A plastic structure element according to claim 3, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic is a carbon reinforced plastic (CRP).

7. A plastic structural element according to claim 6, wherein the carbon reinforced plastic contains carbon fibers.

8. A plastic structure element according to claim 3, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic is a mixture of carbon reinforced plastic and glass reinforced plastic.

9. A plastic structure element according to claim 3, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic has a fiber content of 45-60 vol. %.

10. A plastic structure element according to claim 1, wherein the plastic material contains a reinforced plastic in an epoxy resin matrix.

11. A plastic structure element according to claim 10, wherein the reinforced plastic is a fiber-reinforced plastic with a fiber content of 40-70 vol. %.

12. A plastic structure element according to claim 11;

wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic is one of glass reinforced plastic, carbon reinforced plastic and a mixture of glass reinforced plastic and carbon reinforced plastic.

13. A plastic structural element according to claim 12, wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic is a carbon reinforced plastic.

14. A plastic structure element according to claim 11, wherein the plastic material has a fiber content of 55-65 vol. %.

15. A plastic structure element according to claim 1, wherein the insert contains a metal.

16. A plastic structural element according to claim 15, wherein the metal is one of aluminum, magnesium, an alloy containing aluminum, an alloy containing magnesium, steel and zinc coated iron.

17. A plastic structural element according to claim 1, wherein the insert is made of one of aluminum, magnesium, an alloy containing aluminum and an alloy containing magnesium, the plastic material being reinforced by fibers and having a fiber content of 40 to 70 vol. %, the coupling layer being reinforced by fibers, the coupling layer having a fiber content that is on average 5-15 vol. % lower than the fiber content of the plastic material.

18. A plastic structural element according to claim 17, wherein the plastic material is reinforced by carbon fibers.

19. A plastic structural element according to claim 17, wherein the coupling layer is reinforced by at least one of carbon fibers and glass fibers.

20. A plastic structural element according to claim 19, wherein the coupling layer is reinforced by one of carbon fibers and fiberglass.

21. A plastic structural element according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the volume fraction of fibers in the coupling layer decreases toward the insert starting from the plastic material, and the volume fraction of glass fibers increases toward the insert in relation to the amount of carbon fibers.

22. A plastic structural element according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the volume fraction of fibers in the coupling layer decreases toward the insert starting from the plastic material, and the volume fraction of glass fibers increases toward the insert in relation to the amount of carbon fibers.

23. A plastic structural element according to claim 1, wherein the insert is made of one of aluminum, magnesium, an alloy containing aluminum and an alloy containing magnesium, the coupling layer being a layered composite and having a layered structure of fiber layers, wherein fibers in individual layers of the structure are oriented in at least one direction, at least one of the fibers and the fiber layers arranged next to the plastic material being aligned with a direction of neighboring fibers and the fiber layers in the plastic material so that a deviation in an angle of orientation of the fibers is less than 60°

, one of the fibers and fiber layers adjacent to the insert having an orientation of −

30°

to −

70°

or +30°

to +70°

, where 0°

represents a main direction of forces actable on the insert.

24. A plastic structural element according to claim 23, wherein the deviation in the orientation of the fibers is less than 45°

.

25. A plastic structural element according to claim 23, wherein the fibers are oriented in a direction parallel to a side face of the coupling layer.

26. A plastic structural element according to claim 3, wherein the fibers and the fiber reinforced plastic of the coupling layer are formed as fiber layers whereby a plurality of fiber layers form a fiber layer system, the individual fiber layers or the individual fiber layer systems made up of a sequence of fiber layers containing different types of fibers.

27. A plastic structural element according to claim 25, wherein the fibers are carbon fibers and glass fibers, at least one fiber layer of glass fibers being arranged to lie against the embedded length of the insert.

28. A plastic structural element according to claim 23, wherein the fibers and the fiber reinforced plastic of the coupling layer are formed as fiber layers whereby a plurality of fiber layers form a fiber layer system, the individual fiber layers or the individual fiber layer systems made up of a sequence of fiber layers containing different types of fibers.

29. A plastic structural element according to claim 28, wherein the fibers are carbon fibers and glass fibers, at least one fiber layer of glass fibers being arranged to lie against the embedded length of the insert.

30. A plastic structural element according to claim 1, wherein the insert has a surface, at least the surface of the insert being made of one aluminum and aluminum alloy, portions of the insert surface which receive the coupling layer being chemically treated.

31. A plastic structural element according to claim 30, wherein the portions of the insert surface which receive the coupling layer are one of phosphate treated, chromate treated and anodically oxidized.

32. A plastic structural element according to claim 30, wherein the metallic surfaces of the insert are one of degreased and roughened at the portions receiving the coupling layer.

33. A plastic structural element according to claim 1, wherein the embedded length of the insert has an enlarged surface area.

34. A plastic structural element according to claim 33, wherein the enlarged surface area is formed by one of openings and grid-like structures in the insert.

35. A plastic structural element according to claim 1, wherein the embedded length of the insert has anchor-like elements.

36. A plastic structural element according to claim 35, wherein the anchor-like elements are one of hook-shaped, T-shaped and trapezium-shaped projections.

37. A plastic structural element according to claim 1, wherein the embedded length of the insert is shaped as an anchoring element.

38. A plastic structural element according to claim 37, wherein the anchoring element is formed by one of bends in the embedded length and corrugations.

39. A plastic structural element according to claim 1, wherein the insert has force transferring reinforcing fibers which are laminated into the plastic material so as to anchor the insert in the plastic material whereby the laminated-in reinforcing fibers are joined to the insert by a loop-type connection.

40. A plastic structural element according to claim 39, wherein the reinforcing fibers are aramide fibers.

41. A plastic structural element according to claim 1, wherein the insert has end parts that are tapered with a ratio of x:

y of 1;

30 to 1;

10, wherein the ratio x;

y represents a tangent of an acute angle which is formed by a line running parallel to a central axis and a line joining both end points of the tapering.

42. A plastic structural element, comprising:

a fiber reinforced plastic material with a matrix—

forming plastic;

an insert having a length embedded in the matrix—

forming plastic and a length that projects from the fiber reinforced plastic material whereby the length of the insert that projects from the fiber reinforced plastic material forms a connection for connecting attachment means, the insert exhibiting different values of at least one of elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficients compared to the fiber reinforced plastic material; and

a plastic coupling layer arranged on a surface of the insert to join the insert to the fiber reinforced plastic material, the coupling layer being an intermediate layer of fiber reinforced plastic, the fibers of which are not embedded in the matrix—

forming plastic of the plastic structural element, the coupling layer being of a material different from the fiber reinforced plastic material of the plastic structural element, and having a volume fraction of fibers, type of fibers, length of fibers and alignment of fibers or fiber layers so that at least one of the elastic modulus and the coefficient of thermal expansion changes through the coupling layer whereby the elastic modulus and coefficient of thermal expansion between the fiber reinforced plastic material and the insert are equilibrated so that differences in at least one of the elastic modulus and the coefficient of thermal expansion at an interface between the fiber reinforced plastic material and the insert are minimized; and

the plastic structural element exhibiting the following feature;

the insert having at least one aperture through which at least one of reinforcing fibers, fiber strands and textile type materials are looped and are embedded in and intermittently joined to the plastic matrix of the plastic structural element at its free end so as to anchor the insert in the plastic material.

43. A plastic structural element, comprising:

a fiber reinforced plastic material with a matrix—

forming plastic;

an insert having a length embedded in the matrix—

forming plastic and a length that projects from the fiber reinforced plastic material whereby the length of the insert that projects from the fiber reinforced plastic material forms a connection for connecting attachment means, the insert exhibiting different values of at least one of elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficients compared to the fiber reinforced plastic material; and

a plastic coupling layer arranged on a surface of the insert to join the insert to the fiber reinforced plastic material, the coupling layer being an intermediate layer of fiber reinforced plastic, the fibers of which are not embedded in the matrix—

forming plastic of the plastic structural element, the coupling layer being of a material different from the fiber reinforced plastic material of the plastic structural element, and having a volume fraction of fibers, type of fibers, length of fibers and alignment of fibers or fiber layers so that at least one of the elastic modulus and the coefficient of thermal expansion changes through the coupling layer whereby the elastic modulus and coefficient of thermal expansion between the fiber reinforced plastic material and the insert are equilibrated so that differences in at least one of the elastic modulus and the coefficient of thermal expansion at an interface between the fiber reinforced plastic material and the insert are minimized; and

the plastic structural element exhibiting the following feature;

the embedded length of the insert is one of strip—

shaped and finger—

shaped with a plurality of strips or fingers configured so as to reduce a geometrical movement of inertia of the embedded length, the strips or fingers one of lie parallel, are comb—

shaped and fan—

shaped.