Preform precursor for fiber-reinforced composite material, preform for fiber-reinforced composite material, and method of manufacturing the precursor and the preform

• US 7,138,167 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shikibo Limited
• Original Assignee: Shikibo Limited
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Koichi, Ishibashi, Masayasu, Sakonjo, Hideki, Tanamura, Takeshi, Hirokawa, Tetsuro
• Primary Examiner(s): DIXON, MERRICK L
• Application Number:
  US10/489,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20050042410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 57/2, 572/06, 572/04, 572/38, 572/43, 572/78, 57/59, 573/62, 282/53, 281/15, 282/26, 282/47, 281/03, 428/107, 428/66.6, 156/221
• US Class Current: 428/107
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/16 comprising fillers or reinforcement non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1043 Subsequent to assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/218 Aperture containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24074 Strand or strand-portions

Abstract

A preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material including a bent portion along a curved line for bending, a flange portion corresponding to an outer circumferential portion, and a semi-cylindrical portion formed by bending an inner circumferential portion along the curved line for bending located in a flat plane or a curved plane region. The preform is formed from a precursor having a predetermined extension. The outer circumferential portion corresponds to a first region where a first plurality of reinforced fibers is partially disposed in parallel along the curved line for bending. The inner circumferential portion corresponds to a second region constituted solely of a second plurality of reinforced fibers disposed throughout the entire area, so as to intersect the first plurality of reinforced fibers at a predetermined angle in the first region.

Claims

1. A precursor of a preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising:

a portion bent along a curved line in one of a flat plane and a curved plane region having a predetermined length, wherein a first plurality of reinforced fibers are disposed in parallel to the curved line and form the one of the flat plane and the curved plane region, wherein a second plurality of reinforced fibers intersecting the first plurality of reinforced fibers at a predetermined angle define a first portion and extend over an entire length of the one of the flat plane and the curved plane region, and wherein the first portion is formed solely from the second plurality of reinforced fibers and is bent along the curved line to form a desired shape.

2. A preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising:

a portion bent along a curved line in one of a flat plane and a curved plane region having a predetermined length, wherein a first plurality of reinforced fibers are disposed in parallel to the curved line and form the one of the flat plane and the curved plane region, wherein a second plurality of reinforced fibers intersecting the first plurality of reinforced fibers at a predetermined angle define a first portion and extend over an entire length of the one of the flat plane and the curved plane region, and wherein the first portion is formed solely from the second plurality of reinforced fibers and is bent along the curved line to form a desired shape.

3. The preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material according claim 2, wherein a thickness varies, at least in part, according to a variation of at least one of a quantity and a diameter of the fiber to be used in the one of the flat plane region and the curved plane region.

4. The preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the curved plane region defines at least part of one of a cylindrical region and a conical region, and wherein the curved line is disposed in one of an orthogonal and a substantially orthogonal orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the one of the cylindrical region and the conical region.

5. The preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the flat plane region is one of a disc-shaped region and an oval-shaped region, and wherein the curved line is one of a circular shape and an oval shape.

6. A preform structure for a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising a plurality of preforms described in any one of claims 2 or 3 for constituting a fiber-reinforced composite material selected as a base material, wherein the plurality of preforms are used in combination for forming a fiber-reinforced composite material having a predetermined three-dimensional shape;

and wherein the first and second plurality of reinforced fibers have a predetermined orientation.

7. The preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 2, wherein the preform is formed into a unified body by stitching with a sewing machine;

by knitting;

by a needle-punching process;

or by a thereto-compression bonding wherein a reinforced fiber impregnated with a fibriform thermoplastic resin is being used.

8. The preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 3, wherein the preform is formed into a unified body by stitching with a sewing machine;

by knitting;

by a needle-punching process;

or by a thereto-compression bonding wherein a reinforced fiber impregnated with a fibriform thermoplastic resin is being used.

9. The preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 4, wherein the preform is formed into a unified body by stitching with a sewing machine;

by knitting;

by a needle punching process;

or by a thereto-compression bonding wherein a reinforced fiber impregnated with a fibriform thermoplastic resin is being used.

10. The preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 5, wherein the preform is formed in into a unified body by stitching with a sewing machine;

by knitting;

by a needle-punching process;

or by a thermo-compression bonding wherein a reinforced fiber impregnated with a fibriform thermoplastic resin is being used.

11. The preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of preforms is formed into a unified body by stitching with a sewing machine;

by knitting;

by a needle-punching process;

or by a thereto-compression bonding wherein a reinforced fiber impregnated with a fibriform thermoplastic resin is being used.

15. A preform structure for a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising a plurality of preforms according to claim 4 for constituting a fiber-reinforced composite material, wherein the plurality of preforms are used in combination for forming a fiber-reinforced composite material having a predetermined three-dimensional shape, and wherein the first and second plurality of reinforced fibers have a predetermined orientation.

16. A preform structure for a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising a plurality of preforms according to claim 5 for constituting a fiber-reinforced composite material, wherein the plurality of preforms are used in combination for forming a fiber-reinforced composite material having a predetermined three-dimensional shape, and wherein the first and second plurality of reinforced fibers have a predetermined orientation.

17. The preform structure for a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 15, wherein a preform of the plurality of preforms is formed in a unified body by stitching with a sewing machine;

by knitting;

by a needle-punching process;

or by a thereto-compression bonding wherein a reinforced fiber impregnated with a fibriform thermoplastic resin is being used.

18. The preform structure for a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 16, wherein a preform of the plurality of preforms is formed in a unified body by stitching with a sewing machine;

by knitting;

by a needle-punching process;

or by a thereto-compression bonding wherein a reinforced fiber impregnated with a fibriform thermoplastic resin is being used.

12. A method of manufacturing a preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising:

one of a cylindrical region and a conical region having a predetermined length, and a first portion bent along a curved line disposed in one of an orthogonal or a substantially orthogonal orientation relative to a longitudinal axis of the one of the cylindrical region and the conical region, the method comprising the steps of;

disposing a first plurality of reinforced fibers parallel to the curved line, wherein the first plurality of reinforced fibers form the one of the cylindrical region and the conical region;

disposing a second plurality of reinforced fibers intersecting the first plurality of reinforced fibers at a predetermined angle, wherein the first plurality of reinforced fibers form the first portion and extend over an entire length of the one of the cylindrical region and the conical region; and

bending the first portion formed solely from the second plurality of reinforced fibers along the curved line to form a desired shape.

13. A method of manufacturing a preform for a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising:

one of a disc-shaped plane region and an oval-shaped plane region having a predetermined length; and

a first portion bendable along one of a circular and an oval shaped curved line defined in the one of the disc-shaped plane region and the oval-shaped plane region, the method comprising the steps of;

disposing a first plurality of reinforced fibers in parallel to the one of the circular and the oval shaped curved line, wherein the first plurality of reinforced fibers form the one of the disc-shaped plane region and the oval-shaped plane region;

disposing a second plurality of reinforced fibers intersecting the first plurality of reinforced fibers at a predetermined angle, wherein the first plurality of reinforced fibers form the first portion and extend over an entire length of the one of the disc-shaped plane region and the oval-shaped plane region; and

bending the first portion formed solely from the second plurality of reinforced fibers along the one of the circular and the oval-shaped curved line to form a desired shape.

14. A method of manufacturing a preform structure for a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of preforms for a fiber-reinforced composite material, wherein each preform comprises;

a curved plane region having a predetermined length, and

a first portion bendable along a curved line disposed in a flat plane, wherein a first plurality of reinforced fibers disposed in parallel to said curved line forms the curved plane region, wherein a second plurality of reinforced fibers intersecting the first plurality of reinforced fibers at a predetermined angle forms the first portion and extends over an entire length of the curved plane region, and wherein the first portion is bent along the curved line to form a desired shape; and

combining the plurality of preforms for a fiber-reinforced composite material.

19. A method of manufacturing a preform structure for a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of preforms for a fiber-reinforced composite material, wherein each preform comprises;

one of a disc-shaped plane region and an oval-shaped plane region having a predetermined length; and

a first portion bendable along one of a circular and an oval shaped curved line defined in the one of the disc-shaped plane region and the oval-shaped plane region, wherein a first plurality of reinforced fibers disposed in parallel to the one of the circular and the oval-shaped curved line forms the one of the disc-shaped plane region and the oval-shaped plane region, wherein a second plurality of reinforced fibers intersecting the first plurality of reinforced fibers at a predetermined angle forms the first portion and extends over an entire length of the one of the disc-shaped plane region and the oval-shaped plane region, and wherein the first portion is bent along the one of the circular and the oval-shaped curved line for forming a desired shape; and

combining the plurality of preforms for a fiber-reinforced composite material.