Composite laminated product

• US 8,491,981 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA
• Original Assignee: Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA, Michelin Recherche et Technique SA (Compagnie Generale DES Etablissements Michelin SCA)
• Inventors: Delfino, Antonio, Meraldi, Jean-Paul, Pozo, Franois
• Primary Examiner(s): Ewald, Maria Veronica
• Assistant Examiner(s): VAN SELL, NATHAN L
• Application Number:
  US12/678,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20100260967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 428/113, 428/119, 428/178
• US Class Current: 428/113
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/021 Fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/046 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/20 of hollow pieces, e.g. tubes; of pieces with channels or cavities
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/12 characterised by the relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers, e.g. the fibres or filaments being parallel or perpendicular to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/10 characterised by means for increasing resiliency
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/14 using springs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/18 disposed radially relative to wheel axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 7/22 having inlays other than for increasing resiliency, e.g. for armouring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 152/10306 Superimposed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24124 Fibers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24174 including sheet or component perpendicular to plane of web or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24661 Forming, or cooperating to form cells

Abstract

Composite laminated product (1) that forms a deformable cellular structure includes an upper band (2) and a lower band (3) both oriented in the same main direction (X) between the two bands (2, 3) and connecting the latter, a series extends in the direction X, of cylinders (4) referred to as connection cylinders. The connection cylinders (4) are non-touching in the direction X and having their generatrix oriented along an axis Y perpendicular to the direction X. The connection cylinders are composite cylinders including fibers embedded in a resin matrix. Such a laminated product can be used as an elastic beam having a high resistance to flexural/compressive stresses and having a high endurance to such repeated or alternated stresses, in particular as a shear band in a non-pneumatic resilient wheel.

Claims

1. A composite laminated product that forms a deformable cellular structure, comprising:

an upper band and a lower band, both oriented in the same main direction (X); and

between the two bands and connecting the latter, a series that extends in the direction X, of cylinders referred to as connection cylinders, said connection cylinders being non-touching in the main direction X, and a generatrix of each cylinder oriented along an axis Y perpendicular to the main direction X,

wherein said connection cylinders are composite cylinders comprising fibres embedded in a resin matrix,

wherein the connection cylinders have a diameter D, and an average distance d, measured in the main direction, between two consecutive connection cylinders is such that the ratio d/D is between 0.10 and 0.50.

2. The laminated product according to claim 1, wherein the fibres of the connection cylinders are continuous fibres.

3. The laminated product according to claim 2, wherein the fibres are unidirectional, oriented circumferentially in a plane perpendicular to said axis Y.

4. The laminated product according to claim 1, wherein the fibres of the connection cylinders are glass fibres and/or carbon fibres.

5. The laminated product according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower bands also comprise fibres embedded in a resin matrix.

6. The laminated product according to claim 5, wherein the fibres of the bands are continuous fibres.

7. The laminated product according to claim 6, wherein the continuous fibres of the bands are unidirectional, oriented parallel to the main direction.

8. The laminated product according to claim 5, wherein the fibres of the bands are glass fibres and/or carbon fibres.

9. The laminated product according to claim 1, wherein the connection cylinders have the diameter D that is substantially constant in a direction normal to the main direction and to said axis, so as to keep the upper and lower bands substantially equidistant.

10. The laminated product according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion the connection cylinders are reinforced by a reinforcing element referred to as a “

radial cylinder reinforcement”

that passes through the portion of the connection cylinders completely along their diameter, parallel to a radial direction which is perpendicular to the main direction and to said axis.

11. The laminated product according to claim 10, wherein the radial cylinder reinforcement passes completely through, in the radial direction, the connection cylinder so as to be anchored in the upper and lower bands.

12. The laminated product according to claim 10, wherein the radial cylinder reinforcement passes completely through, in the radial direction, the connection cylinder and the upper and lower bands so as to be anchored in intermediate assembly parts that assemble the cylinder with the two bands.

13. The laminated product according to claim 10, wherein the radial cylinder reinforcement comprises unidirectional continuous fibres embedded in a resin matrix.

14. The laminated product according to claim 13, wherein the continuous fibres are glass fibres and/or carbon fibres.

15. The laminated product according to claim 10, wherein the radial cylinder reinforcement is formed by a series of discrete radial reinforcements oriented parallel to the radial direction, said series being aligned along said axis.

16. The laminated product according to claim 15, wherein the discrete radial reinforcements of the connection cylinders consist of monofilaments.

17. The laminated product according to claim 1, wherein the resin is a thermosetting resin.

18. The laminated product according to claim 17, wherein the thermosetting resin is a vinyl ester resin.

19. A finished product comprising a laminated product according to claim 1.