Method for manufacturing formed article

• US 10,625,441 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Incorporated (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Incorporated (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Nobuhiko, Kato, Tomonori
• Primary Examiner(s): Yi, Stella K
• Application Number:
  US16/072,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20190308345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 11/16 comprising fillers or reinforcement non-woven fabrics per se D04H1/00, D04H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 13/022 Melting the material to be shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 13/023 Half-products, e.g. films, plates
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 13/08 by using wave energy or particle radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 15/105 of reinforcement of definite length with a matrix in solid form, e.g. powder, fibre or sheet form calendering B29C70/506
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2077/00 Use of PA, i.e. polyamides, e.g. polyesteramides or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2309/08 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0041 Crystalline
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2377/00 Characterised by the use of polyamides obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain of polyhydrazides C08J2379/06; of polyamide-imides or polyamide acids C08J2379/08; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/042 with carbon fibres
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/043 with glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/402 the adhesive being one component of the yarn, i.e. thermoplastic yarn
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 13/00 Other non-woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2505/02 Reinforcing materials; Prepregs

Abstract

Provided is a method for manufacturing a formed article that excels in shape retainability and appearance, using a sheet that contains a thermoplastic resin fiber and a continuous reinforcing fiber. The method for manufacturing a formed article comprises irradiating laser light onto a sheet having, arranged therein with a certain directionality, yarns that contain a thermoplastic resin fiber and a continuous reinforcing fiber, so as to allow at least a part of the thermoplastic resin fiber to be impregnated into the continuous reinforcing fiber; the laser light being irradiated so as to satisfy at least one of A or B below, over at least 70% or more of the laser irradiation area; A: irradiated in a direction 5 to 85° away from the direction of arrangement of yarns in the in-plane direction of the sheet; and B: irradiated in a direction 30 to 60° away from the direction perpendicular to the sheet plane.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a formed article, the method comprising irradiating laser light onto a sheet having, arranged therein with a certain directionality, yarns that contain a thermoplastic resin fiber and a continuous reinforcing fiber, so as to allow at least a part of the thermoplastic resin fiber to be impregnated into the continuous reinforcing fiber,

the laser light being irradiated so as to satisfy at least one of A or B below, over at least 70% or more of the laser irradiation area:

A;

irradiated in a direction 5 to 85°

away from the direction of arrangement of yarns in the in-plane direction of the sheet; and

B;

irradiated in a direction 30 to 60°

away from the direction perpendicular to the sheet plane,

wherein the laser light has an intensity of 1 to 50 J/mm.

2. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 1, wherein the yarns are commingled yarns that contain the thermoplastic resin fiber and the continuous reinforcing fiber.

3. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 1, wherein the sheet is a fabric using the yarns for at least one of warp or weft.

4. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 1, wherein the yarns in the sheet have a width within a range from −

75% to 300% of a maximum width of beam spot of the laser light.

5. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 1, wherein the laser light is irradiated so as to satisfy at least A.

6. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 5, wherein the laser light is irradiated in a direction 10 to 80°

away from the direction of arrangement of yarns in the in-plane direction of the sheet, over at least 70% or more of the laser irradiation area.

7. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 1, wherein the continuous reinforcing fiber contains at least one of carbon fiber or glass fiber.

8. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 1, wherein the continuous reinforcing fiber contains at least one type of glass fiber.

10. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin contains a crystalline resin.

14. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 2,

wherein the thermoplastic resin fiber contains a polyamide resin;

and

the polyamide resin contains a structural unit derived from diamine and a structural unit derived from dicarboxylic acid, and 50 mol % or more of the structural unit derived from diamine is derived from xylylenediamine.

15. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 3,

wherein the thermoplastic resin fiber contains a polyamide resin;

and

the polyamide resin contains a structural unit derived from diamine and a structural unit derived from dicarboxylic acid, and 50 mol % or more of the structural unit derived from diamine is derived from xylylenediamine.

16. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 4,

wherein the thermoplastic resin fiber contains a polyamide resin;

and

the polyamide resin contains a structural unit derived from diamine and a structural unit derived from dicarboxylic acid, and 50 mol % or more of the structural unit derived from diamine is derived from xylylenediamine.

17. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 5,

wherein the thermoplastic resin fiber contains a polyamide resin;

and

the polyamide resin contains a structural unit derived from diamine and a structural unit derived from dicarboxylic acid, and 50 mol % or more of the structural unit derived from diamine is derived from xylylenediamine.

9. A method for manufacturing a formed article, the method comprising irradiating laser light onto a sheet having, arranged therein with a certain directionality, yarns that contain a thermoplastic resin fiber and a continuous reinforcing fiber, so as to allow at least a part of the thermoplastic resin fiber to be impregnated into the continuous reinforcing fiber,

the laser light being irradiated so as to satisfy at least one of A or B below, over at least 70% or more of the laser irradiation area:

A;

irradiated in a direction 5 to 85°

away from the direction of arrangement of yarns in the in-plane direction of the sheet; and

B;

irradiated in a direction 30 to 60°

away from the direction perpendicular to the sheet plane,

wherein the laser light is irradiated in a scanning mode and the laser light has a maximum width of beam spot of 0.5 to 6.0 mm.

11. A method for manufacturing a formed article, the method comprising irradiating laser light onto a sheet having, arranged therein with a certain directionality, yarns that contain a thermoplastic resin fiber and a continuous reinforcing fiber, so as to allow at least a part of the thermoplastic resin fiber to be impregnated into the continuous reinforcing fiber,

the laser light being irradiated so as to satisfy at least one of A or B below, over at least 70% or more of the laser irradiation area:

A;

irradiated in a direction 5 to 85°

away from the direction of arrangement of yarns in the in-plane direction of the sheet; and

B;

irradiated in a direction 30 to 60°

away from the direction perpendicular to the sheet plane,

wherein the thermoplastic resin fiber contains a polyamide resin that contains a structural unit derived from diamine and a structural unit derived from dicarboxylic acid, and 50 mol % or more of the structural unit derived from diamine is derived from xylylenediamine.

12. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 11,

wherein the yarns are commingled yarns that contain the thermoplastic resin fiber and the continuous reinforcing fiber;

and

the laser light has an intensity of 1 to 50 J/mm.

13. The method for manufacturing a formed article of claim 11,

wherein the yarns are commingled yarns that contain the thermoplastic resin fiber and the continuous reinforcing fiber;

the laser light has an intensity of 1 to 50 J/mm and;

the laser light has a maximum width of beam spot of 0.5 to 6.0 mm.