Sheet molding compound with cores

• US 20110150661A1
• Filed: 12/20/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Magna International Incorporated
• Inventors: Dodyk, Louis, Panasiewicz, Jeremy Alan, Robbins, Jeffrey R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,992,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/230
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/086 and with one or more layers of pure plastics material, e.g. foam layers applying a non-preformed coating, e.g. a gel-coat, B29C37/0025; with foam blocks B29C70/86
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/18 in the form of a mat, e.g. sheet moulding compound [SMC]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/865 completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 99/0025 Producing blades or the like, e.g. blades for turbines, propellers, or wings
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0872 Prepregs
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/08 Blades for rotors, stators, fans, turbines or the like, e.g. screw propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/085 Wind turbine blades
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/30 Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof vanes or blades B29L2031/08, air bags B29L2022/027
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/03 3 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/021 Fibrous or filamentary layer layers of natural mineral fibres or particles being impregnated in a plastic substance B32B19/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0269 Aromatic polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/101 Glass fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/106 Carbon fibres, e.g. graphite fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/738 Thermoformability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2603/00 Vanes, blades, propellers, rotors with blades
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/32 comprising polyolefins comprising vinyl (co)polymers or acrylic (co)polymers B32B27/30
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/36 comprising polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/40 comprising polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 : of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 : Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/163 : Next to unitary web or sheet of equal or greater extent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 : Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/30 : Self-sustaining carbon mass or layer with impregnant or other layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 : Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31562 : Next to polyamide [nylon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31601 : Quartz or glass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31616 : Next to polyester [e.g., alkyd]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31645 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31649 : Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31725 : Of polyamide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31736 : Next to polyester
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31757 : Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31794 : Of cross-linked polyester
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31855 : Of addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31935 : Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31938 : Polymer of monoethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon

Abstract

A component made of at least one thermoformable material, having a first layer made of a first material, a second layer made of a second material, and a third layer made of the first material. The three layers form a sheet, which is formed to various shapes, depending upon the part that is to be created. The sheet may be formed to produce the bumper of an automobile, a door panel for an automobile, a flotation device, such as a pontoon for a pontoon boat, or the like. The first and third layers are SMC, and the second layer, or “core,” is disposed between the first and third layers, allowing the strength of the first and third layers to be used more efficiently, compared to a sheet having only the first and third layers, and no core.

Claims

1. A component made of at least one thermoformable material, comprising:

a first structural layer made of a first material;

a spatial support layer made of a second material; and

a third structural layer made of said first material, said spatial support layer being disposed between said first structural layer and said third structural layer;

wherein said first structural layer, said spatial layer, and said third structural layer are placed into a mold, and said mold his heated such that said first structural layer and said third structural layer are chemically bonded to said spatial support layer.

2. The component made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 1, each of said first structural layer and said third structural layer further comprising a thermoformable, pre-impregnated sheet molding compound (SMC).

3. The component made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 2, wherein said thermoformable, preimpregnated SMC further comprises a thermoset material, a polymer resin, inert fillers, a fiber reinforcement, catalysts, pigments and stabilizers, release agents, thickeners, and combinations thereof.

4. The component made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 1, each of said first structural layer and said third structural layer further comprising a pre-impregnated material.

5. The component made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 4, said pre-impregnated material being one selected from the group consisting of Glass Mat Thermoplastic (GMT) material, Kevlar, E-Glass, a carbon fiber material, a composite fiber material, and combinations thereof.

6. The component made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 1, wherein said spatial support layer is made of a material which is one selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride (PVC), styrene acrylonitrile resin (SAN), and combinations thereof.

7. The component made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 1, wherein said first structural layer and said third structural layer are substantially the same thickness.

8. The component made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 1, wherein said first structural layer and said third structural layer are of different thicknesses.

9. The component made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 1, wherein said spatial support layer is of a greater thickness compared to said first structural layer and said third structural layer.

10. A method for making a component of at least one thermoformable material, comprising the steps of:

providing a first layer made of a first pre-impregnated material;

providing a second layer made of a polymer material;

providing a third layer made of said first pre-impregnated material;

placing said first layer, said second layer, and said third layer into a mold such that said second layer is disposed between said first layer and said third layer to form a sheet; and

curing said sheet in said mold by heating said mold to a desired cure temperature such that said first layer is bonded to said second layer, and said third layer is bonded to said second layer.

11. The method for making a component of at least one thermoformable material of claim 10, further comprising the steps of providing said desired cure temperature to be generally in the range of about 200°

Fahrenheit to about 400°

Fahrenheit, typically in the range of about 250°

Fahrenheit to about 350°

Fahrenheit, and preferably in the range of about 280°

Fahrenheit to about 320°

Fahrenheit.

12. The method for making a component of at least one thermoformable material of claim 10, further comprising the steps of providing said polymer material to be one selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride (PVC), styrene acrylonitrile resin (SAN), and combinations thereof.

13. The method for making a component of at least one thermoformable material of claim 10, further comprising the steps of selecting said first pre-impregnated material to be one selected from the group consisting of a sheet molding compound (SMC), Glass Mat Thermoplastic (GMT) material, Kevlar, E-Glass, a carbon fiber material, a composite fiber material, and combinations thereof.

14. The method for making a component of at least one thermoformable material of claim 10, further comprising the steps of providing said first layer and said third layer to be a thickness of generally from about 1.0 millimeters to about 5.0 millimeters, typically about 1.0 millimeters to about 2.0 millimeters, and preferably about 1.3 millimeters to about 1.7 millimeters.

15. The method for making a component of at least one thermoformable material of claim 10, further comprising the steps of providing said middle layer to be a thickness of generally from about 1.0 millimeters to about 50.8 millimeters, typically about 1.0 millimeters to about 25.4 millimeters, and preferably about 1.0 millimeters to about 5.0 millimeters.

16. A wind blade made of at least one thermoformable material, comprising:

a top structural layer made of a sheet molding compound;

a middle support layer made of a polymer material, said middle support layer having a first side and a second side; and

a bottom structural layer made of said sheet molding compound;

wherein said top structural layer is bonded to first side of middle support layer, and said bottom structural layer is bonded to said second side of said middle support layer, forming a sheet.

17. The wind blade made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 16, wherein said polymer is one selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinylchloride (PVC), styrene acrylonitrile resin (SAN), and combinations thereof.

18. The wind blade made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 16, wherein said sheet molding compound further comprises a thermoset material, a polymer resin, inert fillers, a fiber reinforcement, catalysts, pigments and stabilizers, release agents, thickeners, and combinations thereof.

19. The wind blade made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 16, wherein said top structural layer and said bottom structural layer are of a first thickness.

20. The wind blade made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 19, wherein said first thickness is generally from about 1.0 millimeters to about 5.0 millimeters, typically about 1.0 millimeters to about 2.0 millimeters, and preferably about 1.3 millimeters to about 1.7 millimeters.

21. The wind blade made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 16, wherein said middle support layer is of a thickness which is generally from about 1.0 millimeters to about 50.8 millimeters, typically about 1.0 millimeters to about 25.4 millimeters, and preferably about 1.0 millimeters to about 5.0 millimeters.

22. The wind blade made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 16, wherein said sheet is placed into a mold and cured to bond said top structural layer to said middle support layer, and to bond said bottom structural layer to said middle support layer.

23. The wind blade made of at least one thermoformable material of claim 22, wherein said sheet is cured at a temperature of generally in the range of about 200°

Fahrenheit to about 400°

Fahrenheit, typically in the range of about 250°

Fahrenheit to about 350°

Fahrenheit, and preferably in the range of about 280°

Fahrenheit to about 320°

Fahrenheit.