EP1940619A1

EP1940619A1 - Improved layered sandwich structure

Info

Publication number: EP1940619A1
Application number: EP06820231A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Eric Metrot
Original assignee: Salomon SAS
Current assignee: Salomon SAS
Priority date: 2005-10-24
Filing date: 2006-10-17
Publication date: 2008-07-09
Also published as: US20080286543A1; WO2007048899A1; FR2892340A1; FR2892340B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a sandwich-type layered structure comprising at least one first core layer of foam material (12), a first reinforcing layer (14) which is connected to a first face of the first core layer (12) and a second reinforcing layer (14) which is connected to the second face of the core layer. The invention is characterised in that the layered structure includes at least one layer of compressed foam (16) which is disposed between the first core layer (12) and the second reinforcing layer (14) and which is connected to said two layers.

Description

IMPROVED SANDWICH LAMINATE STRUCTURE

The invention relates to the field of sandwich-type laminated structures, that is to say structures comprising at least three layers of superimposed materials, one of the layers, called the core layer, comprising a cellular material (little or no compressible), and being bonded on each of its faces to a reinforcing material. These layers of material generally have a dimension (thickness) much smaller than their other dimensions, and the reinforcing layers generally have a thickness of at least 5 to 10 times less than the thickness of the core layer. In all areas of application, the laminated sandwich structures are appreciated for the very good ratio that they display between their weight and their mechanical strength, in particular from the point of view of their stiffness in bending.

In a laminated sandwich structure, the layers are bonded together, by any form of bonding, welding, etc., so that the bending of the structure results in a stressing of the (thin) reinforcing layers essentially in tension or in tension. compression, the core layer (thicker) being essentially stressed in compression in the direction of its thickness, and in shear in its general plane.

In this way, for the core layer, light materials are generally used, most often cellular materials having a bulk density of less than 400 kg / m 3 and / or woody materials such as wood or other wood-based materials. . These materials are generally substantially rigid in compression in the direction of their thickness, at least in the field of efforts for which the structure is provided.

For the reinforcing layers, the composite materials composed of fibers embedded in a plastic resin (whether the resin is thermoplastic or thermosetting) are appreciated for their mechanical characteristics and for their relative ease of use. However, other reinforcing materials are usable, such as metals (including aluminum), wood, or plastics with good mechanical properties.

Although a sandwich laminate structure essentially comprises three interconnected layers, it may comprise complementary layers, either in the form of external layers superimposed on one or other of the reinforcing layers, or in the form of intermediate layers. arranged between a reinforcing layer and the core layer. In the latter case, it is important to maintain good adhesion between the different layers so that the shear forces can be transmitted from one layer to another.

The invention may find application in many fields, including those of shipbuilding, aeronautics, rail or automobile. It may also apply to the field of sports gear such as gliding machines.

Despite their very good intrinsic mechanical performance, the person skilled in the art always seeks to improve composite laminate structures, in particular by seeking to optimize the ratio between mechanical performance, weight and cost, particularly in view of the specific constraints related to the production and use of gliding machines.

For this purpose, the invention proposes a sandwich-type laminated structure comprising at least a first core layer made of cellular material, a first reinforcing layer bonded to a first face of the first core layer, and a second reinforcing layer on the side bonded to the second face of the core layer, characterized in that the laminated structure comprises at least, between the first core layer and the first reinforcing layer, a compressed foam layer bonded to these two layers.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following detailed description, as well as on the attached drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective exploded view of a sandwich structure sample according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view of the sample of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 illustrating a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 illustrating a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates in exploded perspective a first example of a sample of a sandwich structure 10 according to the invention. In the remainder of the text, the notions of "superior", "lower", "high" and "low" will be used with reference to the appended drawings, and only in order to facilitate the understanding of the description, without being limiting in nature. the scope of the invention.

This structure is here composed of layers in the form of plates, in that they have a dimension (their respective thicknesses) much lower than their two other respective dimensions. These plates are essentially flat, but they could be curved in two or three dimensions, developable in the mathematical sense or not.

The sandwich structure 10 thus comprises a core layer 12 of cellular material on both sides of which are arranged reinforcing layers 14.

In the examples which will be described below, the cellular material of the core layer 12 is chosen from foams, in particular from so-called rigid foams.

Indeed, the skilled person has a habit of classifying foams plastic flexible foams on the one hand and stiff foams on the other. Rigid foams have a low elasticity in that as soon as the compression force exceeds a certain value, they deform by collapse, irreversibly or very little reversible. Rigid foams include polyurethane foams, expanded polystyrene foam and extruded polystyrene foam which are generally used in the form of foam bars to form the cores of traditional surfboards. Similarly, some foams of PVC or polyimide used generally as a core in the sandwich structure are part of so-called rigid foams. On the other hand, foams of expanded polyolefins, in particular polypropylene or even polyethylene, are generally considered by those skilled in the art to be flexible foams, in particular by their capacity to be able to undergo large deformations in the elastic domain. In the examples more particularly studied, the material of the core 12 is an extruded polystyrene foam such as that marketed by The Dow Chemical Company under the trademark "Styrofoam" and under the reference "HD300". This foam has a density of 45 kg / m3.

However, any other cellular material may be considered, especially any cellular material of less than 150 kg / m 3, such as most plastic foams.

The reinforcing layers 14 are advantageously layers of composite material such as fibers (glass, carbon, aramid, or mixtures thereof) impregnated or embedded in a resin (thermoplastic or thermosetting, for example of the polyester or epoxy type). The fibers will preferably be chosen from long woven fibers, with the possibility of superimposing several fabrics (identical or different, with different fiber orientations) within the same reinforcing layer 14.

According to the invention, the sandwich structure 10 comprises, between the core layer 12 and at least one of the reinforcing layers 14 (in this case the upper reinforcing layer in the drawings), a layer of compressed foam 16 which is directly bonded or indirectly to these two layers 12, 14.

By compressed foam layer, a layer of foam, in particular of plastic material, which has undergone a compression operation with plastic deformation, thus passing from a first stable state to a second stable state in which the layer of material has a thickness less than its initial thickness, this permanently. D. follows that during this compression operation, the foam will have seen its bulk density increase in a ratio substantially equivalent to that of the decrease in its thickness.

The compression operation will generally be performed as an operation prior to assembling the composite structure.

Preferably, this compression operation will be a thermocompression operation, that is to say carried out in the presence of a heat input, to bring the material in a state favorable to its plastic deformation capacity.

In the case of an extruded polystyrene foam of the type mentioned above, it has thus been possible to compress foam plates to reduce their thickness in a ratio of 2 to 12 times, preferably at least 4 times. For example, 4 mm plates were reduced to an average thickness of 0.5 mm, a thickness reduction factor equal to 8, their apparent density then reaching about 360 kg / m3.

With other foams, or other compression ratio, it is thus possible to envisage using a compressed foam layer having a density of between 150 and 500. kg / m3. Preferably, the thickness of the compressed foam layer will be between 0.3 and 2 mm.

In the examples more particularly studied, it has been sought to obtain a relatively uniform compression of the foam throughout its thickness. In particular, in the thermocompression operation, it was sought to have a rise in temperature of the substantially homogeneous material throughout the thickness of the plate. Thus, to compress 4mm plates to a thickness of the order of 0.5 mm, they were pressed at a temperature between 90 and 95 ⁰ C (slightly above the temperature glass transition of the material), under a pressure of 8 bar, for a period of the order of several minutes.

However, in some particular cases, one can instead seek to create a non-homogeneous compression of the foam, the latter being for example more compressed near its upper and lower faces in its center. For this, it suffices for example that the thermocompression is performed with a minimum heating time before the actual compression phase, so that the foam plate does not have time to see its temperature to homogenize in the thickness. Under the effect of pressure, the outermost parts of the plate will be more easily deformable than the heart and will be more compressed.

This thermoforming operation with plastic compression could also be performed directly at the output of the foam production line, for example by calendering directly at the extruder outlet for the case of an extruded foam.

The connection between the different layers of the sandwich structure (essential so that the shear stresses are transmitted from one layer to another and so that the structure can function as a sandwich structure and not as a simple stack), can be performed in different ways, according to the procedures known to those skilled in the art for making sandwich structures.

First, the reinforcing layers, to the extent that they are composed of layers of resin-impregnated fibers, will be bonded to the core layer or to the foam layer compressed by said resin. In the case of reinforcement layers made of other materials, they may be bonded to the adjacent layer by a suitable adhesive.

Then, concerning the connection between the compressed foam layer and the core layer, we can first choose a simple bonding. It may also be provided that this bonding is reinforced by fibers, woven or non-woven, long or short. This layer of fiber-reinforced adhesive then forms a layer of interlayered composite material 15 between the compressed foam layer 16 and the core layer 12, these two layers then being indirectly bonded to one another via the layer insert 15 which is related to both. Such an alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3. This intermediate layer 15 can be made in the form of a reinforcing layer, for example combining fibers and resin, or in any other form of reinforcement layers as seen above. . The foam layer 16 thus compressed has the advantage of having a high resistance to any new compressive stress in a plane perpendicular to the structure. It thus protects the core layer from this type of stress which may appear for example when the sandwich structure is stressed in flexion. Indeed, in this case, the reinforcing layer 14 arranged on the internal side of the flexion (that which sees its concavity increase) is stressed in compression in its plane and may therefore tend to flare inwards, towards the core layer 12. As this is reinforced by the compressed foam layer 16, the reinforcing layer 14 is better held, and flambera for higher stress rates. Similarly, the structure will be stronger when a point load is applied perpendicular to its reinforced surface. These advantages, and others will of course find themselves with more complex loads.

Preferably, the compressed foam layer has a thickness at least four times less than the thickness of the core layer. However, for the weight of the compressed foam layer not to increase the weight of the structure too much, it will be advantageous for the thickness ratio between the core layer and the compressed foam layer to be even greater, for example at least 10.

In the first two embodiments of the invention, the compressed foam layer is compressed to have substantially smooth upper and lower faces. In another variant embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4, the sample differs from the first only in that, according to a second aspect of the invention, the compressed foam comprises, on one of its faces (in the occurrence on its upper face arranged on the side of the upper reinforcing layer 14), engravings 30.

Preferably, the etchings 30 are carried out without removal of material, by simple plastic compression of the light material. They can thus be made by supporting a tool (for example a plate or a roll provided with ribs) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the light layer, the tool leaving the impression of its ribs after have plastically compressed the material.

The etching can be performed before, during, or after the foam compression operation.

Thus, in the case where the foam is subjected to a thermocompression operation, it can be provided that the etchings are formed during this step, for example by interposing a flexible grid between the material and the mold or the press (flexible or rigid ) of thermoforming. The pressure applied to the material during this operation, as well as the fact that it is brought to a temperature at which it is more plastic, allow the grid to leave an imprint on the corresponding surface of the compressed foam layer.

By forming the etchings without removal of material, the risk is limited that the etchings 30 become areas of rupture of the light material. Indeed, in terms of engravings made by plastic compression, the material is not destroyed or ripped. The engravings 30 may have various geometries. In section, the engravings may for example have a V shape, a shape with parallel flanks and rounded bottom, or have a flared shape. In top view, they may be for example in the form of furrows (straight lines, curves, segments, etc ...). They can form an ordered network (parallel, crossed paths, arranged in a particular symmetry etc.) or a random network. They may eventually draw geometric figures, or even decorative patterns or text elements.

In the example as illustrated in FIG. 4, the etchings 30 form two crossed gratings of parallel lines drawing cells in parallelograms (rhombs, rectangles, squares, etc.).

The engravings may have a depth of about 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm or more for relatively thick layers of compressed foam. At the limit, the depth of the etchings may be just less than the thickness of the compressed foam layer, for example of the order of 0.9 times the thickness. In the latter case, the engravings will make the compressed foam layer particularly flexible and able to conform to a complex three-dimensional form, even if it is not developable.

According to one aspect of the invention, when the adjacent layer 14 is a composite layer, the etchings 30 are intended to be filled by the resin which forms the matrix of the composite material of the adjacent layer. This adjacent layer is, in FIG. 4, the upper reinforcement layer 14. In this way, the layer of composite material 14 has, on its interface surface with the compressed foam layer 16, raised ribs whose shape is directly complementary to the shape of the etchings 30 of the compressed foam layer 16.

Several embodiments are possible to ensure that the resin of the adjacent layer 14 penetrates inside engravings 30. It is indeed possible to use either pre-impregnated fiber plies or dry fiber plies which are impregnated then resin. In both cases, provision may be made to apply a first resin layer before depositing the fiber sheets (woven or non-woven) on the compressed foam layer 16, preferably before the first resin layer has been applied. completely polymerized, so as to ensure good cohesion between the first resin layer and the rest of the resin that impregnates the fibers.

Preferably, the polymerization step of the resin which impregnates the fibers under pressure is carried out, for example by arranging the laminated structure in a flexible membrane enclosure, and establishing a pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the membrane. the enclosure so that the flexible membrane intimately presses the layer of fibers and resin during polymerization against the compressed foam layer 16. The pressure differential can be obtained by creating a depression inside the speaker, or creating an overpressure outside the enclosure. In this way, it ensures a good flow of the resin between the fibers and into the etchings 30, thus forming the ribs. Furthermore, when it is expected that the engravings are filled with resin, it is particularly important that the engravings are shallow and narrow. Indeed, in the opposite case, the filling of engravings would consume a large quantity of resin, which could significantly increase the structure. The network of resin ribs which is thus created at the interface between the compressed foam layer 16 and the composite reinforcing layer 14 has many advantages. Firstly, the presence of this network makes it possible to increase the contact area between the two layers, thus increasing the adhesion surface between the two layers, and therefore their cohesion, thus limiting the risk of delamination of the layers. This aspect is reinforced by the fact that the combination of ribs and complementary engravings performs a mechanical attachment by complementarity of shapes that completes the chemical bonding of the resin on the material of the compressed foam layer.

Secondly, the ribs make it possible to increase the mechanical performance of the structure, in particular because the composite layer is reinforced by the ribs and in particular is more resistant to flanking when the composite layer is stressed in compression in its general plane. However, in the case of gliding boards, which are most often solicited primarily in flexion (the front and rear ends being raised relative to a central portion which is lowered, for example under stress a strong support ), the bending of the board is reflected, among other things, by a stress on the upper surface of the board in compression in its general plane. In this way, the reinforcement of the laminated structure according to the invention finds a particularly advantageous application for the realization of the upper faces of the board, as illustrated in the examples below. In the illustrated example, the network of engravings 30 and complementary ribs is a multidirectional and repetitive geometric pattern. In this way, the reinforcing effect acts substantially homogeneously in all directions. Of course, with a pattern of more directional engravings, the reinforcement effect will also be more directional.

The principle of producing a network of etchings, which has just been described when applied to one of the faces of the compressed foam layer, can be resumed and applied to the other face of the compressed foam layer. (So that turned towards the core layer 12), or even on one and / or the other of the faces of the core layer 12.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the engravings are filled by a reinforcing reinforcement so that it is embedded in the compressed foam layer. Thus, it is possible for the engravings to be produced by pressing a grid (of metal, fibers, etc.) into the surface of the compressed layer, and to leave this grid in place in the compressed foam layer when the latter is compressed. is integrated into the sandwich structure to strengthen.

The previous embodiments have been described in the context of generally flat sandwich structures, but the invention may also be applied in the case of sandwich structures of more complex geometries, in particular three-dimensional. Similarly, sandwich structure according to the invention may comprise other additional elements, either at the core layer (reinforcing structures for example or multi-material cores), reinforcing layers (for example additional layers of protection or In the two previous examples, the layer of compressed foam has a substantially uniform density over its entire extent (if not over its entire thickness). that the density of the layer is not uniform but on the contrary the foam layer has denser areas than others, these denser areas being for example arranged in areas subject to higher stresses. , it can be provided that the foam layer is made of several elements juxtaposed, each having undergone different compression rates, or being at constant compression ratio from foams of different initial densities. It is also possible to provide a one-piece multidensity layer. For this purpose, it is possible to form part of an initial foam layer having a uniform density but having a variable thickness. By subjecting it to a thermocompression operation during which the foam layer is brought to a substantially uniform thickness, the initially thicker areas will experience a higher compression ratio than the initially thinner areas, and will therefore be denser.

In the examples described above, the sandwich structure is reinforced only on one of these faces. This is particularly true for a structure that is asymmetrically solicited. In this case, the side of the structure which is most likely to undergo compressive forces perpendicular to the plane of the plates of the structure, and / or of the side of the structure for which the reinforcing layer is subjected to, is preferably reinforced. compression in his plane. In the case of a more symmetrically stressed structure, it can be provided that it is reinforced by a layer of compressed foam on both sides of its core, possibly with different compressed foam layers on each side.

Claims

A laminated sandwich structure comprising at least a first core layer (12) of cellular material, a first reinforcing layer (14) bonded to a first face of the first core layer (12), and a second reinforcing layer ( 14) on the side connected to the second face of the core layer, characterized in that the laminated structure comprises at least, between the first core layer (12) and the first reinforcing layer (14), a compressed foam layer (16). ) related to these two layers.

2. laminated structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the compressed foam layer (16) is formed by a compression operation with plastic deformation.

3. laminated structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the compression operation with plastic deformation reduces the thickness of the base material by a factor of at least 4.

4. laminated structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compression operation is a thermoforming operation with plastic compression of the foam.

Layered structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressed foam layer (16) has a thickness at least four times smaller than the thickness of the core layer (12).

6. laminated structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressed foam layer (16) has a thickness at least ten times less than the thickness of the core layer (12).

7. laminated structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressed foam layer (16) has a thickness of between 0.3 and 2 mm.

8. laminated structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressed foam layer (16) has a bulk density of between 150 and 500 kg / m3.

Layered structure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the compressed foam layer (16) comprises extruded polystyrene foam.

10. laminated structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a spacer layer (15) of composite material is interposed between the core layer (12) and the compressed foam layer (16).

Layered structure according to claim 10, characterized in that the intermediate layer (15) of composite material comprises fibers embedded in a resin.

12. Layered structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first reinforcing layer (14) comprises a composite material comprising fibers embedded in a resin.

13. Layered structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cellular material of the core layer (12) has a bulk density of less than 150 kg / m3.

Layered structure according to claim 13, characterized in that the honeycomb material of the core layer (12) comprises an extruded polystyrene foam.

Layered structure according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reinforced foam layer (16) has engravings (30).