Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/68—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers, e.g. foam blocks
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
  • B29C70/06—Fibrous reinforcements only
  • B29C70/08—Fibrous reinforcements only comprising combinations of different forms of fibrous reinforcements incorporated in matrix material, forming one or more layers, and with or without non-reinforced layers
  • B29C70/086—Fibrous reinforcements only comprising combinations of different forms of fibrous reinforcements incorporated in matrix material, forming one or more layers, and with or without non-reinforced layers and with one or more layers of pure plastics material, e.g. foam layers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C45/14—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
  • B29C45/14336—Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C45/00—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C45/14—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles
  • B29C45/14778—Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles the article consisting of a material with particular properties, e.g. porous, brittle
  • B29C45/14786—Fibrous material or fibre containing material, e.g. fibre mats or fibre reinforced material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/04—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
  • B29C70/28—Shaping operations therefor
  • B29C70/40—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied
  • B29C70/42—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles
  • B29C70/46—Shaping or impregnating by compression not applied for producing articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/68—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers, e.g. foam blocks
  • B29C70/74—Moulding material on a relatively small portion of the preformed part, e.g. outsert moulding
  • B29C70/745—Filling cavities in the preformed part
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/68—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers, e.g. foam blocks
  • B29C70/78—Moulding material on one side only of the preformed part
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/68—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers, e.g. foam blocks
  • B29C70/84—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers, e.g. foam blocks by moulding material on preformed parts to be joined
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C70/00—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts
  • B29C70/68—Shaping composites, i.e. plastics material comprising reinforcements, fillers or preformed parts, e.g. inserts by incorporating or moulding on preformed parts, e.g. inserts or layers, e.g. foam blocks
  • B29C70/86—Incorporated in coherent impregnated reinforcing layers, e.g. by winding

Definitions

• the invention relates to a product and a method of making a product.
• a known way of making a composite product is by vacuum bag moulding.
• the product is laid up in a one sided mould, and then enclosed in a flexible bag on which a vacuum is drawn to hold the parts together while the adhesive cures. Curing takes place in an autoclave.
• a product made in this way is generally of similar thickness throughout.
• a particular known composite product made in this way is an insert for the bumper of a car.
• the carbon fibre composite part replaces a part made of plastics material and must attach to the same fixings.
• the part is generally in a boat hull or shell shape, and is made with tabs to fold inwards over the cavity and be pierced. In this way a threaded shank can be received through the piercing in each tab to be received in a metal nut behind the tab and thereby fix the part on to the car.
• a method of making a product comprising the steps of: applying peel ply to at least part of at least one surface of a composite body made of composite material; peeling off the peel ply from the said part or parts of the composite body; placing the composite body in a mould and placing fixing elements in the mould; injection moulding plastics material on to the said part or parts of the composite body, to thereby mount the fixing elements on the composite body so that the fixing elements can be used to fix the part to another item.
• the or each fixing may define a screw threaded bore to receive a threaded shank. This makes assembly much easier than in the known product, where a separate nut is required to be located behind each tab.
• the or each fixing may be made of a different material from the moulding material and may for example be made of metal.
• the plastics material can be any suitable material, such as PU.
• the composite body may have a matrix of any suitable material such as plastics material or resin material.
• the composite body may be made from any suitable composite material, but in a preferred embodiment it is made from fibre reinforced composite material.
• the composite body may be made from any suitable fibre reinforced composite material such as glass fibre reinforced plastic, or Kevlar in a resin matrix, but in a preferred embodiment the composite body is a carbon fibre composite.
• the fibre reinforcement may take any suitable form, but preferably comprises woven fibres.
• the composite body may take any suitable shape and may be a sheet or formed from a sheet.
• the method includes cutting the composite body from a sheet, and may include an operation to shape the composite body.
• the composite body is made from a preimpregnated fabric sheet.
• Peel ply is known for use in vacuum bagging manufacture and is attached to a prepreg before vacuum moulding, and peeled off afterwards. Peel ply is not known for use with a ready made composite consisting of a preimpregnated fabric sheet.
• the plastics material may be moulded onto one or both sides of the sheet, but preferably is moulded on only one side of the composite body.
• the said part of the surface of the composite body may comprise one part or more than one part on only one surface of the composite body.
• the part may comprise the whole of one surface of the composite body.
• the plastics material is only attached to the composite body at certain parts where it is required.
• a product comprising a composite body made of composite material, injection moulded plastics material moulded onto at least part of at least one surface of the composite body, and at least one fixing in the plastics material for fixing the product to another item.
• Fig 1 is a top plan view of a carbon fibre composite shell of a product in an embodiment of the invention
• Fig 2 is an underneath plan view of the shell of Fig 1;
• Fig 3 is an underneath plan view of the product of the embodiment
• Fig 4 is an end elevation in cross section of the product at C-C as shown in Fig 2, with the fixings shown in phantom.
• the product 10 of the embodiment comprises a carbon fibre composite shell 12 with a backing 14 of plastics material which mounts a plurality of fixings 16.
• the product 10 is a bumper insert for a car. It is part of an options pack, which replaces parts made of plastics or other materials with parts made of carbon fibre composite to provide weight saving and a different cosmetic appearance.
• a blank to form the carbon fibre composite shell 12 is first cut out of a sheet of woven carbon fibre fabric preimpregnated with resin such as Cytec MTM57.
• resin such as Cytec MTM57.
• Such preimpregnated sheets can be bought off the shelf as a roll.
• the cutting can be carried out by an NC cutting machine.
• the surface of the cut sheet which will be the inside surface 20 of the shell 12 is then lined with a layer of peel ply, such as the nylon peel ply available from Tygavac. An excess of peel ply sheet is used, so that in at least one area there is an overhang of peel ply.
• peel ply such as the nylon peel ply available from Tygavac.
• the cut sheet is then placed in press, which presses the sheet into the desired curved, shell shape as shown in Figs 1 and 2.
• the press has heating elements to heat and cure the resin matrix of the carbon fibre composite material.
• the overhang of peel ply can be grasped by a person who can then rip the peel ply off the shell 12. This leaves an evenly textured surface on the inside 20 of the shell 12 which provides a good key.
• the shell 12 is then placed into a mould for plastics injection moulding.
• the outer surface 22 of the shell 12 is in contact with a first side of the mould, and the second side of the mould defines a cavity in the mould adjacent the inner surface 20 of the shell 12.
• a plurality of metal fixings 16 are carried by the second side of the mould.
• the metal fixings 16 are cylindrical and each defines an axial bore 24 which is screw- threaded.
• the mould mounts a plurality of studs depending into the cavity, and each metal fixing is screwed onto a stud.
• Plastics material in this case polyurethane, PU, is injected into the mould.
• the plastics material forms a backing 14 covering the whole of the inside surface 20 of the shell 12, and mounting the fixings 16.
• the backing 14 comprises a uniform thickness layer 30 over the whole of the inner surface 20 of the shell 12, and also defines four bosses 32.
• Each boss 32 carries a fixing 16.
• Each fixing 16 is mounted in the boss 32 so that its flat end face 34 is flush with a notional surface including the rim 36 of the shell 12.
• the flat end face 34 of each fixing 16 is exposed.
• the axial bores 24 of the fixings are parallel and are exposed to receive a threaded stud (not shown) to mount the product 10.
• Each fixing 16 can be made of any suitable material, and can be made from steel for example.
• the backing 14 also includes a block 38 which fills one end of the shell 12.
• the block 38 mounts a pin 40 extending away from the shell 12 beyond the rim 36 of the shell 12.
• the elongate axis of the pin is parallel to the axes of the screw threaded bores 24 of the fixings 16.
• the pin 40 acts as a locating aid when mounting the product on the bumper of a car.
• a product 10 can be made which has the appearance of carbon fibre, as the exposed surface, namely the outer surface 22 of the shell 12, is carbon fibre composite, but which can also be easily fixed to another part, in this case a car bumper, by simple screwing. Even though the product 10 is lined with plastic, it is still lighter than the all plastic part that it replaces. Furthermore, it has exactly the same fixing strategy on the rear surface as the plastic part it replaces, so it can be fixed in exactly the same way, with no special or unusual assembly steps required.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Composite Materials (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Injection Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
• Reinforced Plastic Materials (AREA)
• Moulding By Coating Moulds (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=50031055

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (11)

• 2013
  • 2013-12-17 GB GB1322321.9A patent/GB2521370A/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2014
  • 2014-12-17 EP EP14821600.5A patent/EP3083209A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-12-17 WO PCT/EP2014/078337 patent/WO2015091714A2/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events