GB1162497A - Plastics Structural Element. - Google Patents

Abstract

1,162,497. Laminated panel; sheet forming. H. G. MOLLER. 25 Aug., 1966 [25 Aug., 1965], No. 38239/66. Headings B5A and B5N. A structural element includes a thermoplastic panel 10 having a translucent or transparent zone 11 deformed out of the general plane of the panel to constitute a window in the panel, and a reinforcement 12 of reinforced polymerization resin bonded to the panel outside the boundary of the zone 11. The panel 10 maybe of P.V.C. or an acrylic resin and the reinforcement 12 is applied thereto before the resin of the reinforcement is fully set or cured, this setting or curing and bonding of the reinforcement to the panel 10 occurring during moulding of the panel. The reinforcement 12 may include glass fibre mats or fabrics or plastics fabrics as reinforcement and may be applied to the panel 10 either as a pre-impregnated mat or by a wet process, e.g. as a glass fibre reinforced epoxy resin. The element may include more than one panel 10 and the reinforcement 12 may be on either side of a single panel or between a plurality of panels. In one embodiment the space between two panels is partially filled by foamed material. As described, the zone 11 of the panel 10 is moulded by a deep drawing process. In one method the panel 10 is heated and sucked into a mould partially lined by the reinforcement 12. In another method, Fig. 7, the panel 10 lies between the reinforcement 12 and the mould walls and the reinforcements are held against the panel during moulding by a diaphragm 19, e.g. of silicone rubber sucked into contact with the reinforcement 12 and zone 11. In a further method the zone 11 is domed by compressed air blown into an open bottomed mould, such mould may include an insert which enables different air pressures to be applied to different areas of the panel. In a method for use in moulding an element comprising two panels, one of the panels is domed by suction applied from below and the other by compressed air applied from above. In a further method pieces of reinforcement are placed in the mould in overlapping relation so that after deep drawing they lie in juxtaposition. The heat used to soften the panel 10 for moulding also serves to cure the resin of the reinforcements but additional heat may be supplied, e.g. by infra-red radiators. The or each panel may be screen printed prior to moulding. More than one domed zone may be provided in the structural element which may be used in building e.g. walls, ceilings, or roof lights, or in motor vehicle bodies.