Granted Patent B2

US 6,900,547 · App. 10/885,329 · Granted May 31, 2005

Abstract

Claims (68)

1. A system for forming an article from thermoplastic material and fiber, said system comprising:

a heater operable to pre-heat reinforced thermoplastic material to form a molten thermoplastic material;

an extruder coupled to the heater and operable to melt and blend the molten thermoplastic material with the fiber to form a flow of composite material for gravitating onto a lower portion of a mold to form the article;

a movable structure coupled to the lower portion of the mold and operable to be moved in space and time while receiving the flow of composite material to deposit a predetermined quantity of molten composite material thereon conforming to mold cavities of the lower and an upper portion of the mold; and

a press coupled to the upper portion of the mold and capable of receiving said movable structure with the lower portion of the mold, said press operable to press the upper portion of the mold against the predetermined quantity of molten composite material on the lower portion of the mold to form the article.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a dynamic die having at least one flow control element and operable to control the flow of composite material in a varied amount of molten composite material being delivered to the lower portion of the mold.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said extruder includes an auger having a thread spacing large enough to blend the molten thermoplastic material with the fibers being between approximately one and approximately four inches in length.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the blended molten composite material has a concentration of fiber of at least approximately ten percent by weight.

5. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller coupled to said moveable structure and operable to move of said moveable structure to position the lower portion of the mold to form a predetermined quantity of molten composite material of varying thickness on the mold.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said moveable structure includes wheels operable to move the moveable structure.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said extruder includes an auger operable to produce a molten composite material having a minimum of approximately 85 percent of unbroken fibers.

8. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a die coupled to said extruder and operable to gravitate the flow of the composite material with a volumetric flow rate substantially the same across a plane onto the lower portion of the mold.

9. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a dynamic die coupled to said extruder and operable to gravitate the composite material with different volumetric flow rates across a plane onto the lower portion of the mold.

10. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller coupled to said extruder and operable to vary the volumetric flow rate of the molten composite material from the extruder and gravitate the molten composite material onto the lower portion of the mold.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein said controller moves said movable structure directly below said extruder for gravitating the extruded composite material onto the lower portion of the mold.

12. A system for forming an article from thermoplastic material and fiber, said system comprising:

means for heating thermoplastic material to form a molten thermoplastic material for blending with the fiber;

means for blending the molten thermoplastic material with the fibers to form a molten composite material having a concentration of fiber by weight;

means for extruding the molten composite material to form a flow of composite material gravitating onto a lower portion of a mold for forming the article;

means for moving the lower portion of the mold in space and time while receiving the flow of composite material to deposit a predetermined quantity of molten composite material thereon conforming to mold cavities of the lower and an upper portion of the mold; and

means for pressing the upper portion of the mold against the predetermined quantity of molten composite material and closing on the lower portion of the mold to form the article.

13. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising means for controlling the flow of composite material to vary the quantity of molten composite material being delivered to the lower portion of the mold.

14. The system according to claim 12 , further comprising means for controlling said means for extruding to vary the volumetric flow rate of the molten composite material being gravitated onto the lower portion of the mold.

15. A system for forming a thermoplastic structural component, said system comprising:

means for receiving a thermoplastic material;

means for heating the thermoplastic material;

means for receiving fibers having a predetermined fiber length;

means for mixing the heated thermoplastic material with the fibers to form a composite material;

means for extruding the composite material;

means for dynamically outputting the extruded composite material at different volumetric flow rates across a plane;

means for positionally synchronizing a mold to receive the extruded composite material in relation to the different volumetric flow rates across the plane; and

means for pressing the extruded composite material into the mold to form the thermoplastic structural component.

16. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising means for forming the thermoplastic material from thermoplastic resin.

17. The system according to claim 15 , wherein said means for heating includes means for melting the thermoplastic material.

18. The system according to claim 15 , wherein said means for positionally synchronizing includes means for translating the mold with respect to the volumetric rates.

19. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising means for predetermining the different volumetric flow rates based on cavity volume of the mold across the plane.

20. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising means for setting a non-thermoplastic element in the mold to be encapsulated by the composite material.

21. The system according to claim 15 , wherein said means for mixing produces a composite material having at least approximately 10 percent concentration of fiber.

22. The system according to claim 15 , wherein said means for mixing produces a composite material having at least approximately 40 percent concentration of fiber.

23. A system for forming a thermoplastic structural component, said system comprising:

a material receiving unit operable to receive a thermoplastic material and stiffening material;

a heater unit operable to heat the thermoplastic material;

an extruder coupled to the material receiving unit and operable to extrude the composite material;

a dynamic die having a plurality of selectably alterable flow control elements operable to control output of the composite material;

a mobile unit operable to support a mold and to be dynamically positioned below the dynamic die;

a controller electrically coupled to said dynamic die and mobile unit, said controller operable to dynamically alter said flow control elements to output the extruded composite material at different volumetric flow rates across a plane and position said mobile unit in synchronicity with the altering of said flow control elements to apply the extruded composite material onto the mold; and

a press operable to receive said mobile unit and press the extruded composite material into the mold.

24. The system according to claim 23 , wherein said material receiving unit includes at least one feeder.

25. The system according to claim 23 , wherein said heater unit is further operable to heat the thermoplastic material to a melted thermoplastic state.

26. The system according to claim 23 , wherein said extruder includes a dynamic element operable to substantially avoid damaging the stiffening material.

27. The system according to claim 26 , wherein the stiffening material is formed of fibers having a predetermined maximum length of approximately one inch.

28. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the stiffening material is formed of fibers having a predetermined maximum length of approximately three inches.

29. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the dynamic element is a screw having a thread spacing larger than the maximum length of the stiffening material.

30. The system according to claim 23 , wherein said mobile unit has revolving elements coupled thereto.

31. The system according to claim 30 , wherein said mobile unit includes at least one dynamic positioning element operable to engage and disengage the revolving elements.

32. The system according to claim 31 , wherein said controller is operable to disengage the revolving elements while said mobile unit is positioned in said press for the extruded composite material to be pressed into the mold.

33. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the composite material is formed having a concentration of approximately 10 percent by weight of stiffening material.

34. A system for forming a structural part from thermoplastic material and fiber, said system comprising:

means for configuring an insert in a mold;

means for depositing molten extruded composite material on the mold;

means for forming extruded composite material about at least a portion of the insert;

means for removing supports, if any, used to configure the insert in the mold;

means for compressing the extruded composite material to form the structural part; and

means for removing the structural part with the insert at least partially embedded from the mold.

35. The system according to claim 34 , wherein said means for configuring of the insert is coupled to a lower portion of the mold.

36. The system according to claim 34 , wherein said means for depositing the molten extruded composite material includes means for dynamically flowing the extruded composite material across a plane.

37. The system according to claim 34 , wherein said means for forming the extruded composite material includes means for encapsulating the entire insert within the extruded composite material.

38. The system according to claim 34 , further comprising means for pressing the extruded composite material in the mold.

Assignments (13)