IP Library Granted Patent US 9,333,690
Granted Patent B2
US 9,333,690 · App. 13/392,729 · Granted May 10, 2016

Method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material

Inventors: Masahiro Bessho (Tokyo, JP); Shiki Matsuo (Tokyo, JP); Wataru Nishimura (Tokyo, JP); Toshihiko Kariya (Nagoya, JP); Naoki Toda (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES PLASTIC TECHNOLOGY
B29C45/561B29C44/1209B29C45/14631B29K2105/0809
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,333,690
App. No.
13/392,729
Granted
May 10, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material of the present invention includes: the step (a) of placing a non-woven fabric N made of a reinforcement fiber in a movable mold 12 ; and the step (b) of moving the movable mold 12 toward a fixed mold 11 to close the mold and then injecting a thermoplastic resin into the mold to obtain a molded article formed of the non-woven fabric N and the thermoplastic resin. The mechanical strength of the obtained fiber-reinforced composite material can be enhanced by applying an injection compression molding process as the injection molding process in the step (b).

Claims (41)

1. A method for manufacturing the fiber-reinforced composite material comprising:

a step (a) of placing a non-woven fabric formed of a reinforcement fiber in a mold; and

a step (b) of injecting a thermoplastic resin into the mold to obtain a molded article formed of the non-woven fabric and the thermoplastic resin,

wherein an injection compression molding process is conducted as the injection molding process in the step (b), further comprising:

heating the non-woven fabric in the step (a); and then

conducting the injection compression molding process in the step (b), wherein

the mold on which the non-woven fabric has been placed and the mold on which the non-woven fabric is not placed are heated so that the heating speeds are different from each other, and

wherein only the non-woven fabric is used as a skin material.

2. A method for manufacturing the fiber-reinforced composite material comprising:

a step (a) of placing a non-woven fabric formed of a reinforcement fiber in a mold; and

a step (b) of injecting a thermoplastic resin into the mold to obtain a molded article formed of the non-woven fabric and the thermoplastic resin,

wherein an injection compression molding process is conducted as the injection molding process in the step (b), further comprising:

heating the non-woven fabric in the step (a); and then

conducting the injection compression molding process in the step (b), wherein

the mold on which the non-woven fabric has been placed and the mold on which the non-woven fabric is not placed are heated so that the temperatures are different from each other, and

wherein only the non-woven fabric is used as a skin material.

3. A method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material comprising:

a step (a) of placing a non-woven fabric consisting essentially of a reinforcement fiber in a mold, the amount of fiber per unit area of the non-woven fabric being selected from a range of 40 to 500 g/m 2 ; and

a step (b) of injecting a thermoplastic resin into the mold to obtain a molded article formed of the non-woven fabric and the thermoplastic resin,

wherein an injection compression molding process is conducted as the injection molding process in the step (b), and an amount of compression in the injection molding process is set at 1 to 3 mm, and

wherein only the non-woven fabric is used as a skin material.

4. The method for manufacturing the fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 3 , further comprising:

heating the non-woven fabric in the step (a); and then

conducting the injection compression molding process in the step (b).

5. The method for manufacturing the fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 4 , wherein the reinforcement fiber comprises a carbon fiber,

the non-woven fabric is induction-heated by passing an eddy current through the non-woven fabric.

6. The method for manufacturing the fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 4 , wherein the reinforcement fiber comprises a carbon fiber,

the non-woven fabric is resistance-heated by passing an electric current through the non-woven fabric.

7. The method for manufacturing the fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 3 , further comprising:

heating at least one part of the mold in the step (a); and then

conducting the injection compression molding process in the step (b).

8. The method for manufacturing the fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 3 , wherein

the reinforcement fiber comprises a carbon fiber or a glass fiber.

9. The method for manufacturing the fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 3 , wherein a compression speed in the injection molding process is set in a range of 5 to 15 mm/sec.

10. A method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 3 ,

wherein a thermal decomposition type chemical foaming agent is mixed with the thermoplastic resin, or a gaseous or supercritical physical foaming agent is infused into the thermoplastic resin in the middle of a cylinder of an injection molding machine,

wherein an injection compression molding process is conducted as the injection molding process in the step (b).

11. A method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material according to claim 3 , the mold including a movable mold and a fixed mold, comprising:

a step (a) of placing a non-woven fabric formed of a reinforcement fiber in the movable mold; and

a step (b) of injecting a thermoplastic resin into the mold to obtain a molded article formed of the non-woven fabric and the thermoplastic resin,

wherein an injection compression molding process is conducted as the injection molding process in the step (b).

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2018
From: U-MHI PLATECH CO., LTD.
To: U-MHI PLATECH CO., LTD.; MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 044557/0100 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 8, 2018
From: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES PLASTIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
To: U-MHI PLATECH CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 045015/0831 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 18, 2012
From: BESSHO, MASAHIRO; MATSUO, SHIKI; NISHIMURA, WATARU; KARIYA, TOSHIHIKO; TODA, NAOKI
To: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES PLASTIC TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 028065/0445 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2010-071388 · Mar 26, 2010 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130001817A1 · Jan 3, 2013