Composite structures with embedded veils for anchoring fasteners

1. A laminated composite structure of a cargo body, the composite structure comprising:

a core layer including an inner foam core surrounded by a first fiber-reinforced polymer;

an outer skin layer coupled to the core layer and including a second fiber-reinforced polymer;

an inner skin layer coupled to the core layer and including a third fiber-reinforced polymer; and

at least one anchor embedded between the first fiber-reinforced polymer and an adjacent one of the second and third fiber-reinforced polymers, wherein the at least one anchor includes a porous veil of nonwoven fibers.

2. The composite structure of claim 1 , further comprising an accessory coupled to the outer or inner skin layer with a mechanical fastener, wherein the mechanical fastener extends through the outer or inner skin layer and into the at least one anchor.

3. The composite structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one anchor spans a partial area of the composite structure, whereby the composite structure further comprises at least one anchor-free area outside of the partial area.

4. The composite structure of claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the veil are thermoplastic.

5. The composite structure of claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the veil are polyester, polyethylene, polystyrene, or polypropylene monofilaments or combinations thereof as bi-filaments.

6. The composite structure of claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the veil are spunbond or needle punched.

7. The composite structure of claim 1 , wherein the at least one anchor has a higher resin to fiber weight ratio than the first, second, and third fiber-reinforced polymers.

8. The composite structure of claim 7 , wherein the resin to fiber weight ratio of the at least one anchor is about 5:1 or more.

9. The composite structure of claim 1 , wherein the fibers of the veil are more flexible than the fibers of the first, second, and third fiber-reinforced polymers.

10. The composite structure of claim 1 , wherein the veil has a lower area density than the first, second, and third fiber-reinforced polymers.

11. The composite structure of claim 10 , wherein the area density of the veil is about 500 g/m 2 or less.

12. The composite structure of claim 1 , wherein the veil is thinner than each of the first, second, and third fiber-reinforced polymers.

13. The composite structure of claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the veil is about 0.055 inches or less.

14. The composite structure of claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the veil is about 0.10 inches or more.

15. The composite structure of claim 1 , wherein:

the composite structure is a sidewall of the cargo body;

the core layer includes a plurality of preforms, each preform including the inner foam core surrounded by the first fiber-reinforced polymer;

the outer skin layer further includes an outer gel-coat covering the second fiber-reinforced polymer;

the inner skin layer further includes an inner gel-coat covering the third fiber-reinforced polymer.

16. A method of manufacturing a composite structure of a cargo body as claimed in claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:

applying a gel-coat resin onto a mold surface to form a first gel coat;

applying a first reinforcing fiber layer onto the first gel coat;

arranging a core layer including a plurality of preforms on the first reinforcing fiber layer;

applying at least one porous veil of nonwoven fibers adjacent to the preforms;

applying a second reinforcing fiber layer onto the preforms;

applying a laminating resin to wet-out the first reinforcing fiber layer, the second

reinforcing fiber layer, and the veil; and

curing the gel-coat and laminating resins.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising coupling an accessory to the composite structure by anchoring a mechanical fastener into the veil.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the veil soaks up more of the laminating resin per area than each of the first and second reinforcing fiber layers.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the veil covers only a portion of the core layer.

20. A laminated composite structure of a cargo body, the composite structure comprising:

a core layer;

an outer skin layer coupled to the core layer;

an inner skin layer coupled to the core layer;

an accessory coupled to the outer or inner skin layer with a mechanical fastener; and

at least one anchor completely embedded between the core layer and the outer or inner skin layer and receiving the mechanical fastener.

21. The composite structure of claim 20 , wherein the accessory is a logistics track having a length, the at least one anchor spanning the length of the accessory.

22. The composite structure of claim 20 , further comprising:

a second accessory coupled to the outer or inner skin layer with a second mechanical fastener;

at least one second anchor embedded between the core layer and the outer or inner skin layer and receiving the second mechanical fastener; and

an anchor-free area between the first and second anchors.