METHOD OF PRODUCING A LAMINATED STRUCTURE COMPRISING A KNITTED FABRIC SHAPED INTO A CONTOURED STRUCTURE, AND LAMINATED STRUCTURE PRODUCED USING SUCH A METHOD
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method of producing a laminated structure, and to a laminated structure produced using such a method. BACKGROUND ART Substantially flat laminated structures are known, which comprise an inner portion; and substantially flat outer finish walls on either side of the inner portion.
The above category of laminated structures includes, for example : - honeycomb laminated structures comprising an inner portion defined by a number of side by side, hexagonal- section, tubular cells; and two outer finish sheets on either side of the inner portion and glued to end portions of the tubular cells; - laminated structures in which an inner structure of hardened expanded foam is interposed between two outer finish sheets fixed firmly to the hardened foam; laminated structures comprising a three-
dimensional fabric hardened with solidified resin, and in which a first sheet of fabric is connected to a second sheet of fabric by a number of filaments extending between the sheets of fabric and made rigid by the solidified resin.
Known laminated structures have various drawbacks, including:
- high cost (especially honeycomb structures) ; poor resistance to delamination (this is particularly true of honeycomb structures, the outer finish sheets of which easily come unglued from the ends of the hexagonal cells) ; poor tensile strength (especially structures comprising hardened expanded foam) ; - flaws in the arrangement and formation of the outer finish walls (this is particularly true of laminated three-dimensional-fabric structures, the fabric sheets of which may not be perfectly flat and/or parallel) ; and - the methods for producing known laminated structures call for complex equipment, and comprise a large number of steps .
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of producing a laminated structure, designed to eliminate the drawbacks of known laminated structures.
More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a straightforward, low-cost method
of producing a laminated structure with good physical and mechanical characteristics.
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a laminated structure, as described in Claim 1.
The present invention also relates to a laminated structure, as described in Claim 14.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a view in perspective of a knitted fabric used in the method according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows one step in the method according to the present invention;
Figure 3 shows a further step in the method according to the present invention;
Figure 4 shows a contoured element of the laminated structure, formed according to the present invention;
Figure 5 shows a view in perspective of the laminated structure formed according to the method of the present invention;
Figure 6 shows a first variation of the method according to the present invention;
Figure 7 shows a second variation of the method according to the present invention;
Figure 8 shows a third variation of the method
according to the present invention;
Figure 9 shows a fourth variation of the method according to the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to a first embodiment, the method according to the present invention is implemented using a, first top half mold 2 and a second bottom half mold 3 (Figure 2 ) .
First top half mold 2 is substantially parallelepiped- shaped and defined, among other things, by a first flat rectangular wall 5 having a number of elongated cavities 7 extending in parallel directions dl .
Each elongated cavity 7 has a cross section in the form of an isosceles trapezium, and is defined by a flat rectangular bottom wall 9, and by two flat rectangular side walls 11 crosswise to bottom wall 9. Elongated cavities 7 are separated from one another by flat rectangular portions 5a of wall 5.
Second half mold 3 is defined, among other things, by a second flat wall 15 having a number of elongated raised portions 17 extending in directions d2 parallel to one another and to directions dl . Each raised portion 17 has a cross section in the form of an isosceles trapezium, and is defined by a flat rectangular top wall 19, and by two flat rectangular side walls 21 crosswise to top wall 19. Raised portions 17 are separated from one another by flat rectangular portions 15a of wall 15.
By means of reversible actuating means (not shown) ,
half molds 2 , 3 are movable between an open position (Figure 2) , and a closed position (Figure 3) in which each raised portion 17 is inserted inside a respective cavity 7, with top wall 19 contacting (or a small distance from) a respective bottom wall 9, and each flat rectangular portion 5a of wall 5 is positioned contacting (or a small distance from) a respective flat rectangular portion 15a of wall 15.
To implement the method according to the present invention, half molds 2, 3 are opened, and a knitted stretch fabric 20 (Figure 2) is placed in between. In the Figure 1 and 2 embodiment, knitted fabric 20 is flat and rectangular, and is supported along the opposite short sides by gripping devices 22 for slightly "stretching and smoothing out fabric 20. Gripping devices 22 may, of course, be dispensed with, and knitted fabric 20 supported and arranged manually between half molds 2, 3.
Knitted fabric 20 is then laid on bottom half mold 3, and is coated with and soaked thoroughly with synthetic liquid resin 24.
Resin 24 may also be applied (Figure 1) before fabric 20 is placed between the half molds, e.g. by spraying resin 24, by means of nozzles 26, onto the opposite faces of fabric 20. In which case, knitted fabric 20 is already coated with resin when inserted between half molds 2, 3.
Half molds 2, 3 are then closed to press the knitted fabric 20 in between and so distribute resin 24 evenly.
More specifically, fabric 20 impregnated with resin
24 is formed by half molds 2, 3 into a contoured structure 30 having a substantially fretted cross section
(Figures 3 and 4) and comprising a first number of flat portions 30a substantially coplanar with a first plane PI and alternating with a number of second flat portions 30b coplanar with a second plane P2 parallel to first plane PI. Second flat portions 30b are connected to first flat portions 30a by inclined transverse portions 301 of contoured structure 30.
More specifically, each flat portion 30a is formed between a flat bottom wall 9 and a respective flat top wall 19; each flat portion 30b is formed between a flat portion 5a and a respective facing flat portion 15a; and each inclined portion 301 is formed between a side wall 11 and a respective facing side wall 21.
Using a knitted fabric enables fabric 20 to adhere perfectly to the facing walls of half molds 2, 3, by slippage of the loops in the fabric preventing any stress or wrinkling of the fabric, and so enabling the formation of portions 30a and 30b reproducing the shape of the half molds, and which are perfectly flat and coplanar with planes PI and P2.
Resin 24 impregnating contoured structure 30 is then at least partly set; for which purpose, half molds 2, 3 may be heated by known devices, e.g. resistors R (shown schematically) housed inside half molds 2, 3.
Once resin 24 is (at least partly) set, half molds
2, 3 are opened, and the (at least partly) hardened contoured structure 30 is removed.
Contoured structure 30 is fitted on opposite sides with a flat rectangular first outer finish sheet 33 (Figure 5) and a flat rectangular second outer finish sheet 34. More specifically, first finish sheet 33 is placed on and firmly connected to first flat portions 30a
(e.g. by gluing or by setting resin 24, if this has not already set completely) and is therefore coplanar with plane PI; and second finish sheet 34 is placed on and firmly connected to second flat portions 30b (e.g. by gluing or by setting resin 24, if this has not already set completely) and is therefore coplanar with plane P2.
Outer finish sheets 33, 34 may be made of any material, including:
. synthetic laminates; synthetic laminates with finish coatings (e.g. gel coats or paint) ; . plastic laminates; . metal laminates (e.g. aluminium or copper); . fabric impregnated with solidified resin; . cardboard; . sheet wood .
Once resin 24 is completely set, the central contoured structure 30 becomes rigid and is connected firmly to sheets 33 and 34.
The resulting laminated structure therefore comprises contoured structure 30, which acts as a central
element, and two outer finish sheets 33, 34 parallel to each other and fixed firmly to contoured structure 30.
The method according to the present invention provides for producing a laminated structure with the following advantages:
. perfectly parallel outer finish sheets 33, 34; . excellent resistance to delamination, by virtue of the ample connecting surfaces between flat portions 30a, 30b and sheets 33, 34; . good tensile strength; . excellent rigidity; . light weight;
. highly straightforward manufacturing method requiring no complicated equipment or tooling; . manufacturing method comprising a small number of rapidly performable steps .
Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 show, schematically, continuous processes whereby the step of shaping knitted fabric 20 is performed continuously to produce a contoured structure 30 traveling in a feed direction D.
More specifically, in Figure 6, knitted fabric 20 is fed - from a fabric store not shown - in direction D past a series of spray nozzles 40 for spraying the fabric with liquid resin 24. The impregnated fabric is then fed between the teeth of a pair of powered toothed rollers 43, 44, which shape and draw fabric 20 along in direction D. Rollers 43, 44 are also heated electrically by resistors 45 to at least partly set resin 24 and so
produce at the output a sufficiently rigid contoured structure 30.
Each roller 43, 44 has elongated teeth 46 having substantially trapezoidal cross sections and extending in respective directions parallel to the axis of rotation 47 of roller 43, 44.
Contoured structure 30 is therefore formed with flat portions 30a, 30b extending crosswise to feed direction D of the contoured structure. First and second finish sheets 33, 34 are fed continuously - from stores not shown - onto the moving contoured structure 30, so that, by means of pressing devices 48, 49, first sheet 33 is applied to flat portions 30a of structure 30, and second sheet 34 is applied to portions 30b of structure 30. Upon resin 24 setting completely, sheets 33, 34 adhere firmly to contoured structure 30, and the finished laminated structure can be cut into panels of the required size.
As shown in Figure 7, rollers 43, 44 may be formed differently from those in Figure 6, and comprise a number of raised annular portions 46a spaced axially and each defining a respective tooth extending tangentially with respect to the axis of rotation 47 of the roller.
In which case, contoured structure 30 is formed with flat portions 30a, 30b extending parallel to the feed direction of the contoured structure.
With particular reference to Figure 8, knitted fabric 20 is fed - from a fabric store not shown - in
direction D past a series of spray nozzles 50 for spraying the fabric with liquid resin 24. The impregnated fabric is then fed between the teeth of a pair of powered toothed tracks 53, 54, traveling along a straight path extending along the meshing portion of toothed tracks 53, 54. Tracks 53, 54 shape and draw fabric 20 along in direction D, and are also heated electrically by resistors 55 to at least partly set resin 24 and so produce at the output a sufficiently rigid contoured structure 30.
Each track 53, 54 has elongated teeth 56 having substantially trapezoidal cross sections and extending in respective directions parallel to one another and crosswise to " the feed direction D of the contoured structure.
Contoured structure 30 is therefore formed with flat portions 30a, 30b extending crosswise to feed direction D of the contoured structure .
First and second finish sheets 33, 34 are fed continuously - from stores not shown - onto the moving contoured structure 30, so that, by means of pressing devices 58, 59, first sheet 33 is applied to flat portions 30a of structure 30, and second sheet 34 is applied to portions 30b of structure 30. Upon resin 24 setting completely, sheets 33, 34 adhere firmly to contoured structure 30.
As shown in Figure 9, tracks 53, 54 may be formed differently from those in Figure 8, and comprise a number
of raised annular portions 56a spaced axially and each defining a respective tooth extending in a direction parallel to feed direction D of contoured structure 30 where track 53, 54 contacts contoured structure 30. In which case, contoured structure 30 is formed with flat portions 30a, 30b extending parallel to the feed direction of the contoured structure.
Clearly, changes may be made to the method and laminated structure as described herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.