Reinforced composite structural members and methods of making the same

a composite structural and reinforcement technology, applied in the field of reinforcement composite structural members, can solve the problems of affecting the structural properties of the embedded reinforcing member, the application of these techniques to composite materials made from natural fibers and resins may not be straightforward, and the composite wood mixture may not easily flow around and bond to the reinforcing member, so as to achieve the effect of facilitating secure bonding, and increasing the bondable surface area

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-05-26
COMPOSITE BUILDING PRODS INT +1
View PDF13 Cites 26 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] In an embodiment, the reinforcing member may comprise, for example, a strip. The strip may have a plurality of flow-through apertures provided along its length. The flow-through apertures may be adapted to allow the composite material to flow therein and solidify, thereby providing an increased bondable surface area and helping to secure the reinforcing member within the extruded composite structural member.
[0014] In another embodiment, the reinforcing member may also comprise a braided cable or tow which provides a sufficiently coarse outer surface for facilitating secure bonding within the composite mixture. The coarse outer surface may provide an increased bondable surface area to secure the reinforcing member within the extruded composite structural member.
[0015] The reinforcing member may be delivered in a flexible format, allowing a sufficiently long length of the reinforcing member to be supplied, for example, on a supply reel in order to make a continuous extrusion run possible.

Problems solved by technology

However, the application of these techniques to composite materials made from natural fiber and resin may not be straightforward.
For example, in comparison to pure thermoplastic and synthetic materials, the viscosity of a composite wood mixture prior to extrusion may be relatively high due to the presence of natural fibers, and therefore the composite wood mixture may not easily flow around and bond to a reinforcing member.
Also, a relatively high-viscosity composite wood mixture may tend to misalign a flexible reinforcing member, having a detrimental effect on the structural properties of the embedded reinforcing member.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Reinforced composite structural members and methods of making the same
  • Reinforced composite structural members and methods of making the same
  • Reinforced composite structural members and methods of making the same

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0033] Referring to FIG. 1, a portion of a processing line 100 for making an extruded product is shown. In this illustrative example, the processing line 100 includes an extruder 110 having a mouth 112 for receiving raw materials. The raw materials may be provided, for example, in a pelletized or granular form suitable for storage and transportation. Machines located upstream from the extruder 110 which may form such pelletized or granular raw materials are not shown, but will be familiar to those skilled in the art. Such upstream machines possibly may be located at a completely different location, such as at a supplier's premises.

[0034] Attached to an end of the extruder 110 is an extrusion apparatus 115. An extrusion screw 210 (see FIG. 2c) is provided within the extruder 110 to apply suitable pressure on a composite mixture 111 formed from the raw materials therein.

[0035] The raw materials fed into mouth 112 may comprise, for example, any suitable combination of a resin (or res...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

PropertyMeasurementUnit
Pressureaaaaaaaaaa
Lengthaaaaaaaaaa
Sizeaaaaaaaaaa
Login to View More

Abstract

There is disclosed a reinforced extruded composite structural member and a method of forming the same. The structural may member comprise a solidified composite mixture of a fibrous material and a resin, and a reinforcing member embedded therein. The reinforcing member may have a known tensile strength, and at least one physical characteristic adapted to promote bonding of the reinforcing member with the surrounding fibrous material.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 474,518 filed on May 30, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to reinforced composite structural members and methods of making the same. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Structural members such as beams and joists made from composite materials are known. The composite material may be made, for example, from a mixture of (1) a natural fiber and (2) a resin. The natural fiber may be wood fiber, or another type of natural fibrous material, available in various processed forms such as flakes, strands, particles and chips. As used in this specification, the term “resin” refers to a polymer having an indefinite and high molecular weight, and a characteristic softening or melting range, exhibiting a tendency to flow when heated and subjected to stress. A composite mixture of wood fibers and resins is often ref...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
IPC IPC(8): B29C48/07B29C48/11B29C48/32E04C3/28
CPCB29C47/0028B29C47/02B29C47/12E04C3/28B29K2105/06B29L2024/006B29L2031/60B29C47/20B29C48/15B29C48/11B29C48/304B29C48/32B29C48/913B29C48/9135B29C48/903B29C48/908B29C48/07
InventorSIMKO, PETERALMEIDA, CARLOS M.
OwnerCOMPOSITE BUILDING PRODS INT