Bonding method and bonded structure

Abstract

A bonded structure (200) is provided with: a first member (210) containing a thermoplastic first resin; a second member (220) containing a thermoplastic second resin; and a metal member (230) having a first surface (232) on which first metal oxide particle clusters (236) bonded to the first resin of the first member (210) are formed, and a second surface (234) on which second metal oxide particle clusters (238) bonded to the second resin of the second member (220) are formed, the thickness from the first surface (232) to the second surface (234) being 5 [mu] m to 1 [mu] m (inclusive).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a joining method and a joining structure. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, structural components made of fiber-reinforced resins have been increasingly adopted to achieve lightweighting in automobiles and aircraft. For example, fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) materials are formed by heating and pressing a prepreg impregnated with reinforcing fibers. FRP materials are then bonded to metal materials, for example, using epoxy adhesives (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-140091 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In the aforementioned prior art, the use of epoxy adhesives for bonding may result in a decrease in strength.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of such a problem, and one of its exemplary objects is to provide a lightweight and highly rigid joint structure.

[0009] Methods for solving technical problems

[0010] One aspect of the present invention includes a bonding method comprising: a step of disposing a metal component between a first component comprising a first resin comprising a thermoplastic first resin and a second component comprising a second resin comprising a thermoplastic second resin, the metal component having a first surface having a first metal oxide particle cluster and a second surface having a second metal oxide particle cluster, the thickness of the first surface to the second surface being less than 1 mm; and a step of heating and pressurizing the metal component between the first component and the second component to bond the first surface to the first resin and to bond the second surface to the second resin.

[0011] Another aspect of the present invention is a bonding structure. The bonding structure includes: a first component comprising a thermoplastic first resin; a second component comprising a thermoplastic second resin; and a metal component having: a first surface having a first metal oxide particle cluster bonded to the first resin of the first component, and a second surface having a second metal oxide particle cluster bonded to the second resin of the second component, wherein the thickness from the first surface to the second surface is 5 μm or more and 1 mm or less.

[0012] Invention Effects

[0013] According to one aspect of the present invention, a lightweight and highly rigid joint structure can be provided. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view that schematically shows the configuration of the joining structure of the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 Figures (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams illustrating the joining method of the first embodiment.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a perspective view that schematically shows the configuration of the joining structure of the second embodiment.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a perspective view that schematically shows the structure of the reinforcing member in the second embodiment.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a perspective view that schematically shows the structure of the reinforcing member in the second embodiment.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a top view that schematically shows the structure of the reinforcing member in the second embodiment.

[0020] Figure 7 This is a side sectional view that schematically shows the structure of the reinforcing member in the second embodiment.

[0021] Figure 8 This is a top view schematically showing the shape of the grid frame at the top.

[0022] Figure 9 (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams illustrating a method for forming prepreg sheets.

[0023] Figure 10 This is a diagram schematically illustrating the forming method of the reinforcing member according to the second embodiment.

[0024] Figure 11 (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams showing the orientation of the prepreg sheet.

[0025] Figure 12 This is a top view illustrating the reinforcing member of an embodiment.

[0026] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram showing the joint between the main component and the reinforcing member.

[0027] Figure 14 This is a top view that schematically shows the structure of the metal components according to the second embodiment.

[0028] Figure 15It is a perspective view that schematically shows the structure of the reinforcing member in the modified example.

[0029] Figure 16 It is a perspective view that schematically shows the structure of the reinforcing member in the modified example.

[0030] Figure 17 This is a diagram schematically illustrating the forming method of a reinforcing member in a modified example.

[0031] Figure 18 This is a side sectional view that schematically shows the structure of the joining structure of the third embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following is a detailed description of the embodiments for implementing the present invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements in the description, and repetitive descriptions are omitted where appropriate. To aid understanding, the aspect ratios of the constituent elements in the drawings may not necessarily correspond to the actual aspect ratios.

[0033] (First Implementation)

[0034] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the joining structure 200 according to the first embodiment. The joining structure 200 includes a first component 210, a second component 220, and a metal component 230. The joining structure 200 is a structure in which the first component 210 and the second component 220 are joined by the metal component 230, which functions as an adhesive or a joining member.

[0035] The first component 210 comprises a thermoplastic first resin. The first component 210 is either a resin part entirely composed of the first resin or a fiber-reinforced resin part comprising first reinforcing fibers impregnated with the first resin. The second component 220 comprises a thermoplastic second resin. The second component 220 is either a resin part entirely composed of the second resin or a fiber-reinforced resin part comprising second reinforcing fibers impregnated with the second resin. The first resin and the second resin can be the same resin material or different resin materials. Similarly, the first reinforcing fiber and the second reinforcing fiber can be the same reinforcing fiber material or different reinforcing fiber materials. At least one of the first reinforcing fiber and the second reinforcing fiber can be arranged to extend along the direction of the first surface 232 or the second surface 234 of the metal component 230. At least one of the first reinforcing fiber and the second reinforcing fiber can be woven.

[0036] At least one of the first resin and the second resin is a thermoplastic engineering plastic, such as aromatic polyetherketone (PAEK), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetherimide (PEI), or polyethersulfone (PES). At least one of the first reinforcing fiber and the second reinforcing fiber is carbon fiber, glass fiber, or aromatic polyamide fiber.

[0037] The metal component 230 includes a first surface 232 that engages with the first component 210 and a second surface 234 that engages with the second component 220. The thickness of the first surface 232 to the second surface 234 of the metal component 230 is 5 μm or more and 2 mm or less, for example, 10 μm or more and 1 mm or less, for example, 50 μm or more and 0.5 mm or less. The metal component 230 can be made of materials such as steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, nickel-titanium alloy, copper, or copper alloy.

[0038] A first metal oxide particle cluster 236 for bonding with a first resin is formed on a first surface 232. A second metal oxide particle cluster 238 for bonding with a second resin is formed on a second surface 234. At least one of the first metal oxide particle cluster 236 and the second metal oxide particle cluster 238 can be formed by modifying the surface of the metal component 230 by heating it with a laser or similar means. The metal oxide particle cluster is, for example, composed of oxides of the metal material constituting the metal component 230 before heating. The metal oxide particle cluster is obtained, for example, by fixing granular metal oxides formed by locally melting the metal material onto the surface. The particle size of the metal oxide particle cluster is, for example, 5 nm to 500 nm or less, or 50 nm to 200 nm or less. The maximum height of the metal oxide particle cluster is, for example, 50 nm to 3 μm or less, or 100 nm to 2 μm or less, or 200 nm to 1 μm or less.

[0039] The first metal oxide particle cluster 236 is chemically bonded to the first resin contained in the first component 210, and physically bonded to the first resin by entering the unevenness of the particle cluster through the softened first resin. By providing the first metal oxide particle cluster 236, the bonding strength between the first component 210 and the metal component 230 can be improved. Similarly, the second metal oxide particle cluster 238 is chemically bonded to the second resin contained in the second component 220, and physically bonded to the second resin by entering the unevenness of the particle cluster through the softened second resin. By providing the second metal oxide particle cluster 238, the bonding strength between the second component 220 and the metal component 230 can be improved. By bonding the first component 210 and the second component 220 via the metal oxide particle cluster, the bonding strength can be significantly improved compared to cases where the first and second resins are fused, directly bonded, or bonded via epoxy adhesive.

[0040] Figure 2 Figures (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams illustrating the joining method of the first embodiment. First, as... Figure 2 As shown in (a), a metal component 230 is disposed between the first component 210 and the second component 220. The metal component 230 includes a joining portion 240, a first protruding portion 242, and a second protruding portion 244. The joining portion 240 is the portion located between the first component 210 and the second component 220. A first metal oxide particle cluster 236 and a second metal oxide particle cluster 238 are formed on both sides of the joining portion 240.

[0041] The first protruding portion 242 and the second protruding portion 244 are portions that extend and protrude from between the first component 210 and the second component 220. The first protruding portion 242 is, for example, a portion extending along the first component 210. The second protruding portion 244 is, for example, a portion extending along the second component 220. The first metal oxide particle cluster 236 and the second metal oxide particle cluster 238 may not be formed on either side of the first protruding portion 242 and the second protruding portion 244. Figure 2 In the example shown in (a), a joining portion 240 is provided between the first protruding portion 242 and the second protruding portion 244. Alternatively, the metal component 230 may include only one of the first protruding portion 242 and the second protruding portion 244, excluding the other. The metal component 230 may also exclude both the first protruding portion 242 and the second protruding portion 244, including only the joining portion 240.

[0042] Next, as Figure 2As shown in (b), the first component 210 and the second component 220 pressurize the joint portion 240 of the metal component 230 in the manner indicated by arrow F. Furthermore, the metal component 230 is heated during the pressurization. The metal component 230 can be heated by irradiating electromagnetic waves or by flowing current. For example, at least one of the first protrusion 242 and the second protrusion 244 can be irradiated with electromagnetic waves such as laser light or infrared light. For example, the first protrusion 242 and the second protrusion 244 can be connected to a power source, and current can flow in the metal component 230 for resistance heating. Alternatively, a coil can be arranged around at least one of the first protrusion 242 and the second protrusion 244, and a high-frequency magnetic field can be applied to generate eddy currents in the metal component 230 for high-frequency induction heating. By simultaneously heating and pressurizing the metal component 230, the first resin of the first component 210 softens and bonds with the first metal oxide particle cluster 236, and the second resin of the second component 220 softens and bonds with the second metal oxide particle cluster 238.

[0043] Next, as Figure 2 As shown in (c), the first protruding portion 242 and the second protruding portion 244 are cut off and removed from the joining portion 240 between the first component 210 and the second component 220. This is because the first protruding portion 242 and the second protruding portion 244 are non-joining portions that do not join with the first component 210 or the second component 220, and therefore do not contribute to the joining. Thus, a [structure / formation] is formed. Figure 1 The connecting structure 200 is shown. It should be noted that the first protruding portion 242 and the second protruding portion 244 may not be removed, and at least one of the first protruding portion 242 and the second protruding portion 244 may remain connected to the connecting portion 240.

[0044] The metal component 230 can also be preheated before being disposed between the first component 210 and the second component 220.

[0045] According to this embodiment, the bonding strength between the first component 210 and the second component 220 can be improved. Furthermore, by setting the thickness of the metal component 230 to 2 mm or less, preferably 1 mm or less, the weight increase caused by increasing the thickness of the metal component 230 can be suppressed. Moreover, by reducing the thickness of the metal component 230, even if the surface of the first component 210 or the second component 220 is curved, the film-like metal component 230 can easily be arranged along the surface of the first component 210 or the second component 220. Furthermore, when the first component 210 or the second component 220 contains woven reinforcing fibers, the film-like metal component 230 can easily be arranged along the fine irregularities caused by the weave holes of the reinforcing fibers. Therefore, the adhesion between the first component 210 or the second component 220, which is a fiber-reinforced resin, and the metal component 230 can be improved, thereby increasing the bonding strength.

[0046] (Second Implementation)

[0047] Figure 3 This is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of the joining structure 10 according to the second embodiment. The joining structure 10 is a flow deflector installed on the outer periphery of an aircraft engine. The flow deflector is a movable component used to block the bypass airflow of the engine, causing it to be ejected in reverse. In this embodiment, a flow deflector is exemplified as the joining structure 10, but the application of the joining structure 10 in this embodiment is not particularly limited. The joining structure 10 of this embodiment can be applied to structural components of any shape and purpose.

[0048] The joining structure 10 includes a main component 12 and a reinforcing member 14. The main component 12 is a plate-like component having a surface 12a impacted by the bypass airflow during reverse jetting and an inner surface 12b opposite to the surface 12a. The main component 12 has an overall gently curved shape. Because the main component 12 is a thin plate-like component, it is prone to deformation (e.g., deflection) under the load applied to the surface 12a. The reinforcing member 14 is mounted on the inner surface 12b of the main component 12 to suppress deformation (e.g., deflection) of the surface 12a of the main component 12 and improve the rigidity of the main component 12. The reinforcing member 14 is a plate-like component with irregularities formed therein, which suppresses deformation (e.g., deflection) through its irregular shape.

[0049] Conventionally, sandwich panels with honeycomb cores have been used as lightweight and highly rigid structural components. However, honeycomb cores are expensive, and processing them into arbitrary shapes is not easy, resulting in high processing costs. In this embodiment, the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14 are constructed using fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP). By joining the main body component 12 to the reinforcing member 14, a lightweight and highly rigid joined structure 10 is achieved without using a honeycomb core. Between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14, for example, similar to the first embodiment, a metal component with clusters of metal oxide particles formed on its surface (…) Figure 3 (Not illustrated in the diagram) Joining.

[0050] Figures 4-7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the reinforcing member 14 according to the second embodiment. The reinforcing member 14 is composed of a plate-like member 16 with irregularities formed therein. The plate-like member 16 has a first surface 16a and a second surface 16b opposite to the first surface 16a. Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional view of the first surface 16a. Figure 5 This is a stereoscopic view of the second surface 16b. Figure 6 This is a top view when observing the first surface 16a. Figure 7 Is with Figure 6 The side section view corresponding to the V-V line section.

[0051] In the accompanying drawings, the thickness direction of the reinforcing member 14 is designated as the z-direction, the length direction of the reinforcing member 14 is designated as the x-direction, and the direction orthogonal to both the x-direction and the z-direction is designated as the y-direction. These directions are provided to aid in understanding the embodiments and do not impose any limitations on the orientation of the joint structure 10 or the reinforcing member 14 during manufacturing or use. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, for ease of understanding, concave and convex shapes are shown, and the curved portions of the concave and convex shapes are also marked with solid lines.

[0052] The outer edge 18 of the plate-like component 16 is, for example, a quadrilateral or a rectangle. The outer edge 18 of the plate-like component 16 has a long side 18a extending in the longitudinal direction (e.g., the x-direction), a short side 18b extending in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction (e.g., the y-direction), and a corner 18c disposed between the long side 18a and the short side 18b. The shape of the outer edge 18 of the plate-like component 16 is not particularly limited; it can be a trapezoid, rhombus, parallelogram, or any polygon such as a triangle, pentagon, or hexagon. The corner 18c of the plate-like component 16 can also be chamfered. The corner 18c can be chamfered in a straight line or in a rounded arc.

[0053] The plate-shaped component 16 is configured to have a uniform thickness t (see reference). Figure 7The thickness t of the plate-shaped member 16 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 0.5 mm to 10 mm, preferably 1 mm to 5 mm.

[0054] The plate-shaped component 16 includes an outer peripheral portion 20, a protrusion 22, and a plurality of recesses 24.

[0055] The outer peripheral portion 20 is the portion defining the outer edge 18 of the plate-shaped member 16. The outer peripheral portion 20 has a frame shape or a closed loop shape along the outer edge 18 of the plate-shaped member 16. The outer peripheral portion 20 is the portion with less shape variation in the thickness direction compared to the protrusion 22 or the plurality of recesses 24. The outer peripheral portion 20 is the portion that engages with the inner surface 12b of the main body member 12, and has a shape along the inner surface 12b of the main body member 12. If the inner surface 12b of the main body member 12 has a gently curved shape, then the outer peripheral portion 20 has an overall gently curved shape. If the inner surface 12b of the main body member 12 is flat, then the outer peripheral portion 20 has an overall flat shape.

[0056] A protrusion 22 is formed on the inner side of the outer peripheral portion 20. The protrusion 22 is formed in the top view of the first surface 16a (see reference). Figure 6 The region is located further inward than the region where the outer periphery 20 is formed. The protrusion 22 is a portion that protrudes in the thickness direction relative to the outer periphery 20. The protrusion 22 protrudes toward the first surface 16a and is formed such that the first surface 16a is convex and the second surface 16b is concave. The protrusion 22 is, for example, formed to occupy most of the plate-like member 16. The area S1 surrounded by the outer edge 26 of the protrusion 22 is 50% or more, preferably 70% or more or 80% or more, of the area S surrounded by the outer edge 18 of the plate-like member 16.

[0057] The outer edge 26 of the protrusion 22 has: a first section 26a extending along the long side 18a in a length direction (e.g., the x-direction), a second section 26b extending along the short side 18b in a direction intersecting the length direction (e.g., the y-direction), and a third section 26c extending in an arc shape between the first section 26a and the second section 26b. The radius of curvature of the third section 26c is larger than the radius of curvature of the corner 18c of the plate-like member 16. In the illustrated example, the outer edge 26 of the protrusion 22 has a shape in which the four corners of the quadrilateral are rounded.

[0058] The top 28 of the protrusion 22 is configured to be at a height h1 in the thickness direction from the outer periphery 20 (see reference). Figure 7It is certain that, when the outer periphery 20 is flat, the top 28 is also flat. When the outer periphery 20 is gently curved, the top 28 is also gently curved. The height h1 in the thickness direction from the outer periphery 20 to the top 28 is preferably 50 mm or less, more preferably 30 mm or less. The height h1 in the thickness direction from the outer periphery 20 to the top 28 is preferably greater than the thickness t of the plate-shaped member 16, for example, 5 mm or more, for example, 10 mm or more.

[0059] An outer inclined portion 30 is provided between the outer periphery 20 and the top 28 (see reference). Figure 7 The outer inclined portion 30 is formed such that its height increases monotonically from the outer periphery 20 toward the top 28. The outer inclined portion 30 is formed such that the inclination from the outer periphery 20 toward the top 28 does not change abruptly, and is preferably formed only by a smooth curved surface. In a cross-sectional view orthogonal to the outer edge 18 of the plate-like member 16, the outer inclined portion 30 is, for example, formed by a smooth curve with a radius of curvature of 20 mm or more, or 30 mm or more.

[0060] Multiple recesses 24 are formed inside the protrusion 22. Multiple recesses 24 are formed in a top view of the first surface 16a (see reference). Figure 6 In a region further inward than the outer edge 26 of the protrusion 22, a plurality of recesses 24 are formed, for example, in a top view of the first surface 16a (see reference). Figure 6 In a region further inward than the outer edge of the top 28, a plurality of recesses 24 are formed to be recessed in the thickness direction relative to the top 28. A plurality of recesses 24 protrude toward the second surface 16b, and are formed such that the first surface 16a is concave and the second surface 16b is convex. The plurality of recesses 24 are arranged in a grid pattern in the top 28. The plurality of recesses 24 are arranged along the length direction (e.g., the x-direction) of the plate-like member 16 and along a direction intersecting the length direction (e.g., the y-direction). The plurality of recesses 24 may also be arranged radially in the top 28.

[0061] The outer edge 32 of each of the multiple recesses 24 (see reference) Figure 6The plate-shaped member 16 has: a first section 32a extending along its long side 18a in a length direction (e.g., the x-direction), a second section 32b extending along its short side 18b in a direction intersecting the length direction (e.g., the y-direction), and a third section 32c extending in an arc shape between the first section 32a and the second section 32b. The radius of curvature of the third section 32c is larger than the radius of curvature of the corner 18c of the plate-shaped member 16. In the illustrated example, the outer edge 32 of the recess 24 has a shape in which the four corners of the quadrilateral are rounded. The dimensions of the outer edge 32 of each of the plurality of recesses 24 in the length direction (e.g., the x-direction) and the dimensions in the direction intersecting the length direction (e.g., the y-direction) are the same. That is, the length of the first section 32a is the same as the length of the second section 32b, for example, about 0.8 to 1.2 times the length of the second section 32b.

[0062] The bottom 34 of each of the plurality of recesses 24 is a portion that engages with the inner surface 12b of the main body component 12. The bottom 34 is configured to have a depth h2 in the thickness direction from the top 28 (see reference). Figure 7 It is certain that, when the outer periphery 20 is flat, the bottom 34 of each of the plurality of recesses 24 is located on an imaginary plane B defined by the outer periphery 20 (see reference). Figure 7 The outer periphery 20 is configured such that, when it is gently curved, the bottom 34 of each of the plurality of recesses 24 is located on the curved surface defined by the outer periphery 20. The height h2 in the thickness direction from the top 28 to the bottom 34 is preferably 50 mm or less, more preferably 30 mm or less. The height h2 in the thickness direction from the top 28 to the bottom 34 is, for example, 5 mm or more, for example, 10 mm or more.

[0063] Each of the multiple recesses 24 has a quadrilateral bottom 34 or a quadrilateral with rounded corners. By making the bottom 34 quadrilateral or approximately quadrilateral, the area occupied by the bottom 34 can be increased compared to making the bottom 34 circular. As a result, the joint area between the main body component 12 and the top 28 can be increased, and the joint strength between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14 can be improved.

[0064] An inwardly inclined portion 36 is provided between the top 28 and the bottom 34 (see reference). Figure 7 The inner inclined portion 36 is formed such that its height increases monotonically from the bottom 34 to the top 28. The inner inclined portion 36 is formed such that the inclination from the bottom 34 to the top 28 does not change abruptly, and is preferably formed only by a smooth curved surface. In a cross-sectional view orthogonal to the outer edge 18 of the plate-like member 16, the inner inclined portion 36 is composed of, for example, a smooth curve with a radius of curvature of 20 mm or more, or 30 mm or more.

[0065] The top 28 has a grid-like shape with multiple recesses 24 arranged in a grid pattern, thereby surrounding the outer edge 32 of the multiple recesses 24. Figure 8 This is a top view schematically showing the grid shape of the top 28, with the grid shape of the top 28 schematically shown by thick lines. The top 28 includes: a plurality of first beams 38a, 38b extending in a length direction (e.g., the x-direction); a plurality of second beams 40a, 40b extending in a direction intersecting the length direction (e.g., the y-direction); and a plurality of corner portions 42 extending in an arc shape. The plurality of first beams 38a, 38b includes: an outer first beam 38a located outside the plurality of recesses 24; and an inner first beam 38b located between the plurality of recesses 24. The plurality of second beams 40a, 40b includes an outer second beam 40a located outside the plurality of recesses 24; and an inner second beam 40b located between the plurality of recesses 24. The outer first beams 38a and the outer second beams 40a are connected by the corner portions 42 extending in an arc shape. The two ends of the inner first beams 38b are connected to the outer second beams 40a. The two ends of the inner second beam 40b are connected to the outer first beam 38a. The top 28 has a grid shape formed by the first beams 38a and 38b, the second beams 40a and 40b and the corner 42, which can accommodate load changes in both the length direction (e.g., the x direction) and the direction intersecting the length direction (e.g., the y direction).

[0066] The reinforcing member 14 is made of fiber-reinforced resin, such as thermoplastic fiber-reinforced resin. The reinforcing member 14 is formed by heating and pressing a prepreg sheet, in which reinforcing fibers are impregnated in resin, using a mold. Carbon fiber, glass fiber, or aramid fiber can be used as the reinforcing fiber. The reinforcing fiber is preferably a continuous fiber without joints or cuts, and preferably a reinforcing fiber that extends continuously along the uneven shape of the plate-like member 16. Engineering plastics such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) can be used as the thermoplastic resin in which the reinforcing fiber is impregnated. Furthermore, the main body member 12 can also be made of the same fiber-reinforced resin as the reinforcing member 14, or it can be made of the same thermoplastic fiber-reinforced resin as the reinforcing member 14. The main body member 12 or the reinforcing member 14 can also be made of thermosetting fiber-reinforced resin. In this case, epoxy resin or the like can be used as the thermosetting resin in which the reinforcing fiber is impregnated.

[0067] Figure 9 (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams illustrating a method for forming prepreg sheets. Figure 9(a) shows a prepreg tape 50 used in the formation of a prepreg sheet. The prepreg tape 50 is obtained by impregnating a plurality of reinforcing fibers 52 arranged in a single direction with a thermoplastic resin 54. The plurality of reinforcing fibers 52 are oriented to extend in the longitudinal direction A of the prepreg tape 50. The thermoplastic resin 54 fills the gaps between the plurality of reinforcing fibers 52, fixing the fiber bundle composed of the plurality of reinforcing fibers 52 in a manner that the relative positions of the plurality of reinforcing fibers 52 do not change. The width w of the prepreg tape 50 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 1 mm or more and 20 mm or less, or 2 mm or more and 10 mm or less. The length L of the prepreg tape 50 is greater than the external dimensions of the reinforcing member 14, for example, 0.5 m or more or 1 m or more. The thickness of the prepreg tape 50 is, for example, 0.1 mm or more and 2 mm or less, or 0.2 mm or more and 1 mm or less.

[0068] Figure 9 (b) shows a prepreg sheet 60 formed using prepreg tape 50. The prepreg sheet 60 is formed by weaving together a plurality of first prepreg tapes 56 extending in a first direction A1 and a plurality of second prepreg tapes 58 extending in a second direction A2 intersecting the first direction A1. Each of the first prepreg tapes 56 and the second prepreg tapes 58 is... Figure 9 The prepreg strip 50 shown in (a) is similarly constructed. Figure 9 In the prepreg sheet 60 shown in (b), the first direction A1 and the second direction A2 are orthogonal. That is, when the first direction A1 is set as the 0-degree direction, the second direction A2 is the 90-degree direction.

[0069] A first gap d1 is provided between a plurality of first prepreg strips 56. The first gap d1 is less than the width w1 of the first prepreg strip 56. The first gap d1 is, for example, more than 1% and less than 50% of the width w1 of the first prepreg strip 56, preferably more than 5% and less than 25%. Similarly, a second gap d2 is provided between a plurality of second prepreg strips 58. The second gap d2 is less than the width w2 of the second prepreg strip 58. The second gap d2 is, for example, more than 1% and less than 50% of the width w2 of the second prepreg strip 58, preferably more than 5% and less than 25%. The width w1 of the first prepreg strip 56 and the width w2 of the second prepreg strip 58 may be the same or different. The first gap d1 and the second gap d2 may be the same or different.

[0070] In the prepreg sheet 60, the first prepreg strips 56 and the second prepreg strips 58 that intersect each other are not fixed. Therefore, the plurality of first prepreg strips 56 are configured to be displaceable relative to each other in the second direction A2, and the first gap d1 is variable. Similarly, the plurality of second prepreg strips 58 are configured to be displaceable relative to each other in the first direction A1, and the second gap d2 is variable.

[0071] The resin weight content (wt%) of the prepreg sheet 60 is 50% or less, for example, 40% or less, 35% or less, 30% or less, or 25% or less. By reducing the resin weight content of the prepreg sheet 60, the rigidity of the reinforcing member 14 can be improved. The resin weight content (wt%) of the prepreg strip 50 forming the prepreg sheet 60 can be equal to the resin weight content of the prepreg sheet 60, which is 50% or less, for example, 40% or less, 35% or less, 30% or less, or 25% or less.

[0072] Figure 9 The prepreg sheet 60 shown in (b) is woven with a first prepreg tape 56 and a second prepreg tape 58 in a twill weave. The weaving method of the prepreg sheet is not limited to a twill weave; any other weaving method, such as a plain weave or satin weave, can also be used. Furthermore, the prepreg sheet can be woven using prepreg tapes extending in three or more directions, for example, by weaving multiple first prepreg tapes extending in a first direction (e.g., the 0-degree direction), multiple second prepreg tapes extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction (e.g., the +60-degree direction), and multiple third prepreg tapes extending in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions (e.g., the -60-degree direction).

[0073] Prepreg sheets can also be woven without using unidirectional fibers impregnated with resin. Prepreg sheets can also be formed by impregnating a continuous fiber sheet, for example, woven from continuous fibers, entirely with thermoplastic resin. For example, a plurality of first continuous fibers extending in a first direction (e.g., 0-degree direction) and a plurality of second continuous fibers extending in a second direction (e.g., 90-degree direction) intersecting the first direction can be woven with plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, etc., to form a continuous fiber sheet. Prepreg sheets can also be formed by impregnating such a continuous fiber sheet in thermoplastic resin. In this case, the intersecting first and second continuous fibers of the prepreg sheet are fixed together by the resin.

[0074] Figure 10 This diagram schematically illustrates the forming method of the reinforcing member 14 according to the second embodiment. A mold 62 for forming the reinforcing member 14 is prepared, and a plurality of prepreg sheets 60a, 60b, and 60c are stacked and arranged between the upper mold 64 and the lower mold 66 of the mold 62. The upper mold 64 has a concave-convex shape corresponding to the first surface 16a of the plate-shaped member 16, and the lower mold 66 has a concave-convex shape corresponding to the second surface 16b of the plate-shaped member 16. Furthermore, the vertical relationship between the upper mold 64 and the lower mold 66 is not limited, and they can also be used in a flipped manner.

[0075] The plurality of prepreg sheets 60a to 60c and each Figure 9The prepreg sheet 60 shown in (b) is similarly constructed. The plurality of prepreg sheets 60a-60c includes a first prepreg sheet 60a, a second prepreg sheet 60b, and an intermediate prepreg sheet 60c. The first prepreg sheet 60a is the sheet that contacts the upper mold 64, forming the first surface 16a of the plate-shaped member 16. The second prepreg sheet 60b is the sheet that contacts the lower mold 66, forming the second surface 16b of the plate-shaped member 16. The intermediate prepreg sheet 60c is disposed between the first prepreg sheet 60a and the second prepreg sheet 60b. Figure 10 In this example, five prepreg sheets are stacked: one first prepreg sheet 60a, one second prepreg sheet 60b, and three intermediate prepreg sheets 60c. Furthermore, the number of prepreg sheets stacked is not limited; it can be four or fewer, or six or fewer. The number of prepreg sheets stacked can be appropriately set based on the thickness of the prepreg sheets and the thickness t of the formed reinforcing member 14.

[0076] Multiple prepreg sheets 60a to 60c can also be configured such that the orientation of the prepreg strips constituting the prepreg sheets 60a to 60c is different from each other. Figure 11 (a) and (b) are schematic diagrams showing the orientation of prepreg sheets 60a to 60c. Figure 11 (a) shows the orientation directions of the first prepreg sheet 60a and the second prepreg sheet 60b. In the first prepreg sheet 60a and the second prepreg sheet 60b, the orientation directions A1 and A2 of the first prepreg strip 56 and the second prepreg strip 58 are 45 degrees relative to the length direction (e.g., the x direction) of the reinforcing member 14. Figure 11 (b) shows the orientation direction of the intermediate prepreg sheet 60c. The orientation direction A1 of the first prepreg strip 56 of the intermediate prepreg sheet 60c is aligned with the length direction (e.g., the x-direction) of the reinforcing member 14. Therefore, the orientation directions A1 and A2 of the intermediate prepreg sheet 60c are rotated 45 degrees relative to the orientation directions A1 and A2 of the first prepreg sheet 60a and the second prepreg sheet 60b.

[0077] exist Figure 10 The upper mold 64 and the lower mold 66 shown are used to heat and press multiple prepreg sheets 60a to 60c to form a plate-shaped component 16. Figure 10Multiple prepreg sheets 60a-60c are heated to a temperature above the melting point of the thermoplastic resin 54 by an upper mold 64 and a lower mold 66 equipped with heaters. The multiple prepreg sheets 60a-60c are integrated by heating and pressing with mold 62 to form a plate-shaped component 16. Subsequently, the plate-shaped component 16 is formed by removing it from mold 62. After forming based on mold 62, parts that are not needed as reinforcing members 14 can be cut from the plate-shaped component 16, or the first surface 16a or the second surface 16b of the plate-shaped component 16 can be ground.

[0078] Figure 12 This is a top view showing the reinforcing member 14 of the embodiment. Figure 12 The reinforcing member 14 shown uses carbon fiber as the reinforcing fiber and PEEK as the thermoplastic resin, demonstrating the use of... Figure 11 The cases of prepreg sheets 60a, 60b, and 60c shown in (a) and (b) are as follows. Figure 12 As shown, it can be seen that a plate-shaped component 16 with a complex convex-concave shape, including protrusions 22 and multiple recesses 24, can be formed. In particular, since misalignment of the braided holes of the prepreg strip extending in the ±45-degree direction hardly occurs throughout the plate-shaped component 16, the reinforcing member 14 can have high rigidity throughout the plate-shaped component 16. Furthermore, it can be seen that the bottom 34 of each of the multiple recesses 24 has a nearly quadrilateral shape.

[0079] Figure 13 This diagram schematically shows the joint 44 between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14. The reinforcing member 14 is engaged with the inner surface 12b of the main body component 12. The reinforcing member 14 is engaged with the main body component 12 via a plurality of joints 44. The plurality of joints 44 are provided between the inner surface 12b of the main body component 12 and the second surface 16b of the reinforcing member 14. The plurality of joints 44 are provided on the outer periphery 20 and the bottom 34 of the reinforcing member 14. A cavity 48 is provided between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14. The main body component 12, the reinforcing member 14, and the plurality of joints 44 correspond to the first component 210, the second component 220, and the metal component 230 of the first embodiment.

[0080] Each of the plurality of joints 44 can be configured similarly to the metal component 230 of the first embodiment. Each of the plurality of joints 44 includes a first surface that engages with the main body component 12 and a second surface that engages with the reinforcing member 14. The first and second surfaces are made of a metallic material, and clusters of metal oxide particles are formed in the first and second surfaces. The clusters of metal oxide particles in the plurality of joints 44 are chemically and physically bonded to the thermoplastic resin contained in the main body component 12 or the reinforcing member 14. For example, the plurality of joints 44 can be formed by heating and pressurizing the metal component between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14, for example, by disposing the metal component between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14.

[0081] Figure 14 This is a top view that schematically shows the configuration of the metal component 250 according to the second embodiment. The metal component 250 includes an outer peripheral engagement portion 252, an inner engagement portion 254, a protruding portion 256, a first connecting portion 258, and a second connecting portion 260.

[0082] The outer peripheral joining portion 252 is the portion that joins with the outer peripheral portion 20 of the reinforcing member 14. The outer peripheral joining portion 252 may have the same shape as the outer peripheral portion 20 of the reinforcing member 14. The inner joining portion 254 is the portion that joins with the bottom 34 of the recess 24 of the reinforcing member 14.

[0083] The protruding portion 256 is the portion extending outward from the outer edge 18 of the reinforcing member 14, and is a non-joined portion that does not engage with the reinforcing member 14. Figure 14 In the example, the extended portion 256 is set to extend in the y direction, but the direction in which the extended portion 256 extends is not limited. It can extend in the x direction, or it can extend at an angle relative to the x or y direction.

[0084] The first connecting portion 258 connects the outer peripheral joining portion 252 and the inner joining portion 254, and is a non-jointing portion that does not join with the reinforcing member 14. The second connecting portion 260 connects two adjacent inner joining portions 254, and is also a non-jointing portion that does not join with the reinforcing member 14. Figure 14 In the example, the first connecting portion 258 and the second connecting portion 260 extend in the y direction, but the direction in which the first connecting portion 258 and the second connecting portion 260 extend is not limited; they can extend in the x direction or extend at an angle relative to the x or y direction. The metal component 250 may also have two or more of the following: a connecting component extending in the x direction, a connecting component extending in the y direction, and a connecting component at an angle relative to the x or y direction.

[0085] Metal oxide particle clusters are formed on both sides of the outer peripheral joint portion 252 and the inner joint portion 254. On the other hand, metal oxide particle clusters may not be formed on both sides of the protruding portion 256, the first connecting portion 258, and the second connecting portion 260. The metal component 250 may also lack at least one of the protruding portion 256, the first connecting portion 258, and the second connecting portion 260. For example, the metal component 250 may have the first connecting portion 258 but lack the second connecting portion 260. Alternatively, the metal component 250 may lack the protruding portion 256 but have at least one of the first connecting portion 258 and the second connecting portion 260.

[0086] The metal component 250 may be made of the same material as the metal component 230 of the first embodiment described above. The thickness of the metal component 250 may be the same as that of the metal component 230 of the first embodiment, for example, it may be 5 μm or more but less than 2 mm, 10 μm or more but less than 1 mm, or 50 μm or more but less than 0.5 mm.

[0087] Next, the joining method of the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14 using the metal component 250 will be described. First, the metal component 250 is placed between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14. Next, pressure is applied to the metal component 250 between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14. For example, by using a mold corresponding to the shape of the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14, pressure can be applied to the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14, effectively pressurizing the outer periphery 20 and the bottom 34, which are the joining parts of the reinforcing member 14.

[0088] Next, while pressurizing the metal component 250 between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14, the metal component 250 is heated. For example, the metal component 250 can be heated using the protrusion 256 extending from between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14. Alternatively, the protrusion 256 can be heated by irradiating it with electromagnetic waves such as laser or infrared light. Resistance heating can also be performed by connecting a power source to the protrusion 256. Induction heating can also be performed by applying a magnetic field to the protrusion 256. By simultaneously pressurizing and heating the metal component 250, the softened resin enters the metal oxide particle clusters of the metal component 250, and the resin chemically bonds. Thus, the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14 are firmly bonded together via the metal component 250.

[0089] When the metal component 250 does not have the protruding portion 256, the outer peripheral joint portion 252 and the inner joint portion 254 can be directly heated. For example, by applying a magnetic field from outside the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14, the outer peripheral joint portion 252 and the inner joint portion 254 can be heated by high-frequency induction. In this case, the first connecting portion 258 and the second connecting portion 260 can be heated by high-frequency induction, and the inner joint portion 254 can also be heated by heat conducted from the first connecting portion 258 and the second connecting portion 260.

[0090] After the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14 are joined, the protruding portion 256 extending outward from the reinforcing member 14 can be cut and removed. Alternatively, the protruding portion 256 may not be removed. On the other hand, the first connecting portion 258 and the second connecting portion 260 remain between the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14. The first connecting portion 258 and the second connecting portion 260 may or may not be joined to the main body component 12 or the reinforcing member 14.

[0091] According to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 14 can be composed of only a single plate-shaped component 16, thus simplifying the structure of the reinforcing member 14 compared to the case using a honeycomb core. Furthermore, the reinforcing member 14 can be formed by shaping using the mold 62, thus simplifying the manufacturing process of the reinforcing member 14 compared to the case using a honeycomb core. Because the reinforcing member 14 has a top 28 in the shape of a grid frame including beams extending in the longitudinal direction (e.g., the x-direction) and in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction (e.g., the y-direction), it can withstand loads in both the longitudinal direction and the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. As a result, the reinforcing member 14 can effectively suppress deformation of the main component 12.

[0092] According to this embodiment, the reinforcing member 14 can be constructed by continuously reinforcing fibers throughout the reinforcing member 14, which improves the rigidity of the reinforcing member 14 compared to the case where a cut portion is provided in the middle of the reinforcing fibers. According to this embodiment, since the outer inclined portion 30 and the inner inclined portion 36 are configured to be gently curved, the misalignment of the braided holes of the prepreg tape made of continuous fibers can be suppressed, thereby improving the overall rigidity of the reinforcing member 14.

[0093] According to this embodiment, by joining the main body component 12 and the reinforcing member 14 via the metal component 250, the joint strength can be significantly improved compared to the case where the metal component 250 is not used. Furthermore, by using the thin metal component 250, the weight increase caused by adding the metal component 250 can be suppressed. As a result, a lightweight joint structure 10 with excellent rigidity can be provided.

[0094] According to this embodiment, the metal component 250 includes a first connecting portion 258 and a second connecting portion 260, thereby allowing the inner joining portion 254 to be heated via the connecting portion. For example, when the main component 12 and the reinforcing member 14 are made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), since carbon fiber is black, it is difficult to irradiate electromagnetic waves onto the inner joining portion 254 between the main component 12 and the reinforcing member 14 from the outside and heat it. Furthermore, since carbon fiber is conductive, when induction heating is performed by applying a magnetic field from the outside, the carbon fiber is heated, and the inner joining portion 254 may not be heated sufficiently. When the metal component 250 is heated from the outside, the outer surface of the main component 12 or the reinforcing member 14 is heated to a high temperature, and there is a possibility that the main component 12 or the reinforcing member 14 may deform. According to this embodiment, by allowing the inner joining portion 254 to be sufficiently heated via the connecting portion, the joining strength of the main component 12 and the reinforcing member 14 in the inner joining portion 254 is improved, and a joint structure 10 with superior rigidity can be provided.

[0095] According to this embodiment, by making the first connecting portion 258 and the second connecting portion 260 non-joining portions, the main body component 12 or the reinforcing member 14 can be prevented from contacting the connecting portions. This suppresses surface softening and deformation of the main body component 12 or the reinforcing member 14 at locations where jointing is not required. Furthermore, by providing the first connecting portion 258 and the second connecting portion 260, the inner joining portion 254 can be positioned at a suitable joining position. In particular, by providing connecting portions that do not join with the main body component 12 or the reinforcing member 14, the inner joining portion 254 can be more appropriately positioned at the joining position.

[0096] Figure 15 This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the reinforcing member 70 in a modified example, and is a view of the reinforcing member 70 as viewed from the first surface 16a. The reinforcing member 70 differs from the embodiment described above in that it further includes a first rib 72 provided on the first surface 16a of the plate-like member 16. The plate-like member 16 is configured similarly to the embodiment described above.

[0097] The reinforcing member 70 includes a plate-like component 16 and a first rib 72. The first rib 72 is disposed on a first surface 16a of the plate-like component 16 and extends from the first surface 16a in the thickness direction. The first rib 72 is disposed inside at least one of the plurality of recesses 24. Figure 15In this example, a first rib 72 is provided on the inner side of the central recess 24 in the longitudinal direction (e.g., the x-direction). Furthermore, the first rib 72 can be provided on the inner side of any two or more of the plurality of recesses 24, or on the inner side of all of the plurality of recesses 24. The upper surface of the first rib 72 is configured, for example, to be planar with the top 28.

[0098] The first rib 72 includes a second transverse rib 74 extending in a length direction (e.g., the x-direction) and a second longitudinal rib 76 extending in a direction intersecting the length direction (e.g., the y-direction). The two ends of the second transverse rib 74 are connected to the outer edge 32 of the recess 24. The two ends of the second longitudinal rib 76 are connected to the outer edge 32 of the recess 24. The second transverse rib 74 and the second longitudinal rib 76 intersect at the bottom 34 of the recess 24. The first rib 72 may further include a first oblique rib (not shown) extending in a direction inclined relative to the second transverse rib 74 or the second longitudinal rib 76 (e.g., ±45 degrees). The first rib 72 may include any one or more selected from the group consisting of the second transverse rib 74, the second longitudinal rib 76, and the first oblique rib.

[0099] Figure 16 This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the reinforcing member 70 in a modified example, and is a view of the reinforcing member 70 as seen from the second surface 16b. The reinforcing member 70 also includes a second rib 82 disposed on the second surface 16b of the plate-like member 16. The lower surface of the second rib 82 is configured to form a surface with the bottom 34 of each of the outer peripheral portion 20 and the plurality of recesses 24. The lower surface of the second rib 82 is configured to be located, for example... Figure 7 On the imaginary plane B shown.

[0100] The second rib 82 is disposed on the second surface 16b of the plate-shaped member 16 and extends from the second surface 16b along the thickness direction. The second rib 82 is disposed inside the protrusion 22. The second rib 82 includes: second transverse ribs 84a and 84b extending in the length direction (e.g., the x direction), second longitudinal ribs 86a and 86b extending in a direction intersecting the length direction (e.g., the y direction), and second oblique ribs 88a and 88b extending in an inclined direction (e.g., the ±45-degree direction).

[0101] The second transverse ribs 84a and 84b include: a second outer transverse rib 84a connecting the outer periphery 20 and the bottom 34, and a second inner transverse rib 84b connecting the two bottoms 34. The second longitudinal ribs 86a and 86b include: a second outer longitudinal rib 86a connecting the outer periphery 20 and the bottom 34, and a second inner longitudinal rib 86b connecting the two bottoms 34. The second oblique ribs 88a and 88b include: a second outer oblique rib 88a connecting the outer periphery 20 and the bottom 34, and a second inner oblique rib 88b connecting the two bottoms 34. The second rib 82 may include any one or more selected from the group consisting of the second outer transverse rib 84a, the second inner transverse rib 84b, the second longitudinal rib 86a, the second inner longitudinal rib 86b, the second outer oblique rib 88a, and the second inner oblique rib 88b.

[0102] The first rib 72 and the second rib 82 are made of fiber-reinforced resin. The first rib 72 and the second rib 82 can be made of the same thermoplastic fiber-reinforced resin or thermosetting fiber-reinforced resin as the plate-shaped component 16, or they can be made of a different material than the plate-shaped component 16. As the reinforcing fibers constituting the first rib 72 and the second rib 82, carbon fiber, glass fiber, or aramid fiber can be used. As the resin constituting the first rib 72 and the second rib 82, engineering plastics such as thermoplastic resins like PEEK or PEKK, and thermosetting resins like epoxy resins can be used. For example, the first rib 72 and the second rib 82 can be made of reinforcing fibers that are not connected to the reinforcing fibers constituting the plate-shaped component 16.

[0103] Figure 17 This diagram schematically illustrates a method for forming the reinforcing member 70 in a modified example. In this modified example, the mold 92 for forming the reinforcing member 70 has grooves 98 and 100 for forming the first rib 72 and the second rib 82, which differs from the mold 62 in the embodiment described above. The upper mold 94 has a concave-convex shape corresponding to the first surface 16a of the plate-like member 16 and has a first groove 98 for forming the first rib 72. The lower mold 96 has a concave-convex shape corresponding to the second surface 16b of the plate-like member 16 and has a second groove 100 for forming the second rib 82.

[0104] The first groove 98 is filled with prepreg 90a, and the second groove 100 is filled with prepreg 90b. The prepreg 90a and 90b filled in the grooves 98 and 100 are, for example, short-cut materials cut from prepreg tape 50 or prepreg sheet 60. The dimensions (width and length) of the prepreg 90a and 90b are not particularly limited. The width of the prepreg 90a and 90b is 1 mm to 20 mm, for example, 2 mm to 10 mm. The length of the prepreg 90a and 90b is 5 mm to 50 mm, for example, 10 mm to 30 mm.

[0105] A plurality of prepreg sheets 60a, 60b, and 60c are stacked between the upper mold 94, which is filled with prepreg 90a in the first groove 98, and the lower mold 96, which is filled with prepreg 90b in the second groove 100. The plurality of prepreg sheets 60a, 60b, and 60c are the same as in the embodiment described above.

[0106] Through Figure 17 The upper mold 94 and lower mold 96, as shown, heat and press a plurality of prepreg sheets 60a-60c and prepregs 90a and 90b to form a reinforcing member 70 with first ribs 72 and second ribs 82 on the plate-shaped component 16. The plurality of prepreg sheets 60a-60c and prepregs 90a and 90b are heated to a temperature above the melting point of the thermoplastic resin 54 by the upper mold 94 and lower mold 96, which are equipped with heaters. The plurality of prepreg sheets 60a-60c and prepregs 90a and 90b are integrated by heating and pressing in the mold 92, shaping the reinforcing member 70. Subsequently, it is removed from the mold 92, thus forming the reinforcing member 70.

[0107] According to this modified example, since a first rib 72 is formed on the first surface 16a of the plate member 16 and a second rib 82 is formed on the second surface 16b of the plate member 16, the rigidity of the reinforcing member 70 can be further improved.

[0108] The reinforcing member 70 of this modification can be joined to the main body component 12. For example, except for the outer periphery 20 and bottom 34 of the reinforcing member 70, the lower surface of the second rib 82 can be joined to the inner surface 12b of the main body component 12. The reinforcing member 70 can be joined to the main body component 12 using the same method as in the embodiments described above. The metal component 250 may also include an inner joining portion joined to the second rib 82. The joining structure 10 may include the main body component 12, the reinforcing member 70 of this modification, and the metal component 250.

[0109] In another variation, the reinforcing member 70 may have only one of the first rib 72 and the second rib 82. The reinforcing member 70 may have only the first rib 72 and not the second rib 82. The reinforcing member 70 may also have only the second rib 82 and not the first rib 72.

[0110] (Third Implementation)

[0111] Figure 18 This is a side sectional view that schematically shows the configuration of the joint structure 110 according to the third embodiment. The joint structure 110 of this embodiment has a so-called sandwich panel structure. The joint structure 110 includes a first main body component 112, a second main body component 114, a first reinforcing member 116, and a second reinforcing member 118.

[0112] The first main component 112 and the second main component 114 are components corresponding to the skin layer of the sandwich panel. Each of the first main component 112 and the second main component 114 can be constructed in the same manner as the main component 12 in the above-described embodiment. The first reinforcing member 116 and the second reinforcing member 118 are components corresponding to the core of the sandwich panel. Each of the first reinforcing member 116 and the second reinforcing member 118 can be constructed in the same manner as the reinforcing member 14 in the above-described embodiment or the reinforcing member 70 in the modified example.

[0113] The first reinforcing member 116 includes a first outer peripheral portion 120, a first top portion 122, and a plurality of first bottom portions 124. The first reinforcing member 116 is joined to the first main body component 112 via a plurality of first joint portions 126. The first main body component 112 is joined to the first outer peripheral portion 120 and the plurality of first bottom portions 124 via a plurality of first joint portions 126. A first cavity 128 is provided between the first main body component 112 and the first reinforcing member 116.

[0114] The second reinforcing member 118 includes a second outer peripheral portion 130, a second top portion 132, and a plurality of second bottom portions 134. The second reinforcing member 118 is joined to the second main body member 114 via a plurality of second joint portions 136. The second main body member 114 is joined to the second outer peripheral portion 130 and the plurality of second bottom portions 134 via a plurality of second joint portions 136. A second cavity 138 is provided between the second main body member 114 and the second reinforcing member 118.

[0115] The first reinforcing member 116 is joined to the second reinforcing member 118 via a third joint 140. The third joint 140 is disposed between the first top 122 and the second top 132. A third cavity 142 is provided between the first reinforcing member 116 and the second reinforcing member 118.

[0116] The first joint 126, the second joint 136, and the third joint 140 can each be configured in the same way as the joint 44 in the second embodiment described above. For example, to prepare a first metal component, a second metal component, and a third metal component with metal oxide particle clusters formed on both sides, the first metal component can be used to join the first main body component 112 and the first reinforcing member 116, the second metal component can be used to join the second main body component 114 and the second reinforcing member 118, and the third metal component can be used to join the first reinforcing member 116 and the second reinforcing member 118.

[0117] According to this embodiment, a sandwich panel structure can be achieved by combining four plate-shaped components. According to this embodiment, compared to using a honeycomb core, the construction of the bonding structure 110 can be simplified, and the manufacturing process of the bonding structure 110 can be simplified.

[0118] The present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design changes and modifications are possible, and such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0119] The following describes some aspects of the present invention.

[0120] The first aspect of the present invention is a reinforcing member made of fiber-reinforced resin using continuous fibers as reinforcing fibers. It includes a plate-shaped member having a first surface and a second surface. The plate-shaped member includes: an outer peripheral portion defining an outer edge of the plate-shaped member; a convex portion on the inner side of the outer peripheral portion where the first surface side is convex; and a plurality of recesses on the inner side of the convex portion where the first surface side is concave. According to the first aspect, by employing a concave-convex structure with a convex portion on the inner side of the outer peripheral portion and a plurality of recesses on the inner side of the convex portion, deformation such as deflection can be appropriately suppressed under loads in both the longitudinal direction and the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member. Furthermore, by providing a concave-convex structure in the plate-shaped member, the plate-shaped member can be made of fiber-reinforced resin using continuous fibers as reinforcing fibers, thus achieving a lightweight and highly rigid reinforcing member.

[0121] The second aspect of the present invention is the reinforcing member described in the first aspect, wherein the plurality of recesses are arranged in a grid or radial pattern. According to the second aspect, by arranging the plurality of recesses in a grid or radial pattern, deformation under load in the direction in which the plurality of recesses are arranged can be effectively suppressed.

[0122] A third aspect of the invention is a reinforcing member as described in the first or second aspect, wherein the outer edge of the protrusion has a shape in which the four corners of the quadrilateral are rounded, and the outer edges of each of the plurality of recesses also have a shape in which the four corners of the quadrilateral are rounded. According to the third aspect, by making the outer edges of the protrusion and the plurality of recesses approximately quadrilaterals, deformation under load along the sides of the quadrilateral can be effectively suppressed. Furthermore, by setting the four corners of the outer edges of the protrusion and the plurality of recesses to rounded shapes, continuous fibers can be easily and uniformly arranged along the surfaces of the protrusion and the plurality of recesses, thereby improving the overall rigidity of the reinforcing member.

[0123] The fourth aspect of the invention is the reinforcing member described in the third aspect, wherein the bottom of each of the plurality of recesses has a quadrilateral shape or a shape in which the four corners of the quadrilateral are rounded. According to the fourth aspect, by making the bottom of each of the plurality of recesses approximately quadrilateral, deformation under load along the direction of the quadrilateral can be effectively suppressed.

[0124] The fifth aspect of the present invention is a reinforcing member as described in any of the first to fourth aspects, configured such that the radii of curvature of the first surface and the second surface in a cross-section orthogonal to the outer edge of the plate-shaped member are 20 mm or more. According to the fifth aspect, by setting the radii of curvature of the first surface and the second surface to 20 mm or more, continuous fibers can be easily and uniformly arranged along the first surface and the second surface, thereby improving the overall rigidity of the reinforcing member.

[0125] The sixth aspect of the present invention is a reinforcing member as described in any of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the fiber-reinforcing resin comprises: a plurality of continuous fibers extending in a first direction; and a continuous fiber sheet woven from a plurality of continuous fibers extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction. According to the sixth aspect, by employing a continuous fiber sheet woven from a plurality of continuous fibers extending in intersecting first and second directions, deformation such as deflection can be effectively suppressed under loads in both the longitudinal direction and the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the reinforcing member.

[0126] The seventh embodiment of the present invention is a reinforcing member as described in any of the first to sixth embodiments, further comprising ribs made of fiber-reinforced resin extending from the first surface or the second surface. According to the seventh embodiment, by providing ribs on the first or second surface of the plate-like member, the rigidity of the reinforcing member can be further improved.

[0127] The eighth aspect of the present invention is the reinforcing member described in the seventh aspect, wherein the rib includes a first rib extending from the first surface inside at least one of the plurality of recesses. According to the eighth aspect, by providing the first rib inside the recess, deformation of the recess can be more effectively suppressed, and the rigidity of the reinforcing member can be further improved.

[0128] The ninth embodiment of the present invention is the reinforcing member described in the seventh or eighth embodiment, wherein the rib further includes a second rib extending from the second surface inside the protrusion. According to the ninth embodiment, by providing a second rib inside the protrusion, deformation of the protrusion can be more effectively suppressed, and the rigidity of the reinforcing member can be further improved.

[0129] The tenth aspect of the present invention is the reinforcing member described in the ninth aspect, wherein the second rib connects the bottom of at least one of the plurality of recesses to the outer peripheral portion. According to the tenth aspect, by providing the second rib connecting the bottom and the outer peripheral portion, bottom deformation relative to the outer peripheral portion can be effectively suppressed, and the rigidity of the reinforcing member can be further improved.

[0130] The eleventh aspect of the present invention is the reinforcing member described in the ninth or tenth aspect, wherein the second rib connects two bottoms among the plurality of recesses. According to the eleventh aspect, by providing a second rib connecting the two bottoms, deformation of the bottoms can be suppressed more effectively, and the rigidity of the reinforcing member can be further improved.

[0131] The twelfth aspect of the present invention is a reinforcing member as described in any of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the resin weight content of the fiber-reinforcing resin is 50% or less. According to the twelfth aspect, since the resin weight content of the fiber-reinforcing resin is 50% or less, the rigidity of the reinforcing member can be further improved.

[0132] The thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a joint structure comprising: a reinforcing member as described in any of the first to twelfth aspects, and a main body component that engages with the outer periphery of the reinforcing member and the bottom of each of the plurality of recesses, wherein a cavity is provided between the reinforcing member and the main body component. According to the thirteenth aspect, by engaging the reinforcing member to the main body component, deformation of the main body component can be suppressed by the reinforcing member, thus providing a joint structure with excellent rigidity. Furthermore, since a cavity is provided between the reinforcing member and the main body component, a lightweight and highly rigid joint structure can be provided.

[0133] The fourteenth aspect of the present invention is a manufacturing method, comprising: a step of placing a prepreg sheet impregnated with resin containing continuous fibers on a mold for forming a plate-shaped component, the plate-shaped component including an outer peripheral portion having a first surface and a second surface, a convex portion convex on the inner side of the outer peripheral portion and the first surface side, and a plurality of concave portions concave on the inner side of the convex portion and the first surface side; and a step of heating and pressing the prepreg sheet using the mold to form a reinforcing member having the plate-shaped component made of fiber-reinforced resin. According to the fourteenth aspect, the reinforcing member can be manufactured by shaping the prepreg sheet using a mold, thus simplifying the manufacturing process of the reinforcing member. Furthermore, by using a prepreg sheet impregnated with resin containing continuous fibers, the preform preparation operation can be simplified compared to using a smaller cut prepreg, and the rigidity of the formed reinforcing member can be improved.

[0134] The fifteenth aspect of the present invention is the manufacturing method described in the fourteenth aspect, wherein the prepreg sheet is formed by weaving together a plurality of first prepreg strips extending in a first direction and a plurality of second prepreg strips extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction. Each of the plurality of first prepreg strips and the plurality of second prepreg strips is formed by impregnating a plurality of continuous fibers extending in a single direction with resin. According to the fifteenth aspect, since the gap between the prepreg strips is variable according to the concave and convex shape of the mold during forming, it is easy to arrange the prepreg strips more evenly along the concave and convex shape of the mold. As a result, it is possible to form a reinforcing member with a uniform arrangement of prepreg strips, thereby improving the rigidity of the reinforcing member.

[0135] The sixteenth aspect of the present invention is the manufacturing method described in the fourteenth aspect, wherein the prepreg sheet is formed by impregnating the resin with a continuous fiber sheet woven from a plurality of first continuous fibers extending in a first direction and a plurality of second continuous fibers extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction. According to the sixteenth aspect, by employing a continuous fiber sheet woven from a plurality of continuous fibers extending in intersecting first and second directions, the rigidity of the formed reinforcing member can be improved.

[0136] The seventeenth aspect of the present invention is a manufacturing method described in any of the fourteenth to sixteenth aspects. The mold includes a groove for forming ribs extending from the first surface or the second surface, and further includes a step of filling the groove of the mold with prepreg. The reinforcing member is formed by heating and pressurizing the prepreg sheet and the prepreg using the mold, wherein the ribs made of fiber-reinforced resin are bonded to the first surface or the second surface of the plate-like member. According to the seventeenth aspect, since ribs can be formed in the reinforcing member, the rigidity of the formed reinforcing member can be further improved. By filling the groove of the mold with prepreg, a reinforcing member integrating the plate-like member and ribs can be easily manufactured.

[0137] The eighteenth aspect of the present invention is the manufacturing method described in any of the fourteenth to seventeenth aspects, further comprising a step of joining the outer peripheral portion of the reinforcing member and the bottom of each of the plurality of recesses to the surface of the main body component to form a joint structure. According to the eighteenth aspect, by joining the reinforcing member to the surface of the main body component, a lightweight and highly rigid joint structure can be easily manufactured.

[0138] The nineteenth aspect of the present invention is a bonding method, comprising: a step of disposing a metal component between a first component comprising a first resin and a second component comprising a second resin, the metal component having a first surface having a first metal oxide particle cluster and a second surface having a second metal oxide particle cluster, the thickness from the first surface to the second surface being 1 mm or less; and a step of heating and pressurizing the metal component between the first component and the second component to bond the first surface to the first resin and the second surface to the second resin. According to the nineteenth aspect, by using a metal component having a metal oxide particle cluster, the thermoplastic resin and the metal component can be firmly bonded, improving the bonding strength between the first component and the second component. Furthermore, by setting the thickness of the metal component to 1 mm or less, the weight increase caused by adding the metal component can be suppressed, providing a lightweight and highly rigid bonded structure.

[0139] The twentieth aspect of the present invention is the joining method described in the nineteenth aspect, wherein the metal component is heated by at least one of irradiating the metal component with electromagnetic waves, flowing current in the metal component, and applying a magnetic field to the metal component. According to the twentieth aspect, by heating the metal component, only the surfaces near the first and second components in contact with the metal component can be heated and softened, and then joined. This suppresses deformation caused by heating the first and second components, thereby improving the quality of the joined structure.

[0140] The twenty-first aspect of the present invention is the joining method described in the nineteenth or twentieth aspect, wherein the metal component includes: a joining portion located between the first component and the second component, and a protruding portion extending from between the first component and the second component; the metal component is heated by at least one of irradiating the protruding portion with electromagnetic waves, flowing current in the protruding portion, and applying a magnetic field to the protruding portion. According to the twenty-first aspect, by providing the protruding portion extending from between the first component and the second component, the metal component sandwiched between the first component and the second component can be effectively heated.

[0141] The twenty-second aspect of the present invention is the joining method described in the twenty-first aspect, further comprising the step of removing the protruding portion after joining the joining portion to the first component and the second component. According to the twenty-second aspect, by removing the protruding portion that does not contribute to the joining, a lighter joining structure can be provided.

[0142] The twenty-third aspect of the present invention is the joining method described in any of the nineteenth to twenty-second aspects, further comprising a step of preheating the metal component before it is disposed between the first component and the second component. According to the twenty-third aspect, by preheating the metal component, the heating step after it is sandwiched between the first and second components can be shortened, thereby improving productivity.

[0143] The twenty-fourth aspect of the present invention is the joining method described in any of the nineteenth to twenty-third aspects, wherein at least one of the first component and the second component is composed of a fiber-reinforced resin containing reinforcing fibers extending along the direction of the first surface or the second surface. According to the twenty-fourth aspect, by employing a fiber-reinforced resin, a lightweight and highly rigid joined structure can be provided.

[0144] The twenty-fifth aspect of the present invention is the bonding method described in the twenty-fourth aspect, wherein the reinforcing fiber includes carbon fiber, glass fiber, or aramid fiber. According to the twenty-fifth aspect, by using carbon fiber, glass, or aramid fiber as the reinforcing fiber, a lightweight and highly rigid bonded structure can be provided.

[0145] The twenty-sixth aspect of the present invention is the bonding method described in any of the nineteenth to twenty-fifth aspects, wherein at least one of the first resin and the second resin is aromatic polyetherketone (PAEK), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetherimide (PEI), or polyethersulfone (PES). According to the twenty-sixth aspect, by using an engineering plastic as the first resin or the second resin, a lightweight and highly rigid bonded structure can be provided.

[0146] The twenty-seventh aspect of the present invention is the bonding method described in any of the nineteenth to twenty-sixth aspects, wherein the metal component includes steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, nickel-titanium alloy, copper, or copper alloy. According to the twenty-seventh aspect, by using these metal materials, the bonding strength between the metal oxide particle clusters and the resin can be improved.

[0147] The twenty-eighth aspect of the present invention is a joining method described in any of the nineteenth to twenty-seventh aspects, wherein the metal component includes: an outer peripheral joining portion joined to the outer periphery of the second component; an inner joining portion joined to a portion separated from the outer periphery of the second component; and a connecting portion connecting the outer peripheral joining portion and the inner joining portion. According to the twenty-eighth aspect, by providing a connecting portion connecting the outer peripheral joining portion and the inner joining portion of the metal component, the inner joining portion can be appropriately heated, thereby improving the joining strength at the inner joining portion.

[0148] The twenty-ninth aspect of the present invention is the joining method described in the twenty-eighth aspect, wherein the connecting portion is not joined to the first component or the second component. According to the twenty-ninth aspect, in locations where joining is not required, the connecting portion contacts the first component or the second component, which can suppress deformation of the first component or the second component due to heating. Furthermore, by providing a connecting portion that is not joined to the first component or the second component, the inner joining portion can be appropriately positioned at the joining position.

[0149] The thirtieth aspect of the present invention is a bonding structure comprising: a first component comprising a first thermoplastic resin; a second component comprising a second thermoplastic resin; and a metal component having: a first surface having a first metal oxide particle cluster bonded to the first resin of the first component, and a second surface having a second metal oxide particle cluster bonded to the second resin of the second component, wherein the thickness from the first surface to the second surface is 5 μm or more and 1 mm or less. According to the thirtieth aspect, by using a metal component having a metal oxide particle cluster, a strong bond can be achieved with the thermoplastic resin, thereby improving the bonding strength between the first component and the second component. Furthermore, by setting the thickness of the metal component to 1 mm or less, the weight increase caused by adding the metal component can be suppressed, providing a lightweight bonding structure with excellent rigidity.

[0150] Industrial availability

[0151] According to one aspect of the present invention, a lightweight and highly rigid joint structure can be provided.

[0152] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0153] 10, 110, 200…Joint structure, 12…Main body component, 14…Reinforcing member, 16…Plate component, 16a…First surface, 16b…Second surface, 18…Outer edge, 20…Outer periphery, 22…Protrusion, 24…Recess, 26…Outer edge, 28…Top, 30…Outer inclined portion, 32…Outer edge, 34…Bottom, 36…Inner inclined portion, 50…Prepreg tape, 52…Reinforcing fiber, 54…Thermoplastic resin, 56…First prepreg tape, 58…Second prepreg tape, 6 0…prepreg sheet, 210…first component, 220…second component, 230, 250…metal component, 232…first surface, 234…second surface, 236…first metal oxide particle cluster, 238…second metal oxide particle cluster, 240…joint portion, 242…first protrusion portion, 244…second protrusion portion, 252…outer peripheral joint portion, 254…inner joint portion, 256…protrusion portion, 258…first connecting portion, 260…second connecting portion.

Claims

1. A joining method, comprising: A process of disposing a metal component between a first component comprising a first thermoplastic resin and a second component comprising a second thermoplastic resin, the metal component having a first surface with a first metal oxide particle cluster and a second surface with a second metal oxide particle cluster, the thickness from the first surface to the second surface being less than 1 mm; and The process of heating and pressurizing the metal component between the first component and the second component to bond the first surface to the first resin and the second surface to the second resin.

2. The joining method according to claim 1, The metal component is heated by at least one of irradiating the metal component with electromagnetic waves, flowing current through the metal component, and applying a magnetic field to the metal component.

3. The joining method according to claim 1, The metal component includes: The joint portion located between the first component and the second component, and the protruding portion extending from between the first component and the second component. The metal component is heated by at least one of irradiating the protruding portion with electromagnetic waves, flowing current through the protruding portion, and applying a magnetic field to the protruding portion.

4. The joining method according to claim 3, It also includes the step of removing the protruding portion after the joining portion is joined to the first component and the second component.

5. The joining method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, It also includes a step of preheating the metal component before it is disposed between the first component and the second component.

6. The joining method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, At least one of the first component and the second component is composed of a fiber-reinforced resin containing reinforcing fibers extending in a direction along the first surface or the second surface.

7. The joining method according to claim 6, The reinforcing fibers include carbon fiber, glass fiber, or aramid fiber.

8. The joining method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, At least one of the first resin and the second resin is aromatic polyetherketone (PAEK), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetherimide (PEI), or polyethersulfone (PES).

9. The joining method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, The metal components include steel, aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, titanium alloy, nickel-titanium alloy, copper, or copper alloy.

10. The joining method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The metal component includes: The outer peripheral joining portion is joined to the outer peripheral portion of the second component; the inner joining portion is joined to the portion that separates from the outer peripheral portion of the second component; And a connecting portion, which connects the outer peripheral joining portion and the inner joining portion.

11. The joining method according to claim 10, The connecting portion is not engaged with the first component or the second component.

12. A joining structure, comprising: The first component comprises a thermoplastic first resin; The second component comprises a thermoplastic second resin; as well as A metal component having: a first surface having a first metal oxide particle cluster bonded to the first resin of the first component, and a second surface having a second metal oxide particle cluster bonded to the second resin of the second component, wherein the thickness from the first surface to the second surface is 5 μm or more and 1 mm or less.

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