Fiber-Reinforced Resin Article Thickness Reduction via Chopped Sheet Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fiber-reinforced resin articles with a marble-effect appearance face challenges in achieving reduced film thickness and weight while maintaining structural integrity, as decreasing the number of stacked layers leads to hole formation and discontinuity.

Innovation Solution

Integrating chopped sheets with at least one face of a unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet, where the chopped sheets are small pieces of the same or different unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet, with a proportion of 40 to 100 parts by mass, to create a laminate that includes a foam layer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the number of chopped sheets stacked is decreased to reduce film thickness, then film thickness is reduced, but holes are formed at locations where chopped sheets are unable to overlap one another

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilm thicknessVSAvoidcontinuity of sheet
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention combines a unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet with chopped sheets to create a composite structure. The unidirectional sheet serves as a base layer that provides continuity and prevents hole formation, while the chopped sheets stacked on top provide the desired marble-effect appearance and random orientation characteristics. This composite approach allows reduction of the total number of chopped sheet layers (reducing film thickness) while maintaining sheet integrity through the unidirectional base layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If a thick random sheet formed body is stacked on a unidirectional sheet formed body to improve strength, then strength is improved, but total thickness is increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestrength of laminateVSAvoidtotal thickness
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of uniformly stacking multiple thick random sheet layers throughout the entire structure, the invention applies chopped sheets locally on top of the unidirectional sheet only where needed for surface appearance and localized reinforcement. The unidirectional sheet itself provides the primary structural strength, while the chopped sheets contribute to surface characteristics and secondary reinforcement. This localized application reduces the total thickness compared to uniform multi-layer random sheet construction while maintaining necessary strength properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3943267B1Fiber-reinforced resin article, method for manufacturing same, and laminate including same
Publication Date: 2024.05.01 MITSUI CHEMICALS INC
  • EP3943267B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3943267B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3943267B1 patent drawing

AI summary

Disclosed are: a fiber-reinforced resin article which includes, on at least one face of a unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet (UDS) 1, a plurality of chopped sheets (CS) 2 of a unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet which is the same as or different from the abovementioned unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet (UDS), wherein the ratio of the chopped sheets (CS), with respect to 100 parts by mass of the unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet (UDS), is at least 40 parts by mass and no more than 100 parts by mass; a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin article, said method having a step for positioning a plurality of the chopped sheets (CS) 2, and a step for heating and pressurizing; and a laminate including the fiber-reinforced resin article and a foam layer.