Scrimless Rigid Composite Material for Aircraft Interiors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rigid composite materials used in aircraft interiors face challenges such as excessive sag and surface area limitations during thermo-forming, leading to part rejects and restricted part geometries due to the use of woven reinforcing fabrics or scrim/veil materials, which also increase weight and cost.
Innovation Solution
A scrimless, pressure- and/or thermo-formable rigid composite material is developed by consolidating nonwoven core materials with unwoven patterned supportive fiber layers, eliminating the need for woven reinforcing fabrics or scrim/veil materials, allowing for the formation of complex part geometries with reduced weight and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If woven reinforcing fabrics or scrim/veil materials are used in rigid composite materials, then the material provides structural support during thermo-forming, but the weight and cost of the material increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the woven fabric or scrim layer from the composite material structure, retaining only the nonwoven core material. This extraction eliminates the weight and cost associated with woven reinforcements while maintaining the essential functionality of the composite material through proper formulation of the nonwoven core with thermoplastic polymers and reinforcing fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system using a nonwoven core material composed of reinforcing fibers (glass, carbon, or organic) combined with thermoplastic polymers. This composite structure provides the necessary structural support during thermo-forming without requiring additional woven fabric layers, as the nonwoven core itself is formulated to provide adequate reinforcement.
2Stability of the object's composition
If woven reinforcing fabrics or scrim/veil materials are used in rigid composite materials, then the material maintains structural integrity during forming, but the range of molded part geometries is limited
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the woven fabric or scrim layer, the patent eliminates the geometric constraints that these layers impose on molded part designs. The nonwoven core material without woven reinforcements can be more easily formed into complex geometries with greater design freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the composition and properties of the nonwoven core material by adjusting the types and ratios of reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic polymers. This parameter optimization allows the material to maintain adequate structural integrity during forming while enabling a broader range of molded part geometries.
3Ease of operation
If the rigid composite material is made from amorphous, semi-crystalline and/or crystalline polymers, then the material can be thermo-formed, but excessive sag occurs during the softening step
Solution Approach 1:
The patent formulates the nonwoven core material as a composite of reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic polymers in specific ratios. This composite structure provides internal reinforcement that prevents excessive sag during the softening step, allowing the material to be thermo-formed while maintaining shape control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the composition parameters of the nonwoven core material, specifically the ratio and types of reinforcing fibers to thermoplastic polymers. This parameter adjustment ensures the material has adequate stiffness to resist sagging during thermo-forming while remaining sufficiently softenable for forming operations.
4Ease of operation
If the rigid composite material is made from amorphous, semi-crystalline and/or crystalline polymers, then the material can be softened for forming, but permanent wrinkles and folds occur in the formed part
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite nonwoven core material with reinforcing fibers distributed within a thermoplastic polymer matrix. This composite structure provides reinforcement that prevents the formation of permanent wrinkles and folds during forming, while still allowing the material to be softened and formed into the desired geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the composition and physical parameters of the nonwoven core material, including fiber type, fiber diameter, fiber length, and polymer matrix properties. These parameter adjustments ensure the material has the right balance of softenable for forming and reinforcement to prevent surface defects like wrinkles and folds.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables the production of lightweight, cost-effective composite materials that can form complex part geometries without sagging issues, reducing waste and enhancing the flexibility of part designs in aircraft interiors.
Implementation Method 1
the heating and compressing conditions are sufficient to melt the thermoplastic fibers or resins, thereby forming a network of reinforcing fibers dispersed in a thermoplastic matrix
Implementation Method 2
The nonwoven core materials are typically produced using well-known, commercial production processes (e.g., wet-lay, air-lay, carding and needle punching) and then subjected to a batch or continuous heated press consolidation process using temperature, pressure and residence time as parameters to render the material into a rigid composite form
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A scrimless, pressure- and/or thermo-formable, porous or non-porous, rigid composite material is provided. The rigid composite material employs one or more unwoven (i.e., not woven nor a nonwoven) patterned supportive fiber layers on or within the rigid composite material. Where the rigid composite material does not require a supportive scrim, it avoids the disadvantages associated with these support structures such as additional weight and cost. The inventive rigid composite material also offers increased flexibility in forming and molding different part geometries, which is actively sought after by part designers and engineers.