Composite material useful to facilitate molding light weight hinge elements cobonded to adjoining substrates

Abstract

A composite-material and methods used to produce low profile close tolerance composite-hinges such as required for desks and cabinets, that can be molded and bonded into structures using specified resin systems in a simple layup and cure.

The reinforcement material of the hinge is PET fiber-fabric, that is plied with a thin film of a polymeric adhesive-tape. The tape will serve as the exterior face of a molded hinge. The reinforcement fiber material will be oriented at +/−45 degrees to hinge line for maximum shear stiffness. The hinge material will be infused with a laminating/adhesive resin in the lay-up process to produce a co-molded hinge bonded to the structural substrates. This composite material and described process will yield installed low-profile (10 mil) hinges that have a typical tensile strength of 74 lbs/inch of length.

A resin-septum coating template would be supplied with the raw material to facilitate the process. The template material is a screen that will act as a septum to hold a proscribed layer of the laminating-adhesive resin in position to facilitate the infusion of resin to the fiber-fabric face of coupon to produce the composite-hinge, co-bonded to the substrates. The composite material could be supplied as trimmed to size hinge-coupons, or in 5 foot lengths of standard width material to be trimmed as required by user.

Claims

1. A unique composite material assembly that is useful to produce low-profile hinges (10 mil thickness) that are molded and installed in a single cure step. This composite material comprises: A. High strength light weight fabric, such as PET or Aramid, that is plied with a high strength film, such as bondable PVF, or a aramid paper. The fiber orientation of the fabric will be oriented to be +/−45 degrees across hinge line. B. The impregnating resin for use on wood structures would typically be industry-proven 4000 cps PVA based room temperature cure resin systems. C. The impregnating resin for use with for metal or composite structures would typically be high temp-cure laminating adhesives.

2. A version of the Composite-Hinge material that would have the polymeric face material extend slightly beyond the edge of the fiber fabric reinforcement. In the laminating/bonding cycle this will produce a feathered-edge to installed coupon.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 perspective of Composite-Hinge Material

[0017] FIG. 2 deleted

[0018] FIG. 3 Resin-Coating Template

INSTALLATION—TOOLS/PREPARATIONS

[0019] Shop-Aid Tools—Horse-hair acid brush, Resin Coating Template, Coupon Harness, Cork Roller, Screen Roller tool [0020] 1. Pre-fit the two substrates snug together.

[0021] Note: For bonding cycle, abutted substrates can be held together by masking tape. [0022] 2. Mark the position for the hinge on the abutted substrates [0023] 3. Paint a light coat of the adhesive resin onto the marked area.

[0024] Installation—Method [0025] A. Over-lay the Resin Coating Template onto the wet resin. The adhesive will hold the template in required position. The cellular surface of template will act as a septum for the resin that will impregnate, mold and bond the composite-hinge in place. [0026] B. Brush-coat resin onto template to fill pores of the septum-screen. Pause 4-5 minutes and remove template, which will leave a 4-5 mil thickness of resin on the substrates. [0027] C. Use the harness to pick-up the hinge-coupon for lay-up onto substrates. Align the coupon to position with one hand and lightly place first end down to position. Sequentially smooth coupon down to opposite end using the free hand. [0028] D. The resin will rapidly infuse the fiber of the overlaid coupon and secure it to the substrate. The described roller tools can be useful to remove any trapped air in laminate and insure that hinge-coupon is flush to substrate. Allow cure times per supplier instructions.

Notes—

[0029] 1. The high-cohesive forces in these adhesive resins serves to consolidate the resultant laminate. Placing additional clamping pressures on installed hinge-coupons is not recommended, as it will typically result in sliding the coupon out of position. [0030] 2. To massage a newly installed coupon, you will need to hold the coupon in position with two fingers to prevent slippage.