METHOD FOR PRODUCING A PART MADE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL, AND SO OBTAINED COMPOSITE PART

Abstract

A method for producing a part made of composite material includes adding a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix around a preform of a reinforcing fiber mesh made by filament winding around the spurs or the like of a frame. There is winding in addition to the fibers on one or several reels within the matrix, the axes of the spurs or the like and those of the one or more reels having different orientations, so as to provide the mesh of fibers with a three-dimensional shape.

Claims

1. A method for producing a part made of composite material, the method comprising the steps of: adding a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix around a preform comprised of a reinforcing-fiber mesh being made by filament winding around the spurs of a frame, wherein the method further comprises winding in addition to the fibers on one or more reels inside the matrix, the axes of said spurs or the like and those of said one or more reels having different orientations, so as to provide said mesh of fibers with a three-dimensional shape.

2. The method, according to claim 1, wherein windings are made between pairs of internal reels, in order to form bars forming the mesh structure.

3. The method, according to claim 2, wherein the windings between two reels of a pair of reels are made by passing on one side or the other of the one and/or the other reel, so as to create, within the bar that connects said two reels, at least one crossing of fibers.

4. The method, according to claim 2, wherein, prior to starting the winding of the fiber on a reel to another reel for creating a bar, one or more complete windings are made around the reel.

5. The method, according to claim 2, wherein one or several complete consolidation windings are performed around the reel between the fibers that form the bars, during and/or after performing the windings for creating said bars.

6. The method, according to claim 1, wherein the addition of a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix around the preform is carried out either by soaking, or by spraying, or by overmolding.

7. A part of composite material comprising: a preform comprised of a reinforcing-fiber mesh made by filament winding around the spurs or the like of a frame, and to which a thermoplastic or thermosetting matrix has been added, wherein it is obtained by the method according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In the attached drawing:

[0036] FIGS. 1 and 2 show schematic views of a planar connecting rod during its manufacturing by the method according to the invention.

[0037] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a variant of the same connecting rod.

[0038] FIG. 4 shows a partial schematic and cross-sectional view of a portion of the same connecting rod.

[0039] FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 show schematic perspective views of parts made of composite material manufactured according to the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] When referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, we can see a planar connecting rod 1 made of composite material manufactured by implementing the method according to the invention.

[0041] More specifically, FIG. 1 shows a first step of manufacturing a mesh structure 10 of reinforcing fibers F, made by filament winding.

[0042] The fiber F, which may consist, without limitation, of strands, ribbons or cords of reinforcing fibers, is wound between two pulleys 2 and 3 for forming the two eyecups of the connecting rod 1, and carried by a frame, not shown.

[0043] According to the invention, the frame also carries reels 4, or intermediate pulleys, arranged between the pulleys 2 and 3, and on which the fiber F is also wound.

[0044] These reels 4, or intermediate pulleys, permit to create, between each pair of reels 4, bars 5 that form the mesh structure 10.

[0045] In FIG. 2, we can see a next step of the method, which consists in molding on the mesh structure 10 a thermosetting or thermoplastic matrix M, as the case may be, the reels 4 and the bars 5 being embedded in this matrix M.

[0046] When referring now to FIG. 3, we can see that the method according to the invention allows multiple possibilities of making the mesh structure 10, especially when the reels 4 have a determined diameter.

[0047] It is thus possible, when making a change in direction of the winding on a spool 4, to pass on one side or the other of the latter, to stretch fibers F obliquely in a bar 5.

[0048] The reels 4 permit to vary the direct or crossed, single or multiple reels, so as to permit an optimization of the fiber mesh.

[0049] It should be noted that the molding of the matrix M is carried out in a mold, not shown, and that in the latter may be arranged, before molding, several preforms each comprised of a mesh structure 10.

[0050] It should also be noted that in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the reels 4 may, according to the invention, as cannot be seen in a top view, not be in the same plane, so that the bars 5 are inclined in planes that are not perpendicular to the axes of the reels 4.

[0051] When referring to FIG. 4, we can see a reel 4, or intermediate pulley. This reel 4 comprises, in this non-restrictive embodiment, a shaft 40 and two lateral flanges 41.

[0052] It will be understood that such a reel 4 permits the fibers F to extend in planes that are not perpendicular to the axis of the shaft 40.

[0053] According to the invention, the winding of the fiber F at the level of such a reel 4 is divided into several phases. In a first step, an initial winding 42 is performed around the shaft 40 between the flanges 41, in order to provide the knot to be formed with the resistance and the minimum rigidity, then a winding is performed to another reel 4 for creating the bars 5, and finally windings 43 around the shaft 40 and between the fibers F that form the bars 5, and performed during and/or after the creation of the windings for creating the bars 5.

[0054] The aim of these windings is to block the deformation in compression in the wound area, but also to reduce, according to the need, the length of the bars 5 prone to buckling.

[0055] When referring to FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8, we can see composite parts 6, 7, 8 and 9, respectively, made by implementing the method according to the invention.

[0056] It can be observed that the winding of the fibers can be made between two reels 4 with non-parallel axes. The so obtained winding is globally twisted while complying with the straightness of the beams 50 of fibers forming the bars 5.

[0057] This twisting associated with the choice of the diameter of the reels 4 permits to create a three-dimensional fiberizing potentially having out-of-plane resistance.

[0058] It should be noted that some reels 4 of these parts 6, 7, 8 and 9 constitute interface forms.

[0059] It is possible to create a three-dimensional fiber mesh suitable for optimizing the fiberizing of a volume part having a mechanical strength during phases of compression of the bars 5 forming the mesh 10.