PROCEDURE AND SYSTEM FOR MANUFACTURING A PART MADE FROM COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND PART MADE FROM COMPOSITE MATERIAL OBTAINED BY MEANS OF SAID METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a part made from composite material, having a body and one or more continuous fibre bundles in its interior, characterised in that it comprises the stages of: a) obtaining a body that includes one or more tubular cavities in its interior that extend between a first end, disposed on the outer surface of the body and which comprises an inlet orifice, and a second end, opposite to the first end; b) introducing resin in the liquid state and a continuous fibre bundle in the interior of at least one tubular cavity through its inlet orifice; and c) curing the resin until it solidifies, adhering to the body and fixing the continuous fibre bundle. The invention also relates to a system for manufacturing a part made from composite material and to the part made from composite material obtained.

Claims

1.-27. (canceled)

28. A method for manufacturing a part made from composite material, wherein the part comprises a body and one or more continuous fiber bundles arranged within said body, wherein the method comprises the stages of: a) obtaining a body that includes one or more tubular cavities in its interior, wherein each tubular cavity of said one or more tubular cavities extends between a first end, disposed on the outer surface of the body and which comprises an inlet orifice, and a second end, opposite to said first end; b) introducing resin in the liquid state and a continuous fiber bundle in the interior of at least one tubular cavity of said one or more tubular cavities through its inlet orifice, such that the input end of the continuous fiber bundle advances towards the second end of said at least one tubular cavity; and c) curing the resin until it solidifies, adhering to the body of the part and fixing the continuous fiber bundle in the interior of said at least one tubular cavity; wherein stage b) comprises: carrying out said introduction of resin in the liquid state and of said continuous fiber bundle simultaneously, performing said introduction of the continuous fiber bundle within said at least one tubular cavity exerting on the continuous fiber bundle a viscous drag force by means of the resin, applying pressure differential, or carrying out said introduction sequentially, first for the continuous fiber bundle and subsequently for the resin in the liquid state, performing said introduction of the continuous fiber bundle within said at least one tubular cavity: exerting a dragging force by means of a pressurized fluid along the interior of at least said tubular cavity and/or exerting a mechanical pushing force on the bundle of continuous fibers.

29. The method, according to claim 28, wherein said at least one tubular cavity has curved sections.

30. The method, according to claim 29, wherein said at least one tubular cavity are several tubular cavities running within said body unparallelly with respect to each other.

31. The method, according to claim 28, wherein said pressurized fluid is air or another gas.

32. The method, according to claim 28, wherein in stage b) a positive pressure is exerted on the resin in the inlet orifice of a tubular cavity of said at least one tubular cavity, such that the resin introduced in said tubular cavity is impelled towards the second end of said tubular cavity.

33. The method, according to claim 28, wherein the second end of a tubular cavity of said at least one tubular cavity is disposed on the outer surface of the body and comprises an outlet orifice; and wherein in stage b) a vacuum is applied in the outlet orifice of said tubular cavity, such that the resin introduced in said tubular cavity is suctioned towards its outlet orifice.

34. The method, according to claim 28, wherein after stage c) the method comprises the additional stages of: cutting any excess of the continuous fibre bundle and/or resin that project from the inlet orifice of said at least one tubular cavity; and/or polishing and/or lowering the outer surface of the body.

35. The method, according to claim 28, wherein before stage c) the method comprises a stage of conditioning the body of the part at resin curing temperature.

36. The method, according to claim 34, wherein the stage of conditioning the body of the part is performed between stage a) and stage b).

37. The method, according to claim 28, wherein stage a) uses additive manufacturing technology.

38. The method, according to claim 28, wherein prior to stage a) the method comprises the stages of: creating a three-dimensional model of the body of the part to be manufactured; and determining the path of each tubular cavity of said one or more tubular cavities based on said three-dimensional model.

39. The method, according to claim 28, wherein the body of the part comprises a plurality of elements, each element having in its interior at least one segment of tubular cavity; and wherein stage a) comprises the substage of joining the plurality of elements there between, interconnecting the tubular cavity segments such as to form said one or more tubular cavities.

40. The method, according to claim 28, wherein prior to stage b) the method comprises the additional stages of: applying a bath of liquid resin to the continuous fiber bundle; and confronting the input end of the resin-impregnated continuous fiber bundle with the inlet orifice of said at least one tubular cavity.

41. The method, according to claim 28, wherein prior to stage b) the method comprises the stage of coupling a joining element to the input end of the continuous fiber bundle configured to join the ends of the continuous fibers that form said bundle.

42. The method, according to claim 41, wherein the joining element has a geometry adapted to tightly fit in the interior of the cross-section of the tubular cavity wherein the continuous fiber bundle having said joining element will be introduced.

43. The method, according to claim 28, which comprises: a stage of emptying the powder from inside the tubular cavity prior to inserting the continuous fiber bundle in the tubular cavity, and/or a stage of applying a treatment in the interior of the tubular cavity to reduce its roughness prior to inserting the continuous fiber bundle.

44. A part made from composite material, which comprises a body and at least one continuous fiber bundle arranged within said body; wherein said at least one continuous fiber bundle has a resin coating on its lateral surface, and wherein the part made from composite material is obtained by means of a method for manufacturing a part made from composite material, wherein the part comprises a body and one or more continuous fiber bundles arranged within said body, wherein the method comprises the stages of: a) obtaining a body that includes one or more tubular cavities in its interior, wherein each tubular cavity of said one or more tubular cavities extends between a first end, disposed on the outer surface of the body and which comprises an inlet orifice, and a second end, opposite to said first end; b) introducing resin in the liquid state and a continuous fiber bundle in the interior of at least one tubular cavity of said one or more tubular cavities through its inlet orifice, such that the input end of the continuous fiber bundle advances towards the second end of said at least one tubular cavity; and c) curing the resin until it solidifies, adhering to the body of the part and fixing the continuous fiber bundle in the interior of said at least one tubular cavity; wherein stage b) comprises: carrying out said introduction of resin in the liquid state and of said continuous fiber bundle simultaneously, performing said introduction of the continuous fiber bundle within said at least one tubular cavity exerting on the continuous fiber bundle a viscous drag force by means of the resin, applying pressure differential, or carrying out said introduction sequentially, first for the continuous fiber bundle (208) and subsequently for the resin in the liquid state, performing said introduction of the continuous fiber bundle within said at least one tubular cavity: exerting a dragging force by means of a pressurized fluid along the interior of at least said tubular cavity and/or exerting a mechanical pushing force on the bundle of continuous fibers.

45. The part, according to claim 44, wherein the resin that covers the at least one continuous fiber bundle is made from a material other than the material or materials of the body.

46. The part, according to claim 44, wherein the resin is made from the same material as that of said body.

47. A continuous fiber insertion module adapted to simultaneously introduce resin in the liquid state and at least one continuous fiber bundle in the interior of a tubular cavity according to step b) of a following method for manufacturing a part made from composite material, wherein the part comprises a body and one or more continuous fiber bundles arranged within said body, wherein the method comprises the stages of: a) obtaining a body that includes one or more tubular cavities in its interior, wherein each tubular cavity of said one or more tubular cavities extends between a first end, disposed on the outer surface of the body and which comprises an inlet orifice, and a second end, opposite to said first end; b) introducing resin in the liquid state and a continuous fiber bundle in the interior of at least one tubular cavity of said one or more tubular cavities through its inlet orifice, such that the input end of the continuous fiber bundle advances towards the second end of said at least one tubular cavity; and c) curing the resin until it solidifies, adhering to the body of the part and fixing the continuous fiber bundle in the interior of said at least one tubular cavity; wherein stage b) comprises: carrying out said introduction of resin in the liquid state and of said continuous fiber bundle simultaneously, performing said introduction of the continuous fiber bundle within said at least one tubular cavity exerting on the continuous fiber bundle a viscous drag force by means of the resin, applying pressure differential, or carrying out said introduction sequentially, first for the continuous fiber bundle (208) and subsequently for the resin in the liquid state, performing said introduction of the continuous fiber bundle within said at least one tubular cavity: exerting a dragging force by means of a pressurized fluid along the interior of at least said tubular cavity and/or exerting a mechanical pushing force on the bundle of continuous fibers.

48. The module according to claim 47, which comprises: a receptacle susceptible of storing resin in the liquid state and configured to receive a continuous fiber bundle, said receptacle having an outlet opening for the resin and the continuous fiber bundle; an applicator element having a first end coupled to the outlet opening of the receptacle and a second end susceptible of being coupled to the inlet orifice of a tubular cavity of the at least one tubular cavity of the body obtained by means of the manufacturing module, said applicator element being adapted to allow the resin and the continuous fiber bundle to access the interior of said tubular cavity from the receptacle; and a pressure actuator configured to apply a pressure gradient to the resin between the inlet orifice and the second end of said tubular cavity, wherein the pressure in the inlet orifice is greater than the pressure in the second end.

49. The module, according to claim 48, wherein said applicator element is adapted to allow the resin and the continuous fiber bundle to access the interior of said tubular cavity from the receptacle simultaneously.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0123] In order to better understand the foregoing, a set of drawings is attached which, schematically and solely by way of non-limiting example, represent a practical cases of embodiments.

[0124] FIG. 1 shows the flow chart of a method for manufacturing a part made from composite material according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0125] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a system for manufacturing a part made from composite material according to the method of the present invention.

[0126] FIG. 3 shows, in a perspective view, an embodiment of the continuous fibre insertion module of the system of FIG. 2.

[0127] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of the continuous fibre insertion module of FIG. 3.

[0128] FIG. 5 shows an expanded view of the zone of FIG. 4 corresponding to the end of the applicator element of the continuous fibre insertion module susceptible of being coupled to the inlet orifice of a tubular cavity.

[0129] FIGS. 6a-c show, respectively, a profile and front perspective view of a part made from composite material manufactured using the method of the present invention.

[0130] FIG. 7 shows a comparative of the characteristic specific force-displacement curve of the part made from composite material of FIGS. 6a-c reinforced with continuous fibre bundles and of the same part without reinforcement.

[0131] FIG. 8 shows a schematic example of a part whose body has been obtained by means of the union of a plurality of elements.

[0132] FIGS. 9a-c represent, in three different instants, the insertion of a continuous fibre bundle in a tubular cavity of the body of the part of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0133] FIG. 1 represents the flow chart of an embodiment of the method for manufacturing a part made from the composite material of the present invention, wherein the part comprises a body and one or more continuous fibre bundles disposed in its interior. In particular, the method 100 comprises a first stage of designing 101 the body of the part using a three-dimensional CAD design tools based on a set of specifications (mechanical, thermal and/or chemical, inter alia) that the part must fulfil. Next, using the 3D-CAD model of the body, the paths that must be followed by one or more continuous fibre bundles (and, correspondingly, one or more tubular cavities) with which the body of the part will be reinforced are determined 102.

[0134] The method 100 also includes a simulation stage 103 performed with calculation algorithms that uses finite elements of the 3D-CAD model of the body of the part reinforced with continuous fibre bundles. In this stage it is possible to simulate the features and performance of the part in accordance with the type of material selected for the body, for the fibre bundles and for the resin, and for different contour and/or load conditions.

[0135] The analysis of the results obtained during the simulation stage 103 serves to determine 104 whether or not the reinforced part fulfils the design specifications. If this is not the case, it would be necessary to return to the initial design stage 101 of the body of the part to redefine its geometry, as well as the number of continuous fibre bundles required in said body and their paths.

[0136] However, if the 3D-CAD model of the body of the part reinforced with continuous fibre bundles fulfils the design specifications, it is proceed to perform the obtainment stage 105 for obtaining the body of the part. Said body comprises in its interior one or more tubular cavities that extend between a first end, disposed on the outer surface of the body and which comprises an inlet orifice, and a second end, opposite to said first end.

[0137] Immediately thereafter, resin in the liquid state and a continuous fibre bundle are simultaneously introduced 106 in the interior of at least one tubular cavity of said one or more tubular cavities through its inlet orifice, such that the input end of the continuous fibre bundle advances towards the second end of said at least one tubular cavity. In this stage, overpressure can be applied to the resin in the inlet orifice of the tubular cavity wherein the continuous fibre bundle and/or an underpressure on the resin in the second end of said tubular cavity, if endowed with an outlet orifice. It is also possible to exert a mechanical pushing force (and/or, optionally, a torsion force) on the continuous fibre bundle to aid the introduction thereof in the tubular cavity.

[0138] Upon finalising the insertion of the continuous fibre bundles, the body of the part is conditioned 107 at the resin curing temperature and the resin is cured 108 until it solidifies and adheres to the body of the part, fixing the continuous fibre bundle in the interior of said at least one tubular cavity.

[0139] The method 100 also comprises a stage of cutting 109 any excess of continuous fibre bundle and/or resin that projects from the inlet and/or outlet orifice of said at least one tubular cavity and the stage of polishing and/or lowering 110 the outer surface of the body to improve the final appearance of the finished part 111.

[0140] FIG. 2 shows the block diagram of a system for manufacturing a part made from composite material according to the method of the present invention. The system 200 comprises a manufacturing module 201 adapted to obtain a body 207 that includes in its interior at least one tubular cavity that extends between a first end and a second end opposite to said first end. Said first end is disposed on the outer surface of the body and comprises an inlet orifice. The system 200 also comprises a continuous fibre insertion module 202 (which can proceed from a coil or be pre-cut to a certain length, adapted to simultaneously introduce resin in the liquid state and a continuous fibre bundle 208 in the interior of said tubular cavity of the body 207, and a curing module 203 wherein, in general, the body 207 is introduced and which is adapted to cure the resin introduced in said tubular cavity of the body 207.

[0141] FIGS. 3 and 4 show, respectively, a perspective view and a cross-section of an embodiment of the continuous fibre insertion module 202. As can be observed in the figures, said module 202 comprises a receptacle 300 susceptible of storing resin 301 in the liquid state and configured to receive a continuous fibre bundle 208. The receptacle 300 has an outlet opening 302 for the resin 301 and the continuous fibre bundle 208. The receptacle 300 comprises a lid 307 disposed at one end of the receptacle opposite to the end wherein the inlet opening is disposed 302. Also, the receptacle 300 comprises an inlet opening 308 disposed on the lid 307, which is substantially aligned with the outlet opening 302 of the recipient when the lid 307 is disposed on the receptacle 300. The inlet opening 308 is configured to receive a continuous fibre bundle 208 and guide it towards the interior of the receptacle 300.

[0142] The continuous fibre insertion module 202 also includes an applicator element 303 having a first end 304 coupled to the outlet opening 302 of the receptacle and a second end 305 susceptible of being coupled to the inlet orifice of a tubular cavity of the at least one tubular cavity of the body 207, previously obtained by means of the manufacturing module 201. The applicator element 303 is adapted to enable the resin 301 and the continuous fibre bundle 208 to simultaneously access the interior of said tubular cavity from the receptacle 300.

[0143] FIG. 5 provides an expanded view of the part of the applicator element 303 next to a second end 305 arranged within the circumference 500 in FIG. 4. As can be observed in FIG. 5, the applicator element 303 comprises at its second end 305 a narrowing 309 in the manner of a transition, facilitating the insertion of the second end 305 in the inlet orifice of the tubular cavity.

[0144] Additionally, the continuous fibre insertion module 202 comprises a pressure actuator 306 configured to apply a pressure gradient on the resin 301 between the inlet orifice and the second end of said tubular cavity, wherein the pressure on the inlet orifice is greater than the pressure on the second end.

[0145] The pressure actuator 306 is of the pneumatic type and is coupled to the lid 307 of the receptacle 300. Said actuator 306 enables the introduction of compressed air in the interior of the receptacle 300, exerting pressure on the free surface of the resin 301 contained in the receptacle 300.

Example 1

[0146] FIGS. 6a-c show, respectively, a profile and front perspective view of an example of a part made from composite material manufactured using the method of the present invention. Specifically, the part 600 comprises a body 601 having four support zones 602a-d on its lower part and a load zone 603 on its upper part. The part 600 has been designed to support a force exerted on the load zone 603 and aimed vertically towards the plane whereon the four support zones 602a-d rest. In particular, the dimensions of the part 600 are 175 mm×80 mm×65 mm.

[0147] The shape of the body 601 has been calculated using topology optimisation tools based on the finite element method to automatically optimise the geometry of the body 601, removing material from those zones subject to less mechanical stress. Upon optimising the geometry of the body 601, the path of the continuous fibre bundles has been determined (and, correspondingly, of the tubular cavities that will house them) through the interior of the body 601 of the part using 3D-CAD tools.

[0148] The body 601 of the part 600 is made from polylactic acid (PLA) and has been obtained by means of FDM-type additive manufacturing technology, wherein the body 601 comprises a plurality of layers, stacked in a direction perpendicular to the plane whereon the four support zones 602a-d rest. In its interior, the body 601 includes six passthrough tubular cavities 604a-f, each comprising one inlet orifice and one outlet orifice disposed on the outer surface of the body 601, and with trajectories that penetrate more than one layer of the body 601. The tubular cavities 604a-f have a circular cross-section, approximately 2 mm in diameter, which is maintained substantially constant throughout the tubular cavity. Also, the length of the tubular cavities 604a-f is at least 20 times greater than the diameter of its cross-section.

[0149] In order to reinforce the body 601, continuous 2400 tex glass fibre bundles (marketed by R&G) are used. The ends of the continuous fibres that form said bundles have been joined therebetween by means of a joining element (specifically a thread of approximately 0.1 mm in diameter) to prevent the fibres of said bundles from becoming separated as their input ends advance through the interior of the tubular cavities 604a-f and intertwine with the walls thereof, as FDM additive manufacturing technology produces considerable superficial roughness.

[0150] In turn, the resin used is of the dual-component epoxy type (in particular, Epoxy Resin L and GL2 Hardener, also marketed by R&G). This resin has a density of 1.15 g/cm.sup.3 and a mixture viscosity of 250 mPa.Math.s at a temperature of 25° C.

[0151] The weight of the continuous fibres and the diameter of the tubular cavity determine the percentage of continuous fibres and resin that will remain in the interior of the tubular cavity after inserting the fibre bundle. The weight of the fibres is measured preferably in tex units, which is equivalent to grammes per kilometre. Therefore, inserting a continuous 2400 tex glass fibre bundle in a tubular cavity of approximately 2 mm in diameter is equivalent to a volumetric concentration of continuous fibres in the tubular cavities of approximately 30%.

[0152] On introducing the continuous fibre bundles in the tubular cavities of the body of the part, it must be taken into account that the injection pressure and viscosity of the resin, together with the diameter of the tubular cavity and the type and weight of the continuous fibres, determine the average resin injection speed and the maximum travel of the continuous fibre bundle. Therefore, for a certain viscosity of the resin, diameter of the tubular cavity, and type and weight of the continuous fibres, the higher the injection pressure the higher the average injection speed and the greater the maximum travel of the continuous fibre bundle. Alternatively, if the injection pressure, the diameter of the tubular cavity and the type and weight of the continuous fibres are fixed, the greater the viscosity of the resin the lower the average injection speed and the shorter the maximum travel of the continuous fibre bundles.

[0153] In this example, in order to reinforce the part 600 a continuous fibre bundle has been introduced in each of the six tubular cavities 604a-f of the body 601, by applying a positive pressure between 2 and 3 bar in the inlet orifice of each of said tubular cavities 604a-f.

[0154] Upon concluding the stage of insertion of resin in the liquid state and of the continuous fibre bundles, the curing of the resin at ambient temperature (25° C.) has been performed for a period of 48 hours to allow the resin to solidify, fixing said bundles in the interior of the tubular cavities 604a-f.

[0155] Lastly, upon curing the resin, the excess of the continuous fibre bundle and resin that projected from the inlet and outlet orifice of each tubular cavity 604a-f, giving the part 600 its definitive finish.

[0156] Therefore, the part 600 made from composite material comprises a body 601 that comprises a plurality of layers stacked in a direction perpendicular to the surface thereof and six continuous fibre bundles disposed in the tubular cavities 604a-f in the interior of the body 601. Each of the six continuous fibre bundles has on its lateral surface a coating of resin of a material different to that of the material of the body 601. In addition, each continuous fibre bundle is contained in two or more layers of the plurality of layers of the body 601.

[0157] In order to verify that the part 600 made from composite material reinforced with continuous fibre bundles has better mechanical features, a non-reinforced part has also been manufactured, the body of which has the same geometry as the body 601 but without tubular cavities in its interior. In order to obtain the body of the non-reinforced part, the same additive manufacturing technology, machinery and configuration as those used to obtain the body 601 have been used.

[0158] Mechanical testing has been conducted on both parts using a universal testing machine. Each part has been placed on a rigid platform of said machine on its four support zones and a force applied to the load zone of each part, aimed vertically towards the plane of the rigid platform on which the four support zones rest.

[0159] The following table shows the results obtained for each of the parts. As can be observed, the part 600 made from composite material reinforced with glass fibre has greater resistance, both in absolute terms and in relation to its mass (or specific resistance). In fact, the resistance to the part 600 is 80% greater than that of the non-reinforced part, the weight of the former being only 20% greater than that of the latter, resulting in a specific resistance 50% greater.

TABLE-US-00001 Part without Part with Increment reinforcement reinforcement [%] Resistance [kN] 3.1 5.6 80.8 Part Weight [g] 94.0 113.0 20.2 Specific resistance [N/g] 33.0 49.6 50.4

[0160] FIG. 7 shows the characteristics specific force-displacement curves of the part made from composite material reinforced with glass fibre and the part without reinforcement. As the force increases (and with it the specific force) applied to the load zone of the part, the part is progressively flexed, thereby increasing the displacement of the load zone towards the rigid platform whereon the part rests, until producing the rupture of the part, moment in which the specific force drops abruptly. Therefore, in the characteristic curve 701 (corresponding to the part 600 made from composite material with glass fibre reinforcement) of FIG. 7 the rupture occurs for a specific force greater than in the characteristic curve 702 (corresponding to the part without reinforcement).

[0161] On modifying this Example 1, by designing more tubular cavities and inserting more fibre bundles in the interior of the body, greater increments than those indicated in the above table are achieved.

Example 2

[0162] FIG. 8 shows a second example of a part made from composite material whose body has been obtained by joining a plurality of elements. In particular, the body 800 of the part comprises a plurality of elements 801-810, each element having at least one tubular cavity segment in its interior. FIG. 8 shows a cross-section of the body 800 in order to be able to observe the tubular cavity segments disposed in elements 801-810.

[0163] As can be observed in the figure, not all the elements 801-810 have the same shape and/or dimensions. Therefore, while the elements 801-805 are substantially cylindrical and elongated, the elements 806-810 are substantially spherical or ellipsoidal and act as joining elements of the former. Also, each of the elements 806 and 809 contain two independent tubular cavity segments in their interior, while each of the elements 801-805, 807, 808 and 810 include only one in their interior.

[0164] In accordance with the method of the present invention, the elements 801-810 have been joined together to obtain the body 800, interconnecting the tubular cavity segments contained therein such as to form a first through tubular cavity arranged within elements 806, 801, 807, 802, 808, 803 and 809, and a second through tubular cavity arranged within elements 806, 804, 810, 805 and 809.

[0165] The body 800 also comprises a second plurality of elements, formed by elements 811 and 812, which do not contain any tubular cavity segment in their interior. Specifically, the element 811 is joined to elements 807 and 810, while element 812 is joined to elements 808 and 810.

[0166] FIGS. 9a-c show three different instants of the insertion of a continuous fibre bundle in a tubular cavity of the body of the part of FIG. 8. FIG. 9a provides a detailed view of a portion of the body 800, wherein elements 801, 804 and 806 can be observed joined therebetween. The figure also shows elements 801, 804 and 806 joined therebetween. The figure also shows the end of an applicator element 901 coupled to the inlet orifice of the passthrough first tubular cavity 902 of the body 800, ready to initiate the simultaneous introduction of resin in the liquid state and a continuous fibre bundle in the interior of said tubular cavity 902.

[0167] FIGS. 9b and 9c show the continuous fibre bundle 903 advancing along the interior of the first tubular cavity 902, passing from one tubular cavity segment to the next. In FIG. 9b the input end of the continuous fibre bundle 903 is approximately halfway along the length of the first tubular cavity 902, while in FIG. 9c said input end has already reached the outlet orifice of the first tubular cavity 902.

[0168] Despite the fact that reference has been made to specific embodiments of the invention, it is evident for a person skilled in the art that the described method and system for manufacturing a part made from composite material, and the part made from composite material obtained by means of said method, are susceptible of many variations and modifications, and that all the aforementioned details may be replaced by other, technically equivalent ones, without detracting from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.