Multi orientation composite material impregnated with non-liquid resin

Abstract

A composite material made of multiple filament bands is disclosed. The filament bands are wound to create a composite material. The filament bands may be impregnated with a solid or semi-solid resin. The filament bands are wound in multiple orientations to form a sheet of composite material. Additionally, the composite material may be made to have a varying number of layer and fiber orientations throughout the sheet of composite material. In another embodiment, a composite component requiring multiple layers and fiber orientations may be substantially manufactured during a filament winding process.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  
     
         1 . A composite material comprising: 
 a plurality of filament bands, wherein the individual bands are impregnated with a resin that is solid or semi-solid at ambient temperatures, the composite material having a plurality of layers of substantially parallel filament bands, wherein alternating layer have intersecting orientations with adjacent layers, such that the filament bands form a sheet of composite material.    
     
     
         2 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the filament bands are carbon fiber.  
     
     
         3 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising additional layers of filament bands located on the sheet of composite material.  
     
     
         4 . The material, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the filament bands of the additional layers of filament bands are substantially unidirectional.  
     
     
         5 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein intersecting orientations of the layers of filament bands create a plurality of overlapping locations.  
     
     
         6 . The material, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein an effective amount of resin is present in the overlapping locations.  
     
     
         7 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the individual filament bands are impregnated with substantially similar quantities of resin.  
     
     
         8 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the material is produced by winding the filament bands on a mandrel.  
     
     
         9 . The material, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the mandrel is a drum.  
     
     
         10 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the intersecting orientation of the filament bands have different angles from layer to layer.  
     
     
         11 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bands are at least about 1 inch wide.  
     
     
         12 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bands are no more than about 0.5 inches wide.  
     
     
         13 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the material is tacky.  
     
     
         14 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the layers of filament band are substantially perpendicular to adjacent layers of filament bands.  
     
     
         15 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet of composite material is substantially solid when cured.  
     
     
         16 . The material, as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a removable backing attached to at least one side of the composite material by the non-liquid resin.  
     
     
         17 . A sheet of composite material comprising: 
 a plurality of filament bands, wherein the individual filament bands are pre-impregnated with a resin that is solid or semi-solid at ambient temperatures, the plurality of filament bands being wound into a sheet of composite material, such that alternating layer of filament bands have an intersecting orientation with adjacent layers of filament bands, such that the filament bands form a sheet of composite material.    
     
     
         18 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the filament bands are wound on a mandrel.  
     
     
         19 . The material, as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the mandrel is a drum.  
     
     
         20 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the filament bands are helically wound.  
     
     
         21 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the angle of intersecting orientations are selected according to load requirements of a selective component.  
     
     
         22 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising a plurality of filament bands wound in a unidirectional orientation wound onto the sheet of composite material.  
     
     
         23 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the material is wound according to a design of a determined component.  
     
     
         24 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the material is a pre-form.  
     
     
         25 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the filament bands are a carbon fiber.  
     
     
         26 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the intersecting orientation of the filament bands have at least three orientations.  
     
     
         27 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the filament band widths vary through the sheet.  
     
     
         28 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the filament bands are impregnated with the resin while the filament bands are being wound.  
     
     
         29 . The material, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the resin is heated to impregnate the resin in the filament bands.  
     
     
         30 . A process for manufacturing a composite material comprising: 
 pre-impregnating a first filament band with a resin that is solid or semi-solid at ambient temperatures;    winding the first filament band at a first angle;    pre-impregnating a second filament band with a resin that is solid or semi-solid at ambient temperatures;    winding the second filament band in a second direction, wherein the second angle has an intersecting orientation with the first angle, such that the first filament band and the second filament band form a composite material.    
     
     
         31 . The process, as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the intersecting orientation of the first angle and the second angle is substantially perpendicular.  
     
     
         32 . The process, as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the composite material is wound on a rotating mandrel.  
     
     
         33 . The process, as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the orientation of the filament bands is controlled by a filament application section of a filament winding machine.  
     
     
         34 . The process, as recited in  claim 33 , wherein the application section impregnates the filament bands with the resin.  
     
     
         35 . The process, as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the first filament band and the second filament band have a plurality of overlapping locations.  
     
     
         36 . The process, as recited in  claim 35 , wherein an effective amount of resin is present in the overlapping locations.  
     
     
         37 . The process, as recited in  claim 30 , wherein the first filament band and the second filament band are impregnated with a substantially similar quantity of resin.  
     
     
         38 . A process for manufacturing a composite component comprising: 
 determining load requirement for the component;    identifying the number of layers and orientation of filament bands to meet load requirements for the component;    creating a manufacturing control plan; and    winding a plurality of filament bands on a mandrel, wherein the plurality of filament bands are pre-impregnated with a resin that is solid or semi-solid at ambient temperatures, the plurality of filament bands being wound according to the manufacturing control plan, such that the number of layers and orientations of filament bands create a pre-form for the component.    
     
     
         39 . The process, as recited in  claim 38 , wherein the filament bands are wound into a plurality of layers having at least three different filament band orientations.  
     
     
         40 . The process, as recited in  claim 38 , further comprising cutting the pre-form from the composite material.  
     
     
         41 . The process, as recited in  claim 40 , further comprising curing the pre-form on a shape defining form.  
     
     
         42 . The process, as recited in  claim 38 , wherein a plurality of performs are simultaneously wound.  
     
     
         43 . The process, as recited in  claim 38 , wherein the pre-form is wound in a sheet of composite material.