Resin impregnated multi orientation composite material

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 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.    
     
     
         2 . The process, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the intersecting orientation of the first angle and the second angle is substantially perpendicular.  
     
     
         3 . The process, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the composite material is wound on a rotating mandrel.  
     
     
         4 . The process, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the orientation of the filament bands is controlled by a filament application section of a filament winding machine.  
     
     
         5 . The process, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the application section impregnates the filament bands with the resin.  
     
     
         6 . The process, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first filament band and the second filament band have a plurality of overlapping locations.  
     
     
         7 . The process, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein an effective amount of resin is present in the overlapping locations.  
     
     
         8 . The process, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first filament band and the second filament band are impregnated with a substantially similar quantity of resin.  
     
     
         9 . 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.    
     
     
         10 . The process, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the filament bands are wound into a plurality of layers having at least three different filament band orientations.  
     
     
         11 . The process, as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising cutting the pre-form from the composite material.  
     
     
         12 . The process, as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising curing the pre-form on a shape defining form.  
     
     
         13 . The process, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein a plurality of performs are simultaneously wound.  
     
     
         14 . The process, as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the pre-form is wound in a sheet of composite material.